TOKYO - As Japan reopens its schools, parentsare getting some early morning homework.

They are expected to take their children's temperatures every morning and enter the results on a health report, which is then brought to school and checked by teachers on arrival.

The monitoring is just one of the new realities at schools across Japan, which are now back in session for the first time since March. It's also a taste of how education around the world is remaking itself in the coronavirus pandemic era.

Schools have been closed in 146 countries around the world, according to UNESCO, affecting at least two-thirds of students globally. Japan is among a small number of countries trying to find a way to restart education - under restrictions and with emergency plans to close again if the virus finds a foothold.

At Hoyonomori Gakuen, a school in Tokyo's Shinagawa ward, the new rules, including temperature checks, are set down in a 28-point plan designed by the school to minimize risks.

Children attend on alternate days, so half the desks in every classroom can be left empty, and for now they are also going home early. Teachers and students all wears masks.

The students line up - paying attention to marks on the floor to indicate appropriate distancing - to wash their hands before classes even start, and continue to do so throughout the morning.

Lunch is eaten at their desks, facing forward, in silence.

It's harder to make new friends when everyone has to keep their distance, says Naho Shinagawa, and school would be much more fun if she could play outside during recess. But the 8-year-old third-grader is just glad to be back, learning and playing with her friends again.

"When I walk to school, I feel a little bit scared in case I pass someone who is infected, but once I'm here, I feel safe," she said. "I'm so glad I can take my classes together with everyone."

The silent lunchtime is a hard adjustment for Yukihisa Ishikawa, an 11-year-old boy.

"I enjoy class, and between classes, although we have to keep our distance, I enjoy talking to my friends," he said. "But a good part of lunchtime is talking to friends while eating, and if we can't do that, it's disappointing."

Ishikawa and fellow sixth-grader Miki Akimoto say it's easier learning at school than it was at home, not least because they have a sense "that we're all in it together."

"At home, my younger brother and sister would finish their work earlier than me, and it was difficult to concentrate," Akimoto said. With her dad also often working from home, it also tended to be quite crowded, she added.

At school, both kids said it was hard to remember to keep their distance from their friends all the time.

"Actually when my friends come close to me, I start to become aware of social distance," Ishikawa said. "Then I get to talking myself, and it's easy to forget."

After closing schools at the beginning of March and declaring a state of emergency in April, Japan has managed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, with just a few dozen new cases recorded every day. Its official death toll stands at just over 900, a fraction of the mortality rates seen in the United States and Western Europe.

But school principal Jun Ninomiya says he is still checking the government's coronavirus data, in detail, every day, and has drawn up contingency plans in case the school needs to close again. The end of the state of emergency has seen a small but significant rise in cases, especially in Tokyo and the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka prefecture, in Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu.

At least 13 children in Kitakyushu have now been found to have the coronavirus, including five in the same class, although not all had symptoms. Five schools in the city have been forced to close again, after reopening only last month. Some parents have reportedly withdrawn children from nearby schools.

Ninomiya said he had expected some parents to be reluctant to send their children back to Hoyonomori Gakuen, "but so far those fears were not justified.

"Parents have been waiting to send their children back to school," he said, "so this is the right time."

Children have not been as badly affected as older adults by the coronavirus. That does not mean they are entirely safe, nor that schools can't become vectors of virus transmission, experts say. Children in Asia, the United States and Europe have also been diagnosed with a "multi-system inflammatory syndrome" similar to Kawasaki disease, thought to be linked to the coronavirus.

Nearby South Korea had to delay its plans to reopen schools five times, finally beginning a phased reopening in late May, 10 weeks after the original start date.

Even then, fresh clusters of infections emerged in and around Seoul. Some students were found to be infected, and hundreds of schools were forced to delay reopening or to close their doors again only days after having reopened.

In Japan, the Ministry of Education says singing should not be allowed in music classes just yet, because that can encourage virus particles to spread, while physical education should be designed to avoid contact between children.

Hoyonomori Gakuen has removed many doors that divided up the school and is keeping its windows open to maximize ventilation, while also keeping the air conditioning on. It can still be uncomfortable in a face mask, though.

"The mask does get hot, and I'm often tempted to remove it," said third-grader Shinagawa, who isn't a huge fan of social distancing either. "It's sad not having a friend sitting next to me at school."

- - -

The Washington Post's Akiko Kashiwagi contributed to this report.
Riddhima Kapoor has shared a glimpse of the family get-together as brother Ranbir Kapoor, his girlfriend Alia Bhatt and her sister Shaheen Bhatt came to meet Neetu Kapoor on Saturday. They have been coping with the demise of actor Rishi Kapoor together as a family.

Riddhima shared pictures on Instagram which also show Shweta Bachchan Nandas son Agastya Nanda in attendance. The pictures show the three women: Riddhima, Alia and Shaheen posing for selfies. A particular picture in a collage shows Alia looking excited as she clicks a selfie with Riddhima, Shaheen and Ranbir in the frame. Riddhima captioned the collage of all their pictures, My comfort zone #familia.

Riddhima also posted two separate pictures -- one with mother Neetu and one with Alia and Shaheen on Instagram and captioned them with a heart emoji.

Riddhima often reacts to Alia and Shaheens Instagram posts. She recently dropped a sweet comment in reaction to a picture of Alia and Shaheen. Shaheen had posted a picture with Alia on Instagram with the caption, Hi Sweetie. Riddhima had liked the picture and commented, Too too cute @shaheenb @aliaabhatt, along with several heart emojis.

Also read: Karan Johar looks taller than Shah Rukh Khan, gets head massage from Uday Chopra in epic throwback pics

Alia has been by the Kapoor familys side ever since Rishi Kapoor flew to New York for his cancer treatment along with wife Neetu. Alia had accompanied Ranbir on frequent trips to the US to check on Rishi. She was also among the very few family members present at the actors funeral on April 30 amid lockdown. It is believed Alia video called Riddhima, so that the latter could witness her fathers last rites, as she couldnt travel from Delhi to Mumbai in time for the funeral.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
There was no place to hide, no place to truly be safe. Across the U.S., black Americans lived in fear of law enforcement officials armed with weapons who monitored their every behavior, attacked them on the street and in their homes, and killed them for the slightest alleged provocation.

These organized groups of white men known as slave patrols lay at the roots of the nation's law enforcement excesses, historians say, helping launch centuries of violent and racist behavior toward black Americans, as well as a tradition of protests and uprisings against police brutality.

That history has once again become the subject of national debate as millions of Americans in recent days gathered in cities large and small to denounce police brutality and racial bias after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in Minneapolis, at the hands of a police officer after allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store.

In a video of the encounter, Floyd gasped for breath as police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck while three other officers looked on. Chauvin was fired along with the officers in the video, and all four were eventually arrested for their role in his death. Floyds last words were I cant breathe, recalling the death of Eric Garner, 43, who also gasped I cant breathe" before he died during an arrest for selling untaxed cigarettes in New York City in 2014.

Both deaths, as well as the deaths of other black men, women and children across the U.S. during interactions with police officers, have inspired protests and calls for police reform, along with the rise of the Black Lives Matter social justice movement.

But law enforcement officials across the U.S. have a much longer history of killing black people, says Jennifer Cobbina, a criminal justice professor at Michigan State University.

Too often people look at the contemporary issue, the issue that is going on right now but not understanding that all that is happening is seeped in 400 years of legacy of injustice, she says, adding, These past grievances, past harms by law enforcement, need to be addressed before even attempting to move forward.

Story continues

Dating back to the 1600s, the U.S., then a British colony, used a watchmen system, where citizens of towns and cities would patrol their communities to prevent burglaries, arson and maintain order. As the slave population increased in the U.S., slave patrols were formed in South Carolina and expanded to other Southern states, according to Sally Hadden, a history professor at Western Michigan University who researches slave patrols.

In this March 13, 1965 file photo, police block demonstrators attempting to push through their cordon in Selma, Ala. during a protest for voting rights.

Slave patrols were tasked with hunting down runaways and suppressing rebellions amid fear of enslaved people rising up against their white owners, who were often outnumbered. The patrol was a volunteer force consisting of white men who surveyed and attacked black people and anyone who tried to help them escape.

Everything that you can think of that a police officer can do today, they did it, Hadden says. The biggest thing is that they were race-focused as opposed to the police today, who should be race-neutral in their enforcement of law.

Slave patrols were not designed to protect public safety in the broadest sense but rather to protect white wealth, says Seth Soughton, a law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law and a former police officer in Tallahassee, Florida, whose research has focused on excessive police force.

After the abolition of slavery in 1865 with the passing of the 13th Amendment toward the end of the Civil War, slave patrols were done away with and modern police departments become more common.

African Americans, however, were still heavily policed by law enforcement officials, especially in areas that passed black codes, or laws that restricted property ownership, employment and other behaviors.

The Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups terrorized black communities, carrying out lynchings and destroying black schools. Some law enforcement and other government officials became KKK members, especially in the South.

The Ku Klux Klan could often count on empathy or active assistance at the time, Soughton says. "The best that can be said for a lot of policing at the time is that they didnt do anything to stop that. But often there is far worse to say because not only did they not do anything to stop it, they actively assisted it.

When black Americans protested against segregation and other racist laws, law enforcement officials were often called in. During the civil rights era, images of police brutally suppressing peaceful activists, including with the use of dogs and fire hoses, in part helped usher in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion and sex.

President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew wave to delegates at the final session of the Republican National Convention in Miami on Aug. 24, 1972.

But as black Americans gained more rights, lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle looked for ways to criminalize the black community.

In 1971, the Nixon administration launched the war on drugs, resulting in increased arrests and harsher prison sentences largely aimed at black people. Former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman later confirmed that the effort was designed to hurt black families.

"We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news," he told Harper's Magazine.

The Clinton administration's 1994 crime bill also resulted in many more black Americans being rounded up by law enforcement officials and put in prison.

From 1980 and 2015, the nation's prison population climbed from roughly 500,000 to more than 2.2 million, with black Americans making up 34% of all inmates, according to the NAACP. Only 13% of Americans identify as black, according to the U.S. Census.

Protesters shout at policemen during a Black Lives Matter demonstration May 28 in New York City.

And black people are still experiencing police brutality and dying because of it. According to the research group Mapping Police Violence, African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than a white person.

In 2012, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator, was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old student in Sanford, Florida. The verdict, along with the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man in Ferguson, Missouri, gave birth to Black Lives Matter and protests over police brutality.

After the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, the Justice Department curtailed programs to investigate local police departments for racism and excessive force. But the deaths of Floyd, as well as of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African American emergency room technician in Louisville, killed at her home in March by police searching for a suspect in a drug case, have sparked renewed protests over law enforcement actions and policies.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have decried Floyd's killing, and Americans of all ethnic backgrounds have poured into city streets demanding justice for Floyd, Garner, Taylor and many others.

Whats becoming very apparent is that black people aren't the only group in this country that is concerned about the levels of police brutality in the United States, says Lionel Kimble, a history professor at Chicago State University whose research focuses on black civil rights. The country is going to have to take a hard look in the mirror and talk about how we police people, in what role the police play in supporting inequality in our society.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black Lives Matters: Police departments have long history of racism
Haryana Board Class 10 Result 2020 | The Haryana Board will not declare BSEH Class 10 board examination 2020 results on 8 June. Students can check its official website Results.bseh.org.in for updates

Haryana Board Class 10 Result 2020 | The Haryana Board will not declare BSEH Class 10 board examination 2020 results on 8 June. The result has been postponed indefinitely, PTI reported, and updates regarding any announcements will be available on bseh.org.in.

Once declared, students can also check their Class 10 board exam result by going to Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH)'s official website www.bseh.org.in as well.

In case of traffic, students can visit alternative websites such as www.examresults.net.in and results.gov.in as well. The board, however, is expected to announce results for only four subjects, reports said.

Here's how too check the result on the official website:

Step 1: Go to the official website of the board bseh.org.in

Step 2: Select the link on the homepage which says Exam Results or visit results.bseh.org.in to access the result page.

Step 3: From the dropdown list under course, select 10th Regular March 2020 or Class 10 Board Result 2020

Step 4: Enter Roll number and other information on the right-hand side box

Step 4: Click on submit button to proceed

Step 5: The result will be displayed on the screen

Step 6: Download it for further reference

In 2019, the board had declared the Class 10 result on 19 May, however, it was delayed this year due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Following the implementation of the coronavirus lockdown on 25 March, Haryana was one of the first few states to start evaluation process from home.

According to BSEB chairman Dr Jagbir Singh, messages were sent to teachers who were to evaluate the answer scripts way back in April.

Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal had confirmed the date for the Class 10th Regular March 2020 result saying that the board is ready to declare the Class 10 results on 8 June.

BSEH recently announced that all pending examinations of Class 10 and 12 will be conducted from 1 to 15 July. The detailed time table will be uploaded by the board 10 days prior to the examinations.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged on Sunday reforms and cuts for the first time to police funds and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced plans for a major shake-up of the city's policing.

Why it matters: These are the latest examples of Black Lives Matter protesters driving changes in policing policies after almost two weeks of nationwide demonstrations that began over the death of George Floyd and other African Americans in custody.

Many Black Lives Matter protesters are calling for some police funds to be reinvested elsewhere and for systemic issues in law enforcement to be fixed.

What's happening: In Minnesota, where Floyd died on May 25, a veto-proof majority of nine members of the Minneapolis City Council signed a pledge at a rally on Sunday to begin the process of dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department as it currently exists.

In New York City, De Blasio said Sunday he would divert policing funds to social services, with the details being announced before the July 1 budget deadline, per the New York Times.

In Seattle, Durkan, announced on Friday a 30-day ban on city police using tear gas.

On Sunday night, she committed to policing reforms including issuing an emergency order on Monday requiring officers turn on body cameras during public protests and a review of crowd dispersal tactics, chemicals, and de-escalation techniques.

Durkan also called for an independent state prosecutor to investigate and prosecute officers who use deadly force and she committed to identifying "at least $100 million to invest further in community-based programs that invest in Black youth and adults, including employment programs, Black-owned businesses and programs that provide alternatives to arrest and incarceration."

Go deeper ... Vox: Park Police call it a "mistake" to insist tear gas wasn't used in Lafayette Square

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details on the new announcements on policing reforms.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey leaves after declining to say he would fully defund the police at a protest on Saturday. (Stephen Maturen via Getty Images)

Protesters booted Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey from a protest Saturday after he told demonstrators that he would not commit to defunding the citys police department.

During a peaceful protest led by the advocacy group Black Visions, demonstrators marched to Freys house, where he came out to meet them, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

When Frey, 38, told protest organizers that he would not commit to defunding the Minneapolis police department  after four officers have been charged in the death of George Floyd  protesters booed him and told him to leave.

The moment was filmed and shared widely online.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey showed up today at the protests. He was asked if he would commit to abolishing/defunding the police. Incredible to witness crowd hold him directly accountable. Man did a literal walk of shame. pic.twitter.com/v645mfIZHt  Sana Saeed (@SanaSaeed) June 6, 2020

At first, Frey told the protest organizers that he had been coming to grips with my own responsibility, my own failure in this and said there needed to be deep-seated, structural reform within the Minneapolis Police Department.

Then, one of the protest organizers asked him whether he would commit to defunding the police department, and she asked the mayor to answer the question with a yes or no.

Speaking into a microphone, the organizer reminded the large group of protesters that Frey is up for reelection in 2021.

Frey responded by shaking his head and saying, I do not support the full abolition of the police department.

In response, the organizer took the microphone from him and told him to get the fuck out of here.

As he walked away, protesters chanted, Go home, Jacob. Go home!

During the protests sparked by Floyds death, many activists have called for state and local governments to defund the police.

The phrase is being used to...

Continue reading on HuffPost
Bryson Stultz of Maxwell is a new junior member of the American Angus Association, according to a press release from Mark McCully, CEO of the national organization with headquarters in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Junior members of the association are eligible to register cattle in the American Angus Association, participate in programs conducted by the National Junior Angus Association and take part in Association-sponsored shows and other national and regional events.

The American Angus Association is the largest beef breed association in the world, with more than 25,000 active adult and junior members. Visit njaa.info for more information about the National Junior Angus Association.
New Delhi: Delhi and several nearby areas received light to moderate rainfall on Sunday (June 7, 2020) morning bringing the temperatures down to 28 degrees celsius. The India Metrological Department (IMD) forecast said that thunderstorms with rain will occur in over and adjoining areas of Delhi and NCR for the next two hours and strong surface winds during day time have also been predicted for today.

The India Meteorological Department forecast also said that partly cloudy sky with the possibility of development of thunder lightning for three days from June 10 onwards with minimum and maximum temperature will hover around 29 Celcius and 42 Celcius respectively.

The rainfall is due to to a fresh western disturbance, said a weather official. ''The effect of the current western disturbance will continue till June 8, restricting the mercury below the 40 degrees Celsius-mark," said Dr Kuldeep Srivastava, Head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC), New Delhi.

In Himachal Pradesh heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms were seen in several parts of the state. The states meteorological department has issued a yellow warning for Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Mandi districts for June 7.

Heavy rainfall along with hailstorm and thunderstorm is likely to occur throughout Himachal Pradesh on June 7 and in middle and higher hills on June 8.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 22:30:02|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The first subject from the Shanghai-based Huashan Hospital of Fudan University on Sunday morning received an injection of JS016 -- a recombinant, fully human, monoclonal neutralizing antibody against COVID-19.

It is allegedly the world's first clinical trial for the antibody on a healthy human participant after completing testing on non-human primates, according to the municipal science and technology commission of Shanghai.

The antibody, co-developed by biopharmaceutical company Junshi Biosciences, the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others, entered the phase-1 clinical trial after approval by the National Medical Products Administration.

The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial aims to evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and immunogenicity of JS016 among the Chinese population, to provide a basis for subsequent clinical studies of the antibody.

After being injected into the human body, JS016 can effectively block the binding of viruses to the host-cell surface receptor ACE2. This is because it is specific to the SARS-CoV-2 surface spike protein receptor-binding domain, according to Feng Hui, chief operating officer of Junshi Biosciences.

The trial was led by Zhang Jing, deputy director of the Institute of Antibiotics with the hospital, and Zhang Wenhong, head of the hospital's Center for Infectious Disease.

Neutralizing antibody therapy is expected to be the first treatment option in fighting COVID-19, said Zhang Wenhong, noting that the antibody can accurately target the coronavirus and inhibit virus replication. Enditem
SAGINAW TWP, MI  More than 1,000 people gathered outside Fashion Square Mall in Saginaw Township to show their support for Black Lives Matter.

No justice, no peace and Say their names were chanted by those who attended the protest the afternoon of Saturday, June 6. All four corners at Tittabawassee Road and Bay Road were occupied, with people yelling out the slogans with others responding across the street in a call-and-response form.

They chanted names such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Hundreds of cars drove by, those inside holding their own signs and honking their horns.

Floyds recent death in Minneapolis while in police custody has sparked outrage and protests nationwide. Video recorded by civilians and circulated widely online shows Floyd, 46, handcuffed and on the ground while Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneels on his neck for several minutes. In the footage, Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying he cannot breathe as civilians urge Chauvin to get off him and check his pulse.

Floyd later died. All four officers were later fired and Chauvin on May 29 arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors on Wednesday upgraded Chauvins murder charge to second-degree and charged the three then-officers with him  Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng  with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

The Saginaw Township event was put on by Tristan Zamora and Eric Weakley.

Theres so much more than I expected, Zamora said. When I made the event, I really thought like 50 people were going to come, like all my friends. Then this huge amount of people came. Im just very proud of Saginaw for standing up and coming together like this ... It just means a lot.

Several area businesses donated necessities, such as Sams Club.

It is extraordinary, Weakley said. We have more people joining in. Tristan and I shared responsibility together. Thats a better representation of what communities can do when they work together.

In the first of a series of speakers after Weakley initially addressed the growing crowd, Sparkalena Boose took the bullhorn and gave a rousing speech.

Saginaw came out, she said, amid applause and cheers. If you look to your right and to your left, these are all your brothers and sisters. This is amazing."

She referred to Saginaw as one of the most racially segregated cities in Michigan.

I will say this: this is how you make your difference, Boose continued. Each and every one of you can make a difference.

She went on to stress the importance for residents to fill out the 2020 U.S. census and vote in upcoming elections.

We need a change of power, she said, but the way we make that difference is we need young people of red, white, black, and brown in office. We need our young people to step up and take initiative and be those voices.

Saginaw Township Police Chief Donald F. Pussehl Jr. attended the protest, having been invited by the organizers to attend.

Im very pleased to have received an invitation to be here by the organizers and to support the rally, support the protest, Pussehl said.

He later gave a speech to the crowd.

I said I want to be here to show support for this great event, Pussehl said, addressing the crowd through a megaphone. What occurred in Minnesota, I just dont have words to express it. It was murder, deplorable and those officers need to be held accountable by our criminal justice system. That act tarnished the badge that I wear. It had hurt us all and thats why were here today to support this rally and other rallies from this past week.

Indigo Dudley, a speaker during the event, said this is how citizens make history.

Is it over? she said through a bullhorn. When is it over? My voice matters. We have to speak up. We have to. That is not going to go away unless we make it go away. We will make it go away because our voice matters.

Another speaker, Vicki Echegoyen, traveled to the site from Ypsilanti with her two daughters, Marina Echegoyen, age 9, and Roxana Echegoyen, age 11.

I have all summer to protest, Echegoyen said. This is the best education (my daughters) can get."

As with every other protest in Saginaw County, it ended without any violence.

It almost brings tears to your eyes, said Saginaw Township Police Lt. Rick Herren. Saginaw is leading the world right now.

Read more from MLive:

Saginaw police chief says department changed its policies and culture after Milton Hall shooting

Michigan police chief on leave, asks forgiveness for tweets calling protesters barbarians

I sense and see something different, says Saginaw NAACP leader of protests in wake of George Floyd death
Tradespeople who work with medical gas will need a licence after the NSW government relented to pressure from the family of a newborn baby left with lifelong brain injuries after a gas mix-up at a Sydney hospital.

Amelia Khan was accidentally given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen in June 2016 at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital after lines were mixed up in the operating theatre. Another newborn, John Ghanem, was killed a month later.

Baby Amelia Khan was born at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in June 2016. Credit:60 Minutes Australia

The installer, Christopher Turner, was fined $100,000 in the Downing Centre District Court last month after he admitted to lying that he tested the gas outlets when he hadnt.

Amelias parents, Benish and Danial Khan, told 60 Minutes about their determination to see the laws changed, to introduce a mandatory licensing regime for medical gas.
Night Curfew in Maharashtra: Check guidelines, rules; what is allowed, what is not allowed

Will schools in Maharashtra reopen next week amid rising Omicron cases? Proposal sent to CM

Schools in Mumbai to reopen with rest of Maharashtra on Monday

Mumbaikars report pungent smell from suspected gas leak; BMC says fire dept looking into it

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, June 07: The Mumbai Fire Department on Sunday confirmed that no gas leakage was found in the city after receiving complaints of suspected gas leak from residents of various parts in Mumbai. The fire department also urged the residents of the concerned areas to not panic about any leakage of gas.

Mumbai Fire Brigade said,"No gas leakage was found at given locations. Further calls were received from Powai and leakage smell was felt in Andheri. Total 17 fire engines were deputed for the search of gas leakage and it was announced to not panic. Hazmat vehicles were ready for an emergency," said Mumbai Fire Brigade.

120 shanties gutted in fire at Delhi slum

Delhi reserves hospital for residents, to open borders from tomorrow | Oneindia News

Earlier, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it received a couple of complaints of suspected gas leak, from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli & Powai...Please don't panic or create panic. 13 fire appliances to monitor situation have been activated as precaution
KABUL, Afghanistan - In Afghanistan's halting effort to end two decades of conflict, recent days have brought a sudden shift: A three-day cease-fire to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan held for more than a week. The Afghan government and the Taliban released hundreds of prisoners. And the two sides restarted informal negotiations in the capital.

If these conditions persist, officials say, long-awaited peace talks could be mere weeks away. The developments have led many Afghans to ponder - and disagree - over what concessions they're willing to make to secure a deal that could permanently end 20 years of violence.

How much is too much to give away in exchange for peace?

"It will be a dilemma, a personal dilemma," said Khalid Noor, a member of the government's negotiating team. "If we compromise the rights of our people," he said, an oppressive government could harm Afghanistan for generations to come.

The process for ending the war in Afghanistan was set in motion by a February peace deal between the United States and the Taliban that largely excluded the Afghan government. The resulting four-page public document did not define what kind of country postwar Afghanistan would be. The omission made a deal for the withdrawal of U.S. troops easier to secure, but it also set the stage for much more complex negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

To reach a political solution, one or both sides will need to make significant compromises.

The Afghan government is a republic with leadership chosen through democratic - if flawed - elections, while the Taliban rules according to Islamic law, and the group's leadership is chosen by a religious committee. The movement's military leadership is made up of commanders across Afghanistan, but its political office is based in Qatar.

In Kabul and Doha, each camp has insisted there are no preconditions. But both sides have made their priorities clear: The Afghan government wants the country to remain a republic with regular elections, and the Taliban wants a country governed by Islamic law.

But in Afghan provinces that have borne the brunt of the waves of violence that preceded the cease-fire, many say ending the fighting is more important than the parameters of any future government.

The northern province of Takhar was so badly hit that a local lawmaker, Habiba Danish, described it as "a slaughterhouse" because of the high number of casualties among security forces there.

"Peace should come at any cost," said Mir Ahmad Qasim, a local lawmaker in Takhar.

People who live in insecure districts view the war differently than officials in the capital, he said. Progress in areas such as human rights, including the rights of women, he said, "are important for the people who have positions in Kabul. But for people who are losing sons in the war, they want the end of violence at any cost."

After the signing of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal, violence across Afghanistan spiked, leaving record numbers of civilians dead and inflicting heavy casualties among the security forces. A brutal spate of attacks prompted President Ashraf Ghani to put his forces back on the offensive and halt prisoner releases, a key confidence-building measure.

All of that suddenly turned around in late May, when the Taliban declared an unexpected cease-fire to mark the end of Ramadan, and both sides began releasing prisoners again. Over the course of the cease-fire, the Interior Ministry said it observed only minor security incidents. For days after the cease-fire was set to end, violence remained low, with Taliban attacks nearly halved.

Attacks began to tick up again Thursday, with the Taliban claiming an attack in Zabul province that killed at least 10 Afghan police officers, and U.S. forces carrying out two airstrikes targeting the militant group.

Mujib Rahimi, a spokesman for Abdullah Abdullah, the man leading the peace effort with the Taliban, said he understands the concerns of Afghans who have been caught in the crossfire.

"No one is ready to just watch this violence continue," Rahimi said. But, he said, at the same time, "surrendering to the demands of ... radicals with radical ideas" just to prevent them from attacking government positions "is something hard to swallow."

Rahimi said the government negotiating team would enter talks with no red lines but would attempt to convince the other side of the importance of human rights, women's rights and freedom of expression.

Taliban leaders say they support a government that respects human rights and the rights of women, but Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said such rights are defined by Islamic law and suggested that those definitions would be what the Taliban would support during the talks.

"In the future system, the ulema (Muslim scholars) and experts will discuss and formalize the laws so that no one will be deprived of her or his rights," he said.

Shaheen said the only issue not up for discussion is that Afghanistan will be ruled by an Islamic government. With regard to all other details and issues, "we are not deciding now," he said.

Many local leaders, including women and civil society activists, describe feeling torn between the desire to end the bloodshed quickly and giving up what they feel they've fought for over nearly two decades.

Rahmatullah Hamnawa, an activist in Kunduz, has advocated for human rights in one of Afghanistan's most volatile provinces, but he said he still believes "peace should come at any cost" and that both parties to the conflict should "pay the price."

He said he would not support the government backtracking completely on human rights, but he would be open to allowing the Taliban to amend the constitution.

Qasim, the lawmaker from Takhar, was more absolute.

"The most important thing to our people, whose houses are bombed, wives are widowed and sons are orphaned, is the end of fighting and bloodshed," he said, "not human rights or women's rights."

- - -

Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
Dropping property prices will open the door for more first-time home buyers looking to snap up a bargain in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sydney and Melbourne home values have been predicted to fall by 10 per cent by 2021, which would allow first home buyers in dozens of suburbs to avoid stamp duty.

In New South Wales first home buyers are not required to pay stamp duties on properties under 650,000, while in Victoria the threshold is $600,000.

The median price for an apartment in Sydney's trendy inner-city Newtown (pictured) is expected to fall below $650,000 by 2021 to become an affordable option for first home buyers

Sales data analysis by realestate.com.au reveals prices in nearly 20 suburbs across Sydney are predicted to drop below the stamp duty exemption threshold.

The median unit price in Marrickville, Newtown, Alexandria and Strathfield is estimated to drop from the current $710,000 to well below $650,000.

Further south, suburbs such as Wolli Creek, Revesby and Padstow, along with Kirrawee and Menai in the Sutherland Shire are also tipped to become more affordable.

For those looking for a house, Liverpool, Smithfield and Green Valley in the city's south-west are among the suburbs to fall under the $650,000 threshold.

In western Sydney, Granville, Woodcroft, Kings Park, Erskine Park and Llandillo would fall under the $650,000 median.

A big factor is that investors who previously drove up prices aren't as active as they were before the pandemic.

Property prices are tipped to fall by 10 per cent. Pictured are new homes in western Sydney

'As prices fall, there will be new opportunities for first homebuyers and they will benefit from the lack of competition,' realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee told the Daily Telegraph.

Starr Partners chief executive Douglas Driscoll added: 'They are getting a huge amount of support, money is cheap to borrow, and there could be a lot more properties available.'

Melbourne's median house price is tipped to drop $73,700 to $663,300 if the predictions of a 10 per cent decline are correct.

This would see the median price in 30 suburbs drop under $600,000  the threshold for stamp duty exemptions in Victoria.

Ms Conisbee said first-home buyers were already 'very active', particularly in Melbourne's west and outer-eastern outskirts.

Property prices in Melbourne (pictured) are also tipped to see a 10 per cent drop in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

Kilsyth's median would fall under the threshold with a $66,500 price drop, along with nearby Belgrave in the Yarra Ranges, according to new figures.

Suburbs such as Gembrook, Gladstone Park, Keilor Downs, Caroline Springs, Hillside, Sunshine West and Wandin North will also come into the mix as first homebuyer options.

'It'd be an opportune time for any buyer who wants to a secure a property they might not have been able to afford earlier this year  especially first-home buyers who are more price sensitive,' Cate Bakos buyer's advocate Amy Lunardi told the Herald Sun.

Barry Plant Croydon agent Ben Leyden added: 'Eighty per cent of buyers Im speaking to are first-home buyers  looking to take advantage of the stamp duty exemption.'

More Melbourne suburbs are tipped to become more affordable options for first home buyers

In South Australia, the recent lockdown has seen a surge in city dwellers sick of the the hustle and bustle dream of escaping to coastal towns.

Port Elliot on the state's Fleurieu Peninsula was the top coastal and country location typed into realestate.com.au for houses, followed by Goolwa Beach, Sellicks Beach, Middleton and Goolwa South.

All are within a 84 kilometre radius or one hour's drive of Adelaide.

Port Elliot also joined Encounter Bay and Victor Harbor in searches for most in-demand coastal locations for units.

Mount Gambier in the state's south-east topped the list for most in-demand country locations for units, followed by Berri in the Riverland region.

'One of the challenges for young people living in capital cities is buying is really expensive. 'Then you put a lot of money towards paying that mortgage off instead of spending on other things, like holidays and cars, that help the economy,' Ms Conisbee told the Adelaide Advertiser.
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Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has warned its employees that if they fail to attend work from Monday, then the government will deduct their one week salary.

The government offices will restart in Maharashtra with 10 or 10 per cent employees whichever more from Monday. Government has issued the circular to its employees to attend the working offices and inform the head. It has also informed that those who missed the work without any prior notice in pandemic time, the stern actions will be taken against them.

The circular reads that the employees can use WhatsApp to facilitate the work and maintain social distancing. Maharashtra government has given various relaxations and decided to bring back the economy on track after shutting down for more than two months due to COVID-19.

Maharashtra chief secretary Ajoy Mehta issued the circular stating that there is no need to e-pass for the travel within Mumbai Metropolitan region that includes Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Panvel etc. The private offices will also function from Monday with 10 employees or 10 per cent whichever is more. They have to follow the social distancing and sanitizing has to be also done in offices.

However, government employees organization raised objection over state government decision of deducting their one week salary if they miss the work. They complained that the government should first provide the transport facility then the deducting the salary decisions should be taken. Many employees in Mantralaya come from faraway places like Kalyan and Panvel that is more than 50 kilometres. How come the government expects every employee come on their own? In Mumbai, the suburban local train is a lifeline. Unless the train services are not started, the economy of Mumbai will not start. Besides, local train is the best and cheapest way mode of transport in Mumbai, said a senior government official requesting anonymity.

Maharashtra government has already asked the central government to restart the Mumbai suburban train services. However, no response has been communicated yet.
China lambasted suggestions that it hid information about the coronavirus outbreak, saying in a newly published white paper that it has acted transparently and informed the world of developments in a timely manner.

Some foreign politicians and media have presumed guilt for the origin of the virus, put labels on the virus and politicized the epidemic, Xu Lin, head of State Council Information Office, said at a briefing in Beijing Sunday. The fabricated assumptions -- like the China origins of the virus, China concealed the virus and its Chinas responsibility -- are utterly baseless, unreasonable and disrespectful of science.

With almost 400,000 deaths globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has become a point of tension in Chinas relationship with a number of countries, most notably America. President Donald Trump has repeatedly faulted China for having failed to contain the coronavirus when addressing the outbreak in the US, which now leads the world in both infections and deaths.

China has adamantly defended its actions. Its also sent medical supplies and doctors to countries battling infections, with President Xi Jinping pledging to make any Chinese-developed vaccine a global public good. At the same time, Beijing has sought to cast doubt on the theory that the virus originated in China, with a foreign ministry official having promoted conspiracy theories that linked the outbreak to the U.S. military.

The white paper published Sunday by the State Council Council Information Office describes as a calculated slur accusations that China concealed information about the virus or that it didnt disclose the actual number of deaths. It also says Beijing shared information in clear and unambiguous terms but that this was ignored by certain countries, which now seek to blame China for their own failures.

While certain countries madly defame China with every conceivable means to shed their own responsibilities, China must firmly fight back against the shifting of blame, Ma Zhaoxu, deputy foreign minister, said at the briefing.

Though neither the white paper nor any of the Chinese officials who spoke at the briefing mentioned the U.S. by name, the criticism levied Sunday did appear to address Washingtons actions.

Trump and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo have suggested a link between the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which runs a laboratory that studies dangerous pathogens in the city where the virus first emerged, and the outbreak. Pompeo said earlier this month that there was enormous evidence to trace the virus back to the laboratory.

China has dismissed the allegation as pure fabrication and characterized U.S. assertions as an election-year strategy to deflect attention from the U.S.s poor handling of its own outbreak.

Meanwhile, the white paper pledges that China will continue to supply the international market with materials to fight the outbreak, including pharmaceutical goods, daily necessities and other supplies. The nation will continue to open its markets, expand imports and outbound investment, and contribute further to other countries fight against the virus and to a stable world economy.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ma also argued that Chinas relationship with most countries has actually become more stabilized during the pandemic. The relationship with our friends is closer and our circle of friends has expanded, he said.
FLINT, MI  About 50 people gathered for a citywide empowerment walk on Saturday, June 6 at the Flat Lot in downtown Flint.

It marked the continuation of peaceful events in Flint protesting the killing of George Floyd.

State Rep. Cynthia Neeley, D-Flint, said she is proud of Flint for staying peaceful in its protests. She said while over the years the city has received such negative attention, this good and civil nature can change that narrative while the worlds eyes are upon its residents.

I am so proud of Flint, Michigan. Now you can see a new norm for (our city). Its positive. Its time to stop all the violence. Its time to stop destroying the city, and now uplift the city," Neeley said. Its important we all unify, and that we know every human life is important. Everybody needs to start seeing each other as human beings, love each other. See me first and not my color.

People of faith, we believe in unifying. We believe in our city. We want peace. We want justice for what happened to George Floyd, Neeley said. When I look at whats going on around the country  the protesting, the rallies  we see on the other side that they are tearing up and tearing down their communities. But here in Flint, its something different. Were actually uniting and we want to bring our city up instead of bringing it down. Its something positive."

The purpose of Saturdays event, My People Walk," was to unite the community through prayer and conversation while helping to heal the nation after the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after being handcuffed by Minneapolis police investigating an alleged forgery the night of Monday, May 25. Video shared widely on social media shows white Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for several minutes. In the footage, Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying he cannot breathe as civilians urge Chauvin to get off him and check his pulse.

Organizer Tonya Epps described this as a call to all Christians to seek advice and guidance through prayer.

We are Gods people, and we want to do what the Lord asks of us. Lets humble ourselves. ... Lets do what we have to do to hear what the Lord has to say, Epps said. First of all, we want to hear from God. Lets do this as sisters and brothers around the world.

We need a strategy. We need to help one another. We need to be able to help those who need help, and we do that through the Lord. We know as we hear back from him that it will work.

More on MLive.com:

Mid-Michigan restaurants scramble to prepare for June 8, when state order lifts and opens dining rooms

Flint youth join local officials in march to end racism

Sunday, June 7: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
It was very hard to hear no longer will you get that time to kind of conclude those relationships, say thank you for everything that theyve done, and just kind of say goodbye, he said.

It was hard at first, he said, to hear that some of the events he and his classmates had looked forward to since freshman year would be postponed or canceled.

He noted his thanks to the campus and district leaders for their work in allowing as many of those moments to happen, just virtually or at a later date. The biggest, he said, is graduation, which will take place at Tigerland Stadium at 8 p.m. June 26.

The moment also will give seniors the closure they have been missing and a moment to say goodbye to their friends and teachers, he said.

The transition to at-home learning and virtual church has not meant losing all of those relationships, though. He said technology, especially Zoom, has been a blessing in maintaining his friendships from school and church.

It went from something Id never heard of before to something that I dont go an hour without saying the phrase, Hey lets Zoom,  he said, noting he and his peers have also used Google Hangouts and FaceTime.
Chattanooga protested for the seventh day in a row on Saturday as the mostly-peaceful protest was marred by the vandalism of several streetlights. This occurred after the main protest was finished and the leaders had gone home for the night.

I see freedom fighters of all kinds ready to endure a tough, tough battle, said Cameron Williams. But it saddens me because we are fighting the fight of our grandparents and our great-grandparents and so on and so forth.

We are still fighting a 401-year-old battle, but I believe that we will win. I know that we will win.

As has often been the case, Marie Mott was one of the leaders of the movement and took the microphone several times before and after the march around downtown Chattanooga. She told the crowd one of the main points of the protests is to raise awareness of the importance of voting.

Hamilton County has absolutely terrible turnout when it comes to voting, and thats going to determine if your voice is going to be heard, said Ms. Mott. It also determines the character of person who will be representing you. We want people to get engaged civically, because voting is a foundation to be engaged.

She then went through what the plan was for the night. As they have done for the last few nights, the crowd marched through the streets of downtown Chattanooga, from Miller Park to the West Side back to Miller Park.

The plan tonight is to just continue to fellowship with one another, and to put out to the public the kinds of demands we want publicly, said Ms. Mott, and then from there we are going to march in solidarity and let them see and hear us and know that its been a week and that were still in the fight.

Among the protesters was Linda Tompkins, who has been protesting for civil rights during the movements heyday of the 1960s. She recounted stories of sit-ins in Chattanooga and protests in a segregated city. For her, the lack of progress over the last 60 years is disappointing.

Its very discouraging, but I remember a quote that says My feet are tired, but my soul is rested. I will keep on doing this as long as I have breath, said Ms. Tompkins. This is ridiculous and there has to be change. Enough is enough, and the time is now. No, the time has been long overdue, and we shall stand until there is nothing else to do.

After the five-mile march around the city, from the Walnut Street Bridge to Northshore and back through the West Side, the group of hundreds met back up in Miller Park. Mr. Williams and the rest of the leaders then left, essentially ending the rally.

The real ending was messy and complicated though. Throughout the march, a man was damaging light poles around Chattanooga, and his arrest led to a brief standoff between a few protesters and police. However, once a few arrests were made, the police pulled off and left the crowd to their own devices.

Within the crowd there were a few rowdy participants who tried to rile up the protesters. For the most part, these people were ignored.
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QUEENSBURY  Assemblyman Dan Stec is not satisfied with the states guidelines for graduation ceremonies, saying there are other, more traditional methods to hold graduations while still staying safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state guidance, announced Thursday, allows virtual or drive-in and drive-through ceremonies to be held.

Stec, a Republican from Queensbury who is running for a state Senate seat in the November election, said these options are just not good enough for our students and school districts.

Instead of concluding students high school careers on a rushed, superficial note, (I am) encouraging state officials to allow socially distanced ceremonies akin to the Air Force graduation this past April and the impending graduation at West Point, Stec said in a press release. At these events, students walk in their processionals at an acceptable distance and sit 6 feet apart for a full ceremony.

He pointed out that most graduations are scheduled while the state is in Phase 3 of its reopening plan, and said that means they should not settle for what the state dictates now.

Our students have worked so hard and sacrificed so much. They deserve more than the graduation ceremonies currently recommended by the governor and Department of Health, Stec said. Virtual ceremonies, drive-thru diplomas and similar concepts are well-intentioned, but we can and ought to do better.

I urge the state to reconsider and instead outline a plan for ceremonies comparable to the one conducted by the U.S. Air Force. These cadets were able to have well-organized, safe, full graduation ceremonies. Our students deserve the same, and I urge the governors office to reconsider its guidelines.

On Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during his daily briefing starting June 26 graduations of 150 people will be allowed as long as proper social distancing guidelines are being practiced.

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The Bachelorette's Carlin Sterritt denied rumours he'd recently split from girlfriend Angie Kent to Daily Mail Australia last week.

But now it appears things are really over between the pair, as they no longer follow each other on Instagram.

The news appears to confirm swirling rumous that the pair quietly parted way in recent months, after fans noticed they were seemingly living separate lives.

Is it over? The Bachelorette's Angie Kent, 30, and Carlin Sterritt, 31, (pictured together) have sparked concerns that they've SPLIT after fans noticed they no longer follow each other on Instagram

The previously inseparable couple raised eyebrows on Saturday, when Angie failed to join Carlin at a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney.

Carlin documented the protest on Instagram, sharing photos and videos of himself in the crowd with a group of friends - but Angie was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, Angie has stayed silent on the social media platform for the past five days.

Bad sign: Angie and Carlin no longer follow each other on Instagram

Anything to tell us? Carlin attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney on Saturday with his friends (pictured) - but Angie was nowhere to be seen

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Angie and Carlin for comment.

It comes just days after F45 trainer Carlin slammed 'silly' speculation that he'd split from Angie.

'It's silly. Angie is just visiting home for a bit to change things up,' Carlin told Daily Mail Australia last Monday.

The truth: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, F45 trainer Carlin slammed the 'silly' speculation and insisted he and Angie were still together

'We've been in each other's pockets enough over the past few months and family is important,' he added.

Angie relocated from Queensland's Sunshine Coast to Sydney in February to be closer to her boyfriend, but they aren't living together.

The former Gogglebox star confirmed she'd moved into a flat in Rose Bay by sharing a photo to Instagram of herself and Carlin in her unfurnished room.

Speculation: Rumours recently surfaced the couple had quietly called it quits after fans noticed they were seemingly living separate lives

But after three months away from her family, Angie decided it was time to return home. She also had no work in Sydney due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Carlin told Daily Mail Australia he had noticed fans were speculating about a break-up on social media, but decided not to address it.

'A few people commenting and asking if we're still together is not a big enough alarm, in my opinion,' he said.

Carlin said that he and Angie hadn't been on Instagram as much lately because they were enjoying spending time with their families.

The aspiring actor had confirmed Angie's move to Sydney back in December.

But when asked if Angie would be moving in with him, he told Daily Mail Australia: 'No, we're not going to be living together for a while. I'm in Cronulla.'

Angie has been dating Carlin since choosing him as her winner on The Bachelorette last year.

Because of the delay between filming and the finale airdate, they had to keep their relationship a secret for the first few months.

Ignoring it: Carlin told Daily Mail Australia he had noticed fans were speculating about a break-up on Instagram, but decided not to address it
Prithviraj had recently announced that he had tested negative for COVID-19.

A crew member of Prithviraj Sukumarans Aadujeevitham, who had returned from Jordan on 22 May, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to reports. There has been no word from the team regarding this.

The 58-year-old crew member had accompanied the team to Jordan as a translator, The Indian Express reported. Manorama says the man belongs to Pandikkad in Malappuram district.

After his return to Kerala, he had been placed under observation in Edappal in Malappuram for eight days, followed by home quarantine. However, he was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus during this period and shifted to Government Medical College in Manjeri.

This comes soon after Prithviraj tested negative for the novel coronavirus. On Wednesday, Prithviraj took to Twitter and said that he took a COVID-19 test which turned out negative, adding that he will still be under quarantine.

(Click here for LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak)

Did a COVID-19 test and the results are negative. Will still be completing quarantine before returning home. Stay safe and take care all, he tweeted.

Prithviraj, along with director Blessy and the crew of Malayalam film Aadujeevitham were stranded in Jordans Wadi Rum desert for more than two months. They were shooting for the film when the pandemic forced a global lockdown. The actor and the crew went into mandatory 14-day quarantine upon their arrival in Kochi. They returned on a special repatriation flight from Jordan, as part of the Vande Bharat mission.

The film is based on Malayalam writer Benyamins book by the same name.

Recently, Prithviraj posted a picture of his lean physique, and spoke of the transformation he underwent for the role. Posting a shirtless photo of his lean, muscular physique, the actor wrote: "One month since we finished the last of the bare body scenes for #Aadujeevitham. On the last day, I had dangerously low fat percentage and visceral fat levels. Post that..one month of fuelling, resting and training my body has got me here."

I guess my crew whove seen me a month ago when I was at my weakest, and way way below my ideal weight will be the ones truly surprised. Thanks to @ajithbabu7 my trainer/nutritionist and Blessy chetan and team for understanding that post THAT day, shoot will have to be planned with enough time allocated for my recuperation, he further wrote.

Remember..the human body has its limits..the human mind doesnt, he added.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
China on Sunday defended its actions on fighting the coronavirus outbreak in a lengthy white paper which said Beijing wasted no time in sharing information on the virus with the WHO and that the Chinese Centre for Disease Control informed its US counterpart about the unknown virus as early as January 4.

The coronavirus disease first emerged from the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year before rapidly spreading within the country and then globally.

National health commission, Ma Xiaowei, said: The Chinese government did not delay or cover up anything.

Instead, we have immediately reported virus data and relevant information about the epidemic to the international community and made an important contribution to the prevention and control of the epidemic around the world, Ma said at the release of the official document in Beijing on Sunday.

Also read: The first move on the India-China chessboard | HT Editorial

US president Donald Trumps administration has accused China of cover-ups and lack of transparency regarding the pandemic. The US president has also made efforts to launch an international probe into the origin of the virus.

Beijing has repeatedly denied Trumps allegations, saying it kept the world informed from the start, and adding that it was in favour of a WHO-led probe after the pandemic was over.

The white paper, an official government document, said researchers from a high-level expert team organised by Chinas top national health body confirmed that the coronavirus was transmissible among humans at midnight on January 19.

The report, which is more than 60 pages long, praised Chinas success in reducing the daily increase in new cases to single digits within about two months and the decisive victory ... in the battle to defend Hubei Province and its capital city of Wuhan in about three months.

It said the medical cost of all the coronavirus patients in China totalled 1.35 billion yuan ($191 million) as of the end of May.

Also read: China to firmly fight back against shifting of blame, rejects politicization of Covid-19

Until Saturday, China has reported 4,634 deaths and more than 83,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

The document said it was on December 27 that the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine reported cases of pneumonia of unknown cause.

By December 31, the Wuhan city health commission (WCHC) confirmed 27 cases and urged the public to stay away from enclosed public places with poor ventilation and venues where large crowds gathered. The commission also suggested the use of face masks when going out.

By January 5, laboratory tests ruled out respiratory pathogens as the cause of the pneumonia such as influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus.

The head of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention briefed his US counterpart by phone on the then-unknown virus as early as January 4, which was followed up by another phone conversation on January 8.

The report credited Chinese President Xi Jinping with making the January 22 decision to lockdown Wuhan by cutting transportation links and banning people from leaving or entering the city.

Speaking at the press conference, science and technology minister, Wang Zhigang said China will also strengthen international cooperation in future Covid-19 clinical vaccine trials, building on earlier collaboration in vaccine development.

Xi said last month at the World Heath Assembly, the WHOs governing body, that vaccines Chinas develops will become a global public good once they are ready for use, and it will be Chinas contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 06:08:57|Editor: huaxia

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Demonstrators take part in an anti-racism protest outside the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, on June 7, 2020. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people joined a second day of anti-racism protests in British cities, sparked by the U.S. police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American. Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in London, chanting "silence is violence" and "color is not a crime." (Xinhua/Han Yan)

LONDON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The Metropolitan Police said a dispersal order has been authorized in the city of Westminster from Sunday night till 6 a.m. on Monday following disorder in anti-racism demonstrations there.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of people joined a second day of anti-racism protests in British cities, sparked by the U.S. police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American. Protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in London, chanting "silence is violence" and "color is not a crime."

Later, an anti-racism protest was held at Parliament Square in Westminster. The statue of Winston Churchill in the square was graffitied with a line spray painted through the wartime prime minister's name and "is a racist" written below, according to a report by the newspaper Guardian.

Around 8 p.m., there were clashes on Whitehall between police and a small number of protesters throwing objects including bottles and traffic cones, the report said.

The City of Westminster Police tweeted: "Due to disorder in central Westminster, a Section 35 Dispersal Order has been authorized by Insp Greenwood for the City of Westminster from 21:15 hours today until 06:00 hours tomorrow."

Demonstrations also took place in other British cities, including Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield.

In the southern British city of Bristol, a statue of a 17th-century slave trader was pulled down by "Black Lives Matter" protesters. Footage on social media showed demonstrators tearing the figure of Edward Colston from its plinth during protests in the city center. In a later video, protesters were seen dumping it into the Avon River.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe. Enditem
ALBANY  Legislation that would repeal a 1976 statute that has enabled New York law enforcement agencies to block the public's access to police disciplinary records was introduced in the state Senate on Saturday as lawmakers, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, have pledged to overturn the controversial law.

The statute, which also prevents the release of personnel records of corrections officers, firefighters and peace officers, is known as "50-a" because of its section in state Civil Rights Law.

The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, D-Bronx, would add new provisions in the state Freedom of Information Law that would clarify that police officers' private information, including home addresses and phone numbers, would be prohibited from public disclosure. It also would exempt "technical infractions," such as a state trooper being disciplined for not wearing their Stetson during a traffic stop.

The exempted disciplinary records are ones "related to the enforcement of administrative departmental rules" that "do not involve interactions with members of the public ... and are not otherwise connected to such person's investigative, enforcement, training, supervision, or reporting responsibilities."

If the bill receives support in the Assembly, as expected, the Senate and Assembly are scheduled to reconvene this week and vote on the legislation and a series of other criminal justice reform measures.

For years, efforts to repeal the statute had failed to gain any momentum in the Legislature, where majority leaders  including Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins  had not previously lent support for the initiative.

A week ago, a letter was sent to the leaders that had been signed by 76 organizations  including labor unions, police-reform groups, civil rights organizations and public defenders associations  urging the Legislature to repeal the statute.

The letter was signed by organizations that include the Innocence Project, New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Aid Society, New York State Defenders Association, Legal Action Center, Drug Policy Alliance and Citizen Action of New York.

The pressure to repeal the statute intensified last week as peaceful protests  and incidents of violence and looting  unfolded in cities across New York and the nation in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer in Minneapolis kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed. The officer, Derek Chauvin, who had more than 15 complaints filed against him, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.

While Cuomo has criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD for not disclosing its police disciplinary records, the State Police still do not have dashboard cameras in cruisers or require their troopers to wear body cameras. That agency also has for years rejected nearly every request for records on its internal investigations or allegations of misconduct by troopers, including the files of deceased members.

The state attorney general's office, which Cuomo has empowered through an executive order to investigate fatal encounters between unarmed civilians and New York police agencies, has for years represented the State Police in their court battles seeking to fight the release of records related to internal investigations.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

But the State Police are not alone  most New York law enforcement agencies have invoked 50-a to block public disclosure of internal investigative records. Some police agencies also have cited the statute in refusing to release footage from dashboard and body-cameras, claiming those records constitute "personnel" records.

Legal interpretations of 50-a have been expanded through the years by both courts and police agencies. The statute prevents the public, and often defense attorneys, from accessing the disciplinary records of police officers, including criminal allegations that may have been handled internally.

Advocates for repealing the statute contend it has been used to shield police corruption and cover up civil rights violations. In many departments, civilian police review boards are not allowed to know the identity of the officers whose conduct they are reviewing, including whether an officer has been the target of multiple complaints.

Cuomo, in his third term, had never offered his own bill to repeal the statute or directed the State Police to release their personnel files, as he has said New York City should do. Nor had he sought to add legislation to repeal the statute in his annual executive budgets, which he has used as leverage to negotiate for legislative changes on issues ranging from marijuana legalization to criminal justice reforms.

But over the past week, Cuomo has said repeatedly that he would sign legislation repealing the statute if the Legislature votes in favor of it.

Former state Sen. Frank D. Padavan, who died last October, was a Republican state senator from 1973 to 2010 and a sponsor of the 50-a statute enacted 43 years ago. In an interview three years ago, he acknowledged the intent of the original statute had changed: "If the law is being misused, then obviously an amendment might be in order," he said.

The state Committee on Open Government, which is tasked with recommending improvements to the state's Freedom of Information Law, has for years called for the repeal of 50-a. In recent annual reports, the committee noted that "its application in the courts over the past 40 years has turned a narrow FOIL exception into a virtually impenetrable statutory bar to the disclosure of information about the conduct of law enforcement officers."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 04:01:06|Editor: huaxia

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People take part in a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration in front of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 7, 2020. More than 15,000 protesters gathered peacefully in front of the U.S. embassy in the center of the Danish capital on Sunday afternoon, shouting slogans and holding banners as part of the Danish "Black Lives Matter" demonstration. (Photo by David A. Williams/Xinhua)

COPENHAGEN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 15,000 protesters gathered peacefully in front of the U.S. embassy in the center of the Danish capital on Sunday afternoon, shouting slogans and holding banners as part of the Danish "Black Lives Matter" demonstration.

After demonstrating in front of the U.S. embassy for about an hour chanting "I can't breathe", demonstrators marched through central Copenhagen, in the vicinity of the iconic Little Mermaid, along Kongegade street, before arriving at Christiansborgs Slotsplats, home of the Danish parliament, for speeches.

The demonstration started at around 2 p.m. local time was particularly noticeable for its racial and age diversity, good nature, and a light police presence.

"The demonstration took place in good order, and did not give rise to major traffic challenges, despite the high number of participants," said Copenhagen Police on Twitter.

The closing time was set for 5 p.m., and the police did not expect the demonstration to develop.

Sunday's massive demonstration came in the wake of another Copenhagen protest last week, and two protests in the regional capital of Odense and Aarhus, which saw a few thousand participated.

The demonstrations in Denmark were part of a huge wave of protests worldwide ignited by the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe.

On Saturday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed in a Facebook post her appreciation for people all over the world standing together to "fight against racism and the brutality that has stolen many people's lives."

"It sends a strong message about the values on which both the American and our own communities are built," she wrote.
The Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari has said compiling a new voters register for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections is unnecessary.



At a time that we have just six months to the elections, when would you compile the register? When will you exhibit it for people to go and crosscheck before we go to the polls? I think that timing is of the essence.



I think the decision to go out there to compile a new voters register at this time is unnecessary and also, so far for, all the reasons and the mistakes that the Electoral Commission itself has made actually compromises the whole process. And it gives citizens the cause to call for some redress. I look forward to the Supreme Court to determine this matter in a way that settles this issue for the citizens of this country and not necessarily for the NDC, she said.



Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari made the remark on Citi TVs weekend current affairs program, The Big Issue on Saturday, June 6, 2020.



Meanwhile, a former Member of Parliament for the Bantama Constituency, Henry Kokofu on the same show questioned the NDCs position on the compilation of the new roll, saying the opposition partys position is not clear.



The first thing Ghanaians want to know is the NDCs position. Is it that they want the new voters register but they want inclusion of current voters ID card to be a form of identity or they do not want the new register at all.



They confuse themselves along the line. At one breadth you think they want the new register but want old voter ID card as a prerequisite and another breadth, they talk like they dont the new register at all, he said.



Background

The Electoral Commission (EC) is set to compile new voters registration for the upcoming 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections beginning last week of June.



The NDC and other civil society organisations have kicked against the move.



But the EC is bent on compiling the new register regardless of the agitations.

Source: citinewsroom.com









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The Mumbai Fire Brigade is yet to identify the source of the foul smell, which was reported by residents in parts of the citys eastern suburbs late on Saturday night, the departments chief said on Sunday morning.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had on Saturday night received complaints from residents of Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar(East), Ghatkopar(West), Powai, Andheri, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli about a foul pungent odour, giving rise to suspicions of a gas leak.

The civic body had earlier suspected that the smell originated from the US Vitamin Company near Indira Apartment in Govandi(East), which later spread toward Andheri and Powai.

We investigated the entire premises and nearby areas of US Vitamin Company but no leakage was found. We followed the exact locations of complaints given by the BMCs disaster management control room that received the calls, P Rahangdale, chief fire officer, said.

The fire brigade had deputed 17 fire engines and senior fire officers for an investigation and searched areas in the periphery of up to 2km from the location of callers addresses.

Its hazmat vehicle, deployed to deal with disasters related to hazardous chemicals, has also been kept on stand-by.

The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL), Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers (RCF) and Mumbai police have been asked to remain on alert.

Officials said they are also looking at other possible sources of the foul smell.

We are also looking into the possibility if it could be a methane build-up in drains. The investigation is on-going, a senior officer said.

The civic bodys disaster management department had received 37 complaints from 15 locations of suspected gas leakages in September last year and the fire brigade got 50. Some citizens had also reported about a suspected gas leakage to the police.

However, the source of a possible leak was never detected despite investigations.
A 'misclassification error' in the US government's official May jobs report made the unemployment rate appear three percent lower than it actually is.

The error was disclosed in a special note buried in the report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday, indicating that the employment rate had declined to 13.3 percent after peaking at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in April.

The note said that if the 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.

A similar error was reported in April, when the BLS said the true unemployment rate was likely about 19.7 percent, rather than the official 14.7 percent.

The latest jobs report triggered a big rally on Wall Street as the Dow soared 1,000 points and economists expressed surprise at how quickly the unemployment rate had plummeted following weeks of dire predictions that it could hit 20 percent or more in May.

A 'misclassification error' in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May jobs report made the unemployment rate appear three percent lower than it actually is. While the official rate was listed as 13.3 percent, the error meant that the true rate was actually about 16.3 percent

Some critics suggested that the misclassification error could have been an intentional move by the Trump administration to bolster his chances at reelection following months of crushing economic losses from the pandemic.

However, economists and former BLS leaders were quick to reject that idea, insisting that the agency was merely doing its best to maintain transparency amid difficulties with real-time data collection.

'You can 100% discount the possibility that Trump got to the BLS. Not 98% discount, not 99.9% discount, but 100% discount,' Jason Furman, the former top economist for former president Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter.

'BLS has 2,400 career staff of enormous integrity and one political appointee with no scope to change this number.'

A note at the bottom of the jobs report reads: 'BLS and the Census Bureau are investigating why this misclassification error continues to occur and are taking additional steps to address the issue.'

The agency explained that the error occurred because some people who should have been classified as 'temporarily unemployed' during widespread coronavirus shutdowns were instead mislabeled as employed but 'absent' from work for some 'other reason'.

The 'other reason' category is typically used in situations where a worker decides to take leave, including for vacation or to care for a child or relative.

But when the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March, the 'other reason' category was applied to some people who were temporary forced out of work due to coronavirus-related closures.

The BLS explained that the 'misclassification error' occurred because some people who should have been classified as 'temporarily unemployed' during widespread coronavirus shutdowns were instead mislabeled as employed or 'absent' from work for some 'other reason'. Pictured: People line up at the Arkansas Workforce Center waiting to file for unemployment on April 6

President Donald Trump immediately took credit for the rise in jobs, tweeting: 'Really Big Jobs Report. Great going President Trump (kidding but true)!' Some critics suggested that the misclassification error could have been an intentional move by the Trump administration to bolster his chances at reelection following months of crushing economic losses

Economists and former BLS leaders - including Jason Furman, the former top economist for president Barack Obama - were quick to reject the idea that Trump interfered with the data

The BLS noticed and flagged the issue that month, noting that the unemployment rate likely should have been 5.4 percent instead of the official 4.4 percent.

In April, the BLS said the true unemployment rate was likely about 19.7 percent, rather than the official 14.7 percent.

'As was the case in March and April, household survey interviewers were instructed to classify employed persons absent from work due to coronavirus-related business closures as unemployed on temporary layoff. However, it is apparent that not all such workers were so classified,' the May report states.

The BLS acknowledged that the error led to an estimated three-point decrease in the unemployment rate, but said: 'According to usual practice, the data from the household survey are accepted as recorded.

'To maintain data integrity, no ad hoc actions are taken to reclassify survey responses.'

Former staffers expressed concern that the BLS did not manage to correct the problem more quickly, given that its been two months since they first noticed it.

'It's surprising the BLS couldn't come up with fixes to make this work in May,' Erica Groshen, the former BLS commissioner under Obama, told The Washington Post.

But Goshen emphasized the unique challenges that came with real-time reporting during the pandemic.

'This is a very unusual situation,' she said. '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.'

Goshen dismissed the idea that the error could have been intentional, noting that the only political appointee within the agency - the commissioner - dows not have access to the data and only sees the final report.

'The commissioner never sees the job report before it is final. As commissioner, I did not have access to the underlying data,' she said. 'This is a highly automated process.'

Economists have urged people to stop worrying about the possibility of Trump interference and instead focus on the grim reality that 21 million Americans are currently unemployed and over two million have permanently lost their jobs. Pictured: Hundreds of people are seen waiting for food stamps outside an office in Brooklyn on May 12

Hotels and restaurants added 1.2 million jobs in May, after shedding 7.5 million. Retailers gained 368,000, after losing nearly 2.3 million in the previous month. Construction companies added 464,000 after cutting 995,000. The health industry added 312,000 jobs with 245,000 of them being in dentistry alone

The Labor Department's closely watched monthly employment report showed the jobless rate dropped to 13.3 percent last month from 14.7 percent in April. That figure is still on par with what the US witnessed during the Great Depression of the 1930s

Economists have urged people to stop worrying about the possibility of Trump interference and instead focus on the grim reality that 21 million Americans are currently unemployed and over two million have permanently lost their jobs.

While the probable unemployment rate of 16.3 percent is a substantial improvement on the rate from the month before - with an estimated 2.5 million jobs added in May - the US is still in a dire economic situation on par with the Great Depression.

Most economists had expected rehiring to kick in this summer as lockdowns were increasingly lifted and people gradually resumed shopping and eating out.

'The surprising thing here is the timing and that it happened as quickly as it did,' Adam Kamins, senior regional economist at Moody's Analytics, said after the May report was released.

At the same time, economists warn that after an initial burst of hiring as businesses reopen, the recovery could slow in the fall or early next year unless most Americans are confident they can shop, travel, eat out and fully return to their other spending habits without fear of contracting the virus.

WEEKLY UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS: Another 1.87 million new claims for unemployment benefits were filed last week, the Labor Department said on Thursday. It marks the first time claims have been below 2 million since March 21
A POLITICIAN brandishing a Bible is usually a sign that the debate is fast moving in the wrong direction. We know that, better than most, in Northern Ireland.

But Donald Trump isn't America's answer to Ian Paisley.

He stood outside a church he's rarely set foot in with a book he's never read. The late DUP leader was far from perfect, but at least he had some standards.

Political skeletons in his closet there may have been, but he spent nearly six decades married to a woman he worshipped, and had there been stories of hush money paid to a porn star even his most loyal acolytes would have chased him.

Trump's biblical beliefs are as false as the 'facts' he presents. However we judge Paisley's relationship with religion, it was real.

When he took up residence in 2007 as first minister in Stormont Castle, two Bibles sat on his desk. He dipped into them more than he did into official papers, much to the irritation of officials.

As a teenager, he had risen at 4am to read the Bible and, until his death, he completed it from cover-to-cover twice a year.

Donald Trump says it's his favourite book but, asked to name his favourite verse on the campaign trail 2015, he couldn't. "I don't want to get into specifics," he said.

A lack of familiarity with the holy book didn't stop him hoisting it in the air last Tuesday as America burned. But no sermon on the sin of racism fell from his lips.

Minutes earlier, the police had used tear gas to violently clear peaceful protesters so Trump could walk from the White House to the church. Sirens were blaring as he posed for photos in what is surely the most grotesque incident in a grotesque presidency. Even some staunch evangelical Christians were appalled at such spiritual pornography.

The shameful spectacle was not the end of it.

On Friday, as Trump announced a marginal drop in unemployment (and not for blacks), he suggested that George Floyd was looking down from heaven and praising the US economy.

"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, great day in terms of equality," he said.

So the spirit of a man killed by the State is approvingly observing the president from paradise.

Expand Close People at a Black Lives Matter protest rally outside the US Embassy in Dublin following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US. PA Photo. Picture date: Monday June 1, 2020. See PA story POLITICS Floyd Ireland. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp People at a Black Lives Matter protest rally outside the US Embassy in Dublin following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US. PA Photo. Picture date: Monday June 1, 2020. See PA story POLITICS Floyd Ireland. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

It is impossible to imagine even the foreign leaders whom we most ridicule coming out with such garbage.

It takes unbridled arrogance and egotism for any privileged rich white man - let alone one who is the most powerful in the world - to appoint himself as spokesperson for a poor black man who has just been killed.

Trump's 'Christianity' is certainly not one that knows humility, empathy or mercy. It is devoid of sincerity. God is just for photo ops, a plaything like the models with whom he once partied.

The president's response to what happened on that Minneapolis Street is without compassion.

The inequality that had an African American begging, 'I can't breathe', before he dies in police custody will never be challenged by Trump.

If there is an afterlife and justice, I hope George Floyd haunts him.
Not everyone is pleased with Sonu Sood. As the actor continues to rescue and send migrant workers home amid the lockdown, Shiv Sena has hit out against him, saying that Sood would "soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and become the celebrity manager of Mumbai."

In an editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana', Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said a new "Mahatma" called Sonu Sood had appeared all of a sudden during the coronavirus lockdown.

Raut wrote that it was being said that the actor had transported millions of migrants to their home states, while the Maharashtra governor had also praised "Mahatma Sood" for his work.

Raut said this suggests that no action is being taken by the state and centre, while questioning how the actor was getting buses amid the lockdown.

The leader further questioned the rescue operations, writing that if the states were not allowing in migrant workers, where the people were going.

The actor had met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan on May 31 to discuss the initiatives around helping migrant workers reach their home states.

Sood was praised by Koshyari for his efforts, while the governor assured him full support for his actions.

Sanjay Raut, in an interview to ANI, said - "Sonu Sood is a good actor. There is a different director for movies, the work he has done is good but there is a possibility that there is a political director behind it."

Sonu Sood is a good actor. There is a different director for movies, the work he has done is good but there is a possibility that there is a political director behind it: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena#Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/RVDzKOlp3m ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

Reports and rumours of the actor's possible entry into BJP have started surfacing. But the actor denied this, as he told Gulf News that he was not interested in politics, even though he had received offers.

He told the portal that he was doing very well in the acting profession and would not join politics.

Most recently, the actor sent 200 idli vendors in Mumbai to Tamil Nadu via buses on Sunday. Sood was greeted by the vendors in a traditional way where they performed an Aarti for him. The actor also broke a coconut for good luck before their journey commenced. This was documented by photographer Viral Bhayani, who shared it on his Instagram page.
Islamic State Deadlier Than COVID-19 in Parts of Iraq

By Namo Abdulla June 06, 2020

With the spread of the novel coronavirus in Iraq and a recent spike in the number of registered cases, Iraqis have wondered how to compare the deadly new threat with a more familiar foe: Islamic State.

Many Iraqis have in recent weeks found the jihadists to be more lethal than COVID-19, particularly in northern provinces disputed between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Irbil, according to local government officials.

Iraq announced its first coronavirus case in late February. The country's health ministry has since reported 13 deaths from the virus in the disputed provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala, Saladin and Nineveh.

The reported killing of civilians and security forces by IS in those provinces, however, has reached at least 50 people.

"Certainty, Daesh is stronger here" said Husham Alhashimi, a Baghdad-based terrorism expert with the Center for Global Policy, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"In some of these areas, there are no security forces, whether from the federal government or the peshmerga," he told VOA by phone from Iraq.

The peshmerga is the military force of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Strict limits

To prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, Iraqi authorities have imposed a strict lockdown, banning all "nonessential" traffic, public gatherings and businesses nationwide.

The restrictions at first appeared to yield results. That changed in May when the country saw a major spike in the days following the Ramadan Eid festival, when the government relaxed its curfew.

As of Friday, the Iraqi health ministry has confirmed 9,846 cases, with 4,573 recovered and 258 dead. The capital, Baghdad, remains the epicenter of the pandemic with more than half of the country's cases.

While the rest of the country struggles to contain the new wave of the contagious virus, the disputed territories seem to be least prone to it. That is, according to some experts, mainly due to a stiffer lockdown and increased IS activity, limiting population movement in the area.

"Sometimes at around 2 pm, [security forces] facilitate some movement here and there for people to go to the bazaar and return home, but after that they will impose a complete curfew, especially at night," said Azad Shukr, a journalist based in Kirkuk.

No man's land

The disputed territories cover a large swath of ethnically and religiously diverse territory in the four provinces and have long been considered a hotbed for extremism. They are oil-rich areas claimed by both Baghdad and the KRG.

In 2014, when IS took control of Mosul in a major assault, the peshmerga seized the region after Iraqi army units abandoned their positions.

The Kurdish military was forced out in October 2017, when the Iraqi army and Iran-backed Shiite militia stormed in following the Kurdish independence referendum. The Iraqi army and the Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are now in control of urban areas, but much of the rural terrain along the Hamrin mountain ridge remains a no man's land.

Local intelligence sources report as many as 3,000 IS fighters could be using the area as a stronghold where they hide, train and plan attacks.

With Iraq's attention largely switched to COVID-19, experts warn that IS faces less pressure in the disputed lands and is ready to reorganize its sleeper cells.

"The key reason for the group's ability to operate in the disputed areas is simply the existence of gaps," said Hassan Hassan, an expert on the group.

IS, he maintained, "thrives in places where it doesn't have one enemy or a set of enemies that coordinate well with each other."

Coalition role

The U.S.-led coalition announced in March that it had halted its training of Iraqi security forces because of the spread of the coronavirus. The coalition at the same time handed over the K-1 Airbase in Kirkuk to Iraqi forces.

Despite reduced activities in Iraq, the global coalition is continuing to provide Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) with air support against IS sleeper cells, Colonel Myles B. Caggins, the coalition's spokesman, told VOA.

"Daesh is unable to hold physical territory," said Caggins, adding that the ISF in the second half of May alone conducted 35 operations that killed or captured dozens of IS fighters and removed hundreds of weapons and explosives.

Kurdish officials charge that the reduced activity of the coalition has allowed IS to breathe again. The region in recent weeks has faced a string of assassinations, kidnappings, suicide bombings and use of improvised explosive devices, as well as arson attacks on hundreds of acres of Kurdish farmers' ripe wheat fields. Local officials blame IS for the violence.

While IS has not claimed responsibility for every incident in the region, it has owned the major attacks, including a series of coordinated assaults in May that killed nearly a dozen PMF members.

In an audio recording released in late May, IS spokesperson Abu Hamza al-Quraishi encouraged IS insurgents and sympathizers to increase their activities against the Iraqi government targets. Al-Quraishi, in the message, described COVID-19 as a punishment for "the crusaders," promising that "great opportunities" were ahead for the diminished group.

"Over the past two months, IS activities have occurred almost daily," Mohsin Dosky, a ruling-party member on the Security Committee of the Kurdistan parliament, told VOA.

"There is no ruler in that area," said Dosky, claiming that the return of the peshmerga to the region was required to bring back stability and ensure a lasting defeat of IS.

"Iraq can neither control it nor allow the peshmerga to return to it," he added.

The Iraqi government, however, says security of the urban areas in the provinces remains largely under control, with some skirmishes reported outside cities. Last month, the government under new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi sent reinforcements from ISF to Kirkuk to confront IS remnants.

Some Iraq observers say the rise in jihadist attacks on the disputed territories does not mean IS's physical caliphate is about to be restored. They nevertheless warn IS could further stir ethnic and sectarian tensions.

"I don't think Daesh is ever going to succeed in reestablishing territorial control." David Mack, a former U.S. ambassador and Iraq expert at the Atlantic Council, told VOA.

According to David Pollock, a Kurdish affairs expert with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a more durable strategy to defeat IS in the region requires Baghdad and Irbil to reach a compromise on the region and join forces against the Islamist group.

The presence of U.S. troops, he said, provides an opportunity for both sides to reach a resolution.

"Sooner or later, the outside powers are going to gradually start pulling away from this, reducing their presence and their support, so you've got to really take advantage of it while it's there," he said.

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Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday (June 7) slammed Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for helping the migrant workers and said that Sood would "soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and become the celebrity manager of Mumbai."

Raut wrote in his 'Saamna' Editorial that during the coronavirus COVId-19 lockdown period, a new "Mahatma" named Sonu Sood has appeared out of nowhere. "It is being said that Sonu Sood transported millions of migrant laborers to his home in other states," and the Governor of Maharashtra has also praised "Mahatma Sood" for his work.

Raut said that Sood's actions suggests that the state governments and the Central government have failed to do anything for the migrant workers and it was only Sood who was helping them go to their native places during the lockdown.

Raut also questioned that from where Sonu Sood is getting the buses from during the lockdown period. He also questioned that "When the states are not allowing to take any migrant workers, where are the migrants going?"

It may be recalled that Sood met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan few days ago to inform him about his work to help migrant workers reach their home states. Governor Koshyari praised Sonu Sood for his work and assured him complete support in this regard.

Notably, Sonu Sood grabbed everyone's attention for transporting migrant workers to far off states such as Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh during lockdown. The actor has also launched a toll-free helpline to help migrants reach their homes.
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The highlight of Will Delezio's HSC year was going to be creating a satirical film about the socio-economic divide between northern and western Sydney for English extension 2. "It was my passion project, I had already done a lot of work," he said.

But that work hit the cutting room floor last month, when the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) decided that the extension 2 film would no longer be examined, even if it was finished. "I'm feeling discouraged," Will said. "I don't know what to do - do I keep it, do I drop it?"

Will Delezio was hoping to make a satire for English extension 2, before he learned the film would no longer be marked. Credit:Jessica Hromas

In the early stages of the pandemic, there were fears of major disruptions to the HSC. NESA resisted pressure to make too many changes too early, and its caution was rewarded; new COVID-19 cases are in single digits, and most subjects and exams will proceed as planned.

But that left students whose subjects were affected feeling particularly concerned. They include drama, dance and music students, whose ensemble performances have been scrapped, and art students whose major works will be marked by their own teachers, not externally.
Three terrorists, including those from the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district on Sunday after a joint operation in the area, officials said.

The terrorists were shot dead in Reban village of Shopian in south Kashmir, according to officials aware of the development.

They said security forces launched the operation early in the morning after they received credible input about the presence of the terrorists.

Personnel of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Shopian Police are involved in the operation, which is still underway.

Officials said the firing between security forces and the terrorists had stopped for some time and the teams were conducting the search.

While the search was on, the hiding terrorists fired again.

Police said more terrorists could be hiding in the area.

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MOUNT PLEASANT  Protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and against police brutality continued Sunday as rival groups marched in different parts of town.

The two groups disagreed over the right way to protest and share a message.

One protest, hosted by the Build-a-Brother Foundation, planned last week to meet at Memorial Waterfront Park at 3 p.m. and march up the Ravenel Bridge and back. More than 1,000 people joined the march, surrounded by a heavy police presence.

The group coordinated with the Mount Pleasant Police Department and promised to be peaceful and not to disrupt traffic.

Criticism over the protest surfaced on social media, with some saying the group shouldn't have collaborated so much with the police, and that its leaders were trying to co-opt the larger movement.

Another group then called for a protest at the same time, starting at the Walmart on U.S. Highway 17 and marching to Towne Centre. It was a much smaller protest, and around 50 people gathered at the Wando Crossing and started walking around 3:30 p.m.

The group Change is Coming organized the protest, feeling the simultaneous march across Ravenel Bridge had lost the message.

There was a lot of negative attention around the protest at the bridge, said Charlie Em, one of the organizers. We didnt want to make it a big parade. Its not a show, she said.

Were pushing reform, pushing policy, said Charles Dove. We dont want to live in fear. African Americans arent the only ones living in fear. Not only are we standing up for black people, were standing up for everybody.

He hopes education can be a focus going forward, especially for young children. If police departments work with young children from all communities, hopefully neither side will be viewed with fear, he said.

AJ Gardner came to the protest in support as well as to encourage people to register to vote. He brought his children to the protest as well.

We want to show them this country was founded on peaceful protest. Theyre getting a history lesson, Gardner said.

People gathered at Memorial Waterfront Park as they prepared to walk the bridge to protest racism and injustices that continue to plague the nation.

The event was organized to peacefully protest against the disregard of black lives in the judicial system, workforce, housing market, government and everyday life.

The event hoped to demonstrate that change can be accomplished by people of different races and organizations coming together.

Protesters yelled Floyd's name and black lives matter.

Dominique Ladson of West Ashley said she attended the event to fight for the youth. She believes the protest should bring about tangible changes, such as less gentrification and more books in schools that teach African American history, from the beginning, not slavery.

She hopes the demonstration gets at the root of the problem, saying, I hope we dismantle white supremacy.

Led by the Mount Pleasant police chief and civil rights activists, more than a thousand protesters trekked the bridge, marching in the pedestrian lane.

Police Chief Carl Ritchie addressed the tension over the day's protests.

"I get it. Its too early," he said. "Weve got to earn trust."

One man held a sign that read being black shouldnt be a death sentence.

Marchers screamed chants for justice, including black lives matter and no justice no peace, no racist police.

One group protested from below the bridge. They stood on a boat holding up a black lives matter sign. Bridge protesters acknowledge the boaters with applause.

Before the event, Yndiah Jenkins had a table set up under the bridge. One man approached table, filled with juices, water bottles, and bug spray, asking if Jenkins wanted a donation.

No, she said. Take what you want.

Jenkins has been giving out free goods at area protests for several days. She came up with the concept of handing out items while trying to determine how she could help against the fight for justice. She reached out to Facebook friends for donations. To date, shes used gifts from friends to buy $1,500 worth of items for marchers.

Im just excited and happy there are still good people in the world, she said.

Jenkins, wearing a T-shirt featuring faces of black men killed by white police offers and others, wants to see tangible action taken toward justice in the nation. Locally, she said shed like too see an audit of the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

Mount Pleasant sometimes gets a bad rap. I guess it's cause of the history," she said. "I want that to change.

On the bridge march, one of the protesters felt faint and was nearly falling over as he reached the first diamond. He was determined to get to the top.

You can lean on me, Ritchie said, as the police chief grabbed the man's arm to help him make it to the top. After sitting on a bench and being checked by medical personnel, he was able to continue on.

As the march to Towne Centre got underway, Lucy Hutton said the issues raised by protesters have gone unnoticed too long. This is her first protest in the area after just moving back to town from Chicago.

Were right on time, but at the same time were entirely too late, she said.

Jenna Jones Simpson Mulligan has a son and two grandsons. Her son is incarcerated. Justice has been long overdue, she said.

I saw riots tear apart my hometown when I was 13 after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, said Mary Lee. Theres no reason (Floyd) should have had to beg for his life.

With her stood Danielle Warren, who struggled to speak through tears. Her children shouldnt have to live in fear, she said.

My son is 14. Already he knows he has to act differently, talk differently, walk differently than his friends who arent brown. If he doesnt, theres a greater chance he might not come home alive.

Im matching for the same rights that my mother and grandmother did, Warren said. Im here to show that Im tired.

After reaching Towne Centre, the other group turned around to retrace their steps.

Make them uncomfortable, raise your signs higher, a protester with a megaphone shouted as he led chants  Black Lives Matter, No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA, and the names of Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Back at Wando Crossing, the Change is Coming organizers encouraged protesters to go further  attend town halls and other meetings to bring about effective change.

There are a lot of people that dont even realize theyre being racist. You have to put it in their faces, said Charlie Em.

She shared that when she was visiting Charleston two years ago, she experienced racism at a chain fast-food restaurant. She and her white boyfriend saw an elderly white couple sit in a booth next to them and glance at them throughout the meal.

When Em asked if she could help them with something, the woman pulled her purse closer. Then, the woman went to the manager and said the couple was making her feel threatened and she wanted them to be asked to leave.

Em said that the manager told the woman if she felt that way, she should leave.

That reminds me of the stuff my great-grandmother told me about. How is that still happening? she said.

Dove said that as a make-up artist in department stores, customers would sometimes tell him they didnt feel comfortable with him doing their make-up or touching him.

People ask when the marches will end, Em said. Itll be done when we dont have to do this anymore, she answered.

At the top of the bridge, the other protesters paused for eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence, the amount of time the Minnesota officer had his knee on Floyds neck. Some knelt. Others held up fists in solidarity.

After the march, Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie said on social media, "Proud of our town today: all the people, our police, the cooperation. One of our finest hours."

Ladson resident John Fludd said he had to be part of what he knew would be a historic moment. He grew up in Charleston and as a kid used to play beneath the old Cooper River bridges.

I just knew I had to at all costs be a part of it. I knew itd be a defining moment for the city, he said. "I think history will judge us in 50 years ... and well say we were on the right side of history.

Acknowledging the split protests happening Mount Pleasant, Fludd said he has mixed, raw emotions regarding law enforcement. But he said protesters should welcome officers support.

If we want unity, we cant say no to their help, he said. Theyre our employees.

At the beginning of the demonstration, the African American Settlement Community Historic Commission, a nonprofit, announced a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis.

We want to be the town that was the first to put this resolution out, said John Wright, president of the group. I want Gov. (Henry) McMaster to know theres a strong resolution coming out of Mount Pleasant.
Many believe Poh Ling Yeow has what it takes to go all the way on the current season of MasterChef: Back to Win.

But on Sunday, fellow contestant Emelia Jackson, 30, sent fans into a frenzy when she cropped the returning star out of a cast photo and posted it to her Instagram account - even though she remains in the competition.

Fellow chef Reece Hignell was quick to question if there was bad blood between the two on social media.

'Is there drama between you and Poh? I noticed that you cropped her out,' he commented underneath Emelia's post on Instagram.

Something to tell us? On Sunday, MasterChef star Emelia Jackson raised eyebrows after she cropped fan favourite Poh Ling Yeow out of a cast photo on Instagram, even though she remains in the competition

To which, Emelia hastily replied, 'ffs', which is the acronym for 'for f*ck's sake, a vulgar expression often used to indicate annoyance.

In the image, posted prior to Sunday night's episode airing, nine of the show's remaining contestants are seen standing on set of the Channel 10 ratings juggernaut.

They include, from left to right, Brendan Pang, Emelia, Tessa Boersma, Sarah Tiong, Reynold Poernomo, Khanh Ong, Reece Hignell, Laura Sharrad and Simon Toohey.

The two contestants not featured in the image were Callum Hann, who held immunity going into the episode, and Poh, 47.

Emelia's followers were quick to speculate if Poh would would be sent home at the end of the episode, causing drama and concern on social media.

Bad blood? Fellow returning chef Reece Hignell was quick to question if there was bad blood between the two on social media. 'Is there drama between you and Poh? I noticed that you cropped her out,' he commented underneath Emelia's post on Instagram

Oh no: Emelia's followers were quick to speculate if Poh would would be sent home at the end of the episode.

'I wonder if Emelia is hinting to us Poh has been eliminated tonight? Arghhhh,' one fan tweeted.

'Poh isn't on that picture? Is that a clue?' a second commented, while a third commented, 'Is this a sign? Good luck!

Adding to the speculation, new judge Melissa Leong 'liked' Emelia's social media post without questioning - or perhaps noticing - the edit.

'Where's Poh?' However, with Callum Hann immune from eviction, Emelia's followers were quick to speculate Poh would would be sent home on Sunday's episode

All better now: Emelia apologised to Poh on her Instagram Stories and made light of her mishap by saying: 'Remember that time I accidently cropped Poh out of the photo?

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Emelia for comment and the Melbourne-based chef said the cropping debacle 'was a complete accident'.

'I posted quickly while out to dinner and I didn't realise,' she said.

Emelia also apologised to Poh on her Instagram Stories and made light of her mishap by saying: 'Remember that time I accidently cropped Poh out of the photo? alongside a shocked emoji.

However, she once again posted the group shot with Poh missing.

An unedited version of the photo, which features Poh, was posted to Khanh's Instagram page earlier in the day.

MasterChef Australia: Back To Win continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
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The daunting sway zika virus had held over the populace in recent past has a far-reaching impact on governments in terms of initiatives undertaken. FDA had recently made it mandatory for zika virus testing of all the blood testing done across the U.S. in hospitals and laboratories just to keep the virus at bay. Borne by Aedes genus of mosquitoes, this disease can be easily transmitted to another person even via sexual intercourse and pregnant women, if affected, can forward that to her newborn child as well.

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These initiatives have resulted in the growth of zika virus testing market, and the market is all set to witness a considerable hike during the forecast period (2017-2023), asserts Market Research Future (MRFR) in an extensively analyzed report. FDA and the U.S. government have taken considerable steps to outclass this disease by having it properly tested and developing drugs that can contain the virus. The outcome is quite overwhelming. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also quite aware of the impacts of the virus and has taken steps accordingly. For instance, in 2016, it had declared a health emergency in the Americas, where the disease was spreading its wings. Subsequently, testing kits for the disease found a significant market and started growing in leaps and bounds. These precautionary decisions can act like a global market booster for the zika virus testing.

Industry Trend:

Researchers from Brigham and Womens hospital have recently come out with their discovery where they have used nanotechnology and digital health systems to detect zika virus. In the process. They have involved smartphones as necessary equipment for the testing. The method is known as nanomotor-based bead-motion cellphone (NBC) system, which can have considerable impacts in afflicted regions.

Technology firm Inovatech, in collaboration with the Sao Paulo Research Foundation, developed a test at the Butantan Institute that can detect antibodies against zika virus in samples with great precision to declare infection, if any, caused by the virus previously.

Zika Virus Testing Market Segmentation:

The global zika virus testing market can be segmented by tests and end-users.

By tests, the market can be further sub-segmented into serological/Zika virus antibody and molecular/nucleic acid amplification. The latter is the most commonly used test for zika virus detection.

Based on end-users the market includes diagnostic units, hospitals, pathology labs, and others.

Zika Virus Testing Market Regional Analysis:

Region-specific analysis of the global market has regions Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, Americas, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) under its coverage.

The Americas are in-charge of the market and Latin American countries, where the outbreak of the disease hit massively, are contributing more than the regions far in the distance. Projects initiated by Health and Human Services (HHS), and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to deter the disease from further growth and cure the affected populace can be seen as a market influencer. Brazils National Development Bank (BNDES) has also infused USD 136.6 million for further researches that can help the market grow considerably.

Zika Virus Testing Market Competitive Analysis:

The market is witnessing constant evolution owing to companies launching innovative technologies to detect the virus and cure the effects. However, collaborations are also abounding such as technology firm Inovatechs collaboration with Sao Paolos Research Foundation.

Prominent companies playing a significant role in the zika virus testing market are Luminex Corporation, ARUP Laboratories, Roche Molecular Systems, Hologic, and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics.

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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 shuts down 500 Mom Strong for speaking out against Drag Queen Story Hour

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Facebook has shut down a social media group organized for mothers who are opposed to drag queen story hours at local libraries.

The social media giant removed the group 500 Mom Strong because it was deemed "transphobic" and in violation of Facebook's "community standards." 500 Mom Strong is based in Spokane, Washington, and was founded by Anna Hall Bohach, an activist who has long argued that drag is a misogynistic display and is tantamount to the grooming of young children.

Bohach told The Christian Post in an email on Thursday that she has been dealing with these kinds of bans for some time now, the latest of which happened Monday, and that Facebook representatives are not answering her questions. Facebook did send her a message saying that her page was removed for violating community standards and that policies were in place "to protect against recidivist behavior and do not allow people to set up new Pages that represent Pages that have already been removed from our platform."

"When I asked them about the half dozen other fake 500 Mom Strong pages that were put up by drag queens used to parody 500 Mom Strong, I received no answer and the pages are still active. There is also a fake profile, created by drag queens, using my name and information that has been reported multiple times by my friends and me that Facebook refuses to remove. I asked the Facebook representative about it and I still have yet to receive an answer," Bohach said.

Bohach added that she and her like-minded friends are regularly antagonized by the Facebook page 500 Drag Queen Strong  a page set up to counter her efforts  which continues to operate their page with impunity.

"They regularly publish anti-Christian and anti-woman rhetoric that Facebook refuses to take down. They use language such as "c**t" to describe me and other women and call us terrorists for objecting to transgender ideology. They report us to the police [for allegedly] making anti-trans posts. It is beyond ridiculous that our page would be removed when theirs is allowed to stay up."

The June 1 ban was the third time her page was removed.

"The first time it was removed for hate speech because I shared a post that said 'Reminder: Women don't have to be polite to someone who is making them uncomfortable,'" Bohach said.

The second time her page was removed by Facebook occurred after she and another mom posted about a trans-identified male who was kicked out of a bathroom in neighboring Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. After she posted it, her page was unpublished and Facebook sent her a subsequent message saying it did not violate community standards yet it remained unpublished. As of now, following the third ban, she has been unable to make another page using the same name 500 Mom Strong, but she is building a Facebook group that continues to grow.

"We have no plans to slow down or stop our activism," Bohach said.

A company spokesperson for Facebook told LifeSiteNews Wednesday that the third 500 Mom Strong page was taken down for violating our Community Standards.

Since many cities have banned gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, libraries are no longer hosting in-person Drag Queen Story Hour events. Instead they've been moved to online social media platforms.
Chinese Nationals Slammed with Prison Sentences for Photos of Restricted Areas at Florida Naval Base

Sputnik News

09:26 GMT 06.06.2020

The trespassing incidents involving the Chinese nationals took place shortly after two Chinese Embassy officials were reported by The New York Times to have been "secretly expelled" by the US in December 2019 after breaching a "sensitive" military base near Norfolk, Virginia.

Three Chinese nationals have received prison sentences for taking photos of a restricted area at an American naval base in Key West, Florida, according to a news release by the US Attorney's Office of the South District of Florida, cited by Fox News.

Lyuyou Liao, 27, was sentenced on 5 June to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to entering the Naval Air Station Key West on 26 December 2019 to illegally take photos and videos of the Truman Annex section of the facility.

A day earlier, in a separate case, Jielun Zhang, 25, and Yuhao Wang, 24, were each sentenced to a year and nine months in prison for illegally gaining access to the same installation as Liao on 4 January, and taking photos of infrastructure in Sigbsbee Park and the Trumbo Point Annexes.

The three Chinese nationals will each be subject to one year of probation.

According to cited court documents, Liao was arrested on 26 December Liao after he had circumvented a security fence with "numerous warnings posted" on it, and was spotted walking around Naval Air Station Key West and taking photos with his cellphone.

The man proceeded to take the footage despite being warned by witnesses that he was trespassing in a restricted area known as the Truman Annex.

USS Billings (LCS 15) is seen at Naval Air Station Key West's Truman Harbor during its commissioning ceremony. Billings is the 17th littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the eighth of the Freedom variant. It is the first ship named for Billings, the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana

The Chinese national subsequently told officials that he reads and understands English better than he can speak it.

In an attempt to explain his actions, Liao stated he had been trying to take photos of the sunrise when approached by US military police.

The man had handed his cellphone to the men, where they saw images taken of the Truman Annex at the base and other government buildings in the vicinity, say court documents.

On the 4 January the two other men, Jielun Zhang and Yuhao Wang, drove up to the guard station at the Sigsbee Annex at the Naval Air Station in Key West in a blue Hyundai.

As the men could not provide a military identification, they were instructed by a navy security officer to exit the facility, however, Jielun and Yuhaog instead remained at the site for some 30 minutes, according to the filed complaint.

After obtaining permission to check the men's cellphones and camera, Navy security officers discovered photos of the Sigsbee Annex property, including US military structures on Fleming Key.

In 2019, in a similar incident, a Chinese national, Zhao Qianli, whose attorney insisted he was a tourist who had lost his way, was sentenced to one year in prison after admitting to taking photos at the Key West naval base.

The incidents described in the court documents took place shortly after a report in The New York Times claimed that two Chinese Embassy officials were allegedly "secretly expelled" by US authorities in December 2019 for infiltrating a "sensitive" military base near Norfolk, Virginia.

According to the outlet, citing sources with knowledge of the expulsions, US authorities were led to believe "at least one of the Chinese officials, who were with their wives, was an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover."

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Statistics from the International Council of Nurses (I.C.N.) reveals that over 600 nurses across the world have been killed by COVID-19.

Approximately 230,000 health-care workers have also contracted the virus.

Howard Catton, the Chief Executive Officer of International Council of Nurses (I.C.N.) noted that We need a central database of reliable, standardized, comparable data on all infections, periods of quarantine and deaths that are directly or indirectly related COVID-19.

He noted that the death toll could be higher as they were not getting reliable statistics from some countries.

In Ghana at least 13 doctors have contracted the virus according to the Ghana Medical Association. Close to 30 nurses have the virus.

Source: firstnewsroom.com
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  The National Bureau of Investigation has announced it arrested on Friday former chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government Atty. Camilo Sabio in relation to the execution of judgment in one of the criminal cases against him pending before the Sandiganbayan.

The NBI said agents arrested Sabio at his residence in Quezon City, based on a bench warrant of arrest issued by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan.

The Sandiganbayan's special Fourth Division found Sabio guilty of graft in November 2019 after he tried to persuade his brother, who was then acting chairperson of a Court of Appeals division, in a case involving the Government Service Insurance System.

Sabio, who chaired the PCGG from 2005 to 2010, has a number of graft charges pending before the Sandiganbayan for Violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act allegedly committed during his stint at the PCGG.

The NBI said Sabio was brought to the Sandiganbayan Friday afternoon, following usual booking procedures at the NBI head Office. The Sandiganbayan, however, was temporarily closed at the time due to the sanitation of the area because of COVID-19.

The NBI said Sabio was returned to the NBI detention center. He will be presented before the Sandiganbayan on Monday.
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.
The Centre is concerned about the number of increasing number of Covid-19 cases since June 1, when the relaxations announced by the government came into effect.

According to Hindustan Times Hindi language publication Hindustan, the Centre has got information from various state governments that social distancing norms and other protocols are not being followed since the day relaxations have been announced.

It further reported that the Centre will issue an order to strictly follow all the necessary protocols.

Though the fatality rate has improved, the situation in Delhi and Mumbai is still not under control, Hindustan reported quoting sources.

Some states want the Centre to issue stringent guidelines so that the spread of the infection can be checked, Hindustan reported. These states are not able to enforce strict guidelines due to relaxations given by the Centre.

India raced past Spain on Saturday to become the fifth worst-hit nation by the Covid-19 pandemic after a record spike in cases for four consecutive days pushed total infections to over 2,46,628.

In less than 24 hours, India surpassed Italy and then Spain to reach the grim milestone. Now, only the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK are ahead of it.

According to the Union Health Ministry, India registered a record single-day spike of 9,971 cases and 287 deaths by Sunday 8 am. The death toll rose to 6,929.

The country registered over 9,000 cases for the fourth day in a row.

Of the total fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 2,969 deaths, followed by Gujarat (1,219), Delhi (761), Madhya Pradesh (399), West Bengal (383), Uttar Pradesh (257), Tamil Nadu (251), Rajasthan (231), Telangana (123), Andhra Pradesh (73), Karnataka (59) and Punjab (50).
One of Australia's largest humanitarian agencies is calling for a local Indigenous teacher to be employed in every school to bolster students' understanding of Aboriginal culture and reduce discrimination in schools.

A World Vision submission to the federal parliamentary inquiry into education in remote and complex environments suggests the role would involve providing cultural education in the classroom, as well as co-ordinating visits from local Aboriginal community members and ''on-country'' learning experiences.

A program at some primary schools in Sydney's east employs cultural educators and has boosted student engagement with Aboriginal culture and history. Credit:Wolter Peeters

They would also provide cultural awareness training for school staff and help embed Indigenous perspectives across the school curriculum including in science, geography and mathematics.

World Vision senior policy advisor Scott Winch said Aboriginal culture and history deserved greater respect in school environments.
The names of people killed by police brutality echoed through Calgary's Olympic Plaza on Saturday afternoon, where thousands gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn and honour victims of racist injustice and police violence.

Trayvon Martin. Sandra Bland. Philando Castile.

It wasn't just American names on the list.

Olando Brown. Abdirahman Abdi. Pierre Coriolan.

The crowd chanted the long list of names while raising fists, signs and cellphone lights into the air.

"My hopes are that people will become mobilized and start applying anti-racism in their day-to-day lives," Adora Nwofor, one of the organizers, said.

Colin Hall/CBC

The Black Lives Matter event was the fourth held in Calgary this week, and one of hundreds across the U.S. and Canada ignited by the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was killed when a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he lay unarmed and handcuffed, telling the officer that he couldn't breathe.

The charge against Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis officer who dug his knee into Floyd's neck, was recently upgraded to second-degree murder, and the three other officers involved  Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao  were charged with aiding and abetting murder.

This is not anything new. What's new is that we've all got cameras in our pockets and we're able to document what's happening. - Tanesha Cromwell

While organizers mourned Floyd's death they also wanted to share an important message  racism and police violence are Canadian issues too.

They called for policing reform and for police to collect data on actions taken against people of colour.

"This is not anything new. What's new is that we've all got cameras in our pockets and we're able to document what's happening," said Tanesha Cromwell, who is Black and Mikmaq. Cromwell read a land acknowledgement at the beginning of the demonstration.

"You can log on to pretty much any social media platform and you can see posts by the public. They are showing police who are going around being destructive  they are instigating violence, they are pepper-spraying children, they are destroying medical supplies where medics have tents set up to help the injured. These types of things to just silence us because we are asking for equity in society."

Story continues

"System racism has been going on forever," said Philip Neilson, who owns a medical spa in Calgary. "My business partner is white ... just finding a location for my spa alone, I had to send her to every place because every place turned me down.

"They didn't obviously come and say, 'hey, it's because you're Black.' But as soon as I sent her alone, we got our location."

Organizers also reminded those in the crowd to take precautions to avoid spreading COVID-19. Most of those in attendance wore masks, hand sanitizer was handed out, and Xs were marked on the ground to remind people to stand two metres apart.

"It's unfortunate COVID-19 is killing people, it's disproportionately killing marginalized people ... we want people to be safe, hear our message, go home and apply it," Nwofor said.

Police estimated more than 4,000 people were in attendance.

Terri Trembath/CBC

Earlier in the week, Calgary Police Service put a statement on its Facebook page addressing the relationship between the police force and the communities it serves.

"While we are proud of the relationships that CPS has built in our city, we don't for a moment believe we are perfect. This world is big, but we know what is happening in the U.S. is being felt far beyond their borders," the post said.

"We are always one incident, one moment of broken trust, one tragedy away, from experiencing a shift in the foundation that we have built with those we serve. Every single interaction that an officer has with a citizen needs to be rooted in our values of respect, compassion, honesty, integrity, fairness, courage and accountability."

Many on social media have pointed out that the statement did not specifically condemn the actions of officers in the U.S., or specifically address the issues of racism or police brutality.

Organizers asked members of CPS not to participate in Saturday's vigil.

"One cop participating, kneeling and chanting for pictures, will not create the change we need," said Nwofor, to cheers and whistles from the crowd. "Especially when you are silent participants of a corrupt system otherwise."

Protests have grown over the course of the past 10 days in the wake of what videos of many U.S. demonstrations have shown to be increasingly aggressive tactics by police, including deployments of tear gas and rubber bullets.

There was only one small disturbance at Saturday's event in Calgary, when a counter-protester was led away by police.

Terri Trembath/CBC

Hundreds also attended vigils in Banff and Lethbridge on Saturday.

In Banff, a protester accidentally discharged bear spray that was in their pocket but police said nobody was injured and nobody was charged.

'A path for the generation to come'

Kay L, a local hip-hop artist and activist, said Calgary's protests feel historic.

"We haven't seen movements like this, or protests like this or rallies like this ever in our city's history I think," he said. "It's really going to set a path for the generation to come."

Nwofor said she was heartened by the size of the crowd but said there's still so much work to be done.

"This says that people are ready to have the conversation. They're ready to see what's happening. But if I'm going to be honest, Bill 1 shows us that they don't actually want to apply the things, because they keep silencing with legislation, with laws, without giving opportunity," she said.

Bill 1 is legislation in the works targeting Alberta protesters, that could see people arrested, fined up to $25,000 or jailed if they are found to have blocked, damaged or entered "essential infrastructure," for example people who protest on a highway.

"We're going to create a fever pitch. There's going to be emotion. But what we really need is for all those people to hear us," Nwofor said, adding that she wants to see people speak up and be actively anti-racist until it's the norm.
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NORTHERN Ireland's moves out of lockdown are to be accelerated with pubs and restaurants expected to be trading by July 20 - at the latest.

And all non-contact retail could reopen within a week as the fast-tracking of our return to normality from coronavirus mirrors that of moves announced by the Irish government.

A meeting of the Stormont Executive tomorrow will see DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds argue for a reduction in the current two-metre social distancing rule to boost business.

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She will also ask Health Minister Robin Swann to produce a paper detailing the latest medical advice around reopening shops.

Similar plans regarding restaurants and pubs will also be discussed after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said bars serving food in the south can welcome the public again from June 29.

Ministers here are determined to avoid a 'booze tourist' scenario where people from Northern Ireland travel across the border in significant numbers because our own pubs are shut. At present only some like the Morning Star in Belfast city centre are serving takeaway pints but publicans across the country can't wait to reopen their doors.

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Local hotels have been given the green light to reopen on July 20, with Stormont insiders saying that is now a likely date for bars and restaurants to do the same, if not even sooner.

Other topics on Monday's Executive meeting agenda include allowing indoor visits to different households, a rise in outdoor gathering numbers, and the resumption of some team sports.

The increased speed in which we move out of lockdown has been bolstered by a week-on-week drop in recorded Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland.

Yesterday saw one new death and 14 new positive test results - the highest daily confirmed infection rate since May 29.

However, the average number of deaths per day over the past week is one, while the average number of new infections is eight. There are currently 10 patients with Covid-19 on an intensive care unit bed.

Since the pandemic claimed its first life in March a total of 537 people have died and 4,776 have caught the virus.

Executive sources say recent low numbers have played a huge role in moves to take Northern Ireland out of lockdown more quickly.

They also revealed that the latest scientific advice puts the R rate of Covid-19 infection here below 1 - a key rating as any figure above this means the disease is spreading exponentially.

"Leo Varadkar's decision to allow bars in the south serving food to reopen on June 29 will have a significant effect on changes made here," said a Stormont insider last night.

"There will be talk around that and reducing the two-metre social distancing rule at the Executive meeting tomorrow, although that seems unlikely to happen any time soon.

"Health officials will also be asked to produce a paper around the reopening of all shops. It is important that we are not out of step with the south on the lifting of lockdown measures because that could create major problems, especially in border areas."

Tomorrow large non-essential stores like car showrooms and those in retail parks stocking household electrical appliances, computer equipment, mobile phones and furniture will be able to reopen their doors here. Those in indoor shopping centres can't as yet.

As the Executive prepares to meet tomorrow, the owners of several of Northern Ireland's top restaurants pleaded with ministers to give them a firm reopening date amid fears they are being left in limbo.

Naz Din, who runs the upmarket Nu Delhi and Spice Indian restaurants in Belfast and Templepatrick, said: "We need to have a date for reopening in place. One of the biggest reasons for this is restarting supplies. We also need to get things back in order with our staff.

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"The other big problem we face is the lack of guidelines for how things will look when we reopen. We are going to have to change our restaurants around to put screens in place, and other things that will cost a lot of money.

"If we are given a date to re-open just a few days before then how are we going to be able to prepare properly?"

Naz is hugely supportive of calls for the current two-metre rule to be reduced to one metre to aid the economy. This would allow restaurant owners whose businesses have been decimated by Covid-19 to bring more customers through the doors.

New research by the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that keeping one metre apart reduces the risk of infection by 80%.

Several Nordic countries and Austria adopt this recommendation, whereas in the UK, Ireland and the US it remains at two metres.

Another big supporter of the reduction in the two metre rule is chef Nico Simeone, who owns the award-winning Six By Nico restaurant in Belfast.

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He said: "Reopening plans are going to need to be bespoke.

"Our capacity would be reduced substantially with the two metre distance guidance, however we would welcome any reviews to reduce this to one metre as long as it continues to ensure safety at all times."

Like all other Northern Irish restaurant owners, Nico wants the Executive to set a hospitality reopening date. He added: "It would be useful for our team, our customers and the business communities across Belfast if the Assembly could be a little more open about what the framework for re-opening will or should be."

His calls have been backed by Hospitality Ulster Chief Executive Colin Neill who believes the easing of lockdown measures in the south should be mirrored in Northern Ireland.

He said: "The Executive needs to assess the situation and come to a swift decision as we've now gone through three months of pain.

"Acting now will go some way to help save our summer, but it will take four to five weeks for the supply chain to kick into action again and have everything prepared for trading.

"We need to be set back on some sort of even keel. We've no time to lose.

"A quick decision early this week could save many jobs and businesses in the hospitality sector."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 20:10:21|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations said on Sunday that the U.S. calls for the extension of a UN Security Council arms embargo on Iran lack legal standing in international law, Press TV reported.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations "wrongly" believes Washington retains the right to snap back sanctions against Tehran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, said Majid Takht-Ravanchi.

Washington is no longer a "participant" in the 2016 Iranian nuclear deal, Takht-Ravanchi noted, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal two years ago.

Under Resolution 2231, arms embargo on Iran will be lifted in October 2020. However, the United States says it is considering "every possibility" to renew the UN Security Council ban on selling conventional arms to Iran.

Iran has said it would not accept the renewal of UN arms ban against the Islamic republic. Enditem
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.
New Delhi, June 7 : Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has said that CBSE board results can be declared by August 15. The results of both class 10 and 12 will be declared at an interval of just a few days.

However, the decision to open schools will be taken after August keeping in mind the current COVID-19 situation. At present, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has not set any date for reopening schools.

Nishank said during a discussion "We hope that the results of both 10th and 12th class will be declared by August 15. These include the results of previous exams and the results of examinations in July." On the issue of reopening of schools, Nishank said "after August the process of opening schools will be started." A final decision in this regard will be taken only after assessing the prevailing conditions. According to the HRD ministry, after August, new sessions will also start in universities.

Meanwhile, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi has also written to the HRD ministry on the subject of reopening schools. Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia said in the letter, "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said some time ago that we have to learn to live with coronavirus. So it would be better to open schools with proper safety measures." Sisodia said that first of all, we have to assure every child that they are important to us. Everyone has equal rights over the physical and intellectual environment of his school. Education cannot progress beyond online classes only. It would be impossible to pursue education only by calling older children to school and keeping younger children at home.

Several private schools have also suggested measures to the HRD ministry to open schools and safety in schools during this period. However, the ministry is not in a hurry to reopen schools at present. According to senior officials of the ministry, at present, preparations are being made to conduct the remaining board exams of class 10 and 12 between July 1 and 15.

After the examinations, the first priority is to declare the results. Only then can the process of reopening school colleges begin.
An Ohio voter drops off her ballot at the Board of Elections in Dayton on April 28, 2020. (MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Federal Appeals Court Rules Pandemic No Reason to Force All Texans to Vote by Mail

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously slapped down a federal judges ruling forcing Texas to allow all its residents to vote by mail on the theory that doing so would prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, indicated he was satisfied with the decision.

Allowing universal mail-in ballots, which are particularly vulnerable to fraud, would only lead to greater election fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters, Paxton said in a statement to the media. The unanimous Fifth Circuit ruling puts a stop to this blatant violation of Texas law.

All 50 states provide for mail-in voting. In Texas, a voter is allowed to vote by mail if 65 or older, disabled or ill, in jail, or outside the county when voting is scheduled to take place.

Democrats had argued the disability provision could be interpreted broadly to include a lack of immunity to the virus. They lost.

The ruling, in Texas Democratic Party v. Abbott, an appeal from U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, came June 4.

In the ruling that was overturned, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery had found for Democrats, who argued it was unreasonable to expect voters to appear in person at polling stations and risk exposure to the CCP virus. Berry had granted a temporary injunction May 19 allowing all voters in the state to vote by mail in upcoming elections.

Biery, who was appointed by then-President Bill Clinton, determined that all Texas voters should be considered disabled and therefore deserving of special accommodations in voting because they lack immunity to the virus, and voting in person was hazardous to them.

The Texas Supreme Court also rejected that line of argument, holding that a lack of immunity didnt constitute a disability. That court interpreted disability not to include lack of immunity to the Virus, the 5th Circuit panel noted in its decision, adding that it is a crime to encourage voters to indicate that they are disabled merely because they lack immunity.

According to the panel, the country is mired in a pandemic involving a virus that can cause serious illness and sometimes death, and the Constitution entrusts the safety and health of the people to the politically accountable officials of the States to guard and protect, citing a 1905 Supreme Court precedent, Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

But the district judge here ignored state officials and resolves to take matters into his own hands.

The panel noted and rejected the judges criticism of Texas officials. The judge, according to the panel, wrote, There are some among us who would, if they could, nullify the promises of the Declaration of Independence and forfeit  the vision of America as a shining city upon a hill.

In an order that will be remembered more for audacity than legal reasoning, the district judge intervenes just weeks before an election, entering a sweeping preliminary injunction that requires state officials  to distribute mail-in ballots to any eligible voter who wants one.

The judge erred, the panel reasoned, because the presence of the CCP virus didnt give federal judges a roving commission to rewrite state election codes.

Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii carry out their elections wholly by mail.

Republicans are suing California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in federal court over his executive order requiring that all registered voters be sent vote-by-mail ballots for the general election on Nov. 3, ostensibly to reduce the likelihood of transmission of the virus among voters.

Democrats are now suing in at least 13 states to overturn restrictions on mail-in votingand attorney Marc Elias of the high-powered Democratic law firm Perkins Coie, vows that more are coming, as The Epoch Times has previously reported.
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, participates in a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center on May 27, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were scheduled to be the first people since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States, but the launch was postponed due to bad weather. Saul Martinez | Getty Images

SpaceX launched astronauts for the first time barely a week ago but CEO Elon Musk does not want the company resting on its laurels. Instead, Musk urged SpaceX employees to accelerate progress on its next-generation Starship rocket "dramatically and immediately," writing Saturday in a company-wide email seen by CNBC. "Please consider the top SpaceX priority (apart from anything that could reduce Dragon return risk) to be Starship," Musk wrote in the email. SpaceX did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Musk's email. His space company launched a pair of NASA astronauts on May 30, marking a historic first for SpaceX and a crucial step forward for the U.S. space program. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule carried the astronauts to orbit and on to the International Space Station. That mission is ongoing, as Musk noted, with the spacecraft set to return the astronauts to Earth in the next couple months.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on the Demo-2 mission with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard. NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Falcon 9 rocket that launched the astronauts is the mainstay of SpaceX's business, with 85 missions over the past decade. But Starship represents the company's aim to make obsolete even the cost-saving advances of its Falcon 9 fleet. Its Falcon 9 rockets are partially reusable, as the company often lands the large "booster" stage of the rocket and recovers the rocket's nosecone. But Musk's goal is to make Starship fully reusable  envisioning a rocket that is more akin to a commercial airplane, with short turnaround times between flights. Musk last year unveiled the Starship prototype, built of stainless steel and dwarfing the company's existing spacecraft. SpaceX is developing Starship with the goal of launching as many as 100 people at a time on missions to the moon and Mars.

SpaceX's first Starship prototype under construction near Boca Chica, Texas in 2019. SpaceX

So far, the company's Starship development program in Boca Chica, Texas has suffered four dramatic setbacks. While SpaceX has made progress on each iteration, the most recent prototype exploded shortly after an engine test on May 29.

"We need to accelerate Starship progress," Musk said in Saturday's email. Musk's emphasis on Starship comes nine months after a controversial comment by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, just before SpaceX unveiled the latest prototype. The NASA chief declared his agency wanted "to see the same level of enthusiasm" for SpaceX launching NASA astronauts as there was for the Starship program, saying it was "time to deliver." At the time, Musk said that SpaceX "resources are overwhelmingly" focused on finishing development of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Now, with SpaceX having delivered on the first part of its commitment to fly NASA astronauts, Musk is turning the company's attention to Starship. SpaceX has raised nearly $1.7 billion since the beginning of 2019, with its valuation rising to around $36 billion according to CNBC sources. The company has steadily raised funding as its developed three ambitious programs: the Crew Dragon spacecraft, its Starlink internet satellites and the massive Starship rocket. The Starship program has seen prototypes pass several critical milestones but SpaceX has yet to begin flight testing its most recent design. A previous iteration, known as Starhopper, completed a short launch and landing flight test in August.

Airlift to Texas
A retired US Marine declared his support for Black Lives Matter by kneeling in full dress uniform near the Utah State Capitol in a one-man protest with a piece of tape over his mouth with the words I cant breathe written on it.

The Marine Corps veteran, Todd Winn, drew the attention of passersby as he stood for three hours in the middle of the day in Salt Lake City, when the temperatures reached 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was so hot during his protest Friday that Winn's dress leather shoes began to melt, according to KUTV-TV.

A local photographer, Robin Pendergrast, snapped photos of Winn.

Winn, whose uniform shows he earned two Purple Hearts, was also holding up a sign which read: Justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Countless Others.

The sign also demanded accountability for failed TTPs and EOF abuse.

Retired Marine Todd Winn protests in front of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday

Winn, who suffers from chronic fatigue as a result of traumatic injuries he suffered while on duty in Iraq in 2005, withstood 100-degree heat for three hours

Winn declared his support for Black Lives Matter by kneeling in full dress uniform near the Utah State Capitol in a one-man protest while having a piece of tape over his mouth with the words I cant breathe written on it

In security-related matters, TTP is the acronym for tactics, techniques, and procedures.

EOF is the acronym for escalation of force - which is presumably a criticism of American police forces who have been filmed on social media in recent weeks injuring protesters and demonstrators.

Katie Steck, Winn's girlfriend, said that Friday was a 'day of silence' for him.

'He has been very angered and appalled by the injustices that have been happening,' she told KSL-TV.

According to Steck, Winn was wounded in 2005, when a roadside bomb detonated while he was doing a tour of duty in Iraq.

As a result, Winn sustained traumatic brain injuries that left him with chronic fatigue.

Steck said Winn wanted to demonstrate how one can protest while still being patriotic.

'Seeing a lot of things that have happened, thats not the kind of America he wants,' Steck said, and not the kind of America hed sacrificed for.

'Thats not what he wants to represent.'

Winn, whose uniform shows he earned two Purple Hearts, was also holding up a sign which read: Justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Countless Others.

Floyd was the 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25.

Horrific video posted to social media shows one of the arresting police officers, Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee into Floyds neck, cutting off his air supply, while three other cops stood by.

Floyd is heard in the video telling the officers that he was unable to breathe.

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder while the other three officers are charged with aiding and abetting.

Floyds death ignited mass protests worldwide. In some cases, arson and looting have been reported across the country.

Taylor was the 26-year-old black EMT who was fatally shot in her bed by Louisville police in March.

Officers were conducting a no-knock search warrant on her home that later turned out to be baseless.

Taylors boyfriend, who was legally armed, fired at police, who failed to identify themselves, according to Taylors family.

The boyfriend shot at police thinking his home was being robbed. Police fired back, killing Taylor.

Rice was a 12-year-old black boy who was fatally shot by a white police officer in Cleveland in 2014.

The young boy was playing with a pellet gun outside a Cleveland recreation center when he was shot by an officer who thought it was a real gun.

Demonstrators and protesters have also taken to the streets of Salt Lake City in the days that followed Floyds death.

Marine Corps bans public display of Confederate flag on its bases and installations amid nationwide unrest over George Floyd killing

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.

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

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.

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

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

'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.

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.

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

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.

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 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

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.

'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.
100 Years Ago  1920: Henry E. Jackson, of the United States Bureau of Education, delivered the baccalaureate address yesterday morning to the graduating class of Swarthmore College. Herbert Hooever spokes this morning at the commencement exercises. Jackson urged the graduates to enter into American life and religion as did William Penn. Politics and religion should never have torn asunder, said the speaker. They were always one and the same. However, there should no connection between church and state. One idea that has done great damage to the human race is the false distinction between the secular and the sacred.

75 Years Ago  1945: Revealing the secret of McClure control over the citizens of Chester and Delaware County, Judge E. Wallace Chadwick, in a radio broadcast Wednesday night, said that it is within the power of the women of the county to break the vicious McClure hold at the June 19 Primary Election. Judge Chadwick, a pioneer for woman suffrage in the day when women were not permitted to vote, urged every woman voter to go to the polls on June 19.

50 Years Ago  1970: The major aspects of a four-month investigation into charges linking a number of Chester policemen to a series of crimes have been completed. Rocco P. Urella, chief of the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division said there are a few remaining loose ends. He said he and Dist. Atty. Stephen J. McEwen Jr. will meet this week with Chester Mayor John H. Nacrelli and Police Chief Joseph M. Bail to review the evidence and make a determination on what direction the probe should take from here on.

25 Years Ago  1995: Without a word of debate, the state Senate yesterday gave final legislative approval by a 42-8 vote to a 65 mph speed limit on rural stretches of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and 1,200 miles of interstate highways. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Clarence D. Bell (R-9) of Upland and already approved by the state House, now goes to Gov. Tom Ridge who is expected to sign it. Congress approved a return to 65 mph in 1987, but Pennsylvania didnt adopt a higher limit until now because former Gov. Bob Casey was staunchly opposed.

10 Years Ago  2010: Traffic remained the only topic on the agenda as Concord supervisors continued the conditional use hearing regarding the possibility of a Costco behind Brinton Lake Corporate Center, Baltimore Pike. The 148,000-square-foot warehouse, with a four-island, 16-pump fueling station, is proposed for the former Westinghouse facility.

 COLIN AINSWORTH
British Airways is battling its pilot union thats pushing back on further job cuts as the carrier initiates the legal process to block the UKs 14-day self-isolation plan for arrivals starting Monday.

The airline warned its pilots union that it would dismiss all of the companys 4,300 pilots and rehire them on individual contracts unless the union reached an agreement with the carrier. The company, which is negotiating a planned reduction of 1,130 roles represented by the Balpa union, sought another 125 pilot jobs on Wednesday, the union said in an email.

This has seriously undermined our talks which now hang by a thread, Brian Strutton, the general secretary of the union, said in an email. It calls into question whether BA is even capable of conducting industrial relations properly and whether anything they say can be trusted.

A spokesperson for the airline, which is working on cutting 12,000 jobs across the company, said in an email its acting now to protect as many jobs possible, adding that the airline industry is facing the deepest structural change in its history, as well as facing a severely weakened global economy.

Concerned the self-isolation requirement would block its plans to restart services in July, British Airways parent IAG SA sent a letter to the Home Office to start the process to block the quarantine, which could lead to a lawsuit, according to a copy of the letter seen by Bloomberg News.

The letter, also signed by Europes two biggest discount carriers Ryanair Holdings Plc and EasyJet Plc, pointed to how the measures will apply to travellers from countries with lower infection rates than the UK, and disproportionately affect those from England than Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the letter showed. The Telegraph first reported the letter.

More Stringent

The 14-day quarantine for travellers is also more stringent than the one for those who test positive for the virus, according to the letter. The carriers also pointed out that the UK is imposing the self-isolation on arrivals from countries that have a lower infection rate than the UK

In our view, the government has failed to identify a valid justification for the blanket nature of the regulations, more especially given the extremely severe nature of the self-isolation provisions that apply, according to the letter.

The Home Office declined to comment on the potential legal action late Saturday. On Friday, James Slack, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, told reporters the government wants to work with the industry as the country moves through the pandemic.

British Airways move came a day after IAG Chief Executive Officer Willie Walsh said he was considering legal action to block the measure. Ryanair said Friday it would support legal action by its rival. The quarantine is being introduced as carriers try to salvage the normally busy summer season.

If British Airways and the airlines push ahead with a legal challenge, a court proceeding known as a judicial review will be held in Londons High Court. The transport sector isnt a stranger to a judicial review. Earlier this year, the procedure was used to force the government to take full account of climate change agreements over its plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The procedure allows members of the public and corporations to hold the government to account over policy decisions. The process is designed to weigh the lawfulness of how a government decision has been reached, rather than whether the decision is right or wrong. Public bodies that lose judicial review cases can make the same decision again as long as they do so using the right procedures.

Like airlines worldwide, IAG is slashing costs to contend with a historic drop in travel. Carriers in Europe have signalled plans to eliminate more than 50,000 positions since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, including 10,000 on Wednesday at Germanys Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
With relaxations in the COVID-19 lockdown, temples across the country are all set to reopen from Monday in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by Union home ministry to prevent coronavirus spread.

As per some of the guidelines, prasad distribution or sprinkling of holy water, etc. will not be allowed inside religious places.

Arrangements have been made at the religious sites to spray sanitisers on the devotees before they enter the site.

The Union Culture Ministry has also approved opening of 820 Archeological Survey of India-protected monuments which have places of worship from June 8, minister Prahlad Patel said.

Various measures have also been taken to ensure that social distancing is maintained by the devotees throughout their visit.

Here's how places of worship are preparing to open their gates to devotees.

IMAGE: Workers make marks inside a Hanuman temple to help maintain social distancing norms by the devotees, ahead of its reopening, in Patna, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker sanitises Kashi Vishwanath temple as religious places are set to re-open on Monday, in Varanasi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Worker clean the premises of a temple ahead of its reopening on Monday, in Bengaluru, on Sunday. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Stickers to help in maintaining social distancing are seen at Kalka Ji temple ahead of its re-opening for devotees, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Workers clean the railings at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine ahead of its reopening for the devotees, in Reasi district, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker sprays disinfectant inside Kalka Ji temple ahead of its re-opening for devotees, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Muslims offer prayers at the Nakhoda Masjid, in Kolkata, on Sunday. The mosque will be fully opened for the devotees from Monday. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker cleans benches at St Teresas Church ahead of its re-opening, in Kolkata, on Sunday. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Devotees visit the Kodana Ramchandra temple that was reopened after ease of restrictions, in Chikmagalur, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker draws circles on a pathway leading to Vindhyavasini temple to help devotees maintain social distance, as religious places are set to open on Monday, in Mirzapur, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A policeman uses a thermal screening device on workers at Sri Kali Devi Mandir on the eve of its re-opening, in Patiala, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Monks clean Bharat Sevashram Sangha headquarters ahead of its re-opening, in Kolkata, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Final arrangements being made inside a temple on the eve of its opening in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Municipal corporation workers sanitise the Residency Road Church ahead of its reopening, in Jammu, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker draws social distancing markers at a temple ahead of its reopening on Monday, in Bengaluru, on Sunday. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Volunteers disinfect Lakshmi Narayan temple ahead its reopening on Monday, in Amritsar, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker screens a devotee at Har Ki Pauri ahead of its reopening, in Haridwar, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Workers draw circles on a road outside Jama Masjid to help devotees maintain social distancing, in Old Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A member of the Masjid committee marks the floor to help maintain social distancing at Machkhowa Pakka Masjid ahead of its re-opening for devotees, in Guwahati, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Workers construct a shade for devotees at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara ahead of its reopening, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: A worker cleans the premises of Jama Masjid, in Lucknow, on Sunday. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government white paper described closing outbound traffic from the city of Wuhan in January as a crucial step to stem the spread of the virus in its COVID-19 fight.

On January 22, President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, ordered the immediate imposition of tight restrictions on the movement of people and channels of exit in Hubei and Wuhan, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

At around 2 a.m. on January 23, Wuhan City Novel Coronavirus Prevention and Control Command Center issued the No. 1 public notice declaring temporary closure of the city's outbound routes at its airports and railway stations at 10 a.m. the same day. The Ministry of Transport issued an emergency circular suspending passenger traffic into Wuhan from other parts of the country by road or waterway, it added.

"This marked the beginning of an all-out battle to protect Wuhan and Hubei from the epidemic," said the white paper released by the State Council Information Office.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday wondered whether the Bharatiya Janata Party propped up Bollywood actor Sonu Sood to 'offer help' to migrant workers from north India stranded in Maharashtra amidst the lockdown, with the political motive to show the Uddhav Thackeray government in poor light.

In his weekly column 'Rokhthok' in Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Raut questionned the sudden rise of 'Mahatma' Sood on the social scene of Maharashtra during the lockdown.

Raut also referred to a 'sting operation' against Sood ahead of the 2019 general elections, saying he had agreed to promote the BJP-led government at various platforms through his official social media accounts.

The Sena's attack came against the backdrop of reports that Sood had arranged buses for migrant workers stuck in Mumbai.

'Sood is an actor whose profession is to deliver dialogues scripted by someone else and make a living out of it. There are many people like Sood who would promote any political party if paid well,' Raut said.

He said no wise man would believe in Sood suddenly developing sympathy for labourers and sending them back in large numbers.

Raut, who is the chief whip of the Sena in Parliament and executive editor of Saamana, said, 'the BJP has (politically) adopted Sonu Sood and tried to create an influence among the North Indian migrant workers'.

During the coronavirus crisis, the BJP was struggling to stay politically relevant but faced a severe backlash from people as they did not like frequent criticism of the Thackeray government by leaders of the BJP, he stated.

'The plight of migrant workers also turned many people against the Modi government for its handling of the coronavirus crisis,' Raut stated.

He said it was necessary to find out whether the BJP put a mask of a social worker on Sonu Sood and used him to further its political designs.

'There is a person called Shankar Pawar, who is the head of Rashtriya Banjara Seva Sangh and seen frequently standing behind Sood in various photographs. He has the huge system and network to send people home,' Raut said.

Raut strongly defended the state government, which also comprises the NCP and the Congress, over its handling of the migrant crisis.

'No other state could have treated migrant workers the way they have been taken care of by the Maharashtra government,' he stated.

The government has set up a special unit to streamline the process to transport migrant workers to their native states.

'However, to show the state government's work in poor light, Sood has been deliberately promoted. 'If anyone wants to go home, please contact me' was the appeal of the actor,' Raut wrote.

The senior Sena leader also claimed that Sood had even received an invitation from Maharashtra governor B S Koshyari to laud his work.

'Maharashtra chief secretary Ajoy Mehta should send a detailed list of people and organisations who served relentlessly and selflessly during the coronavirus crisis. Unfortunately, they do not have any political backing to promote their work,' Raut said.

In a swipe at the BJP, Raut said that people might soon here Sood's name in 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme and him meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

'Sood might even visit Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi as a star campaigner for the BJP. When most of the actors were sitting at home, Sonu Sood's acting skills were flourishing,' he stated.

You do not need a screen all the time to show your acting skills as has been demonstrated by 'Mahatma Sood', Raut said.

'Sood's political directors are experts in their field. We will come to know soon about his next political move,' he added.
Rolling-out an end to end window operating system popularly known as the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS) has generated widespread media attention. Not only is the ICUMS well-integrated but, rolling-out such a system appears to be failing.

The complexities in the system have caused goods to be cleared manually at the ports thereby, posing revenue risk to the country. This anomaly gives credence to our initial manuscript entitled "Ghana Link/UNIPASS: A mere hoax or serving public interest?".

Center for International Maritime Affairs, Ghana (CIMAG) in the said bulletin asked several questions including the preparedness, competence, and integrity of the system including the first-year abrogation clause in the trade facilitation deal of which Ghana Link responded with an article entitled "UNIPASSS Ghana's best bet in deploying a single window".

We recall that in responding to such questions Ghana Link merely used "time value of money" to justify their first-year abrogation clause claim of US$92.97 million without providing any detailed financial background backing their claim.

Ghana Link with its ICUMS took full control of the ports operating system on Monday 1st June 2020. After officially rolling-out the highly rated end to end operating system, is there any hope that the port management system will see any improvement? Is there any possible indication of success with the initial teething challenges resulting in a manual system of clearance? Can we confidently say UNIPASS/ICUMS have the necessary mitigation measures to perform to expectations? Given this, will Government call on GcNet and West Blue to manage the ports again? What will be the posture and conditions of GcNet and West Blue should they be called back? What is likely to be the position of Government as far as the contract with GcNet and West Blue are concerned?

CIMAG after carefully analyzing port operations for over a year called on Ghana Link and GcNet to understand their port operation systems and procedures. For the sake of objectivity, we knew Ghana Link will face numerous challenges if the ICUMS is fully deployed. The reason being that GcNet after being in operation for more than twenty-years was able to demonstrate to CIMAG the superiority of their operating system. Although Ghana Link provided us with a pictorial diagram of how their operating system looks like, we are waiting on Ghana Link to provide technical knowledge from expertise with regards to the stepwise processes involved in deploying such a system.

With that being said, Does Ghana Link have the right expertise in deploying such an operating system? Are there technical anomalies leading to difficult clearing processes? If Ghana Link fails to perform thereby, triggering contract abrogation by Government, will the first-year abrogation clause still be in favor of UNIPASS/ICUMS? Bearing to the fact that ICUMS was ready to be fully deployed, CIMAG was hoping for a successful deployment. Yet, what do we see at our ports today? There is difficulty uploading old manifests in Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS) to ICUMS. Furthermore, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) inputted in ICUMS fails to generate consignee details posing difficulties in processing import documents.

Ghana Link made it clear to CIMAG that their help desk is fully equipped with personnel with technical expertise in ICUMS. However, the help desk is amateurish because the technical personnel deployed by Ghana Link are seemingly lost concerning the operations of ICUMS. Additionally, the valuation and declaration report sees longer processing time.

Although the current complexities of the ICUMS affect the operations of freight forwarders and may have threatened their source of living, the Government is loosing more regarding revenue generation. Herein, it is only fair if Government calls on GcNet and West Blue to provide technical assistance to UNIPASS/ICUMS. Arguably, rolling-out a newly integrated system may require ample time before and after its deployment. However, has ICUMS/UNIPASS not piloted the system before its deployment? Were they not aware of the challenges thus, putting in mitigation measures to tackle the technical difficulties encountered during piloting?

In conclusion, CIMAG understands that although an end-to-end system deployed by Ghana Link is a good idea, the successful implementation of the good idea may have eluded Ghana Link. Based on the challenges UNIPASS/ICUMS are facing, we can argue that the Government of Ghana may have rushed the decision to halt the operations of GcNet and West Blue.

Against this backdrop, CIMAG is studying the developments in the ports to find out how UNIPASS/ICUMS will overcome the challenges they are facing just so importers, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders don't lose confidence in the system being introduced.

GPHA. (2018). Experts call on government to invest more in maritime security in order to sustain Ghanas reputation in trade. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaports.gov.gh

is the Executive Director at the Centre for International Maritime Affairs (CIMAG). He holds a bachelor degree in Integrated Development Studies from the University of Development Studies. He holds an LLB (Law) from the Mountcrest University College and a postgraduate certificate in Health Safety & Environment.

He holds a certificate of proficiency in customs procedures & port operations. Currently, Albert is a Director in charge of Business Development at the Logical Maritime Services Limited, a privately held global logistics company. With extensive research, policy and advocacy backgrounds, Albert serves on numerous boards within the maritime industry. E-mail: [email protected] .

BISMARK AMEYAW (Ph.D.) is the director of research and advocacy at the Centre for International Maritime Affairs (CIMAG). He is a director of international relations and research development at the African Center for Strategic Business and Entrepreneurship Development (ACSBED).
As we slowly resume churning the wheels of our economy again, there is a growing chorus to replace China-made products with those made in India. A nationwide survey by Network18, which had over 31,000 participants, showed that over 90 percent of people would prefer an Indian product over Chinese counterparts. While it is a noble sentiment, and you should buy the lock made in Aligarh over the one imported from Shanghai, implementing it online requires due diligence from all quarters. This trend has perhaps been most visible on social media and in the tech space. The Remove China Apps app was designed to feed off this new-found sentiment, and the app promised to find any Chinese apps on a user's phone and uninstall it for them. No one really cared about data privacy. That is before Google took it down from the Play Store for Android phones, because it violated more than one guideline.

Case in point is an incident from 2016, where an Indian government-backed researcher discovered that three apps, which claimed to offer patriotic news related to the defence services, were actually data-stealing malware. The three apps  Indian Sena News, Bharatiya Sena News and India Defense News (IDN), were available for download till early-2016. While they claimed to curate news pertaining to the Indian military, the underlying app infrastructure hosted Remote Access Trojans (RATs), a commonly used type of malware that steal data and even control your device activity from a remote server.

Before being taken down, IDNs page on Facebook had over 1,200 likes from users with direct connections to the Indian Army. Among infiltrations that the apps could do were SMS theft, unauthorised video and call recording, and background uploading of device files and screenshots. Using them, Pakistan's ISI was able to take over more than 40,000 Indian devices, and in turn, sensitive data linked to individuals in critical roles.

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Hundreds of Defence Personnel Fell for ISI Malware in 'News Apps'

Fast forward to the past 2 years, and over 5 million social media users learnt it the hard way that their love for swadeshi had made them download an app whose source code was, ironically, written by a Pakistani coder. Mitron, which was attempting to tap into both the vocal for local and the anti-TikTok narratives, had actually bought the entire source code and implemented all features and even the user interface from a Pakisatani software developer, Qboxus. All they did was stick their own logo and claim that they made the app from scratch.

Around the same time, another app began trending on Googles Play Store. Remove China Apps, which did exactly what its name suggested, cashed in on the anti-China trend as well. Soon, Twitter was full of screenshots where people flaunted all the Chinese apps that they proudly deleted. Pity, that very few paused to think of app permissions they were giving away in exchange for a fleeting notion of patriotic pride.

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Wonder Why Google Took Down Remove China Apps From Play Store: Here is The Real Reason

Some of the information that the app collected included the number of clicks on the app feature, full identification of what network you were on, and detailed information about other apps installed on the phone. While it claimed to collect user data to improve features, the developers disclosed no details on where user data was stored, and there was no redressal clause in case of a data breach. Essentially, it had all the information about everything that you had on your phone, and you had no clue on how this data was going to be used.

Naturally, it was only a matter of time before it came under Googles microscope. Its ban from the Play Store expectedly caused furore against the company, but Google was only abiding by its policies. Sameer Samat, vice president of Android and Google Play, said that when apps are allowed to specifically target other apps, it can lead to behaviour that Google believes is detrimental towards both its developers and consumers. "This is a longstanding rule, designed to ensure a healthy, competitive environment where developers can succeed based upon design and innovation. We have enforced this policy against other apps in many countries consistently in the past, just as we did here," he said.

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Amul Twitter Account Restored After Brief Outage Following Ad Targeting China

What every smartphone user needs to understand today is, if your data falls in the wrong hands, it can substantially damage you. It is not even about potentially compromising pictures  access to your messages can let an attacker get your financial credentials (in a technique known as fingerprinting), and subsequently dupe you with spam calls and ransomware emails. From contacts to IDs, what happens once all this data falls in the wrong hands?

Many such breaches happen in emotional moments, such as bouts of patriotism. Reports have cited up to 667 percent increase in the frequency of cyber attacks in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we tried to read more about the virus, many found simple ways to hide malware inside unassuming PDFs which you thought gave news and insights, but were actually executable trackers that created a bridge between your data and remote servers.

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Remove China Apps Banned from Play Store: Did it Violate Privacy, Google Policies?

Such emotional nationalists are the favourite targets of every PSYOPs (psychological operations). Numerous attacks on rival defence establishments have been made using nationalistic messaging, and the technique isnt new. It is this that further emphasises the need to remain careful, when downloading apps that want a bit too much of your data. Thankfully, Mitron and Remove China Apps were not known cases of malware or RATs, but that does not guarantee that a similar future app would not be directly harmful.

The next time you see a social media wave promoting any little known app which promises something over the top, think twice. Do not give permission without reading terms and conditions thoroughly. Remember, one emotional moment can wipe out your identity or your bank balance. At worst, such apps can do both.
Number of cases approach two million as nationwide protests against racial injustice spark fears of resurgence of virus.

Global death toll from the coronavirus surged past 400,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. About 30 percent of those cases, or two million infections, are in the US. Latin America has the second-largest outbreak, with more than 15 percent of cases. There are more than 6.9 million cases globally.

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 110,000 people in the United States, as confirmed cases approach two million.

The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia has exceeded 100,000, following a rise in new infections over the past ten days.

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 novel coronavirus.

Here are the latest updates:

Sunday, June 7

20:30 GMT  Indias bodybuilders rally calling for gyms to open

Gym owners and trainers in several Indian cities held protests over the weekend against a ban on opening fitness centres over fears of spreading the coronavirus, even as many lockdown restrictions are set to ease.

The nation of 1.3 billion people will allow shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and places of worship to re-open Monday, more than 10 weeks after a nationwide shutdown was imposed in late March.

But gyms will remain closed, to the frustration of owners and trainers in several cities, including Amritsar in northern Punjab state.

19:30 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 said.

A state of emergency that was declared in April and due to expire on June 21 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.

18:30 GMT  US coronavirus deaths top 110,000

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 110,000 people in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University data, as nationwide protests against racial injustice spark fears of a resurgence of the virus.

Total US coronavirus cases are approaching two million, the highest in the world followed by Brazil with about 672,000 cases and Russia with about 467,000.

Several southern US states reported sharp increases in COVID-19 infections, with Alabama, South Carolina and Virginia all seeing new cases rise.

Ongoing protests against racial injustice spark fears of a resurgence of the virus in the US [EPA]

18:00 GMT  France reports 13 more coronavirus deaths, total at 29,155

Frances coronavirus death toll, the fifth-highest in the world, has gone up by 13 to 29,155, the government said.

The number of people in hospital intensive care units fell by six to 1,053, a smaller decrease than the previous day but extending a steady drop in critical cases since a peak of over 7,000 in early April, according to data posted on a government website.

The total number of people being treated in hospital for COVID-19 fell by 18 to 12,461. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, rose by 343 to 153,997.

17:20 GMT  In Pictures: Burying COVID-19 victims on Perus hilltop cemetery

As the number of COVID-19 deaths in Peru rapidly mounts, the Virgen de Lourdes cemetery outside Perus capital has become a monument to the pandemics devastating toll among the poor.

The cemetery is among the biggest in the world  with more than a million tombs  and it is located in one of Limas most impoverished neighbourhoods.

See the picture gallery here.

The cemetery is among the biggest in the world  with more than a million tombs [AP]

16:45 GMT  Canadas coronavirus death toll edges up by less than 1 percent

The total number of Canadians killed by the coronavirus has edged up by 0.9 percent to 7,773 from 7,703 on Saturday, the public health agency said, further evidence that the worst of the pandemic has passed.

In a statement, the agency said the total number of cases rose to 95,057 from 94,335. Canadas 10 provinces have all started to reopen their economies and relax restrictions on social gatherings.

16:20 GMT  Italy reports 53 new COVID-19 deaths and 197 new cases

Italy has reported 53 new COVID-19 deaths against 72 a day earlier and 197 new cases, down from 270 the day before, the Civil Protection department said.

The total death toll since the outbreak emerged stands at 33,899, the agency said, the fourth-highest in the world after those of the US, the UK and Brazil.

With a total number of confirmed cases at 234,998, Italy now has the seventh-highest global tally. People registered as currently carrying the disease fell to 35,262 from 35,877 the day before.

15:55 GMT  Thailand takes live music festival to Zoom amid pandemic

Rock fans in Thailand watched their favourite bands play via video-meeting platform Zoom as a live music festival went online.

Public gatherings have been banned in Thailand since mid-March to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but the six-hour-long show gave people a chance to see and interact with artists from afar.

Some music fans gathered in small groups  permitted under the coronavirus restrictions  to watch the event, for which about 3,000 tickets were sold at 499 baht ($15.84) apiece.

The six-hour-long show gave people a chance to see and interact with artists from afar.[Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

15:20 GMT  UK coronavirus death toll rises 77 to 40,542

The UKs death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 has gone up by 77 to 40,542 as of 16:00 GMT on June 6, according to government data published.

Scotland and Northern Ireland earlier reported no COVID-19 deaths in the previous 24 hours.

14:55  S Africa government, private hospitals agree deal on COVID-19 patients

The South African government has agreed on how much it will pay private hospitals and medical practitioners to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients if public hospitals run out of space, a senior health official told the Reuters News Agency.

The government has been in talks for months with private firms and medical associations ahead of a probable scenario where public hospitals run out of critical care beds.

An agreement has been reached on a daily fee of up to 16,000 rand ($950) for COVID-19 patients that get treated in critical care beds in private hospitals, said Anban Pillay, the health ministrys deputy director-general for national health insurance.

South Africa had recorded 45,973 cases of the new coronavirus as of Saturday, the highest in Africa [Reuters]

14:35 GMT  Scotland, N Ireland report no new COVID-19 deaths in past 24 hours

Scotland has recorded no deaths of patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, Scottish health minister Jeane Freeman said.

Northern Irelands health department also said it had no new COVID-19 deaths reported in the 24 hours to 09:00 GMT on Sunday.

I would offer a note of caution about reading too much into todays figure. We know that fewer deaths tend to be registered at the weekend, Freeman said at a news conference.

It is still very likely that further COVID deaths will be reported in the days ahead.

14:10 GMT  Dont celebrate victory over coronavirus yet: Pope

Pope Francis has warned Italians to not let their guard down against the coronavirus now that infection rates have fallen and urged them to obey government rules on social distancing and wearing masks.

Francis, addressing several hundred people in St Peters Square for his Sunday blessing, reacted to applause that broke out when he said their presence, albeit reduced, was a sign that Italy had overcome the acute phase of the pandemic.

Be careful. Dont cry victory too soon, he cautioned them, departing from his prepared text.

Nearly 34,000 people have died in Italy from the coronavirus, the fourth-highest toll in the world after the United States, the UK and Brazil.

13:50 GMT  New Delhi reserves hospital beds for residents as cases surge

The city of New Delhi ordered many of its hospital beds to be reserved solely for residents of the Indian capital, as the number of COVID-19 infections continued to surge.

India on Sunday registered 9,971 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 246,628 cases, with 6,929 deaths. The case numbers now lag behind only the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK and Spain.

New Delhi alone has registered more than 10 percent of the total cases, making it the third-worst affected part of the country after the western state of Maharashtra, home to financial capital Mumbai, and southern Tamil Nadu state.

New Delhi alone has registered more than 10 percent of total coronavirus cases in India [Getty Images]

13:30 GMT  Saudi Arabias coronavirus cases exceed 100,000

The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia has exceeded 100,000, following a rise in new infections over the past 10 days.

The Saudi Ministry of Health reported 3,045 new cases, taking the total to 101,914, with 712 deaths. The number of new daily cases exceeded 3,000 for the first time on Saturday.

The country of 30 million people recorded its first COVID-19 infection on March 2. Health authorities said in April the virus could eventually infect between 10,000 and 200,000 people in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom topped 50,000 cases on May 16.

Hello, this is Umut Uras in Doha taking over from my colleague, Usaid Siddiqui.

12:45 GMT  New York mayor lifts curfew ahead of pandemic reopening

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has lifted a curfew he had imposed on the city for nearly a week as anti-racism protests raged there and nationwide.

Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city, de Blasio tweeted in announcing that the curfew was over effective immediately.

The 8:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew  the citys first in 75 years  ends a day early on the eve of the citys reopening on Monday after more than two months of sheltering-at-home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

12:30 GMT  India sees almost 10,000 new cases ahead of reopenings

India has reported 9,971 new coronavirus cases in another biggest single-day spike, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and places of worship after a 10-week lockdown.

India has now surpassed Spain as the fifth-hardest hit country, with more than 247,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including nearly 7,000 deaths.

New Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad are among Indias worst-hit cities. Six of the countrys 28 states account for 73 percent of the total cases [Narinder Nanu/AFP]

12:15 GMT  Afghan cricket team starts training despite coronavirus fear

Afghanistans national cricket team has kicked off a month-long training camp, even as the coronavirus was spreading widely across the country and an international aid organisation warned it was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis.

Afghanistan has officially recorded more than 20,000 cases countrywide, but the actual number is believed to be much higher.

11:55 GMT  Iran says virus uptick due to increased testing

Irans health ministry has said a surge in newly reported coronavirus infections was due to increased testing rather than a worsening outbreak.

After hitting a near two-month low in early May and lifting of tough movement restrictions, COVID-19 cases have been rising in the Islamic republic which is battling the Middle Easts deadliest outbreak of the disease.

The main reason for rising numbers is that we started identifying (infected people) with no or light symptoms, said Mohammad-Mehdi Gouya, the health ministrys head epidemiologist.

Iranians wear protective face masks, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as they ride on their motorbikes in a crowded street, in Tehran, Iran [File: Ali Khara/West Asia News Agency/Reuters]

11:35 GMT  Istanbul residents ignore virus rules on first weekend out

Istanbul residents have flocked to the citys shores and parks on the first weekend with no coronavirus lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the countrys health minister who warned that the COVID-19 pandemic still poses a threat.

Images on social media and in the news media showed crowds picnicking and partying on Saturday night without heeding social distancing or wearing masks.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted lets not normalize too much and urged people to wear masks and keep their distance.





11:20 GMT  Pope warns be careful after lockdowns lifted

Pope Francis is cautioning people in countries emerging from coronavirus lockdowns to keep following authorities rules for COVID-19 containment.

Be careful, dont cry victory, dont cry victory too soon, he said.

Italys gradual easing of stay-at-home rules now allows the public to gather in St Peters Square on Sundays for the popes noon blessing, and Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered in the square below his window, standing safely either individually or as families.

11:00 GMT  Brazil stops publishing coronavirus deaths, infections

Brazils government has stopped publishing a running total of coronavirus deaths and infections in an extraordinary move that critics have called an attempt to hide the true toll of the disease in Latin Americas largest nation.

Saturdays move came after months of criticism from experts saying Brazils statistics are woefully deficient, and in some cases manipulated, so it may never be possible to gain a real understanding of the depth of the pandemic in the country.

Read more here.

10:40 GMT  Portuguese economy to shrink nearly 7 percent

Portugals tourism-dependent economy is expected to shrink by nearly 7 percent this year due to the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, the government said in its economic and financial stability programme published late on Saturday.

A strong contraction of the Portuguese economy is expected as a result of the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the containment measures implemented, it said, describing the 6.9 percent predicted fall as the biggest contraction registered in recent decades.





09:55 GMT  Indonesia reports 672 new coronavirus infections, 50 deaths

Indonesia has reported 672 new coronavirus infections, taking the total to 31,186, a health ministry official has said.

There were 50 new deaths, taking the total to 1,851, while 10,498 people have recovered, the official, Achmad Yurianto, said.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia has recorded at least 33,076 coronavirus cases [Firdia Lisnawati/AP]

09:40 GMT  Russia reports 8,984 new coronavirus cases, 134 deaths

Russia has reported 8,984 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, pushing the total number of infections to 467,673.

Officials said 134 people had died during the same period, bringing the official nationwide death toll to 5,859.

09:15 GMT  UK health secretary: Attending protests undoubtedly a risk

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said attending protests during the coronavirus pandemic was undoubtedly a risk.

The virus itself doesnt discriminate and gathering in large groups is temporarily against the rules precisely because it increases the risk of the spread of this virus, Hancock told British broadcaster Sky.

Demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in London, following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis [John Sibley/Reuters]

08:55 GMT  UK places of worship to open for private prayer

The British government will allow places of worship to reopen on June 15  but only for private prayer.

Weddings and other services will not be permitted under the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown.

People are expected to adhere to physical distancing rules.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said it has been a priority to get places of worship to open again. He said people of all faiths have shown enormous patience and forbearance during the lockdown, unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or Vaisakhi in the traditional way.

08:30 GMT  Malaysia to reopen most economic activity with virus outbreak under control

Malaysia has said it would resume nearly all economic activity and allow interstate travel starting June 10, lifting coronavirus restrictions imposed nearly three months ago as it moves to revive an economy battered by the pandemic.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced in a televised address the novel coronavirus outbreak was successfully under control and Malaysia would begin a new recovery phase until August 31.

I am aware the government cannot control your lives forever to control the virus, Muhyiddin said.

Malaysia has recorded 8,336 infections and 117 deaths [File: Mohd Rasfan/AFP]

08:10 GMT  Migrant worker virus exodus plunges Indias factories into crisis

An acute shortage of workers means thousands of factories in India are struggling to restart after an exodus of migrant workers during the virus lockdown.

India is slowly emerging from strict containment measures imposed in late March as leaders look to revive the battered economy, but manufacturers do not have enough workers to man the machinery.

The big cities  once an attractive destination for workers from poor, rural regions  have been hit by reverse migration as millions of labourers returned to their far-flung villages, some uncertain if they will ever go back.

07:40 GMT  China will make any vaccine global public goods

Chinese officials on Sunday promised to make any Chinese vaccine global public goods once available.

Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang said China is involved in international cooperation on vaccine development and clinical trials.

Wang made the comment at a news conference to release a report on the nations response to the coronavirus pandemic.





07:10 GMT  Bangladesh minister tests positive for coronavirus

A Bangladeshi minister has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, local media reported.

Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, the Chittagong hill tracts affairs minister, is the first in the countrys cabinet to have tested positive for the virus.

Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing was suffering from coronavirus like symptoms for the last nine days and we got confirmation on Saturday night that he had contracted COVID-19, Dr Aung Swi Prue Marma, a civil surgeon at Bandarban district, told Anadolu Agency.

06:50 GMT  Australian anti-racism protestors defying health rules self-indulgent: minister

Australians who defied public health rules and rallied in support of the USs Black Lives Matter movement were reckless and self-indulgent, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said.

More than 20,000 people protested in Sydney and other cities on Saturday, in solidarity with US anger over the death of a Black man in police custody and calling for an end to similar deaths of Indigenous Australians.

I think it is incredibly selfish, Cormann told Sky News. Its incredibly self-indulgent.

Cormann said the protesters risked a second outbreak of the novel coronavirus [Lisa Maree Williams/Getty]

06:20 GMT  OPEC, allies agree to extend deep output cuts through July

OPEC members, led by Saudi Arabia, and other key oil producers agreed on 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.

05:55 GMT  China denies delay in sharing virus information: AP

The Chinese health minister has denied delays in sharing coronavirus information in response to an Associated Press investigation that found the WHO was frustrated by a lack of transparency by Beijing during the early days of the virus outbreak.

At a news conference on Sunday, where China issued an official report on the fight against COVID-19, Ma Xiaowei, director of Chinas National Health Commission, denied China stalled or attempted a cover-up during the virus outbreak, saying the AP report seriously violated the facts.

It took time to accumulate evidence, deepen understanding, and grasp the characteristics of the novel coronavirus, Ma said.

The internal recordings of WHO meetings, documents and interviews AP obtained showed China sat on releasing the genome of the virus for more than a week after the data had been fully decoded [File: Thomas Peter/Reuters]

Hello, this is Usaid Siddiqui in Doha taking over from my colleague Ted Regencia

05:35 GMT  US CDC reports 1,891,690 coronavirus cases

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 1,891,690 cases of the new coronavirus as of the end of Saturday, an increase of 29,034 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,128 to 109,192.

04:55 GMT  Thailand reports eight new cases, zero new deaths for 13 days in a row

Thailand on Sunday reported eight new cases and no new deaths, taking its total to 3,112 infections and 58 deaths since the outbreak began in January.

The new cases were returnees  five from the United Arab Emirates, two from Kuwait and one from India  and had been in quarantine, where most of Thailands recent cases have been detected, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, an assistant spokeswoman for the governments COVID-19 Administration Centre.

Thailand has recorded zero new deaths for 13 days in a row, she said.

04:39 GMT  Shanghai drug company begins human test for COVID-19 drug

Shanghai Junshi Biosciences has started an early-stage study to test its potential antibody treatment against coronavirus in healthy people, Reuters reported on Sunday quoting the official paper Liberation Dailys online channel.

The experimental drug, JS016, is expected to begin human study in the United States in the second quarter of this year, through collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co, with which Junshi announced a partnership last month.

04:18 GMT  Germanys confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 301 to 183,979

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 301 to 183,979, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday.

The reported death toll rose by 22 to 8,668, the tally showed.

03:27 GMT  El Salvadors Bukele sustains veto of coronavirus legislation

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has for the second time vetoed emergency legislation passed to regulate the Central American countrys coronavirus policy and usher in a gradual reopening of its economy, his legal team said.

Bukeles legal counsel, Conan Castro, said Bukele had vetoed the law backed on May 30 by Congress because it breached a number of constitutional guarantees including the rights and health of workers and cooperation between organs of government.

Bukele, who has been at loggerheads with Congress for weeks over coronavirus policy, had vetoed a similar law in May on the grounds it put the publics health at risk. El Salvador has about 2,934 coronavirus cases and 53 deaths reported.

El Salvador has about 2,934 coronavirus cases and 53 deaths reported [Jose Cabezas/Reuters]

03:03 GMT  China would make a coronavirus vaccine a global public good

China will increase international cooperation if it succeeds in developing a novel coronavirus vaccine, the science and technology minister said on Sunday.

China would make a vaccine a global public good when it is ready, Minister Wang Zhigang was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency during a news conference in Beijing.

02:32 GMT  Brazil takes down COVID-19 data, hiding soaring death toll

Brazil has removed from public view months of data on its COVID-19 epidemic, as President Jair Bolsonaro defended delays and changes to official record-keeping of the worlds second-largest coronavirus outbreak.

Brazils Health Ministry removed the data from a website that had documented the epidemic over time and by state and municipality.

The ministry also stopped giving a total count of confirmed cases, which have shot past 672,000  more than anywhere outside the US  or a total death toll, which passed Italy this week, nearing 36,000 by Saturday.

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 under way to improve the reporting of cases and confirmation of diagnoses.

Bolsonaro has downplayed the dangers of the pandemic, replaced medical experts in the health ministry with military officials and argued against state lockdowns, hobbling the countrys public health response.

02:06 GMT  Second day of 50-plus cases in South Korea virus spike

South Korea has reported 57 additional cases of the coronavirus, marking a second day in a row that its daily jump is above 50, as authorities struggle to suppress a spike in new infections in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Figures released on Sunday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took the countrys total to 11,776 cases, with 273 deaths. The agency says 10,552 people have recovered while 951 remain in treatment.

South Koreas caseload peaked in late February and early March, but a later significant easing amid aggressive tracing, testing and treatment prompted authorities to loosen strict social distancing rules. The country has since seen an increase in new infections, mostly in the Seoul region.

01:43 GMT  China reports six new COVID-19 cases, five asymptomatic cases

China reported six new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, three more than the previous day.

Five of the new cases, recorded by late Saturday, involved travellers arriving from abroad, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on its website. One locally transmitted case was found in the southern island province of Hainan.

The NHC also confirmed five new asymptomatic cases, or people who are infected with the virus but do not show symptoms, compared with two the previous day.

The total number of infections in China, where the virus first emerged late last year, stands at 83,036. With no new deaths reported, the death toll remained 4,634.

01:34 GMT  Brazil reports 904 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours -health ministry

Brazil reported an additional 904 coronavirus deaths and 27,075 new cases over the last 24 hours, Reuters news agency reported on Sunday, quoting the countrys health ministry.

The country has registered 35,930 total coronavirus deaths and 672,846 confirmed cases.

Brothers Carlos Alexandre and Wagner Cardninot, attend the burial on Saturday of their father, 76- year-old Jose Herminio de Farias, who died from COVID-19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [Pilar Olivares/Reuters]

01:08 GMT  Sri Lanka to reopen for international tourism on August 1

Sri Lanka says it will reopen for international tourists starting August 1 after a successful containment of the novel coronavirus.

The countrys airports had been closed since March because of the global pandemic.

Sri Lanka Tourism said in a statement on Saturday that all precautionary measures recommended by global health and travel authorities have been put in place to keep visitors and residents safe.

Sri Lanka has reported 1,810 confirmed cases, including 11 deaths.

00:34 GMT  Mexico reports 3,593 new cases, 341 new fatalities

Mexicos health ministry has reported 3,593 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 341 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 113,619 cases and 13,511 deaths.

The government said the real number of infections is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

00:01 GMT  Russia reports second-highest one-day death toll

Russia has reported its second-highest one-day death toll even as the number of new coronavirus infections remained steady.

The national coronavirus task force said 197 people died during the past day, sharply up from 144 a day earlier. The highest one-day death toll was 232 on May 29.

There were 8,855 new infection cases overall. Russia has recorded more than 458,000 cases, including 5,725 deaths.

___________________________________________________________________

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

For all the updates from yesterday, June 6, click here.
The M6 in the Midlands was closed this evening as Black Lives Matter protesters walked down the carriageway.

A video posted on social media showed crowds of people covering the motorway at the Exhall interchange near Coventry as traffic remained stationary on the other side.

One eyewitness said there were around 100 people taking part and that they were chanting 'Black Lives Matter' over and over again.

Many on the motorway going the other way got out of their cars to watch the protests which began at around 5pm. The southbound carriageway was close for around two hours.

One motorist said the crowd blocked off the road with cones before police arrived on scene to manage the traffic.

The M6 was closed in the Midlands as Black Lives Matter protesters walked down the carriageway

Many on the motorway going the other way got out of their cars to watch the protests which began at around 5pm

It is believed a 'rolling roadblock' stretched back as far as Junction 2 as motorists found themselves queuing for around an hour.

A police helicopter was circling the area and dog handlers were attending the scene.

One person commented on the video: 'Unbelievable' as another said 'How was this allowed to happen?'

The Operational Patrol Unit for Warwickshire Police urged motorists to avoid the area amid reports of 'pedestrian protesters' on the southbound carriageway.

A video posted on social media shows crowds of people covering the motorway at the Exhall interchange near Coventry as traffic remains stationary on the other side

Many on the motorway near Coventry going the other way got out of their cars to watch the protests

One eyewitness told Birmingham Live: 'I was going 70mph then they just walked out into the road in front of me'

They tweeted: 'We are receiving reports of pedestrian protesters at junction 3 of the M6 in the southbound carriageway.

'Southbound is now currently closed.

'Please seek alternative routes and be wary if you are traveling on the M6.'

One eyewitness told Birmingham Live: 'I was going 70mph then they just walked out into the road in front of me.

'They put traffic cones down and then sat down. I'd say there are 100 here. They came on at junction 3 of the M6 and now there's a rolling roadblock to junction 2.'

At around 7.30pm tonight police said that they were able to reopen the road after the protesters left the area.

OPU Warwickshire said on Twitter: 'All protesters from the M6 have now headed into Coventry at junction 2 and are under the control and direction of West Midlands Police. Thank you for your patience.'
The concept of discrimination, properly understood, simply doesnt fit this case. California is not subjecting things that are alike to treatment thats different. Churches are not like the retail stores or cannabis dispensaries in Justice Kavanaughs list of comparable secular businesses. Sitting in communal worship for an hour or more is not like picking up a prescription, or a pizza, or an ounce of marijuana. You dont need a degree in either law or public health to figure that out. If anything, California is giving churches preferential treatment, since other places where people gather in large numbers like lecture halls and theaters are still off limits.

So what was the dissenters problem? Justice Kavanaughs opinion offers a clue. The Christian observance of Pentecost was last Sunday, and the clock was ticking as the justices considered the South Bay United Pentecostal Churchs request. The church would suffer irreparable harm from not being able to hold services on Pentecost Sunday in a way that comparable secular businesses and persons can conduct their activities, Justice Kavanaugh wrote. What does that sentence even mean? Whats the secular comparator when it comes to observing Pentecost? A Sunday afternoon softball game?

Im baffled by why a particular liturgical observance should have even a walk-on role in this opinion. Last weekend was also Shavuot, a major Jewish holiday. But its the Christian calendar about which recently appointed federal judges seem exclusively concerned. In April, Judge Justin Walker of the Federal District Court in Louisville, Ky., blocked that city from enforcing a ban on drive-in church services. On Holy Thursday, an American mayor criminalized the communal celebration of Easter, his overheated opinion began. (Judge Walker is Senator Mitch McConnells young protege who, barring a miracle or a pair of righteous Republican senators, is on the verge of confirmation to the powerful federal appeals court in Washington, D.C.).

In any event, no one was stopping the church from observing Pentecost. As its own brief points out, the church conducts as many as five services on a typical Sunday, each attracting 200 to 300 worshipers. As the state points out, it could schedule more services.

The only other opinion filed in this case was that of Chief Justice John Roberts, explaining why the court was denying the churchs request. I am willing to bet that he never intended to write anything; orders denying applications of this sort are typically issued without explanation.

But he must have concluded that the Kavanaugh dissent couldnt go unrebutted. Writing just for himself in five paragraphs devoid of rhetoric and labeled concurring in denial of application for injunctive relief, he offered a sober explanation of the obvious. He noted that similar or more severe restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings, including lectures, concerts, movie showings, spectator sports, and theatrical performances, where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time. The California rule, he observed, exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks, and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.

After noting the severity of the pandemic and the dynamic and fact-intensive question of how to respond to it, Chief Justice Roberts said that the politically accountable state officials charged with answering that question were entitled to act within broad limits and should not be subject to second-guessing by an unelected federal judiciary, which lacks the background, competence, and expertise to assess public health and is not accountable to the people.
Questions have also been asked of the German authorities, because despite a string of convictions for drug dealing, theft and child sex offences, German police said that they were first made aware of Brueckner's possible link to the Madeleine case in 2013, thanks to a tip off in response to an appeal on their version of Crimewatch. By this time, the convicted paedophile was being monitored by police, but according to Der Spiegel, a senior officer from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said it was not sufficient to trigger an investigation at the time and "certainly not for arrest." The information was passed on to Portuguese police, where apparently, no action was taken. Missing 5 year-old girl Inga Gehricke. Credit:AP It was not until 10 years after Madeleine's disappearance that Brueckner was finally made the focus of the joint investigation, following a television appeal by Kate and Gerry McCann which was shown across Europe. It has been claimed Brueckner was sitting in a Portuguese bar when the young girl's image flashed up on the television screen. He allegedly turned to a friend and told him he "knew all about" what happened to Madeleine.

The friend then called the police, and the tip-off is said to have sparked the Metropolitan Police interest in Brueckner as their chief suspect. The German is currently in prison serving a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old American tourist at a luxury seafront villa in Praia da Luz in 2005, but his criminality started when he was much younger. Loading In 1994, as a teenager, he was convicted of sexually abusing a child, but fled Germany to Portugal to escape a two-year youth custody sentence. His life of crime has left a trail of destruction across Germany and Portugal, his charge sheet littered with child sex offence, drug convictions and assaults. Now, decades on from his first offences, and with authorities finally joining the dots, other jurisdictions are now seeing if Brueckner is responsible for any of their unsolved mysteries.

Brueckner is known to have frequently driven the 2575 kilometres between his native Bavaria and the Algarve, through France and Spain and possibly Switzerland and Belgium. It is feared the convicted rapist, burglar and drug dealer could have used the trip, which would have taken more than a day, to scout for victims. He is believed to have shunned flying to avoid airport passport control where any outstanding arrest warrants as well as details about his previous crimes, including sex offences against children, would have been flagged up. The full extent of his nomadic lifestyle, which began with a backpacking trip to Portugal in his late teens, has meant he either lived in, or had been jailed for crimes in, countries including Germany, Italy and Portugal. David Wilson, an emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, said Brueckner, who has been convicted for both paedophile and gerontophile (those sexually attracted to the elderly) crimes, was likely to have found his extreme sexual urges emerging throughout his life.

"The key thing we are dealing with here is a man who has very fluid sexual interests; from the very young to the old and vulnerable," said Wilson. "That implies a lack of sexual confidence to establish a relationship with an age-appropriate person. Loading "So those behaviours and that sexual insecurity would have existed for a very long period of time and would have found ways to express themselves on a number of occasions and in different ways. And, because he himself recognises the opprobrium that is attached to his sexual interests, he very much lived a mobile lifestyle. "He would never be able to put down roots because ultimately his sexual fantasies would have to come to the fore. When that happens, there would have been a lot of gossip which would have meant he would have to move on. "It's absolutely right to think he would have offended in those places he moved, whether in Germany, Portugal, or anywhere in between."

In 1995, aged just 18, Brueckner first travelled to the Algarve shortly after getting his driving licence. More importantly, he was escaping from part of a two-year youth court sentence for sexually assaulting two children, a boy and a girl. He travelled with his German girlfriend on a backpacking trip that saw them camp wild wherever they chose. It is likely he grew increasingly attracted to the anonymity an itinerant lifestyle can provide. Unlike the small town where he grew up, being passed from pillar to post within the care system, including in secure accommodation for problem teenagers where his every move was monitored, out on the road he enjoyed a degree of obscurity. It is also probable he realised how holidaymakers in the French and Spanish resorts he visited, at best, were easy targets for petty thefts and, at worse, offered potential victims for sex crimes.

A year after Brueckner arrived in the Algarve, Rene Hasee, from Elsdorf, Germany, disappeared on June 21 1996, while on holiday in Aljezur, 25 miles from Praia da Luz. His parents lost sight of him after he ran ahead on the beach. On the sands where the six-year-old boy had been lay some of his clothes. Last Thursday, German detectives arrived at the home of Adreas Hasee, Rene's father, and said they were looking again into his son's disappearance. The announcement came as a shock because the last time police had visited was 20 years ago. He told a local newspaper how over the years he had come to accept his son had drowned. While the Federal Criminal Police Office refused to comment on whether the decision to name Brueckner as a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case had any bearing on the boy's case being reopened, Hasee told reporters: "There could be a connection."

The northerly route between Brueckner's native Germany and Portugal could take him within miles of the Belgian seaside resort of De Haan (well known for its vast sandy beaches and one-time resident Albert Einstein). In the summer of 1996, 16-year-old Carola Titze went for a morning walk along the beach while on holiday there. She never returned, and her body was found six days later. The schoolgirl was reported to have been in contact with a German man whom she was seen with at a disco in the days before her murder. On Friday, the public prosecutor's office in Bruges confirmed they were investigating whether Brueckner could have played any part in her death. If Brueckner had tried to forge a new identity he failed. In 1999, he was extradited from Portugal to Germany to face the courts for previous juvenile crimes. He had earlier been jailed for a series of burglaries in holiday towns up and down the Algarve. Nonetheless, a few years later he was back in Portugal and moved into a rundown property where neighbours reported seeing a variety of dishevelled cars parked up. He may have been attracted to Algarve because it was a major route organised criminal gangs used to smuggle cannabis, a drug Brueckner was known to use and sell.

By the summer of 2007, his life was truly mobile after he resorted to living in a VW camper van, probably with his unnamed English girlfriend (he was fluent in English). When Gerry and Kate McCann, along with Madeleine and their twins, arrived in Praia da Luz, he was known to have been trundling around the area. An hour before the three-year-old vanished from the room she shared with her siblings, Brueckner received a 30-minute call in the town. The next day, he arranged for the ownership of his German-registered Jaguar to be transferred to another person's name back in Germany. He and his girlfriend split up and he returned to his homeland. There, Brueckner continued his habit of moving around, having settled for periods in Dresden, Augsburg, Sylt, Munich, Hannover and Braunschweig. In May 2015, Inga Gehricke, five, disappeared in a case so similar to what happened in Praia da Luz that she became known as "the German Maddie". She vanished from a family barbecue after going to collect firewood in the northern town of Stendal. She has never been seen since. As was the case in the McCann inquiry, Brueckner became a suspect in the Gehricke case, but faded from the inquiry, despite it being claimed he had been at a service station only 90 minutes away from the scene of the girl's disappearance. Police described it as inexplicable how a girl could simply vanish without trace.

A raid in 2016 on his property - he was not there - uncovered a Skype chat on a computer in which he stated he wanted to "catch something small and use it for days". According to Bild magazine, a USB stick found at the site where he lived had images of the abuse of babies. The property was searched again in 2018. It is clear that Brueckner was reluctant to sever links with Portugal. Although he regarded the Algarve as his main home for 12 years from 1995 to 2007, one of his former landlords in Bavaria said he was regularly returning to Portugal in the years before his arrest in 2018. Alexander Bischof, 64, rented an attic room in his property in Augsburg, northern Bavaria, to Brueckner before police raided it two years ago. The landlord recalled Brueckner owning a Jaguar, very probably the same one with German number plates that he was known to have had in the Algarve. That sighting adds credence to the belief that he drove through open borders between Portugal and Germany.
A 37-year-old farmer who attempted suicide at Bhaini Sahib village by consuming poison on Friday died in hospital on Saturday night.

A suicide note recovered by the police said he was taking the extreme step as a travel agent who had taken 10 lakh from him to help him go abroad was not returning the money.

The travel agent, Gurinder Singh of Sahnewal Khurd village, was arrested following a complaint filed by the farmers sister.

She told the police that the travel agent was a friend of her brother and had promised to arrange for a work permit for him. In 2013, after taking 10 lakh from her brother, Gurinder sent him to the UK on a tourist visa, but failed to organise a work permit after he returned to India.

Despite her brothers entreaties, Gurinder refused to return the money and, upset with the developments, he took his life, she said.

Assistant sub-inspector Sahib Singh, who is investigating the case, said that the police had registered a case against the accused under section 306 (abetment to suicide) and efforts were being made to arrest him.
As Ireland emerges from an unprecedented lockdown, the focus is now turning to the formation of a new government that will decide whether to further accelerate the reopening of the country in the coming weeks.

Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens are scrambling to agree a deal that could pave the way for a historic coalition government to be formed before the end of the month, but they remain deadlocked over the State pension age, the 7pc emissions reduction target, and when to begin reducing the deficit.

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Last night's declaration by Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin that she will challenge Eamon Ryan's leadership has further destabilised the talks.

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The Sunday Independent can reveal a new pension scheme that would allow first-time buyers to draw down a portion of their pension savings for a deposit is now being considered. The Fianna Fail proposal, outlined in policy papers seen by this newspaper, is broadly backed by Fine Gael. "Owning a home is wealth. It means you don't have to pay rent when you retire, and therefore don't need as big a pension," a senior FG source said.

The policy papers detail the full extent of the pensions war that is hampering efforts to reach a deal. Fianna Fail is continuing to insist that the weekly State pension age cannot increase to 67 next year - a move being resisted by Fine Gael with the matter now likely to be referred to the party leaders. Leo Varadkar, Micheal Martin and Eamon Ryan will meet today in a bid to resolve several sticking points.

It can also be revealed that laws to make the wearing of face masks mandatory on public transport are now being actively considered by the Government amid concerns about the low level of compliance with current guidance that they should be worn.

Health Minister Simon Harris said yesterday he was "concerned" that many were not following advice to use face coverings on public transport and in confined spaces like supermarkets. Transport Minister Shane Ross said a law making them mandatory was now "high on the agenda in any discussions about public transport safety". Face coverings on public transport will be mandatory in the UK from June 15.

The Government will also consider whether to reduce the social distancing rule from two metres to one metre for some areas of the hospitality sector.

It is also hoped that if the virus remains suppressed, the reopening of hairdressers and barbers can be brought forward to June 29. Small weddings with 25 or 30 people could be allowed from next month, but the Government is ruling out larger gatherings of 100 people, possibly until next year. "If you're planning maybe a very small wedding in the 20s, maybe we'll be able to get there," Harris said.

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Many of these decisions are likely to fall to the next government if it is formed in the coming weeks, with the parties facing a deadline of the middle of this week to finalise a deal that can be then put to members over the following 10 days.

There is growing concern among senior Green Party figures that even if a deal is agreed, it may not be passed by two-thirds of its membership. Fine Gael has become increasingly frustrated with the Greens in the talks, believing they did not present a credible plan for how to reach the 7pc emissions reduction target. "We've spent nearly a month trying to do all the work for them," a senior source said.

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There were several tense exchanges in the talks last week which led one senior Green to claim: "I'm pretty sure Fine Gael is trying to collapse talks but just don't really want to be the ones seen to do it." Another senior Green figure admitted this weekend it was 50-50 whether a deal would pass the party's membership, adding: "I am not too sure if the entire negotiating team will sign off on this."

Detailed policy papers submitted by the three parties involved in the talks reveal:

- The Greens want a commitment that no one who incorrectly claimed the pandemic unemployment payment would be forced to repay it.

- They also want to bring in new laws that would enable the State to recover unpaid child maintenance.

- A radical overhaul of the tax and welfare system and the introduction of a universal basic income by 2025 has also been put forward by the Greens.

- Fine Gael has raised the possibility of the next government increasing social welfare and the amount of the State pension if economic circumstances allow.

- Fianna Fail wants to ban employee contracts that force people to retire at 65.

- It also wants to increase welfare payments to lone parents and supports for carers and put a Minister of State for Disabilities in the Department of the Taoiseach.

- The Greens and Fianna Fail want to phase out JobPath, the controversial employment activation scheme.

- Fine Gael wants to link PRSI to better benefits including better sick pay and unemployment insurance, better childcare and further education while in employment.

- A system of ''returnships'' which would support women on career breaks to raise a family to re-enter the labour market through training and education programmes.

While the parties are agreed on protecting core social welfare rates and introducing a State transition pension, Fianna Fail's insistence on deferring the State pension increase next year is causing major difficulties.

In its policy paper, Fianna Fail is also proposing that the long-planned auto-enrolment pension scheme be introduced and include a provision allowing first-time buyers to draw down some of their pension savings for a deposit on a new home. Fine Gael is open to the initiative and believes it could be expanded to allow people to draw down some of their pension savings to fund a career break or further education. "You'd want to have safeguards to make sure you don't dip in [to it] too much," a senior Fine Gael source said.

The outgoing government had plans to introduce an auto-enrolment scheme from 2022 with workers contributing up to 6pc of their wages, employers matching that amount and the State also contributing.

However, Fine Gael has scaled back the plan in its policy paper for the government talks, saying there will be a "phased roll-out - over a decade - of the contribution made by workers".

Workers will be able to opt-out of the scheme, pension provider charges will be capped, and workers will have a range of retirement projects to choose from.
A Christian campaign group is calling for an urgent review of a High Court decision to allow a 34-year-old man to die because he said he does not want to live with a colostomy bag.

A judge last week ruled that the man, who is sedated on an intensive care ward, should be allowed to die because he had previously made it clear he did not want to live with a permanent stoma, a surgical hole in the stomach to which a colostomy bag is attached to collect digestive waste.

Mr Justice Hayden said the man, referred to only as MSP, did not want to live with a stoma if it permanently limited his social or sex life.

Christian Concern are fighting a High Court ruling, made by Mr Justice Hayden (pictured), which allows a 34-year-old man, who is in intensive care at Barnsley Hospital, to die

He wrote: 'There is powerful evidence that as a young man in his thirties he could never accept life [after such surgery].'

He added that the case 'revolves around MSP's own expressed wishes' and pointed to a document which MSP drew up in February saying he would refuse 'the formation of a stoma that is expected to be permanent'.

Campaign group Christian Concern argues the ruling is flawed because it ignores the fact MSP agreed to have a stoma operation on May 27  signalling an apparent change of mind.

It is this operation that has left him in intensive care at Barnsley Hospital.

The man made it clear he did not want to live with a permanent stoma, which is a surgical hole in the stomach to which a colostomy bag is attached to collect digestive waste (file image)

Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: 'We have a young man with a serious medical condition who appears to have changed his mind about not wanting to live with a stoma.

However, Mr Justice Hayden seems to have disregarded this and decided what MSP wrote in February represented his 'true' wishes.'

The case was decided in the Court of Protection, part of the High Court, which Mrs Williams described as 'secretive', adding: 'This man's life hangs in the balance because of a judgment that begs many questions, and we are calling on the Justice Secretary [Robert Buckland] to set up an urgent public inquiry into the operation of this legal system.'

Christian Concern is also writing to Barnsley Hospital urging it to delay withdrawal of MSP's life support.

The hospital said it could not comment.
Tamanna S Mehdi By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: It is usually the children who do not want to go to school, but are forced to by their parents every morning. However, Covid-19 has turned that on its head. A fierce debate has broken out among parents and child right activists over the Centres proposal to start schools in a phased manner from July 1. A final decision to get back to school will be taken after consultations with all stakeholders.

In light of this, an online petition on change.org, by a group called the Parents Association are opposing the governments decision to reopen schools in July. The petition called No Schools until Zero Covid Case in the State or until Vaccines are out is petitioned to Minister of HRD, Government of India and PS to Minister of HRD.

Stating that Its like playing with fire, until the time of print on Friday, the petition had garnered over 5,56,488 signatures. The petition signed Voice of Thousands of parents, reads: Opening of schools in July will be the worst decision by the Government. Its insane. Its like playing with fire when we should douse it with full force.

The parents should fight against this stupidity tooth and nail. Not a single child should be sent to the schools for their own safety. The current academic session should continue in e-learning mode. If the schools claim that they are doing a good job via virtual learning then why not continue it for the rest of the academic year.

I am not sure who would send their kids to the school no matter what the school says in terms of measures they want to take like social distancing, sanitiser, etc. They are least bothered for the risk of the kids. (sic) While many are in favour of this petition, there are others, which include social activists and parents who want schools to reopen, if not immediately, then in a couple of months, and feel it is unwise to wait for zero cases.

This pandemic is the rarest of the rare and medical organisations have said that children are most vulnerable to this virus. If schools reopen next month, how will they maintain physical distance in the classrooms? How can they take precautions? No parent would want to send their children when there is a threat to their lives. In fact, Balala Hakkula Sangham has filed a petition in High Court of Telangana seeking directions to the Education Department to not conduct SSC exams which are scheduled from June 8, as Coronavirus is spreading and the numbers are rising by the day. Schools should continue with online education, we urge the government to reopen schools in October after the spread is contained.

 Achyuta Rao, president, Balala Hakkula Sangham

As a parent, I solemnly stand for the petition because I do not want my daughters to get infected by the Coronavirus. One of my daughters will have to travel to join college, it is dangerous. So, I will be signing the petition to not allow the colleges or schools to reopen until there are zero cases.

 PK Vinod Kumar, businessman, has two daughters, one pursuing MSc in Bangalore and the other in Class X

It is fallacious to assign a specific date for the reopening of schools and colleges. The decision should be taken after reviewing the situation in context, and only after zero cases are reported for two continuous weeks. Children are more prone to infections and can spread the contagion more easily. Similarly, the young crowd is the most common asymptotic carrier of the disease. In any school or college, classrooms have a typical strength of 40-60 students. Reopening them while the virus is still active is like inviting disaster.

 Swaralipi Nandi, Assistant Professor, HOD, BA Psychology, English Literature and Journalism at Loyola Academy, has a five-year-old child



Varsha Bhargavi

This petition is by an extremely privileged section of the society who can afford to look at alternative methods of educating their children. I am in favour of schools being opened. In Telangana, 48 per cent of children go to government schools, these children have no access to digital learning, as their parents cannot afford it. These students also get mid-day meals. Their parents are single moms, daily wage labourers, housemaids etc, who cannot WFH, so how do they home school and where do they leave their children while they go out to earn a livelihood? In these schools peer-to-peer learning takes place and students confide in their teachers, especially about sexual abuse cases or other problems. This decision to keep schools closed should not be imposed on everyone.

 Varsha Bhargavi, advisor, Telangana Child Rights Protection Forum



Regarding the petition, I do not support it. Maybe, dont open schools now, but by September, they should start. At least, till then there will hopefully be lesser cases. We cant wait for zero Covid-19 cases to start schools. Campus education is the best education. Children need to mingle with their peers, teachers and others. I admit Coronavirus is dangerous and deadly, but we have to learn to live with it. Online classes could go on, but children should not get used to being at home.

 Rajesh Mathew Ericattu, business consultant, has two kids, one studying Masters in Bangalore and one hotel management in Kerala

My opinion is that educational institutions should not reopen for three more months. After that, schools can reopen for Class VIII to XII on alternate days with a maximum of 20 students per class. As a mother, right now, I am more concerned about my childrens health, rather than their education. Online classes are only a temporary solution. Children are unable to understand their subjects. Campus learning should start eventually. Waiting until a remedy is found or zero cases are reported might not do us any good. Something has to be worked out before sending children back to schools. My suggestion would also be to reduce the syllabus.

 Annie Shibu, homemaker, has a son in Class XII and a daughter in Class IX
NEWSALERT-YEMEN-SAUDI-STRIKE Yemeni Houthi rebels' health minister says 70 detainees killed in Saudi airstrike on a rebel-run prison in Saada. (AP)Yemeni Houthi rebels' health minister says 70 detainees killed in Saudi airstrike on a rebel-run prison in Saada. (AP)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- About 100 protesters marched inside of a truck barrier line Saturday and ultimately confronted Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne in an encounter that ended peacefully.

The protesters made their way through large gaps between road commission trucks about 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6 but were soon met by a line of officers near the Grand Rapids police headquarters.

The trucks had been parked at intersections around the headquarters since a riot May 30.

Protesters on Saturday used a speaker with a microphone, as well as a megaphone, to voice their concerns about police behavior and at times to seemingly berate officers in the barrier line.

Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne eventually approached the police line and tried to speak with protesters, but made little headway. Protesters commanded the microphone and gave him only brief opportunity to speak.

Payne tried to tell the crowd that he would meet with any groups willing to work for peaceful change, but the protesters seemed unsatisfied. Payne walked away from the barrier after repeatedly being interrupted by protesters.

About 40 minutes later, police advised the crowd to leave the barrier area or they could face arrest. Officers standing behind bikes then used them to slowly move forward, soon forcing the protesters back behind the trucks.

No one was hurt and the officers did not touch any of the protesters as they moved them back.

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SPRINGFIELD  While new unemployment claims remained historically high in the final week of May, the surge of new claims since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be starting to slow as a number of businesses begin to reopen after two months of forced closure.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 46,522 workers in Illinois filed first-time claims during the week that ended Saturday, May 30. While that number would be considered shockingly high in normal times, it was actually 20 percent lower than the week before when 58,263 new claims were filed.

The number of workers receiving continuing unemployment benefits was also down about 5.5 percent from the previous week, to 720,580.

From March 1 through May 30, the Illinois Department of Employment security has processed more than 1.36 million unemployment claims, nearly 11.5 times the number of claims processed over the same period last year.

The agency also processed 98,757 applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, a federally-funded program for workers who lost their jobs for specific COVID-19-related reasons and do not qualify for regular unemployment. IDES also processed 42,119 applications for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, or PEUC, another federally-funded program that extends benefits to people who have already exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits.

Gov. JB Pritzker ordered the closure of many nonessential businesses on March 20. In the days before that, he also ordered all K-12 schools to close and restricted restaurants to delivery, drive-thru or curbside pick-up service.

Those restrictions remained in place until Friday, May 29, when Illinois entered Phase 3 of Pritzkers reopening plan. Since then, retail stores, barber shops and hair salons have been allowed to open, with capacity limits, while bars and restaurants have been allowed to open for outdoor dining.

While the stay-at-home order was in place, however, the state of Illinois suffered a historic drop in revenue, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or CoGFA.

The biggest hit came in the form of retail sales taxes, which were down $182 million, or 23.1 percent.

CoGFAs latest monthly report also detailed the extent of the economic slowdown. Based on the number of routing requests made to Apple Maps, driving was down more than 60 percent in the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago during the third week of March compared to mid-January. It remained down about 40-50 percent in April for both Illinois and the nation.

Those numbers steadily improved throughout May and are now back to about the same levels as before the pandemic, CoGFA said.

Also, restaurant reservations on the website OpenTable.com were down 100 percent in Illinois during April and May. And even in states that reopened sooner than Illinois, reservations were still down 60-70 percent.

CoGFA additionally cited data showing a large drop in hotel occupancy as well as new housing starts.

Both the U.S. and the State of Illinois have a difficult path to walk as concerns between public health and economic health must be weighed, the report stated. The key to rebounding from this economic slow-down is to provide an environment where both customers and employees feel safe, while reopening fast enough so that those employees who have been furloughed have a job to come back to. The longer it takes to ramp up economic activity, the more likely businesses will close down for good.
Rome, June 7 (IANS) A rally in Rome staged by Italian far-right extremists and hardcore football fans over the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic had turned briefly violent after a fight between demonstrators, the media reported.

On Saturday, hundreds took the streets of the Italian capital and called on the government to resign over its handling of the crisis and the damage wrought on the economy and jobs, reports the BBC.

The protesters gathered in the ancient area around the Circus Maximus.

With more than 33,800 fatalities and 234,000 cases since the coronavirus outbreak began, Italy has been one of the hardest-hit countries in the world.

The country has entered its final phase in easing lockdown restrictions, allowing domestic travel between regions and opening its international borders.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said the government was working to speed up social payments and pledged "a serious tax reform".

Shops, cafes and restaurants had already opened their doors again, and tourist sites have begun welcoming tourists in recent days.

--IANS

ksk/
Over the course of these last 48 hours, the National Guard, as well as our interagency partners working with (D.C.) Chief of Police Peter Newsham, looked at the trends, saw that it had become very peaceful in nature, and started to develop a plan for withdrawal of first out-of-state National Guardsmen supporting the D.C. Guard  and then how do we get on a glide path to turning off the D.C. Guard, McCarthy said in a call with reporters.
From virtual classes to open-book exams, the coronavirus pandemic may have forced classroom learning online but the digital divide in the country may turn it into an operational nightmare, experts have warned.

Suicide by a Kerala schoolgirl allegedly over not having access to a smartphone to attend classes, stories of students in remote areas having to sit on rooftops to catch Internet, siblings competing to get their parents gadgets are just a few case studies of the existing worrisome digital divide, they said.

According to the Key Indicators of Household Social Consumption on Education in India report, based on the 2017-18 National Sample Survey, less than 15 per cent of rural Indian households have access to Internet as opposed to 42 per cent in urban households. A mere 13 per cent of people surveyed (aged above five) in rural areas -- just 8.5 per cent female -- could use the Internet. The poorest households cannot afford a smartphone or a computer, according to the survey.

The implications of school closures in the country due to COVID-19 pandemic are not just about education. They are manifold. The Kerala schoolgirls death, pictures of a girl trying to study from a tilted rooftop to get signals, three kids in a house trying to have their share of their parents phone to attend the lessons, these are worrisome case studies. An unprecedented social disaster can be avoided if more entities pitch into short-term and long-term future of the children in this digital divide, said Rajni Palriwala, HOD, Department of Sociology, Delhi University.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of a slew of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day. As per official statistics, there are over 35 crore students in the country. However, it is not clear as to how many of them have access to digital devices and Internet.

While the government has announced easing of certain restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.

It is good that we have moved online for teaching and learning to ensure that schooling is not completely suspended. But there is a flip-side to it too. When the world has moved indoors and technology has taken over major roles, the digital have-nots are pushed to the edge. Sooner or later they will be left out of the race. The students in rural India or the poor populace in urban centres are having extreme difficulties in using such services and we dont have any policy in place to address that. In a way, we are only heading towards an operational nightmare, a Delhi University professor said.

The professor is among a group of four faculty members who have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind against Delhi Universitys decision to conduct online exams through open-book mode, saying it will push students belonging to economically weaker section and those with disabilities on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Education is the greatest equalizer but the coronavirus crisis has come as a setback to this journey in important ways. When schools and colleges move online, students with lesser digital access get further disadvantaged, and those without any digital access are at risk of dropping out altogether. Especially, at the school level, the digital divide poses a risk of nullifying some of Indias hard-won enrolment gains, said Sangeeta D Gadre, a professor at Kirori Mal College.

The principal of a school in Haryanas Mewat, who refused to be identified, said, Like every other country, India is also witnessing an e-learning boom. Classes on Zoom, WhatsApp and Skype are becoming the norm. But the digital disparity is growing starker as more schools begin to adopt virtual tools. We are reading a lot about how learning is happening online, but are not able to implement it here (Mewat) for the simple reason that not everyone has access to a smartphone or Internet. There can be no shortcuts to either learning or inclusivity. Our policy-makers need to address the fact that online courses will exclude numerous students, she said.

Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani has also flagged the issue, saying the shift to online learning is only a short-term response.

Reimagining education and staying ahead of the curve should be the number 1 priority for the government right now. For households that dont have access to smartphone or feature phone, we will have to use our physical infrastructure. People may not have a device but they could be close to a digital service centre which will have the devices. Worksheets can be delivered to students and once student finishes the worksheets it can be delivered back to the centres. The centres can then upload the worksheet. Himachal is doing this. We will have to innovate, he said at a virtual conference on Reimagining Education.

Urvashi Sahni, a fellow at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, said, Technology has the potential to achieve universal quality education and improve learning outcomes. But in order to unleash its potential, the digital divide (and the embedded gender divide) must be addressed. Access to technology and Internet is an urgent requirement in the information age. It should no longer be a luxury, she said.
Kia ora,

I recently completed my first 100 days with our incredible airline. Its an understatement to say it hasnt gone entirely as expected. However, it has proven to me that the care, compassion and heart of our people is everything I expected and more. Before our lockdown and even through it, I have experienced the wonderful culture that makes Air New Zealand very special.

Today we are sharing with you the plan and timeline to get Air New Zealand back on its feet. Make no mistake this is going to be a hard journey as we create our own playbook for the airline to emerge even better than before. Over the next two years we will Survive, then Revive and finally Thrive. We have set the Annual Results announcement in late August 2022, which is in around 800 days time, as the target date for Air New Zealand to report we are starting to earn healthy profits again even though we may be only 70% of our pre-COVID-19 size.

We can see an Air New Zealand of 2022 that is flying about 13 million customers annually versus almost 18 million pre-COVID-19. We will be highly efficient and operate fewer wide body aircraft. The good news is that Air New Zealand could be more profitable in the future than before, allowing us to start reinvesting in our customer experience, to share the rewards with Air New Zealanders via consistent profit share bonuses and to distribute dividends to our shareholders.

If we fast forward to 2022, our vision is a successful airline that:

 Takes care better than any other airline on earth

 Is operationally efficient and excellent at all we do

 Enables Kiwis to fly again, after all, we are a nation of great explorers

 Plays a critical role in helping New Zealands economy get back on its feet

 And is seen as the carrier of the most revered nation on earth in a post-COVID-19 world.

All supported by a strong performance-oriented culture with employee engagement which is amongst the best in our industry.

But in order to get there we still have a tough road ahead. We must first Survive, then Revive and finally Thrive.

Survive

The Survive platform of our plan is likely to run until the end of August this year. We have to cut costs across the business and already, we have sadly said farewell to 4,000 Air New Zealanders.

Survive is a whole-of-company approach and no area is immune. We have had to start radically overhauling our cost base. From grounding our 777 fleet to deferring expenditure on new aircraft, hangars and parking; seeking savings across contracts in our supply chain and leases for aircraft; Executive roles, office space and even company vehicles. We are leaving no stone unturned. Our wage bill is down by a third now but our revenue has fallen by more than two thirds. We need to balance the scales further.

Today, we start Phase 2 to remove around $150 million additional from our wages bill as part of a suite of other changes to our cost base to put Air New Zealand in the shape to be able to meet our 800-day ambition for August 2022.

As soon as possible we will be engaging with you and your unions as we investigate how best to reduce the labour bill. We are open to explore all options with unions that help meet our cost saving goals, but I do want to be clear that we need to brace ourselves for more discussions around leave without pay, reduced hours, job share, voluntary exits with redundancies as the last option. Thinking this through carefully will be important so that as the airline regains more customers and routes we are ready to take that volume on. I am really sorry we are in a situation of needing to reduce our wages bills further, but I believe this is what we need to do with some urgency to get through the Survive phase.

As you know Air New Zealand finds itself in a predicament unlike any it has faced before. Weve had challenges for sure, but never one where our revenue has effectively evaporated from $6 billion last year to almost nothing for a couple of months. Revenue will slowly return but in the next financial year it is likely to be less than half what we used to earn. This has put our finances under great stress.

In this Survive platform we must develop new ways of working, become more flexible and adaptive to what we are facing and with it we will simply stop doing some activities. If we get this right, this will be an exciting period of reinvention to help set us up for the next phase - Revive. Some of Air New Zealands greatest innovations came out of the dark days of Ansett and the Global Financial Crisis  and well do all we can to encourage that same level of creativity and innovation again.

Revive

We expect to spring into the Revive section of our journey from 1 September, if we have completed the Survive platform and reduced our cost base to match the much smaller business we are than pre-COVID-19. We are also hopeful that around this time the nation will well and truly have returned to Level 1 and that Tasman and Pacific Island flying could be returning for leisure and business travellers.

However, we are not factoring a return to long haul flying of any note until next year. We believe that until there is a vaccine, effective treatment or elimination of the disease in key markets, the New Zealand Government will not fully open its borders for growth in long haul air travel.

That said one glimmer of hope of late has been the extra cargo movements, which are helping the economy and our cashflow as well as the heartening support we are seeing in domestic travel.

Nevertheless, the reality is that during our Revive period we will be a much smaller airline, growing gradually as routes open and customer confidence returns. We will use this phase to develop new products and services, while creating innovative ways to encourage Kiwis to travel for business and leisure. Importantly, digital will be at the core of all we do. Air New Zealands customer experience of tomorrow must mirror that which consumers expect of a leading digital company, otherwise, we will not be relevant and well fail to meet our full potential.

So, Thrive

We, like many of you, are determined to get through the next 800 days, so that by August 2022 we hit the Thrive section of our plan, when we will be a digital company that monetises through aviation and tourism in a very sustainable manner. This will be a time where our customers, stakeholders, shareholders and all Air New Zealanders benefit from the hard work and innovation of the Survive and Revive phases of our journey.

As we Thrive we will not focus on size, but on quality. We will be smaller, flying fewer routes but we will not change our outstanding reputation for care, compassion and heart. The pride that comes with being our countrys national carrier. These values stand us apart. We will also lead in areas relating to climate change, particularly carbon emissions.

Our airline will operate with precision and humanity. Our domestic jet and regional operations are highly efficient and need to be for our business customers. The Tasman and Pacific Islands offer the best value option for all our customers. International is focused on an excellent product offering and delivery for our business and premium leisure customers. Supported by best in class digital products across all fleets, allowing for seamless customer and staff interaction which improves the experience and reduces our costs. We will not only recognise our customers but understand them and know how they feel, which will allow us to offer world class service always and to exceed expectations wherever it matters most in their journey with us. If we can nail all that, I am hopeful we may even be a bit bigger than the 70% of our former size we are preparing for. And we owe it to all the Air New Zealanders who have left us through redundancy, or who are on furlough, or who are on reduced hours, to achieve that and to get them back into the airline full time. They are our whanau.

Every airline in the world has been stunned by the COVID-19 pandemic. This event is not a hiccup; very few airlines will return to the former ways of working. The survivors will be more focused, lower cost and provide better customer service. We want to thrive in this environment, realising our ambition to take care better than any other airline on earth. Together, we can make this happen.

Thank you for all you do and your ongoing support of our airline and each other in this difficult time.

Nga mihi nui,

Greg

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Four teenagers have been killed in an early morning crash involving a stolen car in Townsville.

The four teens died after the stolen vehicle they were in crashed on the corner of Duckworth Street and Bayswater Road at Garbutt about 4.30am.

The driver of the vehicle was taken to Townsville University Hospital in a stable condition, police said.

It is a tragedy for the children involved, it is a tragedy for their families, and it is all so confronting to first responders, whether they be police, fire, ambulance. Everyone involved, Superintendent Glen Pointing told reporters on Sunday.

The four teens were killed in this crash in Townsville about 4.30am Sunday. Source: 9 News North Queensland

No-one wants to see a tragedy like this, I can assure you. It's a terrible outcome. As I said, once again, we feel for everyone involved.

He said the four individuals, believed to be aged between 14 and 18, were deceased at the scene when crews arrived.

Two of the victims were male and two were female, with their identities yet to be revealed.

Wreckage is seen at the scene of a fatal car crash in Townsville. Source: AAP

The vehicle they were in was thought to have struck a light pole before flipping. Footage from the scene showed a totalled white car and debris strewn across the road.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia multiple crews responded to the incident and one male patient in his teens was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

4 children have been killed in a crash and its believed the car was stolen. QAS say a male teen was taken to hospital in a stable condition. The Forensic Crash Unit were on scene. A tyre was found hundreds of metres up the road @7NewsBrisbane @7NewsTownsville pic.twitter.com/EsYsBFdeHC  Georgia Simpson (@GeorgiaRSimpson) June 6, 2020

Ten News reported the driver was a 14-year-old.

Story continues

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described the incident as being "tragic beyond words".

"This is horrific. Four young people have lost their lives and there are four families that will be grieving. It is tragic beyond words, Ms Palaszczuk told reporters.

Queensland police are expected to release more information later on Sunday as investigations continue.

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.
We can readily understand why investors are attracted to unprofitable companies. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But while the successes are well known, investors should not ignore the very many unprofitable companies that simply burn through all their cash and collapse.

So, the natural question for Great Boulder Resources (ASX:GBR) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.

See our latest analysis for Great Boulder Resources

Does Great Boulder Resources Have A Long Cash Runway?

A cash runway is defined as the length of time it would take a company to run out of money if it kept spending at its current rate of cash burn. In December 2019, Great Boulder Resources had AU$1.8m in cash, and was debt-free. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$2.6m over the trailing twelve months. So it had a cash runway of approximately 9 months from December 2019. That's quite a short cash runway, indicating the company must either reduce its annual cash burn or replenish its cash. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

ASX:GBR Historical Debt June 6th 2020

How Is Great Boulder Resources's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

Because Great Boulder Resources isn't currently generating revenue, we consider it an early-stage business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. As it happens, the company's cash burn reduced by 53% over the last year, which suggests that management are mindful of the possibility of running out of cash. Great Boulder Resources makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth.

Story continues

Can Great Boulder Resources Raise More Cash Easily?

There's no doubt Great Boulder Resources's rapidly reducing cash burn brings comfort, but even if it's only hypothetical, it's always worth asking how easily it could raise more money to fund further growth. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash to fund growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn.

Since it has a market capitalisation of AU$3.6m, Great Boulder Resources's AU$2.6m in cash burn equates to about 72% of its market value. That's very high expenditure relative to the company's size, suggesting it is an extremely high risk stock.

So, Should We Worry About Great Boulder Resources's Cash Burn?

Even though its cash burn relative to its market cap makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought Great Boulder Resources's cash burn reduction was relatively promising. Considering all the measures mentioned in this report, we reckon that its cash burn is fairly risky, and if we held shares we'd be watching like a hawk for any deterioration. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 5 warning signs for Great Boulder Resources (of which 4 are a bit concerning!) you should know about.

Of course Great Boulder Resources may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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.
Protests spread across multiple US cities. Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Alphabets [GOOG] Google postponed next weeks planned launch of the beta version of its latest Android 11 mobile operating system as protests and unrest roils American cities.

The Silicon Valley giant said in a message on its Android developers website: We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate.

The company said in a tweet it would announce details of the rescheduled event soon.

We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We'll be back with more on Android 11, soon.  Android Developers (@AndroidDev) May 30, 2020

The event, which was due to take place virtually on Wednesday, would have involved a keynote speech, a Q&A, and developer sessions.

Protests have rippled across the US after the killing of George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis who died after being pinned down under the knee of a white police officer.

In New York, police made dozens of arrests. People were cuffed and loaded to city buses as unrest shut down a major thoroughfare in Brooklyn.

READ MORE: Coronavirus spot checks on firms begin amid backlash over halted inspections

Elsewhere, Bernice King, daughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., gave an impassioned speech at a protest in Atlanta, urging non-violent means of change.

Lets do this the non-violent way to deal with the evil of our time, she said.

There were also protests across Minneapolis, Denver, Detroit, Houston and Louisville. Crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington, too, an event the police later declared unlawful.

Peaceful protests in Denver have been going on for more than two days. On Thursday night, there were reports that Denver police had fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds after parked cars were vandalised.
Prince Edward's wife spent her six-month engagement living at Buckingham Palace. (Getty Images)

With other senior royals now out of the picture, the spotlight is being shone on Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Prince Edwards wife, 55, carried out 236 official engagements in 2019  more than the duchesses of Cambridge, Sussex and Cornwall and more even than Prince William.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, the countess said she was glad she enjoyed a long courtship with the Queens son before they wed in 1999.

She said: Id had five years to adjust.

Read more: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, enters Duchess of Cambridge's photo project

The comment was made while Sophie reflected on how her experience marrying into the Royal Family differed to that of Megan Markle, who dated Prince Harry for two years before they walked down the aisle in 2018 and she became the Duchess of Sussex.

Sophie continued: For our six-month engagement I was even staying in Buckingham Palace. Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out.

Sophies home of Bagshot Park  where she lives with her husband, 56, their daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and their son James, Viscount Severn, 12  is 10 miles from the Sussexes UK home of Frogmore Cottage.

It has been suggested that the countess has become a confidante to the duchess. Sophie said: We all try to help any new member of the family.

Prince Edward and his wife sat with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the annual Commonwealth Day service in March. (Getty Images)

Read more: Countess of Wessex rolls up her sleeves and packs food parcels for nurses

At the annual Commonwealth Day service in March, both couples appeared friendly sitting next to each other at Westminster Abbey.

Of the Sussexes relocation to the US, the countess said: I just hope they will be happy.

The Sunday Times interview highlighted her recent visit to South Sudan as part of her work against campaigning against sexual violence in conflict.

During the past six years, more than 400,000 people there have been killed in the civil war and more than 4 million have fled their homes  and it is an epicentre of war rape.

According to the UN, between January 2018 and January 2020 there were incidents of conflict-related sexual violence involving at least 1,423 victims, including 302 children.

Story continues

Read more: Countess of Wessex made secret visit to homeless shelter in mask and gloves

The countess married the monarchs youngest child  and the only one to never divorce  at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle.

She is the daughter of a secretary and a sales director for a tyre company, and was working at Capital Radio when she met her other half.

Earlier this week, Sophie - who has been volunteering throughout the coronavirus pandemic  submitted a picture of a fellow volunteer for the Duchess of Cambridges Hold Still photography project with the National Portrait Gallery.
Pete Evans believes the coronavirus lockdown restrictions which forbade families from visiting one another at the height of the crisis impeded on his human rights.

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Australia, the government imposed sweeping restrictions which limited unnecessary movement to slow the spread of the disease.

The government urged people to avoid all non-essential travel, including visiting their loved ones.

Those orders were still in place over Easter and on Mother's Day, meaning families were separated when they usually come together.

But Evans refused to socially distance, and uploaded a photo on Mother's Day showing his daughters cuddling up to his mum.

'Thank you for being you and also a rebel in your own right. I will continue to give you a hug and a kiss every single f**king time I see you like I have over the last few months (unless YOU say no.),' he wrote in an online tribute at the time.

During his controversial interview with 60 Minutes which aired on Sunday night, Evans tearfully explained why he would never stop visiting his mother.

Evans uploaded this photo on Mother's Day showing his daughters cuddling up to his mum

During his controversial interview with 60 Minutes which aired on Sunday night, Evans tearfully explained why he would never stop visiting his mother

'I shared that I visited my mum through this whole thing... she said ''I don't know what to believe'',' Evans said.

'I asked her: ''Mum can I give you a hug and can your granddaughters give you a hug?'' and that action alone... that is what being human is about.'

While wiping tears from his face, Evans said he couldn't imagine 'living in a society where I can't hug my mum because I've been told its unsafe'.

'She was allowed to make that decision for herself. And she needed it. And I needed it and my kids needed it,' Evans said.

While plenty of the footage from the interview was scrapped in the final cut of Sunday night's segment, the former My Kitchen Rules judge published his own unedited 90-minute version to his YouTube channel.

The 47-year-old shared the footage at the exact time it was scheduled to air on television after voicing his concerns producers could 'make it a sensationalist piece'.

Evans said the common link between anti-vaxxers, and people who believe in COVID-19 conspiracy theories linking the disease to 5G technology developments or Bill Gates is a desire for freedom

The celebrity chef on Sunday night began uploading snippets of the controversial interview to his Instagram page, vowing to share the entire 90 minute conversation at 8.30pm.

Right on queue, at the same time the segment began airing on Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, Evans released the entire interview on YouTube.

The video showed the former My Kitchen Rules judge share his bizarre views on the COVID-19 pandemic, his own experience with modern medicine and his reasoning for sharing dangerous and scientifically disproved theories.

He said the common link between anti-vaxxers, and people who believe in COVID-19 conspiracy theories linking the disease to 5G technology developments or Bill Gates is a desire for freedom.

'Freedom of choice,' he said. 'Freedom to express themselves. My perception is people are wanting answers. We've seen a law passed in this country where visiting your grandparents in an aged care home can't be done unless visitors prove they've had a flu vaccine,' he said.

In response to the mounting deaths and infections in aged care facilities throughout Australia, the government implemented a law in which any guests or employees at nursing homes would be required to get their flu jab before entering the premises from May.

Evans' YouTube video had been viewed more than 25,000 times at the time of publication.

Pete Evans shared the unedited footage of his interview with 60 Minutes at the exact time it was scheduled to air on television after voicing his concerns producers could 'make it a sensationalist piece'

Evans encouraged his readers to 'come down the rabbit hole' as he explained he would not be watching the 60 Minutes program because he doesn't have free to air television.

'I trust they will do a wonder filled story of hope and love... bringing the community together to evolve through this period,' he said, just hours after explaining he had his team also record the interview to publish in case the program aired a 'sensationalist piece'.

In the unaired footage, Evans explained he was once all for mainstream medicine, but developed a 'sense of skepticism and suspicion' as he got older.

'We as human beings are a collection of our experiences, of our learnings. When people who are presented with something that is different from that, it is shocking,' he said.

Evans has faced mounting criticism for his dangerous anti-vaccination and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and viewers initially slammed 60 Minutes for giving those ideals a platform on the show.

But the program only aired snippets of the entire interview, and also included warnings from health experts who urged people to follow the advice of professionals.

While Evans once again rejected claims he is an 'anti-vaxxer', he did admit he would refuse a coronavirus vaccination if there were to be a medical breakthrough.

'No,' he said when asked if he would take the vaccination. In unaired footage released on his own platform, he confirmed he had been immunised in the past.

'I was vaccinated as a kid, for sure... I've got the scars to prove it,' he said.

The former My Kitchen Rules judge (pictured with his wife, Nicola Robinson) has grown increasingly vocal about his disbelief of scientifically-backed medicine and attempts to convince his followers of a link between COVID-19 and the rollout of the 5G technology network

Pete Evans is threatening to leak an unedited version of his interview with 60 Minutes if he is unhappy with his portrayal on the program

Evans is yet to comment on whether or not he liked the way he was portrayed in the segment, but did previously say he 'didn't care'.

'I have no idea how they will edit it, nor do I care. I invite you to watch and listen to their version and also what was fully recorded from my team,' he said last Thursday following the release of a preview.

The program had already faced criticism for choosing to interview Evans, giving airtime to his dangerous anti-vaccination and coronavirus conspiracy theories.

The 47-year-old has grown increasingly vocal about his disbelief of scientifically-backed medicine and frequently attempts to convince his followers of a link between COVID-19 and the rollout of the 5G technology network.

In spite of the potentially dangerous ramifications of giving Evans a platform, 60 Minutes aired an interview with Evans at 8.30pm on Sunday.

In the segment, Evans also suggested that he fears for his life due to his public profile and polarising opinions.

The celebrity chef on Sunday night began uploading snippets of the controversial interview to his Instagram page, vowing to share the entire segment by 8.30pm

'If I disappear or have a weird accident, it wasn't an accident,' he said.

'There has been too many coincidences out there in the world for people who have questioned certain things... Sometimes those people don't last very long.'

In further snippets Evans shared online, he questioned medical authorities who have not encouraged Australians to 'keep a healthy immune system' during the COVID-19 crisis.

Fans said they couldn't 'see an upside' to sharing Evans' opinions.

'This is so irresponsible,' one person wrote in response to the trailer.

'How dare 60 Minutes share dangerous, ignorant viewpoints that absolutely will put people's lives at risk for a few cheap views.'

There were calls for the program to scrap the segment, with some commenters suggesting people could die if they follow Evans' 'nonsense'.

Evans last Thursday claimed he wasn't paid for his time, and only agreed to be featured when he learned 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes would be interviewing him.

'I believe her reputation as a journalist is about finding and sharing the truth,' he said, before adding he 'didn't care' how he was edited in the segment.

Evans spoke directly to the camera when he said if he has 'an accident' soon, it wouldn't really be an accident, after spouting wild conspiracy theories for weeks

Evans on Thursday claimed he wasn't paid for his time, and only agreed to be featured when he learned 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes would be interviewing him

The 47-year-old claims he was invited to appear on the program for a special segment titled: 'Why are so many people stepping out of mainstream thinking? Where there was trust, there is now deep distrust.'

Evans recently endorsed US President Donald Trump's threat to use the military against Black Lives Matter protesters following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd.

Mr Floyd died in the custody of four Minneapolis police. Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with his murder after footage of him kneeling on Mr Floyd's throat for almost nine minutes went viral.

The vision sparked outrage across the world and led to riots, which Evans believes are part of a media conspiracy staged by 'the elite' to distract citizens from the coronavirus pandemic.

Fans said they couldn't 'see an upside' to 60 Minutes sharing Evans' opinions. There are calls for the program to scrap the segment before it goes to air

WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases. Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years. Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people. High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism. People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK's General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty. Source: Australian Department of Health Advertisement

'With the wave of a wand the media diverted your attention from a 'deadly' pandemic to racial riots, and you didn't even stop to notice,' he said in a previous post about the matter.

Meanwhile in the interview, he appeared to justify his beliefs regarding the supposed dangers of vaccinations and medical advice by questioning motives of scientists.

'Science has been bought by vested interests in so many different fields,' he said.

Evans has implied on multiple occasions that vaccinations can cause autism and other conditions in children.

Last month, he appeared on The Kyle and Jackie O Show to peddle a disproved theory linking vaccinations with behavioural changes in children.

Evans, who has no medical training and is seeking to profit from alternative health treatments, said: 'I've met so many mothers and their children and they tell me, "Hey Pete, my boy or girl was a healthy, functioning beautiful child - and they're still a beautiful child - but something happened when they got a shot one day."

Evans (pictured) previously linked vaccinations to autism in children. The condition is actually a developmental disorder that has no scientifically proven links to vaccinations

'And within two hours, 12 hours, 24, 48 hours, that little boy or girl completely changed their behaviour. And certainly changed their nature.'

There is no evidence that vaccines can cause such changes in children.

The chef insists, however, that he is not an 'anti-vaxxer' but 'pro-choice'.

Evans' contract with Channel Seven was torn up earlier this year, and his increasingly erratic posts have sparked concerns from a leading medical practitioner.

Dr Harry Nespolon, the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said last month he feared Evans was 'in trouble' and advised him to book an appointment with his GP.

The chef insisted he was perfectly fine, physically and mentally, all the while urging his followers to 'join the dots' and hinting as a global conspiracy.

'We are waking up, and the elite are afraid,' he recently said.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Network Nine on Thursday for comment regarding calls for the segment to be scrapped.

The celebrity chef, 47, shared a Facebook post stating that the riots across the U.S. in response to the death of George Floyd are part of a media conspiracy staged by 'the elite' to distract citizens from the coronavirus pandemic
B oris Johnson said the anti-racism demonstrations had been subverted by thuggery following a day of protests across the UK.

It came after thousands of protesters joined Black Lives Matter demonstrations taking place in cities across the UK on Saturday and Sunday.

Crowds of demonstrators wore face coverings and held placards outside the embassy in Battersea, south-west London, on Sunday, in protest against police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

While Saturday saw clashes between police and protesters at Whitehall, during which 14 officers injured. Twenty-nine people were arrested.

The statue sits in Parliament Square, Westminster / Getty Images

People have a right to protest peacefully & while observing social distancing but they have no right to attack the police, the Prime Minister tweeted.

These demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery  and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.

Those responsible will be held to account.

Police tactics have come under criticism after mounted officers charged protesters on Saturday.

During the resulting melee one officer was seriously injured after her horse ran her into a traffic light.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana said: "The videos circulating of police on horseback charging on protestors in London are disturbing.

"It is also unacceptable protestors and legal observers were kettled until 1:30AM.

"This will be seen as an attempt to intimidate and deter legitimate protest."

Similar scenes were not repeated on Sunday, although there were some light skirmishes between police and a minority of protesters.

Protest outside US embassy in London / AFP via Getty Images

However, a statue of a 17th Century slave trader was pulled down and dumped in the sea following a march in Bristol.

The bronze memorial to Edward Colston, situated in the city centre since 1895, was torn down after crowds left the citys College Green and later was dumped into Bristol harbour.

It came after 10,000 people took part in the Black Lives Matter demonstration, which was praised by Avon and Somerset police for being peaceful and respectful.

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No arrest were made, but officers are now said to be collating footage of a small group of people who were filmed pulling down the statue with ropes, which police say amounted to criminal damage.

Meanwhile, the Winston Churchill statue in London was defaced with "was a racist" by a protester.
The Reverend Thomas Henry Quamson, Senior Pastor of the Assemblies of God Holy Ghost Worship Centre, on Sunday urged Christians to thirst for the worship of God despite the challenging times.



He said the restrictions for the fight against COVID-19 had resulted in many Christians losing their desire in the worship of God and called for a rekindle of that desire through fellowship.



Rev. Quamson said this during the first service after the easing of the restrictions on religious activities.



The service, in accordance with the Presidential Directives for religious gathering, lasted from 0900 to 1000 hours.



The church has scheduled to hold two services each Sunday with each accommodating a maximum of 100 members from 0900 to 1000 hours and from 1030 to 1130 hours.



Quoting from the scriptures, Rev. Quamson said; If the Spirit of God dwells in an individual he thirsts daily and continually for the presence of God and to fellowship in His Holy Temple.



Pastor Daniel Kuffour, Associate Pastor of the Church, told the Ghana News Agency that the service was conducted in line with the COVID-19 protocols.



Mr Raphael Gyabeng, the Head of Medical Team of the Church, said two Veronica buckets had been provided at the entrance for washing of hands before and after the service.



"We adhered to the No Mask, No Entry policy and checked the temperature of each member who entered the church, he said.



The Presidential Directives say, among other things, that each service must last for an hour with only 100 congregants at a time, but the 25 per cent attendance means the number could be smaller for smaller churches.



Church leaders must also ensure their members adhered to proper social distancing protocols during worship, provide veronica buckets and soap for handwashing, and disinfect their premises to guarantee the safety of members.

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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From 1995 to 2018, Sallah led Islamic Jihad group, which is fighting Israel and has been recognized by US and EU as terrorist organization

Open source

Former leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, Ramadan Sallah, died. Reuters reports this with a reference to Al-Manar TV channel.

Having lost Sallah, we have lost a great man for the people, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said.

Sallah, 62, served as secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad group supported by Iran from 1995 to 2018. He died as a result of an illness.

US and the European Union recognize the Sallah-led faction terrorist organization. Palestinian Islamic Jihad conducts attacks on Israel and seeks to create an Islamic Palestinian state.

Sallah was born in Gaza in 1958 and studied in Egypt, and then earned a doctorate in economics from the United Kingdom.

He was elected head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad following the assassination of former group leader Fathi Shikaki in 1995.

As we reported before, Saudi authorities abolish public flogging as a form of punishment for those who violate the law. Such a decision is provided for by the directive of the Supreme Court of the kingdom
It was with much regret that the news of the death of Sr Mel Brady, Medical Missionaries of Mary, Drogheda was received in her native Mullinalaghta.

Sr Mel was born Mary Brady in the townland of Corbawn, also known as Leitrim in this area in 1926. She died peacefully in Aras Mhuire Nursing, Drogheda on Monday, May 25. She joined the MMM in 1947.

Soon after profession she was assigned to Nigeria, where she served for 12 years as secretary and in local MMM leadership. She had qualified as a typist and bookkeeper and graduated with a Diploma in Social and Economic Studies from UCD.



Sr Mel was a veteran of the exciting and challenging pioneering days of MMM mission in Nigeria working in a small mission called UseAbat/Akpa Utong where she was involved in the care of orphans and was also the Sister-in-Charge for ten years.

She was happy there and after a break of a few years in Ireland she returned to Nigeria to fill a leadership role during the civil war that erupted in 1966.

In 1970 she was appointed catering supervisor in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and later worked in the accounts department there for 22 years. She is fondly remembered by staff there to this day.

She also did mission awareness work, served in the apostolic delegation in London, and helped in training women in their early years in MMM.

From 1992 to 2009, she worked in the MMM Archives Office. Sr Mel was based in the Motherhouse until she moved to Aras Mhuire for nursing care in 2013.

Sr Mel was a gracious and conscientious person, a perfectionist with high standards, a woman of prayer. She gave her full commitment to any ministry in which she was engaged.

Prior to her deteriorating health Sr Mel was a frequent visitor to her family and relations in the area. Of a friendly and unassuming manner, she was always delighted to meet up with former neighbours and friends.

The welfare of her nephews and nieces was a priority with her. She took great joy in their educational progress and chosen careers.

Coming from a musical background, no doubt she gave them valuable tuition in this field.

Sacred music with appropriate hymns was provided at her funeral Mass by the Kiernan and Callaghan families. Due to Government and HSE guidelines Sr Mels funeral was private for family only.

Predeceased by her parents John and Margaret, brothers Fr Jack (St. Patricks Missionaries Society). Tommy, Ned and Paddy, sisters Julia and Roseanne who died in infancy, she is survived by her brother Jimmy, sister-in-law Liz, nieces, nephews and their families and MMM Community to whom our sympathy is extended.

May she rest in peace.
Cruise ship sails back to Mumbai with all passengers as Covid-19 infected patients refuse to get down at Goa

Lockdown: Goa churches, mosques not to reopen from Jun 8

India

pti-PTI

Panaji, June 07: Churches and mosques in Goa have decided to remain closed for some more time, even though the state government has allowed reopening of religious places from Monday as part of the lockdown relaxations.

Temple committees, however, are yet to take a call on opening their shrines for devotees in the coastal state. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said religious places in the state can open from Monday, but no mass activities will be allowed there in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Lockdown 5.0: Islamic Centre of India issues advisory for reopening of mosques

Till Saturday, Goa reported 267 COVID-19 cases. Of these, 202 are active cases, as per official figures.

A spokesman of the Goa Church on Sunday said looking at the COVID-19 situation in the state, churches would not be opened from Monday and they would wait for some more time to decide on it.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

"We would like to inform our priests and faithful that we are critically assessing the novel coronavirus-related fluid situation that has come upon our state. Therefore, we are not in a position to declare our places of worship open from tomorrow, Father Barry Cardozo, director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, said in a statement. When we eventually decide to open up, with prudence, vigilance and careful discernment, it will be in consonance with the state governments SOPs (standard operating procedures), which we expect to receive by then, he said.

Churches across the coastal state, which has nearly 30 per cent Catholic population, have been shut since lockdown came into force in March. Several priests have since then been addressing the religious masses online. Easter and other festivities were held without the gathering of parishioners. In the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the state, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats has also decided to defer reopening of mosques till June 30.

Chhattisgarh Lockdown 1.0: Parks, hotels, clubs to open from June 8

"Since June 1, COVID-19 cases in Goa have been on a rise. We have touched almost 196 positive cases in the past one week and its an alarming spike in positive cases,the association's president Shaikh Bashir Ahmad said in a statement. Hence, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats executive committee members have decided to delay the reopening of all masjids in Goa till June 30, 2020, for the safety of members of the community and society, he said.

"We are issuing this advisory and request committee members/heads of jamats of masjids across Goa to implement our advisory, which is issued keeping in mind the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases in our state, and halt it from becoming a community transmission, he added.

Meanwhile, representatives of all major temples across the state have decided to meet on Sunday to decide on reopening their religious places.

"A meeting of officials of nine major temples will be held to decide on the reopening, but considering the situation, it is likely that temples wont open on June 8, a trustee of one of the prominent temples in North Goa district said.
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

HOUSTON: Houstons police chief says the body of George Floyd has arrived in Texas for a final memorial service and funeral.

Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted early Sunday that Floyds family also arrived safely. A six-hour viewing for Floyd is planned for Monday in Houston, followed by funeral services and burial Tuesday in the suburb of Pearland.

ALSO READ: George Floyd memorials will retrace life, push for justice in death

Floyd, who was handcuffed and black, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes as Floyd begged for air and eventually stopped moving. His death has inspired protests around the world and served as a rallying cry against institutional racism.

Previous memorials were held for Floyd in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, which is near where he was born.
Mumbai, June 7 : A day after she was accused of plagiarising the story idea of "Gulabo Sitabo", scriptwriter Juhi Chaturvedi has claimed that the film is her original work and her "conscience is clear".

"My conscience is clear, and so are the facts in this matter. 'Gulabo Sitabo' is my original work and I am proud of it. I shared the idea with the director (Shoojit Sircar) and lead actor (Amitabh Bachchan) of the film in early 2017. I subsequently registered the concept note for the film in May 2018," Chaturvedi said.

On Saturday, Chaturvedi was accused of plagiarism 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 the Cinestaan India's Storyteller Script Contest, where Chaturvedi was a jury member.

Quashed all such claims, Chaturvedi said: "I also must clarify the speculations around my conduct as a jury member for Cinestaan's contest. I had no access to the so-called infringed script at any point in time, as alleged. This fact has been independently confirmed by Cinestaan as well. Even the Screenwriters Association (SWA), who has looked at this dispute in May 2020, decided in my favour. I speak now to request the press and public not to be disillusioned by false accusations, which are for publicity only. Acts of harassment, defamatory comments, and leaking confidential notices by the accusers only show their lack of faith in their own case. I stand by my truth," she said.

A 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".

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.

On the plagiarism row, Anjum Rajabali, Jury Chairman, Cinestaan Script Contest, said: "While it is true that '16, Mohandas Lane' was submitted to the first edition of the Cinestaan India's Storytellers Script Contest of which Juhi Chaturvedi was one of the jury members, we want to clarify that she had absolutely no access to this particular script." To this, Anjum Rajabali, chairperson of the contest's jury, said: "The process of reading, assessing, screening and judging involved three clear stages. In the first stage, all the submitted stories were read by a bunch of readers and around 325 were shortlisted for me to read. From these, we invited 152 writers to develop their stories into screenplays and submit them to the contest. 126 screenplays were received. In the second stage, these were read by our readers and 20 shortlisted scripts were sent to me, which were read by two senior readers and myself. From these, we shortlisted eight scripts. And, in the third stage, these eight scripts were sent to the other three jury members, Aamir Khan, Raju Hirani and Juhi Chaturvedi, to be read by them and by me again.

"From among these, five were selected for the awards, and ranked in order of merit. While '16, Mohandas Lane' made it to the top 20, it did not enter the final list of 8 scripts which were sent to the jury. The jury, including Juhi, had absolutely no access to any script except for the 8 which were sent to them. So, it is totally incorrect to assume that since Juhi Chaturvedi was on the contest's jury she had received the said script. There is clear documentation, including a trail of e-mails from myself to each jury member, which bears out the above facts unambiguously," Rajabali further shared.

Ritika Soni, vice president, Cinestaan Contest, asserted: "The script in question was not part of the final eight sent to any of the other jury members, including Juhi Chaturvedi at any point of time." 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.

Opening up about the stir, producer Ronnie Lahiri of Rising Sun Films, said: "Clearly the allegers are upset as the SWA decision didn't go in their favour. Releasing the notice to the press, harassing Juhi and the 'Gulabo Sitabo' producers on social media, seems to be a deliberate attempt to malign Juhi and damage the film." The film is produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar, and is set to premiere worldwide on June 12 on Amazon Prime Video.
By Jason Lim





It's pretty obvious that Lee Yong-soo "halmeoni" (grandmother) feels disrespected and disenfranchised from the very movement for which she has long been one of the most active and visible "comfort women" ambassadors.



Sure, she didn't say that in so many words. Instead, she mentioned feeling betrayed, used and lied to, her bitterness apparent and aimed mostly at the person of Yoon Mee-hyang, the longtime leader of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Korean Council; formerly known as "Jeongdaehyeop" and Justice for the Comfort Women). Right before she started her term as a first-time national assemblywoman, Yoon responded in a press conference, taking pains to avoid direct confrontation with grandmother Lee but nevertheless forceful in her defense of her leadership of Jeongdaehyeop.



Stepping back from the current static, however, it's only fair to examine Yoon's Jeongdaehyeop for what it has done in the last 30 years as the most visible NGO driving the public narrative around the comfort women issue. I don't mean that we should do a head-count of the artifacts  for example, enumerating how many publications it sponsored, lectures it hosted or organized, publicity trips it sponsored, etc. I mean, let's look at how close the whole comfort women issue has come to some type of a resolution under the leadership of Jeongdaehyeop.



Frankly, while Jeongdaehyeop played an important role in the beginning as a vehicle to raise awareness around the issue, it was fairly limited to the domestic arena.



The real international milestone came with the passage of H.R. 121 in the U.S. Congress, put forward by Rep. Mike Honda. I was a passive witness to the strategic process and hard work that went into this effort. At that time, the comfort women issue was not new. Similar House resolutions were introduced before and were inevitably defeated by the Japanese lobby who convinced most U.S. lawmakers that embarrassing Japan, a stalwart ally in Asia, by getting involved in an essentially Asian dispute would be counterproductive to American interests in the region.



After the last defeat in 2006, proponents of the comfort women resolution reworked their strategy in two main ways to increase the chances of convincing their representatives in the House to pass the resolution: One, a central clearinghouse office (www.support121.org) in D.C. was founded to network and coordinate all the nationwide lobbying efforts on behalf of the resolution. A network of second-generation Korean Americans was organized  with specific intent and strategy  by Annabel Park, the national coordinator for 121 Coalition.



Two, they used the network to collectively deliberate on a new argument that would have more appeal to key House members. The original argument was that Japan, as a leading nation of the world, must deal with its past abuses against the peoples it had subjugated during WWII. However, such an argument was vulnerable to a counter-argument that this issue was all about Japanbashing by other Asian nations intent on taking some measure of revenge by shaming Japan.



In response, the new leadership  mostly Korean-Americans  couched the comfort women issue firmly in the language of human trafficking and wartime rape. Mindy Kotler, director of Asia Policy Point, made the following point in her testimony the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Feb. 15, 2007: "The most important tool in prosecuting/stopping sexual violence in war in the future is the precedent of past recognition of sexual violence, enslavement, and exploitation. Japan's wartime military rape camps are the modern precedent for all the issues of sexual slavery, sexual violence in war, and human trafficking that so dominate today's discussion of war and civil conflict  Bosnia, Rwanda, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Burma." In short, the milestone moment for comfort women came when their experience was expanded and universalized to the foundational human rights issue.



Jeongdaehyeop was in the right position at the right time to become a huge benefactor of the new global legitimacy. However, Jeongdaehyeop took the huge gift of a compelling public narrative and seems to have retrenched the discourse back into a Korea vs. Japan paradigm, even dipping liberally into the tried-and-true well of Korea's defensive nationalism that's largely defined as a reaction against Japanese colonialism. While expedient in furthering the outrage against Korea's victimization by Imperial Japan, opportunities were lost to foundationally resolve this issue by elevating the context in a way to not "name and shame" Japan but invite the post-WWII Japan to be a part of the solution that, first and foremost, caters to the hopes that the victims who were systemically raped during WWII by the soldiers of Imperial Japan, want to leave behind as their healing legacy.



As grandmother Lee said in her press conference, "Korea and Japan are neighbors. Our students eventually will be the owners of the countries. So these students need to know why we need an apology and compensation  The students are the ones who will resolve the issue of the wrong done to the comfort women victims."





Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture.


They were two of 16 city, county and state elected officials who came together Sunday to say that changes need to be made in how policing is done locally and across America. The press conference took place in light of the fallout from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the murder charges against Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/No-Jewish-Camp-this-Summer-Now-What.html

Camp changed my life. It can still change yours even if theres no camp this summer.

I was a camp kid. I counted down the days until the school year ended. Freedom from school, early wake ups, endless homework and the constant grind.

From the age of 10 my summers were filled with weeks away from home at Jewish summer camp. Camp was my heart and soul. Until this day, a part of me wishes I could stuff those duffle bags full, find the perfect shower caddy and put together a stationary box for letters.

As I was getting ready for Shabbat a few weeks ago, I heard the news that one of the camps I attended would be closed this summer due to COVID-19. I couldnt believe it. Hundreds of children would have their hearts broken.

The cancelation of camp is more than just a loss of activities, games and opportunities. For many Jewish kids this is their chance to have Jewish experiences and make Jewish connections. Jewish songs, Israeli staff members, Hebrew words, Shabbat dinner and services, a pride and sense of identity bigger than oneself; a community. As someone who attended public school with a small Jewish population, all of those summers I spent at camp filled with positive memories planted the seeds for the life I live now.

At camp I learned that being Jewish meant more than bagels and lox. It meant being a part of something so much bigger. I discovered that Judaism could actually be relevant to me.

The author, on the left, with her three best friends from camp

Shabbat felt special at camp. Everyone showered, dressed nicely and the activities were different. It had a unique feel. When I would spend my first Friday night at home after camp was over, I used to lament at how I missed those special camp Shabbats. The feeling in the air on Shabbat at camp was truly one of a kind.

Almost 15 years later, as I light my Shabbat candles in my home in Israel, I am taken back to those experiences and feelings many summers ago. I can still picture myself walking arm in arm with camp friends down the long gravel path overlooking the lake that led us from the serene Shabbat mood in the dining hall, to the lively and upbeat services that awaited us in the Chapel. I learned at camp that being proud to be Jewish is a beautiful thing.

At camp, I met many other Jews who became best lifelong friends. Since I wanted the opportunity to relive that sense of Jewish camaraderie and see my friends throughout the year, I got involved in various Jewish community opportunities, including traveling to Israel.

As I built on those positive Jewish experiences growing up, I found myself growing closer to Torah Judaism. Today I am a committed observant Jew. I am happily married, living with my kippah-wearing husband and two beautiful children in Israel. I live in a thriving community of other committed Jews and we care for one another in many ways. As a wife and mother, I aim to infuse Judaism into my home each day and use the Torahs incredible framework of wisdom as our guide. I am grateful to wake up each morning and know I am a part of something much bigger than myself.

Jewish summer camp shaped my life and as campers across the globe are left without their Jewish home this summer, I mourn with them. The loss is real.

I encourage parents and campers to build on that loss and inspire themselves to keep camp alive this summer. Whether camp has everyone wear white on Friday nights or serves a special dish on Saturday, bring that experience home. Perhaps take an online tour of a site in Israel, since many camps aim to recreate the Western Wall and the Dead Sea in their Israel programming. Keep up with camp friends and make a Zoom cabin. Whether it is songs, dress, food, a certain activity, or a certain person, figure out a way to keep it in the picture this summer. Infuse a little bit of camp in daily life and create positive Jewish experiences at home. If parents and campers can keep the spirit of camp alive, they will grow together.

At the end of camp tears would stream down our faces as we had to say goodbye. The staff at camp used to tell us, Its not goodbye, its only see you soon. So remember, it is not goodbye to camp this summer; its only see you soon.
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Philadelphia announced there will be no citywide curfew for the first time in more than a week Sunday.

The mayors office announced the decision Sunday morning ahead of another day of demonstrations in the city.

Saturday was the eighth straight day of George Floyd demonstrations, and it was also the eighth straight day with a curfew. Despite the 8 p.m. curfew, protestors remained at City Hall until after 10 p.m. before dispersing.

There will be no curfew or traffic restrictions in place today.



If you go out to participate in demonstrations, follow @PhilaOEM for important updates and information.



And remember to wear masks, keep distance from others if possible, and stay hydrated.  City of Philadelphia (@PhiladelphiaGov) June 7, 2020

The city also announced there were no traffic restrictions or street closures in Center City after much of the area, including I-676, was shut down Saturday.

On Saturday, thousands of people flooded the streets to protest police brutality and racial injustice in the aftermath of the death of Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest.

Read more: Philadelphia sees massive turnout for George Floyd protests ahead of citywide curfew

Read more: I hope that we have your attention: Former Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins speaks at George Floyd protest

The officer, Derek Chauvin was fired and later arrested and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, while three other officers on the scene were fired and later charged with aiding and abetting.

There are more demonstrations planned for Sunday, including one at the Eastern State Penitentiary organized in part by Black Lives Matter Philly.

Philadelphia is the latest city to announce it was removing its curfew. Earlier Sunday, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announced he was lifting the citys curfew effective immediately.

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.

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.
I fell in love with space and science fiction as a child. Raised on Star Trek, The Jetsons, and Star Wars, I cannot imagine a more thrilling prospect than exploring strange new worlds. I never envisioned myself as an astronaut. I am neither a scientist, nor a mathematician. I startle easily and really dont enjoy flying. But I have always dreamed about other worlds and peoples. The vastness of space, its limitless possibilities  and unimaginable dangers. I want to be part of its story.

I was too sad, too wrapped up in events here on terra firma to watch the SpaceX rocket launch on May 30. Frankly, the thought of watching it filled me with dread. I remember watching the Challenger explosion in junior high. The world already felt on fire to me; I just couldnt risk it.

But when I talked to my mom last Wednesday morning, she couldnt believe I had missed something so momentous. She grew up in Houston and remembers the moon landing. She sent me some information about the history of space exploration; then I decided to watch the NASA launch footage because I knew it had a happy ending. But I still found myself holding my breath while I watched the Crew Dragon and NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley launch from Kennedy Space Center. How utterly amazing, though. In something straight out of a movie, I got to see a private transport ship, loaded with astronauts and supplies, blast off into space, headed for the International Space Station.

Now, he may seem like a fictionalized character, but Elon Musk, the billionaire engineer/industrial designer/tech entrepreneur turned rocket man, is the real-life Tony Stark. After co-founding PayPal, developing self-driving cars and a bunch of other cool stuff, his dreams also turned toward the skies. He founded Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) in 2002 and wanted to make reusable rockets and spaceships. That reusability would keep transportation costs down as well as improve safety because the crafts could be studied after each flight. Partnering with NASA, SpaceX flew 20 resupply missions to the space station before launching the manned Dragon flight.

It was the first time U.S. astronauts have launched from American soil in nearly a decade. I might have even teared up a little. I wondered what it would be like for those astronauts, the uncertainty of autonomously docking to the space station. Would there be a reception or a welcome party for them? Who would ask them how it felt to make history?



Fellow explorers, thats who. Behnken and Hurley were welcomed to the ISS by NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The space station is literally a floating laboratory. Imagine, pioneer scientists from around the world, colonizing space. Studying the effects of space on the human mind and body. Experimenting with plant life and gravity, learning about physics in a completely new environment. Now, in my imagination, the ISS looks like the Nostromo from Alien. A bunch of space cowboys, all cool utilitarian outfits and smooth white surfaces. But in reality, it more closely resembles a bunch of shoeless Best Buy employees living inside a box of unassembled IKEA furniture. But, hey, this girl can still dream!

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the Crew Dragon mission represented a change in the way U.S. spaceflight would operate moving forward. NASA is not going to purchase, own and operate rockets the way it used to. NASA will now be partnering with commercial entities, including SpaceX and Boeing.

This model is going to apply when we go to the Moon, Bridenstine said. When we go to the Moon were going to land on the surface of the Moon with commercial landers. All of this is leading up to an amazing day where we have humans living and working for long periods of time on the surface of the Moon and doing it with a purpose. And that purpose, of course, is to go to Mars.

Mars -- imagine that. Literally, we could become Martians. And forgive the pun, but Musk is totally on board with the plan. According to the SpaceX website, the company is working to develop a giant spaceship capable of interplanetary travel.

I dont know if he was being facetious, but two years ago, Musk said a Mars colony was needed to ensure the survival of the human race in the event of a nuclear war on Earth.

The way things are going lately, Lost in Space is starting to seem more possible than fictional.

Science fiction is turning into reality -- and Musk hopes to make space travel possible for regular people, too. According to CNBC, SpaceX will be working with Houston-based start-up Axiom as well as another company, Space Adventures, to provide private transportation and overnight stays to the space station.

And not to be left out in the cold, Hollywood means to keep a hand in this new commercialization of space. NASA recently announced that actor Tom Cruise will be filming his next blockbuster from the space station.

We are boldly going, my friends. Boldly going.

Melanie Nicholas is a full-time momma and writer. She and The Hubs have two children, Parksalot, 11, and Bodacious, 9. You can follow her amazing adventures fighting grime and insecurity on Facebook, Instagram and at www.MelanieNicholas.com.
(Bloomberg) -- HP Inc. will get to keep all the cash, factories and patents Quanta Storage Inc. was ordered to turn over to satisfy a $439 million antitrust judgment from 2019, a federal appeals court ruled.

The Taiwanese disk drive maker was ordered to surrender almost all its assets before its appellate challenge had played out because it failed to post an $85 million bond to prevent early collection of the crippling award. The appellate court did agree to give it more time to comply.

Quanta risked bet-the-company litigation and lost, so the district court ordered it to hand over the company, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals in New Orleans said Friday in a 21-page ruling.

Quanta tried repeatedly in April to delay HPs push to collect on the judgment. It claimed that coronavirus travel and business restrictions in Taiwan and China, where most of its executives and factories are, prevented it from posting the bond while complying with Taiwanese regulations on asset transfers by publicly traded companies. HP said Quanta was using the pandemic as a ploy to dissipate assets that could be used to satisfy the judgment.

It is not apparent from the record that the district court considered the amount of time it would take for Quanta to complete the asset transfer process required by Taiwanese law, the panel said Friday.

Cannot Go Unpunished

HP said it was pleased that the panel agreed with the trial judge and jury.

Quanta violated U.S. antitrust laws by conspiring to fix prices, Alex Roberts, one of HPs lawyers, said in an email. That conduct cannot go unpunished. HP took them to task for those violations, and now we look forward to ensuring they comply promptly with the turnover orders.

Quanta said in an exchange filing in Taiwan on Sunday that the company will file a petition for the case to be reheard en banc. It will also discuss with its lawyers the procedure of the U.S. Supreme Court appeal in the case. The impact on the operations is yet to be evaluated, Quanta said.

Story continues

A Houston jury awarded HP $176 million in damages after a price-fixing trial in late 2019. Quanta was the only optical disk drive maker that didnt settle out of court when HP sued more than a dozen manufacturers over a decade-long conspiracy to rig prices for components used to store and read media and data on DVDs, CDs and Blu-Ray discs. Industry giants including Toshiba Corp., Samsung Electronics, Hitachi-LG and Sony Electronics jointly controlled 90% of the market.

Damages Tripled

After the jury tagged Quanta with all of HPs losses from the racket, U.S. District Judge David Hittner in Houston compounded Quantas woes by tripling the damages, as allowed under U.S. antitrust law, subtracting settlement credits HP had already received.On appeal, Quanta argued that the damages were incorrectly calculated at trial because jurors included purchases by HPs foreign subsidiaries, which Quanta claimed arent covered by U.S. antitrust protections. HP said its economic expert excluded purchases by the foreign units, and the appeals court agreed, upholding the money judgment.

Quanta, which has surrendered some assets to a court custodian, had sought more time to comply with Taiwanese regulations before turning over the keys to its Asian factories. It had also said it needs to make sure the HP judgment is enforceable under local law before complying with an overseas court order that essentially liquidates the company.

It urged the courts to respect international comity and require HP to confirm the judgment in Taiwanese courts -- or risk retaliation by foreign judges who might strip American companies of the protection of U.S. courts in overseas disputes. The appeals court rejected those arguments.

The case is Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Quanta Storage Inc., 19-20799, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (New Orleans).

(Updates with Quanta Storage comment in eighth paragraph.)

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Editor's note: This story discusses offensive racist slurs.

BENTON  In 1995, the year after Gage Peach was born, his hometown of Benton was the site of a KKK rally on the square in front of the historical Franklin County Courthouse. Peach said its shocking that happened in his lifetime.

On Saturday, Peach, now of West Frankfort, along with Kiersten Owens, of Benton, both of whom are white, organized a demonstration that drew about 60 people to that same location to call for justice and equality for black Americans. For nearly three hours, they held signs, chanted and paid respect to George Floyd, whose death in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day has sparked demonstrations across the nation in cities big and small.

With the courthouse slated to be demolished and replaced, Peach said he felt that it was important that we leave it with a good mark on history, that were all for equality. We dont want Franklin County to be known for its racism. This is more about bringing the community together more than anything else.

Joining people across the nation, hundreds have gathered across Southern Illinois in recent days to protest the death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Not unexpectedly, the largest regional demonstrations have taken place in Carbondale, which is relatively diverse  about 40% of its population is people of color. Carbondale is no stranger to hosting large marches and protests, dating back to the civil rights and Vietnam War era. And it has hosted several Black Lives Matters marches and rallies over the past few years.

What seems to distinguish this moments push for racial justice in Southern Illinois is the number of gatherings that are taking place beyond the borders of the liberal-leaning university town. Familiar rally chants of I cant breathe, no justice, no peace and black lives matter have also been ringing out in small, conservative Southern Illinois towns like Benton and Anna, which are overwhelmingly white by historical design, and have remained stubbornly racially homogeneous for generations.

I came to Carbondale as an SIU student in 1972, said Carl Flowers, who is African American and a retired Southern Illinois University professor and administrator. To see that there was a rally for the Black Lives Matter in Anna  that is one that I would have never suspected would ever, ever occur. Annas rally, organized by young adults in Union County, drew about 200 people on Thursday.

In recent days, people have also gathered in Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Sparta, Murphysboro, Du Quoin and Mounds. Mounds is a predominately African American community in Pulaski County, but the other towns are majority white.

Some of these communities  Benton, Herrin, Carterville, Anna  were sundown towns where, by official policy, black people were not allowed after dark into at least the 1960s in some cases, according to research by James W. Loewen, author of the book Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism.

Though named for the towns founder, a century or so ago, Anna became ANNA  an unofficial acronym for Aint No N------ Allowed, a clear message to African Americans that they werent welcome. In 1925, a funeral held for a Williamson County KKK leader and federal prohibition agent drew 15,000 people to Herrin, most dressed in full Klan regalia. For a period of time during this era, Carterville excluded black people from its city limits entirely  day or night. The KKK had a significant presence in Benton into at least the 1950s, according to Loewens research.

To see some of those communities also coming together is revealing that times are a-changin, Flowers said. People are realizing that all lives do matter  absolutely  but in this case, a black life should be included in all of those lives.

The organizers of the events have been local residents who said they wanted to make a difference in their small towns. Nicholas Tate, an African American from Du Quoin, said it doesnt require a big gathering to send a message of unity. He organized a one-man rally a week ago after work  and by the end of the day, about 20 others had spontaneously joined him. A second demonstration in Du Quoin took place Saturday evening at Keyes Park.

Korshawn Johnson, an African American who grew up in Williamson County, organized protests this week in Carterville and Herrin, because he said he wanted to bring the movement to places where rallies  and discussions about race relations  are less common. He also joined in the demonstration in Benton Saturday. Carterville gave me hope. Herrin gave me another level of hope. But seeing Benton and being able to come to join them, it gave me all the hope that I honestly need, he said.

William Perkins, a 74-year-old African American of Colp, said black people of his generation grew up being warned not to travel to places like Anna and Benton for their own safety.

For many decades, Perkins said the small village of Colp was among the few places where it was safe for blacks to live in Williamson County.

Perkins said the gatherings in the Williamson County towns of Marion, Carterville and Herrin last week were uplifting. Its amazing to me that theres as many whites out at these rallies in these various towns, he said. Thats just really got me. Our story is being told, in more ways than just as it relates to police.

The local demonstrations mirror those taking place in large cities across America protesting the death of Floyd. The officer who was filmed unwavering in lifting his knee from Floyds neck as he gasped for air and cried out for his mom has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; three other officers also on the scene have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Perkins said that some white people dont seem to understand what the demonstrations are about  hes heard them say justice has already been served by the arrests, and therefore theres nothing to protest. But the injustices that African Americans have endured for centuries in this country have not been rectified. Racism, Perkins said, has not gone away.

Black Americans are still underrepresented in politics and workplaces. The COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately resulted in the deaths of African Americans has highlighted long-standing health disparities. Inequities in education funding have left many majority black schools, where large numbers of students live in poverty, with few resources, while majority white suburban districts have flourished. In majority-black cities and neighborhoods across America, families often live with failing infrastructure and environmental hazards.

High-profile events like what happened to Floyd  caught on film  serve as a reminder of how far the country still has to go to create a society that is just and inclusive for people of color, Perkins said. The rallies bring more awareness to the concerns of black Americans. But making change requires a lot of hard work by people of all races once the excitement of the moment fades away.

Pepper Holder, a 71-year-old African American of Carbondale, said black Southern Illinoisans have been fighting for many years to help ensure younger people of color have equitable access to job opportunities, especially in government and taxpayer-funded contract jobs. Too many times, those efforts have fallen short because black families lack the political capital held by many of Southern Illinois white families, who havent been eager to share opportunities, especially as economies have tightened.

I am really appreciative and happy that other small towns are realizing we have a problem and that its not just Carbondale, Holder said. But what do we do to fix this problem and how do we heal? And healing would begin by giving clear history and direction to the problem. Its not going to stop until we get to the root of the problem.

While thousands of people have protested across the country without incident, in some major cities, peaceful demonstrations have given way to violence, destruction and clashes between police and protesters. Given that, some people in Southern Illinois towns unaccustomed to demonstrations acknowledged they were nervous about what might happen.

In Anna, about 15 or so people stood across the street from demonstrators Thursday evening. One public official told The Southern they were there unofficially to back up law enforcement if things got out of hand. Across Anna, people stood in front of their businesses or outside their homes, watching as the protests made their way through town.

In Carterville, Alderman Tom Harness, who is white, said he didnt know what to expect when he heard on social media about plans to have a demonstration in his small community  something that is virtually unheard of in modern times.

I was very nervous at first because, like most people, all I focused on was some of the negative impact that I was seeing in these communities, he said. As an citizen, and as an alderman, I wanted to make sure our people were safe, I wanted to make sure our businesses werent going to get destroyed.

Despite his mixed emotions, Harness said he decided to attend. It was the first racial justice rally he has ever taken part in, and he walked away feeling empowered and like he better understood the events unfolding nationally. He said he plans to stay in touch with some of the people he met to try to strategize ways to get more people of color involved in municipal affairs.

I was outside my comfort zone but I learned a lot, and I think the only way that were going to grow is if we get outside that comfort zone, Harness said.

In Benton, about a dozen or so white men stood across the courthouse from the demonstrators in front of a row of motorcycles. They are members of two motorcycle clubs  the Storm Riders and the Outlaws. Some of the demonstrators began to express concern about why they were there  and then one member of the group came over to let them know that their purpose was to keep everyone safe.

Were here to make sure the peace is kept, said a man who goes by Hardway, of West Frankfort. Another guy, who goes by Jaybo, of Marion, also chimed in: We mainly want to stop them, too, from tearing up the town like weve had in other places, he said. Weve lived here for years and were just here to protect our own and keep the peace and serve the community. They declined to provide their real names  opting instead to give their road names.

Bentons protest ended without incident, but was filled with tense moments. As a stream of cars made their way around the square, some people honked. A few stuck their arms out of their windows  some with their hands in fists, a black power fist salute acknowledging solidarity, and others with their middle fingers raised high. As the demonstrators yelled Black lives matter, one guy walking down the street yelled back, White lives matter, too, dumba--. As they yelled, I cant breathe  the words Floyd uttered on tape while pinned to the ground  the man yelled back, If I can hear you, you can breathe. This aint got nothing to do with black and white, he said as he walked off.

Two other guys on motorcycles  who were not part of the group on guard  rolled through blaring a racist David Allen Coe song about his disgust toward a white woman who sleeps with a black man. It includes the n-word and the two men sang that verse  loudly. Another guy driving by rolled down his window and told the group that they needed to look up what Black Lives Matter stands for  its a terrorist organization, he said. The Southern asked for his name and he declined, saying the paper is very liberal, anti-American and anti-white.

While the event was overwhelmingly positive, Tyler Chance, of West Frankfort, said that the negative attitudes expressed by some passersby are more pervasive in Franklin County to this day than they should be. Thats why he wanted to join in the rally.

Chance, 28, who is white, said there were no students of color in his high school graduating class. But now, he teaches high school English in a predominantly black school in St. Louis. The experience, he said, has opened his eyes to the injustices that black Americans face daily  yet too many white people in Franklin County remain silent about it, he said. Growing up in Franklin County, I saw racism all around. I see it today. Speaking up in a public way takes courage, he said, especially when it is people within ones own family who are expressing racist views. He held a sign that said, No more racist Southern Illinois. No more racist USA.

Owens, who helped organize Saturdays Benton event, said change will only come for a town with a troubled past like this one when white people make it clear that they wont tolerate racism. In a predominantly white community, your voice matters, she said to the crowd. You have to stand up for the black community. Use your voice.

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OXFORD  Rick Acevedo and his upside-down flag displaying America in distress are becoming veterans in the rallies calling for an end to police brutality and racial insensitivity.

The New Haven resident said hes been to eight in the past week.

But at Sundays rally where at least 400 people lined Oxford Road near Quarry Way, the issues hit closer to home.

Several of the minority participants were upset that, with racial tension exploding across America, a Great Oak Middle School teacher would assign a National Geographic simulation game last week requiring students to portray themselves as slaves on a pre-Civil War plantation trying to escape. Get caught and the student must start again.

Racism is taught, not learned, said Tonya Oden-McNair, who said she was one of just 75 minority families when she moved to Oxford 16 years ago. Racism needs teaching to unlearn it.

If I saw that assignment, said Denise Harris-Marshall, the mother of an Oxford High sophomore, I would have been all over the school.

I would have made sure I got an appointment with (Superintendent of Schools Jason) McKinnon, Oden-McNair said.

McKinnon told Hearst Connecticut Media on Friday that the assignment was not part of the schools social studies curriculum and he had spoken with the teacher.

While the teacher did not mean to upset any students, it was hurtful for members of our school community, the superintendent said. I did speak with the teacher, who regrets her lesson plan choices.

Some at Sundays rally like Scott Flaherty, a former selectman and current Board of Education member, commended McKinnon for immediately contacting the Rev. Audley Donaldson, an Episcopalian priest, and Paul Vivian, a Connecticut Family Resource Center program manager, and employing them to lead a digital panel discussion on diversity, stereotyping and racism.

Flaherty said he was one of the 53 participants in Fridays first virtual session.

People that logged on were very receptive, he said. I would hope this would continue into the school system.

As to the assignment, Flaherty said hes heard it was more bad timing than ill intent.

Nevertheless he believes the school board should look at the curriculum involving the Civil War.

Betsy Hellman, who ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic candidate for first selectman last November, wasnt so forgiving.

It showed extreme insensitivity and white privilege, she said. At worst it stirred up racism.

Hellman wondered how this was allowed to happen.

When we are teaching World War II, do we have our students playing prisoners trying to flee from a Nazi concentration camp? Never in a million years would that happen, she said. This shows a need that our entire school system needs to go through diversity training.

Teisha Higgins wonders too what the young teacher was thinking.

I dont think her mentor had to tell her whats appropriate and whats not appropriate, Higgins said. I would think anyone who is hired to educate students that their thought process would be more open and diverse.

You learn lessons from your mistakes, she said. I think she should be fired. Thats how you learn a lesson.

But Savie John, who grew up in apartheid South Africa, was less demanding.

We dont know why she chose this lesson at this time, John said.

Vincent OBanner, a retired black police officer, said he still cant believe he saw George Floyd die under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer or Brionna Taylor being shot to death when Louisville police mistakenly burst into the wrong home during a drug raid two months ago.

OBanner said he believes public servants who act wrongly should be disciplined; otherwise, it sends the wrong message to young people.

If they know the behavior will go unpunished then it becomes accepted, he said.

As to the teacher, OBanner said: One of my first questions to her would be what was she trying to teach and convey. What was the purpose of the assignment?

Looking at the crowd of 400 lining Oxford Road and holding signs that read: Racism is a Pandemic; Respect Existence or Expect Resistance and Pro Black Isnt Anti-White, served as a flashback to 60 years earlier, OBanner said.

We were marching back in the 1960s for equality, he said. Here we are in 2020 demanding action for the same issues. Why must we still be here?

Sundays rally was organized by the towns Democratic Town Committee and coordinated by Nicole Dykstra and Hellmans daughter, Kate.

Im blown away by the support we received from the Oxford and Naugatuck Valley communities, Dykstra said. We tried to encourage everyone to be as peaceful as possible and to avoid engaging any opposition. Im so impressed by everyone.

Just before 2 p.m., Acevedo, along with his inverted flag which he had furiously waved earlier, quietly dispersed with the others.

For him, tomorrow will be another day and maybe another rally.
KALAMAZOO -- Hundreds of people gathered at Bronson Park in Kalamazoo on Saturday for a protest against violence and injustice.

Black Lives Matter: Pride, which was put together by several local organizers, brought hundreds of people downtown on Saturday, June 6, to march against police violence and justice for unheard voices.

The protest was centered around voices from Kalamazoos LGBTQ community.

Marshall Kilgore, who is a candidate for the Kalamazoo Public School Board, spoke Saturday afternoon in support of gay and transgender black people affected by violence and police brutality.

The folks who live between the intersections of the LGBT community and the African American community are often hit the hardest, said Kilgore, who is black and identifies as bisexual.

Following the directions of Kilgore, who addressed the protesters as they arrived, the crowd marched the downtown streets, chanting support for George Floyd, who died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin continued to kneel on his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed, screaming I cant breathe."

Saturdays protest was part of a wave of demonstrations in Kalamazoo and across the state triggered by Floyds death, as protesters around the country demand officials hold police officers accountable. All four officers involved in Floyds arrest that led to his death have been fired. Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyds neck, was charged with second-degree murder, and the three others with aiding and abetting murder.

As protesters marched down West Michigan Avenue, some motorists, obstructed by the crowd, raised their fists in solidarity, chanting, Black lives matter. Some held signs with messages like Rewrite history books" and Rest in power or Defund the police.

Demonstrators who came to Bronson Park received free bottles of water and snacks. Some carried water bottles supplied by donation, passing them out to protesters as they marched through the Kalamazoo Mall. One of the people providing water and snacks at Saturdays protest was Kalamazoo musician Megan Dooley.

To look at this crowd of people, who are not only supportive of Black Lives Matter, but the LGBTQ+ movement as well, together they are some of the most marginalized people ever and its important they know that they are a part of our community. Thats why its very important for me to be down here right now, Dooley said.

Underneath a canopy at Bronson Park near Academy Street, Dooley helped collect and distribute bottles of water, fruit and granola bars to protesters as they walked by.

People are walking on the streets, its hot and they need a place to stay hydrated and get a snack so they can keep going and keep fighting against injustice," Dooley said.

As the march made its way down West South Street back toward Bronson Park, Kalamazoo County Vice Chairperson Tracy Hall and County Commissioner Stephanie Moore took the stage to speak to the large crowd.

Hall, who is gay, spoke about the Stonewall riots while on stage  the series of riots that happened in 1969 after New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Manhattans, which is now recognized globally as a symbol of LGBTQ rights.

Im an ally to the black community and I couldnt imagine what its like to be in your shoes, Hall said. "For that I commit to all of you, as an elected official to do better.

Moore held her granddaughters hand while speaking to hundreds at Bronson Park following the march. She led the demonstration in chants of Gay lives matter, Lesbian lives matter" and Trans lives matter."

We know we have been living through generations of discrimination, bias, racism, sexism. We know it continues to erupt every time something happens, but I want you all to know, that as we raise our fists for Black Lives Matter, we also raise our fists for equality, we can not have equity without equality," Moore said.

Speaking on stage, Moore said she joins protester in demanding justice and fairness for every person in every community across the country, regardless of who someone loves or the color of their skin.

One of the members of the crowd on Saturday was Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller, who joined in with the chants of Black Lives Matter led by the speakers on stage.

Im out here with our community to make sure that theyre safe, making sure the people are allowed to protest and to make sure they have a voice, Fuller said.

After the crowd listened to speakers, Kalamazoo resident Trinity Posey led the second march from Bronson Park toward South Park Street and down West Michigan Avenue.

You do not get to remain silent if youre part of the LGBT community, we need radical change. We need to accept the intersection of our identities, Posey said.

As Posey led the crowd down West Michigan Avenue, motorists held signs and raised fists in solidarity, as protesters with bikes blocked traffic to clear the way for the hundreds of marchers.

Saturdays protest comes after others that occurred in Kalamazoo last weekend and during the day Monday. Monday night, the otherwise peaceful protests were followed by overnight vandalism that police claimed was caused by outside agitators.

People came downtown to protest Tuesday but were tear-gassed by police because of a 7 p.m. curfew imposed by city officials that has was lifted on Wednesday. Since the curfew was canceled Wednesday afternoon, there have been no reports of unrest in Kalamazoo.

Also on MLive:

Several hundred march in student-led protest against police brutality in Kalamazoo

Law office provides guidance to Kalamazoo protesters on site

Businesses stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter movement after Kalamazoo vandalism
YPSILANTI, MI  Thousands of people packed the streets of downtown Ypsilanti Saturday afternoon to protest police brutality and support Black Lives Matter.

Many kneeled with Ypsilanti Police Chief Tony DeGiusti for a moment of silence.

Starting in front of the Ypsilanti District Library, 229 W. Michigan Ave., the protest started with speakers addressing the crowd, which flooded into Michigan Avenue between Washington and Adams Street. Event organizer Terril Cotton said he was overwhelmed by the number of people who showed up and the support from the community.

Black lives matter protest underway in downtown Ypsilanti. Posted by The Ann Arbor News on Saturday, June 6, 2020

At the beginning of the protest, community members spoke about several topics including voting, ancestry and police brutality. One of the speakers  Quentin Carter, of Ypsilanti  said he was wrongfully handcuffed by three police officers.

Im tired of being afraid, Carter told the crowd. We need a change... Now, its time we need to make a change. We need to stand up for our people."

Cotton led the protest through the streets of downtown Ypsilanti. Chants of no justice, no peace and I cant breathe were led by protesters with bullhorns and snare drums. The group eventually stopped at the Ypsilanti Police Department building.

Standing on the steps of the building was Ypsilanti Police Chief Tony DeGiusti, who answered questions and concerns from the crowd.

We know theres a lot that needs to be done, and we are committed to doing the work with you, together, DeGiusti told the crowd.

Protesters, however, wanted more. Many asked for DeGiusti to post the departments policies on social media so the community can work together with the department to create change, especially when it comes to police profiling.

Darthenia Dottie Chambers took exception to the fact that DeGiusti had his gun on his hip during the conversation and asked DeGiusti if he thought that made her feel safe.

How are you doing your job? If Im scared of you, how are you doing your job? Chambers asked DeGiusti.

Someone asked DeGiusti what he thought about what the four Minneapolis police officers did to George Floyd, who died after an officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

What those officers did is criminal, DeGiusti told the crowd.

As the conversation carried on, protesters asked DeGiusti to kneel with them in a moment of silence for Floyd and others who were victims of police brutality. He and the protesters knelt for a few moments.

Ypsilanti police chief Tony DeGiusti kneels with protesters and shakes hands with a few during protests outside the Ypsi Police department building. @MLive @annarbornews pic.twitter.com/WR7rxfJMNb  Steve Marowski (@Steve_Marowski) June 6, 2020

After the conversation was over, the protesters marched back toward the library. Chambers said she had both a good feeling and a sad feeling knowing that this is something that has been happening for generations.

I feel wonderful to see us come together, but I wish it wasnt something like this that had to bring us together, Chambers said. Like I tell everyone, change requires change, and until that happens, nothing is going to happen.

Read more on MLive:

Anti police brutality march attracts Ann Arbor police, Washtenaw sheriff and Jim Harbaugh

Protesters look to show Howell is not what it used to be in Black Lives Matter demonstration

Detroit protesters march to site where 1967 riot began in recognition of historic struggle

White people: do something, Ann Arbor protest organizer says during march through neighborhoods
Travel agents in Vietnam have been introducing such new services as private transport and tour guides to meet rising local demand following the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic.

With these new services, travelers will have a more convenient travel experience while having full control of their time, according to a representative of Vietravel.

The services are quite common in other countries but are still fresh in Vietnam, he continued, adding that they would help solve many problems regarding transportation that tourists face during their trips.

As the country restarts its tourist sector after the COVID-19 epidemic, free and easy tours, which include only flight tickets and accommodations, have become increasingly preferred by Vietnamese travelers.

Private transport and tour guide services are thus very suitable for being integrated into such tours, the representative explained.

Saigontourist also reported a similar trend, with nearly 2,100 free and easy tours sold since the beginning of June.

The travel agent has offered tours lasting for two to three nights which include accommodations at premium hotels and resorts in popular destinations such as Phu Quoc, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, and Da Nang, with prices starting from VND2.39 million (US$102) per guest.

According to Lai Minh Duy, general director of TST Tourist Company, local travel agents have rolled out small tours for this summer, which can start with a minimum of eight guests.

"Businesses are trying to add retail services and help their customers complete certain parts of their journey, namely hotel check-in, restaurant service, air tickets, and sightseeing tickets," Duy elaborated.

We are committed to providing services with the best quality.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
New Delhi: The National General Secretary of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Madhav on Sunday (June 7, 2020) said there wont be any compromise on border dispute with China.

Madhav while talking at India's DNA E-Conclave of Zee News said, "India is not ready to compromise even on a single inch of Line of Actual Control (LAC) land."

He said the Modi-led government's policy is of 'proactive diplomacy for strong ground positioning'.

He further said the border dispute with China will be resolved through peaceful discussions and the India-China relations and mutual understanding have bettered in the past 5-6 years.

Madhav while referring to the Sino-Indian war in 1962 said, "The world including China knows that 2020s India is different from 1962's India."

He said that we have witnessed PM Modi's and Chinese President Xi Jinping's mutual understanding during the Wuhan summit and Jinping's visit to Mahabalipuram (Chennai).



"I'm sure the recent dispute will end soon," said Madhav.

The senior BJP leader also commented on people banning Chinese products and said, The government hasnt started any campaign and citizens are boycotting Chinese products according to their sentiments. It has also been sparked by the recent India-China standoffs in Ladakh.

Earlier yesterday (June 6), senior military commanders of India and China held crucial talks at Moldo (opposite Chushul in eastern Ladakh) in order to defuse the mounting tension along the border.

The India delegation was led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps while Major General Liu Lin, Commander of the South Xinjiang military region, led the Chinese side.

"A meeting was held between the Corps Commander based in Leh and the Chinese Commander on June 6, 2020 in the Chushul-Moldo region. It 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 are essential for the overall development of bilateral relations," Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today.

"Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship. Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas," added the statement.

Ram Madhav while talking at the #IndiaKaDNA Conclave also talked about Jammu and Kashmir and said a large number of terrorists have been killed in the recently formed Union Territory.

There has been a decrease in the numbers of Kashmiri youth becoming terrorists, stated Madhav.

Ram Madhav who had a big role in forming the BJP-PDP government in Kashmir before Mehbooba Mufti-led government withdrew support, said that people in Jammu and Kashmir want development and that the image of Kashmir has now been changed.

Madhav also shared his views on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Tammy Hembrow has revealed her coronavirus scare after traveling to Italy for a fashion show in late February, just before the country was put on lockdown.

The 26-year-old ignored her father's advice to stay home and jetted overseas on February 21 to attend German designer Philipp Plein's No Limits show.

She then returned to the Gold Coast several days later with a sore throat and cough, and struggled to get tested for the virus as her family feared for her health.

Scare: Tammy Hembrow (pictured) has revealed her coronavirus scare after traveling to Italy for a fashion show in late February, just before the country was put on lockdown

Tammy discussed her coronavirus scare on the latest episode of family podcast Hanging with the Hembrows, alongside sisters Amy and Emilee.

'I came back from Italy right before it got really bad there. A week later, Italy was on lockdown. I lost my voice, but that always happens after I travel. I went to the hospital to ease everyone's mind and they wouldn't test me,' said Tammy.

'I literally always lose my voice and get a sore throat after I travel on an aeroplane.'

'I thought he was being overprotective': The 26-year-old ignored her father's advice to stay home and jetted to Europe on February 21 to attend Philipp Plein's show (pictured there)

'Always lose my voice flying': She then returned to the Gold Coast several days later with a sore throat and cough, and struggled to get tested for the virus as her family feared for her health

It wasn't until a couple of weeks later, as coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11, that testing became more readily available in Australia.

'We all wanted you to get tested,' responded Tammy's sister Emilee, 28, adding that their father, actor Mark Hembrow, advised her not to take the trip to Italy.

Tammy reflected: 'Remember when dad was like, "Tam, you should not go there". I thought he was just being overprotective, as usual.

'It's so sad, there's been so many people dying, it's so insane. The amount of people that are sick and dying is so crazy. Australia has it way better than a lot of places.'

'There's been so many people dying': Tammy discussed her scare on the latest episode of her podcast Hanging with the Hembrows, alongside sisters Amy (pictured) and Emilee

Tammy self-isolated from coronavirus at her Gold Coast mansion with her two children, Wolf and Saskia, and admits to struggling.

'I was so up and down when we first started having to stay home. One day I'd be so emotional and want to cry for no reason, then I'd be better,' she said.

'It was such a weird situation, adjusting.'

At present, 33,846 people have died from COVID-19 in Italy, with over 235,000 confirmed cases. Australia has had 7,253 confirmed cases and 102 deaths.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 7, 2020 - 23:35 | All, Japan

A bloc of assembly members opposed to relocating a key U.S. military base within Okinawa retained a majority in Sunday's prefectural election.

The result mirrors strong local sentiment against the push by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government to keep U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the prefecture by completing a replacement facility for the facility in the Henoko coastal district in Nago.

With the majority, Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki will be in a stronger position to oppose the central government's plan to move the base, which is considered to pose a danger to local residents given its current location in a densely populated area of Ginowan.

Many residents have long hoped for the Futenma base to be moved outside of Okinawa, which accounts for about 70 percent of the total acreage exclusively used by U.S. military facilities in Japan, despite the prefecture only representing 0.6 percent of the country's land.

Sunday's contest was the first prefectural assembly election since Tamaki became governor in October 2018 on a platform of opposition to the transfer plan. But voter turnout was the lowest ever, at 46.96 percent.

His predecessor, Takeshi Onaga, whose death triggered the gubernatorial election, was also a staunch opponent of the base relocation plan.

Before the election, the bloc supporting Tamaki, which includes parties in opposition at the national level such as the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, held 26 out of the assembly's 48 seats.

Parties not allied with the governor, such as Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito party, held 20 seats, while two seats were vacant.

Related coverage:

Q&A: Why is the U.S. air base relocation in Okinawa so contentious?

Okinawa base transfer costs to more than double to 930 bil. yen

Okinawa marks 48th reversion anniv. as pandemic cancels base protests

Among the 64 candidates for the 48 seats up for grabs, 12 were elected unopposed on May 29 when official campaigning began. Out of the 12, seven were from the bloc backing Tamaki, while five were from the LDP.

Another focus of the election had been Tamaki's response to the new coronavirus pandemic, which has inflicted severe damage on the tourism industry, one of the main pillars of the subtropical island prefecture's economy.

The base concentration is a legacy of the U.S. occupation of Okinawa from the end of World War II to 1972.

Local residents have repeatedly shown their opposition to keeping the Futenma base in Okinawa in past elections, including the 2018 gubernatorial race. In a prefectural referendum in February last year, more than 70 percent of voters rejected the relocation plan, although the result was not binding on the central government.

But the Abe administration continues to stick to the plan, maintaining it is "the only solution" for removing the dangers posed by the Futenma base without undermining the deterrence provided by the Japan-U.S. security alliance.

In recent years, the feud between the prefectural and central governments has evolved into legal battles. No court, however, has ruled in favor of the prefecture and the central government's plan to proceed with construction work was given a boost after the Supreme Court ruled against Okinawa in December 2016 in a dispute over whether preliminary landfill work can go ahead.

The central government has been proceeding with the landfill work offshore on a full-fledged basis since December 2018. The Defense Ministry expects construction of the new base to take 12 years in total.
By Aidan Lewis and Nadine Awadalla CAIRO (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised government attempted to make new advances on Saturday against the forces of retreating eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who stood by in Cairo as his ally, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, proposed a ceasefire. Forces of the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) advanced into the central coastal city of Sirte, they and residents said, though the eastern forces said they had driven them back. In a series of rapid victories, the GNA has, with Turkish support, suddenly brought most of northwest Libya back under its control, dashing Haftar's bid to unite the country by force with help from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia

By Aidan Lewis and Nadine Awadalla

CAIRO (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised government attempted to make new advances on Saturday against the forces of retreating eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who stood by in Cairo as his ally, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, proposed a ceasefire.

Forces of the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) advanced into the central coastal city of Sirte, they and residents said, though the eastern forces said they had driven them back.

In a series of rapid victories, the GNA has, with Turkish support, suddenly brought most of northwest Libya back under its control, dashing Haftar's bid to unite the country by force with help from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.

Appearing at a news conference in Cairo alongside Sisi, Haftar agreed to a new political initiative that analysts say could dilute his power in his eastern home territory and may demonstrate the impatience of his foreign backers.

The GNA seemed poised to reject Egypt's proposals, which included a ceasefire from Monday and a longer-term peace plan, but its war with Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east still seems far from over.

Both sides' foreign backers may be unwilling to curtail efforts to expand their regional ambitions. The LNA still controls the east as well as most of Libya's oil fields in the south.

Libya has had no stable central authority since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown by NATO-backed rebels in 2011 and has been split since 2014 between rival administrations in east and west.

Speaking alongside Haftar and Aguila Saleh, the head of the eastern Libyan parliament, Sisi proposed a plan that includes talks in Geneva, the election of a leadership council, the disbanding of militias and the exit of all foreign fighters from Libya.

In brief comments, Haftar said he hoped Sisi could make "urgent and effective efforts to compel Turkey to completely stop the transfer of weapons and mercenaries to Libya". The UAE was quick to state its support for Saturday's declaration.

But Khaled al-Meshri, head of the GNA-aligned legislative assembly, said Libyans had no need for new initiatives and rejected Haftar's attempt to return to negotiations after military defeat, according to Al Jazeera.

DIVISIVE FIGURE

Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs said the Egyptian plan was aimed at "cutting Haftar down to size" by expanding Saleh's role.

Haftar is a deeply divisive figure whose latest offensive has upended a U.N.-led peace process. It is unclear how much traction any initiative proposed by him or his allies can gain.

Numerous attempts to establish truces and a return to negotiations have foundered, though the United Nations has started holding separate ceasefire talks with both sides.

Egyptian-led efforts to unify Libya's military have also stalled in the past over Haftar's demand to be supreme commander, diplomats say.

Since Thursday, the LNA has lost its last footholds in Tripoli and its most important northwestern stronghold, the town of Tarhouna. On Saturday morning, GNA forces continued their advance as the LNA retreated from al-Washka, west of Sirte.

GNA forces are likely to keep going until they meet resistance, said Tarek Megerisi, a Libya analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"Right now, military voices are ascendant and supported by a fear that Haftar and the UAE will exploit any truce to consolidate and launch counter-attacks," he said.

(Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy and Mohamed Waly in Cairo, Ayman al-Sahly in Misrata and Hani Amara in Istanbul; Writing by Aidan Lewis and Angus McDowall; Editing by Kevin Liffey and James Drummond)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Amuls Twitter account was briefly blocked after the company shared a carton which called for a boycott of Chinese products. Now, after the handle was restored, the company has pinned the tweet on their profile so that this is the first tweet anyone visiting the companys Twitter profile will see.

The handle shared an image of the iconic Amul girl engaged in a confrontation with a red dragon. In the image, the logo of a popular Chinese video sharing platform is also visible from behind the dragon. The caption, Exit the dragon, is boldly written on the top of the image, while the words Amul, made in India can be seen on the bottom right corner.

The company shared the image with a caption saying, About the boycott of Chinese products...

The image shows the pinned tweet on Amuls profile. (Twitter/@Amul_Coop)

When our advertising agency shared this ad on the night of June 4, they learnt through a forward that our Twitter account was blocked, Managing Director R S Sodhi of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, owner of Amul, told PTI. When we requested Twitter for re-activation, the account was restored, he added.

Twitter is yet to respond why they blocked the account.

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This bug can be used to find a WhatsApp user's other social media accounts.

WhatsApp has a host of features in its arsenal that make it errrrres has a bug that makes a WhatsApp users phone number appear in Google Search results.

Bug-bounty hunter Athul Jayaram told Threatpost that a bug in WhatsApps Click to Chat feature was putting the phone numbers of the users of the social messaging site at a risk by allowing Google Search to index them. This in turn would allow anyone to search for users phone numbers on the web thereby putting them at a great privacy risk.

To give you some brief information about the feature, Click to Chat allows users to initiate a WhatsApp chat with another user without saving their phone numbers in the senders address books. This allows websites to interact with their visitors without having the visitor to dial in the phone number.

Now, Jayaram says that the phone numbers of the visitors who use this feature to connect with websites can show up in Google Search results as the search indexes the features metadata. The bug bounty hunter says that users phone numbers are visible in plain text in the URL -- https://wa.me/<phone_number> -- making it easier for scammers to compile a list of legitimate phone numbers. He has found 300,000 indexed on Google for far.

As individual phone numbers are leaked, an attacker can message them, call them, sell their phone numbers to marketers, spammers, scammers, he said in a statement to the publication.

Furthermore, Jayaram said that since WhatsApp identifies only phone numbers, Google Search revealed just the phone numbers, and not the identities of the users of the social messaging site. However, this information can be used to access users profiles

Through the WhatsApp profile, they can see the profile photo of the user, and do a reverse-image search to find their other social-media accounts and discover a lot more about [a targeted individual], he added.

The researcher discovered the bug on May 23 following which he contacted Facebook via its bug-bounty program. However, the company responded by saying that WhatsApp was not covered in the companys data abuse program.

While we appreciate this researchers report and value the time that he took to share it with us, it did not qualify for a bounty since it merely contained a search engine index of URLs that WhatsApp users chose to make public. All WhatsApp users, including businesses, can block unwanted messages with the tap of a button, WhatsApp said in a statement to the publication.
After almost 70 days, residents of Nizamuddin Basti could step out their locality, as the Delhi government on Sunday scaled down the containment measures.

The Basti was declared a containment zone on March 30, days after close to 2,000 people were evacuated from the Tablighi Jamaat headquarters.

According to Delhi government officials, the area continued to be a containment zone for this long as a middle-aged woman tested positive on May 5.

As per Delhi government officials, no case has been reported in the last 28 days and they decided to de-seal the area.

Mohd Yamin, secretary of the Hazarat Nizamuddin Council, said, We are thankful to the government for listening to us and de-sealing the area. With mosques being allowed to open from Monday, we are happy that now we can go and offer prayers.

DEFENCE COLONY

But just a few kilometres away, a lane comprising 11 houses in Defence Colony was declared a containment zone on Sunday. Many residents in the area questioned the decision to declare such a small area a containment zone.

According to a senior Delhi police official aware of the development, There are 7-8 cases reported from the lane. There are two houses where there is more number of cases.

The area was declared a containment zone after Covid-19 cases were reported from households in C block. As per the order passed by Harleen Kaur, district magistrate of South East Delhi, public movement in the lane has been restricted.

Col (retd) Ranjit Singh, the president of the Defence Colony RWA, said, There are about 14 people in these three homes, of which two are in hospital and rest are quarantined at home. Several sanitisation measures are being taken in the area.

Kum Kum Malhotra, a resident of C-block, said she is in home-quarantine after her sister tested positive on May 29. Her sister was admitted to a hospital in Gurugram on May 30. I dont know why this area has been declared a containment zone. We have been in home quarantine ever since my sister tested positive. She has almost recovered and will be home soon. I hope they scale down the measures soon, Malhotra said.

Malhotra said her sister must have got the infection from their driver, who is in home quarantine after he tested positive. There are seven members in our family. While my sister tested positive, the rest have all tested negative for Covid-19, she said.

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The growing outrage over anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in Canadian policing  reflected in higher use-of-force rates, higher arrest rates, over-representation in jails and prisons and failure to investigate crimes particularly when the victims are Indigenous women and girls  has renewed the public push for reforms.

But what should they be?

Solutions have been offered in dozens of reports, including from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, judicial reviews, the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry and numerous inquests including into the fatal police shooting of Andrew Loku, a 45-year-old Black man, in 2015.

Some recommendations, like better training, are predictable and long-standing. Others, like the push by activists for defunding the police, are gathering steam in an unprecedented way.

Here are eight police reforms being called for in Canada and how effective they could be in reducing bias and increasing accountability:

Defunding the police

Over the past few decades, police have been given more and more responsibility while social services including mental health supports have seen funding cuts, said Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Toronto who researches race and policing.

We increasingly have police dealing with issues of poverty and homelessness, he said. Police have also become first responders to mental health issues.

Proponents of defunding police services  by cutting their budgets and reducing their responsibilities  say more frequent interactions with officers increase the criminalization of Black, Indigenous and vulnerable people and the likelihood of a violent encounter, particularly in cases of a mental health crisis. When we ask the police to address issues they are inequipped to address, then we are funding them to fail, Owusu-Bempah said, paraphrasing one of his students.

Police have also increasingly become involved in youth programming and crime prevention initiatives that could be better done by non-police organizations, he said.

Until recently, calls to defund police have had limited mainstream appeal. Police budgets remain the most expensive line items in many cities budgets, including in Toronto, where the budget is more than $1 billion.

Advocates say these budgets should be cut and the money invested instead in mental health responses and in addressing the root causes of crime. For Sandy Hudson, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto, it means ultimately replacing the police with something different rather than continuing to try and reform a fundamentally broken institution.

More independent civilian oversight

In Ontario, there are two main external oversight bodies for police: The Special Investigations Unit, which investigates incidents involving police where there is a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault, and the Office of the Independent Police Review Director which handles public complaints against police.

In 2017 the Tulloch report into independent police oversight recommended the OIPRD investigate all public conduct complaints itself rather than the more common practice of referring them back to the professional standards unit of the police force where the complaint originated. Independent investigation would help foster public trust in not only the complaints system, but policing more generally, the report stated.

This recommendation is not among the changes made to the OIPRD under Premier Doug Fords Community Safety and Policing Act, which was passed last year but is not yet in effect.

The new Law Enforcement Complaints Agency will handle complaints pertaining to chiefs or deputy chiefs and complaints determined to be in the public interest internally but continue to send other complaints to the originating police service or another police service.

The value of civilian oversight comes from being independent from police, said Kate Puddister, an assistant professor at the University of Guelph who researches police oversight. If the body tasked with investigating complaints against the police simply sends them back to the very same police service, the goals of civilian oversight are compromised, she said.

Meanwhile, the SIU suffers from a significant public trust problem, the Tulloch review found. Since the report, some changes have been made, including that reports are now released where no charges are laid and that the SIU must be notified when an officer fires a gun at a person.

But the Ford governments new legislation also narrows the watchdogs mandate. Police will no longer be required to notify the SIU in the cases of deaths such as a suicide or from a heart attack, unless the police chief reasonably believes that an officers conduct may have been a contributing factor in the incident. This is a controversial change that some have warned could lead to confusion about when the SIU should be notified.

For the watchdog to function, it must both have the tools to hold police accountable and be seen by the community as fulfilling this responsibility, Puddister said. The public needs to understand the nature of the investigations by SIU and the evidence from which SIU makes its decision either or not to substantiate charges against police officers.

Puddister noted that the SIU has issued more frequent updates than normal on the high-profile investigation into the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell from the balcony of a High Park apartment building in the presence of Toronto police officers. She hopes the same can be done for other cases.

More training

This is a frequent, almost inevitable, recommendation in reports and inquests. Millions in funding for unconscious-bias training for police was part of the federal Liberal election platform (a spokesperson for the Minister of Public Safety did not say how much money had been allocated to this so far).

In Ontario, the Ontario Human Rights Commission has released a detailed report on what training to combat racial profiling should include. Many police forces, including the Toronto police service, already have mandatory annual bias and diversity training. The Ontario Police College also includes training on bias, which the Ontario Human Rights Commission has said should include the impacts of under-policing on Indigenous communities.

But, Hudson said, more training is not the answer. I dont know what additional training we havent thought of yet that could possibly be implemented that is going to change things now in 2020, she said.

More diversity

Police forces have been criticized for failing to reflect the communities they serve  and for the fact that many officers live in other cities than the ones they police.

Diversity in a police force is important for two reasons, said Owusu-Bempah. A diverse workforce would ensure the only interactions a police officer has with a Black or Indigenous person are not through policing. It also means more people will see themselves reflected in the institutions.

But diversity means little if police cultures and police mandates dont change, he said. We cant expect a Black officer, in an organization that is slow to change, to address broad societal issues.

More transparency

Advocates have long called for better access to officers disciplinary records as a measure for public accountability. The OIPRD posts tribunal decisions on public complaints in a searchable database on its website, but this does not include complaints resolved in other ways and does not include internal records of misconduct that do not go before the police tribunal. Full disciplinary records are rarely released publicly other than through civil cases or inquests  unlike in some U.S. cities like Minneapolis where a summary of an officers disciplinary history is publicly available.

Similarly, some U.S. police forces release the names of officers involved in fatal shootings. In Ontario, officers who are investigated but not charged by the Special Investigations Unit are not named. Their identities are also often only revealed through inquests and civil cases. Criminal defence lawyers have also called for better access to disciplinary records and a more transparent process to identify police officers who have been found to have lied in court.

More data

The Toronto Police now has a policy mandating the collection of race-based data, which currently is limited only to use-of-force incidents but will expand in the future to include stops and arrests.

The data collection was part of a push by several advocates and the Ontario Human Rights Commission following inquiries into racial profiling and findings of disproportionate use-of-force against Black people in Toronto. The data is to be used to ensure racial disparities are documented and addressed. It could also allow patterns involving specific officers to be detected.

Similar policies may be adopted at other police forces, said Owusu-Bempah, who was involved in developing the Toronto policy. But, he said, there needs to be caution in monitoring the quality of the data, including how it is being collected. The data also needs to be publicly accessible and updated on a frequent basis, he said.

More technology

There are growing calls for police forces in Ontario to use body cameras, and Toronto police Mark Saunders has announced he will be fast-tracking their deployment. But there is mixed evidence when it comes to how useful they are for police accountability and reducing use of force.

Hudson and others have said the significant investment that would be required may not be worth the cost when that money could be spent in community programs. Police investment in additional and controversial surveillance measures, such as Stingrays and facial recognition technology, have had broad privacy implications and should also be reconsidered, Hudson added.

Fewer weapons:

As with defunding the police, the push to reduce police reliance on both lethal and non-lethal weapons is growing. Advocates for disarming police, including limiting the use of guns, Tasers and other weapons, often point to the U.K. and other jurisdictions where police officers are not typically armed with a gun.

Hudson said there should be an examination of police budgets to see how much money is being spent on weapons and what is being bought. Why are we allowing the police to arm themselves when that does not increase our safety, she said.

With files from Jacob Lorinc, Wendy Gillis, Jennifer Pagliaro, Jim Rankin and Douglas Quan
Harold Brathwaite was a trailblazer in education.

In 1994, he was the first Black person in the country to become a director of education  and he was also the first, and only, director in Ontario to implement an anti-racism plan soon after, even though the Mike Harris government of the day had scrapped it.

The award-winning educator is remembered by colleagues as an inspiration, role model and mentor who continued to advocate for youth even after his retirement in 2002. Brathwaite won numerous awards, a high school in Brampton was named in his honour and in 2006 he received the Order of Ontario.

Brathwaite passed away on May 31, a day before his 80th birthday, after a short battle with cancer.

There was no question he became the strongest advocate for addressing the issue of equity as it related to Black students in the schools, said Lloyd McKell, who worked with Brathwaite at the Toronto public board in the 1980s where Brathwaite was a senior superintendent.

What became important for many of us  those in the trenches with students and parents and communities dealing with issues relating to race  it was very important to have at the senior table a strong advocate that provided a voice at the leadership table. There is no question Harold became that advocate.

McKell, who later became an executive officer of equity in the Toronto District School Board, said conversations about race were very uncomfortable for leaders within the school system ... people werent used to talking about race in an open and frank way, and secondly, I dont think there was at that time, in the 1980s, broad acceptance that there was racism in the school system.

Brathwaite, he added, helped to make sure that those discussions were not swept under the rug.

Former Toronto councillor and civic leader Gordon Cressy said the two were friends for 40 years and described Brathwaite as a gentle giant.

Cressy, who spoke at Brathwaites funeral, said he was instrumental in arranging for Nelson Mandela to speak to 40,000 schoolchildren at the SkyDome during a 1998 visit.

More recently, Cressy and Brathwaite were among a small group  the elders  five years ago who helped change Toronto Mayor John Torys position on carding, a practice that disproportionately impacted the Black community.

I always viewed Harold as my hero, Cressy said, adding that Brathwaite was a social justice warrior who didnt often operate in the loud, he operated in the quiet and got things done.

Brathwaite grew up in Barbados and attended universities in Jamaica and France before moving to Canada in 1968 to earn a masters degree in French at McMaster University and his teaching degree at McArthur College (Queens University). He worked in Halton and Toronto before moving to Peel to lead the board.

Charles Pascal, an education professor and former deputy minister of education under the NDP government of Bob Rae, said that in 1993 that ministry created a guide for boards on anti-racism and equity policies and was working to implement the plan.

When the Conservative Mike Harris government was elected in 1995, the plan was to be presented to a cabinet committee. But they were told that the slides and activities relating to anti-racism, access and equity were not on, to get rid of it all, Pascal said.

I left (as deputy minister) shortly after and in about two months all of it was shut down and boards were asked to forget it. After that, Pascal recalled, Brathwaite called me up and said, I will implement and carry on in Peel no matter what the government says.

Harold was an extraordinary combination of grace, vision and courage, added Pascal, now at the University of Torontos Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

After retiring from Peel, Brathwaite headed the Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund, became senior adviser to the president of Seneca College, helped former premier Dalton McGuinty transition into office and later became the executive director of the Retired Teachers of Ontario.

In 2006, Brathwaite headed a provincial task force examining student achievement and discipline by race, gender, first language, parental education and income.

Annie Kidder, executive director of People for Education, said on social media that Brathwaite was one of the advocacy groups first board members, and that he was an inspired and inspiring educational leader  he fought hard against systemic racism.

Jason Kandankery, principal of Nelson Mandela Park Public School in Toronto, knew of Brathwaite and his work before they met.

Brathwaite was an excellent example of an affirmative representation of a Black man in Canada, someone that was a real trailblazer, an inspiration for students, staff and the community, who was able to get things done, he said.

For me, as a young administrator, when I started 10 years ago, I saw him as a real beacon of hope, someone I could try and emulate.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his family held a small service last week, but say a larger memorial will be held when it is safe to do so.

Brathwaite leaves partner Christine Shain, and daughters Jennifer and Michelle.

Daughters tribute

In tribute to her late father Harold, Jennifer Brathwaite has rewritten Rudyard Kiplings classic poem, If:

If

If you can start life from humble beginnings, three siblings, two parents, and a modest house on an island in the Caribbean Sea,

If you can not let those beginnings stop you, but view them as the integral foundation of who youd come to be,

If you can go from the original home-schooling; learning to read, write and all your tables at your mothers sleeve,

To being the top student at the top high school in the country, and have that be only the start of all you will achieve,

If you can leave the shores of that small island for Jamaica, then Lyon, finally Canada and make this second home the setting of your symphony,

Your art not being music, but the field of education, and your legacy being people elevated through your ability,

If you can do these things while facing unpleasant challenges, like racism and ignorance from different crowds,

And not let it make you angry or bitter, but use it to fuel more success ... back straight, head unbowed.

If throughout your life you never meet a stranger, just a potential friend dressed as a stranger in disguise,

If you find the positive or the lesson in most situations, and with internal strength focus on the blue and not grey skies,

If you can rise to heights of great esteem, winning awards almost too many to count,

But still treat every person  government official to custodian  with equal respect and kind account,

If you can love your friends and family with happy enthusiasm, sharing mangoes, bagels, and savory treats as much as laughs,

If you can be father, uncle, and big brother  mentor and mischief maker  while holding each of those staffs

If you can throw your head back in hilarity, when recalling memories from a slightly misspent youth,

And show that though a man theres still some little boy there, and bring others joy with that light truth,

If you can have daughters, but no sons, and make it clear to you such things dont matter,

If you can fish with one, play cards with the other, and make each event personal and filled with laughter,

Then If you can then take alllll of these together, and do it over your whole life, beginning to end,

You wont just be a man, I can promise you, instead, youll be our Dad, and friend.

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Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: Trial of clothing or accessories has been banned in shopping malls in Telangana, while religious places would not see any offerings like prasadam or holy water when all of these open on Monday after almost a three month gap due to the coronavirus lockdown.

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The cases in India rose to 2,46,622 on Sunday, making it the fifth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to John Hopkins University data. It left behind Spain and Italy and is now behind US, Brazil, Russia and United Kingdom.

Another official said, "Delhi's doubling rate is 15 days. Based on our projections, the number of cases would increase. About 25 percent of patients will require hospitalisation. Most of the patients would have a medical condition of 'hypoxia' and 5 percent would need a ventilator. Hence, we have advised the government to arrange the maximum facility of oxygen supply for patients." He added that Delhi would need about 42,000 beds by 15 July.

Dr Mahesh Verma, chairman of the committee, told ANI, "We have studied the trends of other cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. Our calculations project more than one lakh cases in the national capital by the end of June. We want that no patient should suffer. We are getting prepared to combat the virus."

Delhi is likely to see at least one lakh COVID-19 cases by end of June as per a projection made by the five-member committee formed by the Delhi government. Based on the projection, the committee has asked the government to arrange an additional 15,000 beds to cater to the needs of the patients in the national capital.

India reported the highest single-day spike of 9,971 new COVID-19 cases and 287 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country is now at 2,46,628, including 1,20,406 active cases, 1,19,293 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 6,929 deaths.

After confirming the correct chemical and polymer composition of NP swabs, their diameter, alignment of bristles, and sterilization method, NCL has suggested the next regulatory pathway for approval of medical devices to the company. They will be able to produce 1 lakh NP swabs per day

Nasopharyngeal swab is a medical device with stringent specifications of quality, polymer grade, dimensions and sterilization. An NP swab consists of a cylindrical plastic stick with a brush-like tip of synthetic bristles/flocks. The flocking process helps align the fine bristles in a parallel orientation on the stick head, much like a tooth brush, except that this has round uniform geometry and the NP swab bristles are of micron diameter.

The National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), a lab under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said that it has developed an indigenous nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs for collecting samples from the throat cavity of COVID-19 patients.

As per the Jharkhand CMO, 115 workers stranded in Border Roads Organisation (BRO) projects in far-off places at Nubra Valley, Diskit and Chunthug Valley are being flown back, ANI reported. The flights will land at Ranchi airport on Monday and Tuesday.

Setting an example, Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range) Mohit Agarwal got himself fined for not wearing a mask in public, PTI reported. Agarwal asked the Station House Officer of Barra Police Station, Ranjeet Singh, to fine him for stepping out without wearing a mask. The SHO made the challan and handed over a copy to the IG who paid Rs 100 as fine on the spot.

Rajasthan reported 48 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, as per the state health department, ANI reported. The state has reported 10,385 cases and 234 deaths.

A senior officer at the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has tested positive for COVID-19, as per ANI. This, as 1,320 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the National Capital over the past 24 hours, taking its total to 27,654.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said all restaurants, malls and places of worship would open from tomorrow in the National Capital. Hotels and banequet halls will remain closed, he added.

Kejriwal also said that by the end of June, Delhi will need 15,000 beds for coronavirus patients, adding that over 90 percent people from the city want only patients from the National Capital to be treated there. "Government and private hospitals will only treat people from Delhi, while hospitals run by the Centre will remain open to all. If people from other cities come to Delhi for specific surgeries, they will be treated at private hospitals," he said.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in an address that Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will be opened from Monday.

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai has released a ward-wise break-up of COVID-19 cases in the city. The G-North ward, which includes Dadar has reported the most cases (3,416), followed by L ward (Kurla), which has 3,026 cases.

Forty-one more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar, taking total number of cases in the district to 632, PTI has quoted officials as saying.

According to the AFP's tally, the number of deaths worldwide due to COVID-19 has now crossed 400,000

The collectors of both the districts- South Goa and North Goa- issued these guidelines separately.

While the current ban on such movement is between 7 pm and 5 am, from Monday onwards, it would be restricted to 9 pm and 5 am.

In its fresh set of guidelines regarding the lockdown issued on Sunday, the state government also gave relaxation of two hours for movement of individuals for non-essential activities, the official said.

Restaurants in Goa will be allowed to reopen from Monday, although the ban on operations of other establishments like schools, colleges, cinema halls, gyms, will continue as earlier, an official said on Sunday.

Ahmedabad reports 21 more COVID-19 deaths, taking fatality count to 1,015; cases rise by 318 to 14,285, PTI quotes a health official as saying.

A senior PIB official has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to AIIMS, reports PTI quoting sources.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Thane district reached 11,359 after 447 people tested positive for novel coronavirus on Sunday, while the death toll touched366 as 14 people died of the infection, an official said.Among those who tested positive on Sunday are half a dozen children from Navi Mumbai, including a five-month-old girl, he added. Mira Bhayander municipal limits accounted for 83 of the 447 cases, the official said.

"Sood is an actor whose profession is to deliver dialogues scripted by someone else and make a living out of it. There are many people like Sood who would promote any political party if paid well," wrote Sene leader Sanjay Raut.Raut, who is the chief whip of the Sena in Parliament and executive editor of 'Saamana', said, "the BJP has (politically) adopted Sonu Sood and tried to create an influence among the North Indian migrant workers". The actor had reportedly been arranging transport for migrant workers stranded in Maharashtra.

Sonu Sood on Sunday evening met Maharahastra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, hours after the Shiv Sena in an article in Saamna hinted that the actor was working at BJP's behest, said reports.

According to an official, the doors of Ujjain's famous Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 'jyotirlingas' which attracts several lakh devotees every year, would open from 8 am on Monday, though another 'jyortilinga' at Omkareshwar in Khandwa district, will follow the suit on 16 June.

Places of worship outside containment zones in several places in Madhya Pradesh will reopen from Monday, when several restrictions for the coronavirus-induced lockdown are set to be eased, though no decision has been taken for red zones Indore and Bhopal. The state government had issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) for religious places on 5 June.

Trial of clothing or accessories has been banned in shopping malls in Telangana, while religious places would not see any offerings like prasadam or holy water when all of these open on Monday after almost a three month gap due to the coronavirus lockdown. These were among the slew of directions issued in a Government Order on Sunday, while allowing reopening of shopping malls, restaurants and religious places from June 8.

#AssamEduCare Extremely pleased to share GOA has made ALL admissions - from HS upto PG level including medical, engineering, polytechnic for academic year 2020-21 - absolutely free. Under stress due to #COVID19 , this shall be big relief to families. All prospectus will be free. pic.twitter.com/8jCEmBEbqM

free," Sarma told reporters, a day after results for Class 10 state board examinations were announced only on online platforms.

Admission to universities, colleges and higher secondary schools in Assam will be free during the current academic year to ensure there is no additional burden on parents already affected by the coronavirus lockdown, Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.He said there will be no hidden costs. "Students from the higher secondary to the postgraduate level, including medical, engineering and polytechnic students, will be admitted to institutes for

A senior PIB official has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to AIIMS, reports PTI quoting sources.

The authorities on Sunday began scaling down of Nizamuddin Basti containment zone that was set up after several cases of COVID-19 were reported from there in wake of the gathering at Tablighi Jamat headquarters in the area in March. The area was under containment for the last 70 days after south east district administration declared it a containment zone on March 30 to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.An order issued by south east district magistrate Harleen Kaur on Sunday said health authorities have recommended scaling down of Nizamuddin Basti since no new COVID-19 case was detected in the last 28 days.

Delhi Cabinet has decided to reserve Delhi government hospitals and private hospitals for treatment of Delhi residents, with certain exceptions. The documents mentioned in the order below can be used as proof of residence in Delhi: Chief Minister's Office pic.twitter.com/3iaQSkwiZ1

The Delhi government late on Sunday released a list of residence proofs on the basis on which hospitals can grant admission to patients. According to the list, voter cards, Aadhar cards, electricity bills and a few other documents can be furnished as proof. The government had earlier in the day restricted admission to hospitals in the National Capital only to residents in view of the rising coronavirus cases and increasing burden of health infrastructure.

Shopping malls, hotels and restaurants located outside the COVID-19 containment zones in Bhopal have been allowed to reopen from Monday, reports PTI.

Bihar's COVID-19 case count breached the 5000-mark on Sunday as the state witnessed a major spike with 239 fresh cases while the death toll stood at 30, the health department said. The case count in the state, which is 10th in the country to report more than 5,000 cases, stood at 5,070 and at least 2,405 people infected with the virus have been discharged upon recovery till date, it said. All 38 districts in the state have been affected by the pandemic and only 11 of these still have tallies below 100.

Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: Trial of clothing or accessories has been banned in shopping malls in Telangana, while religious places would not see any offerings like prasadam or holy water when all of these open on Monday after almost a three month gap due to the coronavirus lockdown.

1282 more cases were reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the National Capital is now at 28,936.

The Uttarakhand government issued orders allowing malls, restaurants, hotels and religious places outside containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun in the state to open from 7 am to 7 pm, reports ANI. According to the guidelines, pilgrims from other states will not be permitted till further orders.

A 37-year-old Central Reserve Police Force jawan suffering from cancer has succumbed to COVID-19, taking the total number of deaths due to the disease in the country's largest paramilitary force to three, officials said on Sunday.

480 fresh cases and 30 deaths were reported in Gujarat in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 20,097 and toll to 1,249.

As COVID-19 cases in Mumbai continue to surge, the Maharashtra government has appointed five IAS officers and auditors to monitor 37 private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment.

1,515 more coronavrius cases and 18 deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu today. Total number of cases in the state mounted to 31,667 while the death count rose to 269.

Kerala on Sunday reported 107 new cases taking the number of active cases in the state to 1,095. 803 persons have recovered int he state so far.

239 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Karnataka in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID19 cases in the state to 5452, according to the bulletin issued by the state health department.

"The Central govt safely ferried 1.25 crore migrants to their destinations after health infra was ramped up to meet their needs," PTI Union home minister Amit Shah as saying during his Bihar Samvaad virtual rally.

Haryana on Sunday reported 191 COVID-19 cases, including 78 from the worst-affected Gurgaon district, as the infection tally breached the 4,000-mark, according to the state health department's bulletin. With the fresh cases, the virus count in Gurugram, which falls in the national capital region, rose to 1,770.

The worldwide death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 4,00,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that health experts say is still an undercount because many who died were not tested for the virus. Worldwide, at least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins.

The Union Culture Ministry on Sunday approved opening of it's over 3,000 Archeological Survey of India monuments from June 8, Minister Prahlad Patel said.

As many as 92 new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Assam in the last 24 hours, said Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Total cases in the state now stand at 2,565. However, 27 more patients were also discharged, taking the total number of those discharged to 615 and the number of active cases stands at 1,943.

Kicking of the the Bihar elections campaign, home minister Amit Shah will address a virtual rally - the BJP's first - at 4 pm. Ahead of the rally, RJD leaders and workers staged protests, beating utensils and blowing conches against what their leader Tejashwi Yadav dubbed as the ruling party's celebration of the devastation caused by COVID-19 and the lockdown.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will be opened from Monday. He added that government and private hospitals will only treat people from Delhi, while hospitals run by the Centre will remain open to all.

All restaurants, malls and places of worship would open from tomorrow in the National Capital. Hotels and banquet halls will remain closed, he added.

A senior officer at the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has tested positive for COVID-19, as per ANI. This, as 1,320 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the National Capital over the past 24 hours, taking its total to 27,654.

A total of 46,66,386 samples have been tested till now for coronavirus, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.

India reported the highest single-day spike of 9,971 new COVID-19 cases and 287 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country is now at 2,46,628.

Delhi is likely to see at least one lakh COVID-19 cases by end of June as per a projection made by the five-member committee formed by the Delhi government.

The cases in India rose to 2,46,622 on Sunday, making it the fifth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which releases India's official figures everyday at 8 am, on Saturday, the country recorded a spike of 9,887 cases and 294 deaths in 24 hours since 8 am Friday, taking the total cases to 2,36,657 cases and toll from the virus to 6,642.

As per official figures, India is the sixth-worst affected country by COVID-19 after the US, Brazil, Russia, Spain and the UK, however, an unofficial tally put the total number of infections in the country at over 2.45 lakhs, surpassing Spain in less than 24 hours after it raced ahead of Italy.

Spain so far has recorded 2,41,310 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

A total of 1,14,073 people have been cured so far, with 4,611 recoveries recorded in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said.

"Thus, around 48.20 percent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country stands at 1,15,942.

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.

According to the ministry's website, more than 70 percent 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.

"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."

Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra see spike in cases

Meanwhile, even as some states and Union Territories prepared to open religious places, hotels and restaurants under phase-1 of the Unlock plan announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, COVID-19 infections and fatalities continued to rise.

In Tamil Nadu, 19 more succumbed to the viral infection pushing the total number of COVID-19 casualties in the state to 251. The state also reported 1,458 new cases  of which 1,146 were detected in Chennaitaking the overall case count to 30,152. This is the seventh consecutive day the state is witnessing more than 1000 cases.

The number of active cases in state stands at 13,501 as over 16,000 persons have recovered from the disease.

Odisha reported its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases after 173 more people tested positive for the disease, taking the total tally in the state to 2,781. Of the 173 new cases, 150 were in quarantine centres, where people returning from different states are staying. Twenty-three others were detected with the infection during contact-tracing exercises, a health department official said.

Uttar Pradesh registered 370 fresh cases on Saturday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 10,103 even as the number of casualties rose to 268, with 11 fatalities. Principal secretary, health, Amit Mohan Prasad said the number of active cases in the state was 3,927 and the number of those who have recovered and been discharged from hospitals was 5,908.

Prasad stressed on maintaining utmost vigil during the month of June saying it was most crucial since the migrants and others were returning to the state and there is a need to remain alert for checking the spread of the virus.

The COVID-19 case count in Kerala climbed to 1,807 after 108 more tested positive and one more person died of the viral infection. Former Santosh Trophy footballer E Hamsakoya (61), who had returned from Mumbai, and tested positive, succumbed to the virus on Saturday. Five members of his family, including two grandchildren, have tested positive and are under treatment.

Of the fresh cases, 64 had come from abroad and 34 from other states, including Maharashtra (15), Delhi (8) and Tamil Nadu (5) while ten people were infected through contact, said a release issued by the state health department.

Goa, too, recorded a rise as 71 new infections took the COVID-19 case count in the state to 267, including 202 active cases. Earlier in the day, state health minister Vishwajit Rane had attributed the rise in cases to the situation in Vasco's Mangor Hill area, which has been declared a containment zone.

"The spike in cases in Goa is due to cases from Mangor Hill, which are a result of local transmission and not community transmission. The Goa government is ready to face any situation to ensure the safety of its people," PTI quoted the minister as saying.

Maharashtra, the worst-affected state, recorded 2,739 new cases and 120. Total number of positive cases in the state is now 82,968, including 37,390 discharges and 2969 deaths, ANI quoted the state health department as saying.

No trial of clothes in Punjab shopping malls

The Punjab government issued guidelines ahead of the re-opening of malls, religious places in the state from 8 June, even as the state registered 435 cases and 17 deaths, taking the total number of cases to 7738 and toll to 311.

According to guidelines trial of clothing shall not be allowed in shopping malls, while places of worship will remain open 5 am and 8 pm but will be barred from distributing 'prasad'. The maximum number of persons at the time of worship shall not exceed 20 with due distancing. The fresh guidelines also provide for a token-based entry to malls and make it mandatory for mall visitors to have 'COVA' app on their phones.

The Haryana government has decided to allow reopening of places of worship and shopping malls for public in a regulated manner across the state from 8 June, except in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts worst-hit by COVID-19, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

Apart from this, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services would be reopened with generic preventive measures across the state. The timing of opening for all would be between 9 am and 8 pm to ensure compliance of night curfew between 9 pm and 5 am, it said.

According to News 18, Uttar Pradesh also allowed the re-opening of religious places with the prior approval of the district administration. According to the guidelines issued by the state government, not more than five devotees at a time will be allowed inside a temple at a time.

Delhi govt prohibits hospitals from turning away COVID-19 suspects

In Delhi, which has reported over 26,ooo cases and 700 deaths, the Arvind Kejriwal-led state government issued orders prohibiting hospitals from turning away suspected COVID-19 patients.

No hospital can now deny admission to suspect patients. pic.twitter.com/Sodij7KdCC  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 6, 2020

The order comes on the back of family members of COVID-19 patients alleging that they were denied entry by hospitals.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had warned of strong action against some private hospitals allegedly refusing admission to COVID-19 patients and involving in "black-marketing" of beds. Most of the private hospitals in Delhi are good but some of them are demanding money for beds which is nothing but "black-marketing", Kejriwal said.

The Delhi government will depute medical professionals at all hospitals who will update availability of beds for coronavirus patients at an official app and ensure admission of such patients, he said.

As of today, no dearth of beds. Against 8645 total available beds, 4038 occupied n 4607 vacant. These are real beds, not mere figures. As of today, sufficient beds available. But some of them refuse admission. We wont permit their mischief. Give us a few days. We r at it https://t.co/z8SGrRXeiO  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 6, 2020

The chief minister also rubbished 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. 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.

Meanwhile, a five-member panel set up by the AAP government 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 told PTI.

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.

The state government also registered a complaint against Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a private hospital designated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulation norms as specified under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday capped the charges in private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment at Rs 15,000 per day in ICUs, in general ward the maximum is Rs 7,500.

With inputs from agencies
Minutes after she heard her parents' phones screeching in the kitchen, Tracy Wei and the rest of her family scrambled to pack a weeks worth of clothing and important documents before cramming into a mini-van and leaving.

It was late August 2017, and Hurricane Harvey threatened to spill over a levy that typically guarded their Sugar Land neighborhood from floodwaters. Wei's home was spared, but dozens of her Sartartia Middle School classmates weren't as lucky. Listening to their stories and pain, she knew she needed to help.

Just processing the hurricane and coming together as a community, it was hard, the now 15-year-old said. The one thing that was really powerful about Houston was that we really formed a community during Harvey. I wanted to help.

In the weeks after Harvey, Wei and Raina Parikh, also 15, worked to develop an app to address students mental health in the wake of natural disasters. Its called SAY: Stories About You, and it allows kids to share their experiences after storms, fires and floods. The goal, the girls say, is to let others know theyre not alone in their struggles.

Kids pain is still evident, even nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey blew into the Houston area. Some students sob in their classrooms during storms, worried their homes and toys will flood again. Others jump when they hear a phone blast emergency signals, a sound that reminds them of the dozens of weather warnings that went out during the downpours. Still more have detailed plans in the back of their mind in case they need to make a quick escape to avoid rising waters.

Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of the Children at Risk nonprofit, said adults tend to focus on physical well being after devastation rather than mental health. Texas, he noted, is 49th in the nation when it comes to state spending on mental health.

You hear so often that kids are resilient, and they are, Sanborn said. But that doesnt mean they dont suffer trauma, and often they hide trauma even when its still there.

The app allows kids to pick from a list of disasters and zip codes, but most entries thus far are from Harvey. One wrote about evacuating to Austin, unsure what she and her family would return to. Another wrote about all the dead fish that lined his street once the water subsided. One, from the 77053 ZIP code, said they were stuck in their home without electricity for a week, worrying for survival as their food supplies began to dwindle.

Im glad were here breathing and alive, they wrote.

With Tropical Storm Cristobal churning in the Gulf, both Wei and Parikh had worried there may soon be more entries.

Its still early in hurricane season, and were all in an isolated environment, Parikh said. This can allow children to share their stories therapeutic environment.

shelby.webb@chron.com
The value of Saudi Arabia's oil exports plunged by 21.9 per cent year on year in the first quarter to $40 billion, corresponding to a decline of about $11 billion, Reuters reported quoting official data on Sunday.

Brent crude prices fell more than 60 per cent in the quarter hurt by the coronavirus pandemic and an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia following the collapse in March of talks on further production cuts.

The decline in oil exports was the main reason behind a 20.7 per cent decline in the value of overall merchandise exports in the first quarter, the General Authority for Statistics said on Sunday.

Non-oil exports, including chemicals and plastics, fell by 16.5 per cent, it said.

China was the main destination for Saudi exports in Q1, followed by Japan and India. China was also the main origin for Saudi imports.

Saudi Arabia posted a $9 billion budget deficit in the quarter as oil revenue fell by 24 per cent to $34 billion.
Black Lives Matter in the time of Covid-19

The chaos currently gripping the US has divided Egyptians, despite that causes closer to hand  like the Palestinian struggle  share with the Black Lives Matter movement a common horizon

Black Lives Matter, Covid-19, coronavirus, United States, rights, equality, racism, Egypt

Recently, the phrase Black Lives Matter has created a great deal of controversy amongst Egyptians and on Egyptian media. Misunderstandings and varied views regarding this movement currently gripping the US make a discussion of its parameters direly due.

Despite the fact that the Black Lives Matter movement was founded in the US in 2013 as a result of the shooting of African American teen Trayvon Martin, it has currently escalated to unprecedented heights after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police.

Police violence against African American citizens has been a volatile issue for years in the US, but this incident taking place amidst the Covid-19 pandemic along with two other recent instances were the match that lit the fire of the current unrest.

Racism in the US has been pinpointed by many as a historically sustained pandemic. But how do we as Egyptians position ourselves towards all of this?

Egyptians, whether on social media or in the street, are quite divided. Some can only see the current protests in light of the limited violence, looting and rioting, arguing that Black Lives Matter is a violent exclusionary movement and that blacks should go back to their original homelands (of course, this group is completely clueless regarding the history of slavery and dispossession that brought blacks originally to American/Native American soil)!

Others, on the other hand, are quite empathetic, but feel that Egyptians empathy with the Black Lives Matter movement is trend-oriented and shortsightedly ignores other oppressive struggles closer to Egyptians, such as the Palestinian struggle.

This group draws attention to all the violence Palestinians face on a daily basis at the hands of the Israeli occupation, which cannot be denied. What we need to understand, though, is that whether it is the Black Lives Matter movement or the Palestinian struggle, it is the same issue: standing up against violence and racist hatred.

The current support Arab-American groups and Palestinian-American groups are showing towards the Black Lives Matter" movement in the US is proof of this.

This undermines the empty argument that Black Lives is a reverse racist, exclusionary movement, since All Lives Matter. In reality, claiming and naming a particular black position now is the only means to overcome the systemic racism ingrained in the American political system, which normalises racism that is against the rights of all American citizens and humans in general.

As citizens, African-Americans in the US have a very distinct history of dispossession that needs to be taken into account. The majority of African-Americans in the US did not leave their original homelands of their own accord but were abducted, sold into slavery and forcibly moved to build the US capitalist economy under the worst of conditions.

In the Declaration of Independence, the American Forefathers stated that All men are created equal and that everyone has the right to Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Sadly though, actuation of these ideals was continuously questioned by the institution of slavery that supported American capitalism. Abolitionists in the past rose to argue that blacks should have equal rights and that the practice of racist laws such as the ones denying blacks education and fining any whites teaching slaves to read had to be stopped.

The Civil War took place to acquire the rightful freedom of blacks and end their economic oppression by whites, but Jim Crow laws of racial segregation remained in the US till the 1950s. These laws prevented African-Americans from being educated in the same schools as whites, riding the same transportation, or even using the same washrooms (social distancing at a whole new level).

The Civil Rights movement headed by figures like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X called for the end of segregation and the inclusion of blacks into the American Dream, and some gains were won, but curiously enough both of these leaders were assassinated.

Though outright laws of segregation ended, white supremacist practices remain and are still practiced by groups such as the KKK, which has chapters all over the US.

That is why Floyds murder and his plea to police officers, I cant breathe, is an actual description of suffocation that African-Americans have been experiencing long before the lung failures resulting from Covid-19. A suffocation that has led to the sudden grasp for breath, that is literally taking place now.

Writers like Dr Cornell West have long been analysing the dire conditions of poverty and injustice that have led to this current situation and have anticipated its outcomes. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery are all points in a circle of institutionalised injustice and violence that has robbed African-Americans of their humanity for years.

The Covid-19 pandemic has only starkly placed this injustice before our eyes as we compare the numbers of African-Americans and minorities killed by this disease as a result of misguided funding directed to black communities.

This is why the current protests are calling for redirection of funds to develop African-American communities rather than criminalise and police them. This uprising is gaining momentum, moving actually and digitally to encompass the parameters of all such injustice, undermining mainstream capitalist funded media framing of the movement as violent.

Nations face demise and decay when their central creeds and belief systems become blatantly questionable. The various major crises in American history have been shaped by this kind of crisis of identity. The men who crafted the US Constitution were above all shaping a dream of equality and freedom, and this has for a long time shaped how Americans like to define themselves, irrespective of the realities of racism, which were always relegated to the sidelines as isolated incidents practiced by a minority.

The current chapter of unrest in American history will not end until the real problems of systemic racism and discrimination are addressed.

A digital uprising is already being organised and movements like In Defense of Black Lives, which stress capitalist economic oppression suffered by blacks, are joining forces. Political leaders like Andrew Cuomo, Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama have all expressed the need to face the realities of systemic racism.

As Egyptians, we need to look in the mirror and realise our own blackness and attempt to understand the historical context.

*Somaya Sami Sabry is an associate professor of American and cultural studies at the English Department of Ain Shams University.

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Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick brought their children to lunch at the swank restaurant Nobu Malibu on Saturday.

The Kardashian hot spot reopened for dine-in that day after providing takeout and delivery amid the coronavirus lockdowns.

Scott, 37, and Kourtney, 41, declined to wear face masks when they were seen outside as did their pals and children.

Out and about: Kourtney Kardashian (not pictured) and Scott Disick (far right) brought their children to lunch at the swank restaurant Nobu Malibu on Saturday

Kourtney could be seen warmly hugging a female friend while the pals gathered outside the restaurant before heading in for their meal.

She and Scott last ended their on-off relationship in 2015 and now amicably co-parent three children - Mason, 10, Penelope, seven, and Reign, five.

It emerged last month that Scott has broken up with Lionel Richie's 21-year-old daughter Sofia Richie after a roughly three-year romance.

Last month Scott checked into rehab for 'emotional issues' and 'past traumas,' but checked out shortly thereafter.

All that sweet affection: Kourtney could be seen warmly hugging a female friend while the pals gathered outside the restaurant before heading in for their meal

Family matters: She and Scott last ended their on-off relationship in 2015 and now amicably co-parent three children - Mason, 10, Penelope, seven, and Reign, five

In the wake of his decision to leave rehab Us Weekly reported he and Sofia were 'on a break until Scott straightens himself out more.'

Finally on May 27, the day after his 37th birthday, the magazine revealed that Scott and Sofia had decided to end their romance.

Kourtney, Scott and the children traveled to Utah on a private jet last week to celebrate his 37th birthday.

Details: The Kardashian hot spot reopened for dine-in that day after providing takeout and delivery amid the coronavirus lockdowns

Their digs of choice according to The Blast was Amangiri Resort, the same place Kourtney's sister Kim Kardashian rang in her own 37th birthday.

'Kourtney and Scott had so much fun with the kids in Utah, and the kids want them to do family trips all together more often,' dished an Us Weekly source.

'Scott is so happy that he and Kourtney get along so well and how easy it is with her. Its weird to everyone else, but not to them. They are really like best friends.'

The source explained: "Kourtney is not open to him in a romantic sense, but Scott is always flirting with her and thinks she looks better than ever.'
Kate Langbroek's son Artie was rushed to hospital in Italy on Saturday.

The Australian radio host, 54, revealed that the 12-year-old required urgent medical assistance after suffering an allergic reaction to a bee sting.

Earlier this year, Kate revealed her family's move to Bologna, Italy had turned into a nightmare, and they hoped to be deported amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Italian emergency room in action': Kate Langbroek's son 12-year-old Artie (pictured) was rushed to hospital in Italy on Saturday after suffering an allergic reaction to a bee sting

On Saturday, Kate shared a picture to Instagram of Artie in a wheelchair while being treated by a doctor.

'Italian emergency room in action. Artie got stung on the foot by a bee. Allergic reaction... magnificent care,' the 54-year-old wrote.

She clarified that 'all was okay' and Artie was feeling better after leaving hospital

'Magnificent care': Kate shared a picture of Artie sat in a wheelchair, being assisted by a doctor. She clarified that 'all was okay' and Artie was feeling much better after leaving hospital

The sting came after the family recently ended their gruelling 10-week quarantine.

Kate said the lengthy period of self-isolation, as Italy suffered over 33,000 deaths from the virus, had made her 'a better mother' to her four children.

She also said she had learned to be 'more patient' with her family during this time.

The star and husband Peter Lewis relocated to Bologna, Italy with their four children, Lewis, 16, Sunday, 15, Artie, 12, and Jan, nine, in January 2019.

Adventure: The star and husband Peter Lewis relocated to Bologna, Italy with their four children, Lewis, 16, Sunday, 15, Artie, 12, and Jan, nine, in January 2019

'It's the only way we can get out of here': Earlier this year, Kate revealed the move had turned into a nightmare, and they hoped to be deported amid the COVID-19 pandemic

During self-isolation, Kate and husband Peter suffered several run-ins with the local police in Italy.

She said Peter was 'interrogated' for 40 minutes after being caught on his bicycle as he collected supplies for the family, accused of breaking lockdown rules.

'They basically interrogated him and gave him a piece of paper even though it was in Italian, and he couldn't understand it,' she told Fox FM's Hughesy and Ed.

'It said he's being sued by the police. I laughed and said: "Good, I hope they deport us. It's the only way we can get out of here!'''
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)
By Lidia Kelly

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The Australian government said on Sunday it will continue to underwrite domestic flights through September, extending its aid for airlines such as Qantas Airways Ltd <QAN.AX> and Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd's <VAH.AX> hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Michael McCormack said the initial backing, due to expire on Monday, will be extended to cover shortfalls in operating flights on top domestic routes, even as airlines start to rebuild crushed capacity.

Australia has barred its citizens from almost all outbound travel in order to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

"The Australian government is doing everything possible to ensure the aviation industry is sustained throughout the pandemic so that it can rebound on the other side," McCormack said in a statement.

With border closures and social distancing since March, Australia has avoided the high infections and casualties of many nations, reporting 102 deaths and 7,255 infections so far.

Qantas has grounded 220 planes and halted all international flights, except government repatriation charters and cargo flights.

On Thursday, Qantas said it would triple domestic capacity to 15% of normal levels by the end of the month, with the potential to rise to 40% in July if state border restrictions ease.

Virgin became the country's first big coronavirus-related collapse, entering administration in April. It is for sale, and binding offers are due on Friday.

McCormack would not say how much the extended assistance would cost but said the government's backing for the industry has exceeded AUD1.2 billion (663.35 million pounds).

The government will also extend financial support for regional airlines to ensure regional continue to receive essential air services from Sept. 30 to Dec. 31, he said.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William)
Iran's Judiciary Makes Disclosures About Its Hidden Funds

Radio Farda June 06, 2020

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.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s- judiciary-makes-disclosures-about- its-hidden-funds/30656023.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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FREDERICTONThe chiefs of a coalition of Maliseet First Nations are calling for an independent probe of the New Brunswick justice system after a fatal police shooting of a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from British Columbia.

The six chiefs in the Wolastoqey First Nation in New Brunswick issued a joint statement on Friday in response to the death of Chantel Moore, expressing their condolences to Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in B.C., to which Moore belonged.

Police have said Moore was shot as Edmundston officers responded to a wellness call in the northwestern New Brunswick community, and have alleged she was making threats and holding a knife.

The chiefs letter says they plan to formally request that Premier Blaine Higgs Conservative minority government create a committee to review the justice system in New Brunswick in light of the death.

Theyre seeking recommendations on how the province can create change to allow for a system free of systemic discrimination and that no longer fails to serve the Indigenous people of this province.

It is signed by the chiefs of communities along the Saint John River Valley, including Tobique, St. Marys, Madawaska, Oromocto, Kingsclear and Woodstock First Nations.

Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart said in an emailed statement that a probe has started through Quebecs independent police investigation agency, known as the Bureau des enquetes independantes, along with a New Brunswick coroners investigation.

Decisions on next steps will be taken after the investigations have been completed, the solicitor general wrote.

We acknowledge the chiefs want to discuss a review of Indigenous people and the justice system, with a scope broader than this one tragic case. We have already begun a dialogue with Indigenous leaders on this important topic, but we will engage with the chiefs in the days ahead, he said.

The Quebec agency has provided a brief statement, saying its investigation will determine if the information provided by police is accurate.

The City of Edmundston and the Edmundston Police Force said Friday they will make no further comment.

The union representing the 30 police officers and 11 dispatchers in the service said on Saturday in a release that it wished to offer sincere condolences to the family of Moore, calling the death a difficult and tragic situation for all the parties involved.

Moore 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.

Moores grandmother, Grace Frank, has said in an interview with The Canadian Press that her granddaughter was tiny and she doesnt believe she could have attacked the officer.

The young woman had lived with her grandmother for a number of years as a teenager before moving in with other relatives and later settling in Campbell River, B.C., where she met her boyfriend and had a daughter named Gracie.

Frank said her daughter  Moores mother  had been raising Gracie in New Brunswick, and Moore recently moved there to be with her mother and daughter and to go to college. She said she was not aware that Moore had any mental-health issues.

In Ottawa Friday, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said the family deserves answers, quickly. It was a wellness check and someone died, he said. I cant process that.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in B.C. has also called for the independent investigation to be conducted in a timely way.

The council represents 14 First Nations, including Moores home community.

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Colombo, June 7 (IANS) Sri Lanka will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety when its airports re-open from August 1 following the containment of COVID-19, the Tourism Ministry said on Sunday.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has put in place all precautions recommended by global health and travel authorities to re-open the country to tourists as Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and RatmalanaInternational Airport (RIA) as well as Hambantota's Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), reports Xinhua news agency.

However the issuance of visas will be only online and must be applied for prior to travel, the Ministry said in a statement.

All passengers will have to have a negative PCR test report from an accredited laboratory taken within 72 hours prior to landing in Sri Lanka and a confirmed travel itinerary covering at least five nights at certified accommodations.

A valid return air ticket and travel insurance with health and hospitalization cover will also have to be issued upon arrival in the island country.

"Tourists will not have to undergo quarantine procedures. A mandatory health screening and sanitizing process including a PCR test will be conducted at arrival airports free of charge for tourists, and all travellers will be transferred through pre-booked transportation to designated hotels in close proximity to the airport, to await their PCR test results which would be expected within 24 hours," the statement said.

The Ministry will conduct further PCR tests free of charge, for any tourists staying longer than five nights.

"Sri Lanka has been highly successful in its efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 and has proven that the country is not just the world's number one travel destination, but also a destination with an excellent health care system.

"As of May 20, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health declared zero community transmission for over three weeks," the statement said.

Sri Lanka shut its international airports in March for all passenger arrivals to prevent a further spread of the COVID-19 but said passenger departures would continue.

The country has so far detected over 1,800 COVID-19 patients with 11 deaths.

--IANS

ksk/
Contrary to expectations, most Churches in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis refused to hold church services following the President's directive to ease restrictions on public gatherings.



According to the Churches, though the Presidents directive for Churches to resume services of not more than 100 persons was a welcomed news, the churches have to put measures in place before resuming church services.



Most of the Churches the GNA visited, were closed with no believers found.



At the Church of Pentecost branch at Ntankorful, the Assistant Pastor who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were no church activities today in all branches of the church nation-wide following a directive from the Chairman of the Church in Accra.



Though he could not give a definite time when church services would bounce back, he said the church needed to ensure that all the safety and hygienic protocols were in place before resuming church activities.



The Minister in Charge of the Reverend Gaddiel Acquah Methodist Church at Ntankorful, Reverend Stanley Ansah also told the GNA that there was no church service today though the President had lifted the ban on church activities.



He, however, indicated that from the Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, believers would start congregational services from June 14 being next week Sunday.



Rev. Ansah also said the Church needed to put all the necessary precautions such as fumigation, Veronica buckets, and other PPE in place before resuming church services.



He warned that Churches that fail to meet the criteria would not be allowed to resume services.



At the Roman Catholic Church at Ntankorful where the church premise was empty as of 0900 hours, the caretaker of the church, Mr Francis Cobbinah said the church would register at the STMA tomorrow Monday for fumigation exercise to take place before church activities could resume.



He, however, said adequate measures to deal with the COVID-19 would be put in place when church services resume.



However, a host of Churches the GNA visited at Anaji and other suburbs of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis were closed, a clear indication that the Churches have decided to position themselves well before resumption of services.

Source: GNA









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Dr Colin James Limpus PSM was scoffed at by tourists and experts when he first began his research into temperature dependent sex determination in turtles.

Dr Col Limpus. Credit:AAP

More than 50 years on, he is being recognised with an Order of Australia medal for his dedication to turtle research and conservation efforts.

Dr Limpus has been praised for his distinguished service to environmental science, particularly to the conservation of sea turtles, and as a mentor to young scientists.

He is the chief scientific officer in the Department of Environment and Science Queensland's threatened species unit.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Asmaa Abdalla has said that Sudan believes Ethiopia would think twice about filling the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) before an agreement is reached if it is met by a strong stance from Sudan and Egypt.

In an interview with Sudan's State TV on Saturday, Abdallah explained that Sudan sent a letter to the UN Security Council to stipulate that it is not merely a mediator between Egypt and Ethiopia, but rather an essential partner in the dam issue and its negotiations.

She asserted that since the dam is nearly 20 km away from the Sudanese border, and that it holds both pros and cons for the country, Sudan thinks it is quite important to reach a tripartite agreement on the next steps regarding the dam.

Abdullah said Ethiopia has the right to build dams within its territory and to benefit from its water resources; however, it should adhere to international conventions and the declaration of principles signed by Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.

She stressed that negotiations are the only way to resolve the crisis, and that the three countries should sit together and negotiate.

The Sudanese foreign minister asserted that it would not be harmful if observers like the United States and the World Bank were present in the negotiations until the end.

During the same interview, Sudanese Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Yasser Abbas said that in order to preserve its national interest, Sudan insists that an agreement should be signed before Ethiopia starts filling the GERD.

They both stressed on the necessity of reaching a tripartite agreement between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, as well as a commitment to international agreements, prior to the filling of the dam.

Abbas asserted that Sudan is a key party in the tripartite negotiations as it is the most affected by the GERD due to its proximity to the Roseires dam in southern Sudan.

He explained that the GERD will have an effect on the operation of the Roseires dam and the reservoirs of both the Roseires and Sanar dams, and this is why Sudan is keen on reaching an agreement before the filling of the GERD.

The Sudanese irrigation minister stated that Ethiopia has the right to development but without causing any harm to the other parties, stressing that with international cooperation, all parties can benefit from the GERD.

Abbas denied that Sudan is biased towards either Egypt or Ethiopia, stressing that his country is only keen on its own national interests, which can sometimes be in line with one party or the other.

Abbas noted that the three countries have agreed on nearly 90 percent of the main points, and it is therefore necessary that they reach an agreement on the filling of the dam as well.

Deputy Chairman of the National Umma Party (NUP) Ibrahim El-Amin said during the interview that Sudan is capable of leading an initiative to reach a consensus between the three countries based on principles of regional cooperation and the exchange of benefits, SUNA reported.

El-Amin asserted that the construction of the GERD is inevitable and no longer an issue, what matters now is working towards avoiding harm and maximising the common benefits for the three countries.

Last week, Sudan sent a letter urging the United Nations Security Council to encourage all parties to refrain from any unilateral measures in the GERD issue that could affect regional and international peace and security.

Sudan asked the Security Council to support its efforts to resume talks in good faith to reach a comprehensive agreement between all parties.

Khartoums letter comes a few weeks after Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed to resume technical discussions on the mega-dam.

The tripartite negotiations reached a deadlock in February after Ethiopia skipped a final round of talks in Washington, leading to a diplomatic war of words between Cairo and Addis Ababa.

On 1 May, Egypt sent a memo to the Security Council blaming Ethiopia for trying to establish a deal without taking the interests of downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, into consideration.

Egypt rejected, along with Sudan, an Ethiopian proposal put forth last month amid the ongoing discord, wherein Addis Ababa proposed a partial agreement that would only cover the first stage of the filling.

Addis Ababa told the Security Council in May in a letter sent in response to the Egyptian memo that it does not have a legal obligation to seek the approval of Egypt to fill the dam.

Egypt has said it is ready for a revival of talks, but stressed the importance of "serious and constructive talks between the three countries irrigation ministers to contribute to a fair, balanced and comprehensive agreement that would preserve Egypts water rights and the interests of both Sudan and Ethiopia.

Some 85 percent of the Nile water that reaches Egypt flows from the Ethiopian highlands, mainly from the Blue Nile.

Egypt receives 55.5 billion cubic metres of water from the Nile annually, but requires over 80 billion cubic metres to cover its needs.

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CAIRO  On May 31, the Egyptian armed forces announced in a statement that 19 militants had been killed during military strikes carried out during the previous week in Sinai.

The same statement said the strikes were based on intelligence information that confirmed the presence of extremists in several locations in the vicinity of the cities of Bir al-Abd, Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah in North Sinai. Two military strikes were carried out, the first of which resulted in the killing of three suspects found with automatic weapons, ammunition, grenades and RPG ammunition in their possession. Military engineering teams also discovered and destroyed five explosive devices that had been planted to target the Egyptian armed forces, officials said.

The army reported five deaths among its ranks; two officers, one noncommissioned officer and two soldiers. The Associated Press reported this occurred when an explosive device hit their vehicle.

During the operation, the Egyptian air force carried out a number of airstrikes to target "terrorist hideouts," which resulted in the death of 16 suspects, bringing the total to 19, according to the armys statement.

On April 30, an explosive device targeted a military vehicle near the city of Bir al-Abd, killing 10 soldiers, including an officer and a noncommissioned officer. On May 1, the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for this attack.

Samir Ghattas, a security and strategic expert and head of the Middle East Forum for Strategic Studies and National Security, told Al-Monitor over the phone that Egyptian army forces have long been working to contain terrorism in Sinai, dry up its sources and confront it militarily, developmentally and intellectually.

He said the Egyptian state believes that security confrontation is inevitable with extremist groups that use their weapons to terrorize citizens, and the army and the police in particular.

Ghattas added, The Egyptian armed forces launched Comprehensive Operation Sinai on Feb. 9, 2018, with the aim of confronting terrorism in Sinai, nipping it in the bud and eliminating the tunnels used by terrorist groups to smuggle weapons and commit illegal acts. This proves that the state has always been serious about fighting terrorism, but the problem is that the confrontation results in casualties among the army and the police, and it requires patience, great determination and a long time until the terrorists are completely and permanently eliminated.

He said security strikes have largely been successful in curbing extremists' operations in North Sinai. He said that while militants' attacks have not disappeared completely, a decrease in their frequency and size means that the security forces have succeeded in reducing and controlling them.

Ghattas said militants were carrying out assassinations and bombings targeting civilians  as happened in the terrorist attack that targeted Al-Rawda Mosque in between Bir al-Abd and el-Arish in November 2017 that resulted in the death of 305 people  but that currently, extremists are being directly targeted by the military.

Ghattas said the state is working on implementing several projects aimed at developing and reconstructing Sinai and strengthening its connection with the rest of Egypt, because marginalization and poverty is what leads to the presence of terrorists.

He said the state has implemented several development projects and plans, most notably the expansion of agricultural areas in Sinai and a water desalination plant, in addition to projects by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in various parts of Sinai.

Meanwhile, Ali al-Rajjal, a researcher with Mominoun Without Borders who specializes in security affairs, told Al-Monitor that the repeated terrorist attacks in Sinai, and specifically in North Sinai, reveal a major security imbalance in this area. The security forces must be more vigilant and prudent when it comes to fighting off these armed men who rely on deception and ambush in carrying out their operations, he said.

He said a significant amount of data must be collected by tracking and analyzing suspects' movements, plans and how and when they carry out their operations in order to thwart militants before they target the army and police.

Rajjal said the recent operation that killed 19 suspects and destroyed a number of weapons and ammunition is a perfect example of how to preemptively shut down suicide and other terrorist attacks. He called on the security forces to intensify such moves to eliminate extremists in North Sinai.

We hope to launch many similar operations against terrorist strongholds in the next stage, although this could result in losses among the security forces, but it is very important in light of the repeated attacks targeting the army and police over the past years, he added.

Rajjal said he believes that some extremist attacks and confrontations may continue for a while, as the anniversary of the June 30 Revolution approaches and it could be an important opportunity for terrorist groups who want to take revenge on the state, which excluded the Islamists from power following the June 30 demonstrations in 2013,. He said the groups may seek to also take revenge on the people who supported the demonstrations.
The Black Lives Matter protests that filled the streets of Australias cities this weekend made a powerful argument about addressing systemic racism both here and in the United States. But they have also raised a terrible dilemma about the balance between protecting public health and freedom of political expression.

At any other time, the street marches would have deserved unequivocal praise for demanding justice not just for George Floyd, the African-American man killed by police in Minneapolis, but also for Australias Indigenous population.

Thousands descended on Sydney's CBD for a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood

The justice system puts Indigenous people in prison at a rate 15 times higher than that of the general population. We cannot ignore the shame of 432 Indigenous Australians dying in custody over the past 30 years.

There is not one blackfella here who's not been touched by someone killed or maimed in custody," Ted Wilkes, a Nyungar academic from Western Australia, said at the march on Saturday.
This virtual summit is designed to help Caribbean-based Entrepreneurs thrive digitally

PHILIPSBURG:--- From June 24-26, 2020 Produce Wealth Revolution Agency (PWR Agency) will be hosting its first virtual summit, Islandpreneur Live 2020. This three (3) day virtual summit is designed to provide inspiration, best practices, and relevant information to empower Caribbean-based entrepreneurs to achieve business success digitally and become more resilient.

This complimentary regional event is ideal for students, start-ups, freelancers, small businesses, and social impact innovators. Over the past few months, businesses offered virtual and digital services as a means to survive lockdown and physical distancing protocols imposed on us by COVID-19.

Government offices and organizations, supermarkets, churches, schools, entrepreneurs, and small businesses all turned to technology and digital tools to operate under unprecedented conditions. This emergency digital revolution showcased the importance and resilience of the island's digital economy while exposing the efficiency gaps that otherwise would not have been seen. In the end, it displayed collaborative creativity to fight against the existential threat posed by this pandemic.

Islandpreneur Live 2020 offers Caribbean-based entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to gain insights into how to achieve digital business success. From June 24-26, more than 20 leading global experts most of whom are originally from the region, will cover topics such as ideation, social media, finance, raising capital, leveraging international markets, intellectual property, and digital payments. Confirmed international experts are from Sint Maarten, Curacao, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nigeria, St. Kitts, and the USA. The virtual summit will open daily with a keynote address and end with roundtable discussions about getting paid online, doing business online, and the relationship between the digital revolution and economic resilience.

The organizers of Islandpreneur Live 2020 saw an opportunity to host an event that talked about digital entrepreneurship while addressing the challenges island-based entrepreneurs face. In addition to experts and entrepreneurs, critical economic stakeholders such as the Dutch Caribbean Securities Exchange (DCSX) and the Centrale Bank van Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) will facilitate masterclasses.

DCSX lists businesses from around the world. They are committed to supporting entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises, particularly in the region, to raise capital through the exchange. This and how to attract investors will be further explained in their masterclass.

CBCS is one of the key collaborative partners. They will be facilitating two (2) masterclasses and hosting the round table: Get Paid Online on June 24 at 4:30 pm. One of the masterclasses will focus on digital payments and what the future of payments will look like on Curacao and Sint Maarten. The second masterclass will concentrate on start-up finance and what entrepreneurs must be aware of to ensure financial success.

Registration opens on June 8, 2020, at 5:00 PM AST. All-access passes are complimentary. To register for Islandpreneur Live 2020 go to www.islandpreneur.com. For inquiries, kindly email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Whatsapp +1-721-523-1842.
Black lives matter. Unfortunately, they dont matter to blacks as much as they should. If they did, the number of blacks killed by other blacks would be much, much lower.

And what about the black lives that have been lost at the hands of protesters and rioters this past week? Willis Krumholz identifies the known cases.

Theres retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn, who was shot and killed while protecting a friends store from rioters and looters. Theres Italia Marie Kelly, who was killed in a shooting in Iowa when the crowd of protesters became unruly. Theres Chris Beaty, who was shot and killed when he tried to stop thugs who were stealing purses during demonstrations.

Theres also Max Brewer. This black police officer is in intensive care after he was run over during protests.

Do these black lives matter? They do to me. I am saddened and appalled by these killing. However, with the exception of Dorn, Ive seen virtually no coverage of the attacks that ended these black lives (or, in the case of Brewer, placed a black life in serious jeopardy).

Some of us subscribe to the view, considered heretical by the Black Lives Matter movement and its media boosters, that all lives matter. We are saddened and appalled by the killings of non-blacks during protests, some of which Krumholz describes.

Mainstream media outlets almost never mention them. Instead, as Krumholz says:

The media. . .repeat the toxic narrative that police officers are targeting and killing black men when the hard data doesnt come close to backing up their claims. They are willfully blind when protestors commit bad actslike in Virginia, where firetrucks were blocked from going to a burning house that had a young child inside.

Krumholz asks:

Can a democratic-republic function when its media is so dishonest, its elite so corrupt, and when one of its major political parties allows street violence?

His answer is: probably not. Right now, I cant honestly disagree.
'Remitly registered an Irish entity in 2018 and invested 400,000 into that company in 2019, according to filings with the Companies Registration Office.' Stock Image

US payments company Remitly plans to open an office in Cork after the coronavirus restrictions subside. Remitly builds software for digital and mobile remittance payments across borders and is mostly used by workers to transfer money internationally.

The Seattle-headquartered fintech firm is valued at around $1bn after its last funding round of $220m in July 2019. Some of its investors include Barclays and Bezos Expeditions, the venture capital fund of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Amid uncertainty over the Covid-19 pandemic and when offices will be fully operational again, the US company has begun hiring for roles in Cork. The company will be hiring a general manager to oversee a team responsible for anti-money laundering and fraud prevention reviews and ensuring user activity complies with regulations.

It is currently in the process of securing an office and expects to have 10-12 people employed before the end of the year, with plans to expand the team in 2021, but that timeline will hinge on how workplaces return to normality after lockdown.

"Cork has an established and long history of providing multinational tech companies with first-class customer success teams. The opportunity to build our team here as part of that ecosystem and access to such customer-focused talent made the decision an easy one for us," said Rene Yoakum, chief customer and people officer at Remitly.

The company has been pushing further into the European market over the last three years and has offices in London and Poland.

It kick-started its European launch in the UK where it held the necessary financial licences to operate in the EU. It obtained a payments licence from the Central Bank of Ireland in 2019 that would allow it to continue operating and expanding in Europe. Remitly registered an Irish entity in 2018 and invested 400,000 into that company in 2019, according to filings with the Companies Registration Office.
Commissioner Jo Ann Hardestys timetable to remake Portlands Police Bureau has drastically sped up amid an urgency here and across the nation to take action to combat police brutality and racism.

Hardesty, the first African American woman on the City Council, said she will ask her fellow commissioners on Wednesday to cut $8 million to $9 million from the mayors proposed $246 million police budget.

She will propose eliminating the Gun Violence Reduction Team and the Transit Police as well as the school resource officer program that the mayor already has agreed to scrap.

I want to eliminate police programs that we know have had a racially disparate impact on our community, she said. All three police teams have drawn criticism for disproportionally targeting black people, particularly young men, in traffic and pedestrian stops or light-rail and bus exclusions.

She wants to invest more dollars in the pilot Portland Street Response project that has been on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of supporting just one team of two non-police responders, she wants four teams of two assigned to different parts of the city to answer calls that dont require an armed officer. A mental health worker would be paired with an emergency medical technician on each team.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, at Hardestys urging, said he will set aside the $1 million savings from the school officer program for use by African Americans ages 23 and under to receive training. The people in the program will determine how and where to spend the money.

All of a sudden, a revolution started, said Hardesty, who has pushed for law enforcement reforms for decades as an activist, state legislator and now Portland lawmaker. This is a movement. If we dont act now, itll be another generation before we make systemic changes.

As Hardesty proposes immediate change in Portland, state and federal lawmakers and civil rights leaders are also seeking her input on what to add to their police reform wish list and for help drafting new bills to rewrite the blueprint for public safety in Oregon.

All are seizing on the statewide and national groundswell for ways to change police policy and training in the wake of the videotaped death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old black man died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground for nearly nine minutes with a knee to his neck. Floyd was handcuffed and not resisting. The white officer, Derek Chauvin, faces murder charges.

At every level of government, people are paying attention," Hardesty said. "Honestly, I am exhausted but Im having the time of my life because Ive been talking about these things for 30 years.

In the longer-term, Hardesty and her supporters say other measures will bring the most dramatic change:

-- Truly independent police accountability boards with subpoena authority so police arent reviewing their own actions.

-- Reviews of fatal police shootings and deaths in police custody by a special prosecutor or the Oregon attorney generals office. County prosecutors, who rely on police for their criminal prosecutions, would no longer be responsible for the reviews.

-- Revamped basic police training to ensure a community-police partnership is embedded in all courses from the moment a recruit is sworn in.

-- Police discipline that sticks and isnt overturned by a state arbitrator.

-- Limits to qualified immunity protection that often shields police officers from liability in civil cases.

--A national police misconduct database to track problem officers so they dont leave one agency to work at another.

The mayor said Hardesty is leading the way, calling her a "tremendously important ally'' as he works to put "the black community first and foremost'' and noted "everything is on the table.''

Wheeler, who serves as the city's police commissioner, just months ago was celebrating the U.S. Department of Justices finding that the Police Bureau had mostly met 190 reform measures required under a 2014 settlement agreement over a pattern of police excessive force against people with mental illness.

But now, he said, the blatant and obvious murder of Floyd highlights the inequities and disparities against minority communities thats been under the surface all along.  This is nothing new. This is just an egregious in-your-face example of it.

Nobody can deny that weve moved too slowly, Wheeler said.

Officer Daryl Turner, who has been president of the rank-and-file Portland Police Association, said he was sickened by the Floyd killing and expects changes in policing.

I understand we need to evolve as our community evolves. I get that 100 percent, he said.

But he said hes concerned that a wholesale overhaul of the system could cause unintended consequences, making it harder to attract good candidates to serve as police officers.

We dont want to make changes that will affect our ability to keep the community safe, Turner said. If people dont think we can keep our community safe, you wont get people wanting to become police officers.

***

Longtime civil rights advocates are watching with pride as young people and people of different colors and faiths mobilize on streets across the nation.

Avel Gordly, the first African American woman elected to the state Senate, and the Rev. LeRoy Haynes of Portland said theyre heartened by the energy and hope for significant gains in public policing of the police.

Along with the mass marches that mobilize people, you have to move to practical goals, said Haynes, who as a leader of the Albina Ministerial Alliances Coalition for Justice and Police Reform urged the Justice Department to investigate Portland police in 2012.

With the broad-based coalitions and all the different races and faith traditions that are part of this new call for police reform and accountability, its a great opportunity to get something right, he said.

Gordly said she favors what Tom Potter, a former Portland police chief and mayor, recently suggested in a Facebook post.

Potter wrote that its time to drop the name law enforcement  because it goes to the heart of the image the police have of themselves as Crime Fighters.

I propose we start by referring to police officers by the name we wish them to be, Potter wrote. Eliminate Law Enforcement Officer from your vocabulary and call them Peace Officer, Community Peace Officer, or just plain Officer.

As chief between 1990 and 1993, Potter said he wanted to remove the large photos in the first-floor lobby of police headquarters displaying a police gun belt, holster and handcuffs. Instead, he unsuccessfully lobbied for a mural depicting police as protectors of community safety and wellbeing.

That mural leaves out the most important role of the police  that of Community Peace Keepers, he wrote.

Gordly described the momentum as a heart movement.

Its one beating heart, and its the human heart and people are wanting to remove what ails us, wanting to remove what has poisoned our way of living together as human beings, she said.

***

State Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, who is pushing police accountability legislation as a member of the Oregon Legislative People of Color Caucus, shares that view.

We have as a culture accepted the idea that police are there primarily to shoot guns and get the bad guys, he said. We need to make a change in how we review their role. Theyre here to protect and serve.

108 Portland protests continue for 9th night in response to killing of George Floyd

Frederick said hes been stopped by police on his own street in inner Northeast Portland three times as he was driving home.

When I talk about these things, its not an academic experience for me, he said. Its personal for me.

After altering police job titles, their training should be revamped to reflect the different focus, Frederick and others said. That should be coupled with changes to state and federal laws that would make it easier to discipline, prosecute, fire and sue officers who violate police policies or the law, they said.

When you have a retired Portland police gang enforcement officer who then becomes a police lieutenant in another town and helps set up a Portland black man for wrongful arrest by city gang cops and then goes on to be hired as a top supervisor in the basic police training academy, something is seriously wrong, Hardesty said.

She referred to Michael Stradley, a former police officer in Portland and West Linn. Stradley is now on paid leave as a state police academy training officer while under investigation for his role in the 2017 wrongful arrest of Michael Fesser, a black Portland resident, who was targeted by West Linn police as a favor to a friend of their chief.

Top to bottom, Hardesty said, we need to eliminate everybody and start all over at DPSST -- the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, which trains and certifies police in Oregon.

Haynes said Portlands settlement with the Justice Department led to needed changes to police use-of-force polices. Officers, for example, may use only the objectively reasonable force necessary to perform their duties under a totality of circumstances, somewhat more restrictive than state or federal law.

The policies also restricted repeated use of stun guns and added training on de-escalation and implicit biases, but thats not enough, Haynes said.

Theres still that gap that exists between the enforcement of the training and the policy at the street level with officers, he said. That has to be reinforced at the sergeants level.

In Portland, Haynes, Hardesty and Gordly all point to the importance of the language in the new Portland police contract, ensuring greater transparency around police misconduct, discipline and outside review of complaints against officers.

Bargaining sessions were temporarily halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the contract may be extended for another year to allow the negotiations to continue in person when possible.

Haynes, Hardesty and Gordly said those talks must be open to the public.

Haynes doesnt believe the quick firing of the Minneapolis officers involved in Floyds death could happen right now in Portland.

He alluded to former Mayor Sam Adams firing of Officer Ronald Frashour, who shot Aaron Campbell, an unarmed 25-year-old African American man, in the back with an AR-15 rifle, killing him in January 2010.

An arbitrator ordered Frashour be returned to work with back wages, finding a reasonable officer could have believed Campbell was armed and that the police chief and mayor hadnt consulted police training instructors before the firing.

We have to have a contract that gives authority to the police commissioner and chief to be able to fire officers, Haynes said.

Weve been very unsuccessful with this arbitration system. Im pro-union, but the police union is a whole different beast, he said. If youre going to really get to the transformation that all these marches are talking about, youve got to have the accountability piece.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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Linkedin Dmitry Zaks (Agence France-Presse) London  Sun, June 7, 2020 08:30 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdca02a6 2 World George-Floyd,US-race-protests,Racism,racial-discrimination Free

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!"

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.

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.
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Deputy Killed in California Ambush by Air Force Sergeant: Officials

A Northern California sheriffs deputy was killed and two law enforcement officers were injured by explosives and gunfire while pursuing a suspect, officials said.

The Air Force confirmed on Sunday that the suspect was an active-duty sergeant at Travis Air Force Base.

Suspect Steven Carrillo, 32, was shot during his arrest and was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Hes accused of killing Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, in Santa Cruz County, California, said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart.

A second officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in the hand, Hart said.

Gutzwiller was a beloved figure here at the sheriffs office, Hart said. Damon showed up today to do his job, to keep this community safe, and his life was taken needlessly, reported The Associated Press.

Gov. Gavin Newsom extended condolences to Gutzwillers family, ordering flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff.

He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father, Newsom said in a statement. Jennifer and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, who was tragically killed while on duty today, he added.

A spokesperson for the Travis Air Force Base said Carrillo was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron, arriving at the base in June 2018. Carrillos wife Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo was found dead in an off-base hotel in May 2018 and was later ruled a suicide.

Deputies responded to a 911 call over reports of a suspicious van, with the caller saying there were guns and bomb-making devices inside, officials said.

When sheriffs officials arrived, the van pulled away before going down a driveway at Carrillos home. Deputies were later ambushed with gunfire or shrapnel, sheriffs officials said.

In the chaos, Gutzwiller was injured and later died inside a hospital, said officials.

On Sunday, the FBI said it is investigating Carrillos van and a similar vehicle used in the fatal shooting of a federal protective services officer, David Underwood, and the wounding of a second officer during unrest on May 29 following George Floyd protests.

The investigation into the incident in Ben Lomond, Calif. is ongoing, the FBI said in a statement. We are working with the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Department to determine a possible motive and/or links to other crimes committed in the Bay Area, to include the shooting of the FPS officers in Oakland.
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Los Angeles, CA  A common theme is starting to appear across all the stories of police violence against protesters in the past week. That theme is that the protests remain largely peaceful until police begin kettling protesters and attacking them with rubber bullets and tear gas. Multiple instances of protests turning violent all appear to have the same catalyst behind the violence  cops acting as the instigators. As the following case illustrates, even when the cops try to instigate a fight, up to and including shooting a homeless man in a wheelchair, people resist the urge to get violent.

There has been a lot of looting and destruction in Los Angeles since the start of the protests last week. However, on Tuesday, protests remained entirely peaceful. This was in spite of the fact that cops opened fire on protesters with rubber bullets and doused them with tear gas.

Dozens of peaceful protesters were documented trying to seek cover from the fire as cops shot them with less than lethal projectiles for being out past curfew.

It is important to point out that many of the arrests we are seeing involve violations of unconstitutional curfews which have been enforced across the nation  not actual crimes. When citizens refuse to be silenced and do not go home when told they have to, police begin a process known as kettling which provokes violence by trapping protesters in a fight or flight type situation.

Essentially, people who stay out past the curfew are being kettled by cops who do not allow them to leave and then are tear gassed, pepper sprayed, beaten with batons, and then arrested.

This tactic is highly controversial because multiple instances have captured cops abusing people who are innocent, including the press, and bystanders who are not even participating in the protests  like innocent homeless people in wheelchairs.

According to a report out of the LA Daily News, officers were enforcing the curfew in Los Angeles when they opened fire on peaceful protesters. Caught in the fire was an innocent homeless man who was shot right in his face with a rubber bullet. As seen below, after being shot, the man slumped over in the wheelchair and began bleeding profusely.

DTLA earlier: completely unarmed homeless man in a wheelchair that had NOTHING to do with our protest. They proceeded to inappropriately shoot non-lethal rounds directly at his face, which is against the proper procedure for firing rubber bullets.

https://t.co/RUhgJmBn5H DTLA earlier: "completely unarmed homeless man in a wheelchair that had NOTHING to do with our protest." "They proceeded to inappropriately shoot "non-lethal" rounds directly at his face, which is against the proper procedure for firing rubber bullets." pic.twitter.com/MMdEkutgCx  Chris Scalzo (@thescalzinator) June 5, 2020

As the Daily News reports:

Officers and then paramedics tended to the man, but his condition was unclear. LAPD spokeswoman Officer Rosario Cervantes said Wednesday the department had no comment on the incident at this time. A photo of the man and his injury was being reviewed by the department.

This happened on Tuesday and is so egregious, so over the top and despicable that it should be on the front page of every major outlet. However, there are literally so many stories like this one, that it is impossible to break through the divisive chatter in the mainstream.

As we reported on Friday, for example, 13 days ago, if cops were recorded conducting a drive-by shooting at kids walking down a sidewalk in their neighborhood  allegedly enforcing a 7:00 p.m. curfew  this would be a national conversation. Instead, its been reduced to a blurb in local media and buried by countless other stories.

The same cops who shot a man in a wheelchair are the same cops who conducted a drive-by shooting on children.

According to witnesses, the following footage was taken in the area of Fountain and Highland avenues in Los Angeles.

In the video, we can see a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff department leaning out the window in a drive-by fashion before opening fire on a group of teens on the sidewalk.

We have no way of knowing what transpired prior to this shooting. However, nothing the officers are doing is within department policy.

As the group of teens turns and runs, pepper balls are seen exploding on signs and cars before rubber bullet gun shots can be heard. It was a scene out of a dystopian fiction, but it was real and happened in the land of the free.
[June 06, 2020] INTELSAT 48 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors With Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Intelsat S.A. - I

ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have only until June 8, 2020 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against BC Partners (including individual partners Raymond Svider and Justin Bateman) and Silver Lake Group, L.L.C. (and its related entities) on behalf of purchasers of Intelsat (News - Alert) S.A. (NYSE: I) securities between November 5, 2019 and November 18, 2019, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Get Help Intelsat investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-silver-lake-group-llc-intelsat-sa-securities-litigation or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.



About the Lawsuit On November 18, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would publicly auction the wavebands controlled by Intelsat for future "5G" use (the "C-Band") that the Company had been hoping to sell privately.

On this news, the price of Intelsat's shares plummeted. The case is James Hill, et al. v. Silver Lake Group, L.L.C., et al., 20-cv-02341. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200606005004/en/

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Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range) Mohit Agarwal got himself fined for not wearing a mask in public.

Agarwal asked the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Barra police station, Ranjeet Singh, to fine him for stepping out without wearing a mask.

The SHO made the challan and handed over a copy to the IG who paid 100 as fine on the spot.

Agarwal later told reporters that he had gone to Barra on Friday for inspection and had stepped out of his vehicle without a mask.

I had discussion with the subordinates, including circle officers, and later realised that I was not wearing a mask. I immediately took out my mask from my official vehicle and put it on. But I felt it was ethical to get myself fined and set an example for police and public, he said.

The state government had said that a fine of 100 would be levied on those not wearing face covers in public. This was part of its measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

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Kirubhakar Purushothaman By

"Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction I first heard this from Bharath Patteri (Mammootty) in the Malayalam investigative thriller, The Truth (1998), where he finally reveals the real criminal of a high-profile assassination.

The reveal is shocking because you wouldnt expect such a person to be a cold-blooded killer. The line kept resonating while watching Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich because the very existence of such a sinister personality was beyond imagination.

The American financier was like a one-dimensional villain from movies. If you believe there is no such thing as pure evil and people are the product of their circumstance, this docu-series might make you re-evaluate such a conviction.

Jeffery Epstein is filthy rich. He owns a mansion on the Palm Beach, Florida, a vacation house in New Mexico, one in Paris, and another residence in New York.

He also owns a private island in the Caribbean and has private jets. With money comes power, and with it, connections.

WATCH TRAILER:

Throughout the series, we see pictures of Epstein with former US president Bill Clinton, Woody Allen, Harvey Weinstein, and Donald Trump.

The docu-series is predominantly the accounts of Epsteins victims, who recount how they were manipulated, abused, and initiated into sex when they were underage. His victims were as young as 14.

Epsteins modus operandi involved inviting these girls to his place to give him a massage for 200 dollars and coerce them into sex.

He would then ask them to bring in their friends. In this process, he created a molestation pyramid scheme involving dozens of underage children, who were also lent out to his friends.

Things get horrific with every passing episode as it peals one layer after the other to reveal the rotten core of this personality and a system that aided him.

Despite being a straight-forward series with lesser heard information, it still makes a significant achievement in the way of moving its focus from the perpetrator to the victims, who were censured and shamed over the years.

It even documents the accounts of one of his victims, who recruited dozens of underage girls for Epstein.

Doing away with a narrator, Bryant lets the victims do the talking, which doesnt happen often. This is how it should be.

It should always be about them. It should only be about our empathy. And the first step is to listen. And listen, we should.
He has been working tirelessly to raise funds for his cancer charity, Love Your Sister, since 2012.

And actor Samuel Johnson, 42, has now found a unique way to raise money for the organisation he set up in honour of his late sister - selling sex toys.

Last week, the Gold Logie Award winner surprised fans by announcing that a new adults-only range of pleasure devices are now available on his charity's website.

'I'm calling it the After Dark range!' Samuel Johnson's cancer charity is now selling SEX TOYS to raise much-needed money for cancer research

'My charity is selling sex toys as of now. Why on earth? To provide men and women who've experienced cancer pathways towards a new sexual identity post-treatment,' he announced on Instagram last Friday.

'Cancer wreaks havoc on patients' sex lives and no one is talking about it, so f**k it,' he wrote, adding that he hopes to raise money for cancer research to avoid these side-effects.

'I'm calling it the "After Dark" range,' he said of the products, which are now available via the Love Your Sister online store.

Unique: Last Friday, the Gold Logie Award winner surprised fans by announcing that by selling sex toys he hopes 'to provide men and women who've experienced cancer pathways towards a new sexual identity post-treatment'

Adults only! The After Dark range (pictured) consists of 12 adult products, including vibrators and a sex toy cleaning product

Encouraging both men and women to peruse the collection, Samuel went on to explain why his late sister Connie would approve of his new products.

'Connie told me to vanquish cancer and to do it with joy. Tick,' he wrote.

The After Dark range consists of 12 adult products, including vibrators and a sex toy cleaning product, with prices ranging from $31 to $330.

Tragic loss: Sam's sister Connie (right) died of cancer in 2017

Samuel quit acting in early 2016 to focus on raising $10 million for cancer research after his sister, Connie, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and passed away in September 2017 at age 40.

The Molly actor was incredibly close to his sister, and established the Love Your Sister charity in 2012 after it was revealed her cancer was terminal.
I am a retired public school teacher and administrator. After retiring, I spent many years as a tour guide, taking public and parochial school students to the Washington Mall, visiting and explaining what the various symbols of our government stand for.

Ive been on that spot where President Donald Trump held up the Bible, expressing his version of law and order, as he trampled on the First Amendment rights of peaceful protesters under the Bill of Rights.

As a veteran, I was aghast at what he did. I believe most people are quite aware that the real story of the Bible is one of love, redemption, justice, forgiveness, etc., and not about the vile messages the president regularly espouses on his Twitter account.

I can only hope most people in our beloved country know the difference.

Carmen Consolo,

Avon Lake
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.
The FCA has devised a package of measures. Photo: Getty

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has stepped up to address concerns about the high proportion of people in salary-based pension schemes being advised to transfer out of them.

The regulator launched 30 enforcement investigations arising from concerns identified while investigating defined benefit (DB) pension transfers.

It also launched a package of measures, including further support for customers who are considering whether to transfer out of a DB scheme, or who have already transferred out.

Christopher Woolard, interim CEO of the FCA said: The proportion of customers who have been advised to transfer out of their DB pension is unacceptably high.

While much of the advice we looked at was suitable, we are still finding too many cases in which transfers were not in the customers best interests.

Woolard hopes the advice the FCA has set out will drive up standards.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: 36bn in toxic loans on horizon

The regulator is to implement a ban on contingent charging, removing conflicts of interest which arise when a financial adviser only gets paid if the transfer goes ahead.

It will also improve conditions for good advisers, who often tell people to stay put, helping them to compete in the marketplace.

The FCA conducted in-depth reviews of the 85 most active firms in the market, identifying companies most likely to be providing unsuitable advice.

The British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) was singled out as one with a higher percentage of unsuitable filings than those in the rest of the sample. 192 instances of advice to former BSPS members were reviewed. Of these, 21% appeared to be suitable, 47% appeared to be unsuitable. 32% appeared to contain information gaps.

The Guardian reported that in some circumstances for this scheme, advisers were receiving about 6,000 for each case they convinced to transfer out.
The Bedford County Sheriffs Office announced Saturday afternoon the arrest of Dalton Holbrook, a Greenwood, Indiana, man sought earlier this week in connection with the death of 72-year-old John Menna of Moneta.

Holbrook has been charged with second degree murder and grand larceny.

The Bedford County Sheriffs Office and the Commonwealths Attorneys Office worked in conjunction with other jurisdictions, including Georgia, Tennessee, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Holbrook is being held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to a release from the sheriffs office, and bond was being determined Saturday.

Authorities were called Thursday to the 6000 block of White House Road in Moneta after receiving a 911 call that a man was found in his residence with what appeared to be serious injuries.

Upon arrival, sheriffs deputies located the victim, Menna, who was dead.

Authorities then began searching for Mennas car, a 2014 Hyundai Sonata, and on Friday announced Holbrook was a person of interest in the homicide investigation.

Ben Cates covers high school sports for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5527.
Prince Philip is said to be a fan of the hit BBC programme The Royles, after the Queen reportedly let slip he loved the show.

Actor Ricky Tomlinson, 80, who plays Jim Royle in the show, told co-star Ralf Little that Queen Elizabeth said her husband was a fan of the comedy.

Speaking on their new Gold show Ricky and Ralfs Very Northern Road Trip, Mr Tomlinson said the Queen told his lookalike, Will Williams, Prince Philip was a fan.

Mr Williams, 72, is a charity fundraiser from Caernarfon who received a medal from the Queen at Caernarfon Castle.

Prince Philip is a fan of the BBC television show The Royles according to the Queen, Actor Ricky Tomlinson, 80, revealed

Ricky Tomlinson (top right) is famed for his role as gobby slob Jim Royle in the BBC television show

Ricky said: 'I told you about my lookalike, his names Will and hes from mid-Wales.

'And as shes putting the medal on his coat, or whatever it is, shes said to him, "I dont watch your programme, but my husband loves it".'

Mr Williams used his similarity to Ricky to raise thousands of pounds for charities, including Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The Queen had previously told former Caernarfon mayor Hwyel Roberts that she had seen the show when he introduced her to Mr Williams in 2010.

The Duke of Edingburgh, 98, will turn 99 on Wednesday and retired from Royal duties in August 2017

Mr Roberts told The Mirror: 'She said, Oh, is it about a man in a vest sitting on a settee?" And then Will said, "Oh, you watch it, Your Majesty?" And she very quickly said, "Ive seen it once".'

Mr Williams met his on-screen lookalike in 2006 at a one-man show in Llandudno, the town famed for its wild goats.

Ricky introduced Mr Williams to the audience as 'my brother,' and joked that his father used to be a baker, who had a round in the Caernarfon area.

Ricky Tomlinson, 80, met lookalike Will Williams, 72, in 2006 at a a one-man show in Llandudno

He said: 'We bonded immediately. He couldn't believe how similar we look, we took to each other like brothers, it was quite moving actually.

'If I can make other people happy and put a smile on their faces then I'm happy,' he told the BBC.

Mr Williams also raised money for charity Ysgol Pendalar for autistic children and signed up with Clic actors and extra's agency.

Prince Philip, 98, retired from August 2017 and will turn 99 on Wednesday next week.

Prince Philip's low-key 99th birthday: Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen will mark the milestone with a simple lunch at Windsor Castle

By Rebecca English Royal Editor for The Daily Mail

Prince Philip will celebrate his 99th birthday next week with nothing more fancy than a simple lunch with the Queen.

Royal sources have confirmed that there were no plans for a party to mark the occasion, even without the restrictions caused by coronavirus.

The Duke of Edinburgh is characteristically taciturn about occasion and has opted, as is his habit, not to make a fuss, they say.

However, lockdown means there is no chance of his children dropping by to pass on birthday wishes in person next Wednesday.

Philip's birthday will be marked by lunch with the Queen, as well as Zoom and telephone calls with family and friends

Philip has been in isolation at Windsor Castle with the Queen since before Easter  the longest period the couple have spent together there for as long as anyone can remember, an insider noted.

Since he retired in 2017, the duke has largely lived at Wood Farm on the Queens Sandringham Estate, apart from brief visits to Windsor and a longer summer stay at Balmoral.

His birthday will be marked by lunch with the Queen, as well as Zoom and telephone calls with family and friends  including Prince Charles in Scotland, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Norfolk and Harry and Meghan in Los Angeles.

A small number of public birthday wishes will be released on social media by family members, while Buckingham Palace hopes to mark the occasion publicly in some small way, depending on how His Royal Highness feels.

Philip has been in isolation at Windsor Castle with the Queen since before Easter  the longest period the couple have spent together there for as long as anyone can remember, an insider noted

But the mantra of the day is very much low key.

Hes not one for fuss, as you know, a source said.

Philips cousin and childhood friend Myra Butter confirmed that he has always insisted on no fuss, no bother.

Lady Butter, 95  who shares a great-great-grandfather, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, with Philip  said: He has such an incredibly active mind. And hes a great reader, so interested in things.

Hes got enormous knowledge and I am absolutely certain there must be a link between that and his long and healthy life. Hes such an enigma, really.

'He has that thirst for knowledge. He still paints, he sees his horses and keeps abreast of everything in the news.

Philips cousin and childhood friend Myra Butter confirmed that he has always insisted on no fuss, no bother

Philip has suffered several bouts of poor health in recent years and was in hospital just before Christmas but is said to be far better now, despite feeling the effects of his advancing years.

Lady Butter said: The secret is that he just does everything he has previously done, but slower.

He still enjoys the greatest role of all, supporting the Queen. As for a party to celebrate turning 99? Goodness me, no! He never wants a fuss, ever!
Islamabad, June 7 : The government of Pakistan's Punjab province told the Supreme Court that the entire country was under a serious threat of locust invasion if the menace was not contained in the breeding regions.

An area of 300,000 square kilometres, roughly 37 per cent of the country's total area, is vulnerable to the desert locust. Sixty per cent of the land is in Balochistan, 25 per cent in Sindh and 15 per cent in Punjab's Cholistan region, reports Dawn news.

Balochistan falls within an area known as a spring breeding zone while Punjab and Sindh are in the summer breeding zone, according to a report placed by the Punjab government before the Supreme Court on Saturday.

The report was filed as part of a reply to a query on May 19 by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed about the food security situation in view of the locust invasion.

The Chief Justice was hearing a case on steps taken by the government to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan had expressed fears that Pakistan was afflicted not only with a medical emergency of gigantic proportions but also an imminent locust threat which posed a danger to food security.

Punjab highlighted the need for deployment of maximum resources in the summer breeding areas of the country.

Desert locusts, which belongs to the grasshopper family Acrididae, can destroy 10 per cent of the world's food grain and cause a serious shortage.

Even a swarm over one square kilometre can gobble up an amount of food grain in one day that can be sufficient for about 35,000 people.
Plans for Anthony Joshua's fight with Kubrat Pulev at the end of the year will not be threatened by his knee injury, according to Eddie Hearn.

Joshua wore a protective brace on his left knee at a Black Lives Matter march on Saturday after feeling a 'twinge' while training.

But his promoter Hearn confirmed to Sportsmail on Sunday that the injury will not scupper Joshua's return, despite requiring four weeks' rest.

Eddie Hearn insists Anthony Joshua's knee injury will not threaten his fight with Kubrat Pulev

Joshua wore a protective brace on his left knee at a Black Lives Matter march on Saturday

The promoter said the Brit's rescheduled fight with Pulev is planned for October or November

Hearn said the fight is 'still planned for probably October or November', with November more likely owing to the improved chances of securing a big crowd.

A spokesman for Joshua added: '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.'

The 30-year-old spoke to the crowd at the Watford protest and called racism a 'pandemic'

Joshua, the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight world champion, was initially scheduled to meet his IBF mandatory challenger Pulev on June 20 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Owing to the situation around the pandemic, subsequent plans were pencilled in for July 25 but the floating plan is now targeting the final quarter of the year.

As well as UK staging options, it is understood there has been interest from the Middle East, China and Croatia in hosting Joshua's fight against the Bulgarian.
The rustic building that is Rubys Roadhouse in Mandeville, which dates back to at least the early 1920s, shows its age rather proudly.

From its rusty tin roof to the cracks in its clapboard walls, the bar and music venue is akin to its more famous Lamarque Street neighbor, the Dew Drop Jazz and Social Hall. Both cherish their authenticity, historical significance and tumbledown charm. It has been feared that modernization of the structures, particularly the Dew Drop where jazz greats such as Kid Ory and Bunk Johnson played, might disturb the spirits of past music icons.

But after 100 years, something had to give. In the case of Rubys, it was the floor.

After a century of use, including decades of stomping on a dance floor with a foundation that would not have passed regulatory inspection today, there was a noticeable bend to the underbelly of the historical building and a palpable trampoline effect for those who sashayed by the stage.

When the coronavirus lockdown first went into place, establishments like Rubys that serve alcohol but do not have kitchens, could not operate. So bar owners Fred and Dianne Holland figured the time was right to stabilize Rubys.

Last month, workers began pulling up what had over the years become a patchwork floor covering a rickety foundation and some interesting artifacts.

We found some guitar picks, Fred Holland joked. But we didnt know if they belonged to Anders Osborne (who used to have a regular gig at Rubys) and could sell them on eBay or if they were from one of the Tuesday night bands that no one ever heard of.

The plan is to elevate the building by 12 inches and install a new, treated floor system. The work is being done by Acme House Raising. Edward Deano, who owns the building that houses Ruby's, is financing the restoration.

Acme owner Tommy Cousin said sections of the buildings foundation and flooring have rotted over the years, causing the structure to settle, which gave parts of the floor a bouncy feel. The project, which should take about a month to complete, should provide stabilization for the historic roadhouse.

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I wanted to save it, Fred Holland said. I want it to last another 100 years.

The Hollands have owned the bar since 1984, but the buildings history dates back to the early 20th century. Building records are sketchy, but Fred Holland said he suspects the building may have been erected before 1920 based on the type of materials used in its original construction.

It was built by African American lumberjacks who were not allowed in other area clubs, according to the Hollands. Known as Bucks Brown Derby at the time, the establishment remained mostly segregated and serving primarily people of color until the 1970s. During that period, white patrons would buy drinks from a window facing what is now Florida Street.

Since the Hollands took over in the mid-1980s, Rubys has served as both a Cheers-type neighborhood bar where locals meet regularly and a weekend music venue that has staged artists such as Osborne, the Radiators, Maria Muldaur, The Boogie Men, Rockin Dopsie and many other local favorites.

Segments of the television series "Treme" were filmed at Rubys, and actor Stephen Seagal once found his way to the bar and played a gig there.

While Rubys occasionally finds the limelight, Dianne Holland said its core is a neighborhood bar where patrons befriend the owners and one another.

With the bar closed for weeks due to the pandemic, she said regulars anxious for the bar to reopen have been buying drinks from a liquor store across the street and gathering under a covered area alongside of Rubys.

Ryan Rogers, who said hes been a regular Rubys patron for 20 years, peered inside the old building last month as workers pulled up the flooring. He said he values its laid-back unpretentiousness, but recognizes the need for the improvements to the sagging structure.

Its a very unique place, Rogers said. Its just old. There needs to be a little lipstick on this pig.
Courtesy Photo

We find ourselves living in unprecedented times, a phrase not uncommon to hear daily. Certainly, the challenges in the oil and gas industry in the last two months are also unprecedented, regardless of whether youre an industry veteran like me or an early career professional. We also have a challenge coming to determine the course of both maintaining and also growing quality health care in Midland. However, I am confident that in the end we will persevere on all these fronts. The residents of Midland are resilient; we have met challenges and made tough decisions in the past. On, July 14, the voters of the Midland County Hospital District will get a chance to speak to the future and ensure our communitys health care resources for generations.

COVID-19 shut down most of the world economy, crushing energy demand and leading to a major oil surplus and the collapse of commodity prices. As we begin to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, the economies of the United States and the rest of the world will regain their vitality, and demand for Permian oil will return. As we plan for the return of drilling and production activity, our attention must also return to the supporting community infrastructure necessary for the future. A key pillar of that infrastructure is high-quality health care.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are favored to emerge from the NFC. (AP)

Who is the real AFC favorite to face the Packers in the Super Bowl?
Cristobal weakened to a tropical depression as the center of the storm moved inland on Monday morning. But the National Hurricane Center warns there remains a "life-threatening storm surge" danger for parts of Mississippi and Louisiana.

What's happening: A flood-watch was in effect for Louisiana amid heavy rain forecast by the National Weather Service, as the storm moved 40 miles north of Baton Rouge, packing maximum sustained winds of 35mph on Monday morning.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

The big picture: Per KATC, Louisiana authorities issued evacuation orders for several parishes ahead of Cristobal making landfall as a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, packing sustained winds of 50 mph.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tweeted that President Trump had approved his request for federal assistance over the storm.

Background: Per the NHC, Cristobal formed last Wednesday off the southeast coast of Mexico.

The storm weakened to a tropical depression over Gulf coastal land in Mexico last Thursday morning.

It strengthened into a tropical storm again as it moved over the southern Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula on Friday.

Cristobal's system spawned at least one tornado in Orlando, Florida, where an EF-1 rated twister struck on Saturday with winds of over 100 mph.

Go deeper: FEMA braces for COVID-infected hurricane season

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Finding a way to protect against COVID-19 would transform the fight against the coronavirus that has spread across the world since late last year.

Pharmaceutical companies and doctors have been hunting for drugs to treat COVID-19 and launched a major effort to develop a vaccine against it, but they haven't focused as much on therapies for preventing infection before or after someone is exposed to the virus that causes the disease.

"The idea of having a way of preventing the infection and/or symptoms remains a critical need," said Dr. Susanna Naggie, vice dean for clinical research and an associate professor at the Duke University School of Medicine.

That's why there was so much excitement over the drug hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump said he was taking for a while, to avoid infection with the virus. A study published last week found hydroxychloroquine failed to prevent infection. Other studies are ongoing, including some larger ones, that will confirm or contradict that finding.

Hydroxychloroquine has received the most scientific attention  undergoing more than 200 ongoing trials  both because it was one of the earliest drugs available to be considered and because Trump's support drove public interest.

Now that questions have been raised about its effectiveness, focus is slowly beginning to turn elsewhere, and trials of other approaches, from medications to mouthwashes, are beginning.

Even though some of those approaches already are well used, it will be months before scientists will know whether they can prevent COVID-19.

Turning focus elsewhere

The negative attention on hydroxychloroquine has made it much harder for researchers to get enough volunteers to complete trials of the drug, said Naggie, who is helping to lead one of the largest.

Naggie said her team had hoped to quickly get 15,000 health care workers to volunteer to take hydroxychloroquine and finish her study in five or six months. Instead, only about 800 have signed up, and she expects her study to take months longer.

Story continues

Public opinion of the drug has suffered, she said, in response to the politics and observational studies such as one in The Lancet, which has since been retracted, that raised questions about its effectiveness and risks in patients very sick with COVID-19.

Her $50 million study, called Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes, or HERO, will be useful to definitively answer the question about hydroxychloroquines effectiveness for pre-exposure prevention, she said.

Other prevention approaches are likely to be added to the study in the hopes that one or more will eventually prove useful against the virus.

"The level of enthusiasm for something that is not hydroxychloroquine will be much higher," Naggie predicted. "The politicization of hydroxychloroquine, as well as the data that has come out in the inpatient setting, made a murky picture for this drug in particular."

When it comes to searching for a drug to prevent COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine has gotten most of the attention. But research is underway to look at other options that may be effective.

More: A coronavirus vaccine could require you to get two shots. Here's why.

More: In the race for a coronavirus vaccine, can Operation Warp Speed avoid politics?

A prevention approach differs from a vaccine, though it may be useful in combination, Naggie said. A vaccine hopefully provides long-term protection; a prophylaxis could help in the case of an exposure, or ongoing risk, such as to a health care worker.

For the flu, for example, an annual vaccine is not 100% effective, though it can reduce risk of serious infection. Many people exposed to the flu are prescribed the antiviral Tamiflu to help limit the infection. In HIV, for which researchers have tried for decades to develop a vaccine, people at high risk for the infection can be prescribed the same drug cocktail for prevention as is used for treatment.

There are no federally approved treatments for COVID-19, though the anti-viral drug remdesivir has shown some effectiveness against it and is routinely used in many places. For now, remdesivir is delivered only intravenously, so it is not a good option for people looking to prevent disease.

Researchers hope that whatever works as a treatment will also prevent initial infection and visa versa.

On the hunt for other preventives

In a gigantic global trial called Solidarity, the World Health Organization is testing four different approaches to treating COVID-19: hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir and two combinations of drugs used to combat HIV, Lopinavir and Ritonavir, and Lopinavir and Ritonavir plus the multiple sclerosis drug Interferon beta-1a. The two-drug combination was tested in China early in the outbreak and shown not to work as a treatment in very serious disease, but there is some hope that it might work in lesser infections.

Romark, a pharmaceutical company based in Tampa, Florida, is running two different trials of its candidate drug nitazoxanide, which has long been used to treat "traveler's diarrhea." For the past 15 years, the company has been studying whether it can be used to prevent a wide range of respiratory viruses.

Romark is testing the drug in 800 people in nursing homes and 800 health care workers and first responders to see whether it can prevent infection in people who have been exposed to the coronavirus. They hope to have results by the end of the summer, said Marc Ayers, Romark CEO.

Although it's too soon to know whether the drug will be successful, if it is, Romark will be prepared to produce as much as 200 million pills by the end of the year at its production facility in Puerto Rico, Ayers said.

For the trial, the pills will be given twice a day for six weeks. In nursing homes, once someone in the facility has COVID-19, Ayers said, he hopes nitazoxanide will stop the virus from spreading. Nursing homes are eligible to join the trial if they have an outbreak, he said, and the company pledged to enroll a nursing home within 72 hours of first contact with the company.

"We're working with a sense of urgency," he said.

Could simple iodine help?

Dr. Alexandra Kejner was in her third trimester of pregnancy and struggling with insomnia this spring when it struck her that the iodine she uses to sterilize the nose and throat of her patients might help clear COVID-19.

"That's what I wash my hands with before surgery," said Kejner, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, adding it's also used for wound packing and sinus disease, and is relatively safe and affordable.

Kejner, the mother of a 2-month-old girl, has since launched a major study examining a specific concentration of iodine to prevent COVID-19. The aim is to coat the inside of the nose and mouth to prevent the virus from getting a foothold.

She's started to enroll 300 patients in the trial, as have collaborators at George Washington University and Louisiana State University.

Eligible participants use the carefully dosed iodine nasal spray and gargle with it three times a day. Originally, they were going to be asked to use a nasal swab similar to the COVID-19 testing swabs, but Kejners husband tried it and vetoed it.

"No one will do this three times a day," he warned. So she changed the protocol.

The trial will include two groups of participants: patients hospitalized for non-COVID-19 reasons and health care workers exposed to COVID-19 patients. To enroll, each participant will be tested to ensure he or she is not infected and screened for allergies to iodine.

For health care workers, Kejner said she sees iodine as a "second line of defense" in case they don't have enough personal protective equipment or it fails to keep them safe.

She hopes to have at least preliminary data within the next two to three months.

Dr. Michael Paasche-Orlow, a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, said he wishes such trials had started sooner, so more results could arrive this summer.

The federal government, he said, focused too much on hydroxychloroquine instead of spreading the research into different prevention approaches.

"The early enthusiasm distorted the market," he said. "Why would we have 200 recent studies about hydroxychloroquine and not more diversity of projects? It feels that there was a missed opportunity."

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Researchers look beyond hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19
BREAKING: Protest on South Shore continues from 123 Precinct Posted by Staten Island Advance on Sunday, June 7, 2020

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough residents planned to protest Sunday on the South Shore to call for an end to racism in the wake of George Floyds death in police custody in Minneapolis.

Protesters were expected to gather at the Conference House at 3 p.m. and march to the 123rd Precinct stationhouse in Tottenville.

BREAKING: Protesters gather at 123 Precinct Posted by Staten Island Advance on Sunday, June 7, 2020

We are doing this to spread aware and come together as a community, according to a flier promoting the peaceful protest.

Officer Derek Chauvin, the white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyds neck, has been arrested and charged with unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

All four have been fired from the Minneapolis police department.

BREAKING: Protest on South Shore to end racism Posted by Staten Island Advance on Sunday, June 7, 2020

Floyds death has led to protests all across the country, including some that have turned violent.

Protests on Staten Island have remained peaceful, including the most recent Saturday, in which approximately 100 marched from the site of Eric Garners death in Tompkinsville to the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George.
The Hanoi Department of Construction has listed 22 commercial housing projects, some complete and some under construction, where foreigners can own homes.

The outside of the Terra An Hung - Ha Dong project in late April, one of the 22 commerical housing projects which foreign buyers are allowed to purchase. (Photo theterraanhung.com.vn)

From November 2019 until May 2020, the capital city also listed 26 other commercial housing projects where foreigners can buy homes.

Currently, foreigners in Vietnam can own up to 30 percent of apartments in some projects, but demand has far exceeded this level.

Therefore, the Vietnam Real Estate Brokers Association has proposed the Government consider increasing the foreign ownership cap in high-end apartment projects.

Tran Minh Hoang, Deputy General Secretary of Vietnam Real Estate Brokers Association, told zingnews.vn that foreigners demand for real estate in Vietnam is increasing, especially for high-end apartments and resorts.

Foreigners with large amounts of capital are not really interested in middle-class and affordable products like Vietnamese people, according to Hoang. Therefore, they will not compete with local people in the apartment market as products targeting the two groups of customers are different.

Vietnam is an attractive destination for foreigners due to its favourable geographical position and great potential for tourism development, while real estate is competitively priced and profitable.

The State should increase the foreign ownership caps in apartment projects to attract capital, increase market transparency and stimulate socio-economic development, Hoang said.

He also said this proposal should not be considered a short-term solution to restore the property market in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era but should be a long-term solution./.VNS

Environment Minister: Land Law disallows foreign ownership of land The Land Law disallows the issuance of land use rights certificates to aliens, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha told reporters on the sidelines of the National Assembly session on May 25.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh emphasised that the conference aims to support SMEs seeking ways to fully tap into the opportunities brought about by the agreement and to minimize its challenges.

Art the conference (Photo: VNA)



Participants focused discussions on strategic benefits and issues enterprises must take heed of to effectively implement the agreement, on potential products for export, and on promoting all exports to the EU.

The role played by local authorities in supporting SMEs by building trade promotion strategies to take advantage of opportunities from the agreement was also on the agenda.

The EVFTA was approved by the European Council on March 30 and is scheduled to be passed by the National Assembly of Vietnam on June 8.

Vietnam is the only developing country and the second in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to sign an FTA with the EU - the worlds leading economic community with GDP of 18,300 billion USD.

The agreement is hoped to drive Vietnams exports and help diversify its export markets.

According to research from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, it will help Vietnam increase its GDP by 2.18-3.25 percent in the first five years, 4.57-5.30 percent in the next five years and 7.07-7.72 percent in the following five years while its exports to the EU are expected to grow by 42.7 percent by 2025 and 44.37 by 2030.

Vietnamese businesses will soon have the opportunity to access new supply chains to replace traditional supply chains disrupted or stalled by COVID-19.

It is a good opportunity for Vietnam to step in and fill the gap in regional and global supply chains affected by the pandemic./.
By Ahmad Ghaddar, Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler MOSCOW/DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July, prolonging a deal that has helped crude prices double in the past two months by withdrawing almost 10% of global supplies from the market. The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production 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) during May-June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis

By Ahmad Ghaddar, Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler

MOSCOW/DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July, prolonging a deal that has helped crude prices double in the past two months by withdrawing almost 10% of global supplies from the market.

The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production 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) during May-June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis. Those cuts were due to taper to 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

"Demand is returning as big oil-consuming economies emerge from pandemic lockdown. But we are not out of the woods yet and challenges ahead remain," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the video conference of OPEC+ ministers.

Benchmark Brent crude climbed to a three-month high on Friday above $42 a barrel, after diving below $20 in April. Prices still remain a third lower than at the end of 2019.

"Prices can be expected to be strong from Monday, keeping their $40 plus levels," said Bjornar Tonhaugen from Rystad Energy.

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de facto leader, and Russia have to perform a balancing act of pushing up oil prices to meet their budget needs while not driving them much above $50 a barrel to avoid encouraging a resurgence of rival U.S. shale production.

BULGING INVENTORIES

The April deal was agreed under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants to avoid U.S. oil industry bankruptcies.

Trump, who previously threatened to pull U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia if Riyadh did not act, spoke to the Russian and Saudi leaders before Saturday's talks, saying he was happy with the price recovery.

While oil prices have partially recovered, they are still well below the costs of most U.S. shale producers. Shutdowns, layoffs and cost cutting continue across the United States.

As global lockdown restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus are being eased, oil demand is expected to exceed supply sometime in July but OPEC has yet to clear 1 billion barrels of excess oil inventories accumulated since March.

Tonhaugen said Saturday's decisions would help OPEC reduce inventories at a rate of 3 million to 4 million bpd over July-August.

"The quicker stocks fall, the higher prices will get. And that is crucial for many OPEC+ economies, whose fiscal budgets count on oil sales," he said.

Nigeria's petroleum ministry said Abuja backed the idea of compensating for its excessive output in May and June.

Iraq, with one of the worst compliance rates in May, agreed to extra cuts although it was not clear how Baghdad would reach agreement with oil majors on curbing Iraqi output. [OPEC/O]

Iraq produced 520,000 bpd above its quota in May, while overproduction by Nigeria was 120,000 bpd, Angola's was 130,000 bpd, Kazakhstan's was 180,000 bpd and Russia's was 100,000 bpd, according to OPEC+ data.

OPEC+'s joint ministerial monitoring committee, known as the JMMC, would now meet every month until December to review the market, compliance and recommend levels of cuts.

The next JMMC meeting is scheduled for June 18, while the next full OPEC and OPEC+ meeting will take place on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya Astakhova in Moscow, Rania El Gamal in Dubai, Alex Lawler and Ahmad Ghaddar in London, Libby George in Abuja, Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad, Lamine Chikhi in Algiers; Writing by Dmitry Zhdhannikov; Editing by Edmund Blair)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Employees of JP Morgan India Ltd, who were on the board of various Amrapali real estate group companies, "laundered" deposits worth Rs 187 crore of home buyers and "diverted" them to the multi-national financial advisory firm's entities based in Mauritius and Singapore by undertaking sham transactions and using shell companies, the Enforcement Directorate has found in its probe.

The central probe agency submitted to the Supreme Court these findings of its investigation as part of a reply-affidavit after it attached Rs 187,34,92,519 in bank deposit of JP Morgan India Pvt Ltd at a bank branch in Mumbai on May 26 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The company, during the last hearing of the case in the Supreme Court on May 27, had denied any wrongdoing and said that this attachment of properties by the ED was blatantly illegal as it was not part of any kind of financial dealing with the Amrapali Group.

The SC had asked the central agency to file a reply on this grievance raised by the company.

The ED, through Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, filed the reply in which it described the modus operandi of the company to allegedly launder the hard-earned money of home buyers who wanted to purchase an abode in Amrapali real estate projects.

The apex court, which is monitoring this case, had in December last year directed the ED and its Lucknow zone Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh, who was present in the court, to take action against JP Morgan under the anti-money laundering law and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

The top court had first cracked the whip in July last year on errant builders for breaching the trust of home buyers and ordered cancellation of Amrapali Group's registration under the real estate law RERA and ousted it from its prime properties in the national capital region by nixing the land leases.

The ED probe in the case found the role of "shell companies" and "dummy directors" in perpetration of the alleged money laundering crime.

"It is revealed in the PMLA investigations that the employees of JP Morgan India Ltd on board of Ms Amrapali Zodiac Developers P Ltd and Ms Amrapali Silicon City P Ltd were not only in complete control of the material decision of the respective companies and securing interests of the funds but they also indulged prima facie in money laundering to divert the home buyers' funds to the tune of Rs 187 crore to JP Morgan India Property Mauritius Company-II in Mauritius and Ms JP Morgan IPF-I Singapore 2 PTE Ltd in Singapore," the agency said in its affidavit that was accessed by PTI.

The employees have been identified as Gunjan Bahl, Hrushikesh Kar and Chanakya Chakravarty.

The agency said the Mauritian company "was an active participant in the conspiracy from the very outset" and that JP Morgan India "played a key role in the remittance of diverted funds of the home buyers to Mauritius and Singapore."

These employees of JP Morgan India P Ltd, it said, serving on the board of Directors of Amrapali Zodiac Developers P Ltd "got arranged the cash flow in the company through funds arranged from other companies of Amrapali group, diversion of the funds of the home buyers, staged valuation of shares, creation of shell companies with dummy directors and sham transactions to finally get accrued about Rs 140 crore to JP Morgan India Property Mauritius Company-II."

The agency claimed that the employees of JP Morgan India while serving on the board of Amrapali Silicon City "got the funds of the home buyers diverted for payment on interest of CCDs (completely convertible debentures) to IPF II-Singapore 1 PTE Ltd to the tune of over Rs 47.31 crore during 2012-15."

This, it said, was despite the fact that during the same period, Amrapali Silicon City Developers P Ltd was "defaulting on interest payments to banks, tax liabilities and payments to NOIDA authorities."

It identified three shell firms-- Mannat Buildcraft Pvt Ltd, Neelkanth Buildcraft Pvt Ltd and Rudraksh Infracity Pvt Ltd-- and said they were sent the "diverted" funds obtained as deposits from Amrapali home buyers and were kept in the bank account of Amrapali Zodiac Developers Pvt Ltd.

These were "not genuine transactions", it said.

The agency said the latter two firms were formed in 2013 but "there were no other transactions observed in their bank accounts."

"In their statements recorded under the PMLA, it is revealed that the directors of these companies were neither aware about the activities of these companies and nor aware about the share purchase transactions," the ED said underlining that the directors of Neelkanth and Rudrakash named companies were dummy.

The agency also said the funds diverted to the three firms "were utilised" for share purchase of Amrapali Zodiac Developers, held by JP Morgan India Property Funds Mauritius Company-II.

The agency charged in its application that JP Morgan was "not presenting" the full facts of these transactions to escape legal consequences. "The employees of JP Morgan India P Ltd, acting on the board of Amrapali Zodiac Developers, exercising complete control in the board of the company indulged in the illegal practice of routing and layering of money through shell companies to accrue benefit to JP Morgan India Company-II to the tune of Rs 140 crore."

"No such transactions could be carried out without the participation of the investor directors, or to say the employees of JP Morgan India P Ltd," it said. It said JP Morgan India's role was just not limited to providing sub-advisory services to the Amrapali group firms but it "actively participated' in decision making and transfer of funds from Amrapali Zodiac Developers and Amrapali Silicon City Developers.

The agency underlined the culpability of the global financial services consultant firm saying its probe found that JP Morgan Asset Management Holdings Inc, parent company of JP Morgan Investment Management Inc, transferred to Apollo Asia Real Estate Management the advisory and management services of the funds of JP Morgan India Property Mauritius Company-II and IPF-II Singapore Pte-1 Ltd after police investigations were launched against various firms of the Amrapali group.
Pilots working for British Airways say they are appalled at the airlines attitude to jobs talks, and that negotiations hang by a thread.

BA is consulting with the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) over 1,130 redundancies, which the carrier says are necessary in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline is planning to cut up to 12,000 of its 42,000 staff overall, including more than a quarter of pilots.

But Brian Strutton, general secretary of the pilots union, told The Independent that British Airways has placed a further 125 jobs at risk, and is warning of more drastic action.

He added: BA has for the first time threatened all 4,300 BA pilots with dismissal and re-engagement if we did not reach agreement on changes to terms and conditions.

Im appalled at the cavalier attitude shown by BA towards the Balpa reps and to its pilots.

It calls into question whether BA is even capable of conducting industrial relations properly and whether anything they say can be trusted.

This has seriously undermined our talks which now hang by a thread.

The Unite union, which represents cabin crew, and the GMB, representing ground staff, have not entered into negotiations with British Airways.

Unites general secretary, Len McCluskey, has demanded BA is stripped of valuable slots at Heathrow airport, saying: The airline is effectively sacking its entire 42,000 workforce,

His call for permissions to land and take off to be revoked was echoed by Huw Merriman, the Conservative MP who chairs the Transport Select Committee.

Mr Merriman claimed British Airways was using this pandemic as a justification to slash jobs and employment terms, saying: BA have tried this before but its workforce resisted.

Its ethically outrageous our national flag carrier is doing this at the time when the nation is at its weakest.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: We are acting now to protect as many jobs as possible.

The airline industry is facing the deepest structural change in its history, as well as facing a severely weakened global economy.

We call on Unite and GMB to consult with us on our proposals as our pilot union, Balpa, is doing. Working together we can protect more jobs as we prepare for a new future.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of BAs parent company, IAG, has written to all MPs saying: Nobody is flying.

British Airways had hoped to operate about 40 per cent of our scheduled flights in July but this has been torpedoed by the introduction of the 14-day quarantine period for people arriving into the UK.

BA says it is burning through 20 million of cash per day, with no new revenue.

Separately, Qatar Airways is cutting pilots salaries by 25 per cent and freezing incremental pay rises. The Independent has seen a letter sent by the chief flight operations officer, Captain Jassim Al-Haroon, detailing the pay cuts and warning that, in addition, many pilots will be made redundant.

The Independent has requested a response from the airline in Doha.
Following the arrest of genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga, survivors reflect on the role of the radio station he funded.

When Felicien Kabuga, an 84-year-old former businessman from Rwanda, was arrested in France on May 16, the world was reminded of one of the darkest chapters in recent history.

During 100 days in 1994, at least 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Kabuga, once one of the wealthiest men in Rwanda, was the co-founder and funder of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), a station established in 1993 that regularly called Tutsis cockroaches and encouraged people to cut down the tall trees, in reference to Tutsis. Once the genocide started, the station broadcast the names of people to be killed and information about where they could be found.

In 1997, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), an international court established by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to judge people responsible for the genocide, indicted Kabuga on seven criminal charges including genocide.

Here, three survivors share their stories and reflect upon the significance of Kabugas arrest.

Survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi, (from left to right) Claver Irakoze, Beatrice Uwera and Honore Gatera [Photos courtesy of Claver Irakoze, Beatrice Uwera and Honore Gatera]

Claver Irakoze: We prayed to die softly

My family lived in Kabgayi, a town 60km south of the capital Kigali that is well known for its Catholic cathedral, school and hospital. My father was a secondary school teacher and my mother a primary school teacher. I have two brothers and two sisters.

I was 11 years old when the genocide against the Tutsis started in April 1994. But I remember my family and friends being targeted by the government from as early as 1990.

When the multi-party system started in Rwanda in 1991, new parties started to recruit members.

People from different political parties came to our home and asked: What party do you belong to? The desire to know where each one belonged was so important. But my parents did not join any party.

As the political turmoil evolved, this recruitment process became an indirect way of mapping the political affiliation of Tutsi families. A response like I dont belong to any party could easily be interpreted as support for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which was fighting the government.

One of my first experiences at school was being asked what ethnic group I belonged to. When some of us said we did not know, our teacher asked us to come back the next day with an answer.

Songs of hate

In July 1993, RTLM was created. It was a turning point.

We had very few radio stations before then. There was Radio Rwanda, the national radio station which was controlled by the government, and a few other radio stations that could be heard by short wave.

There were some radical journalists at Radio Rwanda, but there was still a degree of moderation. RTLM, on the other hand, was directly propagandistic. It had been created for that purpose.

We listened to RTLM. We listened to learn  to know what was developing.

I remember RTLM broadcasting songs conveying hatred and demonising the Tutsi. The songs would openly call for our extermination. Political slogans were translated into song and young people were mobilised into youth movements. These youth movements were key to executing the genocide.

As a child I was scared. I was scared by what I saw in my parents. They lacked hope. They were defenceless. Now that I have children myself, I realise how difficult it is if you have no hope.

And then the genocide started

Genocide does not come quickly. The dehumanisation of the Tutsis began in the years before 1994. Everything from getting a job to your freedom of movement was linked to your ID, which stated your ethnic group.

As a young boy, my life consisted of school then home and church on Sundays. My last memories from before the genocide are of my family preparing for Easter.

Easter was on April 3. I remember RTLM broadcasting that something big was going to happen and that the National Army should be on standby to protect the country. But we were used to such messages.

Then the genocide started.

On April 6, the plane carrying the president, Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down killing him and all the others on board. The chaos started immediately. It was like there was a plan. Roadblocks were put in place within minutes of the crash. By the following morning, people were being stopped at them by both the army and armed fighters and asked for their ID.

Journalists from Radio Rwanda told people to stay at home until given further instructions.

Rwandan families get food at a Red Cross Centre in Kabgayi on May 27, 1994 [ALEXANDER JOE/AFP]

On April 7, I heard people screaming on the hills that surrounded our area. That evening I could see homes on fire.

I observed my parents fear. For them, it was their second experience of such chaos. They had fled to neighbouring Burundi in 1973 after Habyarimana took over in a coup, and Tutsis were attacked by crowds of Hutus.

For them, it was a reminder of that time.

After learning about the death of the president, my mum told us: We are dead. My parents could no longer contain their fear.

Neighbour against neighbour

Some days after the crash, a Hutu neighbour came to warn us. Ive known you for long and I dont want to kill you, he said. But he did want to be the first to loot our house.

After the genocide, we learned that our neighbour had not only looted our house, but destroyed it.

Neighbours were pitted against neighbours. This is what a genocide of proximity means.

We fled to St Josephs College, the school where my dad taught.

Thousands of people were heading to the cathedral, which was next to the school. So we joined the crowd  but just before reaching the cathedral, we turned in the direction of the school instead.

When we first reached it, there were just four or five families there  all relations of people who worked in the school.

We stayed in the school dormitories because the students were not there. There were priests living in one wing of the school, which made us feel protected.

In the days that followed, many people tried to reach the cathedral because they, too, thought they would be protected. But the killers allowed people to go there because it would make them easier to kill.

Soon, the school was full, every classroom, dormitory, even the playground. There were thousands of people. Kabgayi as a site hosted up to 50,000 Tutsi refugees.

The soldiers came with lists

In the following days, government soldiers entered the main gate of the school. They came with lists of names.

They took them far away before killing them.

Almost every day, they came.

All we could do was pray. We prayed to die softly and to go to heaven. People were negotiating over how they should be killed  that was the level of trauma.

There was an outbreak of cholera and other diseases in the school. You can imagine the lack of hygiene with so many people.

Hunger also killed many people. The Red Cross occasionally brought us biscuits to eat  two or three biscuits had to last you several days.

One day, my grandfather was brought to the school by someone who had found him hiding in his house. He had been badly wounded by machetes. He died in front of my mother, who could do nothing to help him.

Then, on April 28, the soldiers took my father.

Hunger and liberation

We were liberated by RPF soldiers on June 2. It was miraculous. Most of those who survived long enough to be rescued were children, the elderly and the sick.

But locked in the school, we had not realised the extent of the destruction outside.

Escorted by a few RPF soldiers, we marched from Kabgayi to a place in the south called Ruhango, which had already been captured by the RPF. We saw dead bodies on every street.

My mother, who was extremely sick by the time we were liberated, died two weeks later.

So when the genocide ended in July, my siblings and I could rejoice at surviving, but had to face a future without our parents.

We were starving. We had no home to return to. But we tried to be resilient. The love we felt for one another helped us to survive when we had nothing.

The aftermath

I value the fact that the ICTR was put in place. It was a big milestone in fighting injustice. But it completed fewer than 100 cases. How can you tell me that such a tribunal has done enough?

In particular, I do not think it has done enough to prosecute church people who were involved in the genocide.

We have a huge responsibility to transmit the history of what happened. The book I wrote for children, That child is me, was an attempt to connect to my children and to tell them what happened to me. Not just the pain and the hardship but also the lessons. I feel obliged to spend the rest of my life teaching the younger generation about the past and about the value of life.

What we endured will never leave us. Once you have experienced genocide it becomes like a permanent marker on you. It is there with you in times of sadness and times of joy. You carry it with you until you die.

Honore Gatera: Music they could dance to as they killed

I was 13 years old in 1994.

Only a few wealthy families in the capital, Kigali, had televisions then. So, after the RTLM was created in 1993, everyone listened to it. I had a small, old radio that I listened to it on.

Demonstrations by the youth wings of the political parties became worse after it started broadcasting. RTLM quickly became more and more propagandistic.

The radio Gatera would listen to in 1994 [Credit: Honore Gatera]

Famous commentators had programmes on RTLM. The Belgian presenter Georges Ruggiu had a show in French. After the genocide, the ICTR sentenced him to 12 years in prison for incitement to commit genocide.

Before April 1994, RTLM sent messages about how the Hutus must protect themselves against the snakes and the cockroaches, meaning the Tutsis. There were already some killings taking place. People my family knew in another region of Rwanda were killed.

We heard about Habyarimanas death on the 6am news on RTLM. The radio immediately said the cockroaches shot down the plane. People felt desperate. They were saying its over.

I remember the screams, as people broke into homes and burned them down.

All the while, the radio kept broadcasting messages like search for cockroaches  make sure you find them. The radio played music the militiamen could dance to as they killed.

Beatrice Uwera: We are still standing

In 1994, I was 24 years old. My father worked in the Ministry of Agriculture. My mother was a teacher.

I remember the first day the RTLM broadcast. The mood was scary. Every day, it stirred hatred.

My parents knew what was to come. They remembered the killings that had taken place in the 1970s. But they also had a feeling that we could not escape. They preferred to just listen and keep quiet, because there was no alternative.

Early in the morning of April 7, at about 5am, I listened to the radio and heard that the president had been killed. I told my parents what happened and for the first time, my father told me: We are finished. This is the end.

He knew we were going to be killed.

The genocide started immediately.

Beatrice Uwera in September 1994 [Photo courtesy of Beatrice Uwera]

The army and armed fighters went from house to house with lists. Lists of all the Tutsis.

They were using new machetes, guns, hoes, all kinds of instruments to kill people.

I had four siblings. By the grace of God, four of us survived. Our Hutu neighbours protected us. They moved us from our house to theirs and hid us. Then, they helped us reach Saint Paul Church in Kigali.

My older sister, who did not live with us, was killed with her family.

We reached Saint Paul at the end of April. There were more than 2,000 of us there. The priest at the church was Father Celestin Hakizimana. He was very clever about protecting us; he would give food and money to the militias to stop them from killing us. He tried his best, but sometimes they would still take men and boys to kill.

Because there were so many people at the church, I was not so scared of being killed in a large group. My fear was of being killed alone.

Tomorrow they will kill us, we would think. Each day we waited for them to come.

Then, on June 17, the RPF rescued us.

Beatrice Uweras ID [Photo courtesy of Beatrice Uwera]

Returning home

We found our house still standing. Only the windows and roof had been removed.

But Kigali was filled with the smell of dead bodies. It was catastrophic. More than 200 people in my own family had been killed. In my mothers family, there were eight siblings. Only one survived. We had to begin again from zero. The country had to start from scratch.

I always think of those people who were killed. I have four children. I try to explain to them when I can. But sometimes I cannot.

Rwanda tried to recover from the genocide. People are living in peace. We are not scared. You can walk, you can go out, you can live where you want. We are working together.

We are still good friends with the Hutu neighbours who protected us. We visit each other. We help each other. It is a very strong relationship. You cannot describe how strong it is.

We wish that Kabuga could be tried in Rwanda. It would be good to show him that we are still standing. But we are happy that at least he has been caught.
Dismantling the police, a measure already proposed in Minneapolis, makes about as much sense as eliminating doctors or farmers, and would likewise lead to pain and death. But if there is method to the madness, and I suspect there is in some Machiavellian quarters, its perhaps this: Certain leftists want to eliminate the police because they want to become the police.

Or, at least, they want their foot soldiers to fill that role.

Oh, there are other motivations, too, ranging from raw, misguided passion to formulaic devotion to a perverse leftist creed to wider efforts to destabilize the country. Remember, though, if youre a power seeker, you attack those whose power you want for yourself. And upon attaining police power, enforcing a political agenda becomes much easier.

Any leftist with a few brain cells to rub together knows not only that dismantling the police would lead to anarchy, but that anarchy is never a permanent state of affairs. People would be desperate for restored order, and some controlling force would step into the breach and secure it  though it might be a disordered order.

Of course, the Left isnt currently calling what would replace the nixed police police; that wouldnt fly, and, besides, the pseudo-intellectual lunkheads in question just love euphemisms and Utopian language too much. So in Minneapolis, at least, theyre labeling what would replace their cops a transformative new model for public safety. Uh, yeah, whatever.

What would this actually look like? Maybe the Crips or Bloods, social-justice warriors, ANTIFA or Black Lives Matter types, or perhaps a combination of the preceding. But one could easily foresee this transformative group quickly transforming into de facto police, with guns, batons, handcuffs and the works  and a really bad attitude.

One could also envision them enforcing laws selectively, in accordance with a woke, leftist agenda, and mainly against groups deemed victimizers (whites, Christians, etc.) while turning a blind eye to crimes against those groups.

The foot soldiers would have the perfect rationalization, too: Since theyve bought the lie that white police abuse minorities, theyd figure that turnabout is fair play  and relish the opportunity for vengeance.

Police brutality, actually long in decline, could then become the norm. Dont expect that the EneMedia would report on it, though. As long as the right people were being brutalized and the right agenda implemented, it wouldnt be newsworthy. The abused could still approach the ACLU, however  and be told, Sorry, we dont help people with white privilege.

Eliminating local cops could also facilitate the nationalization of police, something discussed during the Barack Obama administration. This wouldnt happen under President Trump, but it could become a reality if the Democrats recapture the White House.

Of course, this would make the police far less answerable to the local community. It also would ensure that a leftist law-enforcement paradigm was imposed on localities uniformly nationwide. Hey, how else do you deal with those America-loving, conservative sheriffs elected by the flyover types?

In fact, remember the Civilian Security Force Obama proposed during the 2008 presidential campaign, the one he said would be just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded as the military? Dont think that idea couldnt be resurrected, and dont think such an entity would be just about security  unless its to secure the implementation of an agenda.

Moreover, the unrelenting attacks on the police could if nothing else degrade them incrementally, ultimately providing a pretext for completely remaking them. After all, if cops continue being handcuffed and forced to treat thugs with kid gloves while they get abused, get vilified and charged with crimes when they allegedly violate what could becomes unrealistic rules of engagement, and consequently begin de-policing, what will happen to morale? Will good people still want to become cops?

So thats a logical, albeit nefarious, reason to defund the police. This said, one logical reason to make hay out of an isolated case of police brutality, the George Floyd incident, is different. Its about defeating Trump.

It hasnt escaped the Lefts notice that Trumps approval rating has been as high as 40 percent among blacks, according to Rasmussen, no less. Even if this is an outlier result, it terrifies the Democrats. For they know that if just 20 percent of blacks vote for Trump in November (the Dems count on getting their usual 90-plus percent of the black vote), it would likely spell their electoral doom. So theyd like to use the Floyd incident and the myth of a police war on minorities to scare blacks back on to their plantation.

Democrats do historically, after all, have great experience running plantations. As for having experience running effective and just police forces, well, not so much.

Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Gab (preferably) or Twitter, or log on to SelwynDuke.com.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, public domain
By Sarah Ricks

Its time for the Supreme Court to make it easier to sue police by limiting the defense of qualified immunity.

When a police officer violates a persons constitutional rights, youd think a court necessarily would hold that police officer responsible for paying civil damages. Youd be wrong. Instead, police are protected by a legal rule called qualified immunity.

The idea that animates qualified immunity makes sense. Its rooted in fairness to civil rights defendants. Briefly, police are responsible for violating a persons constitutional rights only if the officers should have realized their conduct violated specific civil rights or constitutional law. And constitutional law is not static but evolves.

However, the sensible idea that police need not predict what future constitutional laws will be written has morphed into nearly absolute immunity. The legal rule protects "all but the plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law, the court ruled in Malley v. Briggs, 1986.

Supreme Court justices and non-profits across the ideological spectrum have sounded alarms about the trajectory of qualified immunity law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the Supreme Court sends an alarming signal to law enforcement officers and the public. It tells officers that they can shoot first and think later, and it tells the public that palpably unreasonable conduct will go unpunished. Justice Clarence Thomas also criticized qualified immunity as a freewheeling policy choice unmoored from its origins.

Even advocacy groups such as the libertarian Cato Institute and liberal groups such as the NAACP have asked the Supreme Court to reevaluate qualified immunity. In fact, a cross-Ideological group argued the Supreme Court should curtail qualified immunity because it enables public officials who violate federal law to sidestep their legal obligations to the victims of their misconduct, thereby corrod[ing] the publics trust in those officials  law enforcement in particular . . . .

This month, the U.S. Supreme Court may decide to hear any of many petitions seeking its intervention to amend qualified immunity. The Supreme Court should grant review and rein in the doctrine. In one of the cases the Supreme Court might hear, a federal judge opined that qualified immunity smacks of unqualified impunity, letting public officials duck consequences for bad behavior . . . as long as they were the first to behave badly.

Qualified immunity undermines constitutional protections and public confidence in law enforcement, for several reasons:

Courts require constitutional claims to be factually identical to an earlier case to overcome qualified immunity. In one of the cases the Supreme Court might hear, a federal judge broadly critiqued qualified immunity: Merely proving a constitutional deprivation doesnt cut it; plaintiffs must cite functionally identical precedent that places the legal question beyond debate to every reasonable officer. . . This current yes harm, no foul imbalance leaves victims violated but not vindicated.

To overcome qualified immunity, a person must show police violated clearly established constitutional law. A federal appeals court can prevent its decisions from establishing constitutional rights by labeling them not precedent, meaning the decisions do not bind future courts. Federal appellate courts dispose of nearly 90% of their cases in opinions that are not precedent.

Courts skip difficult constitutional questions to instead reject claims as alleging rights that are not clearly established. If a constitutional right is not clearly established, yet the court ducks the opportunity to define it, the right remains perpetually undefined. Lack of clarity in constitutional rights makes it harder to vindicate rights - and harder for conscientious police to know how to behave.

Courts require constitutional rights to be defined too fact-specifically. To give police fair warning that their conduct violates the right, the U.S. Supreme Court requires constitutional rights to be defined specifically. But some courts make it hard to hold police responsible for violating constitutional rights because they define rights so fact-specifically that police can claim they had no warning that the right existed.

For example, the Fourth Amendment prohibits police from using unreasonable force. A court could define that more specifically to say that the Fourth Amendment prohibits police from Tasering a nonviolent person who poses no threat. But if the court defines the right too fact-specifically, the officer is more likely to be immune.

So, an officer is more likely to be immune if the court narrowly defines the Fourth Amendment right as prohibiting police from tack[ing] and us[ing] a taser in drive stun mode on an individual he is attempting to arrest because she refuses to allow officers to enter her home to ensure the safety of the homes occupants from a perpetrator of domestic violence who the officer has reason to believe is inside.

As a lawyer who represented Philadelphia police for seven years, I appreciate that the vast majority of police conscientiously attempt to comply with constitutional requirements. I hope the U.S. Supreme Court moves soon to rein in the pernicious doctrine of qualified immunity.

Sarah E. Ricks is Distinguished Clinical Professor at Rutgers Law School and the author of Current Issues in Constitutional Litigation (3d Ed. forthcoming 2020).

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Seoul, June 7 : The South Korean government said on Sunday it remains committed toward upholding the agreements between the leaders of the two Koreas amid threats from the North to shut down an inter-Korean liaison office in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent from the South.

"Our basic position is to comply with the agreements made by the leaders of the South and North, such as the Panmunjom Declaration," the South's Unification Ministry said in a statement, referring to the agreement between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North's leader, Kim Jong-un, from a summit at the DMZ truce village of Panmunjom on April 2018.

It was the first official response from Seoul after the North's United Front Department (UFD), which handles inter-Korean affairs, on Friday vowed to abolish an inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong, in the first of a series of measures in anger over anti-North Korean leaflets sent from across the border, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The Unification Ministry did not mention UFD or its threat of closing down the liaison office in its statement.

The UFD on Friday stated that Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un, ordered officials to look into implementing a series of measures she threatened to take earlier unless Seoul stops North Korean defectors from sending such leaflets.

Closing the liaison office was one of the measures that Kim Yo-jong, a first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, threatened to take, along with scrapping an inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement and completely dismantling a now-shuttered joint industrial park.

The hard-line statement came despite South Korea's promise to take legislative measures to ban the sending of propaganda leaflets and appears to be aimed at increasing pressure on Seoul to make sure to follow through with its pledge.

North Korean defectors and anti-Pyongyang activists have occasionally sent a large number of leaflets via giant balloons sharply criticizing the communist regime and its leader.

These are often sent with $1 bills and USB memory sticks to get more North Koreans to pick up the leaflets.
US, France Confirm Death of Key al-Qaida Emir in Africa

By Jeff Seldin June 06, 2020

The United States says there is no doubt that the long-time leader of a key al-Qaida terror group affiliate in North Africa is dead.

Officials with U.S. Africa Command Saturday confirmed the death of Abdelmalek Droukdel, the emir of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), citing an independent assessment of a June 3 operation led by France.

"This mission is a collective win," U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) spokesman Colonel Chris Karns told VOA.

"This was a great example of cooperation and partnership to get after a common threat," he said, praising France's commitment to fighting both al-Qaida and Islamic State-linked terror groups in Africa.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly first announced Droukdel's death in a series of tweets late Friday.

"On June 3, French army forces, with the support of their local partners, killed the emir of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," she said.

French forces had been hunting Droukdel, a key figure within North African jihadist circles, for years. Various reports had placed him in Tunisia or the mountains of northern Algeria, although he also had been active in Mali.

The French, along with partner forces, finally caught up to Droukdel this past week with help from the U.S., which provided intelligence and surveillance support to "fix the target," according to AFRICOM.

The long-time AQIM emir rose to power after starting out as an explosives expert for the Algerian-based Armed Islamic Group (GIA) before assuming control of the group that was to become AQIM in 2004.

U.S. officials designated Droukdel in 2007, blaming him and AQIM for a series of deadly attacks and bombings, including one on a bus belonging to a U.S. company in Algiers and a bombing at the Algerian prime minister's office and at police facilities that killed 33 people.

Starting in 2011, Droukdel proved support to Ansar Dine, a Malian terror group, and helped it engineer a take-over of parts of Mali until French forces intervened two years later.

U.S. officials said, more recently, Droukdel, had been seeking to expand the amount of territory under his control and increase recruiting while plotting to ramp up attacks across the region.

"This definitely is a blow to AQIM and certainly degrades their ability to plan and carry out operations," Africa Command's Chris Karns said.

Even with Droukdel's death, however, French, U.S. and African officials remain concerned that AQIM and other jihadist terror groups are growing, taking advantage of economic and political turmoil across parts of West Africa and the Sahel.

As part of an effort to counter that, France, along with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad, created a combined force this past January. Public sentiment has soured, though, and some critics blame French forces for failing to do more to restore stability.

France has about 5,100 troops in the region and has been urging other Western countries to do more.

Already, French officials say European allies have pledged to send 100 special forces to aid in the counterterrorism efforts. And Parly, the French defense minister, promised there will be no let-up.

A separate French operation, on May 19, led to the capture of Mohamed el Mrabat, a veteran jihadist with Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. And more operations are to come.

"Our forces, in cooperation with their local partners ... will continue to track these (terrorists) down without respite," Parly said.

French calls for greater assistance in the fight against terrorism in Africa have been joined by the U.S., though officials in Washington have said they are looking to drawdown the U.S. military in presence in Africa in order to focus more on countering threats posed by powers like Russia and China.

Earlier this year, the U.S. began by withdrawing combat troops stationed in Africa, replacing them with military trainers.

French officials, however, have urged the U.S. to keep some forces in Africa, stressing that some U.S. assets cannot be replaced, including the intelligence and surveillance capabilities that help lead to the death of AQIM's Droukdel.

Members of the global coalition to defeat IS also have expressed a desire to focus additional efforts in Africa, but planning has been delayed due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

In a communique issued following a virtual meeting Thursday, coalition members promised to move ahead with those efforts, with a focus on "capacity building  upon the request and prior consent of the countries concerned, and be coordinated with existing efforts and initiatives."

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An active-duty U.S. Air Force sergeant suspected of wielding a rifle and improvised explosives in the ambush killing of a 38-year-old Northern California sheriff's deputy is also being investigated for a possible connection to the fatal shooting last month of a federal officer during a protest in Oakland, multiple sources told ABC News on Sunday.

The suspect, Steven Carrillo, 32, was taken into custody on Saturday after he was wounded in a shootout with law enforcement officers in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 35 miles west of San Jose, officials said.

Carrillo is alleged to have fatally shot Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and injured another deputy when he attacked them with a rifle and multiple improvised explosives in Ben Lomond, California, authorities said. A California Highway Patrol officer was also wounded during a shootout that erupted as officers moved to take Carrillo into custody, officials said.

"In my 32-year career, this is my worst day I've ever experienced," Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said at a news conference on Saturday evening. "Today we lost one of our own and he was a true hero."

Related: We Absolutely Have to Be Careful About How the Military Is Used

Carrillo is an active-duty sergeant assigned to the 60th Security Forces Squadron based at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, about 100 miles northeast of Ben Lomond, 2nd Lt. Mike Longoria, a spokesman for the base, told ABC News on Sunday. Longoria referred all other questions about Carrillo to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

Multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News that the FBI is investigating a possible link between the deadly ambush in Santa Cruz County and the May 29 killing of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood in Oakland.

PHOTO: Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed on June 6, 2020, in the Northern California town of Ben Lomond in what investigators suspect was an ambush that injured another officer. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)

Underwood, 53, was guarding the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building during protests that broke out in the Bay Area city over the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he was shot to death while standing outside the building, officials said.

Story continues

A white cargo van that appeared to not have license plates was spotted racing from the scene of Underwood's slaying, according to the FBI, who released security photos of the vehicle last week. The FBI warned that the "occupants of the van should be considered armed and dangerous."

PHOTO: FBI officials released images of a white cargo van wanted in the May 29, 2020, fatal shooting of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood during a George Floyd protest in Oakland, California. (FBI)

PHOTO: FBI officials released images of a white cargo van wanted in the May 29, 2020, fatal shooting of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood during a George Floyd protest in Oakland, California. (FBI)

The deadly attack on Saturday unfolded after a caller contacted a 911 dispatcher at 1:30 p.m. to report seeing guns and bomb-making material inside a suspicious van parked off the road in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Hart said.

Gutzwiller and other sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene just as the van was pulling away. They followed the van to a house in Ben Lomond and as they approached the vehicle gunfire rang out.

"As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives," Hart said.

Another deputy was either shot or struck by bomb shrapnel and was hit by a vehicle as the suspect drove out of the driveway of the home, he said.

Within minutes after the attack, 911 dispatchers received multiple calls from people reporting a carjacking nearby and officers from police agencies throughout Santa Cruz County raced to the scene, according to Hart.

He said Carrillo was arrested after being shot and wounded. He said a California Highway Patrol officer was also shot in the hand during the ordeal.

Our hearts are heavy. You will never be forgotten Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller. pic.twitter.com/3c3SptX45R a Santa Cruz SO (@SantaCruzSO1) June 7, 2020

Carrillo was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released to the custody of sheriff's deputies.

The FBI and the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office are investigating the incident.

MORE: FBI arrests Army soldier who allegedly discussed plans to bomb major American news network

Hart said Carillo was arrested on charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking "and a myriad of other charges."

"There's a lot that we don't know at this point. It's still a very fluid situation," Hart said. "I ask that the community be patient as we go through this investigation and the grieving process.''

Hart said Gutzwiller's colleagues were planning to hold a vigil for him in front of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office headquarters on Sunday at 2:36 p.m. PST, the time the call came on Saturday that an officer was down.

He said Gutzwiller, who joined the sheriff's office in 2006, is survived by a young child and a pregnant wife.

MORE: Cesar Sayoc sentenced to 20 years in prison for mailing pipe bombs to prominent Democrats, CNN

The sheriff described Gutzwiller as a "beloved figure" who started his career in law enforcement as a volunteer with the sheriff's office.

"In this era that we're in, when you think about what you want to see in a police officer, compassion, caring, somebody who truly loves his job, who wants to help people, that's what Damon was," Hart said. "He was a good man and a good police officer."

MORE: Authorities arrest man accused of plotting 'mass casualty' terrorist attack in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer, released a statement expressing their shock and dismay over the killing of Gutzwiller.

"Jennifer and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, who was tragically killed while on duty," the governor's statement reads. "He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father."

An Air Force spokesperson said Carrillo arrived at Travis Air Force Base in June 2018 and was a team leader on the Phoenix Raven unit. That group is comprised of "specially trained security forces personnel dedicated to providing security for Air Mobility Command aircraft transiting high terrorist and criminal threat areas," according to an Air Force website.

FBI probes possible link between Air Force sergeant suspected in ambush killing of CA deputy and officer's murder originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 45-year-old school teacher was found dead in a canal near Palode on Saturday morning. The deceased is G Binukumar who taught at the Government UP school at Vithura.

A resident of Nandiyodu, Binukumar was one of the teachers who took classes on the Victers TV channel as part of the First Bell project. He taught mathematics for Class VII students.The Palode police have registered a case for unnatural death and have begun a probe.

According to police, the body was found around 7am by his friends in the canal near his house. When Binukumar did not return on time on Friday night, his wife alerted his friends. The body was found on Saturday morning.Palode Circle Inspector C K Manoj said the teacher might have drowned to death after falling into the canal accidentally from the narrow walkway beside it. A post mortem examination also revealed that he had consumed alcohol.

Prima facie, it looks like an accident, Manoj said. He was in an inebriated condition and walked towards home from the point where he was dropped by his friend on a two-wheeler. He had torch in his hand. But he might have slipped losing balance and fell into the canal. Autopsy revealed that had suffered an injury on his head. Though the death is due to the water accumulated in his lungs, we have initiated a probe. The canal has an excess water due to heavy rain, he said. Binukumar leaves behind his wife and a child. The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem analysis.
"The people who respond to crises in our community should be the people who are best equipped to deal with those crises," the group wrote on its website. What are politicians saying? Senator Cory Booker said he understood the sentiment behind the slogan, but it's not a slogan he would use. The New Jersey Democrat told NBC's Meet the Press that he shared the view of many protesters that Americans are "over-policed" and that "we are investing in police, which is not solving problems, but making them worse when we should be, in a more compassionate country, in a more loving country".

California Democrat Karen Bass, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said part of the movement was really about how money is spent. "Now, I don't believe that you should disband police departments," she said in an interview with CNN. "But I do think that, in cities, in states, we need to look at how we are spending the resources and invest more in our communities. Maybe this is an opportunity to re-envision public safety." President Donald Trump believes the Defund the Police campaign will create a backlash that works for him. Credit:AP Trump and his campaign view the emergence of the "Defund the Police" slogan as a spark of opportunity during a trying political moment. Trump's response to the protests has sparked widespread condemnation. But now his supporters say the new mantra may make voters, who may be otherwise sympathetic to the protesters, recoil from a "radical" idea. Trump seized on the slogan last week as he spoke at an event in Maine.

"They're saying defund the police," he said. "Defund. Think of it. When I saw it, I said, 'What are you talking about?' 'We don't want to have any police,' they say. You don't want police?" Trump's 2016 campaign was built on a promise of ensuring law and order - often in contrast to protests against his rhetoric that followed him across the country. As he seeks reelection, Trump is preparing to deploy the same argument again - and seems to believe the "defund the police" call has made the campaign applause line all the more real for his supporters. Is there any push to actually defund police departments? Yes, or at least to reduce their budgets in some major cities. In New York City, mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday that the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services, while keeping the city safe, but he didn't give details.

In Los Angeles, mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $US150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department's budget. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has committed to cutting the LAPD's budget. Credit:AP On Saturday, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey was booed in the street when he refused to commit to defunding the police department entirely. But on Sunday night, nine Minneapolis councillors - enough to carry the majority - pledged to dismantle the city's police department. They stood on a hill near Powderhorn Lake before local protesters and signed a pledge to begin the process of taking apart the city's police force as it now exists. The pledge commits to create new public safety systems, to adopt the changes in budget and policy decisions in the next few weeks and to consult the community. How have police officials and unions responded?

Generally, police and union officials have long resisted cuts to police budgets, arguing that it would make cities less safe. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union for the city's rank-and-file officers, said budget cuts would be the "quickest way to make our neighbourhoods more dangerous." "Cutting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls, officers calling for back-up won't get it, and rape, murder and assault investigations won't occur or will take forever to initiate, let alone complete," the union's board said in a statement last week. "At this time, with violent crime increasing, a global pandemic and nearly a week's worth of violence, arson, and looting, 'defunding' the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose." A police officer stands guard while a police vehicle burns in Los Angeles during a protest over the death of George Floyd. Credit:AP
Protests over the weekend continued to draw crowds of supporters in Connecticut nearly two weeks after a white Minneapolis police officer was filmed kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an African American man, who later died.

Throughout the state Sunday, protesters gathered in peaceful demonstrations and marches calling for justice for Floyd.

The murder of George Floyd sits on a 400-year system of inequities and injusctice and violence against our black brothers and sisters, said Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, addressing a rally in Stamford on Sunday.

Demonstrators marched along roadways through the citys downtown, chanting no justice, no peace on their way to police headquarters

Discrimination in housing and education and economic opportunity  I am so honored to represent each and every one of you, but I wake up each and every day knowing that in my town of Darien, the child who is born there is much more likely to succeed than the child who is born in South Norwalk, the child that is born in North Stamford, than the child that is born in Bridgeport, said Himes, to whoops and applause from the crowd.

It was the second time in recent days protesters have taken to Stamfords streets.

Demonstrations around the state were also held Sunday in Berlin, Bethel, Branford, Clinton, Cornwall, Darien, East Granby, East Hartford, Hamden, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Groton, Kent, Madison, Manchester, Mystic, Niantic, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Oxford, Torrington, West Hartford, Weston, Windsor and Woodbury.

In Darien, Police Chief Don Anderson told demonstrators he was willling to have the conversations with anybody and everybody when it comes to professional policing.

I stand for professional public safety, I demand excellence from my officers here and nothing less, said Anderson, who took over as chief of police nine months ago.

In Branford, where about 500 demonstrators protested on the Green, organizer Gillian Basilicato manned a long table piled with first aid kits and cases of bottled water, plus blank poster boards and markers.

She said she hoped the rally would wake up people on the Shoreline who live very quiet lives, very comfortable lives, very convenient lives.

The Rev. Sharon Gracen, the rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford, said of the protests, I think every town needs to be doing it. ... Every town needs to think outside this bubble.

Said, Gracen, We choose peace. We act peaceably.

Branford police Lt. Philip Ramsey echoed Gracen, saying police had a soft presence at the protest.

This is calm. Were here to help, he said.

Sundays marches came amid nearly two weeks of protests over Floyds death, as The Associated Press reported tens of thousands worldwide have mobilized.

More protests are planned for the week ahead in Connecticut. Demonstrations are scheduled at Danburys Western Connecticut State University campus Friday and in Stamford Saturday.

Last week, Minnesota authorities upgraded the criminal charges against Derek Chauvin, the officer filmed wedging his knee into the back of Floyds neck before his death. Prosecutors are now charging Chauvin with second-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter in the Memorial Day death. Three other officers seen on video standing by during the arrest were also charged with aiding and abetting in Floyds death.

All four men have been fired from the Minneapolis police department.

The president of the Connecticut NAACP last week said he approved of the new charges, but he said the move was not yet a victory.

Its a shame that we have to go through all this just for them to do the right thing, which they should have done from the start, Scot X. Esdaile said. Police are supposed to protect and serve, but when something like this happens, we have to jump through all these hoops and twists and turns, with riots, burning of buildings and we have to turn the whole country upside down just to get justice.

Reporting by Lisa Reisman and Sue Braden Hull and past reporting by Pat Thomlinson and Tara ONeil, contributed to this story.
Thomas E. Comers final hours are a mystery to his family.

In fact, they never even knew the 88-year-old retired machinist  who lived out the last four years of his life at the Bayshore Health Care Center in Holmdel  had died from COVID-19 on April 13th until long after he was buried.

Somebody could have told me something, said his son, David. He was my dad.

His father, who suffered from dementia, was under state guardianship because of financial necessity, Comer said. But neither the state nor the nursing home reached out to contact his family after the Irish expatriate succumbed to the coronavirus.

I understand whats going on, he said of the crisis in the states nursing homes that has killed more than 6,200 people in an outbreak that has taken 1 in 12 residents. But they couldnt spare me five minutes?

Bayshore Health Care has reported the deaths of 21 of its residents in the outbreak. Another 119 residents tested positive for COVID-19.

Comer first learned of his fathers death after his daughter called the nursing facility to find out how he was doing.

We had not heard anything. We knew they were overwhelmed, but I had this false sense nothing would ever happen to him, Brianna Comer recalled. The woman who answered the phone said she could not find him.

Then she was told he had expired.

I went, what? When did he die?

Oh, I cant tell you that, a staff member told her. Youre not on the list.

Who is on the list? she asked.

I cant tell you that either, the staffer said.

It was not until she Googled her grandfathers name that she discovered he had been sent to Laurel Funeral Home in West Keansburg following his death.

We were told by the funeral home that he was already buried, against his wishes of being cremated, and they also attempted to contact my father, but they were only given an outdated phone number by the nursing home, Comer remarked.

Funeral home officials said they tried calling the number given by Bayshore, but got only a click and no answer when they reached out. That was the only phone number we had, explained Kathleen Sperling, whose family owns the funeral home.

Brianna Comer said her father updated his phone number four times with Bayshore Health Care, giving it to nurses who directly cared for her grandfather, the nursing director, and the front desk.

We visited frequently, always bringing a small black coffee, jelly donuts and occasionally a bottle of Guinness, she said. There was no reason for anyone in the facility to assume he was not wanted or loved.

She said it was clear that no one bothered to update his file.

Hackensack Meridian Health, which operates Bayshore Health Care, said in a statement they followed state laws governing how notifications are to be made.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Comer family. This is undoubtedly a sad situation and its understandable the process would be questioned. When an individual passes at a nursing or health care facility, a guardian or next of kin is notified, the statement said. If the individual is under the supervision of the Office of Public Guardian, this would be the entity that would receive appropriate notifications related to private health information  including death. Privacy laws prohibit the sharing of health protected information unless designated otherwise.

The Office of the Public Guardian is administratively located in the Department of Human Services, but not part of it. Acting Public Guardian Helen Dodick said they do not discuss specific cases. But when an individual protected by her office passes away, she said the assigned care manager  or depending on the hour, the on-call care manager  notifies the family.

If the staff cannot reach the family through the notification numbers provided by the family, staff will then try multiple means of finding the family, including working with the nursing home, funeral director and doing Internet searches, she said. The office  as part of its mission to aid, empower and protect New Jerseys older adults who need assistance  does everything it can to contact families.

Comer, a retired Passaic County Sheriffs Officer, said it would not have been hard to find him.

They could have called the Holmdel police and given my name and they would have found me in minutes, he said.

Born on September 2, 1931 in County Mayo on Irelands west coast in the town of Westport, Thomas Comer was a proud Irishman who never lost his brogue, said his granddaughter.

He never got sick. He always said he had Irish immunity, Brianna Comer remembered. When we got sick, he said we werent Irish enough.

She said he loved math and loved chess and for some reason, dogs always seemed to love him.

He was a veteran of the Royal Air Force, where he was an air traffic controller. He followed his parents and siblings to the United States, arriving here in 1958, but never became a naturalized citizen. While he talked about returning one day to Ireland, he never did. He was afraid to fly, Comer said. He settled in Orange, and lived for 40 years in Passaic, working as a machinist before his retirement. He later moved to Union Beach.

In recent years, however, it became clear he would need nursing care.

My grandfather suffered from dementia and would frequently leave the house and disappear on walks, no matter the weather, said Comer. Due to overwhelming costs of nursing homes, we sought help from the state by making him a ward of the state with a social worker to place him in a home where he thought he would be safe and monitored.

The family is now trying to obtain his medical records in order to find answers regarding what happened to him and locate his belongings.

I would have just appreciated his few effects, said David Comer. Some pictures. The wristwatch my son gave him. Its just a $10 watch, but it was his.

Survived by his older son John, of North Carolina, and youngest son David, of Keyport, he left behind 7 grandchildren and 3 great- grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Eileen, and a son, Steven. He is buried at Bay View Cemetery in Leonardo.

It was a direct burial, said Sperling. Our funeral director did say prayers there, which is normal if there is no family there.

For now, the pandemic has prevented David Comer from going to his fathers grave.

No ones allowed to visit, he said. They said you have to wait.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com.
India's Investigative Agency Arrests Terror Funding Conspirator in Navy Espionage Racket

Sputnik News

14:30 GMT 06.06.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): Authorities uncovered a major espionage ring in November in which Pakistani spies recruited agents in India's defence establishment to collect classified information regarding submarines, warships and data on the location of naval commands.

India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Abdul Rehman Sheikh from Mumbai, for his alleged involvement in a spy scandal in 2019, known as the Visakhapatanam Espionage Case, in which Indian navy personnel were bribed by Pakistani nationals to provide crucial intelligence.

According to an officer of the investigating agency, Sheikh was also involved in terror funding. His wife Shaista Qaiser has already been arrested in connection with the case.

"During search at the house of Sheikh, a number of digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized. Further investigation is underway," an NIA official said.

According to the official, 15 people have been arrested nationwide, including 11 naval officers.

Pakistan's intelligence agency allegedly used Facebook and online dating sites to "honey trap" junior naval officers, while money was offered to higher ranking officers to disclose crucial and sensitive information related to Indian ship and submarine movements.

A Sputnik

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The Indian healthcare is facing a double whammy due to the coronavirus. On one hand those who have comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, respiratory troubles and heart complications are at higher risk. But it was precisely these diseases, whose treatment was massively neglected in the last three months.

Read: Stigma, lack of clarity put elderly, people with comorbidities at risk

A recent survey conducted by the World Health Organisation brings out the reality. Carried out in 155 countries including India, the survey finds that in 94% of countries the health staff working in the area of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were partially or fully reassigned to support Covid-19.

Track live updates on coronavirus here

The consequence is that more than half (53%) of the countries surveyed have partially or completely disrupted services for hypertension treatment; 49% for treatment of diabetes and diabetes-related complications; 42% for cancer treatment, and 31% for cardiovascular emergencies. Rehabilitation services have been disrupted in almost two-thirds (63%) of the countries, even though rehabilitation is key to a healthy recovery following severe illness from Covid-19, the global health body said in a statement earlier this week. However, it didnt disclose the performance of individual nations.

The most common reasons for discontinuing or reducing services were cancellations of planned treatments, a decrease in public transport availability and lack of staff because health workers had been reassigned to support Covid-19 services. In 20% countries, one of the main reasons for discontinuing services was a shortage of medicines, diagnostics and other technologies.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

Unsurprisingly, there appears to be a correlation between levels of disruption in services for treating NCDs and the evolution of the Covid-19 outbreak in a country. Services become increasingly disrupted as a country moves from sporadic cases to community transmission of the novel coronavirus. As the case load rises, the adverse impact on regular healthcare services gets bigger.

As the burden of Covid-19 cases increases in India, the health systems are under pressure to cope with this demand. India has a large number of people with noncommunicable diseases who would need regular monitoring and continuum of care. There is an urgent need for health systems to address the disruptions in care for NCDs that the pandemic poses. While telemedicine is a promising alternative, over reliance on technology platforms alone without close integration into health systems and system level responses in rural and remote areas are a major public health disaster in the making, Oomen John, a senior public health specialist from The George Institute, India told DH.

In the absence of a national registry on the NCD, there isnt much publicly available information from India as yet, but people from all over the country bear testimony to the reality that in the last three months regular live-saving services like dialysis, chemotherapy and blood transfusion have become unavailable to many. Most of the private hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics shut their OPD and other services. Despite several appeals from the government, many are yet to resume their operations fully. A lot of elective surgeries were either cancelled or postponed.

COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths

A study published in the British Journal of Surgery last month showed that during the 12 peak weeks of the Covid-19, more than 48,700 surgeries were cancelled every week in India, which translates into 584,000 procedures over the entire period (globally the number was 28.4 million). Nearly 60% of the cancer surgeries planned were postponed amounting to over 51,000 cancer operations that could not be conducted.

Delayed or postponed surgeries might result in tumours being upstaged and reaching the operation table at a later stage than they would have ordinarily. The delays may also move a lot of patients from the curative to palliative stage. Both these scenarios may adversely affect long-term survivals and possibly lead to worse outcomes, Dhruv Ghosh, surgeon at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India and member of the Global Surgery Research Collaborative at the University of Birmingham commented in a report published in the Lancet.

Every year, more than one million new cases of cancer are reported in India. Since most hospitals are in big cities, people from rural areas often have to travel long distances for treatment and follow-up. Even though the Union Health Ministry asked the states to keep non-Covid-19 related essential health services running, few patients could access these services with no means of transport. Some hospitals remain close either due to Covid-19 infection among staff or as a matter of abundant precaution bordering on panic reaction.

The scenario is more or less same in other key areas like tuberculosis treatment as well as mother and child health. Both are likely to see a steep rise in caseload and mortality as an indirect consequence of the pandemic.
Heres what it will be like when Cisco employees return to the office:

Before heading in each day, workers will be required to log on to a new app the giant networking company designed, and answer several questions about their health. Have they had close contact in the last 14 days with anyone who received a Covid-19 diagnosis or was suspected of having a coronavirus infection? Within the last 24 hours have they experienced chills, shortness of breath, or a loss of taste or smell?

If they report themselves to be healthy, the app gives them a green screen that reads Pass." If not, the app flashes red and reads, Do not come to the worksite.

Those who are cleared to go into the office will be stopped in the lobby. There, they will have to show the all-clear screen from their app. After that, they will walk through a thermal screener temperature check. Anyone with a fever will be sent home. Those without one can get to work.

Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended sweeping changes to American offices, companies around the country are preparing elaborate new routines intended to keep their employees healthy. In many cases, the changes will transform workaday offices into fortified sites resembling biohazard labs.
Chinese Residents in Mudanjiang Suspect Second CCP Virus Wave is Much Worse

Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift.

After a new wave of coronavirus cases in Mudanjiang City, located in Heilongjiang Province, on May 27, local authorities ordered the suspension of all trains and outbound buses.

Previously on April 7, local high schools reopened for senior students but were later closed on April 20. It was more dramatic during the recent outbreak of the CCP virusgraduating classes returned to school again on the morning of May 25, but were told to go home in the afternoon.

Local residents believe that the new outbreak occurred before Chinas Two Sessions political meeting that took place from May 21 to the 28, but local authorities covered it up because they didnt want to report any negative news beforehand.
The coronavirus outbreak has hammered the U.S. economy, with the airline sector being one of the worst-hit spaces. The virus spread resulted in declining air travel with restrictions imposed by the government. Consequently, airlines top lines suffered a material impact as passenger revenues form the largest component of their total revenue base. However, it seems like the worst is over for the airline industry as the United States has started to reopen its economy with permission for inter-state travel.

In fact, airlines in many parts of the world are planning to resume flights starting this month as economies are reopening and new safety measures are being undertaken. Going by a Bloomberg article, around 314,000 people on average went through U.S. airport security checkpoints in the week ending May 29, per the Transportation Security Administration. The metric comes at around 13% of the equivalent week a year ago and only slightly above 12% witnessed in the week ending May 22. Notably, more than 1.5 million passengers passed through airport security checkpoints during the Memorial Day weekend. Going on, American Airlines AAL load factor or the average share of seats filled per plane surged to 55% in the week ending May 29 in comparison to 15% in April (per a Bloomberg article).

In fact, trading session on Jun 4 saw a massive rise in airline stocks as major companies like American Airlines surged 41.3%, Delta Air Lines DAL rose 13.7% and United Airlines UAL rallied 16.2%. Also, the U.S. Global Jets ETF JETS rose 11.6% on the day. These major carriers are being observed to be adding hundreds of flights during the post-lockdown reopening of the U.S. economy. American Airlines saw a record surge following its announcement to increase schedule for flights in July by 74% in comparison with that in June.

Current Scenario in Airlines Industry

Globally, governments have started to lift travel restrictions, thereby reviving the domestic travel industry to say the least. The travel bookings are currently being processed for business as well as pleasure trips. Per a Bloomberg article, several corporations are easing travel restrictions in states like Texas and Florida that have relaxed quarantine measures. Moreover, with summer vacations approaching, flights are being booked to Floridas amusement parks, beaches along the Gulf Coast and mountain destinations in Montana, Utah and Colorado, according to a Bloomberg article.

Story continues

However, the airlines industry is still looking for opportunities to return to more lucrative travel routes. Moreover, the international schedule can take time to normalize given the continuous spread of coronavirus. Also, some market experts believe that it will be prudent to keep a tab on whether travelers will be returning to pre-pandemic levels in the near term as they might not want to take the chances of re-emergence of the coronavirus outbreak due to travelling. Furthermore, airlines may have to face the brunt of rising oil prices on their already stressed balance sheets.

Against this backdrop, investors can keep a tab at the following airline ETF:

U.S. Global Jets ETF JETS  up 27% since start of June

The fund provides investors access to the global airline industry, including airline operators and manufacturers from all over the world. With AUM of $1.41 billion, the fund holds a basket of 39 stocks. It trades in average volumes of about 2.1 million shares a day. It also has an expense ratio of 60 basis points (read: These ETF Areas Make Great Investment Choices in June).

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Photo: The Canadian Press 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.

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.

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.
Hong Kong: Basic Law webinar set for June 8

Chief Executive Carrie Lam will address a webinar held by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on June 8 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Basic Laws promulgation.

The webinar will review the Basic Laws historical background and successful implementation to enhance the publics understanding of the one country, two systems principle.

On May 28, the National Peoples Congress (NPC) passed the decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security. The webinar will discuss the decisions importance in safeguarding the countrys sovereignty, security and development interests, protecting Hong Kongs long-term prosperity and ensuring the robustness of one country, two systems.

The webinar comprises of keynote addresses and a dialogue session. Mrs Lam will first address the webinar.

Keynote speeches on the Basic Law, one country, two systems and national security will be given by State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Deputy Director Zhang Xiaoming, and Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law Committee (BLC) under the NPC Standing Committee Zhang Yong.

There will also be a dialogue session moderated by BLC Vice-Chairperson Maria Tam. She will host a discussion on the Basic Laws historical background and implementation with the first Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung and Prof Albert Chen from the University of Hong Kongs Faculty of Law.

To watch the webinar's live web broadcast from 3pm to 6pm tomorrow, click here or log on to the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureaus Facebook page, or revisit the event here.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Bahrain Red Crescent Society (BRCS) has announced that social aid applications can be submitted through the society's website.

The Social Services Committee at (BRCS) will evaluate all the applications once received on the website and follow the necessary procedures.

Mubarak Al Hadi, BRCS Director-General/Acting General Secretary, said that this electronic service comes within the framework of the societys keenness to facilitate the benefit of the needy families from the aid. The Society also will ensure speedy workflow and simple procedures effectively and transparently, taking into account the social distancing and necessary precautionary measures to avoid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The activity of the Social Services Committee in the Bahraini Red Crescent covers all regions of Bahrain, where the committee studies cases of needy families and provides financial aid and in-kind assistance to them. The committee also studies new projects from time to time to provide sources of revenue for these families through social and vocational rehabilitation programs. Al Hadi said.

The number of families who are entitled to monthly aid currently are more than 300 families, and those with improved conditions are replaced by waiting lists, in addition to more than 4,000 families that receive seasonal in-kind assistances. Bahrain Red Crescent Society is keen to continue activating its role in serving the Bahraini community, providing support to the needy segments, and providing them with the necessary humanitarian aid, and we are committed to the principle of "giving with dignity. Al Hadi added.

Those wishing to benefit from the aid provided by the Society to needy families can log into the Societys website and fill out the form, then re-upload it with the required documents such as smart card, medical reports or loan reports and other documents, if any. - TradeArabia News Service
New Delhi: Ratings firm Crisil has reaffirmed BBB rating on Yes Bank's over Rs 18,000 crore bonds on the back of continued support by the country's largest lender SBI.

Crisil has assigned its 'CRISIL BBB/Stable' rating to the Tier II bonds (under Basel III) of Rs 13,941 crore and infrastructure bonds of Rs 3,780 crore of Yes Bank, the recently bailed out lender said in a regulatory filing on Saturday.

The agency has also reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A2' rating on certificates of deposit of Yes Bank.

BBB ratings are of moderate safety with regard to servicing of financial obligations. While debt securities with A2 rating are considered to have strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such instruments carry low credit risk.

"The ratings are underpinned by the expectation of continued extraordinary systemic support from key stakeholders and sizeable ownership by State Bank of India (SBI).

"Crisil has taken note of the Yes Bank Ltd Reconstruction Scheme, 2020, (the Scheme) that was notified by the Government of India on March 13, 2020," Crisil said on the rating rationale.

The reconstruction scheme followed the imposition of a moratorium on Yes Bank by the government on March 5, 2020, including the RBI, in order to bolster the bank's liquidity.

The moratorium was lifted on March 18, 2020, and the bank has since been providing full-fledged banking services to customers.

Under the reconstruction scheme, Yes Bank has, among other measures, got equity infusion of Rs 10,000 crore by 8 entities, mainly banks led by SBI.

"However, the ability of the bank to limit further deposit outflow, and to build a strong retail liabilities franchise and a stable and sound operating business model with strong compliance and governance framework over the medium term, needs to be demonstrated," said the Indian arm of the S&P Global.

Crisil also said the bank's asset quality is weak and the impact of the shift in business model to focus on granular retail segments will need to be seen over a longer period.

"These will be key rating monitorables. The nationwide lockdown declared by government to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic has impacted disbursements and collections of financial institutions," the agency said.

The lockdown and restrictions are now being lifted in phases. Any delay in return to normalcy will increase pressure on collections and hence asset quality, it added.

Further, moratorium to Yes Bank customers may impact collections in near-term and any change in payment discipline of borrowers can affect delinquency levels post the moratorium, Crisil said.

"Given this, gross non-performing assets (NPAs) could rise due to weakening in most sectors. This may increase the credit cost in fiscal 2021, thereby impacting the profitability of the bank, and will be a key monitorable," it said.
James Bennet, editorial page editor of The New York Times, in New York on Aug. 16, 2017. (Larry Neumeister/AP Photo)

NY Times Editorial Page Editor Resigns Following Sen. Tom Cotton Op-ed

The New York Times editorial page editor resigned following outrage over an opinion piece from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) who advocated using federal troops to quell sometimes violent protests, riots, arson, and looting in the wake of George Floyds death.

James Bennet, who had overseen the NY Times opinion pages since 2016, stepped down effective immediately, the liberal newspaper said in a statement on Sunday.

Cottons op-ed, titled Send in the Troops and posted online on Wednesday, caused anger among some of the NY Times editorial staff, with some calling in sick on Thursday in protest. The NY Times later said the piece didnt meet its standards.

Bennet also apologized after defending publishing the article.

The journalism of Times Opinion has never mattered more than in this time of crisis at home and around the world, and Ive been honored to be part of it, Bennet said in a statement. Im so proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to focus attention on injustice and threats to freedom and to enrich debate about the right path forward by bringing new voices and ideas to Times readers.

And Cotton criticized the paper for distancing itself from his article.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) speaks to the media after attending a briefing with administration officials about the situation with Iran, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 8, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The New York Times editorial page editor and owner defended it in public statements but then they totally surrendered to a woke child mob from their own newsroom that apparently gets triggered if theyre presented with any opinion contrary to their own, as opposed to telling the woke children in their newsroom this is the workplace, not a social-justice seminar on campus, Cotton told Fox News.

A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher of the paper, confirmed the departure in a memo to staff members.

Last week we saw a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first weve experienced in recent years, Sulzberger wrote. James and I agreed that it would take a new team to lead the department through a period of considerable change.

Cotton, meanwhile, said that the paper misrepresented his arguments.

This is false and offensive. I called for using military force as a backuponly if police are overwhelmedto stop riots, not to be used against protesters, he wrote in a statement on Twitter.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter, condemning the NY Times and praising Cotton for writing the article.

Katie Kingsbury, a Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing, will now oversee the opinion pages until the November elections are over, according to the NY Times.
Restaurants have called on the Government to subsidise wages in the sector for the next 12 months to allow businesses to recover from closures enforced by Covid-19.

They also claim speeding up the phased reopening of the country will not help them unless social distancing measures are relaxed and halved from two metres to one metre.

Under the roadmap to reopen the country, restaurants will be allowed to reopen on June 29. Pubs serving food can also reopen on the same date.

Despite the Government relenting to pressure and allowing businesses to reopen more quickly, the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) estimates 90pc of members will still be unable to open later this month because of social distancing measures.

It has called for the two- metre social distancing requirement to be halved to one metre in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) advice.

The National Public Health Emergency Team is recommending people remain two metres apart. The WHO is asking people to avoid public spaces and advising they stay one metre apart to prevent liquid droplets spreading Covid-19 when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes or speaks.

RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins believes even a 1.5-metre compromise is not sufficient to justify reopening restaurants. He said customers will make their own judgment on how safe restaurants are and "cowboys" will be found out.

"It is unviable for restaurants to reopen unless the two-metre requirement is dropped - 90pc of restaurants will not open at two metres. If it goes to one metre, we have a fighting chance," Cummins said yesterday.

"If the requirement is between 1.5m and two metres, 90pc of businesses will still not be able to open. It is not viable for them."

He said staying shut during the crisis will leave the RAI's 3,000 members with severe legacy debts. He estimates this stands at 100,000 on average for each restaurant.

Added to this is a financial burden of ensuring customers and staff are protected. He claims restaurants are spending, on average, 20,000 on furniture, Perspex and training to make businesses safe, and called for supports from the government.

"The biggest inspectors we will see in all of this will be our customers. We need to make sure any cowboys are rooted out from day one and it is a level playing pitch for everybody," he said.

"I am fearful for the long-term survival of many businesses unless a specific aid package is put in place that puts employment at the centre of any recovery. The industry will require the wage subsidy scheme for the next 12 months for many businesses to survive."

Speeding up the reopening of the country means hotels, hostels and tourism activity can also resume when the restaurants reopen in three weeks' time. Officials hope this will allow the tourism sector to salvage some business in the summer months.

Failte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly said research shows consumers are interested in "safe breaks".

The sector is in a "deep crisis", he said. "Failte Ireland is finalising operational guidelines and protocols for the safe reopening of tourism businesses.

"These detailed sector-specific guidelines will prepare tourism and hospitality businesses for safe reopening and help instil confidence among the public."
Germanys relationship with the United States is complicated, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a newspaper interview, regretting the planned withdrawal of US soldiers from Germany.

President Donald Trump has ordered the US military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior US official said on Friday.

Should it come to the withdrawal of part of the US troops, we take note of this. We appreciate the cooperation with the US forces that has developed over decades. It is in the interests of both our countries, Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

Maas acknowledged problems in Germanys relationship with the United States, saying: We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But: It is complicated.

On Saturday, senior lawmakers from German Chancellor Angela Merkels ruling conservative bloc criticised Trumps decision to order the US military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany.

A US official, who did not want to be identified, said on Friday the troops move was the result of months of work by the top US military officer, General Mark Milley, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and Merkel, who thwarted Trumps plan to host a G7 meeting this month.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 02:45:25|Editor: huaxia

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A man returns a gas nozzle back to the pump after pumping gas at a BP gas station in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States on April 9, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

All participants of the 11th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held online agreed to extend the cut of 9.7 million bpd pertaining in May and June by one further month, according to a statement published on OPEC's website.



VIENNA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies led by Russia, known as OPEC+, agreed on Saturday to extend the historic 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) production cut till the end of July 2020.

All participants of the 11th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held online agreed to extend the cut of 9.7 million bpd pertaining in May and June by one further month, according to a statement published on OPEC's website.

The meeting recognized that the output cut carried out in May had helped garner "tentative signs of a recovery" in the global economy and oil market.

Photo taken on April 9, 2020 shows pump nozzles at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

It noted that global oil demand was still expected to contract by around 9 million bpd for the whole of 2020.

In order to closely review the energy market and observe the implementation of the agreement, the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) is to meet monthly until December 2020, with the next JMMC meeting set for June 18, said OPEC.

The meeting also decided that the next OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting will convene in Vienna on Dec. 1, 2020. 
Report: German Neo-Nazis Training At Russian Terrorist Camp

By RFE/RL June 06, 2020

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 Party's (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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/german-neo -nazi-training-in-russia/30655860.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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English is not the first language for the 800 or so students enrolled in Northeast High Schools Academic Learning Program.

Many of them arrive as freshmen, scared and bewildered, with no understanding of American vernacular. They yearn to be known but are unable to speak words that might connect them with any of the 3,000 students at Northeast High, a massive place that teems with life at Cottman and Algon avenues.

I dont know where they find the courage to enter a big, strange school in a big, strange land. But they hang in there, grow roots, and bloom where life has planted them.

By the time they graduate  about 200 this year  most are fluent in their new tongue. And more than a few become writers of breathtaking prose that aches with bravery and vulnerability.

We learned as much, here at The UpSide, when we invited 2020 graduates from across the region to share their tales of achievement. The submissions poured in, including a deluge from students in Northeasts Academic Learning Program, which offers foreign-born teens immersion in sheltered classes, consisting exclusively of students for whom English is not their first language.

Colorful details, bright memories

Their essays conjure images that haunt and shimmer.

Kenny Kernizan recalled how his cherished Haiti was crying to me, and saying goodbye as his family fled the island following the deadly earthquake of 2010.

Victoria Ramos wrote that, as she left Brazil, tears were jumping out of my eyes by themselves, the airplane flew far away, but my brain stayed there, my arms begged to give my friends and siblings a last hug  We arrived at Philadelphia on Independence Day, [which] made America literally smell like independence  everything was perfect, like a crystal glass.

After a grueling passage through Guatemala and Mexico, Herberth Alvarez-Sucup crossed the southern border into America, feeling as if I could fly, as a bird to her mountain. And he realized he had not left all of himself behind, because my heart, kindness, and intelligence have no borders.

Without language, wrote Vietnamese native Gia Ly, the only thing that could understand my heart was a dark night. Finding dear friends and loving teachers at Northeast High saved me from loneliness; my heart was blooming again.

Northeast teacher Amanda Fiegel has grown accustomed to the way these young men and women reveal themselves to the Northeast High community, one halting word  then phrase, sentence, and conversation  at a time. But she never ceases to be moved by their determination to master the language of their new home.

When I wanted to learn Spanish, I spent a month in Spain, said Fiegel, who has taught English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at Northeast High for five years (and who urged her students to send their essays to UpSide).

I saw how difficult it is to be true to yourself and emotions, to who you are as a person, to your personality when speaking a foreign language, she said. My students have to do that every day. They have so much to say, but without a grasp of English, its hard for them to show you who they are.

But they persevere, finding nuance and similes in their new tongue.

Joseph Chun wrote how, when his first new friend at school, Edgar, approached him to say hello, his talking was a radio box.

Ervis Tahiraj, from Albania, was overwhelmed by the cacophony of conversations in the halls of Northeast (where over 50 languages are spoken), until he came upon two girls like beautiful flowers speaking Albanian. I was happy and my heart started dancing. Then I started to make friends, practicing my English. I erupted like a volcano. I started to feel free and experienced the sweetest smell of the high school.

Sedra Adel resolved to study English with ferocity because, without language my mind felt like a locked-up bird.

'To roar like a lion

The students are just as poetic about their pride in how far they have come in their effort to find their place in this country.

Esmat Abd Almawla looked back on who she was as a freshman and wrote, I see that the girl showed stamina and tenacity.

Dayani Ramos-Ulloa of Honduras wrote of overcoming the sourness of the English language and being in a place where happiness has begun.

Nga Yee Lam moved past the grief of moving to America, where she wanted to roar like a lion but no one could hear my feelings to a view that America is a starting point of dreamers, not a troublemaker.

Madina Hakimi arrived in Philadelphia from Afghanistan, a place where the Taliban had no mercy, as they had no heart. She found her voice and freedom among friends here by vowing to show who I was: a person with a strong and kind heart.

While many graduates from Northeasts Academic Learning Program plan to attend community colleges, where they can ease into higher education as they continue honing their English, some are charging toward four-year universities at full speed.

Lingarbel Brempong, from Ghana  whose father died of COVID-19 in April and who cares for her chronically ill mother  has been offered a full-ride scholarship to Stanford University.

Nathaniel Asia is off to Duke, the first in his family to pursue higher education  and without having to hurt my family financially, thanks to scholarships.

Kishore Owusu of Ghana will study pre-med at Cheyney University on a scholarship that offers the opportunity for him to attend medical school for free at Jefferson University, if his academic requirements are met. Intizorhon Fataeva of Uzbekistan is headed to La Salle University on scholarship to pursue criminology and justice studies. Kristina Pema of Albania has a full ride to Harvard, where shell likely major in biochemical engineering.

Many of these kids will stay in touch with the Northeast staffers who helped them find their voices. Fiegel cant wait to see how they fare. Shes been teaching for 13 years and says her five at Northeast have been the best of her career.

Its inspiring to work with these students, a lot of whom have come from nothing," she marveled. "They have a pure, honest desire to be part of this country but are still proud of their heritage. Its a privilege to learn about their culture and to be part of their journey. Theyre amazing.
The 10ft shark attacked the surfer along the coast of Kingscliff, New South Wales (ABC/CH7/CH9 via AP)

A 60-year-old surfer has died after being attacked by a 10ft great white shark off the coast of New South Wales.

The man received a bite to the back of his thigh and was brought to the shore by other surfers who had fought off the shark, a surf rescue group, Surf Life Saving NSW, said.

The victim, from Tugun just over the state border in Queensland, received first aid on the shore but died on the beach.

A shark biologist assessed photographs and confirmed a white shark was responsible for the fatal attack, the states Department of Primary Industries said.

Expand Close In this image made from aerial video, a shark swims along the coast of Kingscliff, New South Whales, Australia, Sunday, June 7, 2020. A 60-year-old surfer was attacked and killed by a 3-meter (10-foot) shark off the coast of northern New South Wales state on Sunday, Australian police said. (ABC/CH7/CH9 via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp In this image made from aerial video, a shark swims along the coast of Kingscliff, New South Whales, Australia, Sunday, June 7, 2020. A 60-year-old surfer was attacked and killed by a 3-meter (10-foot) shark off the coast of northern New South Wales state on Sunday, Australian police said. (ABC/CH7/CH9 via AP)

New South Wales Ambulance inspector Terence Savage said it was a dreadful situation for everyone involved.

When you get a call to attend a shark attack, you never really know the full extent of the damage until you get on scene, he said. They did everything they could to try and save his life, but despite their best efforts, were unable to do so.

Nearby beaches were cleared of swimmers and surfers and will remain closed for 24 hours.

Kingscliff resident Stuart Gonsal had just arrived at the beach ready for a surf, when he found out about the fatal attack.

We came down and we hadnt got in the water and police were immediately hauling people in, Mr Gonsal told ABC radio. We found out there was a fatal shark attack on the south side of the rock wall. We were going to get in, were not going to now for sure.

It was at least the third fatal shark attack in Australia this year.

In January, a diver was killed near Esperance off the Western Australia state coast. In April, a shark fatally mauled a 23-year-old wildlife worker on the Great Barrier Reef.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Sleuths of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) seized non-duty paid liquor (NDPL) worth Rs 20 lakhs in Kankipadu late on Friday. The stock, which contained liquor of different brands, were manufactured in Punjab and being brought to Machilipatnam, Vijayawada and Guntur from Kankipadu in a grass-laden lorry .

In a press conference on Saturday, deputy commissioner of police (DCP- I, L&O) Harshavardhan Raju said the accused--Veeranki Venkataramana alias Dhoola (36), Kondapalli Anand (39), Shaik Mahaboob Subhani (43) and Shaik Rafi (38)--had been in the illegal trade ever since a lockdown was enforced.

Since alcohol is expensive in Andhra Pradesh, especially after the recent hike in taxes, the prime accused, Venkataramana, got in touch with dealers in Punjab with the help of another accused. Since all the four were in lorry business, they struck a deal and paid the dealer Rs 4 lakh. Anand owns a lorry, which he sent to Punjab to bring liquor.

To avoid police detection, the stock was covered in corn loads. The gang reached Andhra via Odisha. Based on a tipoff, we caught them and seized the stock, DCP Harshavardhan said. Additional DSP and SEB special officer M Satti Babu said Venkataramana and Anand invested Rs 4 lakh to purchase the liquor.
DES MOINES -- They watched the video that shocked a nation. They watched the protests erupt across the country, including throughout Iowa. They marched with those protestors.

And here, these black leaders from across Iowa provide their perspectives, describe the thoughts they have had and the emotions they have experienced during these past few weeks of civil unrest across the nation.

On May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man from Minnesota, died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Floyds death sparked outcry and protests nationwide as black Americans renewed their calls for racial justice.

The Des Moines Bureau interviewed six black leaders from across Iowa to get their perspectives on the events starting with and since that fateful day. These are their words, which have been edited only for brevity and clarity.

Question: What thoughts and emotions did you experience when you saw the George Floyd video?

(Stacey Walker is a black man, a Linn County Supervisor, and a prominent figure in Democratic politics. He also serves on a task force for criminal justice reform created by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and former candidate Bernie Sanders. Walker wished to make clear his viewpoints represent his feelings and opinions, and not the views of the task force.)

Walker: These videos, these images we see on what is becoming an all-too frequent occurrence, I don't believe African-Americans have become desensitized to this experience, even with its frequency increasing. So every time you see this, its another traumatic experience that you have to sort of go through the entire process of shock, of deep sadness, of grief, of outrage.  It is a traumatic experience every time. And its just hard. I dont have the appropriate words to explain that kind of trauma, that persisting trauma.

(Phyllis Thede is a black woman and a state legislator from Bettendorf.)

Thede: You harken back to the days when things have happened before. And you think to yourself, Here we go again. It was frustrating to watch that.  That image says to me, Youre still less than. Its so degrading. Its so heart-wrenching. That man lost his life because of a man who appears to not care. That was awful. That was absolutely awful.

Question: What is your perspective on the protests that have taken place across Iowa, most of which have been peaceful demonstrations but some of which have included violence and vandalism. And what was it like being a part of those protests?

(Ako Abdul-Samad is a black man and state legislator from Des Moines.)

Abdul-Samad: It was like being on a roller coaster that you didnt know if they have brakes on it. You didnt know if there was an ending that could even stop it. Thats what it was like. And you think of the most dangerous roller coaster in the world: thats what we were on this (past) weekend. And we didnt know whether we were going to come off that roller coaster alive.

(Ras Smith is a black man and state legislator from Waterloo.)

Smith: I struggle with the term peaceful protest, because inherently, almost by definition, protests shouldnt be peaceful. Protesting is an expression of discomfort, of anguish. But what I saw last week was a protest of fear, of sadness, of injustices long not solved. So I can say we had an aggressive, assertive protest that was non-violent. But to think that we were singing Kumbaya and holding hands would be a misclassification. And I dont want to misrepresent the anger and the drive. I mean, man, you can see it in peoples eyes. This is changing. We want change, and this is different.  While we may not have been all high fives and handshakes, our eyes are set on and our gaze was set on accomplishing something. Unfortunately weve seen some turn in some of our protests, but we know that those individuals goal is to distract from our overall goal and our message. So we try not to give them any life or relevance.

(Monique Scarlett is a black woman and school board member from Sioux City. She also co-founded Unity in the Community, which works to build relationships between the community and local law enforcement.)

Scarlett: I also participated in one of the very first protests here in Sioux City, right after (Floyds death), and I walked in as an observer, trying to talk with some young folks. Because I know theyre angry. So protesting is not wrong. Its when protesting goes wrong with violent destruction  that I do not condone.  We just hosted (Thursday) a unity in prayer. And we had all law enforcement, our Woodbury County Sheriff's Department, Sioux City Police Department, Unity in the Community, and our local chapter of the NAACP. We all came together with all of the base leaders and citizens, and we stood on the law enforcement building stairway, and it was beautiful. I mean it was beautiful. And I watched people cry, I watched people laugh. So our focus is definitely in the right place.

(Betty Andrews is a black woman from Des Moines and president of the Iowa and Nebraska chapter of the NAACP.)

Andrews: I was just talking with young people about how change happens. Sometimes when you think about, even in the Bible it talks about how God out of the darkness brought change. So change sometimes starts with chaotic, messy circumstances. And then it begins to organize, and order comes in, and processes for change, and people understand and work together. And so thats what we expect.

Walker: This explosion of energy that we are seeing across the country represents the unheard voices of black Americans crying out for freedom and justice across centuries. While the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and George Floyd serve as critical flashpoints, its impossible to articulate the totality of atrocities committed against black Americans with any one march or any one protest. And I think the outrage that has embroiled much of the country manifesting itself in these protests reflects those facts, and it reflects the fact that this is about much more than just the deaths of the three aforementioned individuals. Its an eruption of raw emotion stemming from generations of systemic oppression.

Question: Weve been here before: a black person dies while being arrested or in police custody, the nation expresses outrage or grief, and then the world moves on with no changes taking place. How critical is it that this time is different, that meaningful change comes out of this moment?

Smith: Its life or death, man. It can be life or death. Weve seen these restraint tactics of a (police choke hold) can be life or death. Hiring an officer with a checkered background who has a past of severe and racial misconduct can be life or death. Not allowing the (state) attorney general to investigate a case of police murder or police shooting, it robs families of justice. Action is needed now because its life or death. Thats the reality of it for some of us. And thats why the sense of urgency is there, because we know what the ramifications are if it doesnt take place.

Scarlett: This time is a little bit different, and the reason why I say that is because of the younger generation, as they are saying, We will not take this treatment anymore.  I am asking the President of the United States to send the right message (about) racial injustice, and to create a plan (for) how were going to change this. Because if these orders are not given, I have an uncomfortable feeling that these young people are then going to go out and take justice. And we dont want that because that could go either way. It could be positive or it could be negative. Because they are tired of the urgency.  We can no longer be oppressed by the past. We have to remember the past, but we cant let the past keep us in bondage. We have to focus on the future of the freedom. And so that is where these young people are at now. They are the future. So theyre saying, Youre not going to oppress us anymore. We want our freedom. We demand our freedom. And by any means necessary we are going to get our freedom and our justice. So leaders have to be sensitive, and we have to listen to the cries of the community.

Thede: Im grateful in a way because with all this coming out, you cant turn back. You got to move forward now, you know what I mean? So all the bad stuff thats happening, we cant close our eyes anymore. And thats a good thing. Thats a huge thing.

Abdul-Samad: A lot of good was done. A lot of individuals expressed who they were. They got a chance to see what could be done. And now we got to show them the fruit. They planted the seed; we got to show them the fruit. And then we got to make them part of that fruit and picking the fruit. If we do that, all this was worth it. If we dont do that, well be back again.

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With the recent death of another black American at the hands of white police officers and the resulting violence, the 1976 statement attributed to Polish Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski to his Politburo members that "Polish soldiers will not fire on Polish workers" came to mind. Perhaps if more of our leaders from police chiefs to mayors to governors to the president thought the same, peaceful protesters  whether black or white  were "Americans" rather than "the enemy," things might get better faster.

James H. Fenner, Lake Oswego
Flooding from storm surge has already begun inundating roads and is making some areas in St. Bernard Parish impassable ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal's landfall, officials said late Sunday morning.

The water was already rising by noon in lower parts of the parish outside the levee system, including Shell Beach, Hopedale and Yscloskey. By afternoon, water was also breaching the ring levee that surrounds Delacroix in the western end of the system as storm surge reached four feet, St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis said.

"It's a flood fight," McInnis said over the phone. "We're trying to keep the water out of that community."

McInnis said that as of 4:30 p.m., water hadn't gotten into any residences, which are raised above the ground in the most flooded areas.

Parish government officials posted videos Sunday morning on Twitter showing water from Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal and Lake Borgne lapping over roadways.

High tide was at 3 p.m. By 1 p.m., water could be seen gushing over Delacroix Highway between Reggio, a fishing community, and Delacroix.

By early afternoon, Cristobals forward speed had dropped by more than half, from 12 mph to 5 mph. That could mean Cristobal, which was about 30 miles off the Louisiana coast at 1 p.m., will bring a prolonged risk of storm surge to the area when it makes landfall just an hour before high tide.

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The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Department stationed a command post near the Verret levee by the flood gate at Bayou Road and La. Highway 46, where officials were shutting off access to the eastern part of the parish unless residents had a "good reason" to go, McInnis said.

Earlier in the morning, Road Superintendent Louis Pomes and Alfred Hutchinson had begun building a rock dam on Florissant Highway to control the flooding and allow as much access as possible.

St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security Director John Rahaim said he expected Florissant Highway and Delacroix Highway to be closed before nightfall. He asked residents and sightseers to stay out of the lower parish.

Rahaim is also asked on Twitter for residents with boats and campers inside the levee wall to keep them on the westbound emergency lane of Highway 46. That will keep the eastbound lane open for emergency traffic, he said.

In Plaquemines Parish, President Kirk Lepine said no major problems had been reported in his parish as of 1 p.m.

"So far so good," Lepine said. "Were monitoring as we go, just watching the track and watching the intensity and keeping our fingers crossed."
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 10:06 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdca2a5d 1 National COVID-19,PSBB,ridwan-kamil,West-Java,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,satellite-city,new-normal,large-scale-social-restrictions,pembatasan-sosial-berskala-besar Free

The West Java administration has extended large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Bogor, Depok and Bekasi (Bodebek) until July 2.

West Java COVID-19 task force secretary Daud Achmad said the 28-day extension of the policy in Jakartas satellite cities had become effective on Saturday.

He said polices would be adjusted to each district, village and sub-district based on the level of emergency. The policy would also be adjusted to Jakartas plan to gradually ease restrictions in several sectors in June.

Daud added that Bodebek residents were required to follow PSBB and continue wearing masks, washing their hands and maintaining physical distance.

The key to the success of PSBB in Bodebek is the publics adherence to the rules, which could help break the COVID-19 transmission chain, said Daud.

Read also: Indonesia records unprecedented daily spike in COVID-19 cases

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has issued a circular on the provinces plan to prepare for the so-called new normal to resume certain activities under health protocols. The letter was distributed to regents and mayors across the province.

In the circular, Ridwan asked regents and mayors to set PSBB policies that were proportional to the level of emergency in their respective areas. The governor also asked regional leaders to give leeway for religious activities in houses of worship.

The provincial administration has urged mayors and regents to be consistent in sanctioning people found in violation of PSBB.

Regency and city administrations are required to submit a proposal to revoke PSBB and implement the new normal policy to the Health Minister through the governor. They must attach a study showing their preparedness to implement the new normal policy, Daud said.

As of Saturday, health authorities had confirmed 2,376 cases of COVID-19 in West Java, with 158 deaths and 779 recoveries. Nationwide, there have been 30,514 cases and 1,801 deaths.
'If he would have said something on how to make a car, autorickshaw, etc, it would have been acceptable'

Mumbai: Reacting to Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajajs wisecrack that the coronavirus lockdown ended up flattening the GDP curve rather than the COVID-19 curve, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday that Bajaj was not an economist or a COVID-19 expert.

Two days ago, in a chat with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Bajaj had said that it is a herculean task to open up the economy and called for taking fear out of peoples minds through a very clear, aligned narrative from none other than the prime minister. We tried to implement a hard lockdown but it was porous. So I think we have ended up with the worst of both worlds, he said.

The Bajaj family is an expert in the auto sector and not the medical or Covid field. His (Bajaj) statement cannot be the gospel truth. If he would have said something on how to make a car, auto rickshaw etc, it would have been acceptable, said Fadnavis.

He further added that Bajaj had hailed Spains strategy of not imposing a lockdown. Fadnavis said several fatalities could have been avoided there, but they failed. Rajiv Bajaj expressed his opinion as many citizens of the country have a right to freedom of expression but it is not an expert opinion. I dont think that lockdown was draconian, he added.

The BJP leader also said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was suffering from policy and action paralysis as the three constituents of the MVA, namely Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, were not communicating within themselves.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has come forward in the support of Mr Bajaj stating that like demonetisation, there was no plan for the lockdown. An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that the way lockdown was implemented in the country, it could not contain the Coronavirus but it badly hit the economy. As a result, the nation is suffering.

The country knows the contribution of the Bajaj family prior Independence and post-Independence for expanding the economy. The government should respond to the issues raised by him, the editorial added.
Throngs converge on Washington, DC in largest protest yet after the death of George Floyd in police custody 12 days ago.

Washington, DC  Protesters chanting Black Lives Matter and George Floyd converged on the United States capital on Saturday thronging the streets from the Capitol building to a barricaded White House and Lincoln Memorial, to protest the killing of a Black man in police custody, on the 12th day of nationwide protests.

Military vehicles and officers in fatigues had closed off much of downtown Washington, DC to traffic, as protesters stirred by the death of George Floyd  who died on May 25 after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes  flooded the streets chanting and carrying signs including Get your knee off our necks.

The demonstrators appeared to come from varied racial and ethnic backgrounds, young and old, wearing mandatory masks because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many had children in tow.

Floyds killing caused us to rise up and realise we have to do something, we have to say something, protester Alexis Daniel told Al Jazeera.

Our system is unjust, social injustice still exists today. Our Blacks are being killed, our Blacks are still facing inequality.

The signs held aloft by protesters echoed that.

Justice, value, treatment, equality should not vary by skin color, one read, another: How many werent filmed?, implying Floyds death might have gone unnoticed if not for the videos detailing the last moments of his life.

Some of Floyds final words were Please, I cant breathe, and Theyre going to kill me.

Meaningful change

The size of the crowds in the capital on Saturday indicated the momentum of demonstrations calling for meaningful change to end racism and police brutality in the US has not dimmed.

I am here to fight for my seven-year-old daughter, Marie Kelly told Al Jazeera.

The US claims they are this big democracy and everyone has rights, they go to other countries to liberate, prove it here.

The rally followed a week of largely peaceful protests in Washington that at times grew violent, with shops and offices hit by nighttime vandalism and looting, prompting the citys mayor to impose curfews. The curfews were lifted on Thursday.

The White House has been fortified with new fencing and extra security precautions. Most businesses in the downtown area have their windows boarded shut.

The mood was upbeat at much of the rally as the streets of the capital filled with demonstrators in a protest that spanned the city [Eric Thayer/Reuters]

The protest comes amid a standoff between Washington, DCs mayor, Muriel Bowser, and President Donald Trump.

Before the rally, Bowser on Friday, ordered an enormous Black Lives Matter mural painted in large block yellow letters on the street leading to the White House, spanning two blocks.

She renamed the section of the street directly in front of the presidential residence Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Trump has advocated for a militarised response to the civil unrest and summoned a contingent of active-duty troops from other states to the city. As the rally was on going the president tweeted a phrase he has been repeating, Law and Order.

This is a rallying point to get his base going, said Al Jazeeras Shihab Rattansi, at the demonstration.

The Black Lives Matter organisation has objected to the militarisation of the police, driven by military equipment sent to police forces by the US Department of Defense, he said.

If you stop spending billions of dollars on militarising the police, perhaps youll get a different attitude, but also you can put all that money into communities, Rattansi said.

Last week, when Trump threatened protesters who come near the White House with vicious dogs and ominous weapons, Mayor Bowser responded forcefully.

There are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons. There is just a scared man. Afraid/alone.  I call upon our city and our nation to exercise great restraint even while this President continues to try to divide us, Bowser wrote on Twitter.

My police department will always protect DC and all who are in it whether I agree with them (such as those exercising their First Amendment Right) or those I dont (namely, @realdonaldtrump)  Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) May 30, 2020

On Monday, Trump came under fire after baton-swinging federal police fired smoke canisters, flashbang grenades and rubber bullets at a crowd of peaceful protesters to clear the area near the White House so he could pose for a photo-op in front of a church while holding a Bible.

Bowser called the scene shameful.

Trump, for his part, has denounced Bowser as incompetent.

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, Trump wrote.

Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination. Determination to make America the land it ought to be. pic.twitter.com/XOfu6CGEGY  Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020

Demonstrators protest at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC [Alex Brandon/The Associated Press]

On the newly named plaza, protesters took selfies in front of the large metal fence that keeps them far from the White House.

A man standing behind a table handed out water, snacks and paper towels to demonstrators. The few police and security officers in sight wore patrol uniforms rather than body armour and helmets, and had a more relaxed posture than in days prior.

The mood across the capital seemed upbeat. The White House said the president had no public events scheduled for Saturday. It was unclear if, behind the new fence, he could hear the crowds filling the city and at one point chanting: This is what democracy looks like.
By 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.

---

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for the firing of an officer who was photographed giving the middle finger to protesters. John Catanzara, the new Chicago police union president, noted that in late May, Lightfoot ripped President Donald Trumps response to the unrest, saying, I will code what I really want to say to Donald Trump. Its two words. It begins with F and it ends with U.
Three people, including a six-year-old boy, have died after a horror fire at a home in regional Victoria.

Fire crews were called to Cunninghams Road in Tyaak, an hour north of Melbourne, just before midnight on Saturday where they found the house engulfed with flames.

The boy and a 33-year-old man were found dead inside the home while a 34-year-old man died later in hospital.

Victoria Police confirmed at least 13 people were inside the four-bedroom property when the fire began.

Three people, including a six-year-old boy, have died after a horror fire at a holiday home in regional Victoria

A fireplace and chimney could be seen melted among the warped steel and rubble at the scene

Fire crews were called to Cunninghams Road in Tyaak, an hour north of Melbourne, just before midnight on Saturday where the found the house engulfed with flames

Emergency crews took 11 people to hospital with injuries, with 10 still being treated.

It is understood those staying inside the home were on a group vacation in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions being lifted.

The holidaymakers were related to the owners of the home, The Herald Sun reports.

Up to 15 Country Fire Authority crews rushed to the out-of-control fire and took more than two hours for crews to extinguish the blaze.

The house was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

A CFA spokesman said the entire house had been impacted by the fire and there was 'quite extensive damage'.

A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said there was a 'glow of red in the trees' on Saturday night.

'There's a little kid in that house,' he said.

'It's a really nice family'.

The exact circumstances surrounding the fire are yet to be determined and a crime scene has been established.

Emergency crews took 11 people to hospital, with a 34-year-old man dying from his injuries on Sunday
More Than 100 Detained At Kazakh Rallies Demanding Democratic Reforms

By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service June 06, 2020

ALMATY -- More than 100 opposition 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 in the Central Asian nation.

Reports spoke of dozens being detained in Almaty, the country's commercial capital, as detentions were reported in other cities as well, including the capital, Nur-Sultan.

The detentions come despite a more liberal law on demonstrations coming into force.

Human rights groups have criticized President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev with failing to improve respect for human rights after replacing Nursultan Nazarbaev, who stepped down in 2019 after 30 years in power. The oil-rich nation has also been hit hard by a drop in energy prices caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In Almaty, police, including riot units, cordoned off several central squares as well as streets near the area where at least 100 activists had gathered.

An RFE/RL correspondent said about a dozen people were detained near Ghandi Park. They were reported to be supporters of the Koshe party, which is affiliated with the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) party.

In several instances, unknown people holding umbrellas tried to stop journalists from filming.

The DVK and the Democratic Party had organized the rallies, which authorities said breached COVID-19 social-distancing rules. They also said a new law not requiring groups to obtain permission for rallies would still need a five-day notice period before being applied in practice. Technically, that law entered into force on June 6.

In Nur-Sultan, the capital, an RFE/RL correspondent later reported at least 10 protesters being arrested, with photos showing police hauling people away.

There were reports of at least 20 activists being detained by police in the cities of Semei, Shymkent, and Qyzylorda. Some arrests were also reported in Aqtobe. Later reports said about 30 people were also held by police in Oral. In Taraz, activists did not gather amid reports of arrest prior to the planned action.

Later reports said some had been freed, including those activists detained in Qyzylorda.

In Almaty, one group of activists carried a banner that read "I Can't Breathe" -- a reference to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, which has sparked sometimes violent protests across the United States.

Others chanted "Old man, go away!" -- a reference to Nazarbaev, who retains power in Kazakhstan as head of the country's Security Council, a post the 79-year-old is entitled to hold for life.

Others demanded the resignation of Toqaev and a fairer distribution of wealth.

The nation of 19 million people has been hit hard by a drop in crude oil prices as well as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. More than 4 million people lost their sources of income during a two-month lockdown that ended last month, according to official data.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakh-opposition-plans- rallies-for-democratic-reform/30655977.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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Even as major cities across India, including Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, have been reporting a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases on a daily basis, India's Information Technology (IT) hub Bengaluru has managed to contain the spread of infections in the city so far.

According to a report by The Times of India, Bengaluru - which has a population of one crore - has recorded only 452 COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths so far. This, according to the report, is due to the cautious approach taken by the Bengaluru administration right from the beginning of the epidemic.

"When we realised that more people will be flying into Bengaluru from COVID-19 affected countries, we had to act in cohesive manner. We roped in all agencies and made it clear that there should be no chinks in the armor. About 1.4 lakh international travelers were screened and their movements monitored. Their primary and secondary contacts were kept under observation," Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan told the newspaper.

Coronavirus India News LIVE Updates

He added that, due to the coordination between state and civic authorities, the spread of infections from the travelers was minimal.

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

Proactive monitoring and contact tracing by civic authorities, too, were instrumental. According to the report, with every new case, the patient's locality was sealed and the movement of residents monitored.

"We didn't wait for orders, we took prompt action," Dr Ravikumar Surpur, special commissioner - health, said.

Moreover, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) also carried out extensive contact tracing. As of June 6, according to the newspaper, over 1,840 primary contacts and 5,759 secondary contacts have been put in quarantine. The city's policing efforts, with Bengaluru police implementing the lockdown strictly, have also played a major role.

"In Bengaluru, people are responsible; distancing is being practised and almost everyone wears a mask," state health commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Your Stock Has Risen 20%. Should You Buy More, Hold or Sell?

March saw the sharpest stock market decline in history.

But in April and May, investors experienced a bit of a recovery from the markets lows.

And now, in just the first three days of June, we are witnessing a stunning rally that has taken the Straits Times Index (SGX: STI^), or STI, up 20% from its low on 23 March.

Investors cannot be blamed for feeling confused.

After all, Singapores economy is facing its worst recession since independence, with GDP forecast to hit a range between -4% to -7%.

Numerous jobs have been lost, while many businesses have gone belly up.

Yet, the stock market has somehow defied expectations by rising.

If your stock has tracked the STIs rise over this period, you are now faced with a happy problem.

Is it time to take some profit off the table, hold on to your shares or do you buy into more of the rally?

Too many trades spoil the broth

Its tempting to pocket some profit after seeing the rise in share prices, and then try to buy the same shares back again when there is a pullback.

You may also get the impression that trading in and out of the rally can earn you a good amount of profit to help you tide over this pandemic.

However, the truth is that too many trades end up racking up significant amounts of commission, acting like sandpaper, slowly eroding your returns and magnifying your losses.

To use an analogy, imagine if you wanted to cook a dish but you had to leave the pot alone to simmer for a long period.

If you could not resist peering into the pot repeatedly just to check on whether the dish is turning out fine, you will end up ruining the food.

To relate the above example to investing, numerous trades end up destroying your portfolio as you will be enriching your broker who collects commissions from each trade, rather than yourself.

Psychological resistance to buying higher

Selling may also lead to regret as share prices head higher.

Investors who possess a fear of missing out mentality may then desire to jump back in again.

Story continues

However, when faced with the prospect of buying at a higher price than what we paid for, as humans, we tend to shy away.

This behaviour has prevented many investors from buying back shares that they have sold off too early, thus missing out on a rally that may extend into months or even years.

What we do suggest is for you to hold on to your shares if the business continues to perform well.

If the reason for purchasing the shares in the first place is still valid, then there is no reason to sell them just to earn a quick buck.

Focus on the business prospects

A third option would be to accumulate more shares even as prices head higher.

While this may seem counter-intuitive, you need to ask yourself a very basic question  am I buying part of the business, or simply buying because the share price has risen?

If you wish to own more of a great business over the long-term, then a 20% rise in the share price should not act as a deterrent.

The focus should be on the business prospects of the companies youre invested in.

If these prospects are still intact, and the company has a long runway for growth, buying more of it is always a wise move.

Get Smart: Have faith in the quality of the business

So, the answer to the burning question should be  it depends.

If the business you own is facing insurmountable problems due to COVID-19, you may wish to consider selling it and switching to a stronger and more stable business.

The rally will make such a decision easier to swallow, even if it means stomaching some losses.

But, if you already own a great business with superior characteristics, you should continue to hold it to realise the full benefit of its future growth.

Buying more of such businesses using cash you can afford is also a wise move.

In short, analyse this happy problem from a business perspective, rather than purely a share-price perspective.

You will then be able to make a decision that you will not end up regretting years later.

Want to know what stocks we like for our portfolio? See for yourself now. Simply CLICK HERE to scoop up a FREE copy of our special report. As a bonus, we also highlight 6 blue chips stocks trading at a 10-year low. But you will want to hurry  this free report is available for a brief time only.

Click here to like and follow us on Facebook and here for our Telegram group.

Disclaimer: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.

The post Your Stock Has Risen 20%. Should You Buy More, Hold or Sell? appeared first on The Smart Investor.
Beijing:

China and Russia will hold an eight- day joint naval exercise from tomorrow in the contentious South China Sea, the first drill by any country in the contested waters since an international tribunal rejected Beijing's historic claims to the resource-rich sea.



The naval drills, the first by Russia and China in the South China Sea, will be held off southern China's Guangdong Province, and was reportedly not close to Beijing's nine-dash line which was struck down by the arbitration court in The Hague in July in a case brought by the Philippines over Beijing's maritime claims there.



The drills were "routine" and not directed at any other countries, Chinese Navy said in a statement today. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan alongwith the Philippines, contest China's claims over the South China Sea.



Its historic claims, incorporated in the contested "nine dash-line", were struck down by the arbitration court which also upheld Philippines's claims to the sections of the sea close to its coast.



Trade worth more than USD 5 trillion passes through the strategic South China Sea annually.



The US and Japan have said that the tribunal's verdict is legally binding but China's claims got a fillip when Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his backing to Beijing's stand this month while attending the G20 summit in Hangzhou.



"We stand in solidarity and support of China's position on this issue  not to recognise the decision of this court. This is not a political position, but purely legal," Putin has said.



He, however, said the dispute should be resolved peacefully by the parties concerned.



The naval drill, which was announced in July, will feature Navy surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship- borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armoured equipment from both navies, Chinese navy spokesperson Liang Yang said.



Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai (South China Sea) Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), he said.



Together, Chinese and Russian participants will undertake defence, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint island seizing and other activities, Liang said.



The drill, from September 12-19, is part of an annual event, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.



The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth of its kind between the two countries since 2012.



The drills were held in 2012 in the Yellow Sea; off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2013; and in the East China Sea in 2014.



In 2015, the drill was conducted in two phases: in the Mediterranean in May and then in the Peter the Great Gulf, the waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan in late August.

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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.
TEHRAN, Iran, June. 7

Trend:

Educational startups have significantly grown during the Coronavirus outbreak, Iran's Vice President for Science and Technology said.

"In fact, all the businesses were confused during the Coronavirus outbreak but the educational field was quite busy, Iran's Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari said, Trend reports citing IRNA.

Sattari noted that the use of cyberspace in education should have happened 10 years ago, but with the spread of the virus, there was an opportunity to develop the infrastructure of E-education.

Vice President added that the Social Network of Students (Shad in Persian), which was developed by Iran's Education Ministry, is a positive step in the development of E-education.

Sattari noted that the Ministry of Education, with 1.5 million staff and 15 million students, has a wide range of dimensions.

"These vast dimensions are a good economic opportunity for educational startups."

He expressed hope that the educational startups will be further expanded.

Sattari pointed to the educational justice through the cyberspace.

"The E-education will provide the same content to students both living in rural areas and the best schools in Tehran, he said praising the justice made by the E-education system.

In response to Irans coronavirus outbreak in late February, one of the governments first actions was to close schools and universities on March 5. The prolonged shutdown has led to major challenges for students, parents and teachers.

To minimize the effect of the school closures on the education system, Irans Education Ministry introduced an online app, the Social Network of Students (Shad in Persian), and presents daily lessons for different grades on state TV.
A Nigerian mother ignited an outcry after being spotted in a viral video beating, blaming and calling her 2-year-old daughter an "ashawo" after being raped.



An eyewitness who shared the video on social media, said the incident occurred in Idumota and the lady left her daughter with a bloodied eye after the incident.



When asked why she resorted to beating and blaming her daughter over the rape incident, the lady insisted that her child was at fault because she had been warned several times against going to the man.



Read Full Story .... lindaikejisblog >>> :

















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Trump has drifted away from the US Constitution and posed a danger to the country and its democracy, Powell says.

Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell has endorsed Democratic former United States Vice President Joe Biden, becoming the first important Republican to publicly back President Donald Trumps rival ahead of Novembers election.

Powell, who led the US military during the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq under then-Republican President George HW Bush and later led the Department of State under President George W Bush, said Trump has drifted away from the US Constitution and posed a danger to the country and its democracy.

I cannot in any way support President Trump this year, Powell, who did not vote for the Republican president in 2016, told CNN. Asked if he would vote for Biden, he added: I will be voting for him.

In a tweet, Trump called Powell a real stiff.

Powell is the latest former top military officer to rebuke Trump in the wake of sweeping mass protests aimed at fighting racial injustice spurred by the May 25 death of an unarmed Black man, Geroge Floyd, in Minnesota.

We are in a turning point, Powell said, blasting Republican senators for not standing up to Trump.

He lies about things. And he gets away with it because people will not hold him accountable.

Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and other retired officers have condemned Trump in recent days.

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.

A few Republican members of Parliament have also spoken out against Trumps handling of the outcry and have raised questions about their support for his re-election bid, though most have remained quiet or continued to voice support for the president.

Last week, Senator Lisa Murkowski told reporters she was struggling over whether she would back Trump in the November 3 election and praised Mattiss strong words as did fellow Republican Mitt Romney.

Powell, who is Black, was one of the few prominent Republicans to denounce Trump during the former reality television stars 2016 presidential run and publicly endorse Trumps then-rival Hillary Clinton.
China, Serbia sign memorandum on space technology

PLA Daily

Source: Xinhuanet

Editor: Huang Panyue

2020-06-06 18:20:25



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."

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When BBC News presenter Mishal Husain gets home from her overseas assignments, she can count on her children to bring her back down to earth.

The 47-year-old mum of three teenage sons reveals: 'There is that strange juxtaposition... when you walk in the door and everything for the family has carried on as normal. Just after I arrived back from somewhere like Gaza, one of my boys said, "Can you find out where my Amazon parcel has got to?"

'I did tell him I was not in the right place in my mind to be thinking about his parcel.'

I bet that's not exactly how you put it, Mishal!

When BBC News presenter Mishal Husain gets home from her overseas assignments, she can count on her children to bring her back down to earth

The 47-year-old said: 'There is that strange juxtaposition... when you walk in the door and everything for the family has carried on as normal. Just after I arrived back from somewhere like Gaza, one of my boys said, "Can you find out where my Amazon parcel has got to?"'

Gwyneth Paltrow must believe we've all gone mad in lockdown if she thinks we'll pay 66 for a cleaning kit.

Gwynnie's lifestyle brand Goop has already tried to sell us intimate candles and even a 12,000 sex toy - but now it appears to be trying to take her followers to the cleaners with an astronomically priced set which includes a humble dish brush, washing-up liquid, clothing detergent, an all-purpose cleaner and hand soap.

The description extols: 'Made without any synthetic fragrances, the line is designed with reusable, refillable and recyclable packaging that's biodegradable.'

I wonder if the detergent is strong enough to clean the emperor's new clothes?
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 22:54:24|Editor: huaxia

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A cyclist wearing a face mask rides on a street during the COVID-19 pandemic in Barcelona, Spain, May 29, 2020. (Barcelona City Hall/Handout via Xinhua)

People who do not wear a face mask in closed public areas in Spain will face fines of up to 100 euros (113 U.S. dollars), according to the government's draft plans.

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.

People walk on a street during the COVID-19 pandemic in Barcelona, Spain, May 29, 2020. (Barcelona City Hall/Handout via Xinhua)

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. 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 00:54:14|Editor: huaxia

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A worker carries drugs at a pharmaceutical company in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2020. (Photo by Pu Xiaoxu/Xinhua)

BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- China has granted market access to a self-developed cancer drug, according to the National Medical Products Administration.

The drug, known as Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) in capsule form, was developed by the biotechnology company BeiGene. It is for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy, and also for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).

The drug was approved through a priority review procedure and its marketing authorization holder should continue with the confirmatory clinical trials, according to the administration.

The approval of the drug will provide an important treatment option for Chinese patients with lymphoma.

Wu Xiaobin, president of BeiGene said the development of the drug has taken more than eight years and around 25 clinical trials have been carried out in more than 20 countries, involving more than 500 international clinical experts. More than 1,700 patients have joined the clinical trials globally.

The approval of the drug also underlines China's progress in developing innovative drugs, Wu said.

In November last year, the drug received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for MCL in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy.

Wang Zhiwei, vice president of BeiGene said the company's production line in the city of Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province has an annual output of 100 million capsules, which can ensure the demand of the domestic market as well as the international market.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer which has seen increasing incidence both in China and the world. 
Oh, boy. A 29-year-old woman is convinced her 32-year-old boyfriend is cheating on her.

She found underwear that wasnt hers, a black thong to be exact, but he cant explain how they got there or who they belong to.

Now, hes asking the internet to help him handle this one.

My girlfriend (29-year-old female) found another girls panties while we were moving into my (32-year-old male) sisters old room and now she is accusing me of cheating and planning on leaving with our kids, he started out by saying.

I want to presage my explanation of the situation with the acknowledgment that given the facts and evidence in front of my girlfriend, I dont know at all how she could reach any different conclusion either.

My mother passed away at the end of April from cancer and left myself and my siblings considerable assets including a house that is fully paid off(no mortgage).

While my mother was in hospice, my sisters, as well as several of my aunts, stayed in one of the upstairs bedrooms on a rotating basis.

Since Im laid off, we decided it would be best to move with our newborn and 7-year-old (hers from a previous relationship) to the new house to live rent-free until my job situation stabilizes.

Yesterday we stayed at our apartment packing all of our stuff and she packed all of our clothing into plastic trash bags.

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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.
Sharjah Airport recently achieved the silver ACI  Asia Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2020, for the Water Management category, said a report.

The recognition shield was received by Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority. He said that this is a proud achievement of the airport reflecting the keenness on implementing the highest standards in line with the green sustainable strategy of the emirate, news agency WAM reported.

The airport was able to achieve such recognition through strengthening its eco-friendly operations including designing a new water treatment plant in line with the requirement of the recognition.

Al Midfa lauded the efforts leading to the recognition, which is part of the commitment of the UAE to sustainable development and its green strategy as well as Vision2021, the report said.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on Saturday, performed a foundation-laying ceremony for the construction of a 200-bed Emergency and Infectious Disease Hospital in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The foundation block was ceremonially laid by the Minister of State for Health, Olorunibe Mamora, and the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Mele Kyari.

The event was also attended by the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum.

Speaking at the site of the hospital, along the Kano-Maiduguri highway, the NNPC GMD explained that the proposed hospital was strategically sited in Borno due to the existing security challenges that have been aggravated by the coronavirus.

The NNPC boss said further that when the hospital is completed, the corporation would also provide medical facilities, logistics, and support to patients.

The GMD, who is an indigene of Borno State, said that siting the hospital in Borno should not be seen as a favour done the state, even as he added that similar hospital is being built in 12 other states, spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

It is not really a favour to the state; it is something that really needs to be done, and something we are challenged to do, he said.

According to Mr Kyari, NNPC was acting on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari whom he said: had particularly told NNPC to pay attention to Borno by doing everything possible to make sure that there are energy, security, and exploration activities in the state.

And we are focused on delivering on all those in Borno state, he said.

The minister of state for health, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the federal government called for the establishment of such hospital as part of efforts to combat COVID-19 in the country.

He said the project was designed to complement and strengthen the countrys national healthcare delivery facilities.

He said though the COVID-19 has destabilised the social, cultural, religious, economic, and health system, the pandemic also came as a blessing for the country.

At the end of pandemic there would be many landmarks of infrastructural development across the country; and the establishment of this infectious diseases hospital would serve as a landmark achievement for the northeast.

He said the N21 billion project, funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the NNPC, would be executed in 12 states in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

He added that the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of COVID-19, head by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, is committed to supporting the state to fight coronavirus pandemic.

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Governor Zulum had earlier lauded the NNPC and its collaborating partners for helping to ease the difficulties faced by residents.

What were seeing today is part of the institutional capacity building measures envisaged by President Muhammadu Buhari and delivered by the NNPC and its allied organizations in the oil sector.

The selection of Maiduguri for the building the gigantic health outfit is quite apt because of its strategic location within the geopolitical zones and for it being the epicenter of humanitarian crises resulting from the insurgency.

Mr Zulum noted that Borno is already battling with the pandemic of Lassa fever and others even before the advent of COVID-19.

Borno State had lost about 201 health centers as a result of the destruction of the Boko Haram insurgency.

As you have seen, about 60 percent of the populations are now residing in the state capital and therefore, these measures will go an along way in reducing congestion in different hospitals, he said.
The government has mandated a one cm green sticker, providing registration details, in all BS-VI compliant motor vehicles. The order will come into force from October 1, 2020.

"Vehicles complying with BS-VI emission norms shall have 1 cm green strip at the top in the third registration plate," as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The order was issued amending the Motor Vehicles (High Security Registration Plates) order, 2018.

Earlier, the government has said that from April 1, 2019, all motor vehicles will be fitted with tamper-proof, high security registration plates (HSRP).

This HSRP or third number plate will be fitted on the inside of the windshield of each new manufactured vehicle by the manufacturers.

Under the HSRP, a chromium-based hologram is applied by hot stamping on the top left corner of the number plates both at the front and back besides laser-branding of a permanent identification number with a minimum of 10 digits into the reflective sheeting on the bottom left of the registration plate.

The third number plate will also have colour coding for the fuel used in the vehicle. The colour coding is done in order to detect polluting vehicles from the non-polluting ones.

A Road Transport and Highways Ministry official said it has been brought-forth that the BS-VI emission standards, which have been mandated from April 1, 2020, provide for strict emission norms, and requests were to made to have distinct identification for such vehicles as is being made in other countries.

"Accordingly, a feature in form of a unique strip of green colour of 1 cm wide on top of the existing third registration sticker for the purpose of BS-VI vehicles of any fuel type i.e. -- for petrol or CNG, which have a light blue colour sticker and a diesel vehicle which is of orange colour sticker -- will have a green strip of 1 CM on top has been mandated," he said.

Also Read: Unlock 1.0: Delhi to open borders from tomorrow, says Arvind Kejriwal

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: China's exports shrink 3.3% in May; import plunges to 16.7%
SKT President Park Hung-ho speaks to employees about new company management principles that will help lead the post COVID-19 period during an online town hall meeting broadcast from the company building in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of SKT



Young employees to have bigger say in launching SKT's new services



By Kim Hyun-bin



SK Telecom, the country's leading mobile carrier, released a set of new management principles to increase efficiency in the post-COVID-19 period.



"Employees do not need to come to the company. We will establish an office 10 to 20 minutes away from your home," SKT President Park Chung-ho said during an online town hall meeting with employees at its company building in Seoul, Wednesday.



The meeting was attended by 20 company executives, while employees streamed through diverse "contactless" technologies.



The move comes as the company seeks to lead the post-coronavirus period utilizing its advanced information and communication technologies (ICT).



"From the compiled work-from-home data, we will further sophisticate and initiate the digital work 2.0 project," he said.



The project aims to increase the number of premises so that there will be an office within a less-than-20-minutes radius from an employee's home as well as utilizing fifth-generation (5G) network and cloud services to increase work efficiency.



Park claims the global non-contact trend has become both a crisis and an opportunity for ICT companies.



"From telecommunication and new ICT projects to company culture, we need to adapt to the fast pace of innovational changes of the era," he said. "COVID-19 has brought a global slowdown, but ICT companies need to swiftly engage and change to better overcome the global crisis."



To better adapt, Park says there needs to be an explosive change. He emphasized the need for telecom companies to burst out of the bubble of thinking to expand the idea of competitiveness which is now derived solely from average revenue per user (ARPU), number of subscribers and market share.



"I will make an evaluation model to better fit the digital age taking into consideration each business' characteristics," he said.



"I will also create a junior board service committee consisting of employees in their 20 to 30s and will get their opinions before launching a new service."



In addition, Park announced plans to expand its investments in artificial intelligence, cloud services and other new innovative projects even though the projects could lead to initial "losses" for the company.


Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has joined other top progressive Democrats in backing a growing movement to defund police departments in the wake of George Floyd's death.

The congresswoman from the Bronx voiced support for the policy solution aimed at combating police brutality and racial injustice during a congressional primary debate on NY1 on Friday night.

Ocasio-Cortez said she's 'actively engaged in advocacy' for a 'reduction of our NYPD budget and defunding a $6billion NYPD budget that costs us books in the hands of our children and costs us very badly needed investment in NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] and public housing'.

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Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind the 'Defund the Police' movement during a congressional debate on Friday night

As protesters demand police reform, a proposal is gaining steam: reducing the #NYPDs budget.



Rep. @AOC expressed support for that in a NY1 debate. https://t.co/vo8uqhoSZR. #NY1Politics pic.twitter.com/bQK2glBPgk  Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) June 6, 2020

'Defund the police' has become a rallying cry for protesters calling for police reform during 13 straight days of nationwide demonstrations over the death of Floyd, a black man who was killed after a white Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25.

Activists are demanding that US cities reroute the massive funds allocated for policing and divert them into resources that will help black communities thrive, such as education, housing and social services.

A Defund the Police petition has garnered thousands of signatures including from celebrities Lizzo, John Legend, and Taraji P Henson.

'Despite continued profiling, harassment, terror and killing of Black communities, local and federal decision-makers continue to invest in the police, which leaves Black people vulnerable and our communities no safer,' the petition states.

Ocasio-Cortez and several liberal New York City Council members have called for Mayor Bill de Blasio to slash at least $1billion from the NYPD's $6billion budget.

De Blasio rejected that idea on Friday, saying that the money was necessary to keep New York City safe.

'I do not believe it's a good idea to reduce the budget of the agency that's here to keep us safe,' he said during a press briefing.

Leaders in other cities, including Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have also said they don't support efforts to defund police departments.

'Defund the police' has become a rallying cry for protesters calling for police reform during 13 straight days of nationwide demonstrations over the death of Floyd, a black man who was killed after a white Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. Pictured: Protesters in Phoenix on Wednesday

Ocasio-Cortez laid out several other policy solutions for police reform during Friday's debate, including an end to qualified immunity that shields officers from legal accountability and to the transfer of military equipment to police departments.

Fellow 'squad' member Rep Ilhan Omar (D - Minnesota) took the movement even further when she called for the Minneapolis Police Department to be disbanded.

'The Minneapolis Police Department has proven themselves beyond reform. It's time to disband them and reimagine public safety in Minneapolis,' Omar tweeted Friday.

House Democrats, led by the CBC, are expected to present their legislative solutions for police reform on Monday, and will hold a vote later this month.

Rep Karen Bass, chair of the CBC, came out against cutting police budgets last week.

'No, I don't believe that we should defund police departments,' the California Democrat said Wednesday.

Ocasio-Cortez first indicated her support for defunding the NYPD in a tweet last week

Fellow 'squad' member Rep Ilhan Omar (D - Minnesota) took the movement even further when she called for the Minneapolis Police Department to be disbanded

Ocasio-Cortez is facing a heated election challenge for New York's 14th District from former TV journalist Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. The Democratic primary is coming up in just over two weeks on June 23.

During Friday's debate, Caruso-Cabrera attacked Ocasio-Cortez for voting against a coronavirus relief package in April and for sheltering at her Washington DC apartment at the start of the pandemic.

'AOC is MIA,' Caruso-Cabrera panned.
Amid Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, on Sunday, interacted and lauded the work undertaken by Special Police Officers (SPOs) and police personnel at Tadiwala road, which is one of the largest containment zones in the city.

At the entrance of the containment seal, the SPOs flanked the road to lead the minister from Panchsheel chowk to the entrance of a private road.

You were all a big help to the administration. The efforts have paid off, said Deshmukh while addressing one of the SPOs.

Police commissioner K Venkatesham and additional commissioner of police Sanjay Shinde were among the senior police officers present with the home minister. Police inspector Shrikant Shinde and assistant police inspector Amol Kale who were at the forefront of the Tadiwala road containment effort were also present.

This is the biggest containment zone. The number of positive cases had reached 750. All the civic officials, police, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) staff, doctors, nurses, and the SPOs have contributed against the fight in a big way. The youngsters came forward in big numbers to help. This area has come under control thanks to all their efforts, said Deshmukh.

SPO Meena Shendge said, The police officials were the facilitators and helped us at every step.

The SPOs also narrated their jobs of home delivering essentials like vegetables, milk, meat, groceries and ensuring cleanliness in the area.

The police contributed in many ways - by manning isolation and quarantine centres, check posts, and various other responsibilities. In the process, a number of them were infected. To the ones who have lost their lives, we are making an effort to arrange for Rs60-65 lakh, he said

He also said that the state administration is trying to get dedicated hospitals in every district where good treatment and facilities will be provided to police.

There are at least 23,000 police officials who are above 50 years of age. We have given them soft duty, that is, duty inside police stations. The ones above 55 years of age have been told to remain at home; their salaries will not be affected. There are 12,000 such officials in Maharashtra, said Deshmukh.

A medical emergency fund of Rs 1 lakh along with free medical services under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana will be provided to the officials. Under the scheme, they can go to any hospital and avail free treatment, he said.

The state has recorded 30 police deaths and over 2,557 positive cases of Covid-19 among police officials till June 7. Two police officials in Pune have succumbed to the virus so far.

The state has recorded 30 police deaths and over 2,557 positive cases of Covid-19 among police officials till June 7. Two police officials in Pune have succumbed to the virus so far.
This week in Christian history: William Carey sails for India; Spurgeon's last sermon; St. Columba dies

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Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages.

Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, telling tribulations, inspirational progress, and everything in between.

Here are just a few things that happened this week, June 7-13, in Church history. They include an important missionary sailing to India, Charles H. Spurgeon preaching his final sermon, and the death of St. Columba.

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New Delhi: 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 percent 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."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 10:00:00|Editor: huaxia

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A press conference is held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2020. China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19. The white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," was issued by the State Council Information Office. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19.

The white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," was issued by the State Council Information Office.

Full Text: Fighting COVID-19: China in Action
UPDATE: Grand Rapids police tweeted Michigan State Police were arriving on the scene to assist in negotiations at 2:09 p.m. Sunday.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Negotiations with an armed intruder are ongoing as Grand Rapids police have surrounded the house and blocked off the street.

Police were dispatched to a house on the 200 block of Barnett Street after receiving a 911 call early Sunday morning, Sgt. Dan Adams said.

When police arrived multiple people were in the house. Everyone inside the house has been released. They are all physically unharmed, Adams said.

The GRPD negotiator remains on scene as police have blocked off Leonard Street and Lafayette Avenue. Police ask the general public to stay away from the scene as they investigate.

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Police looking for missing teen and boy at Holland State Park

Overnight fire in Kalamazoo kills one resident
Former President George W. Bush is reportedly not going to back the re-election of President Donald Trump.

Bush, who was the nation's 43rd president is one of several members at the top of the GOP who are keeping quiet on their support for the incumbent.

What is less clear is whether Bush will end up supporting Biden, according to the New York Times.

However, alongside Bush, Senator Mitt Romney is also said to be considering placing a vote for Biden. Neither Bush, nor Romney voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

America's 43rd president George W. Bush will reportedly not vote for Trump in the election

Mitt Romney, pictured here soon after Trump won his election in 2016, is also not planning on voting for the president and may even end up voting for Joe Biden

Joe Biden is said to be about to launch a 'Republicans for Biden' arm to his campaign

Bush has not spoken out publicly against Trump, but the president tweeted about his predecessor during his impeachment trial.

'Oh bye [sic] the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside,' Trump wrote on Twitter. 'He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history!'

Dan Bartlett, who served in the Bush White House as counselor to the president told Statesman he hasn't 'heard of anything about Bush even contemplating an endorsement and would be surprised if he jumped in on either side.'

It's a similar view held by Republican book author and expert Mark Updegrove.

Could Bush consider voting for Biden? Pundits say it is possible, but he may never tell

President Donald Trump tweeted last month calling out President Bush for not backing him during his impeachment trial

'He's obviously not a fan,' Updegrove said when it comes to George W's feelings about Trump. 'He told me in mid-2016 that Trump 'really doesn't understand the job of president' and later that he voted for 'none of the above'.

Updegrove said that it was unlikely Bush would vote for Biden but he wouldn't be endorsing Trump.

Bush's brother, Jeb, is also planning not to vote for Trump, along with Senator Romney as well.

Others include John McCain's widow, Cindy McCain, who is likely to vote for Biden.

The report also notes Republican former Speaker Paul Ryan and former Speaker John Boehner are not declaring publicly how they will vote but some in the GOP may decide to go for a third-party contender or simply openly declare their vote for Biden who is about to launch a 'Republicans for Biden' arm to his campaign.

President Bush's brother Jeb, is also planning on withholding his vote for Trump later this year

The Times reports that the numbers of Republicans thinking of holding back a vote for Trump is growing with some possibly contemplating a vote for the Democrats, particularly in light of the president's response to last weeks protests of police brutality and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Senator Lisa Murkowski acknowledged Thursday, that she's 'struggling' over whether she can support President Donald Trump given his handling of the virus and race crises shaking the US

Party divisions in the GOP erupted after retired Marine General James Mattis, Trump's former Secretary of Defense, issued a stinging public rebuke of Trump, accusing the president of 'abuse of executive authority' to stage a 'bizarre photo op' earlier in the week which saw authorities having to tear gas peaceful protesters outsider the White House.

'Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people  does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,' Mattis wrote in a statement.

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Maine also broke party ranks on Thursday to say she is struggling to decide whether she can support Trump's re-election, and backed Mattis' critique.

Asked if she supported Trump, who faces voters in November, Murkowski said, 'I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time.'

'He is our duly elected president. I will continue to work with him ... but I think right now as we are all struggling to find ways to express the words that need to be expressed appropriately,' Murkowski said.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty rank-and-file Republicans whom Trump can count on their loyal support along with other big names in the GOP who seem happy to support Trump no matter what.

They include Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Lindsey Graham.
CEBU City Mayor Edgardo Labella has been criticized and bashed on social media for tendering a post-birthday party or a meeting at the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) auditorium with City Hall employees, barangay officials and Mayors Information Liaison Officer (Milo) representatives in attendance lunchtime last Friday, June 5.

But lets separate the grain from the chaff. The affair was not a post-birthday party of the mayor, who celebrated his birthday last May 22. According to my reliable source, who attended the affair, it was really a meeting with both Milo officers and barangay officials mostly allied with the mayor in attendance. Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) village officials were also invited, but they opted not to attend the meeting.

My source said it was purely a meeting on Covid-19 matters. There was no singing of birthday song or speeches greeting the mayor. Department of Health (DOH) 7 Director Jaime Bernadas was given enough time to deliver his speech about the pandemic.

If it were Labellas birthday bash, why did the organizers have the visitors log their names in the attendance sheet? If it were a private affair, it would be very embarrassing for Labella, if hed let his guests fill up the attendance sheet. The attendees logged their names in the attendance sheet for auditing purposes. This theory would support the fact that, indeed, it was really an official meeting. So, to Labellas critics, please stop insisting that it was his birthday party.

Now, the other issue raised by Labellas detractors is that there was a mass gathering and they compared it to the mass protest staged by militant organizations against the Anti-Terrorism Bill at the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus also last Friday. The police dispersed the rally and arrested eight participants in violation of the quarantine law on social distancing and public assembly act for staging a protest without permit.

Story continues

Well, we cannot deny that in that MCWD affair there was a mass gathering. It is clear in the video that went viral. But did the attendees observe social distancing? Cebu City Councilor Raymond Garcia, who hosted the event, kept on reminding the attendees to observe social distancing especially when lunch was served. Why did they hold a meeting when it was against the general community quarantine protocol under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which expired last June 5?

Again, we have to separate the grain from the chaff. A meeting had a purpose and it could not wait for so long especially that it tackled a very pressing issue such as the Covid-19 crisis. Couldnt it be a consideration or an exemption? Gov. Gwen Garcia had been conducting meetings with the city and town mayors on matters pertaining to the health crisis. But why has nobody questioned the Capitol for violating the mass gathering protocol? Because those meetings were official and with a purpose. So, like the one called by Labella last Friday, it was a meeting with a purpose. It is difficult for Garcia and Labella to conduct meetings and consultations online.

Protest is an action expressing disapproval of or objection to something. Protest is not an emergency situation. It can wait. Besides, did the participants observe social distancing during their protest action? They were given ultimatum by the police, but they just ignored it. They have no permit and they violated the Public Assembly Act of 1985.

But the organizers of the rally can argue on this matter based on Section 4 of the Act, which states: Permit when required and when not required. A written permit shall be required for any person or persons to organize and hold public assembly in a public place. However, no permit shall be required if the public assembly shall be done or made in a freedom park duly established by law or ordinance or in private property, which case only the consent of the owner or the one entitled to it in legal possession is required or in the campus of a government-owned and operated educational institution, which shall be subject to the rules and regulations of said educational institution. Public meetings or rallies held during any election campaign period as provided for by law are not covered by this Act.

UP campuses have been known as the bulwark of democratic activism. But the problem is those arrested were also charged with disobedience and resistance under Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code. So, they should also deal with the other charges. What I am driving at, we cannot compare an official meeting tackling the present health crisis to an anti-government protest in view of the GCQ protocols. They should be treated separately.
During this pandemic, the Ford government has been slow to react to recommendations made by health-care professionals regarding long-term-care homes.

They allowed personal support workers to travel between facilities, delayed providing personal protective equipment to staff, and delayed ongoing testing for 10 weeks, when hundreds of facilities already had outbreaks.

The government has ignored the recommendations made after the SARS outbreak to prevent spread of other epidemics.

It did not respond to pleas from LTC directors and concerned citizens to reconsider its position. It did not respond to applications for funds to upgrade old buildings that could no longer provide even minimal standards of care.

Now, following a report from the military, Premier Doug Ford has expressed surprise and dismay at the unpleasant truths uncovered. He has divorced himself from the outcome of the policy decisions made by his own government.

There are many dedicated workers who, despite their own health issues, are going to work every day in LTC at grave personal risk. These selfless individuals will not abandon those in their care and are trying against all odds to provide what help they can for our vulnerable seniors. It is time their story is told.
Kildares The Odd Theatre Company has received two nominations for the prestigious Association of Irish Musical Societies Awards. The Newbridge-based theatre group has received the honours for its recent production of the musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors at the Riverbank Arts Centre.

The nominations were announced by the President of Association of Irish Musical Societies, Rob Donnelly, on a YouTube live broadcast on Sunday of last week.

Daniel Ryan, who played the shows meek protagonist Seymour, has been nominated for the national Best Actor Award, while choreographer Aine Foley, and the cast, have been honoured with a nod for the national Best Choreography Award. Both Daniel and Aine are Newbridge natives, and have been involved in productions with The Odd Theatre Company since the groups foundation in 2017.

Little Shop of Horrors was staged from November 28 to 30 last year at Newbridges Riverbank Arts Centre. The musical follows the story of meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, who stumbles across a new breed of plant he names Audrey II  after his co-worker crush. But as this R&B-singing weed grows, promising unending fame and fortune to the down and out Seymour, the young florist soon learns that his appetite has a cost.

Little Shop of Horrors followed on from the groups previous productions, including the staging of the Irish premiere of the celebrated Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2017, and the highly acclaimed Jonathan Larson musical Rent in 2018, a production which was also nominated for a national award.

The Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) is the collective body for musical theatre groups in Ireland, and is made up of approximately 130 musical societies from across the island. Musical theatre forms a significant part of the artistic community in this country, with around 14,000 people are directly involved in musical theatre productions annually, performing to an audience base of around 1.2 million.

The AIMS Awards seek to recognise exceptional performances and talent from throughout the approximately 110 musical theatre productions that take place in Ireland each year.

Speaking on his nomination, Daniel Ryan said: To be nominated for the national Best Actor award is an incredibly humbling experience and it is recognition for the production as a whole, considering the incredible work that went into making Little Shop of Horrors the success it was.

Nominated choreographer Aine Foley, said: I am very much indebted to the fantastic group of dancers we had during this production, particularly Lynn Carter, Emma Kilduff, and Cherise OMoore who played Ronnette, Chiffon, and Crystal.

Captivating

Their commitment and abilities ensured that every piece of choreography was delivered in the most captivating way.

The winners of the AIMS Awards will be announced on Saturday, 19 September.
The Exorcist terrified theater audiences when it premiered in 1973, and it remains one of the scariest movies ever produced. The fear factor is multiplied by persistent rumors that the film itself is actually cursed. Heres what we learned from the Cursed Films documentary series about the freaky occurrences surrounding The Exorcist.

The Exorcist | Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

The Exorcist producers did their homework

Cursed Films takes an in-depth look behind the scenes of horror movies that have been struck by disaster. In the first episode of the series, media buffs explore the strange events surrounding The Exorcist. The narrative centers around a 12-year-old girl named Regan who becomes possessed by an evil entity. When her mother discovers the truth, she enlists two priests to expel the demon and save her daughter.

History enthusiasts will note that the film opens in Northern Iraq. As pointed out by Cursed Films, that region is tied to stories of Pazuzu, the dangerous king of demons depicted throughout The Exorcist. Whats more, the films plot is based on an exorcism case as detailed by the Catholic Church. The dose of real-world Mesopotamian folklore, coupled with reports from the Catholic Church, added to the movies intrigue.

Urban legends surrounded The Exorcist

RELATED: 5 Disturbing Horror Movie Scenes That You Just Cant Unsee

Demonology is an important part of Catholic doctrine that really ought to be studied again, Pope Paul said upon the theatrical release. The Popes words benefited the marketing campaign for The Exorcist and may have helped fuel belief in some of the eerie rumors.

Buzz surrounded The Exorcist, citing supposed supernatural phenomena in cinemas. Some claimed that the Devil was inside the celluloid film. Others believed that showing the film would open a doorway that demons could use to enter.

One trailer was pulled from theaters for fear that it would cause seizures, and the film itself was thought by some to cause mental and emotional damage. Theatergoers across the country reportedly fainted or became ill from watching The Exorcist. Much of this hoopla, according to Linda Blair in Cursed Films, was a part of an elaborate publicity scheme invented to build interest in the movie.

There were legit deaths, accidents, and injuries associated with the production

RELATED: 5 Twisted Movies for Horror Fans (And Their Moms) On Mothers Day

Aside from the fan frenzy and gossip surrounding The Exorcist, there were some truly traumatic events associated with the production. Cursed Films revealed that the studio caught fire, consuming most of The Exorcists sets. But Regans bedroom was mysteriously undamaged. That incident prompted the crew to bring in a Jesuit priest to bless the set. Although no one was injured in the fire, some cast members were hurt on other occasions during filming.

Linda Blair described a stunt in which she fractured her lower spine. The young actress had been strapped into equipment rigged to depict convulsions. In one take, the apparatus came loose and injured her. Blair said she was screaming and crying from pain, but the crew believed she was acting. The scene made it into the final cut of the movie.

Ellen Burstyn, who played Chris, the mother of the possessed girl, was also injured. In a sequence when Regan slapped Chris, the director, William Friedkin, instructed crew members to yank aggressively on the harness to get her to fly across the room. Sometimes the things he did were pretty harsh, Blair said about Friedkin.

In addition to the injuries, several people tied to the movie died, including Blairs grandfather, Max von Sydows brother, two supporting actors, and a special effects expert. To top it off, Paul Bateson, who later confessed to murder, appeared as a radiological technologist in the film.

Were these events just a series of bizarre coincidences? Was The Exorcist really cursed, or is it merely another scary story? Fans can check out the full episode of Cursed Films: The Exorcist now streaming on Shudder.
An Aboriginal teenager has disturbingly been found unresponsive outside an emergency department - with the hospital's staff refusing to help her.

Khaliyha McKellar, 18, was found collapsed in her own vomit outside St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne on May 31.

Other patients and visitors were forced to stay by her side for three hours after Ms McKellar was allegedly discharged and thrown out into the cold by the hospital.

An inpatient at St Vincent's Audrey Kearns said she had to pull a blanket off her own bed to keep Ms McKellar warm until her family arrived.

Khaliyha McKellar, 18, (pictured) was found collapsed and unresponsive outside a Melbourne hospital emergency department

Ms McKellar pictured outside the hospital. Another patient said she was forced to pull a blanket off her own bed to keep the teenager warm until her family arrived

She described the treatment of the young woman as a 'travesty and downright disgusting' in a social media post.

'Both myself and my roommate at the hospital had words with security pleading that she be taken back inside as she was laying there with no blanket, no shoes and was possibly at risk of choking on her own vomit,' Ms Kearns said.

'We were simply told it wasnt their problem and she had been seen by a medical professional.'

'They just chucked her out and I said "why are you just leaving her on the ground and they said she has already been treated"', Ms Kearns told 7News.

The hospital has since apologised to the young indigenous teenager and launched an investigation into her treatment.

'Im deeply concerned about the contents of this video and the incident and whats occurred here,' St Vincent's CEO Angela Nolan said in a statement.

'This is not who we are and not what we are about at St Vincent's and we are investigating the matter.'

St Vincent's inpatient Audrey Kearns (pictured) said she had to pull a blanket off her own hospital bed to keep Ms McKellar warm until her family arrived

After footage of the abandoned teenager was shared online, Ms McKellar confirmed it was her who was pictured outside the hospital.

She alleged on Facebook she was dragged outside the hospital while vomiting and barely able to walk.

'That same day my heart stopped. They dragged me outside after poking their fingers in my back and while they dragged me I was collapsing and spewing - I couldn't even walk or anything,' she said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A day after it briefly restricted Amul's account sparking public outrage, Twitter on Saturday said the account was restricted after being caught in the microblogging platform's security processes.

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) - which makes Amul brand of food products - found its Twitter account blocked on June 4 evening.

The account was restored on June 5. On accessing the account, a message saying "This account is temporarily restricted. You're seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account. Do you still want to view it?" was displayed.

"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 said in an emailed statement.

Once the account clears this security step, the account regains full access, the statement added.

"To protect the accounts, we routinely require them to clear this security key for login verification," the spokesperson said.

Amul Managing Director R S Sodhi said the company's Twitter account was blocked on the night of June 4, and restored on June 5 morning when the issue was taken up with Twitter.

"Our Twitter account was blocked on the night of June 4 and restored on June 5 morning when we again took up process of reactivation with Twitter. We have asked Twitter why it blocked our account. We are waiting for the reply," he said.

Twitter was abuzz with several users expressing shock, while many questioned its move to restrict the account.

Twitteratis linked the restriction of Amul's account with the brand's campaign, supporting boycott of Chinese products. The brand figured among trending topics in India even on Saturday with over 11,500 tweets.

In the campaign, Amul's iconic girl in white and red polka dots dress is seen fighting a dragon that is carrying a 'Made in China' placard. The picture mentions TikTok (a Chinese short video platform).

The creative carries a tagline 'Amul Made In India' referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for self-reliant India.

"As far as the cartoon is concerned, it is not Amul's comment. Amul butter girl comments on mood of the nation and the topics which are in discussions among the common people," Sodhi said.
The Kerala government may have given the go ahead to open the places of worship from June 9, but many shrines, mosques and churches are having second thoughts about it.

Two prominent mosques in Kerala - Palayam Juma Masjid in Thiruvananthapuram and Muhiyuddhin Mosque in Kozhikode in north Kerala - have already decided to defer opening. And now, other shrines are also following suit.

Several priests and believers of the Angamally-Ernakulam diocese, richest Catholic diocese in the country, have opposed opening of shrines in hurry. They cite the warning of medical experts to buttress their point.

Experts say peak of infection is yet to come. In Hinduism, a devotee worships his favourite God by offering prayers to the deity directly. But in Christianity, it is communitarian way of worship with clergy doing a lot of prayers with talking, said senior priest and former spokesman of the Syro-Malabar church Father Paul Thelekkat.

He said the holy mass is complete only when the communion is consumed by believers. In the current situation it is not impossible as the government banned distribution of offerings and holy water in all shrines, he said adding that the safety of the believers is more important than opening of shrines.

The church is facing another problem - at least 70 per cent of the clergy have crossed 65 years of age. According to the directive of the government, children below 10 and people above 65 years should not be exposed to the marauding virus as they are soft targets.

We have quickly trained some young priests to conduct services including Holy Communion. At least 70 per cent of our priests are above 65. How can we keep them out? It will be a disservice to them, said a senior priest who did not want to be quoted.

Cardinal Mar Baselois Cleemis has urged the government to allow people of all ages to come to church when all sectors have opened up. It is unfair to put a cap on aged people. It is quite unfair when all other sectors like malls, liquor outlets and hotels opened up. We are ready to make special arrangements for people who crossed 65 as they need religious places most now, said Cleemis (61), youngest cardinal of the country. (Usually Cardinals select the supreme head of the Catholic church, Pope).

Earlier, many religious heads had written to the government to open shrines saying it left a spiritual and emotional vacuum among the faithful. But now, many are having second thoughts after witnessing a surge in the Covid-19 cases. Kerala has recorded 1,807 cases of Covid-19. Out of this, more than 1,000 are active cases. The state has reported 16 deaths due to the disease so far.

Our prime concern is safety of people. Since the disease is spreading at a higher rate, the time is not ideal. It is difficult to keep a tab on people, especially during Friday prayers. So we have decided to wait for some more time, said Palayam mosque Imam V P Suhaib. The Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which strongly opposed opening of shrines, has lauded the bold initiatives of some shrines. All Hindu shrines are under respective dewasom boards being controlled by the government. Two major temples, Sabarimala and Guruvayur, have decided darshan only though virtual queues.

We all are believers. But we are in a war. It is not time to take chances. More than anyone else we feel religious leaders have a bigger role to protect believers, said medical activist and senior doctor Sulfi M Noohu.
Turkey, Libya to enhance cooperation in Eastern Mediterranean: Turkish president

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/6/6 8:45:02

Turkey and Libya agreed to further enhance their cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean over a deal made on maritime delimitation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

"On maritime delimitation, we aim to improve our cooperation, including exploration and drilling," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

Sarraj on Thursday met with Erdogan in the Turkish capital Ankara after GNA's military said in a statement that they had regained control over Tripoli.

Erdogan welcomed the recent military success of the GNA forces.

Turkey supports the GNA both politically and militarily. Ankara deployed Turkish troops in Libya to train and advise forces loyal to Sarraj in Tripoli.

Sarraj and Erdogan discussed the ways of lifting embargos on Libya, the Turkish president said, "We are on the same page on the issue of continuation of oil exports of Libya," he stated.

Erdogan called on international actors to prevent the "illegal" oil export of Hafter.

Sarraj expressed gratitude for Turkey's "historical and responsible attitude." He said they want to increase cooperation with Turkey.

Since the uprising which killed former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, Libya has been divided between the powers of GNA and the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).

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French judges investigating the death of Adama Traore, a young black man who died in police custody in 2016, are to hear from two key witnesses who could help shed light on the long-running dispute into what killed him.

Among the witnesses is a 38-year-old man whom Traore took refuge with right before his arrest; the second is a woman said to have witnessed the entire scene.

In July 2016, 24-year-old Traore was stopped for an ID check with his brother Bagui, whom police suspected of extortion.

Not having his ID with him, Adama ran away, while Bagui stayed put.

Police found the suspect hiding in the house of the first witness and arrested him. Traore died two hours later in custody at the Persan police station north of Paris. No footage of his arrest exists.

Since his death in 2016, six autopsies and counter-autopsies have been commissioned by both Traore's family and police. The former claim the police's restraining technique suffocated him, while the state argues the victim had pre-existing symptoms.

Hearings in July

An initial statement from the first witness, who said he found Traore lying on his floor in a "state of intense stress," seemed to corroborate the police's version.

However, the family challenged this version of events, and they were vindicated by the second witness, who contradicted the police.

Up until now, these two key witnesses were only heard by the Inspectorate-General of the National Police (IGPN), but never in the courts.

It is unacceptable that we have had to wait years for such important witnesses to be heard, Yassine Bouzrou, the lawyer for the Traore family told French radio France Info.

Bouzrou has asked for the IGPN to be removed from the case amid fears of impartiality and a lack of independence.

The hearings, slated to take place in July, four years after Adama's death, are the latest twist in the legal wrangle opposing Traore's family and the police.

Breakthrough in sight?

They are expected to shed light on whether the 24-year-old died from a pre-existing physical condition or the weight of the three officers in restraining him.

Traore's family has made a direct parallel between his death and that of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died from asphyxiation after a white officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes.

However, lawyers defending the gendarmes have criticized the Traore family for trying to import the US conflict into France, and denounce what they call a "trial by the media.

Defense lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut, who represents two of the three gendarmes, has said that he will assist in the new hearings.

On Saturday, thousands of people were expected to brave a police ban on French streets to denounce police brutality, four days after another anti-racism rally in Paris drew over 20,000 people.
Union home minister Amit Shah will address the people of Bihar on Sunday, in his first virtual rally ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar. The elections are due in the state later this year.

Through this rally, Shah will sound the poll bugle and it will also be broadcast live on Facebook, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal said. He also said that the party has set a target of roping in at least one lakh people across the 243 assembly segments in the state for the event.

Days before the rally, the BJP 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 the assembly polls. The BJP reiterated that the elections will be contested only under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar only.

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, the BJPs Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav said at a virtual meeting on Friday.

Shah had declared in late 2019 that Nitish Kumar will lead the alliance in the next assembly elections.

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.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) called Shahs rally during the coronavirus crisis is political vulturism and alleged that the BJP was only interested in electoral victory even at the cost of human lives.

Electioneering at this juncture is nothing but political vulturism. Rather than helping the poor, needy and migrants, they want to win elections even at the cost of human lives, RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav told news agency PTI on Saturday.

The RJD is set to observe Garib Adhikar Diwas to counter Shahs rally.

The BJP, the Janata Dal United or JD(U) and the LJP are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state and are likely to be challenged by the RJD-Congress combine besides some smaller parties in the assembly polls.

In the 2015 assembly polls, the NDA had lost badly to the grand alliance of the RJD-JD(U)-Congress but Nitish Kumar broke ties with his allies in 2017 and entered the saffron alliance again after a gap of over four years.

(With inputs from agencies)
DIGITAL RESET

Nothing could have prepared the world for the unprecedented chain of events over the past two years. We prefaced 2020 and 2021 saying anything is possible, but no one saw this level of hyper volatility completely disrupting business and life as we know it. While the world is now firmly planted in a digital-format, the economic and business outlook for 2022 will remain highly fluid owing to the pandemic. Moreover, it is indeed very likely that in 2022, the majority of Asia Pacifics GDP will be coming from digital products, services, and experiences across industries, with life sciences being one of them.
Nigeria tested fewer people for coronavirus last week than it did the previous week, a PREMIUM TIMES review of data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows.

While Nigeria tested 17,497 people in the penultimate week, the country tested 14,174 people last week, a 19 per cent decrease.

The reduced testing was not because the country had reached its peak of the coronavirus curve and was dropping. In fact, up until the start of last week, Nigeria had witnessed three consecutive weeks of increase in coronavirus cases.

However, despite its reduced testing last week, Nigeria still recorded an increase, albeit a slight one, in its weekly new coronavirus cases. The country recorded 2,348 new cases of coronavirus last week compared to 2,329 cases the previous week, a 0.8 per cent increase

Commenting on the reduced testing, a development expert, Jibrin Ibrahim, blamed state governors who control the sample.

NUMBERS GAME Every evening NCDC releases #COVID19 numbers, what do they mean? Samples are sent to labs by task forces controlled by State Governors. The labs can only test what they are given. He who controls the sample set controls the numbers. Governors want low numbers, Mr Ibrahim wrote on Twitter, on Friday.

NUMBERS GAME Every evening NCDC releases #COVID19 numbers, what do they mean? Samples are sent to labs by task forces controlled by State Governors. The labs can only test what they are given. He who controls the sample set controls the numbers. Governors want low numbers.  Jibrin Ibrahim (@JibrinIbrahim17) June 5, 2020

Mr Ibrahim is partly right. While the NCDC coordinates the process and releases the daily testing and other figures relating to COVID-19 nationwide, the state governments largely control the sample collection process.

But not all state governors are interested in reduced testing figures, a state governor replied Mr Ibrahim.

You are partly right, sir. But not all states want fake low numbers. FCT, Kaduna & Lagos States at least are actively tracing contacts because we want RIGHT numbers of those infected  to test, trace contacts & treat them. We want to save lives not have unexplained deaths!, Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor replied Mr Ibrahim.

You are partly right, sir. But not all states want fake low numbers. FCT, Kaduna & Lagos States at least are actively tracing contacts because we want RIGHT numbers of those infected  to test, trace contacts & treat them. We want to save lives not have unexplained deaths! https://t.co/kt8GqTyMm5  Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) June 6, 2020

Kaduna, as of Saturday night, has the eighth highest number of coronavirus cases (337) in Nigeria.

The NCDC has so far collected 74,999 samples since the beginning of the outbreak in Nigeria in February.

However, the NCDCs target of testing two million people in three months appears increasingly unrealistic as it is yet to test a hundred thousand persons six weeks after setting the target.

Weekly Review

In its weekly review of the NCDC data, PREMIUM TIMES found that apart from the increase in the number of new infections last week, there was also a significant increase in recoveries.

A total of 970 patients recovered and were discharged last week, which represents a 29 per cent increase when compared to the 682 patients discharged in the previous week.

However, while recoveries increased, deaths also increased. A total of 69 new deaths were recorded across the country last week as against the 52 reported in the previous week, a 25 per cent increase.

Although Lagos State remains the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria, it recorded 974 new cases last week, the lowest in the past three weeks. Lagos recorded 1,389 cases in the penultimate week.

Kano State, which has the second-highest number of cases after Lagos, recorded 46 new cases last week, one of its lowest weekly figures in the past three weeks.

While Lagos and Kano witnessed a reduction last week, the figures were higher in some states like Edo, which recorded 103 new cases; Nasarawa, which reported 42 new cases, a 65 per cent increase; and the FCT, which had 296 new cases.

Nigeria so far

A total of 12,233 coronavirus cases have been confirmed across Nigeria. Of these, there are 8,065 active cases of COVID-19 in the country. A total of 3,826 people have recovered and have been discharged while 342 deaths have been recorded.

A breakdown of the 12, 233 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 5,729 cases, followed by Kano  997, FCT  912, Katsina  387, Edo  387, Oyo  365, Borno  348, Kaduna  337, Ogun  336, Rivers  332, Jigawa  290, Bauchi  286, Gombe  201, Delta  148, Sokoto  127, Kwara  127, Plateau  113, Nasarawa  104, Ebonyi  103, Zamfara  76, Imo  59, Yobe  52, Osun 49, Akwa Ibom  45, Adamawa  42, Niger  42, Ondo  40, Kebbi  35, Enugu  30, Bayelsa  30, Anambra  29, Ekiti  25, Taraba  18, Abia16, Benue  13, and Kogi  3.

Meanwhile, out of the 36 states and the FCT, only Cross River is yet to record a single case of the infection.

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Coronavirus: Nigerias Case Update

The state governor, Ben Ayade, was initially reluctant to allow residents to be tested for the virus.

However, the state government has now appealed for financial support from the federal government to help the state fight the spread of coronavirus.

Timeline last week

On Sunday, 307 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country.

On Monday, 416 new cases of the virus were reported in the country. This brought the tally of confirmed cases to 10,578 as of 11:55 p.m. on June 1.

On Tuesday, 241 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded.

A total of 348 new cases of the virus were reported on Wednesday which brought the number of confirmed cases to 11,166.

The NCDC figures, as of 11:55 p.m. on June 3, showed that 3,329 patients had been discharged while 315 had died.

On Thursday, 350 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country.

On Friday, 328 new cases were reported in Nigeria, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 11,844 as of 11:55 p.m. on June 5.

Timeline: Nigerias Coronavirus cases last week

On Saturday, 389 new cases of the virus were recorded.

In all, a total of 12,233 cases have been reported, out of which 3,826 have recovered and 342 have died.

Restrictions over?

Despite the increasing figures, the federal government has commenced plans to ease movement restrictions.

Last week, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 announced the lifting of the ban on religious gatherings.

The PTF, however, urged worshippers to wear face masks, check their temperature, and not allow a service to last beyond an hour.

Many state governments have since been reeling out conditions for religious houses to re-open.

On Tuesday, the federal government announced a review of the nationwide curfew from 8 p.m.- 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.- 4 p.m.

Infograph showing how cases increased last week while Nigeria reduced testing

Also, according to the National Coordinator of the PTF, Sani Aliyu, the ban on interstate movement may be lifted on June 21 as domestic flights are expected to also resume on the same date.

With the plans to resume academic activities and further ease the restrictions, concerns may be raised about the effect of going back to normal life with little or no regard for the social distancing rules and other protocols by citizens.
A 22-year-old youth, slated to get married on June 15, was shot dead allegedly by two persons in the Haripura area of Amritsar city on Saturday night.

The deceased is Suraj Kumar of Haripura while the accused were identified as Shambu and Chandan, both in their twenties, of the same locality.

A case was registered against the two under Sections 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act, police said.

The incident took place around 10pm when Suraj was standing outside his house.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP-law and order) Jagmohan Singh said the accused are likely to have committed the crime at the behest of a woman relative of the victim who lives in their neighbourhood.

The victims family said the woman nursed a grudge against him over an issue. Our investigation is on and we will soon ascertain the exact cause of the attack, he said.

According to the victims father, the woman was into selling drugs, which his son used to oppose. Also, he stopped the accused from meeting her, assistant commissioner of police (ACP-central) Sukhjinder Singh said.

The accused came in a Hyundai Verna car armed with pistols. They started firing at my brother. Two of the bullets hit him. We took him to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him dead, said Badal Kumar, the victims younger brother.

Gate Hakima station house officer (SHO) Sukhbir Singh said according to the eyewitnesses the accused fired five to six rounds. The victims body was handed over to the family after conducting the post-mortem on it. Raids are being conducted to nab the accused, he said.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) on Sunday announced that Abu Dhabi Investment Authority will invest Rs 5,683.50 crore for a 1.16 per cent stake in Jio Platforms.

Over the past six weeks, Jio Platforms, the digital and telecom business of Reliance Industries Ltd, has raised a striking Rs 97,885.65 crore from global investors for a total 21.06 per cent stake.

This will be the eighth investment in RIL in quick succession following those by social media major Facebook, Abu Dhabi-based sovereign fund Mubadala, Vista Equity Partners, KKR & Co Inc, General Atlantic and twice by American equity giant Silver lake.

This is the largest continuous funds raise by a company anywhere in the world. It is remarkable that this was done amidst a global lockdown, clearly signifying Indias digital potential and Jios business strategy, Reliance said in a statement.

RIL had on Friday said Silver Lake and co-investors will invest an additional Rs 4,546.80 crore in Jio Platforms for a total equity stake of 2.08 per cent. On the same day, RIL also announced that Mubadala Investment Company will invest Rs 9,093.60 crore in Jio Platforms for a 1.85 percent equity stake on a fully diluted basis.

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, established in 1976, is a globally-diversified investment institution that invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation.

ADIA manages a global investment portfolio that is diversified across more than two dozen asset classes and sub-categories. ADIA has invested in private equity since 1989 and has built a significant internal team of specialists with experience across asset products, geographies and sectors.

The deal with ADIA adds to a recent flurry of fund-raising activity by the oil-to-telecoms giant, controlled by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, including a Rs 53,124 crore rights issue, with plans to eliminate Rs 1.5 lakh crore of net debt by the end of the year.

RIL on May 22 announced had that private equity firm KKR will invest Rs 11,367 crore in Jio Platforms for a 2.32 per cent stake. The RIL unit comprises mostly its telecom business under Reliance Jio Infocomm, which is the largest in the country with more than 388 million subscribers.

Prior to this, General Atlantic on May 18 said it will buy 1.34 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 6,598.38 crore, while Vista Equity Partners said on May 8 it will be picking up a 2.32 per cent stake for Rs 11,367 crore.

RIL on Wednesday closed the rights issue, India's largest ever, luring buyers in with a rare deferred payment offer. Proceeds from the issue were ranked as one of the world's largest by a non-financial company based on Dealogic data.

The issue was subscribed about 1.6 times, in "a vote of confidence, by both domestic investors, foreign investors and small retail shareholders, in the intrinsic strength of the Indian economy", chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani said in a statement on Wednesday.
Aarya, the upcoming Disney+ Hotstar original show directed by Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat, not only marks Sushmita Sens return to acting but also Chandrachur Singhs. The actors play a married couple in the thriller series.

Sushmita welcomed Chandrachur back in front of the camera with a special selfie video shared on her Instagram account, in which she sings the popular song Chappa Chappa Charkha Chale from his film, Maachis. The clip also featured their co-star Priyasha Bhardwaj.

Welcome back Chandrachur Singh!!! Thank you for choosing to grace Aarya Your presence has made it sooo soooo special!!! What a wonderful human being & Actor!! Seen here with Aaryas Sister #Saundarya @priyasha811 (who has shot this loopy video) with her real life mom!! #sharing #bts #memories #aarya #family #friends #costars I love you guys!!!! @madhvaniram @officialrmfilms, she wrote in her caption.

Based on the Dutch series Penoza, Aarya features Sushmita in the titular role of a family-oriented woman who is forced to take over her husbands business of illicit drugs to protect her family, after he is shot.

Sushmitas last Bollywood release was Thank You, which released a decade ago, in 2010. She was then seen in the Bengali film Nirbaak in 2015. Talking about her break from films, she told PTI, For me, it was very simple, I had started getting the kind of work that I was just doing for the sake of it to stay in the business of making movies. I think that is a criminal waste of your life, so I chose otherwise and I did better things with my time. Now, I said I can commit to this (comeback).

Also read | Ekta Kapoor on getting rape threats for controversial scene in web series: It means sex is bad but rape is okay

Aarya is the perfect comeback for Sushmita, with its most incredible beautiful content as well as its release on a fantastic platform. For me, this culmination of everything coming together has been because I gave it time, I gave my everything to wait. I said I will sit at home but when I do something it has to be worth it. And I can proudly say it now (with Aarya), she said.

The series also features Namit Das, Manish Chaudhari, Vinod Rawat and Sugandha Garg in key roles, and will start streaming from June 19.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
In this June 17, 2016, file photo, an Indian tourist rides on a horse back at the Pangong Tso Lake high up in the Ladakh region of India. Tensions along the China-India border flared up again in recent weeks. Indian officials say the latest row began in early May when Chinese soldiers entered the Indian-controlled territory of Ladakh at three different points, erecting tents and guard posts. (AP)

New Delhi: What came of the talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh on Saturday? Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) put out a statement almost 24 hours later on Sunday, stating that the two sides agreed to peacefully resolve the current border issue in eastern Ladakh in accordance with bilateral pacts as well as the agreement reached between the leadership of the two countries.

In other words, the parleys held between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping in recent meetings, including a summit at Mamallapuram last year will have a bearing on the border issue.

The Indian Armys 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh and the Peoples Liberation Armys South Xinjiang Military Region commander Maj Gen Liu Lin met at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the LAC in the Chushul sector of Ladakh. The talks lasted more than five hours.

After the meeting, Indian Army officials briefed Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Y K Joshi and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on the outcome. The army also briefed national security adviser Ajit Doval, chief of defence services Gen Bipin Rawat and the Ministry of External Affairs. A detailed briefing was also given to the PMO.

In its statement on Sunday, the MEA said, "Both sides noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship.

Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, it said.

During the talks, India is reported to have asked China to revert to the status quo of April 2020 at the LAC in the Ladakh sector. The India side sought that China should act on the various agreements signed by the two sides to bring down the tensions at the LAC.

India asked China to reduce the build-up of its troops at the LAC and revert back to the status quo of April in Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley. The Chinese side objected to road construction at the LAC which has increased the Indian Armys capability to mobilise troops much faster in the mountainous terrain of Ladakh. However, India pointed out that all construction activity was going on well within Indian territory.

On Saturday afternoon, the Indian Army issued a statement which said that 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. 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, said the statement.

Meanwhile, Chinese state-owned media said on Saturday that India should immediately stop provocative acts along the border and respect Chinas bottom line stance on the common border, otherwise deadlock will not be truly resolved.

Global Times in a report said that Chinese observers predict that the military of the two countries, after Saturdays high-level meeting, will cease operations to certain extent, but the border tension may continue, mainly due to Indias tendency of playing petty tricks on the border.

In a separate editorial, Global Times said that India should not be instigated by US as China will not give up any inch of territory and China will not be at a disadvantage in any China-India military operations along the border area.

During the meeting India raised the issue of Pangong Tso where China has brought additional troops and pitched tents at around finger 4 to prevent Indian troops from patrolling till finger 8 area in an attempt to change the status quo. It was at Pangong Tso lake, where the two sides were involved in a brutal clash on the intervening night of May 5th and May 6th.

In Galwan Valley, Chinese have brought their troops in Indian territory which was never disputed. PLA is unhappy with the 255 kilometer Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road which connects to base of the Karakoram pass. Chinese presence at Galwan is a threat to DS-DBO road as they can cut off this crucial road. There have already 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.
Four years ago, 3.8 percent of first-year students who enrolled at Virginia Tech were Black. This fall, the number is higher. The newest class of Hokies will include 8 percent Black students.

This is noteworthy progress toward the universitys goal to increase the diversity of its student body.

But Virginia Tech must do more, said Menah Pratt-Clarke, vice president for strategic affairs and diversity, in a Friday afternoon online discussion with the campus community about understanding and combating racism in America.

Theres very little grace right now, she said, referring to the unjust deaths of Black men and women in the past few weeks. It is as if many feel that America has had 400 years to care, to get it right. Yet I know, as many of us do know, that we must struggle together to get there.

Both Pratt-Clarke and Michelle Deramo, assistant provost for Diversity Education, led the 90-minute discussion, Unfinished Conversations on Race, which was broadcast live on YouTube and on the universitys website. Virginia Tech President Tim Sands also joined the discussion.

An online audience submitted at least 300 questions for the event.

Pratt-Clarke and Deramo each reflected on current events and shared their own unique backgrounds  Pratt-Clarke is African American and Deramo is Italian American. They recapped the struggles of Black Americans throughout history, and they offered advice to faculty, staff, and students about how to be advocates and take action to transform the national and university culture.

Though many in the Black community have lost hope in America, Pratt-Clarke said she remains confident that through systemic changes in policies, procedures, and philosophy, the country can become better. Education is a necessary vehicle, she said.

Education, formal and informal, enables us to learn and unlearn ways of being, she said.

Deramo outlined ways that Hokies can learn more about how to support diversity at the university. She encouraged each college and unit to use recent statements about current events, made by leaders and deans, to make an anti-racist action plan.

Also, the Office for Inclusion and Diversity offers a variety of workshops and short online modules, covering such topics as diversity in job search and selection committees and safe zone training.

We are a university community and what we do best is education, Deramo said. We educate ourselves. Thats part of our job, to always keep on top of our game to always be reading and learning.

Individual divisions and departments also should evaluate their structure and ensure that they are incorporating elements that support diversity. This may involve adjusting bylaws, creating a diversity committee, and reevaluating the make-up of hiring committees, said Pratt-Clarke. She is encouraging all areas of the university to host discussions about race on June 19, which is Juneteenth, the annual U.S. celebration of emancipation from slavery.

Also, Pratt-Clarke said she would like to form an InclusiveVT advisory board of students across campus to gather advice and ideas.

Already, there have been several steps in recent years to educate incoming Virginia Tech students about diversity principles, including a diversity 101 online training that all new Hokies must take before they can enroll for courses.

I hope that as Hokies we can aggressively move forward to make the world a better place, Pratt-Clarke said.

Watch a recording of the Unfinished Conversations on Race discussion below.

 Written by Jenny Kincaid Boone
Andhra Pradesh government is acquiring farm lands for housing projects as per the law that allows paying an excess amount of three per cent, Agriculture Minister Kurasal Kannababu said on Saturday, as the opposition scaled up attack over the land purchases.

Kannababu said the government is aiming to build 30 lakh houses in the next 2-3 year, finishing at a pace of 15 lakh houses every year, starting from August 26, an official statement said.

For this initiative, the government has decided to use 25,842 acres of government land and acquire 16,078 acres of private lands.

"At least from now on the opposition leaders should avoid such cheap remarks against the government, as people are not going to trust anymore," the statement said quoting the minister, having said at a press conference here.

The minister further said the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders are "unnecessarily creating controversies over the state government housing project and confusing the public".

"Today, TDP leaders are alleging that the state government has acquired lands at an increased price by paying Rs 45 lakh per acre, but during TDP tenure, at the same place Rs 49.27 lakh per acre has been paid," Kannababu said.

Similarly for the Andhra Pradesh Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDCO) housing project in Dhavaleswaram, 24 acres have been acquired by paying Rs 64 lakh per acre, he said.

"Since the farmers are giving up their lands for a cause, we have to be generous towards them and we followed the rules as per the relevant act and paid at a normal rate," he added.

He said the government has acquired the land as per the guidelines of the Act, which allows paying an excess amount of three per cent and clarified that it is indeed providing house sites more than the number promised.

He also mentioned that the previous TDP government had provided only only 7.5 lakh houses in its five year tenure and handed it over to the beneficiaries. It had also left payment of Rs 4,300 crore dues pending to the housing corporation and TIDCO.
Demonstrators sing "Lean On Me" during a protest near the White House White House in Washington on June 3, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Protests Becoming More Peaceful Due to Federal Law Enforcement: Acting DHS Head

Violent rioting and looting have eased across the nation, with demonstrations appearing largely peaceful because of the presence of federal law enforcement, according to acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf.

The administrations response, ensuring state governors and local mayors had the law enforcement necessary to maintain peace and order, has worked, Wolf said.

Over the last several days, weve seen that violent protest and that violent looting and rioting diminish, he told Fox News Chris Wallace on June 7. Its not by happenstance and its not by chance. Its because we took early action.

What started as peaceful protests over the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody has been exploited, according to the Department of Justice. While most have peacefully demonstrated, Attorney General William Barr said recently the DOJ had evidence the protests had been hijacked by Antifa and other similar groups.

Wolf said: Can you imagine [what would have happened] if we had not done anything, if we had not increased our police presence in the D.C. area and in cities across the country?

So I think we took the right action, and what weve seen is weve seen governors deploy the National Guard. Weve seen governors and state mayors call the federal government asking for support. And thats what weve given them. And Im happy to say its worked.

Protests in Washington on June 6 were almost completely peaceful, Wolf noted, with almost no arrests. He also said the option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump and Barr held a conference call with the nations governors, telling them to crack down on the violence and to activate the National Guard if needed. The government, meanwhile, has made 51 arrests for federal crimes in connection with the rioting.

The point behind the call was to alert governors to the importance of having enough adequate forces at hand so as to ensure events could be controlled after the most violent day in Washington in 30 years, Barr said in a June 7 interview on CBS News Face the Nation.

Its more dangerous for everybody if you have these wild melees with thinly manned police lines running after protesters with batons  its important that adequate forces [are] on the street, he said.

Barr also said it was completely false that the president demanded 10,000 active-duty troops be ordered onto American streets and that Trump officials agreed that the use of troops would be a last resort.

I felt, and the secretary of defense felt, we had adequate resources and wouldnt need to use federal troops, he said. But in case we did, we wanted them nearby.

Officials from both sides say that outside groups have exploited the recent protests to further their own agenda. Police departments in several states have also warned of materials being purposely planted in certain locations so as to fuel rioting.

After the violence appeared to have slowed in recent days, the president announced in the early morning on June 7 that he had just ordered the National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington. He said the situation now seems like everything is under perfect control.

They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed, the president wrote on Twitter, referring to the National Guard. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!

In a sign that the violence is diminishing, New York City lifted its 8 p.m. curfew, which had been put in place in response to riots and looting, a day early, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on June 7. There were about 40 arrests citywide on June 5far fewer than on previous nightsand no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred previous protests.

At a June 4 briefing, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency has quite a number of ongoing investigations against violent anarchists extremists, including what he described as those motivated by Antifa, or an Antifa-like ideology.

We categorize and treat those as domestic terrorism investigations and are actively pursuing them through our joint terrorism task forces, he said. What tactics they use varies widelysometimes from city to city, sometimes even from night to night.
The series of investments in Jio, which runs movie, news and music apps as well as the telecom company Jio Infocomm, was led by a 9.99 percent stake sale to Facebook Inc for Rs 43,574 crore on 22 April.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will invest Rs 5,683.5 crore into Jio Platforms for an equity stake of 1.16 percent, a press release by Reliance Industries Limited and Jio announced.

"With this investment, Jio Platforms has raised Rs 97,885.65 crore from leading global investors including Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala and ADIA in less than seven weeks," the press release noted.

ADIAs investment at an equity valuation of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and enterprise valuation of Rs 5.16 lakh crore comes close on the heels of its counterpart Mubadala Investment Companys purchase of 1.85 percent in Jio Platforms for Rs 9,093.6 crore and a second round of investment by private equity giant Silver Lake and co-investors.

The series of investments in Jio, which runs movie, news and music apps as well as the telecom company Jio Infocomm, was led by a 9.99 percent stake sale to Facebook Inc for Rs 43,574 crore on 22 April. Since then, General Atlantic, Silver Lake (twice), Vista Equity Partners, KKR and Mubadala have put their money in Jio.

Jio Platforms is a next-generation technology platform focused on providing high-quality and affordable digital services across India, with more than 388 million subscribers. Jio Platforms has made significant investments across its digital ecosystem, powered by leading technologies spanning broadband connectivity, smart devices, cloud and edge computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, augmented and mixed reality and blockchain.

ADIA, estimated to have assets of nearly $700 billion, has invested in 18 companies, according to data from Crunchbase. ADIA has long been spending money in Indian equities, even acting as an anchor investor in several IPOs, and fixed income.

"ADIA has invested in private equity since 1989 and has built a significant internal team of specialists with experience across asset products, geographies and sectors," RIL's press release said.

In April 2019, ADIA and Indias National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) agreed to buy a 49 percent stake in the airport unit of Indian conglomerate GVK Power & Infrastructure. It invested another $495 million in renewable energy firm Greenko Energy Holdings, which runs wind, solar and hydro projects, in 2019. ADIA was also a leading investor in Bandhan Banks IPO.

ADIA has been investing funds on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government since 1976 with a focus on long-term value creation. It manages a global investment portfolio that is diversified across more than two dozen asset classes and sub-categories, according to its website.

(Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost)
Loading We have seen that we can protest or make a point in ways that still protect us, Anzac Day highlighted the fact that we can make points and political points, or celebrate or commemorate (in ways other than gathering en masse), he said. We need to remember we are still in a state of emergency, there is still a pandemic that is not yet defeated. No one disputes the topic, this is one that has bedevilled Australia for a long time, its bedevilled the United States for a long time, and its one we are still yet to resolve, the issue around Aboriginal deaths in custody. Mr McGowan said he understood why people wished to protest but urged organisers and attendees to follow the rules. The more someone like me tries to stop the rally, the more likely it will go ahead and be bigger, he said.

I encourage the organisers for next weekend to follow the rules and the rules are that you should not have more than 300 people, you should be appropriate social distancing, there should be appropriate hygiene, if they want to go beyond that they can apply to the Police Commissioner for an exemption for additional people. If the organisers want to apply for the exemption they can but that doesnt mean that theyll get it. They shouldnt flout the law to make a point, were only doing this for health reasons, were only doing this to protect people. It comes after Finance Minister Mathias Cormann on Sunday said the tens of thousands who protested in the eastern states against Indigenous Australian deaths in custody selfishly risked a second coronavirus outbreak. We fully respect the right to protest but right now many many Australians have lost their jobs as we impose restrictions on the economy in order to save lives in order to suppress the spread of the virus, he said.

Loading People have been unable to attend funerals of their loved ones to help stop the spread of the virus, if you go to a cafe right now youve got to leave your name and address to help stop the spread of the virus but were going to have a mass gathering of tens of thousands of people in complete breach of the rules. It is absolutely reckless and irresponsible and it shouldnt be happening. Mr Cormann said there was a double standard when it came to mass gatherings that were able to go ahead while not adhering to rules and regulations when so many had made sacrifices throughout the pandemic to stop the spread of the virus. This is not about the subject matter at hand, the issue of course is a very legitimate issue and I understand the depth of feeling but if were going to impose restrictions across the country to the point where people are prevented from attending the funeral of their parents or their loved ones then surely we should have some consistency here, he said. All around the world, and Western Australia, people have made significant sacrifices, many people have lost their jobs in order to suppress the spread of this deadly virus, there has to be some consistency here, there are other ways to express the legitimate strength of feeling in relation to these issues and the rules that apply to everyone else should apply to everyone across the board.

There should not be any mass gatherings like weve seen anywhere, including in Western Australia. Loading The Hyde Park protest, advertised on Facebook, is to raise awareness toward the 432 deaths of Indigenous Australians in police custody. We are banding together to unite in amplifying the voice of the First Nations People, the event page read. We want to prevent the death's of incarcerated Indigenous Australians in the future. We want the recommendations from the 1987 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody implemented. This glaring injustice has gone on far too long.
An early analysis of healthcare workers who contracted Covid-19 suggested that twice as many caught the virus in nursing homes than in acute hospitals.

The preliminary figures were shared with unions last week following a meeting with officials but were not released as the analysis is still in progress.

A source said the analysis was based on figures that are now out of date but showed that twice as many healthcare workers in nursing homes became infected with the virus.

The figures were disclosed to trade unions following talks with Health Minister Simon Harris last week.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for an inquiry into the high rates of Covid-19 among health workers, who account for more than 31pc of all confirmed cases.

The number of healthcare workers infected increased to 8,059, according to new figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre last night.

Seven health care workers have died.

Siptu called on Mr Harris to release information on infection rates including the institutions in which people became infected.

Nursing homes have been among the worst hit by Covid-19, with more than 900 residents dying - 55pc of all deaths in Ireland.

Having been closed to visitors since March, nursing homes will reopen to visitors from June 15, under the Government's accelerated plans to ease restrictions. Residents will be limited to two named visitors, who will undergo temperature checks on arrival.

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan disclosed in a letter to the Government last week that there have been five outbreaks in prisons, with 24 people infected, none of them prisoners.

He also outlined four outbreaks in the Roma community, involving 30 cases; seven outbreaks in the Traveller community, involving 64 cases; nine outbreaks in residential centres for the homeless, involving 34 cases; and 15 in direct provision centres, involving 176 cases.

There have been 43 clusters in workplaces, with 20 of these in meat-processing plants.
MINNEAPOLIS - It's approaching 2 a.m., and city council member Jeremiah Ellison is patrolling his neighborhood in a black sedan when the smell of smoke wafts through the open driver's side window.

Several black-owned businesses had been destroyed in this area - considered the heart of the city's black community - in recent fires that investigators have deemed "suspicious." Neighbors suspect right-wing militias, and social media has been abuzz with purported - but unverified - sightings of masked white men in pickup trucks holding semiautomatic military-style rifles.

The rumors have only fueled the unease that has spread through this community since the death of George Floyd, who lost consciousness under the knee of a police officer on Memorial Day. A video of Floyd's gasps for air triggered massive protests and violent riots that started in this Midwestern city before spreading throughout the country.

Now Ellison - the son of former congressman Keith Ellison, who is prosecuting the four fired officers connected to Floyd's death, as Minnesota's attorney general - is on patrol, hoping to catch the next fire before it destroys another business owner's livelihood. He's also ready to contend with danger of the more human sort, if needed.

As the car fills with the acrid scent of burning chemicals, Ellison tells his friend in the driver's seat to pull over. Before they come to a stop, Ellison, 30, flings open the door and jumps out with a pistol in one hand and a small fire extinguisher in the other. He walks briskly down the street, scanning the block for the origin of the fumes.

"I was excited to fight over the budget. I don't think anybody could have pictured this," Ellison says, noting that even as a city official, he can't control how the police respond to the fires and other threats. "This was something I could do."

Across Minneapolis, community-organized citizen patrols have sprung up in recent weeks as confidence in the Minneapolis Police Department has plummeted. Distrust in the agency had been building for years, and now, with emergency responders focused on riots and looting in the hardest-hit part of the city and with the police department's own 3rd Precinct set ablaze, some residents worry that their neighborhoods have been left vulnerable.

Washington Post photo by Jon Gerberg

Even as riots and violence in the city have subsided, the string of high-profile killings at the hands of Minneapolis police in recent years has prompted calls to defund or disband the department. A majority of the Minneapolis City Council now supports the idea of replacing it with a new model for public safety.

But in the meantime, residents have taken it upon themselves to create alternatives, including forming armed defense forces.

Ellison has been a constant presence on the streets and at protests since Floyd's death, and he started a community patrol the Friday after the incident. While on patrol, he joined a last-ditch - and ultimately unsuccessful - effort to squelch a fire at the Fade Factory barbershop, carrying buckets of water to douse the flames before firefighters arrived. The owner, Trevon Ellis, gave an emotional interview on live TV as his shop burned, explaining that the fire department - overwhelmed by calls throughout the city - had put him on a waiting list and took two hours to arrive.

"I think that we have got to dramatically reimagine how we keep people safe in cities. I think that's been true," Ellison said as he stood on his porch, taking a break from a recent patrol. "But I think that we have underestimated just how urgent that work is. The police forces in the way that they've existed, I think need to not exist."

In Ellison's neighborhood of north Minneapolis, the local chapter of the NAACP has begun to try to do just that: Create a community alternative to police with armed citizen patrols. They call their group the Minnesota Freedom Riders, a reference to the civil rights activists who rode buses through the segregated South in 1961.

On Tuesday, dozens of volunteers, mostly African American, filtered into Sammy's Avenue Eatery, a sandwich and coffee cafe. They checked in with a woman holding a clipboard, who gathered their contact information, asked how many were in their parties, and noted whether they were armed. Almost all of them said they were.

Then each volunteer took a seat as orientation began, led by Minneapolis NAACP President Leslie Redmond.

"Too often, when black people are trying to do the right thing and fight, we are left defenseless, and America has shown us time and time again that they're not coming to our protection," she told the group. "So we've got to protect ourselves."

The project began the previous weekend, just days after Floyd's death, and has grown to 50 volunteers. They divide into groups of three that keep watch at key intersections while others go on patrol.

Redmond said she spoke to Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo about the project, and also informed the National Guard. She wasn't asking them for permission, she insists; she just wanted to let them know: "We are activating our community."

"We are out here simply to defend and protect," she told the group of volunteers. "We are not chasing anybody. We're not here to shoot anybody. We are literally here to protect black businesses and our black community."

The Minneapolis Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. The Minnesota National Guard said it did not have an official statement concerning the community patrols, but spokesman Scott Hawks said, "Our interactions have been uneventful and cordial with the groups that we have encountered."

On the streets, there was evidence of support. One evening, a Minneapolis police officer rolled down his window to chat with the volunteers, and someone in a National Guard truck made a heart sign with his hands as his convoy passed one group.

Volunteer Nate Penrtz, 36, said the fire at the Fade Factory - and Ellis's story about a two-hour wait for a fire crew - spurred him to join the patrol.

"If it weren't for our community standing watch, nothing else was going to prevent these arsonists from burning it down," he said. "MPD and the National Guard weren't going to keep us safe. We had to do it."

The Freedom Riders do face challenges. Some volunteers worry that it will be hard to sustain turnout through the summer, with many people working during the day and guarding their neighborhoods at night. And the guns are clearly visible: Cars approaching the intersection near Sammy's were greeted by the sight of men holding rifles, shotguns and handguns.

Minnesota law allows people with permits to openly carry guns, though volunteers displayed various levels of comfort with their firearms. At one checkpoint, a young man nervously looked down the street as a car approached, his finger on the trigger of a semiautomatic rifle half-raised in front of him. Later, another volunteer in his 30s walked past while gripping a shotgun with one hand.

Others were more relaxed and less quick on the draw. Tyrone Hartwell, 35, originally from Mississippi and a Marine Corps veteran, carried an AK-47 as he helped direct other volunteers. He compared the effort to his time in the military, and when asked who the "enemy" is in this case, he alluded to the widespread rumors of armed white supremacists arriving in Minneapolis.

"We have to be armed to be able to protect them," he said of community members, noting that he has two young children. "That's the one reason we are armed. We are a peaceful group, a loving group. We are brothers that banded together to protect our neighborhood."

Hartwell, a music producer who works under the name Sippizone, said he didn't think the national news media had grasped the level of fear gripping Minneapolis and its black neighborhoods.

"They don't understand how serious it is right now," he said. "There are a lot of people who are sitting in their homes right now sleeping. They all understand how terrified our kids are."

While the mood on the streets is tense, some see the neighborhood patrols as seeds that may produce long-lasting change. City Council member Phillipe Cunningham's ward covers part of the neighborhood, and recently he stood with one of the night watch groups outside Firebox Deli, which served brisket and ribs to passing volunteers.

"What this looks like moving forward is for us to actually really begin the process of building public safety strategies and systems outside of policing," he said. "And so now, we are starting to begin the process of showing that it works here with everyday folks and that we can build it from here."
When Gina Lee-Satomi was thinking about driving to Southern California last month to help care for her elderly parents and 100-year-old grandmother, she worried that she or her son might transmit the coronavirus to her relatives.

But Lee-Satomi, who lives in San Francisco and had been carefully following stay-at-home orders, had struggled with a lingering, on-and-off cough since February. She wanted to make sure it wasnt the coronavirus before she reunited with her family. Both she and her 10-year-old son got a coronavirus diagnostic test, and tested negative, before proceeding to her parents home, where they plan to stay for a couple of weeks.

I was like, It would put my mind at ease, said Lee-Satomi, 47. It made me feel like I wasnt going to accidentally kill my family.

As the coronavirus pandemic stretches into its fourth month, keeping many families apart for longer than ever before, many people are getting tested, or considering getting tested, before seeing family and friends  especially if they have relatives and friends who are at higher risk of becoming gravely ill because of age or chronic health conditions like diabetes or autoimmune disorders.

Public health officials have not issued any guidance on whether people who do not have symptoms should get tested for this purpose. Officials generally advise testing for people who have COVID-19 symptoms and for people who do not have symptoms but who regularly come into contact with sick patients, members of the public, or high-risk individuals  such as health care workers, essential workers and staff at nursing homes.

But now that access to tests has vastly improved, compared with the early days of the pandemic, infectious disease experts say it is reasonable for people to consider getting tested before coming into contact with a family member, especially if the family member is high-risk. But getting tested is not a foolproof way of ensuring you will not transmit the virus.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

If youre going to see an older relative, I cant say you must do it, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine. Id say its something you consider doing. Theres one main caveat. If you test yourself now and youre negative, you dont know youre going to be negative when you see them. ... Itd be nice if we could say, Just get a test and youll be fine, but we dont know that.

If someone gets tested and contracts the virus before coming into contact with their friend or family member, they may still spread the virus. To reduce the likelihood of that happening, experts advise getting tested as close as possible to the day you plan to come into contact with someone. And consider avoiding situations where you might be exposed during the window in between getting tested and seeing them. After Lee-Satomi got tested, for instance, she canceled a planned cherry-picking excursion with her son because it was scheduled the day before they drove to see her parents.

If you do come into contact with family members before youre able to take a test, or before you receive the results, wear a mask in the meantime, said Dr. George Rutherford, head of the division of infectious disease and epidemiology at UCSF. Rutherfords daughter, who lives in Virginia, did just that when she came home to the Bay Area for a month in May to stay with her parents.

It wasnt practical to get a test there, so she got on a plane, came home, the next day we got her tested, he said. She wore a mask, the next day got the result, took the mask off, thats where we are. ... I think getting tested just before you come, or when you first get there, makes perfect sense to me. Until you know you have a negative test, keep a mask on.

There is another complication: It is possible to test negative and still be infected with the coronavirus. This can happen if someone gets tested too early in the virus life cycle, when the concentration of viral particles is too low to be detected in a test. It takes about three days from the time of exposure to when virus particles are at high enough levels to generate a positive result.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Most false-negative results happen because people got tested too early, before there were enough virus particles to be detected, not because there was a problem with test performance, Rutherford said.

Whether members of the general public who do not have symptoms should be tested for the purpose of reuniting with friends and family raises ethical questions. Lee-Satomi did consider whether she would be using a resource needed by health care workers who should get tested regularly. She would not have requested a test had she been planning to stay home for the foreseeable future, she said, but felt it was worth doing because she was going to see her aging parents.

Rutherford said there are enough testing resources now for health care workers, and if someone is taking a test to prevent spreading the virus to a frail, high-risk person, they are not misusing it because it is for disease prevention.

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.

People are also weighing other factors when seeking testing. Erik Utter just moved from San Francisco to his parents home in Calaveras County, and got tested within a few days after he arrived. Utter, 29, did not have any symptoms but sought testing more as a peace of mind thing. He tested negative.

He knows San Francisco has been much harder hit by the virus than Calaveras County  the city has about 2,600 cases, compared with Calaveras Countys 13  and wanted to make sure he didnt spread it to his parents and their friends in the community.

God forbid I move up here and theres an outbreak two days later, he said.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

There is no cut-and-dried strategy when it comes to getting tested before reuniting with friends and family, Rutherford said.

Someone who has been strictly following stay-at-home orders for months may not need a test as much as someone who has been out in crowds recently without a mask  such as last weeks Black Lives Matter protests. Someone who is planning to see a family member for 30 minutes in their driveway may not need a test as much as someone who is planning to move in to care for an ill, immunosuppressed relative.

These are all judgment calls, Rutherford said. If I were at a protest the last three days and not wearing a mask, can I get a test and go see grandma? Id say, that might make me worry, he said. I might want you to wait 14 days and get tested at the end of 14 days. If Ive been sheltering in place and watching TV and sitting in my backyard for two months and Id like to see grandma, Id say, OK, go get tested and see her.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Cat_Ho
[June 07, 2020] Junshi Biosciences Announces Dosing of First Healthy Volunteer in Phase I Clinical Study of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody JS016 in China

First healthy volunteer has been dosed in a Phase I study of JS016, the first SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody to enter the clinical stage in China



Junshi and Lilly will co-develop JS016 globally

JS016 is a recombinant fully human monoclonal neutralizing antibody that blocks the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the host cell surface receptor ACE2 SHANGHAI, China, June 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, today announced that the first healthy volunteer has been dosed in the Phase I clinical study of JS016 at Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University in China. JS016 is the first SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody to enter clinical trials in China. Junshi and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) are collaborating to co-develop JS016 globally, with Junshi leading clinical development in China and Lilly leading clinical development in the rest of the world. The trial is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study to evaluate the tolerability, safety and pharmacokinetic and immunogenicity of JS016 in healthy subjects. Should Phase 1 results show the antibody can be safely administered, the company intends to move to the next phase of testing to study the antibodys ability to prevent and treat COVID-19. The study researchers are Prof. Zhang Jing and Prof. Zhang Wenhong from Huashan Hospital. COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has infected 6.8 million people, with a current death toll of over 390,000 worldwide. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific drugs that target COVID-19. Neutralizing antibodies may have the potential to prevent and treat COVID-19. Previous clinical trials of agents developed to treat Ebola have shown that monoclonal neutralizing antibodies can reduce viremia, attenuate virulence, substantially improve clinical symptoms and reduce the mortality of those infected. JS016 was jointly developed by Junshi Biosciences and Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS). The fully human monoclonal antibody was identified by screening blood samples of patients who recovered from COVID-19. A preclinical study shows that JS016 expresses extremely high specific affinity (on a level of nM) to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the spike protein blocking the virus from invading host cells. A recent publication in Nature (Shi et al. Nature) detailed the findings from a study showing JS016 protected rhesus monkeys from COVID-19 infection, suggesting a potential for prophylactic use in humans. Professor Zhang Wenhong from Huashan Hospital, head researcher of the clinical study, said: "Neutralizing antibodies can precisely target the SARS-CoV-2 virus which may quickly prevent the virus from replicating in the human body. We hope to demonstrate the sfety and tolerability of JS016 in Phase I and provide supporting data for additional clinical trials.



Dr. Yan Jinghua, a co-developer of JS016 and a researcher at IMCAS, said: "Preclinical studies have shown that JS016 has strong neutralizing and blocking ability, as well as prophylactic and treatment effect. We anticipate that JS016 could be further tested in clinical trials. Dr. Feng Hui, Chief Operation Officer of Junshi Biosciences emphasized that speed is the key in this campaign against COVID-19 and that over years of accruing expertise and experience, Junshi has established a research and technology platform for antibody development, enabling us to accomplish the vital steps of protein expression, pharmaceutical research, screening and engineering modification, as well as the technical development for clinical batches and GMP 2000L stable pool manufacturing.

Dr. Ning Li, Chief Executive Officer said: We are very pleased that we have achieved this key milestone through joint efforts. Our R&D and manufacturing teams have been working diligently, aiming to help the infected and the vulnerable as quickly as possible. About JS016

JS016 is specific to the SARS-CoV-2 surface spike protein receptor binding domain and can effectively block the binding of viruses to host cell surface receptor ACE2. The project is jointly developed by Junshi Biosciences and Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Science. At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Junshi Biosciences rapidly launched the research and development program of neutralizing antibodies to combat COVID-19. Within two months, the company has completed IND enabling pre-clinical studies, the process development and production for GLP toxicity study and GMP production of clinical material by leveraging the companys platform technology. JS016 is a derivative antibody that originated from single B cells of a recovered patient. Screened by the human immune system, JS016 should not bind to human antigens. Researchers also introduced LALA mutations to the Fc portion to potentially lower the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. Preclinical toxicological experiments of the Maximum Tolerated Dose and No-observed-adverse-effect level are higher than the recommended starting dose for a human clinical trial. JS016 is in Phase I trial in China, which is the first clinical trial of a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody in healthy subjects in the world. About Junshi Biosciences

Established in 2012, Junshi Biosciences is committed to developing first-in-class and best-in-class drugs through original innovation and becoming a pioneer in the area of translational medicine to provide patients with effective and affordable treatment options. On December 24, 2018, Junshi Biosciences was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong with the stock code: 1877.HK. The Company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising 21 drug candidates with therapeutic areas covering cancer, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, neurologic diseases, and Infectious disease. Product types include monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, antibody-drug conjugates, and small molecule drugs. With a combined 33,000L fermentation capacity in two GMP-facilities at Shanghai and Suzhou, Junshi has established the manufacturing infrastructure to support commercialization and provide our partners and patients with high-quality products through a global supply chain network. For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com . About IMCAS

Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS) was founded on December 3, 1958, through the merger of the Institute of Applied Mycology and the Beijing Laboratories of Microbiology, both of which were affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). After over 50 years of development, it has become the nations largest comprehensive research institution of microbiological science with 5 State and CAS key laboratories. IMCAS owns the largest fungal herbarium in Asia with nearly 500,000 specimens and the largest microbiological culture collection in China with more than 41,000 strains. In addition, it possesses a microbiological information center, a core facility, a Biosafety Level-3 laboratory and other supporting platforms. Contact Information

IR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

[email protected]

+ 86 021-2250 0300

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Michael Levitan

[email protected]

+ 1 646.378.2920 PR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

Zhi Li

[email protected]

+ 86 021-6105 8800

Solebury Trout

Zara Lockshin

[email protected]

+ 1 646.378.2960

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Joe Biden will travel to Texas to meet with the family of George Floyd to offer condolences before Floyds funeral service on Tuesday, the New York Times first reported and Axios has confirmed.

Why it matters: Biden's visit follows more than a week of massive protests across the United States against police violence and systemic racism.

Biden is not expected to attend Floyd's funeral because of concerns about creating a disruption, though he will offer Floyd's family a video message for the service.

Biden spoke with Floyd's family on May 29 by phone. Floyd's brother Philonise told CNN that he "loved" his conversation with Biden and that his phone call with Trump was "brief" and that the president hardly gave him the chance to speak.

Go deeper: The Biden-Trump split screen
Vietnam is committed to allowing credit institutions of the European Union (EU) to hold up to 49% shares at two joint stock commercial banks in Vietnam when the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) takes effect.

However, the commitment does not apply to four state-run banks including BIDV, Vietinbank, Vietcombank and Agribank, noted Luong Hoang Thai, head of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade at a conference today, June 5.

Following the Law on Vietnamese credit institutions, EU credit institutions will be allowed to hold 30% shares at most in other banks, including the four banks mentioned above.

Banking experts said that in terms of scale and management standards, the gaps between Vietnamese and EU banks remain large. While EU banks are applying the Basel III standards and moving towards the Basel IV standards, Vietnamese banks are still adopting the Basel II standards. Therefore, it is necessary to put in place certain strict regulations including the shareholding-level barriers.

The doors will open wider for EU banks to establish branches in Vietnam after the EVFTA comes into effect, thanks to the countrys commitment to creating favorable conditions for EU banks in certain banking and financial services. However, this could progress at a slow pace due to Vietnams small-sized banking and financial market.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese banks have recently opened branches in Europe and increased their presence in Southeast Asia. SGT

Lan Nhi

Traceability is challenge for Viet Nam's handicraft exports to EU Experts have said that traceability is a challenge for Vietnam to boost export handicraft products to the EU in the future.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: TDP leader and former AP Seeds Corporation chairman AV Subba Reddy has reiterated that TDP leader and former minister Bhuma Akhila Priya and her husband Bhargava Ramudu had conspired to kill him and given supari for his murder. Speaking to mediapersons in Hyderabad on Saturday, the TDP leader said he had not lodged any complaint with police and that it was the police, who informed him about the conspiracy to murder him after they foiled the attempt.

I never suspected her until police informed me of the case details. Why would I do that, as I have treated her like my own daughter, he said. Subba Reddy wondered as to why, instead of replying to his allegations, she was asking him to come to Allagada and sought to know why she wants to murder him.

Let her come out and say the three accused arrested in the murder attempt on me  Chintakunta Ramireddy, Govindapalle Ravichandra Reddy and Mada Srinu  are not her followers. I have enough evidence to prove they are her followers. I have video clippings of them being with her during her election campaign and photos of them with Bhuma Akhila Priya and her husband, he said.

Subba Reddy came before the media once again following Bhuma Akhila Priyas comments on Friday at Allagadda that she does not think there is hand of the government behind the issue, but strongly suspects role of local leaders.

I dont know why he is making the allegations when the case is under investigation. My husband has received notices and at a time when we are trying for bail in the case, Subba Reddy directing the police to arrest us is not proper. If he wants to do politics in Allagada, I welcome him, she told mediapersons on Friday. Kadapa Chinna Chowk police had already issued notices to Bhargava Ramudu for the second time on Friday in connection with the murder attempt.
Riding on Prime Minister Narendra Modis vocal for local comment, the Confederation of Indian Traders (CAIT), today announced a national campaign to boycott Chinese products. The countrys apex association for traders, which represents 7 crore traders and 40,000 trade associations, is calling the campaign Indian good - our price" and the campaign will begin from June 10.

CAIT secretary general, Praveen Khandelwal and National President, B.C. Bhartia, alleged that China has been Indias antagonist" and said the organization has been continuously campaigning from time to time" for boycott of Chinese products for the last four years. As a result of these initiatives, important from China have dropped from $76 billion in 2017-18 to $70 billion at present," the organization claimed in its announcement.

Further, the two leaders of the organization said CAIT wants to bring down the imports from China to $13 billion by December 2021. To achieve this goal, CAIT has prepared a comprehensive list of about 3000 products imported from China for which Indian substitutes and alternatives are easily available and customers of India will also not mind because all those things are already made in India," the two leaders said.

According to them, India imported only $2 billion worth of goods from China in 2001, but this had increased to $70 billion in 2019. This staggering figure clearly shows how China has tried to capture Indian markets which is one of the worlds largest," they said.

They also said that prominent leaders" from all Indian states have seriously contemplated the capture of Indias retail market by China", in daily video conferences that CAIT has arranged between March 25 and now. The organization will continue to hold video conferences to inculcate" the nuances and intricacies" of the campaign amongst traders in India. It has also formed a national committee to run the campaign with Brij Mohan, Vice Chairman of CAIT at its Convenor.

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LUSAKA, Zambia, June 3, 2020 /CNW/ -- The Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) has become aware of Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2020 (SI 57) issued by the Minister of Energy, Honourable Mathew Nkhuwa, declaring all of CEC's distribution and transmission lines as Common Carrier.

This declaration came just hours before the expiry of CEC's power supply agreement (PSA) with Konkola Copper Mines Plc (KCM), which took effect at midnight on 31 May 2020 and in the wider context of the failed negotiations for the renewal of the Bulk Supply Agreement (BSA) between CEC and ZESCO, which lapsed on 31 March 2020. Both KCM and ZESCO are, as of now, effectively controlled by the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ).

CEC notes the following significant events leading to the issuance by the GRZ of SI 57:

8 May 2020 - CEC institutes measures to recover debt from KCM, which has now grown to about USD144 million 13 May 2020 - KCM admits its indebtedness to CEC 26 May 2020 - ZESCO requests use of the CEC transmission network to supply power to its new unknown client on the Copperbelt and requests for a meeting in the first week of June 2020 28 May 2020 - CEC acknowledges the ZESCO request, stating that it stands ready to start negotiations as long as the customer involved has no valid agreement with CEC and does not owe CEC money 28 May 2020 - the Minister of Energy writes to CEC asking the Company to give path to ZESCO to supply power to KCM 29 May 2020 - GRZ through the Minister of Energy promulgates SI 57 declaring CEC infrastructure COMMON CARRIER 31 May 2020 - ERB writes CEC setting a wheeling tariff equivalent to about 30% of CEC's current network tariff (current tariff charged for using the CEC network)

From the above events, CEC believes that the GRZ has for all intents and purposes taken steps that amount to expropriation of the CEC infrastructure and CEC is now on the brink of defaulting on all its loans borrowed from international lenders. GRZ's actions have the full effect of taking away CEC's commercial and property rights, and completely inhibiting the Company from taking viable business decisions, including enforcing its legal and commercial rights in the best interest of the business.

CEC takes this opportunity to advise all its investors of these actions from the GRZ that are highly detrimental to the well-being of the business and its ability to continue as a going concern. Investors are notified that CEC will, in the time being, engage in dialogue with the GRZ in the hope of obtaining an amicable and equitable outcome targeted at restoring the Company's commercial and property rights. CEC will keep all its investors fully updated.

For further information, contact:

Chama S. Nsabika

Senior Manager Corporate Communication

+260 212 244914

+260 966 792922

[email protected]

https://cecinvestor.com/

SOURCE Copperbelt Energy Corporation plc

Related Links

https://cecinvestor.com/


George Floyd's death has sparked massive protests across the United States of America. Thousands of people, from the east to the West coast have taken to streets to call out racism. Amidst all this, a photograph of a woman marching alone is doing rounds of the internet.

According to reports, the woman belonging to Minnesota went out on a solo march after her friends refused to join her. A photograph of her was later shared by her son Jeorge, who said she did her "own march" demanding justice for late George Floyd. The photograph shows the woman standing with a placard that read I cant breathe along with a wheelbarrow that carried a US flag amidst other items.

My mom did her own march since none of her friends wanted to join her  pic.twitter.com/ErL9NUyeoe  Jeorge  (@baddiejezzy) June 2, 2020

Along with the photograph, Jeorge also posted a video of her mom walking a few metres as she gives an important message for the "whites". In the video, the woman could be heard saying, There were a lot of people hurting and it is time to get serious. The woman determination and her dedication towards justice have won everybodys heart.

'All her Christian friends'

She wanted to do a little video for her Facebook friends too. This was aimed at all her Christian friends that are now fighting with her to protect their white fragility. The rooster in the Bible represents repentance for those who are wondering :3 pic.twitter.com/2LgdbQYP5t  Jeorge  (@baddiejezzy) June 3, 2020

Since being shared, her photograph has been liked over 1.7 million times while many have flooded it with supportive comments. One user wrote, "I hope your mom finds better friends. They dont deserve her" while another wrote that "she is amazing". Many others shared similar incidents.

Your mother is a brave heart soldier for peace. #KnowThis pic.twitter.com/pAFNbqHEFH  DRockRockin (@Delwyndna) June 3, 2020

We did a pop up peaceful protest in our very white neighborhood of Katy, We stood on all four corners of a busy intersection, we had lots of honks & , it felt really good to see the support and love. pic.twitter.com/U2IzDWHsht  Blue Dot Special  (@jeanna_bluedot) June 3, 2020

Your mom is a queen and Id be blessed to call her a friend. I love the rooster. God used a rooster to bring Peter back to repentance. She gets it. She may have walked alone but the most important One, definitely saw her  Rox  (@Eteriy) June 3, 2020

She showed how much it mattered to her when she stood against those she considers friends. Thats what everyone should be willing to do if necessary.  Britt (@BritterDD) June 3, 2020

The Christian friends needed some quotation marks. You cant be christIan and be comfortable seeing whats going on. Mad respect for your mom doing this even though no one saw it. Beautiful person doing beautiful things and we love to see it.  Josh_AF (@Joshua_AF_) June 3, 2020

Read: George Floyd Protests: US Civil Rights Groups Sue Trump For Crackdown On Protesters

Read: George Floyd Protest: Young Girl Shouting 'no Justice, No Peace' Wins Internet

George Floyds death in police custody sparked a huge uproar and triggered widespread peaceful protests across the country with sporadic incidents of violence and looting. Trump has been threatening to deploy active-duty military troops to suppress the protesters which turned violent at times. In the recent development, civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have sued US President Donald Trump for the crackdown on protesters demonstrating against police brutality in front of the White House.

Read: Civil Rights Group Sues Trump Administration For Using Military On George Floyd Protestors

Read: George Floyd's Brother Addresses Crowd At NYC Memorial, Thanks People For Support
The week's most confusing minister

So, which ministers were most to blame for spreading complete confusion last week? Definitely in the frame were the transport minister, Jose Luis Abalos, and the tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, he having said that travel between regions could be on the cards in Phase 3, and she having announced that Spain's borders with France and Portugal were going to be opened on the first day of the new normal (which in case you've forgotten will be 22 June, except for anywhere in Spain where it isn't).

The transport minister was promptly reminded of who wears the de-escalation trousers in the Spanish government. It is the health minister. Salvador Illa insisted that there most certainly won't be travel between regions in Phase 3; only once the new normal starts (subject to the new normal applying). Meanwhile, the tourism minister almost managed to create a diplomatic incident. The Portuguese foreign affairs minister let it be known that Spain's intention to open the border was news to him and reminded Madrid that this wasn't a decision that it could take on its own. Oh, it had only been a "tentative" date, the Spanish government was swiftly forced to state.



Ending quarantine

Tentative or not, had the tourism minister forgotten that foreign tourism wouldn't be starting until the first of July? European Union immediate neighbours may not be as foreign as Finland, say, but they're still foreign. Moreover, there was still the business with the quarantine.

And so there was, except where it won't apply, as in the Balearics from the start of the new normal, because Pedro Sanchez had apparently told President Armengol that it wouldn't during last Sunday's regional presidents' video conflab. Or might the quarantine cease to apply a week before, with German test tourists being bound for the Balearics while the state of alarm is still in force, assuming that the Balearics hasn't unilaterally lifted the state of alarm (and it is just possible that the Balearics might be able to)?



The final extension

It's probably fair to say that we can hardly wait for the first of July. At least by then we won't have ministers tangling dates up and we won't any longer need to concern ourselves with fathoming out phases, who can travel where and when, the quarantine or indeed the state of alarm. And this, the state of alarm, will definitively end in two weeks time. Happy days indeed, the prime minister having secured his final extension amidst what has become the normal political set-to in Congress.



Contagion versus outbreak

The health authorities were meanwhile tying themselves up in knots with the official data for cases, and the regional spokesperson for the coronavirus management committee, Javier Arranz, explained the difference between contagion and an outbreak. There is a difference. Eleven people from the same family in Son Gotleu (Palma) who had tested positive constituted a contagion and not an outbreak. So, that came as a relief, as did a more reassuringly familiar contribution from the national ministry of health than ones we have had over the past three months. The ministry issued its annual high temperatures advice. Don't overdo the alcohol, take physical activity during the coolest parts of the day, and so on. The advice is the same every year, but it was nevertheless nice to have some normality.



Magalluf and its type of tourism

With Magalluf currently and most unusually not being a focus of attention, Balearic tourism minister Iago Negueruela sought to rectify this by issuing a reminder about the tourism of excesses decree. Having got wind of (apparent) British party promotions for this summer, he stressed that the government will be "especially vigilant" with regard to "this type of tourism". And whatever type of tourism there will be, it's unlikely to be until the middle of July. The president of the Palmanova-Magalluf Hoteliers Association, Mauricio Carbadella, believed that only towards the end of July and the start of August will there be real activity.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:49:19|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health authority said Sunday that it received reports of six new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland Saturday, one of which was domestically transmitted in Hainan Province.

The other five cases were imported from overseas, with two reported in Shaanxi Province, as well as one in Tianjin Municipality and provinces of Fujian and Guangdong respectively, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

No deaths related to the disease were reported, said the commission, adding that two new suspected cases from abroad were reported in Shanghai on Saturday.

On Saturday, three people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the last patient in severe condition was transferred to a general ward.

As of Saturday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 83,036, including 70 patients who were still being treated, and 78,332 people who had been discharged after recovery.

Altogether 4,634 people had died of the disease, the commission said.

By Saturday, the mainland had reported a total of 1,776 imported cases. Of the cases, 1,710 had been discharged from hospital after recovery, and 66 remained hospitalized, with no one in severe conditions. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported.

The commission said there were still three cases, all from overseas, suspected of being infected with the virus on Saturday.

According to the commission, 3,389 close contacts were still under medical observation after 633 people were discharged from medical observation Saturday.

Also on Saturday, five new asymptomatic cases, four from overseas, were reported on the mainland. One case was re-categorized as a confirmed one, and 25 asymptomatic cases were discharged from medical observation.

The commission said 236 asymptomatic cases, including 43 from overseas, were still under medical observation.

By Saturday, 1,105 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 45 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 443 in Taiwan including seven deaths.

A total of 1,048 patients in Hong Kong, 45 in Macao, and 429 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery. Enditem
I would hazard a guess that when Masha Gessen began working on Surviving Autocracy, the title was meant more figuratively than literally. In the November 2016 essay that gave rise to this book, Gessen offered a set of numbered rules for salvaging your sanity and self-respect during a time of political upheaval. Physical survival didnt look like it was going to be the hard part. As a country like Viktor Orbans Hungary shows, autocracy can thrive on corruption and soft oppression: Dont speak up; just eat the bread and watch the circuses, and chances are ...
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 that's it''.

'And: ''You can make a corpse disappear quickly! Pigs also eat human flesh!'"

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.
Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, will reportedly testify before the House Judiciary Committee this week.

The committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday will be the first on police brutality after the cop-related slaying of Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

The hearing will follow a package of police reforms House Democrats are expected to introduce Monday.

Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, will reportedly appear before Congress to testify before the House Judiciary Committee this week. The brother is pictured speaking at a memorial for Floyd on Thursday

The brother will appear at the first Congressional committee on police brutality Wednesday since the cop-related slaying of Floyd (pictured) in Minneapolis on Memorial Day

It was not known how the brother will appear before lawmakers on Capitol Hill, reports ABC News, which learned about his appearance at the hearing from congressional sources.

The House has set up new guidelines for how it will hold hearings in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The hearing will include people in attendance and some who will attend virtually, an aide tells ABC.

Social distancing is also expected on Capitol Hill.

'There are now protests taking place in every state as people take a stand against police brutality and racism,' House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said in a statement announcing the hearing.

'People are rightfully upset, they are frustrated, and they want to be heard. They want real change, not meaningless words. I want Americans to know that I hear them, and I see them,' says the Democratic congressman from New York.

Nadler adds that the committee hearing will 'examine the crisis of racial profiling, police brutality and lost trust between police departments and the communities they serve.'

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler noted there are now protests over George Floyd's killing in 'every state as people take a stand against police brutality and racism.' He is pictured calling for a ban on police choke holds in New York earlier this week

Nadler says, 'People are rightfully upset, they are frustrated, and they want to be heard.' Protesters calling for an end to police brutality are pictured near Capitol Hill Saturday

Democrats want to pass legislation by the time the House returns for a round of votes in about three weeks.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis 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.

The arrest followed days of nationwide protests and riots demanding his arrest, after he was caught on video kneeling on Floyd's neck while arresting him for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after white police officer Derek Chauvin (pictured), 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

Hollywood celebrities, musicians and politicians gathered in front of Floyd's golden casket on Thursday at a sanctuary at North Central University in the first of a series of memorials set for three cities over six days.

Among the tributes, Philonise Floyd on Thursday held a prayer vigil at the site where his sibling was killed.

'Everyone wants justice for George, we want justice for George,' he told the crowd. 'He's going to get it.'

In New York City, Floyd's other brother, Terrence, addressed a crowd gathered at a memorial rally in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn.

In New York City, Floyd's other brother, Terrence, addressed a crowd gathered at a memorial rally in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. The brother is pictured speaking at the event

'At the end of the day, my brother's gone, but the Floyd name lives on,' Terrence said.

'I'm just thankful when I hear about the memorials going on. I hear they're going on all over the world.'

Thousands of protesters that same day took to the streets in Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle and many other cities holding signs with Floyd's image and powerful messages including 'Enough', 'I Can't Breathe' and 'Black Lives Matter'.

Many of the demonstrations continued after nightfall, resulting in a few scattered arrests in cities where curfews remain in place to prevent violence and looting seen on previous nights.
Colin Powell, who was secretary of state under President George W. Bush, has become the latest Republican to speak up against President Donald Trump. I certainly cannot in any way support President Trump this year, Powell, a retired four-star general, said on CNN. Powell added that he is very close to Joe Biden and will be voting for him this year.

Powells opposition to Trump isnt exactly new, as he didnt vote for him in 2016. The first thing that troubled me is the whole birthers movement, Powell said. Birthers movement had to do with the fact that the president of the United States, President Obama, was a black man. That was part of it. Powell then said he was deeply troubled with the way Trump was going around insulting everybody. That is dangerous for our democracy and dangerous for our country, he added. I think what were seeing now, the most massive protest movement I have ever seen in my life, I think this suggests that the country is getting wise to this, and were not going to put up with it anymore.

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Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says he will be voting for former Vice President Joe Biden. I certainly cannot, in any way, support President Trump this year. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/jmiUfDPhl1  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 7, 2020

Even though his opposition to Trump isnt new, Powell spoke up at a time when other military leaders, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, have criticized the president. Powell said he is proud that other military leaders are speaking up against Trump partly because it illustrates how the president has drifted away from the Constitution.

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We have a Constitution and we have to follow that Constitution and the President has drifted away from it, Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell says he agrees with fellow former generals who have condemned President Trumps actions against protesters. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/Uni950ct8i  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 7, 2020

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Beyond military leaders, Powell is also the latest in a growing list of prominent Republicans who are either privately or publicly questioning whether they will support the GOP candidate this year. Some arent so surprising. Former President George W. Bush, for example, wont support Trumps reelection, according to the New York Times. But it seems like some surprising names could come forward as the campaign progresses. Ive had five conversations with senators who tell me they are really struggling with supporting Trump, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said. The trend is so strong that Biden will be launching a Republicans for Biden coalition as part of his presidential campaign.

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It didnt take long for Trump to hit back at Powell by insulting him and criticizing his record. Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden, Trump tweeted.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

India-China remain engaged through military-diplomatic channels

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 07: India and China continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the situation along the Line of Actual Control.

The statement from the Army comes in the wake of the high-level military dialogue that the two nations are engaged in amidst the standoff.

Talks between India-China could lead to restoration of status quo says sources

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.

Delhi reserves hospital for residents, to open borders from tomorrow | 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.

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.

India-China remain engaged through military-diplomatic channels

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.
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More than 2,000 cattle died at a government cow shelter in Rajasthans Bikaner in the last five months, states a letter by Mayor Sushila Kanwar which HT has accessed. Kanwar has alleged that the municipal commissioner was not paying attention to the crisis in the shelter at Sarah Nathaniya, situated at the outskirts of the city.

Stray cattle are kept in the shelter for which Bikaner Municipal Corporation (BMC) pays Rs 50 a day per cattle to Sohanlalji Buladeviji Ojha Goshala Samiti governed by a Chennai-based businessman.

The society signed an MoU with the civic body through which the BMC agreed to pay Rs 5 crore as interest-free loan to develop 148 acres into a cow shelter and to create the infrastructure and maintain the shelter. The BMC had paid Rs 2.5 crore till date.

Also read: Couple beaten to death in Rajasthans Dholpur over affair

This loan was repaid by the society as a donation in 48 equal instalments of Rs 10.5 lakh per month from the monthly grant given to the society for taking care of the animals.

According to the information from the civic body, more than 500 cattle died in March, another 500 in April. Documents showed that 262 bovines died in January, 396 in February, 594 in March, 543 in April and 387 in May. The mayor wrote to the BMC commissioner on April 29 citing poor maintenance of the shelter leading to large-scale deaths. HT has an access to this letter.

President of Sohanlalji Buladeviji Ojha Goshala Samiti, Anil Kumar Ojha, said the municipal corporation did not provide doctors and staff to the shelter.

Vets and medical staff are needed for the treatment of stray cattle brought into the shelter because most of them are already sick. They require immediate medical attention, he said.

Bikaner district collector Kumar Pal Gautam said only the civic body could answer queries related to the cow shelter. BMC commissioner Kushal Yaday did not respond to calls made for his response.

People in Rajasthan abandon their cattle when the animals become unproductive. Such cattle stray on the streets and are often slaughtered.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels and Rome in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has drawn large protests against racism and police brutality around the world.

In Brussels, protesters clambered on to the statue of Belgiums former King Leopold II and chanted reparations, according to video posted on social media.

The word shame was also graffitied on the monument, a reference perhaps to claims Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.

A crowd has climbed onto the statue of colonial King Leopold II in #Brussels chanting murderer and waving the flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo where his atrocities took place. #DRC  #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/DIH9MGu39M  Jack Parrock (@jackeparrock) June 7, 2020

A rally in Romes sprawling Peoples Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus.

Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying Black Lives Matter and Its a White Problem.

The rally came a day after largely peaceful anti-racism protests took place in cities in countries from Australia to Europe to the US in response to the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

Mr Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air while lying handcuffed on the ground.

In Berlin, police said 93 people were detained in connection with a demonstration in the German capital on Saturday  most of them after the main rally of 15,000 had ended.

Police said several officers and one press photographer were injured in Berlin when bottles and rocks were thrown from a crowd that had gathered despite police orders to clear the citys Alexander Square.

In Frances southern port city of Marseille, police fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks after what had been an emotional yet peaceful demonstration.

The Marseille protest was one of several on Saturday that attracted 23,000 people across France, where Mr Floyds death has shone a spotlight on similar French police abuses and given voice to complaints from minorities that they are frequent targets of harassment and worse from French police.

In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the US consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Its a global issue, said Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong.

We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the US and in the other parts of the world, black lives do indeed matter.

Organisers called off the Hong Kong rally late on Saturday because of the citys coronavirus restrictions.

Those that still showed up gathered in groups of eight to follow size limits on public gatherings.

Among those at Sundays rally in Rome was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying for a masters in business management at one of the Italian capitals public universities.

Its quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of colour are being treated as if they are lepers, Mr Nassir said.

He said he has occasionally felt racist attitudes, most notably when on the subway.

Maybe youre finding a place to stand, and people just keep moving (away) and youll be like, What?

Mr Nassir said: Were strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit.

Romes first major rally against racism had many organisers, including a 25-year-old Roman student, Denise Berhane, a group called Black Italians, a womens group, the environmental group Fridays for Future Rome, a US expatriates organisation and the Sardines, a grassroots Italian protest group that encourages civic involvement.

Asked by broadcaster SKYTG24 whether Italy has a racism problem, Ms Berhane replied: There are some problems in the country if all these people turned out.

The gathering was useful, she said, to help people develop awareness of the problem.

At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.
Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan was Benue States third COVID-19 case. She is a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, the Benue State Executive Council, an advocate of women rights and Convener of the Benue Women Forum.



In this interview, she shared her experiences as a coronavirus victim, how she discovered her status, treatment and survival, stigmatization and life after successful treatment.



Excerpts:



FEW days ago you were released from the Benue State COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre at the FMC Apir, Makurdi after a successful treatment. Can you share that experience with us? It all started when my younger sister who is married to a pathologist at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC came home and visited me.



While we got talking she said she had tested for the virus and was negative. And because I can be so daring at times and because I dont joke with health issues, I just told her casually that they should come and take my specimen that I also wanted to test.



So she told her husband and the following day the man didnt come due to other engagements I insisted that he should come and take my sample for test. He came and took the sample.



After that I put the entire thing behind me. I didnt even remember that I had taken the test; the day he announced the result to me I was not at home. They came to my house and called me on the phone and asked that I return to the house.



I then got agitated, he insisted that I should come home. At that point I asked if my result was out and if I was positive from the way he was sounding. He insisted that I should get back home that he was waiting for me. I got to my house and discovered that three of them were waiting for me at the door. When I saw three of them I just concluded that I was positive.



We moved into the house and he told me that my result came in and it indicated that I was positive. And before then I had been telling my sister that if my result comes and Im positive my children should be told before they hear in the media.



But she dismissed it that I would not be positive. So when they got the result they contacted my children without my knowing. I kept bothering about the delay in releasing the result.



But they saw it and knew but did know how to tell me. So when they told me that the result was positive, I called my girl and asked her to pack my things in a bag.



The doctor who came with them said, just like that and I said what else, it should be isolation and I hope I have not spread it to all of them in the house. I have to go on isolation. So I asked them what of my household. They promised that they would trace all of them and all my contacts, people who have been around me for two weeks. They brought a paper and I started calling the names of all the people I hand interacted with in recent times. I wrote all their names, over 37 people.



In fact, the night before I had a meeting in government house, the governor was there and we were all there. So when the governor called me I said he should please tell his close aide that I could not remember all the people we all met with that night, that he should help in listing them and it was done. I didnt know where the courage came from because I was very calm. Somehow it dawned on me that something serious was going to happen. But the only thing that gave me some kind of strength was that I believed that God would not allow me die of the virus.



Then I kept saying I am not sick because from the time they took my sample till the day the result was announced to me I have not been feeling anything. So I packed my bag and I was taken to the isolation centre. They took me in, after then everybody left me at the door of the isolation centre and I was on my own. Nobody, not even the nurses were in the room with me. During that period, one day was like three to five days to me. Somebody who had been with crowd around her, suddenly you are alone, on your own in one big hall like that, partitioned into open rooms.



Not even a noise was I hearing, just me. If food is brought for me, it is passed to the nurses at the door who kit up heavily. I could not identify any nurse that attended to me because they were all fully kitted. They gave me the food and walked away. It is not a very good experience but I thank God for the spirit He gave me to be able to stand it.



You see, this thing is like if youre sick and fear overwhelms you, that fear alone can kill the person. I do not wish anybody to go to that place. It is not a pleasant experience.



How many days did you spend in isolation?



I spent 12 days there. On the eighth day, they took my sample again so it took another three days before the result came. I was discharged after the tests that came negative.



It was not a pleasant experience. The entire place was quiet because there were no other patients. There were two males down the end of the hall but we never saw each other.



I never heard anybody talking from that end. Three days to my discharge a little girl of 11 years was brought in, she was in another room though we could see each other.



In fact, the day I was leaving I felt so much for her because at my age I was scared.



The place was isolated as the name implied. It is the last block at the back of the Federal Medical Centre, Apir Makurdi. I think the government has to do more to make the place comfortable because to be alone in a place without a person with is not easy. There has to be something that would take the stress off you and make you relax like television sets.



Again if you are very ill, unlike in my case I was not down and as a Nurse by profession I knew what to do to take care of myself but if youre not knowledgeable like me there was no way you could do what I was doing. You will get worried and the nurses dont come in frequently.



Like my children got a television set for me which kept me busy. Though I went in with my radio but it was not picking signals in the place. One good thing there is that electricity supply was constant.



Were you placed on drugs and what type of drugs were you treated with?



Yes, I was on drugs. I was on the normal drugs they talk about in the media. Chloroquine, vitamins, immune boosters and things like that. Those were the drugs I was taking, no other thing.



I was lucky because I had no underlying ailment so there was no need for any other treatment. And throughout my stay there I didnt even have a headache. The only thing that can kill there is loneliness and fear. If I told you that I was not scared I would be lying but I had to be brave.



This COVID thing is curable, HIV is not curable, diabetes is not curable, cancer is not curable but COVID-19 is curable. The earlier you know the better for you. Im sure if I was down before they took me in there I wouldnt have been out by this time.



I think mine was very mild, so they told me. I didnt manifest any symptoms at any given time apart from the time they took my sample and I came out positive, by the time I was there in these number of days it went down and the reason is that I tested early.



If I had not tested and took it for granted that nothing happened or went on self-medication, slowly I would have gone down. If they had taken me there in a bad shape it would have been 50-50 chances of survival. So the best thing is that when you know you have it cooperate.



Just cooperate with them. I cooperated as much as possible and did whatever the medics asked me to do. Do you know that people called me and advised that I should ask them to transfer me to Abuja but I said the place I was in was meant for human beings. It was built for people so why would I want to be different.



Moreover, here is where I am known if you take me to Abuja people do not really know me. At least here people who know me would have sympathy and give me some form of preferential treatment. So I better stay where Im known since I did not have complications.



So my honest advise is that people should go and test. People are carrying it all over the place, people have it. Do you know that when I returned home, I heard stories that my neighbours stopped fetching water from my compound. My children would not buy anything from across the road. neighbours pulled their children away from entering my compound.



That is stigma and stigma alone can kill. I dont see any reason why there should be that stigma. So people need education on this COVID-19 because it may linger for some time until a vaccine is found maybe in another one year. If you dont test how do you know your status. I was not sick, it was when I tested that I got to know that I had it.



One would say you were lucky to have done your test through your in-law but that cannot be said for everyone because there are no test centres here in Benue and on that basis dont you think it would be impossible to undertake the mass testing people are agitating for?



The test is being done at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH. If you request they will do it for you, send the sample to Abuja and after that the result will be sent back. I understand that the results come online. If you request they do. Though I lately understood that the testing kit is not quite sufficient so they also do selective kind of.



I thank God that I am out of it.



We heard people protest here and there because of the lockdown imposed by government and I asked myself who is government? Government is you and I. If they say lockdown it is because of you and I. For me it is also because of my family and my immediate environment. Have members of your household been tested?



Yes they came and tested everyone one of them and the results came negative. And after that they came and fumigated and disinfected my entire house. So we are clean and should be cautious with the way we mix with people for our own safety.



In fact, we are the ones that should be running away from people right now so that I dont get infected by anybody, I have to be more careful.



The people who mingled with me did they even guess that they would have it?



As I speak with you I cannot even tell how I got it. I have been casting my mind back to know who I may have possibly got it from. I have not been travelling. I have always been here in my house but people always came visiting so I cannot even tell you I know how I got it.



Im sure you were aware that Governor Samuel Ortom announced your name to the public after the test that confirmed your status, were you comfortable with that?



Yes of course, I was getting ready to go into isolation for treatment when he called me saying mummy I heard what happened, dont be afraid anything will happen to you and Im going to announce your name. I replied and said he could go ahead. One reason why I gave the nod was because I may not remember all the people who came in contact with me.



But by announcing, those that had contacted with me will know and it will help save lives. The person might not know if I hid my identity but if my name is announced everyone who had any contact with me will be compelled to come out for testing and isolation. So for me, there is no big deal about it, it was done to save the lives of our friends and loved ones who I had contact with earlier.



Isolation centre, In fact, its because he announced my name that I was receiving calls from across the globe and people went into prayer everywhere to get me out of the challenge.



The day I got to the isolation centre I was not picking calls but much later I said no I must talk to the people who were calling to show care because if I did not they could conclude that I was in a critical condition. So I started picking my calls and returned all missed calls. People heard my voice and were praying endlessly for me.



It all helped me to overcome. So would you advocate that names of victims of the virus be made public?



You see some people take things very special, I dont know how to put it. If by not announcing my name it will endanger lives, I would rather have my name announced and save lives.



But if it were anything else I would say no, please. If its something between me and me I would say do not publicize. But this thing has to do with other peoples lives if you keep hiding how would people know and come out for testing.



Some of the contacts I gave their names were not called but by hearing that I was infected they came up for isolation and testing. Now they are rest assured if they didnt test they would have been worried. So to me, it means nothing.



At first I was worried because I told you that I was worried for my children if they heard but they where told and most of them did not believe it.



But when they realized that it was true they were all praying and encouraging me.

Source: vanguardngr.com









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San Francisco, June 7 : An officer was shot dead and two others were injured in an ambush in Northern California's Santa Cruz County, according to officials.

Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed after a suspect attacked him and other officers in Ben Lomond of Santa Cruz County on Saturday, Sheriff Jim Hart said at a press conference, adding that a second deputy and a California Highway Patrol officer were injured, reports Xinhua news agency.

Gutzwiller responded to a 911 call concerning a suspicious van with firearms and bomb-making materials parked off the road near Jamison Creek, he said.

Deputies followed the vehicle until it stopped at a home on Waldeberg Avenue in Ben Lomond, he added.

"As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives," Hart noted.

The suspect, identified by Hart as Steven Carrillo, was wounded during the arrest and transported to a hospital.

He would be charged with first-degree murder.

The residents were forced to evacuate their homes during the incident.

Officials with the district attorney's office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Released one month ago, Espanola School Districts annual financial audit indicated that poor management by the state Public Education Department led to a series of fiduciary mistakes that cost the struggling district more than $3 million.

But now, State Auditor Brian Colon said he is disappointed in how district officials have handled the financial crisis, even after Espanola regained control of its finances last July. Before then, PED had controlled the districts finances for two years.

One of the key findings in the audit was an anticipated $1.2 million in IRS fines, caused by a failure to notify employees about health insurance options. The audit states that business managers assigned to the district by PED were at fault for the error.

Colon said, however, that the districts response after the errors were discovered in September has left a lot to be desired.

Their lack of urgency  was shocking, Colon said of the district.

In an attempt to have the fines forgiven or significantly reduced, district officials sent the IRS multiple letters, explaining that they did not have control of their finances when the mistakes were made.

To date, the IRS has not sent an official response to the district. Those letters, Colon said, are part of the problem.

They were sorely lacking in terms of specificity and in terms of any kind of real appeal to the IRS, he said, adding they lacked basic information about the IRS forms. I instructed them to rectify it immediately.

He went on to say he felt the district was ignoring letters from the IRS, due to their lack of action.

In multiple Espanola School Board meetings since the district discovered the errors, board members have said PED should be held responsible, including by paying at least part of the millions of dollars lost.

In multiple statements sent to the media, PED has not admitted responsibility for the errors, but has said it is working with the district on the resolution. Whether or not a resolution has been reached remains unknown.

Colon said in meetings with former Espanola superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez and Education Secretary Ryan Stewart, it became clear both sides were abdicating responsibility for the errors.

Theres no more finger pointing that can go on, he said.

Colon said his offices next step will be to write a referral to the Legislative Finance Committee to launch a full investigation into the reasons behind the financial situation at the district. He expects to make the referral in the next couple of weeks.

He also said he was disappointed in the large number of repeat findings in the districts fiscal year 2019 audit. Colon had previously highlighted repeat findings as a concern in the districts 2018 audit in a letter he wrote May 2019.

The auditors office will soon begin an analysis of agencies with long histories of repeat findings, Colon said. The goal is to find out why some agencies struggle to correct issues from previous years.

Espanola School District, he said, will be one of those agencies included in the analysis.

Neither Superintendent Fred Trujillo nor multiple Espanola School Board members returned requests for comment.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:08:15|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A sheriff's officer was fatally shot and two others wounded in an ambush on Saturday afternoon, according to U.S. Northern California's Santa Cruz County officials.

Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot to death after a suspect attacked him and other officers in Ben Lomond of Santa Cruz County on Saturday, County Sheriff Jim Hart said at a press conference, adding that a second deputy and a California Highway Patrol officer were injured.

Gutzwiller responded to a 911 call concerning a suspicious van with firearms and bomb-making materials parked off the road near Jamison Creek, he said.

Deputies followed the vehicle until it stopped at a home on Waldeberg Avenue in Ben Lomond, he added.

"As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives," Hart noted.

The suspect, identified by Hart as Steven Carrillo, was wounded during the arrest and transported to a hospital. He would be charged with first-degree murder.

The residents were forced to evacuate their homes during the incident. Officials with the district attorney's office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Enditem
Christian Brueckner, who German police believe killed Madeleine McCann, was not involved in her disappearance, it was claimed by a senior Portuguese police official.

The statement was made to a respected Spanish newspaper by an unnamed Portuguese police chief.

The officer, described as a former Policia Judiciaria chief with in-depth knowledge of the Madeleine McCann probe who still works for the force, told ABC: 'There's no evidence Christian Brueckner is involved in her disappearance.

Christian Brueckner (pictured), who German police believe killed Madeleine McCann, was not involved in her disappearance, it was claimed by a senior Portuguese police official

'Strong enough reasons to be able to charge him were never found.

'People talk about surprises in the Madeleine McCann case with the capture of this German man, but for me it's no surprise.

'This individual was already investigated around four years ago.'

Insisting the aim of German police revelations about the man, now identified as the prime Madeleine McCann suspect, was simply to put the case back into the public eye, ABC quoted the veteran PJ boss as saying: 'At this stage of the investigation, I think they've done it because they think it's needed to shake up the case and attract new witnesses.

'They work very closely with Portugal and now they've wanted to turn this case around.

'They're not looking to solve it now, because that's very difficult. What they're looking to do is agitate the waters.'

It is the first time any high-ranking Portuguese police officer has been publicly quoted as saying he does not believe Brueckner is regarded as a genuine Madeleine McCann suspect, even though he appeared to hide behind the cloak of anonymity for the interview.

The unnamed Portuguese police chief, who still works for the force, said there is 'no evidence' Christian Brueckner was involved in the Madeleine McCann (pictured) case and was investigated four years ago

The PJ has released only one written statement since the new Met Police Madeleine McCann appeal on Wednesday and subsequent German police comments about the new suspect.

It said hours after photos of the camper van and Jaguar car Brueckner used on the Algarve were published: 'The PJ confirms that as part of the investigation into the disappearance of a British child in the Algarve in 2007, measures are still being taken to clarify completely the situation.

'Through close coordination with the German authorities (BKA) and the Metropolitan Police, through the sharing of information and the undertaking of formal investigative and expert work, in Portugal and abroad, material was collected that indicates the possible involvement of a German national in the disappearance of the child.

'The suspect in question, who is 43 and has a criminal record, lived in Portugal between 1996 and 2007 and is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany.

'The family of the missing child has been informed of these developments by the British authorities.

'The investigation continues.'

On Friday the PJ deputy director gave an interview to Portuguese news agency Lusa, but used it to hit back at criticism over the way Brueckner slipped through their net.

Christian Brueckner is currently in prison (pictured) in Kiel, northern Germany, for a drugs offence

Carlos Farinha insisted the German's name was one of those passed on to British police in case files in 2012 - and said Scotland Yard had never asked the PJ to take a closer look at him.

Responding to reports Breuckner only became a serious suspect a decade after Madeleine's May 3 2007 disappearance following a bar admission to a drinking pal, Mr 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.

He added in his interview with Lusa: '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 also described this week's fresh appeal as an initiative of the German police, who were 'convinced it could lead to additional information coming in from the Germany community.'

But appearing to hint that the evidence the three police forces have at the moment may not be enough to bring charges and a successful prosecution, he was quoted as saying: 'Suspicions about the German national have grown but unfortunately they are not enough to make him an arguido and formally accuse him.'

The interview ABC carried with the unnamed PJ officer was written by the paper's Lisbon correspondent.
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

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.

The Lagos state government says it has accredited three private hospitals for the management of COVID-19 cases in the state. This was disclosed by Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner of health, at a media briefing on Saturday. According to Abayomi, the accredited private hospitals passed the biosecurity compliance test and that the management of COVID-19 cases will remain under the supervision of the state ministry of health.

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The All Progressive Congress (APC) has announced that six gubernatorial candidates would be screened ahead of the partys primary election slated for June 22nd.According to a statement signed and released by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the candidates credential would be displayer for claims and objections.

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.

The Lagos Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 400- level undergraduate of the Lagos State University who was seen kissing a three-year-old girl in a viral video. The news of his arrest was made public via the official Twitter handle of the Lagos state police command.
President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that hed ordered the National Guard to start withdrawing from the nations capital, where thousands of demonstrators have continued to protest racial injustice following the May 25 death of George Floyd.

Last week Trump blasted governors as weak amid escalating unrest following peaceful protests in dozens of cities across the country. He urged governors to call in the National Guard to help dominate the streets and said that he would authorize using all resources, including the U.S. military, to quell violence.

More than 10,000 protested in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, with city police telling a Fox 5 that they had made only one arrest.

Both Saturday night and Sunday morning, the president downplayed the turnout. He said the National Guard could begin the process of withdrawing now that everything is under perfect control.

They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated! he tweeted.

I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020

The president has maintained that radical leftists" and anarchists have incited violence over the last week and a half. But several former military and government leaders, including some previous members of Trumps administration, denounced his leadership and the call to use U.S. troops against American protesters.

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No 3 | France: 300 nuclear warheads. (Image: 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.
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 15:08 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcaf02e 1 National George-Floyd,democracy-in-Indonesia,democracy,Papuan-Lives-Matter,black-lives-matter,US,united-states,NU,Nahdlatul-ulama,Donald-Trump Free

Following widespread protests and rioting in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesias largest Islamic mass organization, has condemned the administration of United States President Donald Trump for its failure to display democratic values.

The election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States has revealed the rot of democracy in America, which has always acted as the police of world democracy, NU chairman Said Aqil Siradj said in a video statement posted on the organizations YouTube channel on Friday.

Justice, equal rights, equity and non-discrimination for all members of society are democratic values that America has failed to demonstrate, he said. Americas double standard on human rights issues, free trade and terrorism have shown the pockmarked face of a democracy that is not worth emulating.

While he said that NU saw democracy as the best political system that was in line with the shura (mutual discussion on equal footing) teachings of Islam, he said that the organization rejected the uniformity of American-style liberal democracy.

The death of George Floyd, an African-American resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, while being arrested by police has sparked weeks of ongoing anti-racism protests and riots demanding justice for Floyd and a systemic change in the American police and justice systems.

The issue also garnered international attention and support, putting a spotlight on global racism and equality issues. Indonesian rights advocates and young people, for example, have brought attention to the long-lasting racism issues that affected Papuan citizens, using the hashtag #PapuanLivesMatter similar to the #BlackLivesMatter slogan used during the protests in many western countries.
Residents in Sydney's fast-growing south-west fear they will be left without a crucial rapid bus link to the $5.3 billion international airport at Badgerys Creek, promised as part of a much-trumpeted government deal.

While a $11 billion rail link from St Marys to the airport is due to open in 2026, councils are concerned it will be many years before the promise of extending the line south from the airport to Macarthur will be met despite the area's booming population.

Councils hope the rapid bus links will be similar to the $514 million B-Line bus project to Sydney's northern beaches.

As part of the western Sydney city deal signed two years ago, the state government committed to opening rapid bus links from Campbelltown, Liverpool and Penrith to the airport before the first planes take off in 2026, and to the nearby Aerotropolis precinct.

But Campbelltown mayor George Brticevic said he was concerned about a lack of progress on the rapid bus network "this close to the opening" of the airport.
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The findings, published in Cell suggest the possibility that animals can indeed survive without sleep under certain circumstances. The results open new avenues of study to understand the full consequences of insufficient sleep and may someday inform the design of approaches to counteract its detrimental effects in humans, the authors said."We took an unbiased approach and searched throughout the body for indicators of damage from sleep deprivation. We were surprised to find it was the gut that plays a key role in causing death," said senior study author Dragana Rogulja, assistant professor of neurobiology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS."Even more surprising, we found that premature death could be prevented. Each morning, we would all gather around to look at the flies, with disbelief to be honest. What we saw is that every time we could neutralize ROS in the gut, we could rescue the flies," Rogulja said.Scientists have long studied sleep, a phenomenon that appears to be fundamental for life, yet one that in many ways remains mysterious. Almost every known animal sleeps or exhibits some form of sleeplike behavior. Without enough of it, serious consequences ensue. In humans, chronic insufficient sleep is associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression and many other conditions.Previous research has shown that prolonged, total sleep restriction can lead to premature death in animal models. In attempts to answer just how sleep deprivation culminates in death, most research efforts have focused on the brain, where sleep originates, but none have yielded conclusive results.Spearheaded by study co-first authors Alexandra Vaccaro and Yosef Kaplan Dor, both research fellows in neurobiology at HMS, the team carried out a series of experiments in fruit flies, which share many sleep-regulating genes with humans, to search for signs of damage caused by sleep deprivation throughout the body. To monitor sleep, the researchers used infrared beams to constantly track the movement of flies housed in individual tubes.They found that flies can sleep through physical shaking, so the team turned to more sophisticated methods. They genetically manipulated fruit flies to express a heat-sensitive protein in specific neurons, the activity of which are known to suppress sleep. When flies were housed at 29 degrees C (84 degrees F), the protein induced neurons to remain constantly active, thus preventing the flies from sleeping.After 10 days of temperature-induced sleep deprivation, mortality spiked among the fruit flies and all died by around day 20. Control flies that had normal sleep lived up to approximately 40 days in the same environmental conditions.Because mortality increased around day 10, the researchers looked for markers of cell damage on that and preceding days. Most tissues, including in the brain, were indistinguishable between sleep-deprived and non-deprived flies, with one notable exception.The guts of sleep-deprived flies had a dramatic buildup of ROShighly reactive, oxygen-containing molecules that in large amounts can damage DNA and other components within cells, leading to cell death. The accumulation of ROS peaked around day 10 of sleep deprivation, and when deprivation was stopped, ROS levels decreased.Additional experiments confirmed that ROS builds up in the gut of only those animals that experienced sustained sleep loss, and that the gut is indeed the main source of this apparently lethal ROS."We found that sleep-deprived flies were dying at the same pace, every time, and when we looked at markers of cell damage and death, the one tissue that really stood out was the gut," Vaccaro said. "I remember when we did the first experiment, you could immediately tell under the microscope that there was a striking difference. That almost never happens in lab research."The team also examined whether ROS accumulation occurs in other species by using gentle, continuous mechanical stimulation to keep mice awake for up to five days. Compared to control animals, sleep-deprived mice had elevated ROS levels in the small and large intestines but not in other organs, a finding consistent with the observations in flies.To find out if ROS in the gut play a causal role in sleep deprivation-induced death, the researchers set out to determine whether preventing ROS accumulation could prolong survival.They tested dozens of compounds with antioxidant properties known to neutralize ROS and identified 11 that, when given as a food supplement, allowed sleep-deprived flies to have a normal or near-normal lifespan. These compounds, such as melatonin, lipoic acid and NAD, were particularly effective at clearing ROS from the gut. Notably, supplementation did not extend the lifespan of non-deprived flies.The role of ROS removal in preventing death was further confirmed by experiments in which flies were genetically manipulated to overproduce antioxidant enzymes in their guts. These flies had normal to near-normal lifespans when sleep-deprived, which was not the case for control flies that overproduced antioxidant enzymes in the nervous system.The results demonstrate that ROS buildup in the gut plays a central role in causing premature death from sleep deprivation, the researchers said, but cautioned that many questions remain unanswered."We still don't know why sleep loss causes ROS accumulation in the gut, and why this is lethal," said Kaplan Dor. "Sleep deprivation could directly affect the gut, but the trigger may also originate in the brain. Similarly, death could be due to damage in the gut or because high levels of ROS have systemic effects, or some combination of these."Insufficient sleep is known to interfere with the body's hunger signaling pathways, so the team also measured fruit fly food intake to analyze whether there were potential associations between feeding and death. They found that some sleep-deprived flies ate more throughout the day compared with non-deprived controls. However, restricting access to food had no effect on survival, suggesting that factors beyond food intake are involved.The researchers are now working to identify the biological pathways that lead to ROS accumulation in the gut and subsequent physiological disruptions.The team hopes that their work will inform the development of approaches or therapies to offset some of the negative consequences of sleep deprivation. One in three American adults gets less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and insufficient sleep is a normal part of life for many around the world."So many of us are chronically sleep deprived. Even if we know staying up late every night is bad, we still do it," Rogulja said. "We believe we've identified a central issue that, when eliminated, allows for survival without sleep, at least in fruit flies.""We need to understand the biology of how sleep deprivation damages the body, so that we can find ways to prevent this harm," she said.Additional authors on the study include Keishi Nambara, Elizabeth Pollina, Cindy Lin and Michael Greenberg.The study was supported by the New York Stem Cell Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts and the National Institutes of Health (R73 NSO72030). Additional support includes an EMBO long-term fellowship, a Fondation Bettencourt Schueller fellowship, an Edward R. and Anne G. Lefler Center postdoctoral fellowship, an Alice and Joseph E. Brooks Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Life Sciences Research Foundation fellowship.Source: Newswise
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.
Support available for people with housing issues during Covid-19 crisis

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 7th, 2020

Wrexhams Member of the Senedd is calling on people in the area to seek help if theyre experiencing housing issues.

Developed with Shelter Cymru, the Welsh Government has a new digital campaign on housing advice during Covid-19. It will direct people to the Welsh Government website where they will be able to access advice related to different housing issues.

The campaign aims to inform and reassure people that help and support is available and make it easier for them to access that help and support, particularly as many wont have been in this situation before.

Shelter Cymru has reported that demand for their live online support and telephone helpline has more than doubled in recent weeks. Common concerns include struggling to pay rent or mortgage, being worried about eviction and anxious about getting repairs done in a rented home.

Lesley Griffiths MS has been contacted by constituents who have experienced housing issues as a result of coronavirus and said: People are finding themselves in a situation where they are struggling to pay bills or they fear eviction for the first time ever.

This partnership between the Welsh Government and Shelter Cymru will help inform and reassure people that help and support is available. Residents should know their rights and what theyre entitled to and if anyone is struggling, I would urge them to seek help immediately. As always, constituents are always welcome to contact me for further information or support.

The Welsh Government website will set out what people can do about these issues and signpost them to further help from organisations such as Citizens Advice, Crisis and Shelter Cymru. The website will also refer people to the UK Governments Department for Work and Pensions where appropriate for further information on benefits.
Minneapolis was among several cities that had policies on the books requiring police officers to intervene to stop colleagues from using unreasonable force, but that didnt save George Floyd and law enforcement experts say such rules will always run up against entrenched police culture and the fear of being ostracized and branded a rat.

Power dynamics may have been magnified in the Floyd case because two of the four officers involved were rookies and the most senior officer on the scene was a training officer, Derek Chauvin, a 19-year police veteran who was seen putting his knee on the back of the Black mans neck despite his cries that he couldnt breathe.

Even though lawyers for the rookie officers say both men voiced their concerns about Chauvins actions in the moment, they ultimately failed to stop him. Chauvin is now charged with second-degree murder, and his three fellow officers are charged with aiding and abetting.

This is a lesson for every cop in America: If you see something that is wrong, you need to step in, said Joseph Giacalone, a former New York police sergeant who now teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. There are a lot of grey areas in policing, but this was crystal clear  Youre better off being ostracized by the group than going to prison for murder.

Added Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Fla., police chief who testifies in use-of-force cases: Theyre suffering the effects of an organizational culture that doesnt allow that or reward that behaviour. The fraternity of law enforcement is a tight fraternity and fraternities have a group think.

Attorneys for the two rookies, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, emphasized their place in police hierarchy in the now-fired officers initial court appearance this past week. They noted both were on just their fourth day as full-fledged cops at the time of Floyds May 25 arrest, while Chauvin was an authority figure as a designated training officer for new cops.

Theyre required to call him Sir, Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, told the judge. He has 20 years experience. What is my client supposed to do but to follow what the training officer said? Is that aiding and abetting a crime?

Gray noted that Lane questioned Chauvins actions during the arrest, and Kuengs lawyer Thomas Plunkett said his client told fellow cops, You shouldnt be doing this.

But according to the criminal complaints that detailed Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill, the officers didnt back up their words with actions.

Lane held Floyds legs and Kueng held his back while Chauvin placed his knee on Floyds head and neck. Thats when Floyd repeatedly said I cant breathe, Mama and please. At one point, Floyd said, Im about to die. Nevertheless, Chauvin, Lane and Kueng didnt move. And a fourth officer, Tou Thao, continued standing nearby keeping onlookers back.

Moments later, Lane asked should we roll him on his side? Chauvin replied: No, staying put where we got him. Lane said he was worried Floyd would experience excited delirium, a condition in which a person can become agitated and aggressive or suddenly die, according to the documents.

Thats why we have him on his stomach, Chauvin replied.

Despite his concerns, Lane didnt do anything to help Floyd or to reduce the force being used on him, the complaint said. Neither he, nor Keung and Chauvin moved from their positions until an ambulance came and took Floyd to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Minneapolis police added a duty to intervene policy in 2016, saying officers are required to either stop or attempt to stop another sworn employee when force is being inappropriately applied or is no longer required. City officials moved Friday to strengthen that duty by seeking to make it enforceable in court, and to require officers to immediately report to their superiors when they see use of any neck restraint or chokehold.

Similar duty to intervene policies and initiatives had been in place for years in New York City, Miami and New Orleans. And since the Floyd case, Dallas and Charlotte, N.C., are among the places that have enacted such policies.

But, Scott said, Theres policy and then theres practice. More likely than not, practice and custom will prevail over policy.

Departments often dont reward officers for interfering with their colleagues or reporting that they broke policy, Scott said. And officers who do intervene risk being ostracized by their fellow officers and branded as an informer in the ranks.

In law enforcement, if youre considered an individual who cant be trusted, youre not going to have the timely backup from other officers, Scott said. Thats a legitimate fear factor.

Geoff Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said that when Lane questioned Chauvin in the moment, he was undoubtedly scared to death.

But ultimately, Alpert said, he wasnt courageous enough to physically intervene to stop him. He knew he would get hell from the 19-year veteran and all his buddies.

Lost in the furor over Floyds case and the national protest and debate over issues of race and police brutality is the fact that half of the four officers involved in his arrest were minorities, hired as part of a Minneapolis police program credited with helping to diversify the largely white force.

Thao, a 34-year-old of Southeast Asian Hmong descent with more than a decade on the force, and Kueng, a 26-year-old African-American rookie who previously worked as a department store security guard, were both part of the community service officer program that brings in recruits to work part-time with the goal of making them regular members of the force.

Chauvin, 44, is white, as is Lane, though he is an outlier of a different sort, a 37-year-old rookie who joined the police after working as a juvenile detention guard.

Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank, said getting officers to take action, sometimes against more experienced colleagues, is at the heart of stopping abuses by police.

These new officers are put in a position where theyre told, This is your mentor. He will teach you, he said. A 20-year veteran is supposed to know what he is doing and clearly he didnt. He made every mistake possible.
Construction work for the new downtown electrical substation project will cause temporary road closures starting Friday, June 12, as a new pedestrian bridge is installed over the Davis Mill Pond.

The bridge will carry a new 115-kilovolt electric transmission line, an 8-inch water main and a temporary 4-inch gas main, according to Eversource Energy. The bridge will also allow residents to enjoy Bruce Park, Eversoruce said.

Davis Avenue will be closed between Indian Harbor Drive and Bruce Park Drive from June 12 to June 21. Signs will direct motorists to use Interstate 95 between Exits 3 and 4 to get to their destinations.

Work will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the closure will be in effect 24 hours to minimize the construction time, Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot said. The schedule could be adjusted if needed.

Pedestrian traffic will be prohibited in the area during the construction, he said. There will be vehicle access to local roadways and driveways on each side of Indian Harbor.

Once construction is complete on the new downtown substation on Railroad Avenue, at the former site of the Pet Pantry, the transmission line will connect it with the existing substation in Cos Cob. Many residents objected to the project for years, but Eversource says it is necessary to meet electrical demand.

The Connecticut Siting Council ruled in the plans favor and after the town filed suit, an agreement was reached with Eversource to allow the project to go forward.

We are on schedule to finish work on the project this year, Poirot said. Work between the two substations is also progressing on schedule. Installation of the pipes, or duct bank, that will eventually carry the new cable under local streets, will be completed over the next two months followed by cable installation later in the summer.

Eversource agreed to install the bridge to address concerns about putting the transmission line through the pond, which would have required digging in Bruce Park. There will be digging along about 2 miles of local streets, Eversource said.

There will be future road closures to support road restoration and the installation of the new cable into underground pipes, or duct banks, Poirot said.

Old Greenwich

The Perrot Memorial Library will begin contact-free book pickups for patrons starting on June 15.

Book fans cannot yet enter the library, but they can reserve books, DVDs and other items and then pick a time to pick them up at the independent library.

The main Greenwich Library and its branches in Cos Cob and Byram will also begin contact-free pickup starting June 15.

According to Perrot Director Kevin McCarthy, patrons can log into their library accounts at www.greenwichlibrary.org, search for items they want and place a hold on them. Once an item is available, the library will send the patron an email and a link to a form where they can schedule a pickup date and time.

When the patron arrives at the scheduled time, the items will be waiting for them on a table outside the building or inside the librarys adult/teen or youth services entrances.

We anticipate high demand and look forward to serving the many readers in our community, McCarthy said.

Perrot Memorial Library will have pickup service from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

For more information, email lending@perrotlibrary.org or visit www.perrotlibrary.blogspot.com/.

Central Greenwich

The YMCA of Greenwich says it is ready for summer camp after making changes to protect kids in the coronavirus era.

According to the YMCA, it has spent the last eight weeks working to ensure that camp will adhere to the most up to date guidelines on maintaining the health and safety of both campers and staff.

The YMCA of Greenwich will run its camp from June 29 to Aug. 21, with new guidelines and safety features in place to be in compliance with state safety protocols for social distancing. They received guidance from the national YMCA, the American Camp Association and the state Office of Early Childhood.

The number of campers there per group will be limited, and the YMCA will conduct more cleaning, including hand sanitizing, disinfecting of toys and supplies, and cleaning camp rooms and bathrooms. There will also be daily health screenings. Campers will receive a kit of personal supplies to use at camp and then take home.

Parents can be assured their children will be cared for in a fun and flexible, but also safe environment, the YMCA said in a statement.

Weve infused innovation and creativity to remodel our programming and find new ways to keep kids moving and having fun, while maintaining appropriate social distancing and group size guidelines, said Christina Lavin the Ys senior director of initiatives for wellness, programming and membership.

Safety is a top priority, Camp Director Diana Gonzalez said. The camps will be flexible and adapt as the summer progresses, she said.

Weekly themes include Mad Science, Water Works, Decades of Fun and more. For more information, visit www.greenwichymca.org/programs-services/summer-camp-2020/

Cos Cob

The Greenwich Historical Society is going digital for its story barn storytelling event with the theme Greenwich Together.

The Greenwich Historical Societys highly anticipated biannual event will focus on the stories of residents coming together and lending a helping hand at a challenging time for Greenwich, according to organizers.

The event will be emceed by Greenwich resident Bonnie Levinson, lead storyteller with The Moth. Residents can share their personal stories and the mood will be light and encouraging, according to the Greenwich Historical Society.

It will be held via Zoom at 7 p.m. June 11, and it is free to participate and watch. The Greenwich Historical Society said it would welcome $15 donations from supporters.

To register, visit greenwichhistory.org/event/story-barn-greenwichtogether/.
As most of the United States hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic, visits to doctor offices and outpatient clinics plunged. Thats helping cause major swings in prescription drug use.

Express Scripts, a top U.S. prescription benefit manager with over 100 million customers, saw big jumps in people getting three-month refills via mail delivery, as people with chronic health problems stocked up early in the crisis. Refills jumped 18 per cent between mid-March and mid-April.

Then prescription orders started dropping, partly from all the patients whod just stocked up. Other people lost jobs and health insurance, or avoided medical facilities for fear of catching the virus.

For some types of drugs, orders are bouncing back, and one category has spiked sharply.

The Associated Press discussed the changes with Dr. Glen Stettin, who oversees trend and formulary management at Express Scripts, which is owned by health insurer Cigna.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

When did changes in prescription-filling patterns start?

The shifts began around Feb. 15, and they peaked the week ending March 15, when the stay-at-home orders started to go into effect.

Whats happened with new prescriptions, ones for medicines a patient hadnt taken before?

Those declined by roughly a third before bottoming out in mid-April. People arent getting checkups, so theyre not being diagnosed with conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which have silent symptoms. Theres also been a drop in people being diagnosed with cancer. New prescriptions have been on the rise as shelter-in-place orders are relaxed.

Which medicine category has had the biggest increase in use?

We saw large increases in the use of medications for mental-health conditions, including antidepressants and medications for anxiety and insomnia, with a 40 per cent increase for anti-anxiety drugs in the first half of March.

Has use of those medicines ever jumped like that before?

We did see increases in use in this category after 9/11 and after the 2008 recession, but nothing like this. Its several times higher.

What medicine categories have seen big decreases in use?

Acute-care medications, such as antibiotics.

What other trends stand out?

Prescriptions for health conditions associated with higher COVID risk  diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and respiratory issues  increased 21 per cent in March, then decreased 12 per cent in April.

Has Express Scripts offered extra financial aid or other help to patients amid this crisis?

With more people feeling stressed, depressed and anxious, we made treatments such as online cognitive behavioural therapy available free to our plan members. We also started Parachute Rx, which offers low co-payments for thousands of drugs to people who have lost insurance coverage and are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic, even if theyre not Express Scripts customers.
A Newbridge playwright has won Kildare County Councils Dennis ODriscoll Literary Bursary, an award given to emerging or professional writers, in memory of the late Naas poet who passed away in 2012.

Darren Donohue, who hails from Standhouse Road but now lives in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny, is an award-winning playwright and poet whose works have been produced in Dublin, London, across Europe and in the United States.

Its a great honour for me to be associated with Denis ODriscoll and Ive been an ardent admirer of his work for a long time. Its lovely to have that recognition of my work as well from my home county. Its really nice to have your work acknowledged in this way and recognised.

His recent accolades include winning the Bread and Roses Playwriting Award 2019 with I And The Village, and the Radius Playwriting Competition 2020 in association with Finborough Theatre for Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks.

His poetry was also nominated four times for the Hennessy Literary Award.

Darren is currently the writer-in-residence at Carlow College.

His current work is inspired and informed by how Ireland is struggling to adapt to global pressures, particularly with regards to migration and the experience of migrants in Ireland  a theme that has run through two of his recent award-winning works.

Those works addressed people coming from other countries to make their lives here, and the possible conflicts that arise from one culture being assimilated into another, he said.

I And The Village is about Direct Provision, and Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks was about a teenage boy from Pakistan adapting to life in Kilkenny.

My work explores themes of citizenship and identity, and one of the great themes of our time, which is migration, said Darren. We can see how our borders have become such a prominent issue in the news, and we just have to look across the pond to see what happened with Brexit to see how these themes are affecting our everyday lives right now. Im interested in those type of themes, and I explore a lot of that in my work.

Darren has written 19 plays to date, some of which have been produced and read by the Abbey Theatre.

A lot of my earlier work you would describe as being of the theatre of the absurd, along the lines of Beckett and Ionescu and Edward Albee. And while these (recent) plays do have absurd elements, they are more rooted in the here and now. I suppose as my writing developed I wanted to write a trilogy about Ireland with universal themes that everybody can link into.

His most recent work is a monologue called The Bird Trap, which has won a seed commission with the Popelei Theatre Company in the UK and has been broadcast online as part of their current Women In Lockdown project. (Click HERE to view the piece).

Very topical, it is a piece about an elderly lady whose support mechanisms, which would keep her afloat, have been stripped away because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

There are elements of comedy which there are in all of my work because I actually use comedy as a weapon to disarm the audience. If you can make an audience laugh, they are more open to whatever ideas you are trying to set out on your stall. I am a big believer in comedy as a device to engage the audience and to build a relationship with them.

Darren is from a well-known Newbridge family. The son of Mary and Michael Donohue, his sister is the RTE presenter and journalist Brenda Donohue.

He always wanted to make a career in the arts.

Ive always been a writer. I always thought I would be a writer as well because I came from quite a creative family, he said. My sister was a Billy Barry kid as was my brother Michael. Ive another brother who is in Galway, a musician, so there was always a lot of music in the house. It didnt seem like an odd thing to want to be in the household, because it was such a creative atmosphere.

I always thought I would be a novelist, that I would write stories. When I was around 19 or 20 I would have been writing a lot of poetry, but I began to write dialogue, and it seemed to be a natural fit for me in terms of how I could tell a story. So the process of direct speech and writing it down, it fired my imagination and I began to write short plays and put them on, an it started from there.

These days he teaches creative writing and drama and gives poetry workshops to supplement his own writing work  a lifestyle he hugely enjoys.

He also has a residency at the Science Gallery, a project supported by the Provost's Academic Development Fund.

Youre with creative people all the time, and you get a real sense of worth as well from helping them to reach their potential. Were all in this together and we inspire each other and we encourage each other along, because it is a difficult profession, so its nice to have a community there that you can support and can support you.

The Covid-19 crisis means that a London production of I Am The Village, as well as readings of Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks with Finborough Theatre and of new work with the Druid Theatre, will have to be undertaken in a different manner.

They will probably be on Zoom  but thats the new normal, said Darren.
- Alessandra de Rossi is wondering if it is safe to have an ultrasound now that there is COVID-19 pandemic

- She posted a question for her followers on Twitter so that she can be enlightened

- One of the people who responded to the post was Alessandra, the actress sister

- She hilariously advised her sibling to buy a hospital already so that her problem can be solved

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Alessandra de Rossi hilariously commented on the recent post of her sister Assunta about having an ultrasound amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

KAMI learned that the elder De Rossi asked her pregnant followers on social media if they were not able to have an ultrasound due to the community quarantine.

Sino dito ang hindi nakapagpa-ultrasound since lockdown started? she asked.

Para hindi na ako masyadong kulitin ng mudra ko. Thanks! the actress added.

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One of the people who commented on the said post was Alessandra. She jokingly advised her sibling to buy a hospital so that she can overcome the said difficulty.

She also told Assunta that having an ultrasound is necessary.

Bruha ka! she exclaimed.

Bumili kaya kayo ng hospital?! Eh talagang ganun. You need ultrasound, she added.

In a previous article by, Alessandra recently admitted that she rejected more than 8 projects last year due to 'poor content quality.'

Alessandra de Rossi is an award-winning film and television actress in the Philippines. She was acclaimed for her performance in the 2017 breakthrough film entitled Kita Kita.

POPULAR: Read more news about Alessandra de Rossi!

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Source: KAMI.com.gh
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Iceland Prepares for the Start of International Arrivals

Iceland has entered the phase of final preparations as the country will welcome the first international travelers already on June 15th. Icelandair, the major air carrier in the country, resumes its work after the closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic.



Iceland is not the only country that opens its borders this June, but it is one of the locations that accept tourists from all over the world, so a Reykjavik hotel might be the best summer vacation choice. While many destinations oblige travelers to spend two weeks in quarantine, which is definitely not the option as most vacations are even shorter than two weeks nowadays, Iceland has gone one step further. The country offers tourists either to go to quarantine or to make a COVID-19 test upon arrival.



This decision is in line with the recommendations of the countrys Chief Epidemiologist. Iceland is one of the regions that are the least affected by the coronavirus. At the moment, there are only two active cases of COVID-19 in the country. Iceland continues testing in order to find people who might have the asymptomatic disease. There were no lockdowns in the country, and schools have been open all this time. However, meetings and events with more than 200 people are prohibited, and people are encouraged to follow disinfection and social distancing rules.



The price of testing is to be announced in the coming days. Some certificates of prior testing might also be eligible  Iceland will post these requirements soon. Children are not required to do the test. To prepare the necessary infrastructure and protect the arriving guests, the countrys government is working with Keflavik airport. There are changes in terminals, boarding and check-in areas. These adjustments are vital for the safety and peace of mind of all travelers. Icelandair has a detailed list of all changes on its website.



While some travelers prefer to stay at home this summer, the others take advantage of seeing the most iconic destinations without the usual hordes of tourists. Not only Reykjavik hotels are more affordable at the moment, this is the right time to get the most from adventures in Iceland. At the moment, there are flights to Iceland from limited destinations only such as Stockholm, London, and Boston. In the coming weeks, Icelandair plans to more flights from countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and more.

07.06.2020Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While movie theaters are still closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Staten Islanders will be able to go to the grounds of Mount Loretto in Pleasant Plains for drive-in movies starting this week.

The Catholic Charities of Staten Island, in conjunction with Borough President James Oddo and Staten Island University Hospital, will host Drive In Movies at The Mount" this summer.

It will kick off with the showing of the Disney Pixar film, Toy Story 4, on Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. However, tickets for those showtimes are already sold out.

The next movie will be Disneys Ralph Breaks the Internet on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20. You can go to www.cc-si.org/product-category/events/ for tickets.

The cost is $30 per vehicle, and tickets must be purchased in advance.

Mac Truck NYC will provide concession stands, but movie-goers can bring their own snacks as well.

Restrooms will be available.

All proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities of Staten Island.

Only 60 tickets will be sold due to social distancing and safety measures put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

When purchasing tickets, you will be required to select an assigned parking spot prior to completing your purchase. SUVs cannot select a parking space from rows 1, 2, or 3, according to Catholic Charities. Once your spot has been assigned, it cannot be changed.

In the event of inclement weather, the date will be changed and your ticket will remain valid. The movies will take place in the CYO Center parking lot at 6581 Hylan Blvd.

Contact info@mountloretto.org for more information.

DRIVE-IN AT JUICY LUCY

In addition, Juicy Lucy BBQ in Ocean Breeze has announced it will offer its own drive-in movies.

Owner Richie Holmes said his new Juicy Lucy Tailgate Community BBQ will allow patrons to get food and watch a film from their vehicles in the three-acre lot.

Star Wars: A New Hope, written and directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones, will be the opening night film this Friday.

Holmes said he also plans to show Forrest Gump, Grease, Raiders of the Lost Ark and other kid-friendly movies over the course of the summer.

The cost is $25 per vehicle and there will be no minimum food order.

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Embattled state Sen. Daylin Leach of Montgomery County lost his bid for a fourth term, bested by a township supervisor who was backed by several Democratic heavy-hitters including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

Amanda Cappelletti won the Democratic nomination for the 17th senatorial district in suburban Philadelphia, according to the Associated Press, which called the race Saturday. She previously had been leading Leach by 18 points in the primary.

A surge this year in mail-in ballots delayed results in several races, as counties tallied paper ballots from Tuesdays primary.

Leach, who served his terms in the Senate after spending eight years in the House, ran for re-election this year despite losing the support of Democratic party leaders last year after allegations he inappropriately touched female former staffers.

Cappelletti, an attorney, previously served as vice chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors and the former head of public policy for Planned Parenthood. She also was a fellow for the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

Amanda Cappelletti is an attorney with a Masters degree in Public Health.

After allegations were raised last year against Leach, a law firm investigated. The firm found no evidence of sexual harassment or a hostile workplace and didnt draw any conclusions about a decades-old sexual misconduct allegation, but it noted the three-term senators humor was unquestionably sexual in nature."

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, of Allegheny County, last year issued a statement with the reports release, saying, "In the aggregate, the behavior outlined here rises to a level that should not be tolerated by anyone. I continue to feel that this conduct is unacceptable and irresponsible.

Leach denied any misconduct but was forced out of his high-profile committees and barred from internal caucus discussion.

READ: 4 Philly council members ask for ban on tear gas, rubber bullets against protesters
Buffalo: 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.

Composite photo of suspended Buffalo police officers Robert McCabe (L) and Aaron Torgalski. Credit:AP

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.
There are over 12,000 cases of missing children reported in Britain every year. Yet a single case  that of Madeleine McCann  has dominated newspaper and television headlines every year since 2007, as well as caused a blitz on social media, that is unparalleled since the death of Princess Diana a decade before.

News from the German Prosecutor that they have a suspect, already in jail for rape, who has a record of child abuse, burglary and drug-related offences  and who was in Praia da Luz on May 3, the day Madeleine went missing from the family apartment at the Ocean Club - has brought another blaze of publicity.

Many false hopes have been raised in the past, and many so-called leads have led nowhere, but this one seems more genuine. Sadly however, as the German police have admitted, it reinforces the view that that the child, who would have been 17 by now, probably died soon after being kidnapped.

It is known that Bruckner received a telephone call in Praia da Luz an hour before the abduction and that he took his name off the registration papers of a Jaguar car on the following day. Police also showed a picture of a bed post with scratch marks on it in a house he had lived in, close to Praia da Luz, similar to one in another house where he had raped a young women after she had screamed for mercy while tied to the bed post.

When the news first broke, there was a hopeful scenario  that Madeleine had been abducted by a woman who was desperate for a child or had bought the child from the abductor  and a tragic one: that she had been seized by a paedophile, abused and murdered. The second scenario now seems much more likely, as the family have reluctantly acknowledged.

Until she is found, however, alive or dead, there can be no certainty  and no closure for her parents, both of them doctors, whose agonising ordeal has been suffered, in public and in private, every day for the past 13 years. The fact that the suspect, Christian Bruckner, has not confessed to the police and is so far refusing to cooperate with them, suggests that the site of the body might never be found.

When children go missing, even when they are subsequently found dead  and there are 120 accidental deaths every year in Britain of children under nine  the parents can rarely be blamed. But the grief of the McCanns has been compounded by a sense of guilt that their children were left unattended in an apartment was clearly less secure than they realised at the time.

This has led to a storm of abuse that must have hurt them deeply and even made them suspects themselves for a time in the botched inquiry by the Portuguese police. The leader of that inquiry until he was sacked, Inspector Goncalo Amarel, always believed that the parents were responsible for the childs death and even after the recent evidence from the German police he said Bruckner was being made a scapegoat.

It is outrageous that when the McCanns won a libel case against a book he wrote about the case, and were awarded 600,000 Euros in damages, the verdict was reversed on appeal, a decision later endorsed by the Supreme Court. Justice in Portugal seems to be as maladroit as its police methods.

When British police went to the Algarve resort to conduct their own inquiries, they were shocked to find that the apartment from which Madeleine was abducted had not even been declared a crime scene, with the result that at least 50 people had walked all over it, with police themselves smoking and flicking ash all over the place.This lack of forensic evidence, and the fact that 13 years that have since elapsed since the crime, is bound to make it harder for the German prosecutors to obtain a conviction.

The fact that the McCann case became the most heavily covered missing persons case of all time can be accounted for by two things. One is the phrase often used at the time by the media: It is every parents nightmare. Parents everywhere could identify with the McCanns and share in their agony.

The other is that the abduction happened to coincide with great public anxiety in Britain about the dangers to children, following the Bulger case and the Sarah Payne and Soham murders, which resulted in the introduction of new legal checks on people with children in their care.

There was also an explosion in social media at that time. Facebook began in 2004, YouTube in 2005 and Twitter in 2006. All of these outlets were overcome by gossip, abuse and conspiracy theories about the McCann case, which continues to this day. I have been shocked to read such appalling, cruel and obscene comments about Gerry and Kate McCann when they have already suffered 13 years of pain.

This suspect would not have been found in Germany had it not been for the astonishing and unrelenting efforts of the parents over so many years to publicise Madeleines abduction throughout the world. They simply would not give up the search, hiring private detectives and publicity experts when the first the Portuguese and then the British police gave up.

Without their intense lobbying, the police would not have returned to review the case  for which, incidentally, Theresa May deserves some credit too. The cost of the operation is without precedent: 12m for the British police alone and massive sums given by the public and by rich donors to the Madeleine McCann Fund.

My wife and I knew early on that the McCanns were above suspicion, because we had friends whose family lived in their village and knew them to be utterly decent and honest people.The abuse hurled at them, even by people we know, has made one despair of their humanity.

The tabloid press published every scurrilous rumour about the case. The Daily Express group, in particular, ran what was described as a sustained campaign of vitriol, for which they had to pay out 550,000 to the Madeline McCann Fund and 375,000 in compensation to the parents.

The money will have done nothing to ease the suffering of these two remarkable people, whose marriage has survived despite unimaginable strains that would have been too much for many couples to endure.

Sadly, however, after 13 painful and controversial years, the case seems unlikely to have a happy ending.
Jian Seo and David Tizzard

By Jian Seo and David Tizzard



Over the past six months, the country's population has decreased by 10,056. Deaths have outstripped births and people have renounced their Korean citizenship. The country remains the only OECD member with a fertility rate of less than 1.0 and in March this year announced that the number of children born was more than 10 percent lower than the same time last year.



The reasons are manifest: economic, sociological, cultural, and psychological. It is even worth considering whether it is actually a problem or not because it comes with a rise in women's education, employment and independence.



Yet the relationship between a Korean parent and his or her child requires some investigation.



A child is not simply an object that a parent possesses. Rather, a child is a human with his or her own thoughts and personality. However, some parents assume that their child belongs to them and that they have full authority over them, including in terms of controlling their behavior. Such a belief results in some parents punishing their children, forcing them to act in a certain manner, and doing so under the banner of "discipline" or even "love."



But, what is love? Is hitting a child ever acceptable? Can hitting someone while saying, "This is because I love you. I want you to become better" ever be justified as an act of love?



What the perpetrators of child abuse or domestic violence often overlook (or do not realize) is that there is a huge difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline provides children with a sense of stability driven by parents' consistency and love. It is predictable and is not affected by parents' moods or feelings. It guides children toward better behavior, consistent habits, and a strong personality. Punishment, on the other hand, is violence or a crime carried out under the guise of love. It objectifies children. It acts with caprice. And love is replaced by anger and frustration.



Anger is natural, of course. However, it is also habitual and children often learn it from their parents. An angry house will produce angry children. Children who receive emotional scars from their parents or those around them are then likely to pass these on to others as they grow. A vicious cycle of hate is created.



But despite the anger, children are far less likely to create collective groups (such as labor unions) or speak up and demand better treatment even in the face of domestic violence and other adversities. Sadly, home is a child's only real shelter. And despite the fear and violence they face, children will often choose to stay at home. Moreover, the law will also enforce this.



Recently, a nine-year-old boy was discovered having a cardiac arrest after being trapped in a suitcase for more than seven hours by his stepmother. Despite being sent to the emergency room on June 1, the boy sadly died on June 3. It is a tragic story, but one that was seemingly avoidable had society, institutions, and the law been more aware of what was transpiring.



A series of steps led to this tragedy. On Children's Day (May 5) the boy was taken to a hospital emergency room having apparently fallen in the bathroom. However, the doctor noticed bruises on the boy's body.



The doctor then reported this to the police because he was worried about what seemed to be a clear sign of child abuse. On May 8, the police department requested that a child protection agency visit the family. Officials did so five days later on May 13.



On May 18, the child protection agency provided a report to the police, who concluded that the child should not be separated from his family, but that the family might benefit from help or counseling. The parents were summoned to the police station on May 21 and 24 and investigated for child abuse. It was deemed that this had taken place over a long period.



And then, despite all this, the boy died. Bureaucracy and the organizations created to protect him had failed.



We have to ask why things weren't acted upon more quickly. Why was society and the institutions funded by our taxes so slow to act considering the gravity of the situation? Yes, things always become clearer in hindsight but for a country that prides itself on a "ppalli-ppalli" culture and some of the world's fastest internet speeds, surely it could have done much better.



This tragic and senseless act was not even the first time such a heinous act had been carried out recently. Just six months ago, a five-year old girl in Seoul also died after being trapped in a suitcase for more than two hours by her mother. Why are such cases occurring? Are Koreans copying each other? Or are they recreating the punishment inflicted on Crown Prince Sado in the 18th Century?



According to Article 12 of the Child Abuse Punishment Act, perpetrators of child abuse and the child should be separated immediately or the child should be sent to a protection agency. This is to take place for a minimum of one year and to up to four years. But just like we see with the many sex crimes afflicting the country, punishments and laws are either too lenient or do not protect the victims enough.



Ministry of Welfare statistics show that 81 percent of 22,367 child abuse cases ended with the child being sent back to the family. Between 1998 and 2016, the Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs reported that only a quarter of convicted child abusers were sent to prison. Most received suspended sentences or fines.



This is reflected legally by the fact that Article 915 of the Civil Law enacted in 1960 permits parents to take "disciplinary actions" against their children to "punish or educate" them.



In the past five years, 132 children have died because of parental abuse in South Korea. In 2018, 30 children died from abuse; 25 killed by their parents. The reasons cited often include financial stress, business or economic failure, a lack of parenting knowledge, or simply a lack of desire to have or raise a child. It is worth remembering that these are only the reported cases and much of it goes unnoticed.



Irrespective of the parents' intentions, it is the children that bear these scars  physically and emotionally. Parents cannot continue to claim jurisdiction over the children and act with impunity. A parent's role is not something that exists unconditionally. It implies responsibilities. This must be reflected more seriously in the law and in societal norms.



Korea stresses the beauty of "us" and "ours." Unlike other cultures or countries that place a greater emphasis on that which is "yours" or " mine," Koreans often use the word "our" to express the sentiment that we share the same circumstances. It is not uncommon, for example, to hear Koreans say, "our mother", "our father", or "our child" when talking to others and thus evoke features of a community.



However, this emphasis on the collective (at least linguistically) is sometimes suddenly replaced when discussing other families. A great sense of distance arises. The lives of others are those in which we should not interfere or even observe and that sense of "our" disappears. This is expressed in the attitude of "nam-ui ka-jong" (other family) and declares that one cannot and should not interfere in the lives and actions of other families. This leads to a fear of reporting acts of violence or child abuse.



The role, size, and function of the Korean family have changed in the 20th and 21st centuries. Our actions need to reflect those changes in a better way.



Realistically, it is impossible for the government to maintain full awareness of every family and the childcare in each house. But modern parental education and the expansion of a reporting system for abuse is not only possible, it is vital. Neighbors remain scared to report others, even in cases such as child abuse. But we need greater societal awareness. We must stop domestic violence and these silent victims from continually suffering.



Voices must be raised. We cannot allow children to be treated in such a way. The recent case of a child dying in a suitcase was not the first time, and if we do not do something about it, it will not be the last time. Yes, society is gripped by several issues at the moment, but cases of child abuse, the laws and the punishments need a greater share of the spotlight.



It remains frustrating that such brutal and senseless acts are not the subject of more public outrage.





Jian Seo (jiannieforever@gmail.com) studies International studies and Clothing and Textiles at Hanyang University. She is a society section reporter at The Hanyang Journal, a member of Hanyang University Major Manager, and a member of the Hanyang Debate Society.



David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University, where he teaches Korean Studies, and he is an adjunct professor at Hanyang University lecturing in World History and Political Science. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3FM) on "Life Abroad" live every Thursday from 9:35-10 a.m.


Collapsing revenues, rising layoffs: the coronavirus crisis is battering media outlets across Africa that were already struggling for cash and often facing pressure from hostile authorities. The news of cutbacks was sudden and painful for journalists at two of Nigeria's most popular independent newspapers when bosses from The Punch and Vanguard made their announcements last month. "It was a rude shock for me because I didn't do anything wrong to warrant such treatment," one Punch veteran told AFP, asking not to be named as he was still owed a "token" payoff. The redundancies were just the latest to hit Nigeria's press -- one of the most vibrant on the continent -- as the economic fallout from the pandemic has sent sales and advertising income plunging. "What is happening in Nigeria is not peculiar to us. The whole world is feeling the impact," said Qasim Akinreti, the chairman of the Lagos Union of Journalists. "For us in the Nigerian media, the story is the same -- we have lost hundreds of jobs in the past four months." - Calls for state aid - In Kenya some media houses slashed wages by up to half, in Uganda a leading weekly halted printing, and in Namibia hours have been reduced and redundancy schemes fast-tracked. The speed and severity of the current crunch has sparked calls for government bailouts -- with private papers in Cameroon even holding a "dead press" day to denounce a lack of action. Authorities in some countries have heeded the pleas for help. Kenya's national regulator on Friday unveiled what it called a "historic" fund worth just under $1 million to help some 150 broadcasters weather the storm. "This challenge of COVID-19 has squeezed life from television and radio stations," said David Omwoyo, the head of the Media Council of Kenya. Officials from Nigeria's journalist union said it had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provide emergency aid to distressed media. But there are fears that state aid would only increase political interference in sectors around Africa that are already often dominated by powerful vested interests. "The government has been harassing the media. Several journalists are facing trials for frivolous offences," University of Lagos lecturer Olubunmi Ajibade said of the situation in Nigeria. "Collecting bailout funds from government at this time will compromise their independence and freedom." - 'Disseminate propaganda' - Just as the spread of the virus has caused revenues to dwindle, it has also posed unprecedented logistical challenges to media outlets. While the official figures -- more than 170,000 infections and 4,700 deaths across the continent -- have risen slower than elsewhere on the planet, governments have still imposed tough restrictions. Lockdowns have hampered reporting, social distancing has forced journalists to work remotely with poor internet or electricity supplies, and protective equipment has added new costs. On the streets there have been reports of security forces harassing journalists trying to do their work. In Ghana -- one of West Africa's most open democracies -- soldiers enforcing virus restrictions "assaulted" two reporters in April, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. A raft of countries including South Africa have introduced legislation criminalising the spreading of disinformation about the pandemic. Authorities insist the measures are needed to tackle a flood of dangerous falsehoods surrounding the virus. But media professionals say journalists are already trying to do the job of combatting "fake news" -- and such laws could be used to muzzle them. Lekhetho Ntsukunyane, who heads the Lesotho branch of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, said two journalists in the tiny kingdom were warned under new rules for spreading misinformation -- only for it to turn out that their work was accurate. The government of Andry Rajoelina in Madagascar has pushed its control even further and mandated outlets carry all official information about the pandemic. "The regime is taking advantage of this requisition to disseminate propaganda," said Nadia Raolimanalina, who runs MBS television and two newspapers on the Indian Ocean island nation. "Messages on COVID-19 no longer occupy an important place in the president's speeches, which must be broadcast in their entirety." She complained that journalists could not investigate key issues as sources feared "going to prison for spreading false information". "The official information is incomplete and the state has concealed the real information which risks tarnishing its image."
Banker Uday Kotak on Saturday said the choice to buy Chinese goods or boycott them rests with individuals and their choice cannot be interfered with.

"The choice to buy Chinese goods or not is the choice of a free Indian; the choice to fully make that call with his view of the product and what is right for him, he told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.

Adding that the choices of individuals cannot be interfered with, he said, I do not believe that the government is asking or forcing people not to buy from China.

A mega online poll earlier conducted across 13 languages and involving all Network18 digital and social news platforms revealed that most 91% of the respondents were in favour of a boycott of Chinese products.

72% of the respondents said they will not buy anything Chinese if they can; 23% are willing to cut down on purchases of Chinese goods. Only 4% 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.
Khaled Abou El Fadl, who revels in the title of Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor in Islamic Law at the UCLA School of Law, has a big theory. As explained in a talk on April 21, 2018, titled What It Takes for Islamic Intellectuals Today (at 37:34-42:05; transcript here), his breakthrough idea goes like this:

As the number of Muslims in the West grew in the late twentieth century, the Christian Right sought a way to counter this dangerous new population and devised the idea of promoting supposed Judeo-Christian values to which it connected all things modern  from cars to planes to electricity to computers, everything. The beauty of this myth lay in helping the Christian Right create an alliance with its natural allies in what Abou El Fadl calls the Zionist Right.

And who were the key figures in this alliance? Why, none other than Robert Spencer of JihadWatch.org and myself.

This is how Robert Spencer, from the Christian right, became wedded to Daniel Pipes, from the Zionist right. They met together. They met especially with a well-known and well-documented group of industrialists and financiers, convinced them of the danger that they meet; they convinced them that Western civilization is in danger by the rise of Islam and got them to fund everything.  The way they work is actually wonderfully synchronistic.

The two of us then found another twenty intellectuals who shared two attributes: being well-funded and failures in academia. Never mind our failures, we had the money and with money you can create your own academic forum. We twenty then worked closely with a group of activists and coordinated our movements with well-known media outlets  and with certain politicians.

Voila! It is amazing how money can engineer a great deal of falsehood, Abou El Fadl concludes this riff.

Comments:

(1) It is also amazing how remote from reality a distinguished professor at a major university can be.

(2) According to Philip Jenkins, the term Judeo-Christian goes back to George Orwell in 1939 and acquired prominence when Dwight Eisenhower used it in 1952 (our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith.  With us, of course, it is the Judeo-Christian concept). In other words, the term long pre-dates the growing Muslim presence.

(3) Yes, the Christian and Zionist rights are allies. Generally, those on the Right agree on issues, as do those on the Left. (Who would have guessed?) They dont require Muslims to serve as a common opponent.

(4) When they cooperate politically, it is over specific issues distant from something so rarified as Judeo-Christian values.

(5) Robert Spencer and I are allies. We first communicated in 2002 and have done so often since then. I have blurbed several of his books and even commissioned one of them. But wedded, seriously? And we met with a group of industrialists and financiers? Rubbish; only in Khaled Abou El Fadls ever-fertile and scandalously unscholarly Islamist imagination.

(6) Did someone say Islamist? Actually, it was me who exposed the good professor as a stealth Islamist in 2004, bringing an abrupt end to his run of flattering press reviews.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped)

Mr. Pipes (DanielPipes.org, @DanielPipes) is president of the Middle East Forum.  2020 by Daniel Pipes. All rights reserved.
An Illinois nurse who made a controversial comment about running over George Floyd protesters is now out of work.

The nurse - who has not been publicly named - was suspended from the Catholic OSF HealthCare System earlier this week following complaints about her incendiary remark, which she posted on Facebook.

On Friday, an OSF spokesperson revealed the nurse was no longer employed in their system. It is unclear whether she was fired or quit after being put on suspension.

It is believed she worked as a registered nurse at the OSF HealthCare St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

According to CIProud.com, the nurse made the controversial comment as a reply on another person's Facebook post.

The Facebook post read: 'If I'm driving down the road with my horse trailer behind me. No matter who you are. If you're in the road 'protesting' I will run you over. I will not stop. I will not brake. I will not hesitate. I'd rather go to jail than have you injure or scare my horses.'

The nurse replied: 'Thought about this on my way home the other day. Protesters make great hood ornaments.'

The nurse made the controversial comment as a reply on another person's Facebook post

The Peoria Journal Star reports that the St. Francis Facebook page subsequently received complaints about the nurse.

'Yes, we have freedom of speech, but to threaten someone's life because you don't support what they support is evil,' one complaint read.

'People are allowed to express abhorrent views online. But if you hold those views, you MUST not be allowed to serve in a position of power anywhere, for any reason. And we the people are done letting it happen,' another stated.

Another person, Jere Murry echoed similar sentiments in an interview with CIProud.com on Saturday.

'It's extremely disheartening to know that someone in the helping field particularly a nurse would be bold enough to send a message like that on social media for everyone to see'.

Murry told the publication her daughter was recently a patient in the OSF HealthCare System and now 'questions the integrity of its employees'.

'I certainly wouldn't want any of my loved ones to receive any kind of patient care from someone who is comfortable making those discriminatory statements,' Murry stated.

An Illinois nurse has parted ways with her employer after making a controversial comment about running over George Floyd protesters. It is believed she worked as a registered nurse at the OSF HealthCare St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria

Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in protests across the country calling for police reform in the wake of the death of black man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer. Above a protest in Chicago Saturday

OSF spokesperson Shelli Dankoff released a statement which read: 'As previously shared, a Facebook comment made by one of our Mission Partners did not align with our values. That person was immediately suspended, and as of today, is no longer with our organization. Words and actions that seek to marginalize or harm others have no place within our Ministry. '

Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in protests across the country calling for police reform in the wake of the death of black man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

Floyd died Memorial Day after Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as three other officers watched on.

All four cops have been charged.
A Catholic priest was allegedly 'pressured' into holding a wedding for a young couple at a Welsh church amid lockdown, with one guest saying 'coronavirus wont stop us having a party'.

Father Sebastian Jones performed a wedding service for a young couple at St Alban-on-the-Moors in Splott, Cardiff on May 12, after the parents 'insisted that it take place immediately'.

Archbishop of Cardiff George Stack confirmed the wedding service took place and said Father Jones was put 'under a lot of pressure' to perform the banned ceremony, to which he 'caved in', WalesOnline reported.

A wedding was held at a church in Wales despite lockdown restrictions after a Catholic priest was allegedly 'pressured' into holding the ceremony

Images of the wedding were shared on Facebook showing at least ten people, including children, posing for photographs (pictured)

This comes after images of the wedding were shared on Facebook showing at least ten people, including children, in what seems to be the Cardiff church.

A Facebook live video also showed guests offering their congratulations to the happy couple and dancing to loud music.

One man is even heard saying: 'F*** the coronavirus. It won't stop us having a party.'

Archbishop Stack was 'shocked and upset' that the wedding took place without his knowledge.

The incident, which breached coronavirus lockdown measures, is under investigation by the church.

All weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies were banned when lockdown began on March 23.

Archbishop Stack said he has spoken with Father Jones, who said he was 'worried about the girl's health and safety' and wellbeing.

Archbishop Stack said: 'I share, in a way, the priest's dilemma but it was not the right thing to do, to succumb to that pressure.'

Archbishop of Cardiff George Stack (pictured) confirmed the wedding service took place and said Father Jones was put 'under a lot of pressure' to perform the banned ceremony

Father Sebastian Jones performed a wedding service for a young couple at St Alban-on-the-Moors (pictured) in Splott, Cardiff on May 12

He said it could be a disciplinary matter, where the priest would have to put forward his defence.

Father Jones's superior Father Ignatius Harrison told WalesOnline the priest has been 'diligent' in his pastoral care throughout his time in the parish.

Police are also investigating reports of a 'wedding party' that happened on the same day at a Rembrandt Way property in St Julians, Newport.

Ronald Connors confirmed to WalesOnline that he owns the home, but denied hosting a wedding party.

He said he has only held 'a few barbecues' with his family, who 'live on the site', and insisted he hadn't 'got a clue' about the wedding ceremony.

Gwent Police Inspector Martin Cawley said officers attended the address after reports of a disturbance between 10pm and 10.15pm and were told that all present were residing at the property.

The residents were advised about social distancing regulations and officers continued to investigate, as they were unable to identify who lived at the home.

Police have since determined who resides at the property and will take action if it is deemed a breach occurred.

The matter is being investigated by the church (interior pictured) and Archbishop Stack said it could be a disciplinary matter

At the time, the government prohibited all public gatherings of more than two people  with the exception of funerals.

In Wales, people were only allowed to leave their homes for exercise, essential travel and other basic necessities.

Catholic churches within all 22 dioceses of England and Wales were instructed to close in line with the UK and Welsh Government guidance.

Couples have had pre-booked wedding ceremonies cancelled or postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, with many opting to hold virtual wedding ceremonies on video conferencing apps instead.

Coronavirus restrictions in Wales have been relaxed this month allowing people from two different households to meet each other outdoors, maintaining two-metre social distancing.

Churches will be allowed to reopen for private prayer from June 15 and indoor weddings with up to 10 guests may also be permitted from early July.

Boris Johnson also wants to change the law to let people hold wedding ceremonies outside, the Sunday Times reported.

Wales has reported 14,396 cases of coronavirus and 1,398 deaths, according to Public Health Wales official figures.
Photo credit: Karwai Tang - Getty Images

From Town & Country

When Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew all stepped back from their positions as working royals in rapid succession (albeit for very different reasons), a spotlight was put on Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

In this new slimmed-down monarchy, the Queen's daughter-in-law and close confident holds a more prominent role. And now, a wide-ranging profile published in the Times over the weekend, puts her work in focus.

The piece highlighted the Duchess's recent trip to South Sudan, and the work she does campaigning against sexual violence in conflict. It also questioned whether she's being asked to do more, given that there are new fewer working royals now than there were even just a few months ago.

Weve all got our own little portfolios. I dont see anything changing, but if were asked to do more  I dont know because it hasnt really happened, she told journalist Christina Lamb, noting that her schedule is pretty fully booked, and was so even before Harry, Meghan, and Andrew effectively resigned their public duties.

Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images

I am pretty busy already, so Im not sure how much more I can do, she said. There are only so many hours in the day. People may pay more attention to what I am doing, but I remain as busy as I have ever been.

She also spoke about identifying as a feminist: Now theres a question. I suppose I probably am. I believe in equality for everyone.

But when it came to addressing her family members who recently left the fold, so to speak, she did so briefly, declining to comment about Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and the allegations he faces (and continues to deny) from Virginia Roberts-Giuffre.

I cant comment on that, she said. I am sorry. You can understand I cant respond.

She was more positive, if no less succinct, in talking about Harry and Meghan.

I just hope they will be happy, she said.

Read the full profile, here.

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Three-year-old Hannah Rood receives an H1N1 vaccination at a drive-thru H1N1 vaccination clinic at Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo, Calif., on Nov. 5, 2009. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Study: Unvaccinated Children Have Better Health Than Their Vaccinated Peers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.In a recent study, researchers found that children who were vaccinated in the early stages of their lives showed more health problems than their unvaccinated peers.

A peer-reviewed study compared the health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated infants and children across the United States.

In a sample of 2,000 boys and girls born between November 2005 and June 2015, the study found that vaccinated children showed a higher chance of developmental delays, asthma, ear infections, and gastrointestinal disorders later in their development.

Brian Hooker, principal scientist on the study and a professor at Simpson University in Redding, California, shared his findings with The Epoch Times.

He gathered the data from 2,000 children across three participating medical practices in the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast. He made sure all the information was correctly identified and looked for patients who continuously followed up on medical practices from birth. About 69 percent were vaccinated, and 31 percent were not.

We had all their birth records; we had all their vaccination records through the first year of life. And then we had all their subsequent appointments to the cutoff date of the study, which was June 2018, said Hooker.

They looked at vaccinated versus unvaccinated children at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. The results showed that vaccinated children were up to four times more likely to have asthma and were more likely to have developmental delays with increasing vaccination cut-off ages. With early vaccination, gastrointestinal disorders were significant at 6 months.

A bulk of the vaccines that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends for children are within the first year of life. Hooker thinks that is a lot at such a young age.

Motivation for the Study

In terms of what inspired him to work on this study, he said his 22-year-old son was vaccine-injured when he was 15 months old.

Hes non-verbal, hes severely developmentally delayed, and he has some of the conditions that we looked at specifically here, namely [developmental] delays and gastrointestinal disorder, said Hooker.

He felt that there was never a direct comparison in medical practices of vaccinated versus unvaccinated children and their health outcomes.

So I really felt like that was a big missing piece in the scientific literature, and I want to do my best  and hopefully encourage others to generate research of this kind, he said.

He says every child is different, with different genotypes, exposures, and pregnancies, so children would react differently.

Im not anti-vaccine, but Im definitely more against a one-size-fits-all program, said Hooker.

As a scientist, he would recommend more research with the different diagnoses used in the study, and consider other biological factors that may contribute to the correlation.

I would like to see those studies go forward so we can sort of piece this together and see, he said. Do we have causation? Do we have a causal relationship? And then we can move forward, and medical doctors then can start to make recommendations of how we might change the vaccination schedules so we can safely vaccinate children, protect against infectious diseases, but also avoid some of these chronic diseases as well.

The study concludes that there is a correlation, but not necessarily a causation, so the relationship needs additional study.
Multiple dimensions to gauge China-US relations

Global Times

By Hu Xijin Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/6 12:53:40

On China and the US, I summarized the following points:

First, the US is stronger and more powerful than China. This is a basic fact. Neither China's policy toward the US nor our social ideology can be divorced from this fact. Otherwise, we are bound to make mistakes and may make strategic deviations. As for how strong the US is, I don't need to say too much. Its GDP, advanced scientific and technological strength, absolute military superiority, the world's No.1 international mobilization ability and the ability to shape public opinion are all there.

Second, the US, though powerful, does not have the capacity to destroy China. Its military superiority is beyond question, but this cannot offset the unbearable risks of a military showdown with China. China's nuclear deterrence and offshore combat capabilities have become barriers that the US cannot cross. China's agricultural and industrial bases have been established, and the capacity for scientific and technological self-improvement has been formed. China's large and growing market is attractive to outside world. As a result, China has become the second largest economy in the world, and the US can neither conquer nor suffocate China. This is another equally important dimension to gauge the strategic situation of China and the US.

Third, although the US is strong, its front lines are too long, its China policy has set too high a goal, and it has adopted the decoupling approach of resisting globalization and reversing the trend. China, on the other hand, is committed to reform and opening-up on the basis of doing our own thing. It should be said that the US strategy will be more difficult to execute, with more resistance, and will be laborious. China's path is down-to-earth, highly recognized at home and highly sustainable. With the long-term game between China and the US, it will be more difficult for the US to maintain its strategy, both internally and externally.

Fourth, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has far more comprehensive impact on the US than on China. Although the anti-racism riots in the US were triggered by another incident, the two issues have tended to converge. In the short term, the US is facing an sudden overall uncertainty.

In China-US relations, China is a strategic defender. We will not take the initiative to deteriorate China-US relations. Instead, we will always adopt a prudent realist attitude. At the same time, China has the ability to stick to the bottom line of its core national interests. China has the capacity and space to engage with the US for a long period of time.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged Friday that reform is coming for the city's law enforcement. "You will see change in the NYPD," he said, after more than a week of clashes between protesters and police officers following the death of George Floyd.

"We simply have not gone far enough. The status quo is still broken, it must change," de Blasio said. "This will be the work for the next year and a half of this administration: To make more change, to make it urgently, to make it powerfully, to make it clear. And that work will proceed immediately. And you will see those results and you will judge for yourself, as all New Yorkers do," he said. The mayor's pledge comes after he implemented an 8 p.m. curfew on the city beginning Tuesday. Many New Yorkers claimed the curfew has emboldened police to use force against peaceful protesters out after curfew.

De Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo maintain that the curfew is in place to assist police in stopping violence and looting. Cuomo said Friday that the city was "on the edge of chaos" due to rampant looting, but that it has been better over the last few days. "The curfews are designed to let the police to be in a position where they can stop the looting," Cuomo said. "And that has been a serious problem."

Videos of New York police officers hitting protesters with batons, driving police cruisers into crowds and, most recently, pushing an elderly man who then fell to the ground, have drawn millions of views online.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea on Monday said the NYPD Internal Affairs was reviewing about six incidents from just four days of protests. More incidents have been recorded in the days since.

On Wednesday, a group of protesters gathered at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn began marching in defiance of the curfew at 8 p.m. Shortly after, the protesters turned around and marched in the opposite direction, as police had asked. Officers then began chasing after the group.

Story continues

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A biker rides in front of police in New York City. Gilad Thaler

The police formed two lines with riot shields and batons out. Protesters raised their hands in the air and chanted: "First Amendment rights!" Within seconds, the NYPD started to charge.

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Police and protesters face each other in New York City. Gilad Thaler

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Protesters gather, some with their hands up. Gilad Thaler

"They're pushing us, they're pushing us," several young female protesters screamed as police used their batons to physically move the protesters back with force. Police had arrived on the other side, too  and with nowhere to turn, some protesters fell to the ground. Others were detained.

At no point did officers say the protest had become unlawful or use any form of megaphone to ask protesters to disperse.

After identifying himself as a member of the media by sharing his press pass, a CBS News journalist was told by an officer: "I'm going to take... that pass from you in two seconds if you don't keep walking."

"I saw cops actually diving at protesters, one person got hurt and there were cops still diving on her," Diesel, a protester who was at Cadman Plaza, told CBS News. "That is completely unacceptable. That's why we are out here now. Because cops keep using unnecessary force and it's not correct."

"It's coming down from leadership. And leadership needs to tell their guys to back off when needed," he said.

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A protester stands in a group. Gilad Thaler

On Thursday, The New York Times' editorial board called on de Blasio and Cuomo to protect the city's residents in an op-ed titled "The Police Are Out of Control."

The board wrote that it holds de Blasio "responsible for the city's failure to protect the safety of its residents." "As evidence of police abuse has mounted, he has averted his eyes, insisting Thursday that the Police Department uses as 'light a touch as possible,'" the op-ed said.

The mayor acknowledged Friday that there have been several instances of police behavior that need to be reviewed, and said disciplinary action is imminent.

"Each night we see  certainly several  situations that raise real questions. Individual instances where our officers have taken action that raises a valid concern. In each and every case, there must be a full investigation, and where discipline is warranted, it needs to be speedy," the mayor said, according to CBS New York.

"The vast, vast majority of officers do their job, do it right. But when someone does something wrong, as in all of our society, there must be consequences," he said. "Commissioner Shea made it clear yesterday, disciplinary action is about to be announced, some will include suspensions of officers."

Cuomo announced Friday that the state is set to pass the "Say Their Name" reform agenda next week to address police brutality towards African Americans.

According to the governor's office, the agenda will reform 50-a of the civil rights law to "allow for transparency of prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers"; ban police chokeholds; and make false race-based 911 reports a crime.

"Mr. Floyd's murder was the breaking point of a long list of deaths that were unnecessary and abusive, and people are saying enough is enough, we must change and we must stop the abuse," Governor Cuomo said.

"Stopping police abuse vindicates the overwhelming majority  99.9%  of police who are there to do the right thing," he said. "It restores the confidence, the respect, and the trust that you need to make this relationship work."

Gilad Thaler contributed to this report.

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Sunrise's Samantha Armytage is trending on Twitter as a video has resurfaced of the Australian TV host congratulating a white woman on her skin-tone.

The Sunrise interview, which originally aired in 2015, features UK mixed-race twins Lucy and Mary Alymer.

In the wake of #BlackLivesMatter protests, the segment has become widely circulated on Twitter and re-published by overseas news websites.

Scroll down for video

Trending for the wrong reasons: Sunrise's Samantha Armytage (left) is trending on Twitter after a video resurfaced of her congratulating a white woman on her skin-tone resurfaced online

During the segment, Samantha introduced the mixed-race twins from the UK separately.

'Maria has taken after her half Jamaican mum with dark skin and brown eyes and curly dark hair, but Lucy got her dad's fair skin, good on her, along with straight red hair and blue eyes,' the Seven presenter said at the time.

Co-host David 'Kochie' Koch - who was also trending on Twitter on Sunday - seemed taken aback by the comment, and gave a confused glance in Armytage's direction.

'Good on her': During her interview, Samantha introduced the twins (pictured) from the UK separately, and appeared to congratulate one twin on her fair completion

Samantha apologised for the comment days later in 2015, saying in a statement to Daily Mail Australia: 'I would be mortified if anyone thought I would say or think anything racist. It's not in my nature. To anyone who I might have offended, I'm sorry.'

A Seven spokesperson also told Daily Mail Australia: 'Regular members of the Sunrise audience or anyone who has seen the clip in full will know that Sam was taking a dig at herself.'

'She frequently jokes about the fair skin that runs in her family and difficult it can be to manage in extreme environments,' they added.

Backlash: In the past few days the clip has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with many mistakingly believing the clip to be recent

In the past few days the clip has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with many mistakingly believing the clip to be recent.

Some users have claimed the video is an example of 'white privilege' and 'casual racism'.

Meanwhile, Samantha has set her Instagram page to private and hasn't posted anything for three days.

Trending: Both Samantha and Kochie were trending in Australia on Twitter on Sunday

Going to ground: Meanwhile, Samantha has set her Instagram page to private and hasn't posted anything for three days

It comes as protests and riots erupt across the U.S. after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white cop pressed his knee against his neck for eight minutes.

The officer involved, Derek Michael Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter days after footage of the incident went viral.

Protesters took to the streets demanding reform after what many consider another senseless death and example of police brutality.

Mr Floyd had been accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli.
Three people were remanded to two days in police custody while one man is on the run after a former legislator from Pune lodged a complaint of assault and outraging of modesty against four men for allegedly attacking her on Saturday night.

The one who attacked us is yet to be arrested, said the complainant.

The arrested men were identified as Amar Sayaji Bansode, 26, Vinod Suresh Gende, 26, and Rohidas alias Tejas Rajendra Kamble, 19, all residents of Ganajay society in Kothrud area of Pune.

According to a complaint lodged by the 34-year-old former legislator, her father-in-law was walking their dog outside the society at 5:30pm on Saturday when the incident happened.

They were all drunk when it happened. Nobody has sustained any serious injuries. A medical test was performed on the complainant. The fourth accused is on the run, said police sub-inspector Amol Ghodake of Kothrud police station who is investigating the case.

The accused men started shouting at the complainants father-in-law and his dog. As they got into an argument, the accused allegedly started throwing glass bottles and stones at the older man. As the man ran inside the gates of the society he lives in, the complainant went outside the gate to confront the men. Residents from the locality, who are witnesses in the case, also joined the complainant as she tried to confront the men who then manhandled her, according to the complaint.

A case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with an intention of provoking breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Kothrud police station against the four.
Workers load and unload wheat at the wharf of the National Grain Reserve and transport it to the warehouse through grain conveyor, Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. Photo: Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

China's trade surplus surged as exports fell less than expected in May, boosted by sales of medical supplies, while a sharp fall in imports indicated pressure on manufacturers.

Overseas shipments in May fell 3.3% from a year earlier, beating economists expectations. A Reuters poll had forecast a 7% drop.

Exports were helped to an extent by sales of medical supplies including masks as countries look to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Imports fell 16.7% compared with a year earlier, marking the sharpest decline since January 2016. Reuters said its poll had forecast a drop of 9.7%.

READ MORE: 'Devastating' economic blow could last a decade

Imports were affected by insufficient domestic demand and commodity price declines," said Wang Jun, chief economist of Zhongyuan Bank.

China posted a record trade surplus of $62.93bn, the highest since Reuters started tracking the series in 1981, and far exceeding the poll's forecast for a $39bn surplus.

Exports to the US fell 1.2% from a year earlier, while those to India slumped 51% and Brazils were down 26%, Bloomberg reported. Imports were down 13.5% from the US, 43.5% from Hong Kong and 29% from the European Union.

The gradual recovery of Chinas economy could be in jeopardy amid the risk of an escalation in US-China tensions. Most recently, a US senator accused China of trying to block the development of a vaccine in the West.

Chinese officials have released a lengthy report on the nations response to the coronavirus pandemic, defending their governments actions and saying China provided information in a timely and transparent manner.

READ MORE: China Promises Consequences if Britain Grants Haven for Hong Kong Residents
A suspected operative of terror group Islamic State - Hina Bashir Beigh - has tested positive for coronavirus while in the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA) following which she had been admitted at a Delhi hospital, people familiar with the development said.

Beigh (39) and her husband Jahanzaib Sami, residents of Srinagar, were arrested by Delhi Polices Special Cell from the national capitals Jamia Nagar area in the first week of March for their alleged links with ISKP. The also allegedly instigated protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the police said.

Since NIA is probing several cases pertaining to larger conspiracy involving Islamic State in India, it took custody of Beigh along with Sami and another ISIS operative - Mohammad Abdullah Basith - from Tihar jail on May 29. Basith is a Hyderabad-based Islamic State operative arrested in August 2018 for allegedly inspiring several persons to join the outfit and carry out major attacks in India.

At the time of NIA taking the custody, Tihar jail authorities had conducted the test for Covid-19 on three accused in which they tested negative. They were brought to NIA headquarters and questioned at length about their affiliation with the terror outfit over the past nine days.

Beigh, during the interrogation, developed symptoms following which she underwent Covid-19 test.

The NIA informed the duty magistrate at Patiala House on Sunday that Beigh has been found positive for coronavirus.

I urged the court that Beigh should be immediately referred to a hospital and permission be granted for her to talk to me regularly, which was not allowed earlier, said Beighs lawyer M S Khan.

The court has referred her to Delhis Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital for treatment. Her husband Sami and Abdullah Basith have not shown any signs of the infection yet.

It is not known yet whom she contracted the virus from within the agency since then whole team investigating the case has been asked to undergo Covid-19 test and follow quarantine. An official said that around 7-8 officials including a Superintendent of Police (SP) had questionned Beigh last week.

NIA spokesperson didnt respond to HTs calls till filing of this report.

The agency took their custody on May 29 claiming that it is necessary to unearth a larger criminal conspiracy as they were in touch with several unknown accused people in India and abroad.

Beigh, Sami and Basith were motivated by ISIS ideology and working for banned terror organization ISKP in India for which they had created a lot of email IDs and secured social media chat platform IDs to interact with the like-minded persons for sharing the contents propagating the ideology of ISKP and ISIS in general, according to NIA remand paper accessed by HT.

Delhi Police Special Cell DCP Pramod Kushwah, in March, had said, They (Hina and Sami) are members of banned terrorist outfit ISIS and propagating its ideology of hatred against non-Muslims and, thereby, also inciting Muslims to kill non-Muslims. They are also inciting Muslims to take up violent struggle against the state. They are inciting Muslims against CAA too.

The cops had claimed that the couple created several anonymous IDs on social media platforms, such as Telegram, Facebook, Threema, Sure Spot, Instagram and Twitter, to propagate ISIS ideology.

Samis sister Sehrish Sami had told HT in March, We are shocked. They are being framed just because they are Kashmiri Muslims. They are career oriented people and have a very clean record. They had no interest in the Kashmir issue and the CAA is out of question. Why would they instigate other people?
New York, June 7 : The US state of New York is reopening faster than expected due to the progress in various metrics in combating COVID-19.

The death toll from the coronavirus in the state, the epicentre of the pandemic in the US, dropped to a new low since the beginning of the pandemic at 35 on Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday at his daily briefing.

"This is really, really good news. Compared to where we were, this is a big sigh of relief," Xinhua news agency quoted Cuomo as saying.

Meanwhile, the number of total hospitalizations in the state was down on Friday to 2,603 from a record-high of 18,825 during the peak of the pandemic.

"The reopening of the economy is a valve -- we said we were going to open the valve incrementally and then watch the metrics, and our metrics today are all very good so we're going to open the valve more than we originally anticipated," said Cuomo.

The Governor announced that the state's places of worship will be permitted to reopen with 25 per cent occupancy during phase two of reopening, and visitors must follow social distancing protocols.

Places of worship in the state's seven regions that are already in phase two will open on Sunday, he said.

As offices have started to reopen in phase two, the governor said he would issue an executive order allowing commercial buildings statewide to conduct temperature checks for people entering the building.

"We're giving commercial buildings the right to take the temperature of everyone who walks into a building. It's not just your health, it's the people you could infect," he said.

Cuomo noted that people still have to "stay smart" and follow all precautions and guidelines, because if the metrics start to change, "the reopening will have to be slowed down".

The state has reported 377,316 COVID-19 cases and 30,280 deaths. New York City, which is scheduled to enter phase one of reopening on Monday, has reported 206,511 cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

New York City saw its first day without any confirmed deaths from COVID-19 on May 3, according to the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, marking a hopeful point in the recovery of the country's epicentre.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier this week that more than 30,000 construction sites will reopen during the first phase, and up to 400,000 non-essential workers in construction, manufacturing and retail for curbside pick-up will be back to work.

The city has also announced universal COVID-19 testing for all residents with over 150 testing sites citywide. Over 1,700 contact tracers have been deployed across five boroughs, with particular emphasis on those hardest-hit communities.

The Mayor unveiled on Friday a mobile testing program that could bring testing to people's front doors, starting on Monday with two testing trucks in two neighbourhoods in Queens and the Bronx, and ramping up to 10 trucks in the next few weeks.

As the governor has appealed several times, de Blasio also urged anyone who has participated in the city's protests over the death of George Floyd to get a test.

Over 20,000 New Yorkers have been in various protests during the past two weeks, with many wearing face coverings but social distancing largely ignored.

As the city's public transit system is to face a surge of ridership in reopening, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is ready to return to normal service and has installed no-touch payment scanners in half of all subway stations to prevent contact, according to a plan released by the MTA on Friday.

Governor Cuomo also said on Saturday that the state is deploying over 1 million masks and 500,000 bottles of sanitizer to the MTA for its safe recovery.

However, the overnight service will not resume at this moment as the disinfection work of train cars each night from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. will continue.
OTTAWA - Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/6/2020 (593 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are shown at Residence Yvon-Brunet, a long-term care home in Montreal, Saturday, May 16, 2020. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

OTTAWA - Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions.

The unusual scenario follows the deployment of hundreds of service members in April and May to more than two-dozen nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec hit hard by COVID-19.

Damning military reports later said the troops found cases of abuse and negligence in the homes, including bug infestations, aggressive feeding of residents that caused choking, bleeding infections and residents left crying for help for hours.

Stephen Birman and Lucy Jackson of Toronto law firm Thomson Rogers are leading a proposed $20-million class-action lawsuit brought against the Altamonte Care Community on behalf of the Toronto home's residents and their families.

The lawsuit against Altamonte and its parent company, Sienna Senior Living Inc., alleges negligence and breach of duty over a lack of proper protocols and training as well as severe understaffing and a lack of proper equipment before and during the pandemic.

It is one of several court actions brought against long-term care facilities since COVID-19 first hit in earnest in March, ravaging many homes across the country. Nursing home residents and staff account for the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths in Canada.

Birman and Jackson say the troops' firsthand observations could be critical in proving their clients' claims against the home, particularly as lockdowns imposed since March have made it difficult to impossible for residents' families to get into the facility.

"The military is in a position to provide very helpful evidence," Birman told The Canadian Press.

"They came in as a third party, as an objective observer, and they saw and identified a horrendous and shocking situation that may never have come to the forefront to the extent that it has if not for their involvement."

The military report on Altamonte includes allegations most residents did not get receive their medication or proper meals and many had been left in bed for long periods without being moved or washed. There were also concerns about staff shortages and training.

Similar observations were made about the other four Ontario facilities, including bug infestations, aggressive feeding of residents and residents being left crying for hours The Quebec report was less critical, but did raise concerns about staff shortages.

None of the allegations in the reports or the proposed lawsuit, which was filed on June 1, have been proven in court.

Birman and Jackson are now collecting information to bolster their case for getting the lawsuit certified as a class action, which involves talking to as many residents, family members, staff as well as military personnel as possible.

Military spokeswoman Lt. Stephany Lura said military personnel had the same obligation to report to their commanders whatever observations they had while working in the long-term care facilities, as they would with any other mission.

"Like any other Canadian, CAF members may be called upon as witnesses," she added. "This situation is no different. Our members will receive all necessary support from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces should it be needed."

While inviting service members to reach out to them, Birman and Jackson suggested service members could also be compelled to provide eyewitness accounts and other information through affidavits and other procedures.

"I would think everybody who's involved in this important matter would want to hear from the military when this matter makes its way to the courts," Birman said. "We will do everything we can to gather their evidence so it forms part of the record in this case."

The military had more than 1,000 service members in 15 long-term care facilities in Quebec and almost 500 in five homes in Ontario last week.

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While officials confirmed Sunday that operations at one of those Ontario homes, Orchard Villa in Pickering, had ended, the military appeared poised to deploy into another home in the city of Vaughan, north of Toronto.

"We can confirm that CAF is onsite at Woodbridge Vista today to do an onsite assessment," said Gillian Sloggett, spokeswoman for Ontario Minister of Long-term Care Merrilee Fullerton.

"We are grateful for CAF's continued support and we will have more news to share about next steps in the coming days."

Talks around the continued provision of service members to long-term care facilities in Quebec until September are underway between Ottawa and the provincial government.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2020.

 With files from Allison Jones and Salmaan Farooqui in Toronto.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 23:38:21|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health on Sunday confirmed 167 people tested positive to COVID-19, bringing the total number to 2,767.

Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health said the cases were detected from 2,833 samples which were tested in the last 24 hours.

Kagwe said that out of the 167 people who tested positive, 162 are Kenyans while five are foreign nationals.

He said 46 patients were discharged over the same period after recovering from the respiratory disease, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 752.

The Kenyan official noted that one patient succumbed to the disease during the period bringing the total number of deaths to 84.

The official revealed that so far 97,340 samples have been tested in the country's medical laboratories that are strategically placed in all parts of the country.

He added that the lifting of movements in certain parts of the country does not mean that transmission has stopped in the areas.

According to Kagwe, the adjustment of curfew period was reached to allow employers and employees to have a full work shift.

"However, this adjustment was made with the understanding that most Kenyans are now aware of the containment measures such as hand washing, maintenance of social and physical distance, proper wearing of masks, among other measures," he added.

Kagwe called on Kenyans to follow the laid-down guidelines so as to help reduce the spread of infections in the country. Enditem
Chicagos Navy Pier plans to begin reopening Wednesday, nearly three months after closing as part of state and city efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Initial reopening plans include outdoor restaurant spaces, tour boats, parking garages and outdoor parks and piers.

Navy Pier officials said carnival rides including its Ferris wheel and indoor spaces including the Chicago Childrens Museum will not reopen yet. Fireworks shows also remain shut down.

Staff who work directly with visitors will be required to wear face coverings and Navy Pier has assigned other staff to act as social distancing ambassadors to remind people to keep space between groups.

Our goal is to provide guests with a safe space to reconnect with Chicago through our free public programs, on-site local dining, retail and attractions, and our beloved vistas and vast greenspace, President and CEO Marilynn Gardner said. We believe we have outlined a framework that will allow us to serve as a resource for the community while protecting our guests well-being.
Workers are likely to face increased competition for new roles from abroad, because working from home means roles do not necessarily have to be carried out in Ireland any more, the ICTU says. Photo: PA

Changing work circumstances mean the Government and employers are coming under increasing pressure to support staff likely to be working from home for the foreseeable future.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has said access to tax supports must be improved for workers. The union has also warned against new staff being recruited and paid at rates that vary depending on where they live.
Maharashtra on Sunday recorded more than 3,000 coronavirus positive cases to take the state tally to 85,975, including 91 fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours that has led to the Covid death toll in the western state reaching the figure of 3,060.

A total of 3,007 coronavirus cases were registered in the state on Sunday as per the data released by the state health department. Capital Mumbai recorded close to 50% of the new infections with 1,420 positive cases and it also accounted for more than 60% of the new deaths with 61 casualties out of the 91 recorded in the state in the past 24 hours. Mumbai has registered 48,774 Covid cases and 1,638 deaths so far.

Maharashtra is not only the countrys worst affected state in terms of number of positive cases and deaths registered, it also shot past Chinas coronavirus tally of roughly 83,000 cases, however, the state has registered fewer deaths than Chinas toll of 4,634 deaths. There are only 16 countries that have registered more coronavirus cases than Maharashtra.

India registered more than 9,000 cases in the last 24 hours to cross the 240,000-mark on Sunday. The national tally now stands at 246,628 cases as per the data released by the health ministry. Maharashtra alone accounts for one third of these cases.

A total of 119,292 people have recovered from the disease or have been discharged from hospitals across the country. The national death toll due to the contagion stands at 6,929 which is little more than double the number of casualties seen in Maharashtra.

The state yesterday announced procurement of 10,000 vials of Remdesivir to administer to Covid patients after the centre approved its use less than a week ago.

Despite the rise in the number of cases, the state government has indicated that it is in favour of continuation of commercial activities in the state in order to prevent the economic situation from becoming even worse.

The state along with the rest of the country is preparing to allow shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and places of worship to reopen to the public from tomorrow.

Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are some of the other states in the country with a high number of positive cases.
I may work in the halls of academia, but I still live in the real world. All too frequently, Im reminded of that fact. The barrage is constant: Birding while black, shopping while black, cooking outdoors while black, exercising while black. It is just exhausting. And Im tired.

George Floyd could have been any African American man, including me. At a traffic stop, no one knows I am a chancellor. No one knows I have a doctorate.

I cant breathe. These were the last words uttered by Eric Garner as he was being murdered on Staten Island in 2014.

I cant breathe. These were among the last words spoken by George Floyd as he suffered the same fate under hauntingly similar circumstances in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

In 2014, I tried to explain the Garner incident to my two daughters. Last week, I tried to explain the Floyd incident to myself. In both cases, I fell short. Murder captured on video defies explanation.

I cant claim to speak for all African Americans or all people of color. And to ask me or others like me to do so is a burden no one should have to carry.

However, as chancellor of a top public university with nearly 40,000 students, people look to me to weigh in on important issues. Indeed, they often expect it. Perhaps its to help make sense of things, like I sometimes struggle to do for myself.

As a lifelong educator and an African American whose parents endured the scourge of segregation personally, Ive spent much of my career working to increase diversity on college campuses and in the workforce.

I think a lot about how America has not made as much progress as we often claim. The events of this week have only reaffirmed the need to build an inclusive society that recognizes and respects people of all backgrounds and experiences.

Im talking about the full array of nationalities, the full spectrum of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, along with the wide variety of political views and gender identities  and a rich diversity of talents and skill sets.

This is not a bow to political correctness. As an engineer and leader in higher education, Im convinced that the more diverse the mix, the more likely we are to make discoveries and solve problems.

Voice-recognition systems did not respond to female voices until we had women on design teams. Even now, research shows that facial-recognition algorithms dont work as effectively with people who have darker skin like me. These are practical examples of how diversity can lead to better outcomes.

But diversity  like social justice  doesnt come easy.

It requires collective effort. It requires each one of us, in our own way, working to make a difference, whether thats through video recording, peaceful protest or working to change procedures that reflect bias.

Diversity  like social justice  is everybodys job. Each of us must do what we can  where we are  to eliminate racism, sexism and other negative influences on our progression as a nation.

Perhaps then we can create a way forward. Perhaps then we can realize the opportunities afforded by an equitable and inclusive society. Perhaps then our children and grandchildren might know an America, where every person can walk down the street or sit in a coffee shop or a park without fear.

Perhaps then we can breathe.

Gary S. May is chancellor at the University of California, Davis. He is the universitys first African American chancellor and only the second in the entire UC system. He previously served as dean of the Georgia Institute of Technologys College of Engineering  the largest and most diverse school of its kind in the nation.
A view of the New York Times building in New York in December 2008. (Justin Lane / EPA)

The New York Times on Sunday announced a shake-up, including the resignation of editorial page editor James Bennet, after a controversial decision to publish an opinion piece by a conservative senator who advocated for military force to quell civil unrest in American cities.

Wednesday's inflammatory op-ed column by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) was widely condemned within the corridors of the New York Times and among scores of readers.

The column, which ran under the headline Send in the Troops, focused on the rioting and called for the military to be mobilized to back up police. It came as the vast majority of the historic George Floyd protests were peaceful.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have crowded city streets since Floyd's death, demanding social justice and an end to racism and police violence. The multicultural throngs have amplified the Black Lives Matter movement.

At first, Bennet and New York Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger defended the publication of Cotton's piece, saying the paper wanted to provide a forum for all sides in an important debate. But as the hours wore on, and amid a swelling outcry, the paper retreated.

Late Thursday, the New York Times said the column did not meet its editorial standards and that a "rushed editorial process" led to its publication.

Bennet, who acknowledged that he hadn't read Cotton's column before it was published, stepped down Sunday.

Last week we saw a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first weve experienced in recent years, Sulzberger wrote in a note to staff, excerpts of which were published by the paper. James and I agreed that it would take a new team to lead the department through a period of considerable change.

Jim Dao, the deputy editorial page editor who oversees Op-Eds, also stepped down from his position and will be transferred to a new job in the newsroom, the paper said. Katie Kingsbury, a deputy editorial page editor who joined the paper from the Boston Globe three years ago, will be the acting editorial page editor through the November election.

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The shake-up is significant because Bennet was viewed as a rising star at the New York Times, and thought to be in position to succeed longtime editor Dean Baquet. The New York Times opinion section is managed by a staff separate from Baquet's newsroom. Baquet is the former editor of the Los Angeles Times.

The paper's flip-flop on the Cotton column invited more criticism. Cotton took to Twitter to blast the paper: "Does @nytimes have any standards left, beyond keeping the woke mob happy?"

Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple wrote a pointed critique under the headline: "Crisis of conviction at the New York Times," in which he said that in just two days, the New York Times had alienated staffers, readers, liberals, conservatives, free-expression absolutists of all political persuasions and Tom Cotton.

Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis May 25, after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. The officer, Derek Chauvin, and three fellow officers ignored Floyd's dying pleas that he could not breathe. His death was captured on cellphone video, and the inhumanity of his death sparked the protests.

Peaceful protests turned ugly last weekend and stores in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Denver, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and New York, among others, were vandalized and burned.

Cotton, in his opinion piece, said some elites had excused an orgy of violence in the spirit of radical chic in the wake of the police killing of Floyd, excuses he said were based on a revolting moral equivalence of rioters and looters to peaceful, law-abiding protesters. The senator called for the use of the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy the military or any other means in cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws, to restore order.

Within hours, dozens of New York Times staff members blasted the piece on social media channels, including Twitter. They and others tweeted Running this puts black @NYT staff in danger above a screenshot of the Cotton piece.

More than 800 staff members had signed a letter in protest to top editors and New York Times Co. executives, saying that Cotton's essay contained misinformation and should not have been published. They argued that there wasn't evidence to support Cottons depiction that antifa had infiltrated the protests.

Bennet joined the New York Times in March 2016 after serving as the top editor at the Atlantic for a decade. Before that, he spent 15 years at the New York Times, where he served as White House correspondent and Jerusalem bureau chief.

Bennet worked to bring in more conservative writers, including columnist Bret Stephens and editor and writer Bari Weiss. The New York Times and its staff are often a target for President Trump and his conservative allies; the president regularly describes the profitable, award-winning newspaper as failing.

But Bennet's tenure was marked by a series of controversies, including last year's publication of an anti-Semitic cartoon, prompting the newspaper to acknowledge that it had been printed without "adequate oversight.

Two years ago, the section hired a technology writer only to discover that she had written about a friendship with a neo-Nazi and other questionable material. The New York Times then rescinded the job offer amid the backlash.

Sulzberger, in a statement, said: James is a journalist of enormous talent and integrity who believes deeply in the mission of The Times. He oversaw a significant transformation of the Opinion department, which broadened the range of voices we publish and pushed us into new formats like video, graphics and audio. Im grateful for his many contributions."
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday denounced President Donald Trumps response to nationwide protests over racial injustice and the death of George Floyd, arguing Trump had drifted away from the constitution he swore to protect.

Powell  a retired Army general and one of several prominent former military and government leaders to publicly broadside the president in recent days  told CNNs State it the Union that hed be voting for former Vice President Joe Biden come November.

We have a constitution. And we have to follow that constitution, Powell told CNNs Jake Tapper. The President has drifted away from it.

The president tweeted a response declaring Powell a real stiff.

Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden. Didnt Powell say that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? They didnt, but off we went to WAR!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020

Powell is the first African American to serve as Secretary of State and as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Look at what he has done to divide us, Powell said of Trump, who received bipartisan criticism last week after a protest near the White House was cleared out in advance of a Washington, D.C. curfew before the president walked to a church for a photo op.

I think what were seeing now, this massive protest movement ... I think it suggests the country is getting wise to this and were not going to put up with it anymore, Powell added.

Floyd died after being pinned down by a white Minneapolis police officer for nearly 9 minutes. The officer, Derek Chauvin, faces a second-degree murder charge; three others have been charged in aiding and abetting. But protests in cities across the country have continued for more than a week.

Trumps former Secretary of Defense, retired Gen. Jim Mattis, said in a statement last week that 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.

Trumps former chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, said he agreed with Mattis and that there was an awful big concern that the partisanship has gotten out of hand.

Im proud of what theyre doing," Powell said Sunday of his former colleagues. Im proud that they were willing to take the risk of speaking honesty and speaking truth to those who are not speaking truth.

The president has expressed sympathy for the Floyd family and peaceful protesters several times. He called for expedited investigations into Floyds death, but has come under fire for not directly addressing systemic racism in the country. On Friday, he said his plan to address racism was, Were going to have the strongest economy in the world.

Trump has frequently called for a crackdown on thugs and lowlife scum, and has said he would use all resources, including the U.S. military, to quell violence.

Trump responded to Powells remarks by bringing up the Iraq War.

Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden, Trump tweeted after the interview. Didnt Powell say that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? They didnt, but off we went to WAR!

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New Delhi, June 7 : The Delhi government has decided to withdraw the 'special corona fee' on all categories of liquor from June 10.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting.

However, the Cabinet has decided to "increase the rate of VAT from 20 to 25 per cent" on all categories of liquor sold in Delhi.

The proposal was forwarded by Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia.

The government from May 5 imposed a 'Special corona fee' on the alcohol sale which was 70 per cent of the MRP.
Brazil has long struggled to maintain accurate coronavirus data. Until now, however, the concern was that it was underestimating the severity of the crisis  not the other way around. Unable to buy or produce enough tests, Brazil was at one time testing 32 times fewer people than the United States and 12 times fewer than Iran  but still posting one of the worlds largest outbreaks. The scant testing has led researchers to estimate that Brazils outbreak is anywhere between five and 15 times worse than the official register.
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.

The cull involves farm workers in protective clothing using gas on mink mothers and pups. The bodies will be sent to a disposal plant and the farms will be disinfected.

Groups opposed to the fur trade say the outbreak is another reason to close all farms.

"We are calling for the 24 countries around the world that still allow mink farming to very rapidly evaluate the situation and evidence coming out of the Netherlands," said Claire Bass, executive director of the Humane Society International - United Kingdom.

The group says China, Denmark and Poland are the largest mink producers, with 60 million killed annually for their fur.

According to the Dutch Federation of Pelt Farmers there are 140 mink farms in the Netherlands, exporting 90 million euros ($101.56 million) worth of fur a year.

Federation spokesman Wim Verhagen said the cull was "very hard for farmers to accept" as few infected animals show visible signs of sickness. The government is compensating affected farmers.

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: India sees biggest-ever spike of 9,887 new cases; tally rises to 2.46 lakh

Also read: OPEC, allied nations agree oil cuts extension through July-end
Just days after Army officials said they came "right up to the edge" of requesting backup from active-duty troops to control protests in Washington, D.C., large contingents of National Guard troops are withdrawing from the district, their support deemed no longer needed.

Last week, Guard members from 11 states rushed to the district to support D.C. National Guard and law enforcement after May 31 protests around the White House turned violent. Angry crowds around the country took to the streets following the death of George Floyd, a unarmed black man who died after being taken into custody by Minneapolis police.

Read Next: 'It's a Little Conflicting:' Guard Troops Hold the Line on Fellow Citizens in DC

Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy made the announcement that thousands of Guard troops would pull out of D.C. after Saturday's peaceful demonstrations, which involved close to 45,000 people.

"Over the course of these last 48 hours, the National Guard as well as our interagency partners ... looked at the trend, saw that it had become very peaceful in nature and started developing a plan for the withdrawal of, first, out-of-state National Guardsmen supporting the D.C. Guard, and then how do we get on the glidepath to ultimately turn off the entire D.C. National Guard," McCarthy told defense reporters in a phone conference.

The announcement came hours after President Trump tweeted Sunday that he had ordered the troops home.

"I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control," Trump said. "They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!"

Guard members from Mississippi, Florida, Utah and Indiana will be the first to return to their home states, departing around 5 p.m. Sunday, McCarthy said.

The plan is to have "all of these units to full departure no later than tomorrow at 5 p.m.," McCarthy said.

Beginning June 8, Guard members from Missouri, South Carolina, Ohio, Idaho and Tennessee will return home as well, McCarthy said, adding that he hopes to have all out-of-state elements home within 72 hours.

Guard troops from Maryland and New Jersey began departing yesterday, McCarthy said. The D.C. National Guard will continue to support federal and metro police through Sunday.

In total, about 5,240 Guard members had converged on D.C., with about 1,500 Guardsmen serving on any given day to man roadblocks, prevent crowds from trespassing White House grounds and protect key monuments in the city, said Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the D.C. National Guard.

The buildup of forces came after protests on the evening of May 31 quickly got out of control, with violent protesters looting, damaging monuments and storming barricades.

"On Sunday evening, security elements were almost overwhelmed and you had buildings damaged and defaced [and] lit on fire, and people trying to get to the [White House] fence," McCarthy said.

Five soldiers received head injuries after being hit in the head with bricks thrown by demonstrators, McCarthy said. The assaults resulted in one soldier suffering from a severe concussion, he added.

D.C. Guard members were stationed behind the U.S. Park Police and Secret Service, Walker said.

"We are not a law enforcement agency; we protect, and we defend," Walker said. "On that night, my soldiers and airmen were defending the nation. We were defending the capital, and we were the last line of defense. ... And on a couple of occasions, they penetrated the line and our Guardsmen ... held the line and kept people from advancing onto the White House proper."

On Monday, the Pentagon ordered about 1,600 active-duty soldiers from units including the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment from Fort Bragg, North Carolina and the 91st Military Police Battalion out of Fort Drum, New York to deploy to the region in case they were needed to move into the city.

"We didn't know if we could put a lot of the support into the city quickly by marshaling National Guardsmen from surrounding areas," McCarthy said.

In addition, 800 soldiers from the D.C-based 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, were also put on standby status.

All active units have returned to their home station as the protests continue to be non-violent, McCarthy said.

"We came right up to the edge to bring active troops here, and we didn't," McCarthy said. "They were on the [city's] outskirts because we didn't want to do it; the Department of Defense didn't want to do it, because we knew once you went to that escalation, it gets very, very difficult."

Instead, after a lot of phone calls to other states, McCarthy said, "Guardsmen jumped in their vehicles and rushed to the capital to support us, and we are very grateful for that."

Military leaders admit that some things didn't go as well as planned.

The Pentagon and the National Guard are investigating an incident on Monday evening that involved reports of Army helicopters flying dangerously low over demonstrators.

McCarthy said he authorized the Guard to use helicopters to "observe and report" on demonstrations in the city but would not comment further while the incident is under investigation.

"There is a 15-6 [fact-finding] inquiry underway, and we will know more early this week," McCarthy said.

Walker added that "there was no order" given for helicopters to fly low "to disperse the crowd."

McCarthy said the military's response will be discussed further when he and other Army leaders testify before the House Armed Services Committee this week.

"It's clear that we have to work very hard to communicate with the American people," McCarthy said.

"Throughout Monday and Tuesday, there were a lot of text messages and phone calls about how 'I see the 82nd Airborne down here.' Well, we have combat patches on our right shoulders, and we have a lot of Guardsmen who have served on active duty and transitioned, so it can create confusion in the fog of these types of events. I just ask for patience and allow us the opportunity to explain what transpired."

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, there was still a scattering of National Guard members and a few Humvees near the White House. But they were positioned at least a block or more away from the main protest site, along 16th Street NW, leading to fenced-off Lafayette Square park.

The Guard members at the locations appeared to be unarmed and were not wearing riot gear. They were in groups of two or three and were joined by what appeared to be federal law enforcement to bar vehicles from entering the area, although pedestrians and bicyclists were allowed to pass.

The atmosphere was mostly relaxed as volunteers handed out water and soft drinks and the crowd examined the huge "Black Lives Matter" mural that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had painted across two blocks of 16th Street.

The temporary fencing blocking the entrance to Lafayette park extended to Constitution Ave. and around the entire While House grounds and the Ellipse south of the White House.

Around 5 p.m., several hundred protesters marched south from Dupont Circle to H Street NW on the north end of Lafayette park, chanting "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace," and then laid down at the intersection of H and 16th Streets for eight minutes and 46 seconds -- the amount of time a police officer kneeled on Floyd's neck, resulting in his death.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: White House, Pentagon Tensions Near Breaking Point
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.
New Delhi:

Armed men entered a Delhi-Gorakhpur express train that had slowed down near the Shakur Basti railway station in Delhi and looted cash and valuables from passengers, police said.



The Gorakhdham Express slowed down before entering the Shakur Basti railway station around 8.30 PM on Sunday when around seven-eight men entered the train, police said.



They looted passengers and even stabbed two men who tried to protest, said a senior police officer, adding that the two men were carrying Rs 40,000 and Rs 70,000 respectively and they were robbed and attacked.



The miscreants jumped off the train when it reached the station, police said.



The injured passengers were taken to a hospital, police said.The station doesnt have CCTV cameras.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:34:36|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- There is no delay or cover-up in the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese officials said Sunday.

China timely notified the international community of virus data and information about the epidemic, and made significant contributions to the global prevention and control, said Director of China's National Health Commission Ma Xiaowei at a press conference in Beijing.

The work of the Chinese government and Chinese scientists can stand the test of time, Ma said.

At the same press conference, Xu Lin, director of the State Council Information Office, denounced some foreign politicians and news media labeling and politicizing the virus, and fabricating groundless accusations that China covered up information.

Xu stressed that such remarks are groundless and unreasonable, and show no respect for science. Enditem
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Contact The Californians Herb Benham at 661-395-7279 or hbenham@bakersfield.com. His column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays; the views expressed are his own.
Prosecutors were right to pursue Caroline Flacks trial, according to a lawyer who worked on the case.

Ed Beltrami, who was the head of the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) north London division at the time, told the Wales on Sunday newspaper that he could not just do what he thought would be popular.

The TV presenter took her own life in February aged 40.

Flack died at her London home while awaiting trial on an assault charge for an alleged attack on her boyfriend Lewis Burton.

Mr Beltrami said: Youve got to do what you think is right. You cannot do what you think is popular.

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 dont fold at the first sign of trouble  the fact that the victim doesnt want to know.

Youve got to look at whether you can prosecute without the support of the victim.

Video of the Day

Mr Beltrami added that there was a risk of repetition of the alleged crime.

After her death, Flacks management team criticised the CPS for conducting a show trial.

The CPS announced in March that it would be conducting a review into Flacks death.

Later that month, the CPS found the case was handled appropriately.

A spokesman said: Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Caroline Flack.

It is normal practice for prosecutors to hold a debriefing in complex or sensitive cases after they have ended.

This has taken place and found that the case was handled appropriately and in line with our published legal guidance.
The unarmed Black woman killed by white US police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, would have turned 27 on Friday.

Louisville, Kentucky  Butterflies followed by hundreds of blue, silver and white balloons, many reading Happy Birthday, speckled the sky over Louisville, Kentuckys Metro Hall on Saturday, part in celebration of the life of Breonna Taylor, and part in protest against the police killing of the young Black woman earlier this year.

Taylor would have turned 27 years old on Friday. She was killed by police on March 13 in a raid on her home. She was asleep when they barged in.

[Breonna] was a very just person. She was a person who would love you even if she didnt know [you]. She embraced every single person who she encountered, Katrina Smith, Taylors cousin, told hundreds gathered in sweltering heat in downtown Louisville during Saturdays vigil.

We are out here celebrating her life, her birthday, 27 years old, Smith said. She hadnt lived a full life, but shes going to live through each and every one of us.

A Black Lives Matters supporter protests to commemorate what would have been the Breonna Taylors 27th birthday in Hollywood, California [Robyn Beck/AFP]

Taylors name, along with that of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month, has been at the forefront of mass protests against police brutality that have gripped much of the United States for nearly two weeks.

While it has been almost three months since police killed Taylor, who was a Louisville emergency room technician, her family and friends, and thousands of protesters, say justice has not been served.

Tamika Palmer, mother of Breonna Taylor, looks on during a vigil for her daughter in Louisville, Kentucky [Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP] [

The three white officers involved in the shooting remain on the force: They were placed on administrative reassignment, pending an investigation. Those officers barged into Taylors home in plain-clothes to serve a no-knock warrant but ended up exchanging fire with her boyfriend, who said he believed someone had broken into the residence. Taylor was shot eight times.

Although Louisville officials have placed limits on the use of no-knock warrants and proposed regulations, the moves fall short of the outright ban Taylors family has demanded.

As protesters rallied against police brutality in Louisville last week, they added the name of another Black man to their list of chants: David McAtee.

The 53-year-old was shot dead as police and National Guard troops reportedly attempted to enforce a city-wide curfew at his barbecue restaurant. Police say McAtee fired the first shot, but video suggests that officers launched pepper balls before McAtee used his weapon. A lawyer for McAtees family reportedly said a video released by police raises more questions than answers. The officers involved did not have their body cameras activated at the time of the incident.

I keep thinking David McAtee, I keep thinking George Floyd, I keep thinking Eric Garner. I keep thinking Breonna Taylor, said Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, after leading Saturdays crowd in a rendition of the Happy Birthday song.

Its too much. Its too much, Reynolds said. This community will forever stand until those officers are brought to justice.

Hundreds gathered in downtown Louisville to remember Breonna Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday weekend #HappyBirthdayBreonnaTaylor #BlackLivesMatter #SayHerName pic.twitter.com/W3J2maWl5Y  Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath (@ElleDubG) June 7, 2020

A precious soul was taken

Saturdays vigil brought out many who have been protesting for more than a week across Louisville, demanding justice for Taylor, but also several who had not been at any demonstrations before. After the butterfly and balloon release, the community shared pizza and water. A marching band played in the background while kids drew rainbows and birthday messages with sidewalk chalk next to a makeshift memorial for Taylor.

I have an older sister. We are really close, and it could have easily been her, said Louisville resident Janna Tyson.

Not only did yall just kill a Black woman  a person of colour, but you took a precious soul from her family, Tyson, 20, told Al Jazeera.

People gather with balloons for a vigil in memory of Breonna Taylor on in Louisville, Kentucky [Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP]

Briyana Lauderdale, 22, travelled about two hours from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to Louisville, where she grew up, to participate in the protests.

I am not only protesting for Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Lauderdale told Al Jazeera.

Im also protesting for my family and friends, and everyone in the Black community, she said. I am protesting for justice for all the Black community in general, and the names we dont even know.

For Taylors family, they said it is important to keep her name at the forefront, not giving up until justice is served.

Keep her name in your mouth, Smith, Taylors cousin, said. As long as we keep her name in our mouths, she is going to continue to live.
Flight Centre boss Graham "Skroo" Turner had just returned from London  where, to his surprise, everything felt "totally normal"  when Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an existential threat to his business.

As cases of COVID-19 rose at home and abroad, the order on March 15 forcing all those arriving into Australia to self-isolate for 14 days effectively brought international travel and tourism to a standstill.

Flight Centre CEO and co-founder Graham Turner says the company was fighting for survival. Credit:Attila Csaszar

Turner says that was the moment "everything changed" for him and the company he co-founded 38 years ago in a Sydney shopfront, and had grown into a global giant employing 22,000 people in 24 countries making $24 billion worth of travel bookings a year.

From the next morning he and his executive team were held up in a "war room" at Flight Centre's Brisbane headquarters, where for 12 hours a day, every day for the next three weeks, they plotted how the company would come through the unprecedented crisis.
File image

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday said the situation is under control after several residents complained of suspected gas leak from Chembur, Ghatkopar and adjoining areas in the city.

Many residents complained of suspected gas leak from Chembur, Ghatkopar, Powai and Vikhroli areas late on Saturday night, an official of the BMCs disaster management cell said.

"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," the BMC tweeted.

A fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in firefighting and other rescue operations. It is normally based on truck chassis and weigh over 12 tonnes.

"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," the corporation added.

Asking people in these areas not to panic, the civic body said the situation is being monitored. "Any one having problems due to the foul smell please put a wet towel or cloth on ur face covering nose," it tweeted.

Shiv Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray, whose party controls the BMC, tweeted, "Situation is under control. I urge all not to panic. All possible and necessary resources are mobilised.

"With regards to the foul odour across some parts of Mumbai, as of now the Mumbai Fire Brigade has been activated with its SoPs. I appeal to all to stay indoors, not panic. Close your windows," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)
Four inmates who initially saw their sentences reduced to life without parole using the legal process now remain on death row with the laws repeal. They have asked the justices to restore their reductions. The justices didnt release opinions Friday in those cases. But Fridays rulings involving inmates Andrew Ramseur and Rayford Burke, who are black, likely will be encouraging to the other four.

Democrats who led the General Assembly when the Racial Justice Act was approved said the law was needed to address prosecutorial misconduct and efforts by district attorneys over the years to keep black residents off capital-case juries. But Republicans who altered and then repealed the law said it was overbroad, particularly in the use of statewide statistics for racial bias.

Critics of the Racial Justice Act also said it was designed to extend a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. North Carolina currently has 143 prisoners on death row, a majority of them black. An execution hasnt been carried out since 2006. That thread was suggested in a lengthy dissent by Associate Justice Paul Newby, the only registered Republican on the seven-member court.

Both men are from Statesville.
Black Lives Matter protests across Australia proceeded mostly peacefully Saturday, as thousands of demonstrators in state capitals honored the memory of George Floyd and protested the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody.

Organizers of the Sydney protest got a late reprieve when their appeal against a Friday ruling declaring the rally unauthorized was granted. The New South Wales Court of Appeal gave the green light just 12 minutes before the rally was scheduled to start, meaning those taking part could not be arrested.

Up to 1,000 protesters had already gathered in the Town Hall area of downtown Sydney ahead of the decision.

Floyd, a black man, died in handcuffs on May 25 while a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air and stopped moving.

In addition to Australia, protests were held in other countries as well on Saturday, including South Korea and Japan.

In Sydney, there was one early scuffle when police removed a man who appeared to be a counter protester carrying a sign reading, White Lives, Black Lives, All Lives Matter.

If we dont die from the (coronavirus) pandemic, then we will die from police brutality, Sadique, who has a West African background and said he goes by only one name, said in Sydney.

The rally appeared orderly as police handed out masks to protesters and other officials provided hand sanitizer.

Bob Jones, 75, said it was worth the risk to rally for change despite the states chief health officer saying the event could help spread the coronavirus.

If a society is not worth preserving, then what are you doing? Youre perpetuating a nonsense, Jones said.

Crowds filled Victoria Square in Adelaide after police gave special permission for the event to proceed despite Covid-19 restrictions. The march through the southern Australian city was held after police Commissioner Grant Stevens approved the rally on Friday.

This is a unique and extraordinary event. There is a sentiment that suggests people should have a right to protest on significant matters, Stevens said.

In Brisbane, the Queensland state capital, organizers said about 30,000 people gathered, forcing police to shut down some major downtown streets. The protesters marched from King George Square, across the river to South Brisbane, where they demanded to have Australias Indigenous flag raised at the police station.

State Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch encouraged Queenslanders to speak out.

Whether youre talking about the US or right here in Australia, black lives matter, she said. Black lives matter today. Black lives matter every day.

A Maori group did a traditional haka, or war dance, during the Brisbane protest. The large crowd later marched to a local police precinct, some chanting, They say justice, we say murder.

On Friday, 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Canberra, the countrys capital, to remind Australians that the racial inequality underscored by Floyds death was not unique to the United States.

Australians have to understand that whats been going on in the United States has been happening here for a long time, said Matilda House, an elder of the Ngambri-Ngunnawal family group, the original settlers of the Canberra region.

A demonstrator who interrupted House, arguing that the rallys focus should be on whats happening in the United States rather than Australias colonial history, was shouted down in a heated confrontation with several protesters. The demonstrator eventually followed the crowds advice to leave.

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.

Protesters gathered in South Koreas capital for the second straight day to denounce Floyds death.

Wearing masks and black shirts, dozens of demonstrators marched through a commercial district in downtown Seoul amid a police escort, carrying signs such as George Floyd Rest in Peace and Koreans for Black Lives Matter.

I urge the US government to stop the violent suppression of (US) protesters and listen to their voices, said Jihoon Shim, one of the rallys organizers. I also want to urge the South Korean government to show its support for their fight (against racism).

On Friday, protesters gathered in front of the US Embassy in Seoul to condemn what they described as US police brutality toward demonstrators in America. They also urged South Korea to push for an anti-discrimination law that had been opposed by conservatives for years to address its own problems with discrimination.

In Tokyo, dozens of people gathered in a peaceful protest.

Even if we are far apart, we learn of everything instantly on social media, Taichi Hirano, one of the organizers, shouted to the crowd gathered outside Tokyos Shibuya train station.

Can we really dismiss it all as irrelevant? he asked rhetorically, stressing that Japanese are joining others raising their voices against what he called systematic discrimination.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The volume of electrical goods exported from Turkey to Uzbekistan in the first four months of 2020 declined by 41.9 percent, compared to the same period in 2019, and made up slightly over $14 million, Turkish Trade Ministry told Trend.

In April 2020, exports of electrical goods from Turkey to Uzbekistan fell by 57.3 percent compared to April of last year and amounted to $2.5 million.

Export of electrical goods from Turkey to world markets shrank 13.2 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to slightly over $3.1 billion, the ministry said.

Turkeys export of electrical goods to world markets amounted to 6.1 percent of the countrys total export from Jan. through Apr. 2020.

"Turkeys export of electrical goods to world markets amounted to $62 million in April 2020, which is 33.8 percent less compared to April 2019," the ministry said.

In April of this year, Turkeys export of electrical goods to world markets amounted to 6.9 percent of the countrys total export.

"During the last 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020), Turkey exported electrical goods worth more than 10.7 billion," added the ministry.

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By PTI

DAMAN: The Daman and Diu districts of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli have not reported any COVID-19 case so far, and the administration has attributed this to strict implementation of the lockdown orders and commitment of 'corona warriors'.

There are nearly 2.5 lakh industrial workers in Daman and Diu, which are also quite popular among tourists, the Union Territory's administrator Praful Patel said on Sunday.

Despite bordering Gujarat and being close to Maharashtra, two of the worst affected states, Daman and Diu have remained free of the viral disease so far because public followed the lockdown guidelines, he said.

While Dadra and Nagar Haveli has reported 19 COVID-19 cases, there has been no case so far in Daman and Diu.

"We have managed to achieve this success because our 'corona warriors' worked with full commitment. We succeeded in making people adhere to the lockdown for 75 days. We managed to have zero cases in Daman and Diu because people followed the lockdown with full commitment," Patel said.

However, authorities remain alert as the Union Territory lies close to Gujarat and Maharashtra.

According to the data provided by the health department of the Union Territory, as many as 17,965 samples have been tested so far for COVID-19, including 12,130 in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, 4,723 in Daman and 1,112 in Diu.

Of these, 19 samples from Dadra and Nagar Haveli have so far tested positive for coronavirus, but none from Daman and Diu, a health official said, adding that results of 1,039 samples are awaited.

As many as 6,026 people, including 3,444 in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, 977 in Daman, and 1,605 in Diu, were kept under quarantine and completed the mandatory period, he said.

As of now, 2,290 people are still under quarantine, the official added.

"We have collected samples of people with travel history, those showing symptoms, and also random samples as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines," the Union Territory's programme officer for communicable diseases Meghal Shah said.

"Travels were restricted during the lockdown, and we screened and collected samples of each and every person travelling to Daman, Diu or Silvassa. Now, with the lockdown being eased, people can enter the border through checkpost only with a valid e-pass," he said.
World Oceans Day is celebrated each year on June 08, 2020. This special day is an initiative that was started by the United Nations to promote the preservation of Ocean resources. World Oceans Day is also a day when the world brainstorms new methods to protect the ocean and keep it clean and healthy for marine life.

June 08, 2020, is an important date for environmentalists worldwide, as every country associated with the UN takes part in World Oceans Day. If you want to spread awareness about ocean preservation, then you can send images and messages to your friends and family on the occasion of World Oceans Day. Below are a few World Ocean day images that you can share on social media.

World Ocean Day images

Also Read | Sara Ali Khan Shares Beautiful Pictures Of Nature On World Environment Day; Take A Look

Why is World Ocean Day celebrated each year?

The concept of World Ocean Day was first proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC). These two Canadian Institutes pitched the idea of World Ocean Day during that year's UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), aka the 'Earth Summit', which was held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, World Oceans Day was not recognized as an official event by the United Nations (UN) until 2008.

Also Read | Ravi Shastri Trolled On Twitter For Photo On World Environment Day Tweet

World Oceans Day was created to spread awareness about declining ocean conditions. It also aims at fostering public interest in ocean protection, marine life preservation, and ocean cleanliness. On World Ocean Day, the United Nations uses various methods to spread the word about ocean conditions. Every year, the UN launches now campaigns for educational purposes. Moreover, zoos and aquariums also hold special events to promote marine life conservation.

Also Read | World Environment Day: Bhumi Pednekar Blames Urban Class For Exploiting Natural Resources

The World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council started in 2016. This council has helped educate the youth about the importance of oceans and how their condition has been declining due to human pollution. Another way that the UN promotes World Ocean Day is by holding the annual World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition. This competition is for amateur photographers who can show off their skills by clicking an image that most resonates with the theme of World Oceans Day.

Also Read | World Environment Day: BSF, AAI Plant Saplings, Organise Cleanliness Drives Across N-E

[Promo from Silas Baisch on Unsplash]
In the chaotic, early days and throughout the global pandemic, our governor and especially New Jerseys health commissioner, Judith Persichilli, were cool, levelheaded and transparent about the difficult decisions that needed to be made in the nations most densely populated state and a global transportation hub. COVID-19 hit us hard and fast.

We suffered because for decades our nation has failed to properly fund our public health infrastructure. Personal protection equipment was severely limited everywhere, including in our hospitals and nursing homes. Three state Department of Public Health employees, in a letter to state lawmakers that was obtained by NJ Advance Media, are now questioning the commissioners decisions on distribution of PPEs and tests.

These anonymous critics do not provide data. They also fail to offer another option for distributing limited tests and PPE  or to consider how many deaths would have occurred if PPE were taken from hospitals and given to nursing homes. The commissioner and Gov. Phil Murphy were indeed faced with a Sophies Choice.

The letter writers say the state should not have allowed hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to return to their nursing homes. They fail to note that the commissioner told every long-term care facility to only return residents if they could be safely quarantined.

State leaders were faced with only bad options because, for decades, we have underfunded long-term care and because the federal government failed to properly plan for the inevitable. The convergence of these failures is the real cause of the deaths in our nursing homes. Commissioner Persichillis personal experience as a nurse has shaped her compassionate judgment when forced to make difficult decisions.

David Knowlton, former president, New Jersey Quality Health Care Institute, Pennington

Free immigrants from Essex ICE jail

In the past decade, the Essex County freeholders have taken well over $100 million from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcemenrt to hold immigrant detainees in miserable conditions at the Essex County jail.

One might expect them to have learned something along the way about their lucrative contract with ICE, which has been a top concern of their constituents for years.

But when Freeholder President Brendan Gill introduced a resolution at the May 26 freeholder meeting calling on ICE to release detainees, the deliberate ignorance of other freeholders showed through. Suddenly, Freeholder Carlos Pomares wanted more information. Freeholder Robert Mercado wanted more time. Freeholder Patricia Sebold worried about letting out murderers and criminals  an egregious misunderstanding because ICE detention is civil detention.

The resolution was tabled. There is no more time. So why is there reluctance to support a necessary and urgent humanitarian resolution as COVID-19 continues to endanger the lives of detainees and jail inmates? Heres one hypothesis: This is what happens to your moral compass when you fund an already wealthy county through immigrant detention. The freeholders need to stop making excuses, and stop collaborating with President Donald Trumps attacks on our immigrant communities.

Whitney Strub, North Jersey Democratic Socialists of America

Action needed on unemployment waits

Regarding the article headlined The long, trying wait, Unpaid and Unanswered (May 31), it would be helpful if the federal weekly certification for to maintain unemployment benefits could be relaxed to once per month or waived entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ive written to U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-7th Dist., about it and would love a reply and some action.

In the article, Irving Sandoval, a solar salesman from Sicklerville who had been waiting for benefits for over four weeks, laments moving to New Jersey because of the unemployment process.

Theres no escape from the weekly certification rule by moving. It has been a significant contributor for delays in processing, due to our state complying with a federal regulation.

Mike Cullinane, Hillsborough

All fuss and feathers

I believe that Paul Mulshines command of the English language is extraordinary, be it vocabulary, grammar or clarity of expression. He uses these talents to identify those in New Jersey whose thoughts or actions displease him. His sharp focus on the many problems in our troubled times is unyielding.

That said, I know of no other columnist and, I read many, who rarely offers a solution, a recommendation or a positive idea. He is all fuss and feathers, a mighty wind without direction.

Gil Jackson, Summit

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What will be yours?

George Floyd should not have died. But his death has started a movement toward justice. We should honor his memory, and those who like him have unjustly died, by carrying forward to ensure that black people walking down the street should feel the same as white people walking down the street  safe and under the protective umbrella of the police that they hire to work for all of us.

Listen to the experiences of others. Examine your own biases, especially the subtle ones that may be in your unconscious mind. We believe relatively few Quad-Citians are outright racists, but clearly some of us harbor prejudices, acknowledged or not.

Whatever your action, let it be peaceful.

Criminals have taken advantage and attempted to use the movement as a cover for looting, as we saw Sunday night in Davenport. To be clear, those arrested so far are known well to police and have not been associated with the protesters. Two lives were lost in senseless violence.
A protester in New York City threatened on live TV to burn down the city's Diamond District if Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio don't 'come out' to meet demonstrators.

A man who identified himself as 'Ace Burns' made the shocking claim on Saturday during an interview with Fox News.

'You know Im a leader of this FTP movement. It means a lot of things. It can mean free the people, it can mean for the people, it can also mean fire to property,' he told the reporter.

'You know that's very possible,' he added.

Scroll down for video

A man who identified himself as 'Ace Burns' suggested New York City's Diamond District could be torched on Saturday

A peaceful protester made a threat on live TV to go down to the predominantly Jewish Diamond District in New York City with gasoline.

https://t.co/bQrf5C4qYn  Ian Miles Cheong @ stillgray.substack.com (@stillgray) June 6, 2020

Burns explained he was leading a demonstration from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn at 6pm to New York City Hall.

'We hope De Blasio and Cuomo come out and talk to us and give the youth some direction. But if they dont the next stop is the Diamond District.

'And gasoline, thanks to Trump, is awfully cheap. So were giving them a chance right now to do the right thing.'

During the interview, Burns also mentioned fighting for new policy changes regarding police brutality in the United States.



Burns said he was hoping to speak with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (left) and Mayor Bill de Blasio (right) on Saturday during the demonstration

'The question should be what policies are we going to enact to make people feel safe in their own communities,' said Burns.

The Diamond District refers to Manhattan's 47th Street known for its illustrious diamond industry and jewelry shops.

After the incident, the New York Police Department identified the man and brought him in for questioning.

'Earlier tonight, a man wearing this mask threatened, in a live [Fox News] interview, to burn Manhattans diamond district down. Within hours, we identified the man & took him in to be interviewed,' they wrote.

Fox New host Eric Shawn condemned the claim and insisted such actions were not condoned at the media company.

'That person was basically suggesting that they plan to go to the diamond district which is run basically by Orthodox Jews here in New York City -- certainly hope that is not the case and we do not endorse -- in fact, we condemn that type of language here on the Fox News channel,' said Shawn,

The NYPD revealed on Twitter that they located Burns and brought him in for questioning about his claims

A Twitter accounted linked to Burns showed him in a video reportedly outside the Barclays Center. He says he's starting a 'revolution.'

On his LinkedIn account, Burns included a status about a black man who said he was racially profiled while at a Best Buy.

'This has to end!!! Racism in our society has to become unacceptable, period!,' the status reads.

He is also reportedly the founder of Koinda Records, according to his LinkedIn.

A Twitter account linked to Ace Burns showed him outside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn while waiting for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to come speak to protesters

Burns told Fox News that he organized a protests at starting at Barclays Center on Saturday, but its unclear it continued as planned

New York City has become one of many US cities that have become cites for protests over the death of George Floyd, 46, and police brutality.

Floyd, an African-American father living in Minneapolis, pleaded 'I can't breathe' while Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25.

Last week, more than 200 people were arrested during a peaceful protest that turned volatile at the Barclays Center.

Multiple people, including police officers, were injured as protesters set fire to vehicles and violence broke out between cops and demonstrators.

Both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio said they reviewed the incident, which resulted in a week-long curfew for New York City residents.

The looters not only took on luxury stores - they smashed windows of smaller independent retailers and smoke shops to seize goods that were in the windows

On Monday, luxury store in SoHo and along Fifth Avenue were damaged after looters hit up the pricey shopping districts.

Cuomo said Attorney General James will review the NYPD's response and the actions from the crowds within 30 days and see 'what we can learn'.

'Last night we saw disturbing violent clashes amidst protests right here in New York City, and I'm asking Attorney General James to review the actions and the procedures that were used last night because the public deserves answers and they deserve accountability,' Governor Cuomo said.

In a separate press conference on Saturday, Mayor de Blasio said he was upset by videos of confrontations 'where protesters were handled very violently' by cops and by reports that at least two elected officials were among the people sprayed with irritating chemicals by officers at the scene.

In a video that has been widely circulated on social media, one NYPD officer was seen aggressively shoving a 20-year-old female protester to the ground.

Dozens of people were arrested in Soho on Sunday night, including the driver of the car. Cops knelt on his back to subdue him

'Anytime you see a protester just arbitrarily thrown to the ground by a police officer, that does not reflect our values, that's unacceptable and there need to consequences,' he said.

'We cannot see a video like that. There's no reason for a video like that and it corrodes trust. So, we're going to have an independent review to look at each and every instance like that.'

De Blasio has since announced the NYPD would undergo major reform, including suspensions and disciplinary actions against officers who used rough tactics to ensure curfew.

'You will see change in this city. You will see change in the NYPD. We simply have not gone far enough. The status quo is still broken, it must change,' the mayor said at a press conference on Friday.

'This will be the work for the next year and a half of this administration: To make more change, to make it urgently, to make it powerfully, to make it clear,' he continued.

Protesters gathered in the early evening outside the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn. The 3,000 strong continued their demonstrations into the night

'And that work will proceed immediately. And you will see those results and you will judge for yourself, as all New Yorkers do.'

De Blasio said there are adjustments that continue to need to be made to the NYPD response to peaceful protests, but praised the department's 'overall restraint levels.'

The mayor there have been occasional instances of police behavior that needs to be reviewed by NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.

'Each night we see  certainly several  situations that raise real questions. Individual instances where our officers have taken action that raises a valid concern,' he said.

'In each and every case, there must be a full investigation, and where discipline is warranted, it needs to be speedy,' the mayor said.

'The vast, vast majority of officers do their job, do it right. But when someone does something wrong, as in all of our society, there must be consequences. Commissioner Shea made it clear yesterday, disciplinary action is about to be announced, some will include suspensions of officers. There's a lot going on.'

The curfew will end Monday morning at 5am, the same day that New York City is set to enter Phase 1 reopening from pandemic lockdown.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:01:13|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China had sent 29 medical expert teams to 27 countries and offered assistance to 150 countries and four international organizations as of May 31, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

China has provided two batches of cash support totaling 50 million U.S. dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO), said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

It also assisted the WHO in purchasing personal protective equipment and establishing reserve centers of supplies in China, and helped its COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to raise funds in the country, according to the document.

Local governments, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and individuals in China have donated materials to more than 150 countries and regions, and international organizations through various channels, the white paper noted. Enditem
The South was hit hard on Sunday with the first real winter storm of the year, a brutal and bitter blast of cold and wind that predictably knocked out power and coated roads. Depending on where you lived in the Piedmont Triad, you either felt the full force of it ... or streamed The Matrix Resurrections.
A section of the Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway which will be connected to the North-South Expressway. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh.

The Construction Ministry has proposed Song Da Corporation JSC as a building contractor for some sections of the North-South Expressway.

The ministry has proposed the construction firm, which is mired in debt amounting to around VND11.14 trillion ($477 million), following a government plan to change the investment form of some sections of the giant expressway project from public-private partnerships (PPP) to publicly funded ones.

The proposal comes even as Song Da Corporation JSC struggles financially. Its ratio of debt to equity is 2.8, close to three - the level subject to warning for financial risks.

The corporation is saddled with huge debts via its subsidiaries and affiliates including the Ha Long Cement Company, Viet Lao Power JSC, Nam Chien Hydropower Company, Xekaman 1 Power Company and Xekaman 3 Power Company.

The construction ministry said that the corporation should be chosen given its human resources, available equipment and experience in constructing large infrastructure projects.

The state-owned Song Da was equitized in 2018 following which the state still holds up to a 99.79 percent stake.

The Song Da Corp was established by the government in 1961 and has since been the main builder of major power plants in Vietnam, including the 2,400 MW Son La Hydropower Plant in Son La Province, the largest in Southeast Asia.

The North-South Expressway covers 2,109 kilometers, extending from the northern mountainous province of Lang Son, which borders China to the southernmost province of Ca Mau. Once completed, it will be the main traffic artery connecting either end of the country.

The eight sections are part of a total of 11 that will comprise the eastern cluster of the North-South Expressway, which is among the national top priority projects for upgrading Vietnams outdated infrastructure. Work on the three state-funded sections is already underway.

The eight sections are scheduled for completion by 2022.
He also asked an aide to go into the Oval Office to get two hats. One said Keep America Great and one said Keep America Great! with an exclamation point. It was decided, people familiar with the meeting said, to not use the exclamation point on the hats, though the punctuation has remained on the campaign signage. One of the stated concerns was that former Florida governor Jeb Bush, a Trump antagonist, had used an exclamation point in his campaign logo in 2016.
The Royal Australian Navy last night began an emergency evacuation of Australians and other foreign nationals from the rapidly rising danger in Honiara.

Australians and foreign nationals are assisted onto the HMAS Tobruk after being evacuated from the Solomon Islands. Credit:Royal Australian Navy

Evacuation begins as the violence in the Solomons increase.

First published in The Age on June 9, 2000

It was women and children first as HMAS Tobruk last night began an evacuation of Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians stranded by the crisis.

By dusk up to 300 women and children had been ferried from Honiara beach and wharf by the Tobruk's landing craft and dinghies, with the men told to stay ashore and await evacuation later.

The flight of expatriates reflects international recognition that little can be done to stop Solomon Islands from sliding into civil war.

Australian high commissioner Dr Martin Sharp and his New Zealand counterpart, Nick Hurley, acted as beach marshals, getting the women and children into orderly groups and crossing them off lists.

By last night, about 250 Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians had been transported to the Tobruk on barges and dinghies from the Point Cruise Yacht club. The evacuation was to continue today.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 20:12:02|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Sunday reported 717 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 31,848 and the death toll to 264, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 11,379 patients are receiving treatment, including 196 in ICU, according to the statement.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 923 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 20,205.

On May 31, Kuwait ended the full curfew and imposed a three-week partial curfew for a gradual return to normal life in the country.

Kuwait and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kuwait donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to China at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

On April 27, a team of Chinese medical experts visited Kuwait to assist the Gulf country's anti-coronavirus fight. Enditem
The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the national capital rose to 28,936 with 1,282 fresh infections, while the death toll climbed to 812, according to the health bulletin issued by the Delhi government on Sunday.

The bulletin stated that there are 17,125 active cases, while 10,999 people have either been cured or discharged or have migrated to other states.

Delhi had recorded its highest single-day spike in fresh cases1,513on June 3.

The five-member committee formed by the Delhi government to augment healthcare infrastructure and strengthen the citys overall preparedness of hospitals to battle Covid-19 has projected that Delhi is likely to see at least one lakh Covid-19 cases by the end of June.

According to Dr Mahesh Verma, the chairman of the committee, We have submitted our report to the government recommending they make an additional facility of 15,000 beds.

He added that Delhi would need about 42,000 beds by July 15.

round-the-clock officers in hospitals

The Delhi government on Sunday issued an order appointing round-the-clock officers in all private hospitals with more than 50 beds in the city to ensure that each of them reserves 20% of their beds for Covid-19 patients and none of them admits patients with mild or no symptoms, who can be quarantined at home.

The undersigned (Delhis health secretary Padmini Singla) directs that all allopathic hospitals owned by the Delhi government or run under autonomous mode shall appoint one nursing officer in each private hospital round the clock (24x7) The concerned private hospital management shall provide a separate room for the officer (sic), read the order, which HT has seen.

The order states that the decision was taken on two grounds  first, the rule reserving 20% beds for Covid-19 patients is adhered to, and, second, to ensure that patients with mild or no symptoms are not admitted without a doctors advice.

The decision comes a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal warned private hospitals in the city against doing so and red-flagged alleged malpractices in the garb of artificial bed crisis.

Sundays order assigns 68 officers in the 10 fully Covid-19 dedicated private hospitals in the city as well as those that have so far notified the reservation of 20% beds under the government order.

Earlier, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had warned that private hospitals failing to follow the order would be converted into full-fledged Covid-19 hospitals.

The government on Sunday issued another order setting up helpdesks in all government and private hospitals for the hassle-free admission of Delhi residents, in adherence to the chief ministers announcement earlier in the day.

With inputs from agencies
We're not racist in Ireland. We don't have racism here: the Americans are racist, probably, and the English are racist, obviously: but we don't have racism in Ireland.

Ireland ranks second worst in the EU for racial violence against black people.

There's the racist Irish Americans, of course, but we're not like them. They're so embarrassing, they're the real racists. We don't have racist-racism here.

51pc of black people in Ireland said they have been harassed, verbally or physically, or threatened online.

"No dogs, no blacks, no Irish," see - we're all in this together! Black people and Irish people (by which I mean, obviously, white Irish people, Irish-Irish) because we were oppressed too!

Dr Ebun Joseph, lecturer on race, migration, social policy at UCD, has produced research showing that skin colour and foreign sounding names is a major determinant of employment success.

"In Ireland here," she said last week, "I can tell you, many of us people of colour are beating our chests, and like George Floyd we are crying, 'we can't breathe' In the labour market, we can't breathe." She says, "you may not be physically killing us, but emotionally you are damaging us."

It's awful what's happening to black people in the US, but it's nothing to do with black people in Ireland. Prove it.

How many times will we ask Emma Dabiri to retell and relive her upbringing, the racism that meant she left home as a teenager, the trauma of being black in white Ireland? What will it take for us to believe her, or any of the other black Irish people who say over and over again: racism is here and we're living it.

But we don't have racism here. We'll say it, over and over and over again: some of us will simply stop at, ''it's not really a 'thing''' others will go further, all the way into the ''Irish slaves''. Our colonial history, if you don't think about it too much, or preferably at all, seems to have the country convinced that we're somehow insulated against oppressing others: white Ireland has persuaded ourselves of a kind of exceptionalism when it comes to race and racism. And didn't we vote for a brown Taoiseach? Cead mile failte! Aren't we a welcoming people!

It's in this indifference, or disbelief, or self-righteousness, that racism in Ireland thrives.

Sahar Ali, a Sudanese-Irish poet/comedian, posted a ''message to Irish teachers'' on her Instagram a few days ago. She had been spending hours and hours every day sharing, amplifying, and speaking honestly, sometimes funnily, sometimes angrily, about race.

Her video to teachers looked specifically at the responsibility of teachers to be actively anti-racist in schools, and the racism embedded in the education system and curriculum - a pernicious racism that is, by its nature, all but invisible to white people. She did the Irish education system as a black girl and she knows.

But we don't believe her either. There's no racism in Ireland: "you're coming off as thick and stupid," one white teacher told her, saying that the curriculum is "littered" ("littered", reader) with "anti-racism objectives." Sahar was told what black Irish people are told whenever they speak up, "It does you no favours and is only promoting division and hatred".

There's no racism in Ireland. We don't believe black Irish people about racism in Ireland. And if there is racism in Ireland, saying it only makes it worse. We white people know: there's no racism in Ireland.

The teacher exemplifies the baffled Irish attitude to racism: we don't use the N-word, and we don't (generally) hunt you down in the streets - what more do you want?

"I must say though you should be grateful as the Irish education system and its teachers is clearly responsible for your sassy and confident attitude! You clearly didn't suffer any racial abuse that knocked that!! Well done Ireland."

Well done Ireland. We don't have racism in Ireland because our black girls do not always cower and cringe. We don't have racism in Ireland because one of them had the balls to put herself on the internet, and self-identify as funny! The notions! Well done Ireland for not knocking the humanity out of this black woman - though, the implication is that perhaps she could have done with it. Violence is never far from the surface.

And she isn't a special case, this teacher. If you're honest with yourself, you hear echoes of it all the time. You might even find yourself thinking the same sort of thing occasionally.

You're here: isn't that enough?

What black people have been telling us louder than ever this past week is that racism doesn't always look like white pride marches and police brutality. It covers the whole spectrum from a surprised compliment to a black person on ''speaking so eloquently!'' to KKK lynchings.

It's a difficult thing for white people to hear. And a lot of us don't want to hear it and will continue to stubbornly close our ears to lived experience. But Sahar has spent a lifetime communicating, in one way or another, with white Irish people about race - and it shows. She seems to know how to talk so we'll listen, without getting too defensive and switching off. Sahar may be being nice about it - but perhaps that's the only way we'll hear her out. And we must.

Sahar is patient and angry: people distance themselves from all this stuff as if they're not a part of it - like, we're not those kind of white people, I'm the good kind of white person! As if we haven't all, all of us (including people of colour and black people) been conditioned to believe certain things about certain communities.

"Here's the kicker, like: even me, I've been conditioned to believe negative stereotypes about my own people. Me. As a black woman, I have to actively unteach myself this stuff. So when you tell me you don't have that in you, you're lying. You're lying to yourself, you're lying to me, you're lying to everyone. It's a lie. It's a lie.

"This is how society makes all of us: we're all [here, a trademark silly voice, cushioning the blow for fragile white Irish egos watching] a little bit racist."

We shouldn't need our black people to tell us and teach us about the ways in which we hurt them. We certainly shouldn't need them to make it nice and comfortable or funny or non-confrontational for us - and yet when women like Sahar do it, at the very least we suspect they are exaggerating; or we don't believe them; or we argue. We call them thick and we gaslight them. We think we know more about black people and the labour market in Ireland, than black academics who specialise in the labour market in Ireland.

When will we put as much effort into being anti-racist as we do into saying, over and over: there's no racism in Ireland?

Find Sahar's comedy and activism on Instagram at @sahar_casm
Press Release

June 7, 2020 Gatchalian pushes for subsidies to private schools Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the national government to give subsidies that would keep private schools afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that neglecting these institutions would lead to drastic effects such as overly-crowded public schools and unemployment among teachers and staff. To help ease the burden on private schools that continue to pay their teachers and personnel, Gatchalian is proposing their inclusion in the Department of Finance's (DOF) Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) measure, which grants P5,000 to P8,000 to qualified workers from small businesses affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). According to a survey on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by the DOF and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the education sector has the second highest number of job losses at 130,514 since the ECQ was implemented. The same survey revealed that the education sector is the fourth most battered in terms of revenue, with average losses of up to 76.8 percent. Gatchalian said that if schools close because of revenue losses, teachers and personnel will lose their jobs and students could migrate to overstretched public schools. He added that when teachers lose jobs or shift careers, the shortage of teachers nationwide will impede learning continuity. The senator is also mulling the expansion of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Program. This program, which was instituted through Republic Act 6728 or the GASTPE Act, provides financial assistance to learners and teachers to help decongest public schools. "One of the action plans that we are employing is to lobby very hard to include private schools in the Small Business Wage Subsidy of government, and expanding other mechanisms, for example the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education, so that the teachers will directly get some grants and some aids in the time of COVID-19," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture. "Malaki ang naging epekto ng COVID-19 sa mga pribadong paaralan, pati na sa mga guro at kawani nito pero hindi pa rin sila kwalipikado sa mga ayudang ipinapamahagi ng pamahalaan. Bilang mga katuwang natin sa pagbibigay ng dekalidad na edukasyon, kailangang tulungan natin ang mga pribadong paaralan na makatawid sa krisis na kinakaharap natin," he added. In a report called "The COVID-19 Pandemic: Shocks to Education and Policy Responses", the World Bank warned that cutting back teachers' salaries or dismissing teachers could have long-term costs. The World Bank cited the case of the United States during the 2008 financial crisis where nearly 300 thousand teachers and other school personnel lost their jobs and appeared to have had substantial impacts on the quality of education. The same report also said that even if public schools accept students from private institutions, their quality could further drop if they become overcrowded. Records from the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) show that private schools cater to 16 percent or around 4 million of the country's more than 27 million learners in basic education. COCOPEA Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada projects that up to 50 percent or two million of these students might drop out or move to public schools. ### Ayuda sa mga private schools isinusulong ni Gatchalian Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pamahalaan na bigyan ng ayuda ang mga guro at kawani ng mga pribadong paaralang naapektuhan ng krisis dulot ng COVID-19. Nagbabala si Gatchalian na ang kawalan ng suporta sa mga paaralang ito ay maaaring magdulot ng kanilang pagsasara, kakulangan ng mga guro, at lalong pagsikip ng mga pampublikong paaralan. Panukala ni Gatchalian, gawing bahagi ang mga guro at kawani ng mga pribadong paaralan sa Small Business Wage Subsidy o SBWS na programa ng Department of Finance o DOF. Nagpapamahagi ang programa ng limang libo (5,000) hanggang walong libong (8,000) piso sa mga empleyado ng mga maliliit na negosyong apektado ng Enhanced Community Quarantine o ECQ. Isinusulong din ni Gatchalian ang pagpapalawig sa programang Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education o GASTPE na nabuo sa pamamagitan ng Republic Act 6728 o GASTPE Act. Layunin ng naturang programa na bigyang tulong pinansyal ang mga mag-aaral at mga guro upang maiwasan ang pagsikip sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Paliwanag ni Gatchalian, kapos ang kakayahang pinansyal ng mga pribadong paaralan upang mapanatili ang kanilang operasyon, pati na rin ang patuloy na pagpapasahod sa mga guro at kawani. Kung magsara ang mga paaralang ito dahil sa patuloy na pagkawala ng kita, mawawalan o maghahanap ng ibang trabaho ang mga guro at kawani. Maaaring magdulot ito ng kakulangan ng guro sa bansa at mapipilitan naman ang mga mag-aaral na lumipat sa mga pampublikong eskwelahan, kung saan suliranin ang 'di sapat na bilang ng mga silid-aralan. "Malaki ang naging epekto ng COVID-19 sa mga pribadong paaralan, pati na sa mga guro at kawani nito pero hindi pa rin sila kwalipikado sa mga ayudang ipinapamahagi ng pamahalaan. Bilang mga katuwang natin sa pagbibigay ng dekalidad na edukasyon, kailangang tulungan natin ang mga pribadong paaralan na makatawid sa krisis na kinakaharap natin," ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture. Sa isang ulat na pinamagatang "The COVID-19 Pandemic: Shocks to Education and Policy Responses", nagbabala ang World Bank na malaki ang epekto sa kalidad ng edukasyon kapag kinaltasan ng sweldo ang mga guro o di kaya ay tanggalin sila sa trabaho. Ginawang halimbawa ng ulat ang Estados Unidos noong 2008 financial crisis, kung saan halos tatlong daang libong (300,000) mga guro at kawani ang nawalan ng trabaho. Ayon pa sa naturang ulat, kahit na tanggapin ng mga pampublikong paaralan ang mga mag-aaral na umaalis sa mga pribadong eskwelahan, magdudulot naman ito ng pagsikip ng mga paaralan at patuloy na pagbaba ng kalidad ng edukasyon. Ayon sa Managing Director ng Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) na si Atty. Joseph Noel Estrada, halos labing-anim (16) na porsyento o apat (4) na milyon sa dalawampu't pitong (27) milyong mga mag-aaral ang nasa mga pribadong paaralan. Ayon kay Estrada, maaaring umabot ng dalawang (2) milyon sa mga mag-aaral na ito ang mag-drop-out o lumipat sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Ibinahagi rin ni Estrada na may humigit-kumulang, tatlong daang libong (300,000) mga guro ang nagtatrabaho sa mga pribadong paaralan. Ang iba sa kanila ay nagtatrabaho sa ilalim ng polisiyang no-work, no-pay. Aniya, umaabot sa pitumpung (70) porsyento ng gastusin ng mga paaralan ang sahod ng mga guro. ###
Kabul, June 7 : The Afghan government is trying to coordinate efforts for finalizing the venue and timeline of the intra-Afghan talks with the Taliban, the State Ministry on Peace Affairs said.

"The council will be composed of prominent political personalities and influential figures from all layers of the society which will determine the fundamental agendas of the peace talks and monitor the core aspects of the process.

"The government is trying to coordinate on the venue for the talks so that these talks are started in the near future," TOLO News quoted Najia Anwari, a spokeswoman for the State Ministry on Peace Affairs, as saying on Saturday.

The development comes as US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad embarked on a new trip to Doha, Islamabad and Kabul to seek a consensus among Afghan parties on practical next steps for intra-Afghan negotiations, said the US Department of State.

According to State Ministry on Peace Affairs, work is also underway on the structure of the High Council for National Reconciliation and the council is expected to determine the agenda for peace talks with the Taliban.

Last week, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, at a press conference in Kabul, said he remained hopeful about the current opportunity for peace, which he said has been provided due to the ceasefire.

But, so far members of the leadership and secretariat of the council have not been finalized.

Abdullah said the negotiation team is a good team and is ready for talks with the Taliban.

Apparently, the government's peace negotiating team is also waiting for the work of High Council for National Reconciliation to begun, said the TOLO News report.

"The (government's peace negotiating team) is fully ready to start the talks, now it depends on the opposing side to take advantage of the opportunity," said Ghulam Farooq Majroh, a member of government's peace negotiating team.

Based on the Ghani-Abdullah agreement, the High Council for National Reconciliation will lead the peace efforts.
A family has been left devastated by the death of a 19-month-old girl who was killed after being struck in a driveway accident in Perth.

Police were called to an address in Bayswater, northeast of the city, following reports of a child being run over by a four-wheel-drive at a home on Saturday about 5.15pm (local time).

In addition to police, St John Ambulance paramedics were also called to the scene and it was established the 19-month-old was fatally injured by the vehicle, dying at the scene.

Behind the wheel of the 4WD was the mother of the 19-month-old, according to Nine News. She was reportedly reversing the vehicle and did not see her daughter.

A toddler was killed in her driveway on Saturday evening by a reversing four-wheel-drive. Source: Nine News

Both parents screamed following the accident, alerting neighbours who rushed to help the toddler, according to The West Australian.

Police said in a statement the death was not being treated as suspicious.

KidSafe WA CEO Scott Phillip called the situation a tragedy and called for the community to get behind the family.

Your heart has to go out to them [the family], Mr Phillip told Nine News.

This is a tragedy for the family, the extended family, the whole community.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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New Delhi, June 7 : The Congress has alleged that the Delhi government is violating the ICMR and WHO norms on Covid-19 and is not testing the dead. The party said, only three States -- Telangana, West Bengal and Delhi do not test the symptomatic dead, which is a must for contact tracing and testing.

Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken said, "Just to keep the figures low, this ploy of the government is causing a surge of cases in Delhi." Ajay Maken, the senior spokesperson of the party, said, "Delhi government claimed as on June 7, that 72 per cent beds in Covid dedicated government hospitals (3,156 out of 4,400) are vacant." He questioned, "In total private hospitals, 40 per cent beds are vacant and in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, against whom an FIR has been lodged, 12 per cent beds are vacant. Why only 28 per cent beds in Delhi government hospitals are occupied, and an FIR has been lodged against Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with 88 per cent occupancy?" The Congress leader said Delhi has been reporting highest number of COVID positive cases per day. The recovery rate is one of the lowest in the country. Since last few days, one out of every four persons being tested is COVID positive. This is perhaps the highest in India.

But still 8 labs were given notice to close for 'over-testing', Maken said, adding that these 8 labs tested 4,000 patients per day.

He said this means that 4,000 less persons will be tested per day.

"We would like to assert that no private hospital should refuse admission to any patient. The government has all the authority and power to act against such erring hospitals. But it should not be used to divert the attention from the government's own negligence and incompetence," Maken further said.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain is looking forward to strengthening partnerships with the private sector in fish farming ventures, said Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister, Essam Khalaf. The move, the minister said, is aimed at increasing the productivity of the Bahrain National Mariculture Centre (NMC) in Ras Hayan.

Attracting more private sector companies to investment projects in the sector is critical to maximise local fish production and achieve self-sufficiency, the minister stressed. This came as the minister paid a visit to NMC, along with the Agriculture and Marine Resources Undersecretary, Dr Nabeel Abu Al-Fateh, and senior Marine biologist, Bassam Al-Showeikh.

The minister was informed about the general condition of NMCs facilities and stressed the importance of their maintenance ahead of the new fish farming season. He also followed up on the efforts being exerted to prepare lands allocated for the private sector.

Bahrain has earlier launched a National Programme for Training Local Competencies in Fish Farming to train participants to build fish farms cost-effectively using locally available resources. Besides, a deal was also signed in May to establish a new aquaculture venture in Bahrain as part of a plan to improve food security.

During the signing, the Ministry of agriculture and marine resources Under-Secretary Dr Nabeel Abu Al Fateh said the new facility will be located near the National Aquaculture Centre in Ras Hayyan in the southern governorate.
Call it a COVID crew, a pandemic pod or, as Alameda County would now prefer, a social bubble. On Friday the county released new health guidelines and attempted to put a formal stamp on a concept many in the Bay Area have already put into place: small, strict social circles outside your immediate household.

A social bubble, per Alameda Countys very specific guidelines, is a group of 12 or fewer people who may socialize together but only outside  and officials still recommend masks and physical distance. The county also specified that a person could belong to only one bubble and that the groups should be maintained for at least three weeks.

The move is a big step for a county that has been under a shelter-in-place order that technically forbade gathering outside of ones household or living unit for nearly three months now, and could help ease the isolation thats set in since the coronavirus hit the Bay Area.

Alameda County seems out in front of the rest of the Bay Area in sanctioning the concept. Some counties allow vehicle-based gatherings where people stay in their cars. Santa Clara County allows two households to meet outside for a childrens play group, but the standard 6-foot distance must be maintained.

San Francisco hasnt updated the language in its health order and still technically forbids gathering in groups outside your household, but an online FAQ explaining the order says that seeing friends can be important for your mental health. The city recommends that those who do see friends try to only spend time with the same people. It also instructs people to remember their contacts and get tested if someone in that group gets sick.

Ronni Louie, a 32-year-old San Francisco resident, sent the news about Alameda County to her friend Saturday morning. Shes been strict about sheltering in place. The only person shes seen aside from her roommates is her cousin when she came to drop something off. They kept their distance and it was brief.

Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle

Its great that were on that path and Alameda County is doing that, Louie said, though she wondered how it would work for those not in large family units. I dont think its possible that youre going to have 12 people who are young and single or not in a family unit being able to choose the exact same people to see weeks on end at this point.

Shes still game to try. Shell wait until San Francisco issues similar guidance  the citys health order still prohibits most public or private gatherings  before she starts loosening up, and shell start her bubble small, just a couple friends and take it from there.

Whether theyve been officially sanctioned or not, though, social bubbles are about as old as the shelter-in-place orders themselves. They have gone by many names, including pandemic pods or quarantine crews.

Sarah Haynes, 33, linked up with two other friends living in San Francisco at the outset. They called it a COVID crew.

We decided that we were gonna spend our time with and help each other out, she said. Essentially, they formed their own family unit. They meal planned and shopped for one another and kept possible exposure to a minimum.

As the months have dragged on, theyve expanded their bubble bit by bit but limited interactions to backyards and beaches.

Most people Haynes knows have a similar arrangement, to one degree or another, she said. I only know one person who hasnt seen a soul since this happened. Some have dubbed their groups pandemic pods.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A visit to most any Bay Area park seems to bear this out. There are big groups of friends, sitting close, picnicking and laughing. And stories about backyard gatherings for friends and families are just about ubiquitous.

For some, like Anne Mercogliano, 38, the social bubbles came ready-made. On June 1, when San Francisco announced it was allowed, she sent her 5-year-old daughter back to day care. Shes an only child, stuck with her parents and a dog. Mercogliano realized pretty quickly it would be impossible to expect her daughter and the other children in the day care to keep their distance, so she started reaching out to some of the other parents and agreed to some rules so they could all spend time together.

By default Im definitely becoming a lot closer with those families, she said. Were calling that our official bubble and not bubbling out to anybody else.

The whole thing is a bit of a balancing act, Mercogliano said. She doesnt want to erase the past three months of hard work to flatten the curve throughout the Bay Area, at the same time she realizes some social interaction is inevitable.

This is a balancing act John Steen, 53, knows well. For the better part of three months hes erred on the side of caution. It wasnt until the end of April that he started walking to Buena Vista Park not far from his home. And then, last week, as temperatures climbed he relented. He and four friends met at the park for a picnic.

We had chairs and blankets and just sat apart, he said. Still, itll be awhile before hes hanging out with groups much bigger than that.

Im starting off slow, he said. I myself know and trust myself  its trusting everybody else.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was in for a round of criticism on Sunday after he announced that the hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the coronavirus crisis.

The decision came even as the city's borders were set to be reopened from Monday. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said hospitals run by the Centre will have no such restriction, and if people from other states come to the national capital for specific surgeries, they can get medical treatment at private hospitals.

Arvind #Kejriwal :Born In Haryana Studied in Kharagpur, West Bengal Resided at Kaushambi,UP Fought Lok sabha elections in VaranasiCurrently CM of DelhiWent for treatment in Karnataka Now having Problem with "Outsiders" availing Medical Benefits in Delhi#KejriwalExposed Gaurav (@gaurav_tweetss) June 7, 2020

"Over 90 per cent people want Delhi hospitals to treat patients from the national capital during the coronavirus pandemic," Kejriwal said.

"Hence, it has been decided that government and private hospitals in Delhi will only treat patients from the national capital," the CM added.

The distinction between "outsiders" in order to boost Delhi's healthcare facilities led to outrage on social media with many wondering what the CM meant when he said "Delhi residents" since Kejriwal himself was technically an outsider.

Many on Twitter pointed out that Kerjriwal had himself been born in Haryana and spent his childhood growing up in Haryana as well as Uttar Pradesh. Kejriwal also received education in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Some even pointed out that the CM had gone to Bengaluru to get treatment for his ailments such as his 10-day 2015 visit to Karnataka to receive naturopathy.

Kejriwal:Born in Haryana.Spent childhood days in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.Studied in West Bengal.Worked in Jharkhand.Bought residence in Uttar Pradesh.Collected chanda from all over India and abroad.But now declares, Delhi hospitals only for the people of Delhi!!Wah!! https://t.co/9p0BLRyHTO Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) June 7, 2020

Delhi hospitals will be available for the people of Delhi only, while Central hospitals will remain open for all: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. #COVID19Do you support this decision? #YRDpoll Yashwant Deshmukh  (@YRDeshmukh) June 7, 2020

Kejriwal was born in Haryana, lived in UP and goes to Bangalore for his treatment dont want people from outside Delhi to get treated in Delhi. Ok noted pic.twitter.com/ojeNsMdAN0 swadeshi mojito (@desimojito) June 7, 2020

Even #HippocraticOath asks docs to treat patients irrespective of their place but #Kejriwal wants doctors to be a part of his dirty politics. It's ethical duty of a doctor to treat.& more than 50% doc working in Delhi aren't Delhites.#kejriwalshameonyou #KejriwalExposed Gaurav (@gaurav_tweetss) June 7, 2020

This is a very narrow mindness approach And unconstitutional too mahua dey (@mahuadey20) June 7, 2020

Delhi government hospitals have around 10,000 beds while the Centre-run hospitals have almost the same beds, Kejriwal said, adding that it will strike a balance and protect the interest of those belonging to the national capital and other states as well.

Kejriwal said that the Centre-run hospitals will continue to treat people belonging to other states and his government has not issued any separate order for the same.

On Saturday, Delhi recorded 1,320 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the COVID-19 tally in the city to over 27,500 while the death toll due to the disease mounted to 761.

The highest single-day spike in fresh cases -- 1,513 -- was recorded on June 3.
ST. PAUL, Minn. >> As an African American pastor who serves as a chaplain in the Minneapolis police precinct where the white officer charged with murdering George Floyd worked, the Rev. Charles Graham believes he is exactly where God intended.

God is putting us where he wants us to be, said Graham, pastor emeritus at Macedonia Baptist Church in Minneapolis and chaplain at the 3rd Precinct for six years. I know its my job to show the hope. We might as well learn how to live together.

Graham and other Twin Cities faith leaders who minister to communities historically ravaged by racial injustice know their neighborhoods are also the most vulnerable to poverty and crime. Most of the worst looting and vandalism this week struck long-established Native American and African American areas that more recently became home to large groups of Hmong, Somali and Latino migrants.

Firm in their denunciation of brutality and racism, the religious leaders believe that using faith to build bridges between law enforcement and the communities they police will ultimately keep everyone safe.

Were better together, said Joan Austin, a minister at New Creation Baptist Church in Minneapolis and a chaplain in the 5th Precinct, which was engulfed in violent protests the night after the third precinct was torched. I lift (officers and congregants) up in prayer every single night.

Praying with police officers before they go on duty, bringing them into meetings with the communities they serve but often dont live in, and trying to break down mutual fear and suspicion are some of the ways in which chaplains serve both their congregations and their precincts.

The reason I work with the police department right now is that I want to help the culture change, Graham said. Some policemen think theyre in charge of black folks. If youd treat me as someone thats important too, it would be so much better.

Even as he struggles with his own sense of helplessness Carl Valdez, a long-time deacon at Incarnation / Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, has been spending long hours at the 5th Precinct where hes chaplain, urging the officers not to give in to anger or that same helplessness.

Theres a culture of the community is against us and we have to pretend that were not angry or afraid with all that,  Valdez said.

As the long-time deacon at Incarnation / Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, the spiritual home of a large Spanish-speaking community that often carries the memory of abuses in home countries, he knows how crucial it is to build relationships.

Before he became chaplain, multiple squad cars showed up at the church after a neighbor called police on a group of Latinos there. It was a family doing volunteer repairs to the century-old building.

Since then, the parish community and the police have held regular dialogue. Uniformed officers shared tamales at the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe and kept an eye on traffic during pandemic food drives in which 90 tons of food were donated to nearly 3,000 households.

Poor people and those on the margins are more likely to be preyed upon and building good relationships with law enforcement is crucial to protect this community, said parish priest Rev. Kevin McDonough. My message now is, stay the course.

Across town in St. Paul, the parish priest of the historic African American parish of St. Peter Claver was similarly confident in the power of faith to bring healing and renewal, but he also worried about whether the church and its school would remain unscathed, with a gas station vandalized on the same block.

We didnt expect wed be a target, because were standing with the community. But most of the damage wasnt done by protestors, the Rev. Erich Rutten said Saturday afternoon, as two dozen volunteers boarded up windows and doors with plywood.

Two miles down the interstate highway, that would be closed two hours later in an effort to prevent more violence, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul celebrated the first public Mass there since the pandemic.

To the faithful in masks scattered throughout the huge historic structure, the Rev. John L. Ubel admitted being nervous, but said being able to gather together again for the solemnity of Pentecost  with its emphasis on the Holy Spirit bringing the fearful apostles the courage to go out into the world  couldnt come at a better time.

Were meant to gather, he preached in his homily. But so too were called to live in community. Our differences are not to be a source of division. The Lord has not abandoned us, has not abandoned our cities.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Coronavirus: Chhattisgarh gets first quarantine centre for pregnant women

India

pti-PTI

Raipur, June 07: A quarantine centre exclusively for pregnant women, among the groups most vulnerable due to the coronavirus outbreak, has been set up in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, an official said on Sunday.

The facility has come up at a community health centre in Kesla village, some 120 kilometres from here, and presently houses eight pregnant women, all migrant workers who had returned from different states amid the lockdown, a public relations department official said.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

India, China will have more coronavirus cases if more tests are conducted: Trump

"On the instructions of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, special facilities are being provided to pregnant women, children and senior citizens in quarantine centres.The first quarantine centre for pregnant women has come up in Kesla village of Bilaspur district," he said.

Nutritional food, screening facilities and protective gear are available at the centre, which is sanitised three times a day, and medical personnel have been deployed round the clock, he added.

As on Saturday, 2,31,536 people, mostly migrants, were kept in 19,732 quarantine centres in the state, while 52,997 were in home isolation as a precautionary measure. Chhattisgarh has, so far, recorded 997 COVID-19 cases, though active cases are 734 as 259 patients have recovered and four have succumbed to the infection.
Pacific Seafood on Sunday disclosed that 124 of its employees and local contractors have tested positive for coronavirus in what is the second largest workplace outbreak of the virus in the state to date.

The number reported by the business is nearly twice what the Oregon Health Authority initially reported Sunday morning. An Oregon Health Authority spokesman said the state pulls the data once a day and that the number of confirmed positives had risen since it collected the data early Sunday.

The public health investigation into the outbreak began June 2, according to the state. State officials said the initial tally fell below the threshold for public disclosure, which the state set at more than five cases in workplaces with more than 30 workers.

Officials said the risk to the public is low.

On Sunday, Pacific Seafood issued a statement saying it provided testing for 376 workers at its five Newport facilities.

Fifty-three employees and 71 local contractors tested positive.

The company said 95 percent of those who tested positive did not report any symptoms. None have been hospitalized. The positive tests are concentrated at the Pacific shrimp processing facility location.

The company said it has suspended operations at all five locations. It also said it would carry out detailed contract tracing.

Additionally, a dozen new cases in Hood River that were disclosed Sunday are linked to outbreaks at seasonal agricultural facilities.

According to the latest data from the state Health Authority, with 167 confirmed cases, the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem is the largest workplace outbreak in Oregon with 167 confirmed cases. Townsend Farms in Fairview is now the third largest workplace outbreak with a 51 cases.

The disclosures of outbreaks at various businesses came as the state Health Authority reported the highest number of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases to date. The state on Sunday reported 146 new cases and one new death. The second-highest number disclosed on a single day was 100 cases on April 4.

Of the new cases, 22 in Multnomah County appear to be from sporadic sources, the Health Authority said.

-- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Beachgoers walks at the sea water during sunset at an empty stretch of Dome beach hotel at Makrinissos in Cyprus' seaside resort of Ayia Napa, a favorite among tourists from Europe and beyond, on Sunday, May 17, 2020. With coronavirus restrictions gradually lifting, Cyprus authorities are mulling ways to get holidaymakers back to the tourism-reliant island nation. AP



The Mediterranean resort town of Ayia Napa is known for its boisterous parties. Each summer, thousands of young foreign tourists pack the dance floors of its nightlife district after a day at the beach.



But the pandemic silenced the exuberant Napa Strip district as the island nation of Cyprus went into a lockdown to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Now nightclub owners wonder when social distancing rules will be eased enough for the party to resume _ and what those new parties will look like.



''We know at nightclubs, young people will go to dance and have a good time. But then you have to tell them that they have to keep 2 meters (6 feet) apart from each other?'' asked Charalambos Alexandrou, the spokesman for a group representing local clubs, bars and restaurants.



Across southern Europe, in places where tourism drives much of the economy, officials are weighing how to entice travelers to come back, even while the pandemic remains a threat. Juggling the sometimes-competing needs of health and business, authorities are introducing measures to reassure visitors that taking a holiday is safe again.



Still, those are not likely to solve the quandary facing Ayia Napa's nightclub businesses. Alexandrou said this will be ''a season of trying to survive,'' not seeking a profit.



One idea being considered is asking holidaymakers to take a COVID-19 test prior to their arrival. Cyprus has officially reported 916 cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths.



The country's deputy minister for tourism, Savvas Perdios, said Cyprus will initially look to bring tourists from nearby countries that have managed to contain the virus _ Greece, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and some central European and Nordic nations.



Authorities will take more time to assess the course of the pandemic in the United Kingdom and Russia, the island's primary tourism markets, before rolling out the red carpet for those countries.



Tourists in the near future will have to navigate a different set of expectations, routines and rules to counter the virus.



Christos Angelides, president of the Cyprus Hotel Managers' Association, said new rules being announced soon will mean that from the moment tourists step out of their bus or taxi from the airport, their luggage will be disinfected and taken straight to their rooms. Reception procedures will be done electronically, with employees behind a plexiglass screen and cleaning staff in full protective gear.



Guests eyeing a vacation in Portugal, another major southern European holiday destination, will probably look beyond a hotel's online reviews to see if it has the ''Clean&Safe'' seal now being awarded by local tourism officials. The seal indicates that the establishment, be it a hotel, restaurant or other venue, has enacted recommended hygiene and safety procedures to protect against the virus.



The idea has been a big success in a desperate sector that accounts for 15% of Portugal's gross domestic product and 9% of the country's jobs. The online classes needed to obtain the seal are being attended by around 4,000 people a week.



''It's a question of making people feel safe to travel and having confidence in the place where they're going,'' said Luis Araujo, president of the government agency Turismo de Portugal



Portugal lies at the opposite end of the Mediterranean Sea from Cyprus, but its challenge is the same: how to reconcile social distancing and hygiene rules with fun and relaxation.



''Restrictions scare away any tourist,'' Araujo acknowledged.



The Portuguese government says discotheques will be the last places to open, but many hotels intend to start reopening June 1.



Among the changes being adopted: Guests will not check into their rooms until 24 hours after the last occupant has checked out, to allow time for thorough cleaning and airing of the space. Waiting for sunbeds may come to an end as some hotel guests will get one for their own exclusive use. Buffets are unlikely to be offered, but room service is expected to thrive.



Another challenge is how to reopen southern Europe's famous beaches.



Portugal has come up with a plan to get people back on the sand starting on June 6. Sunbathers must stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart, with umbrellas at least 3 meters (10 feet) apart. New signs and an app will use a traffic-light system of red, yellow and green indicating which beaches are full, partly full or have few people. Paddle boats and water slides will be prohibited.



In an attempt to shore up public confidence, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa went to his local cafe for morning coffee and had lunch at a Lisbon restaurant with the speaker of parliament on Monday, the first day those businesses reopened after a lockdown.



Even with all the efforts to make tourists feel safe, worries about the coronavirus are not going away.



U.K. personal trainer Kenny Dyer canceled an Easter vacation in Cyprus and is hopeful of venturing back in October. But Dyer attached a condition that governments may find hard to guarantee.



''I wouldn't want to fly somewhere where there's a sudden spike in coronavirus cases, and I would have to be quarantined abroad,'' Dyer said. (AP)


I t is undoubtedly a risk" that coronavirus infections in the UK will surge following the Black Lives Matter protests, the Health Secretary has said.

Matt Hancock issued the warning after his plea for protesters to stick by lockdown rules was ignored on Saturday as thousands descended on Parliament Square.

Scores of anti-racist protesters defied the ban on mass gatherings and seemingly failed to socially distance as they marched through central London.

It was the third mass protest in the capital in a week following the death of unarmed African American George Floyd in US police custody.

Thousands more are set to flock to Londons US Embassy, in Vauxhall, and other demos later for another round of demonstrations.

Mr Hancock told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: "I support very strongly the argument that is being made by those who are protesting for more equality and against discrimination, but the virus itself doesn't discriminate.

"Gathering in large groups is temporarily against the rules precisely because it increases the risk of the spread of this virus.

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

"So I would urge people to make their argument, and I will support you in making that argument, but please don't spread this virus which has already done so much damage and we are starting to get under control."

Mr Hancock had warned the protesters to stay away, pointing out were still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat.

Police horses charged at the crowds as things became heated / PA

His message was echoed by Home Secretary Priti Patel in a last-ditch plea on Saturday morning asking people, please don't attend the rallies.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said 14 officers were injured during heated clashes with protesters in Whitehall last night, following a largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration.

She condemned the "shocking and completely unacceptable" assaults and said she was deeply saddened and depressed by the skirmishes, which also erupted after Wednesdays BLM march.

Protesters also took to the streets in Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield on Saturday over Mr Floyd, 46, who died after a white officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25. The officer has been charged with second-degree murder.

REUTERS

Mr Hancock insisted the British police are not like their American counterparts, contrary to some of the chants at Saturdays protests.

He told BBC Ones The Andrew Marr Show: I think the police did a fantastic job, and Im very proud of the British police for their professionalism, their restraint in the face of the tiny amount of violence  and I would stress it was a very small amount of violence  later on in the day.

And I think that we can all be proud that the British police are not like the American police in this way and I think thats a very good thing.
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This can also include non-medical, skilled care such as assistance with day to day living or medical social services from highly qualified home health caregivers. The caregivers are highly trained to use the various home healthcare devices appropriately, effectively, and safely. Home healthcare services are more convenient, less expensive, and equally effective as that of the care a patient gets in a good nursing facility or a hospital. This form of healthcare helps patients to maintain their current level of function or condition, become self-sufficient, regain their independence, and get better.

GET FREE SAMPLE COPY @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/home-healthcare-market-2030#vtab345

Competitive Landscape

McKesson Corporation, Apple, Fresenius SE & Co KGaA, GE Healthcare, Medtronic Plc, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Becton Dickinson Company, Kinnser Software, 3M, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Omron Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., A&D Company, Abbott Laboratories, and LG Electronics are key players of the global preimplantation genetic testing market.

The global Home Healthcare Market Information size is anticipated to touch USD 4, 14, 681.2 million at an 8.1% CAGR between 2017-2023, states the new Market Research Future (MRFR) report. Home healthcare, as the term suggests, is the medical care that is offered in the home of the patient. It can comprise broad care provided by skilled medical experts, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and skilled nursing care.

Regional Analysis

The global home healthcare market is spread across four regions which are the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.

The Americas are expected to be the biggest region for the market due to the disbursement of large funds for the healthcare sector by large economies. North America is expected to contribute heavily to the global home healthcare market due to the establishment of public healthcare insurance programs and availability of generic medicines for the common public.

GET FULL REPORT @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/home-healthcare-market-2030

TytoHome is a handheld device created by TytoCare which can be used by doctors and clinicians to examine a patients lungs, heart, ears, abdomen, and other vital organs remotely. It has partnered with retailer BestBuy for ensuring the availability of the device at all of its stores.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 23:08:06|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- The global COVID-19 death toll surpassed 400,000 on Sunday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

The death toll from the coronavirus reached 400,243 as of 8:33 a.m. (1233 GMT), and total caseloads around the world rose to 6,923,836, according to the CSSE.

The United States reported the most COVID-19 cases and deaths, standing at 1,920,061 and 109,802, respectively. Other countries with over 20,000 fatalities included Britain, Brazil, Italy, France and Spain.

- - - -

HANOI -- Vietnam reported no new cases of COVID-19 infection on Sunday, with its total confirmed cases remaining at 329 with zero death so far, according to its Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, as many as 307 patients in the country have totally recovered from the disease, according to the ministry.

Vietnam has recorded no local transmission for 52 straight days while there are nearly 9,100 people being quarantined and monitored in the country, said the health ministry.

- - - -

THE HAGUE -- The number of reported deaths from the novel coronavirus in the Netherlands rose by 2 to 6,013, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) announced on Sunday.

The number of new deaths is down from Saturday's six, continuing a trend of low daily toll in the past weeks.

The number of confirmed infections since Saturday was 239, bringing the total tally to 47,574. The number of people admitted to hospitals grew by 4 to 11,789.

- - - -

KAMPALA -- Uganda's Ministry of Health on Sunday reported 23 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 616.

Out of the 2,494 samples collected from cross-border cargo truck drivers and communities over the last 24 hours, 23 Ugandans tested positive for the virus, said the statement.

Out of the 616 COVID-19 cases, 96 have recovered and no one has died of the disease in the country, according to the ministry.

- - - -

SINGAPORE -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday called on Singaporeans to prepare for a very different future, as COVID-19 would remain a problem for a long time.

He delivered a national speech broadcast on Sunday evening, saying COVID-19, not only a public health issue but also a serious economic, social and political problem, would take at least a year, probably longer, before vaccines become widely available.

Lee said Singaporeans must all adjust the way they live, work and play, so that they could reduce the spread of the virus, and keep themselves safe. He also warned Singaporeans that the next few years would be a disruptive and difficult time for all of them.

- - - -

SHANGHAI -- The first subject from the Shanghai-based Huashan Hospital of Fudan University on Sunday morning received an injection of JS016 -- a recombinant, fully human, monoclonal neutralizing antibody against COVID-19.

It is allegedly the world's first clinical trial for the antibody on a healthy human participant after completing testing on non-human primates, according to the municipal science and technology commission of Shanghai.

The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial aims to evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and immunogenicity of JS016 among the Chinese population, to provide a basis for subsequent clinical studies of the antibody.

- - - -

BEIJING -- China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19, chronicling its painstaking yet effective efforts to contain the novel coronavirus while sharing its experience for the world to defeat the global pandemic.

Facing this "unknown, unexpected, and devastating" disease, China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread, said the white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action." Enditem
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Think-about-Taking-a-Gap-Year-In-Israel.html

Now may be the ideal time to spend a year learning in Jerusalem.

When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, many American and British colleges and universities are shutting down and continuing remote learning. But in Israel, its a different experience. Were geared up, explains Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Educational Director at Neve Yerushalayim, a Jewish womens college with a sprawling campus in the heart of Jerusalem.

Israel instituted early lockdowns and rigorous tracking, testing and quarantining in the fight against Covid-19, and as result they are much more open than many other countries. Israeli schools and universities have already reopened. While there are still many precautions in place, Israeli schools are planning to continue in-person instruction this summer and in the coming school year.

We have enough space to accommodate any level of lockdown should that become necessary, says Rabbi Edelstein. Israel is allowing students to enter the country now and then quarantine for two weeks.

At Aish HaTorah, in Jerusalems historic Old City, lessons never stopped even during the height of Israels strict lockdowns. About 80 students sheltered in place in the school, enjoying Aish HaTorahs multiple communal areas, vibrant classroom settings, spacious dining hall and gym.

Both Aish HaTorah  for young men  and Neve Yerushalayim  for young women  offer extensive programs for English-speaking students, from beginners to advanced, allowing students taking a gap year or a year off from college (or delaying their entry into grad school or the job market) the chance to explore Jewish studies at their own pace and levels.

Aish HaTorah runs several programs, allowing young men to study Jewish texts, Hebrew language, Jewish philosophy and other subjects for any length of time.

Aishs Foundations Program is for students exploring Judaism, explains Rabbi Nachman Elsant, Assistant Director of the school. This full time program doesnt expect any background knowledge, just a desire to learn. Its completely personalized: Students can spend three weeks here or three months taking advantage of Aish HaTorahs world-class faculty and enjoying life in a comfortable dorm in Jerusalems Jewish Quarter. Most Foundations students are in their twenties  the program is perfect for a college student taking a year or semester long break, though they would also consider taking younger students on a gap year or gap semester before starting university.

The Foundations program comprises three hours of classes in the morning, three in the afternoon, optional programming in the evening and lots of additional social and educational extra-curricular experiences. The curriculum tries to give a well-rounded exposure to Judaism, including philosophy, personal growth, Jewish history, and Jewish texts, explains Rabbi Elsant.

There are also numerous trips around Israel and workshops focusing on different aspects of Jewish learning. Students engage in one-on-one learning with teachers, often forging close personal connections. Visit http://aishfoundations.com/ for more information.

For students who have completed the three-month Foundations program and want to continue their Jewish learning, theres the option of transitioning to the Beit Midrash Program which continues Aish HaTorahs commitment to individualized learning. The program includes a crash course in Hebrew, as well as classes in Jewish philosophy, prayer, and personal development. There is a big focus on developing skills in Talmud study so students can become independently skilled learners of Jewish texts. The Beit Midrash program also helps students develop life skills  it helps prepare students for the next stage in life, motivating and empowering students to make a difference in their Jewish communities and college campuses. It gives them tools to answer questions about Judaism, about Israel, and to make a difference wherever they find themselves in their Jewish communities Rabbi Elsant says. There is also a full time Spanish program. Visit http://yeshiva.aish.com/ for more information about the Beit Midrash program.

For boys just graduating high school, Aish HaTorah also runs a post-high school year long program called Aish Gesher. This program is diverse, with some students coming from years of Jewish day schools, and others studying on a separate track aimed at students with no formal Jewish education. For students graduating from public high schools who want a traditional yeshiva experience, this program offers the chance to spend a year living in the Old City of Jerusalem, studying Jewish texts at a serious level. Visit http://aishgesher.com/ for more information.

For young women, Neve Yerushalayim offers five levels of study, aimed at female students aged 18-33 who wish to explore their Jewish heritage, learn about Jewish philosophy and texts, learn Hebrew, and experience life in Israel.

There are no prerequisites besides a desire to learn. Anybody can come in; well place them according to their level, explains Rabbi Edelstein. We have an open-ended educational system. Whenever someone feels ready to move up to the next level, they can switch to the next track. This flexibility extends to enrollment dates too: students can begin studying at Neve Yerushalayim whenever they wish, and stay for a length of time that works for them. You can come for two weeks and stay for six months, Rabbi Edelstein says.

One of Neves strengths is their world-class teachers. Most teachers are women, and many are young. They are role models, showing students what successful, professional Jewish women can look like.

Neve students create a largely personalized schedule of classes, catering to their individual needs and interests. As students move up through Neves levels, they gradually incorporate more Hebrew and text-based reading into their studies. Another key component of learning at Neve is the use of chavrutot, or study partners: this is a time-honored way of Jewish learning, and at Neve students are paired both with fellow students and also with teachers for a highly personalized, one on one educational experience. Neve also brings in outside speakers for special seminars: experts come to deliver seminars on Jewish holidays or other topics, and the school will arrange festive breakfasts and special mornings to devote to these outside speakers.

Neve students embody a range of religious experiences. You dont need to be observant, theres no dress code, explains Rabbi Edelstein. We leave it to the integrity of each student to decide what they want to do with their Judaism.

Neve Yerushalayim closed during the lockdowns in Israel and is planning to reopen July 7 for their full range of programs. Students come from all over the world  just over half generally are from North America, and the remainder hail from Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Visit https://nevey.org/about/ for more information.
paatal lok

Pataal Lok (the Under World), a new series released last month on Amazon Prime, seems to have ruffled many feathers. There is a spate of criminal complaints against the producers of this series, alleging racism, sexism and communal bias in the storyline and depiction.

On the other side, there have been abundant accolades for the intensity of the plot and brave presentation. Intrigued by the diverse opinions, I decided to watch the series and decide for myself. Here is my take on it.

For its cinematic value - tight plot, sharp script, engaging dialogues, and perfect acting - Pataal Lok is a treat to watch. However, if someone is not a usual audience (watch, enjoy and forget) and like to critically analyse a piece of art for its social impact, it raises some serious questions and answers almost none. For example, consider the following five points:

(a) The protagonist, who is a frustrated police officer, discovers that the cartel of media, police, CBI and politicians have staged a fake murder attempt and terror plot for vested interest (remember 1997 Hollywood flick Wag the Dog). When he confronts his seniors, he is advised to close his eyes or face the consequences of disobedience. He is told that there are no lacunae in the system. It is well oiled and all the wrongdoing are well planned and executed.

The series suddenly refreshes the memories of many infamous cases like Jessica Lal murder case, Aarushi murder case, Batla House encounter case, BMW accident case, Salman Khan accident case, etc., and how the investigating agencies and police did multiple flip-flops in the investigation and prosecution; and how the media played the tune.

The plot may strengthened the belief of the unscrupulous that everything is manageable in the country; while giving a glimmer of hope to the righteous that with perseverance the culprits may be brought to justice even if it takes an extraordinary amount of time and effort.

The question it leaves for the audience is "whether to believe in the system which is so well organised with all its wheels well oiled, or stop having whatever trust they have left in the system?" In my view, it raises the level of audiences' cynicism by a few degrees.

The fact that while many people and social organisations have raised objections to the storyline, the administration, media, police and investigating agencies have not taken any objection to their derogatory depiction; might further hurt the belief of the people in the system.

(b) The series depicts two instances of gang rape. In one case, young girls are raped by their first cousins, as the girls' father could not repay the debt in time. In the second case, a middle-aged lower caste woman is brutally gang-raped by upper caste strongmen, to avenge the crime of her son. Her son, unable to bear the persistence tormenting and physical abuse by the upper caste youth, had killed one of the upper caste youth and ran away.

Incest, sexual exploitation of borrower by money lenders and landlords, and rape as a means of revenge have been depicted in many movies in the past 70 years. It is common knowledge that these phenomena are not limited to movies and are regular practices in our country. In that sense, the series does show us a clean mirror.

However, nowhere in the series, which has media as one of the key constituents of the plot, any whisper is heard raising concern over these issues. These instances are used as convenient subplots to balance the anger against the brutal killers. The audience is not provoked or motivated to spare any thought for the deep-rooted malaise widely prevalent in our society. Unfortunately, no human rights or womens rights organisation has raised objection to this.

The series thus raises the question, "do we actually care for the rising instances of crime against women, or our conscience just stirs a little bit whenever a case of rape gets higher TRP in the media?"

(c) In a sub-plot, again conveniently incorporated to balance the angst against the group of criminals, an abandoned child is sodomised by a trafficker. After years of exploitation, the child grows to be a transgender. He cross-dresses as a woman and provides miscellaneous services to various criminals.

Police mistaking this man as female is one of the few mistakes in the plot, but no "child rights" activist expressing concern over this issue can certainly not be a mistake. The audience again is left with almost no disgust for child trafficking and sexual exploitation.

The question it raises is "with so much of insensitivity of administration, police, media, and common people, how would we solve this very serious problem prevalent in our society? Has the struggle ended with decriminalisation of Section 377 of IPC?

(d) The series has a group of four hardened criminals, who are engaged by a politician to stage a fake murder of a star news anchor. Police, administrators, media barrens, hawala operators and investigating agencies are accomplices to the plan.

Four sub-plots are narrated to show how four innocent people transformed into hardened criminals. The idea behind sub-plots is to invoke some sympathy for these criminals to balance the feelings of the audience.

The question that the series leaves for the audience is "why no effort is shown for the reformation of these criminals who were innocent youth before they took to the path of crime?"

On the contrary, these criminals are shown as tools in the hands of politicians and police for carrying out their malevolent objectives. A critical inference is that it is an attempt to generate sympathy for the criminals and mistrust and disgust for the system per se, without offering any solution or leaving any scope for debate.

(e) The protagonist police inspector somehow manages to get his son migrated to a prestigious private school in Delhi from the government school where he was studying before. He is not able to tolerate cultural shock. He is also not accepted by the upper-middle class and rich students of the private school. He is subjected to constant ridicule and bantering. He develops rebellious tendencies -- hates the father, joins the company of petty criminals, etc. and almost kills one of his classmates.

The behavioral development of this teenager at this point in the story bears some similarity to the gang of four criminals. Thankfully, timely intervention by the father saves the boy from slipping into the underworld.

The question which is still bothering me is that "why people are not rising to demand the "right to uniform education" for their child?" People come on streets for all miscellaneous issues, but they do not demand good education which is pre-requisite for poverty alleviation and inclusion.

The system of caste- and religion-based reservation can never succeed until the wide gap between the public and private education is bridged. I believe this disparity in the education system has been intentionally introduced to defeat the purposes of the reservation. It suits the system (politicians and elite) very well. The disparity was there in the pre-Mandal era, but it seems to have increased tremendously post-1989.

Unfortunately, it seems not to have bothered many.

Vijay Kumar Gaba explores the treasure you know as India, and shares his experiences and observations about social, economic and cultural events and conditions. He contributes his pennies to the society as Director, Equal India Foundation. The views are personal.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a move to contain the spread of the coronavirus and to avoid crowding, the State government has banned the retail sale of fish at the wharf area of Kasimedu harbour from Sunday. Instead, the public can buy fish from 200 retail stalls set up on the northern side of the harbour between 5 am and 11 am.

Also, temporary arrangements will be made near NTO Kuppam by setting up 50 stalls for retail sales. By the month end, retailing will be allowed on the southern side of the harbour where stalls are being set up.

The public will be allowed to buy fish only from retail stalls and will not be allowed to go to the fish auction centre or the wharf area, said Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar.

The Minister further said fishermen with mechanised boats would venture into sea from June 15 as the fishing ban has come to an end and this would increase the supply. Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, senior police officials and other officials had visited the harbour on June 5 to take stock of the measures being taken to ensure physical distancing there.
Love won the English 1000 Guineas on Sunday at Newmarket to give trainer Aidan O'Brien his sixth win in the race. Ryan Moore took control in the final furlong, forging clear of long time leader Cloak of Spirits while favourite Quadrilateral was third. Love's victory was O'Brien's fourth win in the last five runnings of the race and her performance shot her to favouritism for the Oaks, which is half a mile longer, on July 4 at Epsom. Moore and his mount returned to an empty winners enclosure. No spectators are allowed under regulations put in place when racing resumed after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. O'Brien watched the race from his stables in Ireland. "She is a lovely filly and we have always thought she would get further than a mile," said O'Brien at a press conference. "They (the team) were all really sweet on her and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride. "I think Ryan had her in a lovely smooth rhythm. "She is a very well balanced and very genuine and you could see that in the way she never eased up and ran to the line." The 50-year-old Irishman -- whose Wichita finished runner-up to Kameko in Saturday's fastest ever 2000 Guineas -- said the only doubts he had over Love were due to the fluctuating dates of racing resuming. "It is a little bit tricky, a little bit stop and start," he sad. "Usually you have a target then it moves and makes things a little bit complicated. "Some horses go forwards, some stand still and others don't thrive. "However all the team was very focussed and put a lot of work into it. She is a very special filly." O'Brien has few worries about her staying the extra half mile (four furlongs/800 metres) in the Oaks. "The Oaks is going to suit her very well," said O'Brien, who has won the race on seven occasions. "We always thought she would stay. This is a very nice starting point for her." - 'Ran a blinder' - After winning the race for the fourth time, Moore said they had always thought a lot of the horse after an impressive campaign as a two-year-old last year. "She is a very uncomplicated filly and a dream to ride," he said. "She had the race under control early on and it was very straightforward. "I think it very possible she will stay further. "She is like last year's winner Hermosa (trained by O'Brien but Wayne Lordan rode her as Moore opted for another of his runners) in that she is very tough." The jockeys of the placed horses had few complaints. "She (Cloak of Spirits) ran a blinder," said Andrea Atzeni. "She showed the sceptics that she is a very good filly. Quadrilateral's rider Jason Watson -- who at least had a decent ride after performing acrobatics to stay on Kenzai Warrior in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday -- suggested there might be a rematch with the winner in The Oaks. "She ran a really good race as she probably needs further," he said. "I would not mind meeting Love again in The Oaks." Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien opted to watch from his stables as Love coasted to victory to give him his sixth English 2000 Guineas sucess Ryan Moore believes Love is capable of adding the Epsom Oaks to the 1000 Guineas saying she is tough and uncomplicated
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Chinese anti-coronavirus medical experts in Sudan on Saturday discussed the prevention and control of COVID-19 with members of the 35th Chinese medical team in the country.

The forum, held at Omdurman Friendship Hospital of Sudan, was presided over by Zhou Lin, head of the Chinese medical expert team.

The scientific nature of COVID-19, laboratory testing and improvement of mental health are among the topics. The Chinese experts reminded the medical team's members to improve their immunity and strengthen the protection in work and daily life to resist the virus.

The members of the 35th Chinese medical team consulted with the experts on patient classification management, doctors' protection and cleaning.

After the discussion, the Chinese medical expert team donated medical equipment to the Chinese doctors in Sudan.

"We welcome the proposal of the experts ... we will further enhance the level of protection and provide support and assistance within our capacity to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19," said Guo Yadong, head of 35th Chinese medical team in Sudan.

On June 5, coordinated by the Chinese embassy in the Sudan, the Chinese medical expert team organized a video conference on prevention of the coronavirus with China's embassies in South Sudan, Mauritania and Morocco.

The Chinese medical expert team arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on May 28 from Algeria after ending its two-week anti-coronavirus mission there.

China has offered help to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19.

In late March, the Chinese Embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government.

On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experiences in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Lesley Shannon of Vancouver was devastated when New Brunswick rejected her request last month to enter the province to attend her mother's burial.

"I'm mystified, heartbroken and angry," said Shannon on Wednesday. "They're basically saying my mother's life has no value."

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and the three territories have temporarily barred Canadian visitors from entering their borders unless they meet specific criteria, such as travelling for medical treatment.

The provinces and territories say the extreme measures are necessary to protect their residents from the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 illness.

But the border bans have fuelled criticism from civil rights advocates who argue barring fellow Canadians is unconstitutional. The travel restrictions have also angered Canadians denied entry for travel they believe is crucial.

"I'm not trying to go to my aunt's or cousin's funeral. This is my mother, my last living parent," said Shannon, who grew up in Rothesay, N.B.

Submitted by Lesley Shannon

Protecting health of its citizens

On Thursday, shortly after CBC News asked for comment on Shannon's case, the New Brunswick government announced it will reopen its borders starting June 19 to Canadian travellers with immediate family or property in New Brunswick. It also plans to grant entry to people attending a close family member's funeral or burial.

The province's Campbellton region, however, remains off limits.

Shannon was happy to hear the news, but is unsure at this point if she'll get permission to enter the province in time for her mother's burial. She would first have to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival, as required by the province, and the cemetery holding her mother's body told her the burial must happen soon.

"I'm just hoping that [permission comes] fast enough for me."

Story continues

New Brunswick told CBC News that restricting out-of-province visitors has served as a key way to protect the health of its citizens.

"It's necessary because of the threat posed by travel: all but a handful of New Brunswick's [COVID-19] cases are travel cases," said Shawn Berry, spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety, in an email.

Legal challenges

Kim Taylor of Halifax was so upset over being denied entry in early May to attend her mother's funeral in Newfoundland and Labrador she launched a lawsuit against the province.

"I certainly feel like the government has let me and my family down," she said.

It's not right. No province in Canada can shut its borders to Canadian citizens. - John Drover, lawyer

Shortly after speaking publicly about her case, Taylor got permission to enter the province 11 days after initially being rejected. But the court challenge is still going ahead  on principle.

"It's not right. No province in Canada can shut its borders to Canadian citizens," alleged Taylor's lawyer, John Drover.

CBC

Violates charter, CCLA says

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has joined the lawsuit and has sent letters to each of the provinces and territories banning Canadian visitors, outlining its concerns.

The CCLA argues provinces and territories barring Canadians violates the country's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states that every Canadian has the right to live and work in any province.

The CCLA said if a province or territory limits those rights, its reasons must be justified.

"So far, what we've seen from these governments hasn't convinced us that there is good evidence that these limits are reasonable," said Cara Zwibel, director of CCLA's fundamental freedoms program.

"The existence of a virus in and of itself is not enough of a reason."

Submitted by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Newfoundland and Labrador also faces a proposed class-action lawsuit launched this month, representing Canadians denied entry who own property in the province.

"The issue that our clients take is that this [restriction] is explicitly on geographic grounds and that seems to be contrary to the Charter of Rights," said Geoff Budden, a lawyer with the suit, which has not yet been certified.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government told CBC News it's reviewing the lawsuits. They have both been filed in the province's Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball defended the province's travel restrictions, arguing they remain necessary to avoid spreading the virus.

"This is put in place to protect Newfoundlanders and Labradorians; it's not about shutting people out," he said.

WATCH | Inside the fight against COVID-19:

What about a 14-day isolation?

The rest of Canada's provinces have each advised against non-essential travel for now but are still allowing Canadian visitors to enter their province. Nova Scotia and Manitoba, however, require that visitors self-isolate for 14 days. CCLA's Zwibel said that rule may be a less restrictive way for a province to protect its residents during the pandemic.

"The Charter of Rights does require that if governments do place limits on rights, they do so in a way that impairs them as little as possible," she said.

Back in Vancouver, a frustrated Shannon points out that New Brunswick is already allowing temporary foreign workers into the province  as long as they self-isolate for 14 days. However, her invitation is still pending.

"It's very upsetting to think I'm less welcome in New Brunswick than somebody who was not even born in Canada," she said.
Photo credit: Paras Griffin - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, graduation ceremonies have been taking place online. To support all of the students who are graduating in 2020, celebrities have been delivering inspiring virtual commencement speeches during live streams instead.

The latest event, YouTube Originals "Dear Class of 2020," features a whole host of talented performers and public figures, who will join together to celebrate the next generation of graduates. Here's how you can tune in on June 7, 2020.

"Dear Class of 2020" is hitting YouTube.

The virtual commencement celebration will stream live on YouTube from 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT on June 7, 2020. The major event features Lady Gaga, Michelle and Barack Obama, and Beyonce. Basically, you won't want to miss it.

So many celebs are joining the already star-studded line-up, including Lizzo, Meghan Thee Stallion, BTS, Maluma, Bill and Melinda Gates, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, Yara Shahidi, Demi Lovato, Billy Porter, Kerry Washington, Katy Perry, Chloe x Halle, the cast of Riverdale, Alicia Keys, and Condoleezza Rice.

You can stream it on the following services from 3 p.m. EDT:

The YouTube Originals channel STREAM NOW

The Learn at Home website STREAM NOW

The event is a partnership between the Reach Higher initiative, which Michelle Obama started at the White House, and YouTube. The four-hour graduation ceremony was originally set to take place on June 6, but was postponed to honor George Floyd's memorial service, which took place on Saturday in Floyd's hometown, Raeford, North Carolina.

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Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested multiple suspects who were among a group of about 200 men who attacked a local eatery on Friday night.

The suspects are being investigated for disrupting public order, assault, and property destruction, officers in Binh Tan District confirmed on Saturday.

Preliminary reports showed that the attack occurred at around 8:00 pm on Friday when approximately 200 men drove motorbikes to a diner on Street No. 6 in An Lac A Ward, Binh Tan.

Most of the men dressed in the same T-shirt and armed with iron batons.

They started smashing tables, chairs, and multiple objects at the eatery.

Many of them also attacked employees and diners.

The group of armed men ride motorbikes along a street in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5, 2020 in this screenshot taken from CCTV.

CCTV footage showed that most of the victims managed to run away.

One man fell on the floor and was caught in the middle of the rampage, but he only suffered some minor injuries.

The group of men eventually left the venue.

Police are now expanding their investigation and hunting for the rest of the suspects.

A source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper stated the incident arose from a conflict between two local gangs.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Last week, lots of schools gave students of break  a day off, less homework, emotional Zooms, virtual hugs. Teachers made the difference on difficult days that we wont soon forget. Thank them. This week, as many kids move up, they deserve credit for persevering, too.

Treat them to a wacky half hour with Johnny Shortcake, Phillys own, disco-infused Mr. Rogers, an inspiring Philly high schools commencement speech by Malcolm Jenkins with a done-right, family-friendly after-party, and more. And, as always, little ones can still look to Sesame Street.

Johnny Shortcake Live! In the Zoom Room

Available on the Theatre Horizon Facebook page (ages 411)

Johnny Shortcake (David Sweeny), with his tight disco attire, oversize glasses, and giant gold jewelry, looks nothing like Fred Rogers. Still, as he sings a song, waters a plant, cracks a double-entendre, welcomes a by-video guest (Amos Lee, Martha Graham Cracker, and Eliza Hardy Jones have appeared), and dances with his 2-year-old, the Kidchella and Kimmel Center regular transforms his South Philly living room into a neighborhood we all ought to visit.

Parks and Rec Comedy Contest

Through Aug. 14 online at performingartspdpr.org (ages 6-18)

Needless to say, humor has been in short supply lately. The performing arts arm of Phillys Parks and Rec department is trying to replenish stock by encouraging city kids to exert their hilariousness. Philly comedy pros  Keith FromUpDaBlock, Jen Childs, Jillian Markowitz, Kathy OConnell from WXPN Kids Corner, even the Legendary Wid  give pro tips on Facebook, have a Zoom master class planned for all entrants, and serve as contest judges. The rules: Get parents permission, make us laugh, and keep it clean, kids. Prizes include free comedy camp, T-shirts, and fame.

Philadelphia School District Virtual Graduation & Afterparty

11 a.m. & 78:30 p.m. Tuesday, via PSTV (Xfinity channel 52/Fios channel 20) and the Kimmel Centers YouTube, Facebook Live, and Twitter (all ages)

Socially distanced pomp and circumstance has become a necessary substitute to get the getting-out-of-high-school job done. The Philadelphia School Districts virtual graduation ceremony adds extra pomp to the circumstance, with Malcolm Jenkins giving the keynote, and some of the citys most remarkable grads singing, reciting, and speaking. As for the Kimmel Center-hosted after-party: DJ Aktive, Good Girl, and SimXSantana will  lets face it  comprise a better lineup than the one youd planned for the block. Details at philasd.org/2020grad.

Drag Queen Story Time

11 a.m. Tuesday and June 23, register online via libertymuseum.org (preschool and early elementary)

Brittany Lynn, Philly diva and story-time regular at the Please Touch, libraries, and indie booksellers citywide, is always extra busy during Pride Month. Between virtual parties and performances, the literary diva joins the National Liberty Museum to read you-be-you tales such as Red: A Crayons Story, Prince & Knight, and Marlon Bundo, plus just-for-fun classics like The Book with No Pictures and Chika Chika Boom Boom.

Sesame Street

All the time at sesamestreet.org (ages 2-5)

Sesame Street isnt exactly a social media superstar, but its still the first place to go for help for little ones big emotions  or when you just cant bear to sing Wheels on the Bus for a billionth time. Highly recommended for frustrated, scared, overwhelmed moments: Belly Breathe by Common, Colbie Caillat, and Elmo, an oldie but a very goodie. Watch. Listen. Repeat.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 23:39:33|Editor: huaxia

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-- China's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic is a shared memory of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.



-- China has mounted well-coordinated prevention, control and treatment efforts.

-- China believes that all countries should make the choice that is right for the interests of all humanity and the wellbeing of future generations.

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19, chronicling its painstaking yet effective efforts to contain the novel coronavirus while sharing its experience for the world to defeat the global pandemic.

Facing this "unknown, unexpected, and devastating" disease, China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread, said the white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

China has for now succeeded in cutting all channels for the transmission of the virus, the white paper said, but noted that the virus is currently wreaking havoc throughout the world.

"China firmly believes that as long as all countries unite and cooperate to mount a collective response, the international community will succeed in overcoming the pandemic, and will emerge from this dark moment in human history into a brighter future," it said.

A press conference on the release of a white paper on fighting COVID-19 is held by China's State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

STANDING "TEST OF FIRE"

The COVID-19 epidemic, as a major public health emergency, has spread faster and wider than any other since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and has proven to be the most difficult to contain, said the white paper.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has taken personal command, planned the response, overseen the general situation and acted decisively, pointing the way forward in the fight against the epidemic, the white paper said.

Through painstaking efforts and tremendous sacrifice, and having paid a heavy price, China has succeeded in turning the situation around, it said.

In little more than a single month, the rising spread of the virus was contained; in around two months, the daily increase in domestic coronavirus cases had fallen to single digits.

As of 24:00 of May 31, 2020, a total of 83,017 confirmed cases had been reported on the Chinese mainland, 78,307 infected had been cured and discharged from hospital, and 4,634 people had died. This demonstrates a cure rate of 94.3 percent and a fatality rate of 5.6 percent.

"China's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic is a shared memory of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, and will always be remembered by the Chinese people," said Xu Lin, director of the State Council Information Office, at a press conference following the release of the white paper by the office.

"After weathering the epidemic, the Chinese people have keenly realized that the CPC leadership is the most reliable shelter against storms. Their trust in and support for the Party have increased, along with their confidence in China's political system," said the white paper.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 4, 2020 shows medical workers walk into isolation wards at Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO SHARE

In the face of the sudden and unexpected COVID-19 outbreak, China has mounted well-coordinated prevention, control and treatment efforts.

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core, China has put in place an efficient system under which the central authorities exercise overall command, while local authorities and all sectors follow the leadership and instructions of the central authorities, perform their respective duties, and cooperate with each other, according to the white paper.

"This highly efficient system has made it possible for China to win its all-out people's war against the virus," it said.

A tight prevention and control system involving all sectors of society has been set up. To contain the spread of the disease, all kinds of measures were taken, including building a community-based line of defense, breaking the chains of transmission through early intervention, and strengthening legal safeguards for epidemic prevention and control.

The white paper underlined China's all-out efforts to treat COVID-19 patients and save lives, including providing free treatment and leveraging the unique strength of traditional Chinese medicine.

As of May 31, the medical bills of 58,000 inpatients with COVID-19 had been settled by the country's basic medical insurance program, with a total expenditure of 1.35 billion yuan (about 190.63 million U.S. dollars), according to the paper.

China has also released information in an open and transparent manner as required by law.

Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission, said there is "no delay or cover-up" in the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The work of the Chinese government and Chinese scientists can stand the test of time," Ma said at Sunday's press conference.

A staff member displays a sample of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at a vaccine production plant of China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm) in Beijing, April 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Science and technology have underpinned China's anti-virus efforts.

To date, four inactivated vaccines and one adenovirus vaccine have been approved for clinical trials, according to the white paper.

Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang told the press conference that China will make its COVID-19 vaccine "a global public good" when it is ready for application.





GLOBAL SOLIDARITY

The white paper reiterated China's commitment to international cooperation in the face of the pandemic.

"China believes that all countries should make the choice that is right for the interests of all humanity and the wellbeing of the future generations," it said.

"In the face of such a pandemic, the world's most powerful weapon is cooperation and the right way to fight the virus is solidarity," Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at the press conference.

During the fight against COVID-19, China has forged stronger relationships with its partners and enlarged its circle of friends, he added.

The white paper said President Xi Jinping has personally promoted international cooperation in fighting COVID-19 and announced a series of concrete measures, including a pledge of 2 billion U.S. dollars for international aid over two years.

Chinese aid team members pose for a photo after a charter flight carrying the team, along with tonnes of medical supplies, arrived at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

China has actively assisted countries around the world in fighting the pandemic. It sent medical expert teams to 27 countries and shared anti-epidemic information with over 180 countries and more than 10 international and regional organizations.

The white paper called on the international community to firmly oppose stigmatization and politicization of the virus.

"It is a fight that will determine the future of the human race," the white paper said. "Solidarity means strength. The world will win this battle."

(Video Reporters: Liu Chunhui, Wu Yimeng; Video Editor: Zhu Cong)
Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said in a statement that India and China have agreed to resolve the situation peacefully in the border areas by continuing the military and diplomatic engagements.

A day after India and China military commanders held cordial and positive talks at Chushul-Moldo point along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, Ministry of External Affairs said the two countries have agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas by continuing the military and diplomatic engagements.

The Indian delegation led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh on Saturday met his Chinese equivalent Maj Gen Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army, to address the ongoing tussle in Eastern Ladakh. In a statement on Sunday, the MEA said that the meeting between the Corps Commander based in Leh and the Chinese Commander 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 tranquillity in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the statement read.

The two sides will continue the military&diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation & to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas: Ministry of External Affairs on the meeting held between Corps Commander based in Leh & Chinese Commander y'day in Chushul-Moldo region pic.twitter.com/8PJcwIDo20  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

Also Read: Delhi Medical Association condemns CM Arvind Kejriwals warning to hospitals amid rising coronavirus cases

Also Read: Twitter deactivates Amuls official handle after anti-China post, restores later

They also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship. Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, it further read.

China has moved its troops along the Line of Actual Control (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. Following the meeting, the Army Headquarters Directorate General of Military Operations also briefed the Ministry of External Affairs and other concerned government officials about the discussions.

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 others 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 Armys 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.

Also Read: Hyderabad international airport facilitates evacuation of Somali nationals during Covid-19 pandemic

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Convicted drug dealer Michael Ledwidge

A drug dealer has been ordered to pay back money he made through crime, after an investigation by Warwickshire Polices Economic Crime Unit (ECU).

Michael Ledwidge, who is 38, was convicted last year after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs. This followed his arrest and the discovery of three kilos of cocaine in the boot of his car. He is currently serving a five-year sentence.

Ledwidge must now also pay back 19,289.74 within three months or serve a 12 month prison sentence in default, and remain liable for the amount to be paid.

The Confiscation Order was granted on Wednesday (3rd June) at Warwick Crown Court.

Financial Investigator Jennifer Saunders said: This case is an excellent example of how we are using the Proceeds of Crime Act to strip the assets of individuals convicted of supplying drugs.

Drugs have a devastating impact on our communities and this result should send a strong message that offenders will not only lose their freedom, but also the money they made from their crime.

Anyone with any information about drug dealing or associated crime in their area is asked to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Asian-Australians have reported almost 400 racist attacks since the beginning of April to the country's leading survey of anti-China racism.

The figures prompted calls for the federal government to track racism better as federal MPs accused the Chinese government of spreading divisive propaganda when on Saturday it encouraged its citizens to avoid travelling to Australia due to a "significant increase" in racial discrimination amid coronavirus.

China has urged its citizens not to visit Australia over racism concerns. Credit:AAP

Osmond Chiu, a fellow at independent progressive thinktank Per Capita, authored the survey in collaboration with the Asian Australian Alliance and Being Asian Australian.

"There definitely has been an increase," he said, noting that compared to similar data from the United States, there have been a higher proportion of racist incidents against Asian-Australians than Asian-Americans.
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.

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.

Story continues

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.
By 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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Approximately 200 people marched from City Hall to the Public Safety building in Atlantic City Saturday afternoon.

Those in attendance were protesting the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, and the history of police brutality against black people.

It started out like the protest in the city last Sunday  peaceful  and unlike last week, ended that way.

Before the march began, Atlantic City Black Lives Matter protest organizer Steve Young called for no looting or rioting.

"You have a responsibility to make sure there's no violence and this stays peaceful," Young said.

Fellow protest organizer Beau Smith echoed his message. Atlantic City has had enough of this," Smith said. "For you to come in here and destroy their town even more, you are against what were fighting for.

The group marched along Atlantic Avenue chanting "No justice, no peace" and "Hands up, don't shoot" among others, with members of the Atlantic City Police Department escorting the protesters along the 1-mile route.

New Jersey State Troopers lined the boarded-up shops at Tanger Outlets, many of which were among the places looted last Sunday following a protest. A State Police helicopter also flew above the marchers Saturday.

There have been more than 80 protests against police brutality in New Jersey since last weekend.

You must not only be here today, but be here tomorrow and the next day, until we can figure out how to build a country that is based on the philosophies that all human beings are deserving of humanity, said Smith.

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

Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Lori on Instagram at @photog_lori.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Tim on Instagram at @photog_hawk.
By PTI

AHMEDABAD: Rattled by resignations of three MLAs ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress in Gujarat on Saturday shifted several of its legislators to resorts and bungalows near their constituencies to thwart any "poaching" bid, a party leader said.

With the resignations of Akshay Patel and Jitu Chaudhary on June 3 and that of Brijesh Merja on June 5, the Congress' strength in the 182-member House has been reduced to 65.

The effective strength of the House, however, stands at 172 as of now as ten seats are currently vacant - two due to court cases and the rest because of resignations.

While, several MLAs from north Gujarat were shifted to a resort near Ambaji in Banaskantha district, those from south and Central Gujarat were moved to private bungalows in Anand, Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, adding that legislators from Saurashtra region were shifted to a resort in Rajkot.

"The MLAs were asked by party high command to arrive in resorts in Anand, Ambaji, and Rajkot after completing their work on Saturday. They will arrive in these resorts on the basis of the zone-wise location of their constituencies. Many of them have arrived. Others will reach there soon," he said.

He said senior leaders of the Congress will interact with MLAs and discuss the current situation and upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Doshi said MLAs might continue to stay in these resorts until the day of the election for four Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, i.e on June 19.

ALSO READ | Third Gujarat Congress MLA resigns ahead of June 19 Rajya Sabha polls

Earlier, the Congress had moved its MLAs to a resort in Jaipur in March this year after five of them had resigned ahead of the March 26 elections to the Upper House.

The polls were deferred due to the coronavirus-driven lockdown.

With the reduced strength at 65, the Congress may find it difficult to win two Rajya Sabha seats for which it has fielded senior leaders Bharatsinh Solanki and Shaktisinh Gohil.

A party MLA said Solanki remains the second preference after Gohil, and that they will vote as per the directive of the party on June 19.

"All 65 MLAs are united. There is no internal factionalism in the Congress. Bharatsinh (Solanki) himself knows he is the second candidate. It is the party's decision. We will cast our vote as per the directive of the party. State unit party president Amitbhai Chavda has also announced that Shaktisinh is our primary candidate," said MLA Vikram Madam.

Congress leaders have accused the ruling BJP of adopting means like "blackmailing, threatening or using money to poach its MLAs".

"In each case, we can see how these people in power are either offering money or positions or blackmailing MLAs to make them resign. It is clear these (three) MLAs were bought over with crores of rupees," he said.

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.

The BJP, which has 103 MLAs in the Assembly, has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramilaben Bara, and Narhari Amin for the June 19 polls.

While the Bharatiya Tribal Party has two MLAs, the Nationalist Congress Party has one legislator and there is one Independent legislator, Jignesh Mevani.
Public sector banks have sanctioned loans worth Rs 17,705.64 crore under the 100 per cent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme as of June 5, out of which loans worth Rs 8,320.24 crore has been disbursed, the Union Ministry of Finance said on Sunday. Among the banks, State Bank of India has sectioned maximum Rs 11,701.06 crore worth loans, of which loans amounting to Rs 6,084.71 crore have been disbursed already.

As of 5 June 2020, #PSBs have sanctioned loans worth Rs 17,705.64 crore under the 100% Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, out of which Rs 8320.24 crore have been disbursed. Here are the bank-wise and state-wise details. #AatmanirbharBharat#MSMEspic.twitter.com/8uJWRlAFJX a NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) June 7, 2020

Punjab National Bank has sanctioned loans worth Rs 1,295.59 crore, including 242.92 crore worth of disbursement. Union Bank of India has sanctioned Rs 968.73 crore, including Rs 435.72 crore worth of disbursement. Bank of Baroda has sanctioned loans worth Rs 793.77 crore, of which loans worth Rs 220.14 crore has been disbursed.

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have responded enthusiastically to Centre's Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL). Within 10 days of rules for the scheme being notified, more than 1.5 lakh beneficiaries have reportedly availed of the facility. A senior Finance Ministry official told India Today TV that loans worth Rs 13,500 crore have been sanctioned till Friday for 1.5 lakh successful MSMEs and businesses under the scheme. Out of this Rs 6,000 crore has already been disbursed.

Also read: 1.5 lakh MSMEs utilise Rs 13,500 crore of govt's credit line in 10 days



Besides, the Centre has laid out funds allocated for different sections of the society under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package announced in April in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. As part of the Rs 1.70-lakh crore relief package, over 42 crore Indians have already received financial assistance worth Rs 53,248 crore from the Centre.

Funds allocated under various components of PMGKP are:

Over Rs 16,394 crore front-loaded towards payment of the first instalment of PM-KISAN to 8.19 crore beneficiaries.

Over Rs 10,029 crore credit to 20.05 crore women Jan Dhan account holders under the first instalment. Around Rs 10,315 crore credited to 20.62 crore women Jan Dhan account holders under the second instalment.

Total Rs 2,814.5 crore disbursed to about 2.81 crore old-age persons, widows and disabled persons in two instalments.

Over 2.3 crore building and construction workers received financial support amounting to Rs 4,312.82 crore.

So far, 101 lakh MT of foodgrains have been lifted by 36 states/UTs in April. Over 32.92 LMT of foodgrains has been distributed, covering 65.85 crore beneficiaries, in May. Over 3.58 LMT foodgrains distributed in June covering 7.16 crore beneficiaries.

Total 9.25 crore PMUY cylinders have been booked under the scheme and 8.58 crore cylinders have already been delivered to beneficiaries.

Around 16.1 lakh EPFO members have availed the online withdrawal of non-refundable advance from the EPFO account.

In the current financial year, 48.13 crore person's man-days of work generated under MGNREGA. Further, Rs 28,729 crore released to states to liquidate pending dues of both wage and material.

Around 24% EPF contribution transferred to 59.23 lakh employees account, amounting to 895.09 crore.

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: PSBs sanction loans worth Rs 10,361.75 crore
3-y-o girl dies of injuries, 9 others hacked to death in Fulani attack on Christian village

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A 3-year-old girl and nine others died in north-western Nigeria's Kaduna State in an early morning attack on a Christian village carried out by armed Muslim herdsmen of Fulani origin, according to a report.

The girl, identified as Elizabeth Samaila, suffered multiple machete lacerations to the head. She died in a hospital Thursday, the day after the attack on the Tudun Agwalla community in Kajuru Local Government Area, the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported.

Also on Thursday, families of nine others who were hacked to death with machetes buried them in a mass grave. Six of the nine were identified as Richard Yusuf, Kefas Yusuf, Fidelis Wada, Kachia, Genesis Soja, and Rahab Soja.

Eight-year-old Rita Friday, who was also injured on the head, was among an unknown number of Christian villagers who were wounded in the attack, CSW said, adding that seven people remained unaccounted for.

"What is particularly unacceptable is that her death is the latest to occur in a series of attacks which continue unabated," CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said. "Southern Kaduna is steadily being transformed into killing fields, either due to a gross failure of governance, or official indifference and acquiescence."

Fulani herders routinely brutally attack predominantly Christian farming communities in Nigeria's Middle Belt. While some believe the nomadic herders launch attacks as they look for grazing pastures, the radicals target Christian villages in a similar manner as the Boko Haram terror group that terrorizes the northern regions of the country.

In a special report, titled "Nigeria: A Killing Field of Defenseless Christians," released earlier this year, the Anambra-based nongovernmental organization International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) estimated that about 11,500 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2015 by Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, and highway bandits.

A recent estimate by Intersociety suggests that over 620 Christians have been killed in Nigeria so far in 2020.

"International pressure must now be brought to bear on both the state and federal authorities to ensure protection for these vulnerable communities, and that effective action is taken to disarm all armed non-state actors and bring the perpetrators of these horrific atrocities to justice," Thomas said.

Last year, two members from the Adara community, a majority Christian ethnic group in Southern Kaduna state, were among other Nigerians who shared their experiences during a panel event sponsored by the conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation.

"Right now my tribe is nonexistent legally," Alheri Magaji, the daughter of the leader of the Adara Chiefdom, said. "Part of the reason why I am here is to try to get my land back. That is who I am. That is my identity. That is what makes me. My people are stranded. They are literally sleeping under the skies on the floor [with] no houses, no food, nothing. It is not about relief materials and how much we can donate. It's about holding the government accountable."

"I spoke to a woman whose limbs were cut off. She had four kids and was nine months pregnant," Magaji recalled. "Fulani herdsmen came to a Kajuru town in February, about 400 of them with AK-47s. They came at around 6:30 a.m. They spoke Adara. They came in with war songs. They were singing songs that translate into 'the owners of the land have come. It's time for settlers to leave.'

"We have 2-month-old babies, 6-month-old babies, babies in the bellies turned from their mother's womb and slaughtered like animals, like chickens," she said. "We are here today to beg the U.S. government and for the world to hear our story."

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 and is ranked as the 12th-worst country in the world for Christian persecution by Open Doors USA.
Ghanaian actor cum musician Kwadwo Nkansah "Lilwin" is seeking to invade the Ghanaian dancehall music circles with some ruthless vibes.



According to Lilwin, he would infuse comedy in doing dancehall music thereby entertaining music loving fans.



"I want to help grow Ghanaian dancehall music. The likes of Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale, Samini, Ras Kukuu, among others have been the few consistent dancehall artistes you can think of now but I am looking to spark some life into dancehall music in Ghana,'' he told Ghana News Agency.



Lilwin added that he considers himself as "Dancehall Comic" artiste and looks to join forces with the dancehall heavyweights to churn out some grooving tunes.



"I am not here to joke as many would think but I look to make a name in the dancehall music circles. I would prove critics wrong as I have done with other genres having produced numerous hit tracks over the past years," the multiple award-winning act said.



Lilwin has released his first dancehall track and it features award-winning dancehall musician Articlewan in a song titled "How Dare You".



Here is the audio slide of his new song: https://youtu.be/cnu0ztsWsmk

Source: GNA









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FLINT, MI  Jaylyn Boone asked for real change going forward in Flint and across the U.S. during a peaceful assembly Saturday, June 5 outside of Berston Field House on the citys north side.

Boone was joined by Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Flint police officials, state Senator Jim Ananich, D-Flint, and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley at the event.

Boone, 24, said to truly know how to protect and serve the community, police need to have real, intimate conversations to build an understanding of the minds of black men and women.

When you pull me over, you are not encountering a thug. You are not encountering a slave. You are not encountering a criminal. You are encountering (a) king and you will address me as such, Boone said. It is not your job to convict me on sight. It is your job to deescalate the situation and safely get me to a court of law where a judge or a jury can decide whether or not I am guilty. When you take my life on site, you dont give me a chance to even be liberated.

Boone was one of numerous speakers at the event, which started with a march at noon from Sylvester Broome Center. More than 300 people marched, taking over Saginaw Street en route to Berston Field House.

The march was formed to commemorate and celebrate young black men in the Flint community, while also calling for action after the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after being handcuffed by Minneapolis police investigating an alleged forgery the night of Monday, May 25. Video shared widely on social media shows white Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for several minutes. In the footage, Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying he could not breathe as civilians urge Chauvin to get off him and check his pulse.

It is just long past time. Silence no more. It has to translate to action (because) silence killed George Floyd. We saw it happen; we witnessed it with our own eyes.  That truth has to translate to action, said U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township. Silence killed George Floyd. The silence of those other officers  some participated and some watched  they witnessed a crime. They witnessed a murder. And the system in which they work, prohibited them in their minds from protecting a citizen they were sworn to protect. That has to change.

We cant let this moment go without change. We must insist on that. Lets not stop until not only the memory of George Floyd is honored, but his memory makes change.

Isaiah Oliver, president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, said change is absolutely necessary for positive progress. He said this movement will move the country in the right direction.

There are lot of policy changes that need to happen at every level, but at the end of the day we are going to fix this thing by loving one another, by understanding one another better and this is a step in that direction, Oliver said.

Many signs were carried honoring Floyd, as well as asking to stop police brutality.

Boone said the youth in this movement are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but in fact, the leaders of today.

They aint afraid of you killing them. They are afraid of you changing their mind as to who you are, Boone said. This is not a fight against individuals. This is not black versus white. This is us versus racism. This is us fighting an idea that has plagued our community for over 400 years. If you are white, you are not my enemy, but if you are silent, then you are part of the problem.  We will no longer settle for anything less than equity not just equality.

Read more on MLive:

Flint emerges as symbol of peace and unity amid protests and turmoil

Flint officials warn residents of outside groups coming in to incite violence

Organizers call for seat at the table with police during second night of protests in Flint

Flint peacefully gathers for racial justice three nights in a row

Flint Police Department will have Black Lives Matter advisory council

Curfews set in three Michigan cities as police brutality protests continue

Michigan Gov. Whitmer calls on public officials to bring down the heat, urges peaceful protest
New Delhi: On `National Cancer Survivor Day`, writer-director and cancer survivor, Tahira Kashyap has penned a powerful poem titled `Scars` to encourage cancer survivors to proudly show off their scars, which represent `indomitable spirit that can`t be crushed by any fright`.Kashyap has always been vocal about her fight against cancer and has stood as a strong personality inspiring all the brave souls fighting a battle with cancer.

On Sunday, the diva shared her poem on Instagram that sends out the message of never to hide one`s scars, for it shows the strength, the fight, the power one hold during the battle.

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana`s wife shared a video with the backdrop of her one widely lauded picture, flaunting her scars and read out her poem as the voiceover.

"Some scars are deep, some within, some are seen while some are hidden. The thing about scars is, it reminds you of the past, the moments of suffering that you thought would forever last," she read out the poem.

She noted that there are more to these scars, for it talks about the "fight, resilience, and your invincible power."

Through her poem, Kashyap, motivated people to show and flaunt their scars, which she dubbed as the "badge of honour...your prize."

"So hear me one last time, fall in love with your self, all with dust, scar, and grime. For that`s what makes you, You, faulty, imperfect, blemished but all true!" the writer concluded.

Many of her fans and actors including Dia Mirza, Yami Gautam, and others showered love and appreciation for her poetry.

Tahira was diagnosed with early signs of breast cancer in September 2018 and since then has been significantly putting all her efforts to spread awareness and laud those who have been bravely battling the disease.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad on Sunday arrested an alleged arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists, a senior officer said.

Addl DGP (ATS) Dhruva Kant Thakur, said, "The UP ATS has arrested Javed, an arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists, from Hapur. Javed is a resident of the Kithore area of Meerut. His interrogation is on and the Punjab Police has been informed about the arrest."

Thakur said that Javed has also supplied illegal arms to criminals in Amritsar and added that he was arrested following an input from the state special cell, Amritsar. ATS officials said a number of pro-Khalistan terrorists have been caught in western Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab Police was searching Javed for quite some time.

In May, in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh ATS and the Special Operation Group of the Punjab Police, Tirath Singh, a suspected terrorist owing allegiance to the Khalistan movement was arrested from Thapar Nagar in Meerut. He was handed over to the Punjab Police after interrogation.
National Guard troops cross the intersection of 1st and Main streets in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday ahead of a protest over the death of George Floyd. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Asserting that "everything is under perfect control," President Trump claimed credit Sunday after a national wave of demonstrations against police abuses turned calmer, even as the White House faced fresh pushback over strong-arm tactics used against peaceful protesters.

Protests appeared peaceful Sunday, a day after riot police and National Guard troops largely stayed out of the way as chanting, sign-waving crowds marched and rallied in city after city against police brutality and endemic racism.

As he has during nearly two weeks of unrest, Trump again struck a stance of toughness, tweeting, I want LAW & ORDER!  a message his reelection campaign has embraced since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 sparked mass protests around the country and, in a few areas, vandalism and thefts.

The Trump administration has consistently portrayed a harsh response as commensurate with the threat of civil unrest and looting.

In California, officials announced Sunday that National Guard troops would be pulled out of cities across the state where they were deployed for the last week.

Trump tweeted that he had ordered National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from Washington, adding that they could "quickly return" if needed to support law enforcement.

The Pentagon later confirmed that Mississippi National Guard troops would return home Sunday night in case Tropical Storm Cristobal hit the Gulf Coast. Other units will leave Washington over the next 72 hours, leaving the District of Columbia's 1,200-member Guard unit.

In a conference call with reporters, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the District of Columbia National Guard, defended the military deployment in the nation's capital, saying the troops prevented protesters from getting onto the White House grounds.

McCarthy said officials "came right up to the edge" of sending active-duty members of the 82nd Airborne Division into the city when violence broke out a week ago but ultimately held back. The 1,600 active-duty troops sent to the Washington area last week have all returned to their bases in New York or North Carolina, or are no longer on alert.

Story continues

McCarthy also said the Pentagon would complete an investigation this week into why National Guard helicopters were flown at treetop level on June 1, terrifying residents and sending broken glass and debris flying.

In a round of television interviews Sunday, the president's aides and surrogates again sought to deflect criticism of Trump's actions last week, which included his threat to send active-duty troops into American cities, his demand that governors use force to dominate the streets and his contention that a sojourn with his wife and son in a White House bunker during the protests last weekend was for "inspection" purposes.

On the highly fraught question of using active-duty military troops to put down civil unrest, Atty. Gen. William Barr said that everyone in the administration agreed that it should be a last resort. Trump had expressed no such reservations in bellicose comments to reporters Monday at the White House.

Barr, appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," sought to brush aside controversy over the use of pepper pellets and rubber bullets against scores of demonstrators who had gathered Monday across from the White House.

Although witnesses and video recordings showed the protest was calm, Barr asserted that "they were not peaceful protesters" and that pepper spray was "not a chemical irritant."

Barr also denied that the protesters were cleared out by force so Trump could walk across the square moments later and pose with a Bible in front of historic St. Johns church, which had been damaged by fire the night before. The events "were not connected, he said.

Despite a persistent pattern of black deaths in police custody, Barr also said he didn't believe "that the law-enforcement system is systemically racist. He added, There are instances of bad cops.

Trumps acting Homeland Security secretary, Chad Wolf, argued that a decisive response by law enforcement had turned the tide against the scattered looting and violence early last week.

Over the last several days, weve seen that violent protest and that violent looting and rioting diminish, Wolf said on "Fox News Sunday." Its not by happenstance, its not by chance  its because we took early action.

Protesters say that police violence against nonviolent demonstrators, documented in viral videos, underscored the need for police excesses to be reined in. And they noted this weekend's peaceful protests absent widespread police presence.

Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), a former Orlando police chief who is seen as a potential running mate to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, praised officers with whom she had worked but said "systemic racism is always the ghost in the room.

If were going to solve some of Americas toughest problems, weve got to be painfully honest about what those problems are, she said on ABC's "This Week."

In his tweets, Trump took aim several times at Biden, claiming the former vice president supports efforts to defund police, a key demand of some protesters.

The Biden campaign refused to comment Sunday about police defunding. But in his many statements about criminal justice reform both before and after Floyd's death, Biden has never endorsed the idea. He has called for increasing funding for community-oriented policing as part of a broad plan for criminal justice reform unveiled last year.

Public health experts warned that nearly two weeks of mass protests could lead to a new surge of coronavirus infections.

Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said the COVID-19 outbreak that had killed more than 110,000 Americans could gain new momentum, especially as shutdowns imposed in many states in late March have eased.

Were certainly going to see transmissions coming out of these gatherings, theres no question about that, Gottlieb said on Face the Nation.

He urged protesters to practice social distancing and use face coverings, and called on law enforcement officers to de-escalate physical confrontations that could lead to injuries and spread the virus.

Times staff writers Janet Hook and David S. Cloud contributed to this report.
An elderly woman and her son were lost at sea after embarking on a boat trip to purge themselves of black magic as part of a mysterious meditation ritual, after secretly buying a second vessel.

Felicity Loveday, 83, and her son Adrian Meneveau, 56, set off in a small boat from Olivers Hill Boat Ramp in Frankston, south Melbourne, at 7am on Wednesday December 11 last year.

They were reported missing when they hadn't returned by the Saturday - a day before the empty boat was found submerged by a fisherman near Ricketts Point about 24km north of where they set off.

The pair told their family they were going on a three-day boat trip to rid Ms Loveday - a former 'worshipful master' at the notoriously secretive fraternal society Co-Freemasonry - from evil spirits.

Felicity Loveday, 83, and her son Adrian Meneveau, 56, set off in a small boat from Olivers Hill Boat Ramp in Frankston, south Melbourne, at 7am on Wednesday December 11 last year

Investigators are questioning whether Ms Loveday was already dead in a picture taken of the pair at the boat ramp before the doomed trip (pictured)

A worshipful master is the most powerful elected official in the Masonic lodge at the Co-Freemasonry - an offshoot of Freemasonry with religious roots that admits both men and women.

'Adrian and Felicity were practicing meditation for some time and believed Felicity had woken black magic and Adrian felt responsible for it,' Senior Constable Chris Obst told the Herald Sun.

'The boat trip was a means of reversing it  they needed to be on the salt water to get rid of the black magic.'

Little is known about the meditation ritual they practiced, or about what happened during their mysterious voyage, but Mr Obst previously revealed the boat had no sleeping quarters and offered no shelter.

Felicity is pictured centre with other member of the Southport Co-Freemasonry lodge

Mr Meneveau bought a second vessel (pictured) from an online seller between Melbourne and Adelaide weeks before the voyage

Ms Loveday's daughter Christina grew up surrounded by her mother's spiritual beliefs, but did not practice.

She was the last known person to see her mother and brother alive at the boat ramp and felt comforted by the fact that Mr Meneveau said he would keep in touch.

On Friday December 13, he messaged her and said they were having a 'good time'.

She reported them missing the following day.

New information has revealed Mr Meneveau applied for a boat licence and bought a second vessel from an online seller between Melbourne and Adelaide weeks before the voyage.

He mysteriously drove to Adelaide alone after collecting the boat - which is now missing.

Police believe tracking it down could solve the mystery of their disappearance.

The empty boat was found submerged 24km from where the pair set off. It had no sleeping quarters or shelter (pictured)

Emergency crews retrieved the boat in December last year. Police do not believe the mother and son are alive

Investigators are also questioning whether Ms Loveday, who suffered from severe dementia, was already dead in a picture taken of the pair at the boat ramp before the doomed trip.

Mr Meneveau had been Ms Loveday's full-time carer for seven years, but sources told police he was 'gentle and caring' with his mother and would take her on day trips.

Police have found no evidence to suggest the pair are alive, but said they are not ruling anything out.

'There are many aspects to this investigation that appear suspicious and strange,' Mr Obst said.

Police are urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Jacob Frey, we have a yes or no question for you. Yes or no: Will you commit to defunding Minneapolis Police Department? What did I say? We dont want no more police. Is that clear? We dont want people with guns toting around in our community shooting us down. You havent answered. It is a yes or a no. It is a yes or a no. Will you defund the Minneapolis Police Department? All right, be quiet, you all. Be quiet. Because its important that we actually hear this. Its important that we hear this because if you all dont know, hes up for re-election next year. [cheering] Hes up for re-election next year. And if he says no, guess what the [expletive] were going to do next year. What did you say? Louder, one more time. All right! Youre wasting our time. Get the [expletive] out of here. Get the [expletive] out. Go home, Jacob. Go home. Go home, Jacob. Go home. Go home, Jacob. Go home. Shame, shame, shame.
State forestry officials told lawmakers Friday that they are operationally prepared for what could be a severe and complicated wildfire season given drought conditions and the difficulties of dealing with COVID-19 on the fire line.

What they dont know is how theyre going to pay for it.

Jason Miner, the governors natural resources policy adviser, said Friday that the financially troubled agency has the funds it needs to get it through the 2020 fire season. But thats not actually the case.

State lawmakers have repeatedly kicked the can on finding a permanent solution to the agencys ongoing fire funding problems. And, on Friday, State Forester Peter Daugherty told members of the Interim Committee on Wildfire Reduction and Recovery that the agencys budget would be exhausted in August  entering the peak of fire season. The agency is looking to negotiate a new, long-term line of credit with the Oregon Treasury, but treasury officials have been reluctant lenders given the departments past mismanagement of its fire costs, and its resulting difficulties paying off its short-term borrowings.

Im quite certain no one is going to tell me to stop fighting fires, Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry said Friday. Everything Ive seen from the legislature gives me complete confidence. Its the mechanism thats uncertain.

That confidence has not been mutual. Earlier this year, lawmakers considered a raft of wildfire legislation aiming to put more boots on the ground, modernize equipment, make huge investments in forest thinning and prescribed burns, and help communities adapt to increased wildfire.

The most ambitious legislation was based on the recommendations of a wildfire preparedness council the governor appointed last year. Various lawmakers, however, choked on the projected forest restoration costs of $4 billion over 20 years. Academics and environmental groups also scoffed at the bill, saying the state was about to double down on an ineffective and expensive strategy that created the states wildfire problem in the first place.

Gov. Kate Brown, however, insisted that doing nothing is not an option.

But nothing is exactly what happened. All wildfire legislation died when Republicans walked out over controversial climate change bill. And with the states revenue forecast and budget in deep trouble, there is little prospect of the state making those investments immediately. On Friday, Miner told members of the Interim Committee on Wildfire Reduction and Recovery that all that work remains relevant, but that the request would have to be downsized for the 2021 legislative session.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have ignored a supplemental budget request the agency made in late 2019 specifically for fire costs. It asked lawmakers for between $52 and $132 million  money it said was critical to get through the 2020 season. All legislators came up with was $3.6 million in so-called severity dollars to cover some aviation and ground resources.

The agencys basic financial problem hasnt changed. Its firefighting costs have ballooned from an average of $10 million annually to more than $70 million a year during the last seven years. And the agency doesnt have the resources to pay contractors and vendors while awaiting reimbursement of those costs from the state, from federal agencies and from its fire insurance policy. At present, it has $84 million outstanding in unreimbursed fire costs, $28 million of which the agency has yet to invoice -- some dating back to 2015.

To float those costs, the agency has historically dipped into state forests divisions harvest revenues and drawn on a $50 million short-term line of credit from the Oregon Treasury. But as the Oregonian/OregonLive documented in its Failing Forestry series last year, that strategy stripped the state forest division of the resources and staff to manage its own mission, and pushed it to harvest state forests at unsustainable levels to raise cash.

Meanwhile, the Oregon Treasury has balked at extending credit because the agency was unable to repay its existing line of credit last year, an annual requirement. In the end, the forestry department was forced to borrow $30 million from the Department of Administrative services to cover payroll.

Agency leaders acknowledge their own role in bungling the its fire costs, and their failure to raise a loud enough alarm before the agency was on the brink of insolvency. At Fridays hearing, Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, drilled down into the issues, asking why lawmakers were caught flat footed.

The governors office brought in a third-party financial SWAT team to evaluate the problems and recommend solutions, but that companys report to the legislature has been delayed amid the COVID-19 chaos. Meanwhile, Daugherty was put on a performance review plan by the Board of Forestry, and required to deliver monthly financial updates to the Legislatures budget chiefs.

Now the pressure is on with a looming fire season that looks to be an expensive one.

Grafe told lawmakers Friday that the 2020 fire seasons is shaping up to be above average. Much of the state is already abnormally dry and extreme drought conditions are already present in Southwest and North Central Oregon. Forecasters, meanwhile, say those conditions will persist through summer with above average temperatures and below average precipitation.

This is a concerning starting point at the doorstep of fire season, Grafe said.

So far in 2020, the agency has responded to 16 lighting-caused fired and 162 human cause fires. Thats 71% more human fires than normal, a spike Grafe attributed to having more people at home during the pandemic. The agency has kept those fires small to date, and plans to focus its efforts on rapid initial attacks this summer to avoid larger fires. It may help, Grafe said, that the U.S. Forest Service is deploying more of its larger, firefighting helicopters this season, and some may be based in Oregon.

The state may get a reprieve in June, as forecasters have done a 180 degree turn on temperature and precipitation projections for the month, Grafe said. But forecasts for July, August and September dont look promising.

What we dont like to see is those red bullseyes on Oregon, Grafe told lawmakers, referring to a slide showing almost the entire state at risk of a severe wildfire season. That risk extends across much of the West, which could cause firefighter and equipment shortages, he said.

The agency has restructured 2020 firefighting plans in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the risk that poses to firefighters, who typically work in close proximity and live for days and weeks in crowded fire camps.

Grafe said the agency still plans to hire 600 seasonal employees, but had redesigned its firefighter training, public outreach and plans for aviation and grounds crews in light of the virus. Ground crews will be equipped with face masks and rubber gloves. It plans social distancing at fire camps, from mealtime to sleeping arrangements. Daily planning meetings will be held online. Aviation crews wont stay at the camps, and command posts will be isolated from other personnel.

It will be a challenge, Grafe said. It absolutely makes for a lot more complexity than weve ever had. But weve had the time to prepare and I do believe weve come to a good place.

-- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-2218505; @tedsickinger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 10:32:42|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) announced on Sunday that one more person was tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases in the kingdom to 126.

The new patient is a 30-year-old French-Cambodian man, who returned to the capital city Phnom Penh on May 24 from France, with a connecting flight in South Korea, the MoH said in a statement.

Upon his arrival, the man had been tested negative for the virus and then, he had gone into a 14-day self-quarantine at home, the statement added.

Doctors took his samples for the second test at the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia on the 13th day of the self-quarantine period, and the result showed on June 6 was positive, MoH's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said.

Currently, the man is undergoing treatment at an isolation ward in the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, she added.

Vandine said the country has so far recorded a total of 126 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 123 patients cured and three remained in hospital. Enditem
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge seems to never have a bad hair day. After all, shes married to the future king, which means she certainly has a royal team of hair experts prepared to make her look like a queen at the drop of a hat. Kate reportedly uses dozens of hair products to keep her mane looking amazing  but even royals have bad hair days.

Kate Middletons hair blows in the wind | Indigo/Getty Images

The Duchess of Cambridges brunette locks have become a signature part of her style

For as long as weve known Kate, shes had long, brown hair. There have been a few instances when shes changed up her look, such as going a lighter shade of brown and chopping a few more inches off prior to Prince George and Princess Charlottes first day of school in 2019. The duchess had short hair before that, too, including when she joined the Royal Foundation Forum alongside Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle in 2018.

The duchess hair is almost always lightly waved, though she does wear it a bit curlier or straighter for time to time. For the most part, though, there hasnt been much variation through the years, which is partially the reason its become such a signature part of her style.

Kate Middletons hair accidentally becomes a snack as she attends the Ben Ainslie Racing Americas Cup Launch Event in 2014. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

RELATED: The Real Reason Kate Middleton Always Wears Her Hair Down

Kates hair routine is nothing short of intense

The duchess locks might look natural, but theyre not (though wed like to think Kate is some kind of hair wizard, since she can do pretty much anything else). Her flowy, brown hair requires dozens of hair products to get it photo-ready, and Kates former stylist, Amanda Cook Tyler, once posted a photo to Instagram (it has now been deleted) showing off all the hair products the duchess requires.

The photo consisted of 13 brushes and six combs, all of which play a crucial role in her look. Three hair curlers and two hair dryers were in the photo as well. Thankfully, though, the brands were pretty affordable, so at least Kates biggest fans could try their best to get hair like hers.

The wind catches the duchess hair as she attends the Place2Be Headteacher Conference at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in 2015. | Chris Jackson/AFP/Getty Images

RELATED: How Long Does It Take Kate Middleton to Get Ready For a Royal Outing?

Some days, the wind isnt on her side

Kate and William have been married since 2011, so shes no newbie when it comes to royal engagements. The duke and duchess often make appearances outside, which means that occasionally, the weather doesnt behave. The duchess has been caught in several scenarios where the wind has taken over her hair, and despite that its certainly frustrating, she always makes the best of it.

Occasionally, Kate has had to do some physical activity during engagements, which also makes for interesting photographs. Through it all though, she keeps her confidence.

Kate Middleton jumps while attending a 2017 event, sending her hair into an unflattering style. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Other days, the wind can make her hair look even better

The wind can be a nightmare for those trying to have a good hair day. And in a lot of cases, it hasnt worked well for the duchess. But occasionally, it makes her hair look even thicker and fuller. The duchess has had a few instances where the breeze blows toward her, spreading out her hair and giving the illusion that its even thicker than it is.

Kate Middletons hair blows in the wind just right as she attends a 2014 event. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Royal have learned all the tricks for keeping their looks and outfits under control in different types of weather. But those occasional gusts of wind are sometimes unavoidable, though Kate still makes the best of them.
ALBANY  Two child homicides in New York this year had previously been the subject of Child Protective Services investigations. And in the years preceding the deaths, case workers assigned to investigate complaints those children were being abused apparently bypassed key, required steps before determining the complaints were unfounded, according to interviews and records obtained by the Times Union.

The state Office of Children and Family Services, which examines CPS' handling of child death cases, has in the past also repeatedly flagged the same problems that were apparent in the investigations that unfolded before this year's deaths of 8-year-old Thomas Valva and 6-year-old Davonte Paul.

After Thomas Valva froze to death in a garage on Long Island on Jan. 17, his father, Michael Valva, who is a police officer, and Valva's girlfriend Angela Pollina were charged with second-degree murder. The father had allegedly placed Thomas in a bathtub to attempt to warm his body before calling 911. Both have pleaded not guilty and say the death was an accident.

After Davonte Paul froze to death in Troy three weeks later, his mother's boyfriend, Kevin Cox, was charged with second-degree murder. In that case, Davonte's mother initially claimed her son had drowned in the bathtub, a story that quickly fell apart. Cox has pleaded not guilty.

Eight months before Davonte froze to death, his father Freeston Paul had called the statewide hotline for Child Protective Services alleging the little boy was being abused by Cox in the care of his mother, Nicole Bauer.

ABOUT THE FAMILY COURT SERIES

PART 1: Children died despite warnings in New York Family Courts

PART 2: After children die, questions of standards and biases

PART 3: Before children died, investigations skirted state rules

PART 4: Grieving parents look to Albany for Family Court reform

CONTINUING COVERAGE:

Editorial: The deaths of innocents

After children die, counties find a way to avoid scrutiny

Paul told told the hotline operator that Cox was physically aggressive towards the mother in the boy's presence, and grabs and restrains Davonte in an aggressive fashion causing the child to become upset and cry." The father also told the operator that Cox throws water onto Davonte to wake him up, according to CPS records of the call obtained by the Times Union.

Under state laws and regulations, the complaint should have prompted Child Protective Services caseworkers to take certain investigative steps, including interviewing the person accused of committing the abuse.

But CPS officials never interviewed Cox in response to any of the fathers complaints over the years, according to Paul. In addition, Paul said that Ulster County CPS at times did not visit Bauers residence in response to the complaints, which is also required.

CPS records in the Valva case raise similar questions, showing that a Suffolk County CPS worker immediately closed investigations into at least three disturbing complaints. They were closed as duplicates of prior complaints, even though the complaints contained new, distinct allegations. The closing of those investigations also appears to contradict CPS requirements.

County Child Protective Services offices around New York are a key part of New Yorks Family Courts, serving a function similar to how a police department interacts with criminal courts. But Family Court judges can order CPS investigations and then bear the responsibility for making sure they are performed appropriately. When Family Court judges make decisions of whether allegations of abuse are credible, determinations made by CPS caseworkers play a major role.

For their part, CPS workers say they carry caseloads that are too heavy and are responsible for significant paperwork requirements. Like many officials involved with Family Court, they have the difficult task of deciding whether abuse and neglect allegations are legitimate, or simply the remains of a bitter breakup.

Unlike some officials that play key roles in Family Court, child protective workers have highly specific rules for conducting investigations. Many are outlined in a 451-page manual published by the Office of Children and Family Services that is gleaned from the governing laws and regulations.

If a child dies whose case had previously been subject to CPS complaints, OCFS is legally required to issue a report reviewing the actions of CPS officials within six months. The resulting reviews dont name victims, child welfare officials, or anyone else, but the date of death makes it possible to identify the case being discussed. A Times Union review shows the shortfalls in the CPS investigations of Paul and Valva had also existed in other CPS investigations that preceded a child's homicide.

Send tips This story is part of a Times Union series examining New York's Family Court system and some of the breakdowns that led to children dying. If you have any tips about family courts, please email reporter Chris Bragg at cbragg@timesunion.com. See More Collapse

There is an effort underway to address the systemic issues. In early March, a new child fatality review team overseen by OCFS convened a meeting at its office in Rensselaer County, which for the first time will have a statewide reach.

Margaret Bissell, who heads the internal OCFS review team that issues the reports, said in a presentation that the task force has the goal of improving practices and looking at things through a preventive lens." The new committee, she said, will seek to elevate practices that have been successful for 19 regional child-fatality review teams around the state.

Bissell also outlined the basic steps that child welfare workers in New York are obligated by law to perform during investigations.

They have to conduct home visits, Bissell said. They have to speak to the alleged victim, the parents, the caregivers and the collateral contacts.

Bissell also confirmed in an interview that CPS workers are also supposed to interview the alleged abuser.

Certainly, yes, you have to be able to locate that person, to be able to speak to them, Bissell said. You have to do everything possible.

An instructive example of the kinds of shortcomings OCFS at times flags can be found in its scathing report following the 2016 death of 6-year Zymere Perkins of Harlem, after he was bludgeoned to death with a broomstick by his mothers boyfriend.

Despite getting numerous complaints that the mothers boyfriend was seriously abusive, Manhattan child protective services workers often did not interview the boyfriend in response, the OFCS review found.

An OCFS review of the 2014 murder of 8-year-old Jacob Noe in Buffalo found CPS officials conducted insufficient interviews with his mother, who later stabbed the boy to death, as well as Jacob himself, despite requirements to speak to both.

An Erie County CPS caseworker assigned to Noes case refused to cooperate with the OFCS inquiry and was fired. The review noted that supervisory staff at Erie County CPS needed to provide better "supervision and guidance to casework staff" regarding their investigatory duties.

According to state regulations, a CPS supervisor must approve any decision that determines allegations are unfounded.

The OCFS reviews in the Valva and Paul cases are not yet available to the public, according to an agency records officer.

Ulster County CPS hung up when contacted for comment. Dutchess County CPS declined comment and Suffolk County did not respond to a phone call.

Freeston Paul said that over three years, he filed numerous complaints alleging that Cox was abusing his son with Bauer letting it happen.

Paul provided the Times Union with CPS records for a seven-month period ending in November 2019, but declined to provide the complete records.

After Pauls June 2019 complaint, CPS followed up by interviewing the mother, but Bauer claimed she was not in a relationship with Kevin Cox" and said that it had been three years since Kevin Cox saw Davonte. Both statements were apparently untrue.

Cox was non-compliant and never interviewed after the June 2019 complaint. The records state that Dutchess County CPS closed the investigation as "unfounded" with the approval of a supervisor on August 12, 2019, because Bauer became uncooperative.

After Paul filed the June 2019 complaint, Bauer disappeared from the Hudson Valley with Davonte. The mother and son only publicly resurfaced eight months later, when Bauer called 911 on Feb. 9. Troy police say Davonte died of hypothermia that was caused by Cox exposing him to freezing temperatures for a prolonged period.

It's unclear what caseworkers in Ulster County did to try to interview Cox in response to prior complaints from Paul, including after a then-4-year-old Davonte told CPS that Cox was pouring water on him.

Due to a 60-day limit to investigate abuse claims, CPS closed the complaints about Davonte as unfounded. Eventually, the boy became reluctant to tell his father or CPS officials what was happening, Paul said.

Freeston Paul says that in 2016, he shared with CPS in Ulster County a news article detailing Cox's arrest in 2011 on domestic abuse charges, which contributed to Cox serving a third term in prison before he was released and began dating Bauer.

When Ulster County CPS investigators approached Bauer about the allegations called in by Paul, the mother would deny them  at times also claiming that her boyfriend Cox did not exist, Paul said. Those alleged denials were offered up despite the fact that Coxs name was tattooed on Bauer's neck. CPS officials were aware of that, said Paul, who also showed the CPS officials evidence in 2017 of text messages between himself and Cox.

When Bauer became pregnant with Coxs child about three years ago, Paul said, it became more difficult for Bauer to deny any relationship, but she began to assert that the relationship was over.

Former Albany Family Court Judge Dennis Duggan said that the same standards of thoroughness should apply to a CPS inquiry as a criminal investigation.

It just sort of sounds like with the press of business, they just accepted [Bauers explanations] and went on to their next case without going further, Duggan said.

When CPS conducts an investigation, it is also required to conduct a home visit, including face-to-face interviews with the subjects before closing an investigation as unfounded, according to the CPS guidebook.

When Ulster County CPS officials would meet with Bauer, Paul said, it would almost always be in a park or another location rather than at her residence.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

They never demanded it, Paul said. She would just meet them at whatever time she wanted to meet them, at whatever location. And that would be it.

Paul believes that Ulster County CPS may have interviewed Bauer once at her fathers home, and Dutchess County CPS interviewed Bauer at an address in that county after the father's June 2019 complaint.

Bauer also had a series of shifting addresses that she gave to court officials. Paul told Ulster County CPS repeatedly that Bauer was actually living with Davonte at Cox's apartment in Ballston Spa, where Cox resided until about two years ago. Yet there is no indication that CPS officials tried to arrange a home visit to Cox's residence, which Paul believes made it easy for him to avoid being interviewed.

In the years preceding the death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva on Long Island, CPS received repeated complaints, possibly from staff at the Valva boys school, East Moriches Elementary. During the time period of the reports, the three Valva boys were solely under their fathers care.

On Jan. 16, 2019, CPS received a complaint stating that Thomas had a "swollen black eye" that hadn't been present the prior two days, and there were "conflicting with contradictory" explanations for the injury and the timeframe for those were "off."

The CPS records, under law, dont say who reported that injury or filed other complaints, but the notes from the investigation indicate the school had expressed concerns.

A Suffolk County CPS caseworker, Melissa Estrada, initially looked into the complaint. Michael Valva responded that the injury was sustained at school during recess, according to CPS notes. By then, Michael Valva had a documented history of using excessive corporal punishment, the CPS notes stated, citing a prior investigation.

The investigation would continue, according to CPS notes, but there was no immediate or impending danger of serious harm" and no intervention was necessary. The investigation into the complaint was closed two months later, on March 20, 2019, as "Unfounded - no services required," for reasons not clear in the records obtained by the Times Union.

A second complaint, more than a month after the first, on Feb. 27, 2019, stated that Thomas' 9-year-old older brother, Anthony, was coming to school "with his clothes and backpack soaked in urine." Anthony was "staying in the garage and is not allowed in his room due to him urinating in his bed.

A day later, the investigation was closed for supposedly being a "duplicate" to the then-ongoing CPS inquiry into the black eye sustained by Thomas.

Yet, according to the official manual for CPS workers, an investigation is only supposed to be closed as a "duplicate" if a complaint contains "no new information that would add a subject, child or allegation to the previous report."

Before being closed as a duplicate, the complaint also must contain the "same or similar account of an incident(s) as an earlier registered report that is still open and undergoing an investigation."

While Michael Valva was interviewed by CPS workers about Thomas' black eye within seven days of the original Jan. 17 complaint, theres no indication in the records that Valva was re-interviewed about the new allegation a month later that Anthony was coming to school soaked in urine. Both complaints were handled by Estrada.

On March 12, 2019, CPS received a complaint that Anthony Valva, who like Thomas was a special-education student, was having behavioral outbursts at school. The outbursts were allegedly encouraged by his father and Pollina because they wanted him instead placed in a residential education setting.

During a preliminary investigation over the next week, Estrada's notes stated that Pollina did not allow her daughters to be interviewed by CPS and that Michael Valva and Pollina felt they were being harassed by the school. The investigation into the complaint was closed as unfounded after two months.

During the week after the first complaint, two more complaints were closed as being a duplicate of the March 12 complaint, though they contained distinct allegations.

A complaint called in March 13 said the father and his girlfriend did not adequately feed Anthony, who had lost a "large, unspecified amount of weight. The complaint stated that as punishment, the father forced Anthony to stay on a mattress in the garage, which was not heated.

Anthony had come to school soaked in urine after staying in the garage and was shaking from being wet in the very cold weather. Pollina and the father were aware, and failed to ensure that Anthony was in clean, dry clothing, the complaint stated.

The complaint was immediately closed as a duplicate of the report about Anthony was acting inappropriately in school.

A March 18 complaint alleged that Michael Valva and Pollina were failing to adequately feed Anthony and Thomas who were frequently hungry, beg for food, and eat food out of the garbage. As a form of punishment, the complaint alleged, "the step-parent and father force Anthony to stay in the garage for excessive periods of time."

Again, the complaint was immediately closed as a duplicate of the March 12 complaint that Anthony was acting out in school. Its not clear from the CPS notes whether Estrada tried to interview Valva, Pollina or others about the information in the two complaints from that March.

At a July 2019 appearance in state Supreme Court in Nassau County, which was responsible for deciding the Valvas' divorce and custody case, the boys mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva, raised the issue of the duplicate reports.

"As I told your honor, the Suffolk County CPS is protecting plaintiff," she said. "Theyre closing the reports as duplicative the next day. There's no investigation. The investigation should take 60 days. I can show you the list.

"Ms . Valva, the only thing that I can do if I receive the complaint is refer it to Suffolk CPS," replied state Supreme Court Judge Joseph Lorintz. "I have no power to do any other investigation.

Similar issues have been flagged before in the state's reviews of child deaths. A report reviewing the death of Eain Clayton Brooks, who was beaten to death in 2013 by his mothers boyfriend in Buffalo, found at least five complaints were improperly consolidated into other complaints by Erie County CPS.

Minimal contacts were made on those subsequent investigations" and "very little information was gathered that was incorporated into the assessments, the OCFS review stated. The allegations on the subsequent reports were not fully explored or addressed.
Brandon T. Jackson seemed destined for a long career in Hollywood. He was funny, young, and possessed a certain pizazz that was magnetic to fans. His acclaimed role in the Percy Jackson films further boosted his star and seemed to portend mega-stardom. But nothing really happened after that.

Where is Brandon T. Jackson now? Lets take a closer look at his career and why you no longer hear that much from him.

Brandon T. Jackson at a movie premiere in September 2016 | Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Brandon T. Jacksons rise to fame

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Jackson moved to Los Angeles after high school and started pursuing a career in comedy. He was discovered at the Laugh Factory by a talent scout who helped him score a lead role in Roll Bounce (2005), a skating flick starring rapper Bow Wow.

There arent that many movies that come along like this and working with Bow Wow was amazing. Im taking it all in. Its my first big one, so Im really happy about, Jackson said in an old interview with Black Film.

Roll Bounce served as a springboard for his career, as Jackson went on to land a series of other movie roles. He appeared in This Christmas (2007), Tropic Thunder (2008), and Tooth Fairy (2010) before booking the Percy Jackson films.

He played Grover Underwood in 2010s Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and the 2013 sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. To date, those appear to be Jacksons most notable works.

RELATED: Why The First Percy Jackson Adaptation Left Fans Outraged

Why you dont hear much from Brandon T. Jackson anymore

Jackson said in a 2019 interview with Comedy Hype that he has been busy raising his four children.

And not just that, I want to find God and find myself, he continued. I want to see whats going on. Theres too much going on right now.

While discussing his spiritual journey, he brought up how Dave Chappelle left showbiz at the height of his career to find inner peace, explaining that hes experiencing something similar.

Brandon T. Jackson also thinks he was cursed

Jackson also told Comedy Hype that he feels he was cursed after Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011). In the Martin Lawrence flick, Jackson had to dress up as a woman, earning him Golden Raspberry for Worst Supporting Actress.

Everything went wrong when I put on that dress, he explained.

My career was at its height, and I played Martins son, and I feel like  its so weird, its like every time I play these sons of people, it never goes right, Jackson continued.

When asked what didnt go right with that particular film, he said: First of all, no offense, that movie was not good to me. it wasnt a prolific film  It wasnt the best movie. It was an entertaining film  but the whole dress bit was already overdone.

He admitted that he only took on the role for the money and the opportunity to work with Lawrence but said the now-awakened Brandon would never make the same decision.

RELATED: What Happened to the Martin Spinoff Involving Tischina Arnold?

Brandon T. Jackson now

Even though he has yet to match the success of his earlier films, Jackson is still on the acting scene. He has two projects in the works  Trap City and Celibate  and continues to do stand-up comedy.

He talked about his growth in a 2014 interview with The Bellevue Reporter and explained how his experiences as a father help mold his material.

Before I was a boy, now Im a man developing real material, he said in part. Read more at the link above.

Dont miss: Martin Lawrence Addresses Dave Chappelles Comments About His Bizarre 1996 Traffic Incident
The Mumbai Fire Department on Sunday (June 7) said that that no gas leakage was found in the city after receiving several complaints of a foul smell emanating in multiple areas of the city, including Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Powai.

The fire department also appealed to the people to not panic about any leakage of gas. "No gas leakage was found at given locations. Further calls were received from Powai and leakage smell was felt in Andheri. Total 17 fire engines were deputed for the search of gas leakage and it was announced to not panic. Hazmat vehicles were ready for an emergency," said Mumbai Fire Brigade.

Mumbai Fire Brigade said that it had informed Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL), Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers (RCF) and Police about the suspected gas leak complaints and it further probe is on in this matter.

On Saturday night, Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), had directed the fire department to check up on complaints of a foul smell emanating in multiple areas of the city.

"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," BMC tweeted.

The BMC had also urged the people 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".

Responding to complaints on Twitter, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray said, "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."
JOINING the global tourism campaign on domestic first, long-haul later, the Department of Tourism (DOT) will roll out re-imaging of domestic tourism by offering tours and programs on niche markets.

Specifically, the DOT will initially promote health and wellness, farm, dive and community-based tourism with authentic experiential activities, said DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. in a recent webinar.

We shall focus on domestic travel to jumpstart tourism in the country and to bring livelihood in tourism back, sad Bengzon. We will particularly pay attention to product development as we expect changes in consumer behavior and expectations.

Tourism is one of the sectors badly hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic as nations around the globe shut their borders to prevent further spread.

Receipts

The Philippines being one of those tourism-dependent countries wasnt spared. The DOT said tourism revenues were slashed by 55 percent from January to April 2020. The country only earned P79.8 billion for this period, against 2019s P180.52 billion.

Foreigners who arrived in the country from January to April reached 1.3 million, down 54 percent from the 2019 figure of 2.8 million tourist arrivals.

Bengzon said under the new tourism landscape, tourism recovery will be moderate but steady, and it will require a higher level of cooperation. This means local government unit policies will be crucial in the recovery of tourism, aside from the support from the stakeholders.

New amenities

Moreover, Bengzon noted that under the new normal, safety and hygiene will become new amenities that all tourism establishments and products must meet to regain the confidence of the market.

This was reinforced by Alice Queblatin, president of Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (Catos), in a separate webinar, that safety and hygiene will be the scorecards on how quick the destinations will rebound from the crisis.

We would like the DOT to drum up the concept of a cleaner and safer Cebu, said Queblatin, adding that hotels in Cebu have beefed up their safety and hygiene protocol.

Story continues

The Catos official added that between now and until the tourism sector is allowed to fully operate, stakeholders must use this time to carefully plan the products and activities they will offer to the returning tourists, bearing in mind their new preferences.

Queblatin cited for instance that Koreans are now more into outdoor activities, thus, tour packages should be more on farm, countryside, adventure and retreat activities.

She also expected that solo travelers or fully independent travelers (FITs) will be on the rise during the pandemic while large group bookings will be temporarily suspended.

FITs are in; large groups are out. Or people will now opt to travel with small groups, people that they really know, like families, she said.

Queblatin said preferences on less crowded destinations will also gain high interest amid this pandemic.

Recovery plan

In May, the DOT unveiled the Tourism Response and Recovery Plan (TRRP), a set of protocols, programs and activities that will aid the revival of the tourism industry.

The plan was crafted with the help of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, local government units, national agencies and the Tourism Congress of the Philippines.

According to Bengzon, the programs and activities covered in the TRRP will help address the immediate and prolonged impact of the coronavirus pandemic in tourism in the next three years.
Dresden Raceway kicked off its 2020 season of live Standardbred racing on Sunday, June 7 with a 10-race program. Although spectators were not in attendance, fans watching remotely were surely happy to have racing back at the cherished half-mile oval.

The program featured a pair of conditioned races that carried $4,800 purses, each of which took place during the back half of the card.

Sunday's races were contested over a 'fast' track that was rated one second slow by the presiding judges.

Driver Marc St. Louis notched one of his four afternoon victories in Race 8, which was the first of the $4,800 dashes. St. Louis was in the bike behind the Dan Wells-trained Donavan Z Tam, and the duo got away fourth before they committed to a first-over grind early in the second quarter. They remained on the outside throughout most of the mile, but did take the opportunity to draft behind race leader Bayonet (driven by Garrett Rooney) for a bit during the third quarter of the mile. St. Louis pulled the pocket in the final quarter and came on for the victory, which returned $14.90 for every successful $2 win wager. Mills, of Wallaceburg, Ont., also owns Donavan Z Tam, who is a four-year-old gelded son of Hes Gorgeous.

The second of the $4,800 dashes went postward as Race 10, and it was the Lorne House-trained and driven Cullen Keefe N ($4.10) who raced well as the public's even-money choice. The 10-year-old son of Christian Cullen went to the top early from Post 4 and wasn't headed in the mile, en route to his 15th career victory. The bay horse is owned by Samuel Taylor of Lucan, Ont., and he increased his career bankroll to $84,315 with the victory.

St. Louis recorded four wins during the card, while Tyler Borth notched three victories. Garrett Rooney also steered two winners during the card.

The silence was deafening on the day, as you could hear every hoof beat and every chirp from the drivers with no crowd at the usually boisterous facility.

St. Louis said it was nice to be back at Dresden, adding, Weve been away too long. It feels good to be doing what we love again."

The handle was down from last years opening day. The total handle -- all which came from off-track -- was $20,607.

Our handle will be much higher next week, Dresden Raceway Announcer/PR man Gary Patterson said. We have a great product with some awesome trainers and great drivers. I promise our handle will be much better next week.

To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Dresden, click the following link: Sunday Results - Dresden Raceway.

(With files from Dresden Raceway)
MONTGOMERY, Ala.  A historically black university in Alabama is establishing a scholarship to honor two black men who were killed by police.

Alabama State University in Montgomery said the scholarship will be named for George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. It will also honor Greg Gunn, who was shot to death by a police officer in Montgomery in 2016 and once attended Alabama State.

The first recipients will be identified for the fall semester.

The scholarship honors not just Floyd and Gunn but any black person who died under similar circumstances, said President Quinton Ross.

As we are searching for ways to bring about change in this nation and to advance the cause of black Americans, I can think of no better way than to ensure access to higher education for our young people, Ross said.

The scholarship was begun with a $10,000 donation from a fund controlled by the president's office.

Floyd died after a police officer pressed on his neck for nearly 9 minutes after he was accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill. One officer was charged with murder and three others who stood nearby were charged with aiding in the death.

Former Montgomery police officer Aaron Cody Smith was convicted of killing Gunn while the man was walking in his neighborhood late at night.

Related: Coverage of George Floyd case, protests

Montgomery settles lawsuit in fatal police shooting

Former Montgomery officer can be free during manslaughter conviction appeal, judge rules
New Delhi :

An innovative technology Indian startup company  Sum Yantra, was launched with the declaration of their first slogan  Har din Hindi! (Hindi every day).

Sum Yantra presented an array of exciting innovative modern educational resources, specially designed to encourage an interest and contemporary engagement in Hindi while enhancing ability and quality in the language.

Sometimes a smartphone, sometimes a website, sometimes video, sometimes a ring tone! Alongside, several issues regarding Hindi, were also discussed.

Prominent artist-inventor Ashim Ghosh, entrepreneur Rohit Nair and well known musician-producer Chintan Kalra, are the core trio of Sum Yantra. The trio would like to invite all students, teachers and users of Hindi to come together, and embrace their innovative creations, to help infuse and boost Hindi with a new wave of contemporary energy.

Raised during the Hindi fortnight of 2016, with joy and enthusiasm, Har din Hindi! is Sum Yantras first slogan. The forthcoming chapter is  Dar roj Marathi! and Proti din Bangla! ...and then one-by- one, contemporary educational projects in each Indian language.

Sum Yantras modern resources, to give Hindi a contemporary a new boost.

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Others News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
SPARTA  Despite rumors to the contrary, Spartas Justice for Black Lives rally on Saturday started and ended with peace.

Saturday's demonstration, the second in two days, saw at least 100 people march from the city's police department to its high school. When gathered there, a variety of speakers addressed the crowd.

Protests and civil disobedience flared around the country last week after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis Police custody after a white officer knelt with his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Video from a bystander captured the moment. Viewers can hear Floyd begging for relief, saying I can't breathe," and calling out "mama."

Spartas rally coincided with many others throughout the regions cities and small towns. News of the rally spread quickly, as did unfounded rumors that demonstrators from the amorphous antifa group would be coming to burn farmsteads and kill livestock. The primary source of the rumors was a discredited conspiracy theory website that has routinely been banned from platforms like Facebook.

In wake of Floyd death, rural, white Southern Illinois towns are reckoning with racist past What seems to distinguish this moments push for racial justice in Southern Illinois is the number of gatherings that are taking place beyond the borders of Carbondale, a liberal-leaning university town.

Chad White, 46, gathered to march in his hometown for the second time Saturday. He said hes been encouraged to see protests branch out from the big towns and come to rural Southern Illinois. He said the events offer opportunities to tell people that the problems black people face arent just big city problems.

I just think a lot of people dont realize how it is for black people in America, he said. He brought up an example from his own life in Sparta. He recalled a moment when he and his brother, in their high school years, got into a fight at their house with two white people. He said their front door's window was punched out, and when the police were called, White and his brother were almost the ones taken to jail.

People dont think its here, but it is, White said.

He said he just hopes that with the rise of these protests, people realize its bigger than George Floyd.

Hundreds march in Carbondale to 'demand justice for all black lives' This was the second demonstration in Carbondale since Floyds death and saw nearly 800 people gather at the Civic Center, and then march to the citys police department.

Chris Carr grew up in Sparta but lives in Shiloh. He was among those who spoke to the crowd of protesters. He said those who say black people should stop killing each other  that this is a bigger issue than police brutality  have a point. However, he said that no black person would ever kill another black person because of the color of their skin. That is the difference, he said.

Rosetta Clay was one of the organizers of Saturday's demonstration. She remarked that trust begins with relationships and called on everyone there to begin reaching out to form them. But she also provided a bit of context for her life and struggles as a black woman living in small town America. She recalled her school integrating, and said her grades slipped because of the color of her skin, not because of her work ethic. She told the story of her husband, a correctional officer, discovering Ku Klux Klan recruitment materials in a desk at the prison.

About 200 protesters march in Herrin for equality Korshawn Johnson led a peaceful protest rally and march Friday evening in Herrin with the help of several other organizers.

Johnnie Williams, 19, was one of the last speakers Saturday, and his address was somewhat impromptu. He said action as well as words were needed to bring black youth out of the struggles of previous generations.

He said racism goes well beyond a person using racist slurs or denying service because of a persons skin color. He said someone seeing a black man in a parking lot and locking their car more than once counts, too.

We hear those three locks and it hurts, Williams said.

Commenting on the ministers who spoke Saturday about Gods will and his love, he said this: I feel like this is a subject we cant just pray about."

God had 500 years to fix the problem of institutional racism in America, he said, but actions by his followers were needed to finish the work.

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Shamli : , June 7 (IANS) The Shamli police has seized 4.5 kg smack concealed in watermelons and arrested two persons in this regard. The seized contraband is valued at around Rs 4.5 crore in the international market, police said on Sunday.

The watermelons were loaded in a truck bound for Chandigarh from Bareilly when police intercepted it on Saturday. Smack, also known as black tar heroin, is a derivative of a strong opioid.

Truck driver Shavez and his assistant Danish, who were arrested, claimed that they were paid Rs 50,000 by two Bareilly residents and handed over the consignment of watermelons for delivery.

According to police sources, the truck was intercepted near Bidoli checkpost by a team of Jhinjhana police station.

Shamli SP Vineet Jaiswal said that police was investigating the case.
Its hard to believe, but the news cycle has become so crowded that an ongoing pandemic has been almost pushed out of public view. With protests and demonstrations continuing over the death of a black man at the hands of police in Minnesota and race relations taking center stage, the coronavirus and its impact on our way of life has for the first time in months moved away from being the nations top priority.

This is understandable  the number of deaths in Connecticut has continued to decline, and hospitalizations are down. The first phase of reopening the economy has gone smoothly, and Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that Phase 2, which will involve opening restaurants to indoor dining along with gyms and other businesses, will start ahead of schedule, on June 17. The world is seemingly returning to normal.

Still, much caution will be required. It cannot be forgotten that 4,000 state residents have died, among some 100,000-plus nationwide, from the coronavirus. While experts are still learning more about how the disease spreads, it seems at this point that outdoor transmission is much less likely than indoor. That bodes well for people who will be looking to take advantage of summer weather and get out of the houses theyve been mostly stuck in since March, but it also means people need to exercise caution as indoor businesses reopen their doors. This is not going to be as simple as returning to a pre-COVID-19 lifestyle as if nothing has changed.

And as the state continues on this path, its important that all levels of government play a role. Lamont acted quickly and decisively in the pandemics early stages to close schools and businesses and try to limit the worst of the virus spread. He has generally done well listening to constituents concerns and has been receptive to changing direction when necessary.

But with the worst of the crisis seemingly waning, its time to bring in state legislators for a more active role in state decision-making. Nearly every call to date has come from the governors office alone, and thats how it had to be. There was no time at first for the typical push and pull of legislation as the state faced an immediate crisis. The emergency powers granted to Lamont were necessary and put to good use.

Its now time to move to the next phase, which will involve full participation of the Legislature along with the governor in making major decisions. Though the Assembly has officially adjourned, a special session is likely to be called this summer, with no shortage of potential topics on the agenda. Deciding next steps in the states reopening process should be included.

With a part-time Legislature and a full-time crisis, there will continue to be times when Lamont needs to act alone. The pandemic will not wait for the legislative cycle to catch up and more emergency measures could be needed in the event of a second wave of the virus. But the time has come for re-engaging with state legislators to let them do the jobs they were elected to do.
Wanted in several dacoity cases in the past, a 30-year-old man pedalled nearly 600 kilometres during Covid-19 lockdown to avoid the police and commit yet another dacoity in West Bengal. He was arrested along with three other associates.

Pritam Ghosh, the mastermind of the case, is accused in several other dacoity cases in West Bengal and Odisha. He seems to have fled from a jail in Odisha and was hiding in Bihar. We are trying to verify. Further investigation is on, said Humayun Kabir, Police Commissioner, Chandannagar.

So far, an investigation has revealed that Ghosh had pedalled all the way from Basara village in Rajapakar area of Bihar to reach Uttarpara in West Bengals Hooghly district where he puts up at his in-laws house.

Also read: Separate Covid-19 quarantine centres for pregnant women in Chhattisgarh

He chose to pedal because he could sneak into West Bengal easily. If he had come by bus in the guise of a labourer he would have been checked at the border. He thought he might get caught because he was accused in several cases. He got the idea to pedal from migrant labourers who travelled hundreds of kilometres on foot, said a senior officer of the local police station.

After reaching Uttarpara on Wednesday, he called up his old friends with criminal past and formed a small gang. On Thursday and Friday, the gang did a reconnaissance of the area at least twice before looting the Union Bank around 3 pm on Friday, the police said.

They were carrying firearms and looted around 17 lakhs. Around 10 lakhs have been recovered. We have also seized one firearm. We are also trying to seize the bicycle which he used to come to Uttarpara from Bihar, S Pattanaik, inspector-in-charge of Uttarpara police station said.

His three other associates  Sanjay Paswan, Sanjib Paswan and Tapas Das  have been arrested. Pritams wife and mother-in-law were also questioned as he was hiding in their house and also hid a portion of the loot there. Ghosh is the eldest and his associates were all aged between 25  30 years. They were all wearing masks during the dacoity and thought police wont be able to identify them. While Ghosh was waiting outside the bank in a car, the associates entered the bank for the loot.

It took him three days to reach Hooghly taking rests in between. He was running out of money and hence decided to loot a bank. But as it was a lockdown, he chose to pedal. He cycled all the way after stealing a bicycle. We are still interrogating him to get further details, said Pattanaik.
A dozen new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania were traced to recent Jersey Shore beach house gatherings, the Bucks County Department of Health announced this weekend.

The county Health Department reported 33 new coronavirus cases Saturday, including 11 that can be traced back to a New Jersey resident who attended multiple house gatherings at the shore during the past two weeks. Another Bucks County resident who became infected from the same New Jersey source was announced Friday, according to a news release.

Bucks County is among 10 Pennsylvania counties to recently enter the yellow phase of reopening, during which many businesses remain closed and large gatherings are still prohibited.

David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Health Department, said in the release he expects additional new cases as the disease spreads to these individuals family members.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

This is exactly why we cant let our guard down now, even if it feels `safe to be at the beach, Damsker said in a statement. One unlucky exposure can lead to a large cascade of cases down the line. We want everyone to enjoy the warmer weather and have fun, but lets keep in mind that COVID is still circulating in the community at baseline levels.

A Bucks County spokesman, Larry R. King, declined to provide additional information, saying the department relies on voluntary cooperation and reporting.

The department released information on these cases to caution people against letting down their guard and just getting back to business as usual.

Obviously its still out there, and if you have too many people in one place and somebodys got the virus, its still able to be spread," he said.

Nearly 5,000 Bucks County residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, according the Department of Health.

Spokeswomen for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Department of Health did not immediately respond to requests for more information, including how many New Jerseyans may have become contracted the virus at these same gatherings.

As of Sunday, there are 164,164 confirmed cases in New Jersey since the beginning of March and 12,176 residents have died amid the outbreak. This includes 79 new deaths and 426 new cases reported in the past 24 hours.

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

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

ABIQUIU LAKE  When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created a habitat to help fish along the Chama River, longtime river-surfing advocate Ed Lucero hoped it would include the creation of a standing wave.

But when the coronavirus shut down the most of the states recreation areas, he was not really sure about the result of the work.

When he finally got a chance to see it about a month ago, my mind was blown, Lucero said. It was beyond my best expectations.

The feature a little ways south of the Abiquiu Dam is the culmination of what had been an ongoing habitat improvement project covering about 2.5 river miles that, from a fishing standpoint, quadrupled the amount of good, quality fishable water, said Austin Kuhlman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lead ranger and natural resource specialist.

A decade in the planning and construction phase, the multi-agency, multiple-projects endeavor ended up costing about $1.1 million, said Tristanna Bickford, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, which was heavily involved in the overall planning of the various projects.

A lot of the structures were built to create flow, so the stream wanders with some ebbs and flow to benefit fish and other wildlife, migratory birds and big species that would be in the area, she said.

Seeing the success of wave projects in southern Colorado towns such as Durango and Pagosa Springs, Lucero has been pushing for a similar structure on the Chama.

And his pleas did not fall on deaf ears.

This feature is a great control structure, Kuhlman said. At its roots, it is a habitat project. It happened that there was interest from the surfing and boating community. And there was an effort made, if it could generate a wave, we would try to. And we got lucky and it turned out to have created what seems to be a really nice wave.

A nice wave would actually be underselling what happened, Lucero said.

Ive been traveling around looking at some of the other waves and the Abiquiu wave is by far the best wave, he said. There are so many things about it. Its a great beginners wave. A nice, big, smooth wave. Its an easy wave to stand up on. Its the place we need. Its a great beginning hill for surfing.

This was with the wave at 725 cubic-feet per second. As the flow increases, theres no telling just how special that wave can be, Lucero said.

This is world class for river surfing, he said. New Mexico has something to really show off and be proud of. Its a watershed launching spot for this new sport. The Chama side of it is not snow dependent because theyre always releasing water. It seems as if a ski hill didnt exist and now there is a ski hill. You just get the slope that keeps on going. Im a snow boarder and it feels like snowboarding.

The structure was built through the use of some 140 massive boulders stretching across the river, about three or four boulders deep, Kuhlman said, giving it enough support to withstand the water flow as it increases.

In order to have healthy trout, you have to have healthy bugs, so you have to have good dissolved oxygen in the water, he said. Thats really kind of the main thing. Its controlling the grade of the river. But it also creates a pool above with a good oxygenated riffle and a run below.

And word of the wave is certainly spreading.

Ive seen boogie boards, surf boards and a lot of the playboat kayaks, the shorter boards, Kuhlman said. Theyre doing spins and what not, and kids surfing. All kinds of stuff.

Although not particularly dangerous, he said it is wise to take precautions.

Like any kind of white water recreation, you definitely need to have proper equipment and skills, Kuhlman said. Its not something that anybody should just jump right into. You need to come down and learn, especially if youre kayaking, learning to roll and all of those other white water skills.

Many of the wave riders use a helmet and life jackets are required, he said.

The water is very cold, so youll see most everybody wearing a wet suit, Kuhlman said. There are some inherent risks with any white water activity, and this feature is no different.

On a recent day, Mo ODonnell and his 12-year-old son Ilan, of Taos, took turns in the wave.

Mo ODonnells goal was to get up on his board, which he said was a bit too long and not wide enough to be ideal.

I wish they would make a couple more, he said. Were from Taos and it would be (great) to have something up there. I know they have a couple in Colorado. It would be nice if they made some more. Maybe I could finally stand. Hopefully, I can get off all fours and onto two feet.

And even though it was cold, despite a wet suit, Ilan ODonnell said it was worth it.

Its a lot of fun, he said.
Earlier today, Jio Platforms Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, announced a landmark eighth investment in a span of just over six weeks. The latest investment marks the second investment from a sovereign wealth fund in Jio Platforms, with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) picking up a 1.16 percent stake in the company for an investment of Rs 5,683.50 crore, or $752.1 million. With the investment, Jio Platforms has raised a total of Rs 97,885.65 crore in a brief span of time, underlining its position in India as a pioneer of cutting edge technology, and a headlining act in Indias digital transformation saga.

What the two companies said

After the landmark deal that marked the sale of 21.06 percent of Jio Platforms to foreign investors, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd, said about the companys partnership with ADIA, I am delighted that ADIA, with its track record of more than four decades of successful long-term value investing across the world, is partnering with Jio Platforms in its mission to take India to digital leadership and generate inclusive growth opportunities. This investment is a strong endorsement of our strategy and Indias potential.

Expressing delight on its association with Reliance Industries in India, Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, executive director of ADIAs private equities department, said, Jio Platforms is at the forefront of Indias digital revolution, poised to benefit from major socio- economic developments and the transformative effects of technology on the way people live and work. The rapid growth of the business, which has established itself as a market leader in just four years, has been built on a strong track record of strategic execution. Our investment in Jio is a further demonstration of ADIAs ability to draw on deep regional and sector expertise to invest globally in market leading companies and alongside proven partners.

Jios investment run

After revolutionising Indias mobile data market, Reliance Jio has successfully diversified into a technology platform that is headlining Indias digital transformation. One of the largest private sector companies in India, Jio has seen a stunning run of investments in recent times. On April 22, Facebook, the worlds largest social media corporation, picked up a 9.99 percent stake in Reliance Jio for Rs 43,573.62 crore. Following Facebook was Silver Lake on May 3, which now has a 2.08 percent stake in Jio Platforms in exchange of a two-round investment of Rs 10,202.55 crore. The third entity to invest in Jio Platforms was Vista Equity Partners, which invested Rs 11,367 crore for a 2.32 percent stake in the company. General Atlantic then followed up with an investment of Rs 6,598.38 crore for a 1.34 percent stake. Investment firm KKR also followed up with a Rs 11,367 crore investment for a 2.32 percent stake in the company. Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala has invested Rs 9,093.60 crore for a 1.85 percent stake in Jio Platforms as well.

Who is ADIA?

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and is known for making landmark investments on behalf of the government of Abu Dhabi. It is chaired by His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi. Founded over 44 years ago, ADIA is one of the worlds foremost investors, and is a member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds.

ADIAs investment in Jio Platforms reflects the diverse portfolio of investors attracted towards Reliance Jios offering, and further establishes the unbound promise that the company represents towards taking forward the steady digitisation of India. With ADIAs backing, Reliance Jio Platforms has raised Rs 97,885.65 crore in foreign investments so far, selling 21.06 percent stake of the company to an enviable consortium of investors.
New Delhi: In a tragic accident, a 10-month-old girl was crushed by a Mercedes-Benz car in Tilak Nagar area of Delhi.

The accident took place around 3:30 pm on Sunday afternoon when Radhika, a mere 10-month-old girl, was playing in the parking area under her house when the Mercedes-Benz car driver was reversing the car.

The injured child was immediately rushed to the DDU Hospital in Delhi but she was declared brought dead.

According to police, the car driver was a 31-year-old man named Akhilesh. While the owner of this vehicle is named Jasbir Singh.

Police have taken the vehicle into possession, further investigation is underway.
1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

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In the letter, Delhi Medical Association have stated that the doctors who are working tirelessly from last 2 months amid the pandemic feel insulted by the way they are being treated.

Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for warning the doctors and threatening the hospitals amid rising coronavirus cases in the capital. The DMA also condemned the FIR filed against the authorities of the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital that has been charged with violating rules for registering coronavirus tests.

Delhi Medical Association strongly condemns the way Delhi CM (chief minister) is warning the doctors and threatening the hospitals about COVID-19 patients admissions and tests. Doctors who are serving the people of Delhi tirelessly from last two months in this pandemic crisis risking their lives feel insulted by the way they are being treated, the DMA stated in the letter.

Theyre being penalised and Government instead of praising their efforts is issuing new Dictates (FARMAN) daily, the letter reads.

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

Also Read: Hyderabad international airport facilitates evacuation of Somali nationals during Covid-19 pandemic

Delhi Medical Association strongly condemns the way Delhi CM is warning the doctors & threatening hospitals about #COVID19 patients' admissions&tests. FIR on Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is highly condemnable and demoralizing for the whole medical fraternity: Delhi Medical Association pic.twitter.com/SsirANUdVC  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

The DMA in the letter has also put forth various demands in front of the Delhi government for instance, formation of a coordination committee between the medical professionals and the Delhi government; adequate testing facilities; smoother patient transfers and cremations; and nodal officers for overall coordination of COVID-19 care.

Also Read: Twitter deactivates Amuls official handle after anti-China post, restores later

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The bungling burglar was caught out after police found his fingerprints on a bowl he had eaten out of. (Picture: Getty)

A bungling burglar was caught out after leaving his fingerprints behind on a bowl he used when he helped himself to a meal.

Paul Johnson, 50, was caught on CCTV breaking into student accommodation in Nottingham in the early hours of April 9.

He opened parcels in the reception area and rifled through cupboards and filing cabinets in an office before helping himself to a tin of cod roe that he found.

He mixed the contents with some red cabbage in a bowl before tucking into the fish supper.

But Johnson, of Forster Street, Nottingham, was caught out after police found his fingerprints on the bowl, which he left behind on a chair.

Paul Johnson, 50, helped himself to a meal after breaking into student accommodation in Nottingham during the early hours of April 9. (Picture: SWNS)

Johnson was jailed for six months after admitting burglary at Nottingham Crown Court.

He isnt the first burglar to be caught out after tucking into food during a crime  in 2013 Reece O'Callaghan was jailed after leaving his fingerprints on a pack of Jaffa Cakes when he broke into an elderly couple's home.

Read more: Burglars caught after leaving fingerprints on bottle of Dettol while trying to cover their tracks

Detective Sergeant Lee Cattell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: It was a great collective effort, involving numerous departments, which helped us to identify Johnson, secure the evidence and bring him to justice.

I hope the fact that he is now behind bars offers some reassurance to victims and our communities that Nottinghamshire Police is committed to tackling and reducing burglaries and taking criminals like Johnson off our streets.
President Moon Jae-in holds hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a G20 summit event in Germany in this July 2017 photo, with Chinese President Xi Jinping standing behind them. Korea is once again faced with diplomatic pressure over whether to side with the United States of America or the People's Republic of China. / Korea Times file



Moon accepts Trump's invitation to G7 Summit



By Kang Seung-woo



Amid the fast deterioration of ties between the United States and China, Korea, long-sandwiched between the two, is once again facing growing pressure to choose the "right side" in pursuing its foreign policy.



Last Friday's surprise replacement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles by the Korean and U.S. militaries has raised speculation that China might again opt for economic retaliation against Korean companies. In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected invitation of Seoul to this year's G7 Summit is putting Seoul in the thick of worsening Sino-U.S. relations as the envisaged meeting is likely to serve as an attempt to contain China, Korea's largest trading partner.



Noting that Korea is being placed in a difficult diplomatic situation, experts advise the country to take an approach that best benefits its own interests.



Last Friday, Korean and American troops delivered new missiles to the U.S. THAAD base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in a surprise overnight operation to "replace older equipment."



In the wake of the delivery, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed its opposition to the U.S. deployment of THAAD on the Korean Peninsula  despite the South Korean government's advance notification.



"China and South Korea have reached a clear consensus on a phased resolution to the THAAD issue. We hope that the South Korean side will strictly adhere to the agreement, properly deal with the THAAD issue, and uphold China-South Korea relations and regional peace and stability," ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Friday.



"We urge the U.S. side not to do anything that hurts China's interests and disrupts China-South Korea relations."






THE State is now facing a potential lawsuit for tortious assault and battery by a family that was tear-gassed by police while at the Queens Park Savannah in Port of Spain last Sunday.

Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has been given 28 days within which to provide specific pieces of information to attorneys representing the family or, in default, a civil claim will be filed at the High Court, the familys attorneys warned yesterday.
It can be hard to draw a line between your work and personal life if you are self-employed. (Getty)

Being self-employed is not easy. Whether its the long hours, the search for new clients or the stress of late payment, it can be tough to work for yourself. Self-employment can be financially precarious at the best of times, but the current crisis has made making a living even more difficult.

Of a survey of more than 1,400 highly skilled freelancers by University of Edinburgh Business School researchers, three quarters of them had lost income because of COVID-19, with an average income fall of 76%. Over two-thirds say they now have cash flow problems  and an astonishing 91% said they could not access the governments self-employment support scheme.

When you are struggling financially, it is tempting to work even harder to make ends meet  which often takes priority over looking after yourself. But its now more important than ever to engage in self-care, particularly when many self-employed people are working longer hours at home, isolated from friends and family, and facing additional stress and insecurity.

Self care can be a challenge when working from home because our boundaries between work and home life become blurred. As a consequence it becomes difficult to know where work life ends and home life begins, says business psychologist Charlotte Armitage.

This lack of distinction, can lead to burnout because we dont know when to switch off, or a complete lack of motivation because we struggle to be productive in an environment which has been inextricably linked with relaxation, she adds.

Being self-employed is very different to working in a 9-5 role. Theres no clocking in and out and your schedule may be subject to change nearly every day, particularly if youre working extra jobs or trying to find additional clients to bring in more income in these challenging times.

It can be hard to draw a line between your work and personal life if you are self-employed. Running your own business is often a 24/7 operation with little room for downtime, but it is still essential to switch off from it occasionally. One way to do this is to separate your workplace from your living area to create a physical boundary between the two.

Story continues

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Why we need to support all self-employed people

This doesnt have to be another room, it could just be a space on a table. Once you start to associate that space with productivity and work, it will be easier to work from home and easier to switch off from work, Armitage says.

Dont work from the sofa or your bed; it is bad for your posture and can lead to difficulties with relaxation and sleep respectively. This is because you psychologically start to associate those spaces in the house with being productive which then makes it hard to switch off in that environment.

Research by Metro Bank has found that more than a million self-employed workers never manage to take a lunch break. Of those who do take a break, over a fifth take 20 minutes or less. It also found self-employed workers feel more pressure to be productive during their breaks, with 13% saying they should be doing something useful compared to seven percent of employees.

Its hard to drag yourself away from work if you are feeling under pressure, but taking regular time off is essential. In reality, this work hard mentality is rarely effective  research from Singapore Management University has shown that taking short breaks can boost your engagement and productivity at work. Getting fresh air and exercise is particularly helpful for maintaining good mental health, too.

READ MORE: How to avoid cabin fever when working from home

When you work for yourself, its easy to overlook your achievements when you dont have a boss to congratulate you. Finishing a project, organising your invoices, clearing your inbox, or gaining new work are all accomplishments worth celebrating, even if going to the pub is currently off the cards. Small wins are also important - and give you that incentive to keep pushing on.

And finally, be kind to yourself. We are experiencing difficult circumstances right now and everyone will respond in a different way. Dont compare yourself to others and do what feels right for you, Armitage says. Trust what your gut instinct is telling you because that is your subconscious telling you what you need before you become consciously aware of it.
Washington

Top Pentagon officials ordered National Guard helicopters to use what they called "persistent presence" to disperse protests in the capital last 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 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 military's 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 military's role in urban law enforcement.

Military officials said that the National Guard's aggressive approach to crowd control was prompted by a pointed threat from the Pentagon: If the Guard was unable to handle the situation, then active-duty military units, such as a rapid-reaction unit of the 82nd Airborne Division, would be sent into the city.

Senior Pentagon officials, including Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were trying to persuade President Donald Trump that active-duty troops should not be sent into the streets to impose order, and that law enforcement and National Guard personnel could contain the level of unrest.

On Monday night, both McCarthy and the Army's chief of staff, Gen. James C. McConville, pressed Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, to increase his forces' presence in the city, according to a senior Defense Department official.

An Army official declined to comment, saying that the investigation was continuing.

The episode has stirred outrage among lawmakers.

"What we saw on Monday night was our military using its equipment to threaten and put Americans at risk on American soil," said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a former Army Black Hawk pilot.

Documents obtained by The New York Times show that planning for the National Guard mission included oversight by McCarthy and McConville. The operation had been reviewed by a judge advocate team  military lawyers  before aviation units were instructed to apply "persistent presence." These types of maneuvers are well known to McCarthy, who served in the Army's elite Ranger Regiment during the opening operations of the war in Afghanistan.

The episode, which occurred about three hours after a 7 p.m. curfew in the capital went into effect Monday, began when a Black Hawk helicopter, assigned to the District of Columbia National Guard, began a low and slow pass over a group of roughly 200 peaceful protesters in the Chinatown neighborhood.

The downward force of the helicopter's rotor blades snapped a small tree, with debris almost hitting several people.

The second helicopter tried a similar maneuver. Roaring overhead, the Lakota, adorned with a red-and-white cross denoting its medical affiliation, hovered over the crowd, staying at rooftop level, blowing debris and sending protesters scattering.
Hyderabad, June 7 : In the continuing surge in Coronavirus fatalities in Telangana, 14 people succumbed on Sunday, pushing the toll to 137.

This is the highest ever single-day jump since the state reported first fatality due to Covid-19 in March and it broke the previous highest of 10 recorded on Saturday. Thus, the state saw 24 deaths in two days.

The Health Department has not provided any details of the deceased like their age, sex and the districts they hailed from. They apparently include a journalist from a Telugu television channel who succumbed at Gandhi Hospital here on Sunday.

The state also reported 154 new positive cases on Sunday, taking the tally to 3,650. All the cases were reported among the locals.

Greater Hyderabad continued to be the worst affected region in the state, accounting for 132 out of the fresh cases reported on Sunday. Adjoining districts Ranga Reddy and Medchal together reported 15 cases.

Officials said 1,742 patients have recovered so far. With this, the number of patients in hospitals stands at 1,771.

Meanwhile, Health Minister E. Rajender said Covid-19 spread in the state due to increased movement of people following relaxation in lockdown. He said that if the elderly persons and those with co-morbidities are infected by Covid-19, the death toll may further go up.

The minister said the government was doing its best to check the fatalities and was ready to bring the best available medicines from anywhere in the world but people should cooperate to contain the spread of the virus.

"The lockdown has been lifted so that people don't lose their livelihood but they should not risk their lives by unnecessarily stepping out of their houses," he said.

The minister appealed to people and the society to cooperate in ensuring that those positive cases which have no symptoms or mild symptoms are treated in their homes.

He voiced concern that people in some areas were troubling those in home quarantine. Rajender said despite the campaign by the government to contain coronavirus, people were still scared.

He cited an instance of Ziaguda area in Hyderabad where three members of a family tested positive. "They decided to stay in the house but their neighbours troubled them, forcing them to go to hospital," he said.

The minister said this situation was adding to the burden on hospitals. He said that in view of the increasing Covid-19 cases, primary health centres were directed to treat those coming with complaints of cold and cough.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
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"Im so sorry, but my show aint ready, says Grammy Award-winning superstar Adele in a video posted to Instagram a day before it was due to begin. Adele, who sobbed throughout the video, blamed "delivery delays and Covid" as the reasons for the adjournment of her Las Vegas residency initially due to start on January 21. SOUNDBITEN9WP2K3
BEIJING - China has granted market access to a self-developed cancer drug, according to the National Medical Products Administration.

The drug, known as Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) in capsule form, was developed by the biotechnology company BeiGene. It is for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy, and also for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).

The drug was approved through a priority review procedure and its marketing authorization holder should continue with the confirmatory clinical trials, according to the administration.

The approval of the drug will provide an important treatment option for Chinese patients with lymphoma.

Wu Xiaobin, president of BeiGene said the development of the drug has taken more than eight years and around 25 clinical trials have been carried out in more than 20 countries, involving more than 500 international clinical experts. More than 1,700 patients have joined the clinical trials globally.

The approval of the drug also underlines China's progress in developing innovative drugs, Wu said.

In November last year, the drug received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for MCL in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy.

Wang Zhiwei, vice president of BeiGene said the company's production line in the city of Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province has an annual output of 100 million capsules, which can ensure the demand of the domestic market as well as the international market.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer which has seen increasing incidence both in China and the world.
A three-metre great white shark that mauled a surfer to death remains at large after escaping a widespread police hunt.

A Queensland man, 60, was surfing at Salt Beach near Kingscliff in far northern NSW on Sunday morning when he was bitten on the left leg.

Three other surfers nearby fought off the shark and dragged the man to shore, but he died at the scene.

The beach was closed as helicopters, jet skies and drones scoured the ocean from the water and air to locate the shark responsible for the mauling.

Extraordinary footage shows jet skis and a police boat following the massive predator lurking close to shore before it vanished from the vicinity almost three hours after the fatal attack.

A jet ski rider monitors the movements of a massive shark lurking close to shore near where a surfer was mauled to death near Kingscliff on Sunday morning

Police had been given authority to capture or kill the shark before it disappeared.

'Under the Department of Primary Industry's shark Incident response protocols, permission may be granted to destroy the shark, if it is considered an ongoing threat to human life,' a NSW Police statement read.

'This process involves consultation by the incident commander with the commander of Marine Area Command as well as the Department of Primary Industries, which comes under the DPI's 'Threat to Life' policy.

'Due to concerns that the shark had to be fought off by other board-riders, and that it remained in the vicinity for several hours after the attack, police were granted permission to destroy the shark.

'Police and local rescue helicopter crews monitored the area for some hours; however, the shark left the vicinity about 1.15 pm and has not been seen since.'

No police firearm was discharged in the search.

A police boat circled the massive predator before it vanished from the vicinity

The shark was later identified by the Department of Primary Industries as a Great White.

The surfer from Tugan was still alive when was dragged to shore but died a short time later, despite desperate attempts by paramedics to save him.

Tweed Byron Police District Inspector Matthew Kehoe told reporters three surfers fought off the shark, The Daily Telegraph reported.

One of them was a friend of the shark victim.

Several surfers rushed to help the man fight the shark off before he was dragged to shore. Pictured are emergency service at the harrowing scene

'They got him on one of the boards and tried to stabilise him and take him to shore,' he said.

As they were paddling to shore the shark circled the three men before nudging one of their boards.

'The actions were absolutely outstanding, they did everything they could to save this guy,' Insp Kehoe said.

'They put themselves at significant personal risk and we will be recognising those two gentlemen at a later stage for their heroic actions.'

The 60-year-old man was surfing at Salt Beach near Kingscliff when his leg was bitten off by a three-metre shark (pictured) about 10.40am Sunday

NSW Ambulance Inspector Terence Savage said it was a 'dreadful' situation for everyone involved.

'When you get a call to attend a shark attack, you never really know the full extent of the damage until you get on scene,' he said in a statement on Sunday.

'They did everything they could to try and save his life, but despite their best efforts, were unable to do so.'

Tweed Shire councillor and a member of the Salt Surf Life Saving Club, James Owen, described the incident as 'terrible and tragic'.

'It's a bit of a shock for everyone at the moment,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'There's a very sombre mood here.'

A surfer has died after being attacked by a shark at a popular surf spot in northern NSW

The surfer was still alive when he was dragged to shore but died a short time later. Pictured are emergency crews at the scene afterwards

All beaches in the area between Kingscliff and Cabarita will remain closed until Monday morning.

Officers from the Tweed/Byron Police District are liaising with the Department of Primary Industries to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.

It's the third fatal shark attack in Australia this year, following the death of Gary Johnson, 57, on Western Australia's south coast in January and Zachary Robba in Central Queensland in April.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates: Eight members of a family have tested positive for coronavirus in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Sonebhadra, officials said on Monday.

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Meanwhile, on Saturday, India registered a total of 9,887 new COVID-19 cases and 294 new deaths. This took the total confirmed cases to 2,36,657 nationwide.

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 with 287 fatalities.

Over the past weekend, India registers a total of 19,858 new COVID-19 cases and 581 deaths over the last two days.

He had on Monday and Wednesday shared the stage with Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar when they had briefed media on the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet.

Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau, KS Dhatwalia has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to AIIMS, sources said on Sunday. Dhatwalia, who by virtue of heading the PIB, is also principal spokesperson to the central government.

The coronavirus pandemic killed 691 people in the United States over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in a week, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed on Sunday. There have been a total of 110,482 deaths in the country and 1,938,842 cases, the Baltimore-based institutions' real-time tracker reported at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday). Both the number of cases and the toll are, by far, the highest in the world.

The move is aimed at facilitating availability of new drugs which are in Phase-III clinical trials (human trials) for severely-ill COVID-19 patients in the country.

The Union Health Ministry has come up with draft New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules, inserting provisions for "compassionate use" of any unapproved drug that is in the phase-III clinical trial, either in India or abroad, by importing or indigenous manufacturing.

One of the offices of Telangana Chief Minister Office (CMO) have been sealed after a member tested positive for coronavirus, reports News18. The person was a Personal Secretary of a senior bureaucrat. However, this will not have any impact on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao as he works out of his residence. Staff members have been quarantined.

Due to the surge here in cases of coronavirus infection, various steps have been taken by the heads and management bodies of prominent shrines in the city that draw huge numbers of devotees, such as setting up sanitisation tunnels, prohibiting prasad distribution and floral offerings, using thermal guns to measure body temperatures, removing carpets and promoting the use of the Aarogya Setu app.

Having sanitised their premises and equipped with measures to implement social distancing norms, places of worship in Delhi are ready to throw their doors open to the faithful from Monday after remaining closed for nearly two and a half months due to the lockdown prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the health bulletin, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi rose to 28,936 with 1,282 fresh cases.

In an order issued to all private hospitals identified for the purpose of treating COVID-19 patients, the Delhi government has asked them to provide their schedule of charges for treatment of the virus to the Directorate General of Health services, Delhi and the same is also to be displayed at conspicuous places in their hospitals.

The number of coronavirus cases in the national capital crossed the 28,000-mark with 1,282 fresh infections while the death toll climbed to 812 on Sunday, a health bulletin issued by the Delhi government said on Sunday said.

The managements of the malls and shopping complexes have issued detailed guidelines to shops, offices and restaurants to keep the infection at bay. Several malls have set up UV sterilisation chambers for people to disinfect their belongings.

As malls and shopping centres in the national capital re-open on Monday after more than two months, they will be focussing on hourly disinfection of the common areas, contactless shopping and physical distancing to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) will start operating 250 more buses in Mumbai in addition to 1,800 from today. Now, employees of government, private sectors and those who are self-employed can also travel in these buses, PTI has reported.

Out of the four confirmed imported coronavirus cases reported on Sunday, three are from Sichuan Province and one from Shanghai, the National Health Commission (NHC) said. Two new asymptomatic cases from overseas were also reported on Sunday, it said.

China has reported six new imported coronavirus infections, including two asymptomatic cases, health officials said on Monday.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Sunday issued a list of documents that would make a person eligible to be treated for the coronavirus at all state government and private hospitals in the city. These include:

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally, has crossed the 70 lakh-mark, according to Johns Hopkins University CSSE. This number includes the death toll of over 4 lakh.

Mayer announced her positive test on social media Sunday, two days before her scheduled bout against Helen Joseph in the Top Rank show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday night.

Junior lightweight contender Mikaela Mayer has tested positive for COVID-19 and won't fight in the co-main event of Las Vegas' first major boxing card since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, reports AP

The state government has included COVID-19 treatment under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, but private hospitals are still charging huge sums from patients, the BJP leader told reporters here on Sunday.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Praveen Darekar has claimed that private hospitals are charging hefty amounts from COVID-19 patients and demanded the state government to intervene in the matter.

Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad has not yet submitted his Covid-19 test reports to Delhi Police crime branch, reports ANI. According to crime branch, they are waiting for Saad's test report only after that they will call him for questioning. So far, the crime branch has questioned six people in the case, while questioning with Saad is still pending.

As many as 1,24,095 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far with 1,25,381 active cases.

Indias total rises to 2,56,611 on Monday morning after 9,983 new cases and 206 deaths were reported in 24 hours. This is the highest single-day rise yet. The toll now stands at 7,135, an increase of 206 deaths.

With 85,975 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (31,667) and Delhi (27,654).

New Zealand has tested almost 40,000 people in the past 17 days and no one has been in a hospital with COVID-19 for 12 days, Ardern said at a news conference. She also announced the Cabinet agreed to another phase of the country's reopening at midnight.

It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported in New Zealand, and Monday also marked the first time since late February that there have been no active cases.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday she was confident New Zealand has halted the spread of the coronavirus after the last known infected person in the country recovered, reports AP.

This is the second daily increase in rates in a row. Oil companies had on Sunday raised prices by 60 paisa per litre on both petrol and diesel after ending a 83-day hiatus in daily rate revision.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 72.46 per litre from Rs 71.86 on Sunday, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 70.59 a litre from Rs 69.99, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 60 paisa per litre on Monday, for the second day in a row, as state-owned oil firms reverted to daily price revisions after a 83-day hiatus.

A total of 128 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Puducherry to date. Of these, 75 are active cases and 52 have been treated and discharged.

A survey released Monday by the National Association for Business Economics predicts that the gross domestic product the total value of goods and services produced in the United States will fall 5.9% for 2020 as a result of the recession triggered by the virus.

Business economists expect the United States to suffer its worst downturn this year in more than seven decades before growth resumes sometime next year. Overhanging that forecast, though, is the risk that a second wave of the coronavirus could threaten the economy once again.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said a decision on restarting international flights will be made after countries begin easing restrictions on the entry of foreigners. Most countries have less than 10 percent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens and have placed restrictions on foreign nationals, he tweets. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 47,74,434 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the country till 9.00 am today. Of these, 1,08,048 were tested in the last 24 hours.

Uttar Pradeshs tally is at 275, followed by Tamil Nadu with 269, Rajasthan with 240 and Telangana with 123 deaths. The death toll has reached 75 in Andhra Pradesh, 61 in Karnataka and 51 in Punjab.

Out of the total 7,135 COVID-19 fatalities recorded in India so far, Maharashtra tops the tally with 3,060 deaths followed by Gujarat with 1,249 deaths and Delhi with 761. Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have reported 412 and 396 deaths, respectively.

It said that 65 more patients died due to COVID-19, taking the number of deaths to 2,067 in the country. So far, 34,355 patients have fully recovered.

Out of the total 103,671 cases, Punjab has registered 38,903, Sindh 38,108, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 13,487, Balochistan 6,516, Islamabad 5,329, Gilgit-Baltistan 932 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 396 cases, the Ministry of National Health Services reported.

Pakistan's number of coronavirus cases has surpassed the 100,000-mark after 4,728 new infections were identified in the last 24 hours, while the death toll reached 2,067 with 65 fresh fatalities, health officials said on Monday.

"Thus, around 48.36 percent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said, reports moneycontrol.

With 206 more fatalities, Indias death toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic surged to 7,135 on June 8, according to the Union Health Ministry. The number of active cases in India stands at 1,25,381. About 1,24,094 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the health ministry said.

While 34 people tested positive for coronavirus on 1 June, the number has now come down to 10, reports PTI.

In apparent signs of flattening of the coronavirus curve, Dharavi, believed to be Asia's largest slum located in Mumbai and also a hotspot, has reported not a single COVID-19 death in the last six days while 939 of the total 1,899 patients have recovered, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said on Sunday.

No new COVID-19 case was reported in the Maharashtra Police department over the last 24 hours. However, one death was reported during the same period. The total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the police force stand at 2,562, including 34 deaths, reports ANI.

The official said that the new 8 patients - 5 females and 3 males were diagnosed with COVID-19 at Zoram Medical College (ZMC) on Sunday night.

Eight more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the total number of cases in the state to 42, an official of the Health department said on Monday. Of the 244 samples tested on Sunday, 8 have come out as positive, he said.

In the last two weeks, 79 government doctors have tested positive for COVID in Hyderabad, said a Resident Doctors Association, reports The Indian Express. The latest was from Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where four doctors and three paramedics tested positive on Saturday.

Sonia, penning a column in the Indian Express , called MGNREGA a shining example of radical and rational systemic change that had proved its worth in the years it has been in existence, even enduring six years of a hostile government. Quoting from Mahatma Gandhi's book Freedom's Battle, Sonia said "when ridicule fails to kill a movement it begins to command respect" and that there was no better example of this in independent India than MGNREGA.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday made an impassioned plea for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to be depoliticised, saying it is a powerful mechanism that can be used to help the people of India in "their time of need".

Indian Navy had launched Operation Samudra Setu to repatriate Indian citizens commencing 8 May. Indian Naval ships Jalashwa and Magar have already evacuated 2,874 personnel from Maldives and Sri Lanka to ports of Kochi and Tuticorin. In the next phase of Operation Samudra Setu, Indian Naval Ship Shardul will evacuate Indian citizens on 8 June from the port of Bandar Abbas, Islamic Republic of Iran, to Porbandar, Gujarat. The Indian Mission in Islamic Republic of Iran is preparing a list of Indian citizens to be evacuated and will facilitate their embarkation after requisite medical screening.

Of the 8,107 people, 1,355 were caught by volunteers of local or village level task forces, it said.

More than Rs 18 lakh has been collected as fine from 8,107 people for violating the Mizoram (Containment and Prevention of COVID-19) Ordinance 2020, police said. The fine was collected from 8,107 people arrested since May 4 for violating the ordinance and other lockdown rules, a police statement said on Sunday.

With new 138 coronavirus cases reported in Odisha today, the total has reached 2,994 in the state, reports News18.

Amid the Centre's Unlock 1.0 plan, which has allowed malls, restaurants and religious places to open from Monday except those in containment zones, Odisha government on Sunday announced that aforementioned areas will remain closed in the state till 30 June 2020.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel says the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 is harmful for the poor and farmers. He urges Centre to put the Bill on hold for the time being. It is requested that once crisis [coronavirus outbreak] gets settled, fresh draft may be worked with prior discussions with states, he says in a letter to Union minister RK Singh.

Of the total 2,994 COVID-19 cases, 1,089 are active as 1,894 patients have recovered from the disease and nine people have died.

Odisha on Monday reported 138 new COVID-19 cases, taking the state's virus tally to 2,994, an official said. Of the 138 fresh cases, 125 have been detected from quarantine centres where people returning from different states are lodged, while 13 are local contact cases, he said.

Kejriwal on Sunday, while making the announcement, had also said that hospitals run by the Centre will have no such restriction, and if people from other states come to the national capital for specific surgeries, they can get medical treatment at private hospitals.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Monday termed as "unfortunate" Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's announcement that hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the novel coronavirus crisis. The BSP leader also demanded that the Centre intervene in the matter.

The three have been booked under Sections 153A (attack upon any religion) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act.

The Rajasthan Police on Sunday filed a First Information Report against three staff members, including a doctor, of a private hospital in Churu district for allegedly planning to discriminate against COVID-19 patients from the Muslim community, reported the Hindustan Times. The FIR also named a lab technician and a compounder, reports Scroll.in.

He also said had the Centre stopped international flights on time, the situation could have been better, ANI reports. Given the cases, hospitals are needed for Delhites, he says. Neighboring states say they have less cases so it shouldnt be issue.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said the Delhi government has 8,500 to 9,000 beds for coronavirus patients, reports ANI. In the next 15 days we will take it to 15,000 to 17,000, he adds. Since the doubling rate of cases is 14 to 15 days, we think cases will reach 56,000 in the next two weeks.

Arvind Kejriwal, who suffers from diabetes, has cancelled all his scheduled meetings and put himself into self-isolation.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be tested for coronavirus after he developed COVID-19 symptoms, like fever and sore throat since Sunday, reports claimed.

In the second phase of Operation Samudra Setu, the Indian Navy's INS Shardul reached Iran's port Bandar Abbas to repatriate 200 Indian Nationals stranded there. Covering a distance of 1,650 kilometres, the warship will ferry Indian nationals to Porbandar in Gujarat.

A PIL filed by by 77-yr-old Renu Goswami questioned why the Delhi government opted to reduce the testing capacity. Next hearing is on 22 June .

The Delhi High Court also sought explanations from delhi government and ICMR on the NCT govt's decision to exclude asymptomatic direct contacts of confirmed cases from COVID-19 testing, say reports.

Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Delhi government on a petition seeking direction for ensuring that government and private hospitals shall not deny admission to asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients, reports ANI. The petition has also sought direction for not charging a high amount for PPE from patients.

He sits on the second floor of Nirvachan Sadan and is attached with the electronic voting machine (EVM) division of the poll panel. All standard operating procedures issued by the Union Health Ministry to deal with such cases are being followed, the sources said.

An official of the Election Commission has tested positive for COVID-19, sources in the poll panel said on Monday. The official, an assistant section officer, had tested positive on Friday evening, the sources told PTI.

Talking to reporters on Sunday night, Awhad, who is an MLA from Kalwa-Mumbra constituency of Thane district and himself suffered from COVID-19 in April, appealed to people to maintain social distancing and follow all safety guidelines. Till Sunday, Thane district reported 11,359 COVID-19 cases, which includes a number of cases from Mumbra area.

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jitendra Awhad has expressed fear that COVID-19 cases may rise in Thane's Mumbra township if residents do not take adequate precautions during the relaxation of lockdown from Monday.

In Andhra Pradesh, 125 new coronavirus cases were reported in last 24 hours. So far, 14,246 samples were tested. There are total 3,843 Covid-19 cases, while 2,387 discharged. So far, 75 deaths were reported, while there are 1381 active cases.

Assam reported 12 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the COVID-19 tally to 2,693 in the state, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Assam had crossed the 2,600-mark with 208 new COVID-19 positive cases on Sunday.

A spokesman of the Goa Church on Sunday said looking at the COVID-19 situation in the state, churches would not be opened from Monday and they would wait for some more time to decide on it.

Churches and mosques in Goa have decided to remain closed for some more time, even though the state government has allowed reopening of religious places from Monday as part of the lockdown relaxations. Temple committees, however, are yet to take a call on opening their shrines for devotees in the coastal state.

The facility has come up in an MIDC building in Chikalthana industrial area and will work as a COVID care center for now, with the option of converting it into a dedicated COVID health care centre if required, Choudhari told PTI.

A 250-bed hospital to treat COVID-19 patients has been set up by the state-run Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in a period of one month in Aurangabad city and will be ready for use in a week's time, said district collector Uday Choudhari on Monday.

A prison employee has been suspended and a case has been registered at Begumpura police station, he said. "Teams have been sent out and search for the prisoners is on," a jail official told PTI.

Two prisoners who recently tested positive for coronavirus escaped from a COVID care centre in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, a prison official said on Monday. The duo bent grilles of a window to make space to sneak out and used bed sheets as ropes to climb down from their room at the facility late Sunday night, he said.

With this, the total tally of the state rises to 85,975, exceeding even that of China, whose total number of cases stood at 84,191, as per Johns Hopkins University data.

According to the Union Health Ministry data on Monday, India registered 206 COVID-19 fatalities and a record single-day spike of 9,983 cases till 8 am. Of these, Maharashtra reported 91 deaths and 3,007 coronavirus cases.

Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally has reached nearly 86,000, thus surpassing China  the country where coronavirus was first reported in 2019.

Thane and Pune follow Mumbai with 13,014 and 9,705 cases, respectively. Other districts having COVID-19 cases in four digits are Aurangabad (1,965), Nashik (1,521), Palghar (1,485), Raigad (1,441), Solapur (1,343) and Jalgaon (1,049), according to Public Health Department, Maharashtra.

Maharashtra registers the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India with nearly 86,000 cases while with its capital Mumbai reports 48,774 cases  the highest in the state.

The rupee opened at 75.59 against the US dollar and finally settled at 75.55, registering a rise of 3 paise over its previous close. It had settled at 75.58 against the greenback on Friday.

Forex traders said positive domestic equities, sustained foreign fund flows and the revival of business activity are supporting the rupee, but dollar demand and rising crude oil prices are weighing on the domestic unit.

The rupee settled on a muted note, up 3 paise, at 75.55 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday as dollar-buying by banks as well as importers and rebounding crude prices restricted gains of the local unit.

The order stated: "It has been observed that there has been a huge surge in number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the last few days in Delhi, resulting in additional demand of hospital beds, consumables and infrastructure.

The application contended that the Delhi government's 7 June order was unconstitutional and "against humanity".

A plea was moved Monday in the Delhi High Court challenging the AAP government's order directing all hospitals under it as also the private ones to admit only "bona fide" residents of the national capital for treatment.

In a tweet, Vijay Sardesai an MLA from FPD said the COVID warriors in the state had done a great job but the state government had messed up everything "due to their obsession with their political health at cost of public health".

Goa currently has 300 COVID-19 cases, with a spike since movement of people was allowed amid the lockdown from 1 May.

Ahead of an all-party meeting called by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday evening on the COVID-19 outbreak, the opposition Goa Forward Party released a series of tweets claiming the state government had mishandled the situation.

With 37 new coronavirus cases in Manipur, the state now has a total of 209 cases, ANI reports.

The patient in Mahe had returned from Saudi Arabia and been put in home quarantine for some days. He tested positive for the pandemic during an examination. The cumulative COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory now stood at 127 with four discharges.

Director of Health and Family Services S Mohan Kumar, in a press release, said of the nine, six are in the Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital, two in the Centrally administered JIPMER and one in the Government General Hospital in Mahe, an enclave of Puducherry in Kerala.

Nine new active cases of COVID-19 were reported in Union Territory on Monday, raising the total to 75.

Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj reopened for the public on Monday after the Ministry of Home Affairs allowed opening of shopping malls with certain precautionary measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You cannot go on locking down areas. There is the concept of screening, home quarantine etc. It has to be a community effort. The CM is taking everybody into confidence to work out a consensus," he said.

Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane was quoted by News18 as saying that the state government wasn't planning to impose a total lockdown again in view of the spike in coronavirus cases.

He was quoted as saying that the total lockdown should continue in Goa as the state does not have the medical infrastructure to deal with the outbreak.

Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to intervene to "get the border of Goa with Maharashtra sealed in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases", News18 reported.

"Delhi Government had taken the decision after thorough deliberations so that people of Delhi could get beds and treatment if cases increase in future. CM had planned how many beds were needed for how many cases and how they will be arranged," he said.

"BJP pressurised Lieutenant Governor and made him overrule our decision, now priority will not be given to people of Delhi in Delhi hospitals. Why is BJP doing politics over COVID-19 and trying to fail the policies of state governments?

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia slammed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and said that the BJP had "pressurised" Baijal to overrule the government's decision to give priority to residents of the city regarding treatment in public and private hospitals.

49 NDRF personnel of 3rd Battalion, Mundali (Cuttack) tested positive for COVID-19. 178 NDRF personnel were tested for COVID-19 on their return to Cuttack from West Bengal after cyclone restoration work.

"Three more people, including a deputy secretary and a member of the multi-tasking service (MTS), working in the Law Ministry have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said here. With this, the total number of COVID-positive cases reported in the ministry goes up to five, they said," News18 reported.

30 new positive cases reon Monday, taking the total number of positive cases to 330 including 263 active cases and 67 recovered, the Goa Health Department said.

"Monday recorded the highest single-day spike in the state with 100 cases of positive cases. Manipur Health Department said, of the total, 37 samples were tested late last night and 63 were tested on Monday. All those who have tested positive had returned from outside the state," the report said.

63 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Manipur on Monday, The Indian Express reported. The number of cases rose to 272 and active cases stood at 214.

The total number of cases in the city rose to 49,863 on Monday and 64 new casualties were reported, taking the overall toll to 1,700, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Government of Jammu and Kashmir issues Standard Operating Procedure for salons, barbershops and beauty parlour in the entire union territory. pic.twitter.com/Vxd9OnhTZ2

Government of Jammu and Kashmir issues Standard Operating Procedure for salons, barbershops and beauty parlour in the entire union territory.

Although health officials in countries including Britain, the U.S. and elsewhere have warned that COVID-19 is spreading from people without symptoms, WHO has maintained that this type of spread is not a driver of the pandemic and is probably accounts for about 6% of spread, at most. Numerous studies have suggested that the virus is spreading from people without symptoms, but many of those are either anecdotal reports or based on modeling.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHOs technical lead on COVID-19 said at a press briefing on Monday that many countries are reporting cases of spread from people who are asymptomatic, or those with no clinical symptoms. But when questioned in more detail about these cases, Van Kerkhove said many of them turn out to have mild disease, or unusual symptoms.

The World Health Organization says it still believes the spread of the coronavirus from people without symptoms is rare, despite warnings from numerous experts worldwide that such transmission is more frequent and likely explains why the pandemic has been so hard to contain.

There is no evidence that the virus is less virulent, Simon said Monday during a daily briefing. The most plausible explanation is simply that we now detect cases at a milder stage.

Fernando Simon, who heads Spains health emergency coordination center, said that the much lower rate of hospital admissions for COVID-19 and the lower age of incoming patients  who are now 52 on average compared with 61 in early May might have contributed to the idea that the outbreak is less severe.

Spains top health official for the coronavirus response is warning against complacency, saying that the earlier detection and treatment of infections could be giving a deceiving impression that the virus might be weakening.

147 new COVID19 positive cases reported in Jharkhand today (till 9 pm), taking the total number of positive cases to 1290: State Health Department

45 more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Indore district on Monday, taking the total number of positive cases to 3830. Death toll increased to 159 after 2 deaths were reported today: Chief Medical and Health Officer, Indore.

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: Eight members of a family have tested positive for coronavirus in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Sonebhadra, officials said on Monday.

Samples of the family were taken for Covid-19 testing after seven of its members returned from Mumbai on May 31, Chief Medical Officer SK Upadhyay said.

The results found that eight members had contracted the disease, he said.

The entire Markundi village in the Chopan area has been declared a Covid-19 hotspot, Upadhyay said.

The total number of cases in the district has reached 22, he said.

The Maharashtra health department said 2,553 fresh cases of coronavirus and 109 deaths were recorded in the state on Monday, taking total number of cases to 88,528 and toll to 3,169. Number of active cases stands at 44,374.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia slammed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and said that the BJP had "pressurised" Baijal to overrule the government's decision to give priority to residents of the city regarding treatment in public and private hospitals.

"BJP pressurised Lieutenant Governor and made him overrule our decision, now priority will not be given to people of Delhi in Delhi hospitals. Why is BJP doing politics over COVID-19 and trying to fail the policies of state governments?

"Delhi Government had taken the decision after thorough deliberations so that people of Delhi could get beds and treatment if cases increase in future. CM had planned how many beds were needed for how many cases and how they will be arranged," he said.

Delhi LG Anil Baijal on Monday overruled Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwals order to test only symptomatic cases for COVID19. New order issued by LG states to follow ICMR guildelines, asymptomatic to also be tested.

Delhi LG and Delhi Disaster Management Authority chairman Anil Baijal directs authorities to ensure that medical treatment is not denied to any patient on the grounds of not being a resident of Delhi.

This came after the state government decided to limit treatment in government and private hospitals only to city dwellers.

"A meeting of State Disaster Management Authority will be held tomorrow on #COVID19 situation & to discuss whether there is community spread. If participant experts say there is community spread in Delhi, our strategy will change. I'll participate in meeting," Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday.

Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally has reached nearly 86,000, thus surpassing China  the country where coronavirus was first reported in 2019. Meanwhile, state capital Mumbai reports 48,774 cases  the highest in the state.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said the Delhi government has 8,500 to 9,000 beds for coronavirus patients, reports ANI. 'In the next 15 days we will take it to 15,000 to 17,000,' he adds. 'Since the doubling rate of cases is 14 to 15 days, we think cases will reach 56,000 in the next two weeks.'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be tested for coronavirus after he developed COVID-19 symptoms, like fever and sore throat since Sunday, reports claimed.

Amid the Centre's Unlock 1.0 plan, which has allowed malls, restaurants and religious places to open from Monday except those in containment zones, Odisha government on Sunday announced that aforementioned areas will remain closed in the state till 30 June 2020. With new 138 coronavirus cases reported in Odisha today, the total has reached 2,994 in the state.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday made an impassioned plea for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to be depoliticised, saying it is a powerful mechanism that can be used to help the people of India in "their time of need".

With 206 more fatalities, Indias toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic surged to 7,135 on Monday with over2.5 lakh cases. This took the country's recovery rate to 48.36 percent.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 47,74,434 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the country till 9.00 am today. Of these, 1,08,048 were tested in the last 24 hours.

With 85,975 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (31,667) and Delhi (27,654).

Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau, KS Dhatwalia has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to AIIMS, sources said on Sunday. Dhatwalia, who by virtue of heading the PIB, is also principal spokesperson to the central government.

As malls and shopping centres in the national capital re-open on Monday after more than two months, they will be focussing on hourly disinfection of the common areas, contactless shopping and physical distancing to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Over the past weekend, India registers a total of 19,858 new COVID-19 cases and 581 deaths over the last two days. 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 with 287 fatalities. Meanwhile, on Saturday, India registered a total of 9,887 new COVID-19 cases and 294 new deaths.

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.

Meanwhile, some states announced guidelines on resuming some economic activities as part of the Unlock 1.0 phase.

States announce lockdown relaxations

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that malls, restaurants and religious places in Delhi would open from Monday after more than two months since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed, but banquets and hotels would remain closed.

At an online briefing on Sunday, Kejriwal said hotels and banquets might be converted into hospitals in the coming days to treat the novel coronavirus patients and, therefore, they would remain shut.

"Malls, restaurants and religious places will be opening from tomorrow in Delhi in accordance with Centre's guidelines," he said.

The Uttarakhand government, too, issued orders allowing malls, restaurants, hotels and religious places outside containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun in the state to open from 7 am to 7 pm. According to the guidelines, pilgrims from other states will not be permitted till further orders.

In Jammu and Kashmir, religious places/places of worship will remain closed for public till further orders. No inter-province or inter-State/UT movement of individuals is allowed without obtaining permission.

Nagaland, which has witnessed a recent spurt in COVID-19 cases, has also decided to keep places of worship and hotels closed till further orders, a senior official said. Lockdown measures issued by the chief secretary of Nagaland on 4 May will remain in place till further orders, Principal Secretary (Home) Abhijit Sinha told reporters.

"All places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited," the notification issued by the chief secretary on 4 May said. The notification was issued to extend lockdown in the state. As per the notification, all hospitality services, barring those dealing with police personnel, government officials, healthcare workers and stranded persons, shall remain closed.

Maharashtra continues to report most cases, deaths

Of the 287 deaths reported since Saturday morning, 120 were from Maharashtra, 53 from Delhi, 29 from Gujarat, 19 from Tamil Nadu, 17 from West Bengal, 15 from Madhya Pradesh, 13 from Rajasthan, 10 from Telangana, three from Jammu and Kashmir, two each from Karnataka, Punjab and Chhattisgarh and one each from Kerala and Bihar.

Of the total 6,929 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 2,969 deaths, followed by Gujarat with 1,219 deaths, Delhi with 761, Madhya Pradesh with 399, West Bengal with 383, Uttar Pradesh with 257, Tamil Nadu with 251, Rajasthan with 231, Telangana with 123 and Andhra Pradesh with 73 deaths.

The death toll reached 59 in Karnataka and 50 in Punjab.

Jammu and Kashmir has reported 39 fatalities due to the disease, Bihar has 30, Haryana has 24 deaths, Kerala has 15, Uttarakhand has 11, Odisha has eight and Jharkhand has reported seven deaths so far.

Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh have registered five COVID-19 fatalities each. Assam and Chhattisgarh have recorded four deaths each.

Meghalaya and Ladakh have reported one COVID-19 fatality each, according to the Health Ministry data.

According to the Ministry''s website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

The highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 82,968, followed by Tamil Nadu at 30,152, Delhi at 27,654, Gujarat at 19,592, Rajasthan at 10,331, Uttar Pradesh at 9,733 and Madhya Pradesh at 9,228, according to the Health Ministry data updated in the morning.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 7,738 in West Bengal, 5,213 in Karnataka, 4,915 in Bihar and 4,510 in Andhra Pradesh.

It has risen to 3,952 in Haryana, 3,496 in Telangana, 3,467 in Jammu and Kashmir and 2,781 in Odisha.

Punjab has reported 2,515 coronavirus infections so far, while Assam has 2,397 cases. A total of 1,807 people have been infected with the virus in Kerala and 1,303 in Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand has registered 1,000 cases, Chhattisgarh has 923, Tripura has 747, Himachal Pradesh has 400, Chandigarh has 309 cases, Goa has 267, Manipur has 157, Nagaland has 107, and Puducherry and Ladakh have 99 cases.

Arunachal Pradesh has 47 COVID-19 cases, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Meghalaya have registered 33 infections each.

Mizoram has reported 24 cases and Dadar and Nagar Haveli has 19 cases, while Sikkim has reported seven cases till now.

The Union health ministry cited a WHO situation report which said that deaths in India per lakh population (0.49) are much lower than the world average of 5.17 and are the lowest among countries that have eased lockdown such as Germany (10.35), Italy (55.78), the UK (59.62) and Spain (58.06).

Cases in India per lakh population (17.32) are much lower than the world average of 87.74 and are the lowest among countries that have eased lockdown such as Germany (219.93), Italy (387.33), the UK (419.54) and Spain (515.61).

The Indian Council of Medical Research has further ramped up the testing capacity for detecting the novel coronavirus in infected persons.

The number of government labs has been increased to 531 and private labs to 228, taking the total number of labs to 759.

As many as 1,42,069 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of samples tested till now to 46,66,386.

Govt says it is 'fine-tuning' strategy against COVID-19

Asserting that coronavirus is a "new agent" about which not everything is known, the governerment on Sunday defended the timing of imposition of the lockdown and rejected as "baseless" media reports expressing concerns that it did not take inputs from technical experts while drawing up its COVID-19 strategy.

The government also said it is "fine-tuning" its strategy based on emerging knowledge and experience on the ground.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said a section of the media is reporting on the decisions regarding India''s approach to the pandemic and asserted that the decision on the lockdown was taken in the background of rapid escalation of COVID-19 cases.

"The doubling rate of cases had dropped to a low level, pointing toward a dangerous trajectory of high case load and high mortality, as experienced by many western countries. The possibility that our health systems could soon be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients seemed to be real," the ministry said.

There was all round consensus on the lockdown among all state governments, it said.

Meanwhile, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that India will take a decision on resumption of international passenger flights as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals.

Countries like Japan and Singapore have put significant restrictions on entry of foreigners amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights," Puri said on Twitter.

India resumed its domestic passenger flights on 25 May after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

"Most countries have less than 10 percent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens & have placed restrictions on foreign nationals," the minister stated.

Many countries are allowing inbound flights from a few nations, but have placed restrictions like quarantine or isolation, he said.

With inputs from PTI
Thousands gathered in Brussels on Sunday for a Black Lives Matter protest that was largely peaceful but ended with some protesters looting and clashing with police, resulting in at least 150 arrests.

The protest was the latest in a string of demonstrations across Europe inspired by the U.S. movement against racism and police violence. According to the Brussels police, up to 10,000 people were present at Brussels' Place Poelaert, outside the city's Palace of Justice court. The demonstration was not officially permitted, but was "tolerated" by the city of Brussels, a spokesperson for the mayor said beforehand. Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes last week expressed concerns about the demonstration because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The vast majority of participants were wearing masks covering their mouths, but because of the massive turnout, social distancing was nearly impossible. Organizers had predicted beforehand that the turnout would be half as much as it was.

But protesters, most dressed in black, said the pandemic would not stop them from coming out in support of George Floyd, a black man, whose death under the knee of a white police officer in the U.S. state of Minnesota has sparked demonstrations worldwide.

"People are respecting the rules to stay safe, which is important," said Anne, 33, who declined to give her last name so as not to be identified by her employer.

"But we want our voices to be heard. I have been living in Brussels my whole life and experienced firsthand that discrimination and police violence for people of color is not just a problem in the United States. Whether it's discrimination to find a house or a job or a house, extra police searches or a different tone when lawmakers talk to you  this is a problem in Belgium as well."

"As a black person, the killing of Floyd touched me because it could have been someone of my family," said 22-year-old student Rachel Buyse. "We also face inequalities here in Belgium." Her friends, who all come from different backgrounds, said they were there to support her.

Story continues

"For our generation, it makes sense that all people are equal," said 23-year-old Lisa Hitter.

The protest also comes in response to similar complaints about police violence in Belgium, such as the death of 19-year-old Adil of Moroccan descent, who was killed during a police chase in Brussels in April while allegedly fleeing from a police check.

At the end of the demonstration, clashes broke out between some protesters and police, with demonstrators throwing objects like rocks at officers and setting fires to vehicles and garbage cans. Police used water cannons to disperse people.

Other protesters started to loot shops in the nearby high-end shopping area of Louise.

Damage has been done to various businesses, a spokesperson for the Brussels police told Belgian newspaper Le Soir.

Protest organizers and Mayor Philippe Close spoke out against the violence on Twitter.

"After the gathering, some troublemakers and delinquents deliberately provoked law enforcement and degraded city property," Close said. "I immediately asked police to disperse the troublemakers and make arrests," he added, saying there were at least 150 arrests.

Close also said that like other world cities such as Rome, London, Paris or Madrid, Brussels as the capital of more than 400 million Europeans could not remain blind to the global emotion that arose over the death of George Floyd.

One of manyScrutiny of Belgium's colonial past has also resurfaced amid the protests. Over the past week across the country, various colonial-era icons have been vandalized in protest, especially statues of former King Leopold II, known for his reign of terror in the Congo in the 19th century, when the territory belonged to him personally before it became a Belgian colony. While some statues of him were defaced, others were set on fire or covered in paint and marked with messages saying I cant breathe, the final words of George Floyd.

Similarly, a statue of English slave trader Edward Colston was torn down during an anti-racism protest in Bristol in the South West of England on Sunday. The statue was rolled down to the street before being pushed into the river. The statue has long been a point of contention given the role of Colstons company in the slave trade from West Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas in the 17th century.

Tens of thousands of Europeans also protested in cities including Madrid and London over the weekend, with a massive crowd gathering outside the U.K. parliament and the U.S. embassy, despite official warnings to stay away. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the protests risks spreading the virus. I will support you in making that argument  but dont spread this virus which has already done so much damage and which we are starting to get under control, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show Sunday.

Police estimate that there were around 15,000 protesters in Berlin's Alexanderplatz, home to the city's iconic TV Tower, many of them dressed in black. And while the Paris police implemented a ban on protests after demonstrations early last week, demonstrators still tried to gather in front of the U.S. embassy.


BOSTON - Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Donald Trump use the social media platform to spread both misinformation and incendiary statements.

The researchers, including 60 professors at leading U.S. research institutions, wrote the Facebook CEO on Saturday asking Zuckerberg to consider stricter policies on misinformation and incendiary language that harms people, especially during the current turmoil over racial injustice.

The letter calls the spread of deliberate misinformation and divisive language contrary to the researchers goals of using technology to prevent and eradicate disease, improve childhood education and reform the criminal justice system.

Their mission is antithetical to some of the stances that Facebook has been taking, so were encouraging them to be more on the side of truth and on the right side of history as weve said in the letter, said Debora Marks of Harvard Medical School, one of three professors who organized it.

The others are Martin Kampmann of the University of California-San Francisco and Jason Shepherd of the University of Utah. All have grants from a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative program working to prevent, cure and treat neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease.

They said the letter had more than 160 signatories. Shepherd said about 10% are employees of foundations run by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

The letter objects specifically to Zuckerbergs decision not to at least flag as a violation of Facebooks community standards Trumps post that stated when the looting starts, the shooting starts in response to unrest in Minneapolis over the videotaped killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer. The letters authors called the post a clear statement of inciting violence.

Twitter had both flagged and demoted a Trump tweet using the same language.

In a statement, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative noted that the philanthropic organization is separate from Facebook and said we are grateful for our staff, partners and grantees and respect their right to voice their opinions, including on Facebook policies.

Some Facebook employees have publicly objected to Zuckerbergs refusal to take down or label misleading or incendiary posts by Trump and other politicians. But Zuckerberg  who controls a majority of voting shares in the company  has so far refused.

On Friday, Zuckerberg said in a post that he would 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 Presidents posts in some way last week, he wrote. 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.
Pete Evans shared the unedited footage of his interview with 60 Minutes at the exact time it was scheduled to air on television after voicing his concerns producers could 'make it a sensationalist piece'.

The celebrity chef on Sunday night began uploading snippets of the controversial interview to his Instagram page, vowing to share the entire 90 minute conversation at 8.30pm.

Right on queue, at the same time the segment began airing on Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, Evans released the entire interview on YouTube.

The video showed the former My Kitchen Rules judge share his bizarre views on the COVID-19 pandemic, his own experience with modern medicine and his reasoning for sharing dangerous and scientifically disproved theories.

Close to 8,000 people viewed Evans' footage within an hour of it being published.

Pete Evans shared the unedited footage of his interview with 60 Minutes at the exact time it was scheduled to air on television after voicing his concerns producers could 'make it a sensationalist piece'

Evans encouraged his readers to 'come down the rabbit hole' as he explained he would not be watching the 60 Minutes program because he doesn't have free to air television.

'I trust they will do a wonder filled story of hope and love... bringing the community together to evolve through this period,' he said, just hours after explaining he had his team also record the interview to publish in case the program aired a 'sensationalist piece'.

In the unaired footage, Evans explained he was once all for mainstream medicine, but developed a 'sense of skepticism and suspicion' as he got older.

'We as human beings are a collection of our experiences, of our learnings. When people who are presented with something that is different from that, it is shocking,' he said.

The former My Kitchen Rules judge (pictured with his wife, Nicola Robinson) has grown increasingly vocal about his disbelief of scientifically-backed medicine and attempts to convince his followers of a link between COVID-19 and the rollout of the 5G technology network

Evans has faced mounting criticism for his dangerous anti-vaccination and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and viewers initially slammed 60 Minutes for giving those ideals a platform on the show.

But the program only aired snippets of the entire interview, and also included warnings from health experts who urged people to follow the advice of professionals.

While Evans once again rejected claims he is an 'anti-vaxxer', he did admit he would refuse a coronavirus vaccination if there were to be a medical breakthrough.

'No,' he said when asked if he would take the vaccination. In unaired footage released on his own platform, he confirmed he had been immunised in the past.

'I was vaccinated as a kid, for sure... I've got the scars to prove it,' he said.

Pete Evans is threatening to leak an unedited version of his interview with 60 Minutes if he is unhappy with his portrayal on the program

The celebrity chef on Sunday night began uploading snippets of the controversial interview to his Instagram page, vowing to share the entire segment by 8.30pm

Evans is yet to comment on whether or not he liked the way he was portrayed in the segment, but did previously say he 'didn't care'.

'I have no idea how they will edit it, nor do I care. I invite you to watch and listen to their version and also what was fully recorded from my team,' he said last Thursday following the release of a preview.

The program has already faced criticism for choosing to interview Evans, giving airtime to his dangerous anti-vaccination and coronavirus conspiracy theories.

The 47-year-old has grown increasingly vocal about his disbelief of scientifically-backed medicine and frequently attempts to convince his followers of a link between COVID-19 and the rollout of the 5G technology network.

In spite of the potentially dangerous ramifications of giving Evans a platform, 60 Minutes aired an interview with Evans at 8.30pm on Sunday.

In the segment, Evans also suggested that he fears for his life due to his public profile and polarising opinions.

'If I disappear or have a weird accident, it wasn't an accident,' he said.

'There has been too many coincidences out there in the world for people who have questioned certain things... Sometimes those people don't last very long.'

In further snippets Evans shared online, he questioned medical authorities who have not encouraged Australians to 'keep a healthy immune system' during the COVID-19 crisis.

Fans said they couldn't 'see an upside' to sharing Evans' opinions.

'This is so irresponsible,' one person wrote in response to the trailer.

'How dare 60 Minutes share dangerous, ignorant viewpoints that absolutely will put people's lives at risk for a few cheap views.'

There were calls for the program to scrap the segment, with some commenters suggesting people could die if they follow Evans' 'nonsense'.

Evans last Thursday claimed he wasn't paid for his time, and only agreed to be featured when he learned 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes would be interviewing him.

'I believe her reputation as a journalist is about finding and sharing the truth,' he said, before adding he 'didn't care' how he was edited in the segment.

Evans spoke directly to the camera when he said if he has 'an accident' soon, it wouldn't really be an accident, after spouting wild conspiracy theories for weeks

Evans on Thursday claimed he wasn't paid for his time, and only agreed to be featured when he learned 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes would be interviewing him

The 47-year-old claims he was invited to appear on the program for a special segment titled: 'Why are so many people stepping out of mainstream thinking? Where there was trust, there is now deep distrust.'

Evans recently endorsed US President Donald Trump's threat to use the military against Black Lives Matter protesters following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd.

Mr Floyd died in the custody of four Minneapolis police. Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with his murder after footage of him kneeling on Mr Floyd's throat for almost nine minutes went viral.

The vision sparked outrage across the world and led to riots, which Evans believes are part of a media conspiracy staged by 'the elite' to distract citizens from the coronavirus pandemic.

Fans said they couldn't 'see an upside' to 60 Minutes sharing Evans' opinions. There are calls for the program to scrap the segment before it goes to air

WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases. Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years. Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people. High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism. People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK's General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty. Source: Australian Department of Health Advertisement

'With the wave of a wand the media diverted your attention from a 'deadly' pandemic to racial riots, and you didn't even stop to notice,' he said in a previous post about the matter.

Meanwhile in the interview, he appeared to justify his beliefs regarding the supposed dangers of vaccinations and medical advice by questioning motives of scientists.

'Science has been bought by vested interests in so many different fields,' he said.

Evans has implied on multiple occasions that vaccinations can cause autism and other conditions in children.

Last month, he appeared on The Kyle and Jackie O Show to peddle a disproved theory linking vaccinations with behavioural changes in children.

Evans, who has no medical training and is seeking to profit from alternative health treatments, said: 'I've met so many mothers and their children and they tell me, "Hey Pete, my boy or girl was a healthy, functioning beautiful child - and they're still a beautiful child - but something happened when they got a shot one day."

Evans (pictured) previously linked vaccinations to autism in children. The condition is actually a developmental disorder that has no scientifically proven links to vaccinations

'And within two hours, 12 hours, 24, 48 hours, that little boy or girl completely changed their behaviour. And certainly changed their nature.'

There is no evidence that vaccines can cause such changes in children.

The chef insists, however, that he is not an 'anti-vaxxer' but 'pro-choice'.

Evans' contract with Channel Seven was torn up earlier this year, and his increasingly erratic posts have sparked concerns from a leading medical practitioner.

Dr Harry Nespolon, the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said last month he feared Evans was 'in trouble' and advised him to book an appointment with his GP.

The chef insisted he was perfectly fine, physically and mentally, all the while urging his followers to 'join the dots' and hinting as a global conspiracy.

'We are waking up, and the elite are afraid,' he recently said.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Network Nine on Thursday for comment regarding calls for the segment to be scrapped.

Pete Evans sparked further outrage on social media following his endorsement of President Donald Trump's threats to use the military against Black Lives Matter protesters

The celebrity chef, 47, shared a Facebook post stating that the riots across the U.S. in response to the death of George Floyd are part of a media conspiracy staged by 'the elite' to distract citizens from the coronavirus pandemic
The structural failings in American policing begin with officers' training, which largely focuses more on using force than reducing the need for it.

Why it matters: While holding officers accountable is most important in stopping them from using excessive force, training that focuses on empathy, fairness and de-escalation could lead to fewer violent conflicts between officers and the communities they serve, according to law enforcement experts.

The big picture: There are more than 18,000 police departments in the U.S., but there's no federal standard on how officers should be trained. And the training that officers do receive has little to no emphasis on empathy, says University of South Carolina criminology professor Geoffrey Alpert.

"The real issue is not how to use force, it's when to use it," Alpert told Axios.

Rashawn Ray of the Brookings Institution and the University of Maryland, who leads implicit bias training for police departments and the military, notes that "police departments do a lot of tactical training. They dont do a lot of training that is focused on social interaction. ... But nine out of 10 times, or even more, their job is simply having a conversation."

Franklin Zimring, a University of California-Berkeley professor and author of "When Police Kill," says it's possible to cut the number of fatal shootings by police in half by creating "don't shoot and stop shooting rules."

"It means a lot of confrontations will last longer, will involve more police officers, and will be very frustrating," Zimring said. "But from the standpoint of the value of civilian lives, that stuff isnt rocket science."

The backstory: The outrage over the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis echoes the nationwide protests against officer conduct sparked by the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

Ferguson prompted the Obama administration to create the Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which recommended improvements to officers' training such as teaching de-escalation tactics for creating space and distance in tense encounters, task force co-chair Laurie Robinson told Axios.

"Since Ferguson, there's been a greater emphasis on de-escalation," Ray said. "That's good because when departments require de-escalation, it results in 15% fewer killings per capita."

Yes, but: "Even though those recommendations exist, there's many police agencies that are not doing them because we fell short," Chris Burbank, a former police chief who is now vice president of law enforcement strategy for the Center for Policing Equity.

"We got a nice commission, but there was not the will to put in place the law to force everybody to participate."

The Minneapolis Police Department has trained its officers on de-escalation tactics as part of crisis intervention training, department spokesperson John Elder said.

On Friday, the city agreed to ban the use of chokeholds.

The department also has instituted some of the other reforms outlined in the Obama report, including making use-of-force data publicly available and requiring officers to turn on body cameras at the beginning of each call, reports the Wall Street Journal.

But the efficacy of those changes is dwarfed by the city's powerful police union that protects officers from punishments, WSJ notes.

What's next: Training can only do so much  which is why reform advocates also want changes in the law. The Center for Policing Equity is among several organizations pushing for reforms at the federal and state level, including a national standard on use of force.

A 2016 report on guiding principles around use of force from the Police Executive Research Forum said "there is significant potential for de-escalation and resolving encounters by means other than the use of deadly force."

"We have not changed law enforcement," Burbank said. "Our first reaction in all these circumstances is always train the officers, train the officers, train the officers. Well, no, let's do a little change the law, change the law, change the law."

The bottom line: After Rodney King, Michael Brown and George Floyd, experts say the need for change is clear, as are the specific changes needed. What's lacking is a will to implement them.

"The data is there telling departments what to do," Ray said. "But until police departments are mandated to do it, they wont do it."

Go deeper:
The vast majority of microfibres entering our oceans via clothes washing may not be synthetic fibres as previously thought, but are likely to be organic materials such as cotton and wool, a study has found.

Nonetheless, clothes washing still releases vast quantities of microfibres, whose impact on the marine environment is not fully understood.

Researchers from Northumbria University working in partnership with Procter & Gamble, makers of products such as Ariel, Tide, Downy and Lenor, found that 13,000 tonnes of microfibres, equivalent to two bin lorries every day, are being released into European marine environments every year.

The research team said it is the first major forensic study into the environmental impact of microfibres from real soiled household laundry.

The analysis revealed an average of 114 mg of microfibres were released per kilogram of fabric in each wash load during a standard washing cycle.

Scientists have speculated for some time that these microfibres may cause more harm than microbeads, which were banned from UK and US consumer products in recent years.

The researchers found that 96 per cent of the fibres released were natural, coming from cotton, wool and viscose, with synthetic fibres, such as nylon, polyester and acrylic accounting for just 4 per cent.

The scientists said the natural fibres from plant and animal sources biodegrade much more rapidly than the synthetic fibres. A previous study has identified that cotton fibres degraded by 76 per cent after almost eight months in wastewater, compared to just 4 per cent deterioration in polyester fibres over the same amount of time.

This means that natural fibres will continue to degrade over time, whereas petroleum-based microfibres plateaued and can be expected to remain in aquatic environments for a much longer period.

John Dean, professor of analytical and environmental sciences at Northumbria University, who led the study, said: This is the first major study to examine real household wash loads and the reality of fibre release. We were surprised not only by the sheer quantity of fibres coming from these domestic wash loads, but also to see that the composition of microfibres coming out of the washing machine does not match the composition of clothing going into the machine, due to the way fabrics are constructed.

Finding an ultimate solution to the pollution of marine ecosystems by microfibres released during laundering will likely require significant interventions in both textiles manufacturing processes and washing machine appliance design.

The research team said using less energy intensive washing techniques reduced the amount of fibres lost from clothes. They said they achieved a 30 per cent reduction in the amount of microfibres released when they ran a 30-minute 15C wash cycle, in comparison to a standard 85-minute 40C cycle, based on typical domestic laundering.

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Furthermore, they found the more water used in each wash, the more fibres were stripped from the clothes.

If households changed to cooler, faster washes, they would potentially save 3,813 tonnes of microfibres being released into marine ecosystems in Europe, the study said.

The team also noted new clothes release more microfibres than older clothes.

They said the research provides evidence for appliance manufacturers to introduce filtering systems into the design of machines and develop approaches to reduce water consumption in laundry.

The paper, Microfiber Release from Real Soiled Consumer Laundry and Impact of Fabric Care Products and Washing Conditions is published in the journal Plos One.
Mark Bertolini is calling for investing in workers, education, and taking a holistic approach to healthcare as the path forward to restoring the American dream, and fixing capitalism.

With America rocked by social tensions, the debate over inequality has taken on a new dimension. In a recent talk at Verizon Medias RESET YOUR MINDSET AT WORK, the former Aetna CEO addressed business and tax practices that perpetuate the gap between the wealthy and the working class.

The 64-year-old insurance executive veteran has long spoken out on a capitalist model thats widely perceived as failing, acknowledging that it's a "broken system."

Bertolini said that "People have been rethinking it. But I think we've been given lip service to the kinds of changes that need to happen.

In a wide-ranging discussion, Bertolini suggested that companies needed to pay more attention to the development of their employees, in order to address persistent satisfaction and quality of life issues.

"Probably since the early 70s, what we've seen is a flip where financial capital is now plentiful, and human capital is very scarce  well-trained people who know how to learn, and continually evolve with the kind of organization they're in, noted Bertolini, the author of "Mission-Driven Leadership: My Journey as a Radical Capitalist.

Yoga as productivity booster

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 25: Aetna Chairman & CEO Mark Bertolini speaks onstage at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit on October 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Yahoo)

Pointing out that people were treated as a resource that could easily be replaced, Bertolini called out the U.S. tax system, which allows companies to depreciate investments in physical capital like machines, but not investments in human capital.

While running Aetna, Bertolini implemented numerous programs for employees that included tuition and student debt assistance, pay incentives, yoga  and even pet therapy.

In his book, Bertolini recalled how he convinced Aetna's chief medical officer to sign off on a yoga in the workplace initiative by conducting a 12-week study on the impact of mind-body stress reduction.

Story continues

The effort made Aetna realized that quality of life is a significant source of stress  and those employees with the highest levels had much higher medical costs.

Workers who were encouraged to practice yoga saw a 50% drop in stress levels and an additional 69 minutes in productivity. From there, he began to make other investments in his workforce, including boosting wages.

Those investments in people didn't put a dent in the company's bottom-line, but helped reduce overall health care costs, resulting in more productive and engaged employees and higher customer retention rates.

"And we have not made those investments because, quite frankly, as business people, we aren't rewarded by the tax system to do so. We can't depreciate our investment in people like we can in machines, he said.

So machines are a better economic spreadsheet outcome than people are, and I think we've lost our way as a result. So we've got to turn that around," Bertolini stated.

Stop teaching to tests

Education reform has become a focus of discussions about how to improve capitalism. And according to Bertolini the single biggest thing that we can do to restore the American dream and to improve the quality of our human capital overtime" is to invest more money in K-3 education.

"We should stop teaching to tests  standardized tests  and teach these children how to learn based on the circumstances they're in, Bertolini said.

On the other side of it, we then need more people that know how to learn  the ability to re-skill people for the communities they live in, not necessarily for some job halfway across the country, because social mobility, geographic mobility, labor mobility, is all but stopped, while people stay in their communities where their families are, and their social networks are, the executive added.

Bertolini is of the view that businesses have a responsibility to make life better for employees, both in the workplace and at home. What's more, improving the health and well-being of communities has positive effects on families, communities, and the broader economy.

Of all the variables that are looked at to measure the economy, Bertolini suggested the one thats lacking in attention is the human condition, in and of itself, where people live, how they live, the kind of circumstances they have when they're not at work, actually do matter.

He added: And that's come fully to the fore here as we've gone through this crisis," Bertolini said, pointing out that the economic toll of the COVID-19 crisis is more than the U.S. spends on healthcare monthly.

In the early 2000s, Bertolini was forced to contend with two health crises that led him to yoga and meditation. One involved his then-16 year old son who developed a rare form of lymphoma, and another was Bertolinis own spinal cord injury in a ski accident.

Those events profoundly shaped his views of the health care system, the patient experience, and leadership in corporate America. It also led to him using yoga and meditation to manage pain without the use of drugs, Bertolini said.

"I think is the result of having to sit with my son for a year in the hospital as he fought cancer and my own accident, I realized that the system was not set up to recreate the human experience for you after you got 'well,' he said.

Bertolini's experience with the system led him down a path toward a more holistic approach to health care that mirrored the 1948 definition from the World Health Organization as "a state of compete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease."

Getting and staying healthy led to a realization that you had to reinvent yourself to some degree and you had to have a set of practices that allowed you to see the world in a different way, and a more productive way, and a more wholesome way," he explained.



Julia La Roche is a Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.
This is a tribute to the strong academics and clinical experiences that are hallmarks of our nursing programs, as well as our distinguished faculty and dedicated students.

Rivier University takes the top spot in an independent evaluation of online RN to BSN programs in New Hampshire. Ranked #1 by RegisteredNursing.org, Riviers online RN to BSN program provides the quality and flexibility required for working RNs to receive their bachelors degree. BSN-educated nurses provide a higher level of patient care and are highly sought after by hospitals and healthcare employers.

This study and #1 ranking reflect the substance of Riviers online RN to BSN program, states Sr. Paula Marie Buley, IHM, Riviers President. Rivier has graduated more nurses than any other institution in New Hampshire, while maintaining the highest standards for nurse preparation. This is a tribute to the strong academics and clinical experiences that are hallmarks of our nursing programs, as well as our distinguished faculty and dedicated students.

The RegisteredNursing.org study is based on data provided by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Educations Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), and the Council for Community and Economic Research. Utilizing the data gathered, colleges and universities are ranked using a seven-factor point system that evaluates acceptance and graduation rates, nursing faculty tenure, tuition and fees versus cost of living, and other considerations.

We are honored with this top nursing recognition, which naturally extends from our program to our students, says Paula Williams, Dean of the Division. Rivier BSN-educated nurses improve their patient outcomes, enjoy greater job mobility, and have more opportunities for career advancement.

Riviers flexible, online RN to BSN program is designed for working RNs and can be completed in 2-4 years of study. A generous transfer credit policy allows for ASN course credits to be applied to the bachelors degree program. Rivier University offers nursing programs from the associate to the doctoral level, all of which are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Rivier University, located in Nashua, New Hampshire, offers on-campus and online degrees at the undergraduate, professional studies, graduate, and doctoral levels. More information on Rivier nursing programs, nursing education, and the RegisteredNursing.org rankings is available through the links below.

Rivier University Online RN to BSN Program

RegisteredNursing.org RN to BSN Rankings

Rivier University Nursing Programs

RegisteredNursing.org Ranking Methodology

AACN Impact of Education on Nursing Practice
AAP candidate and former IG Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh's security being compromised: Arvinder Bhatti

BJP releases first list of 34 candidates for Punjab polls
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I am neither black nor white. Im brown. I can choose to stay silent and indifferent, but the human and the American in me urges me to express my feelings and opinion about the current situation in the country resulting from a series of unfortunate events, particularly George Floyds blatant murder in broad daylight.

I immigrated to this great country about fifteen years ago. From a distance, I had a very superficial idea of the race issues confronting America, but it was only after living here and witnessing events first-hand that I realized how deep-rooted the racial conflicts are.

When Barack Obama took his first oath as President, it was a proud moment for me as an immigrant father. I still remember telling my then five years old daughter, you, my child, were born in this country, and you can one day become the President of the United States! Little did I know that only a few years later, she would come crying to me because someone at school told her that Donald Trump was not letting any Muslims in the country and that she thought that she would have to leave America. You might say that religious discrimination is different than racism, but you get the point. I tried to console her and tell her right from wrong, but I felt helpless because her mind was too immature to understand the depth of arguments.

As a physician, I had the chance to rotate through different clinics catering to different classes of society. These ranged from upscale clinics in the suburbs where the patients were highly privileged, flying in from different states, staying at nearby luxury hotels to obtain second and third opinions. Then there were inner-city clinics providing care to the indigent and uninsured. I was proud to feel that the medical care and recommendations that both the groups received from us were exactly similar, and our decisions and service for them were the same regardless of their ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

But I was still able to notice some areas in medicine where the care was not equal for different ethnic groups. During my stem cell transplant rotation during hematology fellowship, I came to know that it is important for the donor cells to be as close of a match to the recipient not only for a successful transplant but also to prevent graft-versus-host disease. It was also intriguing that the ethnicity mattered since there was more of a chance for a better match if both donor and recipient were of the same race. It was shocking to find out that if you are a white patient, the chances of finding a white donor are 8 out of 10, but if you are a black patient, the chances of finding a black donor are only 2 out of 10!

I felt that I wanted to do something about this statistic. I contacted the National Bone Marrow Donation Registry and obtained information and materials to organize bone marrow donation drives. However, my goal was to target only the minorities, specifically the black community. Through patients and friends, I was able to arrange these drives in black churches and at black community events. I created an easy to understand power-point presentation explaining the complex transplant process. I hoped that if I, as a man of color myself, instead of a white physician, stood in front of them, they would relate and volunteer to become stem cell donors, but I could still see their eyes filled with suspicion. Perhaps they were wondering how the cheek swabs would be exploited by the medical community reminiscent of Henrietta Lacks cervical cancer cells or the images of the patients undergoing the Tuskegee atrocity flashed in their minds. Maybe the thoughts of the brutal procedures conducted by James Sims came back to haunt them.

I still feel that we have come a long way to remedy the racial discrimination in medicine, but we still have not been able to win the trust of the black community. Research practices have been significantly improvised and well-monitored to ensure that ethnic injustice is not done, but we would also be very naive to think that we can erase the memory of those events that easily.

Another disease that brings to light the racial disparity in medicine is the sickle cell disease. This disease is more common in the black population. It is a devastating disease to have, and life can be miserable with repeated episodes of painful crises that are often misunderstood as narcotic drug-seeking behavior. Nowhere else is medicine can you find an example of the treatment of a disease resulting in another more serious condition, in this case, treatment with narcotics leading to iatrogenic opioid addiction. When it comes to medical research, there is a significant lack of medical research for this disease, and for decades, no significant breakthroughs have taken place except for a couple of oral medications (such as hydroxyurea) showing benefit. There is a lack of comprehensive clinics for patients with sickle cell disease. I am a practicing hematologist, and I often find it incredibly difficult to do justice to the care of sickle cell patients due to lack of resources.

No mention of atrocities against black people can be justified without a word of support for the majority of white cops who get a bad name and are placed in harms way only because of the discrimination exhibited by a few. 9/11 was perpetrated by a handful of so-called Muslims in the name of Islam, but only the ignorant held billions of Muslims around the world responsible.

How can we, as physicians, gain the trust of our black patients? It will take time. I feel that we are doing a lot of right things by delivering care and compassion without discrimination, but one thing that will have a profound impact is if we have a much higher number of black physicians and medical researchers. It will be much easier for a black patient to trust a black doctor, and this way, trust will build in the profession in general. Black population will be better represented in research studies. Perhaps there should be significant cuts in student fees for medical school for black students, and further incentives and allowances should be made.

We need more black cops. We need more black physicians.

Farhan S. Imran is a hematology-oncology physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Imperial Valley News Center

Justice Department Seeks Forfeiture of More than $20 Million in Assets Relating to Unlawful Use of U.S. Financial System to Evade and Violate Iranian Sanctions

Anchorage, Alaska - A forfeiture complaint was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska alleging that assets equivalent to more than $20 million are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and federal money laundering statutes.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder for the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Robert W. Britt of the FBIs Anchorage Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Justin H. Campbell of the IRS-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office made the announcement.

The civil forfeiture complaint alleges that Kenneth Zong, a U.S. citizen, conspired with three Iranian nationals to evade the prohibitions of IEEPA and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) by engaging in false, fictitious and fraudulent transactions which were designed to unlawfully convert and remove Iranian owned funds in a Korean financial institution, equivalent to approximately $1 billion U.S. dollars (USD). These funds were held in Korean bank accounts and converted into more easily tradeable currencies, such as USD, through U.S. financial institutions and laundered into and through a host of shell company accounts in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Korea.

Approximately $20 million in funds traceable to this scheme were used by Zongs co-conspirators to attempt to purchase a hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2011 and 2012. The proceeds of these funds and this attempted transaction are the subject of the forfeiture complaint.

A complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Deputy Chief Woo S. Lee and Senior Trial Attorney Michael Olmsted of the Criminal Divisions Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonas Walker and Steven Skrocki of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in this matter.

The department appreciates the significant assistance provided by UAE authorities, including in particular the Dubai Police Departments Anti-money Laundering and Financial Crimes Division and the Government of Ras al Khaimah. The department also appreciates the significant assistance provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia and the Supreme Prosecutors Office and Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:26:50|Editor: huaxia

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Barbers wearing personal protective equipment serve customers in a barber shop in Manila, the Philippines, on June 7, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 21,895 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 555 new infections on Sunday. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 21,895 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 555 new infections on Sunday.

The DOH said in a daily bulletin that the number of recoveries further climbed to 4,530 after 89 more patients were healed.

The death toll increased to 1,003 after nine more patients have succumbed to the disease, the DOH added.

The DOH said three overseas Filipino workers repatriated by the government have tested positive for the virus.
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.
Speaker of the Israeli Knesset Yariv Levin said in a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and settler leaders on Sunday that Israel will move forward with annexation of parts of the West Bank "within weeks," sources who attended the meeting told me.

Why it matters: Levin is heading the team formed by Netanyahu to negotiate with the Trump administration over the West Bank annexation maps. In the last few months, he has held numerous meetings and phone calls about the issue with U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his team.

The big picture: The coalition agreement that allowed Netanyahu to form his new government says he can bring "the understandings with the Trump administration" on annexation up for a vote in his Cabinet or the Knesset as early as July 1  but only with the full agreement of the White House.

What they're saying:

Netanyahu was more reserved about the timetable for annexation. According to one of the people who attended the meeting, Netanyahu told settler leaders he still doesnt have a green light from the White House to move forward with his annexation plan and that the details and the maps havent been agreed to yet with the Trump administration. Netanyahu said he is working within a tight schedule to annex "the maximum territory possible" in the West Bank.

The prime minister stressed in his meeting with the settler leaders that Israel needs to seize the opportunity now with Trump in the White House. "We must not make Trump think we are not interested in annexation," Netanyahu said, according to people who attended the meeting.

Netanyahu also told settler leaders that the Trump administration refers to a "Palestinian state" in its peace plan, but that Israel doesn't define it as such. He stressed that any Cabinet decision on annexation will not refer in any way to Israeli agreement for a Palestinian state.

What to watch: After meeting with the settlers, Netanyahu met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi to discuss the annexation plan. Both Gantz and Ashkenazi have expressed deep concerns and reservations.
4:30 p.m., Monday, June 8 | The San Antonio Police Department identified the family of six found dead in their North Side home Thursday.

Jared Esquibel Harless, 38, was an Army soldier assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

He was found along with his wife, Sheryll Ann Harless, 36, and four children  Esteban Lorenzo Harless, 4, Penelope Arcadia Harless, 3, Avielle Magdalena Harless, 1, and Apollo Harless, 11 months.

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES :

A soldier assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston found dead with his wife and four children in their home on the citys far North Side was an intelligence analyst who served in Iraq late in the U.S.-led occupation.

Staff Sgt. Jared Esquibel Harless was a 35Q cryptologic cyberspace intelligence collector/analyst and had joined the Army in January 2010, the Army said Saturday. A deployment to Iraq, in 2011 for Operation New Dawn, was the only one in his career.

Their deaths are believed to have been a murder-suicide. Harless, 38, his wife, Sheryll, 36, and their four children were discovered Thursday in the rear of a mid-sized SUV, parked in their garage. Police detected carbon monoxide permeating the house and called in a bomb squad robot after finding a cryptic note warning of bodies inside. The children included two boys, ages 4 and 11 months; and two girls, ages 3 and 1.

On ExpressNews.com: Father in suspected murder-suicide of San Antonio family was Fort Sam GI

Harless served with Fort Sams 470th Military Intelligence Brigade, with the Army listing his home of record as Renton, Wash. Records show he married Sheryll Ann Frias Cargo on Sept. 1, 2008, in King County, Wash. A search of Bexar County records showed they had no pending legal issues.

No close relatives could be reached for comment Saturday and a Facebook page for his late father, Jimmy Harless, made no reference to the deaths. The pages of other family members and friends didnt mention them either.

Michael Fisher /Staff

In the Life Events link, the elder Harless, who lived in Grand Junction, Colo., entered had a child on Jan. 24, 1982  Jared Harless. Photos of Harless were included in his fathers timeline. One posted in November 2012 showed Jared Harless in a light moment with some Army buddies.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Thursday the deaths had the appearance of a murder-suicide, but it was too early to know for sure. Police were called to the rented 2,928-square-foot home in the Heights of Stone Oak, a gated subdivision, to make a welfare check after Harless didnt call his office. He had been working from home.

A neighbor said no one noticed anything out of the ordinary but also doubted anyone would have because the Harlesses were seldom seen in public.

Theyd been here since January, and the husband waved to me just once, outside, said Jorge Canavati Jr., a 62-year-old consultant who has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years. That was it. I mean, they were always locked up in the house.

Sig Christenson covers the military and its impact in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Sig, become a subscriber. sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe
South Africa: Most schools ready to reopen on Monday

Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, says most of the countrys schools are ready to receive learners on Monday morning.

The Minister briefed media in Pretoria on Sunday on the readiness for schools to reopen for matrics and Grade 7s.

We can now say with confidence that about 95% of our schools have been ably provided with the COVID-19 related imperatives. The sector, with the assistance of our partners, will strive to deal with the remaining 5% to ensure that the unfettered rights to health, safety and basic education for all South African children are protected, said the Minister.

She said the golden rule is that there will be no school that will resume if not ready to do so.

For the remaining 5% of learners, alternative measures have been developed by different districts such as temporarily using neighbouring schools, using underutilised spaces in boarding schools and putting other learners in camps.

Because some of the alternatives need consultations with parents, provinces will be engaging parents and following the appropriate protocols to get parental concessions. All of this, we agreed, should be finalised during the course of the week and recovery programs be implemented, said the Minister.

The department had earlier planned for schools to reopen on 1 June 2020.

However, the Minister announced that more time was required to mop up the state of readiness for the resumption of schooling, in order to comply with the health, safety and social distancing requirements.

Issues that needed to be ironed out included the outstanding deliveries of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as well as the outstanding provision of water and sanitation to the schools; the cleaning of schools needed to be finalised; provinces needed to finalise the training of screeners, cleaners and volunteers for the national school nutrition programme (NSNP) and teachers and support staff had to be orientated on the new school environment brought about by the COVID-19, among others.

Motshekga said the provinces expended their energies to ensure that all prerequisites were attended to during the mop-up week from 01 June 2020.

The department has solicited the support of the South African National Defence, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), and Mvula Trust to accelerate the provision of water and sanitation in outstanding schools.

We are cooperating with the Department of Transport to ensure that learner transport provided does meet the health, safety and social distancing measures and requirements on COVID-19. This will include scholar transport for learners with special education needs.

We are continuing to work with the Departments of Health and Social Development to ensure that health and psychosocial needs of the school communities are met, she said.

Where practicably possible, learners from the not-so-ready schools will be moved to neighbouring schools that meet the health, safety and social distancing set measures and requirements.

The teaching and learning programmes provided online will continue and parents who are uneasy about sending their children back to school must follow the law to ensure that their childrens right to basic education is unhindered.

A meeting of the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) on Thursday and a meeting with sector partners on Saturday both agreed that the mop up week has drastically improved the national picture, said Motshekga.

The number of provinces which were classified as low risk levels improved from two to six provinces.

The number of provinces classified as showing medium risk levels, has improved from the seven which were classified as medium risk (4) and high risk (3) on 30 May, to three provinces as on 03 June 2020.

Of course there are varieties among provinces, which can be attributed to a variety of factors, including but not limited to vandalism in 1 672 schools; interfering with the deliveries of essentials to schools; induction and orientation of educators and support staff, water and sanitation not yet provided to some schools, faulty thermometers, amongst others, said the Minister.

Standard Operating Procedures will be circulated among schools to ensure that schools are able to manage identified infections among educators, learners, educators and support staff.

Directions published

The department has published the directions in terms of the Regulations under the Disaster Management Act, 2002 regarding the reopening of schools, and measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of the Coronavirus in the basic education sector.

The directions, as amended on 01 June 2020, do cater for deviations to the extent necessary to be applicable to small schools, special schools, as well as independent and private schools.

They also cater for instances where parents may choose to keep their children at home fearing that their children could be infected by the COVID-19 or schools may not be ready to resume schooling.

Motshekga said the department is in the process of revising the 2020 school calendar year.

The challenges related to comorbidities among educators is also being attended to and an agreement with organised labour is about to be completed.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-06-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Akbar Mammadov

The U.S. has always defended Azerbaijans territorial integrity and this official position will not change in the foreseeable future, Peter M.Tase, an expert on the geopolitics of Europe and Azerbaijani studies, said in an exclusive interview with AzerNews on June 7.

The expert also spoke about the activities of the Armenian diaspora in the U.S.

"There are a plethora of activities led by the Armenian Diaspora organizations in the United States, that are focused on damaging the impressive national image of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani people in the U.S and other countries. However, the US foreign policy has maintained a clear position towards Azerbaijan.

Tase said that in the upcoming decades, Washington will certainly develop and strengthen its bilateral strategic partnership with Baku, especially in the economic, cultural, commercial, and political spheres.

"A perfect example of this excellent partnership is the U.S. Cultural Center and English Language Library in the Azerbaijan University of Languages, that has been expanded over the last three years, under the leadership of Chancellor and a distinguished writer, Azerbaijani Academic Kamal Mehdi Abdullayev. The US-Azerbaijan dialogue is intensified under the administration of President Donald Trump, and steadfast economic cooperation has delivered tangible results that are beneficial for both countries", Tase said.

The US expert also spoke about the phased settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which requires the liberation of some of Azerbaijani lands in its initial phases. Reminding that the Armenian authorities have publicly refused to de-occupy Azerbaijani lands, Tase said:

"Armenia and its fascist government has openly violated, over the last thirty years the European Unions fundamental values of the rule of law and respect for human rights, Tase said.

He also underlined the fact that the repeated destruction of cultural and archaeological sites, including in the historic city of Shusha and environmental destruction in occupied Kalbajar are an illustration of the belligerent attitude embraced by the Armenian regime in relation to the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, Tase said that Armenia has been violating the United Nations Charter, principles of international law.

"This framework proposed by the Azerbaijani head of state is in unison and harmony with the Articles 2, 3, 6 and 21 of the Treaty of the European Union and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights", Tase noted.

"It is apparent that Armenian regime would oppose the recommendations (that might also benefit Yerevans long term strategic interests) due to Armenias corrupt ruling elites refusal to pursue the policy of peace and economic prosperity in Europe. These are political actions that are very harmful to Armenian citizens and make Armenia have a greater level of unemployment, rampant nepotism-corruption, economic stagnation and making remittances as the only dependable source of capital flow", he said.

Furthermore, Tase stressed that the economic downfall in Armenia is directly related to its aggressive policies and the invasion of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

"With the revival of peace in the region and liberation, recovery of all territorial sovereignty of Azerbaijan; the economy and public sector of Armenia will improve, and the country will cease to exist as a failed state", he concluded.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Cystic fibrosis is the most frequent severe inherited disorder worldwide. Every year, hundreds of families are confronted with this diagnosis - and to date, there is no cure for this disease that mainly affects the respiratory system. Besides supportive treatments, a lung transplant is often the only option to save a patient's live. Researchers of the Universities of Munster and Regensburg have now discovered a novel disease that might lead to a better understanding of cystic fibrosis and new treatment options in the future. The results have been published in the scientific journal Journal of Medical Genetics.

The cause of cystic fibrosis are mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductor regulator gene (CFTR). This gene contains the blueprint for a chloride channel on the surface of cells in the body. Normally, this channel mediates the accumulation of salt and fluids on the surface of the airways thereby leading to a continuous cleaning of the airways. Defects in the CFTR channel prevent the transport of chloride ions and thus the humidification of the respiratory tract. As a result, the airways of affected individuals literally get plugged by a thickened, viscous mucus that leads to airway obstruction - patients are at the risk of suffocating.

At the University of Munster, the lab of Prof. Thorsten Marquardt has now discovered a new disease that is caused by defects in another chloride channel, TMEM16A. This channel is also present on the surface of airway cells. In cooperation with the lab of Prof. Karl Kunzelmann of the University of Regensburg, the researchers evaluated the cellular effects of the disorder that is caused by a total loss of TMEM16A function. Surprisingly, they discovered that not only TMEM16A but also CFTR is not functional in these patients. Excitingly, this has the potential to improve the treatment of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.

We were astonished that children with TMEM16A deficiency don't have any respiratory symptoms at all. A loss of CFTR function due to lack of TMEM16A does not lead to clinincal symptoms of cystic fibrosis in these kids." Dr. Julien Park, first author and researcher at the Marquardt lab at the Department of General Pediatrics at the University Hospital Munster

Similarly, the group of Prof. Karl Kunzelmann found in a mouse model that a double knock out of CFTR and TMEM16A does not develop lung disease.

Taken together, these results raise an intriguing question: Could the pharmacological inhibition of TMEM16A improve the respiratory symptoms of patients with cystic fibrosis? A significant reduction of mucus production and secretion as a consequence of TMEM16A inhibition has previously been shown under laboratory conditions. The researchers want to study this approach further in the future: "As a next step, we are planning clinical trials to evaluate a treatment of cystic fibrosis with TMEM16A inhibitors", states Karl Kunzelmann.
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Medical workers in protective gear carry a COVID-19 patient at Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this Feb. 19 photo. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



In early March when the country's coronavirus crisis reached its peak, especially in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, President Moon Jae-in referred to the COVID-19 pandemic as a "war," during a weekly Cabinet meeting.



Survivors of a war may struggle with a psychiatric condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Other life-threatening experiences may present similar challenges as seen in former patients who have recovered from serious illnesses as they learn to cope with the mental health ramifications of those experiences.



A patient, who was diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and discharged from hospital in 2015, described his experience of treatment for the virus infection as "something that ordinary people can never know unless they are in my shoes."



"It was so frustrating. I didn't know the outside world at all, and my family couldn't visit me either. I was completely isolated. No one ever wants to go through what I went through, I'm pretty sure," he said.



According to recent research data released by Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), 54 percent of MERS survivors in 2015 suffered from some form of mental health problem even a year after recovering from the infectious disease. The research indicates that healthcare professionals should carefully monitor the mental health of COVID-19 patients as well.



The SNUH team conducted follow-up studies on the psychological aftereffects of 63 people out of 148 MERS survivors with other research participants including professors from the National Medical Center, Seoul Medical Center, Dankook University Hospital and Chungnam National University Hospital.



Thirty-eight patients passed away from the infection among a total of 186 registered in the national database as confirmed to be infected with MERS. Of the 148 survivors, 63 completed the psychological assessments.



The study showed that 34, or 54 percent, suffered from one or more mental health issues. Some 42.9 percent experienced PTSD and 27 percent suffered from depression. Twenty-two percent had suicidal thoughts, and 28 percent had insomnia.



The study also noted that the stronger the societal stigma and anxiety was against the infected patients, the greater the risk of them experiencing PTSD. Also a previous history of psychiatric treatment raised the risk of both PTSD and depression. To the contrary, the severity of the MERS infection did not affect mental health problems after treatment.



Researchers pointed out that such difficulties experienced by survivors of MERS are likely to be prevalent in patients who survive the new coronavirus infection.



"The MERS patients seemed to have been more anxious and even feared death because they were placed in a more isolated and unfamiliar environment, were surrounded by medical staff in protective gear, and were only allowed limited family visits  less than those in a normal intensive care unit environment," said Lee So-hee, the lead author and a professor at the National Medical Center.



"COVID-19 patients who are treated in isolation from the outside are highly likely to show similar symptoms as the MERS survivors," Lee said.



In addition to the fear of the disease itself, the study also showed that social stigma attached to them influenced their symptoms. Even though MERS patients were victims of the virus, the prejudice of others who considered them "virus spreaders" and "perpetrators" could have affected their emotional difficulties.



The researchers conducting the study noted that raising awareness on the socio-psychological impact on the victims was needed to reduce the stigma attached to the infected people and as a part of active support for patients suffering the psychological difficulties.



"The media and the government should respect patients or quarantined people as citizens who are suffering, and be sensitive to words or actions that might stigmatize a specific person or group," Lee said.



The full study was published in the latest issue of BMC Public Health, and can be accessed online under the title, "Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression of survivors 12 months after the outbreak of MERS in South Korea."


By Trend

Export of steel from Turkey to Kazakhstan dropped by 52.3 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to $7.6 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, steel exports from Turkey to Kazakhstan also decreased by 77.2 percent compared to April 2019, making up slightly over $2.8 million.

From January through April of this year, Turkey exported steel to the world markets in the amount of $4 billion, which is 18.1 percent less compared to the same period of 2019.

The overall export of steel from Turkey made up 7.8 percent of the country's total export over the reporting period.

In April 2020, Turkey exported the steel in the amount of $903.1 million to the world markets, which is 26.9 percent less compared to the same month of 2019. Meanwhile, Turkeys steel export amounted to 10 percent of the country's total export.

During the last 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020), Turkey exported the steel in the amount of $12.9 billion.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Trump stared at the microphone. There are good people on both sides of the rind.

Lackey rolled his eyes. Rhine.

Trump fumed. Have General Eisenhower do it. Amos and Andy are on the radio.

You fired Eisenhower last week. By messenger pigeon. Then you told Hedda Hopper and Walter Winchell you were smarter than all your generals, sir.

But I am smarter than my generals. He glared at them all, folded his arms, rocked on his heels and smiled.

Read this, sir. For broadcast to all our men and women in uniform.

Fine. You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. Blah, blah, blah... The eyes of the world are upon you. Yada yada yada. Happy, Pensive? People tell me they hear griping about the ships, tanks, plane, guns and boots. Know anything about that?

You told the men it was up to their states back home to find equipment for them.

Lackey pointed to the map. The British and Canadians are to establish beachheads here, here and here... while our boys take Utah and Omaha Beach.
A Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy has been killed and two other law enforcement officers were wounded after they were ambushed and shot on Saturday.

About 1.30pm, authorities received a call about a suspicious van. The caller said they saw guns and bomb-making devices, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart told a news conference.

When deputies arrived, the van left and the sheriffs followed - they were then ambushed with gunfire when the van stopped and they got out to investigate in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz, Hart said.

Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was shot dead, a second deputy was injured, and a third officer, from the California Highway Patrol, was shot in his hand.

Scroll down for video

A Santa Cruz County Sheriff Deputy, 38-year-old Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed by an improvised explosive device on Saturday during 'an ambush'

The suspect, Stephen Carrillo, has been arrested (seen above) and is now facing several charges, including murder, assault with a deadly weapon and carjacking

The shooting has shocked the small community of Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains. Scene photo above

After Gutzwiller was shot, suspect Stephen Carrillo, confronted CHP officers and carjacked one vehicle and attempted to carjack a second vehicle.

'Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller was shot and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead,' Hart said.

'Another deputy was either shot or struck by shrapnel and struck by a car as the suspect fled the property. We are hopeful the deputy will recover.'

Carrillo has been arrested and is now facing several charges, including murder, assault with a deadly weapon and carjacking.

He was shot during the arrest and is still being treated at the hospital.

The Sheriff's Department and the FBI are investigating.

'In my 32-year career, this is the worst day I've ever experienced,' Sheriff Jim Hart said as he stared a news conference

The Sheriff's office gave more details on it's Facebook site over exactly what happened

Hart said 'Damon showed up today to do his job, to keep this community safe, and his life was taken needlessly.

'Words cannot express the pain we feel for Damon and his family.

'He was the kind of person we all hope to be. Today, we lost a hero. We are grateful to have known him and we mourn with his family.

'In my 32-year career, this is the worst day I've ever experienced.'

Gutzwiller had been with the department since 2006 and was married with a small child and another one on the way.

The sheriff's office is asking the community to remain vigilant and is continuing to investigate if there are any others involved.

The shooting has shocked the small community of Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shabbir Kayyumi

The domestic market shrugged off the negative downgrade rating by Moody's, as a robust rally of 5 percent was seen during the last week in the index.

Now, Nifty is heading closer to 100 DMA placed around the 10,320 mark. At the same time, Nifty has given closing above five months SMA last week suggesting bullish movement to continue in mid-term too.

On a larger timeframe, Nifty has managed to close inside lower Bollinger band in monthly time frame indicating mean reversion movement in the progress which can continue towards the middle of the band currently standing around 11,000 levels.

Recent Cup and Handle pattern breakout by Nifty shifts the immediate price range to 10,000-11,000 mark.

Niftys movement of higher highs with higher lows remains. On the lower side crucial support is seen near 9,700 marks and any decisive move below this zone can push the index lower towards previous swing pivot placed around 9,300 marks.

Explosive Price Momentum (EPM) in Bank Nifty has pushed its upside by 4,000 points in the last two weeks indicating sharp short covering. However, previous swing high is standing near 22,000 marks and it can act as resistance and possibility of consolidation before moving further cannot be ruled out.

Canara Bank | Rating: Buy around Rs 100 | Target: Rs 134 | Stop Loss: Rs 89 | Upside: 34 percent

Canara Bank prices have given falling channel breakout on the upside with the expansion of bands on daily chart suggesting a continuation of the trend in the direction of the breakout. MACD has given bullish crossover and about to move above the equilibrium level of zero on daily chart.

Flat positive divergence in RSI on daily chart is also adding further strength in the stock. Traders can accumulate the stock on dips around Rs 100 for the upside target of Rs 134 with a stop loss of Rs 89.

State Bank of India | Buy around Rs 182 | Target: Rs 208 | Stop Loss: Rs 166 | Upside: 14 percent

The stock has been consolidating in a wide range from the past few weeks. Currently stock has given breakout with long body bullish candle from the rounding pattern indicating move on the upside. Positive crossover in MACD with ascending histogram is attributing further strength.

RSI also gave a positive crossover with its average on daily chart. Thus, stock can be bought around Rs 182 with a stop loss of Rs 166 for the target of Rs 208.

Infosys | Buy around: Rs 680 | Target: Rs 770 | Stop Loss: Rs 620 | Upside: 13 percent

From last few weeks, Infosys is moving in a well defined ascending channel with multiple touch points and appears to be having strong support around Rs 620-630 levels as it bounced back on a couple of time from the demand zone of the mentioned channel.

Hence, the stock sustained above this support then a decent target of Rs 770 is not ruled out in this counter over a given period of time. Therefore, investor should accumulate this scrip around Rs 680 with a suggested stop-loss of Rs 620 for the upside target of Rs 770.

(The author is Head of Technical Research at Narnolia Financial Advisors.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Staff of the Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan, teachers and schoolchildren of the A.S. Pushkin Turkmen-Russian School laid flowers at the Monument to Alexander Pushkin in Ashgabat in celebration of the Day of Russian Language.

This monument was designed by engineer Butuzov and sculptor Berto. It was erected in the Turkmen capital in 1911, and today it is the oldest monument in the city.

The flower laying ceremony was followed by festive events at the A.S. Pushkin Turkmen-Russian School. In the assembly hall of the school, senior school children read out excerpts from the works by the poet and other authors about Pushkin himself, professional artists performed romances on Pushkins verses. All performers were presented with memorable gifts at the end of the event.

In conclusion of the celebration, diplomats, teachers, schoolchildren and guests laid flowers at the Monument to Alexander Pushkin installed in the school lobby. The bronze statue of the poet was donated to the Turkmen-Russian School by famous Turkmen sculptor Nurmukhammet Ataev last fall.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022
Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on Saturday (June 6) night directed the fire department to check up on complaints of a foul smell emanating in multiple areas of the city, including Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Powai.

In a series of tweets, the BMC said that 13 fire appliances were pressed into service to monitor the situation and fire brigade officials were asked to probe the complaints of gas leak.

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.   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) June 6, 2020

The BMC also urged the people 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 the fire department, several residents of Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Powai made calls regarding a foul smell. The reason for the supposed gas leak is yet to be identified.

Responding to complaints on Twitter, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray said, "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."

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

It may be recalled that similar complaints of gas leakage were reported from several parts of Mumbai in September 2109.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that Black Lives Matter protests are the 'perfect setup' for further spread of COVID-19.

Across all 50 states, Americans have been demonstrating for racial equality and justice in the wake of George Floyd's killing  an unarmed black man who cried 'I can't breathe' as white Minneapolis Police Department cop Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

After nearly two weeks of people demanding the defunding of police and laws to better protect citizens, Fauci has expressed his concern about the gatherings.

'It's a perfect setup for further spread of the virus in the sense of creating these blips which might turn into some surges,' Fauci told WTOP radio on Friday.

Dr. Fauci said on Friday that protests are 'a perfect setup for further spread' of coronavirus

Demonstrator raise their fists at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC during a protest against police brutality and racism on Saturday. Demonstrations are being held across the US following the death of George Floyd last week while being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Thousands of Americans have gathered to exercise their right to protest (pictured on Saturday). 'It's a delicate balance because the reasons for demonstrating are valid and yet the demonstration itself puts oneself at an additional risk,' Fauci warned

Thousands of people marched in Washington DC this weekend, gathering nearby President Trump's residence which was recently fenced in.

It came after the mayor renamed Pennsylvania Ave, making Trump's new address 1600 Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Trump has refused to appease Americans, leading to even bigger shows of support for black communities.

'I get very concerned, as do my colleagues in public health, when they see these kinds of crowds,' the coronavirus task force doctor told WTOP. 'There certainly is a risk. I can say that with confidence.'

African Americans are more likely to face police brutality and more likely to be affected by coronavirus.

However the killing of Floyd last Monday, and outrage against Amy Cooper - who threatened to call NYPD and tell them an African American man was threatening her life - sparked protests against racial injustice.

'Hands up, don't shoot': But as Americans gather around the White House, which is now surrounded by an additional, higher fence, Fauci is worried about people not wearing masks

Many have been removing their face coverings to chant things such as 'no justice, no peace', while others have taken them off for some relief after being tear gassed by police

Despite states being at various stages of reopening, health experts are still advising people to stay six feet apart and wear a face covering.

But images have shown people remove their masks as they chant 'no justice, no peace' and 'hands up, don't shoot'.

Others have removed them for relief after being tear gassed by law enforcement, and in one case an NYPD cop was seen removing a man's mask to hit him with pepper spray.

Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the only thing health experts can do is remind people to wear masks and take precautions.

'It's a difficult situation. We have the right to peacefully demonstrate and the demonstrators are exercising that right,' Fauci added.

'It's a delicate balance because the reasons for demonstrating are valid and yet the demonstration itself puts oneself at an additional risk.'

The US is nearing 2 million cases of coronavirus and there had been 109,802 deaths as of Sunday.

Fauci reiterated his concern in another interview published Sunday.

'As I sat in front of the TV and watched the screen go from Washington, D.C., to New York City, to Los Angeles, to Philadelphia, I got really concerned,' Fauci told the Sunday Times of London.

'I was going, "Oh my goodness. I hope this doesn't 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.'
Reduction in GST rate and introduction of scrappage policy would help in reviving the commercial vehicle sector which has been facing headwinds for quite some time now, a top Ashok Leyland official said.

The Hinduja Group flagship company also expects the situation due to the current downturn in the industry, most recently due to the coronavirus pandemic, to improve gradually during the current fiscal.

"The answer is yes, it certainly will," Ashok Leyland MD and CEO Vipin Sondhi told PTI when asked if the GST rate cut on commercial vehicles would help in reviving the the sector.

"When you look at the commercial vehicle industry, it''s core to the country, it is pretty much the core industry...to have it at 28 per cent (GST rate) is something which the industry has put forth to the government in the past and now as well. Will it help? It will help, it could be one of the possible demand triggers," he noted.

The other trigger points could be introduction of a scrappage policy and more investment in rural India, Sondhi noted.

When asked about the sales outlook for commercial vehicle industry in the current fiscal, he said, "Fundamentally what we are seeing is that each segment of commercial vehicle industry will have its own trajectory."

The situation would depend on various factors like the impact of reforms initiated by the government and other factors like availability of liquidity at the right time, Sondhi said.

"I think every quarter will be better than the previous one and we will have to be ready," he added.

Auto industry body SIAM has been urging the government to reduce the GST rate on vehicles from 28 to 18 per cent, and to introduce an incentive-based scrappage policy.

The government, on its part, has said it is working on a scrappage policy, but has so far not indicated if it would also look at lowering the GST rates on automobiles.

Also read: Unlock 1.0: Delhi to open borders from tomorrow, says Arvind Kejriwal

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: 10 states account for 84% COVID-19 cases in India
Kimberly Ann Phifer, 56, of East Ridge, Tennessee, passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

She attended Christ United Methodist Church and had been employed by McKee Foods for 32 years.

Kim was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Mulkey; step-brother, Odis Hickman; grandparents, Sam Poppy and Nola Johnston.

Survivors include her husband, Kip Phifer; son, Noah Phifer; mother, Pat (Steve) Hickman; brother, Greg (Betty) Mulkey; step-brother, Steve Hickman, Jr.; step-sister, Juanita (Keith) Luna; mother-in-law, Billie Phifer; brother-in-law, Kirk (Lisa) Phifer, sister-in-law, Kim (Doug) Buck; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Due to the current health crisis, the family will have a celebration from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, on the parking lot of Christ United Methodist Church, 8645 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421 for people to drive through and pay their respects to the family. Enter the parking lot from the East Brainerd Road entrance. In lieu of flowers, friends are encouraged to write a card or letter explaining how you met and knew Kim. There will be a box at a stopping point for those cards and letters to be collected. Kip wants their son, Noah to get to know his mother outside of the home setting by reading those cards and letters.

Due to the current restrictions, the church requests that people stay inside their vehicles. The family will receive friends from 9:3010:30 a.m. on Monday, June 8, at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park with the Reverend Debbie Stokes officiating. Friends are asked to observe social distancing during visitation and graveside services.

Graveside services will be live streamed on Facebook Live.

To view services, visit Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Chapel on Facebook and click on the live video link.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has announced that the leaders of the two warring factions in Libya have agreed to discuss an initiative that could end the conflict. According to reports, the Sisi's announcement came after a meeting between Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar in Cairo.

Read: Libyan PM Meets Erdogan In Ankara

'Maks a new stage towards the return to peace'

As per reports, Sisi said that the initiative that has been dubbed the Cairo Declaration will strive towards a cease-fire in Libya starting June 8. The declaration also provides for an UN-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council as well as the drafting of a constitutional declaration that aims to regulated Libyan elections in the future.

The Cairo Declaration also states that all foreign mercenaries will pull out of Libya and militias will dismantle and disarm themselves. The Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA) will now be responsible for security and military matters, with cooperation from the existing security apparatus. The civil war in Libya has injured and killed hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 people.

Read: Libyan Leaders Hold Ceasefire Talks Amid Fear Of Escalations Post Tripoli Strike: Reports

According to reports, Sisi believes that the Cairo Declaration will mark a beginning for a new stage towards the return of normal and safe life to Libya and said the initiative calls for respecting all relevant UN efforts and initiatives.

The Libyan council that has been proposed by the Cairo Declaration will consist of a president, two deputies, and a prime minister while adding that the council's term will be 18 months, international media reported.

The speaker of the Libyan parliament while speaking at a press conference said that "The council will not marginalise or exclude anyone," and also added that "we will accelerate the drafting of a constitution after which presidential and parliamentary elections will be held."

(With Inputs/Images from ANI)

Read: Libya's UN-recognised Government Takes Full Control Of Tripoli And Its Suburbs

Read: Spokesman: Tripoli-allied Libya Forces Capture Key Airport
I hope the City Council of Twin Falls will listen to the people and vote AGAINST these proposed two five-story apartment buildings AND a charter school in the Twin Falls Historic District! You had 29 people speak against this project at the P&Z meeting, not one person for it, and P&Z votes to approve this project?

Currently, there is limited parking for the residents of the neighborhood and they discussed parking for the soon-to-be residents of these apartment buildings but there was NO discussion about the parking that will be needed for the employees of the charter school! There will be teachers and staff, not to mention the parents dropping off and picking up their kids, where will they park?

I find it interesting that the city of Twin Falls is paying $12,000 extra to make the new bathroom in City Park compliant with the Historic Districts rules but the city is going to ignore those restrictions for these apartment buildings? To have two five-story buildings towering over that beautiful park and in that historic neighborhood seems to contradict everything the City Council and URA and everyone else who talks about revitalizing the downtown stands for. This will ruin the entire area!

When will the city leaders stand up and actually listen to what the citizens of this town want? They are building all over the Magic Valley, I am sure these developers can find another location. This is wrong on so many levels. To have to get three exceptions to city zoning  one for height, another for parking and one for reduced setback requirements, what is stopping the next developer of getting the same? This will change the face of Twin Falls forever!

Please vote no on this project!

Jill Skeem

Kimberly

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Dubais Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has been endorsed as a member of the European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination Organisation (Ertico).

The move is part of efforts to sustain RTAs excellence drive and envision the future of transportation and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), the Authority said in a statement.

It serves RTA's overall strategy of providing safe and smooth transportation for all, the statement added.

Maitha Bin Adai, CEO of RTAs Traffic and Roads Agency had recently signed membership subscription to Ertico to step up the focus on ITS by commissioning research, using open technology and sharing expertise and knowledge.

"Under the membership, RTA will engage in a variety of initiatives, deliverables and performance indicators. Examples include participation in R&D related to ITS using artificial intelligence, and hosting RTAs young engineers at the premises of ERTICO in Brussels for a one-month training ITS fields and projects," explained Bin Adai.

"The membership package enables RTA to take part in preparing and updating technical specifications and international standards of ITS and review initial results of practical initiatives funded by Ertico. RTA will also have the chance to make visits to experiment sites and have access to a restricted advisory for review and comments, and obtain supporting data about ITS future projects," he stated.

"The membership enables RTA to showcase its profile as a key player in the field of smart mobility through meeting with other stakeholders and delegates of Ertico attending conferences in Europe, America, China and Japan," he noted.

RTA will also obtain an insight into various markets, receive feedback, and have access to tools, technologies and international standards of the industry. Such inputs are of particular importance and relevance as smart mobility is integrated into its current and future projects," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Longford county is suffering terribly by continuing moves by banks to close down offices in as many locations as possible.

Most small towns have suffered.

Its bad enough when self financed banks close, but when banks such as Bank of Ireland, it would seem, are quietly moving towards closure it should provoke a county wide uprising.

Speculation is rife that the Granard branch, one of 101 locations closed temporarily since March 24, may not re-open.

In neighbouring Roscommon, Bank of Ireland has been accused of dragging its feet on the re-opening of its branches in Elphin and Strokestown by Senator Eugene Murphy.

Covid-19 will be blamed for many such instances, unless enough voters, and voters representatives start making noise.

A bank in which the State has had a substantive vested interest, cannot be allowed close without explanation.

It is unacceptable to allow such a move be executed.

Me thinks its time county councillors started to be vocal, about something on their doorsteps.

For that, theyd actually deserve photos in the local paper.

Real news.

Explanations must be outlined, and examined before rational public acceptance is agreed.

It cannot happen by sneaky stealth.
The Office of the Head Of Service of the Federation has invited 41 senior civil servants, who have been shortlisted for the positions of permanent secretaries in the federal ministries, for the next round of examination.

In a letter dated June 6, the director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, I.A. Mairiga, said the oral interview will hold on June 8 at the office of the Head of Service of the Federation in Abuja.

Following the conduct of the ICT Proficiency Test for the appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service on June 4, 2020. I am directed to invite the following 41 shortlisted candidates to the oral interview and interactive session. The examination number of candidates are as follows:

1. FCS/PSE/05/2020/001

2. FCS/PSE/05/2020/005

3. FCS/PSE/05/2020/009

4. FCS/PSE/05/2020/014

5. FCS/PSE/05/2020/015

6. FCS/PSE/05/2020/026

7. FCS/PSE/05/2020/027

8. FCS/PSE/05/2020/033

9. FCS/PSE/05/2020/036

10.FCS/PSE/o5/2020/039

11.FCS/PSE/05/2020/041

12.FCS/PSE/05/2020/045

13.FCS/PSE/05/2020/048

14.FCS/PSE/05/2020/049

15.FCS/PSE/05/2020/050

16.FCS/PSE/05/2020/051

17.FCS/PSE/05/2020/058

18FCS/PSE/05/2020/060

19.FCS/PSE/05/2020/062

20.FCS/PSE/05/2020/063

21.FCS/PSE/05/2020/064

22.FCS/PSE/05/2020/067

23 FCS/PSE/05/2020/069

24 FCS/PSE/05/2020/071

25 FCS/PSE/05/2020/079

26 FCS/PSE/05/2020/083

27 FCS/PSE/05/2020/086

28 FCS/PSE/05/2020/087

29 FCS/PSE/05/2020/093

30 FCS/PSE/05/2020/101

31 FCS/PSE/05/2020/106

32 FCS/PSE/05/2020/112

33 FCS/PSE/05/2020/116

34 FCS/PSE/05/2020/118

35 FCS/PSE/05/2020/119

36 FCS/PSE/05/2020/124

37 FCS/PSE/05/2020/128

38 FCS/PSE/05/2020/130

39 FCS/PSE/05/2020/139

40 FCS/PSE/05/2020/143

41 FCS/PSE/05/2020/158

Examination

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, in a circular in May fixed June 1, 4, 8 and 9 for an examination to pick 16 new permanent secretaries for the Federal Civil Service.

Accreditation and registration of candidates were to start on May 11, according to the circular, and end on May 22.

READ ALSO:

The circular dated May 6, 2020, and marked HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/VI/ 32 was addressed to heads of ministries, departments and agencies.

The first stage of the examination, which is on relevant public service and policy issues, held on June 1.

The second stage, an Information and Communication Technology assessment test, held on June 4 and was only open to candidates shortlisted from the first stage.

The May 6 circular also showed that those shortlisted from the second stage would take part in the final oral interview/interactive session with a broad-based panel of experts and practitioners on June 8 and 9.

According to Punch Newspaper, the Head of Service of the Federation said only officers in the mainstream of the Federal Civil Service who attained the substantive rank of director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before January 1, 2018 and had updated their records on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System verification portal are eligible to sit for the examination.

The HOS also said that to be eligible, such officials must be from Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Cross River, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States and should not be retiring from service earlier than on December 31, 2021.

The last time permanent secretaries were appointed was in December 2019 when the federal government approved the appointment of nine new permanent secretaries.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will be armed with health advice this week about when it is safe to open up the state's borders.

Dozens of results are expected on Monday after a major testing effort sparked by a Melbourne fruit picker who travelled to Queensland for work before national cabinet is set to meet on Friday to discuss how well each state is managing rates of infection.

Cars queue to enter Queensland near Coolangatta on March 26. Credit:Chris Hyde/Getty Images

"That is when the Premier will be able to make a decision about what is happening with borders," Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.

"Remember borders are a two-way exchange. We would need to open our borders but the other states would also need to open their borders.
Sesa sen By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The COVID-19 cess levied in varying degrees by revenue-sapped states has taken a toll on alcohol makers -- stretching their working capital and eating into cash flow. In contrast to the early trends when long queues outside shops may have given an impression that the alcohol industry would remain an outlier in a moribund economy, industry executives say that unrealistic tax on alcohol has done more damage to the industry than the pandemic.

Demand in states such as New Delhi, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has tumbled, with brewers bearing a major brunt. After the drastic price hike in some states, the industry has registered about 80 per cent decline in overall beer volume in May - a peak season for beer - versus last year. The hike in duty is also having knock-on effects on the ancillary segments as well, especially farmers, the entire supply chain ecosystem with barley malt suppliers and logistics partners. We believe the prevailing duty hike will dampen growth this year, said Kartikeya Sharma, President  South Asia, AB InBev.

In India, beer is taxed 60 per cent higher than stronger spirits despite the lower alcohol content, that ranges from 4-7 per cent as against upwards of 40 per cent in hard liquor. With the disparity in taxation, the prices have increased by nearly Rs. 100 in a few states. In Delhi, for instance, a bottle with MRP of Rs 100 earlier, now sells at Rs 170. Such an extraordinary hike, Sharma said, is a short-sighted approach that would subsequently engender a loss in state revenues and force consumers to opt for cheaper, low-quality drinks to avoid burning a hole in their pocket.

Hard spirits makers, too, are facing a similar challenge. According to Anand Kripalu, CEO, United Spirits Ltd, the outlook for next year remains uncertain as the muted demand scenario due to high taxes outweigh opportunities such as online sales and home delivery. During the quarter ended March, net sales from its prestige and above category which includes the likes of Johnnie Walker, Vat 69 and McDowell's No 1 whiskey declined 15.6 per cent, disproportionately impacted by drying up of social occasions and closure of bars. While volumes will be impacted across categories in the months to come, the premium imported liquor brands will be the hardest hit as bars remain shut, he says.

Meanwhile, brokerages have downgraded the industry from 'positive' to neutral' in light of the jump in taxes and also believe a reversal of this hike is unlikely.

The reversal of tax increases, once initiated, is the rarest of the phenomenon. One, it is seen as politically and socially challenging for a government to be aiding alcohol consumption. Secondly, once the state treasury gets a taste of higher tax inflows, giving it up it is difficult," said Dolat Capital Market. Analysts at Dolat Capital pegs revenue from alcohol as the percentage of states own tax revenue at about 21 per cent and as the percentage of revenue receipt is about 10 per cent, or Rs 2.25 lakh crore.

So far, the overall price has increased in 18 states and the hike in taxes ranges from 10 per cent to almost 75 per cent.

While brewers including AB InBev moot for a reformed policy where alcohol is taxed based on the level of alcohol content benefiting the consumers, the industry, as well as the states, lobby group Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has sought for a realistic corona cess on alcoholic beverages in Delhi.

Liquor sales have fallen drastically in Delhi by 58 per cent on a year-ago basis. On the other hand, sales in neighbouring states seem to be bouncing back in sharp contrast to Delhi. It may be noted that both Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have imposed a tax increase of not more than 10 to 15 per cent," said CIABC in the letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. CIABC warned that the national capital city has porous borders and liquor prices in neighbouring states are much lower which is creating unlawful smuggling and depriving the state of its tax revenue.
The Cypress Lakes High School class of 2020 sat still in their chairs placed within the Cy-Fair FCU stadium, each spread an equal distant apart from their classmates while dawning face masks along with their cap and gown. Graduating senior Melanie Reyes reminded each of them that they made it through difficulties no other previous Cy-Lakes High School class had faced during her commencement speech.

Our high school experience is not simply defined by the usual problems of acne and teenage hormones, Reyes said. As a class weve endured a record-breaking hurricane, an unprecedented worldwide pandemic and yet we stand here today to receive our diplomas untainted by the challenges that have faced us.

Seniors reflect on a spring semester stopped short: Cy-Fair ISD seniors discuss the lows and highs of graduating during a pandemic

Cy-Fair ISD high school seniors held their graduation ceremonies throughout the first week of June. Unlike graduations of past years, students were limited to having four guests each and were required to have their graduations outdoors due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Still, seniors filled the Cy-Fair FCU Stadium with the cheers as they graduated alongside their classmates.

As the Cypress Falls High School class of 2020 prepared to receive their diplomas, Principal Becky Denton commended the district for uniting to make the graduation happen for students.

Graduation is a ceremony that recognizes an important milestone in the lives of the young people seated before me, she said. This is definitely a ceremony that we werent sure was going to happen, so please help me thank Beth Wade and the Berry Center staff, CFISD administrators and superintendent Dr. Mark Henry for the countless hours of work to keep us safe while celebrating our graduates.

Leading up to graduation, students around the state of Texas were required to learn from home during the pandemic to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and Cy-Fair ISD seniors had their prom canceled. Safety precautions were in place during the graduations at FCU Stadium, such as not allowing groups to congregate after the ceremonies.

Annabelle Baker, Cypress Woods High School senior who delivered the closing speech for the class of 2020, said the issues caused by COVID-19 will make her graduating class stronger than ever before.

Refining moments are a source of strength, Baker said. Just as a silversmith prepares metal for heat, Cy-Woods prepared us as freshman, to become who we wanted to be. We have thrived under pressure. This refiners fire has molded us into strong metals that are more durable. It has shaped us into who we are today as seniors and who we will become.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had ordered the National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from the District of Columbia, "now that everything is under perfect control," as tens of thousands of people spent the weekend in the city, protesting the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

In a tweet, the president warned that the Guard members could return. "They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!" he said.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy confirmed later Sunday that all out-of-state National Guard members would be withdrawn from the nation's capital within 48 to 72 hours and all active-duty U.S. troops who had been put on alert outside the city earlier in the week had gone home. He said officials were working on a plan to deactivate D.C. National Guard members but expected they would still help local police and federal law enforcement in the coming days.

"Over the course of these last 48 hours, the National Guard, as well as our interagency partners working with (D.C.) Chief of Police Peter Newsham, looked at the trends, saw that it had become very peaceful in nature, and started to develop a plan for withdrawal of first out-of-state National Guardsmen supporting the D.C. Guard - and then how do we get on a glide path to turning off the D.C. Guard," McCarthy said in a call with reporters.

The drawdown marks a de-escalation in a military presence that prompted rebukes from high-profile retired officers, including former defense secretary Jim Mattis and three former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs, who criticized the president for wanting to use the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy active-duty troops in an American city without sufficient cause.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had criticized the Trump administration for tapping National Guard members from 11 states and federal law enforcement officials from agencies such as the Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection and the Drug Enforcement Administration to patrol the city's streets, at times without identifying insignia, after May 31 demonstrations in the city grew violent with episodes of looting and arson.

Bowser had asked the federal government to deploy the D.C. Guard, which answers to the president because D.C. is not a state, but characterized the Trump administration's outsize response as an overreaction that could further inflame the situation nationally.

The Trump administration deployed some 5,240 National Guard members to the city, roughly equivalent to the number of American troops in Iraq, in addition to amassing 1,600 additional active-duty forces at bases outside the nation's capital and bringing in a phalanx of federal law enforcement agents. Critics accused Trump of mounting the mass response for political purposes ahead of the 2020 election as he tweeted the Nixon-era phrase "Law and Order!" repeatedly on Twitter.

Initially, Trump had wanted the Guard members to be armed, and a small contingent of about a dozen did patrol monuments with weapons, even as most took on support roles without their firearms. But Defense Secretary Mark Esper later ordered the Guard members to disarm entirely without consulting the White House. Midweek, Esper announced that he was not in favor of using the Insurrection Act and was beginning to withdraw active-duty forces, a move that angered Trump.

"We came right up to the edge of bringing active troops here and we didn't," McCarthy said.

He said the Pentagon purposefully did not bring the active-duty forces that were put on alert into the city because officials didn't want to invoke the Insurrection Act.

"We knew if we went to that escalation, it would be very difficult," he said. Now, he said, "all active components have been turned off at this time."

As Army Secretary, McCarthy oversaw the D.C. Guard and the National Guard units brought in from other states on behalf of the president. He estimated the crowd size of Saturday's protests in D.C. at 45,000 people. McCarthy is due to testify before the House this week to discuss the events in the capital after Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley refused to appear.

McCarthy on Sunday defended the large-scale military presence ordered by Trump in the capital in recent days. He said the city's "security elements" were almost overwhelmed during the May 31 events, noting that buildings were damaged, defaced and set afire, and that people tried to get over the fence of the White House. He said five Guard members were hit with bricks.

"We had soldiers hurt. We had our national symbols . . . defaced. You had people trying to get over the fence on the North Lawn," McCarthy said. "There was a lot of confusion in not knowing just what we were dealing with, as you saw the intensity build."

Maj. Gen. William Walker, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, said even though 5,240 Guard members were put on duty in D.C., on a given day only about 1,500 were on the streets, because soldiers had to sleep, train and go through medical screenings.

Walker said the large presence was justified to protect federal monuments in particular. "Think about if something would have happened to the Dr. King memorial. Just let that process what that might have done to exacerbate the situation, or the African American Museum," he said.

"What we could not have was a situation that would throw additional fuel on a flame," Walker said.

National Guard members have faced criticism for their involvement in an incident near the White House on June 1, when federal authorities forcibly removed demonstrators from Lafayette Square so Trump could cross the street and take photos with a Bible in front of St. John's Church. The basement of the church had burned during protests the night before.

The Guard members have no law enforcement authority on their own and were there backing up the U.S. Park Police, Walker said. The Guard members weren't armed with tear gas and therefore couldn't have used it, he said.

Asked what prompted the protesters to be cleared, McCarthy said: "I don't know what ultimately triggered the Park Police to make the clearing."

After initially denying using tear gas to clear the square, a Park Police spokesman acknowledged using chemical agents similar to tear gas against protesters there.

The Pentagon has faced criticism for the behavior on June 1 of two helicopters from the D.C. Guard, which hovered over demonstrators and blasted them with gusty rotor wash from the aircraft. The D.C. Guard suspended all helicopter flight operations as a result, and Esper ordered a command investigation into the incidents.

McCarthy said he gave the order for the D.C. Guard's helicopters to "observe and report" during demonstrations last Monday night. He said the investigation would reveal more about the incident early last week.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
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
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.
Man charged in fatal shooting at CVS store in Independence by: Sam Atwell Posted: / Updated: INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Juan Hernandez at a CVS store on 23 rd Street in Independence. Edwin A. Sagastume-Sosa, 23, of Kanas City, Missouri is charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action.

A glimpse of worsening violence to the East and a metro effort to curb the trend before Summer officially starts.Read more:
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Linkedin Sausan Atika and Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 6 2020

The Jakarta administration, claiming that the rate of infection has dropped, has welcomed a period of fewer restrictions, including the reopening of houses of worship on Friday.

Muslims in the capital, the first epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in Indonesia, rejoiced as mosques reopened for the first Friday mass prayers after months of praying at home.

Denny Faizal, a 22-year-old university graduate, joined the weekly congregational prayers, which are mandatory for Muslim men, at Teladan Mosque in Tebet, South Jakarta.

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Candace Owens, a conservative commentator and political activist, launched a GoFundMe campaign in support of Michael Dykes, a Birmingham bar owner who slammed the George Floyd protests, calling Floyd a thug and protesters idiots.

In less than four hours on Saturday, the campaign raised more than $160,000.

However, GoFundMe on Sunday suspended Owens account from its platform and took down the page with her campaign for Dykes. GoFundMe issued a statement that says:

"GoFundMe has suspended the account associated with Candace Owens and the GoFundMe campaign has been removed because of a repeated pattern of inflammatory statements that spread hate, discrimination, intolerance and falsehoods against the black community at a time of profound national crisis. These actions violate our terms of service. Furthermore, the Parkside Cafe has clearly condemned the comments that initially led to this campaign.

Owens on Sunday tweeted that Dykes will be allowed to keep the money.

After raising $205,000 in a few hours @gofundme decided to halt my campaign for the Parkside Cafe in Alabama. At their discretion, they deemed that funds raised for a conservative business constitutes intolerance

They WILL however give the funds raised thus far to the cafe... pic.twitter.com/Mfw88iDKRi  Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 7, 2020

However, in an email to AL.com, a spokesman for GoFundMe said, The GoFundMe was started to support Parkside Cafe, not Dykes personally. The funds will be transferred to Parkside Cafe, and we are working to clarify how Parkside Cafe will use the funds raised on their behalf.

Dykes, one of the owners of Parkside Cafe in Avondale, made his comments about the protests on Friday in a text message to two other managers that was circulated to employees.

It was posted on Facebook by Lacey King, a staffer at the bar who resigned. The text caused three employees to quit and prompted a controversy on social media that threatens the bars future. Customers and others have called for a boycott of Parkside or said the co-owner of the bar, Robert Bagwell, should oust Dykes.

Lacey King's Facebook post about Michael Dykes, one of the owners of Birmingham's Parkside Cafe.(Twitter screenshot)

Owens got involved because Dykes, in an interview with AL.com, said his text was partly inspired by one of Owens Facebook videos. 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.

I was inspired by a black woman, who is amazing, by the way, Dykes, who is white, told AL.com.

Owens was tagged in a tweet on Saturday by John Carvalho, an associate professor of journalism at Auburn University. In his tweet, Carvalho referenced a quote from Dykes in an AL.com story that was published on Saturday.

Carvalhos tweet said: The part where Michael Dykes describes himself as inspired by the amazing @RealCandaceO basically undercuts the entire apology. He didnt insert his foot in his mouth; he spoke what was and remains on his heart.

The part where Michael Dykes describes himself as "inspired" by the "amazing" @RealCandaceO basically undercuts the entire apology. He didn't insert his foot in his mouth; he spoke what was and remains on his heart.  John Carvalho (@John_P_Carvalho) June 6, 2020

Owens responded on Twitter, saying Thank you for being a trash enough human being to let me know about the leftist mob attacking this business owner. I have now created a fundraiser for Michael Dykes.

Thank you for being a trash enough human being to let me know about the leftist mob attacking this business owner. I have now created a fundraiser for Michael Dykes. https://t.co/Gchcu7PKm2 https://t.co/rvoCxTtAJV  Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 6, 2020

Owens tweeted about her fundraiser at about 4:35 p.m on Saturday, saying Business owner in Birmingham, Alabama is under attack because in a *private* text leaked by his employee  he agreed with the sentiments of a Candace Owens video. Left is calling for boycotts of his struggling business, so I created a fundraiser for him.

Business owner in Birmingham, Alabama is under attack because in a *private* text leaked by his employee he agreed with the sentiments of a Candace Owens video. Left is calling for boycotts of his struggling business, so I created a fundraiser for him. https://t.co/Gchcu7PKm2  Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 6, 2020

Owens GoFundMe campaign, listed under the header Mob rule has no place in America, included AL.coms photo of Parkside and said:

"This is the Parkside Cafe, a restaurant and bar in Birmingham, Alabama that is operated by a man named Michael Dykes. This week, Michael Dykes watched my video which garnered 100 million views in 42 hours, about the irresponsibility of the George Floyd protests and riots. Michael agreed with me and in frustration, wrote a private text to one of his colleagues about how destructive the protests were and how they are placing further burden on small business owners who are struggling to stay alive after the Coronavirus lockdowns  and now cannot open because of the riots. Michael also agreed with my sentiment that George Floyd did not deserve to die, but also, that he had a criminal record that was not worthy of the heroic characterizations the media is spinning today.

"An employee of his decided to leak these private text messages, quit her job, and has now encouraged a mob of people to boycott the Parkside cafe. Local media is adding further fuel to the condemnation aby (sic) demanding he answer for his private text message exchange.

I AM SICK OF THE MOB RUINING PEOPLES LIVES. PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS. The left specializes in mobs of hate and destruction. Lets create a reciprocal movement of patriot love and support the Parkside cafe.

The campaign raised about $80,000 in one hour, according to an update by Owens on GoFundMe.

Wow! This MUST be a gofundme record. 80k in one hour! I love American patriots. I cant wait for this business owner to receive the funds. Love is so much greater than hate, Owens wrote.

About 6,000 donors had contributed to the campaign as of 8 p.m. on Saturday, and it had more than 85,000 shares and a plethora of comments.

I am sick of the left canceling what they dont agree with," said Susan Owen, who donated $10. "I hope this gets HUGGGEEEEE!! I added my 'middle finger to the cause.

I donated because Candace Owens talks sense, and I am fed up with the LEFT who attack others simply because they have a different point of view to their woke ideas, said Bruce3 Bland, who also donated $10.

Thank you for putting this together for him! I am always happy to help in the name of free speech and to stop this cancel culture we live in today, said Kathy Freihoff, who donated $20.

Since when does wanting to save your business mean youre racist? The agree with me or be ruined mentality has no place in America, said Laura Pair, who donated $10. This country was founded on dissenting opinions. Its what makes us.

Please help support this business. I dont believe in mob rule, said Parthenia Taylor, who donated $100.

Parkside Cafe stayed closed on Friday as the controversy over Dykes comments erupted on social media. Co-owner Bagwell said he wasnt sure if the bar would be open at all this weekend.
One more thing: Mail voting means that even efficient systems can take a long time to get to a final result. Mailed ballots typically count as long as they are postmarked on Election Day. This means votes are still flowing in a week or more after the election. Americans need to be prepared for the possibility that because of mail voting, we may not know the winner until well after election night. Forewarning is the vaccine against the virus of Trumps voter fraud claims.
Gagik Tsarukian, the leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), has demanded that the Armenian government step down, accusing it of mishandling the coronavirus crisis and its socioeconomic consequences.

Pashinian swiftly hit back hard at Tsarukian after he criticized the government in unusually strong terms at a meeting with senior BHK members held on Friday.

I said last year that with this composition and structure [of the government] its impossible to live up to the [peoples] expectations and that if they want to live up to them they must replace 97 percent of [government members,] said Tsarukian. Seeing all these failings now, I can say for certain that not 97 percent but 100 percent of them must be replaced because all spheres have been mismanaged.

We are losing the country, he declared in a speech aired by a TV channel controlled by him. Every day, every hour passes to the detriment of our country and our people.

Tsarukian, whose party has the second largest group in the Armenian parliament, accused Pashinian of failing to deliver on his pledges to carry out an economic revolution that would significantly improve living standards. The BHK leader claimed that Pashinians cabinet consists of mostly inexperienced and incompetent people.

He also slammed the government for failing to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus in the country. In all other countries the pandemic has subsided, whereas in Armenia [the daily number of new coronavirus cases] reaches 400, 500, 600 and 700 day by day, he said. This is the result of fruitless and inefficient work for which people must he held answerable.

Tsarukian went on to call on healthy political groups and individuals concerned about countrys future to join forces and discuss with him ways out of the existing situation. He did not name any potential allies, saying only that he will not cooperate with politicians unacceptable to the people.

Pashinian was quick to react to Tsarukians speech through his spokeswoman, Mane Gevorgian.

I think that Mr. Tsarukian is simply concerned about the course of a number of criminal cases relating to money laundering, vote buying, tax evasion and corruption, Gevorgian wrote on Facebook. If Mr. Tsarukian thinks that his political statements will derail the investigations then its a wrong calculation because in Armenia everyone is equal before the law.

The official suggested that Tsarukian, who is one of the countrys richest men, is also worried about the recent entry into force of a law allowing authorities to confiscate private properties and other assets deemed to have been acquired illegally.

Tsarukians spokeswoman, Iveta Tonoyan, responded by saying that the authorities are thus threatening to prosecute the leader of the largest parliamentary opposition force on fabricated grounds.

Gagik Tsarukian stands by every point of his speech and calls on the authorities to put an end to the political blackmail, said Tonoyan.

The top manager of dozens of companies belonging to Tsarukian, Sedrak Arustamian, was arrested in late April on bribery and money laundering charges denied by him. Arustamian was earlier indicted in two other criminal investigations.

The BHK had joined Pashinians first cabinet formed in May 2018 in the wake of the Velvet Revolution. Pashinian fired his ministers affiliated with BHK in October 2018, accusing Tsarukians party of secretly collaborating with the countrys former leadership.

The BHK finished second in the December 2018 parliamentary elections and won 26 seats in Armenias 132-member parliament.
A protester in front of the burning 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 28, 2020. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

17 People Have Died in Protests, Rioting Following George Floyds Death

Seventeen people have been killed in nationwide protests following the death of George Floydranging in age from 18 to 77, media reports say.

Most of those who died were either current or former law enforcement officers, or just innocent bystanders who got caught in a violent situation.

The oldest casualty was 77-year-old David Dorn, who was shot to death while protecting Lees Pawn Jewelry store in St. Louis from looters on June 2. Dorn had served on the citys police force for 38 years.

President Donald Trump shared Dorns story in a message on Twitter.

Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you! Trump said.

Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/0ouUpoJEQ4  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020

Eighteen-year-old Dorian Murrell was shot dead in Indianapolis on May 31, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Murrell, who was walking around the downtown area after the protests, got into an altercation over a gas canister lying on the ground and was shot dead amid a scuffle.

Also related to the protests include:

Barry Perkins: Perkins, a 29-year-old protester, was run over by a FedEx tractor-trailer in St. Louis on May 30 after two men threatened the tractor-trailer driver with guns. Fearing for his life, the driver began driving while Perkins was stuck on the converter dolly between the two trailers. He died later in the hospital, according to 5 On Your Side.

Italia Kelly: Kelly, 22, was shot to death while she was leaving a protest in Davenport, Iowa, on May 30, reported KCRG. Her family told the media that she was a peaceful protester and got caught up in the violence.

David McAtee: McAtee shot at National Guard soldiers and local police as they fired pepper balls to clear crowds gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, after curfew on June 1. Police returned fire and struck 53-year-old McAtee in the chest. McAtees family said he was protecting his restaurant, Yayas BBQ Shack, amid the chaos, The Associated Press reported.

Statement from Governor Andy Beshear: pic.twitter.com/MyHxcE3Ntn  Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) June 1, 2020

Others who have died include Jorge Gomez (25) in Las Vegas; Marquis M. Tousant (23) in Davenport, Iowa; Calvin L. Horton Jr. (43) in Minneapolis; Chris Beaty (38) in Indianapolis; James Scurlock (22) in Omaha, Nebraska; Victor Cazares (27) in Chicago; federal officer Patrick Underwood (53) in Oakland, California; and photographer Marvin Francois (50) in Kansas City, Missouri.

News website Disrn reported four more deaths that havent been identified yet, one each from Chicago and Detroit, and two from Philadelphia.
Photo credit: Kevork Djansezian - Getty Images

From Delish

Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand will donate $100 million over the next ten years, his manager, Estee Portnoy, confirmed in a statement on Friday.

"Jordan Brand is more than one man. It has always been a family," the statement begins. "We represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination in communities worldwide and that works every day to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice." The statement continues: "The will, the work, the excellence the world has come to know is the result of one generation after another, pouring their dreams into the next. It's 2020, and our family now includes anyone who aspires to our way of life. Yet as much as things have changed, the worst remains the same. Black lives matter. This isn't a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allows our country's institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people."

After George Floyd was killed by a white police officer named Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Jordan posted a statement on his Twitter. "I am deeply saddened, truly pained, and plain angry. I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage, and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. I've had enough," he said, in part.

He also posted this Nike ad calling for change in America and for people to recognize the systemic racism in this country.

"For once, don't do it," the ad reads.

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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

Libyans in the eastern port city of Benghazi watch a televised speech by strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have lost significant ground to a UN recognised government in recent weeks. By Abdullah DOMA (AFP)

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.

Fighters loyal to Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) celebrate on the back of a pickup in Tarhuna, southeast of the capital Tripoli, on June 5 after seizing the town. By Mahmud TURKIA (AFP)

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
Heart surgery gave Patrick Kinsella a new lease on life two years ago.

Staff at St. Marys Hospital even nicknamed the Kitchener man Miracle Guy for his quick recovery.

In December 2018, Kinsella travelled to Nairobi to visit a woman with whom he had been corresponding by email. The two got married and were supposed to start a new life between Canada, Kenya and Ireland, where Kinsella was born and grew up.

But the plan took an abrupt detour after Kinsella, 56, suffered another heart attack in January. A scan in May showed his heart function had been greatly compromised as a result.

I had to pre-arrange my funeral, as no father leaves such to his children, said Kinsella, a retired youth services manager with the Ontario government. Choosing my own casket at the funeral home was a very surreal experience. I recently completed my will and paid off my grave site at St. Agatha cemetery.

I do not expect to see September. I will go any day. My concern is I will never see my wife and (step) son again, he lamented. Our marriage is based on love, and I love her with all my heart.

Kinsella, who has had seven heart attacks since 2011 due to a hereditary heart condition, now hopes immigration officials can grant Mary Atieno Otieno, 32, and his stepson, Ramsey Dickson, 10, temporary residence visas to spend his remaining time with him here.

Hes worried that Ottawa has already denied Otienos application twice  last June and November  to travel with him to Canada because officials feared she would not leave at the end of her visit. She filed yet another application in late May after learning Kinsellas latest heart assessment results.

A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the department was unable to comment on Kinsellas and Otienos case Friday.

Kinsella came to Canada from Ireland in 1988 and retired from the Ontario government after 25 years. In 2014, he began travelling and volunteering for international aid groups before a British friend introduced him to Otieno in Kenya in 2017.

It was love at first sight in our relationship, said Kinsella, whose previous marriage ended in 2011. He has two adult daughters from that marriage.

Otieno said Kinsella was open about his heart condition when they met and she had no fears concerning his condition.

Pat is a great and special man to me. A man with a rare personality. I found a husband in him and a father to my son. He is loving, caring and selfless. His passion for helping the less privileged anywhere in the world says it all, Otieno said.

Love knows no bounds. Terminally ill people may live longer than expected. I have never allowed any negative thoughts about our future. Prayers work wonders.

Kinsella proposed to Otieno, a makeup artist, on Valentines Day last year, and the two married in September. The couple had planned to split their time between Nairobi, Canada and his native Ireland so they never bothered to file a spousal sponsorship to get her permanent residency in Canada.

Kinsella suffered a stroke a year ago while travelling alone in Ireland in April and Irish authorities immediately issued Otieno an emergency visa to visit and look after him. They were in Ireland when she made her first failed attempt to get a visitor visa to escort him to Canada.

After they got married in Kenya, she applied again unsuccessfully for a visa to meet his friends and family here. He went back to Nairobi and spent his Christmas with her but suffered a massive heart attack after his return to Canada in January.

Kinsella said he has a hereditary heart condition that killed his father and two of his five siblings, all before 40.

According to his doctors report on his latest heart scan, in May, Kinsella, who also suffers diabetes, has a history of bypass grafting, stenting and maximal medical therapy through the years. He is currently on more than nine medications and his heart function is just 25 per cent.

Unfortunately, his disease continues to progress despite his medical management, his physician Dr. David Mee wrote in his medical report in May.

His most recent scan (showed) a very poorly functioning heart. I have discussed with Pat his eventual mortality from his heart disease.

Kinsella said he would have stayed in Nairobi with Otieno when he visited her in March, but he was unable to find three of his medications in Kenya. His original plan was to get his prescriptions once in Ireland, but the countrys border was shut down due to the pandemic.

My wife and (step) child have no interest in permanent residence in Canada. Our life plan, please God, is to spend summer here, fall in Ireland and winter in Kenya, said Kinsella, who struggles with chest pains and light-headedness daily.

Mary absolutely has no interest in becoming a landed immigrant here. All we have ever asked for is a compassionate temporary visa.

Canadas border has closed since mid-March due to the pandemic, but foreign family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents are exempt if their travels are considered essential and nondiscretionary.

I worry that Canada might deny us the visas the third time now despite my husbands health situation. I fear that the worst might happen, and I will not be there, Otieno said.
Carl Cartright, an inspector with the Ottawa Police Service, says he hasnt been able to bring himself to watch the entire video of a Minnesota police officer pressing his knee on the neck of an unarmed Black man who later died.

Its very hard not to put yourself in George Floyds position, says Cartright, the son of Haitian immigrants. It could easily have been me.

Even after 26 years in policing, Cartright acknowledges he still wrestles with what he calls a duality in roles, simultaneously trying to fulfil the expectations placed on him by the city and by the Black community.

Im being pulled in both directions, he says.

Its a struggle that has been exacerbated in recent days in the aftermath of Floyds death. Waves of protests across North America have targeted anti-Black racism and police institutions. Polls show huge gaps between white and Black Americans when it comes to their trust in police.

The outcry has spilled over into Canada and intensified following the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, the woman who plummeted from the 24th floor of a Toronto apartment building after police responded to what the family says was a call for help after she became distraught during a family conflict. Her death is under review by Ontarios police watchdog.

Some critics have gone so far as to suggest doing away with the current model of policing under the banner defund the police. No amount of training or diversity hiring will change the recurring pattern of police violence, they say.

Black officers across the country are now stepping out of the shadows and into the fray.

Its sometimes hard being a Black police officer, Arjei Franklin, a constable with the Windsor Police Service, wrote in a recent Facebook post. I feel as though I may be viewed as a sell out in the Black community especially if I dont publicly speak out against the injustice I see in this world dealt by the hand of law enforcement.

At the same time, I worry about not being accepted by my colleagues if I speak out against police brutality.

In an Instagram post, Sebastien Lavoie, an RCMP sergeant major in B.C., asked: What does the way forward look like for those who have chosen a profession perceived by so many as oppressive, abusive and self serving?

Officers who spoke to the Star this week acknowledge they dont have all the answers. They condemn the actions of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer now charged with murder in Floyds death, and empathize with protesters who are yearning for change.

At the same time, they are pushing back against the notion that such incidents are a systemic problem.

I say this wholeheartedly. Ninety-nine per cent of people I work with are good men and women police officers, says Sgt. Ray Wilson, a 20-year veteran with the Edmonton Police Service. Its the low percentage are the ones who make it hard for the rest of us.

Wilson says he was disgusted not only by Chauvins actions but by his fellow officers who stood by and did nothing.

Ive been in situations where Ive let my emotions get the better of me and my partner has stepped in. Thats what I was waiting to see, but those guys didnt do that, he says. You see something thats wrong, youve got to step in.

In the same way the protesters shouldnt be treated the same as the looters, neither should all police officers be lumped in with those who misbehave, says Const. Alex Charles, whos been with the Vancouver Police Department for 15 years.

You can denounce the actions of that officer and still be pro-police. You can denounce the actions of the rioters and the looters and still be pro-protest.

Getting buy-in from the community isnt going to be easy.

Stacy Clarke, an inspector in 14 Division of the Toronto Police Service, says some of the young Black aspiring police officers she has been mentoring are now telling her theyre reconsidering.

Ive got a lot of people that I am currently mentoring backing out, she says. Folks are looking at the profession right now and having second thoughts.

They really want to do this because its the right thing to do, and they feel they can be impactful. They are torn, with their families saying, No, dont do this. 

Clarke says she understands emotions are raw. She, too, was heartbroken after watching the video of the last moments of Floyds life.

I watched an assassination, she says. I watched a murder at the hands of law enforcement, a profession I love and cherish, against a member of my community.

As a Black female officer, mother of two young Black children, I just felt in an instant so much good work literally was wiped out in that moment, so many good partnerships.

Its that work, she says, that led to her become one of five Black women police inspectors across the country and that led to the recent decision by her force to start tracking the race of people who come into contact with Toronto police to try to ferret out any potential systemic racism.

As a Black female, I hear the protests. I see it. Im in pain just as much. But I really do believe we can do better collectively. It cant all be fixed through protest. There needs to be a real push on the inside.

The president of the Association of Black Law Enforcers agrees. Jacqueline Edwards, a manager with the Correctional Service of Canada in Kingston, Ont., says theres still a lot of work that needs to be done to diversify the upper ranks of public safety agencies.

Edwards says when she was involved in recruitment many years ago, she attended a community event in Toronto.

I had a young Black boy  he looked to be 14 or 15  put his hand up. He said to me, Excuse me, Miss. Do you guys hire Black people?  I said, Yes, why? He said, None of your posters have Black people on it. 

His question sent a clear message, she says.

What he was saying to me was, When youre not here and I look at your posters, your brand, if I dont see myself in it Im going to question whether I belong in it. 

Police forces also need to do a better job of connecting with the community, says Edmontons Wilson. Going from call to call and driving away is not enough. There needs to be more of a conversation.

Its an us-and-them mentality, he says. We need to make people realize were approachable.

But even if all these changes happen, will it be enough to mend the broken trust? Just this past week, it was reported that an Ottawa police officer was charged with misconduct after circulating a racist meme.

The meme reportedly shows a collage of the faces of 13 current or former officers, most of whom are racialized. Ottawa Police Service, it says. Were always hiring  anyone.

Cartright says he was overcome with emotion during a meeting with the chief and other senior officers over that meme.

The force is now doing its best to learn from the incident, he says.

Were trying to mend it, not only hold people accountable. How do we use this as an educational piece so it doesnt happen again?

Its unfair to equate a singular incident with an inability to change, he continues.

Saying that disregards the experiences of all racialized police officers, throwing aside all the work, all the efforts.

Cartright says he remembers the callousness shown by a senior officer who recruited him years ago who said, Wow, weve been looking for one like you  and educated, too.

The fact that Im still here, the fact I was able to reach the rank that I am, the fact I now have the ability to serve under a Black chief, tells me that change is occurring.

Veronica Fox, an RCMP sergeant in B.C., says in an email that she thinks her experience as a Black woman has helped her be an empathetic cop.

That experience includes a classmate calling her the N word when she was in Grade 3 or 4. I was shocked. I didnt fight back when he spat in my face; I just took it, she writes.

It happened again in Grade 6. My class was wrapping up a sporting event on the school field and a female classmate called me that ugly word again. I decided to fight back and I called her the worst thing I could think of: freckle face. 

Fox says the teacher ended up reprimanding her, telling her she shouldve just kept silent.

When I decided to become a police officer, for the first time in my life, I came to truly understand what it means to hold power. I was suddenly granted the ability to take away someones liberty and the responsibility to utilize appropriate force. I took this very seriously; I never wanted to forget what it was like to be my former, externally powerless self.

For those young Black people who may be sitting on the fence about pursuing a job as an officer, Const. Kenny Mugisha, who joined the RCMP in Burnaby, B.C., a year ago, has this suggestion: police arent going away. We all have to live and work together. Be part of the solution.

I dont want a young Black kid to be afraid of police forever, he says.

Sure, some people may have called him a sellout after he decided to ditch his job as a personal trainer to become a Mountie.

But he brushed it off.

I want to be on this earth to do good, he says. If someone cant respect my career choices and understand when I put on these boots and this uniform Im going out there to do good, thats their weight to bear.

I know what I stand for.

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At some point in late April, COVID-19 claimed the life of its 58,221st victim in the United States. We do not know the victims name or the exact time of death, but the death was significant: It meant that the coronavirus had claimed more American lives than the entire Vietnam War.

That conflict, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, resulted in the deaths of 58,220 Americans. COVID-19 surpassed that number in less than four months.

Much like the nightly death counts that took place during the Vietnam era, the grim figures of the current crisis can obscure the fact that those who have perished were human beings, mourned by those they leave behind.

As a veteran and historian whose research examines burial rituals, I know that the way Americans memorialize the dead is steeped in traditions that are both social and cultural. COVID-19 is complicating these longstanding traditions.

The virus is also making many people think about their own mortality in ways they have never done before. As Princeton scholar Eddie S. Glaude Jr. recently wrote in the Washington Post, with COVID-19, Americans can no longer banish death to the far reaches of our communities. Instead, Death is at our doorstep.

A ledger for lives

In the war of attrition in Vietnam, the U.S. servicemen and women who lost their lives often became enumerated alongside their peers, relegated to a single numerical point of reference among the tens of thousands who died.

Then as now, newspapers and televised coverage included daily casualty reports as the government released the official numbers from Vietnam. These reports became a standard part of newscasts and developed into the central focus of efforts to combat the war.

The daily summaries helped normalize Vietnam deaths in the minds of Americans. The names of the American war dead were listed in numerical order by the date and time of death. Victory was assessed by the number of casualties inflicted upon the enemy. The daily ledger of all combatants who died on both sides of the conflict was used to suggest that America was winning the war.

As a consequence, quantitative data replaced the faces and names of the lost, dehumanized the war dead and influenced an obsession with raw data over traditional means of assessing progress, such as gaining or losing territory.

And much like today, the numbers became politicized as Americans trust for their leaders began to wane. Many, both then and now, sought alternative measures to account for the dead.

Media portrayals of the Vietnam conflict furthered this dehumanization by depicting the motionless bodies of American dead. Rarely were the names of the those killed in action included alongside these images.

Such media accounts helped to guide how the public processed death during Vietnam.

Death during crisis

The war against COVID-19 has continued these practices, immersing Americans in daily death totals against an enemy not fully understood. Daily counts of the dead, tests conducted and their results, compiled against the backdrop of overall percentages, is seen to determine success against the coronavirus.

Then as now, images of lifeless bodies with no names attached are shown  only now theyre being carted into refrigerated trucks. In addition to the parallels in the way the dead are converted into quantitative data, Vietnam and the pandemic also share similarities in how the deceased are being mourned.

Vietnam veteran Bill Hunt wrote in 1990 that In the end, all wars are about dying. When the dying is about honor, it is somehow OK. But during the Vietnam War, public sensitivity to the number of dead and apathy toward the conflict actually decreased support for what the American public viewed as sunk costs and the loss of 58,220 lives.

Due in large part to this lack of understanding among Americans about what their loved ones were dying for, the casualties of the Vietnam War placed emotional strain on those grieving a lost service member. Deaths from the conflict were often mourned privately and without public celebration.

The same has been true of COVID-19 victims. Due to fear of contagion, families are unable to be present at hospitals during the final days and minutes of their loved ones lives. An overburdened funeral industry and shelter-in-place orders also mean family and friends cannot bury or memorialize their loved ones in traditional ways such as by holding a wake or funeral.

In both the battle against COVID-19 and the Vietnam War, this isolation makes mourning, burial, memorialization and saying goodbye both problematic and private. As a result, reconciling the loss of their loved one is much more arduous and making it harder for those left behind to find closure and process their deaths.

Public remembrance

Eventually, the names of the service members who died in Vietnam adorned the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., acknowledging publicly for the first time the sacrifices of those who died. Having a permanent place of remembrance helped to ease the pain of those untimely deaths.

We do not know if those who perish during the current pandemic will be memorialized in a similar fashion. And sadly, not everyone will receive an obituary in which details of their lives can be read.

It may be that we have to find new ways to reconcile the deaths of those who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19. But to move on, we must acknowledge the men and women who are dying, give them names and faces and publicly honor them, not only for the dead but for the living who continue to mourn.

Shad Thielman is a lecturer in history at California State University San Marcos. This article is from The Conversation, a nonprofit that distributes scholarly findings in accessible form.
Thousands of people took to Toronto streets in separate events to protest anti-black racism and police brutality on Saturday.

The first protest began at Nathan Phillips Square outside city hall and involved a march to Yonge-Dundas Square. The second began later at Trinity Bellwoods Park, a popular park in the city's west end, and involved a march to the Ontario legislature. After speeches at both destinations, the protests continued.

Twanna Lewis, a Toronto resident at Trinity Bellwoods Park, said she was protesting for the first time on Saturday because she felt the need to take a stand for people who are voiceless. She has an 18-year-old black son, cousins, uncles and a brother.

"It's 2020 and we need to be doing better," Lewis told CBC Toronto. "It's a shame that we have to be having this conversation in this day and age, when we think that we have gone so far."

Evan Tsuyoshi Mitsui/CBC

At Nathan Phillips Square, demonstrators chanted, held placards and posters, and listened to speakers. From there, the protesters marched on University Avenue to the U.S. consulate, where they took a knee with police officers

The gesture was in honour of George Floyd, a black man who died 12 days ago, while he was pinned under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis. His death has prompted protests around the world.

"Black Lives Matter," the crowd chanted at one point at Nathan Phillips Square.

People held up signs that read "No Justice No Peace" and "Yes it's here too Ford."

Michael Charles Cole/CBC

Toronto Police Insp. Matt Moyer, who took a knee alongside a protester at the U.S. Consulate, said: "It's just really great to see it in such a peaceful manner. It carries so much weight. The message has always been: 'What you want, we want.'

"I want them to know I'm walking with them and I support their cause and I support exactly what they're doing. And I think the fact that they're showing such a demonstration for change, it's what we want," Moyer said.

Story continues

"These aren't protesters. They are ambassadors of peace. And we want to be part of that ambassador movement. This is a message I take to my family. This is a message I take to my kids. I'm very, very proud and honoured to be a part of this today. Thank you for involving us. This doesn't end today."

Michael Charles Cole/CBC

The crowd then headed along Dundas Avenue West to Yonge-Dundas Square.

Demonstrators at Trinity Bellwoods Park marched from the park through the city to the south lawn of the Ontario legislature. Along the way, they stopped in front of Toronto Police headquarters on College Street, where they also took a knee. They also chanted: "No justice no peace."

Lewis said the racism she has seen in Canada has been more subtle than it has been lately in the U.S.

"It's been very emotional with all the things happening on the news. There's a combination of sadness, of empathy, of rage. And it feels as if it is coming close to home to me. I have never been much of an activist in this kind of way, but I felt it was necessary to do this today," Lewis said.

"I have not had encounters with police that have been negative. But the very subtle, very obscure acts of racism, they cut sometimes even deeper than when it is in your face and very obvious."

Lorenda Reddekopp/CBC

Man arrested after appearing at protest in blackface

A man who appeared at Nathan Phillips Square at the start of the protest wearing blackface was escorted out of the public square by Toronto police officers.

Const. Edward Parks, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, said the man was arrested for allegedly breaching the peace and will be charged.

Update: On Tuesday, the 28-year-old man was charged with causing a disturbance.

Parks noted that Friday's protest, in which thousands of people marched in downtown streets, was peaceful.

"Yesterday, it was a peaceful protest and it was great," Parks said.

CBC Toronto also asked police about a video circulating on social media that shows two police officers gathering rocks and placing them on the street near Queen Street West and University Avenue on the protest route on Friday.

On the video, the person filming what's happening is heard saying: "That's not cleaning up. You are putting rocks there on purpose!"

Parks said that wasn't the case.

"The officers were detailed to check the protest route to ensure that there were any items that could be used for objects to hurt or harm individuals or to destroy property," he said.

"We wanted to ensure that the protesters, onlookers and the officers were safe. So these two special constables were detailed to check the area.

"At such point in time, they located several rocks and those rocks were put into a pile, at which time a phone call would be made to our city works department to have those rocks in turn picked up from the area."

The video continues to show the officers, who are on bicycles, and the man who questioned them putting the rocks in a trash can, and bystanders are enlisted to help. During the exchange, police said city workers were supposed to pick the rocks up.

City spokesperson Brad Ross said the city received reports from 311 of bricks and rocks being left on streets and staff went to pick them up. "At most locations, materials were found to be related to nearby construction sites," Ross said.

Evan Tsuyoshi Mitsui/CBC

Black Lives Matter, an advocacy group, said in a tweet that it is not involved in the organizing of the protests and marches this weekend.

Protests have prompted city to focus on racism, mayor says

Earlier on Saturday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said recent protests in the city have helped to focus the city's attention on the problem of anti-black racism.

Michael Charles Cole/CBC

Tory told reporters that the city is aware that it has to take "practical, concrete" measures to improve the lives of black people in Toronto.

"Step by step, issue by issue, measure by measure, we are going to deal with an issue that took a long time  really, it has bedevilled us forever  but to fix it is going to take time. But I think we have to reinforce our determination to do that through concrete actions," Tory said.

"The protests we've seen, which thank goodness have been peaceful, have helped us in that regard, because it has focused our attention on something we have to focus on every single day especially in this city."

Asked if he would go to the one of the protests, Tory said: "I haven't ruled out attending and I certainly would be quite prepared to take a knee."

On Friday, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders took a knee with protesters and held up a fist in solidarity to show his respect for the cause that they represent.

Tory noted that the city created a Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit to acknowledge that such racism exists in the city, affecting the lives of thousands of people, and to develop solutions to eradicate it.

Eaton Centre closed, stores boarded up downtown

Toronto's Eaton Centre, meanwhile, said it is closed Saturday and Sunday as a "number of large gatherings" are planned in the city this weekend. The shopping mall said it will reopen on Monday.

"Thank you for your understanding, cooperation and please stay safe," the Eaton Centre said in a message on its website.

Retail stores on sections of Bloor and Yonge streets, as well as around the Eaton Centre at Yonge and Dundas streets, had fixed boards in place around their buildings in advance of the protests.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the virtual rallies being organised by the BJP were to bring the country together in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is not an election rally. This is a virtual rally to boost the morale of the public against the Covid-19 pandemic, he said during the Bihar Jansamvad rally. I want to salute the crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the virus by risking their lives. Health workers, police personnel and others, I want to acknowledge their contribution.

But it was clear that the former BJP national president had sounded the bugle for assembly election later this year in Bihar where the JD (U), BJP and the LJP run an alliance government.

Shah went on to list the achievements of both the central and Bihar government, attacked the opposition in the state and touched upon the touchy issue of the return of migrants.

The elections are there. I have full faith that the people of the state will vote Nitish Kumar to power with a two-third majority and help form the government again, said Shah, after he had spelt out statistics of work done in the state.

Shah defended Centres handling of the migrant crisis during the lockdown. I appeal to all people who returned from their workplace that keep yourself aloof from those elements who are out to misguide you, he said and saluted their contribution in nation building.

The country respects you. Everybody knows that developed states and development in the country would not have been possible without your sweat. Yours have been an important contribution in the development of the nation. However, those misguiding you, dont know your value, he said in an obvious reference to appease close to 21 lakh migrants who returned to Bihar during the lockdown.

There were certain disturbing pictures during the course of their return that gave us pain, but the Centre gave Rs 1,100 crore for their food, we transported 1.25 crore people to their respective state, besides providing Rs 11,020 crore package for the poor by way of different schemes and foodgrains worth Rs 6,000 crore. What did you do? Where were you, Delhi or Bihar,? he asked taking a swipe at leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who early in the morning beat utensils in protest against the virtual rally.

Some people welcomed our todays virtual rally by clanging thalis. I am glad they finally heard PM Modis appeal to show gratitude towards those fighting Covid-19, he said.

Bihars Covid-19 tally rose to 4,972 on Sunday with 141 new cases. There have been 30 casualties in the state so far.

Shah praised the duo of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi for leaving no stone unturned to extend relief to the migrants.

Bihar government didnt hesitate in providing relief. The state government had so far spent Rs 8,538 crore during in providing relief during the current corona crisis. Most of the people who returned by special trains were quarantined for 14 days. The government spent Rs 5,300 per person at a quarantine centre, the former BJP president said and explained how the Centre spent its Rs 1.25 lakh crore package to the state announced by PM Narendra Modi before 2105 assembly polls.

PM Modi had announced that the development of the country cannot be complete without progress in eastern states and it is his commitment that several projects in different sectors are underway in Bihar as well.

Bihar has moved forward under Nitish-Sushil Modi at a growth rate of 11.30 %, from a budget outlay of Rs 2,300 crore during RJD to a budget outlay of Rs 2.11 lakh crore under Nitish-Modi, from a reach of power to only 22% households to 100%, from 34% roads to 96% roads and from a negative industrial growth rate to a 17% industrial growth rate and from strong arm to a politics of development. We have moved away from lantern age to LED age, he said.

Shah also said that several crucial issues which no earlier government had dared to touch in 70 years were resolved in the first year of the Modi governments second term as he referred to the controversial citizenship amendment law, the abolition of triple talaaq and the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels is the main church of the largest archdiocese in the country, able to seat 3,000 people.

But the pandemic has forced the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to overhaul how it ministers to its five million person flock.

The angular, cavernous cathedral rising above the 101 Freeway reopened Sunday with a self-imposed limit of 100 congregants per mass. Attendees were seated six feet apart, and every other pew was left empty.

The ritual of taking Communion had been deconstructed. Both the parishioner and priest extend their arms as far as they can to exchange the Eucharist. The parishioner then walks to a spot about 12 feet away marked with an "X," and consumes the Eucharist there. Only the "body of Christ," not the "blood," or wine, is being offered.

Every other pew is left empty. Households can sit together but be 6 ft apart from others.



To take communion you extend your arms as much as possible, the priest would do the same. You would then walk 12 ft to the side, pull down your mask and consume the Eucharist there. pic.twitter.com/EmOuhHf6EI  Josie Huang (@josie_huang) June 7, 2020

Elayne Gonzalez, a homemaker from East L.A., brought her two daughters, ages 11 and 18, to the cathedral because her own parish allows only 15 people at a time under the new reopening rules.

She said it was uncomfortable to sit with a mask on for almost an entire hour, but it was a small price to pay to be in church, especially during a pandemic and ongoing protests throughout the region.

Arriving parishioners are given squirts of sanitizers at the entrance to the cathedral, then escorted to their seats. When mass ends, all the pews and bathrooms are sanitized. Takes almost an hour. pic.twitter.com/rpqwVUSw7v  Josie Huang (@josie_huang) June 7, 2020

"I really feel that the world's in an ugly place right now," said Gonzalez, her eyes welling up. "And I feel that when you come here, you feel close to God and you know that he can lift everything up, and through Him all things are possible."

Gonzalez said she felt very safe because of the precautions the Archdiocese was taking against COVID-19. They also include:

Before you enter, volunteers ask if you've had a fever

You're required to wear face coverings

Pews are marked with numbers

If you later get sick, you're asked to contact the archdiocese with your seat number

Parishioners are given hand sanitizer before entering the sanctuary

Pews, bathrooms and high-contact surfaces are sanitized between services

"It's different," Gonzalez said, "but if there's measures that we have to do in order to keep everybody safe, I'm okay with that."

The Archdiocese had planned to reopen the cathedral on Wednesday, but waited several days because of the protests that have been taking place downtown.

Father David Gallardo said he was just as excited as his parishioners to have in-person services.

"After two-and-a-half months of being in this massive Cathedral with just a camera, it's so good to actually see faces sitting in those pews," Gallardo said. "It's been moving for me just to see a number of our parishioners' tears, especially as they received the body of Christ."

Father David Gallardo said he was just as excited as parishioners for the cathedral to reopen. (Josie Huang/LAIst)

When Joi Cornel heard on Sunday morning that the cathedral was reopening, she got in her car and rushed downtown.

The Los Angeles bookkeeper showed up about 10 minutes before the 10 a.m. English mass, but it was already too late. The cathedral had already hit its 100-person limit.

Turned away, Cornel mustered a smile, talking about how she had virtually traveled the world during the pandemic, having watched streamed masses in Rome and her native Philippines. But nothing was the same as sitting in the pews, and taking communion from her priest.

"It gives me strength, like spiritually," said Cornel, growing teary. "And it's food for my soul."
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Ivanka Trump complains of 'cancel culture' after university cancels her speech Ivanka Trump has hit out at "cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination" after plans for her to give a virtual commencement speech to students in Kansas were canceled amid criticism of Donald Trump's response to anti-police brutality protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

A legit debate exists here about the benefits of an open discourse and the free exchange of ideas . . . Here's the "first daughter" sharing her thoughts about progressive politics in the Sunflower State. Checkit:
Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 171,206: Africa CDC

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/6/6 1:24:24

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.

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Prince Philip is presently, the longest-serving royal consort in the entire British history. He's going to turn 99 next week while still quarantining with the Queen. While naturally people wish he could live as long as possible, his life can possibly still transform at his age if and when he outlives the Queen.

If Queen Elizabeth dies, his role as the eldest royal, will somehow change. What direction it would take however, depends on Prince Charles. His rank will not change according to Marlene Koenig, a royal historian, but everything else could.

One can only check history to know that something will certainly change. Looking back, when George VI passed away, Queen Elizabeth was directly given the position of Queen Mother. However, there is no equivalent King Father position since he is not a king but a prince.

One thing that can certainly change is the precedence of the Royal Family. Although he already left the public eye back in 2017 as he retired, Philip is currently in front of his son Prince Charles. Charles is the heir to the throne and his father surviving his mother will not going to change that.

Upon Queen Elizabeth's death, Charles would still be the one inhering the crown. He then would have to decide what to do with his father, which can be quite tricky. It involves choosing Prince Philip his father and Prince William, his son.

"As for Philip's precedence, he currently sits directly before Prince Charles, but as Charles takes the throne, he will have to make a choice if his father will be before Prince William." That is a hard decision indeed, one that could potentially hurt someone - whether his own father or his own son!

According to Koenig, it is quite unimaginable that he would be uprooted. Instead, the higher possibility is that he would stay at Sandringham. Koenig also claimed that it would be impossible for him to be sent to a senior home in Surbiton.

Presently though, Philip is already spending the duration of the duration of the COVID-19 crisis in Windsor Castle.

Prince Philip can very well outlive the Queen, even if he is older and Elizabeth is as strong as ever. This is because he is quite determined to make it beyond 95, as his friends alleged.

According to his friends, Philip once joked that the reason why he and Queen Elizabeth are still living is because they do not want Prince Charles at the throne. At the time, he joked that the Queen can live for 10 years more. Now that four years have passed, he could be right, after all. "Charles would have little opportunity to damage the monarchy if he was king for only a brief period," he even said.

Philip has served well, prior to his retirement. He was able to complete a total of 22,219 solo duties ever since Queen Elizabeth took on the throne. If Queen Elizabeth dies ahead of him, he can even still see his life transform.

READ MORE: Camilla Gives Prince Charles Ultimatum To Take Over The Throne -- Be King Or Lose Me!
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Intelligence reports say one member of the invading forces was killed in action on June 6.

Russian-occupation forces in Donbas 13 times violated the ceasefire over the past 24 hours.

As a result of enemy shelling, four Ukrainian troops were wounded and another one was injured, according to the morning update by the Joint Forces Operation Command.

The enemy engaged Ukrainian positions with 120 mm mortars, anti-tank missile systems, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Having returned fire, Ukrainian troops forced the enemy to cease attacks.

According to intelligence, on June 6, Ukrainian defenders destroyed one invader.

Read alsoDaredevil activists go for pro-Ukrainian stunt in occupied Donbas (Photo)

From day-start on Sunday, Russian occupation forces opened fire on JFO strongholds near Luhanske, employing heavy machine guns.

Such insidious actions did not go unanswered as the Ukrainian units resolutely suppressed the attack, using standard weapons that are not proscribed by Minsk agreements.

JFO Command reported no losses among Ukrainian defenders since midnight.
It was discreetly referred to as Operation Overlord - the final push into Fortress Europe through the inflexible sea wall, built by the Nazi overlords, just a spare few miles from the free shores of Great Britain, where the entire United States Expeditionary Force was congregated awaiting deployment. Later it would de revered as D-Day - the "longestday," when Allied forces grasped a toehold on the beaches of Normandy in the Nazi occupied nation of France, and Vishay France to the south of the landing zone.It was the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The Allied forces: United States and Great Britain, and in lesser numbers; Canada, Norway, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands and Free France stormed the beaches of Normandy and unleashed the maelstrom of Allied might that within 11 months crushed the spine of the German Wehrmacht's western front.The combined Allied forces stormed the Normandy beaches, divided into four sectors: Gold, Juno, Sword and Utah, with the fifth sector, Omaha Beach, just the American soldiers. It was the bloodiest fighting of the day, with the Americans suffering nearly 5,000 casualtiesout of the overwhelming force of 50,000 brave soldiers that withstood the withering fire from entrenched Wehrmacht positions high above the sand and foam, stained to a scarlet hue from the blood of these bravest and best of all Americans, anywhere, that drew breath that June morning.The fighting from as much as 30 miles deep behind the Nazi sea wall, some of it quite heavy, was left to the well-trained young men of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions, who airdropped amidst hellacious anti-aircraft fire from below in the pitch black of that near moonless eve of that infamous Longest Day.It was a day long, exhaustive fight, whereby the Allied forces made their way ashore on the continent of Europe's mainland. It was also a day that must always be remembered for the ultimate sacrifice that so many young men so willingly gave, and by their supreme effort, preserved our freedoms that we still enjoy today. Should we ever forget their selfless sacrifice, we, as a free American people, do no longer deserve that gift of freedom that is continued by their unwavering courage that fateful day.I close with this poignant message from the Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight Eisenhower, delivered as these young American soldiers braved the hell that was Omaha Beach:
Barely two months after two officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) were killed by unknown gunmen, another officer was on Saturday killed in Rivers State by suspected oil thieves.

A statement released by the security agencys spokesperson, Ekunola Gbenga, on Sunday, said Godwin Mbula, a chief corps assistant, was killed early Saturday at Shell Manifold located at Gio, Rivers State.

Rivers, an oil-rich state in the Niger Delta region, has a long history of oil bunkering and clashes between vandals and security operatives.

The statement said the gunmen, suspected to be oil bunkerers (thieves), went to the manifold known as Gio to siphon oil, but were resisted by the NSCDC men guiding the manifold.

A massive manhunt for the perpetrators of the dastardly act has been ordered by the corps boss, Abdullahi Gana, the statement said.

The commandant general said the nation is facing challenges with unrepentant vandals, adding that the Corps was also giving them sleepless time to reduce to the lowest minimum nefarious activities of vandals across the nation.

The killing, which was said to have been perpetrated at about 3 a.m. Saturday, is the third the corps will announce since April.

Earlier in April, the duo of Joseph Ochogwu and Abeeka Abeeka were murdered by suspected gun-wielding herdsmen in Benue State, according to a statement by the agency at the time.

But Mr Gana maintained that despite the attacks on our officers on a daily basis, we have vowed to bring an end to oil theft, bunkering activities and attack on all government critical infrastructures in the country.

He charged NCDC officers to ensure effective intelligence sharing with sister agencies, while also urging Nigerians to support the government and security agencies to make the country safer.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As New York City prepares to enter Phase 1 on Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there would be 35,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests performed each day across the five boroughs to closely monitor the citys reopening.

New York City has met all the metrics, Cuomo said during his daily press briefing Sunday. We are going to open New York City tomorrow for Phase 1. Period. That will happen. When we begin Phase 1 in New York City, remember New York City had the highest number of cases. New York City has the highest density.

With protests over George Floyds death in police custody attracting tens of thousands of demonstrators in New York City, Cuomo added there are concerns that those protests may have increased the spread of the virus.

The governor said Sunday that it can take up to seven days to learn if a protest spread the coronavirus.

Were going to do 35,000 tests per day just in New York City, he said. So well watch it on a daily basis to find out exactly what is happening.

Cuomo added that the state is adding 15 designated COVID-19 testing sites for people who were at the protests.

Were going to increase the number of testing sites in New York. Im going to ask again if you were at a protest, I understand your point, Im with you, he said. We also have this situation with the coronavirus. Act responsibly, get a test. Were going to open 15 sites that are dedicated just to protesters to get a test. So you can get it on an expeditious basis. But please get a test.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS

Cuomo gave an update on coronavirus metrics. Forty-five people died of the virus Saturday, slightly higher than the 35 people who died Friday.

New York performed 60,435 COVID-19 tests Saturday -- with only 781 of those coming back positive. Cuomo said this means that only 1% of people tested for the coronavirus Saturday were positive.

Yesterday New York did 60,435 COVID tests.



Only 781 of the tests were positive  about 1%.



Thats very good news.  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 7, 2020

LANDMARKS TO BE LIT IN GOLD AND BLUE

As New York continues to bend the curve, the governor said New Yorkers should be proud of their accomplishments. Landmarks across the state will be lit in blue and gold for New York Tough on Sunday night, including One World Trade Center, Grand Central Terminal Bridge, Rockefeller Center and Niagra Falls, among others.

30 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: The gradual return to normalcy

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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.
EDWARDSVILLE  While foot traffic is still slower than normal, the court system in Edwardsville appears to be ramping up, according to officials from various departments who spoke at the Madison County Boards Judiciary Committee meeting Friday morning.

The courts opened up again on June 1 after being closed for everything except emergency business. Although jury trials are not expected to start for some time, most of the other functions are ramping up.

On May 28 Chief Circuit Judge Bill Mudge issued his most recent judicial order reopening the courthouse. We do have restrictions in place, the face coverings, the capacity restrictions, he said.

He also noted they have been able to clear 400 to 500 cases by working remotely. Mudge added he expects there will be hiccups but they will be addressed.

Deputy Madison County Circuit Clerk Dina Burch said all the employees in that office are back to work, and they are working with Mudge on guidelines to keep workers and visitors safe.

Were doing some things to eliminate as much traffic as possible, she said.

One possibility is the use of Zoom meetings for Traffic Court, which is set to resume on June 15. While that courtroom has been set up to promote social distancing, it normally sees one of the higher volumes of cases.

Time will tell, and well know more June 15, Burch said.

Both Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons and Public Defender John Rekowski said they are seeing an increase in felony cases. Rekowski said he still expects a tsunami of felony cases in about a month.

There are a lot of unserved warrants out there, and Im sure there are a lot of low-level felonys sitting on a detectives desk, he said.

He also said the current restrictions are causing delays.

Practicing law is terribly inefficient when youre not doing it in person, he said. But were still functioning and were still seeing cases.

Gibbons said he was looking at felony case filings over the last few months, and there was a large drop from February to March.

Gibbons said there were 82 cases filed the last week of January, 93 during the same period in February, then only six in March. That increased to 35 in April and 43 in May.

Its slowly picking back up, he said.

After Fridays meeting, Gibbons said one of the reasons the caseload has slowed was because conducting investigations was more difficult under the pandemic regulations. As those ease, police will be able to become more proactive rather than reactive, he said.

Numbers at the Madison County Jail are also creeping up. On Friday there were 238 inmates, including 21 in Alton, according to Chief Deputy Sheriff Maj. John Connor. There also are 22 jail residents awaiting transfer to the Illinois Department of Corrections, he said.

They (IDOC) will not take any inmates, Connor said, adding the earliest the transfers could be made are late June.
Private military contractor Wagner Group is conducting the hiring with Russian army supervision, opposition sources say.

A Russian drive to recruit Syrians to fight in Libya for renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar accelerated in May when hundreds of mercenaries were signed up, five Syrian opposition sources and a regional source familiar with the matter said.

Private military contractor the Wagner Group is conducting the hiring with Russian army supervision, according to two senior Syrian opposition sources and the regional source. A former Wagner Group member said it first sent Syrians to Libya in 2019.

The Russian Defence Ministry and the Wagner group did not respond to questions from Reuters.

Turkey, meanwhile, says it is providing military support to the other side of the conflict, the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in February that fighters from the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army were in Libya, as well as Turkeys own military.

Russia has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, helping him crush the rebellion at home. Moscows involvement in Libya is an extension of its ambition to project influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, some experts say.

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have also lent support to Haftar because they suspect the GNA of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group they strongly oppose.

Turkey, on the other hand, has made deals with the GNA over maritime borders and wants to protect its interests in the region.

Echoes of Syria

The involvement of Russia and Turkey on opposite sides of the Libyan conflict has echoes of the war in Syria, where they have also backed warring parties. It also risks exacerbating the conflict, experts have warned.

Russia and Turkey are both escalating their firepower and force numbers in Libya, where Europe has been caught on its heels, said Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.

Russia has tried to match Turkeys effort to send Syrian mercenaries, but with mixed results.

Wagner has up to 1,200 people deployed in Libya, according to a confidential UN report seen by Reuters in May. The Russian state has denied having forces in Libya.

When asked in January if the Wagner Group was fighting in Libya, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if there were Russians in Libya, they were not representing the Russian state, nor were they paid by the state.





A spokesman for Haftars Libyan National Army denied it had recruited Syrian fighters. It has repeatedly highlighted the presence of Syrians fighting alongside its enemy.

US officials said on May 7 they believed Russia was working with al-Assad to transfer fighters and equipment to Libya.

The Syrian governments information ministry did not respond to questions sent via email.

Haftars adversary, the GNA, has been supplied with drones, air defences and advisers from Turkey.

GNA deputy defence minister Saleh Namroush said its request for military support was in response to what he called international meddling in Libya.

Turkey is the only country that was willing to help us end the widescale civilian killing and destruction by the UAE, Russia and others, he said.

Pace of hiring increases

New recruits to the Russian effort in support of Haftar included 300 from the Homs area, among them former Free Syrian Army fighters, according to one of the two senior opposition sources, and some 320 from the southwest, a third source said.

The pace of hiring increased as Libyas fighting intensified and the war in Syria died down, the regional source said.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reports on the Syrian conflict using a network of sources on the ground, more than 900 Syrians were recruited by Russia to fight in Libya in May.

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The fighters are trained at a base in Homs before going to Libya, according to the sources, who cited salaries ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 a month.

The movement of fighters into Libya violates a UN arms embargo and the UNs acting Libya envoy on May 19 urged the Security Council to stop a massive influx of weaponry, equipment and mercenaries.

Many former Syrian rebels stayed behind in areas recovered by Damascus and its Russian allies, signing agreements that required them to pledge loyalty to the state. But their lives remain tightly restricted and monitored by the authorities.

Since 2014, Libya has been split between areas controlled by the Tripoli government and territory held by Haftars eastern-based forces in Benghazi.

Haftar is supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, according to UN experts and some security sources. The countries deny direct involvement in the conflict.

Despite this backing, forces loyal to the GNA captured Haftars last major stronghold near Tripoli on Friday, capping the sudden collapse of his 14-month offensive on the capital.

On Thursday, Erdogan vowed to ramp up Turkeys support for its ally in Libya to lock in the gains. On Saturday, Haftar was in Egypt, where President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced a new peace plan.

The retreat, reversing many of Haftars gains from last year, extends the GNAs control of most of northwest Libya.

Haftar and allied groups still control the east and much of the south, as well as most of Libyas oil fields, however.


The coronavirus crisis may have halted classes at many colleges and universities when their campuses closed earlier this year. But that is not the only problem the virus has created for the higher education community worldwide.

In addition to study programs, there is other important work taking place at these schools: academic research. Even with some institutions now re-opening, their laboratories and the people who work in them may face restrictions on research.

Suzanne Ortega is president of the Council of Graduate Schools, a not-for-profit group based in the United States. The council provides support to graduate school education and research projects.

Ortega told VOA that just like for everyone else, the sudden, unexpected spread of the coronavirus came as a shock to U.S. academic institutions. Luckily, many schools have been developing crisis communication and risk management plans for years. Some acted quickly, deciding not just to send students home and move classes online. They also decided which research projects to continue and which ones could be delayed.

What happened at the institutional level really trickled down to the lab and the departmental level, said Ortega.



The government agencies responsible for financing most academic research in the U.S. also announced action. The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation extended time limits for when researchers need to show the results of their ongoing projects. The NIH and NSF, as the two agencies are known, also advised researchers on what to do in this situation.

Some academics even decided to take their animal subjects home to care for them while campus laboratories are closed.

Wendy Streitz argues there is no denying that the coronavirus crisis will create barriers for ongoing scientific exploration. She is president of the Council on Government Relations, a group representing 190 research-heavy colleges and universities in the United States.

Delays in research can affect study findings, especially when materials must be observed continuously or have limits on their use. And travel restrictions make it unclear when field researchers studying animals or conditions in nature, for example, will get back to work.

But as concerns about the effect of the coronavirus on the world economy turn into reality, there is also the financial question, Streitz says. The NIH and NSF are working to ensure that projects stay funded. But in Britain, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support expect to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in donations this year. The two groups are among the countrys biggest private fundraisers for cancer research.

The research isnt getting done while people are idle. And when people get back to work  theres no guarantee that the governments going to be able to come up with the funds necessary to finish the research. So I think, in the long term, we are going to see research projects that cant finish, Streitz noted.



Another concern is over what effect this might have on researchers, especially those now taking the first steps in their scientific careers, says Joanne Carney. She is the chief government relations officer at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Delays in research mean delays in meeting graduation requirements, she says. Also, delays of conferences and large meetings mean the new scientists will miss out on chances to meet others working in their fields.

Carney says this might limit the ability of these men and women to advance in their careers. So could decisions by many institutions to temporarily suspend efforts to fill open positions. In fact, Australias chief scientist has warned that the countrys universities may lose as many as 7,000 research positions within the next several months.

Travel restrictions have also limited the flow of international students, who represent many of the graduate student researchers in the U.S. and overseas.

Yet Carney suggests there may be some good news to come out of this. She says active university laboratories are sharing equipment and their findings like never before. And many researchers who were studying other diseases are now lending their knowledge to the fight against the coronavirus.

This  scientific knowledge that we are building every single day is going to continue to guide us and contribute to public health for decades to come, said Carney.

Im Pete Musto.

Pete Musto reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

Quiz - How the Coronavirus Affects Research at Colleges Worldwide Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz



_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

campus(es)  n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

graduate  adj. of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree

management  n. the act or process of controlling and dealing with something

trickle(d) down  p.v. to spread from the upper levels of a society or organization to the lower levels

fund(ed)  v. to provide money for something

idle  adj. not working, active, or being used

advance  v. to make progress

contribute  v. to give something, such as money, goods, or time, to help a person, group, cause, or organization

decade(s)  n. a period of 10 years
It must be said plainly and repetitively, so that no one can miss the significance of this historic moment for the United States and its allies, who depend on its leadership.

The continued U.S. ability and credibility to lead rests on how effectively the country manages and learns from the triple shock of 2020: the worst global pandemic in a century, the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression and now the most extensive racial upheavals in fifty years.

Yet it may be the third of those challenges that proves to be most difficult, decisive and differentiating, preceded by centuries of history but triggered by police officer Derek Chauvin's gruesome killing of George Floyd on the night of May 25 in Minneapolis.

That is because in a world where most countries share the global challenge of Covid-19 and recession, the nature of this racial drama is singular to the United States as "the only modern nation that had slavery in its midst from the very beginning," writes Harvard sociologist Orlando Patterson in this weekend's Wall Street Journal.

It's also due to the timing of these upheavals, coming in such a divisive electoral year and at a moment of escalating major power competition with China. That has left many in the world viewing this period as a litmus test of the United States' rare set of founding principles that enshrine the notion that all human beings are created equal and endowed by God with inalienable rights.

Even as peaceful anti-racism protests expanded through the United States for the twelfth successive day on Saturday, demonstrations as well in countless cities around the world underscored the collective understanding of the significance of this moment. The protests stretched from South America to Africa, from Europe to Southeast Asia and from Mexico to Canada.

From its beginnings through the Civil War, through the civil rights revolution and until today, the United States' delivery on its founding principles has been imperfect. What has inspired the world despite that has been the U.S.'s ability to self-correct and improve.

"Our country has a birth defect," wrote Condoleezza Rice this week in The Washington Post as the first and only African American woman to serve as Secretary of State. "Africans and Europeans came to this country together  but one group was in chains. In time, the very Constitution that counted slaves as three-fifths of a man became a powerful tool in affording the descendants of slaves their basic rights. That work has been long and difficult, but it has made a difference. We are better than we were."

The question now is whether the United States can become better yet? The answer will have global consequences.

As I wrote in a public letter this week, "We can bring the free world together most effectively if we act to become more exemplary in our own behaviorIf the United States is to have credibility in leading like-minded countries against the metastasizing cancers of nationalism and authoritarianism, it must remain true to best founding principles."

As Lincoln said in December of 1862, one month before signing the Emancipation Proclamation, "We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope on earth."

The underpinnings of American foreign policy always have been the effectiveness of its democratic institutions and the global attractiveness of its democratic values. Both are now being tested.

Americans will be unable to shape the international order if they fail in addressing their national disorder characterized by problems that range from systemic racism to political polarization and from failing infrastructure to insufficient international engagement.

The killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, was horrifying, but much of what has followed suggests that the United States is rediscovering what President Lincoln, in his first inaugural address, called "the better angels of our nature."

Most remarkable have been the large and diverse crowds of peaceful protesters that have demonstrated against racism in the United States and across the world.

"I know enough about that history to say, there is something different here," Obama said this week, comparing the situation to the 1960s. "You look at those protests, and that was a far more representative cross-section of America out on the streets, peacefully protesting, who felt moved to do something because of the injustices that they have seen. That didn't exist back in the 1960s, that kind of broad coalition."

Perhaps this week's greatest accomplishment is what didn't happen. President Trump didn't invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would have allowed him to bring large numbers of military troops to the streets in a law enforcement capacity.

Secretary Mark Esper told a Pentagon press conference he wouldn't support such a move, and a storm of opposition from former military and defense leaders supported his position.

That followed the forced dispersal last Monday evening of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square to make way for President Trump's walk from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church, alongside his defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to be photographed holding the Bible.

That prompted Jim Mattis, a retired Marine general and President Trump's former defense secretary, and Mike Mullen, retired admiral and 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs to break their silence in criticizing their commander-in-chief. Some 89 former defense officials joined the chorus this weekend against the use of active-duty military without the consent of local mayors or governors.

"I have to date been reticent to speak out on issues surrounding President Trump's leadership," explained Mullen in the Atlantic, "but we are at an inflection point, and the events of the past few weeks have made it impossible to remain silent."

Beyond breaking silence, American communities, workplaces and media are awash with ideas about how to ensure this moment brings real results.

Perhaps the most lasting change could come through a rebellion of individual acts.

"Let us talk with, not at, each other  in our homes, schools, workplaces and places of worship," suggested former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "As united Americans, we can then turn our fears into faith, hope, compassion and action. And then we can accept and carry out our shared responsibility to build 'a more perfect union.'"

"What will you do?" she asks all Americans, before making her own personal commitment to expanding educational opportunity "as a partial shield against prejudice."

If enough others join her, Americans have a shot at proving Martin Luther King right that the long arc of the moral universe once again "bends toward justice."

Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, prize-winning journalist and president & CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of the United States' most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor and as the longest-serving editor of the paper's European edition. His latest book  "Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth"  was a New York Times best-seller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his look each Saturday at the past week's top stories and trends.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
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...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Former Department of Information and Communications Technology undersecretary Eliseo Rio said that he was eased out of his post after pointing out the limitations of government-backed contact tracing app StaySafe.ph.

Rio said in a lengthy Facebook post on Sunday that he had been in talks with COVID-19 response chief implementor Carlito Galvez Jr. to persuade the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to take a look at other contact tracing applications.

We actually need more players in the common interest of providing the contact tracing; to be inclusive rather than exclusive, Rio said.

He said Galvez had proposed to the IATF for the National Task Force against COVID-19 to form an Information System Task Group which would assess COVID-19 contact tracing apps, among other things. The proposed task group would have been headed by Rio.

However, Rio said the IATF shelved Galvezs proposal.

Not only was this proposal of Secretary Galvez disregarded by IATF, I was eased out from the government at this crucial time with the President accepting my four-month old resignation, Rio said.

Rio resigned from his post as undersecretary for operations in February, due to conflicting views with other officials in the agency, including the millions of pesos in confidential funds lodged with the DICT.

His resignation, however, was only accepted in May. When asked by CNN Philippines why President Rodrigo Duterte only accepted his resignation then, he laughingly replied, "I don't know nga, baka may nakabangga ako?"

[Translation: I don't know why, maybe I clashed with someone?]

StaySafe.ph limited?

The IATF adopted StaySafe.ph as the countrys official social-distancing, health-condition-reporting, and contact-tracing system that will assist in the governments response to COVID-19.

It was designed to help medical frontliners, local government units, private companies, as well as the national government, to monitor the health condition of residents and conduct more efficient contact tracing.

But Rio said StaySafe.ph, developed for free by software solutions company MultiSys, fails as a contact tracing app.

It just generates a database of cell phone numbers with their location, useful for surveillance purposes of people who reported themselves with symptoms, but of little value to people who report themselves as healthy, he said.

He also said that the app will work on phones that use at least 3G and only in areas with mobile internet connectivity.

He added that for contact tracing through mobile phones to work, at least 60 percent of all subscribers, or around 70 million, should be using the app. As of writing, only 1,043,155 users have a registered account with StaySafe.ph.

He said there should be more than just one app for contact tracing in the Philippines, so more subscribers could be included, especially those who are still using 2G phones or do not have access to the internet.

It must be a combination of manual contact tracing, and various apps now available that can be used even with 2G phones, Rio explained.

On Sunday, the Philippines reached a grim milestone as the death toll due to COVID-19 topped 1,000. Coronavirus cases in the country rose to 21,895, while recoveries rose to 4,530.
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LAS CRUCES  Prosecutors in southern New Mexico say a Las Cruces police officer is facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a man who led police on a chase.

Third Judicial District Attorney Mark DAntonio said Friday that his office was filing the charge against officer Christopher Smelser for the Feb. 29 death of Antonio Valenzuela, 40, who had a parole violation warrant against him when he ran from officers following a traffic stop. It was not clear whether Smelser had an attorney.

Authorities have said that police gave chase after Valenzuela ran. They twice used their Tasers but say Valenzuela continued struggling to get away. At one point, Smelser restrained Valenzuela by the neck to gain control. He became unresponsive and paramedics were unable to revive him.

After reviewing the autopsy report, Police Chief Patrick Gallagher said Friday it was in the best interest of the department and the community to relieve Smelser of his duties and issued a letter of intent to terminate the officers employment. A four-year veteran with the department, Smelser has been on administrative leave since Feb. 29 pending the outcome of the autopsy report.

Words are insufficient to bring comfort to Antonio Valenzuelas family, but I extend my sincere condolences for their loss, the chief said. 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.

After Valenzuelas death, the Las Cruces Police Department said, it began prohibiting the use of neck restraints during apprehensions.

New Mexico State Police and a regional task force investigated Valenzuelas death, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

According to the autopsy report, Valenzuela had 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 Adams apple was crushed and his ribs were fractured. There also was swelling in his brain.

The report says methamphetamine played a role in his death, explaining that the presence of the drug can cause a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure and an increased demand for oxygen. The meth likely placed increased stress on Valenzuelas cardiovascular system, according to the report.

The report comes as advocates for police reform across the U.S. call for authorities to end the use of chokeholds after George Floyd died while a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck. Floyds death has sparked worldwide protests.

Sylvia Montoya, Valenzuelas aunt, told the Sun-News she doesnt want another family to go through what her family has gone through.

I dont want to hear of another death at the hands of an officer. Its not right, she said.

Valenzuela lived with his grandparents and was a father to four children. Court records show he had a history of felony drug possession charges and minor traffic violations. Police report Valenzuela was found with a crystal-like substance the day he ran from officers.
Bolsonaro threatens to withdraw Brazil from WHO

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 14:08, June 06, 2020

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.

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Priti Patel today vowed to bring violent Black Lives Matter protesters to 'justice' for attacking police in London and tearing down the Edward Colston statue in Bristol - but police officers battling the activists in the streets say their bosses have got their tactics 'completely wrong'.

The Home Secretary said that the UK demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis had been 'subverted by thuggery' and told those responsible: 'Justice will follow'.

Rank-and-file officers left bloodied by attacks with sticks and rocks have today accused their bosses of allowing 'lawlessness' to take hold because of public perception instead of allowing them to deal with the attackers 'more robustly'.

In Bristol there have been no arrests at all in relation to the destruction of Colston's statue despite 17 suspects being identified and Avon and Somerset Police have said they have 'no regrets' about not stopping it being pulled down and thrown in the city's harbour.

Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy told ITV's Good Morning Britain today: 'I do absolutely support protest in the incident of the Colston statue. This is a man who transported over 80,000 African men women and children. It's shameful, shameful - we're actually discussing whether he should have a statue'.

Since last Wednesday 49 officers in London have been injured but there have only been around 60 arrests - and Ken Marsh, chief of the Met Police Federation, has asked Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick to apologise to her officers and said: 'Let me be clear, we as a police service can deal with these outbreaks of disorder, no problems. But it seems we are more concerned about image and perception rather than protecting our brave police officers and maintaining order.

'It's sadly now clear  and frankly has been clear for a number of days - that some people are using these protests as an excuse to attack police officers. We have had enough warnings. The tactics being used by the Metropolitan Police are very wrong. And need to be looked at as a matter of urgency.'

In Bristol yesterday a group armed with ropes and tools dragged down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in a 'premeditated' act of criminal damage and were then allowed to roll it to the city's dock and hurl it into the water.

Superintendent Andy Bennett, who was in charge in the city yesterday, said he had 'no regrets' about not intervening as activists dragged the statue down - but conceded that officers were 'duty-bound' to investigate. He said: 'As a police officer, I don't get to choose which laws I uphold and which I don't. We are duty-bound to investigate this. We know and have identified 17 main offenders in terms of tearing it down and an investigation is underway.'

The chairman of the Police Federation, which represents all officers in England and Wales, has criticised Avon and Somerset Police for its decision not to intervene in a protest in Bristol where a statue of a slave trader was torn down.

John Apter told BBC Breakfast: 'To have no police presence there I think sent quite a negative message. I am a police officer so I don't support this lawlessness we saw where this statue was ripped down and rolled down the street and pushed into the river because that is not how we do things'.

In London 22 officers were injured over the weekend on top of 13 last week after being pelted with objects on Whitehall. One activist clambered onto The Cenotaph, the war monument dedicated to the millions of lives lost during the First World War, and set fire to the Union Jack flag, while another gang defaced the monument to Winston Churchill in Westminster and daubed 'was a racist' on its plinth.

Police officers were shown being chased down streets and across bridges by protesters throwing bottles and rocks. One Met Police riot unit tackling the violence tweeted a picture of a boulder thrown at them last night and said: 'No it's not an asteroid. It's one of the many things we had thrown at us last night between Parliament Square and Elephant and Castle. Multiple officers injured from our line alone. Unacceptable'.

As police unions told MailOnline London Mayor Sadiq Khan must close down the city and ban any further Black Lives Matter protests, it also emerged:

Policing minister Kit Malthouse said there would need to be a 'post-mortem' into how the anti-racism protests across the weekend were enforced - but said it was not practical to arrest all those who took part for breaking coronavirus-related restrictions;

Met Police Chief Cressida Dick says she is 'depressed' by the violence and said: 'The violent criminality we saw is disgraceful and will have been frightening'

Bristol's Mayor Marvin Rees says he is in 'no rush' to fish out the Edward Colston statue and says when it is pulled from the dock it will probably go to a museum rather than be put back;

Sir Keir Starmer has said the toppling of a slave trader statue during Black Lives Matter protests in Bristol was 'completely wrong' - but adds the statue should have been removed some time ago;

Protesters tied ropes around the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol city centre, before tearing it to the ground on Sunday

As the protests descended into chaos, one protester (left and right) was seen climbing on the historic monument The Cenotaph and setting fire to the Union Jack flag

Protesters throw statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally yesterday

People celebrate in the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square yesterday - the day it was defaced. It is not not known if these two men were involved

A protestor is pulled away as peaceful demonstrations in the capital turn violent in the wake of the death of George Floyd in the U.S.

A protester is placed in a spit hood as he is restrained by Police Officers close to Westminster tube station yesterday

Another suspect is led away by police on Vauxhall Bridge - one of around 60 arrests in London since protests began last Wednse

Another suspect is pinned down on the fifth night of violence in Central London. Police unions say the tactics have been wrong

BBC blasted for headline saying Black Lives Matter protests in London were 'largely peaceful' The BBC were last night blasted for labelling Black Lives Matter protests in London as 'largely peaceful' after 27 police officers were injured - including one officer who was pictured bleeding from the head. Violent scenes showed police officers injured on the streets and others being pelted by objects as they ran for safety as a peaceful anti-racism demonstration turned violent yesterday. Metropolitan Police chiefs say 27 police officers were injured, 14 alone on Saturday, and 13 across last week, while a further eight were confirmed to have been injured last night - bringing the total to 35 in London since protests began. One scene showing police being chased by protesters as they fled a barrage of objects thrown at them has been described as 'despicable' by the Met Police Federation - which represents rank-and-file officers. But criticism was turned on the BBC last night after the publicly-funded news organisation headlined one of its online pieces about the protests: '27 police officers injured during largely peaceful protests anti-racism protests in London'. It was later changed to: 'George Floyd: London anti-racism protests leave 27 officers hurt'. Among the critics of the original headline were former UKIP leader and now Brexit Party founder Nigel Farage, who said on Twitter: 'Typical of the BBC, this is why the public are turning away from them.' Former MEP Patrick O'Flynn said: 'How can an event that has left 27 police officers injured merit the description 'largely peaceful'.' Advertisement

When asked whether police should have looked to have stopped the Colston statute from being toppled in Bristol, Kit Malthouse told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I know if they (police) possibly can prevent crime taking place by intervening in a public order situation they will, but obviously it is a difficult situation for frontline commanders and no doubt there will be a post-mortem, if you like, of the public order situation in Bristol, and indeed elsewhere in the country, to make sure lessons can be learned.'

But Mr Malthouse indicated that it would not have been practical to arrest all those who took part for breaking coronavirus-related restrictions.

He added: 'We did say right at the start that this was against the regulations.

'But obviously the reality was that people were going to come anyway. Other than arresting whatever it was - 15,000 people in London and many more elsewhere - managing the protest was I think the best call given the strength of feeling that was running.'

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, called for tube stations in central London to be shut and Hyde Park and Whitehall - the areas targeted by protesters last week - to be closed off to the public.

The draconian measures, he said, will also help stop tens of thousands of people swarming into the city ignoring social distancing regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Marsh's comments come after violent clashes over the weekend saw a female mounted officer suffer a broken collarbone, cracked ribs and a collapsed lung after she came off her horse when the animal was spooked by flares and other missiles hurled by protesters.

Officers were left bruised and bloodied after being pelted with bottles and road signs and hit with sticks and metal poles by yobs who also vandalised the Cenotaph and statue to Sir Winston Churchill outside Parliament. A total of 41 arrests were made over the weekend.

With fears over further trouble this weekend - as right-wing activist Tommy Robinson pledged to travel to London on Saturday to join football fans in protecting the capital's monuments - Mr Marsh told MailOnline: 'These protests have to stop now.

'We need to be more robust in terms of policing and we need to stop this happening. We know about it, we've got the intelligence. The Mayor Sadiq Khan now needs to come out and say 'I'm not having this in my city'.

'We are in the middle of a pandemic here. And we allow this to take place, even though these protests are increasingly being hijacked by those intent on confrontation with the police.

'We shouldn't have allowed it, we should have shut the tubes, shut Hyde Park and shut Whitehall.

A police officer sits on the ground and receives medical attention after demonstrations became violent during a Black Lives Matter protest in London yesterday

Another suspect is taken into custody - it appears there have been no charges in relation to the disorder yet

A council worker removes graffiti from the statue of Sir Winston Churchill at Parliament Square

Graffiti was also removed from the plinth of Abraham Lincoln, overlooking Parliament outside the Supreme Court

The remains of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol which was pulled down by Black Lives Matter protesters yesterday

The Harbour Master checks the depth of the area of water where the statue of Edward Colston was dumped - but the Mayor of Bristol says he's in no rush to fish it out

'People should be allowed to protest, I've got no problem with that, it's the DNA within us as Brits that we protest. But in the middle of this pandemic? No.

Bristol mayor says Colston statue WILL be fished out of docks - but says it should be put in a museum Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said the statue was still underwater but confirmed it would be removed at some point and should be put in a museum. Around 10,000 people took part in the protest on Sunday, which was praised by the force for being 'peaceful and respectful'. Marvin Rees, the elected Labour Mayor of Bristol, praised the police's handling of the event as 'intelligent and nuanced'. Mr Rees said he could not condone the damage and was also concerned about the implications of a mass gathering in terms of the coronavirus pandemic. 'I'm the mixed race child of a Welsh-English white woman and a black Jamaican father,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'One of my ancestors would have been taken on a ship from Africa to the Caribbean. 'That statue is an affront to me and there's a plaque on it as well that describes him as a 'wise and virtuous son', so that's a double insult. 'It's not something that I as a Bristolian would have looked on with pride and it had been a point of debate in the city.' Mr Rees said Bristol only started to really discuss its relationship with slavery in a 'meaningful way' about 20 years ago and that conversation would now 'go up a few gears'. 'We have a statue up to someone who made his money buying and selling people,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'That statue is now underwater, which is a piece of poetic and historical irony because, undoubtedly, people would have been thrown off the sides of the ships during the journey themselves and there will be many African bodies on the bottom of the water.' Mr Rees said the statue would be pulled out of the harbour 'at some point' and placed in a museum. Placards from the Black Lives Matter march, which were laid around the plinth where the statue had stood, have also been collected and will be put on display. Advertisement

'Let's get this dealt with, let's make sure we're all safe in relation to Covid 19 because all lives matter, and then if you want to protest do what you want to do.

'But at the moment this is just selfish. It's not necessary. My colleagues have no choice whatsoever, they have to be there and I thought they did an incredible job over the weekend.

'The provocation was quite high to which they didn't react to. They took the abuse that was thrown at them. I don't know why they're taking this sort of abuse on the back of something that took place 5000 miles away but this is where we are. I thought they did a sterling job without fear or favour.

'The problem is now that I think people have cottoned onto the fact they can now get away with coming out onto the streets, whereas they couldn't when they were locked up at home for ten weeks.

'But the legislation is that not more than six people can gather. Is it two sets of rules? This is just ridiculous and it's putting all my colleagues at risk and I don't want my colleagues to be put at risk.'

The worst of the trouble erupted outside Downing Street on Saturday evening after a largely peaceful protest over the death of African-American George Floyd, who died in U.S police custody two weeks ago.

Missiles, including several flares, were hurled over security gates guarding the entrance to the Prime Minister's official residence by a crowd who had earlier chanted 'Boris Johnson's a racist'.

The violence prompted officers in riot gear to intervene followed by the mounted division.

In the chaos that ensued, a mounted came off her horse after colliding into traffic lights as protesters threw fireworks, bangers, bottles and at one point even a Boris Bike.

Dramatic footage showed a riderless horse bolting back down Whitehall, colliding with an innocent demonstrator as it do so.

The injured officer was pictured lying motionless and unconscious on the floor before she was dragged away by her colleagues. She is now stable in hospital.

Mr Marsh praised the officer and said: 'She's a hero because, like my other colleagues, she put herself on the line for a protest that was unlawful, shouldn't have taken place and, by its very nature, could have caused thousands more deaths by being held in the middle of a pandemic.

'The officer is currently stable in hospital but serious injuries have been sustained, a broken collarbone, broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Not life-threatening but it will take quite a while to recover, three to four months I'd imagine.

'They are not nice injuries. Anyone who's had a broken collarbone will know that it's a horrible injury because it's one of those that's very difficult to heal. Likewise broken ribs and a collapsed lung are also horrible because there isn't anything you can prescribe for them.

'She will be alright but it's going to take a bit of time.'

Just 24-hours after the mayhem in Westminster another Black Lives Matter protest took place in London yesterday.

Thousands gathered outside the American Embassy, just south of the River Thames in Nine Elms, before heading back into Westminster, where further clashes with police took place.

One officer was seen with blood pouring down his head after being hit by a traffic cone while mobile phone footage showed other officers being forced to run from a baying bottle-throwing mob.

A dispersal order was enforced in Westminster until 6am this morning as riot police battled into the night to move a group of about 50 violent protesters on.

Earlier in the day, Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol had toppled a bronze statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston and rolled it into the harbour.

The Prime Minister condemned the trouble in both cities.

In a statement he said the BLM protests were 'subverted by thuggery' and that the violence was a 'betrayal' of their cause.

And last night English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson blasted the 'Soft-handed' police approach for failing to protect the Cenotaph and the Sir Winston Churchill statue.

He told his followers on social media that he would be heading into London on Saturday, adding: 'I cannot believe what's come of our capital city.

'Attack that statue like you did in Bristol today and think there's not going to be a British public there to confront you about it, you're wrong.

'You watch next Saturday how many people turn up.'

A group called the Democratic Football Lads Alliance, made up of football fans from around Britain, has pledged to form a protective ring around London's war memorials and statues to prevent them from being damaged in protests.

The clean-up began in Bristol today as council teams removed BLM placards and used chemicals to clean off graffiti defacing the plinth that held the Edward Colston statue in Bristol, and another of Winston Churchill in London.

On the Colston statue, Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said it will be fished out 'at some point' and it is 'highly likely' to end up in one of the city's museums - with a debate set to be held over what should replace it on the plinth.

Speaking about the general public disorder, Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News: 'I think that is utterly disgraceful and that speaks to the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause in which people are actually protesting about and trying to empathise and sympathise with.

'That is completely an unacceptable act and that speaks to the vandalism - again as we saw (on Saturday) in London - but sheer vandalism and disorder completely is unacceptable. And it's right the police follow up on that and make sure that justice is taken with those individuals responsible for such disorderly and lawless behaviour.'

The shocking images come as global demonstrations intensify after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on his neck in Minneapolis on May 25 for nine minutes.

Demonstrators flouted social distancing rules yesterday to flood the streets around the US Embassy in London before marching on Westminster, protesting against racial injustice and police brutality.

While the majority of the protests remained peaceful, violence erupted yet again, with images showing police and demonstrators suffering injuries during the melee which led to 12 arrests and eight officers being injured.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the majority of the arrests had been made for public order offences and one was for criminal damage following the incident at the Cenotaph.

Also yesterday, images showed Black Lives Matter protesters tearing down a statue of 17th century slave trader and philanthropist Edward Colston in Bristol and dumping it in the harbour.

Footage showed demonstrators, packed closely together - despite social distancing guidelines, heaving the metal monument down with ropes before cheering and dancing around it, with many placing their knees on the fallen statue as it lay on the ground - in a nod to the death of Mr Floyd.

Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, told BBC Radio Bristol today: 'It's still underwater. At some point it will (be fished out) but we've a number of priorities in the city at the moment, not least trying to face up to an 80million gap in our budget that we've been left with by national Government not funding us adequately for Covid.'

He added: 'I think that there's a really incredible opportunity to talk about ourselves and to make a decision about what we think should go on a plinth in the city to tell us about who we are, not just who we are but who we want to be and to really use that as a place to celebrate something about ourselves, the best of ourselves.

'What I would look forward to is having that city discussion. In the meantime it's highly likely that the Colston statue will end up in one of our museums.'

But Government minister for crime and policing Kit Malthouse told BBC Breakfast: 'A crime was committed, criminal damage was committed, there should be evidence gathered and a prosecution should follow.'

'There is an elected mayor of Bristol, there is a council in Bristol and it is via those democratic means that we will resolve these issues in this country - not by people showing up with ropes and tools and committing criminal damage. We have to have a sense of order and democracy - that is how we sort things out and that is what should have happened.'

But Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I do absolutely support protest in the incident of the Colston statue. This is a man who transported over 80,000 African men women and children. It's shameful, shameful - we're actually discussing whether he should have a statue. People have been calling for that statue to come down in Bristol for many years. There may be a role for statues such as this in museums where there is proper context where they can think about their contribution to society as well as what they got wrong.'

A firework is set off as clashes take place between police officers and Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Whitehall, London

Police carrying batons and wearing protective helmets clash with demonstrators during the ongoing Black Lives Matter protest

A demonstrator climbs onto The Cenotaph in Whitehall as a peaceful protest descends into chaos in London earlier today

Officers carrying protective shields stand guard after a flare hits the pavement during the anti-racism rally in London

Ms Patel told the Mail she was 'sickened' by Mr Floyd's death on May 25 and said that 'justice and accountability must follow'.

But she added: 'There are no excuses for the unlawful behaviour and disorder we have witnessed throughout the weekend including the disgraceful vandalism we saw in Bristol and the utterly appalling abuse of our police officers.'

Commenting on the desecration of Churchill's statue, she added: 'Winston Churchill is one of the greatest Britons who ever lived. We have him to thank for our very freedom to protest. The vandals who did this are repulsive criminals who I want to see brought to justice immediately.'

Police officers had suffered 'serious injuries' inflicted by 'a small minority of violent people using the guise of peaceful protest to pursue reckless lawlessness,' she said. She added: 'I know that the British public will be as appalled as I am at those scenes.'

Outside Downing Street some demonstrators were seen turning violent as police officers tried to control the mass chaos and form a barricade with their riot shields.

A group of members of the public remove graffiti from the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill today

A person cleans graffiti from the statue of Winston Churchill at Parliament Square in London this morning

Yesteday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the anti-racism demonstrations had been 'subverted by thuggery' following a day of protests across the UK.

He tweeted: 'People have a right to protest peacefully & while observing social distancing but they have no right to attack the police.

'These demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery - and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve. Those responsible will be held to account.'

Hours after the incident that saw the statue of Edward Colston pulled down in Bristol, the M6 in the Midlands was closed as Black Lives Matter protesters walked down the carriageway.

A video posted on social media showed crowds of people covering the motorway at the Exhall interchange near Coventry as traffic remained stationary on the other side.

Flares are launched into the air as police and demonstrators clash during Black Lives Matter protest in the nation's capital today

Members of the police force attempt to disperse the crowds as a demonstrator climbs onto the national war monument in London

One eyewitness claimed there were around 100 people who were heard chanting 'Black Lives Matter' as they took part in the demonstrations.

Many drivers on the motorway were pictured emerging from their cars to watch the protests, which began at around 5pm, and the southbound carriageway was closed for around two hours.

Today spokesperson for the protests in London, Superintendent Jo Edwards, said: 'Regrettably officers were faced with further scenes of violence and disorder following a day of predominantly peaceful protest throughout the capital.

'This is a hugely impassioned movement and we understand the public's desire to have their voices heard  however it is not right that this passion has turned into violent attacks on officers.

'I would like to thank our officers, and those from the City of London Police and British Transport Police for their professionalism in the face of entirely unacceptable behaviour.

'Overnight our policing operation will continue and I would urge demonstrators thinking of returning to stay at home. The threat of Coronavirus remains very real, and we need you to protect yourselves, your friends and your family.'

As the chaos continued, one protester, who took part in defacing the statue of the former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was heard on camera saying: 'Tagged up Churchill as a racist on the statue of Churchill because he is a confirmed racist.

'He didn't fight the Nazis for the commonwealth or for anything else or for any personal freedoms. He fought the Nazis purely to protect the commonwealth against the invasion by foreign forces. He didn't do it for black people or people of colour. He did it purely for colonialism.

'People will be angry but at the end of the day I'm angry that for many years we've been oppressed. You can't enslave people, have the largest colonial empire ever in history and they try and come like ''yeah let's be peaceful'' it don't work like that.'

Demonstrators clash with police carrying protective shields after thousands took to the streets of London during the anti-racism rally

A group of police officers form a barrier in front of protesters in Whitehall after a Black Lives Matter protest in London became violent

A protester wearing a black coat and mask stands in front of a Winston Churchill statue which has been defaced in Parliament Square

People try to clean the graffiti on a Winston Churchill memorial statue in Parliament Square today after some demonstrators defaced the monument

A group of people gather at the memorial site in an attempt to clean the graffiti left by some demonstrators at the rally

A protester wearing a face covering holds a blue flare into the air as demonstrations turn to chaos amid the Black Lives Matter march

Police form a line against protestors as demonstrations descend into chaos following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis

Some demonstrators hurl objects at police in Parliament Square, London, today as a part of the Black Lives Matter protest became violent

In Parliament Square, police officers formed a line against some demonstrators as the anti- racism rally descended into chaos

Police wearing protective shields clash with protesters during the Black Lives Matter protest in Westminster, London

A group of police officers detain a protester in central London as demonstrations descend into chaos and some are injured

One demonstrator is held on the ground by a group of officers during the Black Lives Matter rally in central London today

A group of people run away from the scene after some protesters become violent during the Black Lives Matter demonstration

Police and protesters clash once again as a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest turns violent in Whitehall, London today

Police officers form a line and prevent demonstrators from entering King Charles Street in London today as protests continue to take place

A protester (left and right) is restrained by police before being taken away from the scenes in hand-cuffs as the demonstrations continue

Protesters and police face each other during the Black Lives Matter protest in London today just a day after it was revealed 14 officers had been left injured during the demonstrations in the city yesterday

A person wearing a black hooded jumper and a balaclava is restrained by police and escorted away from the violent scenes

One demonstrator is restrained by two police officers near Westminster tube station as the ongoing protests turn violent

Protests and police clash near The Cenotaph in London as the anti-racism rally breaks into chaos and some are left injured

Police stretch out their arms and urge protesters to move back amid the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in London today

A demonstrator wearing a face mask is detained by police officers during the Black Lives Matter protest today in London

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that while people had a right to protest the anti-racism demonstrations had been 'subverted by thuggery'

The nationwide scenes come just a day after Met Police Commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, revealed that 14 police officers had been hurt during anti-racism protests in London yesterday evening which saw a police officer injured after falling off her horse.

In a statement yesterday the police chief said: 'I am deeply saddened and depressed that a minority of protesters became violent towards officers in central London yesterday evening.

'This led to 14 officers being injured, in addition to 13 hurt in earlier protests this week.

'We have made a number of arrests and justice will follow. I know many who were seeking to make their voices heard will be as appalled as I am by those scenes.

'I would urge protesters to please find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London, risking yourself, your families and officers as we continue to face [the deadly coronavirus].'

Following the destruction of the statue in Bristol today former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid condemned protesters' decision to force it down, declaring on Twitter: 'This is not OK'.

Speaking after the demonstration, superintendent Andy Bennett vowed there would be an investigation into the 'act of criminal damage,' near Bristol Harbourside, where slave ships once docked centuries ago.

Meanwhile Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News: 'I think that is utterly disgraceful. That speaks to the acts of public disorder that actually have become a distraction from the cause that people are actually protesting.

A demonstrator lights a flare and holds it in the air as the anti-racism protests continued in Parliament Square today

Police officers try to push back protesters during the anti-racism rally in London today as protests continue across the nation

Barriers are left scattered on the road after police and demonstrators clash in Victoria Street during the anti-racism rally

A group of protesters clash members of the police force in London as the rally takes a violent turn in certain regions across the UK

A police officer and a group of demonstrators clash at King Charles Street archway in London as protests continue across the country

The police force wear protective armour and hold their shields as they are deployed to the scene in London amid the demonstrations

Some protesters stand in front of police officers in Parliament Square, London, as the ant-racism rally continues across the country

Officers in protective gear form a barricade against demonstrators in London today after the anti-racism rally saw scenes of violence

Officers stand guard as demonstrators continue in Whitehall, London, today following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month

Police form a barrier against some of the protesters as the peaceful protest once agin turns violent in Whitehall, London, today

Clashes begin to take place between police and demonstrators today as the Black Lives Matter protest turns violent

Hundreds of protesters descended upon Whitehall in London today to demand justice for the police killing of George Floyd and show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement

Protesters wave signs showing their support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd in America

Police congregate on Westminster Bridge as thousands flood the streets of London today during a Black Lives Matter protest

'Sheer vandalism and disorder is completely unacceptable and its right the police follow up on that and make sure justice is undertaken.'

The scenes come 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.

Following the death of George Floyd, three other officers who were also present at the scene, Thomas Lane, J Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao  were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Earlier today Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it is 'undoubtedly a risk' that there will be an increase in Covid-19 cases following the protests, as he urged people not to gather in groups of more than six people.

Mr Hancock said he supported the activists' arguments, but said: 'Please don't gather in groups of more than six people because there is also a pandemic that we must address and control.'

Demonstrators in Bristol were heard laughing and cheering as the statue of the slave trader was toppled by protesters into the harbour

Just hours later the M6 was forced to close closed in the Midlands as Black Lives Matter protesters walked down the carriageway

A protester wearing a face covering joins other demonstrators and walks along the M6 during a Black Lives Matter rally earlier today
The first African American I really interacted with was not an American but was, in fact, an African. He was a Nigerian graduate student who served as a teaching assistant to the discussion session of a political science class I took at the Big U in 1973.

That I was nearly 20 years old before ever having a conversation with any person of color other than farm-tanned Lutherans says more about my upbringing in 1960s, rural southern Illinois than (I hope) me.

Back then, many rural towns in southern Illinois were sundown communities, meaning that it was illegal for anyone of color to spend the night in town. The deeply racist law didnt need to be enforced; everyone knew it. Like many traditions of that age, though, it was buried in the cultural graveyard that became the 1960s.

The only time my father ever commented on race was the April 1968 evening Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered in Memphis. His remark that night, too vile to repeat here, displayed a bigotry I had never heard from him before and, equally striking for me, I never heard from him again.
CAMEROUN :: MDI STATEMENT CONCERNING THE SITUATION OF BLACK PEOPLE LIVING IN THE US :: CAMEROON

The political bureau of MDI met in its ordinary session this Sunday, May 31,2020, and expressed its deep concern about the situation of Africans living in the USA.

As a pan-Africanist political party, it is in the mandate of the organization to strive for the well-being of people of African descent wherever they live. We have a common past, an intertwined present and our fate will be what we make of it together.

We cannot be indifferent to the cold-blooded murder of George Floyd, and all the other Africans murdered. They are all examples of yet another manifestation of institutionalized racism in the United States of America.

These killings are not just isolated incidents caused by rogue police officers. They are the expression of a white supremacist ideology embedded in the fabric of mainstream America, and that gives no value to Black lives.

Racism is not simply prejudice. Prejudice is a baseless preconceived idea held by an isolated individual and is usually based on ignorance or bad faith. Prejudice can be cured by civic and moral education. Racism is a whole different phenomenon. It is systematic prejudice backed by political institutions. It is a matter of power and can only be dealt with by BLACK POWER.

The powerlessness of Africans worldwide is an unforgivable sin. As long as we remain splintered and scattered all over the world with no unifying force protecting us as a race, we will forever be the helpless victims of other nations.

It is time for Africans wherever they are born or wherever they live to remember what the Honorable Marcus Garvey set as our fundamental goal: setting up a government powerful enough to lend protection to Africans wherever they are. The weak neocolonial states in Africa and in the Caribbean are not up to the task. The African Union is funded by Europeans and are housed by the Chinese. It is a toothless organization that cannot protect Africa.

The main lesson we must learn from this tragedy is that we need to organize worldwide to build an international black power structure. That power structure must harness our political, economic and military strength. Failure to do so may result in anyone of us being killed in the streets of New York, Paris, London, Tokyo or Beijing just because our skin makes us a target.

For the Political Bureau,

Dr KAPTUE

Coordinator

www.freekamerun.com
Samples are taken at a coronavirus testing facility (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

No deaths from coronavirus have taken place in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours, the Department of Health has confirmed.

There has been six positive tests for the coronavirus during the same period, bringing the total number of infections to 4,790.

The death toll in Northern Ireland remains at 537 people.

There is currently seven patients with coronavirus in intensive care beds in NI.

There is 61 confirmed Covid-19 outbreaks in care homes, with 32 suspected and 77 closed outbreaks.

It comes after the PSNI confirmed it is reporting the organisers of anti-racism protests in Northern Ireland to the Public Prosecution Service for allegedly breaching coronavirus lockdown regulations.

Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place in Belfast and Londonderry on Saturday.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd issued a statement in which he said a significant number of community resolution notices had been handed out, and that protest organisers will be reported to the PPS.

Today's key updates
The Mumbai Fire Brigade has said no leakage of any gas was found in areas where residents complained about the foul smell to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) late on Saturday, news agency ANI reported on Sunday.

PS Rahangdale, Mumbais chief fire officer, however, said there was a smell in Andheri area, according to ANI.

No gas leakage was found at given locations. Further calls were received from Powai and leakage smell was felt in Andheri. Total 17 fire engines were deputed for the search of gas leakage and it was announced to not panic. Hazmat vehicles were ready for an emergency, Rahangdale was quoted as saying by ANI.

HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited), BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited), MGL (Mahanagar Gas Ltd), RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers) and the police were informed, he added.

Rahangade said senior officers are conducting an investigation.

Residents of Chembur, Ghatkopar, Powai and Vikhroli areas had complained of a suspected gas leak on Saturday night.

The civic body had said earlier the situation was under control and that 17 fire appliances are on field equipped with public announcement system after receiving complaints of suspected gas leak from residents from several parts of Mumbai.

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 (sic), BMC tweeted.

It had, in a series of tweets, urged people not to panic or create panic.

Weve received a couple of complaints of suspected gas leak, from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli & Powai...Please dont panic or create panic. 13 fire appliances to monitor situation have been activated as precaution (sic), BMC tweeted.

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, it said.
A procession of hearses drove through the streets of Boston on Sunday with the names of three African Americans that had died in the U.S.

The names shown were Kentucky resident Breonna Taylor, Georgia native Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, who was the most recent of the three tragic deaths.

Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker were asleep in their apartment on March 13 when it was raided by three plainclothes Louisville police officers who were executing a no-knock warrant related to drugs. Walker called 911 to report a break-in as shots rang out and bullets were exchanged between the officers and Walker, a licensed gun owner.

A procession of vehicles, including three hearses, meant to honor George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery makes its way Sunday, June 7, 2020, through Boston neighborhoods. The hearses are part of what organizers are calling #BostonBlackMemorial Funeral Procession. The procession and a number of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd who 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/Steven Senne)AP

Arbery, a 25-year-old jogger, was shot to death while jogging on Feb. 23 in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia, after being pursued by two white men in a pickup truck. Neither of his pursuers, a father and son named Gregory and Travis McMichael, were arrested or charged with a crime until May, even though Gregory admitted to police that Travis was responsible for the shooting.

Floyd, a 46-year-old man, died May 25 after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyds neck while he was in handcuffs for over eight minutes, constricting his breathing and eventually causing him to be unresponsive. In video captured by witnesses, Floyd is heard pleading that he is struggling to breathe and in severe pain, as Chauvin remained with his knee on his neck.

People display placards Sunday, June 7, 2020 while watching a procession of vehicles, including three hearses meant to honor fallen George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, as it makes its way through Boston. The procession and a number of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd who 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/Steven Senne)AP

The service at the Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain gave Boston the opportunity to grieve the loss of these American citizens and to participate in the national outcry against black lives killed by police brutality and acts of white supremacy, said The Rev. Miniard Culpepper, from Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Dorchester according to The Associated Press.

Related Content:
Coronavirus has turned thousands of us  the fortunate ones  into accidental savers, as my colleagues on Money Mail have eloquently explained.

Those of us lucky enough to still be in work, on full pay or close to it, have seen their spending reduce dramatically.

A sizeable proportion of us feel better off and nearly 40 per cent of Britons are saving more, which just underlines the strange nature of the economic crisis we are enduring.

Man with a plan?: Chancellor Rishi Sunak could re-invigorate the culture of thrift we once had in this country

All those foregone lattes and restaurant meals add up to serious money. The Bank of England's figures show we saved more than 16billion in the April lockdown  more than three times as much as in a normal month.

The pandemic has certainly made me, and no doubt millions of others, think harder about our consumption. Of course we will resume some spending, but the enforced savings boom is a chance for individuals to make a better fist of their finances.

It is also a much wider opportunity for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to re-invigorate the culture of thrift we once had in this country and harness a potential multi-billion-pound pool of cash to help revive the economy. He could mobilise the accidental savings army to fight Covid if he chooses, though if not, many will revert to their spendthrift ways.

For some time I have been advocating national reconstruction bonds  government-backed savings products to raise money for infrastructure. This would encourage savings and channel money into productive investment for the nation.

Following the ravages of coronavirus, Sunak could launch these as Rebuild Britain Bonds in his mini Budget next month. They should pay a decent rate of interest to small savers and be marketed through National Savings & Investments (NS&I).

The money people would then, in effect, lend the Government could be used to help combat coronavirus and be channelled into green projects and infrastructure improvements to boost growth.

There is a recent precedent for a new NS&I launch. In 2015, George Osborne came up with Pensioner Bonds, which paid 2.8 per cent over one year and 4 per cent on a three-year product. Bonds worth 1billion were sold in the first two days. However, with base rates at 0.1 per cent, paying a good return on NS&I products means taxpayers would subsidise savers and the private sector would be at a disadvantage.

To mitigate this, the bonds could be tied to specific projects such as flood defences, cycle lanes, 5G, home insulation or local renovations to bridges or railway stations. If the money raised is put to productive use and generates returns, it will be a net gain to the economy and taxpayers. It would also show how the Government values savers and will support people who take responsibility for their futures.

There are other steps Sunak could take. Why not make all savings interest tax free? Most of it has already been taxed through PAYE and hardly needs taxing twice.

And what about extending tax breaks on employee ownership to give staff an incentive to forego some of their salary in return for shares in the business on a temporary basis to help firms through the crisis?

That would relieve some of the cash pressure on companies and give employees a stake in the recovery  a less deadeningly socialist option than furlough.
Scientists are still searching for a vaccine against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which has killed thousands of people across the world since it first surfaced in China last December.

The COVID-19 virus has infected about seven million people and killed over 400,000 people globally. Nigeria has recorded over 12,000 infections and 342 deaths as of June 6.

There is also a setback in the fight against Ebola Virus as the Democratic Republic of Congo reported new cases of the disease during the week.

Here are some of the health stories which made headlines last week

Coronavirus: Nigeria records more than 12,000 cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Saturday, announced 389 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the country to 12, 233.

Nine new deaths were recorded on Saturday.

Till date, 12,233 cases have been confirmed, 3826 cases have been discharged and 342 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory, it stated.

Gates Foundation pledges $1.6 billion to GAVI for lifesaving vaccines

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 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 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.

At the end of the meeting, $8.8 billion was raised from world leaders and companies.

New Ebola outbreak reported in DRC

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced on Saturday a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Wangata health zone, Mbandaka, in Equateur province.

The announcement comes as a long, difficult and complex Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is in its final phase, while the country also battles COVID-19 and the worlds largest measles outbreak.

Initial information from the Ministry of Health is that six Ebola cases have so far been detected in Wangata, of which four have died and two are under care.

Two months old baby diagnosed with COVID-19 in Delta

The Commissioner for Health in Delta, Mordi Ononye, on Friday, confirmed that a two-month-old baby was among the 116 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Mr Ononye said at a news conference in Asaba that pediatricians were taking care of the child and expressed optimism that the baby would get better and be discharged.

He said that the state currently had 116 confirmed cases of the pandemic, with 31 discharged and 77 active cases.

COVID-19 disrupted delivery of essential health services globally  WHO

A new World Health Organisation (WHO) survey has found that health services for noncommunicable diseases have been disrupted since the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The UN health agency said almost all health activities, especially the prevention and treatment services for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), have been suspended by hospitals globally.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Gynaecologist: Stop abusing painkillers or risk infertility

A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Abosede Lewu, has urged women to stop abuse or consistent use of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), also known as painkillers to prevent infertility.

Ms Lewu, Convener, Keep All Mothers Alive (KAMA) Project, said the consistent use of NSAIDs has negative effects on womens menstrual cycle and ovulation.

NSAIDs or painkillers are drugs that reduce pain, decrease fever, prevent blood clots and in higher doses, decrease inflammation.

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NLC Condemns Cuts in Health, Education Budgets

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), wednesday criticised the decision of the federal government to heavily slash the budget of primary healthcare from N44.4 billion to N25.5 billion and the Universal Basic Education (UBE) budget from N111.7 billion to N51.1 billion, while it only slightly slashed the budget for the renovation of the National Assembly complex from N37 billion to N27.7 billion.

Worried that the budget for the renovation of the National Assembly complex was reduced by only by 25.1 per cent, while that of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which is meant to cater for all the primary healthcare centres across the 774 local government areas in the country, was significantly reduced by more than 42.5 per cent, the organised labour said government was ill-advised in its calculation.

No evidence that mutations to SARS-CoV-2 increase transmissibility

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in the human population at the end of 2019, the virus has been accumulating mutations in its genetic code, which comprises single-stranded RNA.

There have been concerns that some of these mutations could increase the transmissibility of the virus  that is, its ability to spread between people.

Researchers at the University College London (UCL) Genetics Institute in the United Kingdom have now analyzed the genomes of over 15,000 SARS-CoV-2 samples. These came from people from 75 different countries.

The analysis finds that mutations to the virus do not increase its transmissibility and are instead either neutral or detrimental to its spread.

Two million lung disease patients notice symptoms improved during lockdown

Nearly two million Britons who are living with lung conditions have seen their symptoms improve as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, research suggests.

The British Lung Foundation surveyed more than 14,000 people living with everything from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

One in six (16.2 percent) praised the fall in air pollution, with extreme restrictions forcing many to stay indoors.

When extrapolated out to the general population, around 1.94 million patients are said to be enjoying the cleaner air.
This article is part of Spotlight, a series designed to connect readers to the people serving their community. Participants will include public safety personnel, teachers and school administrators, volunteers and local government employees who are dedicated to helping their friends and neighbors.

BIG RAPIDS  Growing up in southeast Michigan, it wasnt until Heather Bowman decided to pursue an education at Ferris State University that she found her way to Big Rapids.

That was my first introduction to Big Rapids, Bowman, public works director for Big Rapids, said.

During her time at the college, Bowman received a degree in leisure services, enabling her to work for, what would soon be multiple government positions.

While I was at college, (I) bought a house here in Big Rapids with my husband, and after I graduated, we moved to Florida and lived there for a few years, she said.

Working at a recreation center for the county in Fort Charlotte, Florida, Bowman said she and her husband, Joe, soon determined the tropics were not a place they would like to live full time.

As fate would have it, in 2011, Bowman saw the opportunity to return to Big Rapids as the recreation director. Noting she and her husband still owned their house in the city, Bowman decided to apply for the position, and was soon hired.

We moved back to our house that we still owned in Big Rapids, and the rest is history, she said.

Her journey didnt end there, however.

As recreation director, Bowman said she worked closely with Mark Gifford, Public Works Director at the time.

When he became City Manager, Bowman said she humbly took on his previous role.

It was a kind of daunting responsibility to take on because there is, and was, a lot of things that were unknown, but after getting to know a lot of the staff in the different positions in Public Works, I felt as though I could have the confidence with their expertise to succeed in the role, she said.

It all just kind of mysteriously worked out.

Responsibilities as Public Works Director

Still in her position as Public Works Director, Bowman said a typical day of work is spent getting in touch with staff and helping wherever she can.

Its a lot of communicating and making sure that everything is operating status quo, she said. If any (staff) needs approval or assistance with their projects, I provide them with that at that time.

Bowman said she works with multiple people throughout her day, including engineering technicians who are responsible for construction in the city and Josh Pyles, who deals with a number of city projects such as city recreation, the farmers market and the downtown business association.

Working with different people in the community on various projects, Bowman said her favorite part of her job is the diversity it offers, saying every day is never the same.

Im the type of person where you dont want to have the same activity happening over and over again, she said. Some diversity in the workday is always intriguing to me because I never know what Im going to expect when Im going to walk in, and thats exciting to me.

Home life

As well as appreciating diversity in her workday, Bowman enjoys variety when it comes to her taste in music, noting that shes looking forward to when the coronavirus pandemic subsides so she and her husband can go back to enjoying their favorite hobby.

We enjoy attending concerts whenever we can, she said. We like to go to a variety of different venues.

Attending Van Andel Arena, Little Ceasars Arena and more, Bowman said she and her husband have seen many musicians, including Mushroom Head, Clutch, Foo Fighters, and Jack Johnson, to name a few.

As long as its something entertaining, were really all in and interested, Bowman said.

The couples favorite pastime; however, Bowman said is spending time outdoors with their two daughters, Penelope, 11, and Valerie, who will be turning 8 this summer.

Being a working mother, a lot of my time thats spent away from work is spent enjoying time with my kids, she said. Were definitely an outdoorsy type of family. We try to enjoy the area that we live in as much as possible.

Big Rapids has a lot to offer with the Muskegon River and all the trails and the national forest nearby. Were very blessed with the amount of natural area that we have around us.

Living on the water, Bowman said her family can often be seen on their boat during the summertime, as well as fishing, going for walks or just hanging out.

Were fortunate enough where we can stay home and still enjoy doing what we like to do, she said.

Enjoying variety in her home life and her position as Public Works Director, Bowman said she is always welcome to new suggestions when it comes to the city of Big Rapids.

As a resident or surrounding community resident  it can sometimes feel bothersome to come into my office and give suggestions or they feel like they may be complaining, but really it isnt perceived that way, Bowman said. The only way we can assist and make improvements and have positive changes is if people do call or email or stop in and give us those suggestions.

Were always looking for ways to improve things.

Those who have suggestions regarding the city may contact Bowman via email at hbowman@cityofbr.org or via phone at 231-592-4018.
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%.

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.
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A police officer who assaulted a teenager while on duty has attempted to have his conviction overturned, arguing he did not use excessive force while arresting the boy in Kelmscott.

Todd Quinton Pender was found guilty of aggravated common assault in 2018 after slapping and shoving a 14-year-old boy suspected of being involved in an armed robbery.

Mr Pender's appeal was dismissed. Credit:Erin Jonasson

At 4pm on June 28, 2016, Mr Pender was on patrol with another officer when they were called to Kelmscott train station following reports of a suspected armed robbery in the area by three underaged boys armed with a knife.

The two officers found three boys who matched the description on Ward Crescent and proceeded to arrest the teens. The boys, two brothers and a friend, were aged 13 and 14 at the time.
Have you ever visited the U.S. and been confused to see Target, Wendy's and Kmart stores, but not as you know them?

All three well-known Australian brands have strikingly similar versions in the U.S., some with exactly the same logo, but are unrelated companies.

American tourists have documented similar double-takes, particularly with Target which could be mistaken for an overseas expansion by the U.S. giant.

Surprisingly, only one popular Australian brand is a blatant knockoff of an American giant - Woolworths, which was named on a dare a century ago.

The baffling similarities are not even prohibited by law as companies must be registered country by country.

Woolworths

Woolworths is now Australia's second-biggest supermarket chain, with its name a blatant rip off of a similar American empire

The Australian Woolworths was modeled on successful American chain FW Woolworth which opened in upstate New York in 1879

Australia's second-biggest supermarket chain began as a clothing shop owned by Harold Percival Christmas and his business partners.

They decided to open a variety store modeled on successful American chain FW Woolworth which opened in upstate New York in 1879.

The shop was originally to be called Chatterton's after Mr Christmas' business partner, but they didn't think the name had the right ring to it.

Wallworths Bazaar Ltd, as a homage to Woolworth, was chosen but seemed to cumbersome for the name of a shop.

So Mr Christmas dared company accountant Cecil Waine to register the company as Woolworths, as FW Woolworth never bothered to register itself in Australia.

Shoppers mill around an Australian Woolworths store in Fremantle, Perth, in 1956

The first Woolworths as we know it - a food-only store - opened in Dee Why on Sydney's northern beaches in 1957 (left) and on the right a local pipe band heralds opening of the first supermarket at Warrawong, NSW, in 1960

The grand opening of its first store, underground opposite the Queen Victoria Building on Sydney's George Street, was talked up into a huge event.

'Really cheap. The cheapest possible. Come and see. You'll want to live at Woolworths. From 9 in the morning till 9 at night, Woolworths will sell what you want and sell it cheap,' a full page newspaper ad read.

A massive crowd of people showed up with shoppers getting into brawls over bargains and the staff room being converted into a makeshift ER.

Australia wasn't the only country where Woolworths' lack of trademark was used to spawn a local version without paying a cent.

Unrelated entities exist in Germany and South Africa - the latter becoming a multinational corporation that now owns David Jones.

Woolworths' first 'Self-service' store, Beverley Hills, NSW on opening day in 1955. It was a revolution at the time as items were previously kept behind the counter instead of being out on the floor to browse

What is left of the American FW Woolworth survives as shoe chain Foot Locker - which has an outlet next door to Woolworths' well-known Sydney Town Hall store (pictured)

Woolworths outlived its American namesake, which declined from the 1980s and was overtaken by competitors - the last U.S. store closing in 1997.

What is left of the company survives as shoe chain Foot Locker - which has an outlet next door to Woolworths' well-known Sydney Town Hall store.

Target

Now struggling and closing dozens of stores, Target's relationship to its giant American namesake is shrouded in mystery.

George Lindsay and Alex McKenzie opened a drapery store in Geelong in 1926 with a 'half the profit, twice the turnover' strategy.

By 1968 the company had 14 stores around Victoria and was bought out by Myer, which renamed it Lindsay's Target.

The American Target opened its first store in St Paul, Minnesota, in 1962 and became a powerhouse to this day

The two companies have identical logos, but since the bullseye is an obvious design given the name it is not clear if it was coincidental (an early U.S. add pictured)

American tourists have documented similar double-takes, particularly with Target which could be mistaken for an overseas expansion by the U.S. giant (a Target in California pictured)

About the same time, the American Target was establishing itself after opening its first store in St Paul, Minnesota, in 1962.

The company registered its trademark in 1966 and the famous bullseye logo in 1967, and by the end of 1968 had 11 stores and US$130 million in sales.

The two companies have identical logos, but since the bullseye is an obvious design given the name it is not clear if it was coincidental.

U.S. Target spokesman Eric Hausman told the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2013 that the two founders 'had a conversation' at the time, but didn't reveal what was said.

Legal experts told the newspaper that the two companies likely made an 'informal handshake agreement' with no expectation they would ever be in competition.

Target is today owned by Wesfarmers and, before its recent restructure announcement, employs 13,000 people

The floor of a Target in Australia in the 1980s, soon before it merged with Coles

No licencing agreement or cross-ownership of the two chains exists and neither was ever registered in each other's territory.

Myer dropped the founder's name from the chain in 1973 and in 1985 merged with Coles before Myer was spun off in 2006.

Target is today owned by Wesfarmers and, before its recent restructure announcement, employs 13,000 people.

Wendy's

Every Australian's favourite childhood ice cream chain was founded in 1979 in Adelaide by Geoff Davis and Phil Rogers.

The far bigger U.S. Wendy's is a fast food chain with more than 6,700 outlets across North America and a handful overseas, well-known for its square burger patties.

Wendy's was founded in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, far earlier than its Australian namesake, and named after founder Dave Thomas' fourth daughter.

The far bigger U.S. Wendy's is a fast food chain with more than 6,700 outlets across North America and a handful overseas

Wendy's was founded in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, far earlier than its Australian namesake, and named after founder Dave Thomas' fourth daughter (pictured as she appears in the logo)

The two companies are completely unrelated and largely sell different products with different logos - the U.S. version using a picture of Wendy herself.

Now with 120 shops in Australia, the company has been dogged by ugly disputes with franchisees who were abruptly locked out of their stores.

One ended up homeless after his house was repossessed and another died of a heart attack.

In 2014 the struggling company was sold for just $10 million to Singaporean businessman Stanley Tan - after which more franchisees were forced into bankruptcy.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon in 2016 used parliamentary privilege to launch a stinging attack on Mr Tan, whom he called a 'corporate cannibal'.

'Mr Tan promised better support, better returns and a better future for the franchisees - but it seems the only thing Mr Tan had in mind was better profits for his companies,' he said.

Every Australian's favourite childhood ice cream chain was founded in 1979 in Adelaide by Geoff Davis and Phil Rogers

Wendy's in the U.S. is well-known for its square burger patties that make them appear bigger

'That came at the expense of the franchisees, who trusted him to keep their businesses going.

'This trust would soon be betrayed by a series of cold, calculating moves that would destroy the livelihoods of so many small family businesses.

'I believe that this man has caused enormous damage to many family businesses around the country.

'He has left in his wake a trail of financial devastation of many battlers.'

Kmart

Unlike other namesakes of American corporations, powerhouse discount department store Kmart was actually founded by the book.

S.S. Kresge Company opened the first Kmart store in San Fernando, California, in 1962 after decades of running variety stores around the U.S.

In 1968 the company launched the brand in Australia as a joint venture with Coles to prevent a similar copying of its brand as Target.

S.S. Kresge Company opened the first Kmart store in San Fernando, California, in 1962 after decades of running variety stores around the U.S (a Norridge, Illinois, store pictured in 2005)

Kmart now has 209 stores in Australia and 25 in New Zealand, with more about to open from converted Target stores

Coles owned 49 per cent of the venture and S.S. Kresge 51 per cent with the first store opening in Melbourne on April 30, 1969.

It racked up $97,000 ($1.7 million today) in sales on its first day and now has 209 stores in Australia and 25 in New Zealand.

Coles now owns the business outright - S.S. Kresge exchanged its shares for 20 per cent of Coles in 1978 and Coles bought it out in 1994.

Wesfarmers after buying Kmart in 2007 licenced the name from Sears, which had merged with the U.S. Kmart, until it bought the name for use in Australia and New Zealand outright for $100 million in 2017.

In 1968 S.S. Kresge launched the brand in Australia as a joint venture with Coles to prevent a similar copying of its brand as Target

Coles owned 49 per cent of the venture and S.S. Kresge 51 per cent with the first store opening in Melbourne on April 30, 1969

The first Kmart store racked up $97,000 ($1.7 million today) in sales on its first day

Target in the U.S. has not fared so well, entering a steep decline in the 1990s and collapsing in 2002 before it merged with Sears.

The combined company continued to decline and by 2019 there were just 202 stores left with more than half of them closing in the past year.

Lowes

There are two unrelated companies sharing the name - the Australian menswear brand founded in 1898 by William Lowe, and Lowe's hardware in the U.S.

The hardware brand began in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in 1921 and is now the second-biggest in the U.S.

Both companies peacefully coexisted with similar names until 2011 when Lowe's opened in Australia - but couldn't use its own name.

The hardware brand Lowe's began in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in 1921 and is now the second-biggest in the U.S.

A Lowe's hardware store in the U.S. back in the 1960s. It opened Masters in Australia in 2011 as a joint venture with Woolworths to take on Bunnings but failed in five years

The Australian menswear brand Lowes founded in 1898 by William Lowe (original store pictured)

Instead it was a joint venture with Woolworths named Masters to compete with Bunnings, opening its first store in Melbourne in 2011.

Masters Home Improvement crashed and burned in 2016 and all its stores were closed.

Lowes menswear now has more than 200 stores around Australia after a big postwar expansion by Hans Mueller, who bought the business in 1948 and whose children now run it.

Vegemite

Australia's favourite spread isn't just a rip off of the British Marmite, it was designed to be one.

Marmite, created in England in 1902 from re-purposed brewer's yeast, was a popular import to Australia until supply was cut off during World War I.

Without supplies coming in, Fred Walker & Co developed a similar product from yeast thrown out by Carlton and United Breweries.

Vegemite was created as a rip off of the British-made Marmite when imports from the UK were interrupted during World War I

Marmite, created in England in 1902 from re-purposed brewer's yeast, was a popular import to Australia before Vegemite

Vegemite was chosen from competition entries by Fred Walker's daughter Sheilah as the name and production began.

But with imports restored from Britain after the war, Vegemite had to compete with the original Marmite and wasn't doing very well.

A new marketing campaign was launched in 1928, renaming it Parwill with the slogan 'Marmite but Parwill'.

This was an obscure play on words to Marmite meaning 'If Ma might... then Pa will', and failed spectacularly. Vegemite was reinstated in 1935.

Australia might be a very different place had American company Kraft not come to the rescue in a joint venture.

A new marketing campaign was launched in 1928, renaming it Parwill with the slogan 'Marmite but Parwill'. It failed spectacularly and Vegemite was reinstated in 1935

Fred Walker and Kraft established the Kraft Walker Cheese Co to sell American processed cheese and for two years gave away a jar of Vegemite with every purchase.

The strategy was a massive success and in 1939 it was recommended by the British Medical Association as a good source of Vitamin B.

During World War II it was in every soldier's ration pack and in the fridges and cupboards of 90 per cent of Australian households by the late 1940s.

The billionth jar of Vegemite was produced in 2008 and it now far outsells Marmite around Australia.
Bollywood celebrities have been raising their voice against racism and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in the aftermath of George Floyds death. However, they have also been receiving criticism from a section for being silent on issues concerning India, and not looking into ones own backyard before condemning a global event. Not just netizens, even actors like Abhay Deol and Kangana Ranaut have been vocal in their views against these stars.

READ: Abhay Deol Tags Kubbra Sait In Fairness Cream Post; 'Sacred Games' Actor Reacts

Kangana slams stars

Kangana had earlier questioned their silence on the lynching of monks in Palghar and had stated that their selective outrage was perhaps because of their pre-independence colonial slavery genes'. In a recent interview with BBC, the actor reiterated her point and said that the stars supporting Black Lives Matter were being called out for their silence on the killing of the sadhus.

She also said it was easier for the stars to resonate with minorities than majority because Hinduism is not based on conversion or conquering. Kangana said that the stars perhaps feared resonating with majoritarian sentiments, and preferred to 'politicise compassion, humanity, activism', and were a part of the problem.

The National Award-winning actor also said that they were politicising the event to further their professional interest, and called it disheartening.

READ:Abhay Deol Raises An Important Question On Fairness Cream Ads; Shibani Dandekar Reacts

Kangana termed stars posting Black Lives Matter messages as a fancy way to join the campaign relevant to the West, while wondering how they were contributing to the socio-political reform of America.

She also suggested that it seemed they were trying to look busy without work. She said that there was a lot that had to be done in India, and that one should take the lead from the movement in the USA. The Queen star added that one should deal with the evil within the house, before going out and reforming the world.

Kangana asked How dare they? to the stars for endorsing fairness products and saying Black Lives Matter shamelessly. The actor called herself the exception for not endorsing fairness products and questioned their million dollar deals. She accused the stars of commercializing dissent, calling racism as deep-rooted while terming the controversy as the lowest humanity can hit.

Moreover, when asked about the social initiatives that stars were involving themselves during COVID-19 pandemic, Kangana replied that most of them were advertising themselves more than they should have.

Like Kangana, Abhay Deol had also similarly urged all celebrities to look within before saying Black Lives Matter. The actor had even shared how fairness product companies had changed some of the terminologies to avoid criticism.

READ:Priyanka Chopra's 'lie' Caught On Not Endorsing Fairness Cream As Old Video Surfaces

READ:Kareena Kapoor Khan Says All Lives Matter; Kangana Ranaut Makes Colonial Slavery Claim

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
Boris Johnson will set out his plans for rebuilding the U.K. economy after the coronavirus as he seeks to stem the hemorrhaging of support for his government's response to the crisis.

The prime minister will use a speech later this month to commit to speeding up spending on roads, hospitals and research, his office said after three opinion polls published on Saturday showed public confidence in his administration slipping and the gap narrowing between his Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party.

Johnson, who won a commanding majority in the House of Commons in December, will commit to spending to support the normally Labour-voting industrial regions in the north that backed him at the election. He has already said there will be no return to the austerity policies that followed the 2008 financial crisis.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock insisted there will be no "trade off" between the economy and health in a response to reports in the Sunday Times newspaper that Johnson wants to speed the lifting of the U.K.'s lockdown to stop a massive increase in unemployment.

"The worst thing for the economy would be a second spike, so there isn't this trade off that much is made of in the media between health and the economy," Hancock said in an interview with Sky News. "I care deeply about getting the economy going and the best way to get the economy going is to ensure we get down the number of new infections right down."

The U.K., which passed 40,000 deaths from the disease on Friday and has the second-highest number of any country in the world, has been moving to lift restrictions as Johnson battles claims that his administration has botched its response to the pandemic by failing to prepare and moving too slowly to lock down the country.

John Edmunds, professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, added to pressure on Johnson when he said movement restrictions should have been imposed earlier.

"The data we were dealing with in the early part of March and our situational awareness was really quite poor so it would have been very hard to pull the trigger at that point, but I wish we had," he told BBC TV's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday. "That's cost a lot of lives unfortunately."

The death toll has declined sharply under the lockdown. There were only 77 fatalities from the virus reported Sunday, the fewest since the start of the restrictions on March 23. There were new deaths reported in Scotland and Northern Ireland, despite concern that the disease is spreading in Northwestern England.

Non-essential retailers are scheduled to reopen on June 15 and places of worship will be available for private prayer from the same day, the government said. Schools are gradually reopening and travelers on public transport have been told they will have to wear face coverings to help reduce transmission once shoppers and students increase pressure on networks.

Sunday newspaper reports that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will offer tax incentives to encourage smaller companies to hire employees and is mulling a car-scrapping program were "speculation" and no decisions have yet been made, the Treasury said.

An Opinium poll of 2,002 adults found 47% now disapprove of the government's handling of the crisis, compared with 34% who approve. A similar survey by the same company on March 25 found 23% disapproval while 65% backed of the government's response.

The poll showed the gap between Johnson's Conservatives and Labour at 3 points, down from a lead of 26 points in April. Polls by Survation and Deltapoll showed a similar difference.

Hancock insisted ministers had "made the right decisions at the right time" and had been guided by scientific advice throughout the crisis. "We have to make balanced judgments based on that evidence," he told the BBC.

About one in every thousand people in the U.K. has the virus, Hancock said, so people need to continue to be vigilant and follow the guidelines to socially distance, stay away from gatherings and not go into other people's homes.

While he said he supported the message of the Black Lives Matter protests in central London on Saturday, he warned they risked spreading the disease.

"I hope people will make that case strongly, but please don't gather in groups of more than six, because that risks spreading the virus and that risks lives," Hancock told BBC TV. "When you have tens of thousands gathering of course the likelihood is some of them will have the disease."
As the country grapples with coast-to-coast protests against police brutality and systemic racism, a black woman is blazing the trail to the New Jersey Supreme Court for the first time in the states 244-year history.

The daughter of Haitian immigrants, a first-generation American whose second language is English, and the first of her family to attend law school, Fabiana Pierre-Louis knows her unconventional path could bring a new perspective to the states highest court.

Many years ago, my parents came to the United States from Haiti with not much more than the clothes on their backs and the American dream in their hearts, she said Friday after Gov. Phil Murphy announced he will nominate her.

I think they have achieved that dream beyond measure because my life is certainly not representative of the traditional trajectory of someone who would one day be nominated to the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

If confirmed by the state Senate, Pierre-Louis, 39, will be the first black woman and only the third black justice to ever sit on the court.

Murphy, who has touted diversity in his administration, maintained her appointment was not influenced by the rise in conversations surrounding systemic racism and bias, but rather the result of an exhaustive, months-long search.

Justice cannot be blind if those who sit on our highest and most powerful bench are not surrounded by colleagues who encompass the full range of the American experience, whether it be racially, or generationally, or both, Murphy, a Democrat, said during his announcement at the Trenton War Memorial.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who was the first black woman to serve as state Assembly speaker, said its appropriate this is coming as the pain of years of systemic racism is finally being addressed.

Still, Pierre-Louis appointment would have a greater impact on the state of the country, said state Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington.

I think Fabiana would be an excellent choice no matter whats going on in the world. ... But we cant divorce ourselves from the current state of affairs, he said. New Jersey was long overdue to have a woman of color on our state Supreme Court. And regardless of what some may think or say, its always about the content of our character and how we move forward.

Singleton met Pierre-Louis through her husband, Robert Reeves, about six years ago. Since then, hes come to know her as an empathetic wife and loving mom to her two children. The important moral values she instills in her kids, he said, and her humanity and devotion to family will distinctly shine through the cases she reviews.

Fabiana Pierre-Louis smiles alongside her two sons during a during a news conference where she nominated to the New Jersey Supreme Court by Gov. Phil Murphy, Friday, June 5, 2020, in Trenton, N.J. (Chris Pedota/The Record via AP, Pool)AP

And shed be the first black judge to sit on the court in nearly a decade, after former Justice John Wallace Jr. was denied tenure in a controversial move by then-Gov. Chris Christie in 2010.

It caused a rift between the Republican governor and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, leading to a vacancy in the court for six years before Christie nominated Walter Timpone in 2016. Timpone will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 in November.

After graduating with high honors from Rutgers Law School in Camden, Pierre-Louis, who grew up in Irvington, served as law clerk for Wallace on the Supreme Court in 2006.

Never could I have imagined that one day I would be nominated to sit in the same exact seat that he once occupied, Pierre-Louis said of the retired justice during her remarks.

Wallace recalled her as a great attorney with a fantastic personality, and said he felt so elated and happy for her when he heard of her nomination.

Its like your son or daughter got a great position at a big company, its very exciting. I could not be happier," said Wallace, who was present at the nomination announcement.

But she wasnt always sure she wanted to be a lawyer, Pierre-Louis shared Friday. It wasnt until she attended The Summer Institute for Pre-Legal Studies at Seton Hall while she was still in her undergraduate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in the Educational Opportunity Fund program.

At the conclusion of that program, I was sold. I loved reading the law, I loved reading about the law, I love talking about the law, she said.

Following her clerkship, a determined Pierre-Louis continued beefing up the resume that led to her nomination, Wallace stressed.

She spent nine years as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey. She was the first woman of color to take charge of the Camden office, where she focused on public corruption, narcotics and fraud, and oversaw criminal matters handled by the office.

Prior to her time in Camden, she was also the first woman of color to head the Trenton branch, where she established the Trenton Reentry Court to assist federal offenders recently released from jail reenter society.

She also worked in the Newark office for the General Crimes and Organized Crime and Gang Unit, according to her online biography.

With practically every step, she broke new ground, Murphy noted.

She returned to private practice in 2019 as a partner at Cherry Hill firm Montgomery McCracken, where she focuses on white collar crime, government investigations and complex commercial litigation. She now lives in Mount Laurel.

One of the wonderful things about Fabiana is that shes had experience in north, south, and central Jersey, said Rutgers Law School Dean Emeritus Rayman Solomon. It has been a remarkable court and her addition will make it even more remarkable.

The schools current co-dean  Kim Mutcherson, the first woman and first black law dean at Rutgers  said in a statement that she has known Pierre-Louis for many years, calling her a superb lawyer" who is "thoughtful, compassionate, committed to the rule of law, and to a fair and unbiased system of justice.

In an interview with Essence magazine, Pierre-Louis, a Democrat, said she seeks to be a fair, open-minded justice, if confirmed. There were no questions allowed at Fridays announcement, and she did not respond for an interview request (it is uncommon for nominees to publicly comment prior to Senate confirmation hearings).

The New Jersey court has a long tradition of landmark decisions that ordered more money for poor schools, demanded fair housing, and sided with a gay scout leader who was ousted from the Boy Scouts of America. Republican critics, including Christie, have long criticized the court as being too activist.

State Sen. Christopher Kip Bateman, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will consider the nomination, said he read up on Pierre-Louis and was struck by her credentials.

She has a very impressive background, Batemen, R-Somerset, said. I think its a good choice, diversity is what the court needs.

Bateman said he intends to meet with Pierre-Louis in the next couple of weeks, but said she shouldnt have a problem getting confirmed.

Sweeney, a friend of Wallace, congratulated Pierre-Louis on her nomination, though he did not say whether she would be confirmed or when her hearing would be.

I look forward to meeting and talking with her," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said in a statement Friday.

Her appointment would shift the gender balance of the court from five men and two women to four men and three women, and maintain the balance of three Democrats, three Republicans and one independent.

At the age of 39, Pierre-Louis could shape the court for up to three decades. She must serve seven years before the governor and state Senate decide whether she gets lifetime tenure.

Her background brings so much to the court. Each justice is an individual person, and they have their own focuses in their life. Itll be important for other justices to get to know her and her experiences, Wallace said.

With Fridays announcement, Pierre-Louis is already a role model for young kids across the state, Singleton added.

Her story is a truly New Jersey story. Shes the first generation to immigrant parents, she rises from an urban environment here to now hopefully the highest position one can have in the states legal system, the lawmaker said. Shes a true inspiration  not just to young black girls, but for all of us.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

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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Haiti - FLASH : The country crosses the bar of 3,000 cases





The Ministry of Public Health informs that 148 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Haiti (the day before: 184), for a total of 3,072 cases throughout the national territory (40.5% of women and 59.5% of men) since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ) .



Active cases (less death and recovery) : 2,998 cases (+ 5.19%) +148 in 24 hours (the day before: +184)



Number of suspected cases investigated since March 19 : 6,674 cases +48 in 24 hours (the day before: +726)



All the details in our daily report of 11am



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30961-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-june-6-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30955-haiti-flash-more-than-1-000-cases-in-less-than-a-week.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html



S/ HaitiLibre


















We all know New Jersey has been hard hit during the coronavirus crisis.

It took a mere two months for New Jersey to lose more jobs than it created in the past decade, according to a new study by Rutgers University.

The carnage brought the states employment numbers down to where they were in 1985, the study said.

The employment numbers of the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics for the nation and New Jersey tell the startling tale of economic free fall due to the pandemic, said report co-author James Hughes, a professor and dean emeritus of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

The decade from February 2010 to February 2020 brought record employment expansion, the study said, noting the state gained 406,000 jobs during that period.

It lost 833,000 jobs in March and April 2020.

LOOKING AT THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE

In March and April, the study said, the public sector lost 28,000 jobs, just 3% of the total of job losses. But those numbers could get worse.

The state is bracing for possible public worker layoffs. For now, a furlough plan is in place. But with the prospect of federal funding up in the air, Gov. Phil Murphy pushed a $14 billion borrowing plan through the state Assembly. The measure doesnt yet have support in the Senate.

The public sector so far has escaped the worst of the pain  it accounts for 17% of all jobs but only 3% of the March and April losses, Hughes said. Losses in the public sector going forward will reinforce the negative impact of the very painful private-sector losses.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

On Thursday, unions said Rutgers University could lay off about 500 dining, maintenance, custodial and public safety workers, while about 620 employees who are usually furloughed in the summer may not have jobs in the fall.

If colleges dont reopen. many more workers could be out of jobs.

The concerns are reflected in the study, which found the accommodation and food services sector lost 206,000 jobs during April and May.

This was the largest employment decline of any economic category, and it represents about one-quarter of the states total employment loss, Hughes said. If public higher educations on-campus living and related activities are restricted this fall, its residence and food service employment would be similarly impacted.

SEEING A RECOVERY?

Hughes says a look at the numbers shows some ominous, but unlikely, possibilities.

During the 2010-2020 expansion, New Jersey gained an average of nearly 41,000 jobs a year.

If the state returned to that level of job growth, it would take more than 20 years to recapture the 833,000 jobs lost in March and April, Hughes said.

At the risk of losing my forecasting license, Ill go out on a limb and suggest it may be possible to recapture all of the 833,000 job decline by 2023, assuming many of the employment losses were temporary and were linked to the mandatory economic shutdown, he said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Karin Price Mueller may be reached at bamboozled@njadvancemedia.com.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales, center, makes his way with his staff to give a news conference on the victims of a shooting where 5 people were killed Monday, April 27, 2020, at a home in Milwaukee, Wis., Monday, April 27, 2020.at the scene of a shooting where five people were killed in Milwaukee, Wis., Monday, April 27, 2020. Morales said his department received a call around 10:30 a.m. Monday from a man who said his family was dead. The man who called authorities to the house has been taken into custody, and detectives were trying to determine the relationship between the caller and the victims, Morales said. No names have been provided. (Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)
Award-winning careers course goes online to help Wrexham Glyndwr University students during lockdown

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 7th, 2020

An award-winning careers course for Wrexham Glyndwr University students will run again this year  and has been adapted to help them find jobs during lockdown.

The Make Summer Work for You course  which is usually taught face-to-face on campus  has been adapted for online delivery. The course, which beat entrants across the UK in 2018 to win the the Supporting Student/ Graduate Employability category at the AGCAS (Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service) Awards for Excellence.

Make Summer Work for You  an extracurricular programme which strengthens students employment prospects over several months by providing flexible careers related support and guidance  was commended by judges for its innovation, engagement and impact.

The programme was built after the Careers team ran consultations with students  and found that working to boost their confidence, resilience and wellbeing would help them secure the career they were looking for.

Now, the careers team at Glyndwr have kept the core of the programme, but adapted it so that they continue to help and support students career development online.

The course is being run for students from June 1 for six weeks, with additional chances to join in June and August. It is free and easy for students to join online.

Jenny Whittaker, Careers and Employability Adviser at Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: Make Summer Work for You has been a popular course among our students  and helped them to find roles in their chosen careers too.

When it became clear that we wouldnt be able to run the course on campus, due to the ongoing restrictions were all working under to help tackle the spread of coronavirus, we decided to take the course online instead.

Students and graduates who take part can expect a range of weekly workshops to engage with throughout the lock down.

There are videos, presentations, exercises and workshop resources, all designed to support and encourage our participants to navigate their way through the coming months  and with advice on everything from writing personal statements to winning CVs, and from writing effective applications to interview skills.

There are also a range of careers guides, videos, apps, links and more for participants to explore.

For those students who tell us what the most useful part of the course was for them, theres the chance to win a 20 Amazon voucher too!

The Make Summer Work for You online course is the latest innovation by the universitys career department, which is providing full online support to students throughout the pandemic.

Just as weve taken Make Summer Work for You online, weve adapted the support we offer so we can provide it remotely, added Jenny.

Whether that is booking telephone guidance appointments, online video appointments or e-guidance any student or graduate at Glyndwr can access help.

This can be anything from career planning, CV and application form reviews, through to interview skills support and tips for managing online interviews and assessment centres  as well as preparing for psychometric tests.

Students and graduates from Wrexham Glyndwr University can find out more by signing into the universitys careers portal at WGUConnect.glyndwr.ac.uk
We worked hard to flatten the curve in California, said Carmela Coyle, president of the California Hospital Association, who issued an appeal to hospital systems across the state for help. Now we have a surge in the Imperial Valley because the situation is so severe in Mexicali.

Other parts of the border, including San Diego County, also have been scrambling with a wave of patients from Baja California, the state adjacent to California. Border towns in Arizona are experiencing an increase in infections that health officials believe is tied to people coming in from Sonora state.

Our E.R. is used to receiving patients from Mexico for things like complications from bariatric surgery and plastic surgery, and alternative cancer care, but this pandemic has brought a whole different dynamic, said Juan Tovar, physician operations executive at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, across the border from Tijuana, which has been hard hit by the pandemic.

Were seeing Covid patients arrive at our E.R. who are very ill, whose disease has progressed to an advanced stage because care wasnt readily available in Baja California, he said.

The border influx is likely the reason that Chula Vista has more cases per capita than San Diego, a city five times larger.

Chris Van Gorder, the president of Scripps Health, a nonprofit health system in San Diego, reported that nearly half of virus patients who checked into the Chula Vista hospital between May 24 and May 30 had recently been in Mexico. That share rose to 60 percent between May 31 and June 2.
Opec and its oil-producing allies have agreed to extend their historic production cut for an additional month as crude recovers to near $40 a barrel.

The agreement, sealed during the groups video-conference meeting, is in bid to balance the global oil market, said media reports.

As per the deal, Saudi Arabia and Russia will continue to take the bulk of the nearly 10 million barrels per day of cuts, but the two countries emphasised they wanted to see stronger compliance from other members as they held a virtual meeting on Saturday.

The latest agreement builds on a deal struck in April that brought an end to a price war between both countries that - in tandem with collapsing demand during widespread lockdowns - threatened to overwhelm global oil markets and ravage producer economies, reported Financial Times.

The deal was largely hammered out before the formal video meetings of oil ministers began, with oils recent recovery promoting widespread support for keeping the full cuts in place rather than tapering them from July as originally planned.

The group, known as Opec+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production quotas in May and June, compensate with extra cuts in July to September.

Nigerias petroleum ministry said Abuja backed the idea of compensating for its excessive output in May and June.

Opec+ had initially agreed in April that it would cut supply by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) during May-June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis. Those cuts were due to taper to 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

Both Saudi Arabia and Russia worked together to orchestrate the extension agreed on Saturday, and they also pressured Iraq, the second largest producer in Opec, to state publicly that it would comply with its commitment to cut production by about 1 million barrels a day.

Analysts have estimated that Iraq has been missing that target by hundreds of thousands of barrels a day.

It was unanimously agreed by Opec and Opec+ countries to extend the current reduction to the end of July, said Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAEs energy minister, after the meeting.

Lauding the Saudi and Russian efforts, Al Mazrouei said: "The UAE is proud of its supportive role to the alliance of oil producing countries who made a courageous decision and a collective effort that deserves praise from all participating producing countries."

US energy secretary Dan Brouillette said on Twitter that he welcomed the deal at "a pivotal time as oil demand continues to recover and economies reopen around the world".

Demand is returning as big oil-consuming economies emerge from pandemic lockdown, he said. But we are not out of the woods yet, Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said.

Benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 climbed to a three-month high on Friday above $42 a barrel, after diving below $20 in April. Prices still remain a third lower than at the end of 2019, reported Reuters.

Prices can be expected to be strong from Monday, keeping their $40 plus levels, said Bjornar Tonhaugen from Rystad Energy.

One risk is that reviving the world economy after the worst of the pandemic passes will prove more difficult than investors are now anticipating. While production cuts and voluntary closings of oil wells have helped bring demand and supply closer to balance, there are still huge stocks of oil in tank farms and on ships that could flood the market.

Warning flags are still flying here, said Robert McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group, a market research firm.
(Natural News) In a rare cross-party coalition, the National College Republicans and College Democrats came together Monday to demand that American universities take a stand against the Chinese Communist Partys long-term campaign against academic freedom in the U.S. by closing all Confucius Institutes.

(Article by Celine Ryan republished from CampusReform.com)

In a statement released Wednesday titled CONCERNING THE THREAT OF AUTHORITARIAN INFLUENCE AND THE DEFENSE OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, the two national student political organizations united against the presence of the known propaganda centers on campus, calling for American universities to put an end to the Chinese governments flagrant attempts to coerce and control discourse at universities in the United States.

We are compelled to voice our concerns over the present state of academic freedom, and bring to light the continued exploitation of liberal, democratic academic institutions by authoritarians, reads the statement.

We are proud to join with the @athenaiinst and @CollegeDems to expose the risk Confucius Institutes pose to academic freedom and to call for immediate action. See our full statement here: https://t.co/yQpfROfpAL#ProtectAcademicFreedom #CloseConfuciusInstitutes pic.twitter.com/QH0m8WzVKg  College Republicans (@CRNC) May 13, 2020

We further recommend that colleges, universities, non-governmental organizations, and representatives of vulnerable groups implement practices and policies to protect academic freedom from authoritarian interference in any form, the statement continues.

The organizations outline various aspects of the long-term campaign undeniably aimed at expanding the reach and power of the Chinese states apparatus of oppression, beginning with specifically calling out Confucius Institutes.

The Chinese Communist Party has established programs at universities, especially Confucius Institutes, which are proprietary outlets of soft power9 that promote self-censorship, arbitrarily censor discussion of issues sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party, utilize discriminatory hiring practices, and propagate blatant disinformation., reads the statement.

Campus Reform recently reported that dozens of such centers, deemed propaganda cells by intelligence officials still operate on American campuses.

They also agree that the CCP has undermined the integrity of higher-learning institutions by seeking to bribe and intimidate academics.

The Chinese Communist Partys actions pose an immense threat to academic freedom and to human dignity, the statement continues, adding that It is imperative that we distinguish this totalitarian regime from the Chinese people, whom we must steadfastly defend from abhorrent acts of xenophobia, racism, and hatred. We must act to give voice to the long-oppressed, be they Chinese, Hong Konger, Mongolian, Taiwanese, Tibetan or Uyghur.

The groups also note that although concerns over these matters have been raised through legitimate means for over two decades, the CCP and its proxies have only responded via propaganda and by ambiguously using the threat of financial pressure against universities.

In light of this, the coalition issued a list of demands, beginning with the immediate and permanent closure of all Confucius Institutes in the United States.

The groups are also demanding the revocation of any organizational and/or club status afforded to the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and a ban of all funding from all proxies and agencies of the Chinese state or the Chinese Communist Party without explicit university approval.

The coalition also demands complete public disclosure of any and all ties, both financial and academic between American colleges and any Chinese state agencies and proxies, and that schools create systems by which students can report violations of these rules and other general encroachments upon academic freedom.

Let this action be the start of a broader, independent effort by academic institutions to counter wherever it arises, the statement concludes. In the fight against authoritarianism, universities can continue to benefit from the largesse of an emboldened authoritarian state, or they can stand on the right side of history. They cannot do both. The world is watching, and the fate of liberal democracybased on the fundamental dignity of the human persondepends on our success.

Read more at: CampusReform.com
New Delhi/IBNS: India and China have agreed to peacefully "resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements," the foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

On Saturday, a high-level meeting was held between the Indian Corps Commander based in Leh and the Chinese Commander in the Chushul-Moldo region near eastern Ladakh.

This comes weeks after scuffles and stone-pelting between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Naku La area in north Sikkim and Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh amid heightened Chinese activities along the LAC like increased boat patrolling and Chinese helicopter violating Indian airspace.

Following the Saturday's meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said India and China have maintained communications through established diplomatic and military channels to address the situation in areas along the India-China border.

"It 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 said.

The Indian delegation was led by Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, Commander of 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District.

Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship.

"Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas," the statement said.

The Line of Actual Control (LAC), or the disputed boundary between India and China, is divided into three sectors: western, middle and eastern.

There are disagreements between India and China over the exact location of the LAC in several areas. While India claims that the LAC is 3,488 km long, the Chinese think it is around 2,000 km long.

Both the Indian Army and the Chinese Army try and dominate each other by patrolling the areas up to the points each perceives the LAC, often leading to conflicting situations such as those reported in Naku La in Sikkim earlier last month.
New Delhi: Clarifying that BJP's virtual rally had nothing to do with Bihar elections, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said his address was to bring Indians together in fight against the coronavirus pandemic. He also took a dig at the RJD protest and said he was glad that opposition had finally heard PM Modi's appeal to show gratitude to Covid-19 fighters.

"Some people welcomed our today's virtual rally by clanging 'thalis'. I am glad they finally heard PM Modi's appeal to show gratitude towards those fighting Covid-19," Shah said addressing 'Bihar Jansamvad Rally' through video conferencing.

Hours before Shah's virtual rally, RJD leaders and workers staged protests, beating utensils and blowing conches against what their leader Tejashwi Yadav dubbed as the ruling party's celebration of the devastation caused by Covid-19 and the lockdown.

A large crowd gathered outside the 10, Circular Road, residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, where she stood alongside Tejashwi and her elder son Tej Pratap Yadav and party workers  all clanging steel plates with spoons  while standing inside circles drawn on the ground to ensure social distancing.

In his address in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked people to clap, ring bells or clang utensils to applaud the people rendering essential services.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday said it has filed a fresh chargesheet in the money-laundering case related to "illegal" acquisition of land in Haryana's Manesar with the alleged connivance of senior government functionaries and bureaucrats.

This is the second supplementary prosecution complaint or chargesheet in the case and it contains the details of attachment of assets of the accused worth Rs 108.79 crore and the alleged perpetration of money laundering, it said.

The chargesheet has been filed before a special court set up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, and names 13 individuals and entities.

The ED, in a statement, said it has named private builders and entities like Atul Bansal of ABW Infrastructure Limited, the company ABW Infra Limited (ABWIL), Bansals's wife Sona Bansal, Mahamaya Exports Private Limited, Shashikant Chaurasia, Dilip Lalwani, Varinder Uppal, Vijay Uppal, Viney Uppal, Ravinder Taneja, TDI Infrastructure Limited, Wisdom Realtors Private Limited and AB Rephcons Infrastructure Private Limited.

Several farmers and land owners alleged that they were cheated to the tune of about Rs 1,500 crore in this land-acquisition case, in which Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is an accused.

The agency had filed a PMLA case in the alleged land deal scam in September, 2016 on the basis of a Haryana Police FIR. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) too is probing the case. The ED said its probe found that "builders/private entities extorted the land from farmers and land holders on meagre rates by exhibiting the fear of acquisition".

"Farmers and land holders under fear sold their land to such private entities, who ultimately sold the same to various builders, who obtained licences and gained handsome profits in a fraudulent manner," it alleged.

The probe also found that most of the land was purchased by the ABWIL Group, which is "controlled" by Atul Bansal, and after obtaining licences, the company sold the licensed and un-licensed land and the licences to private developers and made huge profits.

The case pertains to the allegation that farmers and land owners of villages in Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnaula (also known as Nakhrola) had ancestral land measuring about 688 acres and "were compelled to sell approximately 400 acres" of it "to private persons at throwaway prices under the threat of acquisition by the government between August 27, 2004 and August 24, 2007", the ED had said earlier.

It has been alleged that initially, the Haryana government issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an industrial model township.After this, all the plots were allegedly grabbed from their owners by private builders at meagre rates.

It has also been alleged that an order was then passed by the competent authority -- Director of Industries -- on August 24, 2007, releasing this land from the acquisition process, in violation of the government policy and in favour of the builders, their companies and agents, instead of the original land owners.

The probe agencies found that in this manner, land measuring about 400 acres, the market value of which at that time was above Rs 4 crore per acre, was allegedly purchased by private builders and others from the land owners for only about Rs 100 crore. The ED said its probe in the case is ongoing.
"Beginning in his childhood, the boys parents had their doubts about his dream to become a plastic surgeon."



Greg Springer

was this week's winner.



The winner's name will be put into a drawing for a free month subscription or extension.



Look for a new photo Monday.
Promising Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja died of heart attack in Bengaluru on Sunday. He was 39.

The actor collapsed while speaking to his father on phone around 1.10 pm. He was immediately rushed to Apollo Hospital in Jayanagar. Doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Dr Govindaiah Yatheesh, Unit Head, Apollo Specialty Hospital, Jayanagar, said, "Actor Chiranjeevi Sarja was talking to his father at 1.10 pm. He was sweating and collapsed. It is around the same time they left the house. At 2.20 pm he reached Apollo Hospital in Jayanagar but had died on the way. The cause of death seems cardiac. But the family has not requested for an autopsy. We have handed over the body to the police."

Also read  Did you know Chiranjeevi Sarja was a Rajinikanth fan?

His throat swabs have been sent to laboratory for a report, according to sources.

Last rites will be conducted at the farmhouse of his grandfather Shakti Prasad at Jakkenahalli in Madhugiri taluk in Tumakuru district on Monday. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, only a few people, including his family members, artistes from the Kannada film industry and some Jakkenahalli residents will be permitted to be present, according to the family sources.

Shakti Prasad's family has a house and farmhouse at the village. The family constructed Ahobala Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple at Jakkenahalli. The family members attend the Brahma Rathotsava at the temple every year without fail.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa condoled the actor's death saying that the Kannada film industry has lost a good actor. He was a shining star in the galaxy of artistes. It's disappointing that he died at a young age, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy tweeted.

KPCC President D K Shivakumar termed the news of the actors death as shocking. The actor had a bright future. Producer K Manju called Chiranjeevi Sarja a hard working actor.

Actor Aditi Prabhudeva, who shared the screen with him in Singa film, termed him as an actor known for simplicity and such actors are rare in the film industry.

The eldest son of Ammaji and Vijay Kumar, Chiranjeevi Sarja, was born on October 17, 1980. The nephew of mutlilingual South Indian actor, Arjun Sarja, he had married Meghana Raj, the daughter of Prameela Joshai and Sundar Raj on May 2, 2018.

He began his career in the Sandalwood with Vayuputra in 2009. Shivarjuna, released days before the lockdown was imposed, is his last film. He had signed for four films which are under shooting currently .

He acted in about 22 films, including Kempe Gowda, Gandedhe, Dandam Dashagunam, Chiru, Amma-I Love, Khaki, Aadyaa.
(Natural News) The way we know that black lives matter more than white lives in America is because when a cop kills a black man, the whole world riots. But when a cop kills a white man, it doesnt even make the evening news.

In this article, I reveal how the progressive Left pushes black privilege in a demeaning, condescending way that is an insult to black people everywhere. I also expose the rank hypocrisy of the progressive Left and how its own thought leaders are the ones who treat black people like low-IQ, sub-human animals who they consider to be incapable of functioning in civil society in a reasoned, intelligent way.

Finally, I explain why conservative thinking is the true tolerance, for it is a merit-based society that sees the world without skin color, or bias or discrimination. When everyone competes on a level playing field based on merit rather than skin color, race becomes irrelevant. But thats not the world the intolerant, bigoted Left wants to create.

The intolerant, bigoted Left wants to push a world of black privilege while absurdly claiming all people should be treated equally. You cant have equality when the entire left-wing sector of society demands we judge people by the color of their skin.

Black privilege allows black people to carry out serious crimes of destruction and looting that white-labeled groups could never get away with

Black privilege is now so prominent across America that Black Lives Matter groups are free to carry out riots, arson, looting and even assault on innocent civilians without being stopped or arrested by police. When black groups march toward a police precinct, the police evacuate and surrender the entire building to be burned down by rioters. In the rare circumstances when black protesters are arrested, the political leaders of the city universally set them free the next day, without any charges, even if they carried out acts of extreme property damage and theft.

By comparison, no white-inspired protest group would ever be allowed to burn down buildings, loot retailers to their hearts delight and take over police precinct buildings. These privileges are only reserved for Black Lives Matter. White-looking conservative groups would be immediately labeled terrorists and condemned as racist by the media, which would emphasize their irresponsible looting and property damage behaviors, instead of celebrating them like we see with black-inspired groups.

Isnt it interesting that in our progressive left-wing society, white people are condemned for destroying private property while black people are celebrated for it?

Thats because when violent black rioters commit felony crimes of arson, assault and violence, its all characterized by the media as peaceful demonstrations. But if a group of white people did the exact same thing, they would be immediately labeled violent extremists or terrorists, or even white supremacists. When black mobs carry out crimes of mass destruction, the media covers for them, inverting reality and claiming the entire event was largely peaceful.

Progressive left-wing society demands unqualified people be placed into positions of power based on the color of their skin rather than merit

Black privilege is also evident in academia and finance. As a mechanism that claims to help make up for centuries of oppression, when black people apply for loans or grant money, they get extra special consideration because of the color of their skin  black privilege. When they apply for college admissions, they get extra points for black privilege, even while Asian-Americans are punished by those same colleges and universities for being too academically gifted. (Yes, nearly all the universities in America routinely discriminate against Asians, assigning Asian penalty points to their college admission scores.)

Black privilege allows black people to be granted extra consideration on corporate board positions, advances in law enforcement positions and, at times, a relaxation of standards in professional careers that essentially allow many black people to attain professional positions for which they werent yet qualified. Its demeaning and insulting, of course, for an all-white corporate board to seek out and recruit a token black person to join their board just so they can all lie to themselves and claim to be in favor of diversity. Yet this is what the Left demands: Token black representation across corporate America, demanding that black people be used as human props to achieve the correct ratios of melanin in positions of power or even in professions of science, medicine and engineering.

The entire process is demeaning and insulting to every one of the very capable black Americans who have rightfully earned their positions of influence or entrepreneurship or talent. There are a great many capable and even brilliant African-American doctors in America today, but thanks to the black privilege demands of the progressive Left, a spell of doubt is cast across all black doctors, effectively labeling them all with question marks that cause patients to quietly ask whether their particular doctor earned his position or was granted it due to black privilege.

This is not helped when we see news of black university students demanding free grades  unearned high marks  because they are black. And universities are agreeing with the demands, awarding black students extra high grades they never earned. This teaches black students that they really dont need to earn grades at all. They merely need to protest and demand black privilege to get what they want.

Thats party why the process of selecting black people for high positions merely because theyre black continues. How many police chiefs in cities across America were advanced to that position largely because of the color of their skin? There are no white police chiefs in Americas large cities who became Chief of Police because they were white, but there are plenty who were awarded that same position because of their color. Mayors of large cities tell themselves that if the police chief is black, he or she can talk to the black rioters in a way that doesnt seem condescending. Yet choosing a police chief because hes black rather than selecting the right person on merit is, itself, incredibly demeaning and condescending to black Americans. Its telling them that their only contribution to this society is the color of their skin, not the content of their character or the brilliance of their mind. Dr. King would be appalled.

Thats black privilege, and it dominates law enforcement and many other professions across America, including medicine, science and engineering.

Black privilege sows doubt in the minds of the public, harming the reputations of black achievers who legitimately earned their positions

The assertion of black privilege across many professions naturally causes people to wonder how public projects like bridges were awarded. Was that bridge awarded to the most qualified engineering firm? Or was it given to the firm with the highest percentage of black engineers, regardless of whether they have the experience and qualifications to design a bridge that will be safe for the public?

Thanks to the demands of black privilege across the cultural landscape, in many professions now, progressive decision makers no longer demand the most qualified person do the job. Merit has been replaced with skin color selection, which is simultaneously discriminatory and demeaning to all human beings. It also harms the reputations of the truly brilliant, highly-qualified black doctors, engineers and scientists across America because it trains many people across society to legitimately wonder whether that black doctor, for example, actually earned his medical degree or was given a pass because of his color. In this way, black privilege harms legitimately high-achieving black Americans whose achievements are suspected of being unfairly ascribed to them.

Thats how the progressive Left creates more racism in society, sowing the seeds of distrust that only lead to more suspicions of black privilege being the determining factors in many politically-motivated decisions. And thats sad, because one of the most brilliant persons Ive ever encountered is a black man. I refer to him as having a beautiful mind. His name is Alan Keyes, by the way, and hes one of the Americas great treasures in terms of human beings. Anyone who would question the merit of Keyes mind is a fool, and his intellect is that of a giant compared to most people of any race that Ive ever encountered.

Progressive Leftists think black people are sub-human and incapable of interacting in a rational, civil way asserting that they speak through violence like animals

Even the attitude that black people can only speak through violence is wildly insulting, as if the progressive Left believes modern blacks are some sort of sub-human animals who can only grunt and thrash their way across an urban landscape rather than engage in meaningful, rational conversations about the structure of society. The very idea that blacks must be allowed to communicate through arson and looting is demeaning and anti-humanitarian, yet it encapsulates the ideology of the progressive Left which treats blacks as sub-human animals who must be allowed to riot because thats the only way they know to communicate.

The very idea is insulting beyond belief. Yet it now dominates the cultural landscape. How many times have we now heard that we must let them riot because thats their speech? The message being broadcast to the rest of society, according to the bigoted Left, is that they think black people have not even attained the degree of domestication necessary to participate in a modern society founded upon the rule of law. Black groups, say the progressives, are exempt from the rule of law because they are incapable of the level of rational thought necessary to even operate in the realm of civility. Can you think of a more racist, demeaning insult to human beings?

In essence, Leftists think of black Americans as zoo animals, not capable participants in modern society. And sometimes, they seem to be saying, the zoo animals need to be let loose to run around the zoo and destroy everything because the Democrats think theyre animals. Thats all their capable of, according to the bigoted Left. Thats true systemic racism, and its perpetuated by the progressive Left.

Live on Fox, a BLM leader just threatened to burn down New Yorks Diamond District. If Blas and Cuo dont engage with us, he said, we will head to the Diamond District, and thanks to President Trump, gasoline is cheap. This is dead-serious. Its time for a decisive crackdown.  Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) June 6, 2020

Further underscoring that twisted, bigoted belief, the progressive Left chooses cultural heroes who are violent felons and thugs, essentially proclaiming that black America cant find any upstanding, law-abiding heroes to celebrate, as Candace Owens explains in the video below. Instead, they resort to criminal felons, drug abusers and low-life thugs as their chosen heroes.

George Floyd, for example, was a drug-abusing felon and violent criminal who once held a gun to the torso of a pregnant woman during a home robbery. That doesnt mean he deserved to die at the hands of police, but the fact that the entire left-wing narrative glosses over his own criminal acts and felony prison stint only demonstrates how the left-wing media blackwashes black cultural heroes to lie to their own followers about the reality of the situation.

Thanks to the twisted narratives of the Left, even a violent criminal felon can be celebrated as a Christ-like cultural hero, while the entire FBI kneels before him to surrender to the lawlessness of the Left. This particular department of the FBI is a lunchtime fast response team known as Meal Team Six:

Yes, I just fat-shamed the FBI. If youre going to wear a tactical vest and pretend to be a field agent so you can take part in the brainwashing political theater of kneeling down to left-wing domestic terrorism, dont have the fitness level of a donut-hoarding desk jockey.

As Candace Owens explains, informed black Americans do not support a multiple-felon thug being celebrated as a cultural hero. Candace Owens has been branded a racist and race traitor for speaking the obvious:

White babies are born into sin, while black babies are celebrated and loved for being born the right color

Black privilege is so powerful in America today that black babies are born the right color, to be celebrated as promising citizens who will later lead a progressive society to peace and prosperity. White children, on the other hand, are condemned as being born in sin, full of systemic racism and needing to be guilt-tripped in their early years to make sure they are properly condemned and berated by society. Thats the conclusion of a recent expert on CNN who insisted that the proper role of society is to psychologically terrorize white children because of the way they were born. White kids dont deserve innocence, he says, summarizing the black privilege insanity that has now transformed into a kind of societal mass mental abuse of white children.

Similarly, when black people use social media to organize acts of terrorism or call for the murder of the president, its tolerated by the tech giants. But if a white person were to engage in similar behavior, they would be immediately shut down and probably arrested for conspiracy to commit terrorism. This demonstrates how even the tech giants overwhelmingly embrace black privilege, but never similar freedoms to speak for those who society labels as white or conservative. The oppression of conservative and Christian speech on the big tech platforms, in fact, has reached an all-time high, even as the radical left-wing fascists who run the tech giants claim to be acting out of inclusiveness and tolerance.

We can never achieve a society based on equality if the progressive Left refuses to treat people with equal merit

The Lefts stated goal of achieving equality is a farce. Equality cannot be achieved when one group is granted privilege based on the color of their skin (black privilege) while another group is condemned and punished at the same time (white guilt). These discriminatory, anti-human actions by Democrats and the progressive Left only serve to worsen bigotry and racism across America.

But of course thats the whole point. Democrats actively seek division, hatred and violence. Those are their tools of cultural revolutions, and Black Lives Matter has become the left-wing equivalent of the American ISIS  the militant terrorism wing of the Democrat party.

Watch as Dinesh DSouza explains this on the Dan Bongino Show:

If we all wish to live in a society of equality, we must treat people equally, obviously. If we wish to live in a society based on merit, we must recognize people based on their merit, not their skin color. And if we wish to live in a society based on true diversity and tolerance, we must not psychologically terrorize white babies with white guilt indoctrination and demand that whites bow down before artificially-concocted black cultural heroes like George Floyd, a violent criminal felon.

What the Left claims to want  tolerance, inclusiveness, diversity and love  is exactly what they are actively working to destroy. They want none of those things, for their power comes from left-wing bigotry, intolerance and demands for conforming obedience.

All who oppose the tyranny of the Left will be branded racists. Any who attempt to stop the violence and arson of the Left will be condemned as oppressors. Anyone brave enough to attempt to take a stand against the lawlessness and anarchy dreams of the radical, extremist Left will be violently assaulted by left-wing militant terrorists who fully realize they now operate with absolute legal immunity because of the color of their skin  black privilege.

Beware of all those who claim to stand for peace and civility as they burn your cities down and declare people are evil because their skin is white. Beware of those who claim to stand for equality as they demand a biased, rigged society that discriminates against babies for being born with white skin. Beware of those who claim to come to you in love and peace as they demand cult-like obedience to their Third Reich-like fanaticism.

The true enemies of human freedom and equality are those who themselves demand that society punish people for being white, conservative or Christian. They do not come in the name of love but rather hatred and destruction. They represent demonic forces, not Christ-like forces, and all good people who truly embrace the divine nature of human beings of all races and colors must stand against the extremist Left and their twisted, destructive narratives.

For it is the radical, extremist Left thats using black people as their convenient pawns  cannon fodder  while their real agenda is a communist revolution and takeover of America. The high-level authoritarians and communists behind the scenes have zero authentic love for black people and will just as soon kill them all once their political revolution against America has been achieved.

Black lives dont matter at all to the communists. All that matters to them is the destruction of human life and the seizing of political power at any cost.

Every person protesting for George Floyd right now is actually a pawn of the communists who are attempting to cause chaos and social upheaval as a mechanism to achieve the overthrow of the United States of America. Thats why the left-wing protesters literally hate the symbolism of the American flag, because America is their enemy, and destruction is their goal.

From Breitbart.com: Democrats Embrace the Four Stages of Ideological Subversion

Progressive ideology always rests on a conviction that the current regressive system is comprehensively unjust and must be destroyed by exploiting its weaknesses.

The most famous proponent of such tactics in recent years has been the late Saul Alinksy, the intellectual godfather of the modern Democrat Party, but former Soviet journalist and KGB informant Yuri Bezmenov laid out an even more concise strategy for subversion in a 1984 interview.

Alinksys seminal book specified 13 Rules for Radicals, but Bezmenov had only four stages of ideological subversion, and they will sound very familiar to anyone following the current wave of left-wing riots, or the politicized final stages of the coronavirus panic before it: Demoralization, Destabilization, Crisis, and Normalization.

Bezmenov defined ideological subversion, or active measures as the KGB preferred to call it, as a slow brainwashing process to change the perception of reality of every American to such an extent that despite their abundance of information, no one is able to come to sensible conclusions in the interests of defending themselves, their families, their community, and their country.

Stage 1: Demoralization

Bezmenov said the first stage, Demoralization, could take 15 to 20 years to complete because this is the minimum number of years it takes to educate one generation of students.

Marxist-Leninist ideology is being pumped into the soft heads of at least three generations without being challenged or counterbalanced by the basic values of Americanism, American patriotism, he warned in 1984, judging that the demoralization process had been basically completed by that point.

Actually, its over-fulfilled, because demoralization now reaches such areas where previously, not even Comrade Andropov and all of his experts would even dream of such tremendous success, he added, referring to former KGB head and Soviet leader Yuri Andropov. Most of it is done by Americans to Americans, thanks to a lack of moral standards.

Bezmenov explained that demoralization is important because it robs the targeted population of its ability to process valid information. Even when demoralization targets are showered with authentic proof of contrary positions, they simply refuse to believe it.

Demoralization is quite obvious among todays young people, whose faith in their country has been systematically destroyed throughout their lives by the education and media establishment. To take a recent high-profile example, the New York Times fraudulent 1619 Project argued that American history actually began with the arrival of black slaves in North America and the Revolutionary War was fought by the colonists to preserve slavery. Although comprehensively debunked by actual historians, and even the original author has admitted her core thesis was not true, the 1619 Project is now part of some school curricula.

Another word for demoralization is guilt. Americans are routinely compelled to feel guilty about their society and national history. Guilt is the most powerful force in left-wing politics and academia. People will not accept the radical expansion of punitive government power unless they feel guilty and deserving of punishment.

Stage 2: Destabilization

The second stage, Destabilization, is much faster, requiring only two to five years under KGB doctrine. In this stage, the fundamentals of the targeted populations economy, political system, and culture would be attacked, while the demoralized population could not mount much of a defense.

Bezmenov in 1984 found it absolutely fantastic how much influence Marxist-Leninist ideas had developed in the American economy and military. In essence, a demoralized population becomes willing to believe the worst criticisms of its own society, while learning to see defenders of that society as their enemies, while avowed enemies become natural allies. The defenders are held to strict standards, while anything goes for the most strident critics.

Whatever Bezmenov saw in the destabilized American society of the early 1980s with respect to the Soviet Union, its easy to see how the American Left has destabilized entire segments of modern society after demoralizing them. They see enemies everywhere, while no pro-American authority can be trusted. Its hard to imagine a better illustration of demoralization followed by destabilization than hordes of anti-capitalist activists texting each other on their iPhones.

Not coincidentally, hostile foreign powers like Communist China and Iran are reaching out to destabilized American communities and offering themselves as guides and allies. Their sales pitches arent exactly smooth, but they definitely are making an effort.

A destabilized population becomes obsessed with hypocrisy as the ultimate political sin. They believe the best ideas  individual liberty, sovereign rights, capitalism, even the rule of law  are presented insincerely by sinister powers who seek to exploit and manipulate them. The precious resource of goodwill disappears from society as everyone comes to believe their neighbors hate them and cannot be trusted. Demoralized people lose faith in their nation, history, and ideals; destabilized people lose faith in each other.

Stage 3: Crisis

Once a society has been destabilized, Bezmenov said the time would be ripe to create a Crisis, which he estimated would take six to eight weeks in the Eighties. With turbo Internet speed, the modern era can punch out a crisis much faster than that.

A crisis has the obvious benefit of panicking demoralized, destabilized people into abandoning their legal protections and constitutional ideals. During the coronavirus panic, people who brought up those ideals were treated like lunatics. The pendulum swung the other way with blinding speed during the riots. In the span of one week, the right to peaceable assembly went from a crazed defiance of common-sense lockdown rules to an urgent matter that utterly transcended the deadly pandemic. Suddenly, angry political demonstration magically cured the coronavirus, or made the projected wave of sickness and death into a purely secondary concern. If you wanted to work at the store so you could feed your family in late March, you were selfishly trying to kill my Grandma to pad your bank account. If you wanted to burn the store down in early June to protest white supremacy, nobody mentioned their imperiled grandmothers.

The more subtle benefit of a crisis is that it tends to de-legitimize aspects of the existing system that have already been softened up by the long process of demoralization and destabilization. Those who control the organs of public communication have the power to decide which aspects of the system are supposedly indicted by the crisis.

For example, the dominant media Left will go to great lengths to avoid painting the coronavirus as an indictment of the flabby, blinkered, bureaucratic Big Government that grew over the past few decades, and it will not discuss the failures of left-wing mayors and governors. On the contrary, the pandemic was used to attack the competence of Republican governors who turned out to be entirely correct in their actions, as in Florida and Georgia. During the riots, the media is completely uninterested in discussing the incompetence of left-wing officials who allowed violence to rage out of control with deadly consequences. Somehow the lesson of wanton violence that killed people and destroyed countless livelihoods became lets get rid of the police altogether.

The threat of a crisis is essential for terrorizing the middle class into accepting a political agenda that is actively hostile to its interests, which leads to the fourth stage of subversion: the offer to make the pain and fear go away by accepting political domination.

Stage 4: Normalization

After a crisis, with a violent change of the power structure and economy, you have a so-called period of Normalization that may last indefinitely, Bezmenov said, arriving at the fourth stage of subversion.

Normalization is a cynical expression borrowed from Soviet propaganda, he explained. Interestingly, it also happens to be the core theme of the 2020 Democrat presidential campaign.

When the Soviet tanks moved into Czechoslovakia in 1968, Comrade Brezhnev said, Now the situation in brotherly Czechoslovakia is normalized. This is what will happen in the United States if you allow all the schmucks to bring the country to crisis, to promise people all kinds of goodies and a paradise on Earth, to destabilize your economy, to eliminate the principle of free-market competition, and to put a Big Brother government in Washington, D.C. with benevolent dictators like Walter Mondale, who will promise lots of things  never mind whether the promises are fulfillable or not, Bezmenov cautioned.

As things turned out, Walter Mondale never got his chance to be a benevolent dictator, and to some extent Bezmenovs four-step model of subversion could be applied to almost any political campaign. They almost all begin with telling voters things are awful, crises have erupted, and normality can be restored only by voting for the challenger (or preserved only by voting for the incumbent).

Bezmenov, however, was insistent that American left-wing professors and civil-rights leaders were deliberately running Andropovs strategy with a conscious effort to achieve destabilization, the step that truly distinguishes ideological subversion from the usual promises to put a chicken in every pot.

They are instrumental in the process of subversion only to destabilize a nation, he said of the academics and activists. When their job is completed, they are not needed anymore. They know too much. Some of them, when they get disillusioned, when they see that Marxist-Leninists come to power, obviously they get offended. They think that they will come to power. That will never happen, of course. They will be lined up against the wall and shot.

The American version of this process probably would not end with the mass execution of inconvenient intellectuals, but there is a parallel in what would happen to the intellectual supporters of the current riots if the Democrats win in 2020. They would discover that the victorious Democrat Party is not at all interested in their systemic criticisms of public union employees, such as police officers. Many bones would be thrown to activist groups to purchase their loyalty  and, much more importantly, the loyalty of their leaders  but not the one concession they ostensibly care about the most: a system that makes it easier to discipline and fire government employees.

This metaphorical lining up and shooting of intellectuals is already happening with Lockdown Forever enthusiasts, who only a few days ago were hammering out passionate arguments that American businesses must remain shuttered for weeks or months to come, and anyone who dared to question their dire warnings was a selfish monster willing to kill other peoples grandmothers to pad out their 401k accounts. In the blink of an eye, Lockdown Forever went from the vital engineers of a politically useful crisis to inconvenient obstacles for the new crisis, nationwide riots.

 read more at Breitbart.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:12:16|Editor: huaxia

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XI'AN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A fifth-freedom freight air route was launched on Sunday, linking the Republic of Korea's capital Seoul, Xi'an in northwest China, and Los Angeles in the United States.

It is the first intercontinental air route of its kind in Shaanxi Province. Operated by Korean Air on Boeing 747-400F aircraft, the new all-cargo flight is expected to fly once a week, according to sources with the Airport New City in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi.

A fifth-freedom flight is one where an airline company from one country or region, when running an international service, gets permission to make a stopover in a third country and take on passengers and cargo.

The opening of the route will provide an annual air freight capacity of nearly 10,000 tonnes. Electronic product accessories, international express items, e-commerce packages and fresh produce are among the main products to be transported.

Shaanxi has previously launched a fifth-freedom cargo flight linking Seoul, Xi'an and Vietnam's Hanoi, as well as a fifth-freedom passenger air route between Russia's Ekaterinburg, Xi'an and Phuket in Thailand.

The Xi'an Xianyang International Airport has so far opened 30 all-cargo air routes.
Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), the holding company of Reliance Industries' digital & telecom businesses, has received its eighth investment in less than seven weeks. On Sunday, Abu Dhabi government's global investment arm Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) announced Rs 5,683.50 crore investment in JPL for a stake of 1.16 per cent. With this, the company has received investment commitment of Rs 97,885.65 crore against dilution of 21.06 per cent stake.

Facebook, Silver Lake Partners (two investments), Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR and Mubadala have already announced their investments in JPL. Of this, Facebook's deal of Rs 43,574 crore for 9.99 per cent stake is the largest so far in the company.

Also read: Jio raises Rs 5,683 crore from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority; total investments near Rs 1 lakh crore

Industry captains are amazed at the string of deals for Jio Platforms. It will boost the confidence of other companies in India. Bharti Airtel's reported talks with Amazon and Vodafone Idea's rumoured discussion with Google are in similar direction.

These deals, if they materialise, will be a big booster for India Inc. in its positioning against Chinese biggies. Some experts see it as a post-coronavirus trend, when the American and Middle-East based global corporations tilt towards India, dumbing China.

Earlier, Reliance executives were in negotiations with a group of investors led by ADIA that included I Squared Capital and GIC of Singapore. It was to sell Jio's optical fibre infrastructure investment trust (InvIT). But the deal failed to fructify because of differences in commercial and operating terms.

The fibre InvIT sale is expected to fetch Rs 25,000 crore to the parent. An affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management invested Rs 25,215 crore in the Tower InvIT, which has 51 per cent stake in Reliance Jio Infratel. If the fibre deal materialises, the capital which is infused into Mukesh Ambani-led firm through the two InvITs will touch Rs 50,000 crore, say sources.

If the announced deals materialise in June quarter, the net debt of RIL will come down to around Rs 63,000 crore from Rs 1.61 lakh crore. The Indian conglomerate has spent nearly Rs 4 lakh crore to build Reliance Jio. The private equity deals value JPL at Rs 4.9 lakh crore.

The parent company Reliance Industries crossed Rs 10 lakh crore market capitalisation for the second time and is far ahead of the second most valued company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) at Rs 7.68 lakh crore.

JPL will be able to raise $16-17 billion through the initial public offering (IPO) of 25 per cent minimum free-float at the present valuation, Bank of America Securities said in its recent report. However, with the recent financial investments, RIL could reduce dependence on a future IPO for major cash infusions, the report said.

The telecom arm Reliance Jio, which is a subsidiary of JPL, has grown to become one of the largest telecom networks with a subscriber base of 387 million in a short span of three years. In its splendid journey, it disrupted the entire telecom sector. Many telecom companies either stopped their services, merged with competitors, or filed for bankruptcy.

JPL was created as the immediate subsidiary of RIL in October last year to bring together all digital and mobility businesses under one roof. This new entity has become the parent of Reliance Jio Infocomm and applications like MyJio, JioTV, JioCinema, JioNews and JioSaavn, besides content-generation ventures. Thus, the operating company Reliance Jio became a step-down subsidiary of RIL.

Also read: Reliance Jio stake sale: Mukesh Ambani's telco raises over 92,000 crore in 6 weeks
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the worlds biggest sovereign wealth funds, will pump Rs 5,683.5 crore into Jio Platforms joining a posse of seven A-list global tech investors that have spent millions of dollars on the Reliance Industries unit due to its unique potential to dominate Indias booming digital economy.

The decision by ADIA, a globally-diversified investment institution, in exchange for a 1.16 percent stake, is an unprecedented eighth investment in Jio Platforms in less than seven weeks and marks the largest continuous fundraising action by a company anywhere in the world. RIL, the oil-to-retail-to-telecom conglomerate, has now sold a little over 21 percent stake in Jio Platforms through a flurry of fundraising deals and raised as much as Rs 97,885.65 crore, or $12.96 billion.

On Friday, Silver Lake and its co-investors said they will invest another Rs 4,546.8 crore in Jio Platforms. This is the second investment by the private equity giant in Reliance Industries' digital unit in over a month.

Jio Platforms is the telecom unit of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries (RIL).

This is Jio Platforms' eight deal in six weeks, following investments from Facebook Inc, General Atlantic, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, KKR and Mubadala Investment Company.

Here's a summary of the eight investments Jio Platforms has received:

The California-based company invested $5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) into Jio Platforms for a 9.9 percent stake in the company.

The transaction, announced on April 22, is the largest of the six investments. It was also Facebook's biggest bet since it acquired messaging platform WhatsApp in 2014.

The deal also made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in Jio Platforms.

Silver Lake Partners acquired a 1.15 percent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,655.75 crore ($750 million).Vista Equity Partners bought a 2.32 percent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 11,367 crore.Private equity firm General Atlantic picked up a 1.34 percent stake in Jio Platforms for 6,598.38 crore.KKR acquired a 2.32 percent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 11,367 crore, similar to the deal made with Vista Equity Partners.The deal with the Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor, announced on June 5, valued Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore.

Facebook 's investment had valued Jio Platforms at a pre-money enterprise value of Rs 4.62 lakh crore ($65.95 billion).

Silver Lake will invest an additional Rs 4,546.8 crore in Jio Platforms for 0.93 percent stake. The aggregate investment by Silver Lake is now Rs 10,202.55 crore for a 2.08 percent stake in Jio Platforms.

Jio-ADIA deal

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will pump Rs 5,683.5 crore into Jio Platforms.

ADIAs investment at an equity valuation of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and enterprise valuation of Rs 5.16 lakh crore.

Reliance Industries (RIL) is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd
He would be the person dangled from the helicopter into the sea to rescue stranded mariners.

On 27 December, 1998, Sergeant David Key of the Victorian Police's air wing became the designated Tea Bag aboard a rescue helicopter roaring towards Bass Strait and an unfolding disaster.

On this day there would be plenty of work for Sergeant Key and his crew as atrocious conditions swept across the Sydney-to-Hobart fleet.

He told the story yesterday as he and the helicopter pilot, Senior Constable Darryl Jones, gave evidence to the coroner probing the deaths of six men in the disastrous race. The Coroner, Mr John Abernethy, later said it had been "the most amazing morning I have ever spent on the bench". But as Sergeant Key explained: "There were people dying out there. We had to have a go."

David Key, Senior Constable Jones and Constable Barry Barclay left Melbourne in bright sunshine that afternoon, heading for Mallacoota. But then the clouds came down and the helicopter was hurled across Bass Strait at 420kmh, propelled by the vicious storm battering the Hobart fleet.

Their first task was to find the yacht Kingurra, which had lost a man overboard in 85 knot winds and pouring rain.

Miraculously, they spotted him and Sergeant Key was lowered into the maelstrom.
Before a gun can be used in self-defense, Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen said, a person has to be in fear of death or serious bodily injury. Property damage alone would not meet the standard for a self-defense argument.
First Minister explains reasons behind spike in North Wales coronavirus cases amid public concern

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 7th, 2020

The First Minister of Wales has said the growing number of coronavirus cases in North Wales is likely down to extra testing in care homes and similar settings.

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March, Mark Drakeford outlined how most tests were taking place in the south east of Wales as hot spots emerged in areas like Gwent.

By early April, the north was still witnessing less than 500 tests per week. However, over the last few weeks, the region has seen the number of confirmed cases of the virus rise as testing activity became more focused here.

The raw information has caused some concern among the public with little commentary placed around it to provide context.

More details emerged towards the end of this week as Dr Giri Shankar from Public Health Wales told the BBC it did not necessarily mean that there is a higher level of infection.

He added the rate per 100,000 of the population and mortality data supported the view that North Wales is comparable to other locations  a point Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has also been keen to stress

We are the largest Health Board in #Wales with almost a quarter of the Welsh population living in our area. To compare numbers of #COVID19 cases or deaths, it is important to look at the number per 100,000 population rather than total numbers. #northwales https://t.co/nBJoeqGKze  Betsi Cadwaladr (@BetsiCadwaladr) June 6, 2020

On Friday we spoke to the First Minister about the data and highlighted how the leader of Conwy Council had pointed to the demographics of his authority area to explain some of the information.

We asked if more localised data could be provided to expand on the reasons behind the growth in confirmed cases, including how many are in care homes and hospital settings.

Mr Drakeford said: Conwy and Denbighshires position is partly a reflection of the fact that there are more care homes concentrated in that middle part of North Wales, either to the east or the west of it.

Its very important just to explain to people that through testing we are finding more positive cases, quite a lot of the positive cases we are finding in care homes are people who have no symptoms at all.

So to say that there are so many positive cases does not equal there are that number of people who are seriously ill.

Quite a large number of people who are testing positive are people who didnt even know, who did not report any symptoms or anything. So theres a few subtleties in it.

A positive test, and a raising number of positive tests, doesnt mean that theres a lot more people feeling the serious end of this virus.

We also asked the First Minister if more testing should have been carried out across the whole of Wales from the start.

Mr Drakeford said: I think youd have had to do an awful lot of tests in North Wales to find that there wasnt much coronavirus around there, because in the early days, the coronavirus was very much concentrated in the south east Wales corner.

It was not the case that coronavirus was everywhere in Wales and we tested for it in one place. We concentrated our testing where the virus itself was most in circulation.

We have since switched much more testing capacity into North Wales as the virus has arrived. More tests have been carried out in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area than any of the health boards in Wales.

I mean that is no surprise, as it has a bigger population than any other board in Wales, and you would expect more tests there.

What weve tried to do is to match the tests weve got to where the need was, early in the pandemic in Wales, the need was very much concentrated in the Aneurin Bevan health board area.

As the pattern of the disease has changed, so the pattern of testing has changed, and we are now doing more testing in North Wales than anywhere else.
More than 50 shots were fired near a southeast Houston police station on Sunday, police said.

Around 1 a.m., officers heard several rounds fired behind the station at 8300 Mykawa Road from a wooded area along Sims Bayou, said Daryn Edwards, assistant chief of Houston police.

Some of them were fairly close, flying over the tops of their heads so they called it in on the radio, Edwards said.

According to police radio traffic, at least one bullet landed in the parking lot.

Police surrounded the station and the F.M. Law Park golf course that neighbors the building but no one could be found. Bullet casings from the 50 to 60 estimated gunshots could not be found either, police said. Authorities searched from above in a helicopter and dogs were sent along the bayou.

Police found fresh vehicle tracks in the mud along the bayou, Edwards said.

Edwards said more than one gun was likely used and the suspects were definitely shooting in the direction of the station. There was no apparent damage to the building.

Joe Gamaldi, head of the Houston Police Officers Union, called the shooting an attack on police.

nicole.hensley@chron.com




Prince Harry abd Meghan Markle received an exciting baby news amid all the issues surrounding them and the royal family.

Most royal family news these days tackle about the negativities and conflicts in the monarchy due to the issues it has been facing since last year.

While those have been bringing headaches to the members of the royal family, a royal astrologer brought some light and hope by revealing an intriguing baby news for Meghan and Prince Harry.

In an interview with Hello Magazine, royal astrologer Debbie Frank unrolled her predictions for the family-of-three after choosing to move to Los Angeles.

"Part of Meghan's raison d'etre is communication - she needs to be a voice, and as Uranus activates her powers of communication this year, she needs to make herself heard," Frank said. "She will talk about controversial issues this Spring."

She explained how the Virgo Full Moon connecting the Duchess' Venus and the Duke's Sun can bring a positive effect that will lift their lives again after the controversial Megxit.

"The rest of 2020 is packed with significant cosmic pointers that challenge Meghan to stay on track with her visions and dreams, and could present exciting additions to the marriage," the royal astrologer delivered, hinting about a possible pregnancy for Meghan.

Frank added that as soon as the Duchess cut with the past around December, another baby will come to their family, and it will be the start of a substantial transformational period.

Before releasing her latest readings for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the astrologist used to read Princess Diana's fate -- from the Princess of Wales getting married to Prince Charles to her tragic death in 1997.

Although she may sound dubious to others, more royal astrologers predicted the same thing before 2019 ended.

Last year, through Daily Mirror, royal astrologers Francesa Odie and Ann-Louise Holland predicted that both Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will give birth to babies this 2020.

According to the experts, they felt that the Cambridges are placed "by eclipses and planetary action" into a universe of changes. They based this prediction on the theory wherein eclipses repeat the same scenario every 19 years, and 2020 is the 19th year since Kate met Prince William at their university.

"If she falls pregnant again, this will be an important child and will change Kate's outlook where she establishes herself as the nation's ultimate mother," the astrologers stated.

Meanwhile, the experts read how Mars' retrograde in the constellation of Aries in September will keep Meghan out of the public's eyes due to a "reduced schedule" because of a potential pregnancy.

Currently, both Prince Harry and Meghan look so busy to finally give Archie a sibling.

Recently, the Meghan spoke about "Black Lives Matter" in a new speech following George Floyd's death.

"You are going to have empathy for those who don't see the world through the same lens that you do because as diverse and vibrant and open-minded as I know that the teachings of the Immaculate Heart are, I know that you know that Black Lives Matter," she said.
Protesters dragging the statue of Edward Colston to Bristol harbourside during a Black Lives Matter protest rally Photo credit: Ben Birchall/PA Wire

Police have launched an investigation after protesters in Bristol pulled down the controversial statue of a 17th Century slave trader.

The bronze memorial to Edward Colston, situated in the city centre since 1895, was torn down after crowds left the city's College Green and later was dumped into Bristol harbour.

On Sunday, around 10,000 people took part in the Black Lives Matter demonstration, which was praised by Avon and Somerset police for being "peaceful and respectful".

No arrest were made, but officers are now said to be collating footage of a "small group of people" who were filmed pulling down the statue with ropes, which police say amounted to criminal damage.

Superintendent Andy Bennett said: "The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully.

"The ongoing coronavirus pandemic added a different dynamic to what was always going to be a challenging policing operation."

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He added: "However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.

"An investigation will be carried out to identify those involved and we're already collating footage of the incident."

Bristol's mayor, Marvin Rees, said in a statement the removal of the statue would "divide" opinion, but added that it was "important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity and make the legacy of today about the future of our city, tackling racism and inequality".

Banners left around the Colston statue base will be preserved for display in the M Shed.

The statue had been the subject of an 11,000-strong petition to have it removed.

Images showed crowds rushing to stamp on the statue, which stood in Colston Avenue, before it was rolled along the road and pushed into the harbour.

The bridge overlooking the spot where it was thrown into the water is named Pero's Bridge, after Pero Jones - an enslaved man who lived and died in the city.

After the statue was pulled down, people laid placards on the ground and shouted "no justice, no peace" and "Black Lives Matter".

Some climbed on top of the plinth to deliver speeches or say a prayer and were widely applauded by the crowd, with vehicles driving past sounding their horns in support.

Jasmine Boatswain, a graduate PE teacher, and her friends came to see where the statute had stood.

"I need to come here to see this statue come down," she told the PA news agency.

"To see it ripped down is difficult to put into words. It really embodies the whole movement.

"We are not taking it anymore. We are sick to the teeth of having to experience racism and see racism in our faces.

"Even if you don't know anything about Black Lives Matter, just looking at this is such a powerful thing."

Manoel Bolutife Akure described the statute as "PTSD for the city".

"It is a first of many steps that needs to happen," Mr Akure said.

"It is crazy to thing we are in a city with Mayor Marvin (Rees) and that statue was still there for years and years and years.

"It doesn't make sense. This is great and I love that it has happened but there is much more that needs to be done.

"There is so much more that has to be taken down and so much more that needs to be changed."

Earlier, protester John McAllister, 71, tore down black bin bags used to hide the statue to denounce it in front of fellow protesters.

He said: "It says 'erected by the citizens of Bristol, as a memorial to one of the most virtuous and wise sons of this city'.

"The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and it's absolutely despicable. It's an insult to the people of Bristol."

According to Historic England, the statue was sculpted by John Cassidy, of Manchester, with an inscription that read "erected by citizens of Bristol as a memorial of one of the most virtuous and wise sons of their city AD 1895".

Colston's involvement in the slave trade through the British-based Royal African Company was the source of much of the money which he bestowed in Bristol, the website added.

The statue was one of a number of landmarks in Bristol to take Colston's name, although the nearby music venue Colston Hall will be renamed this year as part of a major refurbishment.

The thousands of protesters had earlier held an eight minute silence - the amount of time George Floyd was held down by a police officer in Minneapolis before he died - before marching through Bristol city centre to Castle Park.

Many wore masks and gloves, but most were unable to keep to the two-metre social-distancing guidelines and were pressed against one another in the city's narrow streets.
Fine said its important to demonstrate against racism and police brutality, particularly when it comes to the way black people are treated by police. After seeing tumultuous demonstrations in Chicago and other large cities in the country, he said a peaceful event in the suburbs was needed.
The Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment will likely be extended through to the end of the year adding to the costs of the exchequer but the budget deficit may not necessarily balloon more than already feared if early positive signs for tax revenues are realised, a leading economist has said.

Kieran McQuinn, research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute, said there has been positive developments in recent days for the prospects for the recovery, including the easing of the lockdown restrictions, a tentative hopes that corporation and income tax revenues will hold up better than once feared, as well as the determination of EU leaders to underpin a Europe-wide recovery.

There are three positive things: The easing of the economic restrictions which boosts economic recovery; the fact that the tax receipts are holding up in some areas; and the developments at the EU level which will help Europe and ourselves to come out of this, Prof McQuinn told the Irish Examiner.

Last week, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Government officials hailed better-than-expected corporation tax receipts in May as potential evidence that pharmaceutical and tech giants based here and whose global revenues havent been hit by the pandemic fallout, will also exceed expectations through the rest of the year.

That in turn could ease some concerns that the budget deficit will inevitably rise above the worst-case outcome of 30bn this year, when the additional costs of supporting the economy by way of the 350-a-week pandemic unemployment and the wage subsidy schemes are taken into account.

Including the regular live register unemployment count, a combined 1.28 million people are in need of some sort of Government payment during the crisis, according to the most recent figures.

May's income tax receipts also held up surprisingly well, probably reflecting the number of jobs that are being supported by the pandemic and wage-subsidy schemes, Prof McQuinn said.

It is still June and November which are the big months for collecting corporation tax receipts and that will ultimately tell how strong the receipts are for the year, but that they are strong so far is encouraging, he said.

He said the ESRI had noted in its recent quarterly report that corporation tax receipts had risen strongly at the start of the year but with the caveat that it was still far too early to predict because the Covid-19 economic fallout is such an unprecedented event.

If the corporation tax receipts do hold up, it will help Government revenues to hold up because the big unknown is corporation tax receipts, he said.

Separately, the income tax revenues have been shored up with the Government [pandemic] payments, which is keeping up some of the tax sources, but obviously other activity sources such as the Vat and excise are already posting significant declines, he said.

On the exchequer side, we dont know how much the costs of the pandemic will add up. Our quarterly was based on the assumption that the pandemic payments would come to an end at the end of June and that obviously is not the case and the pandemic payments will continue in one shape or form to the end of the year. That means the cost side is going to be higher, Prof McQuinn said.

On Government unemployment supports, he predicted the pandemic payments and wage-subsidy schemes would likely be extended to the end of the year to support the economy. As time moves on it may be necessary to integrate the two payments to encourage people to get back into the labour force, he said.

But in the short to medium term the payment is necessary to stabilise the economy and some sign of that may be in the income tax receipts which have not fallen as you would expect them to fall given the complete shut down of economic activity," Prof McQuinn said.

The Government should be credited with the speed by which it introduced the pandemic and wage-subsidy schemes, he said.

Meanwhile, business group SME Alliance, which is led by John Moran, the former secretary-general at the Department of Finance, said the Government needs to target aid to small firms with grants and "less costly" liquidity "so that "the right medicine can be delivered to the ailing sector".
BlackRock, a Wall Street titan that manages $7 trillion in assets, is facing growing scrutiny over its role at the center of the Federal Reserves massive bailout of U.S. corporations  and it's coming from all sides.

The worlds largest asset manager is sparking concern from U.S. lawmakers in both parties on multiple fronts, including over its sheer size and market power, its ties to China, its tough stance against companies that contribute to climate change and the extent to which its own bottom line may benefit from the government programs.

The Fed selected BlackRock to run a groundbreaking program to buy hundreds of billions of dollars in debt from large companies slammed by the coronavirus crisis. But the firm's involvement has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, since it is a dominant player in the markets where the Fed is intervening and can affect how the bond purchases are carried out.

Theyre huge. They have tremendous influence, Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said in an interview. Theyre not bound by the same regulations and rules as banks would be.

Garcia called for more oversight of the Fed programs so "the public can know who we do business with." The congressional commission charged with overseeing the Fed programs doesn't yet have a chair, but the other members of the panel have pressed the central bank on why it chose BlackRock.

Its not the first time BlackRock has played a pivotal part in carrying out federal initiatives  it helped manage the toxic assets that the Fed acquired from AIG and Bear Stearns during the last crisis. But the companys sway over financial markets, and its Washington presence, have ballooned over the past decade.

Under the emergency program that BlackRock is managing, the Fed will purchase debt from companies that borrow through corporate bond markets, making it cheaper for them to tap into more funds. The central bank has already started doing so indirectly, by buying so-called exchange-traded funds that are invested in a group of underlying bonds.

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The Fed's contract governing its relationship with BlackRock aims to mitigate any conflicts. Also, BlackRock isnt directly invested in the assets that the Fed is buying; its clients  institutions and individuals  are, which means the firm has less to directly gain from boosting those assets than would a different type of financial firm, like a bank.

Still, from its perch assisting the Fed, BlackRock will get deep insight into the central banks approach to bond markets.

I dont think theres a strong incentive to self-deal, but I do think that BlackRocks [role] is definitely going to be a boon for the business, said John Morley, a Yale Law School professor and a leading expert on investment management. They also have the unparalleled opportunity to develop expertise, develop a business. This is a transformational moment for the Fed, and BlackRocks now going to be in an even stronger position to serve the Fed in the future.

BlackRocks funds are already seeing a boost: According to data compiled by Bloomberg, total assets in its investment-grade corporate bond ETF rose to $46.7 billion on May 19, up from $28.2 billion on March 19. The Fed first announced its plans to buy ETFs on March 23.

BlackRock spokesperson Brian Beades emphasized that the firm will act however the central bank directs it to.

BlackRock will execute this mandate at the sole discretion of the [Fed], and in accordance with their detailed investment guidelines, in order to provide broad support to credit markets and achieve the governments objective of supporting access to credit for U.S. employers and supporting the American economy, Beades said in a statement.

The job is bringing an uncomfortable amount of attention to the company, which, though well-known in the financial world, isnt a household name.

During a Senate Banking Committee hearing with Fed Chair Jerome Powell this month, Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz) suggested that BlackRock's profits from its contract with the central bank could end up enriching Chinese companies, given that the firm manages a range of investments in China.

BlackRock is one of the leading investment banks in Chinese funds, McSally said. What, if anything, will prevent BlackRock from taking their profits that they earn to invest in their interest in China and Chinese state-owned enterprises?

BlackRock's business model is based on investing and managing funds on behalf of institutions and individuals, rather than making bets with its own money. Powell pushed back on the suggestion that the contract had anything to do with Chinese investments.

Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., joins her staff after delivering her first major speech on the Senate floor, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2019. McSally is a former Air Force colonel who flew combat missions in Iraq and Kuwait.

What we're trying to do is create conditions in which U.S. workers can keep their jobs or return to them, he said. And that's what our sole focus is; we're not trying to reach out for other public policy objectives or deviate from that.

Despite BlackRock CEO Larry Finks friendly relationship with President Donald Trump, the company has become a target of conservatives after Fink shook the financial world in January by highlighting climate change as a prominent risk and pledging to shift the companys investing policy to promote economic sustainability.

That has led to fears among Republican lawmakers such as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas that it might disfavor oil and gas companies in its actions on behalf of the Fed.

We believe the Federal Reserve should emphasize that  to avoid conflicts of interest, BlackRock must act without regard to this or other investment policies BlackRock has adopted for its own funds, 17 Republican senators said in an April letter led by Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) with Cruz among the signatories.

In contrast, nine Democratic senators in late April urged Powell to include climate risks in its considerations of which bonds to buy.

The timing and scope of climate damages may not fit neatly into existing risk management frameworks, but they will be economy-wide and potentially irreversible, wrote the lawmakers led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Thats not the only concern raised by Democrats. Garcia, along with eight other House members including Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), stressed BlackRocks size and influence in the economy. They argued that the Feds selection of the company underscores that it should be subject to more oversight.

BlackRock is already big, and you must ensure that its work during this crisis doesnt cement the firms structural importance in the global economy and our dependence on it, the lawmakers wrote in their own letter to Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Under the Obama administration, BlackRock successfully fended off efforts to be placed under the supervision of the Fed, a move that would have ratcheted up regulation under the assumption that the firm's role is so key to markets that its failure could shock the financial system. The asset manager has maintained that its activities arent important enough to have that effect.

According to BlackRocks contract with the New York Fed, the central bank will communicate its goals and strategies for the bond purchases to the firm, which will come up with specifics on how to execute them  plans the Fed will regularly sign off on. To start, BlackRock will earn two cents on every $100 for each purchase.

BlackRocks own ETFs can't make up a larger share of the Feds portfolio than their actual share of the market  currently 50 percent. And the firm will refund the Fed for fees it earns from the central banks holdings of its ETFs. According to the latest data released by the Fed, 48 percent of the ETFs it has bought are managed by BlackRock.

Still, the company will be entrusted to determine a fair market price of bonds in an environment where markets wont necessarily be functioning properly  an area where the firm has extensive expertise and precisely why the Fed has hired it in the first place.

The Fed could have selected smaller asset managers for the job, but none of those other entities I think would be given this kind of power and brought into the inner circles of financial management in the way that BlackRock is, said Marcus Stanley, policy director at Americans for Financial Reform, which advocates for tougher rules on Wall Street.

Stanley said BlackRocks growing relationship with the U.S. government has echoes of Citigroup and Goldman Sachs in decades past, when those firms worked closely with prior administrations and saw former executives ascend to high-level government positions. The point is supported by speculation that Fink has ambitions of becoming Treasury secretary under a future Democratic president.

BlackRock faces a ton of political risks here that run from [accusations that] BlackRock is pursuing some agenda other than the best interest of the public, to the personal ambitions of Larry Fink, Morley said.

But Ian Katz, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners, said the central bank was always going to turn to a private firm to help out with the purchases.

Theres only so many people in the world who have expertise on these very specific issues, Katz said. If you eliminate all the people who are working at big financial services companies, it would be very hard to find the right expertise.
George Floyd was killed by excessive force by a police officer in Minneapolis. Across the board, Americans were outraged. Peaceful protests arose, but with the protests came forces that initiated violence by killing innocents and police, burning buildings, destroying property, and stealing. American Thinker interviewed black Americans for their feelings of what is happening in this country today. The black Americans are all in agreement that they are horrified by what happened to George Floyd, but they are equally horrified by the violence and lack of law and order.

These black Americans feel dismayed by what happened. They recognize that there is legitimate anger over the tactics used by the Minneapolis police.

Stacy Washington is the co-chairperson of Project 21, founded after the 1992 Los Angeles riots to highlight black Americans' political diversity. She differentiates between a protester, someone who exercises his right under the 1st Amendment, and rioters who break the law. Kathy Barnette, who is running in the general election for Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District, saw "the heart of a nation rise up in defense of George Floyd. No one tried to defend the indefensible acts of these officers. I was even more excited to see President Trump immediately have the Justice Department investigate and not sweep what happened under the rug."

All interviewed want to emphasize that it is inexcusable for many of the cities to have abdicated the rule of law. There are those who claim that the riots and destruction of property are understandable and excusable since it is not a life being destroyed. Stacy responds, "Property is a life. I agree buildings are not alive, but what happens inside of buildings enables people to live. It is their livelihood. Studies show there is a direct link between increases with poverty and suicide/homicide. People turn to crime when they are not able to be employed. In Ferguson, Missouri, after the riots, M1 Bank literally created investment vehicles. The neighborhood became integrated, and young couples, both black and white, could afford a house. Now things are getting burned down again. I am not sure the neighborhoods will be rebuilt."

Chris Arps, a Project 21 member, agrees with this Martin Luther King quote: "I feel that non-violence is really the only way that we can follow because violence is just so self-defeating. A riot ends up creating many more problems for the negro community than it solved. You can, through violence, burn down a building, but you can't establish justice. You can murder a murderer, but you can't murder through violence. You can murder a hater, but you can't murder hate."

Chris explains, "One of the main reasons the movement was so successful is that Martin Luther King understood non-violence creates goodwill. These rioter thugs are hurting black communities. I saw a video of a black businessman during the Rodney King riots. The man was angry and yelling at the rioters that they burned down his business. This is happening again today."

Unfortunately, police and innocents are being killed and injured. Chris points out how David Dorn, a 77-year-old retired St. Louis, Missouri police captain, was shot and killed by looters who broke into a pawn shop where he was working security. He was murdered in cold blood. "This is personal to me because he was the father-in-law of one of my good friends. I think those who are protesting peacefully would not want to be associated with these thugs."

Kathy tells of a black retired firefighter who invested all his money into a business that was completely demolished. They lost everything and did not have riot insurance. "When you pick up bricks or burn a building, you are no longer protesting peacefully. You have the right to be angry, but you do not have the right to loot, steal, or viciously beat someone who is trying to defend their store. We are a nation of law and order."

Attorney General Barr has said that Antifa, other extremist groups, and foreign actors have hijacked the protests. In her book, Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain, Kathy writes about Antifa, the definition of a domestic terrorist group:

The so-called anti-fascist group we call Antifa likes to think of themselves as the protectors of free speech, even while they shut down the free expression of those they self-righteously deem unworthy to speak. Both Black Lives Matter and Antifa are similar in that they fancy themselves as the liberators of those who have been oppressed by the evil white and privileged class while they, themselves, forcibly suppress any opposition to their own views. Members of the Antifa movement wear black masks to cover up their shameful, illegal, and dastardly acts. Ku Klux Klansmen wore white hoods to hide their reprehensible deeds. Both groups have used terror to achieve their goal of controlling the thoughts and actions of those around them. Antifa members assault citizens for simply disagreeing with their views. What difference does it make when one is afraid to walk down their own street or to speak an opinion that may have been deemed "unpopular" for fear of getting hit across the head with a bike lock, or getting a face full of cement-laced mace, or having their business burned down to the ground?

Her point is that these extremists co-opted black Americans for their own agenda. "The goal is to make America ungovernable. Instead of this vengeance, we should have hope and opportunity. I grew up below the bottom line of the economic ladder on a pig farm in Alabama. My home had no insulation, no running water, a well on the side, and an outhouse in the back. I know what it feels to have the odds work against you. Yet today I am a veteran, talk show host, successful writer, a professor of corporate finance, and someone able to run for Congress."

Those interviewed do not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk with suggestions and solutions. Chris believes that the protests should be done only during the day. "Once nightfall comes, it is very hard to distinguish between the rioters and the protesters. When local officials set up curfews, the protesters still out there lose legitimacy once they are told to go home by the authorities. Project 21 has come up with a Blueprint that has 57 policy ideas to remove barriers blocking blacks from reaching their full potential. Last year, members, including myself, met with the mayor and city council members of Ferguson, Missouri to implement these policies. They are considering it, while the officials in Baltimore rejected it. I am hoping that all cities get rid of choke holds and knees on necks so that people will not be killed while in police custody."

Stacy agrees and is hoping "to have the National Guard and local law enforcement crush this insurrection. The police must implement the least use of force. If handcuffs could be used, then that should be used because it is less invasive than a choke hold. In Minneapolis, there were four police that were using too much force. It was not needed because there were four of them who had handcuffed and had George Floyd on the ground."

Kathy agrees: "If the black community wants better, they will have to vote not based on a party, but on the person. I have seen those in the black community having a very hard time getting over the fact that being black means voting Democratic. Just think of the recent Joe Biden quote: 'you ain't black' if you support President Trump's re-election. We have been Democrats' most loyal constituents for the past fifty years. What exactly have we received for that loyalty? What we have is some of the worst conditions."

Peter Kirsanow, a member of the Civil Rights Commission and a successful political thriller writer, wants "a proper training of the police. The individuals selected who go to the Police Academy and those that graduate should be psychologically profiled, supervisors should be assessing if the cadets have the right character/demeanor, and they should see if the cadets can handle stressful situations. I also think the police review boards and the police unions have too much clout that enable bad police to stay in their position. Think about it. It is extraordinary and unforgiveable that this policeman had no charges brought against him even though there were eighteen complaints."

Each summarized his feelings. Stacy says there should not be property set on fire and destroyed when inexcusable things happen. "We go to city council meetings, but we don't loot and beat up people. We prosecute the bad police and respect law and order." Chris sees the majority of people peacefully protesting. "But those that are killing or injuring innocents and police, burning down and destroying buildings are nothing more than thugs." Kathy, who has a black son, feels that "it is important to make sure we have a justice system that is blind and fair. I would have been out there with the protesters, but today the riots have little to do with memorializing George Floyd." Peter reminds people, "The First Amendment allows for peaceful assembly with the key word 'peaceful.' No one has the right to be deprived of property and life. There should be severe consequences for those rioters."

The author writes for American Thinker. She has done book reviews and author interviews and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.
Former Jefferson County Presiding Judge Joseph Boohaker has died.

Boohaker, 66, retired on Feb. 29 after a nearly 20-year career on the bench and more than four years as presiding judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit.

He died Saturday night after an extended illness. He was in the comfort of his family as he had been throughout his extended illness, said Elisabeth French, who took over as presiding judge March 1. His funeral mas was held Tuesday at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church via livestream due to COVID-19. A private interment at the St. Elias Columbarium will be at a later date.

He loved walking the streets. He loved people and he enjoyed conversations on any topic. Judge Boohaker was a family man, French said in a statement to AL.com. He used wisdom and the art of compromise to solve many disputes. We appreciate all that he did for the citizens of Jefferson County. May he rest in GODs peace.

French called Boohaker a judges judge.

The Honorable Joseph L. Boohaker at his retirement celebration. Thank you Judge for your service and leadership. Posted by Judge Elisabeth French on Friday, March 6, 2020

I recall my first major jury trial in 2011. It was a medical malpractice case with five defendants, so it was big and complicated, French said. I took a break to call his office and ask a question. His assistant said that he was on the bench and then she said are you in trial? He came off his bench out of his case to help me in mine. Thats a big deal for a judge to do that. He will be missed.

Boohaker, a Democrat, served on the bench from 2001 to 2020 as a circuit judge presiding over civil cases. He was named presiding judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit in 2015. The 10th Judicial Circuit is the largest Circuit of the Alabama Judicial System and consists of a total of 38 Judges, including 26 Circuit Judges and 12 District Judges.

In his office, Boohaker used a replica of the H.M.S. Resolute desk, made from the timbers of the ship H.M.S. Resolute, that was gifted from Queen Victoria of Great Britain to President Rutherford B. Hays and later used by other presidents including Kennedy and Obama.

Boohaker graduated from the University of Alabama, earning a B.A. in 1976 and a J.D. degree in 1979. He worked as a law clerk for Judges of the 11th Judicial Circuit in Lauderdale County and from 1980 to 2000, he worked in private practice before becoming a judge.

Among the varied cases he handled as a judge included presiding over a 2016 trial in which a jury awarded $16 million to a Mountain Brook couple on claims against Brookwood Medical Center for medical negligence and reckless fraud involving the hospitals natural birth advertising campaign at the time of their childs birth in 2012.

Boohaker presided over several legal issues during Jefferson Countys financial crisis about a decade ago. The Alabama Supreme Court in October 2010 upheld Boohakers order requiring Jefferson County Treasurer Jennifer Parsons Champion to transfer $20.2 in surplus money to the County Commission.

In 2014, he struck down the city of Clays ordinance regulating vicious and dangerous dogs as unconstitutional and could not be enforced as written. In 2013 Boohaker ruled a Southside clinic was operating without an abortion provider license, and he ordered it to stop.

In May 2013, Boohaker also presided over legal action by AL.com that sought public records from the Birmingham Airport Authority regarding a flight information display that collapsed and killed a 10-year-old boy in March. AL.com ultimately asked for the lawsuit be dismissed after receiving records.

During the time he was presiding judge he had to oversee administration of the court system.

Soon after taking over as presiding judge in 2015 he had to deal with lawyers working at the Jefferson County criminal courts building in downtown Birmingham staging a silent revolt against a policy that required them to remove their pants belts for security checks. One anonymous lawyer taped small notices around the building declaring, If we all refuse to comply, we will win. Boohaker ultimately agreed with halting the belt removals, at least temporarily, to await a new procedure.

In 2016, he granted a request by the Attorney Generals office to empanel a special grand jury that investigated the Birmingham Water Works and eventually led to indictments of a water board member and a few contractors.

Boohaker, who also chaired the Jefferson County advisory committee over the Jefferson County Public Defender office, also had to deal with a rocky start and  twice - changes in leadership at the top of that new office.

Also, in May 2016 Boohaker signed the order to make changes to Jefferson Countys bail bond system in an effort to prevent poor defendants from having to stay weeks or even months in jail while waiting for the help of an attorney to get their bond reduced.

Boohaker is survived by his wife Maggie, to whom he was married nearly 38 years; three children, Rebecca Boohaker, Maria Boohaker Ritchey (Jeremy) and Louis J. Boohaker; two granddaughters, Layla and Olivia Ritchey; four siblings, Lyla E. Marinelli, James L. Boohaker (Jean), Carreme B. Nackashi (Jerry), and Richard L. Boohaker (Tacla); and 26 nieces and nephews.
The U.S. Marine Corps on Friday issued detailed directives about removing and banning public displays of the Confederate battle flag at marine installations  an order that extended to such items as mugs, posters and bumper stickers.

Current events are a stark reminder that it is not enough for us to remove symbols that cause division  rather, we also must strive to eliminate division itself, the commandant of the marine corps, Gen. David Berger, said in a statement Wednesday.

As protests across the United States have erupted over police brutality, pressure has grown on officials to remove monuments and flags seen as symbols of racism.

Dozens of statues were removed after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, and protesters demonstrating over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, are targeting some that remain.

In several states, anger has given way to the damaging or defacing of more than a dozen symbols of the Confederacy.

The mayor of Birmingham, Ala., this past week ordered the removal of a contentious Confederate statue from a public park a day after dozens demonstrated against it.

Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia said he planned to order the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond to be removed. And the city of Philadelphia this past week removed the statue of its former mayor, Frank Rizzo, who took a confrontational approach to Black and gay people as police commissioner in the 1960s and 70s.

The marine corps said in a statement on Twitter that the Confederate battle flag had all too often been co-opted by violent extremists and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps.

This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline, the statement said. This must be addressed.

The move came after an announcement in April by Berger that the ban would be put in effect. At the time, however, it was not clear how it would be applied and whether it would extend to clothing and cars owned by marines, for instance.

I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage and regional pride, Berger said in a letter in April to his fellow 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.

The rule announced Friday for the first time articulated in detail what sorts of displays would be prohibited in office buildings, naval vessels, hangars, ready rooms, conference rooms, individual offices, cubicles, tool and equipment rooms, workshops and other areas.

Among other items, the ban includes posters and flags depicting the Confederate battle flag. The order allows for inspections to take place and directs that any nonconforming displays be removed.

It was not immediately clear when the directive would be carried out. A marine corps representative could not be reached Saturday night.

The directive said that displays in which the Confederate battle flag was depicted, but not the main focus of the display, were exempted from the ban. This could apply to a presentation of the flag in a work of art or an educational or historical display depicting a Civil War battle, for instance.

Lecia Brooks, chief workplace transformation officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said Saturday that the Confederate battle flag was a symbol of white supremacy and the enslavement of Black people.

We urge the other branches of the U.S. military to follow the U.S. Marine Corps example, including the National Guard, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other law enforcement branches of the federal government and agencies governed by the Department of Homeland Security, and remove all symbols of the Confederacy, she said.
Britain's failure to impose a nationwide lockdown to tackle the spread of the coronavirus sooner has cost many lives, one of the government's scientific advisers said on Sunday.

Britain is one of the worst-hit countries in the world, with a death toll of more than 50,000 from COVID-19, according to a Reuters tally this week based on official sources.

Critics from a broad spectrum including medical professionals, scientists and lawmakers, say the government has botched its response to the outbreak by being too slow in imposing crucial measures such as the lockdown and protecting the elderly in care homes.

Follow live updates on coronavirus here

Despite reservations from some of its own scientific advisers, the government is now easing nationwide lockdown measures which have closed much of the economy since March 23.

Asked during an interview on BBC TV what regrets he had about the handling of the outbreak, John Edmunds, a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said: "We should have gone into lockdown earlier."

"The data we were dealing with in the early part of March and our situational awareness was really quite poor so I think it would have been very hard to pull the trigger at that point but I wish we had ... I think that has cost a lot of lives."

Asked whether he agreed with Edmunds, health minister Matt Hancock told the BBC: "No. I think we took the right decisions at the right time and there is a broad range on SAGE of scientific opinion and we were guided by the science."

Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, also repeated a previous warning that he would prefer to see the number of new cases, estimated to be around 5,000 a day in the community in England, fall further before restrictions are eased.

"It is definitely not all over, there is an awful long way to go," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:51:40|Editor: huaxia

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-"They never even gave us hand soap or sanitizer for disinfecting," said Canahui, who he has recently returned home after working in the United States for 17 years.

-Overcrowded holding centers and unsanitary conditions have dominated memories of numerous migrants corralled by U.S. immigration authorities.

-The Center for Economic Policy Research, a Washington-based think tank, said in a report that the U.S. administration "has been exporting the virus" from infected detention centers to Latin America.

by Xinhua writers Cui Yuanlei, Shooka Shemirani, Wu Hao

MEXICO CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- In the name of containing the spread of COVID-19 at home, the United States has been pushing ahead with its immigration enforcement agenda, deporting thousands of Central Americans, including those who have been infected with the deadly virus, to their home countries amid the ravaging pandemic.

With little or even no sanitary measures in place in crowded holding centers or the deportation process, Washington's business-as-usual approach has disregarded a global health crisis and jeopardized the fragile health systems in less developed countries in Central America.

So far, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica and other Latin American countries such as Colombia and Mexico have all reported infected cases in deportees. The United States, with the world's highest number of infections and deaths, is accused of prompting the virus' diffusion in its neighboring region.

"NOT EVEN HAND SOAP"

Marvin Canahui, a 38-year-old Guatemalan migrant, said his own experience was typical of thousands of deportees who were held or deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the pandemic.

Marvin Canahui is pictured in Peten department, Guatemala, May 13, 2020. (Photo by Haroldo Martinez/Xinhua)

"They never even gave us hand soap or sanitizer for disinfecting," said Canahui, who he has recently returned home after working in the United States for 17 years.

He was arrested on Jan. 3 while taking a bus in the south central U.S. state of Texas, because he had no proper documents, said Canahui at his home in the village of Santa Isabel in northeast Guatemala. And he learned about the pandemic from watching TV at an overpopulated holding center in the southeastern U.S. state of Louisiana.

Except in the dining room and telephone area, there was no cleaning or preventive measures such as social distancing in the facility where he shared a dormitory, showers and bathrooms with about 200 other migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, he recalled.

"It was packed, completely full. There was no room for more people," said Canahui. "They (U.S. authorities) kept bringing in prisoners. We were totally cramped in there."

Before he was deported in mid-April, personnel at the center checked his throat with a plastic tongue depressor, without explaining what it was for or informing him of the result.

After he arrived in Guatemala by air on April 14, immigration authorities there put him and other deportees in quarantine for 14 days at a shelter near the airport, since previous returnees had tested positive for the virus.

Guatemala has so far reported more than 6,000 cases and more than 200 deaths related to COVID-19. Local media reported that at least 102 of the cases were Guatemalans repatriated from the United States.

"I hope we don't end up in the same situation as other countries (with large outbreaks), because I don't know how we would fare if that happens," Elvia Watters, who runs a local health clinic, told Xinhua.

CASE AFTER CASE

Overcrowded holding centers and unsanitary conditions have dominated memories of numerous migrants corralled by U.S. immigration authorities.

A Salvadoran migrant who only gave his name as Carlos was kept at a detention facility in Texas from late January to early April, losing 20 kilos of weight in the process due to existing ailments and the poor conditions.

A medical worker collects samples for COVID-19 tests at a drive-thru site in Bogota, Colombia, May 14, 2020. (Photo by Jhon Paz/Xinhua)

"There was no kind of protection or (special) handling" and more than 80 fellow detainees "were not tested," said Carlos, 31, who fled San Salvador in January after gang members threatened to kill him for failing to pay protection money for his small business.

He said he had hoped to apply for asylum in the United States, but was caught almost immediately by border patrol agents and sent to the "icebox," a slang describing the frigid holding cells to keep detainees.

"I left El Salvador looking for a freer life in the United States, but in the hands of U.S. authorities I almost lost my life," he told Xinhua in a phone interview from a government-run shelter.

David Cruz, a 48-year-old Mexican migrant, said he was given a face mask and his temperature was checked when he was put in a holding cell in McAllen, Texas, but he was held with 27 others in "close, very close" quarters.

He was deported in May by taking one of eight flights designed to speed up the deportation process to Mexico, which is usually done by ground transport.

The objective of these flights is to reduce the spread of COVID-19 "to the United States," U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said in a statement.

However, Latin American experts said the U.S. move amid the COVID-19 outbreak might risk spreading the virus to the south of the United States, especially to the poor rural communities many migrants come from.

On May 4, international medical charity Doctors Without Borders urged the United States to suspend deportations, warning that the move could deteriorate situations in countries poorly equipped to deal with such crisis.

Loic Jaeger, the charity's director for Mexico and Central America, said earlier that deporting migrants without first checking for possible infection was a "criminal policy."

Mexicans deported from the United States arrive at an international airport in Mexico City, Mexico, May 22, 2020. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua)

The Center for Economic Policy Research, a Washington-based think tank, said in a report that the U.S. administration "has been exporting the virus" from infected detention centers to Latin America.

According to the ICE, some 943 migrants at more than 45 U.S. detention centers tested positive for COVID-19 after 1,788 tests had been carried out. The total number of migrants held at these centers has reached 29,675 by the end of April.

EXPLOITING PANDEMIC

The United States seems to be exploiting the pandemic to crack down on immigration, said Ruben Figueroa, a member of the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement that defends the human rights of Central American migrants.

"They are taking advantage of this time to impose much stronger restrictions, much stricter security measures. They are violating (the rights of) these people, their communities, and the countries they are from. It's clear, it's obvious," said Figueroa.

In Colombia, infectious disease experts have sounded the alarm on the U.S. move after more than 20 of 64 Colombians deported on March 30 tested positive for COVID-19.

Mexicans deported from the United States arrive at an international airport in Mexico City, Mexico, May 22, 2020. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua)

Aristobulo Varon, one of the repatriated, told local press that none of the deportees had been tested, and the validation relied only on the fact that they had presented no obvious symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

Soraya Marquez, an infectious disease expert and coordinator of healthcare recovery at the Juan N. Corpas Clinic in Bogota, said the United States has been careless by flouting standard health protocols amid a raging pandemic that has infected over 6.8 million people worldwide and killed more than 390,000.

"I think it has totally failed, precisely for not following protocols, since the presence of COVID-19 has been proven in patients that are completely asymptomatic, which is why you have to undertake stringent measures, studies and tests to rule out and/or confirm the diagnosis so as not to increase the number of infections," said Marquez.

The U.S. performance in the pandemic has "put many people at risk," she said. "The message is clear: life takes precedence over any other interest."

(Xinhua reporters Yang Chunxue, Yan Liang in Mexico City, Gao Chunyu in Bogota also contributed to the story. Video reporters: Cui Yuanlei, Wu Hao and Yu Lizhen; Video editor: Wu Yao.)
Beijing declares its actions to contain the pandemic have been rigorous and effective and says if it is able to develop a vaccine, it will make it available to the world.

China has rejected accusations that it concealed information on the coronavirus outbreak, declaring its actions to contain the pandemic as rigorous and effective.

Its defence was made in a government white paper.

China also says that if it is able to develop a vaccine, it will make it available to the world.

Al Jazeeras Sarah Clarke reports from Hong Kong.
The federal government has said it has no plans to absorb the yet to be disengaged Batch A N-Power volunteers into the federal civil service.

In a statement signed on Saturday by the humanitarian ministrys Deputy Director, Information, Rhoda Iliya, the government described any such report as fake.

The disclaimer followed reports across social media that President Muhammadu Buhari will on June 12 announce the engagement of the outgoing N-Power Batch A volunteers into the Nigerian civil service as part of their exit package.

In its statement, the humanitarian ministry said information regarding the N-Power scheme or any of its National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) would be issued through the appropriate channels.

The attention of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has been drawn to the fake news trending on social media that President Muhammadu Buhari will on June 12 broadcast to the nation the absorption of N-Power Batch A Volunteers into the Federal Civil Service.

The Ministry is hereby calling on the public to disregard the message and consider it as fake news.

Any information on N-Power or the National Social Investment Programme will be issued through the appropriate Federal Government channels, the ministry said.

The N-Power programme kicked off in 2016 with over 200,000 young Nigerians selected in the first phase. The beneficiaries were to have dropped out of the scheme after two years of internship.

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In a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES last year, the Presidents Special Adviser on Social Investment, Maryam Uwais, said her office had made efforts to reach out to state governors on the possibility of engaging the volunteers into the civil service.

She said, On the exit plan for the N Power beneficiaries, we have written the governors to see if they could employ some of them. We have got a lot of discussions with a lot of government agencies on the prospect. We even had discussions with IBM and they were planning to train them online.

The NSIPs were last year moved from Mrs Uwais office to the newly created humanitarian ministry.

The new minister later blamed the National Social Investment Office (NSIO), under Mrs Uwais, for having no viable plan for the exit of the beneficiaries.

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by President Buhari in 2016 to reduce poverty, unemployment and social insecurity among Nigerians.

It involves the deployment of thousands of unemployed graduates to schools and other institutions to work there while the government pays them a stipend of N30,000 monthly.
New Delhi, June 7 : The Delhi government should seek advice from epidemiologists, public health experts, infectious disease experts, and not bureaucrats, said Narottam Puri, Advisor -- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman -- Fortis Medical Council & Fortis Healthcare. The government should stop being defensive, become more transparent, otherwise panic will break out, he added.

Speaking to IANS, Puri said Delhi should learn from Kerala, which built extremely good public health infrastructure and the state has also experienced attacks from various viral infections. "India needs to learn from good practices. You need to test, track, trace, treat/isolate. Kerala tested a large number of people. Principles of pandemic management remain unchanged whether it is Spanish flu or any other viral infection. The Delhi government should allow people with doctor's prescription to get tested, of course there cannot be walk-ins, but there cannot be blanket ban on testing," said Puri.

Queried on lack of public health experts, having experience in handling a pandemic, on Delhi government's committee handling Covid-19 crisis, Puri said the government should seek advice from doctors in Kerala and other places, which have done well in tackling the spread of viral infection. "None of the doctors on the committee is a pandemic expert... What is stopping the Delhi government from contacting these experts", said Puri, naming many experts on this issue across India.

He added that in the hour of public health crisis, the government needs all hands on deck, and it not should not engage in discriminatory practices against hospitals, labs and doctors. "The Delhi government must listen to doctors. Seek suggestions from well-known experts in infectious diseases and epidemiologists, and not bureaucrats", said Puri.

Queried on the blanket ban on testing of asymptomatic people in Delhi, Puri said certain groups of people should be tested, for example if it is not known that a person is Covid-19 positive then any surgery performed on this patient could lead to major complexities. "Initially, the government was right not to test everybody, but the situation has changed now. Now, we have more test kits, more knowledge on the viral infection. Since, we have enough RT-PCR kits, then why not test people?" added Puri.

Asked on the issues associated with the availability of beds in Delhi hospitals, Puri said the government should first fill up its hospitals, rather than asking private hospitals to add more beds for Covid-19 cases. He insisted that the government should not test based on the wishes of the people, but people should be tested based on symptoms and history of contact with Covid-19 positive. "People having doctor prescriptions should be tested for Covid-19," Puri insisted.

(Sumit Saxena can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in)
US President Donald Trump holds up a Bible as he gestures, alongside US Attorney General William Barr (L), White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien (2nd-L) and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020.

Barr said he supports such a move "as a last resort" to restore law and order if people's lives and property are in danger. This week, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he doesn't support invoking the Insurrection Act and California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would reject any effort by the Trump administration to use it in California.

The Insurrection Act allows a president to call upon active-duty military units or federalize the National Guard. Trump threatened Monday to invoke the law in response to protests and widespread social unrest over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a Minneapolis police officer filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck.

"The president can use regular troops to suppress rioting," Barr said on CBS, citing the Insurrection Act, which was last used during the 1992 Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of three police officers who violently beat Rodney King, black man who was unarmed.

As massive protesting calling for the end of racism and police violence continue across the nation, Attorney General Bill Barr on Sunday said he doesn't think the country's law enforcement is systemically racist and said the president has the authority to unilaterally send in active duty troops to protests even if the governors oppose it.

Demonstrators and police face off on the sixth consecutive day of 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 on June 3, 2020 in Washington, DC, United States.

Over the last 13 days of demonstrations, police officers have used violent tactics against protesters including targeting people with tear gas and rubber bullets. Most demonstrations have been peaceful, while some have erupted into chaos and violence resulting in looting and property destruction.

Protests have taken place in virtually every major city in the U.S., with some of the largest demonstrations in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Minneapolis, the city where Floyd was killed.

Asked if he thinks there is systemic racism in law enforcement, Barr said he thinks there's racism in the U.S. but the law enforcement system is not systemically racist, and that the U.S. is still undergoing a difficult, decades-long process of reforming institutions to be more equitable.

"I understand the distrust, however, of the African-American community given the history in this country. I think we have to recognize that for most of our history, our institutions were explicitly racist," he said.

Barr said he doesn't believe in the need for reduced immunity in law enforcement to go after "bad" cops who use unnecessary violence against people.

"I think that there are instances of bad cops," he said. "And I think we have to be careful about automatically assuming that the actions of an individual necessarily mean that their organization is rotten."

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf echoed Barr on Sunday when he told ABC News that U.S. law enforcement has no issue with systemic racism.

"Do I acknowledge that there are law enforcement officers that abuse their job? Yes, and we need to hold those accountable," Wolf said during an interview on "This Week."

Wolf said that the police officers involved in Floyd's death on May 25 have been arrested and have had charges filed against them, and that President Trump has directed the Department of Justice to launch a civil rights investigation into the incident. He said "the outrage" Americans are feeling is "legitimate."

"The president has been very clear about that," Wolf said. "We need to make sure that those who are responsible are held accountable, brought to justice and we are doing just that."

In managing widespread protests that have occurred in the two weeks following Floyd's death, Wolf said law enforcement is doing its job "across the board" and that officers are being "targeted" with violence.

Responding to videos that show law enforcement officials hitting seemingly peaceful protesters with batons and shields, Wolf said those types of incidents should be investigated to ensure officers are doing their job correctly. He said there are people in every profession "who probably abuse their authority and their power."
Murder investigation: David Allan, 23, died following an assault in Wythenshawe

A university graduate was ambushed and beaten to death following a row over a bicycle.

Police launched a murder inquiry after the death of David Allan, 23, in hospital a day after the sustained daylight attack by two men.

Witnesses said he got into an argument minutes earlier outside a row of shops. His attackers lay in wait for him in a van 300 yards away, before knocking him to the ground and punching him in the head.

Locals said they heard Mr Allan screaming during the ten-minute attack in Wythenshawe, Manchester, around 6pm on Thursday before the pair sped off, hitting a car as they fled.

Three suspects were initially arrested, two men and a woman. A man, 39, and a woman, 42, held on suspicion of assisting an offender, were later released pending investigations.

Police stand at the scene in Wythenshawe following the assault on Thursday evening

Last night a 33-year-old man was being questioned along with a fourth man, aged 30, who was arrested on Saturday.

One witness, who did not want to be named, said: I heard screaming and saw the lad being punched.

'It was a vicious attack as they punched him on the floor.

'Apparently he got into a row with someone as he left the shops  it was about a bike.'

Forensic officers arrive at the scene, as police say they are treating the incident as murder

Their family then lay in wait for him in a van.

'They jumped out and beat him up.

'There was blood on the pavement.

'Its so senseless over something as trivial as a bike.

Mr Allan is believed to have grown up in Wolverhampton.

His family paid tribute to the much-loved son and keen sportsman.

They said the Plymouth University graduate had been working in a shop at Manchester Royal Infirmary during the coronavirus epidemic cheerfully serving key workers, patients and visitors.

Police described the vicious assault as an isolated incident.
Montreal: Canadian aboriginal groups on Saturday called for an independent probe into the death of an indigenous woman who was shot by a police officer called in for a wellness check.

The Congress of Aboriginal People (CPA), one of five national groups representing indigenous Canadians, called for "a public investigation into the death of Chantel Moore and the ongoing systemic bias and racism that policing services and the justice system displays towards Indigenous peoples."

Moore, 26, was shot dead Thursday by a police officer in Edmundston, in the eastern province of New Brunswick. A relative had called police to check Moore's health.

Edmundston police said the woman had threatened the officer with a knife. According to the family, the officer fired five times to subdue her.

Moore's "tragic killing... during a wellness check has vividly shown all Canadians that Indigenous peoples in Canada continue to face a very different set of circumstances when interacting with the policing and justice systems in Canada", said CPA National Chief Robert Bertrand.

While officials have opened a probe into Moore's death, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Perry Bellegarde, said the shooting must be investigated by an impartial third party to determine why lethal force was used and whether race was a factor in the officer's response.

"How does a call for help turn into a call for the coroner? This should never happen," Bellegarde said.

"We need to find out whether race played any role in the police response and whether a less extreme use of force should have been used. This young First Nation's mothers and daughters did not need to die."

Separately, in the western state of Alberta, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam accused Canadian Royal Mounted Police of beating him in March during a routine check of his automobile registration.

The RCMP said he was resisting arrest.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke Friday about discrimination in Canada before participating in a demonstration in Ottawa against racism and police violence following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by police in the United States.

"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," he said.
As we watch American police ply their violent trade on streets scattered with legal protestors and as police and RCMP across Canada continue to disgrace themselves, we know that policing has to change.

For years, American activists have wanted police forces defunded and the idea is gaining popularity here. But its a poorly chosen word that means police budgets should disappear rather than be cut or radically shifted to different purposes than killing Black men and women, mass arrests and horrendous brutality and bloodletting.

Defund alienates citizens who need police to deal with rape, robbery, men beating wives and children, drunk driving, murder, incel mass killings, drug shootings, fraud and so on. We women need good police and prisons to keep us safe.

Police abolition and prison abolition more urgent than ever, tweets the respected activist Robyn Maynard. But cutting or reforming are perhaps better words for what Canadians need from law enforcement systems.

The need is especially great in Toronto. For decades, Star reporters have done stellar work covering the police and the police union. Reporters Jennifer Pagliaro and Wendy Gillis have written an overview of the police and how foolishly they spend their massive, tangled $1.08-billion budget, alienating ordinary citizens.

We want police to ticket drivers who race through red lights, tailgate, speed and essentially dangle the death penalty for pedestrians who cross the road at the wrong moment. After police announced they would no longer respond to unconfirmed burglar alarms in my former neighbourhood, it began to look as though traffic enforcement was similarly neglected.

The police havent succeeded at lowering gun violence in deprived neighbourhoods. Why not send a big part of their budget to the neighbourhoods themselves, keeping young people in school and if not, steadily occupied outside work? They need options.

When was the last time you saw a beat cop? I like cops on bicycles. They seem civilized and approachable. They make me feel safer but I have only seen them once in my new neighbourhood, keeping the peace at an anti-feminist demonstration at a library.

As the Star has reported, the entire police budget is nearly as much as the budgets for the citys parks and recreation division and childrens services and the Toronto Public Library combined.

Last year, more than 800 police and civilian staff earned more than $147,000 a year. I begrudge no one high pay but expect a competent well-run force, not a deteriorating one.

Cultures dont change. Even police Chief Mark Saunders praises the force, not that he has much choice given the power of the police union whose stance, naturally, is that all its members are right all the time. This is not helpful. It defies common sense.

There are certainly well-trained, intelligent and non-rageful police on the force. Im thinking of Const. Ken Lam, who cornered alleged mass killer Alek Minassian and declined to shoot him. In contrast you have Const. James Forcillo, defended by the union for having shot nine bullets into young Sammy Yatim, who had a knife. Forcillo is now training as an electrician.

Id call Lam a good apple in a force weighed down by bad ones but American comic Chris Rock has heard that cliche too many times. In 2018s Tamborine, Rock told his audience, Bad apple? Thats a lovely name for a murderer  Bad apple? That almost sounds nice. I mean, Ive had a bad apple. It was tart. But it didnt choke me out.

Then Rock crushed the problem. But some jobs cant have bad apples. OK? Some jobs, everybody gotta be good, like pilots. American Airlines cant be like, Most of our pilots like to land. We just got a few bad apples  that like to crash into mountains. Please bear with us.

Toronto is desperate for money. We may be wasting a huge part of the police budget, 90 per cent of which goes on salaries for a force that isnt good, isnt what we need it to be. Its scary to face down the police union  even Chief Saunders doesnt dare  but Mayor John Tory, mindful of vanishing public money, should try.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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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.

Story continues

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.

Read more

Trump wraps chaotic week by courting Maine voters at official event

CDC director advises protesters get tested for coronavirus

Coronavirus nasal swab kits and labs go into overdrive in US
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China will make its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when it is ready for application after successful research and clinical trials, a senior Chinese official said Sunday.

Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology, said at a press conference in Beijing that international cooperation should be strengthened in vaccine development, clinical trials and application.

Vaccine development should focus on ensuring safety, effectiveness, and accessibility, Wang said.

To date, four inactivated vaccines and one adenovirus vaccine have been approved for clinical trials, said a white paper titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," which was released by the State Council Information Office on Sunday.

While scientists in China and abroad have kept up with mutual developments, China leads the world in the development of certain types of vaccines, the white paper said.
Thirty years after unification, Yemen is on the verge of fragmentation as a result of armed conflicts, regional rivalries and foreign interference. On May 22, 1990, to popular acclaim, the leaders of the former North and South Yemen states announced from Sanaa the formation of a new republic that was seen as "the dream of an entire generation of Yemenis", according to political analyst Saleh al-Baidhani. But 30 years on, that dream has faded and the impoverished country has turned into a patchwork of rival zones mired in endless conflicts. Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014 between the government -- supported by a Saudi-led military coalition -- and Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who now control much of the north, including the capital Sanaa. The government still holds the central district of Marib and the eastern provinces, while the south is in the hands of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) -- which has made no secret of its intention to declare an independent state. "Our strategic goal, on which we will not concede, is the establishment of an independent state," STC official Thabet al-Awlaki told AFP. According to Ali al-Sarari, an aide to Yemen's prime minister, the country appears to be faced with two options. Either "fragmentation" as already in place or a "federal nation" resulting from a political agreement which seems a remote possibility, he told AFP. - Short honeymoon - Yemen's unity was the result of "revolutionary transformations", Baidhani said. The Zaidi monarchy in North Yemen was overthrown in a 1962 coup by nationalist officers. South Yemen, for its part, gained independence in 1967 after a four-year armed revolt against the British, which controlled the key port city of Aden. The political rhetoric of nationalists in the north and socialists in the south -- which in 1970 became the only communist state in the Arab world -- focused on unification. That was achieved in 1990 despite a host of obstacles, including border clashes between the two states' forces in 1979. Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the north since 1978, became president and Ali Salem al-Beidh from the south was the vice president. But the honeymoon was short-lived, as officials in the south felt they had been sidelined from power. An attempt by the south to break away in 1994 sparked a brief civil war that ended with it being overrun by northern troops. According to Hussein Hanachi, director of the Aden Centre for Studies, unification was founded on shaky foundations. "It was then destroyed after the ruling class in the north transformed the situation into one of military occupation after the 1994 conflict," he told AFP. Hanachi was referring to the dismantling of southern enterprises in favour of northern businessmen and to the distribution of land to supporters of the president. - 'New reality' - Saleh clung on to power despite the rise of jihadist groups, economic hardships and ongoing violence. The first real challenge to his rule came with the eruption in 2011 of Arab Spring-inspired protests that brought thousands of Yemenis onto the streets. Saleh finally ceded power in February 2012 after 33 years in charge and his deputy, Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, took over. Saleh was killed in 2017 by his former Huthi rebel allies. In 2014, the Huthis seized vast swathes of the country including the capital, prompting the intervention of the Saudi-led coalition to support the government. Since then, tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in a conflict that has triggered what the United Nations terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The country is also faced with the coronavirus pandemic which has so far officially killed 20 people, widely considered a vast underestimate given Yemen's collapsing healthcare system. A power struggle in the south between the government and separatists -- part of the anti-Huthi camp -- has further complicated the situation. Just last month, the STC declared self-rule in southern Yemen. "Yemeni unity in its current state has ceased to exist," Maged al-Madhaji, executive director of the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, told AFP. "The war has created a new reality on the ground," he said. General view of the historical quarter of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, listed as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO Yemenis holding national flags take part in celebrations of the 15th anniversary of the reunification of Yemen in the port city of Mukalla on May 22, 2005 A ship off the southern Yemeni port city of Aden
By Kim Bo-eun





Yoon Suk-heun / Korea Times file
(Newser)  Two lawyers are accused of tossing a Molotov cocktail in a police cara shocking turn for two pals who rose up from simple beginnings to success in the legal field, the New York Post reports. Seems Urooj Rahman, 31, and Colinford Mattis, 32, joined George Floyd protests in New York City last Friday night and threw the incendiary device in an empty NYPD patrol car. No one was hurt and the two were promptly arrested. Now Mattis and Rahmana corporate attorney and human rights lawyer, respectivelyare sitting in jail. "They're nervous, I can tell you that," says Salmah Rizvi, an ex-Obama official and friend of Rahman. Makes sense, considering they face up to 20 years each, and Rahman was photographed holding a Molotov cocktail in Mattis' minivan.

story continues below

Rahman also spoke on video during the protests: Problems "won't ever stop unless we take it all down and that's why anger is being expressed tonight in this way," she said. "People are angry because the police are never held accountable. The only way they hear us is through violence, through the means that they use." Yet associates describe the pair as thoughtful, progressive types who voiced opinions but didn't advocate violence. "This was lawless, this was stupid," said a lawyer for Rahman, per the New York Times. "This was two people swept up in the moment. But it is two people with no history of violence, no criminal history at all." The pair will remain behind bars while lawyers battle over the possibility of home confinement, per Law & Crime. (Read more protests stories.)


Image credit: Gerd Altmann (Pixabay)





The diamond industry is feeling the heat from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, which is currently ravaging the world in a way last seen in 1918 when about 500 million people  a third of the worlds population at the time  were infected by the so-called Spanish flu.

Global demand for diamonds has plummeted by more than 50% since March compared to the same period last year, according to Endiama director general Pedro Galiano.

In Israel, diamond trade is said to have dropped by 90% compared to a year earlier, missing out on business that would have raked in about $1.5 billion in March and April, according to Reuters.

India, a major consumer of rough stones for polishing, is encouraging importers to voluntarily reduce rough diamond imports from June 1 to help preserve inventory value and maintain the strength of the Indian diamond industry.

Rapaport Research Report has projected global rough production to ease by 16% to 119 million carats in volume terms and by 29% to $8.5 billion by value.

This was said to be the lowest level since the 2009 global economic crisis.

Diamond market prospects post Covid-19

Rough & Polished contacted three diamond companies, each representing major, mid-tier and junior diamond companies, to get their take on the prospects of the diamond market post the pandemic.

We will also include comments from statements and reports released by diamond companies this month.

De Beers spokesperson David Johnson said although the group doesnt provide forward-looking statements on diamond sales or pricing, it is monitoring the situation around the world very closely, remain in regular contact with its rough diamond customers.

He said part of the groups response to date includes substantially reducing rough diamond production guidance for this year by 7 million carats to 2527 million carats.

Concerning expectations for demand, Johnson said its clear there is currently no normal functioning market and its not possible to give meaningful views.

There has been very limited recent trading, and what has taken place may not be truly reflective of market fundamentals, so we will need to wait until trade volumes increase before we can ascertain meaningful information, he said.

Johnson said once there is a global recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, De Beers expects that diamonds will play an even more important role in peoples lives than they did before because they are uniquely compelling symbols of relationships and connections.

De Beers Group Auctions recently introduced a new selling proposition known as the Buy Platform, which will give its registered buyers access to diamond purchases at any time in light of the current COVID-19 situation.

Registered buyers can make an immediate, direct and straightforward purchase from a range of rough diamonds at any time and from anywhere.

Lucapa managing director Stephen Wetherall said any chief executive outside of the majors (who have contracted clients) would be brave CEO to provide such a forecast.

We as a company are still ourselves working on what the future will look like, when we may be able to restart our mines or return them to full production and I dont believe enough is yet known, he said. Governments easing isolation measures at different times, actual versus talked about trade within the pipeline, mines that may actually not return to production that will reduce supply and what consumption of the previous polished inventories has taken place at retail level needs to be better understood in the coming weeks/ month.

Without that, it is not possible to form a new or updated view on normalised supply/demand/ prices (especially across the quality ranges).

Wetherall said there are certainly some good reports coming through with measures easing, but there are too a lot of unknowns, such as the what impact the mooted voluntary ban on rough imports into India will have on commercial rough goods (lions share of the market) that need to go to India to be polished?

It is too early for me to give any sage opinion, he said.

Commenting on Petra Diamonds projections on volumes of future rough sales, the company spokesperson Marianna Bowes said given the measures that have been put in place in both South Africa and Tanzania, they suspended their production guidance for FY 2020, hence they were unable to provide guidance on future rough sales.

She said during this constrained sales period, the company saw severely depressed and opportunistic bidding for its goods, particularly in the larger size and higher quality, greater value categories.

As a result, Petra chose to sell a portion of its South African goods, representing about 75% by volume and about 50% by value.

These goods saw price decreases of about 24% on a like-for-like basis in comparison to pricing achieved at the February 2020 sales cycle.

The remaining goods were exported to Antwerp and would be offered for sale when market conditions allow.

Petra was also due to hold two further sales in May and June, but the outlook for both sales was highly uncertain and will depend on travel and export conditions at the time, as well as activity levels in the key diamond buying centres, being India, Israel, China and the US.

ALROSA recently offered 800 rough diamonds at its biggest ever digital tender, which started on May 15 and closing on May 29.

We continue to evaluate various measures to support our clients in these challenging times with travelling restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic still in place, said deputy chief executive Evgeny Agureev.

Our offer gives customers interested in purchasing and ready to work remotely under current circumstances the opportunity to review and buy rough."

Lucara reported earlier this month that the government of Botswana had temporarily granted the company permission to conduct sales in Antwerp, Belgium.

The second quarter tender which was originally scheduled to close mid-May in Gaborone would be rescheduled for Antwerp, as soon as market conditions permit.

BlueRock Diamonds also entered into an agreement with Bonas-Couzyn N.V, part of the Bonas Group to market the Kareevlei diamonds through its Antwerp facility.

The company had been reviewing its sales strategy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to gain access to the Antwerp diamond market, which attracts significantly more buyers than the South African diamond market.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
Hillary Clinton has denigrated Trump, claiming his response to George Floyd's death and ensuing protests is 'inadequate,' and asserting the president is 'such a failure across the board.'



In a blistering interview with the Los Angeles Times published early Friday morning, Clinton held nothing back in her criticism of the president.



'It is a mystery why anybody with a beating heart and a working mind still supports him,' she scorned, specifically referencing his photo-op last week in front of a church that had been set on fire as part of riots.



'It was beyond my comprehension,' she continued of the spectacle. 'We have never seen anything like this. He is without shame.'



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Christian Brueckner was investigated over the grisly murder of a young prostitute, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was under suspicion, but was never charged, by German detectives probing a 2010 killing in Hanover, police documents show.

In line with German privacy laws, the victim is not named in the paperwork, but that year the mutilated body of 24-year-old Monika Pawlak was found stuffed into two blue plastic bags in the Ihme river, four days after she was last seen alive.

Her head had been severed and her torso dismembered. Her personal items and some body parts were never found.

In line with German privacy laws, the victim is not named in the paperwork, but that year the mutilated body of 24-year-old Monika Pawlak (pictured) was found stuffed into two blue plastic bags in the Ihme river, four days after she was last seen alive

Miss Pawlak, who suffered from learning difficulties after a childhood accident and was described by police as 'naive', worked in a kitchen but also occasionally as a prostitute to fund her cocaine addiction.

She had celebrated New Year's Eve 2009 with friends in her mother's apartment in Linden, a district of Hanover. She then went for a drink at a pub nearby, saying goodbye to friends at just after 2am.

Her body was found on January 4 after the blue rubbish bags were spotted close to the Legion Bridge.

Police records show convicted drug dealer Brueckner (left), now 43, was, in the months after the murder, 'listed in relation to the homicide of a prostitute'

Police records show convicted drug dealer Brueckner, now 43, was, in the months after the murder, 'listed in relation to the homicide of a prostitute'.

Brueckner was not charged and the case remains unsolved, despite an extensive police investigation. A fresh appeal was launched in 2015 and a 30,000 euro (27,000) reward offered for information that would help catch the killer.

During the appeal police released a profile they had put together of Miss Pawlak's murderer.

Christian Brueckner is now the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (pictured)

Christian Brueckner is currently in prison (pictured) in Kiel, northern Germany, for a drugs offence

Detectives said the bags used to hide her body came from a commercial wholesaler and were mainly used by cleaning companies.

They said the killer had links to the district of Hanover-Linden, lived alone  or at least lived alone at the time of the attack  and was involved in the drug scene or 'tolerated drug use'.

Detectives hope for jail confession Prison staff are keeping Christian Brueckner under surveillance in the hope he might confess or reveal details to a fellow prisoner. Police lack a 'knockout blow' despite significant evidence linking him to Madeleine's disappearance, a source told The Sunday Times. And former British policeman Mark Williams-Thomas told The Sun that German investigators lacked 'a body, hard evidence, and a confession. The best chance now is for someone known to Brueckner to break cover. With evidence lacking, my worry is police won't reach a threshold to charge him'. Brueckner is in prison in Kiel, northern Germany, for a drugs offence. Advertisement

Experts said he was likely to be pragmatic and mentally stable, had access to tools and was physically able to carry heavy loads.

They said he was also likely to have access to a workshop and regular contact with cats and dogs.

At the time of the killing, Brueckner was linked to an address in Linden close to a lake, the Maschsee.

Facebook photographs from 2011, the same year he was convicted of smuggling cannabis, show the tall, muscular former car mechanic at a bar in the district with a waitress and a dog.

People who knew him said he was often seen partying in bars, pubs and restaurants in the area and his nickname was The Screwdriver because he always smelled of oil and petrol.

He was often out with his two dogs  Charly, a rottweiler, and Ms Mueller, a dachshund cross.

At the time of the appeal, Rainer Noeltker, head of the murder inquiry, said investigations involving drug users were often difficult as witnesses frequently make contradictory or confused statements.

The case of Miss Pawlak was made harder because her mother and stepfather were unable to provide much information about her private life, he said.

'They have no information about what she did in her free time, who she met. She was very naive. That is probably the best way to describe it.'

Police could not be reached for comment last night.
With intelligent features which allow users to control them from a phone, smart appliances have become all the rage with tech-savvy homeowners.

But a probe has now found many of the fridges, dishwashers and tumble dryers are dumped after as little as two years because of security fears.

The problem stems from the fact users need to share personal information with the machines, making them vulnerable to hackers.

They need software updates to stay secure but, with some manufacturers stopping these after a few years, many end up in landfill even though they still work.

Samsung guarantees for a minimum of two years but said it would continue to provide updates for critical security vulnerabilities for the reasonable life of the product.

Standard machines typically last ten years. Smart appliances can cost far more than standard versions  855 more on average for a fridge-freezer, for example.

The investigation by consumer group Which? found makers are unclear how long they will offer updates.

When asked, Samsung said it guaranteed a minimum of two years, but would continue to provide updates for critical security vulnerabilities for the reasonable life of the product.

LG and Whirlpool failed to confirm how long they would offer support, while Beko said 'a maximum of ten years'.

German brand Miele was the only one to commit to a ten-year guarantee.

Natalie Hitchins of Which? said: 'Being able to check the contents of your fridge from your smartphone or having your dishwasher order itself more salt when it runs low may seem appealing, but these features don't come cheap.

'Until manufacturers are clear and upfront about how long they will support these products, consumers could be better off avoiding smart appliances that might turn 'dumb' after only a few years and stick to more reliable non-smart alternatives.'

After a Which? campaign, the Government plans new laws on security standards for smart home appliances.

It is estimated the number of internet-connected devices in UK homes  including smart heating controls and security cameras  could reach 420million by next year.
We have started meeting up with friends and family and we can hear laughter coming from outdoor cafes. In just a few hours we will be allowed to go for a swim in the sea and, at some point, we will start hugging each other again. The cold weather is gone and our memory, ever so selective and deceitful, will invite us to forget the hell we have gone through and get back to business as usual.

We have survived indeed, but as a community that is, politically speaking we cannot afford to forget and we will need to start a process of accountability and stock-taking. We owe it to the thousands of Covid-19 victims and the weeks-long, titanic struggle of so many health care staff to analyse what has happened, ask the questions that remain unanswered and learn from this experience so that we are better equipped to handle a fresh outbreak of the pandemic in the middle term and strengthen our national health service in the long run.

Outsiders

We journalists arent usually involved in what we observe and being part of the story makes our work difficult. Right off the bat, let me say that we failed to anticipate the impending disaster, too. We had been monitoring the situation in China closely, we had published three special features on the topic and some in our newsroom kept warning about the situation and the catastrophe we might be facing. However, the situation was far from clear-cut and there was a raging debate between those who felt the issue was being blown out of proportion and the ones who used to put into question the reassuring statements coming from the Spanish and Catalan public health authorities, who insisted that the disease was not serious, masks were not advisable and our health service was robust. In hindsight, it is obvious that our public health system was unprepared and unaware of how deadly, fast-spreading and aggressive the virus was. We were following the blind.

We journalists have worked through the pandemic, but limited access to information has been a source of frustration. Thats why, now that the pandemic is on the wane, we have gathered the still-fresh memories of many professionals and answered some of the questions by talking to about seventy of the protagonists of the reaction against the worst public health crisis we have faced since the Spanish civil war (1936-39). A team of seven reporters led by Elena Freixa has worked for a month on the special feature you can read today, a piece where some of the faces sitting at the forefront of management, decision-making and care provision are given a chance to be heard.

Listening

We have listened to them and felt their anguish and exhaustion. Many of these professionals have practically reached the end of their tether.

We have reconstructed the events and have found evidence of poor planning. We have documented how the blistering spread of the virus put the system on the ropes, how action was taken to set up new hospitals providing additional ICU services, how protocols became obsolete before they even had a chance to be applied because new developments rendered them useless, and how they sought help to procure material that had become unavailable through the usual channels due to surging demand on a global scale and the shutdown of Chinas manufacturing. We have also heard about how doctors would stand by their patients bedside and learn on the fly about the behaviour of a virus that, in a flash, had pushed them to the brink of death by striking not just at their lungs, but also at their other vital organs. We listened to the account of how hospitals reacted by cutting out the red tape to cope with the influx of new patients and how care homes were sidelined. Some of them would experience harrowing days, when care was lacking and dying became a lonesome affair. One particular eyewitness account springs to mind: in the case of elderly patients, the response was morphine, morphine, morphine. It might have been the only possible course of action, but an explanation is needed against the so-called therapeutic savagery, the conduct of ethical committees and the consent and involvement of the patients next-of-kin.

Taking stock, taking action

Yesterday an expert doctor, one of those who to quote his own words do not levitate when they don their coat, spoke of his pessimism about what the future holds and our capacity for accountability in a society that is not used to assessing public policy. He asked how many Spanish and Catalan health ministers we remember for their expertise and demanded a more advanced, more modern, more social system, one that would have allowed for a better response. Like many of his colleagues, he shuns sentimentalism and, instead, demands action and competence. He is unfazed by the clap for our carers initiative: It was our job to do it. Our commitment, our social contract. We get paid a wage from taxpayers money in return.

We have listened to them. Now we need to respond by taking a ten-year view.
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 speaking out against racism and police brutality 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 in a news release that 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. A total of 27 lived in a nursing home before they contracted coronavirus, four in assisted living and two lived at home.

In Washington County, the number of cases remained at 208 and number of recoveries stayed the same at 185.

Saratoga County had one more death, a 62-year-old male from Saratoga Springs, bringing the total to 17. The number of COVID-19 cases increased by two to 502. Four people are hospitalized.

Essex County had 53 cases and one person still ill as of Friday.

Statewide, the number of deaths dropped to 35  26 in hospitals and 9 in nursing homes.

Wed like to see nobody die in the state of New York ever, but this is really good news. Compared to where we were, this is a big sigh of relief, said Gov. Andrew Cuomo at his daily coronavirus briefing.

Religious institutions can open at 25% capacity

The continued good health data prompted Cuomo to accelerate the reopening schedule. Cuomo on Saturday announced that religious institutions can reopen at 25% capacity, effective immediately.

Also, Cuomo signed a law banning price gouging on N95 masks and other personal protective equipment. The price increased from 70 cents per mask before the pandemic to $7 during the pandemic, according to Cuomo.

Cuomo also reacted to the news that criminal charges were brought against the two Buffalo police officers that are accused of shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground. He said he believes that charges are warranted based upon what he saw on the video.

If you have something different than what I saw, then tell me because I know what I saw, and what I saw was terrible, he said.

The suspension of the two officers involved in the incident prompted all 57 members of the emergency response team to resign in protest from the detail.

Cuomo said law enforcement officers want to weed out their bad officers.

A bad police officer is the enemy of every good police officer, he said.

Cuomo also called for the Legislature to pass the Say Their Name agenda, which would allow certain disciplinary records of officers to be released; ban chokeholds by law enforcement officers; make false race-based 911 reports a crime and designate the attorney general as an independent prosecutor in investigations of the deaths of unarmed civilians caused by police officers

This is national moment for change and New York is going to lead the way on this change, he said.

Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/.

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Protests over the murder of George Floyd show no signs of slowing down, and at work this week, most bosses found themselves in the position of addressing the unrest. For black leaders, our countrys legacy of racism is painfully familiar, so most can talk fluently about their experiences of oppression. Some may welcome the opportunity to speak right now, but many will find the prospect of educating their white counterparts exhausting. Be aware that it's an emotionally tumultuous time for communities of color.

As for white leaders, some might have already begun their educational journey  perhaps implementing diversity initiatives at their companies  but most are realizing they still have a long way to go. Still other white leaders are comprehending that theyre very much at the starting point. Leaders may be grappling with how to make their employees of color feel supported, or with the fact that they have very few black employees or employees of color at all. Generally, they might be struggling to find language to address all the pain, confusion and anger, and with how to begin making genuine change within their own businesses, as well as the larger business community.

Understanding race and race equity is a process, says Lisa Brown Alexander, president and CEO of Nonprofit HR. Most people are socialized around certain beliefs and perceptions, and it's not easy to unpack those overnight. So admitting that you're at the beginning is the first step. Admitting you don't know something is hard, but the kind of tenacity that you need to build your business is the same kind of tenacity you need for understanding race and race equity in today's climate.

We spoke to a number of diversity and inclusion experts about how business leaders and managers should think about handling the issue of racism in the current moment and as we move forward.

Whatever you do, be authentic

Whether youre a white or black leader, the thing people are looking for right now is real, unguarded reflection. I think now is such a time for leaders to be authentic, says Connie Evans, president and CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity. In speaking weekly to my own team, I've tried to be authentic in expressing my own fear and outrage, my personal fear as a black woman, and just sharing my thoughts on whats happening.

Rumina Morris, a diversity, equity and inclusion expert, agrees this is certainly true for white leaders as well. The most important thing is to come from a place of authentic leadership, she says. The heroes are the ones who ask, What can I do? How can I help? Tell me more. The ones who ask, How are you? How are you coping? The ones who believe the stories and pain of black people. They grow into the idea that an inclusive workplace just makes good business sense. Employees experience better job satisfaction, and employers get better employee retention. The fear of messing this up should not stop leaders from taking a stab at it. A messy conversation is better than the deafening sound of silence.

Related: Here's How Business Leaders Are Responding to the George Floyd Protests

Address the larger context of the current moment

First and foremost, says Dr. Donathan Brown, an expert in race and public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology, business leaders must understand, contextualize and articulate the current crisis for what it is: an ongoing and longstanding pandemic that continues, like COVID-19, to leave a devastating death toll across communities of color throughout the United States. Whether it is unequal access to quality health care, police brutality  jogging, birding, driving or simply existing while black, business leaders must set the tone within the context that aptly captures the tensions at hand.

Dont shrink away from the conversation because youre out of your depth

Too many business leaders are unsure about how to talk to their employees about racism, and that fear and concern is often what underlies their inaction, says Morris. Leaders are supposed to lead and to model for their subordinates how to navigate challenging situations and conversations with confidence and skill. But when it comes to racism, leaders can very quickly realize that they are out of their depth. Lets face it: Most leaders are white. Race-based discussions are not typically part of their dinner conversations. They dont have to be  at least not the types of conversations about pain and intergenerational trauma that black communities endure regularly. The discomfort results in many business leaders avoiding the discussion altogether. 

Diversity initiatives are not a substitute for doing the work yourself

Some leaders can acknowledge they are inept in the topic of racism and will turn to experts on the subject of diversity and inclusion, Morris says. They may bring on a consultant to engage with their employees across diverse lines. Some will even create a diversity and inclusion position in their organization to advance racial and cultural dynamics in their workplace. But the true leaders, the ones who really stand out above the rest, are the ones who are curious and want to understand. They are the few who are ready to acknowledge their own power and privilege. They show humility in their ignorance and grace in their listening. They ask questions, they ask for help, and they are not afraid to get it wrong. Leaders, especially those from dominant groups, must be able to talk to their employees about racism. Being color blind only ever served white people.

Dont put the onus on your black employees to explain racism

It is never the job of black people to educate white people on the inequalities, discrimination and daily struggles they face, says Lillian Humphrey, director of cultural diversity and inclusion at Power Home Remodeling. More generally, it should never be a marginalized groups responsibility to teach the majority. The majority should be self-educating first and foremost. As an organization, it is important for those within leadership roles to use their power and influence to take a stand, make a statement and support the sentiments of their black employees. As a result, if non-black employees begin to see what their leadership is doing, this will hopefully have a domino effect.

But make it clear to black employees  and other black entrepreneurs  that youre here and ready to listen

There is an important role for black staff to play in small and enterprising organizations, says Brown Alexander. Their voices are important, so don't assume that talking with them about this issue is going to be a burden. Some may find it burdensome to educate their organizations, but others will be relieved that you took the time to ask. I would start with listening and learning and giving people a safe space to talk. Reach out to say, I am sorry. I am here. Let me know if you need time off. And then you might get into either a facilitated conversation or some sort of survey to gather the perspectives of the staff in a safe way. My staff is about 50 percent black, and I'm having a private meeting with my black staff where they can express concerns, frustrations and experiences in a way that feels safe. And then I'm bringing together my entire staff.

The same goes for listening to other leaders of color. I think there's an opportunity for entrepreneurs to look at their entrepreneur community and assess whether its diverse or homogeneous, Brown Alexander says. Use this as a learning moment to hear from black entrepreneurs about their experience. African American business owners have likely had challenging experiences at some level or another either with their product development, their business development, obtaining financing, maybe influencing clients or prospects. Most can talk fluently on those issues.

Related: Black-Owned Restaurants and Businesses You Can Support Right Now

Put in place safe avenues for people of color to give honest feedback about their experiences

At Power Home Remodeling, Humphrey says, Weve hosted a series of initiatives and Woke-ish sessions, which are educational meetings dedicated to encouraging employees to have difficult conversations around racial topics that might be uncomfortable to discuss. These sessions also create a safe space where both black and non-black employees feel they have a place to speak their mind and better understand the black experience.

Bernard Boudreaux is the deputy director of Georgetowns Business for Impact program, and he worked for Target Corporation for over 30 years in various corporate responsibility roles. He says asking the following questions (in a safe, maybe anonymous survey format) will offer valuable insight to companies trying to understand their own workplace cultures.

Here are the questions he suggests:

1. Ask your employees what the company could do better to address racism in the workplace, in the local community and in the USA.

2. Ask your employees what experiences they have had within the company, if any, that made them feel that race was a factor.

3. Ask your employees if they feel leadership within the company  however leadership is defined  has exhibited racist behaviors. If so, how?

4. Ask your employees if there are any business practices  HR, operations, philanthropic, logistical, etc.  the company does that they think contributes to or enforces racist behavior or attitudes.

5. Ask your employees if they think discussing race is a safe topic at work.

Be sensitive to the fact that your employees of color may not feel comfortable discussing race with you

Dont assume that your employees feel safe or want to discuss race with you, says Boudreaux. And dont ask employees questions about race, or any sensitive topic, when their supervisor is around. This is about workplace culture. Some  many  employees need their job, and they just want to get to work, do the job, collect their paycheck and get home safely. They dont have the luxury of expressing their feelings and perhaps getting fired for it. Know your workplace culture! Make sure your employees are comfortable discussing race before even going down that path. Just take a second and think about a few predominantly male, predominantly white workplace environments and then ask yourself if you think the 10 percent of black and brown employees feel safe discussing race.

Dont talk the talk if you havent been walking the walk

There is something that feels very wrong about an organization that has never before spoken internally or externally about black issues and the black experience, yet now all of a sudden wants to make it seem as though they are and have been supportive, says Humphrey.

With many companies beginning to post on social media how they are in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, its created a ripple effect where many companies are jumping on the bandwagon to make a statement, Humphrey continues. For some, the intention is perceived as genuine, and for others, it can be seen simply as a marketing ploy. When sharing company messaging and making posts around the racial climate, it is crucial to ask yourself two questions: What is my actual goal in communicating this? And How do I plan to continue communicating on this topic? If you want to appear to be doing the right thing solely to preserve your reputation, your communication tactics will fail because you are neither speaking from the heart nor with purpose. And unfortunately, your black employees will see right through it and not only feel a lack of support but also feel disrespected.

Recognize if youre part of the problem and make a plan to fix it

Many organizations dont realize that they might be part of the problem, Humphrey says. If you are a part of a company that still has a race wage gap, youre part of the problem. If you are not providing equal access to leadership opportunities to your black employees, or you are placing a focus on attracting diverse talent but arent putting in the work to retain that same talent, you are part of the problem. If you are part of an organization that has not been properly and consistently involved in supporting the black community, it is important to be transparent in your efforts or lack thereof. Acknowledge that you are part of the problem but are working to change that and have a plan put in place to do so. And follow through with that plan  not for the next few months, or years, but for a lifetime.

Related: It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist to Solve the Racism Problem in Business

Related:

How Should You Be Talking With Employees About Racism?

Here's How Business Leaders Are Responding to the George Floyd Protests

Flexible Workspace Providers Elevate Operations To Win Workforce Post COVID-19



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The total number of coronavirus cases in India has now reached 2,46,628. Of which, there are 1,20,406 active cases, 1,19,293 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 6929 death cases.

Indias COVID-19 count on Sunday inched closer to 2.50 lakh mark with the highest ever single-day spike of 9,971 new cases in the last 24 hours, as per the details shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). As per the details shared by the MoHFW today, the countrys coronavirus count has now climbed to 2,46,628 including 1,20,406 active cases and 287 deaths, which take the toll to 6,929. So far, 1,19,293 people have also been cured/discharged/migrated.

With new cases pouring in unabatedly, Maharashtra remains the worst corona hit State in the country. It has so far reported 82,968 cases out which the active cases are 42,609. 37,390 people have been cured or discharged while 2,969 people have died. Tamil Nadu reported 1,515 more COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths today. The total number of cases in the State is now 31,667, including 14,396 active cases, 16,999 discharged and 269 deaths, according to the states Health Department.

Delhi has reported 27,654 cases of COVID-19 so far. There are 16,229 active cases in the national capital. 10,664 people have been cured or discharged while 761 people have died in the city so far. In Gujarat, the numbers of cases so far stand at 19,592. The active cases are 5,057. The patients cured and discharged are 13,316, while the toll is at 1,219.

Also Read: Amit Shah in his virtual rally: Bihar introduced democracy to the world

Also Read: PETA India urges Centre to strengthen laws to protect animals after pregnant elephant, cow are fed explosives

In Madhya Pradesh, the total cases are 9,228. There are 2,721 active cases in the State. 6,108 people have been cured or discharged while 399 people have died so far in the State. Uttar Pradesh has a total of 9,733 corona cases, while there are 3,828 active cases in the State. 5,648 people have been cured or discharged, while 257 people have died of the infection in the State.

Bihar has reported 141 more COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of patients in the State to 4,972. Rajasthan has reported three deaths and 48 more COVID-19 cases, the state Health Department informed on Sunday. The total number of coronavirus cases in the State has now reached 10,385. Currently, there are 2,545 active cases in the State. The toll stands at 234 in Rajasthan, as per the official data.

In Karnataka, 239 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the State is now 5,452. Kerala reported 107 more COVID-19 cases today, taking the total number of active cases in the State to 1,095, according to the Kerala Chief Ministers Office (CMO).

Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours reported 130 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths. Total cases in the State have risen to 3,718 including 1,290 active cases, 2,353 discharged, and 75 deaths so far. Uttarakhand on Sunday reported 38 more COVID-19 cases, taking the States COVID-19 count to 1,341, according to the state governments health bulletin. 498 people have recovered in the State while 13 succumbed to the disease.

In Himachal Pradesh, seven more people have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of cases to 407 out of which 188 cases are active, as per Himachal Pradeshs Health Department. Assam reported 92 new COVID-19 positive cases today. Total cases in the State now stand at 2,565 including 588 recovered, 1970 active cases and four deaths, said Himanta Biswa Sarma, State Health Minister.

In Manipur, 15 more COVID-19 cases have been reported from the last night, informed the state government. The total number of coronavirus cases in the State now stands at 172 including 120 active cases and 52 recoveries.

Also Read: Unlock I: Arvind Kejriwal announces revised guidelines; to open borders, reserve Delhi hospitals for people of Delhi from Monday

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LAKEWOOD, NJ  For 8 minutes and 46 seconds, they kneeled. They prayed. And they repeated the names. Sean Bell. Sandra Bland. Emmitt Till. Breonna Taylor.

George Floyd.

The crowd gathered in front of Lakewood's Town Hall on Saturday said the names of black men and women who have died in incidents with police in a protest sparked by the death of George Floyd.

The protest, one of dozens around the country that have sprung up since Floyd died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds during an arrest following a 911 call reporting a counterfeit $20 bill.

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who was seen in multiple videos kneeling on Floyd's neck, was fired and has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other Minneapolis police officers involved in the incident have been fired but no charges have yet been filed against them.

The march, which began with a group at Lakewood High School and marched to Clifton Avenue and to the courtyard in front of Town Hall, was organized by Marquis Oliver, a 2013 graduate of Lakewood High School.

"We are definitely a united town," Oliver said after the demonstration ended Saturday. "And we showed it today."

"We showed how much we care about each other," he said.

That sense of caring was a constant theme among the speakers, who highlighted the issues that black Americans face and urged the crowd to support each other and fight for peace.



"Let's not come together for just some protest, but stick together to make change and a different narrative for us," said A'Liah Moore from neighboring Manchester, who is a member of the NAACP of Ocean County's Youth and College unit. She urged those in attendance to not only keep things peaceful but to also make sure their efforts to seek to eliminate systemic racism do not stop with just marching on Saturday.

"If we want change, we must be the change. If we want peace, we must demonstrate peace," said Moore, tears rolling down her cheeks as she urged a junior at Monmouth University. She urged people to make the most of the educational system to improve their lives.

Story continues

Taking advantage of education and making efforts to improve that education were among the items highlighted by Jessica Moreland of Lakewood in a poem she wrote:.

"Systemic racism, that is how we live.

Death after death by this racism,

The hate that our oppressors give.

It is Sandra Bland who none of us believe committed suicide in her jail cell, and the police department

tries to persuade us otherwise.

It is Breonna Taylor sound asleep, shot dead before anyone could hear her cries.

It was Eric Garner who couldnt breathe!

And George Floyd again, who couldnt breathe!

The list goes on and on and on;

But thats not the end to this, just see.

In the health care field its disturbing.

Black women, you are currently 3-4 times more likely to die in childbirth.

Im out here but this pandemic has my fears burning.

Black people are four times more likely to die from Covid,

But nurses acting as whistleblowers are spilling the tea

that this is because doctors do not see our worth.

And dont get me started on the school system,

And the systemic racism they deny.

You can visibly see the difference in funding when affluence and poverty collide.

And if youre black and blessed to be in a well-funded school,

The racism is truly there.

Dont be shocked to hear the word nigger and classmates constantly trying to touch your hair.

Dont be shocked when your braids are banned.

Dont be shocked if theres politics in sports.

And definitely dont be shocked when theres barely any black history reports.

And us black people love to go shopping.

Our money makes the world go round.

But when we shop, employees start stalking, calling security, but for what grounds?

Stop viewing us as suspicious. We are black kings and black queens.

And if we are going to fight this, the time is now while we see all of this unity.

Its time for new laws to keep us protected day and night.

Its time to support black businesses to keep our money from getting tight.

Its time for a change.

Its time for accountability.

And I pray that soon we will start to feel free."

Violence and looting, which have surfaced at other protests around the country, were not realized on Saturday in Lakewood, even though some downtown Lakewood businesses put up plywood on windows and doors.

"Don't do what they've done to us for far too long," Moore said, urging protesters to stay focused on remembering those who haved died.

Kamaria Vaughn, a Lakewood High School and William Paterson University graduate, also urged those in attendance to avoid violence.

David Patterson Jr., a Lakewood High School and Kean University graduate, also urged those attending to make the most of educational opportunities, as they played a role in breaking the cycle of those who end up in prison. He noted statistics show that children whose fathers have not graduated high school are more likely to see a parent incarcerated by the time the are 14 years old.

Patterson said he is working to break that cycle by completing his bachelor's degree at Kean.

But the biggest message was urging those in attendance to get involved. The NAACP was signing up voters and volunteers. One speaker urged those in attendance to become financially literate so they could understand what they need to do to secure their futures.

"They fear our equality," said Ivan Marks, another 2014 Lakewood graduate. "They fear our potential."

"It takes more than just one post, one hashtag, or one protest to make change," said Caleb Lewis, a Lakewood graduate.



Fred Rush, president of the NAACP of Ocean County, praised those in attendance, many of whom were young adults, saying their energy was something he had not seen in some time and would help create change.

"Let's focus on our history," said Kamaria Vaughn, a Lakewood and William Paterson graduate who addressed the crowd more than once and led the final 8-minute, 46-second remembrance of Floys and others who have died in fighting for equal treatment for black Americans. "Let's focus on our struggles. Let's focus on what Rosa Parks did."

"We're here for George Floyd, and if anyting happens after George Floyd, we're here for them too," she said.

See some of the scenes from Saturday's protest here:

Marquis Oliver, who organized Saturday's protest, addresses the crowd. (Karen Wall/Patch)





(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

A protester wears a 2014 Black Lives Matter T-shirt in Lakewood on Saturday. (Karen Wall/Patch)

Protesters pause to kneel and pray on Clifton Avenue. (Karen Wall/Patch)

(Karen Wall/Patch)

A'Liah Moore of Manchester addresses the crowd. (Karen Wall/Patch)

Jessica Moreland read a poem she wrote that speaks to the issues confronting black Americans. (Karen Wall/Patch)

Ivan Marks. (Karen Wall/Patch)

(Karen Wall/Patch)

(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

(Gary Beeg Jr. for Patch)

Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Lakewood Patch on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on the Lakewood Patch
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is a 43-year-old military veteran, an aggressive defender of President Trump, a rising star among Republicans and a candidate to be the next defense secretary, maybe even president.

His views resemble those of the cave man in the pre-agricultural era of human development. He says we should put more people in prison. He wants to let gun owners in Arkansas carry their weapons to New Jersey when they visit, concealed. He wants to overthrow the regime in Iran.

And on Wednesday, he said he wants to send heavily armed military troops onto our city streets to put down the unrest with an iron hand, whether the governors and mayors like it or not.

One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force, Cotton wrote.

The twist is that he said it in an op-ed published by the New York Times, that failing bastion of fake news. And that has sparked an explosion in the Times newsroom, with hundreds of staffers signing a petition to register their objection.

Cottons view is dangerous and printing it in the Times gives it legitimacy, some said. Printing the piece puts reporters in danger, others said. Furious sources were now shutting out reporters, others claimed. The union representing Times journalists said the piece promotes hate.

As a black woman, as a journalist, as an American, I am deeply ashamed that we ran this, tweeted Nikole Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer this year for her superb work on the Times 1619 Project, a revised look at black history in America.

All this is unnerving to me, on all fronts. Cottons plan would put heavily armed soldiers with no experience in crowd control and no ties to the local community into the epicenter of the violence. What could go wrong?

He would give this power to Trump, a president whose fidelity to the rule of law is on par with Vladimir Putins. Would Trump treat blue states the same as red ones? What if he contests the results of the election, then uses these troops to put down peaceful demonstrations, maybe after one or two people throw rocks? Do we want to put this weapon in this presidents hands?

As bad as the idea is, though, I want to hear all about it. Hearing it directly from Cotton means I will know exactly what hes thinking and wont have to guess based on one quote. It means his views will be part of the public record for years to come.

His proposal is not a fringe idea. Washington sent troops to Los Angeles during the 1992 riots at the invitation of the governor, a big step in this direction that caused very little fuss. A poll released by Morning Call last week found that 58 percent of registered voters support sending in the military, including 37 percent of African-Americans. I want to understand that sentiment, and Cotton is a leading proponent of it.

Op-ed pages are designed for just this, to have an open debate that gives people a chance to express their views, directly and unfiltered. May the best idea win.

I called a young journalist I know, Noah Kulwin, to get his take. Hes 27, a Berkeley graduate who has worked at New York Magazine and HBOs Vice, and I suspected hed have sympathy for the newsroom protest.

You wouldnt publish an article saying I want to kill the president, he said. There are lines, and this crosses it. It gives weight to an unpalatable idea.

Sure, he says, print Cottons view, but in a news story with other voices, fact checks, and context. Is the best strategy to give an ambitious Republican senator with a history of making outrageous statements for effect this space? Is that the way you want to frame the debate?

I am not here to defend the editing of the Cotton piece, and the Antifa charge struck me as bogus when I read it. No doubt well hear more about that in coming weeks.

A Times opinion writer who has covered college campuses, Bari Weiss, sees a generation gap at the Times and other media outlets, a civil war between the over-40 set that wants an open debate with few restraints, and a younger generation that worries more about causing offense, especially to marginalized groups.

The New Guard has a different world view, Weiss tweeted. They call it safetyism in which the right of people to feel emotionally and psychologically safe trump what were previously considered core liberal values, like free speech.

I dont know exactly where the fault line runs, but Im rooting for the folks, young or old, who want to leave the gate open and invite in a wide range of opinion. Thats democracy.

Sure, Cotton is a self-interested politician who probably wrote the op-ed as part of a job application to replace Defense Secretary Mark Esper, whose job is at risk after he had the nerve to say that sending the 101st Airborne to Brooklyn probably isnt such a hot idea.

But thats democracy, too. Its enough to make you scream. But does anyone have a better system in mind?

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
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White police officers and community members gathered to wash the feet of black faith leaders in North Carolina, echoing the Biblical story of how Jesus washed his disciples feet.

People of faith gathered for a unity march in Cary on Saturday, braving the summer heat to protest the brutal police killing of George Floyd and demand an end to racism.

Members of the Legacy Church Center, led by co-pastors Faith Wokoma and her husband Soboma, helped organize the unity prayer walk, where people gathered, observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence to mark how long a white cop had his knee on Floyd's neck in killing him, and prayed for the country.

As a part of the event there was a 'Washing of the Feet' ceremony where at least three white law enforcement officers and three other white attendees washed the feet of pastors Faith and Soboma Wokoma.

White police officers and community members gathered to wash the feet of black faith leaders in Cary, North Carolina, on Saturday echoing the Biblical story of how Jesus washed his disciples feet to express humility and love

As a part of Saturdays Unity Prayer Walk there was a 'Washing of the Feet' ceremony where at least three white law enforcement officers and three other white attendees washed the feet of black pastors Faith and Soboma Wokoma, following the Christian ritual that expresses love and humility

Participants in the feet washing ceremony pictured above

People of faith and Legacy Center Church members gathered in Cary on Saturday to decry police brutality and pray for an end to racism

Photos and video shared on social media show the group praying together as the pastors sat on a bench and their white peers knelt in prayer with buckets to wash their feet.

The washing of feet is a religious rite observed by various Christian denominations based of Jesus Christs commandment that his followers should wash one anothers feet, following his example, and to express humility and love.

Video of the ceremony was shared to Facebook where it went viral racking up over 2,400 views.

'Powerful display of what reconciliation looks like,' one Facebook user wrote.

'This is how racial healing starts,' another added.

'Love and humility of God,' one person commented.

Members of the Legacy Church Center, led by co-pastors Faith Wokoma and her husband Soboma, helped organize the unity prayer walk, where people gathered, observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence to mark how long a white cop had his knee on Floyd's neck in killing him, and prayed for the country

The prayer walk pictured hitting the streets of Cary, with protesters wearing face masks and carrying signs

Walk attendees pictured looking on at the feet washing ceremony

Faith and Soboma Wokoma said they were inspired to create the Saturday rally as a place where people of faith can gather to have open discussions on the demonstrations unfolding across the country.

'As we look through civil rights history, the church was always such a big part of change. And we don't want it to just be the black church or white church, or Asian church. We want the body of Christ to come together, collectively,' Faith Wokoma said to ABC11.

'So we decided to gather with the other churches, and we were pleasantly surprised when the police said they wanted to be part of the walk. The mayor wanted to be part of the walk,' she added.

Lori Bush, who sits on the Cary town council, described Saturday's rally as a 'powerful' event

Lori Bush, who sits on the Cary town council, described Saturday's rally as a 'powerful' event.

'It started with a true recognition of the history of abuse, violence and systemic racism, by saying the names of so many who have died as well as a 8 min and 46 sec moment of silence. Several stops to pray, singing Amazing Grace, and all of us working to show up while being socially distant. I was touched at the turnout, the impactful words, the raw emotion and call for change,' she said.

'Heartfelt and poignant moments when Town of Morrisville, NC Chief Andrews shares her family story & pastors stop and police kneel to wash the feet of black community leaders,' she added.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday recalled the role played by Jayaprakash Narayan movement in opposing the emergency rule imposed by the then Indira Gandhi government in 1975 while addressing the people of the eastern state in a virtual rally held amid the coronavirus pandemic. Shah added that Narendra Modi governments pro-poor policies in the last 6 years have benefitted the eastern states the most.

When Congress leader Indira Gandhi tried to subvert democracy by imposing Emergency, then the people from Bihar stood up to restore democracy through the JP movement, Shah said.

Shah was referring to the peoples movement-- also referred to as total revolution-- led by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, which opposed misrule in the state of Bihar and at the Centre and is widely credited with mobilising opposition to the emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975.

Also read: Rally to boost publics morale against Covid-19 pandemic, says Amit Shah

Shah also responded to RJDs criticism that BJP was preparing for elections when the country was fighting coronavirus and said the virtual rally organised by the party was part of its culture of people outreach and is unrelated to polls. Assembly elections are due in Bihar in October this year and the NDA has declared chief minister Nitish Kumar the leader of the alliance for the polls.

This rally is not linked with the assembly elections. BJP believes in democracy. We cant forget our culture of people outreach. Shah said.

Earlier today, several RJD leaders including Rabri Devi, her sons, Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav clanged utensils in a move to protest Shahs virtual rally and to highlight the plight of migrant workers. The RJD says it is observing Garib Adhikaar Diwas to bring to light the sufferings of the poor class.

Shah said he was happy to see people beat utensils since it was in line with an appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during one day long Janta Curfew in March to show respect to corona warriors at the forefront of the fight against the disease.

Also read | From Pulwama, Covid-19 to CAA: Key highlights from Amit Shahs wide-ranging Bihar Jansamvad Rally

Amit Shah also touched upon the issue of development in Bihar and said eastern Indias growth had declined since independence due to the neglect shown by past governments before the NDA took over the reins.

Narendra Modi jis government has worked to improve the lives of crores of poor people in the last six years and this has benefited our people from eastern India the most, Shah said.

The BJP aims to connect over a crore people through virtual rallies in both West Bengal and Bihar.

Shah will next address the people of Odisha and West Bengal through virtual rallies on June 8 and June 9 respectively. BJP President JP Nadda and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also hold virtual rallies tomorrow in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.
New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) Union Minister of State (I/C) for Development of North Eastern Region and MoS in Prime Ministers office, Dr Jitendra Singh said here Sunday launched COVID BEEP (Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod), Indias first indigenous, cost-effective, wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for Covid-19 patients, developed by ESIC Medical College Hyderabad.

Asserting that awareness and not anxiety, is the key to fight Covid pandemic, the minister stressed on the importance of prevention and awareness in dealing with this pandemic effectively, now that the process of Unlock.1 has started in a phased manner after a two-month lockdown.

Lauding the efforts of ESIC Medical College Hyderabad, which has come up with yet another innovation in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad and Department of Atomic Energy, for the welfare of insured persons during the present Covid-19 crisis adding to its long list of devices, Dr Singh said the COVID BEEP is a perfect example of how synergy among the reputed institutes of India can offer solutions to most of the challenges faced by the country with minimum cost and thereby make the country 'Atmanirbhar' in the true sense.

Dr Singh also said that COVID BEEP would emerge as an effective antidote to the Covid pandemic which the entire world is currently grappling with, an official release here said.

The latest version of COVID BEEP incorporates NIBP monitoring as affected aged people have the highest death rates from Covid-19. Hence, apart from NIBP monitoring, there is ECG monitoring as the drugs used as prophylaxis and/or treatment like Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin have effects on heart which require ECG monitoring. The respiratory rate is calculated by Bio Impedance method.

Further, COVID BEEP will greatly reduce the transmission risk as well as help save resources like PPEs.

Dr Singh appreciated the work of Department of Atomic Energy, under which ECIL falls, in developing solutions to many health-related issues. Contrary to the popular perception, DAE is actively involved in promoting the benevolent use of nuclear energy for the greater welfare of mankind. Be it in the field of generating electricity, augmenting agricultural produce, food preservation or administering the much renowned oncology centre by the name TMC in Mumbai, the department of atomic energy has always risen to the occasion to stand by the country in its hour of need.

MoS for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, DAE Secretary K N Vyas, Dean ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad, Prof Srinivas, Chairman and Managing Director ECIL, Hyderabad, Rear Admiral Sanjay Chaubey (retd) also underlined the importance of such inventions in the present context.

UNI SD SHK1830
Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/Reuters

A woman who witnessed Manuel Elliss arrest on the night the young African American died in police custody says she saw him having a friendly conversation with two white police officers when one of them then knocked him to the ground with their car door.

Sara McDowells account of what happened on 3 March to Ellis, who died in Tacoma, Washington, of respiratory arrest after calling out I cant breathe, differs widely from the one given by police.

Ellis death is now part of a wide-ranging debate over police brutality triggered by the death of George Floyd, killed by a white Minneapolis police officer. Protests have spread across the US since Floyds death.

Once Ellis was on the ground, the officer on the passenger side of the car rushed out and started hitting him, while the other officer Tased him, according to the familys lawyer, James Bible, who spoke with McDowell, 23.

Related: Manuel Ellis killing: mayor calls for firing of officers involved in death of black man

McDowell had pulled her car behind the officers at about 11.20pm. Moments later, when she started to drive past the scene, she saw Ellis lying on the ground, motionless.

Theyre saying things like, Put your hands behind your back, but its kind of pointless because theyre on top of him and its clear hes just not moving, Bible said in an interview with the Guardian.

In cellphone footage McDowell shot, she can be heard screaming from her car: Stop. Oh my God, stop hitting him. Just arrest him. She also yelled to her partner, who is black, to stay in the car with their young children, as he was starting to go over to help Ellis.

Police have said Ellis was banging on car windows when he came up to the officers car asking for help and saying there were warrants out for his arrest. An officer then got out of the car and Ellis grabbed his vest and threw him to the ground.

Ed Troyer, the Pierce county sheriffs spokesman, had previously told the Guardian the officers did not put him in a chokehold, put a knee on his neck, or use Tasers.

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The death of Ellis, a musician and father of two, has been ruled a homicide and is being investigated by the Pierce county sheriffs department.

The county medical examiners officer reported that he died due to hypoxia and physical restraint. Other factors that may have contributed to his death included methamphetamine intoxication and heart disease.

On Friday, Washingtons governor, Jay Inslee, announced that the state would conduct an independent review of the investigation and charging decisions related to Ellis death.

Bible is now urging the state to run its own investigation of Ellis death and for the county sheriffs office to stop their investigation and hand over their findings to the state.

The Pierce county sheriffs office cant possibly be independent of the Tacoma police department, he said. They have too much bias to be allowed to do the investigation.

Troyer told the Guardian that he had no concerns about the offices ability to conduct an independent investigation: Weve held investigations of our own people and fired them in the past.

The office will present its findings to the prosecutor next week.

Troyer said while the office had written over 20 reports and talked to a variety of witnesses, after reaching out to McDowell, it had not yet been able to speak with her.
Attorney General Bill Barr defended his decision to forcibly remove protesters from outside of the White House last week, claiming on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that the media is lying about the protesters being peaceful and that there was no connection between the incident and President Trump's visit to St. John's Church.

Why it matters: Barr has faced calls for accountability over the use of irritants and smoke balls on protesters in Lafayette Park on Monday before Trump's photo op at St. John's. A number of reporters on the scene insist that the protesters were peaceful, but Barr called it "one of the big lies that the media seems to be perpetuating at this point."

"All I heard was comments about how peaceful protesters were," Barr said, referring to protests that had turned violent the previous day. "I didn't hear about the fact that there were 150 law enforcement officers injured and many taken to the hospital with concussions. So it wasn't a peaceful protest. We had to get control over Lafayette Park, and we had to do it as soon as we were able to do that."

Barr also claimed that no tear gas was used on Monday. But a U.S. Park Police spokesperson told Vox on Friday that it was a "mistake" to say in a statement that tear gas was not used, acknowledging that the use of "smoke canisters and pepper balls" can cause tears and irritate eyes.

The big picture: Barr said he understands the African American community's "distrust" with police, but denied that law enforcement in the U.S. is "systemically racist." He also dismissed calls to eliminate or reduce immunity to allow for the prosecution of officers, claiming it "would result certainly in police pulling back."

"You know, policing is the toughest job in the country," Barr said. "And I frankly think that we have generally the vast, overwhelming majority of police are good people. They're civic-minded people who believe in serving the public. They do so bravely. They do so righteously."

"I think that there are instances of bad cops. And I think we have to be careful about automatically assuming that the actions of an individual necessarily mean that their organization is rotten."

Go deeper: Read the full transcript of the interview
Its news that should strike fear into the hearts  and other love muscles  of British sheet shufflers in the UK, as the British Government has just introduced a new law that forbids its nationals from bunking with someone they dont already live with.

Perhaps a little late to the pandemic laws party and as reported by The Metro, the UK has said: No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons. A similar rule has already been put into place and since lifted here in Australia, with people now able to have up to five people from outside the household in their home, and outdoor gatherings are currently capped at 10 people.

A gathering has been defined as: when two or more people are present together in the same place in order to engage in any form of social interaction with each other, or to undertake any other activity with each other.

Under previous UK laws introduced since the virus outbreak, only the person going to someone elses house would have been at risk of prosecution, but with this latest change, both parties will now be at risk of prosecution and 50 fine. But while the changes to the Health Protection Regulations 2020 bill will affect everyone in the UK, with family and friends now no longer being able to visit those who live far away, its the countrys horndogs that will feel most hard done by.

Thats because only those with reasonable excuses will be allowed to meet up with another household privately, and unfortunately, the UK government doesnt see the dance of love as such an excuse, essentially bringing an end to casual sex.

However, the new law has arrived just before other laws have begun to lift in the UK, as Brits will now be able to meet with up to six people outdoors. Children can soon go back to school, workers will soon be able to return to their offices and Brits can even go for a stroll around IKEA.

Backwards? Most definitely. The UK Government, while clearly trying to restrict the areas in which the virus can be spread, has introduced this law far too late into the pandemic. It announced at the end of March (when lockdown hit for most of the world), that couples who lived apart should make a decision whether to lock themselves inside the same home or continue to live apart (the latter could prevent arguments of course) but now it has put an end to all private meetups entirely.

for those who cant abstain for the indefinite period, a potential loophole could be a rumble in the bushes (disclaimer: DMARGE accepts no responsibility should this advice be followed and it results in prosecution).

Unsurprisingly, the news hasnt gone down well with the British public, and theyve taken to Twitter in their droves to make it apparent. So much so, the #sexban is now trending, and it makes for some humorous reading:

The government deciding to NOW issue a sex ban 10 weeks into lockdown is the equivalent of handing out condoms at a baby shower #sexban  Lucy Claire (@LucyEllam85) June 2, 2020

Aint no sex ban if you dont have sex #sexban pic.twitter.com/7cJR017Mlk  Sir Goose the 1st (@GooseWithDrip) June 2, 2020

While we can probably relax here down under with the knowledge that such a law wont be replicated, the same cant necessarily be said of the rest of the world, where cases of the virus, and deaths caused, continue to be reported.

Considering the British public have so far ignored social distancing laws in public spaces, with thousands descending on public parks and beaches in the wake of glorious sunshine, we cant imagine this new law will be followed to the tee.

Besides, how is it going to be policed? Perhaps the UK Government will set up a new Peeping Tom Force.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 04:15:44|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Sunday saw thousands of people in Spain add their voices to the massive "Black Lives Matter" protests all around the world, ignited by the U.S. police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American.

According to Spanish TV station RTVE, an estimated 3,000 people took part in a demonstration in Madrid, which began outside of the U.S. embassy in the central Calle Serrano.

The Spanish Government Delegate had given permission for 200 people to participate in the protest against the killing of George Floyd, but far more people than expected turned up to show their support, as also happened in other European cities.

Banners with messages such as "I am human; and you?" or "Silence is oppression" were visible, while demonstrators also chanted phrases such as "no person is illegal," "Racists out of our neighborhoods," "No more police violence," according to the Government Delegate.

A further 3,000 people also marched in Barcelona for the same cause. There were also demonstrations in cities such as Bilbao, San Sebastian and Vitoria in the Basque Region of northern Spain, as well as in Logrono and Murcia.

The demonstrations in Spain were part of a huge wave of protests worldwide ignited by the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe. Enditem
Gloucester City police chief Brian Morrell (left) kneels as #BlackLivesMatter protesters read the names of African Americans killed by police and gun violence during a peaceful protest Sunday. Read more

A small creek is all that separates this city under the Walt Whitman Bridge from Camden to the north.

When he was a child growing up in Camden, though, Isaiah M. Conteh was told not to venture into Gloucester City, that whites there dont like blacks, and so he treated that creek and highway bridges that span it as an invisible wall.

On Sunday afternoon, Conteh stood outside the Gloucester City library with about 400 other people for the culmination of a 90-minute Black Lives Matter protest and march that began at a park on the Delaware River.

I think it was lit, Conteh, now a Gloucester City resident, said. It shows this town is changing.

Vanessa Lamb, 21, and Tajee Almon, 26, both Gloucester City High School graduates, organized Sunday afternoons protest after seeing so many others popping up in small, suburban towns in South Jersey.

I felt like if we didnt do this now, what would that say about Gloucester City? Lamb said.

The protest began at Proprietors Park, on the riverfront, and Lamb warned attendees that people might say some nasty things along the route. News of the protest had been met with some derision on Facebook groups, Lamb said.

 READ MORE: Heres live coverage of whats happening June 7

Gloucester City, according to the Census Bureau, is 78% white, though more diverse today than most of the towns it borders. Camdens population is 50% Hispanic and Latino, and approximately 40% black.

A lot of people told me you cant do this in Gloucester City, that the city will always be racist, Lamb told the crowd. Well here we are.

Police Chief Brian Morrell, who grew up in Gloucester City, took a knee as organizers read off names of black men, women, and teens killed by police or from gun violence. He also marched along with the protesters from the riverfront to the library.

Morrell, 41, said no officer could ever justify what happened to George Floyd, the man who died after a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Ive told all my officers long before all this that any decision you make could wind up being national news," Morrell said outside the library.

During the march, which moved from the waterfront past brick rowhouses, many residents gathered on front porches and sidewalks. The crowd chanted No Justice. No Peace. No racist police. No residents appeared to confront the protesters. Some were simply silent while others were vocal with support. One woman handed out bottles of water. One homeowner allegedly took down a Donald Trump flag at the urging of his neighbors.

You guys are all on the right side of history today, Almon said.

Joe Gorman, a retired teacher in Gloucester and resident of the city for 66 years, said he isnt surprised the fight for change was organized by the younger generation. He said they were simply following their heart.

Gloucester is thriving because its more welcoming and supportive of people who in the past may have been viewed as outsiders  black, Hispanic, LGBT and artists, Gorman said. Local churches have become grassroots organizers addressing poverty. The schools have been diverse long enough that children from legacy Gloucester families have grown up side by side with children who do not look like them.

Pastor Joe Marlin, of Epiphany Church, told the crowd racism is not a political opinion.

Its more like an infection, like a sickness, he said. Its like an addiction that you have to constantly work against. It runs deep.

Before the protest had started, when only a handful of people had gathered in the waterfront park, Dana Diggs was fishing on a pier that stretched out into the Delaware. Diggs, who is black, attended a rally for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter a day earlier in Delran, another small town unaccustomed to protest. He said hed come to Gloucester City to get some alone time with his son, Skyler, in troubling times.

It doesnt surprise me, actually, Diggs, 58, said of the protest assembling behind him. Everyone wants to see a change it seems.
The new Looney Toons cartoon will strip Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam of their rifles in response to US gun violence, the show's makers have confirmed.

Executive producer of the new series, Peter Browngardt, told The New York Times: 'We're not doing guns. But we can do cartoony violence  TNT, the Acme stuff. All of that was kind of grandfathered in.'

That means frustrated hunter Fudd will still get a scythe to hunt Bugs Bunny.

The series airs on HBO Max and premiered last week. It features 200 new cartoons starring Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Tweey Bird.

The new Looney Toons cartoon will strip Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam of their rifles in response to US gun violence, the show's makers have confirmed

Yosemite Sam, who traditionally carried pistols, is also an enemy of Bugs Bunny

Each episode will last between one and six minutes.

Elmer Fudd had traditionally chased Bugs Bunny with his catchphrase: 'Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits.'

Yosemite Sam, who traditionally carried pistols, is also an enemy of Bugs Bunny.

Browngardt added: 'I always thought, "What if Warner Bros had never stopped making Looney Tunes cartoons?"

'As much as we possibly could, we treated the production in that way.'

Artist Johnny Ryan added: 'We're going through this wave of anti-bullying, everybody needs to be friends, everybody needs to get along.

'Looney Toons is pretty much the antithesis of that.

'It's two characters in conflict, sometimes getting pretty violent.'

The news sparked a mixed reaction online with some Twitter user suggesting the move was a 'snowflake' reaction.

One Twitter user commented: 'Elmer fudd without his gun, is like yosemite sam without his moustache.'

But others praised the decision, writing: 'I love cartoons; always have and I'm a big believer that classic cartoons can teach us a lot about the world views of the era they were made, even if they aren't socially acceptable in a modern era. Especially so. So kudos Warner Bros for taking this stance on gun violence.'

One Twitter user joked: 'I can't believe this needs to be said, but Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd were never responsible gun owners anyway.'

Peter Browngardt said the new series can do 'cartoony violence like TNT'. That means frustrated hunter Fudd will still get a scythe to hunt Bugs Bunny

The news sparked a mixed reaction online

Looney Tunes originally launched in 1930 and ended 39 years later.

Other franchises have also had to made adjustments for modern audiences.

In November last year Disney issued warnings across many of its older films.

Several titles on Disney+ include the warning that it 'may contain outdated cultural depictions' or that it may contain footage of characters smoking.
Aboriginal protesters perform a traditional smoking ceremony before the start of a Black Lives Matter demonstration to express solidarity with US protestors in Sydney. (AFP)

London: 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 Johnsons 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 the 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 theres 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 Cant breathe in Korean, echoing George Floyds 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.
Midland County recorded no additional confirmed coronavirus cases Sunday, while Gladwin County added one more case to its count, according to the afternoon state report.

Midland County remains at 83 cases and nine deaths, and Gladwin County is now at 19 cases and one death.

Bay County added two more cases and Saginaw County 10 cases, bringing their totals to 340 cases and 26 deaths and 1,105 cases and 110 deaths, respectively. Isabella County remained at 78 cases and seven deaths.

The state added 121 new cases and four deaths. Overall, Michigan is at 58,870 cases and 5,656 deaths.

On the state page, Midland County is listed as administering 3,182 diagnostic tests, with 3,072 being negative and 110 positive. Gladwin County is listed as administering 1,069 diagnostic tests with 1,034 negative and 35 positive. Diagnostic tests are used to determine if the person currently has COVID-19.

Midland County is listed as having administered 273 serology tests and Gladwin County 54 serology tests. Serology tests are used to look for the possibility of previous infection.

The state 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," said Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer. "We know that COVID-19 is in our community, and our residents can make a huge impact on slowing the spread of disease by following the recommended precautions."

If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider for medical advice. If he/she isn't available call MidMichigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989- 633-1350 or MidMichigan Medical Center's Emergency Department in Midland at 989-839-3100.

MidMichigan Health has a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. The hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also has a hotline number for Michigan residents for questions about COVID-19. The number is 1-888-535-6136 and is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also 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.
China had sent 29 medical expert teams to 27 countries and offered assistance to 150 countries and four international organizations as of May 31, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

China has provided two batches of cash support totaling 50 million U.S. dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO), said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

It also assisted the WHO in purchasing personal protective equipment and establishing reserve centers of supplies in China, and helped its COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to raise funds in the country, according to the document.

Local governments, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and individuals in China have donated materials to more than 150 countries and regions, and international organizations through various channels, the white paper noted.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid urged the government to stamp out racism. (PA)

Sajid Javid has said UK police forces still have a way to go to tackle racism as Black Lives Matter protests continue around Britain over the weekend.

The former chancellor penned an article in The Sunday Times in which he said that although Britain is not the United States, there is still work to be done to stamp out racism throughout society.

Thousands of people have been protesting over the past week since the death of George Floyd, a black man, in the US at the hands of police officers.

Further marches are planned in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Edinburgh on Sunday after some demonstrations descended into violent clashes between police and protesters on Saturday.

A bicycle is thrown at mounted police Police on horseback in Whitehall following a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday. (PA)

The murder of Stephen Lawrence and adoption of the Macpherson Report, to cite one example, brought about real progress in tackling racial prejudice and discrimination in police forces up and down the country, Javid wrote.

That said, there is greater disproportionality in the number of black people in prisons here than in the United States, and while the abuse hurled at our officers is unacceptable, in some ways our police service still has a way to go - as do we all.

Javid claimed that the government should take the lead in addressing societal inequality, adding that the prime minister cares deeply about the issue.

The 50-year-old Conservative MP for Bromsgrove said racism can occur anywhere in the world, adding that a "new ambition" was needed to "break down barriers" in Britain.

Four people were arrested in London on Saturday as trouble flared following a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration.

Scuffles broke out when missiles were thrown at officers wearing protective gear, with mounted police called in to drive some of the demonstrators back along Whitehall.

Video footage appeared to show an officer colliding with a traffic light before their horse ran through a crowd of protesters, sending them scattering.

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The Metropolitan Police later confirmed a female officer fell from the horse and had been taken to hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening.

Glass and plastic bottles were thrown towards officers along with flares, while graffiti was daubed on nearby buildings, including the Cabinet Office, and a small "BLM" motif was painted on the Cenotaph.

Home secretary Priti Patel said violence towards police at protests was "completely unacceptable" and gave officers her "full support in tackling disorderly behaviour".
Warsaw: The owners of a dilapidated palace in Poland have put up a security fence to deter treasure hunters after their property was named as the secret location of 28 tonnes of Nazi gold, buried there in the dying days of the Second World War.

Located in Roztoka, a town in south-west Poland, the palace once lay in Germany before the end of the war changed the international borders.

The diary claims to detail the location of Nazi gold in Poland.

The claims of hidden gold were made in a diary written some 75 years ago by an SS officer. Writing under the pseudonym Michaelis, the officer detailed 11 locations where gold and artefacts owned by the Nazis were buried as Soviet forces swept in from the east.

The palace, once the home of the Hochberg family, was selected as the location for the gold, which had apparently come from banks in Breslau, now the Polish city of Wroclaw.
Lottie Frohmader, 17, grew up in Hobart, Tasmania, knowing she was conceived with sperm from a donor

A teenage girl who wants to thank her biological father for being her sperm donor has called for state laws to be changed so she can meet her six biological half-siblings.

Lottie Frohmader, 17, grew up in Hobart, Tasmania, knowing she was conceived with sperm from a donor.

The Year 12 student told Daily Mail Australia she had always planned on meeting her donor when she turned 18 to say 'thank you' for helping her mother Carolyn Frohmader have a child.

'I just want to say thank you to him and just express how grateful I am to him, otherwise my mum would never have been able to have me so it's a pretty amazing thing that he did.'

But when the state's fertility clinic TasIVF told Carolyn that her daughter's donor father had six more children, the teenager was shocked.

'When I was first told about the siblings, I didn't even consider there could be other offspring from the same donor,' she said.

Lottie Frohmader (pictured with her mother Carolyn( always planned on meeting her donor when she turned 18 to say 'thank you'

Struck by curiosity, Ms Frohmader admitted to looking through social media from time to time, wondering if she had scrolled past a half-sibling.

'The funny thing is they might look nothing like me, but sometimes I just have a look. Tasmania's not a massive place. What if I know them already and have no idea?'

Tasmanian donor-conceived children are legally able to access information about their biological father from the age of 18.

But unlike some other Australian states, Tasmania doesn't have a registry where children can go for information on their extended biological families - preventing Ms Frohmader from meeting her half-siblings.

'I know that I have six donor siblings. I know their genders and their ages and I think they're all in Tasmania, but I can't find out anything else about them.'

'There's not a central registry in Tasmania that I can sign up to.'

Lottie Frohmader admitted to looking through social media from time to time, wondering if she had scrolled past a half-sibling.

The only way Lottie Frohmader would be able to meet her siblings would be if they arranged to meet their shared donor father and asked him to put them in touch

A parliamentary inquiry in 2017 looked in to sperm donation in Tasmania - a key recommendation was that the state implement a registry for donor-conceived children, but no such measure has been put in place.

The only way Ms Frohmader would be able to meet her siblings would be if they arranged to meet their shared donor father and asked him to put them in touch.

She also acknowledged that her siblings may not know they were conceived with the help of a sperm donor and understands she may never find out who they are.

'I've always known how I was conceived, but I know not all families are like that and I wouldn't want to cause them any distress if they don't know.'

Ms Frohmader said she doesn't agree with keeping sperm donation a secret and wants to speak out about it to 'remove the shame around donor conception'.

Carolyn is in full support of her Lottie's quest to meet her biological relatives and added that sperm donation was her only chance at having a child

While meeting her biological father and siblings is an important step, she said it isn't something she 'needs' to do and doesn't think of her donor as her dad.

'He's my donor - he's not my dad. I would like to keep in touch if he's keen, but I don't need to have a relationship with him.'

'My mum is a single mother by choice. She was too old for adaption so it's the only way she could have had me, and I'm really grateful. My mum is amazing.'

Carolyn is in full support of her daughter's quest to meet her biological relatives and added that sperm donation was her only chance at having a child.

'How do you thank someone for that?' she asked.

'Lottie is the love of my life. I was never able to have any more children. She was three months premature. I'd do it again and again.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:11:55|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called the killing of an unarmed Palestinian man with autism a "tragedy," more than a week after Israeli police shot him dead in East Jerusalem.

It was the first remark by the prime minister on the killing of Iyad Halak who was gunned down by Israeli policemen outside his school for people with special needs.

The incident sparked protests and comparisons to the death of the black man George Floyd in the United States.

At the start of his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu admitted that Halak was "wrongly" suspected "of being a terrorist in a very sensitive place."

"We all share in the family's sorrow," he said, offering his condolences on behalf of "the entire Israeli public as well as the entire Israeli government."

Inquiries over the police's conduct have been launched, Netanyahu noted.

An Israeli police force on May 30 shoot and killed Halak in the Old City of East Jerusalem.

After the shooting, the police issued a statement, saying Halak carried "a suspicious object that looked like a pistol."

The object turned out to be Halak's mobile phone, according to the Hebrew-language Ha'aretz newspaper.

The police have issued a gag order that bans the publishing of information on the identity of the policemen involved and details of the case.

Rallies have been held in the West Bank and Israel to protest the killing and police violence, with people holding signs reading "Palestinian lives matter." Enditem
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday sent a congratulatory letter to Harbin Institute of Technology on its 100th founding anniversary.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended greetings to faculty staff, students and alumni of the institute, located in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Noting the outstanding contributions it has made to the Party and the people, Xi called on the institute to better impart knowledge, educate people and conduct scientific research through continuous efforts in reforming, innovating and striving for excellence.

Xi also urged the institute to make new and greater contributions to the realization of the country's two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Founded in 1920, Harbin Institute of Technology is a key Chinese university with notable strength in space science, robotics and engineering.
Four teenagers have been killed after a stolen car in which they were travelling crashed in Townsville overnight.

One boy, believed to be the driver, survived and was taken to Townsville Hospital with minor injuries after the single-vehicle crash on Duckworth Street, near Bayswater Road at Garbutt, about 4.30am on Sunday.

Superintendent Glen Pointing said the car was believed to be on the wrong side of Duckworth Street when it clipped a roundabout, which caused it to roll.

The road has been closed for several hours.
A family investment vehicle backed by the world's richest banker is weighing a takeover bid for airport currency giant Travelex.

City sources said an investment firm working for the Safra family is one of the potential bidders to have lodged interest in buying Travelex with advisory group PWC, which has been appointed to find a buyer.

The head of the Safra dynasty is Joseph Safra, who is ranked by Forbes magazine as the world's richest banker with an estimated fortune of $25.2billion.

An investment firm working for the Safra family is one of the potential bidders to have lodged interest in buying Travelex with advisory group PWC

The secretive family, originally from Lebanon but now based in Brazil, built their fortune through private banks. Today they own a wide range of assets, including the Gherkin building in the City.

The family's interest comes as Travelex wrestles with the impact of an apparent fraud at its owner, a cybersecurity attack at the start of the year and a big downturn in sales following the Covid-19 crisis.

Travelex relies on footfall at airports, which have been hammered by the pandemic's impact on aviation. It was set up by entrepreneur Sir Lloyd Dorfman in 1976 with one small bureau de change in London.

He grew the company through a series of mergers and acquisitions, including the 440million takeover of Thomas Cook's Global and Financial Services business in 2001.

Finablr  a vehicle controlled by Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, an Indian tycoon with business interests in Abu Dhabi  bought Travelex for around 1billion in 2014, netting Sir Lloyd a multi-million pound fortune.

Shetty also founded NMC Health, a Gulf-based hospitals firm that grew into a FTSE 100-listed business. However, NMC Health collapsed into administration earlier this year amid allegations of fraud and debts of almost $6.6billion.

Finablr was also hit by the scandal surrounding Shetty, who is the firm's largest shareholder. In March, Finablr's board said it had discovered $100million of undisclosed cheques that may have benefited third parties.

Joseph Safra is ranked by Forbes as the world's richest banker with a $25.2bn fortune

The following month the company said its debts stood at around $1.3billion, which was 'materially above' the levels of indebtedness previously disclosed to the board.

Finablr's lenders appointed PWC to find an acquirer for Travelex after talks about a liquidity crunch at the firm.

Late last month, reports suggested credit rating agency Standard & Poor's had downgraded Travelex to 'selective default' after the company failed to make a 14.4million interest payment on bonds worth a total of 360million.

City sources said other potential bidders circling Travelex include Marlin Equity Partners, an investment firm based in Los Angeles.

Sir Lloyd, asked whether he was interested in buying Travelex back, reportedly said: 'Am I actively doing anything? No, I am not. Let's see how it plays out.'

J Safra Sarasin and Marlin Equity Partners did not return calls for comment.
JEFFERSON CITY  Wildlife watchers from places as far away as Germany have bashed a proposed black bear hunt in Missouri that would take place in October 2021.

The Missouri Department of Conservation proposed the event last month, saying a limited hunt was essential to managing the black bear population in the future as Missouris bear numbers continues to grow.

But the majority of people who filed public comments oppose the plan.

Through Tuesday, the Missouri Department of Conservation received more than 3,300 survey responses to the proposal. More than 67% of the respondents said they did not agree with the proposed black bear hunting season dates and limits, according to a Post-Dispatch review of the results.

Only a handful of comments supportive of the hunt could be found in records of emails and letters from about 150 people. The public comment period began May 18 and ended Friday.

The number of comments illustrate a high level of public interest in the bear population, which the conservation department says is expanding its range and growing yearly. The department doesnt have a clear population estimate, saying there are between 540 and 840 bears in Missouri.

While the majority of those who responded to the survey opposed the hunt, others appeared to disagree with the plans details.

It is during prime deer hunting season, one wrote.

I disagree with quotas, open it up, and keep it open. I hunt for food and would like to fill my freezers, said another.

Many comments said there were too few black bears to consider a hunt; others said such a hunt was inhumane.

Please DO NOT KILL THE BEARS, wrote Michael Lazar of Gladstone, Missouri. It sickens me that trophy hunters are the only ones that will get to see  and destroy  these creatures for a few bucks for a license.

At least one comment criticized the departments fuzzy population estimate.

540 or 840 bears, which is it? wrote Charles Hughes, of Linn Creek, Missouri.  I dont think you should be harvesting bears until you have a real count.

Meanwhile, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, a nonprofit organization that represents 100 groups that have more than 80,000 affiliated members, came out in favor of the hunt.

We agree that its crucial to use science-based methods to manage a self-sustaining population of black bears, focusing on research and monitoring, population management, and habitat management, said Tyler Schwartze, the groups executive director.

Black bears mostly had been driven from Missouri by the 1950s, before neighboring Arkansas began reintroducing them in 1958, according to the Department of Conservation.

Three bear zones

According to Missouri conservation officials, the hunt would be open only to Missouri residents and needs the approval of the state Conservation Commission.

Most bears in the state are concentrated south of the Missouri River, so the department proposed three Bear Management Zones there. The Conservation Commission would establish quotas for each zone the spring before the hunt.

The hunt would start on the third Monday of October and would last no longer than 10 days, ending sooner if hunters reach the quota before the cut-off. Baiting and use of dogs wouldnt be allowed, and at least 10% of permits designated for each zone would go to qualified landowners.

The conservation department said it would charge $10 to apply for a permit, with license winners chosen in the summer by a random drawing. Licenses would cost $25. Hunters would be allowed one bear per permit.

Laura Conlee, chief furbearer biologist for the Department of Conservation, said hunters would be allowed to kill any bear that is by itself, but not bears in groups  such as a sow with cubs present.

Many of those commenting said there were too few bears to move forward with a hunt.

There are only an estimated 540-840 bears in the entire state, wrote Beth Phillips of West Allis, Wisconsin. A new bear hunting season would devastate those numbers. Bears already face an uncertain future with shrinking habitat, food sources decimated by climate change, and poaching.

Some of those commenting opposed any type of hunting.

My heart breaks for these wonderful highly intelligent animals! I kindly ask you to NOT allow such a massacre! wrote Vera Kebsch-Muller of Germany. Hunting is barbaric, extremely brutal and perverse and those who are able to do it are no humans in my eyes.

I beg you from the bottom of my heart to please prevent any bear hunts in your beautiful state, said Katherine Hall of Elizabethton, Tennessee. Bears are wonderful creatures with moms and cubs who love one another. The male bears are precious animals as well who want to do nothing more than to live their lives in peace and harmony with all of Gods creation.

Some support

Though the majority of comments were against the plan, more than 1,000 survey respondents said they agreed with the conservation departments proposal.

One Kansas City area resident was glad to see we have a large enough population to allow management by hunting. Im not a landowner, live in the urban KC area, but have friends in southern MO and hope to see a black bear in the wild myself someday! Keep up the good work!

Population management is necessary, wrote one survey respondent. Thanks for being proactive. just for the record, Im a city dweller. 

Missouri, with fewer than 1,000 bears, doesnt face the same pressures as a state such as Massachusetts, which is smaller than Missouri and has an estimated 4,500 black bears, according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Massachusetts allows three weeks of hunting each year, and authorities often put out alerts that warn residents to put away bird feeders and secure their trash to keep bears away.

The bear population there is concentrated in western and central Massachusetts, but the animals range is extending east toward the Boston area, according to state wildlife officials.

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India on Thursday saw the daily Covid-19 tally climb past 19,000 again after a short-lived dip in the last two days with 19,148 fresh cases and 434 deaths in the last 24 hours. The country now has 6,04,641 positive cases, including 2,26,947 active cases and 17834 deaths. ICMR has tested nearly 2.3 lakh samples tested in the last 24 hours taking the total tests to over 90 lakh. Globally, the US notched more than 52,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. In the worst seven days since the start of the crisis, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number of new cases had topped "160,000 on every single day". Stay tuned for more updates.
Exports of goods from Georgia to China increased by 207.9 percent in the first four months of 2020 compared to the same period last year, while imports from China to Georgia decreased by 23 percent, Trend reports citing Georgian National Statistics Service (Geostat).

According to Geostat, during the reporting period, the volume of imports of seven out of top 10 product groups imported from China to Georgia decreased.

In January-April 2020, imports of natural or synthetic hormones from China to Georgia increased by 26.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Imports of parts for heavy equipment, cars and trucks grew by 33.7 percent.

During the reporting period, the volume of imports of clothing and patterns from China to Georgia increased by 503.7 percent.

In the first four months of 2020, Georgia imported goods totaling $210.57 million from China.

In January-April 2019, this figure amounted to $273.53 million.
Money saving expert Martin Lewis has revealed how as a child he rarely left his home until the age of 18 after his mother's death

Money saving expert Martin Lewis has revealed how he seldom left the house until he reached the age of 18, after his mother died in an accident while he was just a young child.

The television presenter, 48, has spoken before about he still struggles to cope with the loss of his mother, Susan, who died days before he turned 12 following a collision with a lorry while out horseriding with his sister.

Now the multi-millionaire founder of Money Saving Expert has described how except for going to school, he rarely left his home for fear that, 'something else could happen', The Sunday Times reports.

Lewis, who appears on today's episode of Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, said: 'I never left the house, couldn't leave the house, because I wasn't at home when it happened to my mum and I couldn't cope with the thought of leaving the house because something else could happen.

'It was very difficult because when all my friends from school were going to parties and meeting girls and things like that, which I'd have liked to do, I couldn't cope with it.'

Lewis, who is Jewish, added that he would mask his avoidance of parties by pretending he had a busy social life through the Jewish community.

Lewis, with his TV presenter wife, Lara Lewington, has opened up about his mother's death

Reflecting on those years, he said: 'I was a little boy struggling to deal with something that nobody should be dealing with at that age.'

During an appearance on Loose Women in 2019, Lewis - who regularly appears on This Morning - admitted he found it difficult to open up about the ordeal for decades, until he was asked to become a patron of Grief Encounter, a charity that provides free support to children who have been bereaved.

The This Morning presenter said he would avoid going to social events up to the age of 18

'I am still now 35 years later deeply scarred,' he told the panel. 'It was a defining point in my life. It changed the way I act and behave. It was devastating.

'We didnt know what to do. It was the mid 80s you didnt do that type of thing. My father, my sister and I were incredibly wounded for such a long time.'

Lewis - who has a seven-year-old daughter, Sapphire, with his TV presenter wife Lara Lewington - said for many years he focused only on the pain of his loss.

'I struggle to remember anything other than the pain,' he said. 'I am trying to remember the wonderful person I lost, not remember that I lost a wonderful person.
Actor and politician John Dumelo has been spotted helping to ease traffic at the Adjiringanor junction in East Legon, Accra.



In a video that has gone viral, he is spotted helping drivers navigate their way by directing traffic at the junction.



The 35-year-old is aiming to become Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, in which Adjiringanor is located.



Dumelo supported constituents with sanitizers and other products during the Coronavirus lockdown period.



He also recently supported a group of students who are into the production of locally-made liquid soap by buying gallons of their product.



In his latest move, though, the actor cum politician was seen directing traffic at the Adjiringanor junction.



A part of the video also captured him helping push a taxi which seemed to have developed a fault in the middle of the road.



Watch the video below:







































View this post on Instagram







This is John dumelo directing traffic at East legon adjiringanor junction





A post shared by Zionfelix.com (@zionfelixdotcom) on Jun 6, 2020 at 7:33am PDT





Source: ghanaweb









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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.
In a neat reversal of the traditional stereotypes, now it's the DUP which wants Northern Ireland to change more quickly, and their critics who think Ulster should keep saying No.

This time, the difference of opinion is over the lockdown, after Economy Minister Diane Dodds responded to appeals from the retail and hospitality sector by calling on her colleagues in the Executive to fast-track the reopening of bars, hotels and restaurants and to relax the two metre rule around social distancing, so that small businesses can start earning money again after months of closure.

Usually when a politician is reported to be 'calling on' their colleagues, or opponents, to consider a particular issue, what they mean is that they themselves have already made up their minds, but want to give the impression of consultation.

It remains to be seen what actually happens when the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride, and Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Ian Young, address ministers today.

If they support a faster route out of lockdown, it should be a done deal, since the mantra on all sides throughout this crisis has been to follow the science.

This is Northern Ireland, though, where political rivals frequently adopt opposing positions based on tribal animosity, rather than the facts, so nothing is guaranteed.

So far, Sinn Fein is keeping its cards close to its chest, which could mean the DUP is quietly confident they'll go along with whatever the Economy Minister has planned.

As long as the easing of restrictions is broadly in line with what the Republic is doing, there shouldn't be a problem.

Sinn Fein in Dublin is behind the unlocking timetable being pursued by the government there, and its economy spokeswoman north of the border, Caoimhe Archibald, has already called on the Economy Minister at Stormont to provide "clearer direction" to business, which seems to be exactly what Diane Dodds is trying to do.

It's what happens if the DUP presses other ministers to move faster than Dublin that could cause problems.

Michelle O'Neill's only initial response to calls for the reopening of the economy was to say on Twitter that "we live on an island" and "it is vital that the North & South are aligned as much as possible".

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No one is arguing with that. Just as it makes sense for England, Scotland and Wales to move at the same pace, because they share a landmass, so should the two parts of this island.

It's just slightly worrying that the first consideration from the deputy First Minister was to prioritise the all-island dimension, leaving the assertion that she'd "listen to medical & scientific advice" to a brief mention at the end. Too often, politicians only seem to follow the science when it suits them.

By the same token, it would be equally worrying if the DUP hasn't got some kind of agreement sketched out with Sinn Fein on how to speed up the ending of lockdown, because if they're just flying a flag, then that's effectively what Sinn Fein did at the start of the crisis, when Michelle O'Neill demanded Northern Ireland follow the Republic's lead in closing schools, against local expert advice.

Sinn Fein was not necessarily in the wrong to believe schools should be closed sooner, which was a reasonable position given what was feared at the time about how the virus was spreading.

The mistake was in not resolving those disagreements with their colleagues in the Executive before going off on a solo run.

The DUP's Jim Wells condemned it at the time as "blind, political, narrow-minded nonsense" that had "nothing to do with public health".

It would be no better if the DUP were now doing the same thing, threatening an already fragile unity at a time when serious divisions are being exposed over who should and shouldn't be entitled to a Troubles pension.

There is a way out of politicising the coronavirus along tribal lines, and that is to simply abide by the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser in Northern Ireland, whose job it is to interpret the available evidence to suit local needs.

But will the two rival parties at Stormont be able to resist taking sides on the issue if they don't hear exactly what they want to hear?

It's vital that everyone doesn't just do their own thing because the sun is shining intermittently.

The worst case scenario - that 15,000 people could die in Northern Ireland - may not, mercifully, have come to pass, but Covid-19 has taken an awful toll on hundreds of the most vulnerable all the same.

And there are still 61 confirmed outbreaks in care homes here, as well as 32 suspected outbreaks.

Complacency right now would be an unforgivable betrayal of the nightmarish suffering the virus has caused.

Having said that, it's equally important to draw comfort from the figures as they start to improve.

It's a little over 100 days since Covid-19 first reached Northern Ireland and, with no deaths recorded yesterday for the first Sunday in months, and the number of new cases falling dramatically, the nature of how this virus spreads is becoming clearer.

It seems to be generally accepted, in retrospect, that schools probably didn't need to close.

Children have not become vectors of infection in any country which kept them open, or opened them since, and to date there has been no second surge of coronavirus in countries which have eased out of lockdown in the way currently being suggested.

Anyone using these more positive indicators to claim hindsight on the issue should be treated with the scorn they deserve, because, even if the lockdown turns out to have been an overreaction, it was for understandable reasons.

What else could governments have done, given the terrifying projections which were being laid out before them? But when the facts change, people should be prepared to change their minds, too.

It's galling for small businesses to keep being told they must bear the brunt of the sacrifices, when they see huge queues outside Ikea in Belfast when it reopened and cars lined up outside McDonald's drive-throughs, not to mention thousands being encouraged to gather to protest about terrible things that happened in a city thousands of miles away, over which they have no influence.

That's why it's no coincidence that the initiative is being taken by the Economy Minister. As she says, significant economic damage has already been done and will likely take longer to fix than we'd like.

Today's meeting of the Executive poses a test to see if ministers can lay aside their differences and allow science and common sense to point a collective way back to some kind of normality.
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has backed the Black Lives Matter protests currently taking place across the world and believes that 'the only disease right now is the racism we are fighting'.

The 25-year-old England international has remained vocal about discrimination and vowed to continue to speak out about the issue.

Protests have taken place in London, Bristol, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh after George Floyd's death in America.

Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has backed the Black Lives Matter global protests

Protests have taken place across the UK and around the world after the death of George Floyd

Floyd, 46, died while being arrested in Minneapolis on May 25 - and the four officers involved have now been charged over his death.

But wide-scale marches have since been held across the world, with a host of sportsmen and women using their influence to lend support to the movement.

In an interview set to be broadcast on Monday evening, Sterling told BBC Newsnight: 'I know this might sound a little bit cheesy but the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting.

'This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years. Just like the pandemic, we want to find a solution to stop it.

Floyd's death has sparked calls for change and led to marches taking place around the world

A host of sportsmen and women have used their influence to lend backing to the movement

'At the same time, this is what all these protesters are doing. They are trying to find a solution and a way to stop the injustice they are seeing, and they are fighting for their cause.

'As long as they are doing it peacefully and safely and not hurting anybody and not breaking into any stores, they continue to protest in this peaceful way.'

The former Liverpool wideman has also challenged the British media's perception of black players - and last year counselled his peers against walking off the field if they suffer racial abuse.

Sterling added: 'There's only so much communities and other backgrounds can take - especially black people.

Sterling has remained vocal about the issue of racism and vowed to continue to speak out

'It's been going on for hundreds of years and people are tired and people are ready for change.

'This is something that needs more than just talking. We need to actually implement change and highlight the places that do need changes.

'But this is something that I myself will continue to do, and spark these debates and get people in my industry looking at themselves and thinking what they can do to give people an equal chance in this country.'

Sterling's England team-mate Jadon Sancho is among those to have also expressed their support for the protests. He revealed an undershirt bearing the words 'Justice for George Floyd' after netting against Paderborn last week.
Over the past week, Lea Michele has been on the receiving end of backlash over her alleged on-set behavior, ranging from claims of racial discrimination to other forms of unprovoked cruelty.

But some friends and former co-workers of Michele's told The Post on Saturday, that the 33-year-old Glee alum has 'had a real wake-up call' and wants to 'responsibly' right her wrongs.

'She is listening, she hears what everyone says and wants to apologize. This is her past and she wants to handle things responsibly,' claimed one insider.

They added: 'It's never easy to hear people speak about you this way. It's a total shock.'

Wake-up call: Some friends and former co-workers of Lea Michele's told The Post on Saturday, that the 33-year-old Glee alum has 'had a real wake-up call' and wants to 'responsibly' right her wrongs.

One former co-worker of Lea's did not deny that Michele was notoriously difficult to work with, but insisted she was never purposely discriminatory.

'Lea was a b**ch to a lot of people who are now taking the opportunity to come forward.

'She may not be the nicest person, but she's not racist, sexist or transphobic. I would say she has behavioral issues that she's dealing with,' concluded the source.

The Post was also told by an anonymous source that Lea has reached out to a number of her former co-stars upon learning of their public disdain for her and her behavior.

Issues: One former co-worker of Lea's did not deny that Michele was notoriously difficult to work with, but insisted she was never purposely discriminatory; Lea pictured on Glee in 2009

But whether the star has heard back or if any reconciliations have occurred remains unknown at this time.

On Thursday another former colleague claimed that Lea did not 'discriminate' because her treatment of everyone was the same, coming from a place of being 'completely self-obsessed.'

Speaking to Us Weekly on Thursday, the unnamed source said 'It didn't matter if you were young or old, black or white  it's just kind of her world.

'Though she was completely self-obsessed toward everyone, she did not discriminate,' the source said.

She was like that to everyone: A former colleague of Lea Michele says the actress didn't 'discriminate' because her treatment of everyone was the same, coming from a place of being 'completely self-obsessed'; Lea pictured in 2019

Adding: 'Things are seen through a lens, and it comes from a very protective place where obviously she's been on guard. She's fiery and she has more of an aggressive personality where most people would play weak or vulnerable or ask for sympathy and Lea does not do that.'

'You know where you stand  for the most part  with her,' the source said.

'In television, they hire really strong personalities because they create drama,' the outlet reported from the source. 'You don't expect them not to be dramatic off set and in their own lives. That's quite a switch to turn off.'

Many of the stories shared of Michele stemmed from her time starring as Rachel Berry on Glee from 2009 until 2015.

Tough times: Lea played the role of Rachel Berry (back row) on the show's six seasons, getting nominated for an Emmy and two Golden Globe awards with the part

Michele who is expecting her first child with husband Zandy Reich later this year, apologized for her behavior on Wednesday, and said she has 'never judged others by their background or color of their skin.'

She also insisted she will learn from the mistakes she has made so she 'can be a real role model for my child' when she gives birth in a couple of months.

The bullying allegations came to light after Michele took to social media last Friday to pay tribute to George Floyd, writing: 'George Floyd did not deserve this. This was not an isolated incident and it must end' she wrote.

Samantha Ware, who appeared as Jane Hayward on the show's sixth season in 2015, scolded Michele earlier this week, saying: '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.'

Apologizing: Michele who is expecting her first child with husband Zandy Reich later this year, apologized for her behavior on Wednesday, and said she has 'never judged others by their background or color of their skin'

Other stars including Amber Riley have also spoken out against Lea, who was recently dropped by the company Hello Fresh over the controversy.

Her other co-stars including Heather Morris and Amber Riley spoke out against Michele for her behavior on set along with multiple other guest stars who were on Glee.

However, Michele has also received support from Dean Geye - who played her boyfriend on Glee for one season saying she was always 'professional' and 'welcoming'

Glee's Iqbal Theba said he was not mistreated by Michele and former Glee producer Marti Noxon has also stuck up for her.
New York City has lifted its curfew early, spurred on by peaceful protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning.

The 8pm citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

'Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city,' de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfew's end 'effective immediately.' 'Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart.'

It comes as President Donald Trump said Sunday he's given the order for National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nation's capital, saying everything now is 'under perfect control.'

Demonstrators walk towards the White House during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington on Saturday

Thousands of people crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village

President Donald Trump said Sunday he's given the order for National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nation's capital

The mayor made the announcement (pictured) via Twitter on Sunday morning

The District of Columbia government requested some Guard forces last week to assist law enforcement with managing protests after the death of George Floyd.

But Trump ordered thousands more troops and federal law enforcement to the city to 'dominate' the streets after some instances of looting and violence.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser last week called on Trump to withdraw National Guard troops that some states sent to the city.

Trump tweeted Sunday that 'They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed.'

He also ordered more than 1,000 active duty troops to be flown to the D.C.-area in reserve, but they have begun returning to their home bases after days of peaceful protests.

Members of the National Guard stand near their vehicle during a protest Saturday

Pedestrians walk on a Black Lives Matter sign painted near the White House Sunday

People participate in a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday

The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets and parks to protest police brutality, sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.

Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8pm to 5am curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.

New York City is lifting its curfew Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning

At protests in Manhattan earlier Saturday, volunteers handed out snacks, first aid kits and plenty of water bottles on a muggy afternoon. One person carried a sign listing nearby open buildings for those seeking to escape the heat - which some soon did when a rain storm arrived.

Thousands of people crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

Further uptown, police had erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic.

As the curfew passed, a large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive, the main north-south artery along Manhattan's east side, closely monitored by police, forcing cops to temporarily shut down one side of the roadway.

Earlier, Julian Arriola-Hennings said he didn't expect the movement to slow down anytime soon.

'I'm never surprised by people taking action because inaction, it really hurts the soul,' he said as he told protesters at Washington Square Park that they would soon march from there to City Hall.

'People's feet get tired, their souls get re-energized for the right purpose.'

One of Saturday's marches was enlivened by a band led by Jon Batiste, bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Jon Batiste, bandleader on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' leads a band in a march, Saturday, when there were thousands on the streets in peaceful protest

Members of a band led by Jon Batiste, bandleader on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' march Saturday

In Washington dozens of National Guard troops from South Carolina were seen checking out of their Washington, D.C., hotel shortly before President Donald Trump tweeted he was giving the order to withdraw guard forces from the nation's capital.

Trump had ordered guard troops into D.C. to 'dominate' the streets after some protests over the killing of George Floyd turned violent.

The city's mayor called on the president last week to withdraw outside forces amid days of largely peaceful protests.

Images on social media on Friday night about an hour after a Brooklyn protest ended showed officers surrounding a group of protesters and chasing down some with batons. And officers on Manhattan's East Side also used force to break up remnants of a march that started near the mayor's official residence.

There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday - far fewer than previous nights - and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week.

On Saturday, Antoinette Henry wasn't surprised people were still marching after more than a week, even though she said she had seen violence from police earlier in the week.

There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday - far fewer than previous nights - and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week. People watch as police arrest protesters Friday in Brooklyn

Protesters are taken away in a police van after they were arrested Friday for breaking curfew

'Our first couple of protests ended a bit violently but we're back out here. We're not going to stop fighting,' Henry said.

She added she thinks protests could continue next week, even as some will go back to work when New York City begins its reopening.

'I think as long as we stay organized, thats exactly what can and will and should happen,' Henry said.

'Get a test. Get a test,' New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged people who have been participating in rallies and marches in memory of George Floyd.

He said the state planned to open 15 testing sites dedicated to protesters so they can get results quickly.

'I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus,' Cuomo added.
But the violence that has come along with peaceful protests nationwide has provoked anger and dismay from many black police chiefs, prompting some of them to condemn the Minneapolis officers charged in Floyds death and the vandalism that has scarred many cities in his name. Both, in their views, are still crimes, though of far different severity. It is a message black police chiefs are delivering, mindful of the distant and immediate pasts of their nation and cities, to departments looking for clarity and guidance.
Freedom is nigh  until you realise the new normal brings an unfamiliar set of social rules to grapple with. How do we greet our hairdressers? Are your barbecue guests allowed to use the toilet? There's much to think about, but we've got you covered.

Say hello. Back in the old normal, as it shall now be named, handshakes and hugs were customary. Now, extending a palm is near-criminal. But we've dearly missed our hairdressers (and our friends, of course, but our hairdressers most of all), so let's look to royal protocol for inspiration. From waves to curtsies, the monarchy has a long list of socially distanced greetings perfect for these times. If you're feeling flamboyant, try a bow on entry to the salon; for a more cordial approach, a nod will suffice. The "namaste" pose  demonstrated by Prince Charles at an awards ceremony in March  involves a small head bow with the hands clasped together in a prayer-like position. Polite and fuss-free, it's a perfect way to say a warm hello while avoiding pesky airborne droplets.

In-store socialising is now taboo and congestion-causing; opt for a smile and keep any complaints or judgments in your head. Credit:Michele Mossop

Choose the right face mask. Pre-lockdown, we made statements through our outfits. Now, everything is about the cloth over your face; with smiles off limits, your choice of PPE speaks a thousand words. The Beckham clan have opted for streamlined black coverings. Or try the "man of the people" approach as seen on Prince Harry, who donned a blue snood while strolling through LA.

Pass the time in a queue. A study by researchers at University College London in 2017 found that people will wait for an average of six minutes in a queue before giving up in frustration. It goes without saying that in-store socialising is now taboo and congestion-causing; opt for a smile instead, and keep any complaints  or judgments on the contents of fellow shoppers' baskets  in your head.
One notable feature of the protests sparked by the filmed murder of George Floyd is that, unlike those in Ferguson, Baltimore and other recent protests sparked by racialized police violence, these are occurring in every part of the country and feature many protesters of all races. This is a moment where people of diverse backgrounds are unusually perceptive to how African Americans are disproportionately brutalized by police. This is good, and is also an opportunity; we should use this moment to spread awareness of the many other injustices inflicted on African Americans that are deeply rooted in our history. Perhaps the most important of these is how African Americans have been prevented from accumulating wealth.

The net worth of the average white family is nearly 10 times higher than that of the average black family. Since the New Deal, home ownership has been the primary way that wealth has been accumulated, held, and transmitted across generations in America. But as described in Richard Rothsteins book The Color of Law, African Americans have been systematically deprived of this form of wealth accumulation, largely through explicitly racist government policy.
Health chiefs were unable to start mass testing for three weeks after lockdown kicked in, delaying easing and leaving ministers making 'decisions in the dark', it has emerged.

Public Health England did not have the capacity to take on a community testing programme despite scientists pressing its importance, minutes from a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies show.

The work had to be picked up by the Office for National Statistics but did not come until April 17 - three weeks after lockdown on March 23.

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. It emerged today PHE had been unable to take on the mass testing

Sage minutes from April 16, seen by the Sunday Telegraph, say: 'PHE confirmed it was unable to deliver a community testing programme.

'Sage agreed that if PHE is unable to undertake the programme, then this should be undertaken within a repeated ONS-led household survey programme.'

Routine testing and tracing of coronavirus cases ceased on March 16 as health chiefs focused on hospital admissions and virus clusters.

Sage asked PHE that day to 'urgently determine' how it would increase capacity to cater for 1,000 blood samples per week.

There had been warnings as early as February 18 PHE would not be able to track and track more than five Covid cases a week.

The agency has insisted this is untrue but has refused to divulge what its capacity was.

Three and a half weeks after lockdown was imposed by the PM, the Sage minutes make clear there was still no track and trace plan in place.

Track and trace has launched without the new NHSX app, which uses Bluetooth technology to alert people when they've been close to a COVID-19 patient

Chair of the Commons science and technology committee Greg Clark said PHE members were 'very opaque' about their role.

He said: 'We turned off the light on being able to see the detailed nature of the course of the infection.'

He added: 'That must be remedied so that in future, decisions aren't taken in the dark.'

But PHE passed the blame on to the Department of Health and Social Care, saying it was in charge of testing.

Chief Executive of PHE Duncan Selbie said: 'There is nothing critical of PHE in what Sage had to say.

Chair of the Commons science and technology committee Greg Clark (left) said PHE members were 'very opaque' about their role. But Chief Executive of PHE Duncan Selbie (right) said: 'There is nothing critical of PHE in what Sage had to say'

'It is a simple statement of fact that the scale of community serology testing would be more appropriate for the ONS, a decision that PHE supported and welcomed.

'PHE operates reference laboratories for novel and dangerous pathogens, not large-scale pathology services.'

It comes after it emerged yesterday Britons diagnosed with coronavirus are handing over fewer than two close contacts to the Government's track and tracers.

A leaked document revealed just 10,000 close contacts were provided by 8,000 people who were diagnosed with coronavirus in England last week.

Experts said yesterday the results were 'somewhat surprising' and 'somewhat disappointing' and suggest people are still hesitant about handing over phone numbers of friends and family.

Test and Trace plan: The guide on how the NHS Test and Trace workflow will be handled

Another theory is people are having very few close interactions with other people because of social distancing rules.

Meanwhile, the 10-an-hour contact tracing staff complained they are sitting around idle with no work to do, passing the time by watching Netflix or playing with pets.

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.

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.

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

But the figures only account for Covid-19 cases in the community and do not include people who were hospitalised with the virus.

University of East Anglia epidemiologist Professor Paul Hunter 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.'

'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 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 earlier emerged ministers ignored its own scientists' advice when developing the contact tracing programme.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) told the Government 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 reported.

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 will not 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 10's 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 revealed on Friday the app will not go live until the end of the month despite officials first promising it would be ready to roll-out across in mid-May following a trial on the Isle of Wight.
CALGARY - Lawsuits involving seniors homes, airlines, universities and ticket providers affected by COVID-19 could tie up Canadian courts for years, says a litigation lawyer.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/6/2020 (593 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The McKenzie Towne long term care facility seen in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, June 3, 2020, amid a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Lawsuits involving seniors homes, airlines, universities and ticket providers affected by COVID-19 could tie up Canadian courts for years, says a litigation lawyer.

Michael Smith, a partner at the Bennett Jones law firm in Toronto, says it has been tracking all proposed class-action claims related to the pandemic.

From the end of March to June 1, the firm recorded 19 such lawsuits across Canada, including eight against long-term care facilities.

"What you find with COVID is the breadth of the sectors it touches," Smith said in an interview.

"You're seeing many industry sectors affected simultaneously. We will have COVID-related cases in the courts for many years."

Residents at care homes have been particularly infected with the novel coronavirus.

The Canadian Armed Forces released a report last month detailing awful conditions at many care homes in Ontario and Quebec where the military has been deployed. Allegations include residents being left in filth and staff failing to isolate those who had tested positive for the virus.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed alleging negligence in dealing with COVID-19 in long-term care.

"We're going to see more and more claims like that mature as the COVID crisis continues," says Smith. "It really does have such a human element and the issue can be humanized so easily in our minds."

Calgary lawyer Clint Docken has filed a lawsuit against Calgary's McKenzie Towne Long Term Care centre, where 19 residents have so far died from COVID-19.

He says a class action has been filed against all Ontario homes owned by Revera, the company that also runs McKenzie Towne, but he is focusing on just the Calgary location.

"The reason we've shied away from that is we're not sure it was a common experience."

Docken is also in the early stages of a lawsuit involving the Cargill meat-packing plant at High River, Alta., the site of one of Canada's worst COVID-19 outbreaks. More than 900 employees tested positive for the virus and two workers died.

Docken was previously involved in class actions against Maple Leaf for a deadly listeriosis outbreak in 2008 and against XL Foods after an E. coli outbreak in 2012 lead to the largest food recall in Canadian history.

"It's the conditions in the plants. In Maple Leaf it was the sanitary condition in the plant and in XL Foods it was the sanitary condition in the plant," he said..

"In a sense, (Cargill) is another sanitary condition in a plant lawsuit. These plants are cesspools."

Michael Hughes, a spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, which represents workers at Cargill, says leaders have been speaking with lawyers in and outside Alberta about a lawsuit "to try and make whole our members at Cargill who suffered as a result of the outbreak."

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.

Other COVID-19 lawsuits involve airline travellers refused fare refunds, businesses looking for compensation against insurance companies not paying interruption insurance, and university students who want partial tuition refunds due to a shortened school year.

There's also a class action against Ticketmaster for its refusal to issue refunds for events that have been postponed or rescheduled due to the pandemic.

The health crisis is and will continue to affect many industries, said Smith.

"I don't know that we will ever see this again, just because of the pervasiveness of the problem. It really infects everything."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2020

 Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter
Nioteas TV - Jan 16

In this episode, we travel across Japan's largest tea growing region to learn different secrets farmers use to get the most out of their tea fields and we also learn how they maintain the health of their surrounding ecosystem.
In this time of viral and social pandemics, trying to dig for answers is, well, very trying. Recently, there have been three curious tales involving testing for COVID-19 virus.

To review, there are tests with differing techniques from different companies designed to detect the viral presence by its genetic material (antigen tests). And there are tests with differing methods from differing companies to find antibodies that hosts produce to combat the viruses.

Stories about results range as widely as the types of test used  and when testing was done in the course of disease.

The first story is a report of an occurrence of the virus on a cruise ship this spring. It may be the premier example of the rate of asymptomatic infection in a closed environment.

A brief report in the British Journal Thorax entitled COVID-19: in the steps of Ernest Shakleton recounted the testing of the 217 crew and passengers on a three-week trip that was supposed to follow the path of a 1915-1917 British explorer from Argentina to the South Pole and back.

The passengers were mostly Australian and New Zealanders. Two of the reports authors/doctors were passengers and the third the expedition physician. The ship left mid-March when Argentina had recorded 45 cases of COVID-19. By March 31, the number had ballooned to 820 cases.

When the first person aboard developed a fever, everyone was quarantined and tested for antigen. Of the 217 people on the ship, 128 tested positive for the virus, only 24 (19%) had symptoms, eight (6.2%) required medical evacuation, four (3.1%) were intubated and ventilated, and, sadly, one (.8%) died.

The primary observation is that 81% of positives had no reportable symptoms. More curiously, there were 10 instances where two passengers sharing a cabin recorded positive and negative results. Some rapid antibody testing kits were delivered along the way and performed on six passengers and crew who initial fevers. All were negative on day 14.

The conclusions they had were:

81% of infections were asymptomatic, meaning the prevalence, on cruise ships, may be significantly underestimated.

Rapid antibody testing in the acute phase is unreliable.

There could be a significant false-negative rate with antigen testing.

The Abbott labs rapid test method was an initial one used many places, and has been found to have a rate of false negative results. This has been used at the White House. Im not sure what method is now used.

The second tale is about a 66-year-old San Francisco doctor, head of the clinical services for primary care for University of California San Francisco. An article from San Francisco Chronicle states she had seen patients at a university urgent care clinic on Feb. 25 and March 3 with the now classic fever and cough.

Despite wearing masks, she began to lose here sense of taste and smell and smell a forest fire, which can accompany loss of smell. Her first nasal test was negative, but she became isolated at home with her husband March 6, when she started to feel fever, chills and coughs, and had difficulty breathing.

Her husband also developed symptoms on March 11, and both were very sick. He tested negative for COVID but positive for another upper respiratory virus, human metapneumovirus, HMPV.

On March 15, she again tested negative for COVID but positive for HMPV. Her symptoms waned after a course of cortisone for inflammation, but recurred on March 25. On March 26 she finallyt tested positive for COVID, a strange small victory. Her testing was still positive as of May 28. A UCSF infectious disease specialist postulated the viral RNA was present but not likely infective. Her husband never tested positive.

The third testing tale came via Reuters medical News, May 28, from Hunan Normal University in Changsa, China. (What are sick people doing at a normal university?)

After two previously hospitalized patients were readmitted with symptoms and tested positive for COVID, recultures were done on 58 recovered patients with initial positive tests.

Five had positive nasopharygeal swabs, and six had positive anal swabs. One had both positive. None had symptoms. One patient had viral shedding for 56 days after first symptoms. The article did not discuss any antibody test results. As a joke someone posted on Facebook a makeshift sign at a virus testing site, Covid testing in rear. Apparently it was true here.

Dr. Wu of Hunan Normal University said,  After persistent negative RNA test results over four times, some patients retested positive for the viral nucleic acid, RNA. The virus is very cunning.

What an understatement. The last reading I saw said there were 14 known different mutations infecting humans. We still are adapting to it, and it to us.

We have a lot to learn. The tales told here tell us we have to keep learning and accepting what we learn, except if it is inhumanity or injustice. Then we must learn to change it.

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PM Trudeau spoke about discrimination in Canada before taking part in demonstration against racism and police violence

Montreal: Canadian aboriginal groups on Saturday called for an independent probe into the death of an indigenous woman who was shot by a police officer called in for a wellness check.

The Congress of Aboriginal People (CPA), one of five national groups representing indigenous Canadians, called for "a public investigation into the death of Chantel Moore and the ongoing systemic bias and racism that policing services and the justice system displays towards Indigenous peoples."

Moore, 26, was shot dead Thursday by a police officer in Edmundston, in the eastern province of New Brunswick. A relative had called police to check Moore's health.

Edmundston police said the woman had threatened the officer with a knife. According to the family, the officer fired five times to subdue her.

Moore's "tragic killing... during a wellness check has vividly shown all Canadians that Indigenous peoples in Canada continue to face a very different set of circumstances when interacting with the policing and justice systems in Canada", said CPA National Chief Robert Bertrand.

While officials have opened a probe into Moore's death, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Perry Bellegarde, said the shooting must be investigated by an impartial third party to determine why lethal force was used and whether race was a factor in the officer's response.

"How does a call for help turn into a call for the coroner? This should never happen," Bellegarde said.

"We need to find out whether race played any role in the police response and whether a less extreme use of force should have been used. This young First Nation's mothers and daughters did not need to die."

Separately, in the western state of Alberta, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam accused Canadian Royal Mounted Police of beating him in March during a routine check of his automobile registration.

The RCMP said he was resisting arrest.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke Friday about discrimination in Canada before participating in a demonstration in Ottawa against racism and police violence following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by police in the United States.

"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," he said.
Regarding Where are the protests about black-on-black crime? (June 2): I say to the letter writer: Where have you been? There have been numerous marches, prayer and memorial services led by clergy, local organizations and parents of victims asking for black people to stop killing each other. The sad thing is it falls on deaf ears for many if it doesnt affect the person or community directly. Why havent you been listening?

The majority of people protesting are peaceful. They are also outraged by what happened in Minneapolis. We should all be outraged, no matter what our skin color. To turn the attention to black-on-black crime is a perfect example of racism, pure and simple. Was the letter writers intent that it was therefore OK for George Floyds life to be taken by a white police officer because some black people kill other black people?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died in 1968 advocating for equality through peaceful means. I stand with him but realize people have been waiting for a long time. Too long. I do not advocate or condone violence. However, as an old white lady, Im tired of hearing the same justifications for white privilege. Enough. Lets get rid of a system that allows presidential payoffs and pardons for the guilty but takes a life away for passing a counterfeit $20 bill. Whos the thug?

Maureen Rauscher  St. Louis County
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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Tropical Storm Cristobal lashed the northern Gulf Coast with high winds and drenching rain Sunday, heading toward a Louisiana landfall while swamping roads in Mississippi, prompting tornado watches in Alabama and spinning off a twister that uprooted trees in Florida.

Residents of waterside communities outside the New Orleans levee system  bounded by lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne  were urged to evacuate Sunday afternoon because of their vulnerability to an expected storm surge.

Water swamped the only road to Grand Isle  the resort barrier island community south of New Orleans where a mandatory evacuation took effect Saturday. It was a similar story in low-lying parts of Plaquemines Parish at the state's southeastern tip, said shrimper Acy Cooper. You can't go down there by car, he said Sunday of one marina in the area. You have to go by boat.

Cristobal packed top sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (85 kph) winds nearing the coast but was not expected to reach hurricane strength. Forecasters warned, however, that the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles (290 kilometers).

Sen. John Kennedy said in a news release that President Donald Trump agreed to issue an emergency declaration for Louisiana as the storm approached the coast. Gov. John Bel Edwards had issued a state emergency declaration Thursday.

In Florida, a tornado  the second in two days in the state as the storm approached  touched down about 3:35 p.m. south of Lake City near Interstate 75, said meteorologist Kirsten Chaney in the weather services Jacksonville office. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The storm splintered and uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Rain fell intermittently in New Orleans famed French Quarter on Sunday afternoon, but the streets were nearly deserted, with many businesses already boarded up due to the coronavirus.

Daniel Priestman said he didnt see people frantically stocking up as he did before other storms. He said people may be overwhelmed by the coronavirus and recent police violence and protests.

They seemed resigned to whatever happens - happens, he said.

At one New Orleans intersection, a handmade Black Lives Matter sign, wired to a lampost, rattled in a stiff wind as the crew of a massive vacuum truck worked to unclog a nearby storm drain.

About 4 p.m. local time Sunday, the storm was centered about 65 miles (100 kilometers) south of New Orleans. Cristobal was moving north at 7 mph (11 kph). With an expected landfall looming in Louisiana, tropical storm warnings stretched from Intracoastal City in Louisiana to the Okaloosa-Walton County line in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

Forecasters said some parts of Louisiana and Mississippi were in danger of as much as a foot (30 centimeters) of rain, with storm surges of up to five feet (1.5 meters).

Its very efficient, very tropical rainfall, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. It rains a whole bunch real quick.

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans said the citys aging street drainage system had limits, so residents should avoid underpasses and low-lying areas where water can pool during inevitable street flooding.

Much of Grand Isle wasn't passable, Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet told The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

Templet planned to stay on the island during the storm and said he hadn't seen water levels this high since a 2012 hurricane.

The Louisiana National Guard had dozens of high-water vehicles and rescue boats ready to go across south Louisiana. Three teams of engineers were also available to help assess potential infrastructure failures, the Guard said in a news release.

In Biloxi, Mississippi, a pier was almost submerged by Sunday morning. Squalls with tropical-force winds had reached the mouth of the Mississippi River and conditions were expected to deteriorate, the hurricane center in Miami said.

Jefferson Parish, a suburb of New Orleans, called for voluntary evacuations Saturday of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria because of the threat of storm surge, high tides and heavy rain. Residents were urged to move vehicles, boats and campers to higher ground.

A similar order was issued for several Plaquemines Parish communities. The parish's president, Kirk Lepine, said the order was issued as a precaution.

On Saturday evening, a tornado touched down near downtown Orlando, Florida, the National Weather Service said. The twister just missed a group of protesters at Lake Eola. There appeared to be no injuries, but tree limbs were knocked down, and power outages were reported.

___

Associated Press reporter Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida, contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:48:29|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety when its airports re-open for tourists from Aug. 1 following the containment of COVID-19, Sri Lanka's tourism ministry said on Sunday.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has put in place all precautions recommended by global health and travel authorities to re-open the country to tourists as Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and RatmalanaInternational Airport (RIA) as well as Hambantota's Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will be open from Aug. 1 for travelers from all nations.

However the issuance of visas will be only online and must be applied for prior to travel, the ministry said in a statement.

Further, all passengers will have to have a negative PCR test report from an accredited laboratory taken within 72 hours prior to landing in Sri Lanka and a confirmed travel itinerary covering at least five nights at certified accommodations.

A valid return air ticket and travel insurance with health and hospitalization cover will also have to be issued upon arrival in the island country.

"Tourists will not have to undergo quarantine procedures. A mandatory health screening and sanitizing process including a PCR test will be conducted at arrival airports free of charge for tourists, and all travelers will be transferred through pre-booked transportation to designated hotels in close proximity to the airport, to await their PCR test results which would be expected within 24 hours," the statement said.

The Sri Lankan tourism ministry will conduct further PCR tests free of charge, for any tourists staying longer than five nights.

"Sri Lanka has been highly successful in its efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 and has proven that the country is not just the world's number one travel destination, but also a destination with an excellent health care system. As at May 20, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health declared zero community transmission for over three weeks," the statement said.

Sri Lanka shut its international airports in March for all passenger arrivals to prevent a further spread of the COVID-19 but said passenger departures would continue.

The country has so far detected over 1,800 COVID-19 patients out of which over 900 have recovered and been discharged. Eleven deaths have been reported so far. Enditem
Kinshasa, DRC (PANA) - The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, denounced on Saturday, an attack that killed 16 people, including five girls under age 15, in north eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The days of wandering around for the great beast are over. The nomad tiger from Maharashtra, which was in the news in 2018 for the longest dispersal in the quickest time in the country, might be spending the rest of his life behind bars for killing 3 humans.

It was tranquilised in Kanha National Park and shifted to Van Vihar in Bhopal, where it will in all probability be kept in solitary confinement, say sources according to TOI.



Officers say the tiger was given many chances to survive in the wild but it kept straying into human habitation. The authorities declared it dangerous to human life in compliance with the 2019 NTCA guidelines and decided to keep it in an enclosure.



TOI

The five-year-old, 180-kg male had wandered 510km, from Chandrapur in Maharashtra to Palaspani in MPs Betul  killing three humans on the way  in search of new territory between August and December 2018. It was captured by Satpura Tiger Reserve officials from near a fly-ash pond in Sarni area on December 10, 2018 and shifted to Kanha, where it was kept in an enclosure for around 45 days.



Van Vihar will now be its new home. Van Vihar currently houses 14 tigers, but only four are on display. The others are either dangerous or were rescued as orphans and are kept in separate cages away from the tens of thousands of visitors.



The Kanha team arrived at around 10.30am. It will take some time for the tiger to adjust and ease its aggression. CZA will decide if it will be put on display. We will write to them, Van Vihar director Kamlika Mohanta told TOI.



TOI

The tigers first human kill was reported in Maharashtras Mangrul Dastagir on October 19, followed by a second one on October 22 in Anjansingi. Both attacks took place in Amravati district of Maharashtra. It continued to prey on cattle as it prowled close to human settlements. The third kill was reported near Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR), about 200km from Bhopal.



It was captured from Betul twice. There was barely 500m between the first and second locations. We gave it a chance to adapt to the natural habitat but it was found moving towards human habitations. It may be because it was born close to Chandrapur power station (in Maharashtra), which is surrounded by human habitations, said Kanhas field director L Krishnamurthy.



It was shifted to STR on January 31, 2019, where it was radio-collared and released into the wild on February 1. Forest officials monitored it 24x7 and scrambled to intercept it when it moved out of STR territory and got close to human habitation on February 22, 2019. It was captured and taken back to STR. It kept straying out and the authorities decided it was safer to keep it in an enclosure.






U.S. President Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Cape Canaveral, Florida

By Steve Holland

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would postpone a Group of Seven summit he had hoped to hold next month until September or later and expand the list of invitees to include Australia, Russia, South Korea and India.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One during his return to Washington from Cape Canaveral in Florida, Trump said the G7, which groups the world's most advanced economies, was a "very outdated group of countries" in its current format.

"I'm postponing it because I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," Trump said.

Most European countries offered no immediate comment on the proposal, with a spokesman for the German government saying Berlin was "waiting for further information".

It was unclear whether Trump's desire to invite the additional countries was a bid to permanently expand the G7. On several previous occasions, he suggested Russia be added, given what he called Moscow's global strategic importance.

Russia was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 when Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, was U.S. president, after Moscow annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine. Russia still holds the territory, and various G7 governments have rebuffed previous calls from Trump to readmit Moscow.

White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump wants the countries to discuss China at the summit.

Trump has criticised Beijing over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China, and on Friday he ordered his administration to begin the process of ending special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong in retaliation for China's decision to impose a new security law on the former British colony.

The decision to postpone the G7 summit is a retreat for Trump, who had sought to host the group of major industrialized countries in Washington as a demonstration that the United States was returning to normal after the coronavirus epidemic, which has killed more than 103,000 Americans to date.

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Trump had canceled an in-person G7 meeting scheduled for March as the virus spread, but had recently sought to revive it.

French President Emmanuel Macron backed the idea of an in-person meeting, according to the White House. But Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to endorse it, saying there were too many health-related questions. This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she could not attend.

South Korea is aware of Trump's invitation and will discuss the matter with the United States, a government official in Seoul told Reuters on Sunday.

The G7 groups the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada, and the European Union also attends.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul; Writing by Andy Sullivan and Mike Stone; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Paul Simao, William Mallard and Mark Heinrich)
By PTI

NEW YORK: New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning.

The 8 pm. citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

'Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city,' de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfew's end 'effective immediately'.

'Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart'.

The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets and parks to protest police brutality, sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.



ALSO READ | George Floyd protests: Philadelphia Inquirer editor resigns after backlash on 'Buildings Matter' headline

At protests in Manhattan earlier Saturday, volunteers handed out snacks, first aid kits and plenty of water bottles on a muggy afternoon.

One person carried a sign listing nearby open buildings for those seeking to escape the heat which some soon did when a rain storm arrived.

Thousands of people crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

Further uptown, police had erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic.

As the curfew passed, a large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive, the main north-south artery along Manhattan's east side, closely monitored by police, forcing police to temporarily shut down one side of the roadway.

Earlier, Julian Arriola-Hennings said he didn't expect the movement to slow down anytime soon.

'I'm never surprised by people taking action because inaction, it really hurts the soul,' he said as he told protesters at Washington Square Park that they would soon march from there to City Hall.

'People's feet get tired, their souls get re-energized for the right purpose'.

One of Saturday's marches was enlivened by a band led by Jon Batiste, bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Local politicians and civil liberties advocates have called for an end to the 8 pm. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it.

But Mayor Bill de Blasio has insisted the curfew will remain in place throughout the weekend.

Images on social media on Friday night about an hour after a Brooklyn protest ended showed officers surrounding a group of protesters and chasing down some with batons.

And officers on Manhattan's East Side also used force to break up remnants of a march that started near the mayor's official residence.

There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday 'far fewer than previous nights' and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week.

On Saturday, Antoinette Henry wasn't surprised people were still marching after more than a week, even though she said she had seen violence from police earlier in the week.

'Our first couple of protests ended a bit violently but we're back out here. We're not going to stop fighting,' Henry said.

She added she thinks protests could continue next week, even as some will go back to work when New York City begins its reopening.

'I think as long as we stay organised, that's exactly what can and will and should happen,' Henry said.
Trying to impress my new boss, I showed up early on my first day. Just before the office was scheduled to open, the senior claims representative and the branch manager were walking in the employee entrance. It was a heavy metal door  and a gust of wind came up and slammed the door onto the hand of the claims rep. There were screams! There was blood! There was pandemonium! The manager turned to me and said, Are you Tom  the new guy? I nodded rather sheepishly. And then he said, Well, youre in charge. Ive got to get Wanda to the hospital! As they were heading back out the door, he saw the frightened look on my face. Dont worry, he said, this is a small office. Nothing unusual ever happens here.

Five minutes later, one of the clericals unlocked the front door to the office. About a half-dozen people filed in, including a very demonstrative old man who marched right up to the front desk and barked out, I demand to see the manager!

The receptionist explained that the manager was called away on an emergency. But this didnt deter the very determined old goat. He said, Well, someone must be in charge, and I demand to talk to that person. The receptionist looked back at me and said, Mr. Margenau, can you help?
Doctors examines people during a free medical camp in Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums in Mumbai - AP

India's capital has reserved hospital beds for residents as the country again recorded a record spike in coronavirus cases and the sick flocked in from the provinces.

The world's second most populous nation on Sunday announced close to 10,000 new infections, while neighbouring Pakistan passed 2,000 deaths.

The sharp acceleration in the neighbouring countries has added to fears that a region that is home to a fifth of humanity is becoming a new hotspot for Covid-19.

The mounting figures in South Asia's neighbours heightened concerns among international health officials that the region is poised to become a new hotspot for the pandemic.

Both countries are easing months of restrictions on commerce, travel and gatherings, just as cases and deaths are gathering speed.

India reported 9,971 new coronavirus cases Sunday in another biggest single-day surge, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.

India has now passed Spain as the fifth hardest-hit by the pandemic with 246,628 confirmed cases and 6,929 fatalities.

The worst affected cities have included the capital, New Delhi, the commercial capital, Mumbai, as well as the Western city of Ahmedabad.

New Delhi city alone has registered more than one-in-ten of total cases, making it the third worst-affected part of the country after the western state of Maharashtra, home to financial capital Mumbai, and southern Tamil Nadu state.

India's prime minster, Narendra Modi, has already partially restored train services and domestic flights and allowed shops and manufacturing to reopen. Online companies have started to deliver goods, including those considered non-essential, to places outside containment zones.

Schools and cinemas remain closed.

Major cities in India risk being overwhelmed as rural families bring their sick in from the provinces, officials said.

"Delhi is in big trouble . . . corona cases are rising rapidly," state Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a video message on Twitter, where he announced that private and city government-run hospitals will be reserved for Delhi residents.

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"If we open Delhi hospitals for patients from all over, where will Delhi residents go when they get infected with coronavirus?"

India and Pakistan both share potentially fertile breeding grounds for the virus, with shaky health systems, densely crowded cities and poverty which makes economic lockdown prohibitively painful.

A food delivery boy walks past a hotel gate painted with Pakistan's national flag on a street in Rawalpindi on June 6 - AFP

Pakistan passed its own grim milestone as the number of deaths from Covid-19 crossed the 2,000 mark on Sunday.

Pakistan is also nudging 100,000 confirmed infections as the prime minister, Imran Khan warned the country of more than 220 million it would have to learn to live with the virus.

He has repeatedly said the country is too poor to go into a full lockdown, which he warned would devastate a failing economy, already dependent on billions of dollars in loans from international lending institutions.

The government's mixed messages have led many to reject social distancing rules.

Pakistan's medical professionals have pleaded for more controls and greater enforcement of social distancing directives. They're infuriated that Khan's government bowed to the radical religious right to keep open mosques, which have been one of the leading causes of the spikes in infections.

Pakistan says the numbers of cases and deaths is still below early estimates and it says that while the demands are increasing, there are still many intensive care beds available.

Doctors tell a different story, warning there has been a leap in cases after socialising to mark the end of Ramadan last month. Wards have filled up in recent days they warn.
The Government "can and must" do more to address racial inequality in society, former chancellor Sajid Javid has said.

The quotes come as thousands of people took part in Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations across the country on Saturday following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, with more demonstrations planned in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Edinburgh on Sunday.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Javid said only the Prime Minister was capable of "driving real change", adding the UK risked being "complacent" about its claims to be a tolerant society.

The former chancellor said the UK must "not pretend" that it does not have "substantial obstacles" to overcome in regard to integration and opportunity.

"There are still parts of society that are more concerned about the status quo than justice and humanity," he wrote.

The 50-year-old Conservative MP for Bromsgrove said racism can occur anywhere in the world, adding that a "new ambition" was needed to "break down barriers" in Britain.

"The Government can and must do more to address racial inequalities in our society," Mr Javid wrote.

"As with all large-scale, systematic challenges, only the Prime Minister is capable of driving real change - and I know he cares deeply."

He said there was a "greater disproportionality" of black people in prisons in the UK than in the US, and that while abuse directed at officers was unacceptable, the police service "still has a way to go".

However, he said Britain was the "most successful multi-ethnic democracy in the world".

Mr Javid said when he was younger, he had been unable to get a job in the City "because of my class and the colour of my skin", and instead moved to New York in his 20s.

On Sunday tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter protestors marched through London, starting in Parliament Square.

Placards carried by demonstrators referenced the coronavirus crisis, with one that said: There is a virus greater than Covid-19 and its called racism.
New Jersey-based Eclipse International has recalled 155 employees who had been furloughed at its flagship factory, Bedding Industries of America, and is operating at full strength seven days a week to accommodate increased demand following retail shutdowns due to the coronavirus, the company announced.

Its focus is now on producing a full line of roll-pack mattresses to accommodate an increase in orders being sold by its retailers through e-commerce sites.

We spent the last several weeks working with our retailers to help them ramp up their omnichannel business. The strategy is hugely successful and actually puts us in a position where we have a backlog of orders, said Stuart Carlitz, president and chief executive officer of Eclipse International, whose main factory is located in North Brunswick.

Our employees are really excited to be back at work. We have taken extraordinary steps to not only assure them a safe work environment, but we are also focused on taking increased steps to assure the safety of the products we are sending out the door.

The company, which furloughed 20 percent of its employees at the North Brunswick plant when New Jersey issued a stay-at-home order in March, has been ramping back up over the past month. The plant was able to remain open and, even with its slightly smaller staff, was one of the first in the nation to convert production to medical masks.

Eclipse International was able to produce 45,000 masks in the first few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and donated to local hospitals and first responders. The company is still manufacturing masks.

Carlitz said retailers that have embraced the internet are better equipped to weather the economic turmoil caused by the required closures through their online platforms.

As much of the country had moved toward staying at home, the uptick in online orders for new mattresses has been very apparent, he said. Our customers that have developed an omnichannel approach are reaping the rewards.

Todays environment requires an online component, and the pandemic has expedited the move to online for retailers that had not yet added online shopping carts. During the last couple of months, consumers have flocked online to buy everything from common household goods to big ticket items like consumer electronics and mattresses. This shift is here to stay and will continue to grow.

Carlitz encouraged brick and mortar retailers -- those that possess or lease retail shops, factory production facilities or warehouses for their operations -- to look for other innovative ways to keep their businesses open and to drive traffic, even going as far as selling masks, uniforms and other personal protective equipment for consumers, first responders and health care professionals.

The extraordinary times we are living in require extraordinary innovation to keep your businesses open, your staff employed and to be a local business with purpose, he said. In some communities, this may mean you need a formal waiver from government authorities to sell these types of goods, but it is certainly worth it today.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Ryan Patti may be reached at rpatti@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Note: If you are having trouble viewing the video above, please watch it here.

In the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, why has the Chinese Communist Party chosen this moment to push ahead the Hong Kong national security law?

Is it trying to send a message to the U.S. and the world? Is a more serious confrontation approaching?

And how can the U.S. put meaningful pressure on the Chinese regime?

In this episode, we sit down with Brian Kennedy, Chairman of The Committee on the Present Danger: China, President of the American Strategy Group, and senior fellow as well as former President of The Claremont Institute.

This is American Thought Leaders , and Im Jan Jekielek.

Jan Jekielek: Brian Kennedy, so great to have you back on American Thought Leaders.

Brian Kennedy: Great to be back with you, Jan. Always a pleasure.

Mr. Jekielek: Brian, youre the head of the Committee on the Present Danger: China. We have an inordinate amount of things to talk about today. Every day, its amazing to me how many different things are kind of coming into the news cycle related to China. Of course, most recently, inHong Kong, the passage of the draft national security law, or lets call it the rubber-stamping of the draft national security law, and then of course, the US response, which is Secretary Pompeo saying Hong Kong is not autonomous. What does this all mean, Brian?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, its a very disturbing problem that the U.S. is facing today and of course, the people of Hong Kong. Were in the middle of a pandemic that has cost 100,000 American lives. This is an unprecedented time in American history. In the middle of all that, the PRC, the Chinese Communist Party, decides to further their crackdown on Hong Kong and to do it in a way that is bold and it seems to me, designed to provoke the United States in ways that could only further alienate our two countries from one another.

 The United States, under Secretary Pompeo, had to determine that there was no longer a high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong because of everything the Chinese Communist Party was doing, especially with this proposal, the national security law, that would effectively end any kind of political dissent. When we had to declare that theyre no longer autonomous, wheels get put into motion that would actually distance the United States from Hong Kong and make Hong Kong effectively part of the PRC. In doing so theres going to be financial penalties put on Hong Kong and the PRC over time.

We want to do that in such a way that doesnt hurt the people of Hong Kong, but that clearly says to China, the Chinese Communist Party, that in fact, theyre going to be treated just like the rogue regime that they are, and that theyre not going to be able to enjoy Hong Kong as a remote, separate entity that enjoyed most favored nation status, effectively. That was an interesting and unfortunate development here, because its provocative, and it really is, in a way, closing the door on Hong Kong [for] the United States. We regret having to do this, of course, but also the people of Hong Kong are not being served by us keeping them autonomous when in fact, theyre not autonomous.

Mr. Jekielek: So Brian, the Committee on the Present Danger: China has published a statement on some of the ways in which the U.S. can respond to Hong Kong, and its described that it should be a response that affects the Communist Party in material ways. Tell me about that.

Mr. Kennedy: Well, I think the clearest way is that today, the Peoples Republic of China and all of its state-owned enterprises are allowed to come to U.S. capital markets to raise money. Were recommending as a committee that the United States effectively deregisters those companies and doesnt let them be traded on the U.S. stock market. Some are on the main U.S. stock market, some are listed as A-share stocks that are traded on the exchange traded funds.

This is a real lifeline going from American investors to these state-owned enterprises. These are the state-owned enterprises that are both normal everyday companies, like Alibaba and what have you, but also companies that are bad actors like Hikvision that are responsible for some of the monitoring camera systems that control the camps that the Uyghurs are put in [and the] imprisonment there in Xinjiang.

The idea that a Chinese corporation could come to Wall Street, have their stock listed, and raise capital in the United States is a great concern, and its a free ride that we should no longer give to the PRC. It seems to me that the sooner the administration could act on that, the better. I think the Trump administration has already seen the downside of having U.S. federal employees investing in such accounts. Lets take the next step and make sure that the Chinese corporations dont get to enjoy the benefit of the U.S. stock market, especially since theres an exemption within that, that allows them to not have to do covered audits, the way any American or other company would have to.

Under the Obama and Biden administration, they really got preferential treatment when it came to being able to come to the US capital markets, not have to do audits. There was a special agreement, allowing them not to have to do audits and to come here to raise capital and have their companies grow at the expense of the protection of U.S. investors. One of the things the committee is encouraging is that that practice simply ends.

One, why do we want to benefit Chinese corporations this way? And two, we want to protect the U.S. investors, who by and large are not going to scrutinize such things. They think that if theyre in the U.S. capital markets, they have the, as it were, the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. [This practice] has to end.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, what I find so fascinating about this whole situation is its almost like theyre forcing the U.S. and, frankly, the free world to take a side here. Theres a lot of people that might have financial interests, for example, in not having what you just described happen. But given this recent encroachment on Hong Kong, given a whole lot of other activity, which I hope we discuss today during our talk, like in the South China Sea encroachment and so forth, it makes it very hard for those people to even have an argument anymore. Its almost like the CCP is saying, Pick a side, folks. What do you think?

Mr. Kennedy: Thats a very good question, very insightful, because its pretty provocative, isnt it? In the middle of all this, to also push on Hong Kong. Did they need to do this now, knowing that the United States would have to push back?  Secretary Pompeo and the President are not doing this arbitrarily. Its U.S. law under the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act that we have to declare whether theres a high degree of autonomy. They pushed us to this position, where we have to say theres no longer this autonomy there.

I worry that the Chinese are pushing us to the point where something more than a cold war is emerging, that theyre not only drawing a line in the sand, theyre walking across it, and theyre pushing us, and theyre signaling to us their intent to no longer behave by international norms of behavior. We thought we had a good working relationship with them even with all the problems between the two countries. But have we reached a moment here where the Chinese Communist Party simply decides that theyre no longer going to sit by and theyre going to start something more provocative? Because really, why would you do [what they have done in] Hong Kong right now unless you wanted to lock down and send a signal to the people of Hong Kong that you were prepared to do other things in addition? I mean, was this a signal?

Its a signal, I think, both to the people of Hong Kong, that theyre going to behave themselves and if they dont, theyre going to be disciplined. Its also a signal to the United States, that theyre not going to listen to what we have to say when it comes to Hong Kong. Theyre going to do what they think is right. Theyre going to do what they think is in their interest. And so we ought to take this as seriously as they are, because I think a serious confrontation may well be coming here.

Mr. Jekielek: Before I ask the scary, obvious next question, what are the implications for the U.S.-China trade war?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, you saw that the Vice Premier today in China said that he encourages us to continue along with our commercial relations. Even though we have this animosity, we ought to continue the commercial relations. I think, as a practical matter, they would like to abide by the Phase 1 of the trade deal if they can, but they also know that if they dont want to, theyre not going to. President Trump can encourage them and they may continue that, but it looks like  they may or may not. Its very difficult to see whether they can purchase enough to make up what weve lost over the first six months of this year.

But I think the bigger trade issue is really the fact that still today, the United States imports so much of our medicine from China, so that even if theres confrontation over Hong Kong, we cant simply prohibit all sales from China to the United States. Were not going to have an embargo of Chinese goods to the United States when 80-90% of our active pharmaceutical ingredients and our pharmaceuticals are coming from China. Thats a consideration for the administration as well.

Weve not fully figured out and taken the necessary steps or taken them adequately to actually decouple from China, as desirable as that may be. And so, in the short run here, were going to have to continue the economic relationship as were rebuilding our industrial base and making sure that we could be independent from the PRC.

Mr. Jekielek: Brian, I had Rosemary Gibson on this show some time ago now [discussing this],.  Building on this question that you just described so aptly, we know  there is action being taken to reshore, or lets call it friendly shore, some of this production of pharmaceuticals, but this is quite a bit of leverage that the Chinese Communist Party seems to have.

Mr. Kennedy: Well, yes.  The Chinese are very strategic in how they operate. Theyre nothing if not calculating when it comes to both their business dealings and their political dealings. And so they saw in the United States a country that was spending over 30% of our GDP on healthcare, and over time, they decided to tap into that. One important strategic way was to basically be the main production site of global manufacturing when it comes to pharmaceuticals and medicines. That was, I would say, a common sense decision on their part to be very influential with the use of medicine.

Rosemary Gibson, who is a member of the Committee on the Present Danger: China, has written brilliantly about the need to get American manufacturing going again in these pharmaceuticals, because its simply intolerable to have so much of our manufacturing base in pharmaceuticals done in a country that appears to be behaving in a hostile way towards the United States. Its one thing if this were in England or France or Germany or Canada or Mexico or a friend. This is being held in a country, Communist China, that openly writes about unrestricted warfare against the United States. The idea that we would let our pharmaceuticals be produced there is simply crazy. Its an example of the kind of strategic malfeasance our leaders have had up to now, and I think President Trump knows about this now and is trying to correct it. He can only do it sooner rather than later.

Mr. Jekielek: So Brian, Im reminded of something one of the Chinese Communist Party propaganda mouthpieces published, again not too long ago in the midst of America suffering with coronavirus basically saying that America could drown in a sea of coronavirus by withholding medicines. They were making this suggestion. I thought that was just astounding that they would do that.

Mr. Kennedy: Very provocative, isnt it? I mean, that followed with everything else that had occurred with the virus itself.  Of course, everyones being criticized for how the government responded to the virus, but if you look at the initial outbreak of this, people around the world were seeing things in December and January. There were these stories coming out of Wuhan about the virus, and it was dramatic. You saw people in hazmat suits disinfecting the streets, stories of lockdowns in Wuhan and welding peoples doors shut.

American policymakers didnt know what was going on. During this, the CDC, our CDC, asked to be let into Wuhan to see what was going on, and we werent allowed. Weve not been allowed to this very day.  I think it was from the Global Times [actually Xinhua News Agency] that that remark came, which is an organ of the CCP [as is the Xinhua News Agency]. We were threatened with a mighty sea of coronavirus.

Well, I mean, the combination of all those things would have concerned US policymakers to the point where they wondered, were we in a kind of biowarfare, or biowar, with the PRC here? They do these very provocative things and they threaten us at the same time, just as they control our pharmaceutical production. The combination of all those things had to lead the US government to the view that we were in a very significant and serious position.

The world we find ourselves in today is still trying to sort out what all this means. And that should be  of great concern to both the US people and still to US policymakers, because the PRC is really doing their best to keep the United States off-balance. This is the same United States that was trying to hold the PRC to account for all their bad economic behavior over the past 20 years, and so isnt it curious that in the fourth year of a Trump presidency, we have this amazing viral outbreak, followed by  these very provocative statements by the Chinese Communist Party.

And were going through an unprecedented period in our economic history. Its something that everyone should be taking very seriously, and I applaud the Epoch Times for all the work that theyre doing on this. I think the coverage of the virus itself and the fallout in China and the fallout in the United States has just been the very best in the media. Very responsible, very informative, and I just want to thank you for all youre doing in that regard, because I do think its something that everyone should be looking at.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, Brian, I appreciate you saying that, and its also incredible because weve also been attacked for that very same coverage in various ways and in various countries. But were going to keep plowing through and trying to get the freshest, most important information out there as it comes.

Something just comes to my mind that you wrote, building a little bit on what you were just talking about. This is kind of a provocative statement on your part, but I frankly think reasonable. You were saying well, communist China is a country that has literally killed tens of millions of its own people in recent history.

In the Hong Kong statement, you mentioned that something that we should be doing is to be impeding organ genocide. I assume youre talking about this billion-dollar murder for organs industry that is under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party running to this very day. I think there was even a lung transplant [recently] that was done that looked like it must have come out of that exact system based on multiple factors. So  basically, you argue, it is hard to imagine that the CCP wouldnt just say, Well take some collateral damage here, but if we can really damage the free world or the U.S., lets do it. I dont want to put words in your mouth. Thats what I read. What are your thoughts?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, on the bigger point of what the CCP was doing, we do know that theyre willing to kill their own people when it comes to achieving their political objectives. If theyre willing to kill their own people, then what would they do to people from other countries? And so, here you have the Chinese Communist Party, which is being held to account for the first time in 30, 40 years, with all of their bad behavior, all their bad economic behavior, really pushing them on human rights, and a viral outbreak occurs in Wuhan, and they let it spread around the world.

Now, is that simply the case that this was an accident ? Even if the occurrence of the outbreak was accidental, letting it spread around the world was not. They at the  highest levels of government made a strategic decision for that to come to the United States. I believe they did so with the calculated estimation that it would reset American politics. One, it would cause an enormous economic crisis, right, if we had to shut down the government.

And they didnt give us the information so that we could make better judgments about that, right? They didnt tell us what was going on in Wuhan. We asked for the genomic sequence of the virus. I believe the first one they gave us was wrong, and so much of our early testing was wrong. That occurred, and so the United States had to deal with this in a very severe way, such as, as we know, locking down the whole country. Now did the PRC in their calculations believe that that would cause both an economic crisis in this country and a political crisis?

Now, if President Trump survived that, well, he survives it. But if youre the PRC, and you can insert something into American politics, where you can take this very popular president and try to get him unseated, and put in power someone whos going to be favorable to your point of view, i.e. Joe Biden, or perhaps any of the other Democrats, if you could do that, why would that be the worst calculation?

If youre the CCP, do you want a world where the United States is going to put America first, where the views of the globalists, which have been so prominent for so many years, are no longer prominent, where people are putting the well-being of the American people first and foremost? Does the CCP want that kind of world? The answer emphatically is no. They dont want that. They want a world where globalism is predominant, where they are the leader of that world, whether they do that through economic power or through intimidation. The only thing standing in their way was Donald Trump.

What could you possibly do to change that equation? I would argue that this virus, or at least the way theyve handled it over the last five months, has been, from their point of view, a very effective way of creating a great deal of uncertainty in our politics. We dont know what our politics even look like anymore. Were talking about mail imbalance [with mail-in voting]. The potential for fraud is enormous. We dont know what people are thinking about politics the way they used to.

 This may backfire on the Chinese Communist Party too, of course. Americans could be very irritated by this and decide to come vote for Trump in enormous numbers, in which case if youre the CCP, youve lost nothing. But if you can get rid of Trump, thats really where you want to be. We dont know whats going to happen. Everybody who cares about freedom ought to be interested in how we preserve American freedom. But I do think this has been a real threat to our freedom, our way of life, the way we think about these things. It wasnt an accident. That part of it was not an accident.

Mr. Jekielek: So many vantage points here potentially. I still want to talk a little bit about your approach to Hong Kong, but I want to jump into this [first]. You mentioned Joe Biden. Certainly he has  in the past administration, hes worked in a much more positive way with the Chinese Communist Party leadership and so forth.

But recently he has very much come out and talked about a very strong line on China. Were seeing Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker, basically saying, condemning the situation in Hong Kong, coming out. And were seeing something which was new to me, and I think quite important, this Blue Dog Coalition of the Democrats basically calling for an investigation of the origins of the pandemic, which was something we werent hearing much from the Democratic side so far. So there does seem to be, to me, an increased bipartisanship [agreement about] treating the Chinese Communist Party seriously.

Mr. Kennedy: Well, there should be. This shouldnt be a Democrat, Republican kind of issue. This should be bipartisan. When it comes to our national defense, we ought not to need to take sides here. I do hope the Democrats join with Republicans to actually penalize the Chinese Communist Party for all the bad things theyve done. Therere the Magnitsky Acts; theres all sorts of steps that Congress could take to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party and the PRC and its corporations more broadly are not advantaged during any of this and in fact, are penalized for the things theyre doing.

It used to be in American politics that the Democrats and the Republicans were together on national security. But Id say in a bipartisan way myself, that very often the Republicans have looked the other way over the past 30 years. The Republicans have let Chinese malfeasance slide by, because they put the interests of profits and trade with China ahead of the interests of the American people, properly understood. Hopefully emerging out of this is a bipartisan consensus that we both have to defend the United States from the Chinese Communist Party, and we have to do these things internally, make sure that were strong economically and that were able to employ our own people and manufacture strategic goods here in the United States.

If that emerges from this, thatll be a good thing. Again, thats partly where I say the Chinese Communist Party may have miscalculated. They were hoping to bully us or otherwise demoralize us, I believe, with this behavior. But if theres anything weve learned over time, it is that the American people are not easily demoralized, that when you push them, theyll push back, that the American worker is the most productive worker in the world, [and] that the American entrepreneur is unparalleled. Were the most inventive, creative people on the planet. To the extent that we can unleash the economic engine of the United States, that will be a good thing for us and not so good a thing for those countries that want to have dictatorships and a totalitarian system, like the PRC.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about that ingenuity. That actually brings me back to a question I had about Hong Kong, which is one of the things I noticed you have in here as a recommendation isand this isnt something that is being talked about so much recently; it has been in the past building initiatives or enhancing initiatives to break down the so called Great Firewall [of China]. At the Epoch Times, we work with the Global Internet Freedom Consortium to basically help get the Epoch Times read in China, right? This is one group thats been very effective over the past at least 15 years or something like that. Now, why did you choose this time to talk about breaking down the Great Firewall?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, I think partly that was a recognition that the good people of China, when presented with the facts about what is actually going on in the world, would choose to do the right thing and eventually get rid of the Chinese Communist Party. Getting rid of the Great Firewall is a vote for freedom for the people of China. Today, they dont have that freedom and theyre not able to get access to the good works of the free world in ways that we thought transparently would happen over time.

I mean,  I feel like Im getting old now, but I can remember 30 years ago conversations happening, where people would talk about communist China, and people would say, Well, you know, yes, theyre modernizing economically, but are they ever going to modernize politically? Because that was the great hope, right? Theyd modernize economically, youd have economic freedom, and then youd have political freedom and that relations would be good with a country of over a billion people.

Invariably, conservative commentators would hold up a floppy disk, and theyd throw it on the desk and theyd say, See that floppy disk? People dont even know what floppy disks are anymore, but those floppy disks would have all sorts of information. The Chinese people would see that information, theyd understand freedom, theyd understand what was going on in the world, theyd understand the evils of the Chinese Communist Party, and they would eventually push and demand political freedom.

Well, [after] these 30 years of these kinds of conversations, they dont have political freedom, because they actually have not gotten access to the very information that we thought would be ubiquitous throughout China, that you wouldnt be able to control it. But of course, what have we found out? That the Chinese Communist Party are masters in controlling information, of disseminating all sorts of disinformation, and making sure that the truth does not come from the rest of the world.

The people of China should be able to get access to the very best information. Getting rid of that firewall would allow them to be able to hear from the United States, from Taiwan, from Hong Kong, from Chinese people all around the world who really know whats going on, from Americans, from people throughout Europe who believe in human freedom, who want to help the people of China, and want for the people of China the kind of freedom that we here in the West enjoy.

Mr. Jekielek: Brian, earlier when we were speaking, you made this suggestion, and again, I dont want to put words in your mouth, but this is what I got, is that the Chinese Communist Party may be readying for real war.

Mr. Kennedy: Well, lets hope theyre not, but one never knows. In the history of the world countries make gross strategic miscalculations. Weve seen what they did with the coronavirus. One of the arguments Ive made about that is, here we are in the middle of these very sensitive trade negotiations, and there was this push in the United States between globalism and free trade and the continuance of the status quo, and then the America-first, hold China to account approach. That was going on, and we did sign a trade deal in January.

In the middle of all that, you have this viral pandemic. What goodwill China would have gained from actually saying to the United States and the world, Weve had this awful thing happen here in China. Why dont you come in? Why dont you help us figure out whats going on here? Lets work together as good global citizens, because inevitably, this is going to spread to the United States and the rest of the world. Lets work together. Lets show that globalism actually does work, and lets fix this problem together.

Instead, they did the exact opposite. Instead, they kept that information as we just were talking about. They kept it from us. They really forced us in so many ways to engage in this lockdown, which itself is a very provocative act on their part, to deny us information during a global pandemic, that is a way of saying to the United States, Were not going to behave like a good global actor. Were not going to behave like someone who can be trusted. Were going to behave like a hostile country. Now, is that meant to bully us? Is that meant to lead us to war? Well, it certainly looks like its trying to bully us. Hopefully it doesnt lead us to war.

When they do these things militarily, such as incursions into India, when they talk about no longer the peaceful reunification of Taiwan, but the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland, when they talk about it in certain kinds of terms, are they sending signals to both Taiwan and to the United States that they are preparing for war? Because the last thing they want to do is scare us and actually get a war. They would rather do this in such a way as to intimidate us into backing down. I think the virus was designed to intimidate us into backing down over economic issues in so many ways.

When theyre talking about what theyre doing in Hong Kong or Taiwan, or theyre building up their military in such a way, theyre doing that because [maybe] they want to prepare for war. Theyre building a first class military, and I dont think the American people fully understand that. They still think America is the most powerful military in the world, and were very good. But if we have to fight a war in Asia, in the Pacific, itll be touch and go, simply because the Chinese can deploy so many ships and aircraft against us. These are first world type of aircraft. They have a fourth generation fighter aircraft, working on a fifth generation, military that is designed to match ours. Theyre going to use that either in actual war or to intimidate us.

One way or another, we have to be prepared. We have to take seriously now these things that theyre talking about doing. When they talk about reunifying with Taiwan, by force if necessary, then we have to make calculations as the American people about whether were ready, about whether we have an adequate military. Now, I will say I think President Trump has done a lot to rebuild the American military, and thats quite good. But theres a lot of things that still have to be done. In [other] words, we Americans care a lot about human life. The PRC and the Chinese Communist Party do not. Theyd be willing to lose a lot of people if it meant completely displacing the United States from Asia, which ultimately has to be one of their strategic goals. Whether they can achieve that now, or 5 years or 10 years or 20 years from now, that has to be one of their strategic objectives that theyre working for. Everything theyre doing now would suggest that thats part of their plan.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, so lets talk about the reality in Asia. We know obviously, whats happening with Hong Kong, at least on the surface.  Theres been this change in rhetoric towards Taiwan. There are, of course, many other countries that are major players there: Japan, Malaysia is coming to mind, Indonesia, Philippines. Do you have a sense of what is happening in the region, what people there are thinking?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, I think they have to be making the same judgments that you and I are talking about here. Theyre wondering, is China just blustering and bullying? Or do the Chinese and the Chinese Communist Party, do they mean this? Are they going to do something about it? If Im a military planner in Japan, and I see the kind of aircraft and submarines and surface ships that China has been building, I have to take that seriously, because those are very serious military capabilities.  One has to simply assume that the PRC is doing this in order to be able to project capabilities, and theyre not going to do this lightly, and they want everybody in Asia to know, especially Japan, that theyre serious here about the things that they want.

If youre going to take on China, you better be prepared to have a military capable of challenging them. I can tell you, I dont think the Japanese and I dont think the United States wants to have a war with the PRC. Now does the PRC want one with America and Japan and other nations in Asia? We dont know. And again, this is part of making those kinds of strategic mistakes that lead you to war.

In the meantime, theyre going to take every political advantage they can, and if they can intimidate the United States and intimidate the American people to where we dont vote for Donald Trumpbecause Donald Trump represents standing up for Americaif we can somehow bend and vote for Joe Biden, because we dont want to live in a world where the PRC is intimidating us, threatening us, this is the calculation the Chinese Communist Party is making, right?

Did the virus work in getting people moved away from Trump? If the answer is no, can we be provocative militarily? Can that move people away from Trump to a president that may be more amenable to China? This is the kind of politics theyre capable of playing, and it looks like thats exactly what theyre doing here. Why be so provocative right now? What do they hope to gain?

Theyve just lost how much money annually from Hong Kong being cut off from the United States, and its most favored nation status? How much money did that cost the PRC this week? Billions and billions of dollars. It has united the Republicans and the Democrats against them, which again, may mean that this is a mistake on the part of the CCP, that they didnt get this right. It may mean that when they make these kinds of mistakes, it could lead to other mistakes in the future, whether its military or economic or political.

Were entering a period of great uncertainty here, and so we have to be mindful of the fact that a country like  communist China may make the kind of mistakes that cause real problems. I think weve seen one with the virus. Hopefully, we wont see one that leads to war, but that certainly looks like where were going, and thats most unfortunate. I think the American people need to be in lockstep with their political leaders who hopefully can, in a bipartisan way, hold China to account, make sure that were bringing manufacturing back to the United States, that were building a military that can defend us, that can deter communist China from thinking that these kind of machinations can work. In every crisis, theres opportunity both ways. Hopefully, the American people wake up and understand that we cant be pushed around this way and that we have to work together as Americans to make sure that were strong and defended.

Mr. Jekielek: So Brian, a couple of quick vantage points before we finish up. One of them is that the US has been, lets say, accused of receding from the world stage. Its certainly removing itself from certain multilateral relationships, or it appears that way. On the other hand, Im seeing commentary, especially with the recent moves on Hong Kong, that the US is taking a leadership role globally.  How do you see the US engaging internationally right now?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, thats a very good question. So many of these international organizations are dominated by countries that have no right being part of it. When you have countries like Cuba and China being on human rights commissions and leading human rights commissions at the UN, one kind of has to believe that somethings amiss and that those international organizations arent worth being part of.

You saw the President has been very critical of the World Health Organization for being part of the cover-up of the human-to-human spread of the coronavirus in Wuhan. And so, heres a world health organization that is designed to take preventative steps for exactly this kind of situation, and instead you find them working with the Chinese Communist Party to make sure theres a cover-up. I think in a very sensible way, the United States is examining these things.

Secretary Pompeo has been taking a hard look at Americas role in these organizations, and I think thats a very healthy thing. In the past, weve just been going along because we didnt want to rock the boat, and President Trump and his administration is willing to rock the boat. Thats a very good thing. You saw just how much leadership this administration was able to demonstrate when it came to Hong Kong. That was a big step in calling for Hong Kong to be described as no longer being able to govern itself with a high degree of autonomy, and the fact that the administration did that and Secretary Pompeo made that declaration before the Congress, I think thats a big deal.

Other administrations would have looked at it and pretty much let it go and swept it under the rug or just downplayed what the national security law was. This administration stood up for the people of Hong Kong in ways that were, I would argue, perfectly predictable, because when youre gonna propose a law that really does end political dissent, you are saying to the people of Hong Kong and the world, We dont care what you think. Were going to do what we want to do, which is consolidate the communist hold on the people of China, and the people of Hong Kong, and we, the United States, hope not the people of Taiwan.

But I would say, Jan, that were entering a period in our relations with China that are becoming very dangerous, that theyre doing the kind of things that would suggest that theyre no longer interested in peaceful coexistence, or whatever phrase professors of international relations like to ascribe to these things, that theyre entering a period where they want to be provocative and assertive. They want to push us off the international stage, and they want to see how well react. Theyll want to see  will we defend Taiwan? Will we defend Japan? Will we defend our interests in Asia? Will we defend ourselves? Will we bring manufacturing back to the United States? Will we do all the things President Trump has described and are so absolutely necessary for our national survival?

Mr. Jekielek: Brian, any final words?

Mr. Kennedy: Well, I want to thank you for having me part of this again. I think these are really important conversations that I hope the people of the United States and all the people who read the Epoch Times and the people in the free world can be part of, because now is the time for making a decision about whether or not were going to defend the United States and the free world, or whether or not were going to sit idly by and let the Chinese Communist Party dictate events.

I can say, as an American who speaks regularly to a lot of the American people, that it would be a very bad idea for the Chinese Communist Party to continue down this path, because the American people still very much believe in freedom and are willing to fight and die for that freedom, because we think something matters more than money and power, and that is living as free men and women in a constitutional republic. To the extent that we can always defend that, the world will be a better place.

Mr. Jekielek: Brian Kennedy, such a pleasure to have you on.

Mr. Kennedy: Thank you, Jan. It was great to be with you.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
While several groups and individuals have come forward in the past three months to do their bit in the fight against Covid-19 outbreak, 16-year-old Arnav Shah, a student of The Cathedral And John Connon School in Fort has been working to ensure the safety of those with hearing impairment.

A month ago, Arnav invited funds for his initiative Naqab, through which masks designed for the hearing impaired are being distributed. Unlike other masks, these special masks have a layer of plastic around mouth, so that those with hearing impairment can lip read.

Until Saturday, Arnav had distributed around 1,200 masks among non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and associations who work with those with hearing impairment.

I made an Instagram page and shared it with my friends on WhatsApp, and asked them to inform their family and friends about the initiative and support as as much as they can. Until Saturday, we have collected around 2.11 lakh, Arnav said.

Bandra-based Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities is one of the institutes has received 500 masks through Arnavs initiative.

Many recipients who will receive the masks belong to the financially weaker sections of the society. While the government is providing us with funds for sanitisation, they will not provide us with masks. So when we resume operations, we can provide these masks to those who visit the institute, said institute director Suni Mathew, adding that while such masks have been in circulation at Dehradun and in some places abroad, this is for the first time that they have been made for the hearing impaired in Mumbai.

The teenager came up with the idea when he saw his parents  both dentists  wear personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and masks to work.

As my mother is a paediatric dentist, I realised that children would be scared to see her in PPE kits and masks. But if they could at least see her smile, then they wouldnt fear her, he said.

Arnav then approached Meemansa, a clothing manufacturing company, and requested them to make masks that are see-through. While each mask costs 25, Arnav has been providing them for free to the NGOs, and also intends to send some funds he has collected through crowd funding for rehabilitation of those affected by the cyclone.

While most of our workers had left for their hometowns, 120 of them had been stuck in the city. We had managed to provide them with food for some time, but after a point we had to work to be able to pay them. Manufacturing of these special masks had required a lot of research because we needed the right kind of plastic to make them. In the end, we were able to manage, said Priyanka Bapna, owner of Meemansa.
Shocked friends have paid heartfelt tributes to a surfer who travelled across the world chasing waves before he was mauled to death by a monster great white shark.

Experienced surfer Robin 'Rob' Pedretti, 60, was enjoying a Sunday morning ride at Salt Beach near Kingscliff in far northern NSW when he was attacked on the left thigh.

He was still conscious as two other surfers dragged him to shore but died on the beach shortly afterwards.

Originally from Geelong in Victoria, Mr Pedretti lived on the Gold Coast in recent years and was part of the local surfing community which has been left reeling from his sudden and tragic death.

Shark attack victim Rob Pedretti (pictured) has been remembered by the Gold Coast surfing community as a real gentleman who loved to chat

Well-known local surfing identity Nev Hyman expressed his shock over the fatal attack south of the border, initially unaware it was his good friend Mr Pedretti.

'He was one of the many people who lived and breathed surfing, we love it more than anything, apart from our loved ones,' Mr Hyman told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'There is no rhyme or reason to it. Rob didn't do anything wrong and the shark didn't either.

'I know every single Gold Coast surfer's hearts are breaking right now and they will be reaching out with love and sympathy for Rob and his family.'

Friends who travelled the world with Mr Pedretti held a beachside vigil at one of his favourite breaks on the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.

'To think he got taken by a shark out of left field  I can't even get my head around it,' Brian Currie told Nine News.

Tim Buckley added: 'It's always someone you don't know (who gets attacked by a shark). When it does hit this close to home, it really affects you and the people who loved him and hung with him and his family.'

A jet ski rider monitors the movements of a massive shark lurking close to shore near where a surfer was mauled to death near Kingscliff on Sunday morning

The Palm Beach Boardriders Facebook page was flooded with tributes, where he was remembered as a real gentleman who was always up for a chat.

'He was a nice bloke who had big chiny smile and never hurt a fly. So sad,' one man wrote.

Another added: 'He was one of the good ones.'

Mr Pedretti was still conscious when he was dragged to shore by a friend and another nearby surfer but died on the beach a short time later, despite desperate attempts by paramedics to save him.

One of the surfers who dragged him to shore was shaken by the ordeal but said he was 'doing okay.'

'It was close,' the unnamed man told Nine News.

'It was a big shark, about 3.5 metres.'

Rob Pedretti (pictured) is the third fatal shark victim in Australia so far this year

Meanwhile, the three-metre great white shark remains at large after escaping a widespread police hunt.

The beach was closed as helicopters, jet skies and drones scoured the ocean from the water and air to locate the shark responsible for the mauling.

Extraordinary footage shows jet skis and a police boat following the massive predator lurking close to shore before it vanished from the vicinity almost three hours after the fatal attack.

Police had been given authority to capture or kill the shark before it disappeared.

'Under the Department of Primary Industry's shark Incident response protocols, permission may be granted to destroy the shark, if it is considered an ongoing threat to human life,' a NSW Police statement read.

'This process involves consultation by the incident commander with the commander of Marine Area Command as well as the Department of Primary Industries, which comes under the DPI's 'Threat to Life' policy.

'Due to concerns that the shark had to be fought off by other board-riders, and that it remained in the vicinity for several hours after the attack, police were granted permission to destroy the shark.

A police boat circled the massive predator before it vanished from the vicinity

'Police and local rescue helicopter crews monitored the area for some hours; however, the shark left the vicinity about 1.15 pm and has not been seen since.'

No police firearm was discharged in the search.

Daily Mail Australia has been told there are no plans to kill the shark.

Tweed Byron Police District Inspector Matthew Kehoe hailed the two surfers who came to Mr Pedretti's aid as heroes.

'They got him on one of the boards and tried to stabilise him and take him to shore,' he told reporters.

'Their actions were absolutely outstanding, they did everything they could to save this guy.'

'They put themselves at significant personal risk and we will be recognising those two gentlemen at a later stage for their heroic actions.'

Several surfers rushed to help the man fight the shark off before he was dragged to shore. Pictured are emergency service at the harrowing scene

The 60-year-old man was surfing at Salt Beach near Kingscliff when his leg was bitten off by a three-metre shark (pictured) about 10.40am Sunday

NSW Ambulance Inspector Terence Savage said it was a 'dreadful' situation for everyone involved.

'When you get a call to attend a shark attack, you never really know the full extent of the damage until you get on scene,' he said.

'They did everything they could to try and save his life, but despite their best efforts, were unable to do so.'

Kingscliff resident Stuart Gonsal had just arrived at the beach ready for a surf, when he found out about the fatal attack.

'We came down and we hadn't got in the water and police were immediately hauling people in,' Mr Gonsal told ABC radio.

'We found out there was a fatal shark attack on the south side of the rock wall. We were going to get in, we're not going to now for sure.

The surfer was still alive when he was dragged to shore but died a short time later. Pictured are emergency crews at the scene afterwards

All beaches in the area between Kingscliff and Cabarita will remain closed until Monday morning.

It's the third fatal shark attack in Australia this year, following the death of Gary Johnson, 57, on Western Australia's south coast in January and Zachary Robba in Central Queensland in April.

It's five years since the last fatal shark attack in northern NSW when Tadashi Nakahara was killed while surfing at Ballina's Shelly Beach.
A day after hitting out against trolls for sending her rape threats over a controversial scene in her web series 'Triple-X-2', its producer Ekta Kapoor has deleted the scene from the show.

Kapoor, however, has maintained that though she respects the Indian Army, she did not appreciate the bullying.

In the deleted scene, an army officer's wife allegedly insults his uniform by making her boyfriend wear it in his absence, and then later, tearing off the uniform, she gets into bed with her lover.

The scene outraged many on social media, who claimed the scene was insulting to the Indian Army and accused Kapoor of being an "anti-national".

The objections were led by controversial YouTuber and Bigg Boss 13 contestant Hindustani Bhau who lodged an FIR against Ekta and Shobha Kapoor on June 1 for disrespecting the Indian Army and attempting to defame soldiers.

Since then two other FIRs have also been filed against Kapoor along with numerous organisations calling out Kapoor for her apparent insensitivity. One was filed by former army officials in Gurugram while the other was filed by two Indore residents in Madhya Pradesh. However, what was most appalling was the fact that many on social media took to rape and death threats for Kapoor in order to prove their nationalism.

While the scene was eventually removed, the cyber-bullying did not go down well with Kapoor.

"As an individual and as an organization we are deeply respectful towards 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. We fully apologise for any sentiment that is hurt unintentionally. What we dont appreciate is the bullying and the rape threats by the trolls.", India Today quoted the AltBalaji producer as saying.

Many on social media also spoke up against the abuse.

Army uniform scene has been deleted from @ektarkapoor's series sometime back. And, I am sure those who think good of army dont issue rape threats to women and their children. This is wrong on so many levels. #trolls #webseries #Respect #Love #IndianArmy #EktaKapoor pic.twitter.com/km21aJMCVJ Manav Manglani (@manav22) June 5, 2020

Honestly whats with these idiotic vile men sending #rape and #deaththreats to women or for that matter anyone. Even in times like these the evil in some refused to die. Stay strong @ektarkapoor #EktaKapoor #altbalaji Puja Talwar (@pujat_GOODTIMES) June 6, 2020

This is complete cyber misogyny where #EktaKapoor is receiving threats for rape and death. This is matter of concern as the scene in question no longer exists. Anoop Samraj (@anoopsamraj) June 6, 2020

There has been an uproar on social media over a scene that was deleted and taken care of. Owing to that, #EktaKapoor has received rape and death threats which is unacceptable and totally ghastly. pic.twitter.com/i2XPb0zxCW ConnectGujarat (@ConnectGujarat) June 6, 2020

It was quite obnoxious that filmmakers of the show, who even deleted the scene in question received death and rape threats. The whole mess caused over it was really disheartening and sad to witness. #EktaKapoor pic.twitter.com/MNW79Sxxog Corona Warrior Ashwani kumar  (@BorntobeAshwani) June 5, 2020

How is disrespecting a woman right & more so, sending her rape threatsI'm baffled by how after Army scenes from an old series have been deleted, she is being targetedNot that if they weren't, this would've been justifiedWe need to think as a society#EktaKapoor @ektarkapoor Russel Olaf D'Silva (@Russel_Olaf) June 5, 2020
She has been sunning herself in St Tropez during the coronavirus lockdown.

And Victoria Silvstedt looked as glamorous as ever as she stepped out in the French Riviera town on Saturday.

The Swedish supermodel, 45, was able to finally enjoy a lunch with her boyfriend Maurice Dabbah at the famous Club 55 restaurant after France eased their lockdown restrictions.

Beach chic: Victoria Silvstedt, 45, looked stunning in St Tropez on Saturday as she walked along the seafront

The blonde beauty showed off her stunning figure in a floor length jungle print skirt as she enjoyed the sunny weather.

Victoria looked stylish in a black bikini top from luxury swimwear brand Sama Danesh, which revealed her ample assets as she walked along the seafront of the exclusive resort.

She then put on a yellow top and showed off her Dolce and Gabbana sandals as she enjoyed the lockdown outing.

Beauty: The Swedish supermodel showed off her enviable physique in a flowing jungle print skirt and a yellow top

Life of luxury: The beauty and her boyfriend Maurice Dabbah are often seen jet setting around the world

Victoria's jet-set life has skidded to a halt in the midst of the pandemic.

The model had been lapping up the sunshine in St Barts since the start of 2020, with many celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Bella Hadid and Rita Ora jetting to the Caribbean to ring in the New Year.

Victoria goes to St Barts every year and has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993.

After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate.

Happy couple: The multimillionaire Swiss businessman has been with Victoria for a number of years

Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First.

Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.
Love Island star Marcel Somerville has been rushed to hospital amid fears he's contracted COVID-19, it has been claimed.

The former Blazin' Squad star, 31, was admitted to hospital two days ago after 'vomiting violent and passing out', according to OK!.

A source told the news outlet: 'Marcel has been feeling unwell for a few days and didnt have any energy. One day he vomited violently and then passed out.

Health scare? Love Island star Marcel Somerville has been rushed to hospital amid fears he's contracted COVID-19, it has been claimed. Pictured in September 2019

'Hes been admitted to hospital and has a fever and is still feeling weak. Hes been in hospital for two days and theyre still awaiting test results to rule out coronavirus.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Marcel Somerville for comment.

The star last posted on his Instagram account two days ago, amid a string of posts supporting Black Lives Matter, ahead of his reported admission into hospital.

Daunting claims: The former Blazin' Squad star, 31, was admitted to hospital two days ago after 'vomiting violent and passing out', according to OK!. Pictured in 2017

Amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the reality star has been spending his time in lockdown with his stunning girlfriend Rebecca Vieria.

While she has not publicly spoken of her beau's reported hospitalisation, Rebecca did take to her Instagram Stories on Saturday night to repost his most recent snap on the image-sharing platform, along with the caption: 'Love you.'

Marcel and Rebecca celebrated their one-year anniversary last month, with the muscle-bound musician posting a touching tribute to his belle on social media.

Happy couple: Amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the reality star has been spending his time in lockdown with his stunning girlfriend Rebecca Vieria

Sharing a snap of himself planting a kiss on Rebecca's cheek, he wrote: 'Happy Anniversary @rebeccavieirax my sweetness! Mad spending our anniversary on lockdown but theres no one in the world Id rather be spending 24/7 with mama.

'Love you so much! Weve had a mad year, if they only knew! But were here about to start the next 365 Lets Go, Im so ready.'

For her part, Rebecca uploaded an image of the pair posing for a selfie together in a car, as she stated: 'Our First Ever Anniversary...

Anniversary: Marcel and Rebecca celebrated their one-year anniversary last month, with the muscle-bound musician posting a touching tribute to his belle on social media

'Its been probably the hardest year ever but throughout it all you have been by me and held me up, when I almost lost myself God sent me you and I look at you as a blessing everyday..

''Anniversary in quarantine but your still making every second special, since midnight actually... ready for the future my life @marcel_rockyb....'

London native Marcel appeared on the 2017 season of ITV2 dating show Love Island, in which he placed fourth alongside then-girlfriend Gabby Allen.
Emmerdale stars Natalie J. Robb and Johnny McPherson are reportedly enjoying a secret relationship.

The pair, who play maneater Moira Barton and unlucky in love Liam Cavanagh respectively, are said to have kept the romance under wraps since the start of the year.

However, according to The Mirror, Natalie, 45, and Johnny, 38, recently appeared as a couple on a recent Zoom call with some of their Emmerdale castmembers.

New love: Emmerdale stars Natalie J. Robb, 45, and Johnny McPherson, 38, are reportedly enjoying a secret relationship

A source told the publication: 'Natalie has had her fair share of romps as Moira but this time she's found love off screen. Everyone is so happy for them.

'Lockdown gave them some quality time together and they couldn't be happier. It's still early days but Natalie can't stop smiling.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Emmerdale for further comment.

The couple kept their relationship under wraps until the Zoom call for the birthday of their Emmerdale co-star Liam Fox, who plays Dan Spencer.

On screen: The pair, who play maneater Moira Barton and unlucky in love Liam Cavanagh respectively, are said to have kept the romance under wraps (Natalie pictured as Moira)

Natalie and Johnny were pictured on Zoom together looking cosy as they sat at the kitchen table.

Insiders also told the publication that the couple have been friends for a few years and went on holiday together to Lapland just before Christmas.

It appears the new romance has marked a change of heart for Natalie who recently insisted she was happy being single.

She said: 'I dont have time for romance. Statistics prove you are a lot happier and healthier now if you are single, because you dont have to compromise.

Couple: Natalie and Johnny recently appeared as a couple on a recent Zoom call with some of their Emmerdale castmembers

'You are in control. You get pickier when you get older, you know what you dont want.'

It comes after Emmerdale recently became the first soap to resume production following the coronavirus pandemic.

The rural outdoor set for Emmerdale has been dramatically revamped so that actors can be filmed from above now that social distanced filming has begun.

It was revealed by a fan that scaffolding platforms have been put up around houses in the village where the show is filmed so that cameramen could shoot the cast from up high.

A source said: 'Natalie has had her fair share of romps as Moira but this time she's found love off screen. Everyone is so happy for them' (Johnny pictured as Liam Cavanagh)

The soap has begun a phased return in order to minimise risk of infection at the studio, with Nicola Wheeler and Eden Taylor Draper also among the first to return.

New safety measures have been put in place at ITV studios including medical screening, safe-distance queuing and ambulances on set amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The area around the studio appeared to be well-signposted and notices advised the cast and crew to keep a safe distance as well as informing them about medical screenings.

Romance: Insiders also told the publication that the couple have been friends for a few years and went on holiday together to Lapland just before Christmas

The channel's Health and Safety team and medical advisers have been working closely with the government to consult on social distancing guidelines to ensure the team are working in accordance with return-to-production protocols.

This means that filming units are staying together while working in designated studios, and the crew are using their own equipment which has been sanitised in advance while office staff continue to work from home.

ITV also revealed that they would not have any shoots on location, while scripts have been adapted to include fewer scenes and a small number of actors so that the cameras don't need to be moved on a regular basis.
After bringing you the best films and shows from Korea and Latin America, we will be recommending best French films that you can be streaming on Netflix right now.

Check out the films below:

The African Doctor

The African Doctor is a 2018 comedy Drama based on the life of Seyolo Zantoko, the father of the popular rapper Kamini, who co-wrote the film. It traces the life of a recent medical graduate who after escaping a dictatorship in Congo, integrates his family in a small village in France. Tackling cultural and racial issues, it is a story of a man who struggles in a foreign land but goes on to become one of the most respected doctors of the region. It has been directed by Julien Rambaldi.

Much Loved

This 2015 French-Moroccan drama film directed by Nabil Ayouch is a commentary on the sex-trafficking and prostitution scene of Marrakesh. It is an endearing story of four friends who are sex-workers, and how they navigate the dangers and stigma attached to their profession.

Mademoiselle de Joncquieres (Lady J)

This 2018 period drama is the tale of a rich widow Madame de la Pommeraye, who with the help of the titular Mademoiselle de Joncquieres or Lady J, hatches a complicated plan to exact revenge from her ex-lover. Writer-director Emmanuel Mouret's film successfully transitions from a comedy to a tragedy and back. Taking "hell hath fury like a woman scorned" literally, this film is an enjoyable ride through 18th century France.

Le Monde Est a Toi (The World Is Yours)

Directed by Romain Gavras, this film tells the story of a small-time con artist who wants to go straight but cannot afford to. He agrees to do one last job but gets entangled with the Illuminati, an urban legend about a group on influential individuals controlling world events. The film is a social satire, comedy and thriller rolled into one. The cherry on top? The film stars the brilliant Vincent Cassel as an eccentric mobster.

Read: 6 Spanish Telenovelas You Shouldn't Miss During Lockdown

Read: Dont Miss These 7 Regional Films Streaming Right Now

Il a deja tes yeux (He Even Has Your Eyes)

This 2016 film is about a French-African couple Paul and Sali who find out that the 6-month-old baby they have been waiting to adopt is white. The film's title is a reference to the baby boy Benjamin's blue eyes. The couple goes ahead with the adoption but is immediately met with resistance by their conservative families. Even though a comedy, He Even has Your Eyes shows the various layers of aggression people of colour face. The film has been directed by Lucien Jean-Baptiste.

I Am Not An Easy Man

This is a hilarious story of a male chauvinist who finds himself in a parallel universe where stereotypical gender roles are reversed and women are considered superior to men. Here he falls in love with a woman and he has to now learn the rules of the matriarchal society that he isn't used to. A social satire which talks about feminism in a refreshing way has been written and directed by Eleonore Pourriat, who is known for films like Oppressed Majority and Our Precious Children.

Divines

Divines is a 2016 drama directed by Houda Benyamina, who won the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened under the Directors' Fortnight section. It is a unique coming-of-age story about Dounia, a teenager from a low-income Muslim household in Paris, who in order to gain power and success, enters the world of crime. This film is set at the pace of a Hollywood thriller but talks about the divide between the haves and have-nots.

Nocturama

This 2016 thriller directed by Bertrand Bonello is a dark and disturbing yet unforgettable piece of French cinema. It follows a bunch of young men and women travelling from one place to another in Paris with a mission in mind. They gather in a shopping mall to wait for their plan to pan out but get bored out of their wits and engage in a chain of destructive behaviour. Deeply existentialist, this film is nothing short of a trip. It is also a visual treat with long tracking shots that only accentuate the situational nihilism.

Read: 6 K-Dramas That Can Sort Out Your Binge List For Weeks

Read: Move Over Dark, Here Are 7 Other Foreign Language Netflix Shows You Can Binge Watch

Follow @News18Movies for more
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On Monday, Simi Valley City Councilman Mike 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."

Judge later removed the post and told CBS News that the meme was a joke: "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."

A screenshot of Simi Valley Councilman Mike Judge's original post.

Several community members responded online by sharing screenshots of the message and asking Judge to resign. That sentiment was echoed at today's protests in Simi Valley, where demonstraters marching about two miles to City Hall.

(Aaron Schrank/LAist)

In an additional post, which was later deleted and then re-posted with an apology, the councilman responds to a local black teenager, who asked for his support for today's protest. (It was organized by a high school.)

"As a young black teenager who was raised and attended public schools in Simi Valley, I would greatly appreciate your support as a young resident of this city," Mikiiya Foster wrote. "It would mean a lot to me and to the youth of this community if you were to come to our peaceful protest for solidarity on Saturday, June 6, 2020...I think this would be a great way to show that you stand with not only the black people of your community, but minorities across the board. As a community member, I do not want to see any violence or destruction of our community. If you were to #walk with us you would send a great message showing that Simi officials stand with all members of the community and support a more inclusive society."

Here is an excerpt from Judge's response:

I am very hard pressed to find one example of a truly peaceful protest. Almost all of the protest to date, have turned to Violence and destruction. You stated that you did not want this to happen in your home town? To date we (The City of Simi Valley) have have been targeted on social media platforms with threats of violence and with blatant acts of destructive graffiti in our city. Most people that live in Simi Valley choose to because it doesn't have the problems of larger metropolitan areas and for the safety and security of small town living.





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In the post, he declined her invitation to attend the protest, but said he supported her right to do so, and said he would not stand for racism of any kind.

On June 4, Judge said he "erroneously" deleted the post from his public Facebook page, and decided to re-post it "in the interest of transparency."

"I apologize for it having gone missing," he said.

Simi Valley has a complicated history with racism in Southern California. In 1992, the trial for the LAPD officers who beat 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.

Part of a group of about 100 protesters gather outside the East County Courthouse, 05 May 1992 in Simi Valley, to protest the verdict in the trial of the four police officers who were acquitted in the Rodney King case. The subsequent Los Angeles riots erupted 29 when a mostly white jury acquitted the four police officers accused in the videotaped beating of King after he fled from police. 52 people were killed during the riots and King became a reluctant symbol of police brutality. (AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

In his reponse to Foster, Judge defended Simi Valley's reputation from the Rodney King trial, which he said was moved to his city "so the court could have access to an untainted jury pool."

He said he feels that since then, the city has been "branded unfairly."

On June 1, Judge posted a message from Simi Valley's mayor, Keith Mashburn, which was a reponse to a letter he wrote to the mayor earlier in the week, expressing "deep concern" for Saturday's protest. Mashburn said the city was well prepared to handle the event and that the police department would be there to "assist those exercising their free speech rights."

Judge said he was concerned after the Simi Valley Police Department received several calls threatening to "riot and loot" in the area. A police department spokeperson shared these concerns and asked the community to share information about potential civil unrest with officers.

In 2013, Judge was criticized for posting links to topless and naked women on his Facebook page. Judge defended himself, saying: "There's no porn on my Facebook page."

Judge spent 30 years working for the Los Angeles Police Dept., and has served in both the U.S. Army and the National Guard.

WE LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
The people of Edda community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi, has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr Mohammed Adamu ...

The call was made through a Save Our Souls (SOS) letter by Edda Intervention and Rescue Initiative, a group pressing for the rights of people of Edda clan, and submitted to the IGP in Abuja.Coordinator of the group, Chief Abia Onyeike, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja that, in the letter dated May 20, about 22 cases of murder, torture, assault, rape and other crimes were allegedly visited on the people.Onyeike, a former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi, complained in the letter that the incidents had been happening since 2007 with some of them reported to the police but no action taken.He gave an instance with a development that occurred in Owutu Edda between May 2 and May 6 when three incidents of murder by alleged cult groups were linked to politicians.The former commissioner noted that another incident occurred on May 10, at Ogwuma Edda where 20-year-old Oji Sunday recounted how he was almost buried alive.Onyeike also recalled how another young man of 19, Chidi Oji was also gunned down and his body taken away by the alleged killers on March 27, at Nguzu, Edda.Our complaint is about the death of four persons between March 27 and May 6, and not a single arrest has been made.Even when arrests are made, the accused persons who walk free are left out while people unconnected with the incident are apprehended and later released to send the impression that something was done.Gov. Dave Umahi had addressed the state and called on the police and the DSS to do their work at the last killings, not a single person has been arrested.Almost all these incidents have been linked to members of a group called Morekanbedone which is said to be a terror group serving the interest of a particular politician in Edda.And some of the incidents not linked to them are still politically motivated and we want answers to all these if there is still law and order in Nigeria, Ebonyi and Edda, Onyeike said.According to him, the people now live in fear and intimidation and therefore appeals with the IGP for rescue.We have written the IGP, the DG of the Department of State Security (DSS), the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.We have also written to the Chief of Army Staff because we cant bear the terror any more, otherwise we will all be dead.Edda cries to these agencies to know if their rights have been subsumed under those of the Morkanbedone members rights to kill and not be punished.As helpless people who had already ceded their rights to self-protect to the state, we seek immediate and sufficient protection of the state before all of us are murdered and gone.We want the allegations proven and justice served because the silence of the past is what made their instrumentality of carnage so potent. There should be a stop now, he added.When contacted, Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Frank Mbah, told NAN that he was not aware of the letter.He assured to get back to NAN when the information on the development got to his table.
Protesters march near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality on June 6, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/ AFP)

Thousands Hopeful for Meaningful Change Gather in Washington

WASHINGTONThousands of protesters gathered at the nations capital on June 6, coming together in the hope of inspiring meaningful change in policing following the death of George Floyd in police custody.

While a mix of all ages and ethnicities joined the protest, the majority of protesters appeared to be black and younger than 40.

With the sun still up at 7:30 p.m., the atmosphere was peaceful and unified.

The protest in the nations capital was shaping up as the largest of the marches seen this week in cities and towns nationwide, as well as around the world. It coincided with a second memorial service for Floyd, 46, in North Carolina.

Several protesters told The Epoch Times that they were encouraged by the presence of different ethnicities.

At first, I wasnt going to come. But then I just saw all the solidarity and unity  people of all races were down here, and I was like, This is about me as a black man, I gotta come there, said Mark Jackson, 55.

Alex Y., a white female, shared the same optimism as Jackson.

It does make me proud to be an American to know that we can come out here and do this. Most people are good and decent, and are out here for good reasons. That inspires me, she told The Epoch Times.

She said shed been frustrated that Americans are still having to talk about policing issues in 2020, but that the protests had changed her mind, leaving her feeling more optimistic.

At least its being brought to the forefront a little bitthat part is inspiring, she said.

Demonstrators march on Pennsylvania Avenue during a protest against police brutality and racism, in Washington on June 6, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The death of Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest last month, has sparked a nationwide uproar with occasional looting, arson, and vandalism.

Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who knelt 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 second-degree murder.

Chauvins wife, who is of Hmong descent, has filed for a divorce.

Protesters Appeal for Meaningful Change

While most protesters mentioned stopping police brutality as the primary reason they joined the protest, they expressed different views in their specific objectives.

Ressa M., a 33-year-old resident of Washington, told The Epoch Times that she felt material policy changes are necessary at the federal and state level.

I think that protests and shows of support for the movement will continue until we see meaningful change. By meaningful change, I mean policy and action that will hopefully prevent such things from happening in the future, she said.

Lauren D., 33, also a Washington resident, joined the protest with a more specific objective. She was calling to demilitarize the police.

The police have way too much power, and theyre not trained well enough. Its not necessary for them to have warlike materials and supplies just to defend and protect civilians, she said. This is not wartime.

They need to go back to protecting and serving.  When the citizens disagree with how the state is acting and were coming out to protest, [they] cant just quash the protest. We have our First Amendment rights.

Some joined the protests without specific requests to lawmakers and government, just wanting to show their solidarity for black Americans.

Ill tell you that I dont, I dont necessarily know. Ive seen people out here with different beliefs, James Graham, a protester from Northern Virginia, told The Epoch Times when asked about his specific objective of joining the protest.

He said he was walking away from the protest with a lot of hope for the future of the country.

Tolerance for Violent Protesters Differs

While some protesters condemned the rioting amid the mostly peaceful protests, others expressed tolerance of the violence to different extents.

Alex said she believes that that violence amid the protests must be stopped.

Its dangerous. Its unfortunate that its gotten to this point. I can understand people are really angry and dont feel listened [to], she told The Epoch Times. I think there are people who are taking advantage of the larger situation and circumstances.

Robin Riddick, a D.C. resident, told reporters that he doesnt agree with protesters who are violent.

But Ive noticed that, as the days have gone by, its been more peaceful and more peaceful. We will learn how we can still be out here and get our voices heard without tearing up [society], she said.

However, some protesters seemed to suggest that some property damage was acceptable to them.

Thats just a consequence of the movement, unfortunately, but those things can be replaced, Lauren said. Its not a human life that has been lost.

Lauren emphasized that the communities have come together to rebuild after the damage done.

Peoples homes might have been burned down or businesses; the community has also come together to support and donate to GoFundMe to help these people rebuild, she said. So  there might have been damage, but people are already getting the funds that they need to rebuild, so theres not really any consequence there.

Graham also held the view that property damage was an acceptable aspect of the protests.

Im not worried about property. Property is not important on the grand scale of lives, he said.

But he said he drew the line at loss of life, saying that such behavior is disgusting.

Reuters contributed to the report.

Charlotte Cuthbertson Senior Reporter Follow Charlotte Cuthbertson is a senior reporter with The Epoch Times who primarily covers border security and the opioid crisis.
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Tropical Storm Cristobal had made landfall in southeast Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The third named storm of the 2020 hurricane season came onshore at 5 p.m. Sunday between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Grand Isle, according to forecasters. It had winds near 50 mph at the time.

Cristobal had begun to weaken late Sunday. However, the hurricane center said tropical storm force winds continued to lash the Gulf Coast from southeastern Louisiana to Mississippi and Alabama as Cristobal moved farther inland.

Heavy rain and storm surge also continued to affect coastal areas from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, with up to 5 feet of surge possible before its over.

Cristobal made landfall in Louisiana, but much of its worst weather was located far to the east of its center, which means that Mississippi and parts of Alabama will have to stay on guard through tonight.

Cristobal remains a broad and asymmetric storm, the hurricane center said Sunday. Therefore, one should not focus on the exact forecast track, since the associated winds, storm surge, and rainfall extend well away (from) the center.

Cristobal will bring gusty winds up to a foot of rain, storm surge and tornadoes to parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida through Monday.

545pm - GOES-East Satellite loop shows Tropical Storm #Cristobal along the north central Gulf Coast this evening.



 Want to view more imagery of Tropical Storm Cristobal? Check out this link: https://t.co/VC2RHBSq4q pic.twitter.com/7O8ZvQeiz7  NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) June 7, 2020

As of 10 p.m. CDT Sunday, Tropical Storm Cristobal was located about 20 miles north-northwest of New Orleans, La., and was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.

Cristobals winds dropped to 45 mph. The hurricane center said Cristobal will continue to slowly weaken now that its center is inland.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles mainly east of the center. The hurricane center said an observing site on the Okaloosa Florida Fishing Pier measured 39 mph winds and a gust to 49 mph. A NOAA automated site at Dauphin Island reported sustained winds of 41 mph and a gust to 48 mph.

Cristobal will continue to track northward overnight, the hurricane center said. The center will move inland across southeastern Louisiana through early Monday, then northward across Arkansas and Missouri Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

Here are the watches and warnings as of late Sunday. The storm surge watch along the coast of Louisiana from east of Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi River has been discontinued. The tropical storm warning west of Morgan City, La., has also been discontinued:

* A storm surge warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Miss., and Lake Borgne.

* A tropical storm warning is in effect from Morgan City, La., to the Okaloosa/Walton County line in Florida, and includes Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

The hurricane center said 3 to 5 feet of storm surge will be possible along the coast from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Miss., with lesser amounts elsewhere.

The Alabama coast and Mobile Bay could see 1 to 3 feet as well.

Cristobal could also bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with isolated areas getting up to a foot.

Tornadoes will also be possible in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as rain bands from Cristobal move inland.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Vice President Leni Robredo told the Department of Health to ask for assistance from the private sector, amid its deficiencies and inconsistencies.

Kung sobrang overloaded na tayo, hingi na tayo ng tulong... Iyong mga pwedeng i-assign sa private, i-assign na sa private, Robredo said Sunday in her weekly radio show Biserbisyong Leni.

[Translation: If you feel overloaded, ask for help. Those that can be assigned to the private (sector), assign to them.]

The vice president said that she understands the challenges that the DOH is facing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, however, she thinks that the handling of the problem lacks system.

Sana iyong mga nagma-manage, i-professionalize na lahat kasi talagang iyong buong taumbayan iyong magsa-suffer kung hindi systematic, hindi strategic, hindi organized iyong pagtrabaho, Robredo said.

[Translation: I hope those who are managing (the system), professionalize everything already because the citizens will suffer if it is not systematic, not strategic, and unorganized.]

She cited the slow accreditation process for laboratories. The vice president said that what the DOH can do is accredit the private laboratories that can really help them improve the testing process.

Robredo also cited the departments inconsistencies when it comes to data. She said the department can ask for help from the private sector because surely there will be firms willing to help improve the system.

As of June 5, the country has 41 licensed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratories and 13 licensed GeneXpert laboratories. There are 141 applications for accreditation, 112 of which are at stage 3 or above.

The government earlier said that the countrys estimated testing capacity is at 32,000 tests daily, but actual testing capacity is 8,500 to 9,000 per day.

READ: PH surpasses 30,000 target daily COVID-19 testing capacity  Roque

The DOH also changed its way of presenting data to differentiate fresh cases from late cases, amid an alarming surge in infections as the country transitioned to more relaxed quarantine restrictions.

READ: DOH reporting of COVID-19 cases more accurate, transparent  Garin

The total number of cases in the country has already exceeded 21,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 05:10:42|Editor: huaxia

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ADEN, Yemen, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 482 on Saturday, as 13 new cases were confirmed.

The Yemeni Health Ministry said in a brief statement that during the past 24 hours, 13 cases of COVID-19 were detected in the country's southwestern province of Taiz that's controlled by the internationally-recognized government.

The ministry said that the number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas increased to 23 since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus on April 10.

Also, the government announced that the death toll from the deadly respiratory disease climbed to 111 in different areas under its control, including the southern port city of Aden.

The Yemeni government has taken several measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, including imposing a partial overnight curfew in Aden and other major cities under its control.

The government called on donors and relevant international humanitarian organizations to provide support to help contain the pandemic.

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
Real Madrid have offered Bayer Leverkusen 71million (80m euros) for star Kai Havertz and are willing to let him stay in the Bundesliga for another season, according to reports in Germany.

The 20-year-old is expected to leave Leverkusen at the end of the campaign after an outstanding season in which he has scored 15 goals and recorded eight assists.

That record includes five goals in four appearances for the Germany international - who is also being tracked by Bayern Munich - since the return of the Bundesliga last month.

Real Madrid have reportedly offered Bayer Leverkusen 71million for star Kai Havertz

But BILD claim that Madrid are looking to beat the 'long list' of competitors for Havertz's signature by offering to let him stay in the Bundesliga until 2021.

The report claims that such an agreement could be advantageous for both clubs, with Leverkusen able to reinvest the money in the upcoming transfer window while Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane would secure one of the best midfield talents in Europe.

The German outlet also states Havertz is striving to make a decision regarding his future this summer, even though Bayern would reportedly prefer to make their move for him next season.

The German has scored 15 goals and recorded eight assists for Leverkusen so far this season

The report emerges a day after Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes admitted Havertz could go anywhere in the transfer window.

'We don't know yet what will happen to Kai,' Rolfes told Marca.

'We know that all the greats from Germany and Europe are after him and that he has the ability to play anywhere.

'He is a fantastic player and, for many years, Bayern has always been behind the young talents of Germany.

But Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is willing to let Havertz stay in Germany until 2021

'But we have to wait, there are many factors that can have an influence. His future is not yet decided at all.

'I can only say that I love to see him play, especially for as long as possible in the Leverkusen shirt. I have no preferences when it comes to other teams.

'He will be one of the great dominant players of the next 10 years.'
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Police are asking for the publics help in identifying men who are seen in the pictures shown here in connection with rioting and arson during the May 30 protests in downtown Cleveland.

Cleveland police, along with other law enforcement agencies, are working to pursue criminal charges against anyone who committed acts of violence during these protests, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said.

Information and crime tips can be provided to CrimeStoppers by calling 216-252-7463. The public also can upload information, photos and videos here.

Police are working to identify this man during the May 30 protests that turned violent in downtown Cleveland.Cleveland police

Read more crime stories at cleveland.com:

Man dead, woman injured after 50 shots fired in Clevelands Central neighborhood, police say

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
Although the protests and riots in the wake of George Floyds death are now nationwide, Ground Zero is still Minneapolis. It was in that Democrat-run city that Floyd met his end. Since then, Mayor Jacob Frey, a 38-year-old Democrat, has been trying to surf the wave of protests without wiping out and drowning.

On Saturday, Frey wiped out when the mob literally booed him off the street for displaying some residual common sense by refusing to do away entirely with the police department. Whether Frey drowns remains to be seen. The wokesters may be mad at him now, but unless theres an open communist on the mayoral ticket in November, hes the best theyve got.

Wearing his little I cant breathe mask, but making no effort at social distancing, Frey appeared at Minneapoliss latest leftist street theater to confess his and his citys race-based sins. Its part laughable, part nauseating to watch him confess his guilt to his Maoist interlocutors.

The saddest thing of all is that he genuinely believes his confession. Their protest is forcing him to say it, but hes speaking from the heart.

At the end of Frey's self-abasement, the woman moderating asks him if hes going to protect Minneapolis from its gun-toting policeman by defunding the police department entirely. She also makes it clear that the wrong answer means no one will vote for him in the next election.

Frey, showing some vestige of common sense, reluctantly says no, he will not defund the police department. He knows that, without a police department, Minneapolis will be the worst of all worlds, a combination of anarchy and vigilantism. The mob boos him and forces him to retire:

Frey then literally does a walk of shame, for the assembled mob shouts shame, shame, shame as he slinks away:

One of the most tragic things about Frey is that he graduated from the College of William and Mary, which was founded in 1693, making it the second oldest college in the United States. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler attended William and Mary, as did U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, sixteen members of the Continental Congress, and four signers of the Declaration of Independence. George Washington received his surveyors license at William and Mary and was the colleges first American Chancellor.

That this miserable, mewling socialist represents modern American government, tells us how far weve fallen from those mens grand constitutional dream of a nation dedicated to individual liberty. It does not matter that the founding generation fell so short of its ideals, whether by owning slaves or allowing slavery. The ideals were the right ones and apply to all people, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, and so forth. America's virtue lies in the fact that we've figured that out over the past two-and-a-half centuries.

Meanwhile, the feckless Frey has given his allegiance to an ideology that is rooted in slavery and violence. Since the French Revolution, its relentless focus on collectivism and the state has devolved into soft or hard tyranny wherever its been applied. Frey may survive Saturday's wipe-out and win the election, but the mere fact that he exists on the political scene shows that America is losing.
An impression of what the bridge could look like.

No study has been carried out to test the feasibility of Boris Johnson's proposed bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The UK Government confirmed that no money has been spent on the idea which has been proposed several times this year by the Prime Minister, the Scottish Sun reports.

This is despite Mr Johnson ordering Whitehall officials to look at the project to find out whether it would work.

But a Cabinet Office spokesperson said that "no external work has been commissioned by departments on a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland".

The statement, in response to a Freedom of Information request from the BBC, read: "A range of officials across different departments and within the Cabinet Office are looking into general options to improve connectivity between the nations of the UK.

"This work is at a very early stage in the policymaking process and there are no completed studies on the feasibility of a road and/or rail bridge between Northern Ireland and the GB mainland.

"No money has been spent on specific proposals of a bridge between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, beyond the salaries of policy officials.

The project would see the building of a 20-mile link between Larne and Stranraer.

The idea has been backed by the DUP, with MP Sammy Wilson saying that Mr Johnson could "win back the trust" of unionists by building a link between Northern Ireland and the mainland United Kingdom.

Relations between the DUP and Mr Johnson have become strained over his Brexit deal which would effectively put a border down the Irish sea.

Mr Johnson is understood to have wanted to find out how the project, which would cost around 15 billion, could be funded.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, speaking last October, said Mr Johnson was "genuinely interested" in building the bridge.

I know people dismiss it, but I dont. It needs to be looked at. It needs to be at least examined," he said.

Critics have hit out at the cost of the bridge and spoken of the risks of World War Two munitions still in the Irish Sea.

However, Scotland's Transport Secretary Michael Matheson called it "a vanity project".
We wont be silent. Even though this is peaceful, we will be loud, and we will continue to fight, said Kyndal McDonald, an economics major at Spelman College who cited the 1965 civil rights marches at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., as an inspiration.
Imperial Valley News Center

Commemorating the 31st Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre

Washington, DC - The American people reflect on the courage and optimism of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens who gathered peacefully 31 years ago in Beijing and throughout China to protest widespread official corruption and demand a greater say in the governance of their country. The Chinese Communist Partys slaughter of unarmed Chinese civilians was a tragedy that will not be forgotten. The United States calls on China to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and to provide a full accounting of those who were killed, detained, or remain missing in connection with the events surrounding the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989.

On this day of remembrance, the people of the United States call upon the Chinese government to fulfill its commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, to uphold the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all Chinese citizens under Chinas constitution, and to end the systematic persecution of millions of ethnic and religious minorities. The American people stand together with all Chinese citizens in their pursuit of fundamental rights, including the right to accountable and representative governance and freedom of speech, assembly, and religious belief.
By Makini Brice and Katanga Johnson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

By Makini Brice and Katanga Johnson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

"I'm over being walked over, mentally, physically, emotionally," Knox said at a protest outside the U.S. Capitol. "Enough is enough."

Floyd's death has sparked protests nationwide and around the world, engulfing city streets with thousands of demonstrators.

Many of the demonstrators who milled around the U.S. Capitol this week were black people in their twenties who, like Knox, had felt compelled after Floyd's death to march on the streets for the first time.

The U.S. 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.

"It's not to say that Ferguson did not anger us, but there's 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 U.S. President Donald Trump isn't voted out of office, and a new generation doesn't 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 U.S. 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: "It's 2020! This should not be happening still. It really shouldn't. I'm 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 Floyd's 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 Floyd's 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."

(Reporting by Makini Brice and Katanga Johnson; Editing by Heather Timmons and Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
OTTAWA - Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/6/2020 (593 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are shown at Residence Yvon-Brunet, a long-term care home in Montreal, Saturday, May 16, 2020. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

OTTAWA - Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions.

The unusual scenario follows the deployment of hundreds of service members in April and May to more than two-dozen nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec hit hard by COVID-19.

Damning military reports later said the troops found cases of abuse and negligence in the homes, including bug infestations, aggressive feeding of residents that caused choking, bleeding infections and residents left crying for help for hours.

Stephen Birman and Lucy Jackson of Toronto law firm Thomson Rogers are leading a proposed $20-million class-action lawsuit brought against the Altamonte Care Community on behalf of the Toronto home's residents and their families.

The lawsuit against Altamonte and its parent company, Sienna Senior Living Inc., alleges negligence and breach of duty over a lack of proper protocols and training as well as severe understaffing and a lack of proper equipment before and during the pandemic.

It is one of several court actions brought against long-term care facilities since COVID-19 first hit in earnest in March, ravaging many homes across the country. Nursing home residents and staff account for the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths in Canada.

Birman and Jackson say the troops' firsthand observations could be critical in proving their clients' claims against the home, particularly as lockdowns imposed since March have made it difficult to impossible for residents' families to get into the facility.

"The military is in a position to provide very helpful evidence," Birman told The Canadian Press.

"They came in as a third party, as an objective observer, and they saw and identified a horrendous and shocking situation that may never have come to the forefront to the extent that it has if not for their involvement."

The military report on Altamonte includes allegations most residents did not get receive their medication or proper meals and many had been left in bed for long periods without being moved or washed. There were also concerns about staff shortages and training.

Similar observations were made about the other four Ontario facilities, including bug infestations, aggressive feeding of residents and residents being left crying for hours The Quebec report was less critical, but did raise concerns about staff shortages.

None of the allegations in the reports or the proposed lawsuit, which was filed on June 1, have been proven in court.

Birman and Jackson are now collecting information to bolster their case for getting the lawsuit certified as a class action, which involves talking to as many residents, family members, staff as well as military personnel as possible.

Military spokeswoman Lt. Stephany Lura said military personnel had the same obligation to report to their commanders whatever observations they had while working in the long-term care facilities, as they would with any other mission.

"Like any other Canadian, CAF members may be called upon as witnesses," she added. "This situation is no different. Our members will receive all necessary support from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces should it be needed."

While inviting service members to reach out to them, Birman and Jackson suggested service members could also be compelled to provide eyewitness accounts and other information through affidavits and other procedures.

"I would think everybody who's involved in this important matter would want to hear from the military when this matter makes its way to the courts," Birman said. "We will do everything we can to gather their evidence so it forms part of the record in this case."

The military had more than 1,000 service members in 15 long-term care facilities in Quebec and almost 500 in five homes in Ontario last week.

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While officials confirmed Sunday that operations at one of those Ontario homes, Orchard Villa in Pickering, had ended, the military appeared poised to deploy into another home in the city of Vaughan, north of Toronto.

"We can confirm that CAF is onsite at Woodbridge Vista today to do an onsite assessment," said Gillian Sloggett, spokeswoman for Ontario Minister of Long-term Care Merrilee Fullerton.

"We are grateful for CAF's continued support and we will have more news to share about next steps in the coming days."

Talks around the continued provision of service members to long-term care facilities in Quebec until September are underway between Ottawa and the provincial government.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2020.

 With files from Allison Jones and Salmaan Farooqui in Toronto.
Pennsylvania National Guard walking along Kensington Ave in Philadelphia on Thursday, June 4, 2020. The Guard was in Philadelphia during several days of protests and looting around the city. Read more

Saturday morning, 20 people gathered on Frankford and Allegheny Avenues and marched down Allegheny, crossing under the El and passing the National Guard troops that have loomed over their damaged neighborhood for days.

Organized for a peace and unity event, the marchers passed looted buildings as they chanted Black Lives Matter and the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both victims of police brutality.

Protesters drew cheers from residents hanging out rowhouse windows and approving honks from drivers on the avenue.

Jameara Austin, 24, a Kensington resident, said she was there both to speak out for black lives, and also to show that residents of Kensington care about changing their community.

Everyone is saying this year has been crazy  I think this year was more about change, she said. And sometimes things have to get destroyed for a change to happen. People are just tired.

Kensington Avenue  home to so many Philadelphia crises, from the opioid epidemic to gun violence -- is a place that lives in constant tension between police, permanent residents, and people in addiction. It now is recovering from the looting that had taken place there on May 31.

Elsewhere, the city had been exploding in protests calling for justice in the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Looting began in Center City last Saturday night and spread to Kensington by the wee hours of Sunday. But the damage to about 10 stores on the avenue felt especially terrible for a community already battered by official neglect, commercial disinvestment, years at the epicenter of drug deaths, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, those who serve the most vulnerable residents in this fragile place are trying to figure out how to be there for their clients at the most uncertain of times.

The day after the destruction, the city shuttered food distribution programs for a day. Those who run them, like Kensington resident Roz Pichardo, had to turn hungry people away. She also works with the public health center and needle exchange, Prevention Point, which shut down for a day to sort out how to operate safely amid more potential looting or destruction.

What else could happen? said Jose Benitez, who runs Prevention Point. In the last year, he said, his clients have weathered another spike in fatal overdoses, a hepatitis A outbreak, and then, losing services they rely on as COVID-19 threw operations into lockdown.

Pichardo, who lives just off the avenue, said neighbors who normally dont rely on social services were hurting too.

Its painful, its painful, its painful, she said on Monday. Food stores werent plentiful before the looting; after, she didnt know where shed be able to find groceries.

Real people, real concerns

Farther south, in the Hartranft neighborhood, local leaders spoke of supporting protests against police brutality, while helping a community that long has borne the brunt of heavy policing tactics in Philadelphia.

We have been looking at ways to make sure we are standing in the gap for our community, said Elder Melanie DuBouse, the director of Childrens Mission and the pastor of Evangel Chapel on Germantown Avenue, southwest of Kensington Avenues main business corridor. Shes also a co-chair of the board of POWER, the interfaith activist organization that has long been protesting for police reform.

She had a surge of new clients at the churchs regular food distribution on Tuesday, she said. But the church, which serves a mostly black and Latino population, has been fighting food insecurity, addiction, poor education opportunities, and police harassment for years.

These are real people, with real concerns, and real problems, and the disproportionate, negative attention that we get from the police only exacerbates the issues, she said.

Is anyone going to fix it for them?

For people in addiction on Kensington Avenue, the last week  and the last several months  has been even more precarious than usual, advocates said. Services like the drop-in center at Prevention Point, where homeless people in addiction could find a few hours respite, have had to close because of social distancing rules during the pandemic.

People feel so defeated and so isolated. This is their community, this is where they are. Is anyone going to fix it for them? said Carol Rostucher, the founder of Angels in Motion, an outreach group on the avenue.

At Prevention Points shelter, staff has been focused on keeping its residents safe during the pandemic and making sure that people have as much support as they possibly can and space to be heard, said Kate Perch, the organizations housing coordinator.

Rachel Freeman, whos lived at the shelter since July after being evicted from her home in Kensington, said hearing the looting and fires from inside the shelter had been terrifying. Trying to find food in a neighborhood of shuttered bodegas and convenience stores had been daunting.

David M. Lewis, 41, in recovery from a heroin addiction, said he supported the protests due to Floyds killing but also shared Freemans fears.

As a black man, he said he has suffered police harassment based on his race and his addiction. Enough is enough, and it got to a point where this mans death was the tipping of the cup," he said.

Amid the unrest last Sunday, he felt safe at the shelter.

We came together, we made it through, and we made each other feel safe, he said.

At Saturdays march, protecting and encouraging the people of Kensington was a clear theme.

I came out, one, because Im an African American woman who has experienced racism. The earliest was at 8 years old, said Francine Tucker, the dean of students at Deep Roots Charter School.

I want my students to see Im fighting for them," said Tucker, who was there with several teachers and students. "I want to ensure they have a brighter future.
Kate Middleton and Prince Williams recent move against a British magazine goes against a long-standing rule in the royal family. Since the 1930s, the royals have adopted the saying never complain, never explain as their motto for handling the press. But Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and William seemingly abandoned this rule by filing a lawsuit against Tatler magazine for an article they reportedly felt was sexist and woman-shaming at its very worst.

Prince William and Kate Middleton | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Kate Middleton and Prince William were highly offended by a magazine article

Tatler started the drama with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when it published an article last week titled Catherine the Great. In the article, writer Anna Pasternak claimed that Kate was feeling exhausted and trapped in the wake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles exit.

The author also compared Kate to Williams late mother, Princess Diana, and not in a flattering light. Pasternak noted that fans believe Kate might be suffering from similar eating disorders as Diana due to the added stress.

In light of the publication, an inside source revealed that William and Kate were very offended by the article. According to Daily Mail, the insider said that the article was full of lies and that Kate and William felt like it was disgusting work.

RELATED: Meghan Markle Has an Intriguing Connection to the Journalist Who Wrote That Scathing Article About Kate Middleton

That is such an extremely cruel and wounding barb. Its disgusting. Its sexist and woman-shaming at its very worst, the source shared. The piece is full of lies. There is no truth to their claim that the Duchess feels overwhelmed with work, nor that the Duke is obsessed with Carole Middleton. Its preposterous and downright wrong.

The insider went on to say that the piece was an example of class snobbery and that the Cambridges could not believe the claims about Kates sister, Pippa Middleton.

Kate and William have not commented on the drama, but their actions indicate that there is some truth to the reports.

Have Kate Middleton and Prince William abandoned the never complain, never explain rule?

The never complain, never explain saying was actually coined by Benjamin Disraeli. The rule was adopted by King George VIs wife in 1936 and was passed down to Queen Elizabeth when she took the throne in the 1950s.

The royals have stuck by the saying for the past 80 years, but it looks like the younger generation is forging a different path. Last year, for example, Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, sued several British tabloids for publishing personal letters she wrote to her father.

Although it seemed as though Kate and William were following in Queen Elizabeths footsteps in this regard, the couple has officially filed a lawsuit against Tatler for the article about Kate. The two reportedly want Tatler to take down the article and are now taking legal action against the magazine.

There is no telling what will happen with the lawsuit, but this is a major shift for the royals. Previously, Kate and William have only taken things to court in extreme situations, like the time a French outlet posted topless photos of her.

Unfortunately, Kate and William have not commented on the lawsuit, but Tatler recently released a statement confirming that the Cambridges reached out.

What did Tatler have to say about the drama?

A spokesperson for the magazine recently revealed that Kate and Williams lawyers sent them letters requesting that they remove the article at once. Tatler, however, refused to take down the piece and said that the lawsuit has no merit.

We can confirm we have received correspondence from lawyers acting for the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge and believe it has no merit, the spokesperson shared.

It is unclear why Kate and William have suddenly shifted their stance on how they deal with the media, but some experts believe the lawsuit is a warning shot to the press that they will not condone this type of reporting.

RELATED: Kate Middletons Friends Claim She Keeps Her Head Down and Speaks Like the Queen As She Prepares For Prince William to Take the Throne

Kensington Palace has yet to issue a statement on the lawsuit. An editor at Tatler, however, has since come forward and supported Pasternaks article. They are making it clear that the magazine has no intention of taking it down.

Kate and William, meanwhile, are currently hunkering down at their country estate, Anmer Hall, due to the coronavirus pandemic. They are fulfilling some of their royal duties via video calls but are not expected to pick up their regular schedule until things calm down.
The Coronavirus pandemic, floods and landslides have forced the government to push the planned pay rise for civil servants to 2023.



Authorities in Public Service docket revealed that only public universities' academic staff will get salary increments in the forthcoming financial year 2020/2021.



Ms Catherine Bitarakwate, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, yesterday told journalists in Kampala that they needed Shs350b for the salary increment of all public servants. There are 319,000 civil servants in the country.



Government is ready to increase the pay for its servants but this will be in phased manner. It is going to release only Shs50b in the 2020/2021 Budget for pay rise and all this will go to staff in public universities. Other public servants will get theirs in 2022 and 2023, so they should be patient, she said.



100 percent rise



Ms Bitarakwate said academic professors and associate professors would get 100 percent increment while other lecturers will get theirs in phases.



She added that other servants, including teachers, scientists, and health workers will get their pay rise in 2022 and the administrative staff in 2023.



The permanent secretary said the administrative staff includes undersecretaries, chief administrative officers, accountants, secretaries, drivers and office attendants.



However, lecturers had wanted the government to distribute the Shs50b among all academic staff equally.



The Minister of Public Service, Mr Muruli Mukasa, said there was no money to increase salaries of all staff in public universities by 100 percent.



We decided to increase the salaries of our professors to retain them in the country because their colleagues in the [East African] region are getting more. Other lecturers should wait for their share, Mr Mukasa said. He said lecturers should be grateful because their salaries had tremendously been increased.



It is their right to strike but at the moment, we do not have enough money to increase their salaries at once. We have other problems such as Covid-19, floods and landslide that have destroyed property, Mr Mukasa said.



The minister also revealed that since 2016, the public sector wage has grown from Shs2.8 trillion to about Shs5 trillion in 2019/2020, an indication that it has increased the wage bill by Shs2 trillion.



Mr Mukasa also said the new pension schemes that will require all public servants to contribute 5 percent and government 10 percent towards the fund will be ready next year.



He said once enacted into law, it will address government, sustainably and equity problems associated with the current unfunded fund.

Source: GNA









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I took my kids through the Great Adventure Drive-thru safari. It took exactly two-and-a-half hours to even get in the park, door-to-door. The traffic was backed up practically to the exit off I-195.

Once we got in, we crawled through the safari.

By the time we got home, I had spent over five hours straight behind the wheel. I also had a pinched nerve or a muscle spasm or who knows what in my neck/shoulder/trapezius region (later IDs as an elevated first rib, which doesnt sound that horrible, but it hurts like hell, and should be renamed a f****** elevated first rib. Anyway )

Anyway, the kids  11, 9, and 6  predictably vacillated between 1) loud and 2) loud and obnoxious while in the car for five-plus hours. Speaking personally, I was hot, tired, in need of a bathroom, a stiff drink, and a good stretch.

Now.

If you know me, or have been following me for any stretch of time, you probably know how I reacted to this situation: With angst, anger, and a-holeness.

Except.

Except I didnt. I didnt complain, I didnt raise my voice, I didnt have my heart rate zoom past ludicrous and straight to plaid.

Nope. I just sat back, gawked at the rhinos, and had a pleasant day. Despite the screaming, the lines, the five hours in the car, the neck/shoulder 

So what changed? How come I didnt lose my shizz? How come I was able to patiently sit in a car and drive 5 MPH for three straight hours? How come I didnt threaten to pull the car over and walk home (something Ive done once or three times)?

Only answer I have is: Coronavirus.

Yep. Thanks to the coronavirus  specifically, the last three months of lockdown  I now have the patience of Job. Or, at least, Job-like patience.

My entire adult life  mostly since I quit smoking weed, probably going to have to revisit this  has been one of supreme impatience. I cant stand lines, crowds, screw-ups of any sort. I distinctly remember being at the grocery store maybe five years ago and nearly losing my mind because the person in front of me A) split their order and B) paid by check for both orders. I mean, this person deserves all manner of disaster that they have coming to them, but even so, my reaction  there may have legit been harrumphs and foot stomping  was ridiculous.

And it wasnt just with silly things like check-writing schmos; everything to me was a battle of time. I wanted to finish what I was doing and get on the next thing. And when it came to my family, forget it. Everything with my kids ended with the word now. Clean up  now. Go to bed  now.

And so on.

It all finally clicked in a few weeks back during the Great Weed Whacking of 2020, when I was rushing through clearing out the hasnt-been-mulched-since-Obama swingset area and I realized  what was I rushing for? I was under a state-mandated shelter-in-place. I had nowhere to go, nowhere to be. No point in rushing through this.

It cascaded from there as I whacked away. Wheres the big rush?

And the answer I came up with? There is no big rush. The only thing Ive been rushing towards is  and this is dark, so feel free to skip to the next paragraph  is death. Im being literal here. Thats the finish line, and rushing through life, exhibiting zero patience, just trying to get from A to B and then back again, well, its a stupid way to live.

So Ive changed, and believe me, the 5+ hours in the car on the safari is proof positive. Pre-coronavirus, I wouldve been apoplectic. I wouldve ruined it for everyone. I know, for certain, I wouldve punched the steering wheel at some point.

Now, the big question: Will this stick? Will I maintain this zen-ish view on time and patience once things get back to normal?

I think I will, actually. I really feel like a switch has been flipped. Write as many checks as you like. Im chill, baby.
Zimbabwes police arrested five senior officials of the main opposition party on Friday after they attempted to enter the partys Harare headquarters, which is being occupied by a rival faction.



The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been divided since Zimbabwes Supreme Court ruled on March 30 that Nelson Chamisa was not its legitimate leader and installed Thokozani Khupe, head of one faction inside the party, to lead it in the interim.



Most MDC members still regard Chamisa as their leader and accuse President Emmerson Mnangagwas government of siding with Khupes faction in the battle for control of the movement.



Supporters of Khupe seized control of the partys offices at Harvest House late on Thursday while police watched, a video of the incident circulated by the MDC showed. Anti-riot police on Friday cordoned off the building, which has stood as a symbol of the MDCs fight against Mnangagwas ruling ZANU-PF party for the past two decades.



Some MDC officials, led by party vice president and former finance minister Tendai Biti, then tried to enter Harvest House.



We are the rightful owners of the building and you have had no court order to stop us from entering, Biti told the police officers blocking their way.



He and four other MDC officials were arrested and transported to a police station in a lorry. It was not immediately clear what charges they would face.



Police spokesman Paul Nyathi said he had no details of the arrests.



Chamisa says his party is different from Khupes outfit after it contested elections in 2018 under the name MDC Alliance while Khupes ran as the MDC-T party.



Chamisa, 42, narrowly lost those elections to Mnangagwa. He says he is being persecuted for refusing to recognise the presidents disputed victory while Khupe accepted the results.



Chamisas MDC accuses Mnangagwas government of eroding political rights under the cover of Zimbabwes coronavirus lockdown, which includes a ban on political protests.

Source: af.rauters.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 nations top military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, spoke privately with congressional leaders and many other lawmakers as Pentagon officials came under fire for the militarys 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 authorised 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 criticised for accompanying Trump and thereby giving the impression of endorsing a politicisation 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 Mondays photo op and Trumps implicit threat to invoke the Insurrection Act to permit him to use federal troops in a law enforcement role in the nations capital and in other cities.

The outreach comes as Milley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper have tried to contain damage in the aftermath of Mondays 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, although on Saturday the Pentagon said the door to testifying was still open.

This is unacceptable, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the committee chairman, said in a statement Friday, joined by the panels 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. The Pentagons chief spokesman, Jonathan Rath Hoffman, said Saturday evening that Esper and Milley have not refused to testify. He said the Pentagons legislative affairs office remains in discussion with the committee on its request for appearances by Esper and Milley. He said the Armys top civilian and uniformed officials, plus the head of the National Guard of Washington, DC, will brief Smiths committee next week on the presence of the Guard in the capital.

An informal briefing Friday with the secretary of the Army was 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 Trumps threat to step up the militarys 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 Milleys handling of the protest.

In his own Senate speech Tuesday morning, Inhofe said he wanted to set the record straight after conferring with Milley before and after Mondays events.

Inhofe said Milley told me that he intends to honor his oath and uphold the delicate balance between civilians and the military, and I fully believe him. In her letter to Trump on Thursday, Pelosi asked the president under what authority and chain of command the troops were operating in the nations capital, warning the approach may increase chaos. The House Armed Services Committee members said they expect a briefing from the Defense Department by Monday.(AP) RUP RUP
WASHINGTON - More than 10,000 people poured into the nation's capital on the ninth day of protests over police brutality, but what awaited this sprawling crowd - the largest yet in Washington - was a city that no longer felt as if it was being occupied by its own country's military.

Gone were the 10-ton, sand-colored tankers in front of Lafayette Square and the legions of officers braced behind riot shields, insisting that citizens stay away. In fact, few police were visible anywhere. And when protesters did see law enforcement - authorities in camouflage, grouped in twos or threes and seldom armed - they did not scream abuse, as many of them had in previous days.

Few of Saturday's demonstrations were choreographed, as protesters flowed from one impromptu gathering or march to another. Those who came out in Washington - and San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia and dozens of other cities across the country - understood that this was a moment in America when change seemed possible. They wanted to be there for it.

In city after city, both large and small, vast numbers of people clogged streets and halted traffic, circled government buildings and insisted that the leaders of their communities do more to protect the lives of black men and women.

The cause even led to flares of tension among Washington's protesters, with some embracing a party atmosphere while others furiously spray-painted "Defund The Police" in giant yellow letters a block from the city's "Black Lives Matter" display.

Early in the day, though, they were united. As George Floyd was being memorialized in his North Carolina hometown 340 miles south, the crowd in the District packed into six blocks along 16th Street NW to honor his life and condemn his death in police custody.

"No justice!" they chanted. "No peace!"

3 1 of 3 Washington Post photo by Toni L. Sandys Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Washington Post photo by Matt McClain Show More Show Less 3 of 3





But the man in whose direction they shouted couldn't hear them. Nearly two miles of metal fencing now surrounded the White House, as if it had been locked in a cage, and inside, President Donald Trump was raging.

He retweeted himself, sharing a message from the day before in which he described District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser as "grossly incompetent, and in no way qualified to be running an important city like Washington, D.C."

An hour later, nearly to the minute, Bowser, a Democrat, stood on the stretch of 16th she'd had painted with "Black Lives Matter" and named in the movement's honor.

She denounced Trump administration officials for authorizing federal officers to fire chemical irritants and rubber bullets at peaceful protesters, clearing them from Lafayette Square so the president could get his photo taken with a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. Now, on the section of fence there, hung protest signs, an American flag, and a torn yellow strip of police tape that read "Crime Scene."

"Today we say no," Bowser told the crowd. "In November, we say next."

Nearby, Nile Joyner-Willey, 4, sat on her father's shoulders, wearing a rainbow-colored tutu. She held a Black Lives Matter sign as her father, John Willey, 37, who lives in the District, gently bopped her up and down. This was the first day the family had attended the protests and the first day that Nile's parents had talked to their daughter about racism.

"Why are so many people taking my picture?" she asked her mother.

"Because you give people hope," answered Krystle Joyner, 34. "We're doing this for you."

As they'd done all week, the protesters started near Lafayette Square, but also spread throughout the city. They marched down U Street's historic Black Broadway and past Chinatown's brightly painted Friendship Arch. They gathered on the Capitol lawn, beside the Mall's Reflecting Pool and under the bronze Joan of Arc statue in Meridian Hill Park. They knelt beneath the folded granite arms of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and at the feet of Abraham Lincoln.

Their freedom to roam, unimpeded by police, was by design. Almost all District officers were working or on call, a city official said, but they stayed away from demonstrators as much as possible. With a swath of downtown cut off to traffic, it made it easier for police to monitor the demonstrations and easier for protesters to get around.

A buzz overhead, however, was a reminder of how different these streets had been just a few days earlier, when National Guard helicopters flew as low as a two-story building, scattering broken glass as they terrified the protesters and journalists beneath them.

"The battlespace" was how Defense Secretary Mark Esper had described the city, but the resulting shows of force meant to send a clear message to protesters - stay home - had inspired them to do the opposite. By Saturday, the battle space had morphed into what felt like a carnival.

Some in the crowds - which exceeded 10,000, as people came and went for hours - took off their shoes, revealing feet red and swollen from past days' marching. Kids played in the water, splashing their parents. A father helped his daughter clamber onto an electric scooter, hopped on beside her, and took her for a slow ride around the rim of the Reflecting Pool, explaining Lincoln's fame as he did so.

On 16th Street, children followed their parents to ice cream trucks. A teenager blew bubbles into the crowd. The music thumped all day, from speakers hauled in and running on generators. Many seemed less worried than in previous days about the pandemic still killing so many people of color, with decidedly fewer protesters wearing masks or squirting their hands with hand sanitizer.

The day's 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 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 drove up from Charlotte but didn't 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.

"Don't shoot me," read the handwritten message on the boy's hat.

They moved around downtown in clumps, making stops to do the wobble in the streets, to pause for a free hot dog or Gatorade, to stand where Trump stood in front of the church.

"We have effectively surrounded the White House," one man said on his phone.

"I think it's officially under siege," another protester said.

As go-go music blared from a truck at the center of 16th and I streets, where five days before protesters had run scrambling from chemicals and cavalry, a fury grew among a faction of onlookers. They watched as hundreds of others pressed around the truck, shimmying and sweating and snacking.

They were having a good time, but many believed this was not meant to be a good time.

Kenny Sway, a District musician who had calmed thousands a few days before with his rendition of "Lean On Me," pushed through the crowd, yelling at everyone he could see to stop dancing and start marching.

"This is not a festival!" he shouted into a microphone. "This is not a f---ing festival!"

The dancing demonstrators mostly ignored him, except for one woman who rolled her eyes and complained to a friend.

"Who made him God?" she asked. "F--- him! You can't police a protest."

She took a puff of what appeared to be marijuana and again swung her hips to the music.

One street over, at the corner of H and Vermont streets, Zamzam Elzain stood on her tiptoes, lofted a sign reading "Silence is betrayal" and yelled desperately at the people meandering by with strollers and cigarettes and, it seemed, little conviction.

She was pleading from just outside Lafayette Square, in almost exactly the same spot where she'd been hit with rubber bullets and chemicals and shoved by police officers on Monday. Now Elzain, 22, felt insulted.

Had her sacrifice, her pain, meant nothing?

"If this is a protest, we get an F!" she yelled at passersby. "This is not supposed to be a block party!"

A man looked up, briefly, then returned to the bag of chips in his hand.

As evening approached, DeShawn Rasberry, 6, and his younger brother Davian, 4, were pooped. They had been at Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street since noon with their mother, Janessa Smith, 28, handing out water, Gatorade and granola bars to the protesters passing by.

The brothers had never seen so many people before - and neither had Smith. It was the family's first protest.

"Do you know why all these people are here?" Smith asked her younger son. He stared blankly at the crowd, munching on the granola bar that had crumbled to pieces in his tiny hands.

"They're out here for you," Smith said.

Davian, dressed in a Superman cap and matching T-shirt, smiled and nodded. "Mmhmm," he said.

Smith had explained to her sons that they were here to "protest" - which means standing up for something, she said - and to help others. She hadn't told them that the protest was against police brutality, spurred by the killing of a man in police custody.

"They're so young now, still so young," Smith said. "And right now, they're in love with law enforcement. . . . I don't want to spoil that. Not yet."

The brothers, who live in Prince George's County, both wear their miniature police uniforms at home as often as they can. DeShawn, squatting in some gravel, said he thinks he may want to be an officer when he grows up.

"They helps peoples," he said.

And was he afraid of them?

"Nope. Nope, nope."

Smith looked at her sons, both just barely coming up to her waist, their hands gripping cold water bottles. One day, she'd have to give them "the talk" about police officers, she thought to herself.

But not today.

- - -

The Washington Post's Michael E. Ruane, Perry Stein, Justin Wm. Moyer, Rachel Weiner, Michelle Boorstein, Justin George, Clarence Williams, Freddy Kunkle, Rachel Chason, Michael E. Miller, Kyle Swenson and Marissa Lang contributed to this report.
Ravi Shankar By

Police killings of two black Americans ignited race riots throughout the US, which is devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Blacks, Latinos and Indians are in racisms crosshairs as the countrys image as the citadel of equality and freedom is tainted.

On Christmas Eve of 1968, astronaut William Anders of the Apollo 8 lunar mission took a photograph which came to be known as Earthrisea seminal view that changed our vision of the earth.

Last week, visionary entrepreneur Elon Musk created history with SpaceX, which brought the United States back to the futureit was the first space mission to take off from American soil since 2011.

However, if astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley could take a picture of their country today from outer space as they orbit through the star-studded cosmos, it would show an excoriated nation that has reverted to its dark pasta legacy of colour prejudice and brutality.

How racist is America? Have white supremacists encouraged by Republican rhetoric and partisan police cleaved the US apart beyond redemption?

What does this bigoted division mean for the future of the worlds most powerful nation which owes its might to immigrants?

Last week, all of America burned. George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was suffocated to death by a white police officer kneeling on his neck.

The phrase I cant breathe uttered by the dying man became the war cry resonating through the worst ever race riots to scar the country since Charlotte in 2016. The conflagration of fury among blacks and whites alike spread across over 40 cities in America such as Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and more. Curfew was imposed over most of the country. The National Guard was summoned. Armoured tanks encircled the Capitol. President Donald Trump nearly called in the Army. America became a war zone.

Police keep protestors at bay near the White House in Washington

COLOUR-CODED NATION

The anarchy couldnt have come at a worse time for America reeling under a deadly Covid-19 contagion inflamed by frighteningly poor public management.

Under Trump, the American economy had prospered, business confidence was at an all-time high and an aggressive trade war against China had marked him as an uncompromising Captain America.

But a lethal combination of pandemic panic, job loss and an absence at the top to heal and reassure the desolation worsened the xenophobia, which had brought the real estate tycoon to power as an outlier nationalist.

Coincidentally after Trumps rise, hate crimes have gone verticalaggression on non-whites at last count by the FBI is up by 17 percent; over 45 percent of the victims of all races comprise Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists.

Blacks suffer the most; according to Fatal Encounter, a database which monitors US police brutality, not a single day has gone by this year up to May 30 without a police-related death; African Americans are killed at double their population ratio of 13 percent.

Today, White Americans excluding White Hispanics constitute 60.4 percent of the population. New census projections predict that the US will become minority white in 2045.

According to Census Bureaus 2018 figures, 26.5 lakh Indians lived in America in 2018. A group of 16 Democratic senators, including the first Indian-origin senator Kamala Harris, has requested the Trump administration to take concrete steps to stop minority persecution.

killing of George Floyd

Politics in America is driven by colour, just like caste dominates the Indian calculus.

In February 2015, former Louisiana Governor and Presidential hopeful Bobby Jindal had joked about Michael Jacksons hit single asking, You mean Im not white? During the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination campaign, SR Sidarth, a dark-skinned 20-year-old University of Virginia student and campaign volunteer, was mocked by a Republican senator as a macacaa species of monkey.

Sidarth posted the videotape on YouTube. It went viral and the senator lost the election. In 1965, US President Lyndon B Johnson had cancelled the official visits of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistani President Mohammed Ayub Khan after they opposed the Vietnam War. Johnson said, After all, what would Jim Eastland (conservative Mississippi senator) say if I brought those two niggers over here? Trump looks like a raging liberal Democrat compared to Johnson.

WHITE HOUSE Vs BLACK

Last Sunday, the lights suddenly went out in the White House, home to 43 presidents. To many Americans, the sudden darkness symbolised a nation that had lost its way in the long night of hatred.

While police fired rubber bullets, pepper bombs and tear gas canisters at protestors outside the historic 19th century building, Trump, wife Melania and son Barron retreated to a fortified underground bunker, last used on 9/11.

From its safety, Trump threatened angry citizens with vicious dogs and ominous weapons. He declared that many Secret Service agents were just waiting for action, and we put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and good practice.

The Service promptly refuted the president. Its press release read, The Secret Service respects the right to assemble, and we ask that individuals do so peacefully for the safety of all though its agents faced serious harm and some were injured. Republicans were split over the responses of their president who snapped at state governors to dominate the situation and not look like a bunch of jerks. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll conducted on May 29 and 30 found that the majority of Americans think that Trump is a racist and should stop posting messages on Twitter.

A majority of Americans, over 55 percent disapproved of Trumps handling of the protests, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, including 40 percent who strongly disapproved.

Another poll conducted on May 31 and June 1 even said that 54 percent of Americans supported the protests.

Former Republican President George Bush obliquely criticised the White Houses handling of the George Floyd agitation saying, It remains a shocking failure that many African Americans, especially young African American men, are harassed and threatened in their own countryTrumps Twitter finger echoed a white Miami police chief who had said in 1967, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts, the phrase was coined by Eugene Bull Connor, a notorious public safety commissioner in Alabama who used police dogs and fire hoses against black demonstrators during the civil rights moment.

A few hours later, the president lamely explained, Frankly, it means when theres looting, people get shot and they die.

Vandals of both races had led coordinated operations to loot and burn commercial establishments under the cover of protest.

But the damage to the White Houses image was done. Trump has accused the Antifa movementa leaderless network of Left-leaning radical groups who use direct action against Aryan supremacists and fascismof leading the riots.

The muddle worsened as Twitter exposed an Antifa organisation promoting agitation rhetoric as a white nationalist group, Identity Evropa. The FBI said there was no proof of the involvement of Antifa that stands for anti-fascism, which Trump had threatened to designate a terrorist organisation.

Black men Roosevelt Townes and Robert McDaniels

were lynched in April 1937, in Mississippi by a white

mob accusing them of killing a white storekeeper

Alarmed by the administrations drift and caught in an endless nightmare of distorted reality, Trumps team wanted him to televise a national message of unity by appealing for calm. They failed to persuade their boss. The Associated Press reported that it was scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. In American cities and towns, flags were raised and set afire, statues were pulled down, out-of-state criminals went on looting spreesthe moral compass of America has lost its magnet.

BLACK LIVES DONT MATTER

Throughout history, irony has bound the sinews of society. From its founding in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) violently attacked and murdered both white and black Republican leaders who supported Reconstruction-era policies, which mooted political and economic equality for blacks in America. Then KKK, whose primary aim is to restore white supremacy, was paradoxically championed by the Democrats in the South.

Now, time has turned on its pivotthe Republican base is predominantly white, poor and blue collar.

Civilisations are born out of migrations that started in Africa millennia ago. In the US, wealth and strife are parenthesised by the spindrift of slave ships that sailed from Africa to America millennia laterequal but separate, according to the landmark 1896 US Supreme Court decision, which upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation. American society is not colour-blind. In February, Ahmaud Arbery, a black jogger, was shot by white vigilantes in Georgia. A 26-year-old black woman, Brionna Taylor, was shot at home by three white police officers: her name is now being chanted along with Floyds at protest sites.

A couple of weeks later, a woman walking her dog in New Yorks Central Park called the cops on a black man who asked her to leash her dog; she said that an African American man was threatening her.

The video cost her her job and dog. A white man drove a truck into a crowd of Minneapolis protestors last week but has been freed by cops.

Another man shot crossbows into a gathering. In Indianapolis, Chicago and Louisville, shots were fired and black people died.

A black chef in Kentucky popular with cops for his BBQ ribs was killed by police. The chaos has polarised American police: images of an angry New York policeman throwing a demonstrator to the ground and a NYPD police cruiser driving into a crowd have tainted American democracys image. Cincinnati cops replaced the American flag at their HQ with the thin-blue-line flag embraced by white nationalists who oppose the Black Lives Matter movement.

The crisis has also thrown up heroes who make America great again.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo hugged protesters and knelt with them in solidarity; he became a national hero of sorts when he told Trump on TV: If you cant be constructive, keep your mouth shut.

New York City police officers took a knee during a rally for Floyd near Times Square. Another police chief led a procession holding a placard that declared Standing in Solidarity. Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas had tweeted, End 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.

In White America, thats easier tweeted than done. Of all the police stops recorded in New York City in 2018, blacks and Latinos were 88 percent, while whites were only 10 percent70 percent of those stopped were found to be completely innocent, according to the New York Civil Liberties Unions Stop-and-Frisk Data.

The cultural ignorance of the average American is a contributing cause to white supremacist rage as attacks on Sikhs and gurdwaras show. Celebrated author and Vassar professor Amitava Kumar wrote in the prestigious New Yorker magazine, Ive often asked myself lately whether Ive been right to suspect that people were looking at me differently on the street, at airports, or in elevators.

Whenever a stranger has been kind to me, I have almost wanted to weep in gratitude. Unlike when I first arrived here, distance no longer offers any reprieve from these feelings.

The Internet delivers ugly fragments of report and rumour throughout the day, and with them a sense of nearly constant intimacy with violence.

South Asians are caught between the colour spectrum in bizarre ways. When Nina Davuluri won the Miss America title in 2014, Americans called her an Arab, terrorist, and Al-Qaeda; other commentators protested that she was too dark-skinned to be Miss India.

INDIANS IN COLOUR CROSSHAIRS

Distrust of people of other colour, brown, black or yellow, in America go back decades. Nearly every Indian in the US has experienced racism, covert or overt, at some point in his life.

A software engineer in Boston doing his masters experienced racism first hand at a convenience store from a white American who shouted, @@@ BROWN go back to your country! He didnt at first realise that he was the one being called brown. House-hunting can be a problem for Indians in suburban America: a professional who moved to St Louis was turned down by a real estate agent who later agreed to lease the same house to his white girlfriend. A bigger irony, says an IT developer who lives in the US, is that Indian American girls on Tinder prefer to date whites which, according to him, is a bigger problem than whites avoiding Indians.

Hostility towards Indians date back to 1987, when the notorious Dotbusters made their debut on the American racial horizon; the dot is derived from the bindi. One of them was quoted saying then, If Im walking down the street and I see a Hindu and the setting is right, I will hit him or her They are a weak race physically and mentally. On May 28, 53-year-old James Lamb was arrested for attacking and severely injuring 70-year-old Meena Puri, an Indian immigrant motel owner in Oregon, to get rid of people like her from the US. The homes of Indian Americans have been smeared with dog feces and dirt, a Sikh man washing a car was shot at and a video against Indians saying the Indian crowd has ravished the Midwest, uploaded by no less than a computer programmer are markers of racial prejudice. In March 2020, the FBI assessed that hate crime incidents against Asian Americans likely will surge across the United States, due to the spread of coronavirus.

But Indian Americans have always put America first. Last month, New Jersey doctors Satyender Dev Khanna and daughter Priya Khanna succumbed to the coronavirus. They were part of a family of five doctors and I hope that our entire state mourns for them, Governor Phil Murphy paid tribute to the Khannas. Thousands of Indian origin doctors, health professionals, cops, first responders and other essential service providers are among the 20 million Asian Americans on the frontlines of the war on Covid-19, which has so far claimed over one lakh lives.

A still from the movie Watchman on 1921 Tulsa riots

Over 40 Indian Americans have died. Covert hostilities have surfaced to scorch Americas beleaguered soul. Indians are caught in the middle. Kumar writes, An Indian man in the Midwest once told me that, every time an American shakes his hand and says, I love Indian food, he wants to respond, I thank you on behalf of Indian food. He might just as well thank the American on behalf oftake your pickspelling bees, lazy Slumdog Millionaire references, yoga and chai lattes, motels, software moguls, Bollywood-style weddings, doctors and taxi drivers, henna, Nobel laureates, comedians, the baffling wisdom of Deepak Chopra, and Mahatma Gandhi.

WEALTH INVITES SPITE

Statistics show that hate crimes occur in the US the most during employment stress and layoffs. In the Covid-19-devastated country, joblessness is rising to almost the 1930s Great Depression levels: More than 40 million Americans are out of work and one in four workers have filed for unemployment benefits. The Indian community on the other hand is highly skilled and qualified for top-paying jobs. The median Indian household income is $88,000nearly twice than the average Americans. One of Trumps first acts after being sworn in was to crack down on the H1B visa programme, which benefits Indian techies in Silicon Valley. Most of the estimated 800,000 immigrants with American work visas waiting for green cards are Indianthey account for three-quarters of all H-1B visas. The Washington Post notes that it will take an Indian national who applied for a green card in 2019 up to 50 years to get one.

Racism has become the lightning rod for American identity. Who is an American? What is the American Dream and who dare live it? History is a quirky record keeper. The Making of Asian America, by filmmaker Erika Lee, tells of American newspaper headlines screaming about Hindoo Invasion and Turban Tide in the early 1900s. Decades before Jindal and Haley made it to public life, South Asians were attacked by white mobs, ejected from towns and jailed for wooing white women. Indians through the decades had approached various American courts demanding white status.

In 1913, a certain Bengali gentleman named Akhay Kumar Mozumdar filed a case in the District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, calling himself a high-caste Hindu of pure blood, who claimed that high caste Hindus always consider themselves members of the Aryan race. The Court ruled that there is a line of demarcation between the different castes and classes, and therefore Mozumdar was White. The glow wouldnt last. Another petitioner and former writer, scholar and soldier Sardar Bhagwan Singh Thind, was denied white status, and therefore ineligible for the privilege of citizenship conferred upon that class of persons.

The court ruled that Indian men cannot marry white women or own land and retrospectively denaturalised Indians in America. The judicial ground was that South Asian immigrants were Caucasian, but as in Thinds case, it did not equate to White. The judge ruled, When... Martian immigrants reach this part of the earth, and a man from Mars applies to be naturalised, he may be recognised as white within the meaning of the act of Congress, and admitted to citizenship; but he may not be Caucasian. Would the astronauts orbiting the Milky Ways shining path be able to tell the difference between black and white?

Calendar of Colour Prejudice

Los Angeles, 1992

On April 29, 63 people were killed in riots that broke out after four cops accused of violent excesses and arrest of Rodney King were freed.

Detroit, July 1967

A police raid of an unlicensed bar patronised by blacks ignited the five-day-long 12th Street Riot, in which 43 people died, 2,000 buildings destroyed, and 7,300 people arrested.

Watts, Aug 1965

The Watts riots of Los Angeles occurred after an African-American parolee was stopped by cops. Thirty-four died and over $40 million was lost in damages.

Detroit, June 1943

Shortages in housing and jobs exacerbated by 400,000 new migrants, both black and white from the South, sparked riots killing 34.

Tulsa, May 1921

White mobs destroyed businesses, raped and murdered residents of the prosperous black district of Greenwood, jealous of the success of the wealthiest African American community of the time in the US. Attacks on the ground and bombing from private planes destroyed Black Wall Street. 6,000 blacks were jailed and 39 were killed: Red Cross put the toll at over 300.

Atlanta, Sept 1906

Armed white mobs attacked African Americans in the Georgia city. According to the Atlanta History Center, black Americans were hanged from lamp posts, shot, beaten or stabbed to death. At least 25 African Americans and two whites were officially reported to be killed. Unofficial estimates put the toll as 100.

New Orleans, July 1866

Around 44 were killed in a violent conflict between white Democrats and mostly black Republicans after a crowd of freed slaves and Republicans in Louisiana protested the newly-legislated Black Codes.

Memphis, May 1866

A shooting between white policemen and black Civil War veterans in Tennesse led white mobs and policemen to rampage through black neighbourhoods attacking, raping, and killing black soldiers and civilians. Forty-eight people lost their lives. It led to the passing of the First Reconstruction Act 1867.

Manhattan, July 1863

The New York City draft riots wiped out Manhattans black community after Congress passed a law to draft working-class white men to fight in the American Civil War. The official number of dead is between 119 and 120.

The Klan of White Horror

The Ku Klux Klan is the masked face of hate in America. Its targets are wide: mainly blacks, but also Jews, immigrants, LGBTQ community and even Catholics. Wearing conical hats with two round holes for eyes and shapeless robes, KKK enjoyed a partial resurgence in 2019 but has failed to consolidate due to internecine strife with other members of the Alliance of American Klans, Honourable Sacred Knights and Ron Imperial Klans of America. Formed by anti-black vigilantes first in 1865, it used lynchings, tar-and-featherings, rapes and other violent attacks to intimidate black Americans and anti-white supremacists. Starting in 1867, blacks began to win elections to southern state governments and to the US Congress enraging the Klan.

They mocked White Republicans as carpetbaggers and scalawags. Klansmen burned black schools and churches. Today, the estimated number of Klansmen is between 5,000 and 8,000, who are split into factions often at war with each other. A Southern Poverty Law Center report has identified 100 active white nationalist and 99 active neo-Nazi groups in the US. They are separated into two categories: National Socialists (or neo-Nazis) and White ethno-nationalists. The head of the National Socialist Party was Adolf Hitler. White ethno-nationalists try to define what is American and not Who is American.

The Dark Timeline

1619 The first African American slaves arrive in the American colonies. By 1690, every colony has slaves.

1831-1861 Approximately 75,000 slaves escape to the North by the Underground Railroad.

1846 Ex-slave Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) publishes the first anti-slavery newspaper North Star.

1849 Harriet Tubman (c. 1820-1913) escapes from slavery and becomes an instrumental leader of the Underground Railroad.

1850 Congress passes another Fugitive Slave Act, which mandates government to help capture escaped slaves.

1857 The Dred Scot v. Sanford case: Congress does not have the right to ban slavery in the states; slaves are not citizens.

1860 Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) is elected president, angering the southern states.

1863 Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation proclaims that all slaves in rebellious territories are forever free. Civil War begins.

1865 Lincoln is assassinated. Slavery is prohibited.

1961 Anti-segregation movement in Albany successfully disbanded after nearly a year of protests.

1866 Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, conferring citizenship on African Americans and granting them equal rights to whites.

1870 African Americans get the right to vote.

1881 Tennessee passes Jim Crow laws barring African Americans from equal access to public facilities.

1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case: racial segregation in schools and colleges is ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court.

1954 Brown v. Board of Education case strikes down segregation as unconstitutional.

1955 Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white male passenger in Montgomery. The next day, December 1, Martin Luther King called for a massively successful citywide boycott against racial segregation on public transport. On November 14, 1956, the US Supreme Court ruled segregated seating as unconstitutional. Parks is known as the mother of the modern day civil rights movement'.

1963 The campaign to end discriminatory economic policies in Birmingham in Alabama by boycotting whites-only businesses invites police attacks by dogs and water hoses, shocking Americas conscience. Such segregation is soon ended.

Martin Luther King Jr delivers the iconic I Have a Dream

speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the event which sees an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 participants, seeking jobs and freedom for African Americans. It is credited with helping the Civil Rights Act of 1964 pass.

1964 The Civil Rights Act is signed, prohibiting discrimination of all kind.

1965 Alabama police mercilessly beat up 600 protesters seeking voting rights on US Highway 80. The day is known as Bloody Sunday.

1965 Under the Chicago Freedom Movement, King and his followers march into a white neighbourhood and are injured with projectiles. It inspires the Fair Housing Act, passed by Congress in 1969.

2008 Barack Obama becomes the first African American president of the US.
British Airways has warned it will sack all of its 4300 pilots if it can't reach an agreement with unions over further job cuts as the airline starts a legal push to block the UK government's 14-day self-isolation plan for arrivals starting on Monday.

The airline told its pilots union that it would dismiss all of the company's 4300 pilots and rehire them on individual contracts unless the union reached an agreement with the carrier. The company, which is negotiating a planned reduction of 1130 roles represented by the Balpa union, sought another 125 pilot jobs on Wednesday, the union said in an email.

"This has seriously undermined our talks which now hang by a thread," Brian Strutton, the general secretary of the union, said in an email. "It calls into question whether BA is even capable of conducting industrial relations properly and whether anything they say can be trusted."

BA has launched legal action against the UK government's quarantine plan. Credit:Getty

A spokesperson for the airline, which is working on cutting 12,000 jobs across the company, said in an email it's "acting now to protect as many jobs possible," adding that "the airline industry is facing the deepest structural change in its history, as well as facing a severely weakened global economy".
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."
The UKs COVID-19 lockdown led to a drop in crime, many fear the post-lockdown economic fallout could reverse that.

The lockdown in the United Kingdom has led to a large drop in crime, but there are fears the economic fallout could reverse that.

Londons mayor is among those urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to lead efforts to prevent a surge in criminal activity.

Al Jazeeras Sonia Gallego reports from London, UK.
FREDERICTON - The chiefs of a coalition of Maliseet First Nations are calling for an independent probe of the New Brunswick justice system after a fatal police shooting of a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from British Columbia.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chantel Moore is shown in this undated photo posted on a GoFundMe memorial page, Support for family of Chantel Moore. The chiefs of a coalition of Maliseet First Nations are calling for an independent probe of the New Brunswick justice system after a fatal police shooting of a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from British Columbia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, GoFundMe *MANDATORY CREDIT*

FREDERICTON - The chiefs of a coalition of Maliseet First Nations are calling for an independent probe of the New Brunswick justice system after a fatal police shooting of a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from British Columbia.

The six chiefs in the Wolastoqey First Nation in New Brunswick issued a joint statement on Friday in response to the death of Chantel Moore, expressing their condolences to Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in B.C. to which Moore belonged.

Police have said Moore was shot as Edmundston officers responded to a "wellness" call in the northwestern New Brunswick community, and have alleged she was making threats and holding a knife.

The chiefs' letter says they plan to formally request that Premier Blaine Higgs' Conservative minority government create a committee to review the justice system in New Brunswick in light of the death.

They're seeking recommendations on how the province can create change "to allow for a system free of systemic discrimination and that no longer fails to serve the Indigenous people of this province."

It is signed by the chiefs of communities along the Saint John River Valley, including Tobique, St. Marys, Madawaska, Oromocto, Kingsclear and Woodstock First Nations.

Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart said in an emailed statement that a probe has started through Quebec's independent police investigation agency, known as the Bureau des enquetes independantes, along with a New Brunswick coroner's investigation.

"Decisions on next steps will be taken after the investigations have been completed," wrote the solicitor general.

"We acknowledge the chiefs want to discuss a review of Indigenous people and the justice system, with a scope broader than this one tragic case. We have already begun a dialogue with indigenous leaders on this important topic but we will engage with the chiefs in the days ahead," he said.

The Quebec agency has provided a brief statement, saying its investigation will determine if the information provided by police is accurate.

The City of Edmundston and the Edmundston Police Force said Friday they will make no further comment.

The union representing the 30 police officers and 11 dispatchers in the service said on Saturday in a release that it wished to offer sincere condolences to the family of Moore, calling the death "a difficult and tragic situation for all the parties involved."

Moore 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's grandmother, Grace Frank, has said in an interview with The Canadian Press that her granddaughter was "tiny" and she doesn't believe she could have attacked the officer.

The young woman had lived with her grandmother for a number of years as a teenager before moving in with other relatives and later settling in Campbell River, B.C., where she met her boyfriend and had a daughter named Gracie.

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Frank said her daughter  Moore's mother  had been raising Gracie in New Brunswick, and Moore recently moved there to be with her mother and daughter and to go to college. She said she was not aware that Moore had any mental health issues.

In Ottawa Friday, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said the family deserves answers, quickly. "It was a wellness check and someone died," he said. "I can't process that."

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in B.C. has also called for the independent investigation to be conducted in a timely way.

The council represents 14 First Nations, including Moore's home community.

 Story by Michael Tutton in Halifax.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2020.
Hook Calls For Release Of All American Prisoners, Iran Hardliners Frown At Talks With U.S.

Radio Farda June 06, 2020

Brian Hook, U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State on Friday called for the release of the remaining American prisoners in Iran while Iranian hardliners vehemently dismissed any negotiations with the United States.

"The United States calls for the release of U.S. citizens Baqer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, and Morad Tahbaz, who have been wrongfully detained in Iran for too long," Hook said at a June 5 Department of State briefing following securing the release of U.S. Navy veteran Michael White who was wrongfully jailed in Iran for nearly two years. "And we also demand a full accounting of the fate of Robert Levinson," he added.

"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," Hook noted.

The first U.S. prisoner released from an Iranian jail was Xiyue Wang who had been held in Evin Prison in Tehran on false charges of espionage for over three years. Xiyue Wang was released following a process Brian Hook called "our first breakthrough" in negotiations with Iran.

Referring to White's case, Hook added: " Yesterday, American diplomacy paid off again. We negotiated the release of a second American" from an Iranian jail".

In early March the United States negotiated White's medical furlough on humanitarian grounds. The furlough was conditioned upon his staying in Iran, but the U.S. kept up the diplomacy and finally secured his full release on June 4.

During the briefing, Hook reassured the families of those Americans who are still wrongfully detained in Iran that the United States will not stop working until their loved ones were back with them. "While we are pleased that Iran was constructive in the last two negotiations, there's still more work to do," he said.

Earlier, President Trump thanked Iran and reminded Tehran upon White's release that negotiations were doable. He advised Iranian leaders: "Don't wait until after U.S. election to make the big deal. I am going to win. You will make a better deal now!".

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif swiftly responded in a tweet that Iran had a deal when Trump entered office. "Iran and other JCPOA [nuclear agreement] participants never left the table. Your advisers -- most fired by now -- made a dumb bet. [It is] up to you to decide when you want to fix it," he wrote.

Other politicians' responses were even more unwelcoming. The Speaker of parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Friday that accepting President Trump's offer of a "big deal" would be tantamount to "making peace with infidels."

Iran's former hardline diplomat Amir Abdollahian who has always had tough stances regarding Iran's foreign policy tweeted that Trump cannot order the killing of Soleimani at Baghdad airport and at the same time reach out to Iran in a peaceful gesture.

Former IRGC commander and current Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei wrote in a tweet: "Even if you manage to come out of the quagmire you have created for yourself, still negotiating with you is like poison".

In several comments, Twitter users reminded Rezaei that he has no responsibility in the area of foreign policy.

Meanwhile, one new hardliner lawmakers, Mohsen Pirhadi, even warned other Iranian officials not to negotiate with the U.S. "No one is allowed to negotiate with the killer of Haj Qassem [Soleimani], we are the United States' enemy, particularly now that they do not stop corruption and bloodshed," he tweeted.

Dozens of other social media users reminded Pirhadi that he was not in a position to decide on the negotiations with the United States.

On the other hand, the Iranian Foreign Ministry that usually denies any negotiations between Iranian and U.S. diplomats over any matter including a prisoner swap, changed its position on Friday when the Ministry's spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi acknowledged that Iranian and U.S. diplomats had been talking about the matter for "months."

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/hook-calls -for-release-of-all-american- prisoners-iran-hardliners-frown -at-talks-with-u-s-/30656348.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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Madeleine McCann's suspected murderer Christian Brueckner was a twisted loner who was hated by the other children at school, a former classmate has revealed.

The ex-classmate, who wants to remain anonymous, said Brueckner would spend his days annoying the other pupils and getting into fights.

He added that Bruekner was even hated by the teachers and he 'knew he'd turn out bad'.

It comes as German police are thought to have put sex offender Bruekner, now 43, under surveillance in prison in the hope that he lets slip a 'knockout' clue to his cellmate.

The Maddie murder suspect is behind bars in Kiel in northern Germany for a drugs offence but has a history of rape and child abuse.

Christian Brueckner as an 11-year-old. He has been described by a former classmate as a twisted loner

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

This has made him the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Portugal's Praia de Lug in 2007, and he has also been linked to three other missing children cases.

Now, an ex-classmate has revealed how Brueckner was deeply unpopular at school, winding up and annoying his fellow pupils and even goading teachers before laughing in their faces.

The former pupil said: 'I've only ever had one fight in my life and that was with Christian Brueckner.

'He spent a year talking about me behind my back. He would not stop making nasty comments.

'One day I exploded and told him to go back to the orphanage where he had come from.

'We all knew he was adopted, so I shouldn't have said that but I lost my temper with him.

'He jumped on me and we traded punches until a teacher pulled us apart. Everyone hated him in class and they all kept their distance.

'But it wasn't just the children  it was the teachers as well.'

The former classmate, who is in his 40's, said he knew Brueckner would end up a criminal but never guessed he would become involved in Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

He added: 'I always knew he would turn out bad but it is unbelievable to think he might he involved.

Detectives believe Christian Brueckner, the latest main suspect in the McCann case, was living out of a German campervan in 2007

'I just hope the case is resolved to give closure to those poor parents.'

At 17, Brueckner molested a six-year-old 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 went on to live in Praia da Luz in Portugal, the picturesque resort where the McCanns chose to take their three children on holiday, for 12 years.

Brueckner left Portugal after Maddie 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 the three-year-old's disappearance.

Brueckner's mobile phone placed him in the area the night Maddie went missing.

However, despite the circumstantial evidence linking him to the three-year-old, German police fear they are lacking a 'knockout' blow to find him guilty.

Brueckner has now been placed under surveillance in prison in the hope that he admits his crime or gives away a detail that will help convict him of Maddie's murder.

Though German police believe the three-year-old was killed, British police are still treating it as a missing persons case.

Brueckner is currently serving a 15-month sentence in his home country of Germany for drug offences and is reportedly eligible for parole from today, though he is unlikely to be released.

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.

It comes as 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.
The latest:

With New York City poised to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials on Sunday lifted a curfew that was in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice. But they also urged that demonstrators be tested for COVID-19.

Get a test. Get a test, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told people who have been participating in rallies and marches in memory of George Floyd.

He said the state would open 15 testing sites dedicated to protesters so they can get results quickly.

I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus," Cuomo added.

The call is similar to those made in Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta following massive demonstrations, with free testing for protesters.

New York has been the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, with black communities hit especially hard.

The Rev. Brandon Watts of Epiphany Church in Brooklyn, was mindful of the pandemic while organizing a Pray & Protest march with several other churches. He mandated that protesters wear masks, and he came with boxes of them. He also asked the group to try to maintain social distancing but acknowledged its kind of hard in a protest.

Attendees also were offered free coronavirus tests at one church.

U.S. government's supply of remdesivir runs out at the end of the month

The U.S. government's current supply of remdesivir, the only drug known to work against COVID-19, will run out at the end of the month, Dr. Robert Kadlec, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official, told CNN.

The government's last shipment of the drug will go out the week of June 29. Gilead Sciences, the company that makes the drug, is ramping up to make more, but it's unclear how much will be available this summer.

"Right now, we're waiting to hear from Gilead what is their expected delivery availability of the drug as we go from June to July," Kadlec said. "We're kind of not in negotiations, but in discussions with Gilead as they project what the availability of their product will be."

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for remdesivir, an intravenous antiviral medication studied to treat Ebola but now used on hospitalized COVID patients. While not a blockbuster drug, a study shows it shaves four days off a hospital stay, from 15 to 11 days.

The government has been working to help Gilead "with some of their supply chain challenges in terms of raw materials and being able to accelerate the process," said Kadlec, the HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response.

He added that it's clear that "whatever the supply may be, there may not be enough for everyone who may need it."

Mayor says NYC is within parameters to proceed with reopening on Monday



Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York City is within parameters regarding its COVID-19 data to proceed as planned with their phase one reopening on Monday.

The statewide thresholds to enter phase one include having less than 200 people admitted to hospitals per day, to have under 375 intensive care unit patients across the city, and to have less than 15% of city residents testing positive for COVID-19.

As of Sunday, NYC hospitals have admitted 72 people due to Covid-19, 324 people remain in ICUs, and 4% of the city is currently testing positive for COVID-19, de Blasio said.

That is what youve achieved together, thats another way were going to move forward in this city, de Blasio said.

Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 400,000

The worldwide death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 400,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that health experts say is still an undercount because many who died were not tested for the virus.

The milestone was reached Sunday, a day after the Brazilian government stopped publishing a running total of coronavirus deaths and infections. Critics called the move an extraordinary attempt to hide the true toll of the disease rampaging through Latin Americas largest nation.

Brazils last official numbers recorded over 34,000 virus-related deaths, the third-highest toll in the world behind the U.S. and Britain.

Worldwide, at least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins. The U.S. has seen nearly 110,000 confirmed virus-related deaths and Europe has recorded over 175,000 since the virus emerged in China late last year.

Pope Francis warns 'Be careful' after lockdowns lifted

Pope Francis is cautioning people in countries emerging from coronavirus lockdowns to keep following authorities rules for COVID-19 containment.

Be careful, dont cry victory, dont cry victory too soon," he said Sunday.

Italys gradual easing of stay-at-home rules now allows the public to gather in St. Peters Square on Sundays for the popes noon blessing, and Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered in the square below his window, standing safely either individually or as families.

Francis told the faithful to follow the rules, they are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead again.

Thank God, were slowly coming out from the coronavirus pandemic," he said.

But in his prepared remarks, the Argentine-born pontiff has also expressed dismay that the virus is still claiming many lives, especially in Latin America. In his off-the-cuff comments to the people in the square, he didnt name any country, but said that two days earlier, in one day, a death of an infected person was registered every minute.

As virus ebbs, New York loosens restrictions on houses of worship

New York's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is moving faster than expected, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday, allowing the state to loosen some restrictions on gatherings in houses of worship.

Churches, temples, mosques and other religious buildings will be allowed to operate with 25% of their usual capacity once the region they are in reaches phase two of the state's reopening plan.

Were going to open the valve more then we originally anticipated because the metrics are so good," Cuomo said.

All of the state except for New York City is in phase two of loosening restrictions, or will enter it within a few days. That means larger religious gatherings can begin in most places immediately. New York City starts the first phase Monday.
Australian barley growers have become victims of the truce in President Donald Trump's trade war with China, with US and Canadian growers likely to pick up the sales effectively denied to Australia by the 80 per cent tariff China has imposed on our barley exports.

China, of course, argues that the tariff is a response to the alleged dumping of Australian barley on the Chinese market, which Beijing says it has been investigating for the past 18 months.

A trade war has erupted with barley farmers caught in the middle. Credit:AAP

In Australia, the tariff has mostly been seen as China's response to Australia's call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the timing of the announcement suggests that might be so.

Whatever the real motive for the tariff, however, it has also revived arguments about Australia's own anti-dumping system  which has long been a target for neoliberal economists in this country, especially those connected to the Productivity Commission.
Dozens of people gathered in front of the US Consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest the death of American George Floyd, who died when a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck.

The protesters, mainly international students and members of Hong Kong`s League of Social Democrats, a political advocacy group for human rights, stood in pouring rain holding photos of Floyd and signs that read "Black Lives Matter", a movement against racial injustice that has gone global in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic since Floyd`s death on May 25.

"It`s important get our message across to others around the world to remind them that even though we are far away, we are with them 100% in spirit - black lives matter," 28-year-old Quinland Anderson, who is British, said while holding a "BLM" banner.

Floyd died after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as other officers stood nearby.

The protest in Hong Kong came after thousands of people took to the streets in European and Asian cities on Saturday, demonstrating in support of U.S. protests against police brutality. Tens of thousands of people marched from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House in Washington D.C. later in the day.

Police reminded protesters of Hong Kong`s limit of eight people per gathering, a rule put in place as the city seeks to contain the coronavirus.

The protesters left peacefully after reading a speech to the consul general condemning police brutality and racism.
UK, EU need to conclude negotiation "in good time": UK chief Brexit negotiator

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:35, June 06, 2020

"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.

"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.

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.

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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.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday addressed the Bihar Jansamvad Rally through video conferencing and said that the rally is to bring the people of the country together amid the coronavirus pandemic and has nothing to do with the Assembly polls due in the state later this year.

From emphasising the historical significance of the state to lauding the tireless fight put up by the nations corona warriors, Shah talked about a range of issues during his address.

Also read: PM Modis citizenship law gave respect to refugees in India - Amit Shah

Here are the key highlights from the event:

 I want to salute the crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the virus by risking their lives. Health workers, police personnel and others, I want to acknowledge their contribution, Shah said.

 This virtual rally is not an election/political rally but it is a rally to bring the people of the country together in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the home minister said.

 The home minister lauded PM Modis leadership for carrying out surgical strikes and airstrikes in the interest of the nation. There was a time when anybody used to enter our borders, beheaded our soldiers and Delhis darbar remained unaffected. Uri and Pulwama happened during our time, it was the Modi and BJP government, we did, he said.

This virtual rally is not an election/political rally but it is a rally to bring the people of the country together in our fight against #COVID19 pandemic: Amit Shah https://t.co/L227X5qdZH  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

 Shah said that Indias defence policy has gained global acceptance. The whole world agrees that after the US and Israel, if there is any other country that is able to protect its borders, it is India, he said.

 The minister lauded the many achievements and milestones achieved under PM Modis leadership. He talked about the Citizenship Amendment Act and said that it provided citizenship and respect to refugees in India.

There was a time when anybody used to enter our borders, beheaded our soldiers and Delhi's darbar remained unaffected. Uri and Pulwama happened during our time, it was the Modi & BJP govt, we did surgical strikes & airstrike: Home Minister Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/An4Qxh18LH  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

 On the issue of stranded migrant labourers amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Shah said that all arrangements were made, quarantines centres were set up before special trains were run from May 1.

 They were named Shramik trains as a tribute to the migrants. Around 1.25 crore migrants have been safely brought to their places by BJPs Modi government, he stated.
Regarding Joe Mathews column California students should strike for better treatment (May 31): In his column, Mathews urges young people in California to demand a rollback of Gov. Gavin Newsoms proposed K-12 budget cuts. What Mathews doesnt mention is that even restoring $15 billion in funding to the budget doesnt get at what really drives our educational woes. Californias obscenely high cost of living and soaring pension obligations are devouring money that should be helping our schools.

Take Mathews claim that California ranks low in education funding. According to a 2018 Legislative Analysts Office report, our state actually ranks 29th in per-pupil spending. The problem comes when you take cost of living into account, as a 2017 California Budget and Policy Center report does. Adjusted for this, Californias per-pupil spending drops to 41st nationwide. The problem in our state isnt absolute dollars, its what we choose to do with those dollars, and how far we make those dollars go. Californias housing costs and ballooning pension obligations are keeping needed money from reaching our classrooms. Young people and adults in our state should start there.

Eli Bildner, Oakland

Disturbed by riots

I am disturbed by the protests turned to riots over George Floyds senseless in-custody death. Protests yes, riots no.

A protest is a peaceful public display of displeasure or disapproval, usually carried out by marching, chanting and/or holding signs with messages on them, while a riot is a violent public disturbance.

Too often protests are infiltrated by a small group of individuals who turn peaceful protests into riots during which they destroy public and private property, loot stores, and cause injuries.

These infiltrators are not demonstrating their First Amendment rights, they are committing acts of terror. Unfortunately, the media tends to show the violence while the peaceful protesters message may be diluted or even lost.

Minneapolis, where Floyds in-custody death by a policeman occurred, has a persistent and rising COVID-19 infection rate. Now the city must deal with an unjustified police killing, riot damage and a pandemic, which is disproportionately affecting the black community.

Ralph Stone, San Francisco

No masks, no convention

According to President insists on full convention (Nation, May 31), our non-mask-wearing chief executive is demanding that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper permit a full-fledged Republican National Convention in his state this summer, without face coverings or social distancing in his renomination audience? Cooper should agree to Trumps demand only if the name of the event can be changed to Republican National RYOH Convention (RYOH being an acronym for Risk Your Own Health).

Finn MacLaughlin, Daly City

Think outside the box

President Trump has decided to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization, taking with it our annual contribution of over $100 million. Wouldnt it be great if Jeff Bezos stepped up to the plate and made up for Trumps reckless failure to keep our commitment in this time of a pandemic? Its chump change for Bezos, who has amassed an even greater fortune in these troubled times. How about it, Bezos? Think outside of your Amazon box.

Louise DiMattio, San Francisco

Time to start over

By now we know that efforts to rid the world of racial hatred, while laudable, lean toward failure, in the same way that efforts to rid the world of cancer or heart disease are long shots at best. The best antidote to racial inequality is democracy, actual operating democracy. This is the missing ingredient. Real democracies dont have people such as President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in charge. All four, and more, need to be fired, now. They have proved themselves completely inadequate. Real democracies dont allow things like what happened to George Floyd to happen in the first place. Real democracies level the playing field for all interests, ethnic backgrounds and types of folks.

We have not had a real democracy in the United States for a very long time, maybe ever. Real democracies dont do civil wars and imperialism and dont call their military out on their own people. Real democracies dont talk about domination; they talk about negotiation, compromise, solutions and remediation. It has to be democracy now, or we are done.
Guns are displayed inside the DSA store in Lake Barrington, Ill., on June 17, 2016. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Florida Citys State of Emergency Prohibits Gun Sales Amid Protests

Gun shop owners in West Palm Beach, Florida, said that the citys local emergency order is forcing them to turn away customers.

In the wake of the George Floyd protests, the city declared a state of emergency on Sunday, prohibiting the sale of firearms and alcohol. Stores cant intentionally display guns and ammunition, and its also illegal to display a firearm in a public place.

Basically this is saying, dont bring a gun to a peaceful protest, said West Palm Beach Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis on Friday, the Palm Beach Post report.

Two gun shop owners said the emergency order is forcing potential customers to seek firearms in other cities.

The order doesnt protect anybody, said Alex Shkop, owner of Guns and Range Training Center. Because if somebody wants to get something they can go less than two miles away.

Adam Golden, a managing partner of Baba Boom Guns, told the news outlet that people are looking to protect themselves because the police department is stretched thin, adding that he had to turn away customers.

[Its] crippling, he noted of the emergency declaration. How can you go a week without pay?

West Palm Beach first stated the state of emergency on Sunday evening after confrontations between agitators and police downtown.

We sell guns. We do background checks. Were not selling them off the trucks, Shkop said. The good person now is restricted. Thats kinda the irony of the law.

Protesters march during a demonstration against racism and police brutality near the White House in Washington on June 6, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/ AFP)

Mayor Keith James said Friday that as it has always been, and always will be, public safety is my priority No. 1, according to WFLX.

Demonstrations across the country Saturday were perhaps the largest one-day mobilization since Floyd died May 25 at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The turnout continued around the globe Sunday even as U.S. cities lifted curfews imposed amid last weeks spasms of arson, assaults, and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. Recent days of U.S. protests have been peaceful.

Floyds body arrived in Texas for a final memorial service, said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. A viewing is planned for Monday in Houston, followed by a service and burial Tuesday in suburban Pearland.

At the newly renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, protesters posed with the street sign and the yellow block lettering painted on the pavement by the city. The districts Metropolitan Police Department had replaced federal law enforcement officers and National Guard troops.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Five Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including a top commander of the outfit, were on Sunday killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

On a specific input, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Reban area of south Kashmir district, a police spokesperson said.

During the search operation, the hiding terrorists opened fire at the search party of the forces, which was retaliated leading to an encounter, he said.

In the ensuing encounter, five Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, the spokesperson said.

As per credible sources, the killed terrorists belonged to the proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit and one among them is believed to be a top commander, police said.

The spokesperson said incase any family claims the killed militants to be their kith or kin, they can come forward for their identification.

Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter, he said, adding all the recovered material have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.

Pak violates ceasefire along LoC

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran and Rampur sectors of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, the Army said.

At about 11 am and 12.40 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Keran and Rampur sectors of Kupwara and Baramulla districts respectively, an Army spokesman said.

He said the Army is retaliating befittingly to the Pakistani aggression and the enemy positions have been targeted with high precision.
Uttarakhand Congress has demanded that the BJP-led state government make the accounts of Chief Minister COVID Relief Fund public to prove that the fund has been utilised properly.

The demand was made by Congress state vice president Suryakant Dhasmana while attacking the state government over its handling of the ongoing pandemic in the state.

Dhasmana said, The government has been collecting a significant amount of money through donations in CM Covid Relief Fund from various sections of the society. It announces daily who donated how much to the Fund. But no information regarding where the money is being utilized has come out?

He cited the demands for audit of the PM CARES Fund to seek transparency from the state government.

As all have seen how the Centre is sternly opposing the demand of revealing the details of the PM CARES Fund in which it collected thousands of crores from the public in the name of Covid-19 relief, we also doubt the transparency in this CM Covid Relief Fund. The state government should immediately disclose the total amount of money collected and its expenditure so far, said Dhasmana.

The Congress leader also demanded to know if Uttarakhand had received its share from the PM CARES Fund.

The ONGC which is headquartered in Uttarakhand had donated about Rs 300 cr in the PM CARES Fund but not in CM Relief Fund as the Centre had said that all Central PSUs will donate to Centre, not the state. Then, Uttarakhand should get a share of ONGCs donation. The CM should speak out on it as people have every right to know about it, said Dhasmana.

He also attacked the state government for allegedly surrendering in the fight against the pandemic as positive cases grow in numbers.

It has completely surrendered in the fight and has told the public to look after themselves, which is evident in its recent actions. When the cases are increasing every day, it has decided to reopen schools and religious places, which is just ridiculous, said Dhasmana, adding, the situation is so worrisome that the state high court had to intervene.

The state BJP hit back at the Congress alleging it was busy doing politics over the pandemic from the day one.

Congress has been shamelessly doing politics on this pandemic from the first day. On the other hand, the state government and the BJP have been helping the needy in every possible way, including with ration and medicines. Congress is nowhere to be seen as far as helping the people is concerned; it is busy in dirty politics in this crisis situation, said Ajendra Ajay, BJP state spokesperson.

On the demand for making the accounts of CM Covid Relief Fund public, Ajay said the demand was baseless.

Whenever the Congress is in power either at the Centre or in state, it has been involved in corruption, unlike the BJP, where no leader including the PM has been accused in even a single case of corruption. As Congress themselves are deeply in corruption, they suspect everyone of doing the same. There is no irregularity either in the PM CARES Fund or CM COVID Relief Fund.
Iran's 4.5 percent enriched uranium stockpile exceeds 1300 kg

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 6 June 2020 / 13:54

Tehran (ISNA)  Ambassador and permanent representative of Iran to the International Organizations in Vienna, Kazem Gharib-Abadi stressed that the International Atomic Energy Agency's new report on JCPOA both shows continuation of IAEA's verification activities and portrays Iran's actions in implementing its decisions to suspend its JCPOA commitments.

He said that the report on nuclear technical developments refers to the following breakthroughs:

Iran's heavy water production exceeds 130 tons and reaches 132.6 tons;

Using new machines, including enrichment with I. R 4, I. R 5, I. R 6, R 6, I. R. S, I. R. S 6, and I. R. 2. M machines in research and development lines;

Enrichment of uranium up to 4.5% and beyond the set limit in JCPOA;

Production of 1571.6 kg of enriched uranium, which is 550.7 kg more than the March's report, and 1356.5 kg of which is uranium with a richness of 4.5%.

Ghariabadi further noted that following points have also been mentioned in the IAEA's report:

Continuation of verification and monitoring activities under the special conditions caused by coronavirus and proper cooperation of Iran in this field;

Continuation of temporary and voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol by Iran and the continued continuation of verification of the Protocol declarations by the agency;

Continuation of verification of non-diversion of nuclear materials declared in Iran by the Agency; and

The fact that the IAEA has verified and monitored Iran's nuclear commitments under the JCPOA.

End Item

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With the slogan Read true books, write true dreams, the Vietnam Book Fair Tour 2020 has gathered a wide range of books, publications and artifacts related to culture, history, classic novels, family life, children, love stories, magazines, foreign languages and skills.

In addition, readers will have the chance to join an exhibition of newspapers that were published in Hue before 1975.

Notably, environmentally friendly paper bags will be used for customers at the book fair. Many preferential programmes and discounts as well as gifts will be also offered at the event.

On the occasion, the organising board presented 300 books to La Van Thuong and Dong Bao new-style rural cultural houses and Tran Thuc Nhan Secondary School in Quang Dien district, Thua Thien  Hue province.

The Vietnam Book Fair Tour, which is expected to take place in many provinces and cities around the country, aims to bring reading culture closer to the community.

The fair will run in Hue city until June 6.
A handgun found by police in a New IRA arms dump is to be tested to see if it was the weapon used to kill journalist Lyra McKee.

The weapon was part of a "significant" discovery, which included a bomb and ammo, made during searches of a 38-acre site near the Ballymagroarty district of Derry city yesterday.

Security sources expressed hope that the weapon might be that used to kill 29-year-old Lyra during rioting in the Creggan estate last year.

Expand Close The killer of Lyra McKee firing at police landrovers during rioting in Derry. Lyra McKee was shot and killed on the evening of the 18 April 2019 / Facebook

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Whatsapp The killer of Lyra McKee firing at police landrovers during rioting in Derry. Lyra McKee was shot and killed on the evening of the 18 April 2019

"It's the one that we want," a detective told Sunday Life.

The New IRA has a very limited amount of arms and the weekend find will come as a hammer blow to the gang.

Police carried out the searches following a series of arrests on high-profile dissident republican suspects in Derry.

Jude Macrory, the chairman of the New IRA political wing Saoradh in the city, was taken into custody last Thursday. He was previously questioned about the New IRA's 2019 bombing of Derry courthouse, but was freed without charge.

Saoradh spokesman Paddy Gallagher condemned the arrest, saying the PSNI forced entry into Macrory's home and seized several items.

Two weeks ago four other Saoradh members in Derry including prominent dissident republican Barry Millar (35) were taken into custody during raids before being released without charge. He is currently appealing a conviction of wearing paramilitary clothing and taking part in an illegal parade in support of the New IRA.

Republican sources in Derry say the PSNI's "significant" arms find will give rise to suspicions that the terror gang has a high-level informant in its ranks.

Last year cops acting on intelligence foiled two New IRA bomb attacks in the space of 48 hours. After a mortar was discovered aimed at Strabane PSNI station officers moved into the Creggan estate where they found a booby-trap trip-wire bomb.

"For every successful op the New IRA pulls off there are 10 screw-ups," said a Derry-based republican. "They are heavily infiltrated and they know it."

Outlining the police search operation in Ballymagroarty, PSNI 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."

Hitting out at the New IRA, Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said: "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."

Justice Minister Naomi Long also condemned the dissidents, saying: "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."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced hotels and banquet halls will remain closed in Delhi even as the Centre has allowed them open from June 8. As per the central government's guidelines, the government has allowed restaurants, malls and religious places to open.

The Kejriwal government has also decided to open Delhi borders with Haryana and UP from tomorrow, June 8.

The Delhi CM added that by the end of June, Delhi would require around 15,000 beds. Because of this, the Delhi government has decided to make the beds in Delhi hospitals, including private, available for the people of the national capital only. He said central hospitals will remain open for people from all over the country.

Also read: India sees biggest-ever spike of 9,887 new cases; tally rises to 2.46 lakh

Delhi is the most affected state when it comes to coronavirus, with total COVID-19 cases topping 27,654. The active cases stand at 16,229, while 10,664 people have recovered so far. The death in the nation capital stands at 761.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN INDIA (JUNE 7)

Also read: Delhi hospitals can't turn away people with COVID-19 symptoms, says CM Arvind Kejriwal

Guidelines for restaurants and malls

With the opening of malls and restaurants from tomorrow, patrons will need to follow certain guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Mall and restaurant owners would also have to ensure that visitors go to these places in a staggered manner. Moreover, basic precautions such as hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing of masks would be ensured by the mall and restaurant authorities. However, cinema halls, gaming arcades and play area for children will remain closed. Malls and restaurants within containment zones would continue to remain closed.

RESTAURANTS

i. Takeaways would be encouraged, instead of dining-in. Food delivery personnel should leave the packet at the customer's door and not hand-deliver directly.

ii. Restaurants must screen home-delivery staff.

iii. Hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening mandatory at entrance.

Also read: Unlock 1.0: Restaurants to encourage takeaways, seat 50% of total capacity

iv. Only asymptomatic staff and patrons would be allowed.

v. Face cover,masks must be worn at all times inside the restaurant. And only patrons and staff with face masks would be allowed inside.

vi. Posters, standees, AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently.

vii. Staggering of patrons to be done, if possible.

viii. Restaurant management must ensure social distancing norms with adequate manpower.

ix. All employees who are at higher risk to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public.

x. There must be proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises.

xi. Additional patrons to be seated in a designated waiting area with norms of social distancing.

xii. Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers, masks and gloves as appropriate.

xiii. To ensure social distancing, specific markings may be made with sufficient distance.

xiv. Preferably separate entry and exits for patrons, staff and goods, supplies shall be organised.

xv. Required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the restaurant shall be ensured. Proper queue management and disinfection shall be organised.

xvi. Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the restaurant as far as feasible.

xvii. Seating arrangement to be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained. In restaurants, not more than 50 per cent of seating capacity to be permitted.

Also read: Delhi containment zones double in 15 days; check complete district-wise list

xviii. Disposable menus are advised to be used.

xix. Instead of cloth napkins, use of good quality disposable paper napkins to be encouraged.

xx. Buffet service should also follow social distancing norms among patrons.

xxi. Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.

xxii. Use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

xxiii. For air-conditioning, ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed.

xxiv. There must be no large gatherings or congregations.

xxv. Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations, areas.

xxvi. Cleaning and regular disinfection of frequently touched surfaces such as door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches, washroom fixtures, etc mandatory.

xxvii. Proper disposal of face covers, masks, gloves left over by patrons, staff should be ensured.

xxviii. Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.

xxix. Adequate crowd and queue management must be ensured.

xxx. Staff and waiters should wear masks and hand gloves and take other required precautionary measures.

xxxi. Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment (using e-wallets) to be encouraged.

xxxii. Tables to be sanitised each time a customer leaves.

xxxiii. In the kitchen, the staff should follow social distancing norms. Kitchens area must be sanitised at regular intervals.

xxxiv. Gaming arcades and children play areas (wherever applicable) shall remain closed.

Also read: Lockdown impact: April tax revenues for 3 states show up to 70% shortfall; Kerala worst hit

MALLS

I. Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening provisions.

ii. Only asymptomatic customers shall be allowed.

iii. All workers, customers, visitors must use face covers and masks at all times. Patrons without face masks and covers would not be allowed to enter.

iv. Posters, standees, AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently.

v. Staggering of visitors to be done, if possible.

vi. To ensure social distancing, adequate manpower shall be deployed by the management.

vii. All employees who are at higher risk to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public.

viii. Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises to be ensured.

ix. Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers or masks and gloves as appropriate.

x. Any shops, stalls, cafeteria etc., outside and within the premises shall follow social distancing norms at all times.

xi. To ensure social distancing, specific markings may be made with sufficient distance.

xii. Preferably separate entry and exits for visitors, workers and goods, supplies shall be organised.

xiii. Home delivery staff shall be screened thermally.

xiv. Required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the shopping mall shall be ensured. Proper queue management and disinfection shall be organised.

xv. Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the shopping mall as far as feasible.

Also read: Haryana schools to reopen in July, colleges in August; classes to be held in shifts

xvi. Number of customers inside the shop to be kept at a minimum, so as to maintain the physical distancing norms.

xvii. Seating arrangement, if any, to be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained.

xviii. Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.

xix. Use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

xx. For air-conditioning, ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed.

xxi. There would be no large gatherings or congregations.

xxii. Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations, areas.

xxiii. Cleaning and regular disinfection of frequently touched surfaces such as door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches, washroom fixtures, etc. mandatory in all malls in common areas as well as inside shops, elevators, escalators etc.

xxiv. Proper disposal of face covers, masks, gloves left over by visitors, employees should be ensured.

xxv. Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.

xxvi. In the food-courts:

a. Adequate crowd and queue management to be ensured to ensure social distancing norms.

b. In food courts and restaurants, not more than 50 per cent of seating capacity to be permitted.

c. Food court staff, waiters should wear masks and hand gloves and take other required precautionary measures.

d. The seating arrangement should ensure adequate social distancing between patrons as far as feasible.

e. Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment (using e-wallets) to be encouraged.

f. Tables to be sanitised each time a customer leaves.

g. In the kitchen, the staff should follow social distancing norms.

xxvii. Gaming arcades shall remain closed.

xxviii. Children play areas shall remain closed.

xxix. Cinema halls inside shopping malls shall remain closed.




Damilola Taylor's father has hailed his son's school friend and Hollywood actor John Boyega a 'hero' after he gave an impassioned speech at a Black Lives Matter protest.

Star Wars actor Boyega was one of the last people to see 10-year-old Damilola before he was stabbed to death with a broken bottle in 2000.

This week the star, now 28, rallied for justice in Hyde Park following the killing of 46-year-old Minneapolis man George Floyd, telling thousands of people: 'I'm speaking from my heart. Look, I don't know if I'm going to have a career after this but f*** that.'

The father of murdered schoolboy father Richard Taylor, 64, told The Mirror: 'Damilola would be proud of his friend  John is a hero.'

Damilola's father Richard, 64, hailed Boyega as a 'hero' as he told The Mirror that 'George Floyd must not die in vain

Star Wars actor Boyega (pictured above during a Black Lives Matter protest at Hyde Park) was one of the last people to see 10-year-old Damilola before he was stabbed to death with a broken bottle in 2000

10-year-old Damilola Taylor was stabbed as he was walking home from his local library and was discovered bleeding to death in stairway

Mr Taylor added: 'I hope young people can be inspired by the wonderful role model John has turned out to be. You can only imagine my pride that Damilola's school friend has become a Hollywood icon.

'I think Damilola would have been a hero at the moment as well, as he was dreaming to be a doctor.'

The savage murder of Damilola in Peckham in an unprovoked attack 20 years ago sparked nationwide outrage.

The youngster was walking from after leaving a computer class at his local library when he was stabbed and was discovered bleeding to death in a stairway, having left a 30-metre trail of blood behind him.

Shortly before his murder he had written a school essay in which he revealed he hoped to save the world one day, his father said.

Brothers Danny and Ricky Preddie, then aged 12 and 13, were convicted of Damilola's manslaughter in 2006.

CCTV footage released at the time of the murder showed Damilola entering a lift with two unidentified friends, later revealed to be Boyega, then aged eight, and his sister, aged 10, the Mirror reported.

Mr Taylor heaped praise on Boyega's activism amid worldwide rallies calling for justice against police brutality.

He admitted his eldest son Tunde was recently stopped and searched in what he described 'racial profiling' and called for fairness and accountability among police.

Mr Taylor said officers told Tunde they got smell weed, but released him after a check found he was not in possession of the drug.

He said the incident had left his son 'distressed and hurting' and that 'such trauma is, sadly, a way of life for the black community'.

Boyega's involvement in the protests come after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May.

Police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, has been sacked and charged with second-degree murder after video footage emerged of him kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped 'I can't breathe' and begged for his mother.

Three other officers, also sacked from their jobs, have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Mr Taylor said that what was happening in America was 'almost beyond belief' and told The Mirror that 'George Floyd must not die in vain'.

'The world must unite to condemn killings of black people and the societal racism we have suffered,' he added.
David is in his 70s and concedes he is safest at home from the coronavirus pandemic, which has been the deadliest for the elderly. But there he was on Saturday, risking his life, demonstrating with tens of thousands of people outside the White House.

Cant keep quiet anymore, he said, trying to make himself heard from 10 feet away, words muffled by his mask. Hundred of years of injustice must end, he said. David is white and deeply disturbed by continued racial inequities brought up again by the killing of George Floyd, an African American man who was taken in police custody.

David chose a side alley to stay as safe as he could but gave up shortly as crowds swelled around him. He put his placard, which read Black Lives Matter, under his arm and hurried away.

Also read: Floyd protests - Top editor resigns over Buildings Matter headline

Ten of thousands of people demonstrated in Washington DC on Saturday in what has been described as the citys largest till date. They walked to the White House, National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, singing, chanting slogans, giving and hearing speeches on a hot and humid day.

The White House is surrounded by layers of fences and barricading but the demonstrators could walk close to a block to an area that has become the focal point of the demonstrations - Black Lives Matter Plaza, separated by Lafayette park from the White House.

No justice, no peace, they chanted. Shouting Black Lives Matter, the demonstrators carried signs that read, My colour is not my crime, Racist-in-Chief (for the US president, a play on his title commander-in-chief), F The Police, Defund the Police, among others.

One man, who said he is from Baltimore - a Maryland city which President Donald Trump has derided as rat-infested - used a bullhorn to chant Bunker Boy, Bunker Boy, a reference to President Trump briefly taking shelter in the White Houses underground bunker one night the previous week when demonstrators had surged in numbers and had broken through a barricade, catching law enforcement by surprise and unprepared.

People came mostly from the Washington DC area, including the suburbs in adjoining states of Virginia and Maryland and some from further beyond. The Washington Post wrote about three young sisters who drove six hours from North Carolina to catch the historic march. And, no, they had not told their parents.

The Stiles couple stood to one end of the BLM Plaza with two large garbage bags for discarded water bottles and other waste. We just wanted to make sure we could help the protests by keeping the area clean, Lindsey Stiles told a reporter. Parker, the husband, was walking around with a trash picker, directing them to the trash bags.

Fuel up, a young man called out to marchers around the corner, inviting them to packets of Turkey sandwiches and snacks he and his friends had lined up in coolers on the sidewalk.

Turkey sandwiches so the revolution does not go hungry, he would add, breaking into a longer pitch. Others offered demonstrators water bottles and bananas.

It was the largest turnout of demonstrators yet, in the nine days that the national capital has witnessed these protests (12th countrywide), but President Trump, who is treating the protests as partisan and aimed at him, sought to disparage it as underwhelming.

Much smaller crowd in DC than anticipated, he posted on Twitter.

National Guard, Secret Service, and DC Police have been doing a fantastic job. Thank you!

Protests took places in dozens of cities across the United States for the 12th day now. They were mostly peaceful. In New York City, which has had one of the most violent turnouts in the past, demonstrations were entirely peaceful. Demonstrators stayed in the city after the curfew, but not till much after.

Law enforcement agencies also displayed restraint and were noticeably less confrontational. They backed down in many instances, allowing demonstrators to go. In DC, law enforcement personnel were around but not in numbers comparable to those seen in the early days.
Meghan McCain from The View was exposed telling a lie about the Black Lives Matter protests. The conservative co-host led everyone to believe that her neighborhood in New York City was trashed following the rallies. She wanted to call out the government officials who are Democrats. The only reason she then later clear things up was because a gossip website was going to reveal her actual whereabouts.

Meghan McCain | Greg Endries/Bravo

What did Meghan McCain tweet?

McCain was off from The View this week and enjoying her time away from the show. She is a news and political junkie and was enthralled by the marches taking over cities nationwide. McCain loves to use Twitter to interact with her followers and after watching TV she stated something that wasnt entirely accurate.

The Republican pundit blasted city and state officials for allowing the vandalization and looting of the Big Apple.

My neighborhood in Manhattan is eviscerated and looks like a war zone, she tweeted. [Bill] DeBlasio and Andrew [Cuomo] are an utter disgrace. This is not America. Our leaders have abandoned us and continue to let great American cities burn to the ground and be destroyed. I never could have fathomed this.

McCain led everyone to believe that she had literally walked out of her place in the city to see destruction. However, the Arizona native didnt count on a neighbor putting her on blast.

Meghan, we live in the same building, and I just walked outside. Its fine, Kristen Bartlett, a writer on Full Frontal, tweeted.

Meghan, we live in the same building, and I just walked outside. Its fine. https://t.co/ZvwNrjL6P7  Kristen Bartlett (@kristencheeks) June 2, 2020

Meghan McCain forced to come clean

You would think that being exposed by your neighbor was enough for McCain to clear up the mess, but it wasnt. The ABC talk show personality got a lot of backlash on social media for misrepresenting her location. In implying she was in NYC, many people interpreted as she was against the Black Lives Matter movement.

She ended up fessing up to her previous tweet a day later, but only after a gossip publication reached out to here. McCain was probably given a chance to release a statement about the actual city she was living in during quarantine.

I sent a tweet yesterday based on the news I saw happening in midtown we all have been watching all over different media platforms, McCain tweeted.

1. I am six months pregnant  a gossip organization is about to run a story of where me and my family are currently. I sent a tweet yesterday based on the news I saw happening in midtown we all have been watching all over different media platforms  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 3, 2020

I support the peaceful protests, their movement but am absolutely heartbroken about the destruction in the city I have loved since I moved to when I was 18, she continued in a second tweet. It is important to have your voice heard and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.

2. I support the peaceful protests, their movement but am absolutely heartbroken about the destruction in the city I have loved since I moved to when I was 18. It is important to have your voice heard and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 3, 2020

Neither tweet expressly apologized for misrepresenting what she had tweeted the day before. She only based her idea on what she was seeing on television. Later that day, Page Six published their article confirming what city she was actually living in during the pandemic and protests.

She isnt even in the city! Shes in Virginia at a family home because she wanted to be in a place she could keep guns, a source told Page Six.

The View airs weekday mornings at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. CT/PT on Bravo.

RELATED: The View: Meghan McCain Says Neighborhood Is War Zone After Protests, Gets Called out on Privilege
Sana Shakil By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In perhaps the countrys first custodial Covid-19 case, a Kashmiri woman who is accused of planning a terror attack during anti-CAA protests, has tested positive for the infection while in the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A special court on Sunday, which heard the case through video-conferencing, directed NIA to immediately admit Hina Bashir Beigh to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital.

Beigh, her husband Jahanzaib Sami and Abdul Basith were arrested for allegedly promoting the Islamic States ideology and instigating protests against the CAA. The accused were produced before the court as their 10-day custodial interrogation ended on Sunday. The court sent Sami and Basith to jail after the agency did not seek their further remand for interrogation.Soon after the development, Beighs lawyer MS Khan moved an interim bail application seeking relief of two months for his client for better treatment at a private hospital, citing the lack of facilities and pressure in government hospitals.

Delhi is struggling to cope up with the rising number of coronavirus positive cases that have gone upto 27,000 as of now and due to lack of proper treatment facilities in government facilities., the Delhi government has been compelled to issue a list of 56 private hospitals for corona treatment, stated the bail application, which will probably be heard by the court next week.

In the plea, Khan also said that Beigh has no criminal record and there is no chance of her absconding or tampering with the cases evidence. Beigh has clean antecedents... There is no chance of her absconding or tampering with the prosecution witnesses.
Imprisoned Parliamentarians Worldwide at Risk From Coronavirus

By Lisa Schlein June 06, 2020

The Inter-Parliamentary Union condemns the imprisonment of 43 Members of Parliament around the world, saying they lack legal recourse to attain justice. The IPU is focusing especially on MPs detained in overcrowded, cramped cells in Venezuela, Ivory Coast and Turkey. The IPU says they are at particular risk of infection from COVID-19 and should be released immediately.

An IPU human rights committee is monitoring the cases of 139 Members of Parliament in Venezuela. It says they have been subjected to intimidation, harassment, detention and attacks by government security forces because of their opposition to the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In the last few months, the committee reports at least 17 MPs have gone into exile, others have sought protection of foreign embassies in the capital Caracas, and many others have gone into hiding.

Manager of the IPU Human Rights Program, Rogier Huizenga, says five MPs in detention are of particular concern. He says they have been imprisoned without regard for parliamentary immunity and due process. He says their conditions of confinement expose them to the deadly coronavirus.

He tells VOA information gathered from complainants, as well as international and regional bodies, indicate the MPs have been arrested on trumped up charges.

"We have asked time and time again the Venezuelan authorities to provide us with details on the facts that would support the charges that have been brought against these MPs," Huizenga said. "And, these details are still sorely lacking. So, there is nothing right now that can dispel our concerns that these MPs are, in fact, being prosecuted hereto for having exercised their political mandates."

In Turkey, the IPU is examining alleged human rights violations against 57 current or former parliamentarians, 27 of whom are women. They all belong to the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party or HDP. Over 600 criminal and terrorism charges have been brought against them since 2015. Seven MPs currently are still in prison.

Huizenga says the IPU is in regular contact with Turkish authorities about these cases. However, he adds they do not always see eye-to-eye on some of the underlying issues.

"The Turkish authorities are quick to respond that the HDP opposition MPs are working in tandem with the PKK [the Kurdistan Workers' Party] in what they see as the terrorist organization; whereas, the information that we have clearly shows that these MPs are in fact being prosecuted for having exercised their freedom of expression," Huizenga said.

The IPU currently is scrutinizing the cases of 10 opposition MPs in the Ivory Coast. They allegedly have had their fundamental rights violated since 2018, including arbitrary arrest and detention.

The IPU committee is particularly worried about the situation of five parliamentarians in detention, one of whom is in ill health and reportedly being denied a visit by his personal physician.

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Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council  a veto-proof majority on the panel of 13  signed a pledge at a rally on Sunday to begin the process of dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department as it currently exists, The Appeal first reported.

Why it matters: The move to replace the police department with a community-based public safety model answers the calls of activists who have been pushing for a massive overhaul of law enforcement in Minneapolis after the killing of George Floyd.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was berated and told to "go home" at a protest on Saturday after refusing to commit to defunding the police department.

Council members said on Sunday that they had not yet fleshed out specific plans for what the new public safety system will look like, but said they would commit to working with the community and draw on past studies and policing reforms around the world for guidance, the New York Times reports.

What they're saying:

Were here because we hear you. We are here today because George Floyd was killed by the Minneapolis Police. We are here because here in Minneapolis and in cities across the United States it is clear that our existing system of policing and public safety is not keeping our communities safe. Our efforts at incremental reform have failed. Period.

 Minneapolis City Council president Lisa Bender

Go deeper: Black Lives Matter co-founder explains "Defund the police" slogan
More women are coming forward for the first time to report family violence, according to Victorian research that shows COVID-19 lockdowns have worsened the potential for abuse in many homes.

In what researchers believe to be Australias first published study measuring the early impacts of the crisis on domestic violence, Monash University surveyed 166 family violence victim support practitioners across Victoria during a four-week period from the end of April into May.

Almost 60 per cent of practitioners said the pandemic had increased the frequency of violence against women. Credit:Shutterstock

"With the families being stuck at home, with even the playgrounds in our area roped off, this has been a tinderbox in many households and has made the circumstances for many women unbearable," one practitioner said.

The report found:
Prince Andrew will launch an extraordinary public fight back today after US authorities made a formal request for him to be quizzed over the Epstein affair.

The Duke of York is poised this afternoon to release evidence that he says will show he has been co-operating with U.S.officials.

He is expected to say that the Department of Justice has made false claims that they have faced a wall of silence from him and his team.

The dramatic update comes as it emerged that the US Department of Justice has filed a mutual legal assistance (MLA) request for help to the UK Home Office. These requests are used only in criminal cases under a legal treaty with the UK.

Prince Andrew has always categorically denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. But the request from US officials means he could be forced to appear in a UK court as a witness in the case within months.

US officials have previously claimed that Andrew has refused to co-operate with their requests to be questioned over Epstein and their investigation into his sex trafficking network. Submitting an MLA is an audacious move to try to force him to answer questions.

Scroll down for video

The Duke of York, 60, had previously refused to be questioned by prosecutors in New York, in relation to their investigation into Epsteins historic sex trafficking network

Prince Andrew has previously admitted to becoming friends with Jeffrey Epstein (seen right) in 1999, after being introduced to the financier through Ghislaine Maxwell (Pictured: Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago club, 2000)

However, the Mail understands that the prince will make his own dramatic move Monday by hitting back forcefully at claims he has failed to engage with the American investigation.

It is understood his team will publish a full account of their dealings with the Department of Justice.

The Mail has been told that the dukes legal team is at the end of its tether and has tried to play a straight bat with US officials, only to be greeted by leaks and innuendo.

A source close to the dukes legal team told the Mail last night: Legal discussions with the Department of Justice are subject to strict confidentiality rules, as set out in their own guidelines.

We have chosen to abide by both the letter and the spirit of these rules, which is why we have made no comment about anything related to the Department of Justice during the course of this year. We believe in playing a straight bat.

Andrew, 60, is yet to speak to prosecutors in the US despite pledging in his disastrous Newsnight interview in November last year that he would co-operate.

The Department of Justices request for mutual legal assistance from the Home Office effectively bypasses a request to Buckingham Palace.

It means Andrew could be forced to appear in a British court as a witness within months.

One of Epsteins victims, Virginia Roberts, alleges she had sex with the Duke of York three times when she was 17 at the behest of the billionaire pedophile. The prince emphatically denies the allegation.

Andrews relationship with Epstein came under public scrutiny in 2010 when photos emerged of them together in New York.

By that time, Epstein was a registered sex offender but the duke spent a weekend at his 57 million ($72 million) mansion.

Prince Andrew announced hed be stepping back from public life after a disastrous interview with the BBC in November, regarding the decades-long friendship he shared with Epstein

The disgraced financier killed himself last August while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, but his victims want justice against his alleged conspirators, including British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 58  the daughter of shamed media tycoon Robert Maxwell. Lawyers for Miss Maxwell have previously said she denies any wrongdoing.

Andrew has categorically denied having any knowledge that Epstein was sexually abusing teenage girls.

Miss Roberts alleges she first had sex with Andrew in 2001 when she was 17 after being trafficked by Epstein.

She said she was flown on Epsteins private jet to London to meet the duke and the pair were photographed together in Miss Maxwells Belgravia home.

During his Newsnight interview, Andrew said he did not recall ever meeting Miss Roberts.

It was claimed last night that the MLA request, reported by The Sun, was formally lodged by the Department of Justice last month under the terms of a 1994 treaty.

If granted, US prosecutors could either ask the duke to voluntarily attend an interview or give a signed statement.

They could also ask Andrew to attend a magistrates court to provide oral or written evidence on oath. If he refused, the duke could be forced to attend in person.

But Andrew would have the right to plead the 5th Amendment under the US Constitution and stay silent in order to not incriminate himself.

The MLA request is not the same as requesting Andrews extradition. That process could be launched only if he was considered a formal suspect and the FBI believed there was enough evidence to charge him.

Home Office sources last night confirmed the request had been made. No decision has yet been made by UK officials.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre (right) claims she was trafficking by Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew in London, in 2001, at Maxwells home in Mayfair when she was 17-years-old

Unlike his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew does not have diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

However, any evidence provided by Andrew may be held in camera, meaning the session would be private with press and members of the public barred from attending.

The Duke would also retain the right to plead the fifth and stay silent, however legal experts have already warned that any decision to do so could dramatically backfire.

While the Prince would retain the right to decline to testify under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the impact on his already diminished reputation would be considerable and an adverse inference could be drawn against him in the related civil litigations, leading to a possible default judgment, former federal prosecutor Evan T Barr wrote in the New York Law Journal last month.

Barr suggested Andrew's 'safest approach is to hunker down in the UK.'

Giuffre also alleges that Epstein paid her to have sex with Andrew at Epsteins New York mansion, and claims to have had sex with Prince Andrew and eight other girls on Epstein's private island

Andrew vehemently denies the allegations made by Roberts, insisting he has no recollection of ever meeting her

Prince Andrew announced hed be stepping back from public life after the disastrous interview with BBC's Newsnight in November, regarding the decades-long friendship he shared with Epstein.

During the interview, Andrew insisted he would cooperate with any US investigation if his legal advice was to do so.

However, in January, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman criticized Andrew for providing zero cooperation with his probe. Then in March, Berman said Andrew had since completely shut the door on voluntary co-operation.

Representatives for Andrew rebuked the claims, insisting his legal aides had been in regular contact with the prosecutors officer since the beginning of the year.

Berman, meanwhile, said his office was considering its options after Andrews attorneys made it clear he was not willing to submit to an interview. The MLA request was then filed in May.

Prince Andrew has previously admitted to becoming friends with Jeffrey Epstein in 1999, after being introduced to the financier through Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein was a guest at Maxwells birthday party at Sandringham Palace, as well as at Princess Beatrices 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle in 2006, two months after a warrant was issued for his arrest for the sexual assault of a minor.

Epstein was a guest at Ghislaine Maxwells (right) birthday party at Sandringham Palace, as well as at Princess Beatrices 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle, two months after a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2006 for the sexual assault of a minor

Epstein was convicted for procuring an underage girl for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute in Florida in 2008. He was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell last year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges

Epstein and Andrew were believed to have met on at least 10 other occasions, with the Duke of York even staying over at Epsteins mansion in New York, at his Palm Beach home and on his private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Roberts claims she was trafficking by Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew in London, in 2001, at Maxwells home in Mayfair when she was 17-years-old.

Roberts also alleges that Epstein later paid her to have sex with Andrew at Epsteins New York mansion, and claims to have had sex with Prince Andrew and eight other girls on Epstein's private island in 2002.

Andrew vehemently denies the allegations made by Roberts, insisting he has no recollection of ever meeting her.

Epstein was convicted for procuring an underage girl for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute in Florida in 2008. Two years after his release from Prison, Andrew was pictured entering Epstein's New York mansion in December 2010, where he stayed for four days.

In his interview with Newsnight, Andrew insisted that the sole purpose of the visit was to cut ties with Epstein.

The Queens second son likened the 21,000 sq ft mansion to a railway station due to the fact that there were people coming in and out of that house all the time.

Pushed on why he stayed at the home of a convicted sex offender, he said: Now, I went there with the sole purpose of saying to him that because he had been convicted, it was inappropriate for us to be seen together.

A former model who was once part of Epstein's inner circle, claimed in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday earlier this month, that the financier had arranged for three young women to meet Prince Andrew at the residence during the visit.

The women, who were all in their early 20s, were told to dress up beautifully for the meetings, the source claimed.

Jeffrey Epstein, 66, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell last August while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Archbishop Eamon Martin has urged younger people to step forward to help with the preparations for the resumption of church services (Niall Carson/PA)

The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has urged young people to volunteer to help with preparations for the resumption of services.

Archbishop Eamon Martin welcomed the announcement by the Irish Government on Friday that church services may resume in the Irish Republic on June 29.

He said he is greatly looking forward to celebrating public Mass and the sacraments soon with our congregations, and added his fervent hope and prayer that parishes in Northern Ireland will also soon be able to resume public worship.

Churches in Northern Ireland have been allowed to open for private prayer with social distancing being observed.

Expand Close Fr Tim Bartlett from St Marys Church in Belfast offers a blessing to Annette Daly on John Street (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Fr Tim Bartlett from St Marys Church in Belfast offers a blessing to Annette Daly on John Street (Liam McBurney/PA)

Speaking during a private celebration of Mass at St Patricks Cathedral in Armagh on Sunday, he urged young people to volunteer to help with the transition back to full parish life.

Over the next few weeks, our parishes will prepare for the reopening of churches to public worship, he said.

We realise that this will happen slowly and tentatively at first. Some people may prefer, for a while, to continue to join us virtually from home over webcam, because of their vulnerability or because of nervousness about going out immediately into gatherings.

Some of our priests are cocooning and will be unable, at first, to provide their usual services and ministry.

Because of recommendations on physical distancing and hygiene, it will be necessary to reduce considerably the number of people who can gather inside church buildings at any one time.

A small number of our liturgical customs may have to be adjusted to take account of health recommendations.

Expand Close Belfasts oldest Catholic Church, St Marys in Chapel Lane, reopens after the Northern Ireland Executive announced that places of worship would be allowed to open for solitary prayer (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Belfasts oldest Catholic Church, St Marys in Chapel Lane, reopens after the Northern Ireland Executive announced that places of worship would be allowed to open for solitary prayer (Liam McBurney/PA)

I appeal to our congregations to be patient and understanding, and to co-operate in helping us fulfil our church guidelines.

I also call on the younger members of our parishes to step forward in helping us manage the transition back to full parish life and celebration of the sacraments.

We will need volunteers to assist with cleaning, stewarding, reading, ministering the Eucharist and other roles and responsibilities which some of our older members may be unable to fulfil at this time.
The shelters acting executive director, Jim Reeder, 72, came aboard only four years ago, after a career in a local manufacturing business. His role was to run a fund-raising campaign for the shelters new building. But when the prior executive director left, Mr. Reeder stepped in. We didnt plan it this way, Mr. Reeder told me. We thought it was going to be kind of a smooth transition and wed get a new E.D. and off wed go. Then Covid happened.

On the day I visited, Arlington Life Shelter housed 50 people, many of them mothers with children. Treasure Jones, 20, lost her job when she couldnt find stable child care for her 11-month-old son, and then coronavirus and its havoc arrived, dooming her search for work. Nevertheless, she objected to the reopening which had, on the day of my visit, already begun. I feel like with all of this going on, they should not open right now because the stakes are really high, Ms. Jones said.

Mr. Reeder acknowledged the critical importance of readily available work. We do understand the need for jobs to function and get people paid, or people end up here, he said. Yet he had serious reservations about the reopening, too. Fully understand the need to get the economy opened, but if a bunch of people die and a lot of people are sick that end up here again, he asked, whats it all about?

But the impossibility of it all had not deterred Mr. Reeder, nor led him to despair. On the contrary, he seemed optimistic, confident. Gods blessed this whole thing, he declared, leading me through the empty, almost-finished facility he was eager to open. There were family bedrooms here, with electronic locks for privacy and space enough for five, and Jack-and-Jill bathrooms. At last, we stood in an unfinished upper room, all bare concrete and drying paint, watching as the sun lowered over the rooftops and parking lots of the city I grew up in.

I asked him, as the dusty air between us blazed gold with sunlight, if he was worried. I suppose I needed some kind of reassurance, and to see in this place that I will always love that there is still strength in that proud Texan spirit, that it lives on and lives well  generously, prudently, virtuously. But I think he didnt hear me. He was gazing steadily through a plate-glass window at a city full of lives he intends to save, and he was not afraid.
By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: To the world, COVID-19 is a deadly virus that is killing people but to some in Assam, it is a goddess.

To seek respite from the disease after getting driven by superstitious beliefs, women in parts of the state have started performing Corona Devi Puja.

In Biswanath district of northern Assam, some women had flocked to the bank of a river on Saturday and performed the puja. They believed the virus would disappear from the world only if Corona Devi could be pleased through prayers.

We are offering puja to Corona Maa. Once the puja gets over, a wind will blow and destroy the virus, a woman had told journalists.

Another woman said: We are here to pray for everyone so that the virus disappears from the world.

Some believed COVID-19 was the creation of goddess Shitala. In some Indian societies, people relate the infectious diseases, such as smallpox, to Shitala and offer prayers to the goddess to get relief.

That COVID-19 is a goddess has been doing the rounds on social media for a while, some locals in Biswanath said. In fact, not just in Biswanath, people in some other parts of the state, including Guwahati, were said to be offering the puja.

The states Health Department said a series of awareness campaigns on the disease as well as social distancing norms had been conducted across the state.

Till 4 pm of Sunday, Assam recorded 2,565 cases of COVID-19, including four deaths. So far, 615 patients recovered.
Large crowds of mourners came out today to pay respect to George Floyd, who lost his life at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department, sparking nationwide protest.

A two-hour public viewing was held in Raeford, about 25 miles outside of Fayetteville  where the 46-year-old man was born. For a period, Floyd also lived in Houston, Texas before making his way to Minnesota.

Grievers and peaceful protesters lined the road outside the Cape Fear Conference B building, where inside the church Floyd's casket was placed in the center of the of the lobby. Mourners were allowed inside in groups of 10 and asked to wear a mask, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to The Fayetteville Observer, the peaceful crowds cheered as men arrived on horses, and upon the arrival of a motorcade by a local motorcycle club, all in honor of Floyd.

In a live stream of the second private memorial service from NBC News, a choir sang the popular gospel song, "I Shall Wear a Crown," as masked mourners danced and sang in celebration of Floyd's life.

Celebrities Speak Out in Response to George Floyd's Death

Earlier this week, the Hoke County Sheriff's department issued a statement on the service, asking those in attendance to "be respectful to the sensitivity of the family's time of grief," adding that the service "is about the life that Mr. George Floyd lived and this is a time to embrace the family with expressions of love and kindness."

Floyd's sister, Bridgett Floyd, is a resident of Hoke County, according to Raleigh news station WRAL.

Floyd will be laid to rest on Tuesday, June 9, in Houston, following a viewing of his body on Monday at the Fountain of Grace Church.

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was videotaped kneeling on Floyd's neck, has since been fired and arrested. He is being charged with second-degree murder, following an upgrade from his original charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three officers who witnessed the incident without intervening  J.A. Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao  have also been fired and arrested.

According to court records from the state of Minnesota, the former officers are each facing two felony charges: Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Murder and Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Manslaughter.
The Minister of Works and Housing has proposed the adoption of submerged drainage system to help deal with the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into open drains to minimise flooding.

Mr Samual Atta Akyea said though the submerged drainage system was capital intensive, it had been adopted by most advanced countries and Ghana needed to do same.

According to him, it was time for a re-engineering of the country's drainage system to ensure that the modified one to be adopted was the best to deal with the environmental challenges.

He said it was essential to open up the sizes of the current drains as most of them were to too small to contain the pressures on them.

Mr Atta Akyea was speaking in an interview with the media after he joined the people of New Juaben North and South municipalities in the Eastern Region to desilt gutters and clean the environment.

The exercise was under the auspices of the Works and Housing Ministry, in collaboration with New Juaben North and South Municipal Assemblies and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

It was to conscientise the people to desist from dumping garbage and filth in open drains.

Mr Atta Akyea indicated that in the course of the exercise, he realised many of the inhabitants were not participating and called on Ghanaians to adopt the habit of desilting their gutters at least every weekend.

He said in 2018, government allocated Ghc20 million to the Ministry to tackle drainage problems and based on the satisfactory conduct of the exercise, the country was able to contain the floods the following year.

He charged the assemblies to apply their sanitation by-laws to the letter and punish the recalcitrant.

The New Juaben South Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Appau Gyesi,

appealed to opinion leaders to allow the laws to work when someone was found culpable.

---GNA
Damage to the Catholic mission of Nangololo in Muambula, Cabo Delgado, after the Easter Attacks, this year

Mozambiques President, Filipe Nyusi, says that he will not allow the country to be blackmailed by sponsored terrorists, of Cabo Delgado, into another deadly war..

Herminio Jose - Maputo & Paul Samasumo  Vatican City

The Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, is blaming the terrorist insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado to what he has called, internal and external elites. President Nyusi made the remarks, this week, when he launched the official start of activities that will culminate into the 45th anniversary of national independence on 25 June.

Mozambicans will not repeatedly tolerate the blackmail of cyclical warfare, driven by groups of individuals manipulated to support the ego of internal and external elites, said the President of Mozambique without elaborating on the nature of those elites.

Deadly terrorist activities in Cabo Delgado

The President was referring to the continued terrorist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The attacks have led to the death of over 1000 persons since 2017. United Nations estimates also say more than 200 000 people in the province have been displaced due to the ongoing terrorist activities. Trouble in Cabo Delgado started soon after the discovery of one of Africas largest deposits of Natural Gas in the area, three years ago.

Nyusi: We must value diversity and work together as one people

During this weeks independence launch, President Nyusi appealed for unity and the strengthening of efforts by all Mozambicans to defend the sovereignty of the nation.

This date (Independence Day) calls to mind the need for us not to give in to the complexity of the challenges that we face. The variety of our cultural composition as a nation and the abundance of natural resources are our strength. Only if we value diversity and work together in unity, will we build a strong and prosperous country, said the President.

President Nyusi then paid tribute to the young members of the armed forces throughout the country, especially those who stationed in the troubled northern and central regions.

Boat with suspect terrorist recruits capsizes killing 13 persons

Right on the heels of the presidential speech comes an AFP report of Friday, about the death of 13 people on Tuesday. These, drowned when a boat loaded with 50 persons encountered bad weather, south of Pemba in the Province of Capo Delgado. 35 persons were rescued.

Mozambican police suspect that the boat was carrying recruits who were being ferried to the terrorist stronghold areas in the province of Cabo Delgado.

Our investigation into the motives for this night trip, without notifying the maritime authorities, is still underway, said the police spokesperson.


By Park Ji-won



At a time when there are few indoor artistic performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an upcoming ballet festival is looking to revive people's spirits from coronavirus-related stress through a familiar dance repertoire and performances by leading ballet dancers from here and overseas.





The 10th edition of the festival, which was established in 2011 with the aim of bringing ballet closer to the public, is slated to take place from June 18 to 28 at the Seoul Arts Center, presenting nine ballet works ranging from classic to contemporary.





The Korea National Ballet's romantic ballet "Giselle" was originally planned to be opening the festival on June 10, but it was canceled under the government's measures that closed state-run cultural facilities through June 14 due to the recent spread of the coronavirus in the Seoul metropolitan area.







To this end, Universal Ballet's "Ballet Gala & Aurora's Wedding" will open the festival at CJ Towol Theater on June 18 and 19. The troupe will perform key acts from some of the most famous ballet works such as "Swan Lake," "The Pirate" and "The Sleeping Beauty." In addition to the famous repertoire, highlights of choreographer Gerald Arpino's "RUTH, Ricordi Per Due" and Adrienne Dellas' "Gopak," or Ukrainian traditional dance and, "Moonlight Pas de Deux" from "Shim Chung" will also be staged.







Kim Joo-won, who served as principal dancer at the Korea National Ballet for 15 years, will stage "Tango in Ballet: Su Tiempo" on June 23 and 24 at the same venue. Directed by herself, the performance was presented last year at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in a way to express her love of Argentinian dance and to explore ways to combine two different dance genres: ballet and tango.







Shows associated with "The Korea World Dance Stars Festival" will present to audiences world-class performances by 10 Korean dancers from overseas ballet theaters on June 27 and 28.







Up to 20 dancers including ballerina Kang Ho-hyun of the Paris Opera Ballet; ballerina Park Sun-mi and ballerino Han Sung-woo of the American Ballet Theatre; ballerina Lee Soo-bin and ballerinos Lee Sang-min and Lee Sun-woo of the Boston Ballet; and other ballet dancers will stage in famous ballet works such as "Don Quixote" by Kang and Han and "Pas de Trois from Le Corsaire" by Lee You-rim with Hungary National Ballet, Lee Sun-woo and Han.







At Jayu Theater, a small-sized performing hall with some 220 seats, some creative ballet productions will be performed by Ryu Hoi-Woong Liberty Hall and Lee Lu-Da Black Toe on June 18 and 19 while Yoon Jeon-il Dance Emotion and Yoomique Dance and Jeong Hyeong-il Ballet Creative and Kim She-yun Dance Project will stage their original pieces on June 23 and 24 and June 27 and 28, respectively.







On the sidelines of the festival, talks by performers regarding their stages and photo sessions with ballet dancers will also be held. Also, a small photo exhibition to chronicle the 10 years of the festival will also be taken place.







Audiences should wear masks inside the facilities and use hand sanitizer. Those who refuse to check their body temperature or present with a fever will not be allowed to enter the hall. Also, audiences need to submit a questionnaire regarding their health condition and whether they have recently traveled overseas. One seat will be left empty between every audience member to maintain social distancing guidelines.





Tickets are priced from 20,000 won to 80,000 won ($16-$66). Visit

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for more information and reservations.


New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): With 9,887 new positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 count touched 2,36,657 on Saturday surpassing Italy's latest tally of over 2.34 lakh, taking India to the sixth spot among countries with the highest caseloads of the virus.



The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said that India registered a spike of 9887 new cases and 294 deaths in the past 24 hours taking the tally to 1,15,942 active cases and 6642 deaths.

Today's count was the highest single-day spike in the country, which has now overtaken Italy, according to the tally posted by the Johns Hopkins University which posted that globally the coronavirus had infected over 66.64 lakh people and claimed over 3.91 lakh lives so far.

In india, the MoHFW informed that 1,14,073 persons have been cured/discharged/migrated so far.

Maharashtra remains the worst-hit State as the total number of COVID-19 positive cases reached 80,229. While the total number of active cases in the state stands at 42,224.

In Tamil Nadu, 28,694 cases have been detected so far while Delhi has reported 26,334 coronavirus cases. (ANI)
Air Serbia will partially resume operations from its secondary base in Nis, as well as Kraljevo, from June 16 and June 30 respectively, after the carrier received approval from the Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. Between June 16 and June 30, the carrier will recommence services from Nis to Hahn and Nuremberg, while flights to Hannover, Salzburg and Tivat will be reinstated from July 1. Other destinations served from the city, including Bologna, Friedrichshafen, Gothenburg, Baden Baden, Ljubljana and Rome are under review and will restart following careful monitoring of the situation and consideration of all factors. Flights between Kraljevo and Vienna will resume on June 30. No mention has been made of the airlines planned new service from Morava Airport to Thessaloniki, which was initially due to commence on March 27. Tickets for the route are currently available for booking from August 1. The exact flight schedule and weekly frequencies for the abovementioned services will be announced shortly.





Commenting on the resumption of flights from Nis and Kraljevo, Air Serbias CEO, Duncan Naysmith, said, Conditions have been met for the gradual recommencement of flights from Nis and Kraljevo. This is great news for our passengers from south and south-western Serbia, who have eagerly awaited this development. During the past two and a half months, we have been inundated with questions about when we will be restarting flights from these two cities. For all of us at Air Serbia, it is a great pleasure that I can confirm that we will recommence flying from Nis on June 16 and from Kraljevo on June 30. Families and friends will be able to see each other again, and this will certainly be followed by businesspeople and tourists.




Kiara Bass, 21, of Philadelphia, raises her fist in the air during the protests for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter near city hall on June 6. Protesters gathered on the first weekend that Philadelphia and its surrounding counties moved into the yellow phase of COVID-19 reopening under Gov. Tom Wolf's plan. Read more

On the Philadelphia regions first weekend under loosened COVID-19 restrictions, Marquis Green ventured out, joining thousands who gathered on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Saturday for a peaceful protest in George Floyds name.

Green, 22, a law student from Los Angeles quarantining with family in Philadelphia, wore an N95 mask to protect himself, but his concerns for racial justice were weightier than any worries about COVID-19.

This movement is bigger than anything, Green said. Im glad all the young people are out. Its a cause thats bigger than life.

Philadelphia and its surrounding counties on Friday entered the yellow phase under Gov. Tom Wolfs coronavirus reopening plan, which lifts stay-at-home orders for aggressive mitigation, permitting businesses to reopen, but limiting many to 50% capacity.

Pennsylvania reported 701 additional positive COVID-19 cases Saturday, for a total of 75,086 statewide, with 5,931 deaths. With 606 new cases reported Saturday, New Jerseys total reached 163,893, with the death toll at 12,106.

Roman Catholic churches resumed in-person Mass, with parishioners over age 2 required to wear masks, families at a six-foot distance from each other, and limited singing. Church capacity was cut in half, and congregants skipped making contact during the Sign of Peace.

Catholic officials have said they believe religious services are considered essential, and thus permitted to operate, despite continuing restrictions on indoor gatherings.

In-person religious services are still banned in New Jersey, with indoor gatherings limited to 10 people or fewer; state officials have said they will consider relaxing restrictions for such services the weekend of June 12 if health metrics permit.

A Berlin, Camden County, church has filed a lawsuit in federal court, challenging New Jerseys ban on church attendance of more than 10 people. The church contends that the state is violating its First Amendment rights.

The pandemic did not deter tens of thousands from joining marches and protests across the region, from Bristol to Delran, and multiple sites in Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: 12 more Pa. counties will be allowed to move to green reopening phase

Under a hot Saturday sun, officials from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health passed out masks to protesters.

David Suisman, 50, of Queen Village, wore a bandanna around his face and said he was trying to socially distance as much as possible during the protest.

Im here because I believe strongly in trying to correct years of injustice. I believe this is an opportunity for change," Suisman said.

Jaslyn McIntoshs mother and sister wanted to attend last weekends protests, but feared the health risks. So this weekend, McIntosh, who is 24, rallied her friends to make 200 supply packs for protesters stuffed with water, a snack, a mask, gloves, and first-aid supplies.

The least I can do is find some PPE so protesters can protect themselves, said 25-year-old Charlotte Morris, who took the lead on securing donations. The pandemic is already affecting black and brown people disproportionately, and theyre putting themselves in more danger at protests.

Cynthia Meadors, 34, and Derek Kelly, 30, said they felt as if being a part of this movement was worth any potential coronavirus exposure.

They also said they felt as if the group had taken a lot of safety precautions.

By far the majority of people are wearing masks, said Meadors, of Fishtown. Which is tough because its so hot.

Kelly said he was minimizing touching, and was using plenty of hand sanitizer.

In the heat of the moment its easy to forget were in the middle of a pandemic, said Meadors, who participated in Mondays and Tuesdays protests too. But people are shouting lots of reminders about it.

Contributing to this article were staff writers Bethany Ao, Laura McCrystal, Ellie Rushing, and Aubrey Whelan.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said his virtual rally for the people of Bihar was to bring the country together in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is not an election rally. This is a virtual rally to boost the morale of the public against the Covid-19 pandemic, he said during the Bihar Jansamvad rally. Assembly elections in Bihar, where the BJP runs the alliance government with Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United), are due later this year.

I want to salute the crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the virus by risking their lives. Health workers, police personnel and others, I want to acknowledge their contribution, he said.

Shah listed the achievements of the Centre and cited Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, power connections for the poor, toilets, the airstrikes in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack, triple talaq, Ram Janambhumi, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and teh scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Watch: Virtual rally will connect people to self-reliant India: Amit Shah

There was a time when anybody used to enter our borders, beheaded our soldiers and Delhis darbar remained unaffected. Uri and Pulwama happened during our time, it was the Modi and BJP govt, we did surgical strikes and airstrike, he said.

Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tried to bring changes in the lives of millions of poor people

Many people had said Indira Gandhi had also promised to remove poverty. But Narendra Modi does what he promises.

He took a swipe at the RJD which had opposed his virtual rally.

Some people welcomed our todays virtual rally by clanging thalis. I am glad they finally heard PM Modis appeal to show gratitude towards those fighting Covid-19, he said.

Shah defended the Centres handling of the migrant crisis during the lockdown and cited the Shramik Special trains that were operated to transport stranded people.

He also said PM Modi had regularly been in touch with chief ministers and changed the strategies accordingly during the lockdown.

Shah hailed Modis handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Opposition leaders dismissed the Prime Ministers efforts to unite country in fight against Covid-19 as political propaganda but nation followed his appeals, he said.

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The Health Ministry reported just one coronavirus-related death in the last 24 hours on Saturday evening, with 67 fatalities due to Covid-19 over the last seven days. The official death toll since the crisis took hold in Spain stands at 27,135, but there are constant changes still being made to the data by the ministry.

For example, the Madrid region has reported 24 new coronavirus deaths in the last seven days, as well as 16 from Castilla y Leon and 11 from Asturias. But the total number of fatalities has not been altered by the ministry, given that the entire historical series is being revised.

While the totals are being updated, the accumulated number of deaths over the last seven days has started to rise once more after a falling trend since Wednesday: the daily numbers reported since June 3 are 63, 56 and 52, with 67 deaths reported on Saturday evening.

The accumulated number of deaths over the last seven days has started to rise once more

In terms of new cases, 332 were added to the series according to the ministry data released last night, with 164  practically half  corresponding to the last 24 hours. In total, 241,310 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Spain via PCR testing.

Aragons data reflects a new outbreak among seasonal fruit-pickers in the area, with 13 new cases added to the list, 12 of which were detected the previous day. In Madrid, there were 159 new cases reported last night, 86 of them corresponding to the previous 24 hours. Navarre also saw 10 new cases.

On Friday, Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, explained that with such low data, it was important to focus on other parameters, such as the number of cases where symptoms began seven days before diagnosis. This is a way to check whether early-detection systems are working properly. In this case, the information from the ministry shows that of the 332 new cases on the list, 265 were among people whose symptoms had begun a week previously, accounting for 80% of the total.

Another indicator being supplied by the Health Ministry is the rate for two different time periods of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in each region. For 14 days, this figure came in yesterday at 11.25; for seven days, the number was 4.18. This descent has been a trend since the beginning of the week.

Hospitalizations  which are also being revised by the ministry  total 124,302 since the start of the crisis. On Friday the figure was 124,244. As well as 58 new admissions, a further 104 were reported from previous days. For intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, of the 168 reported, just 15 correspond to the prior seven days, a period during which just six of the 19 territories (17 regions plus the North African cities of Ceuta and Melilla) havent reported any at all.

The Health Ministry is also reporting a fairly constant number in terms of the identification of new suspected cases, which is usually around 10,000 a day but on Saturdays report fell to around 7,000.

Excess deaths Spain is the country with the second-highest number of excess deaths registered during the coronavirus pandemic. Since the beginning of March to the end of May, 47,000 extra deaths were registered compared to previous years, which is an excess rate of 45%. Only Peru, with 54%, has seen a higher figure, with Spain followed by the United Kingdom (40%), Belgium (37%) and Italy (36%). The advantage of using excess deaths to compare the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is that there are no limits due to testing capacity, nor are the statistics subject to different clinical criteria, as is the case with the official Covid-19 statistics.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Photograph: Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images

The Trump administration has dismantled key federal tools for imposing accountability on police forces engaging in systemic racial discrimination, severely hampering efforts to heal the wounds of the police killing of George Floyd and the ongoing protests convulsing the country.

Under Donald Trump, the US justice department has allowed federal mechanisms designed to impose change on racist police agencies to wither on the vine. As a result, law enforcement agencies that practice racial profiling, use excessive force and other forms of unconstitutional policing are now free from federal oversight.

The most important of those tools, known as consent decrees, were deployed extensively by the Barack Obama administration in the wake of previous high-profile police killings of unarmed black men. They included the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014; 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio, that same year; and the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Maryland.

Under Obama, 14 consent decrees were enforced upon troubled and discriminatory police agencies. By contrast, none have been issued in the more than three years of the Trump administration.

By scrapping the use of consent decrees, Trump has effectively made it much harder for the US to recover from the turmoil roiling the nation. In the absence of federal pressure, any reform impetus will have to come from cities and states acting in isolation or from inside police agencies that are likely to be resistant to change.

Jonathan Smith, who led the special litigation section of the justice department between 2010 and 2015 and supervised numerous federal investigations into police departments including Ferguson, said the lack of federal action would drag out the current malaise.

The protests arent going to die down. We have a very long summer ahead of us, he said.

Smith said that the scrapping of consent decrees was part of a general message coming from the Trump administration that police forces engaging in brutal and racist practices were above reproach.

Story continues

Its appalling that todays justice department is saying that police are now immune from any consequences of their bad conduct  that is terribly dangerous and corrosive, Smith said.

The decision to scupper consent decrees was taken by Trumps first US attorney general, Jeff Sessions. As one of his final acts in the post, in November 2018 he released a memo that so drastically curtailed the remit of the agreements as to render them moribund.

Attempting to justify the change, Sessions made clear he believed policing should be left to local and state law enforcement bodies, no matter how brutally they treated black and other minority citizens supposedly under their protection.

It is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies, he said.

As attorney general, Jeff Sessions made consent decrees in effect moribund by drastically curtailing their remit. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said it was astonishing the attorney general can simply decide to leave on the shelf a critical tool that would allow us to address this terrible problem.

She added that Sessions decision to abdicate from federal government oversight of unconstitutional policing was in tune with his longstanding opposition to tackling systemic racial discrimination within policing.

Sessions approach has been continued by his successor as US attorney general, Bill Barr. Sessions and Barr embrace the bad apples theory of police brutality  they simply wont accept the concept of systemic discrimination in police departments, Ifill said. This is catastrophic. Prosecuting police officers, one by one, will not result in fundamental change.

Consent decrees fall under the 1994 Law Enforcement Misconduct Act that was passed by Congress in the wake of the brutal beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police three years earlier. The statute allows the US government to sue local police agencies that engage in patterns and practices of unconstitutional policing and fail to comply with essential reforms.

The provision has made a profound impact on several of the most troubled police forces in the country, including Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray. The 25-year-old black man died in April 2015 after he sustained spinal injuries while being transported under arrest in a police van.

Since it was introduced, Baltimores consent decree has been credited with bringing critical change to policing in that city.
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A Tesla logo is seen at a groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai.

Reuters

Tesla built a new factory in China is about year, and is planning an even faster process for another plant in Germany.

Tesla's expanding manufacturing footprint is rapidly giving it a presence in the world's three most important markets: the US, China, and Europe.

The biggest innovations in the auto industry haven't involved propulsion  from Henry Ford to Toyota to Tesla, they've been about production.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A few years back, I made a cheap joke about Tesla and CEO Elon Musk. And like a lot of cheap jokes, I quickly regretted it.

The company had run into trouble with a heavily automated assembly line for its new Model 3 sedan at its California factory. To solve the problem, the company erected an improvised line under a temporary structure in its parking lot. But Musk had said his dream of a robot factory would be an "alien dreadnought"  unrecognizable in its speed, organization, and efficiency. Compare to a traditional car plant, it would be unrecognizable.

Musk promised an alien dreadnought, I quipped. But we got a tent in the parking lot.

Of course, it quickly became apparent that the tented assembly line was the best solution to the immediate problem. And it worked: in 2019, Tesla delivered a record 250,000 cars, many of them Model 3s.

What the tent showed was that Tesla could work fast. That was even more in evidence with the company's Shanghai factory, the first to be constructed in China by a western carmaker that didn't involve a joint venture with a Chinese partner. Construction began in 2018 and by early 2020 and pre-coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, "Gigafactory Shanghai" in Tesla parlance was rolling out vehicles.

Berlin or bust!

Construction is beginning at Tesla factory near Berlin.

Axel Schmidt/Reuters

COVID-19 shut down production, but it has restarted. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Tesla intends to bring its next factory Gigafactory Berlin, online by the middle of 2021. That would, in the span of less than three years, give Tesla a manufacturing footprint in the world's three most important vehicle markets  the US, China, and Europe  with a second US auto plant under consideration to build the company's exotic Cybertruck pickup.

Story continues

Tesla is building new factories at a pace that's about twice as fast as other carmaker have recently constructed facilities. Volvo's plant in South Carolina took about two years to start moving vehicles off the lines.

The potential here is borderline revolutionary because Tesla's Achilles' heel is supposed to be manufacturing competence. It certainly isn't customer loyalty, which is among the highest in the business, nor is it marketing skill  Tesla has become the most valuable US automaker by stock-market value, worth more than General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles combined, by spending essentially nothing on advertising.

The German factory was supposed to be a challenge; it's one things to move fast in China, with a supportive government backing rapid industrial development, but it's something else to rapidly build in Europe, with its mesh of at times conflicting business, labor, political, and environmental interests.

But Germany appears to want Tesla sooner rather than later. And that isn't good news for the traditional German auto industry, which is currently struggling to deal with COVID-19 while also shifting to electrification without destroying its legacy business in the process. While the VW Group, for example, figures things out, Tesla could be putting more rubber on the autobahn by 2021.

The most important innovation of the post-COVID world

Tesla's factory in California.

Tesla

It's becoming increasingly obvious that Tesla, with an all-electric, all-the-time approach to autos, is likely to emerge from the coronavirus crisis with a better head of EV steam than the legacy companies, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphor. The only real question is whether the EV market will recover, post-COVID, or stall out. And even if it stalls out, Tesla has a near monopoly at this point, so the upshot is that the competition would retire before the race even gets started.

As far as infrastructure goes, however, Tesla is consolidating its lead: more factories, faster than expected, supporting more production and satisfying whatever increased demand there is.

This demonstrates a vital but often forgotten lesson about the auto industry. It wasn't the Model T that created Henry Ford's fortune  it was the moving assembly line that enabled workers to rapidly build the car. It wasn't the Camry or Corolla that made Toyota the world's most valuable car company  it was the "Toyota Production System," the just-in-time manufacturing model that replaced Ford's earlier innovation. The entire industry has adopted TPS, which focuses of quality and matches production rates to market demand.

For Tesla, it's the gigafactories that matter, more than the vehicles. They might not be alien dreadnoughts. But they're a far cry from tents. And they're at the leading edge of a manufacturing revolution.

Read the original article on Business Insider
There is no denying the nationwide protests on Saturday, leveraging off Black Lives Matter and the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the US, reflect a growing sentiment in Australia about Indigenous affairs. There is something in the zeitgeist when tens of thousands of Australians descend on the streets to march for Aboriginal justice while the nation is transitioning out of lockdown.

One of the perennial challenges of protest is how to translate it into substantive and durable change. I remember marching as a young person through the streets of Brisbane protesting against Aboriginal deaths in custody and calling for the implementation of the royal commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custodys recommendations. It has been almost 30 years since the royal commission and my nieces and nephews were marching on Saturday through the same streets of Brisbane. Yet we know what needs to be done.

Protesters at the Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood

The royal commission was set up in October 1987 following national outrage about the number of Aboriginal deaths in custody. It investigated 99 deaths that occurred between January 1, 1980 and May 31, 1989, in prisons, police stations or juvenile detention institutions. A key finding was that the deaths in custody investigated were not the product of deliberate violence or brutality of police or prison officers but that there was a lack of regard for the duty of care that is owed to people in custody by police officers and prison officers.

The commission made many recommendations but one of its primary reforms centred on the structural powerlessness that renders Indigenous voices silent in a liberal democracy. The commission singled out the importance of Indigenous participation in decision-making to transform Aboriginal affairs and the right to self-determination. It found that the government had the power to transform the picture of Aboriginal affairs, "not so much by doing things  more by letting go of the controls; letting Aboriginal people make the decisions which government now pretends they do make". At the heart of the findings was that Indigenous peoples should have a say in the decisions that are made about them.
The day that George Floyd's cries for his mother reverberated across the country, Chief William Riley III walked up to a group of his officers discussing the horror they had seen.

"You know, chief, we already know if anything like that happened with us, we wouldn't have a job," one officer said.

Riley, a black police chief who was hired to transform the force in Inkster, Michigan, after the suburban Detroit city settled a police brutality lawsuit in 2015, had trouble hiding his delight. But he remained firm.

"You are right," Riley said. "Not only would you not have a job, you'd be locked up."

In the past six years, as Black Lives Matter has emerged as a national movement to confront police brutality against people of color, the job of leading a department while black has become far more complex, politically sensitive and personally painful.

Black police executives face the exhausting work of leading organizations that have historically - and often disproportionately - arrested, beaten and killed people who have the same color skin as they do. This amounts to a cruel paradox: Becoming law enforcement officers, for many of them, was a way of continuing the civil rights legacy of their parents. They hoped to change the system from within.

But the violence that has come along with peaceful protests nationwide has provoked anger and dismay from many black police chiefs, prompting some of them to condemn the Minneapolis officers charged in Floyd's death and the vandalism that has scarred many cities in his name. Both, in their views, are still crimes, though of far different severity. It is a message black police chiefs are delivering, mindful of the distant and immediate pasts of their nations and cities, to departments looking for clarity and guidance.

Chief Carmen Best, who runs Seattle's department of more than 1,400 sworn officers, calls what happened to Floyd over those nearly nine minutes on the Minneapolis pavement simply "murder."

"From my perspective as an African American woman, it certainly gave me pause to think that, as much as we have moved forward, we still have some real issues of disparity when it comes to how we address people of color and black people specifically," Best said.

Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn, who managed his department's recent killing of an unarmed black man and weeks of ensuing riots, said "there's no way you can understand what possibly would make one human being treat another human being like that."

Hahn himself was arrested at 16 for assaulting a Sacramento police officer. He has run the department for almost three years, including at the time when 22-year-old Stephon Clark was shot at 20 times in his grandmother's backyard in 2018 by police who confused his cellphone for a handgun.

What he saw on the Floyd video, he said, "touches home on two fronts, being African American but also being a police officer, watching somebody that wears a uniform similar to mine doing what he was doing."

"The callousness that you see on his face and the non-activity from all the other officers, the ones that weren't on top of him," he said. "So it's very emotional when those things happen. But the real issue is day-to-day, for the last several centuries. Since the inception of this country, day-to-day, what is our activity with our community? What is the interaction? What is the understanding? What is the partnership?"

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Presiding over departments that are confronting demonstrators, with whom police executives might largely agree or identify, provokes anguish, rage and internal conflict. It challenges the bonds of fraternity, the executives said, and adherence to policies that are legal but might need a moral and ethical recalibration.

"We train on the legality of policies and procedures, but what we don't do, but are starting to do, is train on the necessity of it," said former Denver police chief Robert White. "Officers need to understand that just because it is legal doesn't always mean it is necessary."

The deadly actions of four Minneapolis police officers have been condemned - and have resulted in arrests. But for current and former black law enforcement leaders, who are often tapped to reform delinquent departments, the ugly episode and ensuing clashes at protests validate their struggle. The work, they say, has barely begun.

Police executives said in interviews that the majority of officers enter the force for noble reasons and perform with integrity. The problem is not simply a few bad officers but systemic societal racism that exists well beyond policing, said Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton, who leads a force in suburban Detroit that covers Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

If racism permeates much of our society, Clayton said, "it is impossible and illogical to believe that it's not also in policing because it's in every other profession. But there is no profession in this country that is legally sanctioned to take away what we value most in this country - freedom, liberty and your life."

Protesters have gathered outside Clayton's office all week with "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace, No Racist Police" signs. Clayton, who teaches a course on bias, said he met with organizers to keep protests peaceful. But when one of his deputies was filmed punching a black woman in the head after she allegedly bit him during an arrest the night Floyd was killed, tensions flared. He promised an investigation and to hold people accountable.

But it was a setback.

Days later, Clayton addressed protesters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a speech he wrote and agonized over the night before. He began reading it off his phone and talked about 400 years of injustice and the work his force has done for good.

"I think we all agree on Black Lives Matter," he said, later putting the phone in his pocket and improvising, telling the crowd he loved them. "It was almost like an out-of-body experience because I heard myself say, 'I love you.' . . . It was right from my heart."

Black police executives say they often compartmentalize their emotions to carry out their duties and provide leadership amid adversity. But it is the quiet moments at home or on the phone with their sons and nephews when the heart pangs are hard to ignore.

Riley said he could not bring himself to watch more than 10 seconds of the video of Floyd's killing at the office, the sights and sounds smothering him, making him feel like he was choking. His thoughts reeled to his son, his officers, himself, Floyd's family and Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis officer who has been charged with second-degree murder in Floyd's death.

"Not only is he kneeling on his neck in broad daylight, but he has his hands in his pocket and looks at the crowd as if saying, 'We can do what we want to do,' " Riley said. "That's the attitude. What is wrong with a person like that? We have got to do better."

- - -

White, the former Denver chief, started his career in his hometown of Washington in 1972. As a child, he was inspired by a Metro police officer who he saw help a lost little girl. But as he matured, White realized his dreams about the kind of officer he wanted to be were not about what occurs in everyday policing, so he set his sights on leadership, where he believed he could effect broad change.

He rose to lead departments in Louisville, Asheville, North Carolina, and Denver, which he said was the most challenging assignment of his career.

"Most departments I worked with required transformational change," he said. "But it doesn't come without a price."

White's effort to reform the Denver department drew praise from President Barack Obama for its focus on de-escalation, and he banned officers from shooting into moving vehicles. In the past, he said, police were recognized for their number of arrests, but he wanted to refocus their work toward the prevention of crime and not the reaction to it. White created a Preservation of Life award for those officers who did not take a life, even though it might have been justified under the circumstances.

But he was consistently criticized by union officials and the department's officers for his communication style and using his officers to serve as a backdrop to Obama's gun control address. White said he was not as efficient as he could have been, but when he was watching the protests this week, it reminded him of his passion.

"I look at policing as a series of deposits and withdrawals," White said. "If we engage the community and give them a voice, we make deposits into a bucket of goodwill. But when catastrophic things happen by our making, it knocks the bucket over, spilling out the good will. We need to set it upright again. You withdraw what you deposit."

Hahn, the Sacramento chief, has programs in place that bring the public, including those previously convicted of crimes, into his department for a better view of an officer's daily duties. He also takes into consideration the culture and upbringing of the officers that he hires, and knowing his native city as well as he does, Hahn makes sure that patrol assignments fit backgrounds.

"We have to realize we're hiring police officers from all walks of life," Hahn said. "And some of them don't have experiences of working in more of our challenged neighborhoods."

Hahn said the demonstrations following the Clark shooting in March 2018 were not nearly as violent as those the city has experienced in recent days, featuring vandalism and theft that left much of the downtown business district damaged. The majority of those arrested, though, have been from the greater Sacramento area, just as they were during the Clark protests.

"The difference to me is the people that were protesting during the Clark protests," Hahn said. "Yes, they were angry. Yes, that was volatile at times. Yes, they were emotional. But they cared about our community and the people that live here. The people who arrived here only at night do not care about this community. They were not here to protest for Mr. Floyd. They were here to destroy our city."

Best, the Seattle police chief, said the city has about 300 demonstrations each year, the vast majority of which do not require a police response of any kind. But the "weird confluence of events," the chief said, referring to the city's early and sustained attack from the coronavirus followed by the Floyd demonstrations, made this moment unlike any other in her decades-long career.

Right now, she said, her goal is to regain the city's trust by protecting people and property and allowing demonstrators to exercise their First Amendment rights.

"The issues of race and racism probably strike home to me a little more, sometimes even daily, than others here," she said. "I always say from my first breath from the womb, I was an African American female, and that's who I am going to be when I go out. So that's who I am.

"But I'm also a police chief of an organization that I love and care deeply about, and I am working with wonderful men and women," she continued. "I believe in our work here and that we are working to try to make sure that we have a just and fair response. But right now, we're under extreme scrutiny and we want to make sure that we're evaluating and reviewing all of our interactions and how we're supporting the community and building community trust at really such volatile times."

- - -

Yale University Police Chief Ronnell Higgins is a police officer because his dad was a police officer.

In mostly white New Haven, Connecticut, Higgins' father was one of just a few officers of color. The younger Higgins was immersed in law enforcement life, going to police picnics, getting to know other police families and hanging out in the police garage while his father worked.

But when his brother was brutalized by those same billy-club-wielding police officers outside a nightclub in the 1990s, his father spoke up about the abuse. He went from interacting daily with the community as a patrolman to manning the front desk.

"He was penalized and retired earlier than he might have," Higgins said.

Now a police chief, Higgins said he has been in the awkward position of defending police behavior to his brother, who he said is still haunted by the night he was beaten: "That's the fear when you stand up."

Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, but trust in police was shattered nationally. As Higgins stood in his father's driveway to celebrate the 76-year-old's birthday, he said that police, regardless of background, have work to do to regain what was lost.

Black police executives, he said, "need to show them how."
Television

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted: The TV star chef returns for Season 2 of his globe-trotting series. (10 p.m. Sunday, National Geographic Channel)

I May Destroy You: Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum) stars in a series about a young woman in London whose life seems to be going great until shes given a dose of a date-rape drug, and has to contend with issues of what constitutes sexual consent. (10:30 p.m. Sunday, HBO)

The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons  Ever!: Social distancing has put the freeze on the franchise notorious for featuring singles making out after theyve barely been introduced. So instead of a new season, Chris Harrison is hosting a look back at dramatic moments from the shows history. (8 p.m. Monday, ABC)

Duff Takes the Cake: Duff Goldman and his Charm City Cake crew are back for a new season of creating sweet treats. (10 p.m. Monday, Food Network)

The CW Happy Hour: Jim Gaffigan is featured in the first of a series of comedy stand-up specials. (9 p.m. Tuesday, The CW)

Lifetime Presents Varietys Power of Women: Frontline Heroes: Robin Roberts hosts a special that features celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Patti LuPone and Janelle Monae as they pay tribute to women on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. (Tuesday, 10 p.m. Lifetime)

Dont: Adam Scott (Big Little Lies) hosts what the network calls a comedic physical gameshow, in which players face such challenges as, Dont blink, Dont laugh, Dont get tired, Dont look back, and more (9 p.m. Thursday, ABC)

The Bold Type: The drama about the staffers who work at a bigtime publication (inspired by Cosmopolitan magazine) returns to finish Season 4. (10 p.m. Thursday, Freeform)

Streaming

Lenox Hill: A new docuseries focuses on brain surgeons, an emergency room physician and a chief OBGYN resident in New York as they cope with the challenges of their work and personal lives. (Available to stream beginning Wednesday, Netflix)

Already Streaming

Dear: A, 10-episode documentary series executive produced by R.J. Cutler tells the stories of notable figures by, as the show description says, using letters written by those whose lives have been changed through their work. Among the famous names profiled are Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Gloria Steinem, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Yara Shahidi, Stevie Wonder, Misty Copeland, and more. (Streaming on Apple TV+)

13 Reasons Why: The controversial series streams its fourth and final season. (Streaming on Netflix)

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
For the Bellos, life will certainly never remain the same again and every Monday will always strike a sad chord in their traumatised hearts for years to come.

Last Monday, a group of yet to be identified men stormed their home located at Akinyele Kara Market along Old Oyo Road, Ibadan, leaving death and sorrow behind.

Initial reports indicate that the hoodlums, who apparently were on a mission to rob the household, met a nearly empty home. The rampaging criminals met 18-year-old Barakat, who was taking her bath.

Upon seeing her at the bathroom, the hoodlums raped the young lady. Not done and perhaps to hide their crime, they macheted her till she gave up the ghost.

According to her father, Kasimu Bello, the incident occurred when all other members of the family were not around. The only person at home at the time of the attack was her younger sister.

About a week earlier, Vera Omozuwa, a 100-level student of microbiology at the University of Benin died days after she was beaten and allegedly raped right inside a church by yet to be identified men.

The undergraduate was bludgeoned to death in a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Ikpoba Hill, Benin City on May 13, where she went to study.

She died on May 31, 18 days after, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the police said.

Uwaila Vera Omozuwa

She was 23 years old.

Harvest of rapes

The story of Hadiza Saidus daughter and niece is rather traumatic. Both girls were raped by a neighbour.

His name is Abubakar Musa. He used to sneak into our house when none of us was around to sexually abuse the children. According to the kids, he used to finger one of them while directly having sexual intercourse with the other one.

We took the matter to Metro police station and his colleagues called me aside to beg me that I should let the matter die for the sake of his job.

I asked why were they not concerned about my own kids that have been abused? I insisted that justice must be served to my daughter and her little cousin who is the daughter of my younger sister, said Ms Saidu, a distraught widow said.

There was also the report of a father who repeatedly raped two of his daughters at gunpoint.

Perhaps not to be left out, a soldier was also recently arrested by the police for raping a university student.

The Police Inspector-General (IGP), Mohammed Adamu. [PHOTO CREDIT: @toluogunlesi]

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how police operatives arrested 11 men who reportedly took turns to rape a 12-year-old girl.

A 13-year-old girl also stunned Nigerians when she narrated how her father raped her on a daily basis.

Another 13-year-old narrated her own sordid tale of how she was raped by three men.

There was a tinge of morbidity when a tenant was exposed for reportedly raping the two-year-old daughter of his tenants.

Nigerians were also alarmed when a university lecturer was accused of raping a 17-year-old student and how investigations were stalled at a point.

A few rape cases turned tragic for the alleged perpetrators. There was a case of a teenager who killed the assailant that tried to sexually molest her.

There is hardly a day when reports of rape or sexual molestation do not make the pages of Nigerian newspapers. But the manner victims are now killed after the crimes are committed is now leaving Nigerians more horrified.

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Cancerous

Rape is like cancer, it has no respect for age, sex or race. It starts from a spot and then gradually spreads to the entire body system, says Julie Mogbo, an activist, also known as The Family Bond Nurse. While spreading, it steals a victors pleasurable desires, purposeful drive and prospective dreams and in many cases, life. It causes one to start questioning their beliefs and reasons for existence.

Without any invitation, a feeling of worthlessness creeps in. Rape is like a song track placed in repeat: the incidence keeps on happening long after it has happened. With each replay, the hands and the words turn to blades cutting and creating an indelible scar long after tissue healing may have taken place.

I do not think that Nigeria as a whole is doing enough to reduce the brazen attitude with which these dastardly acts are committed, Ms Mogbo said.

Ineffective laws?

Gender activists argue that the reason the menace of rape has not been effectively curtailed over the years is not the absence of relevant laws to bring culprits to book but the weakness in implementation.

In Nigeria, there are at least five legal provisions which provide access to justice for rape victims.

There is the Criminal Code, applicable in all the southern states; the Penal Code, applicable in all the northern states and the Criminal Laws of Lagos  applicable only in Lagos State.

There is equally the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, (VAPP) applicable only in the FCT and the Child Rights Act applicable in the states that have domesticated it

Under the Criminal Code, rape is when any person has sexual intercourse with a woman or girl, without her consent, or incorrectly obtained consent.

Justice symbol used to illustrate the story.

Under the Penal Code, rape is also when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent. Further under this law, sex with a girl under 14 years of age or who is of unsound mind is rape, irrespective of whether there is consent. However, the Penal Code states that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, even if forced, is not rape.

Under the Criminal Laws of Lagos (CLL), rape is also when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman or girl without her consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent.

As with the PC, the CLL explicitly states that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife cannot be unlawful, and therefore a man cannot rape his wife.

VAPP Act defines rape as when a person intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with any other part of his/her body or anything else without consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent.

Unfortunately, the law is only applicable in the FCT, Abuja. It does not apply in other states of the federation, for now.

The controversial Child Rights Act (CRA) provides that sex with a child is rape, and anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child is liable to imprisonment for life upon conviction.

Sadly, not all the states of the federation have domesticated this law.

These legislations prescribe from up to 15-year jail terms to life terms for convicted rapists.

PREMIUM TIMES recently outlined the inability of these laws, especially the VAPP, enacted in 2015, to effectively serve justice.

The analysis beamed a searchlight on some of the grey areas in the provision of the laws, loopholes in implementation and excesses of implementing agencies.

Other climes

The seriousness of the crime has made many nations across the globe enact and implement tough laws to curb the menace even as far as meting out the death sentence.

The Supreme Court of India awarded death penalty to the four men convicted of fatal gang rape of Jyoti Singh in December 2012, a case that fuelled global outcry and radically overhauled the countrys rape laws.

In Saudi Arabia, rape is punishable by death under circumstances of grievous and aggravated rape or in the case of serial rapists.

In Bangladesh, the Supreme Court in 2015 ruled in an appeal challenging the mandatory death penalty for rape. It said that death sentence will remain as an option alongside life imprisonment although depending on the gravity of the crime.

In Japan, 20 years is the penalty for rape. If it is fatal rape at the scene of any other crime like robbery, then death penalty applies.

In Iran, under Article 224 of the Islamic Penal Code, fornication by force or reluctance is punishable by death.

In Pakistan, gang rape, child molestation and rape are punishable by death. Statutory rape by a man of a girl under 16, especially gang rape, is also punishable by death.

And in Cuba, death penalty is the penalty for rape resulting in serious injury, especially by an offender previously convicted of the same crime or by an offender who knows that s/he suffers from a sexually transmitted disease. Rape of a child under the age of 12 is punishable by death.

Some states in the U.S., such as Louisiana and Florida, have awarded capital punishment in cases of child rape.

A Nigerian activist wants tougher laws enacted in Nigeria to curb the crime.

By my estimation, less than 10 per cent of this crime (in Nigeria) actually gets into the media space or gets to the attention of law enforcement agencies, says Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Executive Director, Adopt A Goal For Development Initiative. What this means is that, with many sexual predators on the prowl, and rapists on the loose, the safety and well-being of our women, girls, daughters, wives and daughters can no longer be guaranteed.

At this point, we should get tougher and commence a #CutItOff campaign in addition to other measures that government and other stakeholders are putting in place, he adds. What this means is if your manhood will make you to commit rape, we must encourage potential rapists to #CutItOff, it is not a Sin. If you cannot restrain your manhood from committing rape, #CutItOff, it is a right. But if you are caught, the society will #CutItOff.

I will urge that we should start advocating for a #CutItOff legislation to be included in our legal codes, so that our courts can be legally empowered to make the appropriate pronouncement.

Concerned but cautious lawmakers

The House of Representatives, in the wake of the rape and killings of Barakat and Uwa lamented the spike in the crime but voted against a motion seeking castration as a punishment for rapists.

House of Reps. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of the house of reps]

A lawmaker, James Faleke, had recommended that persons found guilty of rape should be castrated. The House adopted the motion condemning sexual violence but rejected his prayer.

The lawmakers, however, called for stiffer penalties against persons found guilty of rape, as did the Senate.

A senator, Sandy Onor, who is pushing for stricter legislation against the crime said any approach must be holistic and effective.

The change has to be holistic. It has to be a total campaign, he said in a recent interview. It involves the girl-child, the boy-child and the man. The society needs to be properly educated.

He adds: For instance, globalisation has a way of toning down morality. But as Africans, we need to operate by our own ethos and laws. A typical African girl should dress properly. There should be propriety in dressing. We should not globalise to the extent of aping what is clearly offensive to all. You cant be showing parts of your body that are not supposed to be shown. Having said that, that is not enough reason for any boy, or man to rape a woman. Our boys must be taught to show a sense of responsibility. They must hold to the tenets of who a gentleman should be.

Not enough

Some activists are, however, not impressed with the legislative overtures.

Nigeria is not doing enough to tackle rape cases and this is why the incidences have increased at an alarming rate, says NkasiObim Nebo, founder, PeachAid Medical Initiative. There may be skeletal laws and policies already passed, but have they been implemented? There is little or absolutely no policy that has been put in place to help rape victims, rather they are stigmatised and humiliated.

Rape has assumed a threatening dimension and I am afraid every day for my life and that of my daughter. Our government needs to intervene urgently, she added in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

Also, Edoamaowo Udeme, Founder, Movement Against Domestic Violence, said Nigerian authorities are not doing enough to curb the crime.

Edoamaowo Udeme, Founder, Movement Against Domestic Violence

We are not doing enough to tackle the issues of rape in the country that explains why victims keep quiet instead of speaking out, she said. The painful part is that women are blamed even by the so-called law enforcement agencies as if it is their fault, the resultant and psychological effect drives some to suicidal tendencies.

Some rape victims lose their womb or their source of sexual pleasure while some carry the burden wherever they go and refuse to speak up, she added.

She advocates stiffer penalties like long prison sentences for the perpetrators. Delay in justice fuels sexual abuse, she adds.

The odds are stacked against the girl child, says the president, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ruoda Tyoden.

The problem we have is right from the police desk where the complaint is made. Thank God today we have gender desks in all the police stations but more needs to be done, she said in an interview with AIT. From what the victims go through, you will find out why most victims dont want to go through with the case. Even when it gets to court the victim is made to go over and over what took place. The prosecution counsel will ask questions, the defence will ask, as if it is her fault. She is further victimised.

She said the problem is the ineffective implementation of the existing laws.

We have enough laws but these are not effectively implemented. You know in the criminal and penal codes, the law prescribes life imprisonment for convicted rapists, but since I was born till now, I dont think I have seen anyone going to jail for life for rape. The most we have had is the recently enacted VAPP where rapists have been sentenced to several years.

Police react

Police force spokesperson, Frank Mba, did not pick calls to his phone requesting comments to the report. He also did not respond to text messages requesting same, Saturday.

Police Spokesperson, Frank Mba

But addressing a group of protesters in Abuja, on Friday, Mr Mba 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

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.

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.

Despite Mr Mbas assurances, there appears no end in sight to the rising rape cases.

A few hours after Mr Mba issued his statement, a 12-year-old girl, who was taking an online class in the comfort of her home, was again brutally raped and brutalised by four masked men.

Despite the dark clouds, Mrs Mogbo says there is hope. In the past, Victors (I would rather not call them victims) were gripped with fear of stimatisation and exposure to more harm and so they would not voice out, she says. In recent times, the culture of silence is being broken and voices are now being raised in a passionate call for justice and advocacy for more severe judgment by the law.

That is the reason rape recovery program should be widely available and accessible with ethical codes to ensure that survivors and their families feel comfortable to approach the programme, she said.
Australia's renewable energy output is on track to post its sharpest rise on record in the next two years, driving down power prices and intensifying the prospect of early closures of coal-fired power plants across the country.

Independent modelling from global energy giant Schneider Electric, the nation's largest corporate energy adviser, forecasts that wind, solar and hydro power's share of the main grid will surge as much as 6 percentage points this year  from 21 to 27 per cent  and could exceed 30 per cent by the end of 2021.

AGL's Yang A coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria. Credit:Caria Gottgens

Schneider's advice  provided to some of the country's top miners, manufacturers and retailers  foreshadows a "massive amount of growth based on current pipelines". The faster projected growth in renewable output, which has rarely exceeded 3 per cent a year, comes as up to 3.5 gigawatts of new renewable capacity prepares to enter the grid.

Experts and analysts say the surge in renewable energy will drive down daytime spot prices and pile greater-than-expected pressure on ageing coal-fired power plants, which are far more expensive to run.
LONDON - For someone who died nearly three centuries ago, Edward Colston has become a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement in Britain.

The toppling of his statue in Bristol, a city in the southwest of England, on Sunday by anti-racism protesters was greeted with joyous scenes, recognition of the fact that he was a notorious slave trader  a badge of shame in what is one of Britains most liberal cities.

Demonstrators attached ropes to the statue before pulling it down. Footage of the moments after the statue crashed to the ground saw hundreds, if not thousands, of local Bristolians, in ecstasy.

Images on social media showed protesters then appearing to kneel on the neck of the statue for eight minutes, recalling how George Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25. The statue was then rolled into the nearby Bristol Harbour  again to rapturous scenes.

Police said officers have launched an investigation and are looking for those who committed an act of criminal damage.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said the removal of the statue would divide opinion, but added that it was important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity and make the legacy of today about the future of our city, tackling racism and inequality.

The symbolism of the statues demise cant be overstated not least because the bridge overlooking its new resting place is named Peros Bridge, after Pero Jones  an enslaved man who lived and died in the city in the latter part of the 18th century.

Colston, who was born in 1636 to a wealthy merchant family, became prominently involved in Englands sole official slaving company at the time, the Royal African Company, and Bristol was at the heart of it.

The company transported tens of thousands of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean, mainly to work the sugar plantations in the Caribbean and cultivate the tobacco fields that were burgeoning in the new North American colony of Virginia. Each enslaved person had the companys initials branded onto their chest.

Bristol, as an international port, was at the centre of the slave trade and benefited hugely financially  not just shipbuilders and slavers, but also investors like Colston, who would buy a stake in the triangular slave voyage between England, West Africa and the Caribbean.

The bronze memorial, which had been in place since 1895, had been the subject of an 11,000-strong petition to have it removed. Residents, including the citys big community that hails from the Caribbean, are ashamed of what Colston represents.

Colston has been a figure of huge controversy in Bristol with attempts made to rename Colston Hall, the biggest music venue in the city among many efforts to decolonize the city.

Colston gave a lot of money to local charities and that helps explain why his name dons so many public buildings in the city, including educational and economic institutions.

Britain formally abolished the slave trade in 1807 by an Act of Parliament but slavery itself was only formally outlawed in British territories in 1834. Overall, more than 12 million Africans are estimated to have been exported to the New World, of whom around 2 million are believed to have perished en route.

The watery end of the Colston statue wasnt the only historic sculpture to have been targeted by protesters.

In London, protesters defaced the base of the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside Parliament, crossing out his last name and spray painting was a racist underneath. They also taped a Black Lives Matter sign around its mid-section.

Thousands joined a Black Lives Matter rally in Brussels, where protesters clambered Sunday onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted reparations, according to video posted on social media. The word shame was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese. A bust of Leopolds in the city of Ghent has also been defaced, daubed in red paint and covered with a cloth scrawled: I cant breathe.

Leopolds ruthless early rule over Congo from 1885 to 1908 is notorious for its brutality when the Congo Free State was practically his personal fiefdom. After Leopold handed over Congo to the Belgian state, the tiny nation continued to hold sway over an area 80 times its size half a world away, until independence in 1960.

And in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Gen. Robert E. Lee Lee statue, and city leaders have committed to taking down the other four Confederate memorials along Richmonds prestigious Monument Avenue.

___

John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.
Parolled Australian fears re-arrest in Bulgaria, seeks new trial Australian citizen Palfreeman speaks during an interview with Reuters in Sofia

By Angel Krasimirov

SOFIA (Reuters) - An Australian ex-soldier, released on parole after being convicted of a street murder in Bulgaria in 2009, fears he will be rearrested if he tries to leave the country and is now seeking a new trial to try to clear his name.

Jock Palfreeman, 33, who served 11 years of a 20-year sentence for murder and attempted murder in the 2007 stabbing of two Bulgarians, was released on parole in September.

The ruling angered nationalist politicians who criticised his release, while the government decision to keep him in a detention centre after his parole strained relations with Australia.

The interior ministry said on Friday that the travel ban would be lifted, a day after the highest appeals court dismissed a request by the ex-chief prosecutor to review the parole.

But Palfreeman, speaking under a portrait of revolutionary Che Guevara which he kept in his cell to keep his spirits up, said he had doubts he would be allowed to leave.

"They could come and arrest me in five minutes," the bearded Palfreeman told Reuters in the office of his Bulgarian Prisoners' Association.

Palfreeman co-founded the association to draw attention to alleged abuse and corruption in the prison system.

He has consistently maintained he acted in self-defence, trying to protect minority Roma being attacked by a group of Bulgarians. He believes video footage of the attack, released by an anonymous user on YouTube, will support his case.

"I believe a fair trial would be possible," he said. "I can speak Bulgarian, I can defend myself because 13 years ago I couldn't speak Bulgarian. I didn't know what was happening and there were a lot of things I missed because of the language barrier."

Palfreeman said he was "completely shocked" by the systemic lawlessness in Bulgarian jails, adding that 90% of prisoners were not allowed to do any work.

Palfreeman, who was serving in the British army at the time of the street fight, said a motion for a new trial was expected to be filed on Monday.

(This story has been refiled to change headline.)

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Donald Trump use the social media platform to 'spread both misinformation and incendiary statements'.

The researchers, including 60 professors at leading U.S. research institutions, wrote to the Facebook CEO on Saturday asking Zuckerberg to 'consider stricter policies on misinformation and incendiary language that harms people,' especially during the current turmoil over racial injustice.

The letter calls the spread of 'deliberate misinformation and divisive language' contrary to the researchers goals of using technology to prevent and eradicate disease, improve childhood education and reform the criminal justice system.

Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Donald Trump use the platform to spread misinformation and incendiary statements

Their mission 'is antithetical to some of the stances that Facebook has been taking, so we're encouraging them to be more on the side of truth and on the right side of history as we've said in the letter,' said Debora Marks of Harvard Medical School, one of three professors who organized it.

The others are Martin Kampmann of the University of California-San Francisco and Jason Shepherd of the University of Utah.

All have grants from a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative program working to prevent, cure and treat neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

They said the letter had more than 160 signatories. Shepherd said about 10% are employees of foundations run by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Sixty professors at leading U.S. research institutions including Martin Kampmann of the University of California-San Francisco, left, and Jason Shepherd of the University of Utah signed a letter Saturday asking Zuckerberg to be less tolerant of harmful language

Debora Marks of Harvard Medical School was one of three professors who helped organize the letter

The letter objects specifically to Zuckerberg's decision not to at least flag as a violation of Facebook's community standards Trump's post that stated 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' in response to unrest in Minneapolis over the videotaped killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer. The letter's authors called the post 'a clear statement of inciting violence.'

Twitter had both flagged and demoted a Trump tweet using the same language.

In a statement, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative noted that the philanthropic organization is separate from Facebook and said 'we are grateful for our staff, partners and grantees' and 'respect their right to voice their opinions, including on Facebook policies.'

The letter objects specifically to Zuckerberg's decision not to at least flag as a violation of Facebook's community standards Trump's post that stated 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' in response to unrest in Minneapolis over the videotaped killing of George Floyd. Twitter had both flagged and demoted a Trump tweet using the same language

President Trump quoted a former Miami police chief known for violent reprisals on black protesters in the 1960s in his controversial tweet

Some Facebook employees have publicly objected to Zuckerberg's refusal to take down or label misleading or incendiary posts by Trump and other politicians. But Zuckerberg - who controls a majority of voting shares in the company - has so far refused.

On Friday, Zuckerberg said in a post that he would 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 wrote.

'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.'
TORONTO - Hundreds of anti-racism demonstrators took their message to Toronto's city hall and Ontario's legislature in a pair of protests Saturday, taking a knee in silence at points, amid events across Canada protesting violence against black people.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A protester holds a sign as thousands of people protest at an anti-racism demonstration reflecting anger at the police killings of black people, in Toronto on Friday, June 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO - Hundreds of anti-racism demonstrators took their message to Toronto's city hall and Ontario's legislature in a pair of protests Saturday, taking a knee in silence at points, amid events across Canada protesting violence against black people.

The two Toronto rallies, marching to various areas of the city, are the latest in a series of protests following the release of a video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of a black man, George Floyd, for nearly nine minutes.

Floyd fell still and died, the officer's knee still on him.

At one of two peaceful demonstrations in Toronto, cars honked in support as they passed the people kneeling outside of the Superior courthouse and the U.S. consulate, which are across the street from each other. They also kneeled outside of Toronto Police headquarters.

The protesters marched through main streets of downtown Toronto, with people holding signs saying "black lives matter," "stop killing us" and "no justice, no peace."

Jay Smith, who attended the demonstration with his young son, said he wants to see police reform and more transparency as a result of the protests.

"It's important for...my son to see that people support us in terms of justice, in terms of equality, to stop police brutality," said Smith, who added he's glad the protests are continuing from last week.

"If it does stop, no one will pay attention and it'll fizzle out into nothing."

Shay Hamilton said she wants the momentum to continue.

Anti-racism demonstrators take a knee near Toronto Police Headquarters during a march on Saturday, June 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

"It's just very important for us to be here because we are an interracial couple and we do believe in unity," said Hamilton, a black woman who was protesting with her white partner.

Toronto Police Insp. Matt Moyer took a knee with the demonstrators and said it was emotional.

"These aren't protesters, they're ambassadors of peace," he told television station CP24.

Video footage from Nathan Phillips Square outside city hall, where the group began its demonstration, showed police escorting a man in blackface away from the crowd.

And officers say they charged a man with assault after someone participating in the protests noticed he was carrying a large knife.

Toronto Police said officers "made contact" with the suspect, but he ran away and a chase ensued.

The 21-year-old was arrested and charged with assault with a weapon  although police did not give details about the alleged assault  along with possessing a weapon and carrying a concealed weapon. Police allege the man had three knives on him.

A separate group of hundreds of protesters took a knee with their fists held in the air in Trinity Bellwoods Park, to the west of Toronto's downtown, and planned to marched to the Ontario legislature.

Police Chief Mark Saunders said he hopes the rallies spur real change.

"We can't let go of this energy," he said. "They are our future. They've been watching us. They've seen things that they haven't liked. All of this incremental change, there has to be big change...We've got to get it right."

The two protests followed another event on Friday that drew thousands of demonstrators, who marched peacefully to city hall chanting "black lives matter" and "I can't breathe."

Toronto Mayor John Tory said that he was glad Friday's event was peaceful and hoped Saturday's would be as well.

"The message from those protesters is we simply have to involve every person and every effort to wipe out anti-black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, racism and discrimination of any kind in this city, and make it the most inclusive city in the world," he said Saturday.

"That's the message that has been heard loud and clear."

Events were also planned in several other Ontario cities including Guelph, London and Niagara Falls, where the Whirlpool Bridge to the United States was closed Saturday to all but essential traffic so demonstrators could protest.

In St. John's, N.L., VOCM radio reported that a crowd of several thousand people gathered for a Black Lives Matter Rally at Confederation Building during the afternoon.

Video of the event showed the crowd gathered in front of the legislature and on steps leading up to the building, as they chanted "black lives matter," to the beat of three drummers.

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Meanwhile, organizers of a Montreal event scheduled for Sunday told police today they were rescinding an invitation to police chief Sylvain Caron to attend after some groups opposed his presence.

Montreal police say in a statement posted to social media they respect the organizers' decision and it doesn't change commitments the force has made to review measures when it comes to street checks.

Toronto's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, noted Friday that there are risks associated with demonstrating during the COVID-19 pandemic, and encouraged participants to take extra precautions.

She said protesters should make sure they maintain a two-metre physical distance with one another, and wear a mask or other face coverings if that's not possible.

De Villa also said protesters should carry signs and drums rather than shouting to minimize droplets in the air that could potentially spread the virus.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2020.
OBERLIN, Ohio  Ohio Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown are being asked by more than 20 Oberlin-area faith leaders to initiate formal censure proceedings against President Donald Trump following his photo ops at religious sites in Washington, D.C. last week.

These acts of self-glorification on the part of our nations leader must be condemned as blasphemous and unconstitutional, the faith leaders wrote, in part, to the senators.

The men and women who agreed to send the letters to Sens. Portman and Brown are also sending a separate, similar letter to GOP House Rep. Jim Jordan, a fervent supporter of Trump.

If you and your colleagues in the Senate do not act now to warn the Chief Executive that such actions are not acceptable, he may feel empowered to speak and act with even more authority, as if somehow he has divine blessing, the letter also says.

The request for censure  simply, a formal statement of disapproval  was first suggested by John Elder, a retired former pastor of The First Church in Oberlin United Church of Christ.

Although many members of Congress, like clergy across the religious spectrum, have expressed dismay and disgust at what the president did, the seriousness of his actions demands a much stronger response, Elder said in a news release.

You can read the full letter at the bottom of this post.

The local religious leaders outcry stems from two visits Trump made last week.

President Trump visited St. Johns Episcopal Church, blocks away from the White House, Monday evening after it burned during protests in the nations capital following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Trumps visit, where he did not offer prayers but took photos with a Bible in hand, was widely criticized nationwide and locally in D.C. The Episcopal bishop of Washington, Rev. Mariann Budde, told CBS This Morning Tuesday that the staged visit was antithetical to everything we as a church stand for.

One day after his visit to St. Johns, the president and First Lady also visited the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in D.C. They did not give public remarks. Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory slammed the trip to the shrine, calling it baffling and reprehensible.

Read the full letter sent to Portman and Brown:

We, the undersigned faith leaders of Oberlin, Ohio, and vicinity call on you as our elected members of the United States Senate to join in initiating a formal Senate Censure of President Donald J. Trump for his use of places of worship for photo ops on the Monday evening and Tuesday, June 1 and 2, 2020. It is especially reprehensible that, after using tear gas to drive non-violent protesters from Lafayette Square and even from St. Johns Episcopal Church, where comfort was being provided to those of them in need, he would, without any notification to the church officials, use this Church of the Presidents as the backdrop for a photo of him holding a Bible, while offering no word from the Scriptures relevant to the circumstances nor even opening what he called "a" (not his) Bible. The Dioceses Bishop expressed outrage at his act. The Roman Catholic Archbishop termed President Trumps visit the next day to the Pope John Paul II Shrine baffling and reprehensible. These acts of self-glorification on the part of our nations leader must be condemned as blasphemous and unconstitutional. If you and your colleagues in the Senate do not act now to warn the Chief Executive that such actions are not acceptable, he may feel empowered to speak and act with even more authority, as if somehow he has divine blessing. You took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. We urge you to act now in accordance with that oath.

Signing the letter (in alphabetical order) are:

(Rev.) Fred L. Bell, Mt. Zion Baptist Church

(Rev. Dr.) David E. Cann, United Methodist Church

(Rev. Dr.) Ruth Ann Clark, United Church of Christ

(Rev.) Rollin Conway, United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ

(Rev. Dr.) David Dorsey, Multi-Faith Chaplain

(Rev.) June Hardy Dorsey, Episcopal Church USA

(Rev. Dr.) John D. Elder, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ

(Rev.) Milton J. Ellis, United Church of Christ

Ann Francis, Oberlin Friends Meeting

(Rev.) Mary E. Grigolia, Unitarian Universalist Association

(Rev.) Mary Hammond, Alliance of Baptists

(Rev.) Steve Hammond, Alliance of Baptists

(Rev.) David Hill, United Church of Christ

(Rev. Dr.) Edward L. Long, Jr., Retired Presbyterian Scholar of Christian Ethics

(Rev. Dr.) A. G. Miller, Oberlin House of the Lord Fellowship

(Rev.) Saranne Nelson-Olin, United Methodist Church

(Rev.) Laurence E. Nevels, Christ Temple Apostolic

(Rev.) Gary Olin, United Methodist Church

(Rev.) Erica Saunders, Peace Community Church

(Rev.) Sarah Shofstall, Christ Church, Oberlin

Rebecca Thompson, Th.M., United Church of Christ

(Rev. Dr.) Ralph Thompson, American Baptist Churches of America

(Rev.) David S. Trask, Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Read more on cleveland.com:

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser requests Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine remove Ohio National Guard from capital

Black Clevelanders express hope protests will usher real change: The world has joined

Declaring racism a health crisis in Cleveland labeled a start; the real work will be finding the solutions
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Linkedin Jesse Vad (The Jakarta Post) California, United States  Sun, June 7, 2020 16:30 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcb148f 1 News Nihi-Sumba,Bawah-Reserve,Riau,sumba,travel,tourism,resort,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,Hotel,luxury-hotel Free

The luxurious, tropical villas of Bawah Reserve in Riau are empty. Not a single guest sits on the beaches or wades in the crystalline waters. The reserve is not deserted though. Staff members are stuck on the resort due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and have had to adapt their work. Instead of catering to guests, theyre focused on the islands.

While the COVID-19 crisis has restricted travel, two of Indonesias most remote luxury resorts have shifted operations in the face of impending cutbacks. Through a focus on conservation efforts and a plan to serve local populations, Bawah Reserve and Nihi Sumba seem to be staying afloat for now.

Bawah Reserve consists of six islands about 160 miles northeast of Singapore. The resort celebrated its second year on Feb. 15. Just as Bawah Reserve hit its two-year mark, COVID-19 began spreading rapidly across the globe, sparking confusion and uncertainty.

We were clamoring to try to find information, said Paul Robinson, COO of Bawah Reserve.

Robinson said that as the crisis worsened in March, staff scrambled to get guests back to their home countries. In the end, they were able to get everyone off the islands just before airlines began to restrict travel.

As soon as the airlines started to cut back capacity, that was, I guess, the nail in the coffin, said Robinson.

In early April, Indonesia temporarily banned foreigners from entering the country. Though there were a few exceptions to the new rule, tourism for remote, high-end resorts was done for.

Even though the reserve had to be closed, the entire Bawah Reserve staff of over 200 workers has been able to stay employed at full salary. However, Robinson said in July they would likely have to lay off some workers, reduce salaries and move to a shorter work week.

For the 76 staff members stuck on the reserve now, work continues. Unable to travel off the reserve and without guests, staff shifted their attention to conservation and island maintenance. Workers have been planting trees, landscaping and cleaning beaches.

Over the past couple months, they have pulled over a ton of fishing nets out of the ocean around the reserve. More workers have been trained to dive, which has increased the amount of ocean cleanup the staff can take on. Instead of doing cleanups once a week as usual, they now do them almost every day.

Bawah Reserve staff pull fishing nets out of the water during an ocean cleanup. (Bawah Reserve/Sakti Nasukha)

Being stuck on the reserve can also be difficult for some workers. Some miss their families and dont know when theyll be able to travel to see them again.

Read also: Indonesian hotels, resorts recognized at World Travel Awards

The hardest part is family, because we are here on a remote island and our family is in the world out there, probably not as safe as we are now, said Sakti Nasukha, environmental activities manager of Bawah Reserve. We are taking everything a day at a time.

Nasukha isnt upset about being on the reserve. Shes been able to invest her energy in the conservation efforts, spend time exploring new nature trails and bond with her coworkers. And the remote location is an advantage when it comes to staying safe.

Still, Robinson hopes normalcy will return. Im longing for flights to resume and for doors to be reopened, said Robinson. But he acknowledged it could be at least a year before that happens.

Hundreds of miles to the south is Nihi Sumba, another remote Indonesian resort that is making changes due to the pandemic.

Situated on the island of Sumba, it has a staff of about 400 people. So far, the resort has been able to keep all staff members but has had to decrease salaries by 50 percent. Because most of their income is made from service charges, workers make significantly less money. This month, salaries will likely have to be decreased further and if the resort cant reopen, layoffs will be necessary.

Looking forward, Nihi Sumba is changing its target demographic. James McBride, partner and CEO of Nihi Sumba, shared his thought that travel and tourism would change after the pandemic, at least for a while. McBride said people would mostly stick to their own countries and focus on regional travel.

In preparation for that change, Nihi Sumba is making adjustments to draw in Indonesian guests.

Its an opportunity, said McBride. I want to be aligned with our Indonesian market.

Normally, about 55 percent of Nihi Sumbas business came from North America. McBride said that wont be a reality again for some time. Now, Nihi Sumba is working on creating new price points to target the Indonesian market.

For the rest of the year well be a completely different business model, said McBride. I would love people to be able to benefit, to enjoy a beautiful place in their own land. (wng)

-----------------

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.
Samsung Life headquarters in Seoul / Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



The Financial Services Commission (FSC) will be allowed to tighten its control over Samsung and its financial arms, as a proposed law regarding supervision of financial conglomerates is highly likely to be legislated by the 21st National Assembly that opened this month.



According to the FSC's pre-announcement of the legislation, Sunday, the law will put financial conglomerates having over 5 trillion won ($4.1 billion) in financial assets, such as Samsung, Hyundai Motor, Hanwha, Mirae Asset, Kyobo and DB, under its control.



The FSC will submit the proposal to the National Assembly during its regular session in September.



If it takes effect, companies representing financial conglomerates will need to disclose their fiscal soundness and risk factors to the public. The FSC will also be able to order them to take measures to improve their fiscal soundness, if they fall short of the standard.



In Korea, a financial conglomerate refers to a conglomerate that engages in more than two businesses among banking, insurance and financial investment.



The International Monetary Fund urged Korea in April to enact laws to supervise financial conglomerates, pointing out the country's asymmetric financial regulations.



The FSC said the law will prevent risks in non-financial subsidiaries of financial conglomerates from spreading to their financial subsidiaries and damaging their customers.



"We have regulated financial holding companies with the Financial Holding Companies Act," an FSC official said. "However, there have been blind spots about regulations on financial conglomerates, despite their proportion and influence over the financial sector."



As of the end of 2018, the six financial conglomerates collectively had 900 trillion won in financial assets. The amount accounted for 18 percent of total financial assets held by financial firms here.



Against this backdrop, the FSC came up with standards of supervising financial conglomerates in July 2018. The Moon Jae-in administration also mentioned a tightened control over financial conglomerates as one of its 100 policy tasks announced in July 2017.



Although Rep. Park Sun-sook of the minor opposition Party for People's Livelihoods and Rep. Lee Hack-young of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea proposed bills to regulate financial conglomerates during the 20th National Assembly, they expired automatically with the end of the last session in May.



Considering the ruling party controls the majority with 177 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, the proposed law is expected to be passed without impedement.


AstraZeneca Plc has approached rival drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc. about a potential merger, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be the biggest health-care deal on record.

The UK-based firm contacted Gilead last month about a possible tie-up, the people said, asking not to be identified because the details are private. AstraZeneca didnt specify terms for any transaction, they said. While Gilead has discussed the idea with advisers, no decisions have been made on how to proceed and the companies arent in formal talks, the people added.

AstraZeneca, valued at $140 billion, is the UKs biggest drugmaker by market capitalization and has developed treatments for conditions from cancer to cardiovascular disease. Gilead, worth $96 billion at Fridays close, is the creator of a drug thats received US approval for use with coronavirus patients.

Gilead is not currently interested in selling to or merging with another big pharmaceutical company, preferring instead to focus its deal strategy on partnerships and smaller acquisitions, the people said.

A representative for Gilead couldnt be reached for comment outside of regular business hours. A spokesman for AstraZeneca said the company doesnt comment on rumors or speculation.

Coronavirus Treatment

Gileads share price has climbed 18% this year as its antiviral drug for Covid-19, remdesivir, worked its way through clinical trials. The stock is still more than a third lower than its 2015 highs. The Foster City, California-based company has seen a steady decline in sales in its hepatitis C franchise and is trying to reinvigorate its drug-development pipeline.

Remdesivir, which has an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration, has been shown in some early studies to shorten hospital stays for people with Covid-19. SVB Leerink recently forecast that sales of the drug may reach $7.7 billion in 2022.

Gilead has been dispensing early rounds of the drug for free, leading some investors to question how the company plans to make money from it in the future. Chief Executive Officer Daniel ODay has said the company may spend $1 billion on the treatment this year alone.

AstraZeneca, led by CEO Pascal Soriot, is helping to manufacture a Covid vaccine developed at the University of Oxford. The US has pledged as much as $1.2 billion to support the efforts as part of Operation Warp Speed, a push to secure vaccines for America. The shot is expected to enter phase III clinical trials in June.

Deal Slump

Health-care dealmaking has been a rare bright spot as the global pandemic and resulting lockdowns have doused the market for mergers and acquisitions. Global M&A volumes are down about 45% this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and announced deals have been falling apart at a steady pace.

Excluding minority investments, dealmaking in April and May barely topped $100 billion in total, the data show, the lowest two-month period in at least 22 years.

AstraZeneca is no stranger to large-scale, politically sensitive M&A. In 2014 it fended off a $117 billion approach from Pfizer Inc., a deal that attracted attention from US lawmakers as it would have allowed New York-based Pfizer to lower its tax bill by redomiciling in the UK.

Its shares are up 11% since the start of the year, boosted by positive data from trials of its blockbuster lung cancer drug Tagrisso.
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As the global film industry faced dire circumstances in recent months, Mexican filmmakers contended with a more specific threat. In early April, the countrys president attempted to eliminate critical funding that has supported generations of acclaimed Mexican filmmakers. The pushback culminated in a dramatic confrontation, with filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro G. Inarritu, and Alfonso Cuaron taking a stand to salvage these resources. Their successful efforts  for now, at least  cast light on a community reliant on national support.

Mexicos film industry has seen astounding growth over the last two decades, in quantity and quality. The defining catalyst remains the creation of two government funds, Forprocine and Fidecine, in the late 90s. For several decades prior to these funds, Mexican cinema stagnated, producing less than 10 films per year. Last year, 200 completed features set a new record.

More from IndieWire

The success of these financing mechanisms is undeniable. Not only have they provided the avenue for the diversification of the countrys stories by giving access to underrepresented groups and unconventional concepts, but theyve also been instrumental in creating thousands of below-the-line jobs as a result of increased production. Foprocine and Fidecine have become so significant its impossible to imagine a functional industry without them.

All of that means that, on April 2, when President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced a series of austerity measures in response to COVID-19, alarms bells went off. The order sought to slash significant cultural funds including FONCA, which supports artists in disciplines including film at the screenplay stage, and Foprocine.

This attack on the countrys cultural fiber was immediately met with harsh criticism from the filmmaking community, who protested through social media and hosted virtual meetings to discuss their response. Many of them, having endured multiple corrupt administrations, have long-feared the programs futures.

Story continues

The major difference between Foprocine and Fidecine is the projects they support. Created by the federal government in 1998, the Foprocine fund, for production and/or post-production, supports emerging voices through programs targeting first features, as well as documentaries, auteur projects, and experimental works, which all struggle to find support from private investors.

Foprocine has helped finance over 400 features, including most Mexican films with international festival play. A long list of renowned directors have received the fund, some more than once: Carlos Reygadas (Silent Light), Amat Escalante (Heli), Ernesto Contreras (I Dream in Another Language), Carlos Carrera (The Crime of Father Amaro), and Alonso Ruizpalacios (Gueros), among hundreds more.

Meanwhile, Fidecine, which arose as part of the Federal Cinema Law in 2002, acts as a counterpart of Foprocine, backing more mass-appeal productions  with a few exceptions, like Fernando Eimbckes Duck Season. The kinds of films within Fidecines reach include larger budget projects, and many features distributed by Pantelion in the U.S.: romantic comedies and family fare with bankable stars.

Administered by IMCINE, Mexicos Film Institute, both funds have been praised for their transparency as to what resources go where.

The Mexican government also offers a fiscal stimulus known as Eficine, which allows individuals and companies to invest in productions and receive a tax incentive. Its meant to encourage third parties to support the industry so its not entirely reliant on the funds. The investment, however, cant exceed 20 million pesos (around $900,000).

Thanks to Foprocine, directors are given more creative independence, and with government support, the countrys financing system is not money-driven. The result? No subject, no matter how controversial, is off-limits.

Foprocine was instrumental for Nicolas Celis, the Oscar-nominated producer of Alfonso Cuarons Roma. The fund helped him produce Jorge Michel Graus family cannibal drama We Are What We Are (later remade in the U.S.) and Tatiana Huezos powerful El Salvador-set documentary The Tiniest Place. Both projects were challenging for their themes and logistical intricacies, but were possible because even if they seemed financially risky, IMCINE and the jury comprised of active filmmakers trusted the creators.

To an extent, all funds provided by the state understand they are supporting cultural projects. Even if you do believe your movie has commercial viability, it doesnt necessary have to, Celis told IndieWire. Foprocine is a safe place where you can express yourself without your story being judged, without it having to run 90 minutes, where you dont need a well-known cast, where you can explore.

Also singular to the Mexican film industry within Latin America is the opportunity for co-productions. Foprocine and Eficine, unlike Fidecine, permit projects from non-Mexican directors to access funds and stimuli. Celis benefited from this clause when he produced Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallegos Colombian epic Birds of Passage. Upcoming features by international masters like Leos Carax (Annette) and Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Memoria) are also Mexican co-productions taking advantage of such financial openness.

Director Astrid Rondero said she wouldnt have a career without these resources. Her debut feature, The Darkest Days of Us, was financed through Foprocine. Their trust made me believe there was a space for someone from my working-class background in cinema, she told IndieWire.

Rondero also highlighted the importance of Foprocine in achieving gender parity in the Mexican film industry, and opening doors for the LGBTQ+ and indigenous communities. According to her, those in the federal government opposed to the funds claim a lack of transparency in the management of their resources, which Rondero says is false.

The uncertainty behind the governments motivations increases our communitys suspicions that the changes they wanted to make are politically driven rather than for the administrative improvements they claim, said Rondero. We all want these support mechanisms to be perfected, but what we dont want is to lose decades of hard-earned cultural rights in a matter of weeks.

Rondero most recently served a co-writer on Identifying Features, the first feature by Fernanda Valadez  produced through Foprocine  which won two prizes at Sundance 2020. In turn, Valadez believes whats at stake is greater than the resources to make movies, and instead involves the citizens right to be involved in the decision-making process. The disappearance of these funds would represent a massive loss for Mexico, not only for its cultural life, but to its incipient democracy, she said.

To address concerns brewing since the presidential announcement in early April, Maria Novaro  president of IMCINE and a filmmaker  participated in a public conversation on May 19 with director Natalia Beristain, who served as representative for multiple segments of the filmmaking community to voice their specific concerns.

Novaro provided a detailed timeline of the last two months, explaining steps being taken by IMCINE to preserve the funds. Once the executive order was issued, IMCINE was allowed 10 days to present a legal argument to the SAT (Mexicos IRS) demonstrating why Foprocine and Fidecine were essential.

As Novaro and her team at IMCINE worked behind the scenes, an alarmed community took to social media to denounce the federal governments decision. On April 17, the Secretary of Culture and SAT representatives met to analyze the appeal and decide which funds would remain. That afternoon, Novaro was informed IMCINE could integrate Foprocine and Fidecine into a unique fund, preserving the programs each supports, and their budgets.

Fidecine has stronger legislative status because it was created through the Federal Cinema Law, so IMCINE decided the best way to unite the funds was to fold Foprocine into Fidecine. The merger would protect these resources under the law. As Foprocine has never been protected by any legislation, every five years, IMCINE secures a new federal agreement to keep it alive. Now, as part of a larger fund, this wouldnt be the case.

IMCINEs immediate concern was how to fulfill its 2020 commitment while transitioning both funds into a single entity. To deal with this, the institute obtained an extension from the federal government enabling Foprocine to remain functional for the rest of the year, maintaining its budget of 170.6 million pesos. Throughout the ordeal, the distribution of resources was delayed, causing creators to wonder if they would still receive the money awarded for their projects via Foprocine. Everything froze until the extension was granted.

Additionally, because of the Mexican governments response to COVID-19, on April 23, institutions like IMCINE were asked to return 75% of their budget for operations. Since IMCINE has already used most of its annual allowance, they will only be returning 12 percent (6 million pesos). This money is independent from funds for Foprocine. However, the cuts will impact their day-to-day operations in terms of transportation and will prevent them from launching new initiatives, like an upcoming experimental cinema contest.

Novaro said operations had returned to normal, and that IMCINE was working to present a draft of the new unified fund to lawmakers to be approved over the next few months and begin functioning in 2021. Some changes already being considered include closer support for artists in the screenwriting and development stages.

To keep the best aspects of both Foprocine and Fidecine, Novaro noted IMCINEs desire to continue using Foprocines ethical system for the evaluation and selection of projects. In terms of exhibition, the new unified fund would also help Mexican cinema gain more visibility by offering theaters monetary incentives in exchange for screening local productions.

Just a day after Novaro reassured the filmmaking community the funds would endure, legislators from MORENA, the leftist political party currently in power, introduced a proposal to eliminate Fidecine. Since IMCINEs plan is to fold Foprocine into Fidecine, this move would effectively do away with both of them. Filmmakers were up in arms again.

Several directors and institutions like IMCINE and the Mexican Film Academy (AMACC) demanded an emergency virtual meeting with representatives from MORENA, and Sergio Mayer Breton, a former soap-opera actor who now serves as President of the Culture Commission. The private gathering was later made public on Mayer Bretons YouTube channel.

During the May 21 conversation, Monica Lozano, president of AMACC and producer of landmark films like Amores Perros, advocated for a frank dialogue between the federal government and Mexicos filmmaking community. Cinema is what gives us a name, a voice, and a face and we cannot lose it, she said, reiterating that the banishment of Fidecine (and in turn Foprocine) would affect countless families who depend on the growing industry.

Enter the Three Amigos. The gravity of the circumstances compelled the trio of Mexican cinema titans  Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, and Alejandro G. Inarritu  to join the discussion and advocate for the vital funds. Visibly upset, del Toro argued that MORENAs actions create a rupture in trust between artists and the government.

Since I was 15, Ive believed in Mexican cinema. Careers come and go, kidnappings come and go, but we are still here. I believe its very important that we demand transparency, the Oscar winner said, recalling his fathers kidnapping in the late 90s, an event that pushed him to move to the U.S. but hasnt impeded his involvement in his homelands cinematic progress. The Guadalajara native added that authorities had dismissed the very people affected by the initiative. We are film people, he said. If you are going to fix your refrigerator, you dont call the car mechanic or the otorhinolaryngologist.

That same day, del Toro tweeted similar thoughts to his 1.9 million followers. Cutting these funds  or changing them permanently and without getting the agreement or consulting the community  its not only unilateral and profoundly blind, he wrote. It also forever suffocates the few avenues that exist for the survival of our cinema. Cinema is memory, and without memory its impossible to exist.

Cuaron was also present, arguing that Mexican cinema is one of the few successful industries in Mexico, and that these stimuli are fundamental for the development of a community that has made the industry what it is today. Cuaron also warned about the danger of Mexico falling behind other countries in the region, whove gotten behind cinema more aggressively.

There are countries like Colombia that are giving large fiscal stimuli, and if our country doesnt start providing stimuli of that kind, there will be an exodus of projects, and our country, currently the industrial center for film in Latin America, will be replaced by Colombia, he said.

Inarritu later shared that while hes been fortunate to not need the funds himself, hes seen what theyve done for his colleagues. He asserted that Mexicos film community is not willing to negotiate cuts, and proposed reinforcing and doubling resources.

When I was making Amores Perros in 1999, there were only seven or eight films being produced a year in Mexico, he said. Today, 200 films are made per year. Thats an almost 2000% growth, and I think the industry has earned that. Improvements to the funds are necessary, he added, but they wont be achieved if the funds themselves are repeatedly questioned.

Fortunately, Fidecine is safe for now. Thanks to the meeting and its high-profile attendees, MORENA retracted its initiative to dismantle the funds. But while this came as a relief to a community on high alert for weeks, theyre all aware nothing is certain until the new fund is legislated. On May 25, AMACC issued a release detailing the outcome of the emergency meeting: Theyre working with IMCINE to closely monitor next steps.

While the final outcome remains to be seen, whats been proven is the ability of the Mexican film community to rally for the greater good. This new threat served as a reminder that safeguarding these resources remains imperative for everyone involved.

The conversation also provided a platform for Mexicos greatest filmmakers to reassert the value of their countrys industry. We love Mexico, we love all that we represent, and we understand that cinema is an art form and its also an industry, Inarritu said. Cinema is the memory of who we are. Its the documentation of a culture; it reinforces our identity with a great diversity of voices.

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Srinagar, June 7 : A soldier has gone missing from his unit in the Baramulla district of J&K.

According to the police, a missing report has been lodged by the Adjutant of the 8 Jatt Regiment at the Boniyar police post (Uri).

"The 25-year-old missing soldier belongs to UP," the police said. From the CCTV footage it appeared that the soldier could have drowned in Jhelum river, it added.

However, efforts are on to trace him.
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.
Outside medical centers across the country, doctors and other health care workers have been stopping work in recent days for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to join in protesting the death of George Floyd, who was pinned down by a police officer in Minneapolis for that amount of time before his death.

For doctors in New York who have strained to meet the challenges of coronavirus care for months, participating in the demonstrations has been especially poignant. Workers at a number of the hospitals hit hard by Covid-19 including Bellevue, Downstate, Lincoln, Mount Sinai and Montefiore have held events displaying their support for the protests this week.

Many say they view the deaths of black people at the hands of police as a public health issue. But they also express worries that large gatherings will cause a second wave of Covid-19 cases, and they are balancing their involvement with calls for protesters and police officers to adhere to public health guidelines.

For some black physicians, the protests, like the pandemic, are a reminder of the unequal health risks that black Americans face.
Double agent Sergei Skripal's family in Russia today wished him and daughter Yulia well amid claims they have started a new life in New Zealand.

Cousin Natalya Pestsova and niece Elena said they hope the former GRU spy was doing well wherever he was living.

It comes after a senior government source in London reportedly said the pair had been given new identities and moved to the other side of the world.

But the relatives suspect the reports are a bluff and that they have secretly remained in Britain or slipped under the radar in another country.

Double agent Sergei Skripal's (right) family in Russia today wished him and daughter Yulia (left) well amid claims they have started a new life in New Zealand

Cousin Natalya Pestsova (left) and niece Elena said they hope the former GRU spy was doing well wherever he was living. The family said two calls last year by Skripal, 68, to his niece Viktoria (top right, with her family)

Skripal and Yulia were found unconscious on a park bench on March 4, 2018, after Russian agents smeared Novichok on the door-handle of their home.

They were rushed to hospital and put in induced comas to prevent the poison damaging their organs.

Yulia left hospital in the April and was taken by police to a secret location, where she was guarded by British intelligence agents. Her father joined her a month later.

Natalya said: 'I am happy to know that they are in New Zealand - if it's true. It's a faraway country. I am hoping they will have a safe start to a new, happier life.'

The family said two calls last year by Skripal, 68, to his niece Viktoria - who cares for his 91-year-old mother Elena - feel like permanent farewells.

Viktoria cares for Skripal's 91-year-old mother Elena (pictured). She said: 'Maybe they moved in March when Yulia was seen checking out our social media page - I wonder'

Natalya, 67, who lives in Siberia and was close to Skripal, said Yulia, 36, went on her family's social media pages in March but did not make contact.

She said: 'Maybe they moved in March when Yulia was seen checking out our social media page - I wonder.

'There was a little beacon of hope in March when Yulia visited her own social media and went on to my page.

'She didn't say anything, but I know she went around all our family profiles. I wonder if this is because she was missing us.'

She continued: 'I think about them all the time, and pray for their health. I often see Sergei in my dreams. I do hope they find peace and happiness after their ordeal.

'I say to them: Please remember we love you and think of you wherever you are and whatever name you now carry. We are family. You are not alone.'

She added: 'I was always very close with Sergei, as we spent so much time together in our younger years.

'Back then I always felt a kind of spiritual connection with him, and it looks like this will be the only way I'll be able to communicate with him now.'

There has been no contact since his calls to Viktoria and his mother last year 'when he basically said farewell'.

Viktoria, 47, said: 'New Zealand has been mentioned for a long while. I believe it's only said to distract attention from Porton Down'.

Skripal and Yulia were rushed to hospital and put in induced comas to prevent the poison damaging their organs after they were found unconscious on a park bench on March 4, 2018 (pictured, fire brigade officers next to the bench)

She claims the top secret laboratory in Wiltshire staged the Novichok attack in March 2018 to undermine Russia.

She believes Skripal and his daughter have remained in 'hospitable England' under new identities.

She said: 'I think we won't have any more calls this year. Or in the next ten years.'

When he called last year, he told her: 'Let's decide, from this day you are on your own. We are on our own.'

He indicated he and Yulia were 'fine' but that they had no wish ever to return to Russia.

When she said his elderly mother needed increasing assistance, he replied 'here I cannot help you,' adding: 'Soon we will be taken to another place.'

Elena, 38, who lives in the far east of Russian, said she hoped her uncle was doing well.

She said: 'We do not know anything about Uncle Sergei and Yulia now. But we really hope that they are doing well.

After all the hype subsided, I think it is much easier for them to live. I would like to tell them that we love them, ask them to take care of themselves and each other.

'We are happy if they are all right and doing well. I don't know where they are now. They might be in any European country, and perhaps still in Britain.'

It remains a mystery why two agents were sent to target Mr Skripal, as he was pardoned for sharing Russian secrets with MI6 and had been allowed to start a new life in Britain. Pictured, the forensic tent at the scene where Mr Skripal and his daughter were found in March 2018

The report of their new life in New Zealand came a week before the broadcast of a BBC drama telling the stories of people caught up in the Novichok poisoning.

It also followed in February confirmation the pair were alive but no word on where they now lived.

British ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert said: 'Of course they are alive. I can't tell you where they are because we respect people's right to make their own decisions.

'Both the government and the police will always be guided by wishes of the individuals.'

Asked if they were in the UK she said: 'Unfortunately, we cannot comment on these matters.'

Britain believes GRU agents Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin were behind the Novichok poisoning on the Skripals in Salisbury.

The attack claimed the life of British mother Dawn Sturgess, 44, after she handled a perfume bottle containing the poison.

Her boyfriend Charlie Rowley, 45, was seriously ill due to the contents of a bottle that he had found seven miles away.

Skripal had been exchanged with - among others - glamour spy Anna Chapman a decade ago in a Cold War-style exchange.
With less than a year to go before West Bengal assembly polls, the political face-off between the ruling TMC and its principal challenger BJP is set to get intense, with both the parties pulling out all the stops to connect with people in virtual space amid the lockdown.

Given the unrelenting rise in coronavirus cases, physical distancing and minimal human contact have become the new norm everywhere, leaving the arch-rivals of Bengal politics to bank on social media for garnering support.

The BJP and the TMC, which have been at each other's jugular over the handling of the COVID-19 situation, migrant workers' plight and cyclone Amphan, are all set to launch a blitzkrieg on various virtual platforms, tearing into each other over these issues. The TMC was first off the block with its supremo Mamata Banerjee holding a virtual meeting with functionaries and public representatives on June 5, outlining the party's strategy for the polls.

The Bengal BJP will take the plunge on June 9, with Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah kicking off a virtual rally.

West Bengal BJP president and MP Dilip Ghosh said it was important to prepare a plan of action to highlight the poor governance of the TMC-led dispensation, as well as to reach out to the netizens.

"We can very well say that Amit Shah Ji, will launch the virtual campaign for the 2021 assembly polls. Due to COVID, it is not possible to organize rallies or mass gatherings. So we are resorting to social media campaigns to connect with the people and highlight the TMC's poor governance in the state. COVID and cyclone Amphan will be the major poll planks for the next year's polls," Ghosh told PTI.

The saffron camp, which had last week released a "nine-point charge-sheet" against Mamata Banerjee's rule of as many years, has recently floated a social media drive christened 'Aar Noi Mamata' (no longer Mamata's rule).

According to state BJP sources, the party is planning to conduct more than 1,000 virtual rallies, covering every nook and corner of the state.

"As cadres have been sitting at home for the past two months, these virtual rallies and online programmes will motivate them and boost their morale. We will organize such rallies, with our state and district leaders addressing people across Bengal. The cadres will send out messages and videos over Whatsapp highlighting the failures of the state government in resolving migrant crisis," the BJP leader said.

The TMC government, which had been facing flak over alleged mismanagement of the COVID situation and delay in restoration work post-Cyclone Amphan, has also launched a massive drive last week, with public representatives in their assembly constituencies conducting virtual meetings.

Senior state minister and TMC leader Firhad Hakim said the party would have to effectively counter the BJP's propaganda, and its "practice of peddling fake news", while highlighting the "excellent work of our government over the past nine years.

"Mamatadi had asked us to make preparations for 2021 assembly polls, without further delay. We have been asked to promote the achievements of the state government and the failures of the Union government in tackling the COVID situation and migrant workers' crisis, despite the unplanned lockdown," Hakim said.

The party will draw people's attention to the state government's recent move to transfer Rs 20,000 to the bank accounts of each of the five lakh families affected by the cyclone, and the assurance of an additional Rs 28,000 to them under the MNREGA scheme.

The TMC's online team has been circulating videos and pictures of the apparent "mishandling" of the pandemic in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

According to TMC sources, Banerjee has also instructed district-level leaders to start door-to-door campaigns in adherence to social distancing norms, while emphasizing on the importance of maintaining transparency at the grassroots.

"In the post-COVID world, the campaigns will no longer be the same. The thrust will be more on online initiatives," a TMC leader said.

The opposition CPI(M) and Congress, however, slammed both the parties for shifting focus to poll campaigns, amid the insurmountable crises.

It is a wonder how the two parties can talk about "political campaigns at this hour, when thousands of hapless people are still waiting for relief", a CPI(M) leader said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has been booed out of a Black Lives Matter demonstration after refusing to defund the city's police department - as Rep. Ilhan Omar calls for it to be disbanded.

Frey on Saturday proved to be at odds with activists fighting police brutality just two days after he sobbed uncontrollably at the foot of George Floyd's gold coffin during a memorial service.

Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stopped short of backing Omar's call to dismantle police departments.

Whoa. @MayorFrey is asked Will you commit to defunding police, yes or no? Speaker says his re-election hinges on the answer. Couldnt hear answer but the crowd erupts in boos, chanting GO HOME JACOB.



Full video: pic.twitter.com/zODcbYGdeS  David Schuman (@david_schuman) June 6, 2020

The freshman congresswoman joined other top progressive Democrats on Friday in backing steep budget cuts to local police in the wake of Floyd's death.

Mayor Frey @Jacob_Frey says he doesnt want to defund the police. So the crowd led by @BlackVisionsMN tell him to leave. pic.twitter.com/DaJHJXPwRm  CTUL (@CTUL_TC) June 6, 2020

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (center) was booed out of a Black Lives Matter protest after refusing to defund the city's police department on Saturday

Ocasio-Cortez made the remarks during a congressional primary debate on NY1 on Friday night.

Ocasio-Cortez said she's 'actively engaged in advocacy' for a 'reduction of our NYPD budget and defunding a $6billion NYPD budget that costs us books in the hands of our children and costs us very badly needed investment in NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] and public housing'.

President Trump, meanwhile, has seized on proposal from 'Radical Left Democrats' and attacked his rival, Joe Biden.

'Sleepy Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats want to "DEFUND THE POLICE",' the president tweeted on Sunday.

'I want great and well paid LAW ENFORCEMENT. I want LAW & ORDER!'

Frey, the Minneapolis mayor, arrived to the demonstration in plain clothes and a face mask to address dozens of protesters about the future of the now-embattled Minneapolis Police Department.

A woman who appeared to lead the protest asked Frey 'Yes or no, will you commit to defunding the Minneapolis Police Department?'

Frey, pictured walking away, told the group pf protesters he would not defund the Minneapolis Police Department amid demonstrations over police brutality

We got @MayorFrey to come out of his house and asked him one simple question. Will you commit to defunding the Minneapolis Police Department? He said no...Now we prepare for tomorrow... pic.twitter.com/d71WdCqAjO  Black Visions Collective (@BlackVisionsMN) June 7, 2020

'Jacob Frey, we have a yes or no question,' a woman leading the protest asked, prompting cheers from the crowd.

'Yes or no, will you commit to defunding the Minneapolis Police Department?'

The woman then states that protesters want 'no more police' and reminded them that Frey's response should be considered ahead of the city's mayoral election next year.

'And if he says no, guess what the f*** we're going to do next year?' the woman asks the cheering crowd.

The woman then demands the mayor leave after he refuses their request.

'Alright, get the f*** out of here! Bye!' the woman says.

The crowd of protesters begin to boo Frey and chant 'Go home Jacob, go home!'

Others yelled 'Shame, shame, shame!'

Frey is then forced to walk through the upset crowd as they continue to shout at him to go home.

In a statement to WCCO, Frey doubled down on his refusal to totally 'abolish' the Minneapolis Police Department.

President Trump on Sunday seized on calls by 'Radical Left Democrats' to 'defund the police,' saying he wants 'great and well paid LAW ENFORCEMENT'

'If youre asking whether Im for massive structural reform to revise a structurally racist system the answer is "yes." If youre asking whether I will do everything possible to push back on the inherent inequities that are literally built into the architecture the answer is "yes,"' said Frey.

'If youre asking whether Im willing to do everything I possibly can throughout the rest of my term to make sure that the police union, the police contract, the arbitration system, and some of these policies that have resulted in problems for specifically Black and Brown people and murder over series of generations, Im all for that.

'Im not for abolishing the entire police department, I will be honest about that.'

At another protest on Saturday, Omar declared 'it's time to disband the Minneapolis Police Department'.

'I will never cosign on funding a police department that continues to brutalize us and I will never stop saying, not only do we need dis-invest police but we need to completely dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,' she said.

Her comments come as city council members consider disbanding the entire department because it is 'beyond reform' after Floyd's death.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (pictured): ''I will never cosign on funding a police department that continues to brutalize us and I will never stop saying, not only do we need dis-invest police but we need to completely dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department'

'The Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root,' Omar continued. 'And so when we dismantle it we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something to rise. And that reimagining allows us to figure out what public safety looks like.'

Omar's remarks received some backlash on Twitter from users who believed defuding Minneapolis' police force is going too far.

'See... this is where the movement will lose a lot of support. Do we have a problem with police brutality? Yes,' one user wrote.

As protesters demand police reform, a proposal is gaining steam: reducing the #NYPDs budget.



Rep. @AOC expressed support for that in a NY1 debate. https://t.co/vo8uqhoSZR. #NY1Politics pic.twitter.com/bQK2glBPgk  Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) June 6, 2020

Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind the 'Defund the Police' movement during a congressional debate on Friday night

'Do police agencies need to be reformed? Yes. Do we need the police disbanded? My god no. And if you do, the poor will suffer the most.'

Frey's handling of George Floyd's death and the subsequent protests that have surged across Minneapolis has been under intense scrutiny.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, died on May 25 after pleading 'I can't breathe' while white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Floyd later died at a hospital. Since then, several protests against police brutality and systematic racism have sparked. Minneapolis entered their 12th night of protests on Friday night.

Following Floyd's death, all four officers pictured in cell phone footage of the incident were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department

Mayor Frey (pictured) has received backlash for his response to protests by residents and President Trump on Twitter

Cell phone footage of Floyd's death that went viral on social media prompted Frey to call for each of the involved officer's arrests, with a murder charge for Chauvin.

'Ive wrestled with, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?' said Frey two days after Floyd's death.

'If you had done it, or I had done it, we would be behind bars right now. And I cannot come up with a good answer to that.'

He added that the anger seen by protesters was 'ingrained in our black community not just because of five minutes of horror, but 400 years.'

As some peaceful protests in Minneapolis turned unexpectedly volatile, Frey implored residents to end the violence after a police precinct was torched.

'Please, please, Minneapolis,' Frey pleaded, according to The Star Tribune, 'We cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy. The activity around Lake and Hiawatha is now unsafe. Please, help us keep the peace.'

He received backlash from law enforcement who believed he was 'content with letting the city be overrun'.

'We are a police force totaling over 800 officers with far, far less than that on active duty at a given time. Simply by the numbers, we were going to be overwhelmed. It's a matter of math, not planning,' Frey stated.

But as building continued to be set ablaze and instance of violence marred Minneapolis, Frey attempted to shift blame onto 'white supremacists, members of organized crime, out-of-state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors' for the civil unrest.

Pictured: People hold signs and protest against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Thursday

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (center) attended a memorial service held for George Floyd in the city on Thursday

He later backtracked on this claim after arrest reports showed many of the detained protesters were local residents.

President Trump lambasted Frey on Twitter and said there was a 'total lack of leadership' from Frey.

'I cant stand back and watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership,' Trump wrote.

'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. 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.'

Frey responded that President Trump had no idea what he was talking about.

'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell. This is a difficult time, yes, but you better be damn sure that were going to get through this,' he told a reporter.

Later that day, Frey activated the National Guard as officials braced for more nights of protests.

Residents and others blasted the move over concerns of militarizing law enforcement against its own American citizens and government overreach.

The turn against Frey became worse after he declared a state of emergency in Minneapolis and imposed a weekend long curfew for residents.

Despite the order, demonstrations continued in Minneapolis and other cities as state governments followed suit.

On Thursday, Frey made a public appearance at a memorial for George Floyd held at a sanctuary at North Central University.

He was seen kneeling and weeping next to Floyd's coffin at one point during the memorial service.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey kneels in front of George Floyd's gold casket and sobs

The next day, the Minneapolis Police Department banned the use of chokeholds by law enforcement.

Negotiators for the city agreed with the state of Minnesota to not only ban chokeholds but to require officers to report and intervene anytime they see an unauthorized use of force by another officer.

It was announced as the Minneapolis City Council held an emergency meeting to discuss what changes need to be made to the police department in the wake of Floyds death.

At least four members of the 13-person council have voiced support for the department's complete disbanding.

Frey opposed to total removal of law enforcement and instead called for reform, according to KSTP.

Frey is reportedly 'figuring out how to provide necessary discipline and determination so we can have the culture shift and the accountability measures in place that are so necessary.'
The worldwide death toll from Covid-19 has passed 400,000, according to US experts.

At least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University, whose aggregated tally has become the main global reference for monitoring the disease.

It says the United States leads the world with nearly 110,000 confirmed virus-related deaths. Europe as a whole has recorded more than 175,000 since the virus emerged in China late last year.

Health experts, however, believe that the John Hopkins tally falls short of showing the true tragedy of the pandemic.

Many governments have struggled to produce statistics that can reasonably be considered as true indicators of the pandemic given the scarcity of diagnostic tests especially in the first phase of the crisis.

Authorities in Italy and Spain, with over 60,000 combined deaths, have acknowledged that their death count is larger than the story the numbers tell.

But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went as far as to tweet on Saturday that his countrys disease totals are not representative of Brazils current situation, insinuating that the numbers were actually overestimating the spread of the virus.

Newly dug, empty graves fill the Sao Luiz cemetery where victims will be buried in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Andre Penner/AP)

Critics of Mr Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly clashed with health experts over the seriousness of the disease and has threatened to take Brazil out of the World Health Organisation, said the decision was a manoeuvre by the far-right leader to hide the depths of crisis.

Brazils last official numbers recorded over 34,000 virus-related deaths, the third-highest toll in the world behind the US and Britain. It reported nearly 615,000 infections, putting it second behind the US.

After Mr Bolsonaro stoked his clash with health experts, Pope Francis cautioned people in countries emerging from lockdown to keep following authorities rules on social distancing, hygiene and limits on movement.

Be careful, dont cry victory, dont cry victory too soon, Francis said. Follow the rules. They are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead again.

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The Argentine-born pontiff has also expressed dismay that the virus is still claiming many lives, especially in Latin America.

Pope Francis delivers his blessing in the Vatican (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered below his window in St Peters Square on Sunday for the popes noon blessing after Italy eased its restrictions on public gatherings.

Many counties like the US and Britain insist that they can ease restrictions before having stalled their outbreaks.

In the US, the virus churns on underneath the unrest provoked by the death of George Floyd and increasingly directed at President Donald Trumps handling of the protests.

In France, the government announced that from Tuesday, it will ease restrictions limiting travel from the French mainland to overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.

Spain is preparing to take another step forward in the scaling back of its containment with Madrid and Barcelona opening the interiors of restaurants with reduced seating on Monday.

Doctors examines people during a free medical camp in Dharavi (Rafiq Maqbool/AP)

In Turkey, Istanbul residents flocked to the citys shores and parks on the first weekend with no lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the health minister.

Russia remained troubling, with nearly 9,000 new cases over the past day, roughly in line with numbers reported over the past week.

Pakistan is pushing toward 100,000 confirmed infections as medical professionals plead for more controls and greater enforcement of social distancing directives. But Prime Minister Imran Khan said a full shutdown would devastate a failing economy.

India confirmed 9,971 new coronavirus cases in another record single-day spike, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.

China has reported its first non-imported case in two weeks, an infected person on the island of Hainan off the southern coast.
President Trump walks from the White House through Lafayette Park after police forcibly cleared the area of peaceful protesters on June 1. (Associated Press)

To the editor: I piloted Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson on Marine One. Later I transported impossibly young, always willing troops during the Vietnam War  the first conflict to generate nationwide protests from incensed young people. ("Mattis told the truth about Trump. Why won't more Republicans?" editorial, June 5)

As a lifelong history buff, I've read countless books on this nation's checkered military endeavors. Walking the Civil War battlefields and Normandy beaches made me appreciate Americans' sacrifices on behalf of our values that were rarely questioned.

I have reached the age of 88 and am astounded by the behavior of the current administration and the indifference of much of the populace. We now have a foundering republic co-opted by an unprincipled president, a feckless cabinet and Congress, and this year's rampaging global health pandemic.

A righteous rising against systemic racism is now under assault from paramilitary soldiers. Unbelievable!

This moment is antithetical to our democracy and the oath I swore to the Constitution in uniform so long ago. I will take some solace from the denunciation of my fellow Marine, retired Gen. James N. Mattis, of this egregious and unprecedented behavior and hope it proves pivotal.

Bruce Colbert, Riverside

The writer is a retired U.S. Marine colonel.

..

To the editor: I served 26 years in the United States Marine Corps. This includes being recalled to active duty twice after 9/11 to serve in Iraq.

It is because of this background that I can stand firmly with retired Marine Gens. Mattis and John R. Allen in expressing outrage over President Trump's actions. Their intelligence, drive and professionalism are hard to describe to someone who has not experienced working with a Marine who has the wherewithal to achieve flag rank.

Our oath is not to a person but to the Constitution. When you take that oath and serve under it, you tend to read the Constitution and think about what it means and what it stands for. So, like Gen. Mattis, I was "appalled." And, like Gen. Allen, I was "stunned" by what this administration did.

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What is happening right now is an uprising against systemic racism, inequality and the denial of justice. Trump's actions are in direct opposition to what must take place to set our country firmly on the path to fulfilling the ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.

This is not a political statement. It is a visceral exclamation.

Louis Avila, Sherman Oaks

The writer is a retired U.S. Marine colonel.

..

To the editor: The use of federal troops to assist in handling riots is nothing new.

Following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968, the Washington, D.C., police department was faced with crowds in excess of 20,000 people. President Johnson sent 11,850 federal troops to assist the beleaguered 3,100-man police force.

Johnson also ordered 5,000 regular Army soldiers to assist police in Chicago. When the state of Maryland determined that Baltimore was unable to control its riots, Johnson sent 5,000 troops to assist that city.

When police departments and the National Guard are overwhelmed, federal troops are sent in. The question is not if but when to use them.

Nathan Post, Santa Barbara

..

To the editor: Based on her agreement with Mattis, I cannot fathom why Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak.) is "struggling" with whether to support Trump in the November election. Thinking as she does, her decision should be clear.

I'm tired of Trump and his sycophants, in this case Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), calling any criticism of Trump "unfair."Really?

Barbara Luther, Orange
New Delhi, June 7 : Calling Sir Ganga Ram Hospital a "black-marketeer" is a "black day" in the medical history of India, said hospital associations on Sunday, a day after an FIR was filed against the Medical Superintendent of the hospital for allegedly violating directions under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

Speaking to IANS, Rajan Sharma national president of Indian Medical Association alleged that the FIR against the hospital is for public consumption, and its purpose is to "make people rebel against the doctors." "This is a gross colossal failure of the country. FIR for not updating Aadhaar details of a person handling the Covid-19 app. Is it a crime? We condemn it. Ganga Ram Hospital is the AIIMS of the private sector", said Sharma.

Criticising the Delhi government's action on hospitals, Sharma added, "Did the Delhi government ever call a stakeholder meeting of doctors and hospitals on the ways to manage the Covid-19 crisis. Not yet." The registration of the cases against the hospital came on a day Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal without naming any private hospital said that some private hospitals lied that there were no vacant beds available, as they intended to indulge in black marketeering.

The comments from the chief minister came in the backdrop of an unprecedented health crisis, where the growth of Covid-19 cases has attained an upward trajectory, and a 1,000 cases have begun to pop-up daily.

Narottam Puri, Advisor - FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman - Fortis Medical Council & Fortis Healthcare, said "I am stunned, a few days ago the government showered petals on the Ganga Ram Hospital, and now it is being labelled as a black-marketeer, this is a black day in medical profession.

"The Delhi government should first fill up its own Covid-19 hospitals and then blame the private hospitals. In this hour of crisis, the government should not be vindictive and stop one of the finest institutions in the country. The politicians should act like statesmen and not use terms like 'black-markeeter'", added Puri.

Delhi has so far reported 27,654 cases and 761 people have succumbed to the viral infection. Moreover, social media has also highlighted the people struggling to find beds in hospitals, and the laxity of government hospitals in handling Covid-19 patients.

Since June 3, Ganga Ram Hospital has not conducted any Covid-19 test, following an order from the health department, which sought clarification within two days on why the hospital has not initiated sample collection through RT PCR app.

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman of Medica Group of Hospitals said calling Ganga Ram Hospital a "black-marketeer" is not the way to treat an institution which has provided great humanitarian services over the last many decades.

"There must be some misunderstandings, the government should look into it in detail to resolve and clarify this on priority. It is our appeal to the Delhi government that at this stage, both government and private institutions must work together to overcome the pandemic. Finding faults will not help, let's work with maturity and patience to fight this disease together", added Roy.
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Sunday slammed Bollywood actor Sonu Sood over helping north Indian guest workers who are stranded in Maharashtra.

In a weekly article titled Rokh-Thok published in Saamana, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, spokesperson Sanjay Raut questioned the sudden rise of Mahatma Sood during the lockdown. He indicated that Sonu Sood is a pawn of the BJP and will likely be a star campaigner of the party in future.

Sanjay Raut said people might soon hear Sonu Sood's name in the 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme and hear news of him meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Sood might even visit Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi as a star campaigner for the BJP. When most of the actors were sitting at home, Sonu Soods acting skills were flourishing, he stated.

He further added that the BJP has (politically) adopted Sonu Sood and tried to create an influence among the North Indian migrant workers.

The Sena leader said that the actor managed to send 177 girls in a special plane to Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. The article alleged that as the actor did not find a plane in Kerala, a special plane was flown from Bengaluru to Kochi. Without the help of the political party, government and administration, is it possible for Sood to be able to make such arrangements, Raut questioned in his article.

You do not need a screen all the time to show your acting skills as has been demonstrated by Mahatma Sood. Soods political directors are experts in their field. We will come to know soon about his next political move, he added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has come forward in support of the actor. He said, Mr Sood should be praised for helping the migrants during such trying times. The Sena failed to provide food to the migrant labourers in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra for two and half months.

The BJP leaders including Ram Kadam and Shubhranshu Dixit too hit back at the Sena for slamming the actor. Mr Dixit, a member of BJP Yuva Morcha National Executive, tweeted, This is not the time to indulge in politics. Sonu Sood has done a great job by sending the migrants back home. It was the duty of the Shiv Sena-led state government to look after the guest workers. But the Sena has failed to do so. Therefore, many NGOs and citizens, including Sood have come forward to help the needy people. If you can't praise him, at least don't criticise him.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will travel to Houston on Monday to meet privately with the family of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis last month while he was being detained by police.

Mr Biden will meet with the family of Mr Floyd in private so as not to disturb the funeral ceremony with extra security.

"Vice President Biden will travel to Houston Monday to express his condolences in-person to the Floyd family. He is also recording a video message for the funeral service," a spokesman for the former vice president told CBS News on Sunday.

Mr Biden's tone in response to the anti-police-brutality protests that have gripped the nation since Mr Floyd's death on 25 May has contrasted with the militant statements of Donald Trump, who has consistently been calling for "LAW & ORDER!" over the last week as some of the earlier protests broke out into riots.

Mr Biden, who served for eight years as vice president under Barack Obama, has promised to try to pass legislation "that will give true meaning to our constitutional promise of legal protection under the law".

The former vice president has advocated for a ban on police using choke holds, the discontinuation of police units using "weapons of war," and a more robust oversight and accountability regime for police departments across the country.

"I'll seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued our country, not use them for political gain. I'll do my job and I'll take responsibility  I won't blame others," Mr Biden said at a speech in Philadelphia last week.

Both Mr Biden and Mr Trump have spoken with Mr Floyd's family. The 46-year-old's death last month gained national media attention when video of it was posted online.

"I tried to give them some solace in terms of how the memory, the memory and meaning of George's life, would live with them," Mr Biden said in a subsequent interview with CNN.

Hundreds of thousands  if not millions  of Americans across the country have taken to the streets since Mr Floyd's death to protest police brutality and institutional racism.

The first big weekend of protests saw several pockets of looting and vandalism throughout the country before governors called in National Guard units. In Washington, DC, Attorney General William Barr deployed more than a dozen government agencies to, in the president's words, "dominate" the streets with law enforcement units.

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes even as he was gasping for air and telling officers he couldn't breathe, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. That charge has since been upgraded to second-degree murder.

The other three officers on the scene have also been charged with felonies related to Mr Floyd's death.
Air raids carried out on Sirte by GNA forces as they reject Egypt-proposed ceasefire initiative.

Forces loyal to Libyas UN-recognised government said they launched an offensive on Saturday to seize the strategic city of Sirte, as renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar and his Egyptian allies proposed a ceasefire following a string of military setbacks.

The air force has carried out five strikes in the outskirts of Sirte, Government of National Accord (GNA) spokesman Mohamad Gnounou said. Orders have been given to our forces to begin their advance and to systematically attack all rebel positions.

GNA forces have repulsed Haftars 14-month offensive against the capital, Tripoli, and are now poised to drive on eastwards, taking advantage of stepped-up military support from Turkey.

Sirte is the hometown of former longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi and the last major settlement before the traditional boundary between Libyas west and east.

Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) forces virtually captured the Mediterranean city of Sirte without a fight in January after one of Libyas myriad local militias switched sides.

Beyond Sirte lies the prize of Libyas main oil export ports, Haftars most important strategic asset.

Sirte is some 450km (280 miles) east of Tripoli, the town where Gaddafi put up his last stand against NATO-backed rebel forces in 2011.

Ceasefire talks

On Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said in Cairo that Haftar and other eastern leaders  including eastern parliament speaker Aguila Saleh  had signed up to a declaration calling for a ceasefire from 6am (04:00 GMT) on Monday.

Heeding appeals from the major powers and the United Nations for a ceasefire we pulled back 60km (40 miles) from the Greater Tripoli city limits, Haftars spokesman, Ahmad al-Mesmari, said.

The initiative, called the Cairo Declaration, urged the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from all Libyan territory, he said.

Sisi added that the declaration also called for dismantling militias and handing over their weaponry so that the Libyan National Army [led by Haftar] would be able to carry out its military and security responsibilities and duties.

But the GNA forces spokesman appeared to pour cold water on the Egyptian proposals.

We didnt start this war, but we will choose the time and place when it ends, Gnounou said.

He issued a final call for Sirtes 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.

Several countries have expressed support for the Cairo initiative.

In a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian,hailed the efforts led by Egypt  and todays 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.

The United States said it is watching with interest the political voices in eastern Libya where Haftar is based.

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 US embassy to Libya said in a statement on Saturday.

We welcome efforts by Egypt and others to support a return to the UN-led political negotiations and the declaration of a ceasefire, the statement said.

Russia, which, according to UN experts, has employed hundreds of mercenaries from the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group to fight alongside Haftar, also agreed.

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, Russias special representative to the Middle East and African countries, according to the Ria News Agency.

But according to Tarik Yousef, director of Brookings Doha Center, the ceasefire aims to protect Haftar from further military losses.

In the context of what has just been reported about military advancements in the last week, the series of defeats Haftar has suffered suggest the Cairo initiative is more about trying to salvage what remains of Haftars project and trying to protect what remains of his military forces in the east, Yousef told Al Jazeera.

Forces loyal to Libyas UN-recognised government in the strategic Bani Walid city [Anadolu]

Libya plunged into chaos after Gaddafis killing during the 2011 uprising.

The oil-rich north African country is split between two rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by opposing fighters struggling for power in the wake of Gaddafis downfall.

Haftar has since last year sought to gain control over the west, fighting the GNA in an abortive attempt to seize Tripoli.

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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, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
Last Tuesday, our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, who is white, was interviewed on radio station 2GB. The host, Ben Fordham, who is also white, asked about the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, and Morrison expressed hope we would not see similar scenes here. He said, twice, that our country was a wonderful country. It was also a fair country, though it had its problems, faults and issues.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister called in to the same radio station to speak with white radio host Ray Hadley. Asked again about the protests, Morrison said Australia had issues in this space. On Friday, at a press conference, asked if it was a national shame that at least 432 Indigenous people had died in custody since the royal commission in 1991, he said of course, noting the problems we have in this area, these issues, and these concerns.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks vaguely and without emotion when it comes to Indigenous issues. Credit:SMH

The sterility of this language, its obvious vagueness, is striking. It is particularly striking when contrasted with the language the Prime Minister used in service of the opposite cause, urging people not to attend Black Lives Matter protests in Australia. On Friday, expressing fear that coronavirus might spread at the protests, he cited examples of the sacrifices of people who had not been able to visit nursing homes, or attend funerals, and spoke in moving terms about those who had the absolute agony of not being able to say goodbye to a loved one.

Those words stand out, not because they are moving, but because the Prime Minister could equally have chosen to use them, without a single change, to explain to listeners the grief and rage that drove people to protest while the threat of a pandemic had not entirely vanished. The hundreds of Indigenous people who have died in cells: their families, too, had the absolute agony of not being able to say goodbye to a loved one.
France is reportedly looking to increase fines for people caught dropping litter  including face masks and gloves.

The proposal comes amid concerns over waste linked to the coronavirus pandemic, which has been found washed up on the country's beaches.

Littering fines could increase to 135 (120), according to French media.

Brune Poirson, a junior environment minister, told AFP news agency a draft decree would propose harsher sanctions for those caught dropping rubbish on the floor, Le Monde reported.

She said there had been an increase in the number of new types of dumped rubbish linked to the health crisis, according to the French national newspaper.

People caught littering in the street are currently handed a 68 (60) fine in France.

Conservationists have warned about Covid-19s environmental impact after face masks - which people must wear on French public transport, in secondary schools and workplaces where social-distancing is not possible - and gloves have wound up on beaches around the world.

Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) has also washed up on the French coast.

One video has shown latex gloves and surgical masks on the ocean flood near Cannes, and Operation Mer Propre (Operation Clean Ocean) has been detailing coronavirus-related rubbish which it has been cleaned up from the sea on its Facebook page.

Environmentalists have warned waste linked to the Covid-19 crisis is adding to plastic pollution in the oceans - which poses a risk to marine life.

Everyone must understand rubbish thrown on the ground often ends up in the ocean, Ms Poirson said, according to Le Monde.

If we want clean seas and oceans, it starts with clean pavements.
While front-line workers started applying for the provinces $120-million Manitoba Risk Recognition Program on Wednesday, Brandon-area support agencies are finding that most of their employees do not qualify for this financial boost of approximately $1,000 each.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Direct support professionals Lynda Bullee and Tamera Irvine pose for a photo outside a Brandon Community Options house on Friday. While Irvine is a full-time employee for the non-profit agency, who has been working overtime throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she does not qualify for the province's Risk Recognition Program. Meanwhile, a part-time employee like Bullee is eligible for government funding since she earned less than $6,250 between March 20 and May 29. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)

While front-line workers started applying for the provinces $120-million Manitoba Risk Recognition Program on Wednesday, Brandon-area support agencies are finding that most of their employees do not qualify for this financial boost of approximately $1,000 each.

According to Brenda Elmes, executive director for Brandon Community Options, only approximately 30 per cent of her 100 direct-support professionals are eligible for this one-time payment, even though theyve spent the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic looking after adults with intellectual disabilities.

"Im very disappointed that all of our employees arent benefitting from that hero pay," she told the Sun on Friday. "Because theyre all risking their lives in the same way that we hear on the news day-in and day-out."

Elmes biggest point of contention with the program is its income threshold, which dictates workers who earned more than $6,250 between March 20 to May 29 cannot apply for this financial compensation.

This stipulation is problematic since many members of her non-profit agency had no choice but to work overtime during this unprecedented period, ultimately resulting in a larger-than-average payout.

"The individuals we support would normally go to a day service during the day, but because of COVID theyre (always) at home," she said. "So we were staffing extra shifts in all of those homes that we wouldnt normally do."

Kim Longstreet from Family Visions Inc. said her agency is facing a similar predicament, with only 19 out of 91 employees qualifying for the program.

Even though the fund is designed to support low-income workers in particular, Longstreet said this designation completely misses the point.*

"If youve worked at an essential service since the beginning of COVID-19 you deserve the same respect across the board regardless of your pay scale," she wrote in a Thursday email to the Sun. "Everyone leaving their homes to go to work is at risk of dying from COVID-19 no matter what they are paid."

The province originally announced this pandemic bonus fund in mid-May, although Premier Brian Pallister recently revealed the specifics of the program this past Tuesday during a news conference.

The categories of workers who qualify for the payment include cashiers, cooks, security guards, early childhood educators, social workers, nurses and bus drivers.

Outside of mentioning the $6,250 income threshold, Pallister also said successful applicants must have worked a minimum of 200 hours between March 20  the date of the first COVID-19 public health order  and May 29.

Almost immediately, these guidelines were met with criticism from groups like the Manitoba Nurses Union, who quickly deduced that large swathes of caregivers will be excluded from the fund due to the demanding nature of their work during a pandemic.

However, Elmes said this oversight isnt anything new, since people in their line of work are constantly getting the short end of the stick from the province when it comes to wage increases and proper funding.

"The issues have been here long before Pallister came," she said. "Ive been with Brandon Community Options for 33 years, and the last two decades have been a battle to get properly funded for our staff."

In this sense, Brandon Community Options employee Lynda Bullee told the Sun on Friday that a one-time payment model is faulty from the get-go, since it doesnt address the larger problem of funding cuts and wage stagnation that are affecting caregivers across the province.

"Its like giving a kid a candy bar and hoping that theyll be quiet for an hour," she said.

Front-line workers can apply for the Manitoba Risk Recognition Program by visiting gov.mb.ca/covid19/infomanitobans/mrrp.html. The province will be accepting submissions up until June 18.

*This section of the article has been changed to better reflect the interviewee's thoughts.

 kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @KyleDarbyson
I WAS THERE. But I'm also confused, maybe disoriented.

One minute we were kneeling -- an appeal that THIS IS A PEACEFUL PROTEST -- and the next we were running for our lives.

We arrived at the scene at the same time with the squad of full battle gear SWAT Officers equipped with armalites -- those that took our friends away. We crossed the street as a platoon of riot-mode police officers was unloaded, and by the time we reached the protest, the 100 blue uniforms already got into formation.

What were they so alarmed about, I wondered, as I looked at the 30 masked protesters equipped with bondpapers distanced almost two meters away from each other. When the police crowded over us, we knelt in response. Lowered our bodies and put forward our calls.

There was a countdown -- 15 minutes, 10, five, finish this up, or we're gonna have a problem. Unsure what about, we asked: They said they wanted to check if we were in violation of the GCQ; no one under 21 should be present. We followed every safety procedure, our IDs were present for inspection, so there should be no worries. We had nothing to hide. The mob speaker implored that they respect, protect, uphold our right to peaceful assembly.

When the countdown was over, the riot-mode police officers immediately positioned for an attack, and we couldn't even take the time to retreat. Here comes the surprise: Armed civilians started grabbing all individuals they could take a hold of. The rest of us ran towards the gates, but a UP guard prevented our entrance. We went over the bricks. Ran. Looked back. Witnessed arrests, heard screams, but still ran.

A police officer grabbed my bag, and then my hair. It's 2017 again. I'm in Kamp Karingal, alone, getting dragged by five full battle-gear officers by the wrist and the neck. I tell myself I couldn't go through that again. I ducked and rolled towards the downward slope of the bricks and ran. My bruises and wounds are fresh, so they pulsate. Every second I am reminded that I made it this time.

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But seven of us didn't. I woke up earlier to Joahanna's scream for help. I think of Lolo Jeps, sixty and gravely mishandled, overpowered. I think of Al, my good friend, who greeted me with an air hug just a minute before we started running. I think of Nar and Bern, too young to experience distress like this. I think of the two Food Not Bombs volunteers. I think of the bystander. And most of all, I weep for Dyan. Unlike most of us who ran for our lives, she stood her ground. They trapped us inside UP for a long time, but the overwhelming amount of support extended to us made us safely vacate the premises. It is most comforting to know that as the crisis heightens, so will the collective compassion to participate, support, reinforce the struggle for what is just.

Earlier, I couldn't sleep. It's 2014. I am an incoming freshman with my mouth wide open in amazement at how good and intimidating the chairperson of UP Cebu is. Gurl, okay ra ka, she'd ask me. I'd nod, and I tell her okay ra ko Ma'am. Hala grabe siya, Ate Dyan ra itawag nako uy. I love you so much Ate Dyan. You are one of the bravest women I know.

(The Ate Dyan referred to in the article is Dyan Gumanao, a member of the Kabataan Party List, who was among those arrested in the June 5, 2020 Anti-Terror Bill rally at the University of the Philippines Cebu in Barangay Lahug Cebu City.)
It seems probable that Ulster University will be the single biggest beneficiary of Derrys City Deal.

This city region has been pledged 105 million by Westminster, which will be match-funded by Stormont.

This doubling of the pot by the devolved government is mandatory, not discretionary, and is the right and entitlement of our people.

Of the 210m, around forty percent of the total, 85m will come under the control of Ulster University.

The expectation is that some of this will progress the long-awaited medical school, first announced in 2003, with the first intake of seventy students now to happen in the 2021 academic year.

Under lockdown, it is difficult to obtain accurate information, but there does not seem to be a pledge from Stormont to fund the ongoing costs.

The graduate entry medical school is a necessary development, and the economic and health benefits are co-dependent.

As a Derry GP, I understand the glaring gaps in the services to which people are entitled.

The creeping privatisation and chronic underfunding of health and social care has been exposed by the chaotic response to the recent pandemic. Without a plan, panic and pandemonium were the only available response.

Post lockdown, the university sector is in deep trouble.

Even those institutions with relatively healthy balance sheets are looking at massive cuts in central funding, while income from grants, student fees, (especially from overseas) and investment dry up.

UU has recently spent more than 350m on its flagship Belfast campus.

The project is overtime, over budget and significantly in debt.

Meantime Derry, a centre of education since the sixth century, waits for justice.

Sixty years from its inception, the campaign for an independent university for Derry has not gone away.

That UU are to be gifted a significant amount of the once in a lifetime resource for the city region, after decades of neglect and discrimination is outrageous.

They are being paid to provide what they have been morally obliged to do for half a century.

The medical school is likely to happen, but the allocation of the Faculty of Health Science, the School of Nursing places, and the ten thousand full time students promised for the past two decades are far from certain.

Under cover of lockdown, and without any open debate, Stormont gave UU an unsecured bailout loan of 126m to plug the gaping hole in their finances for the Belfast project.

Belfasts City Deal was not asked to contribute.

This is a larger sum than the assembly is awarding to our entire region, money which is to improve our transport network, built heritage, digital infrastructure, research and development sector, workforce skills, youth opportunity and general economic wellbeing.

We wont have much change when thats all sorted!

Despite having the highest levels of unemployment (70% above the NI average), highest youth emigration (40% above average, higher in university graduates), highest levels of economic inactivity, (of whom one in three have long-term medical conditions, including mental health issues) Derry is obviously not a priority for government.

The differential in prosperity between the west and east of the north continues to widen.

This neglect can no longer be blamed on the faceless men of my parents generation.

Twenty years since the Good Friday Agreement, Derry has had political power, people with faces and names, in Stormont, Westminster and the Dail, who presided over the systemic and deliberate neglect of the north west in general and Derry in particular.

They did nothing unless photo ops and broken promises count. Their power was dearly bought, and still is by the incredible suffering of families and communities here. The debt remains outstanding.

Universities are the most important economic drivers of any society, and the unjust denial of third level provision in this city and district ensures the continuance of our place on the wrong side of all league tables of economic and social wellbeing.

We need and deserve a stand-alone university. Derry and Strabane District Council, in allocating City Deal funding allocation needs to move ahead without the shackles of UU.

Derry will never be UU's priority, and Coleraines and now increasingly Belfasts claims will come first.

Derry needs direct allocation of funds from both governments to a newly constituted body, with our council taking a lead role, to forge partnerships with suitable third level providers who can and will deliver.

We need to take back the Magee buildings and lands, to establish governing bodies for the oversight of the new institutions and the accreditation of degrees.

It will be a challenge, but there is no good alternative.

Without local control and accountability, we are throwing good money after bad in using our City Deal to bolster institutions which have to date shown no commitment to our people.
Oakland resident Cherri Murphy, 53, has spent three years driving full time for Lyft in addition to her volunteer work as a social justice minister. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, I was forced to make a decision: Do something that could kill me, or pay my bills?

She stopped driving in March because of the risk of contracting the coronavirus and immediately applied for unemployment benefits. The California Employment Development Department sent her an award letter showing what she is entitled to: zero dollars.

Because Lyft and Uber classify drivers as contractors, they dont report their wages to EDD and dont pay into the state unemployment fund. Until recently, gig workers were not entitled to unemployment benefits. In late April EDD created a way for gig workers and other self-employed people to apply for the new federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which Congress created to respond to the crisis. As of Thursday, 882,760 Californians had applied for PUA.

But Murphy is adamant that she is an employee under AB5, Californias gig work law that took effect Jan. 1, and thus should receive regular unemployment, not the PUA for gig workers.

I deserve the same amount of benefits (as an employee); I deserve to be protected, she said. So she asked EDD for a wage investigation, even though that means a decision  and any money  could take months. Meanwhile, her social justice and faith communities are financially supporting her, she said.

Murphy is among activists, lawyers and drivers, including many from Rideshare Drivers United, an organizing group of about 17,000 California drivers, who want Uber and Lyft drivers to receive regular unemployment as employees, not gig workers.

They say the benefits could add up to more and last longer. More importantly, said Keith Eberl, a Los Angeles Uber and Lyft driver, Its the principle of the thing: We want to hold Uber and Lyft accountable.

But Uber and Lyft, as well as the campaign committee behind their $110 million ballot measure that seeks to exempt drivers and couriers from AB5, say the activists arguments dont hold water. They said drivers might get fewer benefits and longer waits by filing as employees. And they point to independent surveys that about 71% of drivers nationwide prefer to be independent contractors (albeit with the caveat that most want to set their own rates, which Uber and Lyft do not allow).

We agree that EDD should work quickly to get drivers the relief theyre entitled to, Lyft said in a statement. But forcing an employment model on drivers who dont want it would have dangerous economic consequences.

In the larger picture, Lyft said, if drivers were employees, far fewer would have work. It referred to a study the campaign commissioned that said the five gig companies behind the measure, which also include DoorDash, Instacart and Postmates, would hire only about 10% to 20% of their current 1 million California drivers and couriers if they were employees.

On the other side of the argument, legal advocates and labor groups last week wrote to California Labor Secretary Julie Su to point out an inconsistency. Californias attorney general, along with the city attorneys of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, sued Uber and Lyft last month, saying drivers should be employees under AB5. Meanwhile, EDD, a state agency, does not treat drivers as employees, they wrote.

By telling drivers to seek PUA benefits, EDD effectively validates and rewards (Ubers and Lyfts) blatant business strategy to conduct business outside the law with a government subsidy and shortchanges the workers, the letter said. The authors want the agency to change how it handles unemployment claims by gig workers who say they are misclassified.

The state agencies in question said they are addressing whos a gig worker versus an employee, but did not give any details.

California has been a national leader in the fight against widespread and systematic employer misclassification, said the Labor & Workforce Development Agency.

Workers who believe they have been misclassified as an independent contractor and actually earned wages as an employee are encouraged to file a claim for regular unemployment benefits, said EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy in an email that used identical language to a letter that Su, the labor secretary, sent to legislators last month.

EDD will investigate and request information from the claimant and the employer, Levee and Su said, but this process can take longer than the three-week average for regular unemployment claims.

EDD has requested such wage data in bulk (from companies) in some instances in an effort to expedite these claims, Levy and Su said. Levy would not say whether those companies include Uber and Lyft because of confidentiality laws.

In addition, like all claimants, app-based drivers are able to apply for PUA if they do not have monetary eligibility for UI based on employer-reported wages in the base wage file, both Su and Levy wrote.

Stacey Wells, a spokeswoman for the Uber/Lyft/DoorDash ballot campaign, reacted to Sus wording. That phrase is a nice dance to try and avoid igniting any wrath from labor, she wrote in an email. The companies dont report wages to EDD because drivers arent employees.

Uber said it has online guides in all 50 states to help drivers apply for PUA. Congress fully funded pandemic unemployment assistance for gig workers so that every state, many of which face historic deficits, could give these workers immediate financial support at no cost to their own state funds, Uber said in a statement.

Heres a breakdown on issues in weighing regular unemployment versus PUA:

Amounts: Regular unemployment is based on gross earnings, while PUA is based on net earnings. That could make a big difference in weekly benefits. (The same is true for other self-employed folks, who often rack up many deductions to reduce their tax bill.)

For a lot of drivers, net earnings when you deduct all the expenses ends up being much lower, so their weekly benefit amount could potentially be lower, said Carole Vigne, staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, which signed the letter to Su.

Eberl, the Los Angeles driver, said his net earnings, after subtracting tens of thousands for gas, maintenance, insurance, Uber and Lyfts commissions, were less than half of his gross earnings.

He spent weeks calling and emailing EDD to insist on an audit of his claim. Eventually, EDD did what it calls a tax audit, and awarded him regular unemployment, dating back to his original filing date of March 22. Since it was based on his gross earnings, he got the maximum amount of $450 a week, plus the extra $600 a week.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Through Rideshare Drivers United, hes consulted with other drivers who also want regular unemployment and ran into similar roadblocks, he said. Eberl said EDD staffers were rude and even hung up on him when he insisted that he was an employee of Uber and Lyft.

To get regular unemployment, our claims have to be referred to (a wage investigation) by a claim processor, the folks who answer our phone calls, and receive our mail and e-mails, he said. Those people have been obstructing our path by not offering referral as an option, refusing to refer our claims when we ask them to, trying to push us into applying for PUA, which can pay much less, or just hanging up on us. ... It is really galling to have state employees wrongfully deny us access to our right to unemployment insurance benefits.

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Benefit minimum: PUA has a higher weekly minimum ($167) than regular unemployment ($40). Both benefits include an additional $600 a week until July 31. For someone who made less than $4,316 in their highest earning quarter, PUA would provide more weekly money.

Speed to receive benefits: Regular unemployment takes about three weeks to process. Appeals for gig workers who want to receive regular unemployment can take much longer. PUA claims are processed in a few days. Especially for people who are getting desperate  and many people are  PUA becomes much more appealing if its the faster option, Vigne said.

Length of benefits: PUA provides up to 39 weeks of benefits and ends on Dec. 31 unless Congress extends it. Regular unemployment in California is now 52 weeks  26 weeks of regular benefits, 13 weeks under Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and another 13 weeks under extended benefits, a federal program for states with high unemployment rates.

Returning to work: For employees, returning to work is out of their control: It depends on an employer rehiring them or ending a furlough. By contrast, gig workers can decide for themselves when to stop working, start up and again and which companies to work with, Lyft said. Ride-hailing demand has plummeted during stay-at-home orders, which would limit earnings. However, independent contractors can readily switch to other gigs such as delivering meals, groceries or other items, and can work for multiple companies, Lyft said.

Multiple jobs: About four-fifths of Uber and Lyft drivers put in less than 20 hours a week, the companies said. That implies that many have other jobs, either as freelancers or employees. People with more than one W-2 (regular employment) job can add together multiple salaries to calculate their base income. Getting unemployments maximum $450 a week requires making at least $11,674 in ones highest earning quarter.

Benefits for people with hybrid income  some freelance, some regular employment  are based only on W-2 (regular employment) income under federal law. Such people would benefit by being able to count Uber/Lyft income as regular employment so they can get as much income into their base period as possible, Vigne said.

Who pays? The federal government is picking up the tab for PUA. Regular unemployment is paid for by a tax employers must pay on workers income. With a deluge of pandemic claims, California already exhausted its unemployment fund and had to get an infusion of federal money.

A report by the UC Berkeley Labor Center, which has been vocal in its belief that drivers should be employees, said that Uber and Lyft would have had to pay $413 million into the state unemployment insurance fund from 2014 to 2019 if their drivers had been employees.

But the companies retorted that the study was based on a false premise. If drivers were employees, they would have had far fewer of them, they said.

How to decide? People should do what they think is the right approach for them in deciding which to pursue, said Michael Bernick, an attorney with Duane Morris and a former head of EDD, who was hired by the ballot campaign to give a webinar and other info to drivers on filing for unemployment. EDD looks into each claim on an individual basis. Its clear that if you file for PUA, it moves very quickly.

But, he said, EDD, is an administrator, not a judicial or legislative body, so needs guidance on policy issues such as classifications.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
In the hierarchy of carnivores in Wyoming, black bears rarely make the list.

Debates rage at local and national levels about grizzly bears and wolves. Mountain lions make headlines less often but still find themselves at the center of research and discussion.

Black bears though, theyre often just not talked about outside of hunting season unless one of the creatures saunters into town and learns how to open car doors to find snacks.

Even research for the animals has historically been next to nothing in Wyoming. But that changed in 2015 when the Wyoming Game and Fish Department started a statewide survey effort to better estimate how many black bears roam Wyomings mountains.

What we originally set out to do was make this part of a routine population monitoring protocol similar to deer, elk, pronghorn and everything else that has a routine protocol to inform our management decisions, said Dan Bjornlie, a large carnivore biologist with Game and Fish.

And what researchers found in two mountain ranges has, in fact, changed the way black bears are being managed by increasing the number of bears allowed to be killed during hunting season in one and decreasing them in another.

As Game and Fish continues to trap, sedate and place collars on bears in more Wyoming ranges, another project is also underway to understand how bears behave around bear bait during hunting seasons.

Its been a big deal for us, said Joe Kondelis, president of the Western Bear Foundation. Not a lot of people understand how cool it is to be doing a black bear study in the Lower 48. Money goes elsewhere and black bears get overlooked.

***

Black bear populations hadnt been surveyed in Wyoming before partly because black bears arent easy to survey. Big game animals like elk, antelope, deer and bighorn sheep tend to group up in the winters. Biologists fly over those groups, count the animals and use a series of complex equations to arrive at population estimates.

Bears, on the other hand, just arent that social. They rarely interact with one another outside of the brevity of mating season and when mothers are with their cubs. Theyre largely secretive animals, spending their time in forests with the exceptional jaunt through prairie.

Game and Fish used methods honed on grizzly bear research and began in 2015 in the Wyoming Range. They trapped black bears using snares or by baiting big, green metal cages. Once trapped, a black bear is drugged, examined and fitted with an ear tag and radio transmitting collar. Even with the baited traps, a successful season in the Wyoming Range included finding seven bears.

The second year, biologists collected hair samples by building a barbed wire corral of sorts about knee-high with blood scent in the middle. When the bear climbed over the barbed wire to inspect the blood, it left behind some hair samples.

That information together  the hair and data from collars  placed into an even more complicated series of equations, helped bear managers arrive at population estimates.

What they found in the Wyoming Range was that bear numbers were lower than previously believed.

Traditionally, results of hunting season had been used to set quotas. Male bears tend to be less wary than females, the theory went, and so were more likely to go to bear bait and be killed. If most hunters are killing female bears, or young male bears, then it meant that most of the male bears, particularly adult male bears, had already been killed, Bjornlie said. Those numbers are looked at over an average of years before setting hunting seasons.

In the Grays River drainage in the Wyoming Range, that theory proved true. Hunters were killing more and more females and concerns among the hunting community and biologists were that seasons were too high. When biologists began trapping and following bears and comparing it to hair snare DNA information, they found that was, in fact, the case. Quotas for bears in the Wyoming Range have since been dropped.

But in the Sierra Madre Range that wasnt quite right. Females and subadults were being killed at bait sites, but biologists found in their monitoring that populations were higher than previously thought. As a result, bear hunting quotas were increased slightly.

As biologists move into the Big Horn and Laramie ranges next, the story may become a little more complex.

***

For years, bear hunters with cameras at their bait sites have told wildlife biologists and managers that the big male bears arent coming during the day, theyre wandering to sites at night out of shooting hours, Bjornlie said. It is the young adults and females that visit more during the day.

It made sense, but it also begged the question: How are black bears prioritizing food? Are big males sitting on robust berry patches forcing young males and females to find food elsewhere? Are big males able to ignore those bait barrels or only visit them under the cover of darkness?

A team of researchers from the University of Wyoming and Game and Fish are setting out to find answers.

I think we could very easily come to a situation where it depends, and the contextualization on the depends statement could be the interesting piece, said Joe Holbrook, a UW assistant professor working on the project with a graduate student.

Very few have tried to understand the nuance of the bait site and amount of bait and frequency of the bait deployed.

Baiting bears is controversial in the West. Montana doesnt allow it and environmental groups are suing the federal government over the ability for hunters to use bait sites in grizzly bear habitat in Wyoming and Idaho. The groups say baiting black bears has resulted in an increased killing of grizzly bears. Bear hunting groups say bear baiting is the only way bears can successfully be hunted in some areas, and is another management tool for Game and Fish to control black bear numbers.

What this project will do, in combination with continued monitoring, is give Game and Fish and black bear groups like the Western Bear Foundation  which is helping pay for the surveys  a better understanding of black bears in Wyoming.

Then maybe we need longer seasons or shorter ones or bear bait allowed in more areas so we can harvest in some units, Kondelis said. It will give us more to go on.
The Edelweiss group, on June 7, announced the buyout of two annuity road assets in north- east India from engineering and core infrastructure player Navayuga Engineering ,the flagship entity of the Hyderabad based Navayuga group which is in deleveraging mode.

The buyout has been struck for an enterprise value of nearly $150 million, a source with knowledge of the matter told Moneycontrol. The transaction is one of the first infrastructure deals to be closed during the ongoing lockdown.

With the governments thrust on boosting economic activity in north- east India, The Dhola and Dibang roads are of strategic importance as they ensure seamless all-weather connectivity between north- east and the rest of India. The Dhola bridge - the countrys longest river bridge, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 has opened new doors for economic development to both the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The assets, namely Navayuga Dhola Infra Projects Limited (in Assam) and Navayuga Dibang Infra Projects Private Limited (in Arunachal Pradesh) have been acquired by the Edelweiss Groups alternative investment fund Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus and its portfolio company Sekura Roads Ltd.

Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus which was floated two years back has gradually emerged as one of the most active domestic acquirers in the infra segment and now manages assets worth $1.5 billion. It competes with the likes of IndiGrid, Cube Highways and funds like GIC, KKR & Actis.

The fund is present in the transmission, road/highways and renewable energy segment and looks at helping Indian infrastructure companies to recycle their capital and focus on their core construction business. In June 2019, it acquired two transmission assets from Essel Infra and in January 2020, it acquired a 74 percent stake in French gas and power utility Engies solar assets in India.

Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors which manages Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus has an AuM of over Rs. 28,000 crores. It focuses on providing long term growth capital to corporates. Acquiring operating infrastructure assets provides impetus to the revival of the sector by helping construction companies to release capital and de-lever, enabling them to commence new projects which contribute to nation building and is becoming the core model to meet Indias infrastructure capital requirement, said Hemant Daga, Deputy CEO - Edelweiss Global Investment Advisory

We are happy to see the acquisition of these high-quality road assets to the Sekura Roads portfolio. This is in line with our strategy of investing in Infrastructure assets which can deliver predictable long-term yield to our investors. We now have a healthy portfolio of operating transmission and operating annuity road assets," said Subahoo Chordia, Head of Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus.

Chordia was previously associated with the groups investment banking business and has spent two decades in the infrastructure sector.

Sachin Bhansali, CFO - Navayuga group, added Navayuga group is looking to de-leverage its balance sheet and asset monetization is a critical component. This transaction will significantly ease out the debt position of the group and help free up cash.
Published on 2020/06/07 | Source

Children and youngsters are returning to school, but some attend only once or twice a week to maintain social distancing, and jitters remain high as authorities are sending them back if new infections are detected nearby.

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Some of the fears are psychological rather than founded in fact. Song Min-jae at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "It's important to tell students that anxiety is a natural response, and that we're not the only ones in the world experiencing these problems".

Song cautioned against parents communicating their stress too palpably to their children, overreacting to the latest coronavirus-related news.

Instead, parents should calmly explain why a return to school is necessary now authorities have made the decision.

Doctors explain that going school is helpful for students as a return to normal life and to assist those who feel isolated and anxious.

Fears of infections can be overcome by teaching effective prevention. Parents should talk with their kids in advance if they decide not to send them to school until the epidemic slows down.

Of course there is no telling when the virus will fade. This is why experts say parents need to talk to their children about what is being done. Teachers should also share information with students, and everyone needs to maintain proper hygiene measures.
Over 300,000 kegs of expired beer, stout and cider are in the process of being collected from pubs around the country ahead of their reopening over the summer.

Heineken Ireland's commercial director Sharon Walsh told the Sunday Independent that the drinks company would shoulder the cost of replacing 100,000 kegs - equating to 10 million pints - which are expired or close to expiring.

Stocks in pubs were particularly high as they had been preparing for St Patrick's Day ahead of the Covid-19 lockdown.

It is understood that Guinness-owner Diageo is 'uplifting' more than 150,000 kegs and has offered pubs credit for the expired alcohol. Other drinks companies such as C&C are also collecting kegs in what one source described as one of the biggest logistical challenges ever to face the industry.

Walsh said Heineken was offering a range of supports to pubs and its quality team is visiting more than 1,000 on-trade outlets per week to clean all its beer and cider dispensing lines.

She said collecting the kegs was a mammoth operation. "We have 7,000 pubs who all bought in stock for St Patrick's Day.

"In Heineken alone we have about 100,000 kegs out there," said Walsh. Cider would have up to nine months' shelf life but most beer would be out of date by the time pubs reopen, she added. "We're taking all that beer out from every single customer and that's the big contribution we will make to customers. We shoulder all that cost, so it's a massive deal for our company. It's the equivalent of replacing 10 million pints across Ireland."

The unused draught product will be used to produce green electricity and fertiliser through anaerobic digestion. Heineken will fully fund the sustainable initiative.

A spokeswoman for Diageo said: "In March we committed to taking back all unsold and broached kegs, and a significant operation is currently under way to return these to St James's Gate. We have been providing the trade with huge levels of support since the beginning of this crisis on all aspects relating to their evolving needs, including extended lines of credit and the establishment of a 1.5m Guinness Fund for bar staff and communities impacted by Covid-19."
Paris, June 6 (IANS) France saw its overall toll of the coronavirus epidemic rise to 29,111 on Friday, after it recorded 46 deaths in the last 24 hours, slightly up from Thursday's 44, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The updated tally only includes hospital fatalities as those occurring in nursing homes and medico-social establishments will be updated on a weekly basis on Tuesdays, Xinhua reported.

The number of people in hospital with coronavirus infection fell to 12,696 from Thursday's 13,101, consolidating a continued decline now entering its second month. In a similar downtrend, the number of people in intensive care decreased by 69 to 1,094.

A total of 611 people have tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours compared with Thursday's 767, making the total number of infections to 153,055 since the outbreak of the epidemic. Up to 70,504 have been discharged from hospitals since early March.

"The virus is still present on the national territory and remains dangerous, in particular for the elderly and those suffering chronic diseases," the ministry said.

"Let's not relax our efforts by applying barrier gestures. Let's continue collectively to show caution and common sense to break the chains of contamination and curb the epidemic," it added.

--IANS

pgh/
Demonstrators in Rome held their fists in the air and chanted "No Justice! No Peace!" on Sunday, while in London people defying official warnings not to gather lay down outside the US Embassy as part of a rolling, global anti-racism movement.

The second weekend of demonstrations showed the depth of feeling worldwide over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck. More protests were also planned across the United States.

In London, where tens of thousands gathered in the second day running of big protests, one banner read: "UK guilty too." Footage posted on social media showed demonstrators in Bristol in western England cheering as they tore down a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th century slave trader, and pushed it into a river.

Chaniya La Rose, a 17-year-old student at the London protest with her family, said an end to inequality was long overdue. "It just needs to stop now," she said. "It shouldn't have to be this hard to be equal."

Health minister Matt Hancock had earlier said that joining the Black Lives Matter protests risked contributing to the spread of the coronavirus.

London police chief Cressida Dick said 27 officers had been injured in "shocking and completely unacceptable" assaults during protests this week in the city, including 14 on Saturday at the end of a peaceful demonstration.

In Italy, where several thousand people gathered in Rome's Piazza del Popolo, speakers called out racism at home, in the United States and elsewhere.

US embassies were the focus of protests elsewhere in Europe, with more than 10,000 gathering in the Danish capital Copenhagen, hundreds in Budapest and thousands in Madrid, where they lined the street guarded by police in riot gear.

"I really think we need to finish with the institutional racism that is actually international," said Gloria Envivas, 24, an English teacher in the Spanish capital.

"It's not something that is only going on in the USA or in Europe, it's also worldwide."

In Thailand, people held an online demonstration on the video platform Zoom, due to restrictions on movement to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"Everyone has hopes, everyone has dreams, everyone bleeds red, you know," said Natalie Bin Narkprasert, an organiser of the Thai protest.

Like many people around the world, the group observed a silence in memory of Floyd, in this case, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds - the period he was pinned under the officer's knee - to know "how it feels".

Other gatherings were due later, including in the United States, where tens of thousands of demonstrators amassed in Washington and other US cities on Saturday.
Now, a person who trespasses on a West Virginia property containing critical infrastructure with the intention of defacing or inhibiting operations could face a felony charge carrying up to three years in prison and a $3,000 fine. The law creates another new felony and fines of up to $20,000 for any person or organization that conspires with someone to deface or vandalize such properties. Critical infrastructure is defined as an array of oil and gas facilities including petroleum refineries, compressor stations, liquid natural gas terminals, and pipelines.

If construction is completed, the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines would transport gas extracted via fracking in West Virginia to markets in Virginia and North Carolina, passing through the crumbly limestone landscapes known as karst that underly much of the mountainous region. Such projects are key to keeping fracking companies operating at a time when gas prices are at historic lows and allowing a booming petrochemical industry to continue its expansion. Local landowners and residents concerned with environmental issues have attempted to stop construction by locking themselves to equipment and camping out in trees in the pipelines paths. Along with more conventional actions such as lawsuits, the protest efforts have cost the projects backers billions of dollars in delays.

West Virginias critical infrastructure law mimics a model policy promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council, known as ALEC, a shadowy group that encourages state lawmakers to pass industry-friendly legislation. Records provided to The Intercept by the Energy and Policy Institute reveal the natural gas industrys hand in advancing the bill. A network of local lobbyists for Dominion Energy, which owns the Atlantic Coast pipeline; the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association; and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, an industry group representing the refineries and processing plants that are the final destinations for the natural gas pipelines, spent months working behind the scenes to ensure the bills passage.

West Virginia isnt the only state to advance such anti-protest measures in the midst of the pandemic. Andy Beshear, Kentuckys Democratic governor, who has been widely praised for his response to Covid-19, signed a similar critical infrastructure law on March 16, and South Dakotas governor signed another on March 30. Alabamas bill passed the state Senate on March 12 and is currently being considered by the House; Mississippis passed the House on March 4 and awaits action from the Senate. Particularly striking is a new amendment to Louisianas existing critical infrastructure law, now awaiting the governors signature, which would prescribe up to 15 years imprisonment for entering a critical infrastructure property without authorization during a state of emergency.

Connor Gibson, a researcher for Greenpeace who has studied the industry influence behind critical infrastructure bills nationwide, said politicians have taken advantage of the pandemic to ease the construction of controversial projects. The Covid-19 pandemic gave cover for particularly sleazy politicians to pass anti-protest bills while their constituents are squeezed by unemployment and the responsibility to protect public health, he said. These bills are meant to prevent protests just long enough for oil companies to finish dangerous and unpopular petrochemical projects.

Justice, the West Virginia governor, is a coal billionaire who has also thrown his weight behind the Appalachian Storage and Trading Hub, which could transform the Ohio River Valley into a center of the petrochemical industry. The governor and legislature remain unconvinced by scientists assertions that only a rapid shift away from fossil fuels will save the state from climatic shifts likely to cause increasingly frequent droughts that could spell the end of its towering red spruce trees and angler-beloved brook trout. The new law will protect fossil fuel industry dominance with the threat of felony charges for those who dissent.

Its a flexing of muscles, said Becky Crabtree, whose sheep pasture, set on a ridge below the Appalachian Trail, is now bisected by the Mountain Valley pipeline. Its just another way that our lawmakers are in the pockets of the fossil fuel companies.

Requested by Industry

After the West Virginia Critical Infrastructure Protection Act was introduced at the end of January, the bills sponsor, Delegate John Kelly, received dozens of emails from constituents urging him to halt its passage.

In a rare and revealing reply to one of the emails, Kelly provided a previously unreported detail about the bills origins. What is the purpose of HB4615 and are you in support or against this legislation? a constituent asked Kelly in an email sent February 3.

Simple explanation, this bill reinforces property rights. when a person goes on private property and does intentional damage, Kelly replied. The bill was requested by the natural gas industry, because protesters entered a drilling site, and destroyed equipment.

Kelly did not respond to questions from The Intercept about who exactly requested the bill or what damage he was referring to, but disclosure records from last summer provide some clues.

On June 12, Kelly and Republican House Majority Leader Amy Summers spent an afternoon with Maribeth Anderson, government affairs director for Antero Resources, one of the largest natural gas producers in the state. They discussed gas issues over lunch and rode around in a rented van, visiting a drilling rig and a brine processing facility.

Two weeks later, Dominion lobbyist Bob Orndorff emailed Robert Akers, a lawyer for the West Virginia House Energy Committee. Delegate Amy Summers reached out to me and asked if we ever considered a bill to address civil disobedience towards pipelines, Orndorff wrote, copying Anderson, as well as lobbyists for EQM, the largest shareholder behind the Mountain Valley pipeline, and Southwestern Energy, a natural gas exploration and production company. Maybe the Energy committee should consider such a law.

Summers, a former member of ALEC, told The Intercept that shed grown concerned after reading an article about civil disobedience on pipeline properties. I asked the industrys lobbyist if we had laws to prevent unsafe activity, she said.

Dominion spokesperson Ann Nallo denied that Dominion had led the efforts to advance the bill. It appears to have been led by an industry consulting group, she said, without elaborating. Orndorff did not respond to a request for comment.

Nallo appears to have been referring to Orion Strategies, a public relations firm based in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania that has long been an ally of the natural gas industry. In 2018, the firm was behind a series of pro-fracking reports put out by the Consumer Energy Alliance, a self-identified grassroots organization that was started by a lobbying company with ties to the tar sands industry.

An Orion Strategies lobbyist was one of only three out of 26 people who testified in favor of the critical infrastructure bill at a public hearing on February 10. The others included the head of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association and a representative of the local chamber of commerce.

After the bill passed, the firm quickly took credit. Orion Strategies is proud to have taken point on organizing the wide base of support for legislation that will protect critical infrastructure, Orion lobbyist Chris Hall wrote in a celebratory email on April 1.

Hall told The Intercept that Orion worked to advance the anti-protest bill on behalf of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. An AFPM spokesperson confirmed that the trade association was behind the original request. Critics of this bill disregard the dangers inherent in this interference and seem to suggest that trespassing and destruction of property are required for protest, she stated, but declined to provide examples of incidents in which protesters had destroyed critical infrastructure equipment.

The AFPMs efforts to pass critical infrastructure legislation go further back than the West Virginia bill. In fact, the association helped author the ALEC model legislation that has served as a template for anti-protest measures across the country.

A Force Behind the Scenes

The first critical infrastructure law aimed at pipeline protesters passed in the immediate aftermath of the Indigenous-led uprising against the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. The fossil fuel industry, in partnership with law enforcement, convinced legislators in numerous states that they were at risk of their own local Standing Rock  with accompanying security costs. Oklahoma passed an anti-protest law in May 2017, and by the end of the year, ALEC had developed the law into model legislation.

An AFPM lobbyist was part of the ALEC task force that created the model. AFPM advocated for the model legislation because of its importance for refineries and for the pipeline infrastructure that delivers products to and from our facilities, the associations spokesperson told The Intercept.

Since then, AFPM has continued to deploy its representatives to evangelize in favor of anti-protest legislation. Direct lobbying by AFPM helped advance versions of the model bill in at least four states, according to an analysis of news reports and disclosure records by Gibson, the Greenpeace researcher. Twelve states including Oklahoma have now passed laws aimed at increasing penalties for pipeline protesters interfering with critical infrastructure.
New Delhi: Union Water Power Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat claimed that even though coronavirus is causing havoc all over the world, India is safe in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said because Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sees opportunity in disaster.

He said that the subject of water is a challenge that the world is struggling with but the government is moving forward to meet the target of water from every household tap.

The commencement of the Water Life Mission will make a big difference. "Water management is our priority. We will make water movement a people's movement. Everyone should conserve water sources," he said.

He said that the priority of the Modi government towards water conservation can also be understood in this context because the Ministry of Water Power was created only after PM Modi came to power in the country for the first time.

"The pressure of drinking water problem has increased in urban areas but there is no need to be worried about it," he said, adding, "Similarly, women had to travel many kilometers to bring water to villages. But the government is moving forward with a concrete plan keeping in mind the goal of every house, tap water. Everybody gets clean drinks. This is the priority of the government."

Along with this, it said that in the era of earlier governments, such schemes were made that the concern of water was removed from social concern. It only became a concern of the government.

"While in fact if you look at the old era, you will find that there is a tradition of constructing wells and ponds in our country. But in later years such schemes were made in which public engagement was cut off. It needs to be added again," he said.
A number of prominent Republicans and military officials are wavering on whether to support the president's re-election in November, the New York Times reports.

The big picture: Some legacy figures in the Republican Party are reportedly weighing how public to be about their opposition to Trump, especially in the wake of blistering criticism from former Defense Secretary James Mattis and other respected military officers about the president's handling of the George Floyd protests.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), one of Joe Biden's closest allies in Congress, told the Times: Ive had five conversations with senators who tell me they are really struggling with supporting Trump."

Biden reportedly intends to roll out a "Republicans for Biden coalition later in the campaign, eager to win support from across the aisle ahead of November.

What they're saying:

Former President George W. Bush will not support Trump's re-election, while his brother Jeb Bush has not yet made a decision on how to vote, the Times reports, citing people familiar with their thinking.

will not support Trump's re-election, while his brother has not yet made a decision on how to vote, the Times reports, citing people familiar with their thinking. Former House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner declined to say how they will vote, as did former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice . Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that he will be voting for Biden.

and declined to say how they will vote, as did former . Former said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that he will be voting for Biden. Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) , who is not seeking re-election, says he is considering voting for Biden because Trump is "driving us all crazy and has mishandled the U.S. response to the coronavirus.

, who is not seeking re-election, says he is considering voting for Biden because Trump is "driving us all crazy and has mishandled the U.S. response to the coronavirus. Prominent anti-Trump Republicans like former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) believe Trump is a threat to the stability of the country. "For people who were long waiting for that pivot, the last week has shown, if anything, hes dug in and not even making an attempt to appeal to anybody outside his hard base, Flake said.

and former believe Trump is a threat to the stability of the country. "For people who were long waiting for that pivot, the last week has shown, if anything, hes dug in and not even making an attempt to appeal to anybody outside his hard base, Flake said. A spokesperson for former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Times that "ultimately he remains a loyal Republican but he believes the American people will decide on Nov. 3."

A number of military leaders, including some who served in the Trump administration, have backed Mattis' blunt assessment last week that the president is a threat to the Constitution.

Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly , a retired four-star general, defended Mattis against the president's attacks last week. He would not say who he would vote for, but told the Times that he wished "we had some additional choices."

, a retired four-star general, defended Mattis against the president's attacks last week. He would not say who he would vote for, but told the Times that he wished "we had some additional choices." Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairmen Mike Mullen and Martin Dempsey both condemned Trump's threat to use military forces to quell protests last week.

and both condemned Trump's threat to use military forces to quell protests last week. Trump's former acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire told the Times: Jim Mattis, Mike Mullen and Marty Dempsey are all good friends, and I respect them tremendously. I am in alignment with their views.

told the Times: Jim Mattis, Mike Mullen and Marty Dempsey are all good friends, and I respect them tremendously. I am in alignment with their views. Retired Adm. William McRaven, who directed the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, told the Times that Trump has shown "he doesnt have the qualities necessary to be a good commander in chief," and called for "new leadership" this fall.

The other side: Trump has consistently maintained an approval rating within the Republican Party of more than 90%, according to Gallup. He also enjoys strong support from Republicans currently in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)
The developer behind a failed attempt to build a controversial five-star hotel in Apollo Bay is now seeking approval to construct an $85 million luxury resort on a stunning beach further along Victorias south-west coast.

The contentious plan to build a ritzy resort-style hotel in Cape Bridgewater is facing a storm of protest from residents who fear the project will spoil the hamlets character and natural beauty.

Residents of Cape Bridgewater are angry about plans for an eco-resort planned for their tiny seaside town. Credit:Jason South

Cape Bridgewater, west of Portland, has some of the highest coastal cliffs in Victoria and is known for its beaches, nearby caves and stunning views over Bridgewater Bay.

The proposal by Australian Tourism Trust includes plans for a hotel with 88 rooms and 18 villas with capacity for 238 guests. It will also include a restaurant.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 05:51:08|Editor: huaxia

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A woman participates in a protest over the death of George Floyd near the Palace of Justice in Brussels, Belgium, June 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

BRUSSELS, June 7 (Xinhua) -- More "Black Lives Matter" protests against racism and police brutality took place on Sunday in European cities such as Brussels, Copenhagen, London, Budapest, Madrid and Barcelona.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of European cities like Berlin, Paris, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dublin and Prague in support of the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which has swept the United States and other countries worldwide following the U.S. police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe.

EUROPE "CAN'T BREATHE"

In Brussels, home to the European Union headquarters, more than 10,000 people demonstrated on Sunday afternoon at Place Poelart in the city center. Protesters of all ages and ethnic backgrounds came from all over Belgium, chanting "Black Lives Matter," "No Justice, No Peace."

Their banners and placards read -- "The Police Kill, it's written white on black," or "We can't breathe," echoing the last words of George Floyd.

"The murder of George Floyd has visibly awakened many people," newspaper Brussels Times quoted Ange Kazi, spokesperson of the Belgian Network for Black Lives Matter, which called for the protest, as saying. "Many people are fed up with police violence, which systematically affects Blacks," she said.

In the Danish capital of Copenhagen, more than 15,000 protesters gathered peacefully in front of the U.S. embassy on Sunday afternoon, shouting slogans and holding banners as part of the Danish "Black Lives Matter" demonstration.

After demonstrating in front of the U.S. embassy for about an hour chanting "I can't breathe", demonstrators marched through central Copenhagen, in the vicinity of the iconic Little Mermaid, along Kongegade street, before arriving at Christiansborgs Slotsplats, home of the Danish parliament, for speeches.

In Spain, thousands of people added their voices to the "Black Lives Matter" protests worldwide. According to Spanish TV station RTVE, an estimated 3,000 people took part in a demonstration in Madrid, which began outside the U.S. embassy.

The Spanish Government Delegate had given permission for 200 people to participate in the protest, but far more people than expected turned up to show their support, as also happened in other European cities.

A further 3,000 people also marched in Barcelona for the same cause. There were also demonstrations in cities such as Bilbao, San Sebastian and Vitoria in the Basque Region of northern Spain, as well as in Logrono and Murcia.

In the Hungarian capital Budapest, more than 1,000 people gathered at a peaceful demonstration in front of the U.S. embassy. Almost all of the protesters wore masks. The police presence was strong, but they did not intervene.

Demonstrators, mostly young Hungarians, held up banners reading "Black Lives Matter" at the front of the demonstration. Other banners displayed messages such as "Police everywhere -- justice nowhere" or "No Justice -- No Peace."

After the speeches and music, protesters knelt in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the time it took for Floyd to lose consciousness as the police officer knelt on his neck.

UK ON SECOND DAY OF PROTESTS

Across the English Channel, tens of thousands of people joined a second day of protests in British cities -- including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield -- despite officials advising against mass gatherings due to coronavirus.

Thousands of people gathered in London, the majority donning face coverings and many with gloves, BBC reported.

In one of the protests which took place outside the U.S. embassy in central London, protesters dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air amid chants of "silence is violence" and "color is not a crime," the report said.

In other demonstrations in London, some protesters held signs that made reference to coronavirus, including one which read: "There is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism." Protesters knelt for a minute's silence before chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter," BBC said.

In the southern British city of Bristol, a statue of a 17th-century slave trader was pulled down by "Black Lives Matter" protesters.

Footage on social media showed demonstrators tearing the figure of Edward Colston from its plinth during protests in the city center. In a later video, protesters were seen dumping it into the Avon River.

The bronze statue of Colston, who worked for the Royal African Company and later served as the Tory MP for Bristol, had stood in the city center since 1895, and has been the subject of controversy in recent years after campaigners argued he should not be publicly recognized by the town.

Protester John McAllister, 71, told local media: "The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and it's absolutely despicable. It's an insult to the people of Bristol." Enditem
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.
South Africa should brace itself for a surge in COVID-19 cases in line with what the Western Cape is currently experiencing.

This is according to a report in the City Press, citing epidemiologists and experts in infectious diseases and vaccinology.

Shabir Madhi, professor of vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand, told City Press the Eastern Cape will be where the Western Cape is now, in two weeks time.

He said Gauteng will be there in four weeks time, and the Western Cape will be three times worse than now next month.

KwaZulu-Natal has also seen a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases, which the provinces health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu is not unexpected.

She said the province is prepared for the sharp rise in coronavirus cases and has recruited 8,000 new healthcare workers. Many facilities have also been repurposed as field hospitals.

Madhi and others warned there will be a rapid increase in cases if people do not adhere to interventions like social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently.

This echoes a recent call from President Cyril Ramaphosa that the new phase of the lockdown relies on individual behaviour and basic hygienic practices.

It relies on social distancing measures, sanitisation and strict hygienic practices in all places where people congregate, Ramaphosa added.

It will not be as bad as predicted  PANDA

Pandemics, Data, and Analytics (PANDA) coordinator Nick Hudson has said the Western Capes COVID-19 data is in line with what is seen elsewhere in the world.

He agreed, however, other provinces are a bit behind the Western Cape in terms of COVID-19 infections and deaths.

There is nothing to suggest anything unusual is happening in South Africa. The Western Cape is a little bit earlier and will possibly end off being a little bit worse, said Hudson.

Hudson said their models predict the Western Capes infections and deaths will peak relatively soon.

He expects other provinces like the Eastern Cape and Gauteng to follow a similar trend to the Western Cape.

While the rest of the country is likely to see a rapid increase in cases similar to the Western Cape, PANDA said it will not be as bad as predicted.

Hudson said their estimates for the number of expected deaths in South Africa is far lower than the official estimate of 40,000.

He said their modelling shows South Africa will have around 18,000 deaths based on the age distribution in the country.

Latest COVID-19 stats for South Africa and the Western Cape

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced last night that South Africa has recorded 45,973 COVID-19 cases, with 2,539 of these cases reported in the last 24 hours.

The number of deaths attributed to the virus is now 952  an increase of 44 over the past 24 hours.

The Western Cape accounts for 30,379 (66%) of the confirmed COVID-19 cases and for 729 (77%) of the deaths.

The Western Capes population of 6.8 million only makes up 12% of South Africas total population of 58.78 million.

This shows the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the province is out of sync with what is seen in other parts of the country.

Many experts therefore think the Western Cape is ahead of other provinces in the spread of the virus and expect to see similar infection rates and deaths in the rest of South Africa in the coming weeks.

The charts below, courtesy of Media Hack, compare the number of daily infections in the Western Cape with the Eastern Cape and Gauteng  the second and third worst-hit provinces.

Western Cape

Eastern Cape

Gauteng
The UK death toll from coronavirus has risen by 77 to 40,542  the lowest daily increase since lockdown began on 23 March.

It is also the first time the number of recorded deaths has fallen below 100 over the same period, according to government statistics.

However, reporting of deaths is regularly lower on weekends and the statistics do not include all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK, which is thought to have passed 50,000.

The latest figures were released as health secretary Matt Hancock clashed with a leading scientist who said that the timing of the lockdown cost lives and that relaxing now would risk a second peak.

Mr Hancock denied the government had been slow to bring in the restrictions, insisting: We took the right decisions at the right time.

On Sunday both Scotland and Northern Ireland reported no new deaths. It was the first time the Scottish death toll has remained unchanged since its lockdown began.

A total of 2,415 patients have died in Scotland and 537 have died in Northern Ireland.

Wales reported five more deaths, bringing its total to 1,398.

Across the UK a further 1,326 people tested positive for coronavirus, after 142,123 tests were carried out on Saturday, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

As of 9am on Sunday there had been 5,581,073 tests overall, with a total of 286,194 people testing positive.

The DHSC did not provide a figure for the number of people tested over the last 24 hour period. It claims the measure has been paused to ensure consistent reporting across all methods of testing.
It has been three weeks since Cyclone Amphan blew the tin roof off Alok Mondols mud hut and shattered the river-facing wall, allowing water from the Dutta river to surge through and inundate Uttar Rangabelia, a village on Gosaba Island in the Sunderbans delta of West Bengal.

But the 56-year-old fisherman said the government-mandated compensation has still not reached him.

Mondol lost his house in May 2009 when cyclone Aila had pummeled the island but claimed that he had not received any money to rebuild it. This time, he is more determined.

Local political leaders say I have to part with Rs 5000 if I want to get Rs 20,000 from the state government. Only if I give them Rs 5000, they will register my name, said Mondol, who earns a living by catching crabs and tiger-prawn seedlings from the river.

Roughly 125km away in Kakdwip, Animesh Das is battling the same problem.

It all depends on the party. If the local MLA or MP know for sure that they will get votes from the village, the pace of relief work would increase. Else you will not even get proper relief leave aside development work. Our village is an examplethe village now has one tube well while two are lying defunct, said Das, a resident of Gobindarampur village.

Similar allegations have started being reported across south Bengal, which was worst hit by the cyclone on May 20. At Minakha and Deyganga in the North 24 Parganas district, villagers staged a protest last Friday alleging that they have not received any relief. In Hingalganj, women staged a protest outside the block development office and villagers shouted slogans that no relief had reached them.

While touring cyclone-ravaged areas on Friday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee herself warned party workers against politicising relief work and said the party would not support anyone found indulging in corruption in the public distribution system. She said that the party must not get involved in the relief work  leaving in to the administration  and that the relief for Covid-19 lockdown and cyclone Amphan must reach all victims, supporters of all parties, said a Lok Sabha member who did not want to be named.

The Opposition parties demanded more transparency in relief work. The Centre should appoint an agency or a team who can monitor the relief, said Dilip Ghosh, president of the Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The government dismissed the allegations as baseless. It is the opposition who is raising such allegations. Local MLAs and MPs and the district administration including BDOs [block development officers] and SDOs [sub-divisional officers] are working on the ground to bring back normalcy, said Javed Khan, state disaster management minister.

He added that the government was committed to investigate any complaint. If anyone has any such grievance he can approach the district administration. He can also call up the helpline, Khan said.

To be sure, not all villagers allege politicization of relief efforts. I have already received Rs 20,000 in my account. The local panchayat leader said that I would get more money in the next few days as wage against the 100-days work scheme, said Tapan Das, a villager of Hingalganj

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS

The state claims Amphan, which hit four districts in south Bengal for around eight hours on May 20, caused damage worth roughly Rs 1.02 lakh crore  with the largest chunk of losses due to the destruction of 2.8 million houses.

The state announced a package of Rs 6,250 crore, over and above the Rs 1,000 crore package each announced by the state government and union government earlier.

Five lakh villagers will receive Rs 28,000 in their bank account as wage of MGNREGA work. Many have already received. Money is also being given to around one lakh villagers who have lost their betel leaf cultivation, and around 30,000 people who have lost cattle and poultry birds, said a top official of the state government on condition of anonymity.

The state allocated Rs 100 crore each for repair of roads, school buildings, and losses in fishery and horticulture. Rs 250 crore have been allotted for fixing and installing tube wells and around Rs 200 crore for repairing embankments. Around 160 km of river embankments and four km of sea dykes were damaged by the cyclone.

A key focus is the 4,200sq km Sunderbans mangrove forest, one third of which has been destroyed. The state government has decided to plant around 50 million mangrove saplings in the Sunderban and another 3.5 millions saplings of other trees across the state, said Rajib Banerjee of the state forest department.

The government is also transferring money to the accounts of nearly 8,000 fishermen who lost their boats. Around 5,000 betel-leaf cultivators have got compensation in the eight blocks of Contai subdivision, said S Bhattacharya, sub-divisional officer of Contai in East Midnapore district.

CURRENT CRISIS

Life in some cyclone-hit villages is now limping back to normalcy but the damaged embankments present a threat. Whenever the water level rises during the tide some water gushes in. The authorities have plugged the gaps but I dont know till when they will hold, said Bikash Mistri of Mollakhali village in the Sunderbans.

The chief minister had apprehended that during the spring tide, the water might inundate new areas. Mamata Banerjee had directed the district administration to evacuate people if need arises. We are planning to evacuate around 20,000 villagers from the three blocks which have been hardest hit by cyclone Amphan  Kultali, Gosaba and Patharpratima, said P Ulganathan, district magistrate of South 24 Parganas.

A pressing concern in the agriculture-dependent region is the increased salinity of the soil because of sea water. Villagers said they will have to wait at least for two to three years for the soil to turn fertile again.

The only way to make the soil fertile again is to either allow the salt layer to go deep in the soil or wash it. That can only be done if you have access to huge amount of sweet water which is not available in the Sunderbans. Hence they wait for at least two to three monsoons (two to three years). The salt has to go at least a feet below so that the top soil can become fertile again, said SK Pal, head of the agriculture chemistry and soil science section at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya.

But large swathes of farmland are still under water. Around 10% of the cyclone hit areas are still under waist deep water. This is hampering relief work too, said a second top official on condition of anonymity.

.

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Ulises Ali Mejias is director of the Institute for Global Engagement at the State University of New York, Oswego.

A small handful of powerful social media monopolies control the vast portion of all private and public communications in the United States. So said US President Donald Trump, unlikely challenger of corporate power and even more unlikely defender of democracy on the occasion of the announcement of his Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship, issued on May 28.

Trump issued the order after Twitter, the presidents favourite weapon of disinformation, dared to fact-check and slap warnings on some of his tweets, including one posted after protests broke out in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing. According to Twitter, Trumps threatening statement  When the looting starts, the shooting starts  violates the companys rules about glorifying violence.

In response to this unprecedented type of correction, Trumps executive order seeks to remove the immunity afforded to internet companies by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law that protects companies like Twitter and Facebook from being sued for libel if users publish defamatory content on their platforms.

The logic here is baffling: if internet companies are going to censor his free speech, Trump will try to remove the protection that allows free speech in the first place  protection that has allowed him to tweet with impunity!

As if that was not enough, Trump is claiming, with newly found antitrust vigour, that a concentration of corporate power (in the form of censorship of his tweets) is a direct threat to American democracy. As the executive order states: When large, powerful social media companies censor opinions with which they disagree, they exercise a dangerous power. They cease functioning as passive bulletin boards, and ought to be viewed and treated as content creators.

The Trump administration is right about one thing: social media platforms are not mere bulletin boards. In reality, their algorithms can promote or hide content according to opaque principles that they are not obligated to disclose, and which are not regulated.

Their policies can also foment hate speech and disinformation, which can have serious political ramifications and even put lives at risk. As the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated, however, the current administration and its supporters consider it acceptable to endanger some lives in the interest of profit maximisation.

Still, Trumps strategy is not well thought out, and experts agree that the changes to the law proposed by the executive order  changes that would require the Federal Communications Commission to be involved in determining which companies should be protected by Section 230, and which ones should not  would be ineffective and possibly in violation of the First Amendment, which prevents the government from restricting free speech.

Even if it all came to pass, the good news for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is that his company could escape Trumps wrath. While Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has suggested that their fact-checking is necessary to allow users to judge content for themselves, Zuckerberg has consistently held that social media companies should not be in the business of determining what is true or what is not (this time, some Facebook employees are publicly disagreeing with their boss and holding virtual walkouts).

Zuckerbergs insistence might have less to do with a passion for free speech and more with the fact that controversy, disinformation, and unrest are good business drivers for social media platforms.

They increase traffic and get more users to spend time watching advertisements. This explains why Facebook dismissed its own research about the divisive effect the platform has on society. Facebook, like tobacco companies, knows it is not in the business of protecting its users, as the sharp increase in customer data breaches also shows.

Meanwhile, the government sees hate speech and disinformation posted on social media as useful data points that can be used to monitor citizens, or even foreigners applying for visas.

As for why Twitter, which has previously removed content from Presidents Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, is finally standing up to Trump, there is a simple explanation: the tide is finally turning, and many who have been silent may be feeling it is finally safe to be openly critical.

Corporations are coming out in support of Black Lives Matter. Celebrities are participating in George Floyd protests (as long as selfies can be posted afterwards). It is now acceptable at the highest levels of power to make fun of Trumps obesity or give him nicknames like President Tweety.

Trumps absurd comments that he is prepared to sic the most vicious dogs on protesters outside the White House have invited comparisons to Mr Burns, the wealthy evil character in the The Simpsons animation, famous for his command  release the hounds. All this would be amusing if the country were not in the midst of a pandemic, burning with social unrest, and struggling with record unemployment.

So, yes, there is reason to question the relevance of Section 230. And yes, social media corporations wield power in ways that are anti-democratic, like Trump says in his executive order. But beyond that, it is all theatrics.

Trump is what philosopher Harry Frankfurt would call a bullshitter, someone different from a mere liar. According to Frankfurt, a liar still acknowledges the existence of the truth, if only to distract us from it.

A bullshitter, on the other hand, no longer cares about the truth and is only interested in creating impressions. These may have been enough to get Trump elected in 2016 (with a little help from Cambridge Analytica and Russia, which is now trying to take advantage of the George Floyd protests). But perhaps some of his bullshit is finally catching up with him.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Crushed by plunging oil prices and demand in the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian oil firms slashed budgets, dividends, and production to save their finances through one of the worst crises in the oil patch in recent memory. Canadas oil industry welcomed in early May the federal governments relief financing to help the sector stay afloat, saying it was still waiting for more details about the roll-out of the program.

A month later, Canadian oil companies are still struggling to understand what it takes to qualify for a federal government program. Meanwhile, industry representatives say they are unaware of any firm that can access financing under those programs.

Meanwhile, the Canadian oil patch is struggling with a liquidity crunch amid low oil prices and demand, and some firms have already announced court-supervised restructuring processes or severely reduced borrowing bases by banks.

The industry needs urgent financial relief, yet details about who is and who isnt eligible for support are lacking. A program for large employers including in the oil industry  comes with some strings attached, such as strict limits on dividends, share buybacks, and executive pay, and a requirement that companies publish annual climate-related disclosure reports.

The financial support for the oil industry is not bailouts; its short-term loans to provide liquidity support to small- and mid-sized companies, plus the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) available to corporations, including in oil and gas.

Related: Iran To Reach Production Target At Worlds Largest Gas Field This Year

Liquidity is a major issue for companies: COVID-19 and the oil price crash have caused a rapid fall in revenues. While long-term recovery is expected, access to loans and other sources of funding is vital to allowing otherwise healthy companies to bridge through the current crisis, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) says.

The thing is, no one has yet been able to access federal liquidity support and companies are still studying the programs available.

We have not seen one company access credit in any of those programs to my knowledge, Jeff Tonken, chairman of the CAPP and President and CEO of Birchcliff Energy, told Reuters.

Top executives at many Canadian oil firms are still waiting for specifics regarding the program for loans while their companies review the criteria for eligibility. Some managers believe that the federal governments intentions are good, but the details are unclear, at best. Others feel deceived and question whether the federal government is sincerely intent on helping the oil industry.

It is a black box. I think the issue is nobody knows what you have to do to qualify for it or what the criteria are. And the concern is we needed that liquidity yesterday, Athabasca Oil Corporations CEO Rob Broen told Calgary Herald columnist Chris Varcoe.

Todd Brown, chief executive at Cequence Energy Ltd, tells Calgary Herald that the company was told it wouldnt be eligible to access financial relief, even if the firm has just announced a strategic process to identify and pursue potential strategic options and alternatives through a court-supervised restructuring proceeding.

I feel deceived. I feel like it was a fanfare by the federal government to try and provide window dressing to an industry that I am not sure it supports, Brown told Calgary Heralds Varcoe.

Related: Drilling Executive: Oil Prices Could Hit $70 This Fall



Many Canadian oil firms are frustrated with the lack of clarity in the federal support programs, and no one in the industry has heard of anyone being able to access financing through them yet. The federal government has pledged to start rolling out the support this month, but for some firms in the Canadian oil patch, it could be too late.

Delphi Energy, for example, said in April that it would explore strategic alternatives through a court-supervised restructuring proceeding. Bellatrix Exploration completed this week a court-approved sale of substantially all its oil and gas assets.

Athabasca Oil Corporation still hopes to be able to access government support after announcing this week that its banking syndicate had renewed the reserve-based facility until November 30, but that the credit facility had been cut by 65 percent.

The Company continues to pursue opportunities to access credit support offered by the Government of Canada during this uncertain economic environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Athabasca Oil said.

Meanwhile, the Canadian oil patch will continue to struggle at current oil prices, even after prices rallied in May after the crash in April, analysts say.

The good news for Canadas oil industry is that WTI Crude prices are back up to above $30 a barrel.

Although $30 is clearly better than the $16.70 that was the average in April, its still well below where it needs to be to keep Albertas oil patch from struggling, ATB Economics said in a recent note.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Im new to her, and Ive really come to lean on her podcast in the last eight months or so. Ive been bludgeoning all my friends with it, everybody I know, driving them crazy. But I just think this podcast is very helpful, especially when youre in this quarantine situation, or especially if you dont meditate, or if you dont take time for yourself, or if you dont have time to think about things in this way. You can get off the treadmill of life  she calls it the trance. Youre stuck in the trance, always thinking about the next thing you have to do. So just pause and reframe how youre thinking about these things.
By Issam Abdallah and Alaa Kanaan BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of Lebanese protesters took to the streets on Saturday to voice outrage over the government's handling of a deep economic crisis, with security forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse rock-throwing demonstrators. The first big protests since the government rolled back coronavirus lockdown measures come as Beirut negotiates an International Monetary Fund package it hopes will secure billions of dollars in financing to prop up its collapsing economy. Protesters burned garbage bins and ransacked a furniture shop in the capital's upscale shopping district, smashing its storefront and hauling out a couch to block a road

By Issam Abdallah and Alaa Kanaan

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of Lebanese protesters took to the streets on Saturday to voice outrage over the government's handling of a deep economic crisis, with security forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse rock-throwing demonstrators.

The first big protests since the government rolled back coronavirus lockdown measures come as Beirut negotiates an International Monetary Fund package it hopes will secure billions of dollars in financing to prop up its collapsing economy.

Protesters burned garbage bins and ransacked a furniture shop in the capital's upscale shopping district, smashing its storefront and hauling out a couch to block a road.

Security forces responded by firing rounds of tear gas, footage from Lebanese broadcasters showed.

Some demonstrators waved banners demanding better living conditions and called for early parliamentary elections, tougher measures to fight corruption and the disarming of powerful Shi'ite paramilitary group Hezbollah.

"As long as there are militias that are stronger than the state, then it (the government) will not be able to fight corruption," said John Moukarzel, a real estate company owner.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab took office in January with the support of the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies after the previous government was toppled by the protests that erupted last October.

Lebanon's economic woes have reached new depths in recent months. The pound currency has lost more than half of its value on the parallel market, prices have soared, and companies dealing with the double blow of the coronavirus have axed jobs.

"You can sense that everyone is tired and the situation is very hard, especially the economy, so you can sense that people no longer want to be festive (in their protests). People are just angry," said protester Marie-nour Hojaimy, a lawyer.

(Additional reporting by Ayat Basma; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Helen Popper)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 11:23:15|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China has established a strict, professional and efficient system of COVID-19 information release amid its all-out effort to contain the epidemic, said a white paper on the country's fight against COVID-19.

China has released authoritative and detailed information as early as possible on a regular basis, thus effectively responding to public concern and building public consensus, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" released by the State Council Information Office on Sunday.

Strict regulations are in place to see there is no withholding of information, underreporting, or delay in reporting cases of infection, it said. Enditem
Transport chiefs lined up last night to attack the Governments poorly thought-out and economically devastating travel quarantine which comes into force today.

Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye warned the scheme would hasten the loss of up to 25,000 jobs and hinder Britains ability to fight for our place in the world.

Channel Tunnel boss Jacques Gounon said the policy had been fraught with problems due to its late introduction last week and accused Ministers of intransigence.

Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye warned the scheme would hasten the loss of up to 25,000 jobs and hinder Britains ability to fight for our place in the world. British Airways planes are pictured on the runway in March

Meanwhile, furious airline chiefs wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel demanding that plans for air bridges with other countries be drawn up within days.

Last night she defended the quarantine, saying: We all want to return to normal as quickly as possible. But this cannot be at the expense of lives.

The science is clear that if we limit the risk of new cases being brought in from abroad, we can help stop a devastating second wave. That is why the measures coming into force today are necessary.

Under the scheme, all travellers arriving in Britain  including returning UK holidaymakers  will have to self-isolate for a fortnight. It applies to air, rail and sea passengers who face on-the-spot fines if caught breaking the rules.

Passengers are pictured above arriving at Heathrow Airport. Countries already interested in striking quarantine-free travel corridors with Britain to get tourism going again include Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece

But critics say it is unworkable due to a number of loopholes.

Fresh concerns were raised yesterday about how the scheme will be enforced, with one group of 500 campaigning travel firms claiming it has more holes than a sieve.

Unions also added to the criticism, branding the scheme a populist move with no scientific basis. Labour added that the measures appeared to show the Government just hasnt got a plan.

Doctors rap minority deaths report Leading doctors groups have criticised a profoundly disappointing report into the impact of coronavirus on ethnic minorities. And they warned of a crisis of confidence in Public Health England, which compiled the report, unless it takes action. The study published last week found those from ethnic minorities are up to twice as likely to die from Covid  but failed to make a single recommendation. A letter signed by the British Medical Association and more than 30 ethnic minority doctors groups, said: This review does nothing to further our understanding, and we must express our profound disappointment. The letter, to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch and seen by The Times, added: As a priority, PHE must urgently publish, in full, any recommendations and actions it plans to take to address inequalities. Mr Hancock admitted the report did not answer all questions, but said he had asked Mrs Badenoch to conduct a further inquiry. Advertisement

The controversy comes after British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair hit ministers with an unprecedented joint legal action arguing the scheme is illegal on the grounds that it is discriminatory, irrational and disproportionate.

They complain it was drawn up without consultation even though it could destroy attempts to rebuild their businesses.

The airlines want air bridge deals, where countries agree on quarantine-free travel with each other, to salvage what is left of the summer holiday season and prevent deeper economic harm.

Measures could include health screening for arrivals from destinations with low infection rates, with only those showing symptoms going into quarantine.

Mr Holland-Kaye led the criticism last night, saying the industry needs more targeted measures and warned that he had heard of one UK airport facing bankruptcy in days.

He added: What weve heard already from the airlines is that they are cutting around a third of all employees, so that would be 25,000 people out of work. That would be a devastating blow.

The Heathrow chief executive said the aviation industry was in survival mode and having to make unpalatable decisions.

He also told The City View podcast: I dont think we should make their jobs harder for them by putting further hurdles [like this quarantine] in their way. We will need to fight as a country for our place in the world.

Countries already interested in striking quarantine-free travel corridors with Britain to get tourism going again include Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece.

Travel firms complain that they were issued with details of the strict new rules late on Friday, leaving them only 48 hours to ensure they are in place.

Mr Gounon, chief executive of Getlink which owns the Channel Tunnel, sent a scathing letter to Boris Johnson.

He wrote: Limited consultation by the Home Office and departmental intransigence have led to a situation that puts a serious risk on the efficiency of operations at the Channel Tunnel, a vital link in the Great British supply chain.

In a joint statement, British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet warned that they were prepared to take their legal action further.

They added: These measures are disproportionate and unfair on British citizens as well as international visitors arriving in the UK.

We urge the UK Government to remove this ineffective visitor quarantine which will have a devastating effect on the UKs tourism industry and will destroy (even more) thousands of jobs in this unprecedented crisis. The 23-page document of measures sent to travel bosses on Friday states that the airlines are not asked to require passengers to complete the passenger form or refuse boarding if not completed.

With only spot checks to be carried out by an already depleted Border Force, there are fears many arrivals could simply slip through unchallenged, particularly those using e-gates.

Travellers arriving in Britain will be allowed to stay overnight at a hotel or other accommodation before going to the address where they have said they will self-isolate.

Critics also say passengers can jump straight on to public transport after arriving, meaning the virus could be spread anyway. They say the list of exemptions for being able to break the 14-day self-isolation is open to interpretation.

There are also fears it will be easy to dodge being caught as health officials will only chase up a small proportion of arrivals on the phone. Paul Charles, co-leader of Quash Quarantine, a group of 500 travel firms, said: There are more holes than in a sieve in this unworkable, poorly-thought and economically damaging Government policy.

Jim McMahon, Labours transport spokesman, added: Our real concern is that the Government just hasnt got a plan. They seem to go from one extreme to another. There were no restrictions up until only a couple of days ago. Ministers will review the policy every three weeks, meaning the first opportunity for air bridges is on June 29.

A government spokesman said: We are exploring whether we can introduce agreements with other countries when safe to do so, allowing UK residents to go abroad and tourists to come here without facing quarantine on arrival.

We recognise the challenges facing the aviation sector... and have put in place a comprehensive package of financial support.
The issue of a Running Mate for the Presidential Candidate of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama has become a subject of discussion as many including the ruling NPP claim the NDC leader is finding it difficult to choose a partner.



But an aide to the former President Mahama has said it is never a difficult venture.



According to lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, he disagrees with those who hold the conviction that the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is struggling to announce his Running Mate for the 2020 general elections as the party lacks a competent candidate to match Vice President Dr Bawumia.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe emphatically stated that we dont have any difficulty in announcing our Running Mate.



He added that the focus of the NDC is still on the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures being put in place to fight it.



He assured that at the right time former President John Dramani Mahama will announce his Running Mate; juxtaposing their delay to that of President Akufo-Addo announcing his Running Mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia 4 months to the general elections in 2008.



" . . we should not forget President Nana Akufo-Addo chose his Running Mate, Dr Bawumia about 4 months to the general elections," he justified the NDCs delay.



Touching on another hindrance for the NDC to announce its Running Mate, Mr Tamakloe said that even though President Akufo-Addo has eased some restrictions on public gatherings, there is still a restriction on political party rallies aside the fact that political parties can now hold meetings with 100 people in attendance.



He stressed on the impossibility for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to just announce a Running Mate with only a few people in attendance as such an event demands huge crowd.



He, however, alluded to the fact that there was a huge jamboree when the late President John Atta Mills announced John Mahama as his Running Mate, adding that the same thing happened when former President Mahama announced the late Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur as his Running Mate, as such there should be no difference in announcing this too.



 . . so we need to factor all these into consideration before we make the announcement finally . . . if you are going to announce your Running Mate, you cannot just call two people around to announce your Running Mate, it is a huge program," he stressed.







Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









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

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says his country is ready to offer Russia its technical expertise, despite disagreements between Washington and Moscow

U.S. Secretary of State Time Magazine

The US State Department announced Washingtons readiness to assist Russia in eliminating the consequences of an oil spill in the Arctic. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated this on Twitter.

"It's sad to hear about a fuel spill in Norilsk, Russia. Despite our differences, the United States is ready to help Russia mitigate this environmental disaster and offer our technical expertise," Pompeo wrote.

On May 29, near the city of Norilsk, 20 thousand tons of diesel fuel leaked into the Ambarnaya River, staining the water with a crimson-red color. Fuel oil has spread 12 km from the scene of the accident. The area of 350 square meters. km was polluted. It is assumed that the oil leak occurred as a result of the destruction of the tank at the power plant of NTEC (Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company), a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel.

As we reported before, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the OPEC+ deal during a phone conversation. It has been stated that the multilateral agreement reached with the active support of U.S. and Russian presidents has been leading to a gradual recovery of oil demand and price stabilization, the Kremlin said in its statement.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  FBI agents on Friday arrested two Pennsylvania men and accused them of bringing a weapon and fire-starting materials to demonstrations in downtown Cleveland last weekend.

Brandon Althof Long, 23, and Devon Bryce Poland, 22, face federal charges related to their travel from Erie, about 100 miles northeast of Cleveland, to the protests against police brutality, according to federal court filings. Authorities said more investigations are under way.

More than 3,000 people headed downtown May 30 for what began as a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd. It later turned violent, as some demonstrators burned police cars and vandalized stores and the Justice Center.

Dozens were arrested, and Long and Poland were the first to face federal charges. Authorities said there is no indication the men belonged to any organized group.

You may think that you are anonymous. You may think that you escaped the city last Saturday night, but Mr. Poland and Mr. Long thought the same thing, said Eric Smith, the FBIs agent in charge of the Cleveland field office.

The duo was originally stopped by Cleveland police and charged with curfew violations. Cleveland police then turned the case over to the FBI who filed charges Friday of transporting a firearm in furtherance of civil disobedience; using fire or an explosive device to commit a felony; and participating or carrying on a riot.

The men were arrested at 6 a.m. Friday and held without bond, pending a hearing before a federal magistrate next week.

Affidavits unsealed Friday revealed that the men allegedly brought a pistol, spray paint and fire-starting equipment to the protests.

Authorities searched their iPhones and reviewed Facebook messages that showed they discussed purchasing supplies to make a Molotov cocktail as they planned to head to Cleveland. Poland appeared hesitant, saying his future wife needed him, according to the affidavits.

Long, however, was insistent, the affidavits said.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing you can witness and maybe participate in, Long wrote to Poland before they left Erie, according to the affidavits. Or tell her you gotta go overthrow the government first.

Poland later asked, Should we bring Molotov supplies?

Long responded: Sadly enough, I think I have everything needed for a Molotov in my car. Like normal.

Cleveland police detectives spotted Long walking near his SUV parked near an alley off Huron Avenue at 11:55 p.m. Saturday, almost four hours after the citys curfew began. In his car, officers found that he had a .45-caliber Glock, two bottles of fire starters, paint, a hammer and a bottle of whiskey, which appeared to have been stolen.

Long said he carried the Glock for protection, but he denied that he carried it with him during the violent protests.

The men were later released from Cleveland police, and they returned to Erie. The FBI later obtained authorization to search the mens phones, and Kiesel found the messages about the mens plans to head to Cleveland.

Cleveland seems like a better spot to riot watch, Long told Poland in one of the messages, according to the affidavits. Police are shooting tear gas. Pittsburgh hasnt had much of that.

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman told reporters Friday that it was clear that there were out-of-state agitators who hijacked last weekends peaceful protests for their own purposes. He said authorities are working on other investigations involving a series of individuals who are responsible for the destruction of our downtown.

However, Cleveland police, Herdman the FBI and the criminal affidavit provided no evidence that the two men participated in any acts of violence or vandalism during their time in downtown Cleveland.

Longs attorney, Mitchell Yelsky of Cleveland, said his client enjoys the exact same constitutional protections and guarantees as everyone in this country. That includes the right to be presumed innocent, the right to freely travel the interstates and roadways, the right to peacefully assemble and the right to express political views, including extreme political views.

Polands attorney, Marie Goellner, could not be reached.

Authorities stressed that investigators are working to find those who committed crimes in the city last weekend.

If you burned a car, broke into a store or beat somebody up, then we are going to find you and hold you responsible, Herdman said.

Calvin Williams, Clevelands police chief, agreed: A lot of people came here to tear down our city. We cant let that happen.

Williams and other city and federal leaders said they welcome peaceful protests, which they called a cornerstone of democracy. Other protests are scheduled for this weekend in Cleveland and other cities across the state.

Were prepared, Williams said. We are prepared.


In South Korea, some companies are using robots to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Mobile phone company SK Telecom put a robot on the first floor of its Seoul headquarters to observe people and perform cleaning operations.

The company says the robot automatically records the body temperature of visitors and can warn officials when a persons temperature is too high.

The machine can also disinfect the floor and release small amounts of fluid for people to clean their hands.

The robot  which SK Telecom helped develop  uses machine learning technology to observe when people form groups. If individuals are too close to each other, the robot issues a warning: Please take part in social distancing.

The company says the robot can also identify people who are not wearing face coverings.

South Korean companies have long used robotics to carry out manufacturing and cleaning operations. But the coronavirus crisis has caused an increasing number of companies to use the technology as a way to slow the spread of the virus.

South Korea has largely been able to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected about 11,500 people and killed more than 270. The government is now attempting to move away from intensive social distancing to what officials have described as distancing in daily life.

The robot helps minimize people-to-people contact and reduce time thats taken for temperature checks at the entrance, said Ra Kyhong-hwan, one of the developers for SK Telecom. The developer spoke to the Reuters news agency.

The robot is able to use ultraviolet lights and cleaning equipment to disinfect a 33-square-meter area in about 10 minutes, the company says.

Developers of the machine said they added a privacy tool that prevents individual faces from being recorded.

Lim Yeon-june is an employee of SK Telecom. She said she did not know what to think when she first saw the robot in action. But I realize it can raise awareness about distancing and also improves accuracy in temperature checks, she told Reuters.

Smaller businesses and stores are also using robots.

For example, a robot at an eatery in the central city of Daejeon can take orders, make drinks and serve customers.

South Koreas largest movie theater company uses robots to assist moviegoers in buying tickets and food, as well as guiding them to their seats.

Last month, South Koreas top food delivery service, Woowa Brothers, began a test project with self-driving robots that can move freely between floors of buildings. The delivery robots are designed to pick up food orders from restaurants in the area and take them directly to people in homes or offices.

An official told Reuters that the company started testing the delivery robots last year. But there now could be a greater need for the machines as more people find robots to be useful amid the coronavirus outbreak and social distancing, the official said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

automatically  adv. independent; without human control

disinfect  v. to clean something with a chemical to destroy bacteria

minimize  v. reduce the amount of something

accuracy  n. how correct or exact something is

customer  n. a person or organization that buys goods or services from a shop or business

delivery  n. the taking of things from one place to another

outbreak  n. the sudden arrival of a contagious disease
By Express News Service

THOOTHUKUDI: Indian Navy Ship Jalashwa made a second call to Thoothukudi VO Chidambaranar Port Trust with 700 Indian expats from Maldives as a part of the ongoing 'Samudra Setu' mission launched by the Government of India to repatriate Indians stranded in different parts of the world. Earlier on June 2, 2020, Jalashwa repatriated 686 Indians from Colombo.

VOC Port officials said that the INS Jalashwa had departed from Port of Male, Maldives at around 9.30 pm on June 05 and reached outer anchorage of VOC Port on Sunday morning at 9 am. The vessel was docked at berth number 14 the 700 evacuees were disembarked. The evacuees include 655 men and 45 women.

INS Jalashwa brought back 700 stranded Indians from Male as a part of Operation #SamudraSetu. pic.twitter.com/I3iSYeuLjl  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 7, 2020

As per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for disembarkation of expatriates, the Port Health Officials screened the evacuees, sanitised their luggage, provided Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits to all passengers before they were transited to passenger terminal in 25 waiting buses. Self-declaration forms were obtained from the passengers who were asked to install Aarogya Setu app on their smartphones, using the free Wi-fi provided by the Port Authority.

Following immigration and customs formalities, the passengers were guided to the respective buses scheduled for their destinations. Refreshments, breakfast and lunch for all the passengers were jointly arranged by the Port Authority and District Administration.

The operations were meticulously guided by VOC Chairman TK Ramachandran, district collector Sandeep Nanduri, SP Arun Balagopalan.

Nanduri said that the Jalashwa had repatriated 700 persons including 508 Tamils, and 192 belong to other states of India. Except 50 Thoothukudi residents and the 192 people from other states, all others are transported in buses to their districts where they will be quarantined as per protocol. The Thoothukudi residents and those who belong to other states are shifted to quarantine centres where they are isolated for seven days, to know any symptoms before they leave for their homes, he said. "If anyone developed symptoms during the quarantine will undergo treatment here", he said. Another set of expats from Iran is likely to be repatriated on June 21, he said further.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 12:03:49|Editor: huaxia

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A press conference is held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2020. China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19. The white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," was issued by the State Council Information Office. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19.

The white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," was issued by the State Council Information Office.

The Chinese government released the white paper to keep a record of the country's efforts in its own fight against the virus, to share its experience with the rest of the world, and to clarify its ideas on the global battle, according to the white paper.

The COVID-19 global pandemic is the most extensive to afflict humanity in a century, it said.

Facing the "unknown, unexpected, and devastating disease," China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread, the white paper said.

Making people's lives and health its first priority, China adopted extensive, stringent, and thorough containment measures, and has for now succeeded in cutting all channels for the transmission of the virus, it added.

Having forged the idea that the world is a global community of shared future, and believing that it must act as a responsible member, China has fought shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world, the white paper stressed.

Noting that the virus is wreaking havoc throughout the world, the white paper said China firmly believes that as long as all countries unite and cooperate to mount a collective response, the international community will succeed in overcoming the pandemic, and will emerge from this dark moment in human history into a brighter future.

"Solidarity means strength. The world will win this battle," said the white paper.

Besides the foreword and afterword, the white paper consists of four parts: "China's Fight against the Epidemic: A Test of Fire," "Well-Coordinated Prevention, Control and Treatment," "Assembling a Powerful Force to Beat the Virus," and "Building a Global Community of Health for All."

Full Text: Fighting COVID-19: China in Action
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- City officials laid out a multi-faceted plan Sunday to reform the NYPD and its community relations while Mayor Bill de Blasio described his own regrets in how he handled the Eric Garner case.

The new policies -- focused on preventing crime through youth services and holding officers more accountable -- were drafted based on input from the newly formed racial inequality task force. The group was formed amid civil rights protests following the alleged murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

The plan includes:

Shifting funding from the NYPD to youth and social services.

Expediting the disciplinary process for officers accused of misconduct.

Hiring a community leader in neighborhoods across the city to consult top-ranking officers on community relations.

Reforming state law to allow for more transparency of NYPD disciplinary actions toward officers.

Shifting the onus of enforcing unlicensed vending from patrol officers.

Speaking about Garner, who died in 2014 when police attempted to arrest him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes near Victory Boulevard and Bay Street in Tompkinsville, de Blasio said Sunday that he did not handle the tragedy correctly.

We deferred to the U.S. Justice Department during the Obama administration in the case of Eric Garner -- that was a mistake, de Blasio said. Even if the Department of Justice didnt like it, even if they said it would make their case harder, I shouldve gone to the Garner family and said, 'This is your choice. Im ready to go; you want to take this chance or not?

SHIFTING FUNDS

De Blasio said Sunday it wasnt known yet what area of the NYPDs budget would be tapped for an effective launch of the new community-based services. The NYPD reportedly has said it could re-direct $10 million budgeted for overtime, while the City Council has said the agency could re-direct $25 million by canceling the next round of police cadets.

Earlier this week, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer called on the city to move $1.1 billion from the NYPD in an effort to uproot systematic racism.

Uprooting systemic racism in New York City will require long-term, lasting changeand that starts with reforming the NYPD.



That's why I'm calling on the City to cut $1 billion in NYPD spending over the next four years.https://t.co/wv5L8vk1Eb  Scott M. Stringer (@NYCComptroller) June 4, 2020

De Blasio said he aims to push through several changes in regard to police-community relations by the end of his second term.

Now, for 18 months, [the administration] is unfettered, de Blasio said. I am term-limited, Im not running for anything, and we are in a place that is clear and fearless; were gonna get a lot done.

A CALL FOR MORE DISCIPLINE

The city has taken action against multiple NYPD officers seen on video acting aggressively toward protesters in separate incidents over the course of several days.

An officer seen on video shoving a woman to the ground in Brooklyn has been suspended without pay, while his supervisor that day has been reassigned. Further disciplinary action will commence in the case of both officers.

An officer seen on video pulling down a protesters face mask and pepper-spraying him in Brooklyn has been suspended without pay, and further disciplinary action will commence, the mayor said.

There are more [incidents] under investigation," de Blasio said. Each investigation will follow the facts and, where discipline is needed, it will occur.

In terms of protester arrests, the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said Friday that anyone accused of violence against officers or property will be charged appropriately.

However, the office said it would not prosecute those charged for low-level offenses, saying the offices policy is designed to minimize unnecessary interactions with the criminal justice system.

While there were hundreds of arrests and several officers injured when the protests first began, a citywide curfew has helped curtail those incidents. As a result, only four arrests were made and 24 summonses issued during Saturdays protests, leading the mayor to lift the curfew.

PUSH FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY

The city is calling on state legislators to repeal a bill that in effect would make officers disciplinary records more visible to the public.

De Blasio this week called on the legislature to repeal bill 50-A.

Meanwhile, the citys largest police union has voiced its disapproval of the move, saying it would make accusations against officers public prior to them being found guilty of misconduct.

Dont be fooled, this is what #Repeal50a is about



Cop falsely accused of looting. CCRB still solicits complaint



Absent 50a, public docs will say hes an accused looter



Pols/attys/media will say, how can we trust this alleged looter?



Rinse/repeat for all unsubstantiated claims https://t.co/7ISjzSJa4O  NYCPBA Legal (@NYCPBA_GC) June 7, 2020

NEIGHBORHOOD CONSULTANT

One of the issues brought to the citys racial inequality task force during meetings with community stakeholders was a feeling that their voices were not being heard and/or taken seriously by police.

In response, the department will hire a civilian to represent the community at the patrol borough level" as an ambassador to police.

Information passed on to the community through the ambassador will include new policies that residents might not be aware of and the status of disciplinary actions being taken against certain officers.

New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray, who heads the task force, said shes seen several videos of alleged police brutality against protesters across the country.

Its very painful to watch, and we will not tolerate any of that kind of policing in New York City," she said. I am pleased to say that what weve seen in New York City does not reflect a lot of what weve seen in other places.
A community is reeling after a three-metre great white shark killed a man at Kingscliff in northern NSW on Sunday morning, the first fatal attack in the state in five years.

Rob Pedretti, from Queensland, was surfing off South Kingscliff Beach, north of the Salt Surf Life Saving Club, when the incident occurred.

Rob Pedretti has died after being attacked by a shark at Salt Beach near Kingscliff on Sunday morning. Credit:Nine News

Surf Life Saving NSW said the shark attacked the Gold Coast man and bit the back of his thigh after 10am. Nearby surfers rushed to the aid of the man. The shark reportedly circled the three men and rammed one of their boards.

Mr Pedretti died from his wounds at 10.40am.
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.
This week a global conversation has erupted calling for a true reckoning with the excessive use of police force that continues to take the lives of Black and Indigenous people in North America and around the world.

In response, Donald Trump took the extraordinary step of demanding that mayors and governors across the U.S. establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence as people in all 50 states took to the streets protesting the death of George Floyd.

Some Canadians, believing themselves to be fair-minded, attempted to sweep our own issues with systemic anti-Black racism and police violence under the rug, lest our neighbours see, but its time to address them head on.

Over the past few years Ive been convinced that getting Canadian federal and provincial governments to sign on to the UN International Decade for People of African Descent would help spark a national conversation and funding reallocation toward recognition, justice and development.

I believed it would take years to educate government leaders and build up the political will and resources to see the necessary reforms take place. Always too concerned about maintaining positive working relationships for what I considered a long game or, as Nelson Mandela described it, a long walk to freedom.

For years I allowed myself to decelerate the work in the name of slow, steady, and sustainable progress.

Calling for an incremental change here and an adjustment there, celebrating small wins and then being stunned to see them reversed by the pendulum swing of partisan politics. Organizing alongside leaders to find creative ways to engage more institutions and businesses, and preaching about how we simply needed spaces to share regional stories and promising practices to combat anti-Black racism in Canada.

I worried that during one of the deadliest pandemics in world history, the international context and urgency around this focus on people of African descent, including those living in Canada, would be eclipsed.

This week I learned that I was wrong. The Black Lives Matter movement rightfully surpassed the limitations I naively set. The will (and the way) lies with the people.

In this uneasy partnership between Canadian institutions and Black and Indigenous communities we are not where we should be  but when has that ever stopped us from trying?

For many, its easier to dismiss the voices calling for change than to do the real work of making that change a reality.

We are all in the same boat, but some of us have been drowning in our cabins for years while others sit comfortably on deck, woefully unaware of the crisis taking place below, fascinated by the one or two stories they might hear but dismissing them as one-off experiences.

I built a career on not rocking the boat too much, but the boat is flipped over and on fire. Now is the perfect time to initiate the radical institutional changes that Black and Indigenous women, men and nonbinary Canadians have strived toward for generations.

We need less repackaged and woefully inadequate advisory councils presented as solutions and more transformative justice, especially for those communities that have long faced excessive police force and surveillance, which the current COVID-19 realities have only intensified.

We dont need another listening tour for the sake of truth sharing that rarely results in any reconciliation.

We need a complete reformation of our police and prisons, economic justice, vast changes to mental health supports and education reforms. And we absolutely must be collecting race-based data during this global health crisis.

Like every Canadian leader, former and current, who found themselves backtracking on statements denying the realities of anti-Black racism learned this week, we are far past the question as to whether or not it exists.

We need actions aimed not at quieting the noise for our own comfort, but instead with the aim of benefiting future generations who will read about this moment  and what we did with it  in history books.

No  slow and steady doesnt always win the race.

I saw someone pose the question of where in the world is it good to be Black, asserting that no country is truly getting it right. And, well, is that not the point?
Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, Central Regional Director of the Department of Gender, has advised young girls to desist from co-habitating with men.



Cohabitation, which is the arrangement where two people lived together as if married, usually without legal or religious sanction, has become a common practice among some Ghanaian youth.



But the practice, according to Mrs Kpe, renders women worse off as majority of them ended up becoming victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).



She was addressing heads of vocational institutions, apprentices, and artisanal groups at a two-day sensitization workshop on SGBV, gender equality, and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) in Cape Coast.



The workshop was organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).



The gender activist noted with regret that some teenage mothers were compelled to co-habit with men who impregnated them thus depriving them of education and future career development.



She stressed that women and girls must be empowered to be assertive such that they would not fall prey to the antics of unscrupulous men.



Mrs Kpe underscored the need for society to do away with the constructed gender biases which were contributing factors to the SGBV witnessed in schools, homes, workplace and others places.



She said SGBV had long term psychological, physical and economic consequences on victims, society and the nation at large.



Mrs Kpe encouraged the participants be ambassadors and preach against SGBV in their respective communities and not to perpetuate violence against their subordinates.



She advised the participants to report perpetrators of SGBV to the appropriate authorities and called for community involvement.



It is a crime so do not condone it, have a stake in crime prevention in your communities, she said.



Detective Corporal Richard Boadi-Twum, an Investigator with the Central Regional Secretariat of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, spoke about sexual offences with their attendant punishments.



He advised that rape and defilement victims be sent to hospital for treatment before reporting to the Police and said that would help preserve evidence for prosecution.



He said the laws on such sexual offences have been made strict to protect young girls to secure their future, hence the long sentences of seven and twenty-five years jail term for defilement perpetrators to serve as a deterrent.



Mr Michael Tagoe, Youth Program Officer of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), for the Western and Central Regions, expressed worry about the rate of unsafe abortion among the youth adding that his outfit recorded at least three daily abortion cases.



He stressed the need to intensity efforts on comprehensive sexuality education and family planning to save the youth from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).



Mr Emmanuel Sodja Martey, Regional Director of the NYA, commended the collaborative efforts of the UNFPA and the Regional Coordinating Council in helping to address gender related and reproductive health issues of the youth.



He encouraged the participants to be ambassadors and preach to their colleagues when they return to their respective communities.

Source: GNA









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

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The past few months of lockdown laws, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, have been challenging for many.

And Jennifer Connelly has opened up about the struggles she's faced, particularly the toll of a lack of human interaction, as she isolates with her family in rural Vermont.

The 49-year-old actress spoke to Emmy magazine as their June cover star and confessed 'it's been really difficult.'

Not easy: Jennifer Connelly confessed on Sunday that she and her family have found lockdown 'really difficult' due to the 'lack of human connection'

'I cant remember if its three weeks or four weeks now that weve been here,' she began.

'We dont go anywhere. The other day, the UPS guy came, and the kids got so excited. They were like, "We havent seen a person in a week! Can we watch?" And I was like, "Yeah. Sure." And they literally sat on the staircase and watched as I opened the door and waved and talked to the UPS guy from a distance.'

The Academy Award winning actress continued: 'That human connection, not having that contact, has been really difficult for everyone.'

Struggles: The Academy Award winning actress said: 'That human connection, not having that contact, has been really difficult for everyone'

Family: Jennifer has been staying in rural Vermont with her husband, Paul Bettany, 49, and their kids, son, Stellan, 16, and daughter, Agnus Lark, nine (pictured 2015)

Jennifer has been staying in rural Vermont with her husband, Paul Bettany, 49, and their kids, son, Stellan, 16, and daughter, Agnus Lark, nine.

Not with them is the star's eldest son, Kai Dugan, 22, who's been staying in Los Angeles.

'We havent gone this long without seeing him. Ever,' she said.

And Jennifer already has plans for a big family and friends gathering when the pandemic is over.

'Were going to have a huge gathering,' she shared.

Apart: Jennifer is also the mom to son, Kai, 22, who has been staying in Los Angeles (pictured 2013)

'I want to have a get-together with all of our friends and family. Cook a big meal, have an evening all together. Thatd be great.'

Jennifer and Paul fled their New York City home for Vermont when the COVID-19 outbreak hit.

The pair met when they starred in the 2001 film, A Beautiful Mind, where Jennifer picked up the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

They married in Scotland in 2003 before welcoming their two children.

Jennifer gave birth to her first child, Kai, in the late 90s following her romance with photographer David Dugan.
T housands of protesters have joined an anti-racism rally outside the US embassy in London as Black Lives Matter demonstrations take place in cities all across the UK.

Crowds of demonstrators wore face coverings and held signs outside the embassy in Battersea, south-west London, on Sunday, in protest against police brutality following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.

Today the Metropolitan Police warned drivers of disruption on Nine Elms Lane, while video footage showed protesters flooding the roads outside the embassy.

Free masks, gloves and hand gel were being offered to the thousands of protestors, with some wearing t-shirts reading I cant breathe.

Another protester had written get your knee off our necks in luminous ink on the back of his jacket, echoing the words black civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton who spoke at Mr Floyds memorial service earlier this week.

People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally at the US Embassy / PA

Meanwhile, London Black Lives Matter organised an online protest via Zoom for those who are unable to attend demonstrations in person.

In Bristol, thousands marched through the city centre after a crowd of at least 5,000 packed into the College Green area to hear from speakers and hold an eight-minute silence.

Many protesters wore masks and gloves, but the majority were unable to adhere to the two-metre social distancing guidance and were pressed against one another in the citys narrow streets.

Black Lives Matter protesters tore down the statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Coulston in Bristol city centre, and threw it into Bristol harbour, filmed by crowds lining the water and cheering.

Elsewhere, hundreds of people crowded into Manchesters St Peters Square, kneeling in silence as a mark of respect for Mr Floyd, who died after a white police officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck on May 25.

People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally / PA

Following speeches, protesters are expected to march through the city centre for a second day of demonstrating in Manchester.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it is undoubtedly a risk that there will be an increase in Covid-19 cases following the protests, as he urged people not to gather in groups of more than six people.

People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally at the US Embassy, London, in memory of George Floyd who was killed on May 25 while in police custody in the US city of Minneapolis. / PA

Mr Hancock said he supported the activists arguments, but said: Please dont gather in groups of more than six people because there is also a pandemic that we must address and control.

And so weve got to make the argument, weve got to make further progress, on top of the significant progress that has been made in recent years, but weve got to do it in a way thats safe and controls the virus.

Protesters also took to the streets on Saturday for events held in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield and Newcastle, among other cities.

Demonstrations in central London were carried out peacefully for much of the afternoon, but disturbances began breaking out at around 6pm outside Downing Street.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said 14 officers were injured during clashes with a minority of protesters, while 14 people were arrested.
A court order that froze assets of Angola's billionaire former first daughter Isabel dos Santos was "unfair, improper" and based on fake documents, one of her lawyers has said.

Dos Santos, said to be the wealthiest woman in Africa, is accused of diverting billions of dollars from Angolan state companies during her father Jose Eduardo dos Santos's near four-decade rule of the oil-rich African nation.

Last December, a civil court in the capital Luanda issued a "preventive" order to freeze her businesses assets as part of a crackdown on graft by former president dos Santos's successor Joao Lourenco.

The 47-year-old businesswoman was "hit with this tsunami of allegations coming out of Angola based on secret documents -- which at that point she hadn't seen, and faked documents," said lawyer Dan Morrison.

"She didn't have a chance to defend herself," London-based Morrison told AFP in an interview on Thursday.

"This is manifestly unfair and improper," he said. "The damage is already done, whatever we prove in a court of law."

His client is a symbol of a small elite that prospered during the 38-year rule of Jose Eduardo dos Santos in sub-Saharan Africa's second oil-producing country.

Since her father retired in 2017, Isabel dos Santos's business empire has been targeted by Lourenco.

'Irregular money transfers'

Just months after he came into power, and in the name of tackling corruption, LourenAo unceremoniously sacked dos Santos from the state-owned oil corporation Sonangol which she headed.

Two years later her business assets and those of her Congolese husband Sindika Dokolo were ordered frozen.

The New Year's Eve order immediately set off a flurry of developments.

Less than three weeks later, a consortium of journalists published the so-called "Luanda Leaks" alleging she funnelled Angolan state funds to offshore assets.

Isabel dos Santos was sacked from the state-owned oil corporation Sonangol which she headed. By Osvaldo Silva (AFP/File)

Days after that, the Angola prosecuting authorities said they were probing "irregular money transfers" from Sonangol and Sodiam, a national diamond marketing firm.

At the time, the public prosecution estimated the embezzled funds ran into about $1 billion.

It has now revised the figure to more than $5 billion.

Dos Santos herself has denounced Luanda's actions as a politically-motivated "witchhunt".

After analysing a trove of more than 700,000 leaked documents, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) also accused her of looting state coffers.

The journalists' report was "based on many fake documents and false information," she tweeted, describing it as "a coordinated political attack" constructed by the Angolan government.

Subsequently, Portugal froze her assets in that country, where she has invested mainly in banking and telecommunications sectors.

Angola's President Joao Manuel Lourenco has launched a crackdown on corruption. By Michele Spatari (AFP/File)

Fighting back, dos Santos, ranked by Forbes in 2013 as Africa's richest woman, has enlisted the services of top-notch international lawyers and communications experts specialising in crisis and reputation management.

Morrison is senior partner and founder of London-based Grosvenor Law firm, with experience in handling "complex" litigation for high-profile entrepreneurs.

He has ripped apart Luanda's order to freeze her assets.

"This order was made in Angola, in a secret court based on evidence that we didn't see at the time," he said.

"We only literally... found legal access to the allegations about four weeks ago, six months after this order was made."

'Creating false evidence'

More importantly, he added, the freeze was based on "fake, forged or unsatisfactory" documents.

"The evidence Angola had was three pieces of paper," scoffed Morrison. "They are creating false evidence to fill in the gaps".

Last month, Isabel dos Santos released a copy of a fake passport -- bearing the signature of late martial arts film star Bruce Lee -- which was part of the evidence submitted to the Angolan court.

"If Angola has evidence (that) Isabel dos Santos did something wrong, they wouldn't have needed a fake passport," said Morrison.

Dos Santos and her husband are seeking to revoke the court order freezing their assets.

Morrison said they had not been formally furnished with the indictment bearing the criminal charges brought against her by Angola's attorney general Helder Pitta Gros.

Alvaro Joao, a spokesman for Angola's public prosecution office, told AFP that several civil and criminal proceedings had been opened against Dos Santos and Dokolo.

"The defence is trying to get us to discuss the proceedings in public but we will not do so," he said.

"The consortium of journalists has shown perfectly how (public) assets were looted."

Meantime, Dos Santos's lawyers have promised new revelations about the case in the coming days.
Trump directs U.S. troops reduction in Germany: media

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:40, June 06, 2020

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.

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New data published by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has reached a record monthly high of 417 parts per million (ppm). This two ppm change since last Mays reading is in line with the average annual increase. While many predictions strongly suggested that behavior changes due to COVID-19 would affect the atmosphere, temporary shutdowns and slowdowns havent been enough to meaningfully decrease the amount of greenhouse gas still present in the atmosphere.

Richard Betts, head of Climate Impacts at the United Kingdoms national weather service, told New Scientist that hes not surprised. The analogy I use is filling a bath from a tap. The water from the tap is the emissions and the water level in the bath is the concentrations. Were still putting CO2 into the atmosphere, its just building up slightly less fast than before. What we need to do is turn the tap off.

By all accounts, pollution is down. According to NASA, nitrogen dioxide levels between New York and Washington, DC were down about 30% in March, compared to the average for the last five years. Earlier this year, figures published by CarbonBrief showed that the shutdowns associated with COVID-19 in China led to a 25 percent drop in carbon emissions. Photos from cities like Los Angeles, Moscow and New Delhi show smog-free skies over streets emptied by local shelter-in-place decrees. But in order to make a significant change to the CO2 concentration, those emissions would need to drop by 20 to 30 percent over the course of a year, according to the Scripps team.
A veteran of the regulatory and legislative process has been tapped to serve as president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, the association announced Wednesday.

Jason Modglin joins the alliance after serving as director of public affairs for Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. He also served as chief of staff for State Rep. Drew Darby, chair of the House Energy Resources Committee, and was a policy analyst for then-Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples.

The Houston native said in a phone interview that he had recently visited Midland and found its spirit was down amid the coronavirus pandemic and the steep downturn in the oil industry, but companies were preparing and making investments for the future.

As president, he said he wants to continue the work he has done with the alliance through his time with the Railroad Commission and at the Texas Legislature.

I want to be an advocate for smart energy policies, he said. I want to continue to be a leader on smart energy and environmental policies. I plan to be a great resource for regulators at the Railroad Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

During his time at the Railroad Commission, he said the agency implemented statutes to keep the states leadership role in energy but was challenged to keep up with the industrys continuous innovations and improvements.

Weve seen improvements in produced water handling, emissions and field efficiency, Modglin said. We will support regulators at the Railroad Commission and TCEQ. We will advocate for more inspectors  that will help them be more efficient and timely in their responses. We will advocate for there to be more information technology resources.

He also plans for the alliance to continue to issue its Texas Petro Index, prepared by Karr Ingham, a petroleum economist and the alliances executive vice president.

The most important statistic, Modglin said, is the 400,000 Texans and families employed by the oil and gas industry and surrounding industries that produce energy for the world.

The association, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary, recently elected Cye Wagner as chair of the board of directors.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Patty Cotterell was prepared to stay as long as necessary. When you commit to working an election, thats just the expectation, she said.

But when the clock struck 11 p.m. Tuesday and Bernalillo Countys top election official told Cotterell and dozens of other absentee ballot processors to call it a day, relief washed over her.

Thank you, Lord, Cotterell remembers thinking.

She had been working since 7 a.m.

Thats a long day, even with breaks, especially when they said we had sufficient work to carry us through 3 or 4 in the morning, said Cotterell, a 75-year-old retired federal employee who has worked elections for the past decade. That wouldve been, I think, inhumane.

This unprecedented, coronavirus-plagued era led to an unprecedented primary election Tuesday, with 2 times as many Bernalillo County residents voting by absentee ballot than at the polls.

The countys absentee board began its work May 18 and had almost 100,000 ballots to process, nearly 18,000 of which arrived Tuesday.

Even after 16 hours of Election Day processing, the absentee board had not finished, and County Clerk Linda Stover said it was obvious the workers she calls champions  many of them seniors  needed a break.

There was one little old guy who looked like he was going to put his head on the table, Stover said. I felt so sorry for them; theyd been there so long.

The crew resumed action at 9 a.m. Wednesday and finally finished about 6 p.m., Stover said.

Stover said the office has not missed any statutory deadlines for counting, though some New Mexico jurisdictions  including Santa Fe  asked courts for additional time to count the absentee ballots.

COVID-19 created what Stover called a brand-new ballgame and led to the absentee onslaught.

With the deadly virus forcing a near total shutdown of the United States, New Mexicos election officials had petitioned the state Supreme Court to make the June 3 primary an all-mail election. But in denying that request April 14, the court ordered clerks to send every voter an absentee ballot application to help reduce in-person voting.

The order led to a hurried effort to educate voters, send and process absentee applications and mail and process the ballots themselves.

The Bernalillo County response was immense. More than 122,000 people, or about 38% of all eligible voters, requested ballots, and 98,861 submitted them. Absentee ballots are normally a small percentage of the total.

Despite the virus making recruiting election help harder than usual, Stovers office ultimately hired 55 people to work on the absentee board  more than double the number used in last falls local election. But it was not enough manpower to finish the job on Election Day. Voters had until May 28 to request an absentee ballot and until Election Day to submit it. Stover said ballots kept coming in Tuesday.

Cotterell said the late rush was overwhelming and somewhat unexpected. Ballots were mailed out starting May 5.

She said that processing remained smooth despite the volume and that staff fatigue may have slowed things down but did not otherwise alter the multiphase system, which includes many checks and balances.

Im so proud, she said of her participation. Im proud that I was part of the process; Im proud that I saw democracy in action and people doing what they should do.

People voted, and we responded by getting those votes counted, and everybody had a voice.

Stover said she probably will hire more absentee board staff in the future  a future that remains hard to predict. The clerk said that she hopes a similar absentee election is not necessary for the Nov. 3 general election but that she will likely plan for it to avoid the rushed implementation of the primary.

I dont want to get caught not being prepared, she said. It will be a blessing if it doesnt (go the same way), but I have to look at it as though it will.
Some Christians in Tema Newtown who attended church on Sunday after the easing of COVID-19 measures by the President, say service was dull.



The President on May 31, 2020 in his COVID-19 10th address to the nation eased the ban on schooling, religious gathering and other social gatherings by allowing Christians and Muslims to fellowship with a maximum of 100 congregants who must have service not more than one hour.



Other measures to be met during service was provision of sanitizers and hand washing equipment, wearing of nose masks by all, checking of temperature using a gun thermometer, no waving of handkerchiefs, no hand shaking, no hugging among others.



While some churches were yet to start service, others put in the measures and had fellowship as some of their members gladly and joyously attended service after many weeks of virtual meeting.



Some members of Christendom Church at Tema Newtown said they felt good going to church after a long time adding however that church was dull and not normal since they had to go through the protocols before entering the chapel.



They indicated that they had to manage the one hour service with all its restrictions saying even though they were afraid of contracting the corona virus, they knew that they would be safe with the measures.



Mr Dickson Sekye, an Elder of the Christ Apostolic International, Tema Newtown number two Assembly, said they could not get all the congregation to attend service as some of them were afraid that they would be exposed to the virus should they attend.



Mr Sekye said those who attended cooperated well with the leadership of the church in complying with the protocols as they washed their hands, checked their temperature, registered their personal details, wore nose masks and used sanitizers before joining the service.



He said to ensure that they did not go beyond the number they arranged, only 70 chairs in the auditorium for each service adding that the first service lasted for 50 minutes.



Mr Yaw Anderson, Presiding Elder of the church, said today was not like the normal time, we started service around 8:45 and ensured that we used less than 15 minutes for the worship session.



Mr Anderson stated that after the first service, they sanitized the chairs before allowing congregants in for the second service to ensure that members were safe.

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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Kanpur : , June 7 (IANS) Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range) Mohit Agarwal got himself fined for not wearing a mask in public.

Agarwal asked the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Barra police station, Ranjeet Singh, to fine him for stepping out without wearing a mask.

The SHO made the challan and handed over a copy to the IG who paid Rs 100 as fine on the spot.

Agarwal later told reporters that he had gone to Barra on Friday for inspection and had stepped out of his vehicle without a mask.

"I had discussion with the subordinates, including circle officers, and later realised that I was not wearing a mask. I immediately took out my mask from my official vehicle and put it on. But I felt it was ethical to get myself fined and set an example for police and public," he said.

The state government had said that a fine of Rs 100 would be levied on those not wearing face covers in public. This was part of its measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
New Delhi, June 7 : The special investigation unit (SIU) of the Delhi Police has charge-sheeted six people in connection with the murder of an octogenarian during the February riots in the national capital.

The charge-sheet was filed before a Metropolitan Magistrate of the Karkardooma court, the police said here on Sunday.

Akbari Begum, 85, who lived with her family on Gamri Road in the Bhajanpura area of northeast Delhi, died due to suffocation and asphyxiation.

"On Febrary 25, a mob attacked and set on fire the deceased's house. While other family members climbed to the rooftop, the deceased due to her old age could not do so and died due to suffocation," the police said.

Her body was recovered from the second floor of the house after the fire was extinguished by the fire department personnel. "The body was found lying on a folding bed," the police said.

An FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Saeed Salmani, her son.

"On the ground and first floors was a garment workshop. The family of the complainant was living on the second and third floors of the four-story house. The police rescued the family members from the rooftop. But the deceased couldn't be rescued," the Crime Branch said in a statement.

Upon evaluating the gravity of the offence, the investigation was transferred to the SIU of the Crime Branch. Videos of the incident that had gone viral on social media were procured and taken on record. Several mobile phones by which the videos were recorded were traced and seized.

Statements of the police officials who rescued the complainant's other family members were also recorded.

Based on the statements, video and other technical evidences, including call detail records (CDRs), six people were identified and arrested. Efforts are on to identify more accused.

They have been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 396 (dacoity with intention of murder), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance), etc, of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Earlier on Saturday, the SIU had filed another charge-sheet against seven people in connection with the murder of Rahul Solanki, 27-year-old law student, during the same riots. Solanki was shot dead near Shiv Vihar on February 24.

In the charge-sheet, the police said, "During investigation, it was established that the deceased had gone to a shop in the locality when he was shot dead." With the help of CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and analysis of CDRs, seven people were arrested in connection with the case.

Large-scale arson of houses and shops of Hindus was done during the riots, the police said.
A couple who have both been working on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak have hosted makeshift wedding ceremony in hospital after they were forced to postpone their nuptials.

Paramedic Nathan Judge and healthcare assistant Charlotte Medcalf were supposed to get married on 30 May after he proposed on a trip to Las Vegas.

But when the coronavirus outbreak struck, and one of their suppliers pulled out of the wedding, they had to cancel.

Because of the Governments advice we knew that we would have to cancel the wedding, said Judge, who added that they had spent two years planning the wedding.

Judge explained that because hed been so busy with work, when the day of the wedding was approaching, he almost forgot about it.

I didnt really think about it until the day before, but when we realised we had been due to be married the next day, we were really disappointed, he said.

So Judge planned a special surprise for his fiance, contacting the florist and asking them to recreate her bouquet and asking the wedding caterer to deliver what would have been their starter and dessert to the hospital so they could enjoy it after their shifts.

Judge also put on his wedding jacket.

The couple met in 2015 (Judge Family / SWNS.COM)

She loved it, there were tears of happiness in her eyes, he said of Medcalfs reaction.

Her work colleagues had put up pictures of us around and we ate the same food we would have on the wedding day.

Judge also revealed how the maid of honour gathered lots of their guests to record video messages for Medcalf, telling her they were sorry they couldnt be there.

We have never had so many flowers in the house, Judge added.

It was really romantic. We had quite a nice day. Its such a shame we couldnt celebrate with family and friends.

The couple have postponed their wedding until 2021.
"I do not think we have a systemic racism problem with law enforcement officers across this country," Chad Wolf, the acting secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said on ABC's "This Week" Sunday.

Why it matters: It's a position that has been publicly echoed by a number of top Trump administration officials over the last week of nationwide protests against police brutality, including Attorney General Bill Barr and national security adviser Robert O'Brien.

What they're saying: "Do I acknowledge that there are some law enforcement officers that have abused their job? Yes," Wolf said. "And, again, we need to hold those accountable. There are individuals in every profession across this country that have probably abused their authority and their power, and we need to hold them accountable."

"Can we do better? Can we do more? Can we continue to do more in the law enforcement arena  outreach to our communities, specifically those that feel slighted  absolutely. I think there is always things that we can do more."

"But, again, painting law enforcement with a broad brush of systemic racism is really a disservice to the men and women who put on the badge, the uniform, every day."

The big picture: There is a large racial divide in terms of trust in police in the United States, according to an Axios-Ipsos poll.

Just 36% of African Americans polled said they trust local police officers, compared to 77% of white people.

Republicans were also more likely than Democrats to say they trust the police, 78% to 63%.

Go deeper: Black Lives Matter co-founder explains "Defund the police" slogan
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 22:27:28|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A growing number of Chinese online users are willing to idle their time away, watching live 24-hour internet broadcasts. These vary in content from how iconic pandas live in their natural habitats to how a hospital is constructed.

More than 90 percent of Chinese netizens said they had idly viewed such livestreaming videos and 87.8 percent of them said they like the slower-paced broadcasts as it gives them a psychological break from their stressful and busy routines, according to a survey released by China Youth Daily.

Among the 2,005 interviewees, the post-1980's generation accounted for 43.9 percent, followed by the post-1990's generation (38.6 percent) and the post-1970's generation at 9.1 percent.

"It is a source of pleasure and comfort to idly watch slow, relaxing content on livestream," Fang Lu, a college student from Shanghai, was quoted as saying, recollecting her experience of watching a vlogger practice Chinese calligraphy with soothing background music.

Liu Chen, an employee from Beijing, is another livestream watcher. She recently viewed live online broadcasts showing a Chinese survey team reach the summit of Mount Qomolangma on a mission to remeasure the height of the world's highest peak.

"Reaching the summit of Mount Qomolangma is a dream that many people have aspired to for a long time but have had no opportunity to realize," said Liu. "Without post-editing, the original live broadcast, which truly represents the scene, has the audience fully absorbed in its reality." Enditem
A week after the Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that all final-year undergraduate and postgraduate exams have been called off and that students will be promoted based on aggregate scores in earlier semester exams, state Governor and chancellor of all state universities Bhagat Singh Koshiyari questioned the move.

Koshyari said the cancellation of exams would jeopardise the students future and that exams should be held in order to promote students.

Stuck in between the political stand-off, colleges and universities are looking at a mammoth task ahead. Conducting exams for close to 9 lakh students across the state, including 2.3 lakh students affiliated with the University of Mumbai (MU), can prove problematic, especially since exams will need to be held ensuring appropriate social distancing and taking into account lockdown regulations that could still be in force at the time.

We are talking about colleges spread across the state, and to ensure social distancing during exams, universities will need to add more education institutes as exam centres to accommodate all. What if students refuse to appear for exams still? asked a former MU official, who currently holds a senior role at a management institute. He added that even if the universities and affiliated colleges ensure exams are held maintaining social distancing, conducting exams so late in the year will have adverse effects on the next academic year as well.

Teachers too have raised concerns over how the assessment will take place and how much time the process could take. For MU alone, teachers will end up assessing over 13 lakh answer sheets that need to be scanned and uploaded on the software, after which they reach teachers for assessment. It will be impossible to ensure that all exams and results will be announced within a month, said a senior professor at a suburban college.

The Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (MFUCTO) has already written to the state government as well as the MU about their concerns of how the delay in conducting exams and the wait for eventual results will affect students prospects.The university is an autonomous body with its own set of statutes to follow in any type of emergency, and the university has the power to decide how they want to conduct examinations. Since the current scenario is grave in nature, he university has the authority to seek help from Maharashtra government to help with their decision. The governor, on the other hand, is a nominal entity and shoudl not dictate the working of a university, said Tapati Mukhopadhyay president MFUCTO.

She added that a university takes two-three months to prepare for examination and since university as well as colleges have been shut for almost three months now, itll be impossible for the university to conduct examinations next month. We stand by the CMs decision, she added.

Engineering institutes too have expressed concern about holding examinations and in the bargain, further delaying the start of the next academic year. All final-year Bachelor of Engineering (BE) students who were offered jobs earlier this year are now worried because the employers are expecting students to join their workforce. Without a passing certificate or a temporary replacement for the document, this process will be difficult for all. We urge the government to clarify its stand soon, said Gopakumaran Thampi, principal of Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Bandra.

Several student organisations have asked that the health and sanity of students be prioritised. A degree certificate is awarded to students based on their performance throughout three years and not holding one final exam will not change much. This insistence on final exams during a global health crisis needs to be reconsidered by the government, especially keeping the lives of students in mind, said Salman Ahmed, president of Student Islamic Organisation (SIO), South Maharashtra.

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Beirut, June 7, 2020 (AFP) -

At least 12 pro-Iranian fighters died in strikes by unidentified aircraft on eastern Syria late Saturday evening, a war monitor said.

"Eight air strikes before midnight on Saturday night targeted a base of pro-Iranian forces in rural eastern Deir Ezzor (province), killing 12 Iraqi and Afghan fighters and destroying equipment and ammunition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Observatory did not identify the aircraft responsible, but its head Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP that Israel was likely responsible.

The Jewish state has carried out hundreds of strikes targeting regime and Iranian-backed forces, notably in Deir Ezzor.

The Israeli military rarely claims responsibility for such attacks but has vowed to prevent Iran gaining a foothold in the war-torn country or delivering advanced weaponry to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Iranian and Iraqi armed groups backing the regime of Bashar Al-Assad have deployed across swathes of Deir Ezzor, a large desert province bordering on Iraq.

The Observatory said the latest strikes came after Afghan forces brought in reinforcements from near the Iraqi border to a large Iranian base near the town of Al-Mayadin on the Euphrates river.

Two waves of similar strikes in May killed 12 pro-Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory.

Syria's complex, almost decade-long war has killed over 380,000 people, devastated the country's infrastructure and forced millions of people to flee their homes.
Pho, a flat rice noodle soup, is a nutritionists dream. The beef or chicken provide protein, the herbs and vegetables provide fibers, vitamins, minerals, and the spices, chili, or lemon provide antioxidants. If you drink the broth, thats a good source of vitamins as well. The base of the soup is either beef bones (pho bo) or chicken bones (pho ga). A chef makes banh xeo at Banh Xeo 46A restaurant in District 1, HCMC - PHOTO: PETER KAUFFNER Hu tieu is also a flat rice noodle soup, but uses pork bones as a base. As a personality binary, celebrities get asked, Pho or hu tieu? Pho bo is the characteristic soup of the North, bun bo (rice noodle and beef) the central region, and hu tieu the South. HCMC has many signs advertising hu tieu Nam Vang  southern-style hu tieu. Its sweeter than hu tieu My Tho, which uses chewy rice. While pho tastes pretty much the same as good old chicken noodle soup, Vietnam does have more exciting foods. When celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain arrived in HCMC, he went straight to Banh Xeo 46A, an outdoor restaurant in the Tan Dinh market area at 46A Dinh Cong Trang Street in District 1. Banh xeo translates as rice pancake. Banh means cake while xeo means sizzle. But it isnt a sizzling cake, at least not when it is served. The name refers to the loud sound that the dough makes when it hits the skillet. The rice-based dough is gluten free, dairy free and egg free, and thus healthier than wheat-based alternatives. After the crepe is fried until crispy, it gets stuffed with grilled pork, bean sprouts, shrimp, red chili, and garlic. Then it is folded in half. But rice isnt yellow, you say. Why is the crepe yellow? The color is from turmeric, which is added to the dough. Turmeric is quite a trendy spice these days. It is promoted as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Oxidants are associated with ageing. Banh mi, or sandwiches, is a popular and delicious Vietnamese fast food. It is based on French bread, so there is less to be said for it nutritionally. Viette Banh Mi at 8 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street makes an outstanding king sized banh mi. Bun cha, or grilled pork and rice noodles, is another you-gotta-try-this-while-youre-in-Vietnam food. Bun means rice noodle while cha means rolls. You dip a ball of grilled fatty pork into a dipping sauce. The dish is associated with Hanoi, but there are bun cha restaurants everywhere in Vietnam. Bun Cha 54 is at 54 Dinh Tien Hoang Street in District 1. If youve had enough of healthy eating and Vietnamese food, HCMC has its share of rib restaurants, including Quan Ut Ut at 168 Vo Van Kiet Street and Jake's BBQ at 50 Pasteur Street. Nothing beats the taste of barbequed ribs. These are high priced, at least by the standards of HCMC. The Pham Ngu Lao precinct, especially the area around De Tham Street, has an impressive collection of internationally oriented restaurants, including Italian and Indian restaurants. KFC is quite popular in Vietnam. Other chains, including Lotte, McDonalds, and Texas chicken, have made limited inroads as well. 33 De Tham Restaurant gets great reviews as a seafood restaurant. Bun rieu, or crab and tomato noodle soup, is Vietnams outstanding seafood. While Japanese food often gets top honors as the worlds healthiest cuisine, Vietnams body mass index of 21.6 and 1% obesity is actually better than Japans BMI of 22.6 and 3.5% obesity. Sadly, the next generation is growing up fatter. Vietnamese aged 2 to 19 have an obesity rate of 6.8%. A large bowl of pho is about 650 calories, banh xeo is 658 calories, a pork sandwich (banh mi thit) is 300 calories, a deep fried spring roll is 200, and a glass of ice coffee is 129. A moderately active adult woman should eat 2,000 calories a day while similar male should eat around 2,500. Nutritionists recommend staying away from spareribs and other grilled meats with dripping sauces as these are likely to contain coconut or peanut. SGT
OP Samudra Setu - INS Jalashwa departs Male for Tuticorin with 700 Indians embarked

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 06 JUN 2020 11:05AM by PIB Delhi

Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa, which reached Male, Maldives on 04 Jun 20 for her third trip under Op Samudra Setu - Indian Navy's contribution to India's national effort to bring home our citizens from foreign shores by sea, embarked 700 Indian nationals on 05 Jun 20 and departed for India late in the evening. During the embarkation, the ship was visited by Colonel Mohamed Saleem, the Commandant of the Maldives Coast Guard.

With this trip, Jalashwa will successfully bring back almost 2700 Indian citizens from Maldives and Sri Lanka to Indian shores under the broader umbrella of the Indian Government's Mission Vande Bharat.

The ship will observe strict COVID protocols onboard and is expected to reach Tuticorin on 07 Jun 20.

The evacuated personnel will be disembarked at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu and entrusted to the care of State authorities.

*************

VM/ MS

(Release ID: 1629821)

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During last weeks rioting, Chicago police arrested Antonio Harris for looting. He was stealing shoes from a New Balance store.

Who is Antonio Harris? According to Daniel Horowitz, Harris was convicted of first-degree murder in 1999. Instead of life imprisonment, the sentence he would get in a well-functioning criminal justice system, he received a 25-year sentence.

Instead of serving that sentence, as he would in a well-functioning criminal justice system, Harris was let out after serving only half of it.

Since that release less than ten years ago, Harris has been sent back to prison for three felony drug convictions, according to Horowitz. Harris also has a pending felony case of criminal damage to government property.

Let that sink in. Harris, with a 1999 first degree murder conviction and three subsequent felony drug convictions, was on the street last week. America has an under-incarceration problem.

All things considered, Chicago residents should probably feel fortunate that Harris confined his criminal activity last week to stealing shoes, at least as far as we know. Once hes back on the street  and who knows, maybe he already is  residents might not be so lucky in the future.

The citizenry hasnt been lucky with Ryan Long of Lincoln, Nebraska. According to Horowitz, Long was arrested on May 15 for drunk driving. At the time, his record was this:

A pending charge in October 2019 for assault and robbery of a man. (He posted just $1,000 to get out of jail a day later.) A pending charge on January 10, 2020, for allegedly shooting a woman in the thigh with a .22 caliber gun. (Despite the first bond violation, he was out six days later on just $10,000.) On April 23, 2020, he crashed his vehicle, wrecking an entire block. Police officers found marijuana, an open bottle of Crown Royal, and a BAC of .196 in his vehicle.

How did Long fare in court following his subsequent arrest for drunk driving? He was released four days later after paying just $7,000.

Four days after that, Long was arrested for the murder of Michael Whitemagpie, a 31-year-old black male. If black lives mattered to liberals, the criminally dangerous Long wouldnt have been free to kill Whitemagpie.

More broadly, if black lives mattered to liberals and jail-break supporting conservatives, they would see to it that criminals who commit felonies  including drug felonies, narcotics being a killer of blacks and whites  serve very long jail sentences. Instead, they are demanding the opposite.

Couple that with the demonizing of the police, which will lead to less proactive policing and thus to fewer arrests of felons, and we can surely expect to see more people like Antonio Harris and Ryan Long roaming the streets and endangering lives  most of them black.
A uthorities in Washington are expecting Saturday to be the largest demonstration against police brutality in the city since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The US capital 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.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters on Friday that local officials were projecting between 100,000 and 200,000 protesters on Saturday.

It comes as protesters across the US used the lifting of curfews to demonstrate against police brutality towards black people for the 11th night running.

Protesters denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement in New York / Getty Images

Thousands marched in Minneapolis after a curfew was lifted, where the protests were peaceful.

The state of Minnesota is planning to start sending state troopers and National Guard members back on Saturday.

It comes as authorities have sought to reduce tensions by having National Guard troops not carry weapons.

Thousands of people are also expected to protest in London on Saturday.

Peaceful protests in London have been scheduled for Saturday in Parliament Square at 1pm and on Sunday outside the US embassy at 2pm.

In Washington, there were zero arrests during demonstrations on Thursday and Friday and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also cancelled the curfew that had been in place since Monday.

She said she will decide on Saturday morning if it will be reinstated.

George Floyd Hyde Park Protest - In pictures 1 /106 George Floyd Hyde Park Protest - In pictures People climb on the Winston Churchill statue during a Black Lives Matter protest march in London Jeremy Selwyn People march holding banners during a "Black Lives Matter" protest following the death of George Floyd AP Protesters kneel as they stop briefly in Parliament Square AP Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest march in London Jeremy Selwyn Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest in London Nigel Howard Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Nigel Howard Protesters are accompanied by police officers as they march during a demonstration AP Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest march in London Jeremy Selwyn People march holding banners during a "Black Lives Matter" protest following the death of George Floyd AP Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest march in London Jeremy Selwyn Protesters shout during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images People climb on the Winston Churchill statue during a Black Lives Matter protest march in London Jeremy Selwyn Black Lives Matter protest march Jeremy Selwyn People march holding banners during a "Black Lives Matter" protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters Protestors march during an anti-racism demonstration in London AFP via Getty Images Black Lives Matter protest Nigel Howard Black Lives Matter protest Nigel Howard Black Lives Matter protest Nigel Howard Black Lives Matter protest Nigel Howard Black Lives Matter protest march Jeremy Selwyn People wearing face masks march with banners in Park Lane during a Black Lives Matter protest Reuters Aerial of Black Lives Matter protest march to Parliament Square Protestors march during an anti-racism demonstration AFP via Getty Images Protestors march during an anti-racism demonstration AFP via Getty Images Protestors march during an anti-racism demonstration in London AFP via Getty Images Protesters march as they take part in a London demonstration AP People wearing face masks march with banners in Park Lane during a "Black Lives Matter" protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protestors wearing face masks as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, march during an anti-racism demonstration in London AFP via Getty Images Protestors, some wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) including face masks as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, hold placards during an anti-racism demonstration in London AFP via Getty Images John Boyega speaks during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Aerial view of protest at Hyde Park Sky News A man and a woman hold hands aloft in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter" protest REUTERS People hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters A woman reacts in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park, London Nigel Howard People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park, London PA REUTERS Protesters adjust a face mask ahead of a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn People hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis Reuters Aerial view of protest at Hyde Park Sky News Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park PA Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images A person shouts into a megaphone in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest Reuters Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park PA People observe social distancing as they participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park PA People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park, London PA Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park PA Protesters hold up placards AP People hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Nigel Howard People gather ahead of the Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park, London, in memory of George Floyd PA Stewards direct people as they begin to gather ahead of the Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park, London PA Protesters wear face masks as they hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protesters wear face masks and observe social distancing during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Radhika Aligh Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd John Dunne People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Hyde Park PA A protester wears a face mask displaying the words "I can't breathe" during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images People wearing face masks hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest Reuters Protesters gather AP Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Radhika Aligh Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn People wearing face masks and holding banners march in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd Reuters A protester wearing a face mask holds a sign saying 'I can't breathe' during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protesters take part in a demonstration at Hyde Park AP People wearing a face mask hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest Reuters Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Radhika Aligh Protesters hold up placards as people gather AP A woman wearing a face mask with a "Justice For Belly Mujinga" message is seen in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest Reuter Protesters hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Jeremy Selwyn Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Radhika Aligh Protestors at Hyde Park protest for George Floyd Radhika Aligh

Mr Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died on May 25 after a white police officer pressed his knee against his neck, ignoring his I cant breathe cries.

Bystander video sparked outrage over Mr Floyds death and protests, some violent, that spread across the US and beyond.

Three fired police officers were charged with aiding and abetting murder in Mr Floyds death.

Meanwhile, Rev. Al Sharpton said the Washington rally he announced this week was being planned for August 28, the anniversary of the day Martin Luther King gave his I Have a Dream speech.

He said the August event would be a way of maintaining momentum as the legal process against the men charged in Mr Floyds death is under way.

He said: Its going to be months, if not a year, before you even go to trial. So you cant let this peter out  otherwise youll end up in a year and people will go on to another story, and you will not have the public notice and pressure that you need.
The Covid-19 global pandemic is the most extensive to afflict humanity in a century. A serious crisis for the entire world, and a daunting challenge, it poses a grave threat to human life and health.

This is a war that humanity has to fight and win. Facing this unknown, unexpected, and devastating disease, China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread. Making peoples lives and health its first priority, China adopted extensive, stringent, and thorough containment measures, and has for now succeeded in cutting all channels for the transmission of the virus. 1.4 billion Chinese people have exhibited enormous tenacity and solidarity in erecting a defensive rampart that demonstrates their power in the face of such natural disasters.

Having forged the idea that the world is a global community of shared future, and believing that it must act as a responsible member, China has fought shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world. In an open, transparent, and responsible manner and in accordance with the law, China gave timely notification to the international community of the onset of a new coronavirus, and shared without reserve its experience in containing the spread of the virus and treating the infected. China has great empathy with victims all over the world, and has done all it can to provide humanitarian aid in support of the international communitys endeavors to stem the pandemic.

The virus is currently wreaking havoc throughout the world. China grieves for those who have been killed and those who have sacrificed their lives in the fight, extends the greatest respect to those who are struggling to save lives, and offers true moral support to those who are infected and receiving treatment. China firmly believes that as long as all countries unite and cooperate to mount a collective response, the international community will succeed in overcoming the pandemic, and will emerge from this dark moment in human history into a brighter future.

To keep a record of Chinas efforts in its own fight against the virus, to share its experience with the rest of the world, and to clarify its ideas on the global battle, the Chinese government now releases this white paper.

Download the Full Text
Public pools in La Porte have been open since Memorial Day weekend, and visitors should be aware of new rules related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The city operates four public pools  the Fairmont Pool at 10216 Hillridge, Little Cedar Bayou Wave Pool at 600 Little Cedar Bayou Drive, San Jacinto Pool at 504 East G St. and Northwest Pool at 10210 North P St.

Jesse Baker, recreational coordinator for the citys parks department, said the summer swim season was slower to kick off than normal, but hes seen use pickup in recent weeks.

We opened our pools on May 23 on Memorial Day weekend, and normally thats super busy, but this year I think we only hit maximum capacity at one of our pools, he said. Our wave pool, which is typically our most popular, can hold 600 people but was capped at 150 people (due to state guidelines), and I dont even think we were above 75.

However, now that summer is in full swing, Baker suspects the numbers will rise. But as more people come out to enjoy a day of swimming, he said he wants them to be aware of the restrictions and modified hours that are in place.

Each pool is restricting usage to 50 percent capacity, which means a maximum of 300 people at the wave pool, 50 at San Jacinto and Northwest and 38 at the Fairmont facility. Whats more, swimming will be divided into sessions, which will allow for cleaning to occur in between.

What we do is we make everyone leave the pool completely, and we spend 30 minutes disinfecting and cleaning before the next session, Baker said.

He said residents should be aware that if they pay for a session and intend to swim at another session on the same day, they will have to pay again. He also urged them to show up about 10-15 minutes ahead of the start of the session to get in line to ensure they are allowed entry as pools may fill up faster because of capacity restrictions.

The Fairmont, San Jacinto and Northwest pools are open daily from noon until 7 p.m. The wave pool is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

He said most visitors have been complying with the new rules.

For the most part its been OK, but weve had an instance here and there where people were upset because its an inconvenience to leave (for a cleaning) or they were waiting in the parking lot in their car (for a session to start) and werent able to come in because they werent in line, Baker said.

La Porte residents should also be aware that all the citys splash pads are closed until further notice and that pool showers are closed, as well. However, bathrooms remain open.

Baker said the city is also offering group and private swim lessons. Group lessons will be limited to 6-8 pupils. Registration is required.

For more information about pool hours, entrance fees, swim sessions, swim lessons and pool entrance fees, visit https://bit.ly/2BJxKOV.
In what can be touted as a historical mission, Elon Musks ambitious SpaceX-NASA mission has been a massive success as for the first ever time humans were sent into space on a private spaceship. SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft carried two veteran NASA astronauts, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, and successfully blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30. Here are some of the most interesting facts about this historical mission that will answer all your queries:

1. This was the first time ever that a commercial flight was used to send humans to space. This historic feat is being considered as the beginning of a new era in space exploration as this is the first ever time the astronauts have used a spaceship built and launched by a private company. Earlier, in an interview with Everyday Astronaut, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said that a government monopoly in space exploration was not sustainable. Hence, inviting private companies is expected to exponentially bring down the cost of space travel.

 NASA, SpaceX

2. Interestingly, this NASA launch happened for the first time in nine years from the US soil. The last mission from the US was STS-135 mission on July 8, 2011, following which all astronauts were flown to the International Space Station in Russias Soyuz Capsule.



3. In this historical mission, the NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley have embarked on a 19-hour voyage to the orbiting International Space Station, where they will actually spend four months before returning home. Isnt that phenomenal?

 SpaceX AP

4. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Whats interesting is that this is the same launchpad from which the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo 11 Mission had taken off, that carried the first humans to the Moon.



5. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, built by SpaceX, is devoid of any buttons or switches, which has been the norm in all space flights up till now. However, it has large touch screens to navigate and control the various functions. The spacecraft also gets a life support system for times of crisis.

 NASA SpaceX

6. Well, heres another interesting fact related to this launch. Ahmedabad engineer Adhir Saiyadh, an amateur radio enthusiast, managed to get a response from the astronauts on the SpaceX Crew Dragons spaceship while he was trying to communicate with the International Space Station. Saiyadh used his amateur radio or better known as ham radio to communicate with the astronauts.



Falcon 9, the rocket that carried the Crew Dragon to space is already back in a safe condition and successfully landed on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean. The safe return of the rocket will now help SpaceX save costs in future. In addition, NASA had initially planned the first launch attempt for May 27 but it was postponed due to bad weather conditions caused by the Tropical Storm Bertha.

After spending a few weeks at the space station, the two astronauts will begin their journey back to Earth using the same Crew Dragon capsule.
Founder of One Empire, Bridgette Bidner

An 18-year-old marketing student with no prior design or business experience has created a luxury pyjama label that is on track to make $1million this year - and COVID-19 restrictions helped the business boom.

Bridgette Bidner, now 21, started One Empire in June 2018 after struggling to find pyjamas that she liked and that were equally as affordable.

'I initially had half a warehouse in my bedroom at my parents' house which only grew bigger and slowly got out of hand, with boxes in the hallway and a car packed with parcels,' the Darwin-based entrepreneur told FEMAIL.

'I then had everything in a spare bedroom in my apartment which became crowded over time, as it really started to take off.

'This progressed to having everything shipped from our warehouse in Melbourne, which lightened the load while studying full-time.'

Initially the marketing student had 'zero idea' of how to start a fashion label and searched for manufacturers on Google, before flying overseas to meet them.

'I visited their offices and we would go over different fabrics, cuts and measurements directly. I gradually got better at designing the pieces with continuous trial and hell of a lot of error,' she said.

The pyjamas are all one block colour and feature a satin fabric interwoven with lace

Miss Bidner poured over Pinterest images for two months, gaining inspiration and creating an overall theme for the brand (influencer Emilee Hembrow pictured right)

'Later on I worked with a consultant to grow the business even more. I used LinkedIn a lot to connect with brand owners who knew what they were doing.'

Miss Bidner poured over Pinterest images for two months, gaining inspiration and creating an overall theme for the brand.

She describes the range as prioritising 'simplicity' and 'class' which she couldn't see other sleepwear labels doing at the time.

Never one to like prints she preferred the 'plainer' satin sets, believing that other women must feel that way too.

'I knew I was on to something early on when I used influencer marketing, which was an Instagram story with Big Brother star Skye Wheatley, and made $5,000 in less than 24 hours,' she said.

'I knew I was on to something early on when I used influencer marketing, which was an Instagram story with Big Brother star Skye Wheatley (pictured), and made $5,000 in less than 24 hours,' she said

Since coronavirus hit Australian shores, and states were forced into lockdown, Miss Bidner saw a huge surge of support for One Empire, because more people were staying home

Since coronavirus hit Australian shores, and states were forced into lockdown, Miss Bidner saw a surge of support for One Empire, because more people were staying home.

'Coronavirus has been huge. With staying at home becoming the new way of life, we marketed the range as a stay-at-home essential, which skyrocketed our sales,' she said.

Being exclusively sold online has benefited the brand during the crisis as they didn't have a brick-and-mortar store to worry about.

In the last two months sales have been scaling from $20,000, with a fast-tracked goal of reaching $1million by the end of the year.

Miss Bidner hopes to develop different lace and satin styles that don't exceed $30 a pair in the coming months so more Australian customers can access the range.
A woman arrested for her alleged links with the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and charged with instigating violent protests in Delhi in February has been hospitalised after testing positive for Covid-19 in the National Investigation Agencys (NIA) custody, people familiar with the matter said. It wasnt immediately clear how Hina Bashir Beigh, 39, contracted the disease.

The people cited above said the interrogators have been asked to undergo Covid-19 tests and follow the quarantine process. A person aware of the developments said that around 7-8 officials, including a police superintendent, questioned Beigh last week.

Beigh and her husband, Jahanzaib Sami, who are from Srinagar, were arrested from Delhi in March for their alleged links with ISKP and for allegedly instigating protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

NIA, which is probing cases pertaining to IS in India, took the custody of Beigh, Sami and another suspect, Mohammad Abdullah Basith, from Delhis Tihar jail on May 29. Basith, who is from Hyderabad, was arrested in August 2018 for allegedly trying to carry out attacks in India and inspiring people to join the group.

The three tested Covid-19-negative when NIA took their custody, the people said. NIA questioned the three at the agencys headquarters for nine days. Beigh developed Covid-19 symptoms during the interrogation and was tested again. NIA informed the duty magistrate at New Delhis Patiala House Courts Complex on Sunday that Beigh has been found positive for the infectious disease.

Her lawyer, MS Khan, said: I urged the court that Beigh should be immediately referred to a hospital and permission be granted for her to talk to me regularly, which was not allowed earlier.

Sami and Basith have not shown any signs of the disease yet, the people said.

An NIA spokesperson did not respond to HTs calls for a comment.

NIA on May 29 said the agency needs the custody of the three to unearth a larger criminal conspiracy as they were in touch with several unknown people in India and abroad. Beigh, Sami and Basith were motivated by ISIS ideology and working for banned terror organisation ISKP in India for which they had created a lot of email IDs and secured social media chat platform IDs to interact with the like-minded persons for sharing the contents propagating the ideology of ISKP and ISIS in general, according to the NIA remand paper accessed by HT.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:24:20|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Dec. 1, 2017 shows a light show at Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, China, Dec. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

On concerns over threatened sanctions on Hong Kong by the United States, Hong Kong's finance chief believes that the United States will also suffer from damaged global confidence in the U.S. dollar and U.S. financial assets.

HONG KONG, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Financial Secretary of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Paul Chan said on Sunday that to limit U.S. dollar trading in Hong Kong will in return damage global confidence in the U.S. dollar and U.S. financial assets.

Extreme measures, such as restricting Hong Kong using the U.S. dollar or the settlement system, are also highly risky to the United States itself, the Hong Kong finance chief wrote in an online article in response to concerns over threatened sanctions by the United States.

Any move to rattle the financial system of Hong Kong, which is the third largest U.S. dollar trading center in the world, will also have an enormous impact on global financial markets, Chan noted.

Hong Kong is closely connected to global economic and financial systems, and provides investment, wealth management, trade and settlement services to numerous businesses from Asia-Pacific and other parts of the world, he wrote.

The United States has recently threatened to slap sanctions on Hong Kong after China's national legislature adopted a decision to make the national security legislation for Hong Kong.

Chan reiterated that the actual impact of the so-called sanctions will be very limited and that other global financial centers also have their own national security laws.

He wrote that he remains optimistic about Hong Kong's status as a global financial center as it has been supported by businesses and capital from the Chinese mainland with closer financial ties and has been increasingly recognized by global investors.

In the article, Chan also noted the Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle. 




I think the rules send a signal that people like me are dirty or dangerous in a way that seems inconsistent with my understanding of the risks posed by men who have sex with men as opposed to other demographics who are not subjected to the same restrictions, he said. We are living in the age of preparation, of much more sophisticated testing for HIV, so this feels targeted.
At 2 pm every day, a group of some 20 Kashmiri youth spreads out on the streets of Srinagar looking for stray canines to feed.

Animal welfare activists say hunger and thirst have been a major cause of animal illness during the lockdown particularly among the stray dogs which used to feed on leftovers from restaurants, hotels and meat shops before the restrictions forced markets shut to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

For more than two months now, these animal welfare activists in Kashmir have been roaming the deserted streets of Srinagar and its outskirts with bags of food to feed the canines.

After the restrictions were imposed, we increasingly got calls from people of ill dogs on roads and when we took them to hospitals, we came to know that they were hungry and thirsty. In fact we lost three dogs to hunger. It was then we decided to start a feeding drive for them, said 23-year-old Nighat Lone who runs a voluntary rescue and rehabilitation organisation, Kashmir Animal Welfare (KAW).

Lone, 23, said that the canines used to survive on leftovers from restaurants and from bins at shopping sites before the lockdown. After the restrictions, there was nothing these animals could feed upon, she said.

Volunteers of Lones organisation, along with another animal welfare organisation called Healing Pat, have been particularly going to those areas which are commercial places or markets where the animals dont have anything to eat.

In residential areas or colonies, animals do get something because people live there but at shopping sites and outside restaurants, the bins are empty, Lone, who has done her BBA, said.

Dawood Muhammad, who runs Healing Pat, said that they provide food to the animals once a day.

We dont have any standard food but we are providing them one meal everyday to save their lives. We are all volunteers and working on our own with the money from our own pockets, he said.

The food is mostly biscuits, leftovers from chicken and meat shops, rice and even dog food. On an average we feed around 1,000 dogs in the city and adjoining districts every day, he said.

Stray dogs have been a persistent health issue in Kashmir particularly in capital Srinagar where the conservative estimates put the dog population anywhere around 60,000.

Between 2012-13 and 2018-19 around 37,700 dog bite cases were recorded at Srinagars Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital.

We are aware of the issues of the public. It is true that we have more dog population and a substantial number of dog bites but that is a universal problem. We are against poisoning and want their sterilizations, so that their population decreases with the passage of time, Lone said.

Animal birth control (ABC) or sterilisation measures by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) authorities to control the dog population have often been described as sluggish. Animal lovers are opposed to culling stray dogs.

Lone said that the animal care gives her satisfaction. Lives of both humans and animals are important and hunger is common. I feel inner satisfaction when I feed these animals and take care of them and I think God has chosen me for this, she said.

Dr Javaid Rather, Srinagar Municipal Corporations Veterinary Officer said that the corporation and the volunteers from animal welfare organisations were together in this endeavour.

It was a collaborative effort. We let the volunteers do the feeding and provided them the passes. An NGO Kashmir Animal Welfare donated us some dog feed and we also diverted some of our staff meant for animal birth control (ABC) to feed the animals because we knew that the animals would die near markets and commercial areas where people dont live nearby, Rather said.

The officer said that the sterilization of animals suffered a pause during the pandemic. For the past one year we have sterilized some 1,000 dogs and gave anti rabies vaccines to an 1,800 canines, he said.

The dog bite cases have been showing a decline due to sterilizations as well as after we managed to minimise the availability of garbage in open in the city, Rather said.
Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Eun Sung-soo, second from left, speaks to Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Yoon Suk-heun, second from right, during a lunch meeting at a restaurant on Yeouido in Seoul, Friday. The meeting was held to celebrate the appointment of new FSS senior deputy governors a day earlier. / Courtesy of FSC
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

India to decide on resuming international flights when countries ease curbs

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, June 07: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that the international flight operations will start soon as there there is a huge demand for travel to and from India.

The minister also said that it depends on the foreign countries whether they are open to incoming flights from India or not.

"A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights," Puri said on Twitter.

"Most countries have less than 10 per cent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens & have placed restrictions on foreign nationals," he added.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

On resuming international flights, Hardeep Puri cites 'several factors

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India. However, special repatriation flights are being operated by Air India and other airlines to countries across the world under the Vande Bharat Mission.

Countries like Japan and Singapore have put significant restrictions on entry of foreigners amid the coronavirus pandemic.

India resumed its domestic passenger flights on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.
Donald Trump blasted Colin Powell as 'overrated' and a 'stiff' on Sunday after the former national security adviser and secretary of State said he would not be supporting the president's reelection in November.

'Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden,' Trump charged in a Sunday morning tweet. 'Didn't Powell say that Iraq had 'weapons of mass destruction?' They didn't, but off we went to WAR!'

Earlier in the morning, Powell joined the list of high-profile Republicans, including George W. Bush and Mitt Romney, who are not voting for Donald Trump in 2020 as the president's own party is turning against him in the midst of nationwide turmoil.

The Reagan-era National Security Advisor told CNN on Sunday morning: 'I cannot in any way support President Trump this year.'

Powell, who served as George W. Bush's secretary of State, explained his reasoning had to do with the way the president treats people and has reacted to the coronavirus pandemic race riots.

'We have a Constitution and we have to follow that Constitution and the President has drifted away from it,' Powell said regarding the treatment of protesters who took to the streets after George Floyd's death.

'I'm very close to Joe Biden in a social matter and on a political matter,' Powell continued. 'I have worked with him for 35, 40 years. And he is now the candidate, and I will be voting for him.'

Trump clapped back on Twitter shortly after the interview aired and asserted that electing Biden or any other Democrat would lead to the defunding of police and military in the U.S.

'Not only will Sleepy Joe Biden DEFUND THE POLICE, but he will DEFUND OUR MILITARY! He has no choice, the Dems are controlled by the Radical Left.'

'Sleepy Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats want to 'DEFUND THE POLICE'. I want great and well paid LAW ENFORCEMENT. I want LAW & ORDER!' Trump continued in another tweet.

Trump lashed out at Colin Powell on Twitter, claiming he is a 'stiff' who is to blame for getting the U.S. involved in 'Middle East Wars'

He also called the retired four-star Army general, who is also a Reagan-era national security adviser and served as George W. Bush's secretary of State, 'overrated'

Colin Powell told CNN Sunday morning that he 'cannot in any way support President Trump this year' and will instead be voting for Joe Biden

Trump warned on Twitter that if Biden is elected, he will 'defund the police' and military

The comments came after other high profile Republicans, including former President George W. Bush (left) and Utah Senator Mitt Romney (right), reportedly indicated that they will not vote for Trump in 2020

Trump carried on with his criticism of Powell as he touted his presidential successes so far.

'Somebody please tell highly overrated Colin Powell that I will have gotten almost 300 Federal Judges approved (a record), Two Great Supreme Court Justices, rebuilt our once depleted Military, Choice for Vets, Biggest Ever Tax & Regulation Cuts, Saved Healthcare & 2A, & much more!' the president tweeted.

The retired four-star Army general also praised other former and current military leaders for condemning the president's decision to call in active duty military to the Washington D.C. area to quell protests.

Among those who chastised the move were former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and current Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

The condemnation of the president comes as he loses ground among some of his most loyal supporters, and is still trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden by 7 percentage points, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll revealed Sunday.

Trump lashed out at his competitor on Twitter Sunday morning, claiming Biden is 'controlled by the Radical Left' and warning Republicans that he will 'defund police' if elected president.

As of Saturday, Biden secured enough delegates in primary elections across the country to win the Democratic nomination  even though he has been the presumed nominee since April, when remaining Democratic competitor Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out.

While former President Bush is also not going to back the re-election of President Trump, according to a report from The New York Times, it is not clear if that means he will support Biden.

The nation's 43rd president is one of several members at the top of the GOP who are keeping quiet on their support for the incumbent.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, who was the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, is also said to be considering placing a vote for Biden.

Neither Bush nor Romney, however, voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

America's 43rd president George W. Bush will not vote for Trump in the election, the NYT reported

Romney, pictured here soon after Trump won his election in 2016, is also not planning on voting for the president and is reportedly considering casting his ballot for Biden

Joe Biden, who just clinched enough delegate to earn the Democratic nomination, is said to be about to launch a 'Republicans for Biden' arm to his campaign

Pundits also said it's possible that Bush could consider voting for Biden, but the former president has not said anything on the matter

Bush has not spoken out publicly against Trump, but the president tweeted about his predecessor during his impeachment trial.

'Oh bye [sic] the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside,' Trump wrote on Twitter. 'He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history!'

Dan Bartlett, who served in the Bush White House as counselor to the president told Statesman he hasn't 'heard of anything about Bush even contemplating an endorsement and would be surprised if he jumped in on either side.'

It's a similar view held by Republican book author and expert Mark Updegrove.

'He's obviously not a fan,' Updegrove said when it comes to George W's feelings about Trump. 'He told me in mid-2016 that Trump 'really doesn't understand the job of president' and later that he voted for 'none of the above'.

Updegrove said that it was unlikely Bush would vote for Biden but he wouldn't be endorsing Trump.

Bush's brother, Jeb, is also planning not to vote for Trump, along with Senator Romney as well.

Others include John McCain's widow, Cindy McCain, who is likely to vote for Biden.

The report also notes Republican former Speaker Paul Ryan and former Speaker John Boehner are not declaring publicly how they will vote but some in the GOP may decide to go for a third-party contender or simply openly declare their vote for Biden who is about to launch a 'Republicans for Biden' arm to his campaign.

President Donald Trump tweeted last month calling out President Bush for not backing him during his impeachment trial

President Bush's brother Jeb, is also planning on withholding his vote for Trump later this year

The Times reports that the numbers of Republicans thinking of holding back a vote for Trump is growing with some possibly contemplating a vote for the Democrats, particularly in light of the president's response to last weeks protests of police brutality and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Senator Lisa Murkowski acknowledged Thursday, that she's 'struggling' over whether she can support President Donald Trump given his handling of the virus and race crises shaking the US

Party divisions in the GOP erupted after retired Marine General James Mattis, Trump's former Secretary of Defense, issued a stinging public rebuke of Trump, accusing the president of 'abuse of executive authority' to stage a 'bizarre photo op' earlier in the week which saw authorities having to tear gas peaceful protesters outsider the White House.

'Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people  does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,' Mattis wrote in a statement.

Powell told CNN's Jake Tapper Sunday morning that 'you have to agree' with Mattis' comments.

'I mean, look at what he has done to divide us,' Powell said of the president. 'He is insulting us throughout the world. He is being offensive to our allies. He's not taking into account what our foreign policy is and how it is being affected by his actions.'

'I agree with all of my former colleagues,' he said of the former and current military leaders who have denounced the president.

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Maine also broke party ranks on Thursday to say she is struggling to decide whether she can support Trump's re-election, and backed Mattis' critique.

Asked if she supported Trump, who faces voters in November, Murkowski said, 'I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time.'

'He is our duly elected president. I will continue to work with him ... but I think right now as we are all struggling to find ways to express the words that need to be expressed appropriately,' Murkowski said.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty rank-and-file Republicans whom Trump can count on their loyal support along with other big names in the GOP who seem happy to support Trump no matter what.

They include Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Lindsey Graham.

Top military leaders and Republicans speaking out against Trump are likely contributing to his drop in support from blue-collar non-college educated voters  a demographic that make up some of his most loyal supporters.

Eight in 10 Americans claimed in the NBC/WSJ poll that things are 'out of control' in the midst of George Floyd riots and the continuing coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout that ensued.

Among all registered voters, Joe Biden has held his 7 per cent lead against the president.

The 49 per cent to 42 per cent survey results for the presidential race are unchanged from the same question posed in the April version of the poll.

Biden's biggest advantage against Trump comes from the African American vote, where he leads the president with 82 per cent support to Trump's 9 per cent.

Notably, the poll was conducted May 28 to June 2, which was directly in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, which sparked nationwide outrage, leading to unrest, protests and violent riots in cities across the country.

The poll was also taken as the death toll in the U.S. from coronavirus surpassed 100,000 and millions lost their jobs.

While Trump can usually rely on blue-collar workers without a college degree to declare their unwavering support in polls, the most recent poll shows him losing ground with that demographic.

Trump is now only leading that group with about 3 percentage points, and is losing to Biden by 24 per cent among those with a degree.

In 2016, Trump only lost college graduates by 9 per cent to Hillary Clinton, and won non-degree holders by 8 points.
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."
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a national broadcast on Sunday (7 June).

SINGAPORE  For a small country like Singapore, COVID-19 is not merely a public health issue or an economic one  the pandemic has made the world a more troubled place, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (7 June).

While acknowledging that Singapore has made progress in the fight against COVID-19, and thanking frontliners, Lee issued a stark warning about the years ahead: COVID-19 is not only a public health issue. It is also a serious economic, social and political problem. It is in fact the most dangerous crisis humanity has faced in a very long time.

In the first of a series of national broadcasts by Cabinet ministers to take place over the next few weeks, Lee explained how the external strategic landscape has changed, and will change.

Countries will have less stake in each others well being. They will fight more over how the pie is shared, rather than work together to enlarge the pie for all. It will be a less prosperous world, and also a more troubled one. All these developments will affect Singapore greatly, he said.

COVID-19 has also worsened relations between the US and China, Lee added. Actions and counter-actions are raising tensions day by day. It will become harder for countries to stay onside with both powers, he said.

Specifically, it will be a more dangerous world for a small country like Singapore. We must ensure our security, and protect and advance our interests when dealing with other countries, big and small. We must also work with like-minded countries to support free trade and multilateralism, and enhance our voice and influence in the world.

He also outlined some of the everyday changes that people might feel. We will not be returning to the open and connected global economy we had before, anytime soon. Movement of people will be more restricted. International travel will be much less frequent. Health checks and quarantines will become the norm. It will no longer be so easy to take quick weekend trips to Bangkok or Hong Kong on a budget flight, Lee said. Industries that depend on travel, like aviation, hotels and tourism, will take a long time to get back on their feet, and may never recover fully.

Story continues

Crisis of a generation

Lee acknowledged that we have difficult decisions to make on priorities, resources and budgets while reiterating the Singaporean way of meritocracy. Every Singaporean will have equal opportunities. Whatever your starting point in life, you will have access to good education, healthcare, and housing. If you fall down, we will help you to get up, stronger. You can be sure you will be taken care of. In Singapore, no one will be left to walk his journey alone.

In a rallying call, exhorting Singaporeans to stay united, he asked, Confronting adversity, do we yield to anger, fear and bitterness? Or will we be true to ourselves, stand firm, make tough choices, and continue to trust and depend on one another?

Watch his broadcast here:

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COVID-19: Robots to help with operations at new Changi Exhibition Centre isolation facility
Around 50 people gathered for the ribbon-cutting at the intersection of Park Place and Wilson Street, roughly at the halfway point on the trail segment. Speakers noted that the site, which will eventually host a memorial to veterans who served in the Middle East, was having the ribbon-cutting on both the 76th anniversary of D-Day, when American troops stormed the beach at Normandy during World War II, and National Trails Day.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning to relax rules on outdoor dining and weddings, as well as speeding up government investment plans in a bid to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus, newspapers reported on Saturday.

The Sunday Times said Johnson wanted to relax planning restrictions that stop many pubs, cafes and restaurants from using outside areas, and also to make it legal to hold weddings outside - something currently limited to Jews and Quakers.

Indoor weddings and funerals with up to 10 people attending would also be permitted from early July, while places of worship would be allowed to reopen for private prayer from June 15, as part of plans to be announced in the coming week, the newspaper said.

Boris wants us back to normal, or as near to it as possible, before the summer, the newspaper quoted a senior source as saying, adding the prime minister was concerned about forecasts of a sharp rise in unemployment.

A spokeswoman for Johnsons Downing Street office had no immediate comment on the report.

Separately, the Sunday Telegraph said Johnson planned to announce in the coming weeks that the government would speed up road improvements and the construction of 40 new hospitals it had promised before last Decembers election.

Now is the time to be even more ambitious with his plans to unite and level up the country, a government source was quoted as telling the Sunday Telegraph.
The chaos surrounding secondary schools is set to continue next year as the coronavirus wreaks havoc with GCSEs and A-levels.

Exams will likely be impacted next summer due to some colleges in England not opening properly until January.

Regulator Ofqual has taken the drastic step of creating contingency plans for next year's intake as students face months out of lessons.

Two ideas being touted are to move exams from May to July or to renew this year's emergency marking system.

It comes as a government adviser warned missing education was more dangerous for pupils than coronavirus.

Dr Gavin Morgan, who sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), which advises the government's response to coronavirus, said keeping children out of class was '100 per cent worse' for them than the killer bug.

Exams will likely be impacted next summer due to some colleges in England not opening properly until January (pictured, a secondary school in Braintree, Essex, remains closed)

Teaching unions admitted thousands of secondary school students will only be back in class part-time from September due to the PM's advice on social distancing.

Some will have to stay working from home and many may be forced to do the same when clusters of Covid-19 break out.

Dr Gavin Morgan, who sits on Sage, which advises the government's on Covid-19, said keeping children out of class was '100 per cent worse' for them than the killer bug

Headteachers last week informed parents their children may face a further six months out of the classroom.

Headmaster Andrew Halls from the private King's College School in Wimbledon, south-west London, outlined the new reality for families in a letter.



'I would love to believe that the coronavirus will soon pack its suitcase and fly to Mars, but this seems improbable,' he said according to the Sunday Times.

He added: 'Some children, though it is impossible to say what proportion, may not be back in school until January 2021.

'Heads are now discussing whether GCSE and A-levels will be awarded in the same way as this summer.'

Ofqual said it understood children, parents and teachers are concerned by the disruption caused by the pandemic.

But it added it was working with the Department of Education to ensure exams and assessments are 'as fair as possible'.

Teaching unions admitted thousands of secondary school students will only be back in class part-time from September due to the PM's advice on social distancing (pictured, children abiding by the rules at Brambles Primary Academy in Huddersfield last week)

Pupils face being given WRONG grades due to AQA's online system GCSE and A-Level pupils face being given the wrong grades due to teachers manually inputting thousands of scores into AQA exam board's online system that is 'ripe for human error'. Concerns have been raised about its 'grade entry portal', in which marks have to be put in one-by-one by teachers. AQA's method has left school staff horrified and one teacher claimed the system is 'ripe for basic human error'. But a spokesman for the exam board strongly refuted the claims, telling MailOnline the portal system has multiple administrators who can review, edit and check the data for errors meaning no pupils faced being awarded the wrong grades. Advertisement

An Ofqual spokesman said: 'Our overriding aim is to ensure exams and assessments are as fair as possible and we are working closely with the Department for Education, exam boards and groups representing teachers, schools and colleges, to carefully consider a range of possible measures.

'We will provide further information in the coming weeks.'

The current measures for marking sees teachers award grades based on assignments and rank pupils in order of merit.

Last Monday children in years reception, one, and six went back to class and the government hopes to return all primary school pupils by the end of this month.

Year 10 and year 12 students will be allowed on school grounds ahead of summer for limited periods.

But most other year groups face six months out of school as they will not return until at least September.

More schools shelved plans to reopen tomorrow 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 teachers on Friday advising them not to reopen on Monday.

The same advice has been given by public health officials in Tameside, Greater Manchester, to delay reopening other than for vulnerable children and those of key workers to June 22.

New research showed the virus' reproductive rate, known as the R value, is higher than the crucial threshold of 1 in the North West region.

A member of school staff wearing PPE takes a child's temperature at the Harris Academy's Shortland's school in London

The Government has suggested a strategy of 'local lockdown' measures to fight any flare-up of the virus in particular areas.

But 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 questioned whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon, having been driven from London.

Council bosses in Liverpool and Gateshead led a northern backlash against the government announcement last month advising primary schools to reopen.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Friday, said experts on Sage believe the UK's overall R number is below 1.

But he added local lockdowns would be used when outbreaks are spotted in the coming months.

Last Monday children in years reception, one, and six went back to class (pictured, Brambles Primary Academy in Huddersfield) and the government hopes to return all primary school pupils by the end of this month

Sage expert Dr Morgan noted the health impact on children from Covid-19 is 'minuscule', while a long time without learning would devastate their development.

The expert in education psychology at University College London told the Sunday Telegraph: 'We know they have a less challenging disease if they do pick it up. The impact on children is minuscule in terms of their health.'

'We know how important play is for children's development. If they can't play with their friends, their mental health is going to suffer.

'Children may well have developed secure attachment with teachers and they have been denied access to them.'

Ahead of the phased return of pupils to some schools, Sage last month published the advice it had given the government.

Among the evidence cited was that children will be damaged for the rest of their life if they remain in lockdown, with their physical and mental well being impacted.


The ongoing pandemic has cruelly reminded us of the need for partnerships that transcend boundaries in order to solve global challenges. This is more than ever true for the challenges facing our oceans. India and Norway recognise this today in our celebration of World Oceans Day. Only by respecting (samman in Hindi) our ocean spaces together (sammen in Norwegian) can we benefit from its full potential today and in the future.

Our oceans hold the worlds longest mountain ranges and deepest canyons. They give us oxygen and regulate the climate. Almost half of the worlds inhabitants depend on the oceans for food and employment, and the figures are increasing. In only 30 years, the global population may be close to 10 billion people. The world will look to the oceans for food, jobs, energy, transport, raw materials, medicines and economic growth to be able to sustain a population of this magnitude.

Our oceans are already under tremendous pressure. There is an urgent need for concerted action to ensure a more sustainable and integrated approach in years to come. India and Norway have joined forces to tackle some of the most pertinent questions related to this balance between exploitation and preservation.

The ocean industries  offshore energy, maritime transportation, seafood and newer industries  constitute the backbone of the Norwegian economy. They provide significant opportunities for prosperity and employment for both our countries on the path to recovery after the pandemic. Norwegian businesses recognise the vast potential of the Indian blue economy industries, and can offer important competence. India and Norway are ready to pursue new commercial partnerships in a range of sectors, such as sustainable shipping, aquaculture and renewable energy.

India has launched an ambitious Deep Ocean Mission last year which over a five-year span will explore the deepest recesses of the Central Indian Ocean Basin, look at harnessing tidal energy and study the oceans biodiversity, metals and minerals.

In order to fulfil the potential of the blue economy also for future generations, we must ensure that our oceans are safe, clean and healthy. Neither of our countries has always got the balance right between exploitation and protection. In the long run, it is, however, clear that what is good for the ocean environment is also good for ocean business.

A recent blue paper commissioned by the high-level panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy makes the case for integrated ocean management for achieving a sustainable ocean economy. The longstanding scientific partnership between India and Norway regarding ocean research has been strengthened with the launch of a Joint Initiative on Integrated Ocean Management between our two countries in February. We are currently exploring how we can share experiences, research and technology in this field.

Marine litter is an environmental issue that represents a significant risk for the blue economy as well as for marine life itself. We are concerned by reports that there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. Fortunately, we have the knowledge and technology to solve this problem. Both India and Norway are taking great strides in the right direction. India, for example, has ambitions to phase out single-use plastic by 2022. We have established a Joint Marine Pollution Initiative, which is taking advantage of our respective strengths in waste management, marine research, business and technology in order to learn from one another and implement best practices.

Litter does not respect national boundaries; so this is another challenge that demands global solutions. Our two ministers of environment have, therefore, jointly committed to supporting global action on plastic pollution. We are exploring the feasibility of establishing a new global agreement in order to manage the responsibility of the world, for the common challenges on marine litter.

India and Norway are both strongly committed to achieving ambitions set in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is our common global framework. Much work remains to be done in order for us to reach SDG 14  Life Below Water. Success related to this goal will, however, facilitate progress in other SDGs such as ending poverty and hunger and ensuring good health. Cooperation between a variety of stakeholders is key to achieving all the SDGs  at the national, bilateral and multilateral levels  on land and at sea.

On this World Oceans Day, we are proud to affirm a solid partnership between India and Norway on our journey towards oceans that are both wealthy and healthy. We learn from each other about the oceans themselves, the technologies to master its resources, and the action needed to increase sustainability. An added value is an increased understanding of each others countries and our culture, heritage and language. These are important cornerstones in any good relationship. The Indo-Norwegian ocean partnership aims to deliver siger (victory) for our sagar (oceans) through respect (samman) together (sammen).

Hans Jacob Frydenlund is the ambassador of Norway to India and Ratan P Watal is member secretary, Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister, Government of India

The views expressed are personal
By Victoria Waldersee and Paul Carrel

LISBON/BERLIN (Reuters) - Portugal's prosecutor's office said on Saturday it would pore over its files to see if a German man suspected of murdering British girl Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in the southern Algarve region in 2007, has a criminal record there.

Germany is investigating a 43-year-old German national on suspicion of murder, the Braunschweig state prosecutor said on Thursday..

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed to Reuters on Saturday he was representing the suspect, Christian B., but declined to comment.

German police said on Wednesday that the suspect lived in the Algarve between 1995 and 2007 and that he worked in the catering industry while also burgling holiday flats and drug dealing. The suspect is currently in detention over a different matter.

On Friday, the prosecutor general's office in Portugal said there were no records of crimes committed by the suspect in the Algarve.

However on Saturday, asked specifically about German court documents citing his past convictions in Portugal and his own confession in a German court of at least two cases of theft, the prosecutor's office said, "Given the new elements that have arisen, we will revise our search".

The Portuguese prosecutors said on Friday that the only records they had of the suspect were five requests for international judiciary cooperation, at least one related to the McCann case. They would not say if the man had ever been investigated in Portugal in relation to the McCann case.

McCann, aged 3, vanished from her bedroom on May 3, 2007 while her parents were dining with friends nearby in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, sparking an international search.

In Germany, the Braunschweig state prosecutor said on Thursday the suspect was a sex offender with multiple convictions, including for sexual abuse of children, and that authorities assumed the child was dead. No body has ever been found.

Story continues

Joaquim Braz, 50, who lives near Praia da Luz, said he remembered the suspect: "I didn't like him very much. I remember him very well but he kept to himself".

Strolling by the beach on Saturday in Praia da Luz, Danny Townsend, 53, who bought his holiday home the year McCann vanished and moved there permanently 18 months ago from England, said it was important that the authorities got to the bottom of what happened.

"It's a nice place and it would be great if we could get to the point it's resolved and people can move on but in the meantime we have to live with it I guess," added Townsend.

(Additional reporting by Catarina Demony in Praia da Luz, Maria Sheahan and Joern Poltz in Germany; Writing by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Ellison  whose father is prosecuting the four fired officers connected to Floyds death as Minnesotas attorney general  has been a constant presence on the streets and at protests, and he started a community patrol the Friday after the incident. While on patrol, he joined a last-ditch  and ultimately unsuccessful  effort to squelch a fire at the Fade Factory barbershop, carrying buckets of water to douse the flames before firefighters arrived. The owner, Trevon Ellis, gave an emotional interview on live TV as his shop burned, explaining that the fire department  overwhelmed by calls throughout the city  had put him on a waiting list and took two hours to arrive.
Press Release

June 7, 2020 De Lima welcomes move by Senate Health Committee to address mental health concerns Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima is joining the Senate Health Committee in its call to address mental health concerns as the fears and anxieties brought about by COVID-19 continue to take an emotional toll on many Filipinos. De Lima said that it is correct to give due importance to the mental health needs of the Filipinos as we proceed in our daily struggles with emotional stress, trauma, anxiety, and depression, among others, amid the global health crisis. "The recent move by the Senate panel to safeguard the Filipino public's physiological wellbeing by holding a public hearing on Senate Bill 1471, which seeks to amend Republic Act 11036 or the 'Mental Health Act', is a step in the right direction," she said. "It is indeed the government's duty to include mental health measures in its national response plan to address the mental health needs of the Filipino public and include it in its responses against the pandemic," she added. As early as March 30, or less than a month after Mr. Duterte placed the entire Luzon on an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to contain the spread of COVID-19, De Lima has already urged the government to look into the effect of the state-imposed restrictions on the mental health of Filipinos. "Even though Manila already transitioned to general community quarantine last June 1, we know that the uncertainties and anxieties of many people affected by this crisis will not end with just a snap of a finger, especially considering that the vaccine against COVID-19 is not yet available and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is on the rise," she said. Last May 28, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography tackled SB No. 1471 which seeks to amend the existing Section 5 of the Mental Health Act by inserting a new provision so that the service user shall "immediately receive compensation benefits and/or any special financial assistance that the service user is entitled to under existing laws should the service user sustain temporary or permanent mental disability while in the performance of duty or by reason of his or her office or position." During the hearing, lawmakers also discussed with experts the services done to address the mental health concerns of the public, such as working with other agencies to look after the mental wellbeing of people, including repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers. The lady Senator from Bicol also underscored the importance of checking on one another, and making sure that no one carries the emotional burden caused by Covid-19, alone. "As I've mentioned before, may we not be socially disconnected from one another while we are obliged to keep physical distance from each other," she said. It can be noted that De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, principally authored and sponsored in the Senate Republic Act 11291 or the Magna Carta of the Poor Act not only to address the basic material needs of the poor but also to address the mental health issues critically affecting them.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 12:13:06|Editor: huaxia

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A woman attends a demonstration at Alexanderplatz Square in Berlin, capital of Germany, June 6, 2020. Tens of thousands of people in Germany demonstrated on Saturday against racism and police brutality following the killing of African American George Floyd in the U.S. city of Minneapolis. (Photo by Binh Truong/Xinhua)

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Outrage over the death of George Floyd have sparked a wave of protests in the United States and beyond, with citizens voicing their opposition against racism and police brutality, as well as demanding justice and social fairness.

Floyd, the unarmed African American, was suffocated to death after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25.

Chanting slogans while holding signs, thousands of protesters marched to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, staging what is expected to be the largest demonstration in the nation's capital against racial injustice and police brutality.

After eight days of protests that ebbed and flowed in the district, people from around the country gathered with renewed momentum, streaming into the capital from nearby places such as Arlington, Virginia.

Tens of thousands of people in Germany demonstrated against racism and police brutality in the United States. Many of the demonstrators in black clothes carried banners supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Organizers called for a silent demonstration lasting exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time it took for Floyd to lose consciousness as the police officer knelt on his neck.

In Berlin alone, police said around 15,000 participants gathered at Alexanderplatz Square, despite the minimal distance order during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Munich, around 25,000 demonstrators took to the streets, but according to the police, only 200 people had registered for the event. The meeting area was finally expanded to make more space to allow demonstrators to follow the social distancing order.

In Hamburg, the police said a total of 14,000 people joined the demonstrations in two almost simultaneous rallies at Jungfernstieg and Rathausmarkt, but only around 800 were allowed because of the anti-coronavirus measures.

Thousands of people also went down on their knees on the streets outside the U.S. embassy in Ireland, which was the third of its kind following the killing of George Floyd, demanding a systematic change to the deep-rooted racism existing in America as well as in other places.

On May 31, a group of around 100 people staged a peaceful protest outside the U.S. embassy in Ballsbridge, while another group of people held a demonstration outside the official residence of the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

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."

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people rallied in Paris and several other French cities to pay tribute to Georges Floyd.

Protestors turned out massively at Place de la concorde and the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower to show their solidarity with widespread demonstrations in the United States. In Lyon, Rennes, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille and Rouen, people also defied the sanitary ban to join the rally against racism and police violence.

Across Britain, thousands of people on Saturday joined Black Lives Matter protests. Protesters in central London took the knee during a minute's silence before beginning chants of "no justice, no peace."

Many anti-racism demonstrators wore masks and social distancing measures were encouraged during the events in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield and Newcastle, among other cities.

Huge crowds marched Saturday in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in cities across Australia, including Sydney where a Supreme Court decision banning the protest was overturned at the last minute.

Thousands of people turned out in Brisbane and Adelaide, with even larger crowds in the more populous cities of Melbourne and Sydney, after the New South Wales (NSW) State Court of Appeal ruled in favour of authorising the Sydney protest.

Minutes before the demonstration was scheduled to begin, and after a large crowd had already gathered, the news came through that the protest would be considered lawful, with police aiming to accommodate the demonstrators while maintaining peace.

South Africans "stand in solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters" in fighting racial injustice, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

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," he said.
The see-saw court battle involving controversial Owosso barber Karl Manke continued as the states high court invalidated a lower courts ruling and gave Manke the latest win.

The barber has been at the center of those defying Gov. Gretchen Whitmers order that kept non-essential businesses closed.

Late Friday, 5, the state Supreme Court ruled to vacate the Court of Appeals decision that ordered Shiawassee County Circuit Court Judge Matthew A. Stewart to issue a preliminary injunction to shut down Mankes shop.

The issue came to a boil between Manke and the state Department of Health and Human Services after the 77-year-old reopened his shop May 4 in the face of an executive order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that ordered barber shops and salon to close over COVID-19 concerns.

Owosso barber asks Michigan Supreme Court to let him keep cutting hair

The court battle continues now even though, as the coronavirus crisis seems to be waning, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is allowing salons and barbers to reopen June 15.

Below is a look at more of the most recent developments in the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan:

Michigan coronavirus recoveries now exceed 42,000

The latest state numbers released Saturday, June 6 again hinted that the coronavirus crisis in Michigan is improving dramatically.

The latest data shows more than 42,000 people have recovered from the virus. A recovery is defined as someone who is alive 30 days beyond the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

The states weekly average for daily coronavirus cases also dropped again and is now at 266 cases for the week ending June 3. Thats down from 388 for the previous week.

Hundreds of cars fill Getty Drive-In for sold out season opener

The popular drive in movie theater, 920 E. Summit Ave. in Muskegon, began its season June 5 with new coronavirus precautions in place, including allowing 600 -- half the usual number -- of cars through its gates.

The opening of the Getty Drive-In marked the beginning of summer for some on Friday, pursuant to a gradual opening of the economy by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

But social distancing guidelines are in place, including:

-Customers are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time online at celebrationcinema.com, with the online convenience fees being waived through July. Those who purchase online, will be fast-tracked through separate entrance lines.

-The drive in will be at 50 percent capacity. With half the available spaces being used, attendees will have more room to spread out while maintaining safe social distancing.

-Only credit and debit cards  and no cash -- will be accepted.

Ann Arbor playgrounds, skatepark to reopen Monday

Ann Arbor is now opening up playgrounds and a skatepark that were closed early during the coronavirus pandemic out of concern of spreading the virus through contact.

The city said that signage on the playgrounds and skatepark will be updated next week to reflect the change. Residents are reminded that playground equipment and the skatepark are not sanitized or cleaned.

Residents are also reminded to practice safety protocols, including remaining 6 feet apart from one another.

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Ann Arbor Farmers Market to phase in normal business hours non-essential item sales

The Ann Arbor Farmers Market announced it would go back to its regular schedule beginning Wednesday, June 10.

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.

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.

340,000 Michigan unemployment accounts flagged for potential fraud

Hundreds of thousands of people in Michigan have had their unemployment accounts flagged and payments interrupted as a massive fraud operation has hit the states unemployment system.

During a video call with reporters Friday, Jeff Donofrio, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity revealed an estimated 340,000 Michiganders have had their accounts flagged as the state investigates possible fraud throughout its system.

The state is unable to say right now how many of those accounts are actually fraudulent or how many people have stopped receiving payments. To determine that, the state assigned 600 employees to investigate flagged accounts full time and is training 200 more employees starting next week. The state is also working with third party firms to improve efficiency and to look over the work to ensure the right people get paid and the criminals are identified for law enforcement.

Gov. Whitmer responds to lack of social distancing at protests against police brutality

No cases of coronavirus have been traced back to protests in Michigan, state officials said Friday, one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II took part in a peaceful unity march" through Highland Park and Detroit.

Some Michiganders who observed photos and video from the event have noted that the governor, who has consistently called for residents to wear masks and keep 6 feet apart to reduce the spread of COVID-19, did not observe the spacing during the march.

She noted that participants couldnt always observe 6 feet of separation given the spacing of the march. But she said "we wore masks the whole time, we had ample use of hand sanitizer, we never shook hands, we didnt high-five or hug the way that we usually would greet one another.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
H uge demonstrations against police brutality and racism have taken place in some of America's most iconic cities, as tens of thousands marched peacefully in good spirits.

Protesters wore masks and insisted on fundamental change, congregating in dozens of locations spanning from coast to coast, as thousands more are expected to take to streets across the UK today to protest George Floyd's death.

Mourners in North Carolina waited for hours to see the golden coffin of Mr Floyd, the African American whose death by a white Minneapolis police officer galvanised the growing anti-racism movement.

Since Mr Floyd's death on May 25, yesterday was collectively the largest one-day mobilisation, and happened as many cities started 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, and demonstrations have continued beyond America, reaching four other continents and ending in clashes in two European cities.

The largest US demonstration appeared to be in Washington, where streams of 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.

Protesters in Washington / AFP via Getty Images

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.

They walked the boulevards of Hollywood and a Nashville, Tennessee, street famous for country music-themed bars and restaurants.

In Philadelphia and Chicago, marchers chanted, carried signs and occasionally knelt in silence.

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

A large crowd of medical workers, many in lab coats and scrubs, marched to Seattles City Hall.

Signs they held read, 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.

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.

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 they are 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.

Some change has already come.

Minneapolis officials have agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints and require that officers stop colleagues who are using improper force.

California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the states police-training program to stop teaching officers a neck hold that blocks blood flowing to the brain.

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.

While police in some places have knelt in solidarity with protesters, their treatment of some marchers has generated more tension.

Two officers in Buffalo, New York, were charged on 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.

Thousands of demonstrators endured cold rain to gather in Londons Parliament Square.

Clashes between protesters and police broke out near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In France, hundreds of Parisians gathered in defiance of a ban on large protests.
The ANC has been accused of leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to take control of the DA-led Western Cape.

The Western Cape is a hotspot for coronavirus cases in South Africa, recording 30,379 cases of COVID-19 as of 6 June.

729 deaths have been recorded in the province, and the Western Cape comprises 66% of all cases recorded in South Africa.

Sources within the Democratic Alliance reportedly told the Sunday Times that ANCs intervention in the Western Cape which is aimed at addressing coronavirus hotspots seems to be an attempt at a coup in the province.

The deployment of high-profile ministers to Western Cape hotspots has caused unease among the provincial government, the report said.

It seems there is a coup detat from national to administratively start taking over certain aspects of the Western Cape by neutralising the provincial government, a senior official within the provincial government told the Sunday Times.

Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu denied this accusation, and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde stated that he would not politicise the provincial governments management of the pandemic.

War against coronavirus

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that South Africa remains at war against the coronavirus and will have to find additional resources to limit casualties.

The worst of the pandemic is yet to come, Ramaphosa said during his visit to the Western Cape on Friday 5 June.

We have decided that COVID-19 is a war that we need to fight and win and therefore we are going to allocate the resources that are necessary, he said.

Ramaphosa added that he would heed calls by city officials to help them access additional resources such as testing kits and medical staff.

Cost is not the issue here, saving lives is the main issue, Ramaphosa said. Funding will be made available.

Dispute over projections

Pandemics, Data, and Analytics (PANDA) coordinators argued that there has been a breathtaking failure by COVID-19 modellers whose coronavirus death predictions for South Africa amounted to scaremongering.

PANDA co-ordinator Nick Hudson said the official modelling of South Africas projected mortalities from COVID-19 started at 375,000.

Hudson said this extremely high mortality figure scared the living daylights out of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

He said that, over time, these forecasts have been significantly reduced to 40,000 mortalities, which they still believe is a drastic over-estimate.

Hudson argued that based on the findings of a more accurate exponentiating state model, South Africas next move should be to lower lockdown restrictions to level 1 and alleviate the strain on the economy.
RTHK: Huge crowds join latest George Floyd protests

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington and other US cities on Saturday to demand an end to racism and brutality by US law enforcement as protests over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police entered a 12th day.

The protest in the capital was shaping up as the largest of the marches seen this week in cities and smaller towns nationwide, as well as in countries around the world.

It coincided with a second memorial service for George Floyd, 46, who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Near the front of the White House, Katrina Fernandez, 42, said she was both hopeful and impatient in joining the protests to demand what she viewed as long overdue reforms in policing.

"I'm just hoping that we really get some change from what's going on. People have been kneeling and protesting and begging for a long time and enough is enough," she said. "We can't take much more."

Local media has forecast that tens of thousands would turn out, despite the risks still posed by the coronavirus.

As in previous days, the protests in cities from Los Angeles and Chicago to New York and Washington involved a series of loosely organised marches.

In the nation's capital, thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and elsewhere before converging on the White House. A moving throng of people marched past the George Washington University Hospital chanting "Hands up, Don't shoot!" "We March for hope, not for hate," and "I can't breathe!"

That last chant echoed protests from New York in 2014, when Eric Garner died in police custody after an officer used a banned chokehold on him. Garner and Floyd are part of a long line of black men and women killed by white officers.

The second memorial service for Floyd was held in a North Carolina town where he was born. Hundreds lined up at a church in Raeford to pay their respects during a public viewing, and a private service for the family was conducted later in the day.

Floyd's first memorial was held on Friday in Minneapolis. His funeral is scheduled on Tuesday in Houston.

In New York, a large crowd of protesters crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, marching up a deserted Broadway, where many of the shops were boarded up, according to social media posts.

In Philadelphia, demonstrators gathered on the steps of Philadelphia Art Museum steps chanting, "No justice, No peace." Others marched along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, through John F. Kennedy Plaza, and around Philadelphia City Hall.

In California, demonstrations occurred in many cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, where protesters briefly blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge as motorists honked in solidarity.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Restaurants, shopping malls and places of worship are allowed to open in Delhi from Monday but they will have to strictly adhere to the guidelines laid down by the Centre, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday, allowing the resumption of these activities in the national capital after a gap of over 70 days.

His government also announced the opening of Delhis borders, but clarified that hotels and banquet halls will not open for now because such facilities could be used to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients with a rise in infections.

While a large number of religious places are likely to open on Monday, uncertainty surrounds malls and restaurants. Many of them said they will need two to three days to put safety measures in place and prepare for what is going to be a new normal in the city that ended Sunday with 28,936 Covid-19 cases and 812 fatalities.

The reopening comes amid a spike in caseloads in the city.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

All enterprises and religious institutes will have to ensure full adherence to norms concerning social distancing, hygiene and everything required to contain the spread of the disease, Kejriwal said in a digital press briefing.

The order shall not cover hotels and banquet halls for now. Such facilities may need to be used as extensions of hospitals to augment bed capacity in the days to come, he said, in remarks that came on the day the city registered a rise of 1,282 coronavirus cases.

Though the Centre fixed June 8 as the date for resumption of malls, restaurants, hotels and places of worship, the Delhi government decided not to lift the ban on these activities in a previous order issued earlier this month. But officials said at that time there will be a review of the situation before Monday.

A senior government official who did not want to be named said the move to open malls and restaurants is aimed at protecting livelihoods, which have been severely affected due to the economic fallout of the lockdown.

The government took the decision after a week-long assessment...The message from the chief minister was clear: we have to go for phased relaxations in a scientific manner...the basic idea is that people will have to learn living with Covid, but theres nothing to panic as long as the health care infrastructure is capable of taking the increasing caseload, this official said.

Jugal Kishore, head of community medicines department at Sardarjung Hospital, said it is understandable that the government took some time in taking a call as shopping malls, restaurants and places of worship are locations with high risk...

(But) Malls and restaurants also employ thousands of people...It is unfortunate that we are in a position in which relaxations are being implemented at a time when Covid-19 cases are going up....the government could have delayed the relaxations concerning the reopening of places of religious worship, he said.

Lifting border curbs, the government also said there shall be no restriction on inter-state movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/approval/e-permit will be required for such movements, an order said late on Sunday night.

After Kejriwals announcement, authorities at several malls appeared undecided about the reopening date. Restaurants in popular marketplaces such as Connaught Place and Khan Market, too, said they will need some time to put in place all arrangements, such as change in seating plans.

A spokesperson of a prominent mall in South Delhi said the shopping centre has drafted its own standard operating procedures (SOPs) in addition to the ones issued by the Union health ministry. We will need at least two-three days to put all measures in places. A final date will be decided by tomorrow (Monday), the spokesperson said on the condition of anonymity.

Delhi, which imposed a shutdown on March 23 (two days before the national lockdown), has already allowed the opening of offices  both government and private  and marketplaces, except malls. HT reported on Sunday that mall owners and restaurants are busy preparing SOPs on social distancing and hygiene measures in anticipation that the Delhi government will allow them to function.

A spokesperson of Sakets Select Citywalk mall, which has prepared a detailed SOP, said the establishment has introduced some changes in design and layout across entrances and public spaces. There will be temperature checks at entry points, with visitors passing through disinfectant tunnels for additional safety. A visitor registration book will be maintained for records, and all visitors will be advised to have the Aarogya Setu app (the governments contact tracing app) in their phones. There are several other measures taken to ensure social distancing, the spokesperson said.

The Centres guidelines require shopping malls to screen all visitors and allow individuals with no symptoms; maintain isolation rooms in case someone takes ill; and ensure that cinema halls inside malls remain closed, among other measures.

At the upscale Khan Market, restaurant owners said they are happy that they can resume operations. We will have to ensure that people maintain distance while entering and leaving the restaurant. We have to change the sitting layout of the place and will have to remove a few tables and chairs. A lot of work has to be done before we open up. It will take a few days, said Anshu Tandon, the president of Khan Market Welfare Association and the owner of a restaurant.

Several restaurants in Delhi are also working on a digital menu to bring down the chances of infection. Federal guidelines require restaurants to ensure not more than 50% capacity is occupied, arrange seats to ensure social distance, direct employees to wear masks and gloves, among other steps.

The previous order said that restaurants cant open. From tomorrow (Monday), we will start work (on preparations), which should be done in three-four days, Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said.

As part of the precautions, we have decided that staff members will wear masks, face shields, gloves; hand sanitisers will be placed on all tables. The distance between tables has been increased. We will screen all the customers, he said.

Places of worship, meanwhile, expedited preparations to welcome devotees. The central guidelines for religious places prohibit distribution of prasad, physical contact with idols and holy books, and choirs and singing groups, among other steps.

The iconic Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, which was closed even on Eid last month, is likely to see people turning up for prayers on Monday. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the shahi imam of the 17th century mosque, put the average turnout for Friday prayers at 8,000-10,000 in summers and 22,000 in winters. Every day about 1,500 people offered prayers at the mosque before the lockdown.

Bukhari said he is expecting fewer devotees as we have put in place measures to ensure social distancing. We are announcing that people have to get their own musalla (prayer mat) as carpets are being removed. We will maintain a distance between two rows...We are also asking people to do wuzu (washing up) at home before coming to here for prayers, he said.

Hindu religious places such as the Jhandewalan temple, Gauri-Shankar in Walled City and the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place, among others, have drawn circles on the floors to ensure distancing, and done away with prasad and flowers as offerings.

Akshardham temple, which is a popular tourist destination, will be shut till June 15. The temple complex used to get close to 8,000 visitors daily before the lockdown. Janak Dave, director and trustee of Akshardham temple, said, ...we have to make elaborate arrangement to first sanitise the complex and ensure social distancing. A decision regarding whether to open the complex or not will be taken later on.

At gurdwaras in the city, additional personnel have been deployed for social distancing even though the langar (community kitchen) is not starting from Monday, said Harmeet Singh Kalka, the general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.

Father Savarimuthu Shankar, who is the spokesperson of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, said the body has yet to issue directions to the churches.

A section of city residents expressed concerns over the governments move. BS Vohra, president of Federation of East Delhi resident welfare associations, said, The government should reconsider opening all markets and malls....the number of cases has increased manifold.
Maureen Dowd poses a great question today in the New York Times: "How could we possibly, in a brief stretch, have gone from the euphoria of our first black president to the desolation of racial strife ripping apart the country?" It's from her column. And the answer, of course, is racism.
By Trend

Iraq has renewed its full commitment to the oil production adjustments decisions reached in April 2020 by OPEC+, Trend reports citing OPECs website.

Iraqs Ministry of Oil spokesperson, Assem Jihad, said emphasised that Iraq has remained strong advocate over the years of all efforts that help in restoring stability and balance of the oil market.

He pointed out that Iraqs efforts in adjusting its oil production during the month of May achieved a reasonable conformity level, as part of its commitment to the decisions reached at the 9th and 10th (Extraordinary) OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meetings held on 9 and 12 April, respectively, noting the economic and financial difficulties and technical complications that Iraq has faced, in addition to the countrys commitment to international firms contracted to develop oil fields.

The spokesperson also stressed that Iraq is in ongoing dialogue with the President of the OPEC Conference and Algerias Minister of Energy, HE Mohamed Arkab; OPEC Secretary General, HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo; and other oil and energy ministers to discuss oil market developments.

The main factor affecting the oil market is still active, which is the COVID-19 pandemic," he noted, adding that it led to economic issues and restrictions in social activities.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Photo credit: Justin Sullivan - Getty Images

From Car and Driver

The economic uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic has forced Wells Fargo's bank to stop processing auto loans with as many as 1100 independent dealerships and refocus on dealers it already has deep relationships with.

The change is likely to affect used-car shoppers more, but they can still get loans from other banks to buy their vehicles.

If the dealer already looks to multiple lenders for its customers, this change might not be noticeable to someone buying a car.

Shoppers might need to budget for some extra logistical legwork if they buy a car from an independent dealer and had planned on getting a loan from Wells Fargo. The financial institution, which has faced more than its share of consumer-fraud charges since the turn of the century, will stop its indirect auto lending at up to 1100 independent auto dealerships in the United States. That is around 10 percent of the total number of lenders Wells Fargo deals with. The change, first reported by CNBC, is likely to affect used-car shoppers more than people buying new cars.

Wells Fargo says it is doing everything it can to help customers during COVID-19, for instance offering loan deferrals to customers who have been impacted by the pandemic, but it will not continue working with independent dealers that it does not have a "deep, long-standing relationship" with, the company said in a statement sent to Car and Driver.

"As a responsible lender, we also have an obligation to review our business practices in light of the economic uncertainty presented by COVID-19 and have let the majority of our independent dealer customers know that we will suspend accepting applications from them," the company said.



Wells Fargo does business with around 11,000 dealerships in the U.S., and told C/D that its new policy impacts less than 10 percent of those relationships. Wells Fargo doesn't deal directly with the dealerships in these relationships, but loans money to the car shoppers themselves. With the policy change, car shoppers at the independent dealers that Wells Fargo is cutting ties with will no longer be able to get a loan from the company. Of course, those customers are still able to get financing from other lenders, but the change may add one step to the process if shoppers have to look for loans at banks that do not have agreements in place with the dealership. Or the change might not be noticeable to the shopper at all, if the dealership uses multiple lenders and simply sends new loan applications to another lender it has a relationship with.

Story continues

Wells Fargo's History with Auto Loans

Wells Fargo has had an up-and-down auto-loan business in recent years. In 2018, the company put new energy into its auto-loan business after paying a $1 billion fine for violating the Consumer Financial Protection Act by forcing its auto-loan customers to buy insurance they did not need, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Wells Fargo's auto loan originations were $6.5 billion in the first quarter, an increase of 19 percent from first quarter of 2019, the company said in April, adding that this reflects "our renewed emphasis on growing auto loans following the restructuring of the business."

The financial institution also committed massive customer fraud between 2002 and 2016 when it created millions of accounts in customer names without telling them. In February, as the New York Times reported, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $3 billion to settle those charges.

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King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia have sent greetings to the people of Sweden on the country's National Day, with a photo outside the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

Yesterday marked the National Day of Sweden and while the typically busy day has gone with little public fanfare due to the coronavirus pandemic, the royal couple posed outside their home to mark the occasion.

Since the middle of March, the King, 74 and Queen, 76, have been staying at Stenhammar Palace in Sodermanland in a bid to follow the nation's social distancing rules.

King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia have sent greetings to the people of Sweden on their National Day, with a photo outside the Royal Palace in Stockholm

While the typically busy day has gone with little public fanfare due to the coronavirus pandemic, the royal couple posed outside their home to mark the occasion

Queen Silvia donned the Sverigedrakten - a blue and yellow garment which has been the established National dress since 2004.

Meanwhile, King Carl looked smart in a blue double breasted suit with a matching tie and white pocket square.

Usually, the King and Queen take part in a ceremony at Skansen, Stockholms open-air museum.

The yellow and blue Swedish flag is run up the mast, and children in traditional costume present the royals with bouquets of summer flowers.

Queen Silvia donned the Sverigedrakten, a blue and yellow garment which has been the established National dress since 2004

King Carl looked smart in a blue double breasted suit with a matching tie and white pocket square. Pictured, with Queen Silvia

National Day has been embraced by Sweden in recent years, with some groups even pushing for the country to have a national dish, according to the countrys official website.

National Day also now recognises new Swedish citizens, welcoming them with special ceremonies held around the country.

National Day is an annual celebration held in honour of two historical events: on 6 June 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected king and, on the same date in 1809, the country adopted a new constitution. It became a public holiday in 2004.

The celebration comes after King Carl turned 74 in April, and to mark the occasion the royal household has released stunning portraits of the monarch.

The three photographs, shared to the Swedish royal family 's Instagram account, capture King Carl at one of his summer residences.

He is seen walking alongside his wife Queen Silvia, 76, in two of the pictures - with a final image showing the pair enjoying the grounds with their pet dog.

To mark King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden's 74th birthday, the royal household released stunning portraits of the monarch. Pictured, with his wife Queen Silvia
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  COVID-19 infections among health care workers in New Mexico have spiked as intensive care units remain full, and nurses argue for more personal protective equipment, or PPE.

The state previously released data showing that 154 health care workers in the state had tested positive for the coronavirus as of April 21. An additional 492 workers were diagnosed the following month, a 219% increase, according to new data provided by the Department of Health.

The increase was completely and totally expected and would normally just be a proportional number of cases, said Dr. David Scrase, Cabinet secretary for the Human Services Department.

Scrase said, though, that the number has caught the attention of state officials.

The largest increase came in Bernalillo County  home to three of the states COVID-19 hub hospitals  where another 181 workers tested positive.

San Juan and McKinley counties, both of which have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, also had a surge.

One hundred more workers were diagnosed in San Juan County, bringing its total to 119. McKinley County, which had only three workers test positive as of April 23, had 97 more workers diagnosed.

But many hospitals are still not revealing how many of their workers have tested positive for the virus, making it difficult to know which facilities are having the worst outbreaks. This includes both hospitals in Gallup. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham shut down the city for nine days to slow the spread of the virus.

A spokesperson from Gallup Indian Medical Center said the facility would not release the number of COVID-positive workers.

Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital spokeswoman Ina Burmeister said they have seven nurses currently recovering from COVID-19, which temporarily caused staffing issues in the hospital. However, she declined to give the hospitals total number of cases.

Were just not thinking about publicizing that information at this time, she said.

Burmeister said Rehoboth chose not to provide information because Gallup Indian also declined.

We want to remain consistent in our community, she said, adding, I like to be helpful, but I have to be careful as well.

Rehoboth has faced many staff-related problems since the pandemic started. In May, a group of employees took a vote of no confidence in CEO David Conejo, Searchlight New Mexico reported.

Spokeswoman Laura Werbner said San Juan Regional Medical Center would not release the number of infected employees because it could not determine which cases came from the community or from patients.

Its just really hard to determine what cases came from the community, she said.

Dona Ana and Sandoval counties also had notable increases.

Eleanor Chavez, executive director of the local chapter of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, said her union is still advocating for numbers of sick workers to be released.

Its something that weve actually continued to complain to the hospital about, she said, referring to University of New Mexico Hospital.

Scrase and hospitals in New Mexico have said PPE available to staff has greatly increased in recent weeks.

However, Chavez said she thinks supplies of PPE should still be enlarged because many nurses and staff have to reuse masks for days at a time. She also said infections among health care workers are increasing, not decreasing.

We think those numbers are too high, and the hospitals need to be doing more to protect the workers, she said.

University of New Mexico Hospital, for example, sends regular PPE supply status updates to employees. The updates include no numbers on PPE available; instead, it shows a green dot to signify supplies are sufficient.

Hospitals, though, are not the only facilities with coronavirus infections among their staffs. Infections among staff members in nursing homes have also been a major concern, Scrase said.

La Vida Llena of Albuquerque has had one of the worst nursing home outbreaks in the state. David Leibowitz, a spokesperson for La Vida Llena, wrote that 37 staff members have tested positive, and he did not know how many were medical staffers.

Infections in health care facilities could also have far-reaching impacts beyond hospital walls and could affect how soon the state can continue reopening.

We cant continue to expand the economy unless that health care workforce is there and theyre healthy, Scrase said.
Vietnam records no new COVID-19 infections in community for 52 days

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases on the morning of June 7, marking 52 consecutive days without infections in the community, said the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Among 329 confirmed cases in Vietnam to date, 189 are imported ones and were quarantined right after their arrival.

At present, a total of 9,088 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions are being quarantined, including 72 at hospitals, 7,150 at concentrated quarantine establishments and 1,866 at home.

As many as 307 out of the 329 patients, or 93.3 percent, have been successfully treated.

The remaining 22 patients are undergoing treatment at centrally-run and provincial hospitals across the country and are in a stable health condition.

Of them, nine patients remained positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, 10 tested negative for the virus once and three tested negative at least twice.

Politburos conclusion on ways to address COVID-19 impact

The Political Bureau on June 5 issued a conclusion on ways to address impact of the COVID-19 for national economic recovery and development.

It said the pandemic is having comprehensive, intensive and extensive impact on every country in the world, including Vietnam. Vietnam has pushed back and controlled the pandemic, yet it is developing in a complicated way in the world.

In that context, the Politburo stressed the need to utilise to the maximum the domestic market, cope with outside uncertainties so as to maintain the macro economic and social stability. Besides, a favourable and attractive business environment suitable to the new trend must be created, the conclusion said, adding chances and challenges must be clearly identified so as to work out solutions.

To do so, authorities and sectors must complete the tasks of implementing effectively and concertedly suitable mechanisms and policies to support the citizens, firms and workers; concentrating efforts to strongly develop the domestic market; extending the stability period of the state budget in the 2017-2020 to 2021.

Enhancing the disbursement and efficiency of public investment and adjusting the plans for this kind of resource are also taken as major tasks for the time to come.

Besides, the economic structure must be accelerated, competiveness enhanced, e-government development pushed, and social welfare ensured as long-term tasks.

The Politburo further said Party organisations throughout the country must seriously implement the above-mentioned tasks so as to accelerate the social and economic recovery and development after the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Party Central Committees Economic Commission is placed in charge of monitoring and inspecting the realisation of the conclusion./.

Indonesia reports highest daily COVID-19 cases

Indonesia on June 6 reported a record daily jump in COVID-19 cases within 24 hours with 993 infections, bringing the national tally to 30,514, said the Ministry of Health.

Speaking at a press conference on the same day, Achmad Yurianto, an official of the Health Ministry, said Indonesia now has a death toll of 1,801, a rise of 31 cases within one day.

Testing for COVID-19 is being carried out in areas with large numbers of infections across the country, while citizens are required to wear face masks to curb the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the Philippines had 714 news cases to report in 24 hours as of June 6 afternoon, raising the number to 21,340, with 994 fatalities./.

Over 300 Vietnamese flown home from European countries

More than 300 Vietnamese in Sweden, Finland and other European countries were brought home safely from Stockholm and Helsinki airports on June 5 and 6.

The flights were conducted thanks to joint efforts of Vietnamese competent agencies, Vietnamese representative offices in the European countries, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and authorities of the host countries.

The passengers include students who completed their studies and met accommodation difficulties, under-18-year-old children, pregnant women, the elderly, sick people, tourists and workers with expired visas and labour contracts.

Upon their arrival at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, they underwent health check-ups and were put under quarantine in line with regulations.

Depending on the preference of Vietnamese citizens abroad, the development of the pandemic at home and around the world, and quarantine capacity in Vietnam, more flights are to be conducted in the time to come to bring more Vietnamese citizens home./.

Cambodias hotels to reopen shortly

Hotels and international flights forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia are expected to reopen this month.

Clais Chenda, President of Cambodia Hotel Association, said that some hotel owners confirm they will resume operations shortly and international flights are expected to commence from mid-June, as the local disease situation is seemingly calm.

So far, around 170 companies in the tourism sector in Cambodia have also been closed temporarily, leaving a 16,891 people unemployed, according to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

To help the sector, the government has launched four measures, extending for another two months a tax exemption from June to July for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour operators.

It also provided an exemption for tourism licence fees for 2021 and said they were not required to pay into the National Social Security Fund during the crisis./.

Repatriated Vietnamese citizen completes isolation period in Vinh Long city

A Vietnamese national who had recently been repatriated from Cambodia was granted a certificate of quarantine completion on June 6 by health officials in Vinh Long city.

The citizen in question was 34-year-old Nguyen Hoang Hieu, a resident of ward 8 in Vinh Long city who had been working in Cambodia.

Hieu had originally returned to the country on May 18 and was immediately placed into isolation.

Over the course of the 14-day quarantine period, Hieu went on to test negative for the novel coronavirus twice, therefore meeting the necessary health standards in order to be granted permission to leave the isolation area.

At present, as many as 160 Vietnamese citizens, including 13 children and 11 pregnant women, remain in the quarantine area in Vinh Long city after recently being repatriated from Singapore.

Vietnamese citizens stranded in Sweden and Finland safely repatriated



A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying a total of 310 Vietnamese citizens who had been left stranded in Sweden and Finland as a result of the novel coronavirus successfully touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on June 6.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Phan Dang Duong, wearing a black suit, takes a photo alongside Vietnamese citizens before they catch the flight to return home.

The flight was made up of citizens looking to return to the country in addition to those living in challenging circumstances. This includes adolescents, elderly people, sick people with underlying health issues, pregnant women, guest workers whose labour contracts had expired, and those who had been on legitimate business or holiday visas but had subsequently expired.

Onboard the flight were Vietnamese citizens from countries outside of Sweden and Finland too, including throughout Northern Europe such as Norway, Denmark, and Latvia, in addition to other European countries like Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic.

Due to travel restrictions and border closures being put in place as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flight landed in the Swedish capital of Stockholm followed by the Finnish capital of Helsinki to collect the Vietnamese citizens.

Vietnamese representatives strived to collaborate closely with relevant agencies from both countries to organise the flight, creating favourable conditions for citizens to get to the airports, meeting the entry and exit requirements of both countries.

Vietnamese officials also came to each of the airports in order to assist the citizens with the necessary procedures required before the Vietnamese nationals boarded the plane.

Australia commits $7m to help Viet Nam recover post-COVID-19

Australia is impressed with Viet Nam's COVID-19 response and pledges AUD10.5 million (approx US$7.3 million) to support the country's post-pandemic recovery.

On Friday, during a reception for the Australian ambassador in Viet Nam Robyn Mudie by Minister of Planning and Investment, the two reiterated bilateral efforts in working together to minimise the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on people's lives and livehoods.

The Australian diplomat personally conveyed Australia's congratulations for Viet Nam's "outstanding success" against the COVID-19 pandemic.

They have also discussed how Viet Nam and Australia are supporting each other in tackling the long-term impacts of the COVID-19.

Robyn Mudie said her country is "refocusing much of its development programme in Viet Nam" to aid the country's COVID-19 response, including AUD$10.5 million towards high priority programmes, which would mainly deal with promoting economic recovery via analyses and advice on economic stimulus, infrastructure, trade, and gender equality, and supporting the most vulnerable people to the ongoing pandemic, especially women and children.

Viet Nam today marks the 50th consecutive days without no domestic community COVID-19 infections and the total tally stands at 328, while Australia has so far recorded over 7,000 cases and 102 deaths.

Japan provides aid to Vietnam for COVID-19 fight

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided aid packages worth 80 million JPY (US$733.300) to support Viet Nams countermeasures against COVID-19.

The first part of the aid package worth 60 million JPY ($550,000) to Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City includes 2,000 copies of the Nosocomial Infection Control Manual, handed over to the Cho Ray Hospital by JICA Vietnam Office on Wednesday.

Another package worth 20 million JPY ($183,300) will be given to six provincial Centres of Disease Control (CDCs) in Nam inh, Ha Giang, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Kien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces.

With technical input from JICA experts, Cho Ray Hospitals Department of Infection Control developed the manual which is expected to improve infection control activities at the Cho Ray Viet Nam-Japan Friendship Hospital and 21 provincial hospitals in the southern region, which are under Cho Ray Hospitals guidance and support.

Speaking at a meeting with a delegation of the JICA Vietnam Office at Cho Ray Hospital on Wednesday, Nguyen Tri Thuc, director of Cho Ray Hospital, said the hospital was one of the first hospitals in Viet Nam to receive support from JICA, beginning in 1969.

The hospital is working with JICA to build the Cho Ray Viet Nam -Japan Friendship Hospital, Thuc said.

JICA has helped Cho Ray Hospital improve patient safety management and develop a multi-professional approach and infection control through the Improvement of Hospital Management Competency project that targets patient-oriented and high-quality medical services.

The project also improves hospital management capabilities.

In August 2019, to strengthen Cho Rays nosocomial infection control capacity, the JICA project provided training on usage of personal protective equipment to doctors and nurses at the hospital.

Prior to the first confirmed patient with COVID-19 in January at Cho Ray, JICA experts provided materials and conducted training sessions on nosocomial infection control at the hospital.

Since 2006, JICA has installed biosafety level-three laboratories that enable safe handling of highly hazardous pathogens at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) and the Pasteur Institute in HCM City (PIHCMC).

JICA has also offered help to improve laboratory diagnoses of infectious pathogens. Based on this support, NIHE and PIHCMC have been able to test for COVID-19.

JICA experts are working with NIHE and PIHCMC to strengthen the examination capabilities and collaboration network of provincial CDCs in Viet Nam.

Australia Ambassador impressed by Vietnams Covid-19 response

Australia and Vietnam are working together to contain the impact of the pandemic on lives and livelihoods.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie has said she is 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, Ambassador Mudie told Vietnams Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung at the meeting on June 5.

Australia is committed to supporting Vietnams long-term response and recovery, Mudie stated 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 supporting one another to respond to the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Australia has committed AUD10.5 million toward supporting Vietnams Covid-19 response and recovery, in a step that further strengthens economic and development cooperation between the two countries.

Australia has refocused much of our development program 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 programs through which Australia and Vietnam cooperate 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 Marise Payne on May 29, 2020.

Hanoi aims to soon complete financial aid payment for people hit by Covid-19

Public servants in Hanoi considered the payment process their main responsibility to help people overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic, said a Hanoi leader.

As of May 20, 385,516 out of 385,683 aid beneficiaries, or 99.97% of the total, have received financial payment from the local authorities with a total amount of VND474.2 billion (US$20.32 million), according to Vice Director of the municipal Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Hong Dan.

Hanoi aims to complete financial aid payment for people affected by Covid-19.

The payment is in line with the governments guidelines in supporting people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Doan Toan said the local people appreciated the citys efforts to provide timely payment.

Toan said public servants considered the task their main responsibility to help those in hardship overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic.

So far, there has not been any complaint regarding the payment process, Toan stressed at a meeting with Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung on June 5.

According to the local authorities, aid beneficiaries entitled to financial support from all 30 districts in Hanoi have all received payment.

Minister Dung commended Hanois efforts in implementing efficiently the governments supporting programs, adding this helped ensure social security during a difficult period.

On April 24, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed a decision to roll out a relief package worth VND62 trillion (US$2.7 billion) to support vulnerable people directly affected by Covid-19.

The package covers six beneficiary groups who would receive financial support in cash during three months starting April.

There are three groups of employees entitled to benefit from the US$2.7 billion package, including employees whose labor contracts were suspended, those taking leave without payment; laid-off employees not eligible for unemployment benefits; and workers who have no labor contracts and have lost jobs.

VNS/VNA/VOV/VNN/Hanoitimes
A PRESTIGIOUS fee-paying school has launched an independent review into allegations of a culture of racism.

A former pupil at St Columbas College in Co Dublin made allegations of racism last Sunday which sparked further, similar claims by both current and former pupil.

Mark Boobbyer, the warden of the Church of Ireland school, issued a statement confirming an investigation was under way.

He said: On Sunday, May 31, St Columbas College was contacted by a former pupil of the college, who bravely shared with us her experiences of racism while attending the school. Her actions motivated other people, both former and current pupils, to share similar experiences.

We can only imagine how difficult it was for the young people involved to write down those experiences. We thank them for having the courage to bring these matters to our attention.

He said the board and management of the college is taking these matters very seriously and are taking a number of steps to address and respond to the issues raised.

The college has now established an independent review to consider the issues raised by the pupils and former pupils and specifically to evaluate whether there is a culture of racism, direct or indirect, within the college and, importantly, to make appropriate recommendations arising out of the review.

The review is being conducted by an experienced legal and governance professional and will involve others with expertise in the area of cultural diversity, with direct experience within an educational setting.

He said the review will take about six weeks to complete.

The college is committed to shining a searchlight into these issues, which are of the utmost importance to the college community and are part of a wider discourse in society. I very much hope that the conversation which will ensue from this process will be a catalyst that will allow us to ensure the care for our pupils is of the highest standard. Where there are lessons to learn we will not be afraid to learn them.

The development comes after thousands of protesters gathered at demonstrations around Ireland on Saturday to support the Black Lives Matter movement, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The rallies in Ireland were held as tens of thousands of protesters marched on Washington and around the US and elsewhere in the world on Saturday to protest the killing of Mr Floyd as well as racism in America and around the globe.
By Trend

China will continue pushing for fast-track border entry arrangements with other countries, the vice foreign minister said on Sunday, Trend reports citing Reuters.

China has fulfilled its responsibility as a big country through shipments of goods to help counter the coronavirus epidemic to other countries, Ma Zhaoxu told a news conference in Beijing.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Two years ago, I penned a piece on the fight to stay relevant as viewed through the eyes of individuals. As we age, many of us fight to have our voices heard on a variety of fronts. That piece struck a chord with readers that I hadnt expected.

What I didnt know was that in the spring of 2020, Id be writing part two of the need to stay relevant, only this piece would focus on businesses during the time of COVID-19. Devastation is not too strong a word to describe our current predicament. April brought with it more than 20 million job losses in America and an extraordinary unemployment rate of 14.7 percent.

The fight to stay relevant on the business front has enormous repercussions  not only how many jobs can be preserved, or how the public can be safely served, but at its core how will our lives look? Can we still celebrate a milestone moment with a gathering of family and friends? Attend a sporting event? Have a sporting event? As individuals plan for their next iteration, so too are businesses planning for theirs.

With this as background, I took to the phones to find out what was on managers minds as they began navigating these treacherous waters. I spoke with senior managers across industries and asked 10 questions that included:
The latest:

SEATTLE  Authorities say a man drove a car at George Floyd protesters in Seattle Sunday night, hit a barricade then exited the vehicle brandishing a pistol.

At least one person was injured. The Seattle Fire Department said the victim was a 27-year-old male who was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Video taken by a reporter for The Seattle Times showed part of the scene in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood, where demonstrators have gathered for days near a police precinct.

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Seattle City Council members sharply criticized Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best after police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters a day after Durkan and Best said they were trying to de-escalate tensions.

Authorities said rocks, bottles and explosives were thrown at officers in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood Saturday night. Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by improvised explosives.

The mayhem in the Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city. It followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier.

It also came a day after Durkan and Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the departments use of one kind of tear gas.

___



NEW YORK CITY  New York City will move some of its funding from the New York Police Department to youth and social services, Mayor Bill De Blasio said on Sunday.

His announcement comes as discussions grow around the country about defunding police forces, with some activists calling on city officials to invest more of the city's budget in communities, especially marginalized ones where much of the policing occurs.

"These will be the first of many steps my Administration will take over the next 18 months to rebuild a fairer City that profoundly addresses injustice and disparity," de Blasio said in a statement.

De Blasio said New York City would "find significant savings in the NYPD budget" that will go toward "youth development and social services for communities of color."

Going forward, the city will move street vendor enforcement out of the NYPD's responsibilities, so they can focus on "the real drivers of crime," the mayor said.

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MINNEAPOLIS  Minneapolis City Council members are speaking up in support of radical changes in their citys police department.

Nine of the councils 12 members appeared at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it. Council Member Jeremiah Ellison promised that the council would dismantle the department.

Minneapolis was the center of both violent and peaceful protests following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd.

Community activists have criticized the department for years for what they say is a racist and brutal culture that resists change.

The state of Minnesota launched a civil rights investigation of the department last week, and the first concrete changes came Friday when the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints. A more complete remaking of the department is likely to unfold in coming months.

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RALEIGH, N.C.  Add North Carolinas capital city to those sporting a bold message denouncing racism painted in large yellow letters on a city street.

Artists on Sunday painted the words End Racism Now on a downtown street, the Raleigh News & Observer reported. The message was added days after the mayor of Washington, D.C., had the words Black Lives Matter painted on a street leading to the White House amid days of demonstrations in the nations capital and all over the country in response to George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

Charman Driver, former chair of the Contemporary Art Museum on Martin Street, where the painting is located, called it a very painful totem. The street leads to Confederate monuments on State Capitol grounds, which have been spotlighted as offensive during protests.

The painting was applied Sunday morning when a city engineer met the artists and brought barricades to block off the street.

We did it. And its wonderful. And we feel really good about it. Our voices are being heard, but its not enough, Driver said.

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LOUISVILLE  Civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke at a Louisville worship service on Sunday where he said that black Americans today face three pandemics: racial violence by police, poverty and COVID-19.

The city has seen days of protests following the death of George Floyd and the unresolved case involving the killing of Louisvilles Breonna Taylor in March.

Taylor would have turned 27 on Friday.

The civil rights leader made these key points:

Jackson called on the people of Kentucky to show up everyday at Republican Sen. Rand Paul's office until he signs an anti-lynching bill that would seek to explicitly make lynching a federal crime.

The civil rights leader said that legislators should remove sovereign immunity for police, a doctrine which some believe protects state employees from the consequences of their actions. When they kill someone, they should face the charges, Jackson said. They have no right to live above the law.

The reverend called for every city to draft a hate-crime bill and said the wealth gap between whites and blacks in America needs to close. Close the gap and heal the bridge," Jackson said.

Jackson stressed the need for peaceful protests and said violence is a diversion from the message which can end up being weaponized against the movement.

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BRISTOL  Anti-racism protesters in the city of Bristol, in southwest England, have pulled down a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston.

During a demonstration on Sunday in solidarity with the U.S. Black Lives Matter movement, protesters tied the bronze statue  which was first erected in 1895  with rope, before pulling it down as the surrounding crowd cheered.

Demonstrators were later seen rolling the statue to the nearby harbor, throwing it into the River Avon.

While the incident garnered much celebration amongst protesters, local police say an investigation has been launched into the incident.

There was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside, Avon and Somerset police said Sunday in a statement. An investigation will be carried out to identify those involved and we are already collating footage of the incident."

According to local police, Sundays Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol was attended by an estimated 10,000 people.

The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully, Avon and Somerset police said.

Keeping the public safe was out greatest priority and thankfully there were no instances of disorder and no arrests were made, they added.

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WASHINGTON  Sen. Mitt Romney marched in a protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nations capital, making him the first known Republican senator to do so.

Romney, who represents Utah, posted a tweet showing him wearing a mask as he walked with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington on Sunday. Above the photo he wrote: Black Lives Matter.

Romney, who was walking with a Christian group, told NBC News that he needed to be there.

We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality, he said.

On Saturday, Romney tweeted a photo of his father, George, who was the governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, marching with civil rights protesters in the 1960s in a Detroit suburb.

Above the photo, Mitt Romney wrote: This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s  Force alone will not eliminate riots, he said. We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.

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President Donald Trump says hes given the order for National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nations capital, saying everything now is under perfect control.

The District of Columbia government requested some Guard forces last week to assist law enforcement with managing protests after the death of George Floyd. But Trump ordered thousands more troops and federal law enforcement to the city to dominate the streets after some instances of looting and violence.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser last week called on Trump to withdraw National Guard troops that some states sent to the city.

Trump tweeted Sunday that They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. He also ordered more than 1,000 active duty troops to be flown to the D.C.-area in reserve, but they have begun returning to their home bases after days of peaceful protests.

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HOUSTON  Houstons police chief says the body of George Floyd has arrived in Texas for a final memorial service and funeral.

Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted early Sunday that Floyds family also arrived safely. A six-hour viewing for Floyd is planned for Monday in Houston, followed by funeral services and burial Tuesday in the suburb of Pearland.

Floyd, who was handcuffed and black, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes as Floyd begged for air and eventually stopped moving. His death has inspired protests around the world and served as a rallying cry against institutional racism.

Previous memorials were held for Floyd in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, which is near where he was born.
LANSING  State Rep. Jack OMalley, a member of the Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic, welcomed business owners from across Michigan who are struggling to get by as Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive orders continue to hamper livelihoods.

The governors directives were tough for legislators who make and review laws to understand," said O'Malley, of Lake Ann. "So its no surprise that everyday folks are looking for more clarity and consistency as well. Were hearing from them. Theyre asking us what they can and cant do and what can and cant be open. Theyre describing the orders as poorly communicated, confusing, arbitrary and full of gray areas. The governor made the decision to shut our economy down, but she has not had a concise plan or timeline to make sure all of our workers and job providers have the guidance or help they need to make a living. She has treated the economic patient in this with zero compassion and the comments weve heard proved that.

In response to the spread of COVID-19, Whitmer chose to label businesses as essential or non-essential instead of safe versus unsafe. As a result, unemployment across Michigan surged. More than 1.7 million Michigan residents filing jobless claims since mid-March, and a recent report from the Department of Technology, Management and Budget revealed the states unemployment rate had more than quadrupled in April to a staggering 22.7 percent.

Whitmer announced Monday some level of relaxation would occur in the business sector in coming days, but several venues still wont be able to open  including theaters, gyms and fitness centers, hair salons and barbers, spas, casinos and bowling alleys. OMalley said these arbitrary calls are affecting livelihoods  some which have been shuttered for over two months.

We had two dozen business owners sign up to share their stories with the committee for this particular meeting alone and there are hundreds more out there, OMalley said. People are hurting; we need to transition our economy back online and work with business owners so they know how they can open safely and in some capacity. The governor is merely asking them to keep shouldering this burden and enough is enough.

The first-term legislator highlighted testimony from a group of salon owners who expressed concern over Michigan being the only remaining state with barbershops and hair salons closed indefinitely.

It seems the governor is looking at different science than 49 other governors in this particular area, OMalley said.

OMalley also pointed to testimony from Jeff Olmstead, who owns a house rehabilitation business in Ludington that was unable to secure, inspect and repair properties during the governors stay home orders.

Ludington is located in Mason County, which has only reported 32 of the states nearly 58,000 COVID-19 cases. But Mason County remains in a region that is under more strict directives than other northern Michigan counties that have been allowed to open in some capacity due to lower case numbers. That means many businesses in the county continue to go without income.

Mason County should be in a position to open like other counties with similar resumes as it relates to virus cases, OMalley said. It doesnt make sense for the county to be in the same category as Ottawa or Kent counties. Its apples and oranges.

OMalley is encouraging more people across northern Michigan to share their stories as they deal with the pandemic and the governors unilateral decisions in response.

A new website, MICovidStory.com, has created an accessible resource for concerned residents across the state and will operate in conjunction with the work of the select committee.
Apparently two of the four Minneapolis police officers on the scene of the death of George Floyd not only attended the University of Minnesota, but were students in . . . the Sociology department! This has caused something of a crisis for the department, as you might imagine. The leadership of the department has reportedly asked grad students not to make any comments to the media about the two officers, or how the department clearly failed in their primary mission of indoctrinating these two pre-officers into proper socialism.

One Ph.D student in the department is not happy about any of this, and issued this Tweet thread:

2 of the police officers charged with aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd were previously students in the Sociology dept. at the University of Minnesota. Yesterday, my dept. sent the grad students an email requesting we stay silent if contacted by media. Yall. (1/n)

My fellow grad students have issued excellent email responses to that request calling it out for what it is: an attempt to cover-up something that is politically unfashionable in this moment. 2/n

Our dept has a Law, Crime, and Deviance track that is actively marketed to students as a path to law enforcement. So this dept. is actively recruiting and training folks who go on to join the MPD and other law enforcement agencies in Minnesota and beyond.

If you actively market your courses to folks who want to be in law enforcement, you have to accept the consequences down the line. When those officers kill/abuse/main citizens, you cant shy away from your role in that 4/n Several of my grad school colleagues have realized that they were instructors/TAs for the two officers and are sick about it. But this is what it is. The Soc dept. has to stand in this and choose a path forward. 5/n Either they can continue to actively market the LCD major as a path toward law enforcement or they can choose to divest from that practice. But what they cant do is request my complicity and silence about their failures 6/n.
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.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday in his 'Saamna' Editorial appeared to hit out at Bollywood actor Sonu Sood over his helping the migrant workers. Targeting the praise that the actor has been receiving for his act, Raut wrote that during the lockdown period, a new "Mahatma" named Sonu Sood has come all of a sudden. He wrote, "It is being said that Sonu Sood transported millions of migrant laborers to his home in other states," and the Governor of Maharashtra has also praised "Mahatma Sood" for his work.

According to Raut, this suggests that nothing is being done by the state governments and the Central government, which is in itself somewhat odd seeing as it is Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray who is currently the CM of Maharashtra. In the editorial, Raut questioned the Bollywood actor as to where is he getting the buses from during the lockdown period. He also questioned that "When the states are not allowing to take any migrant workers, where are the migrants going?" Launching a further attack, Raut wrote that the Bollywood actor "may soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and become the celebrity manager of Mumbai."

Read: Uttarakhand CM thanks Sonu Sood for sending back migrants in chartered flight

Meanwhile, earlier last week, Sood met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan to discuss about his work to help migrant workers reach their home states and provide them food. The Governor applauded Sonu Sood for his work and assured him complete support in his endeavors.

Read: Sonu Sood meets Maharashtra Governor; briefs about his efforts to help migrant workers

Sonu Sood helps migrant workers

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and his friend Neeti Goel have won hearts with their 'Ghar Bhejo' initiative. The actor has facilitated several buses for workers stuck in Mumbai due to the coronavirus-forced nationwide lockdown. The actor has transported workers to far off states such as Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. He has also launched a toll-free helpline to help migrants reach their homes, and as a result, has become somewhat of a social media phenomenon, with netizens likening him to a sort of logistics powerhouse, asking him to 'send things from one place to another.'

At this point, Maharashtra is the state worst-hit by Covid by some distance, accounting for 82,968 of India's 246,628 total cases.

Read: 'Our Moga Boy': Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh expresses his pride at Sonu Sood's feat

Read: Sonu Sood personally visits the train station as he sends over 1000 migrants to UP & Bihar

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
Imperial Valley News Center

Man Faces Federal Arson Charges in Connection to Metro Courthouse Fire During Protest

Nashville, Tennessee - A criminal complaint issued Wednesday charged Wesley Somers, 25, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, with malicious destruction of property using fire or explosives.

The Department of Justice will vindicate the First Amendment rights of all Americans to speak, assemble and seek a redress of grievances from their government, said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. We cannot tolerate, however, those who would take advantage of moments of real anguish to endanger the innocent and destroy their property.

We will always vigorously defend the right of every individual to assemble and protest, said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. This is one of our most sacred liberties guaranteed by the First Amendment of our Constitution. We will also vigorously pursue those who choose to exploit such assemblies and use violence and intimidation in order to change the dynamics of an otherwise peaceful protest.

The criminal complaint alleges that on the afternoon of May 30, 2020, protesters gathered in downtown Nashville following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Later in the evening, a number of persons gathered in front of Nashville City Hall, also known as the Metro Courthouse, and using various tools, including crowbars and other objects, began smashing the windows of the premises and spraying graffiti on the Courthouse facade. One or more fires were also set inside of the Courthouse at this time.

Numerous video clips and photographs of the destruction at the Courthouse were posted on social media websites, on the websites for news outlets, and on other Internet sites. Somers is depicted in video clips and photographs from that evening, shirtless and wearing beige cargo shorts. In those clips and photographs, Somerswhose distinctive chest tattoos portraying the words WILD CHILD and HARD 2 Love, among others, are occasionally visible  is depicted attempting to smash windows of the Courthouse with a long object. One photograph in particular, depicted Somers holding an unknown accelerant, which had been set on fire, and placing the accelerant through the window of the Courthouse. Somers is also depicted in a video clip setting fire to an accelerant and placing it inside a window located on the exterior of the Courthouse.

Somers was identified by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department  Specialized Investigation Division, after receiving numerous tips from citizens, and was arrested on state arson charges on May 31.

If convicted, Somers faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Cochran commended the actions of concerned citizens and the efforts of the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors who worked to quickly identify and bring these charges, including the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Schrader; and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the Departments Counterterrorism Section.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
From bugs in WhatsApp's platform to Status feature coming to JioPhones, here's everything that happened in the world of WhatsApp in the past week.

WhatApp is arguably one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. Its constantly adding new features to its platform and improving the old ones. Mostly, reports give us a glimpse of the apps upcoming features. But this week, the app made headlines for the bugs in its platform.

In addition to the bugs, reports also detailed features that were coming to the apps KaiOS-based platform.

In case you missed out on the updates, heres a list of all the WhatsApp-related things that made a headline this past week:

Your WhatsApp phone number is searchable on Google Search

Bug bounty hunter Athul Jayaram told Threatpost that a bug in the platforms Click to Chat feature was putting the phone numbers of WhatsApp users at a risk by allowing Google Search to index them.

As individual phone numbers are leaked, an attacker can message them, call them, sell their phone numbers to marketers, spammers, scammers, he said in a statement to the publication.

Scammers find new tricks to hijack WhatsApp accounts

Quite often we hear reports about hackers using malicious ways to gain access to users accounts. This week a report detailed that hackers are posing as members from WhatsApps Support Team and sending messages to users saying that someone else was trying to register a WhatsApp account using their numbers. The message then asks users to share the six-digit verification code that has been sent to them via SMSs.

Once the users share this code, they are logged out of their accounts.

WhatsApp invests in Indonesian super app Gojek

WhatsApp and PayPal announced that they had invested in payment, food delivery and ride-hailing app operator Gojek. The news was confirmed by WhatsApp CEO Matt Idema in a blog post wherein he said his company would work with Gojek "to support the growth of millions of small businesses".

WhatsApp for Jio Phone to get Status feature soon

Lastly, WhatsApp is planning to roll out Status feature on KaiOS-powered smartphones soon. This means that JioPhone users will soon be able to share Status updates on WhatsApp via their JioPhones.
 

1
The statue of Frank Rizzo had already been removed, and Sunday morning, a mural depicting the former Philadelphia mayor was painted over.

Mural Arts Philadelphia said Sunday morning that the mural was being painted over with the consent of the owner of the wall on the side of a building near the Italian Market in south Philadelphia, where it was created nearly a quarter-century ago. A small corner of the mural showing a parking sign remained Sunday.

The mural had been vandalized several times, most recently during protests stemming from the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Mural Arts Philadelphia said then that it would immediately cease all involvement" with the mural.

We do not believe the mural can play a role in healing and supporting dialogue, but rather it has become a painful reminder for many of the former Mayors legacy, and only adds to the pain and anger," the group said.

Rizzo, who was the police commissioner from 1968 to 1971 and mayor from 1972 to 1980, was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against minorities.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the death of George Floyd in police custody renewed calls in Philadelphia to stop glorifying Rizzos legacy.

The mural has now been painted over as a blank canvas, and Italian Market officials told the Inquirer it will be replaced with something that better represents the fabric of the area.

The mural had been painted there about 25 years ago.

A 10-foot bronze statue of Rizzo was removed Wednesday from its place across from City Hall.

Current Mayor Jim Kenney said the statue represented bigotry, hatred and oppression for too many people for too long. It is finally gone.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Before he beheaded his 14-year-old daughter with a farming sickle, Reza Ashrafi called a lawyer.

His daughter, Romina, he said, was going to dishonor the family by running off with her 29-year-old boyfriend. What kind of punishment, he asked the lawyer, would he get for killing her?

The lawyer assured him that as the girls guardian he would not face capital punishment but at most 3 to 10 years in jail, Ashrafis relatives told an Iranian newspaper.

Three weeks later, Ashrafi, a 37-year-old farmer, marched into the bedroom where the girl was sleeping and decapitated her.

The so-called honor killing last month, in a small village in the rolling green hills of northern Iran, has shaken the country and set off a nationwide debate over the rights of women and children and the failure of the countrys social, religious and legal systems to protect them.

It has also prompted a me-too moment on social media of women pouring out their own stories of abuse at the hands of male relatives in hopes of shedding light on a problem that is usually kept quiet.

Minoo, a 49-year-old mother of two in Tehran, said her husband had beaten their 17-year-old daughter when he spotted her with a male friend in the street.

Hanieh Rajabi, a Ph.D. student in philosophy, tweeted that her father had lashed her with a belt and kept her out of school for a week because she had walked home from class to buy ice cream instead of taking the school bus.

Others shared stories of rape, physical and emotional abuse and running away from home in search of safety.

There are thousands of Rominas who have no protection in this country, tweeted Kimia Abodlahzadeh.

In many ways, women in Iran are better off than those in many other Middle Eastern countries.

Iranian women work as lawyers, doctors, pilots, film directors and truck drivers. They hold 60% of university seats and constitute 50% of the workforce. They can run for office, and they hold seats in the Parliament and Cabinet.

But there are restrictions. Women must cover their hair, arms and curves in public, and they need the permission of a male relative to leave the country, ask for a divorce or work outside the home.

Honor killings are thought to be rare but that may be because they are usually hushed up.

A 2019 report by a research center affiliated with Irans armed forces found that nearly 30% of all murder cases in Iran were honor killings of women and girls. The number is unknown, however, as Iran does not publicly release crime statistics.

Horror over the killing of Romina Ashrafi, a round-faced high school student with a bright smile, was nearly universal, condemned by liberals and conservatives alike. Her father is currently in jail.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for harsh punishment for any man who abuses women in what appeared to be a reference to Rominas case.

But the question of what to do about it broke along familiar lines.

Everyone is infuriated and shocked because its a reminder that these laws are abnormal, these laws need to change, said Shadi Sadr, a prominent womens rights lawyer living in exile in London. These laws were not meant for a woman or a child to be killed.

Conservatives defended the existing laws and blamed Romina for promiscuity and disobeying religious and cultural strictures.

The laws for violence against women are enough, Mousa Ghazanfarabadi, a conservative cleric and lawmaker, told local media. We cannot execute Rominas father because its against Islamic law.

President Hassan Rouhani asked Parliament late last month to fast-track legislation to protect women. The bill, which has been pending in Parliament for eight years, would criminalize emotional, sexual and physical abuse and impose jail time for violators.

A separate bill that would criminalize the abuse and abandonment of children has stalled for 11 years.

Domestic violence is thought to be widespread, and the chief of Irans family protection agency said in November that it had increased by at least 20% over the previous year, the IRNA official news agency reported.

The agencys chief of psychotherapy said in April that reports of domestic violence had tripled during the coronavirus lockdown, and its hotline was receiving 4,000 calls a day.

Some womens rights advocates see the current bill as an important step, but it is unclear whether the new conservative Parliament  elected in February after the majority of critics and reformers were disqualified  will pass it. Conservatives dismiss any effort to change the law as succumbing to Western feminism.

But even if the bills passed, they would not change the punishment for a father killing his child.

Murder in Iran is subject to the death penalty under the Shariah mandate of an eye for an eye. But the penal code, based on Islamic law, exempts a guardian from capital punishment for killing his child. A childs father and paternal grandfather are considered legal guardians.

However, a mother who kills her child would face execution.

Under the Islamic patriarchy that has governed Iran for the past 40 years, changing Shariah is not an option. But some Islamic legal scholars and activists argue that the guardianship exception is based on tradition and interpretations, and is not found in the words of the Quran or sacred texts.

How is it possible that a father kills and he is not held accountable and he does not face capital punishment? Faezeh Hashemi, a prominent womens rights activist and former lawmaker, told local media. If we want to approach this issue with logic, wisdom and justice, the father needs to face retaliation punishment multiple times over.

She said that passing the measure without changing the punishment amounted to window dressing and would offer no meaningful protection for women and children.

Other critics of the current law oppose capital punishment  a minority view on a penalty prescribed by the Quran  but argue that, regardless, a father should not receive a lighter sentence for the murder of a child.

Rominas father had threatened her many times before he killed her.

The two had frequently argued.

When he discovered that she had a boyfriend, he flew into a rage, according to her mother, Rana Dashti, and other relatives. The details of Rominas story were pieced together based on accounts provided to Iranian media by her family members, her boyfriend, his family and security officials.

The boyfriend, a farmers son who rode a motorcycle and sported a buzz cut and a tattoo, said he had been courting Romina since she was 12 and had proposed marriage. Iran has no law prohibiting an adult from having a romantic relationship with a child, and girls can marry with their fathers permission at age 13.

Ashrafi rejected the proposal not because of the age difference, Dashti said, but because he didnt like the mans family.

He confiscated Rominas phone, kept her at home and began to threaten and terrorize her, Dashti told an Iranian magazine. One evening he came home with rat poison and rope, she said, encouraging Romina to commit suicide so he wouldnt have to kill her.

Romina ran away, leaving a note.

Baba you wanted to kill me, it said, addressing her father. If anyone asks you where Romina is, tell them I am dead.

The struggle for womens rights has a long history in Iran but has suffered setbacks since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The womens movement was finally dismantled as an organized effort in 2009, criminalized on grounds that it threatened national security.

Today its most prominent faces, including the Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and the feminist lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, are either in exile or in jail. Even Hashemi, whose father was president and a founding father of the revolution, was jailed.

Womens rights are politicized and criminalized making it very hard to channel this outrage on the ground into tangible action, said Sussan Tahmasebi a womens rights activist based in Tehran and Washington.

The advocates said they held little hope of changing the laws and culture that led to Rominas killing.

Three days after she ran away, Ashrafi discovered her hideout and called the police, accusing the boyfriend of kidnapping. An investigator from the prosecutors office dismissed the kidnapping charge after Romina said she went with him voluntarily.

Romina pleaded not to be sent home with her father, telling the investigator of his threats on her life. But Ashrafi assured him of her safety and she was released to her fathers care.

By the next night she was dead.

After her case made headlines across the country, the prosecutor said that the investigation and trial will be expedited and that he will seek the maximum 10-year sentence for Ashraf.

In Rominas village of Lamir, population 600, her school girlfriends still trek up the hill to the cemetery on most days. They lay yellow and purple wildflowers on her grave, and whisper a prayer that this will not be their fate.

Farnaz Fassihi@c.2020 The New York Times Company
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Transport group Piston has rejected a proposal to hire jeepney drivers as contact tracers while public transportation restrictions are still in place amid community quarantine.

"[S]a bahagi po namin ay hindi ho kami pumapayag. Una, di po yan yung kasanayan ng sektor ng transportasyon. Anong kamalayan ng mga drayber at operator sa usapin ng pagi-interview, sa usapin po ng kalusugan?" Piston president Mody Floranda told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend.

[Translation: On our end, we are not accepting (the proposal). First of all, (contact tracing) is not the expertise of the transportation sector. What do (jeepney) drivers and operators even know about matters of conducting interviews and health in general?]

This might affect the health of jeepney drivers and operators as well, he added.

"[B]akit kailangan kami yung gamitin na tracer, ano, yung sinasabi nila, tracer na maghahanap ng mga victim of COVID-19, na dapat ang naghahanap po niyan eh yung mga may kasanayan sa usapin po ng kalusugan?" Floranda explained.

[Translation: Why is it us that we need to be utilized as (contact) tracers that will look for COVID-19 victims, when people knowledgeable about health matters should be the ones doing it in the first place?]

Jeepneys are still banned in areas under general community quarantine such as Metro Manila, leaving thousands of drivers without income for months. With this, the national government has been looking into options to help these drivers, which include giving them temporary jobs as contact tracers.

Malacanang said on Thursday that drivers will be included in the third tranche of financial aid for families gravely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. However, there is no clear timetable for this, as the second round of emergency subsidy has yet to be paid out to some four million households.

Earlier, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III proposed hiring workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic for contact tracing to aid the Philippines' COVID-19 response and provide them jobs at the same time.

However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque had raised that contact tracing entails certain communication skills and technology literacy in order to do the job. The Department of Health had also set minimum qualifications local governments shall use in hiring contact tracers last month.

The country aims to hire 95,000 more contact tracers to achieve the ideal one tracer per 800 people ratio for the entire 110 million population.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 15:56:24|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Matthew Cheung, chief secretary for administration of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, promised firm cooperation on the national security legislation to make sure the "one country, two systems" principle is fully implemented in Hong Kong.

Cheung said in an online article on Sunday that the HKSAR government will comprehensively cooperate on the drafting of the related laws, establishing and improving enforcement mechanisms, strengthening law enforcement capability and launching national security education.

Cheung also called on various sectors of Hong Kong to actively express their opinions on the legislation.

National security is a major precondition for a country's development, Cheung said, noting that the legislation will guarantee Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

Cheung highlighted the significance of stability, safety and security to Hong Kong's global competitiveness, and said if unrest and chaos continue all the efforts to push Hong Kong forward will be made in vain.

The legitimate rights, interests, freedoms and core value of Hong Kong residents are fully protected and the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy are applied in Hong Kong without being bent or distorted, Cheung said.

Law-abiding residents and investors have nothing to fear, Cheung said, urging residents not to be bewitched by rumors.

In the article, Cheung also stressed the importance of national security education for the public, in particular young people. Enditem
Although this series takes place in the warm waters and sunshine-filled shores of Outer Banks, North Carolina, a few of these cast members came from surprising locations. Heres what we know about one of the actors behind Netflixs drama series, Outer Banks, who is actually from Alaska.

Rudy Pankow plays JJ on Netflixs Outer Banks

Treasure hunting off the shores of North Carolina, avoiding certain death with your best friends. It doesnt get more exciting than that for characters like JJ and John B. Although they grew up on the rough side of the island, nicknamed Pogues by the rich kids, theyre ready for all that to change after happening upon a mysterious clue.

Throughout Netflixs Outer Banks, this gang of characters embarks on a treasure hunt throughout the island and at sea. However, one of the actors behind this series didnt grow up anywhere near the east coast. Rudy Pankow is from Alaska.

Jonathan Davis, Madison Bailey, and Rudy Pankow attend the premiere of Netflixs I Am Not Okay With This | Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Rudy Pankow is actually from Alaska

Although his character portrays the surfing, swimming, fishing, trouble-making character, JJ, actor Rudy Pankow was born in Alaska in the United States and grew up there. He later headed to Charleston, South Carolina to film a number of scenes for this Netflix original series.

Other cast members from this series include Madelyn Cline who portrays Sarah and actually attended Coastal Carolina University. North Carolina-native, Madison Bailey, portrays the headstrong and spirited Kiera.

From Texas, Jonathan Daviss portrays the smart and kind Pope. One of the main characters, John B., is portrayed by Chase Stokes, who was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland before moving to Florida and attending college there.

Rudy Pankow commented on his relationship with his character

This character might be a little reckless, (especially when he somehow finds and keeps a gun.) However, his spontaneity and passion comes from a place of love. Thats especially true when it comes to his friends. For the actor behind this character, there are some similarities, shared during an interview.

JJ is so self-sufficient, and I think I am as well, Rudy Pankow said during an interview with Seventeen Magazine. Paying attention to others and how you affect them is something that I learned as JJ. It was like, Oh, you cant just always be doing your own thing or else you hurt people when you only do your own thing.

But then, theres a certain balance to it because if you only are out there seeing how youre affecting others, youre really not focused on how you affect yourself, he continued. JJ taught me how to balance both worlds of not only acting as JJ, but also balancing work and not work. If its cherishing your family time or being in a relationship at some point, theres a balance to everything.

RELATED: Outer Banks: Why the New Netflix Series Was Filmed in South Carolina Instead of North Carolina

RELATED: Outer Banks: Everything the Series Gets Wrong About Outer Banks, North Carolina
KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2020 - 03:53 | All, Japan

A 23-year-old university student was arrested Thursday in connection with the killing of three members of his family with arrows fired from a crossbow at his home in Hyogo, western Japan, police said.

Hideaki Nozu, who was arrested at the scene in the city of Takarazuka, is believed to have deliberately shot dead his 47-year-old mother Mayumi, younger brother Hideyuki, 22, and 75-year-old grandmother Yoshimi, the police said. He also shot his aunt, who suffered serious injuries.

"I intended to kill my family," Nozu was quoted by the police as saying.

The police believe at least five arrows were fired. The crossbow, measuring more than 50 centimeters in length, and arrows, each measuring over 40 cm, were found in the living room of the house.

The two women who died were both shot in the head, while the man was hit by two arrows in the head and the aunt struck by one arrow in the neck, the police said.

Based on the piercing of the victims' bodies, Nozu is likely to have fired the weapon at close range, investigative sources said.

Nozu's aunt called for help after the attack and a neighbor alerted emergency services at around 10:15 a.m.

Japan has no laws to regulate crossbows despite a number of incidents involving the weapon. It is not banned under the firearms and sword control law, either.

One online shopping website sells crossbows from around 20,000 yen ($185) and says it can ship them on the day of purchase.

Residents in the neighboring area were shocked by the incident, but few people knew about the suspect. One local man in his 50s told Kyodo News that he last saw Nozu years ago as an elementary school student playing with his younger brother.
Traders' body CAIT on Sunday said it would launch a nationwide campaign to boycott Chinese goods across the country from June 10.

The campaign call by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which claims to represent 7 crore traders and 40,000 trade associations, comes amid border tensions between India and China.

Under the campaign, CAIT will not only motivate traders to not sell Chinese goods but also urge Indian consumers to buy indigenous products in place of Chinese goods, and in this way Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call 'Vocal for Local' will also be fructified, the traders' body said in a statement.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the traders' body has been continuously campaigning from time to time for boycotting Chinese products for the last four years on the back of government's strong push for 'Make in India' programme.

"As a result of these initiatives, imports from China have dropped from USD 76 billion in 2017-18 to USD 70 billion at present. This USD 6 billion import decline tells the true story of the use of indigenous goods and changing consumer sentiments," Khandelwal said.

He said through efforts like these, CAIT is eyeing reduction in India's imports of Chinese goods by about USD 13 billion (around Rs 1 lakh crore) by December 2021, and has prepared a comprehensive list of about 3,000 products imported from China for which Indian substitutes and alternatives are easily available.
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.
The Electoral Commission (EC) does not want to accept the existing voter Identity cards as a proof of Ghanaian citizenship in its planned new voter registration exercise because, there are still people who used health insurance cards to register and are still on the register, according to the Director of Elections and Research at the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Evans Nimako.



To him, even though the Supreme Court in 2016 had ordered the EC to delete such names, the commission was unable to delete all such names.



Therefore, if the commission, was to accept the existing voter ID cards as proof of citizenship, there was the likelihood that non-Ghanaians who have previously managed to enter Ghana's electoral roll using the NHIS cards, could use that to legitimize their voting status as Ghanaians.



This is because the form 1A which the commission used to do the registration in 2012 did not properly capture the details of all those who used the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) cards to register, he said.



So even though, the commission said it deleted about 56,000 names of those who used the NHIS cards to register, there are still some names in there.



Nimakos argument



Speaking on Accra based Oman FMs 'Boiling Point' radio programme on Thursday night and monitored by Graphic Online, Mr Nimako said when he and Abu Ramadan challenged the EC in the Supreme Court about the NHIS card being used as proof of Ghanaian citizenship to register, they had a meeting with the EC in its conference room on March 30, 2016.



At that meeting, he claims EC officials explained to them that it would be difficult to be able to trace all those who used NHIS cards to register and delete them because the form 1A used for the registration at that time [2012] did not properly capture those details for all those who registered.



He said present at the said meeting at the time were lawyers from the Attorney Generals department, three EC commissioners and officers, he, himself [Nimako] and Abu Ramadan together with their lawyers.



He said it was clearly explained to them that the checkboxes indicated on the form 1A did not make provision for a place to tick if a person registered with a drivers license or an NHIS card or passport.



Checks by Graphic Online from sources at the EC have however indicated that there was a checkbox for a passport for instance and other documents and spaces provided for recording details such as passport numbers but there was no specific checkbox for NHIS cards and space provided for recording details such as the number of the card.



So whilst some registration officers resorted to writing it down on the side of the form if it was an NHIS card, others did not do so. Some even resorted to just writing NHIS card and did not go ahead to capture the numbers.



According to Mr Nimako, at their meeting with the EC in 2016 whilst the Supreme Court case was still ongoing, the EC officials admitted the challenge to them at the meeting but it was surprising that when they later got to the Supreme Court, the EC officers in a U-turn told the court they will be able to identify all those who registered with NHIS cards.



To him, they [Nimako and Ramadan] only wanted a fair process in the system and just did not want a West African register where Ghanas register contained names of foreign nationals.



He said it was therefore surprising that after admitting the challenge to them at the March 30, 2016 meeting, the EC went ahead to inform the court that it can provide the names and when the Supreme Court ordered it to do so, it provided the 56,000 names.



Justice Dotse



Even with that, he said the EC through its lawyer, Raymond Atuguba argued that the Supreme Court did not order them to delete the names until one of the Justices of the Supreme Court who was part of the panel that sat on the case, Justice Jones Dotse in a media interview said their [Supreme Court] order was clear that those names were to be deleted and such persons were to be given the opportunity in a limited registration to use the proper proof of citizenship to register again.



He said when the 56,000 names were given to them [applicants] and they went through it, they concluded that was not all the names of those who registered with NHIS cards and that in the Akuapem South constituency, for instance, it was indicated that only 19 people registered with NHIS cards.



He said when they looked through the 56,000 names, it was realised that some of them had drivers license numbers, passport numbers and some even had just mobile phone numbers indicated against their names.



He said after the case, many people have come out to explain that they used NHIS cards to register but their names are still in the register.



To Mr Nimako, the present EC commissioners taking into consideration the Supreme Court order on the NHIS card as not a sufficient proof of Ghanaian citizenship and they wanting to compile a clean roll of Ghanaian voters do not want to repeat the mistakes.

Source: Daily Graphic









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The Berejiklian government has delayed the expansion of Sydney's desalination plant, just five months after it moved to double its size to provide more drinking water for the city.

As Sydney is no longer in drought and Warragamba Dam is at 83 per cent capacity, the government is reconsidering its water strategy for the city.

Low flow mode at Sydney's desalination plant will continue until September. Credit:Getty Images AsiaPac

In January, Water Minister Melinda Pavey directed the operators of the plant, in Kurnell in Sydney's south, to prepare for an expansion "as quickly as practicable".

Ms Pavey said the expansion was a "key element in protecting Sydney's water security" after the city had been in drought for 18 months.
Outer Banks fans dislike aspects of the show that incorrectly portray life in North Carolina. Despite everything the fictional series gets wrong about the Outer Banks, theres one major plot element thats rooted in history. Learn more about the real Royal Merchant ship and the treasure that sank with it.

Madison Bailey, Rudy Pankow, Chase Stokes, and Jonathan Daviss | Netflix

North Carolina is vastly different in reality

The Netflix series gets criticized for getting things factually wrong about the Outer Banks. Local surfer Brent Nultemeier told Esquire how people from the Outer Banks dont use Kook or Pogue to describe social classes. In the fictional series, those terms describe where characters are from. On occasion, theyre used as an insult.

Ironically, Nultemeier says theres a lot less boating in the Outer Banks, too. Thats not necessarily how it goes around here, Nultemeier said, referencing how characters use boats to get around. Im sure there are some communities where you can hop on your boat and get from place to place, [but] you dont normally travel around in your boat all the time. Boats arent cheap.

Outer Banks fans are still mad about this geographical mistake

Outer Banks is a fictional series, but that didnt stop Outer Banks natives from criticizing a scene that implies you can take a ferry from the Outer Banks to Chapel Hill. I dont want people to think that we dont know Chapel Hill isnt near the coast, Jonas Pate told the News Observer. Maybe Im overthinking this, but we bleed North Carolina, and we want it to reflect well on our state, the showrunner added.

RELATED: Outer Banks Creator Says This Character Is the Easiest to Write

Pate says the original script had a critical scene that showed John B (Chase Stokes) and Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline) taking an Uber after leaving the ferry. Unfortunately, that scene was cut from the final edit of the series. Viewers havent let Pate live that mistake down!

The Royal Merchant was based on a historic ship named The Merchant Royal.

In the fictional story of Outer Banks, John B and his Pogue pals are on the hunt for $400 million in gold that sank with the storied Royal Merchant ship. After John Bs dads mysterious disappearance, finding the gold becomes his mission. He encourages his friends to help him find the treasure, which is supposedly someone off the coast of the island.

The Telegraph reported the real Merchant Royal ship sank in 1641 off the southern coast of England. In Outer Banks, the ship sank in the 1800s off the coast of North Carolina. The original Merchant Royal, also known as The El Dorado of the seas, towed $1.5 billion in silver and gold. No one has yet to find The Merchant Royal. However, in March 2019 an anchor was found that is presumably from The Merchant Royal.

RELATED: Outer Banks: Who Has the Highest Net Worth of the Netflix Cast?

Its an admiralty patterned long shank anchor, the right type for The Merchant Royal, Mark Milburn, co-founder of Cornwall Maritime Archaeology, told the Daily Mail. From what I see in the pictures, it is the same design as ones used in the 17th century. While a historical find like this is compelling evidence, Milburn cautions any diver who wants to search for more. Its a serious dive, he said. It takes a lot of the right equipment, and most divers know that.

Despite the creative liberties Pate and his co-creators took with Outer Banks, the series is still a captivating watch.
Shortages of N95 masks in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic have prompted loosening of some rules by the F.D.A. in the form of emergency use authorizations. The masks, which are intended for use by health care workers and front-line responders, can filter out viruses, unlike cloth and surgical masks, which the public is encouraged to use to limit the spread of larger droplets that can spread the novel coronavirus.

As concerns arose about those shortages around the country, the agency allowed masks that had not been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, but were in use in other countries, and it also allowed reuse of N95 masks after decontamination.

Now the agency is saying that certain masks made in China and not approved by NIOSH, while still OK for emergency use, may not be reused. The list of masks that are authorized but may not be reused includes a number of models from 3M that are manufactured in China.

For health care workers, the need for masks, and the ones that actually stop viruses, has never been in dispute. But public mask wearing was controversial even before it became politicized. At first, health officials were doubtful of the value of simple masks in protecting the user. But over time, they have agreed that widespread mask wearing reduces the spread of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization waited until Friday to endorse the widespread use of face masks by the public.

The F.D.A. announcement said that testing by NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has shown that some respirators manufactured in China may vary in their design and performance.

The F.D.A. announcement included several changes in emergency authorizations, some involving the use of decontamination systems, all concerned with mask safety. The agency has been reconsidering and revising decisions on masks as it gains new information, the announcement said. In May, it banned a number of masks that had failed tests.
Health authorities say it will take weeks to find out whether COVID-19 spread through protesters at a Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne on Saturday as police push ahead with an investigation into social distancing breaches at the event.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen said the risk of an outbreak was "not insignificant" after tens of thousands of people gathered in the CBD to rally against Aboriginal deaths in custody and police brutality.

Nobody was arrested at the peaceful protest but police have confirmed they are planning to fine the organisers from the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance for breaching the COVID-19 lockdown rules.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said "a post-event investigation" into the protest had begun. "We are reviewing footage, gathering evidence and expect to take enforcement action against several organisers in due course."

Supporters have offered to cover the fines, but WAR has urged them to donate to other causes.
New-born piglets often die painfully from infection with an intestinal bacterium. A team of researchers from 3 faculties at the University of Bern has now discovered how the bacterium causes fatal intestinal bleeding. They have thus made a breakthrough in veterinary research. Promising prospects for vaccinations and medications for use in humans too have now opened up.

The Clostridium perfringens bacterium is part of the large Clostridium genus which can cause various fatal illnesses in animals and humans. Clostridium infections are widespread. These bacteria are dangerous because they produce extremely strong poisons (toxins) which cause targeted damage to the host's cells. Dreaded diseases caused by Clostridium include botulism, tetanus, gas gangrene and intestinal infections, for example.

Horst Posthaus's group in the Institute of Animal Pathology at the University of Bern is researching an intestinal infection in pigs which is caused by Clostridium perfringens. 10 years ago, they were already able to demonstrate that the toxin produced by the bacteria, the so-called beta toxin, kills vascular cells and thus causes bleeding in the piglet's intestine. Until now, however, it was unclear why the toxin attacked specifically these cells and not others. Julia Bruggisser, biochemist and doctoral student at the Institute of Animal Pathology, has now succeeded in solving the puzzle of this mechanism in an interdisciplinary collaboration between three faculties. The findings from the study have been published in the specialist journal Cell Host & Microbe.

A key molecule

Around five years ago, lab technician Marianne Wyder from the Institute of Animal Pathology came across a molecule called Platelet-Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (PECAM-1 or even CD31 for short). It is located on the surface of various cells and plays a central role in intestinal bleeding in piglets. The actual role of the CD31 molecule is to regulate the interaction between inflammatory cells and the blood vessels. It predominantly occurs on cells which are located on the inside of blood vessels (so-called endothelial cells).

During experiments, it was noticed that CD31 and the beta toxin are distributed almost identically on these cells. "Our project resulted from this initial observation," says Horst Posthaus. Julia Bruggisser from the Institute of Animal Pathology discovered that the toxin released by the bacteria in the intestine attaches to the CD31. Since the beta toxin numbers among the pore-forming toxins, it thus perforates the cell membrane and kills the endothelial cells. This results in damage to the vessels and bleeding in the intestine.

Researchers at the University of Bern join forces

Collaboration between multiple research groups at the University of Bern was essential for the success of the project. "For my research, I work in three laboratories at the university. Although it's challenging, I learn a lot and above all, it's fun," says Julia Bruggisser. In addition to animal pathology, she also works with groups headed by Britta Engelhardt (Theodor-Kocher Institute) and Christoph von Ballmoos (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry). "They had the right questions and ideas. We were able to bring our know-how concerning CD31 and methods and reagents which we had developed into the study," says Britta Engelhardt. "It came together perfectly," adds Christoph von Ballmoos.

Better prophylaxis and medications

The discovery makes it possible to develop better vaccines in order to prevent the fatal disease in pigs. "But we also want to investigate whether the attachment of beta toxin to CD31 on the endothelial cells also allows for the development of new forms of therapy, for vascular disease in humans, for example. We have already started more collaborations within the University of Bern to this end," says Horst Posthaus.

This study was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and by a grant for international students at the University of Bern.
business reporter

Prospect Resources, the ASX-listed firm developing Arcadia lithium mine at Goromonzi, says its ultra-low iron petalite product has progressed through the initial qualification process with two of the worlds largest glass-ceramic manufacturers, both based in Europe. Prospect provided both manufacturers with samples for laboratory testing and analysis. The outcomes from their analysis is that the ultra-low iron petalite meets the glass-ceramic markets stringent technical specifications, the company said in a notice on Monday.

In the glass-ceramics market, ultra-low iron petalite is a key lithium ingredient in dark glass, comprising up to 90% of the inputs. The next steps in the product qualification process are the development of a pilot trial manufacturing product in a large kiln and a full test in the production kiln.

Prospect expects larger volumes of the product in 2020 after the pit is opened up and the pilot plant is constructed.

This plant will continuously test future ores before they reach the production plant to ensure process efficiencies are implemented prior to ore being delivered to the plant. All customers have requested additional samples to continue their testing programmes, to further enhance their mix-designs for feed products, Prospect says.

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Prospect anticipates being one of only two mines in the world capable of producing ultra-low iron petalite. Demand for ultra-low iron petalite is expected to be spread equally between Europe and Asia, with a supply deficit expected to remain. The company also reported that its ultra-low iron petalite product has met specification testing for ceramic production in Japan and China.

A key attraction from customers to Prospect is that the Company can provide a long-term reliable supply of product both in terms of monthly volumes and consistent product quality, underpinned by Arcadia being a lowest quartile operating cost producer, said the firm.

In August, Prospect announced that a report by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, an independent market analysis firm, forecast that Prospect will supply 10% of low iron lithium over Arcadias 12-year life of mine. Beyond petalite, Prospect last December shipped Africas first battery-grade lithium carbonate, a compound that is in high demand for use in batteries.

The 100kg samples were produced at Prospects pilot plant in Kwekwe, which the company is reconfiguring to manufacture lithium hydroxide. Lithium hydroxide, used in the manufacture of battery cathodes, fetches a higher price than lithium carbonate as it is higher demand on the world electric energy market than the carbonate. In its latest quarterly activity report, Prospect said it was in talks with a number of entities, including African development banks, to fund the development of Arcadia.

Prospect has screened a number of the potential financial partners and is progressing detailed discussions with a select group that we believe are appropriate financial partners for the project. The company believes that these proposals are currently incomplete and require further development before they would be able to be announced, although they indicate there is appetite for financing tier one greenfield lithium mining projects in Africa, said Prospect.  newZWire

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The confirmed global death toll from the COVID-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday, as Pope Francis warns the world 'don't cry victory too soon'.

Worldwide, at least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University, whose aggregated tally has become the main worldwide reference for monitoring the disease.

Its running counter says United States leads the world with nearly 110,000 confirmed virus-related deaths. Europe as a whole has recorded more than 175,000 since the virus emerged in China late last year.

Health experts, however, believe that the John Hopkins tally falls short of showing the true tragedy of the pandemic.

Pope Francis warned countries easing lockdown 'don't cry victory too soon'. Seen leading Angelus prayer from the Apostolic Palace at Saint Peter's square at Vatican City June 7

Many governments have struggled to produce statistics that can reasonably be considered as true indicators of the pandemic given the scarcity of diagnostic tests especially in the first phase of the crisis.

Authorities in Italy and Spain, with over 60,000 combined deaths, have acknowledged that their death count is larger than the story the numbers tell.

Speaking to the hundreds who gathered below his window in St. Peters Square on Sundays for the popes noon blessing after Italy eased its restrictions on public gatherings Pope Francis gave his warning.

Francis said: 'Be careful, don't cry victory, don't cry victory too soon. Follow the rules. They are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead.'

Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered below his window in St. Peters Square on Sundays for the popes noon blessing after Italy eased its restrictions on public gatherings

Nuns watch as Pope Francis stands at the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking Saint Peter' Square after his live streamed the Angelus prayer on June 7, 2020 in Vatican

The Argentine-born pontiff has also expressed dismay that the virus is still claiming many lives, especially in Latin America.

Yesterday the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went as far as to tweet on Saturday that his country's disease totals are 'not representative' of Brazil's current situation, insinuating that the numbers were actually overestimating the spread of the virus.

Critics of Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly clashed with health experts over the seriousness of the disease and has threatened to take Brazil out of the World Health Organization, said the decision was a maneuver by the hardman-style leader to hide the depths of crisis.

Brazil's last official numbers recorded over 34,000 virus-related deaths, the third-highest toll in the world behind the U.S. and Britain. It reported nearly 615,000 infections, putting it second behind the U.S.

A cross marks the grave of 57-year-old Paulo Jose da Silva, who died from the new coronavirus, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, June 5, 2020

Vera Lucia Souza prays at the gravesite of her 47-year-old brother Paulo Roberto da Silva, who died of COVID-19, during his burial at the Sao Luiz cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, June 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

After Bolsonaro stoked his clash with health experts, Pope Francis cautioned people in countries emerging from lockdown to keep following authorities rules on social distancing, hygiene and limits on movement.

Many counties like the U.S. and Britain insist that they can ease restrictions before having stalled their outbreaks.

Relatives attend the burial of 57-year-old Paulo Jose da Silva, who died from the new coronavirus, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, June 5, 2020. According to Monique dos Santos, her stepfather mocked the existence of the virus, didn't use a mask, didn't take care of himself, and wanted to shake hands with everybody. 'He didn't believe in it and unfortunately he met this end. It's very sad, but that's the truth,' she said. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

In the U.S., the virus churns on underneath the unrest provoked by the death of George Floyd and increasingly directed at President Donald Trumps handling of the protests.

On Sunday, the U.K. revealed that places of worship can reopen from June 15 - but only for private prayer.

Worries have surfaced over the past couple of weeks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is easing the restrictions too soon, with new infections potentially still running at 8,000 a day. As things stands, nonessential shops, including department stores, are due to reopen on June 15.

Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the British governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said the epidemic 'is definitely not all over' and that there is an 'awful long way to go.'

In France, the government announced that from Tuesday, it will ease restrictions limiting travel from the French mainland to overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.

People wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus walk an outdoor book market set up in Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, June 6, 2020

Spain is preparing to take another step forward in the scaling back of its containment with Madrid and Barcelona opening the interiors of restaurants with reduced seating on Monday.

In Turkey, Istanbul residents flocked to the citys shores and parks on the first weekend with no lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the health minister.

Russia remained troubling, with nearly 9,000 new cases over the past day, roughly in line with numbers reported over the past week.

Pakistan is pushing toward 100,000 confirmed infections as medical professionals plead for more controls and greater enforcement of social distancing directives. But Prime Minister Imran Khan said a full shutdown would devastate a failing economy.

India confirmed 9,971 new coronavirus cases in another biggest single-day spike, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.

China has reported its first non-imported case in two weeks, an infected person on the island of Hainan off the southern coast.
A young female police officer was flung violently into traffic lights outside Downing Street on Saturday evening after a demonstrator hurled a missile at her horse. The animal bolted riderless down Whitehall, careering into a blameless woman protester and a lamppost.

Groups of men hurled two Boris bikes at police horses, startling the terrified animals. Flares were thrown over the security gates into Downing Street. Bottles and other missiles were tossed at riot squad officers as they emerged from behind the gates.

Yesterday criminality extended to Bristol, where a mob ripped down a statue of Edward Colston, a philanthropist and slave trader who died almost exactly 300 years ago. He was a man whose actions obviously cant be defended, but the destruction of his monument was nonetheless an act of vandalism.

A young female police officer was flung violently into traffic lights outside Downing Street on Saturday evening after a demonstrator hurled a missile at her horse (pictured)

As protests continued in London yesterday, the female police officer was recovering in hospital with a collapsed lung, broken collarbone and shattered ribs. Thirteen other officers were injured in Saturdays clashes  to add to the 13 hurt in earlier protests last week.

What cruel madness is this? Its true that only a small minority of the demonstrators turned to violence, but by their conduct they disfigured the entire protest, whose purpose was to object to the abominable killing of George Floyd, an American black man, two weeks ago.

In which decent moral universe is it thought reasonable to attack British police officers in retaliation for the murder of an innocent black man by a psychopathic white American policeman in a city 4,000 miles away?

But its not only the violent agitators fomenting division who were at fault. Although, of course, their transgression was much less serious, all those who went peacefully on marches in London and other British cities over the weekend were behaving selfishly and irresponsibly. Every one of them was breaking the law.

The truth is that one undoubted injustice is not in any way ameliorated by outbreaks of violence and anti-social behaviour. One harm has been met with more pain and destruction, which dishonours rather than burnishes the memory of George Floyd. A man is pictured throwing a bike towards mounted police officers

I realise many were wearing masks, but they provide only a limited defence against infection. All these demonstrations constituted the kind of mass gatherings that have been prohibited during the lockdown because they are known to spread Covid-19.

More people will become infected, and some could die, as a result of these demos. The protesters were not merely taking a risk on their own behalf. Their actions could give the contagion a boost just when it seems finally to be under control.

Particularly appalling were pictures of demonstrators addressing or abusing police officers to their faces, while sometimes photographing them on their smartphones. God knows why most of the police werent wearing masks, but they werent. Some may have been infected by exchanges at such close quarters.

Those who went on these marches will think they were in the service of a noble cause  to decry the suffocation of an innocent black man at the hands of the police, which they believe characterised a wider brutality that stretches beyond American shores.

The truth is that one undoubted injustice is not in any way ameliorated by outbreaks of violence and anti-social behaviour. One harm has been met with more pain and destruction, which dishonours rather than burnishes the memory of George Floyd.

And what has the Labour Party said? Two weeks ago, following the Guardians and the Daily Mirrors revelations, it was in the forefront of those criticising Dominic Cummings for his infractions of the lockdown. Rightly so.

But in response to the deliberate flouting of the lockdown by thousands, Labour has been almost silent. One of their number, the irrepressibly preachy MP Barry Gardiner, joined a demonstration outside Parliament last week in which little, if any, social distancing was observed.

Nor, one should add, have the Mirror and Guardian climbed the same high horse from which they criticised Mr Cummings. Far from it. Some Guardian columnists have fostered division. One of them, Afua Hirsch, wrote an incendiary piece in which she claimed that the racism which killed George Floyd is a system that Britain built here.

This is what the Black Lives Matter protesters are alleging  that Britain is a fundamentally racist society. Little evidence is adduced. I heard one of the organisers of Saturdays London demonstration feebly allege that the higher rate of Covid-19 fatalities among BAME people was proof of innate racism.

Yesterday criminality extended to Bristol, where a mob ripped down a statue of Edward Colston (pictured), a philanthropist and slave trader who died almost exactly 300 years ago

Only a myopic person would deny there is some racism in Britain.

Tonight on BBC1, there is a moving drama inspired by the Windrush scandal about Anthony Bryan, who after 50 years in Britain was wrongly detained by the Home Office, and threatened with deportation.

To its credit, the Guardian broke the Windrush story in 2018.

Granted that there are pockets of institutional racism in our country, I believe the widespread horror reflected across the political spectrum when the outrage first came to light suggests quite the opposite  that Britain is not a racist society.

To imply, as the protesters and their divisive journalistic cheerleaders do, that Britain is irredeemably racist  well, that is an insult to the many millions of Britons of every colour who co-exist tolerantly and peaceably with their fellow citizens.

Furthermore, the measured reaction of put-upon police officers on Saturday shows that, for all their shortcomings, our police are generally not brutish. Their American counterparts sometimes are  to whites as well as blacks, as shocking footage of police in Buffalo pushing an elderly white man to the ground last Thursday attests.

Yet what does truth matter to those who sow discord? We are in the midst of an emergency. We face scary economic challenges. This is the most ill-chosen moment imaginable for conflict and violence and self-indulgent behaviour.

Im sure many protesters are fair-minded people. They are doubtless frustrated by weeks of lockdown, and many have time on their hands as they are not working, or attending school or university.

But these increasingly anarchic demonstrations, tenuously linked to the horrible murder of a black man far away, are serving only to drive us apart in the middle of a national crisis.
MILAN (Reuters) - Italian magistrates have placed an Italian unit of Uber Technologies under special administration as part of an investigation into alleged exploitation of food delivery riders, three people familiar with the case said on Friday.

Uber Italia said it had made its Uber Eats platform available to restaurants and couriers in full respect of the law and it condemned any form of illegal intermediation.

"We participate actively in the debate around regulation which we believe will give the food delivery sector the necessary legal security to prosper in Italy," Uber Italia said in an emailed statement.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the case, said magistrates are looking into a case concerning around 1,000 delivery riders, who were alleged to have been paid three euros an hour to deliver meals.

The sources said Uber Eats is alleged to have paid much higher sums to two recruitment companies that took on and managed the riders, most of them foreigners recruited from migrant reception centres.

One of the companies and four individuals are also under investigation, the sources said.

Uber Italia can continue to operate under the special administration.

(Reporting by Emilio Parodi, Elvira Pollina. Editing by Jane Merriman)
BAYONNE  In 2014, Ish Hamilton protested in Downtown New York City following the death of Eric Garner. Now, six years later, Hamilton again stood amid hundreds with Black Lives Matter signs and said she cant believe this is still happening.

Hamilton was one of hundreds who demonstrated at Stephen R. Gregg Park in Bayonne Sunday afternoon. The Jersey City native said the viral video of George Floyds death left her hurt; when asked how she felt about Bayonnes protest she said, Its about time.

Prior to the march, there was a celebration of Black Bayonne, which included music and poetry from speakers. Community organization Black in Bayonne created the event along with Bayonne NAACP members and the Bridge Art Gallery.

Nicole Lipari was standing with her friends as dozens watched the performances under the gazebo near John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Lipari, a Bayonne resident, held her sign that read: White Silence = Violence BLM!!!!

Nicole Lipari, second to the right, with her friends in Bayonne on Sunday.Adrienne Romero | The Jersey Journal

Bayonne needed this (protest), Lipari said. Those who are not speaking up are part of the problem.

On May 25, Floyd was killed in Minnesota after an officer kept his knee on Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest  despite Floyd pleading, I cant breathe, which is also what Garner said in 2014 after being wrestled during an arrest.

I cant breathe has become one of the many chants protesters across the nation shout as they march with signs advocating for black lives to matter. In Bayonne, it was no different.

Hundreds walked peacefully from the gazebo to down the road that leads to the parks stairs. Rally members gathered near the flagpole while some had the opportunity to register to vote. A registration table was set up near the steps.

A song by Michael Jackson, They Dont Care About Us, blasted from a protesters speakers who stood near Hamilton. Hamilton shook her head as she recalled the video of Floyds death.

It really hurt, Hamilton said. I literally watched a man die.

Closer to the steps was Chelsea Gillyard, who was standing with her girlfriend and friend, who did not provide their names. Her friend held up a sign that read: Im not black, but I see you. Im not black, but I hear you. Im not black but I stand with you.

A man protesting in Bayonne on Sunday.Adrienne Romero | The Jersey Journal

Gillyard said it felt good to be around people who have the same feelings as her, but she emphasized that for change to happen, it shouldnt stop here.

This is not just a moment, Gillyard said. Racism in this country is so deeply rooted... and sometimes people dont understand how it applies to them. But dig up some ways to help as allies. Its a lot of homework if you care.

Near the steps and flagpole is where protesters silently kneeled for 8 minutes and 46 seconds  the same time officer Derek Chauvin  who has since been arrested and charged with second-degree murder  left his knee on Floyds neck.

People shook their heads as they looked at the ground while one woman began to cry in another mans arms.

Zaria and Carmella, who declined to give their last names, said the march and silent kneeling made them feel empowered. But they also emphasized that the movement does not stop at the protest.

You dont stop here, please dont, Zaria said. (Non-black people) Use your privilege the right way.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:58:09|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Financial Secretary of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Paul Chan said on Sunday that to limit U.S. dollar trading in Hong Kong will in return damage global confidence in the U.S. dollar and U.S. financial assets.

Extreme measures, such as restricting Hong Kong using the U.S. dollar or the settlement system, are also highly risky to the United States itself, the Hong Kong finance chief wrote in an online article in response to concerns over threatened sanctions by the United States.

Any move to rattle the financial system of Hong Kong, which is the third largest U.S. dollar trading center in the world, will also have an enormous impact on global financial markets, Chan noted.

Hong Kong is closely connected to global economic and financial systems, and provides investment, wealth management, trade and settlement services to numerous businesses from Asia-Pacific and other parts of the world, he wrote.

The United States has recently threatened to slap sanctions on Hong Kong after China's national legislature adopted a decision to make the national security legislation for Hong Kong.

Chan reiterated that the actual impact of the so-called sanctions will be very limited and that other global financial centers also have their own national security laws.

He wrote that he remains optimistic about Hong Kong's status as a global financial center as it has been supported by businesses and capital from the Chinese mainland with closer financial ties and has been increasingly recognized by global investors.

In the article, Chan also noted the Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle. Enditem
In a statement 24 hours after military-level talks, MEA says the situation will be resolved as per past bilateral accords

In this July 22, 2011 file photo, children play cricket by the Pangong Lake, near the India-China border in Ladakh, India. Indian officials say Indian and Chinese soldiers are in a standoff in the remote Ladakh region, with the two countries amassing soldiers and machinery near the tense frontier. The officials said 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. (AP)

New Delhi: What came of the talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh on Saturday? Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) put out a statement almost 24 hours later on Sunday, stating that the two sides agreed to peacefully resolve the current border issue in eastern Ladakh in accordance with bilateral pacts as well as the agreement reached between the leadership of the two countries.

In other words, the parleys held between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping in recent meetings, including a summit at Mamallapuram last year will have a bearing on the border issue.

The Indian Armys 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh and the Peoples Liberation Armys South Xinjiang Military Region commander Maj Gen Liu Lin met at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the LAC in the Chushul sector of Ladakh. The talks lasted more than five hours.

After the meeting, Indian Army officials briefed Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Y K Joshi and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on the outcome. The army also briefed national security adviser Ajit Doval, chief of defence services Gen Bipin Rawat and the Ministry of External Affairs. A detailed briefing was also given to the PMO.

In its statement on Sunday, the MEA said, "Both sides noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship.

Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, it said.

During the talks, India is reported to have asked China to revert to the status quo of April 2020 at the LAC in the Ladakh sector. The India side sought that China should act on the various agreements signed by the two sides to bring down the tensions at the LAC.

India asked China to reduce the build-up of its troops at the LAC and revert back to the status quo of April in Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley. The Chinese side objected to road construction at the LAC which has increased the Indian Armys capability to mobilise troops much faster in the mountainous terrain of Ladakh. However, India pointed out that all construction activity was going on well within Indian territory.

On Saturday afternoon, the Indian Army issued a statement which said that 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. 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, said the statement.

Meanwhile, Chinese state-owned media said on Saturday that India should immediately stop provocative acts along the border and respect Chinas bottom line stance on the common border, otherwise deadlock will not be truly resolved.

Global Times in a report said that Chinese observers predict that the military of the two countries, after Saturdays high-level meeting, will cease operations to certain extent, but the border tension may continue, mainly due to Indias tendency of playing petty tricks on the border.

In a separate editorial, Global Times said that India should not be instigated by US as China will not give up any inch of territory and China will not be at a disadvantage in any China-India military operations along the border area.

During the meeting India raised the issue of Pangong Tso where China has brought additional troops and pitched tents at around finger 4 to prevent Indian troops from patrolling till finger 8 area in an attempt to change the status quo. It was at Pangong Tso lake, where the two sides were involved in a brutal clash on the intervening night of May 5th and May 6th.

In Galwan Valley, Chinese have brought their troops in Indian territory which was never disputed. PLA is unhappy with the 255 kilometer Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road which connects to base of the Karakoram pass. Chinese presence at Galwan is a threat to DS-DBO road as they can cut off this crucial road. There have already 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.
BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has expressed cautious optimism that talks with Kosovo brokered by the European Union could resume, one day after Kosovos new government lifted all trade barriers that had been imposed on Serbia.

In an interview on June 7 with RFE/RLs Balkan Service, Vucic said Kosovos move opens the possibility for us to start talking.

It will create a kind of framework so that our business communities can cooperate incomparably better, he said. Of course, this will open the possibility for political dialogue between us.

Kosovo was formerly a Serbian province that unilaterally declared independence in 2008. Belgrade has not recognized that move. In 2011, Belgrade and Pristina agreed to EU-brokered talks aimed at normalizing relations.

Kosovo first imposed trade sanctions on Serbia in November 2018 in retaliation for Belgrades diplomatic efforts to persuade countries to rescind their recognition of Kosovos independence.

We expect Serbia to end the de-recognition campaign against Kosovo, Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti said on June 6, adding that Kosovo expected the EU and the United States to pressure Belgrade on the issue.

Serbia had previously said it would not negotiate with Kosovo as long as the trade sanctions were in place.

Vucic confirmed that EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak was expected to visit Belgrade and Pristina soon after Serbias June 21 parliamentary elections.

Vucic, however, said he did not expect the talks to result in Serbian recognition of Kosovo.

We talk to everyone, he said. My question isWhat is the content of the dialogue. What are we talking about?. Because if it is just, Come on, Serbs, recognize the independence of Kosovo and lets finish that story, it certainly will not go that way.

Both Kosovo and Serbia are pursuing a policy of European integration and aspire to membership in the European Union.
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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.

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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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:32:43|Editor: huaxia

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MUSCAT, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Oman announced on Sunday the tasks and powers of the Special Office established by Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq.

According to the official gazette of Oman, the Special Office shall report directly to the sultan and its duties include preparing daily work files for the sultan.

The office should also communicate with the Council of Ministers and various government bodies on the issues ordered by the sultan.

It shall inform the sultan about the progress of the programs under the "Oman Vision 2040."

On June 3, the sultan issued royal decrees, ordering the establishment of the Special Office and appointing the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Hamad bin Said Al-Aufi as the office head. Enditem
Protesters in Washington are in the process of turning the fence erected around Lafayette Square to push them away from the White House into a memorial wall honoring victims of police violence and racial injustice.

Photos and video from Washington on Sunday show a number of protest signs mounted on the fence by demonstrators bearing messages that include Black Lives Matter, No justice, no peace, Say their names and other rallying cries of those who have marched through the nations capital over the 10 days.

The Washington Posts Hannah Natanson shared a video of the scene Sunday:

The fence outside the White House has been converted to a crowd-sourced memorial wall  almost like an art gallery  to black men and women who lost their lives at the hands of police.



Hundreds are strolling, looking, adding names and paintings and posters. pic.twitter.com/mXlZpfMAeX  Hannah Natanson (@hannah_natanson) June 7, 2020

Washington has seen daily protests for more than a week following the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died May 25 when a Minneapolis police officer kneeled 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 second-degree manslaughter, while three other officers on the scene were fired and later charged with aiding and abetting.

Video of Floyds death went viral and helped spark nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

During the protests in Washington, Lafayette Square served as a flashpoint. On Monday, the protestors gathered there were forcibly cleared from the area by U.S. Park Police and law enforcement, who used chemical agents in the process, so President Donald Trump could walk from the White House to St. Johns Episcopal Church after a televised speech.

The next day, a tall black fence was erected around on the north edge of Lafayette Square, and by Thursday, all entrances to Lafayette Park, the Ellipse and other open spaces near the White House had been closed, according to DCist.

Since then, the fence has been a meeting point for demonstrators, with the largest crowds yet descending on the area near the White House on Saturday, and the space has become symbolic of the larger protests.

Over the weekend, Washington mayor Muriel Bowser renamed the stretch of 16th Street NW that leads to Lafayette Square as Black Lives Matter Plaza and painted the words Black Lives Matter onto the street. On Saturday, Black Lives Matter organizers turned the D.C. flag on the mural into an equals sign and added the words Defund the police to the pavement.

Black Lives Matter organizers are painting Defund the Police in yellow paint on 16th Street right now pic.twitter.com/62zFMPXXOo  Samantha Schmidt (@schmidtsam7) June 7, 2020

Now, demonstrators are leaving their signs on the fence as another symbol of the protests.

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India's top four metropolitian clusters -- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai -- account for nearly half of the nationwide COVID-19 tally, which saw a a record surge of almost 10,000 on Saturday. These four have a similar share in the death toll, which is fast approaching the 7,000-mark.

After including three other major urban clusters hit by the COVID-19 pandemic -- Ahmedabad, Indore and Pune -- the seven of them together account for 60 percent of overall confirmed cases and more than 80 percent of the deaths across India, as per the latest data disclosed by various states and union territories.

In its last update, the Union Health Ministry said the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India rose to 2,36,657 with a record single-day spike of 9,887 cases in 24 hours since Friday 8 AM, while the death toll also rose by a record 294 to 6,642.

However, a PTI tally of figures announced by different states and UTs, as of 9.15 PM, put the nationwide count of confirmed COVID-19 cases higher at 2,37,867 and the death toll at 6,858.

However, a real-time worldwide COVID-19 tracker of Johns Hopkins University showed India's tally having risen to 2,45,670 as of 11.15 PM, making it the fifth worst hit nation after the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK. It also showed a higher death toll for India at 6,913 -- the 12th highest globally.

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

However, India has also seen close to 1.15 COVID-19 patients having recovered, which is also among the 10 highest in the world.

An analysis of the numbers announced by various states and UTs showed that the total number of confirmed cases across the four main metropolitan regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai has risen to close to 1.14 lakh -- accounting for nearly 48 percent of the nationwide tally. Their collective count of fatalities has also neared 3,150, which is more than 46 percent of the nationwide death count.

The numbers would get much higher if the areas from adjoining districts get added to the tallies of these top metro cities. In case of Delhi, some of the areas of the so-called national capital region fall in neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

While Mumbai is the worst-hit city in the country, Delhi and Chennai have also been hit hard. Other major urban clusters affected by the deadly virus outbreak include Ahmebdabad in Gujarat, Pune in Maharashtra and Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Kolkata has relatively lower numbers, but cases have been rising there in the recent past.

Together, these seven major urban clusters have reported close to 1.4 lakh confirmed cases and at least 5,665 deaths -- accounting for 59 percent of the nationwide tally of positive cases and the death toll, respectively.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, reported 120 deaths, including 58 in Mumbai, on Saturday, taking the state's overall number of fatalities to 2,969. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases spiked by 2,739 in the state to 82,968, according to the state's health bulletin.

Of the 120 deaths recorded on Saturday, 90 were from the MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) area including 58 in Mumbai, it said.

Of the total, as many as 62,615 cases have been reported from Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) which includes 47,354 cases in Mumbai city alone. The region has reported 1,993 fatalities, including 1,577 from Mumbai city alone.

In the state, Pune city has reported 8,049 cases and 372 fatalities so far, while the figures for the entire Pune district are even higher.

Gujarat reported 498 new coronavirus positive cases and 29 deaths, including 26 in Ahmedabad district, taking the total case count to 19,617 and fatalities to 1,219, the state health department said.

Ahmedabad reported 289 new cases, followed by 92 in Surat, another badly hit urban cluster.

While the total cases in Ahmedabad rose to 13,968, the number of cases in Surat went up to 2,033 and 1,258 in Vadodara.

Ahmedabad city has so far reported deaths of 994 coronavirus patients, followed by 25 in Surat and 23 in Vadodara.

In Tamil Nadu, 19 more people died while 1,498 new cases were detected. The state's overall tally rose to 30,152, while its death toll has mounted to 251.

Chennai, the worst-hit district in the state, saw its tally rising by 1,146 to 20,993, while its death toll also rose to 197.

West Bengal reported 17 more COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 311 while the state also registered its highest single-day spike in cases with 435 new patients, pushing the virus count to 7,738, a health department bulletin said on Saturday.

Kolkata now as 2,684 cases, while it has reported 195 COVID-19 deaths so far and 52 more people have lost their lives due to comorbidities, a term generally used for other serious medical complications along with the novel coronavirus infection.

In the national capital, 1,320 new cases were detected to take its tally to 27,654, while the death toll rose to 761.

According to a Delhi government order, all asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and those having mild symptoms need to be discharged from hospitals within 24 hours of admission. All hospitals have been asked to strictly comply with the directions, officials said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also warned of strong action against the private hospitals refusing admission to COVID-19 patients and those involving in "black-marketing" of beds.

Besides, 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.

In Madhya Pradesh, the number of COVID-19 cases in Indore district grew to 3,722 after 35 more people tested coronavirus positive in last 24 hours. The virus also claimed four more lives in the last four days, taking the death toll in the district to 153.

Among other states and UTs, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Assam, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Kerala, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Odisha, Mizoram and Uttar Pradesh also reported new cases.
Fighters loyal to Libyas UN-recognised government Sunday kept up their counter-offensive against forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar, but fighting slowed on the outskirts of the strategic city of Sirte.

The Mediterranean coastal city  the home of former dictator Moamer Kadhafi, who was ousted and killed in 2011 in a NATO-backed uprising  is also a key gateway to the countrys major oil fields in the east.

The Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli has in recent weeks retaken all remaining outposts of western Libya from pro-Haftar loyalists, who had sought to capture the capital in a 14-month offensive.

Haftar, following his string of military setbacks, was in Cairo on Saturday where he supported a ceasefire proposal made by his key backer, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, meant to take effect at 0400 GMT Monday.

The so-called Cairo declaration called for the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from all Libyan territory, dismantling militias and handing over their weaponry, Sisi said.

But the resurgent GNA has rejected the truce plan and bombarded Sirte, the last major settlement before the traditional boundary between western Libya and the east, Haftars traditional stronghold.

Mohamad Gnounou, a spokesman for the GNAs forces, declared on Saturday that we will choose the time and place when the war ends.

He said air strikes were targeting enemy positions in Sirte and orders have been given to our forces to begin their advance and to systematically attack all rebel positions.

Pro-GNA forces also said they had on Saturday shot down a Chinese-made Wing Loong drone supplied by the Emirates to the Haftar camp nearby.

However, fighting stalled on the outskirts of the city on Sunday, GNA sources acknowledged.

 War crimes 

Libya has been in chaos since the fall of Kadhafi, which also opened a new gateway in North Africa for desperate migrants bound for Europe.

The latest key chapter in the Libya conflict, Haftars offensive on Tripoli  which began in April 2019  has resulted in hundreds of deaths, many of them civilians, and has driven more than 200,000 people from their homes.

Haftar  a 76-year-old former Kadhafi loyalist turned defector who spent years living in the United States  has vowed to rule all of Libya, painting his enemies as jihadists and terrorists.

He has been backed by powers including Russia, the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring Egypt with aircraft, high-tech weapons and allegedly also mercenaries.

But Turkey in recent months stepped up its support for the GNA, sending military advisers, weaponised drones and reportedly also Syrian mercenaries to tip the battlefield balance.

In early January, when Haftars forces were still besieging Tripoli, they also took Sirte, almost without fighting, after securing the allegiance of a local armed Islamist group.

Previously Sirte, some 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of the capital, had been controlled by pro-GNA forces dominated by fighters from Misrata who had earlier driven out the Islamic State jihadist group from the city.

Sirte is key for access to Libyas crucial oil crescent, which has been blockaded by pro-Haftar groups since January, heavily impacting the sector that is virtually the only source of national income.

The Libyan National Oil Company on its website deplored a severe drop in oil revenues, estimated at 97 percent compared to April 2019, although much of this was also down to the huge slump in global oil prices.

Losses have exceeded five billion dollars, it said on Facebook Sunday.

The security situation meanwhile remained fragile and confused elsewhere in the west, especially in Tarhuna, the last pro-Haftar stronghold to be recaptured by GNA forces.

Tripoli authorities warned against acts of reprisal or looting in the city, threatening severe criminal prosecution regardless of function or rank.

The GNAs interior ministry on Saturday called on the military and security forces in charge in the liberated areas to ensure the protection of the lives, dignity and property of citizens.

Rights group Amnesty International warned last week that war crimes and other violations may have been committed by warring parties near Tripoli.

These included indiscriminate attacks, looting and the planting of anti-personnel landmines in homes, Amnesty said, often in retaliation against civilians for their perceived affiliation to one side or another.

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By Azernews

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 20:56:22|Editor: huaxia

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Egyptian passengers wait at the departure hall of Kuwait International Airport during a repatriation operation in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, June 8, 2020. Kuwait plans to resume commercial flights in three stages, Minister of State for Services Affairs and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Mubarak Al-Harees said Sunday. It is worth noting that the Kuwaiti airport has been working in tandem with relevant ministries to repatriate foreign residents hoping to travel back home, the minister said. On March 13, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights as part of efforts to curb the rapid rise of coronavirus cases. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

KUWAIT CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait plans to resume commercial flights in three stages, a Kuwaiti minister said Sunday.

In a press statement, Minister of State for Services Affairs and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Mubarak Al-Harees said he has discussed this issue with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at a meeting on Sunday.

At the meeting, the civil aviation detailed the plan to progressively resume commercial flights to and from Kuwait International Airport.

"The first stage begins with 30 percent of capacity. The percentage in the second stage increases to 60 percent until the full operation in the last stage," he explained.

It is worth noting that the Kuwaiti airport has been working in tandem with relevant ministries to repatriate foreign residents hoping to travel back home, the minister said.

On March 13, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights as part of efforts to curb the rapid rise of coronavirus cases.

On May 31, Kuwait ended the full curfew and imposed a three-week partial curfew for a gradual return to normal life in the country.
The bar that served alcohol to an ex-Elizabeth cop who admitted to fatally crashing into a motorcyclist in 2017 settled a wrongful death lawsuit June 2 and will pay $282,000 to the victims 4-year-old daughter.

Romulo Meneses-Alvarez was off-duty on Halloween when he struck and killed Jairo Lozano, a 29-year-old Elizabeth resident. He had been drinking at Central Park, a bar and restaurant in Roselle, prior to crashing his Jeep into Lozano on Elmora Avenue in Elizabeth.

The now-former cop was also named in the familys civil suit and settled for $17,500, court records show. He was sentenced to 270 days in jail after pleading guilty to third-degree strict liability vehicular homicide, tampering with physical evidence and driving while intoxicated.

He was released after 88 days, according to jail records provided to NJ Advance Media.

Lozanos sister had asked the judge at sentencing to look beyond the badge. The prosecutor on the case had asked for 364 days in jail and five years probation, although strict liability vehicular homicide carries a recommended sentence of three to five years.

An attorney for Meneses-Alvarez declined to comment and a lawyer for the bar did not respond to an inquiry.

Lozanos mother filed the wrongful death suit in 2018.

It alleged that Central Park carelessly and negligently over-served Meneses-Alvarez beyond the point of intoxication even though he was visibly drunk. The suit sought damages for Lozanos funeral expenses, his future earnings and other damages.

Central Park was also sued after former Linden cop Pedro Abad drank there in 2015 and drove the wrong way on a highway, killing two of his fellow officers. A Staten Island strip club was also sued after that collision.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.
A group of Chattanooga ministers said they are seeking a meeting with Mayor Andy Berke, County Mayor Jim Coppinger, Chattanooga Police Chief David Roddy and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond on the issue of racial justice.

The group said their action steps include civil protest, changing laws and building relationships.

They issued A Joint Declaration for Human Dignity and Genuine Respect for People of Color.

Groups involved include the Chattanooga-Hamilton County BME District Association, Pilgrim Joy District Association, Clergy Koinonia, Servant Leadership, Kingdom Partners, Young Ministers Network, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The group said:

History reveals that the African American story began with Africans who were brought to the Americas in 1619, when the first ship arrived on the shores of the Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia. The once free Africans were enslaved for economic gain of the white landowner. The entire world is looking at the treatment of the citizens of the United States of America by those who police. Time after time the people of color do not receive fair treatment and often lose their lives.

As faith leaders and community advocates we issue a call for human dignity, genuine respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion for people of color from a biblical perspective.

George Floyds light was snuffed out by the knee of a police officer, the same as others whose light went to total darkness at the hands of a police officer. In Chattanooga, Tennessee there have been mistreatments that resulted in death for Darryl Melvin, Adrian Carter, John Perry and Wadie Suttles; while they were in the custody of the police department. The narrative of people of color losing their lives under the color of arrest is repeated too often in our nation.

We believe that this battle is not of flesh and blood but a spiritual battle with those who act on their prejudices. The Apostle Paul is clear in Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

I cant breathe are the words from a dying man lying on the cold asphalt of a city street as he called out for his Mama. We believe that there was a cry from the cross one day of a dying man who changed the world. George Floyds cry is a wakeup call for all. Therefore, the clergy and other advocate groups will deliver the joint declaration to Mayor Andy Berkes office and request a meeting to seek alternate measures to protect those who interact with city police officers.

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A Declaration for Human Dignity and Genuine Respect for People of Color

A Call for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion



A riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear?... It has failed to hear the promises of freedom and justice that have not been met.  And so in a real sense our nations summers of protests are caused by our nations winters of delay.



I still believe that freedom is the bonus you receive for telling the truth. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. And I do not see how we will ever solve the turbulent problem of race confronting our nation, until there is an honest confrontation with it and a willing search for the truth and a willingness to admit the truth when we discover it

Martin Luther King, Jr.



Opening Statement



As Faith Leaders, and Community Advocates we establish this call for human dignity, genuine respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion for people of color from a biblical perspective. We do so because we believe that the injustices African Americans have suffered for more than 400 years and continue to endure is rooted and grounded in spiritual warfare. We believe that this battle is not one of flesh and blood. As Paul states in Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We believe that prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that ones own race is superior originates from sin and is evident of a fallen humanity. We believe the lack of human dignity and ongoing resistance to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion are all conditions of the heart. For such conditions to change, the human heart must experience transformation through a relationship that we believe is available through Jesus Christ.



History



History is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs. The African American story as it pertains to human affairs in America can be dated back to August 1619 when the first shipment of slaves landed in Jamestown. Since that time, African Americans have experienced:



 Subjection to Slavery

 Classified and Sold as Property

 Victims of Reconstruction

 20 Jim Crow Laws Enacted by the State of Tennessee (1866-1955)



a. 6 of the 20 Jim Crow Laws Required Segregated Schools and Railroads

b. 2 of the 20 Jim Crow Laws Required Segregation of Public Accommodations

c. 1 of the 20 Jim Crow Laws Mandated Segregation on Street Cars



 Segregation/Separate but equal

 Civil Rights



The effect is, by 1890 the expression, Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs aimed at segregation. These laws were intended to restrict social contact between whites and other groups, and limit freedom and opportunities for people of color.



The reality is, African Americans have only lived with the possibility of equal rights for the past 54 years. We have lived with injustices, indignity, and racial bias/discrimination for more than 400 years, which is why waiting, and asking for more patience from the black community is no longer an option. As Martin Luther King said, A riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met.  And so in a real sense our nations summers of protests are caused by our nations winters of delay. It is time for America to change the story.



In changing the story, Faith Leaders are committed to the continued call for equity, diversity, and inclusion by participating in, and or supporting the following practices:



1. Church and Community  It is the duty of the Church to act in a moral way. Morality demands that injustices of any kind be called out and challenged. We also believe that silence gives consent. God is not pleased, nor is God glorified when any church maintains silence when voices of protest must be heard. Therefore, we call upon our Caucasian brothers and sisters in Christ to join people of color prior to, during, and after times of protest by fighting racism in the following ways:



A. Learn to recognize and understand your own privilege.

B. Examine your own biases and consider where they may have originated.

C. Validate the experiences and feelings of people of color.

D. Challenge the colorblind ideology.

E. Call out racist jokes or statements.

F. Find out how your church, company or school works to expand opportunities for people of color.

G. Be thoughtful with your finances.

H. Adopt an intersectional approach in all aspects of your life.



2. Civil Protest  In a peaceful manner, we are committed to protesting laws that fail to promote, encourage, and safeguard human dignity and respect for people of color, and all citizens of this country. We will boycott, picket, march, and perform other acts of civil disobedience necessary to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion.



As Faith Leaders, we cannot guarantee that all civil protest will be conducted peacefully, but we can commit ourselves to exemplifying, promoting, and encouraging that civil protest be conducted in a peaceful manner. We will not judge those that choose not to engage in peaceful protest because we know that such actions come from those that believe they are not being heard. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, A riot is the language of the unheard.



3. Legislative Process  As Faith Leaders, we do not believe that racism can be eliminated in its entirety through the passing of laws, but we do believe legislative practices can play an important role in decreasing racist acts and maintaining civility among citizens. Therefore, to the best of our abilities, we will support governmental laws that aim to reduce racism, discrimination, and inequities of all kinds. We will work with other churches, non-profits, civic organizations, governmental officials (elected, employed, and or appointed) to this end.



4. Relationship Building  We can learn about different cultures and build upon those relationships. As Faith Leaders, we are committed to relationship building by:



A. Making a conscious decision to establish friendships with people from other cultures.

B. Placing ourselves in situations where we will meet people of other cultures.

C. Examine biases about people from other cultures.

D. Ask people questions about their cultures, customs, and views.

E. Read about other peoples culture and histories.

F. Listen to people tell their stories.

G. Notice differences in communication styles and values; do not assume that the majority way is the right way.

H. Risk making mistakes.

I. Learn to be an ally.

(Provided by Community Toolbox)

August 28th, 1963 is the date history was made when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared his "I Have A Dream" speech with the world. Dr. King called for equal rights then, and we continue that call today. We call for leaders of this nation (Pastors, Mayors, City/County Leaders, Senators, Governors, Federal Government, and Citizens) to pursue all available opportunities whereby dignity and genuine respect for people of color is further enhanced, and equity, diversity, and inclusion is achieved for all.



Action Steps



This declaration is submitted by the following organizations:



 Chattanooga-Hamilton County BME District Association

 Pilgrim Joy District Association

 Clergy Koinonia

 Servant Leadership

 Kingdom Partners

 Young Ministers Network

 NAACP



Next steps will include, but not be limited to:



1. Requesting a meeting with both Mayors (City and County), Chief of Police, and County Sheriff.

2. Working with local and state elected officials as it pertains to implementation of new laws.

3. Collaboration with civic and community organizations, and advocates.

4. Collaboration with the faith-based community at-large.






AstraZeneca has made a preliminary approach to rival drugmaker Gilead Sciences about a potential merger, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be the biggest health-care deal on record.

The U.K.-based firm informally contacted Gilead last month to gauge its interest in a possible tie-up, the people said, asking not to be identified because the details are private. AstraZeneca didn't specify terms for any transaction, they said. While Gilead has discussed the idea with advisers, no decisions have been made on how to proceed and the companies aren't in formal talks, the people added.

AstraZeneca, valued at $140 billion, is the U.K.'s biggest drugmaker by market capitalization and has developed treatments for conditions from cancer to cardiovascular disease. Gilead, worth $96 billion at Friday's close, is the creator of a drug that's received U.S. approval for use with coronavirus patients.

Gilead is not interested in selling to or merging with another big pharmaceutical company, preferring instead to focus its deal strategy on partnerships and smaller acquisitions, the people said. A representative for Gilead declined to comment. A spokesman for AstraZeneca said the company doesn't comment on "rumors or speculation."

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The overtures show how the pharmaceutical industry landscape could shift at a time when drugmakers are racing to find effective treatments for Covid-19. If a deal goes ahead, it would surpass Bristol-Myers Squibb's $74 billion takeover of Celgene last year as the biggest-ever health-care acquisition, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It would also rank among the 10 biggest M&A transactions of all time.

Shares of AstraZeneca have risen about 41% over the past 12 months, making it the best performer on a Bloomberg Intelligence index of major Western pharmaceutical companies. Shares of Gilead gained about 19% over the period.

Gilead has attracted investor interest as its antiviral drug for Covid-19, remdesivir, worked its way through clinical trials in recent months. The stock is still more than a third lower than its 2015 highs. The Foster City, California-based company has seen a steady decline in sales in its hepatitis C franchise and is trying to reinvigorate its drug-development pipeline.

Remdesivir, which has an emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been shown in some early studies to shorten hospital stays for people with Covid-19. SVB Leerink recently forecast that sales of the drug may reach $7.7 billion in 2022.

- - -

Gilead has been dispensing early rounds of the drug for free, leading some investors to question how the company plans to make money from it in the future. Chief Executive Officer Daniel O'Day has said the company may spend $1 billion on the treatment this year alone.

AstraZeneca is helping to manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine developed at the University of Oxford. The U.S. has pledged as much as $1.2 billion to support the efforts as part of Operation Warp Speed, a push to secure vaccines for America. The shot is expected to enter final-stage clinical trials in June.

Gilead was founded in 1987 by Michael Riordan, a doctor with a Harvard MBA who aimed to discover treatments for viral infections after a bout with dengue fever acquired in southeast Asia. The company's best-known successes include Tamiflu, the influenza treatment it helped develop.

The company also makes Truvada, a medicine that can help prevent HIV, as well as drugs for liver disease and inflammation. Gilead employs about 12,000 people, according to its website.

AstraZeneca is no stranger to large-scale, politically sensitive M&A. In 2014 it fended off a $117 billion approach from Pfizer Inc., a deal that attracted attention from U.S. lawmakers as it would have allowed New York-based Pfizer to lower its tax bill by redomiciling in the U.K.

- - -

Health-care dealmaking has been a rare bright spot as the global pandemic and resulting lockdowns have doused the market for mergers and acquisitions. Global M&A volumes are down about 45% this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and announced deals have been falling apart at a steady pace.

Excluding minority investments, dealmaking in April and May barely topped $100 billion in total, the data show, the lowest two-month period in at least 22 years.

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, a former executive at oncology specialist Roche Holding, has transformed the company since taking the helm nearly eight years ago. At the time, it was struggling with an aging stable of drugs and a shortage of innovation.

He's championed the development of Lynparza, which was initially approved for ovarian cancer but has also proved useful for treating other forms of the disease. AstraZeneca has since overtaken U.K. rival GlaxoSmithKline in market value.

Last year, AstraZeneca sealed its biggest transaction in more than a decade, agreeing to pay as much as $6.9 billion to buy into a promising breast cancer treatment developed by Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo. The U.K. company reached a deal this month with Accent Therapeutics to potentially spend more than $1.1 billion collaborating on novel oncology therapies.

AstraZeneca shares have also been boosted by positive data from trials of its blockbuster lung cancer drug Tagrisso.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Social media giant Facebook is currently investigating the reported surge of fake accounts over the weekend, which has been linked to the opposition to the controversial anti-terrorism bill.

We're investigating reports of suspicious activity on our platform and taking action on any accounts that we find to be in violation of our policies, a spokesperson for the company told CNN Philippines on Sunday.

Facebook added that it is encouraging people to continue reporting accounts they believe to be fake.

The Department of Justice is already gearing to launch its own investigation into the matter, which made the hashtag #HandsOffOurStudents trend on Twitter as students and alumni of various universities around the country voiced concern over the surfacing of dummy accounts in their names.

The DOJs cybercrime office appealed to those affected by the creation of fake Facebook accounts to report it to them. It also reminded the public that identity theft is a crime punishable under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

This is actually a very serious violation of our criminal laws on cybercrime, DOJ spokesperson Markk Perete told CNN Philippines on Sunday.

Perete added that they have so far received 100 complaints relating to the sudden surge of fake Facebook accounts.

He said that they plan to ask Facebook to preserve these accounts so they can easily track down the people behind them.

We will be able to determine, hindi lamang kung sino yung subscriber na nag-create ng account, gusto rin natin malaman kung saang terminal at anong ISP (internet service provider) ang ginamit, anong content ng bawat account, at kung ano ang mga data na trinansfer using these accounts, Perete said.

[Translation: We will be able to determine, not only the subscriber who created the account, we also want to know what terminal and what ISP they used, the content of each account and what data was transferred using these accounts.]

The National Privacy Commission, on the other hand, said it is also monitoring the reported surge of fake social media accounts.

For its part, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said it has instructed its Cyber Security Bureau to coordinate with law enforcement agencies to provide technical assistance on this matter.

It was Tug-ani, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines-Cebu, which first reported how several Facebook pages copied the usernames of its students. This came following the arrest last Friday of some students who joined an anti-terrorism bill protest in the area.

University officials have meanwhile cautioned their respective communities to remain vigilant amid the surge of fake duplicate profiles. They also urged students and alumni concerned to report the suspicious accounts to Facebooks data protection team.
La ceremonia de conmemoracion patriotica se realizo con la presencia de las ministras del @MinamPeru y el @MEF_Peru, el primer vicepresidente del Congreso, @LuisValdezF, el jefe del @CCFFAA_PERU y los comandantes generales de las Fuerzas Armadas y la @PoliciaPeru. pic.twitter.com/FLmeU85ayL
You should trust California cops when they report looting. Because our states most successful looters are the police themselves.

Californias nearly 80,000 sworn officers have spent decades sacking the treasuries of local governments that employ them. Their escalating salaries, benefits and pensions are swallowing up municipal budgets  and crowding out the other services, from libraries to summer programs.

The police have turned this fiscal dominance into unchecked political power. Police unions, fueled by dues from high-salaried officers, make the campaign contributions that determine local elections. So city council members rarely curb the pay or power of the police who installed them in office. In many California places, the city doesnt oversee the police; the police oversee the city.

This upside-down government structure deserves more attention in our current crisis  because it helps answer a crucial question: Why does racist and deadly police behavior keep happening? The proper response to that query starts not with Twitter-spread conspiracy theories about protesters on our streets, but rather with recognizing that police have taken over our city halls.

Police dominance of municipal budgets is an American problem, but its extreme in California. Our 120,000 full-time law enforcement officers  police, sheriffs, prison guards  are the nations highest paid. California consistently ranks among the state leaders in police spending ($414 per resident, compared to a national average of $354).

The peculiarities of California governance have long accentuated police power, as well as its costs. While local budgets were limited by Proposition 13 and other tax limits, the maintenance of effort provisions in the state constitution  via Prop. 172, approved in 1993  required local governments to keep up spending on public safety.

Then, 20 years ago, the full-scale police looting of municipal budgets began, with retirement enhancements allowing officers to retire at age 50 and claim huge pensions. These pension boosts were both retroactive and permanent, and included easily abused rules that allowed cops to spike their pensions astronomically. Current Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore briefly retired and exploited one pension provision to pocket $1.27 million.

The escalating police pensions, along with lucrative disability benefits and costly retiree health coverage, crushed city budgets. They also contribute to the ironies of the current crisis.

One irony is that todays young protesters will spend decades paying the unaffordable retirements of the cops who are using tear gas and rubber bullets against them. Another irony is that massive increases in police budgets havent produced more police. Most cities have fewer sworn officers than they did in 2008. Thats why police departments are now struggling to muster personnel to protect property from vandalism and looting.

To be fair, California police are neither irredeemable nor unaware. Police collaborated with critics to negotiate pioneering state legislation last year that limits police use of force. Some cities, notably Richmond, have transformed police-community relations.

The LAPD, once a citadel of abuse and paramilitary action, is now a national model of community responsiveness and diversity, with two-thirds of officers now hailing from ethnic or racial minorities. Watching protests in the Fairfax district, I was struck that the protesters were more male and whiter than the cops.

But police departments have faced little pressure to surrender their local fiscal and political power  until now. Black Lives Matter is targeting Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis new budget proposal, which has cuts in virtually every program except the LAPD, which gets a 7% increase. Activists have launched a Peoples Budget campaign to replace police spending with money for the homeless, renters and traffic safety. Nationally, some activists even want to end police departments altogether.

Thats unlikely to happen, but Californias system of local government must change to stop police dominance of our cities. This means empowering citizens to challenge police power in city hall, and forcing police to work under neighborhood service departments with a broader sense of community needs.

But first, lets stop the looting.

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Amid the already growing backlash over the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill, a progressive group slammed the provisions on travel restriction and possible house arrest against those who could be tagged as suspected terrorists.

In a statement over the weekend, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate and Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares called out the Senate for its provision under Section 34 of the Senate Bill (SB) 1083 which authorizes the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against any accused, limiting the right to travel within any municipality or city he resides in.

"The Senate...inserted Section 34 which is not only unconstitutional but violates the basic precepts of fairness and justice," Colmenares said Saturday. "This is condemnable because Section 34 tramples on the right to bail, the presumption of innocence, and due process of any Filipino who happens to be charged under the New Terror Law."

The provision also reads: "Travel outside of said municipality or city, without the authorization of the court, shall be deemed a violation of the terms and conditions of his or her bail, which shall be forfeited as provided under the Rules of Court."

Section 34 also allows the accused to be placed under house arrest at his place of residence. He or she may not use telephone, cellphone, e-mail, computer, the internet, or other means of communication with people outside the residence until otherwise ordered by the court.

"It is certainly unfair to insist that a judge shall obey Pres. Duterte's prosecutors to restrict the travel of a person on a mere 'motion.' This is a powerful weapon that can be used by an incumbent President anytime, even during elections, against his political opponents," Zarate noted.

The lawmaker added that the bill "seems to be a compendium of horrors to be done on someone on a mere say so of a junta-like council," another major reason it should be junked, he said.

Zarate referred to the provision which seeks to create the Anti-Terrorism Council in charge of suppressing terrorism, formed by the Executive Secretary, the National Security Adviser, and the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Interior and Local Government, Finance, Justice, Information and Communications Technology, and the Executive Director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat as other members.

SB 1083, which was already approved last February and recently adopted by the House of Representatives, is just a step closer to becoming a law once it is transmitted to Malacanang for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature.

An appeal to withdraw

Zarate earlier called on his fellow lawmakers to reconsider their "yes" votes to stop the measure from getting sent to Malacanang.

"I am calling on my colleagues who voted yes to the terror bill to reconsider their vote and vote to reject it instead. Their reservations as to constitutional grounds, the bill's grave implications to human rights and it being subjected to abuse are clearly valid," Zarate said.

He also called on House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano not to transmit the measure yet until lawmakers are given time to submit their reconsideration.

Former Kabataan Partylist Terry Ridon said that as of Saturday, only 12 vote withdrawals from congressmen are needed to stop the measure from getting sent to Malacanang.

More House members have sought to withdraw and clarify their stance on the issue, including Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, and Iloilo Reps. Julienne Baronda and Michael Gorriceta.

Under House rules, reconsideration of a bill can only be done during session. Congress has adjourned sine die on June 5.

But as for Bayan Muna, they will still "fight it out" since the measure did not fully undergo deliberations on the floor.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman also wrote on Saturday a letter to House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales addressing the "confusion in the tabulation of votes" among lawmakers last Wednesday. In his letter, he requested for a certified true copy of data which lists the number of lawmakers who voted for, against, and abstained from the measure last June 3.

The lower chamber approved the bill with 173 affirmative, 31 negative, and 29 abstention under initial records last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said he will sign the enrolled bill on Monday.

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 its provisions.

CNN Philippines' Eimor Santos, Joyce Ilas and Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
Some small and independent news publishers fear not getting their fair share of payments from Google and Facebook under a model proposed by media heavyweights under which revenue from the digital giants would be pooled and shared between industry organisations.

Publishers, including Nine Entertainment Co, Guardian Australia, Schwartz Media and Private Media, and lobby groups, such as The Copyright Agency and Free TV Australia, told the competition regulator in submissions on Friday that a collective pool of money is an effective way to aggregate funding from the digital platforms, but remain divided on the way in which it should be shared.

Facebook and Google are being forced into a code of conduct with Australian media companies. Credit:Bloomberg

A hybrid or two-tier model, which would include a collective pool of money and the option to negotiate directly with Google and Facebook, is being pushed by Guardian Australia, Schwartz Media, Solstice Media, Private Media and Country Press Australia to protect the interests of smaller publications.

"The ability to firstly extract and understand all of the value that the platforms receive from our content and consumer data and then being able to negotiate fair deals and ensure their enforcement is something that is potentially going to be difficult for smaller publishers," Guardian Australia managing director Dan Stinton said.
RICHMOND, ON (June 7, 2020)- It would be difficult to discuss weekly short track auto racing history in National Capital Region without including the name Makinson.

With the teams unique car number design, the family legacy began in the late 1940s with Rapid Roy Makinsons efforts at venues like Beamish Hill Raceway and Landsdowne Park before passing the torch to his son Bobby who displayed his talents for a dozen years in the family car at Frogtown, Can Am and Cornwall.

After his father and brother retired from dirt track action, Bruce Makinson went out on his own to log laps in a Thunder Car on the asphalt circuit at tracks including Capital City and Kawartha Speedway before moving to Sportsman-Modified at Brockville, Can Am and Mohawk International Raceway starting with the 2003 season.

Originally from Ottawa, but now residing in Richmond, Ontario the 59-year-old self employed material handling technician classifies himself as a, patient big picture racer. Makinson  who won a 50 lap Sportsman feature at Brockville in 2011 and a 2015 Friday night victory at MIR  has never looked to win a race on the first lap. He says he hasnt set any immediate goals for his first season in the new division

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting everyones plans this year, its hard to say what well be doing or where, admitted Makinson. My family has always enjoyed running at Can Am but if the border remains closed, well have to look at staying closer to home. Wherever we wind-up, Im looking forward to the challenge of running against some of the Small Block Modified fields biggest names for a couple of years.

No matter where this years travels take the #81 machine, it will begin the countdown to 2022, which will mark Bruce Makinsons motorsports retirement and write the final chapter in the Makinson Racing legacy. After a bad wreck at Mohawk International Raceway midway through the 2018 schedule left him with a concussion and three damaged vertebrae, the driver made a promise to his wife Lynda (of 32 years) that hed retire after a pair of seasons racing the 358 Modifieds.

The driver  together with his wife, brother and family friend Don Patterson  has been working hard to get the teams Bicknell Racing Products chassis ready for its eventual Small Block Mod start. Makinson Racing is looking for additional sponsorship support to join its 2020 partners Sandy Vanier  CPA, Jeff Clark  NAPA Manotick, Royals Restaurant, Kings, Your Independent Grocer and First General Services. For a copy of the teams marketing portfolio, contact makinson@rogers.com.

Fans and friends can follow Bruce Makinson at the track during the 2020 season or look to www.brucemakinson.com/racing for updates throughout the year.

Prepared by Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports

613.968.6410
America watches while radical leftists and aggrieved blacks riot, loot, and commit acts of violence up to murder in cities across the country. And more galling than that is the lack of effort by responsible public officials to stem the mayhem. Indeed, more than a few Democrat mayors and governors, when they are not actually encouraging the riots, make excuses for those participating in it. One example comes from New York City where hundreds looters and rioters were arrested only to be released in hours, due to blue-city " bail reform ." Americans have see this before and have a gut feeling that few if any of these domestic terrorists will be punished. Other pathetic examples are of the police and some National Guard officers ''taking a knee' in front of protesters to show solidarity with them.

This is not going on unnoticed by what I'll call the 'silent majority.' They are silent because the media does not report on them. And if a reporter did ask, most would be reluctant to share their true feelings with the fake media, knowing what they said would be ridiculed and likely used against them. So as with most things, the ironically called 'informed opinion' is blind as to the pulse of America.

These ongoing demonstrations mixed with riots are an offense against decency and the rule of law. This has countless Americans seething. This includes independent voters and even many of run-of-the-mill Democrats, not all of whom are hard-core leftists. This anger is not a 'hot anger' which leads to lashing out in aggressive and violent behavior. Rather it is a cold anger that simmers until the opportune time for action comes.

As Sundance at the Conservative Treehouse put it: Cold anger does not need to go to violence. For those who carry it, no conversation is needed when we meet. You cannot poll or measure it; specifically because most who carry it avoid discussion .... And that decision has nothing whatsoever to to with any form of correctness.

Adding to the building rage is the Chinese pandemic. America watched in silence -- silence as far as the media was concerned -- as the political establishment hyped the effects of the Wuhan virus with fake epidemic models and closed much of the economy, throwing millions out of work and destroying many small businesses in the process. And to further the insult to basic decency, the draconian shutdowns closed places of worship while allowing liquor stores and state lotteries to remain open. People were scolded from on high and threatened with jail if they tried to exercise their constitutional right to free assembly. But all those alleged concerns of stopping the virus went out the window when the George Floyd mobs assembled. People saw this hypocrisy. It fueled their cold anger even more because it implied that the authorities never really believed social distancing was all that necessary in the first place.

By their words and deeds, the Democrats have demonstrated like never before that they are openly hostile to law-enforcement. Some are calling to abolish, or at the very least, to defund the police. That might be applauded by the radical and anarchists, but it goes over like a lead balloon in middle America and I would suspect in most minority communities as well.
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
There were as many as five Hirshs Shoes locations in Tucson at one time, but the business gradually shrank back to a single shop at the original location, specializing in shoes for dancers and people with hard-to-fit feet.

In later years, it was just Sid, his dedicated staff and his loyal customers.

It was a great store, he said. I was just lucky to have such great people.

Hirsh retired from selling shoes in 2016 at the age of 85. The Tucson Historic Preservation Association now owns the shop.

You cant fight the clock, said Hirsh, who will celebrate his 90th birthday in October.

His one regret was not being able to persuade any of his children or grandchildren to follow in his shoe prints. He said hed hoped to see the shop passed down to a third generation of Hirshes some day.

So much for that, he said.

construction cones now, Followed by a new dawn

Though it has certainly seen its ups and downs, Hirsh still believes in the Sunshine Mile.
The former executive deputy of the Islamic Republic's powerful Judiciary has gone on trial for large-scale corruption on Sunday, June 7 in Tehran.

Akbar Tabari served under Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani from 2009 to 2019, immediately before the dismissal of the influential cleric once thought to be the next Islamic Republic Supreme Leader.

Amoli-Larijani's tenure as the head of the Judiciary and Chief-Justice abruptly ended after the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei replaced him with another cleric, Ebrahim Raeesi (Raisi), on March 7, 2019.

His dismissal was interpreted as the fall of the house of Larijani, once at the center stage of Iranian politics. Months later, Amoli-Larijani's older brother Ali Larijani, the Speaker of parliament for twelve consecutive years also announced that he would not seek reelection last February.

Many analysts believe that Akbar Tabari's arrest on July 16, 2019, was the last nail in the Larijanis' political coffin. This is seen in Iran as the result of power politics by different factions to position themselves to one day succeed Khamenei.

Tabari is accused of leading a network to receive bribes for influencing legal cases and judicial procedures.

Speaking at a press conference on July 16, 2019, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic Judiciary, Gholam Hossein Esmaili, disclosed Tabari was arrested for "exerting influence on some legal cases" and "having unlawful and unethical relationships" related to several lawsuits.

He is accused of receiving bribes in the form of land, villas and luxury apartments, as well as substantial amount of cash. The total amount is estimated to have been more than $5 million.

Iran's Judiciary is under the direct control of Supreme Leader Khamenei who appoints its head.

Widely known as "the judiciary's strongman in the shadows," Akbar Tabari, was the director of finance and then deputy head of the judiciary for executive affairs for more than two decades.

In a rare move, the state-run television broadcast Tabari's trial live.

The Prosecutor, Rasoul Qahramani (Ghahramani) accused Tabari of "obstructing the execution of justice against influential senior Iranian officials "by forming a criminal group" within his office which "became a center... for certain accused individuals to settle their cases".




Officials in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development are leaning on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to release letters of credit (LCs) that are needed to release fuel for oil traders.





International fuel traders have been maintaining a months supply of fuel at National Oil Infrastructure of Zimbabwe (NOIC)s Msasa depot.





It is only released after payment has been made. There has been an exponential demand for fuel in the past two weeks after Government relaxed the lockdown and allowed registered businesses to reopen.





Energy and Power Development Permanent Secretary Engineer Gloria Magombo said the ministry is liaising with the RBZ and Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to solve the fuel crisis.





RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya and his deputy Dr Kupukile Mlambo were not reachable for comment as their mobile phones went unanswered.





According to Eng Magombo, the RBZ had released 43 million litres of both petrol and diesel in the past fortnight, with 15 million litres availed on Thursday. Retailers received fuel through NOIC under a bridge financing facility by the RBZ.





We want to assure the public that we want to make sure there is sufficient product on the market, she said.





We have been engaging the RBZ and the Finance (and Economic Development) Ministry, and the central bank is working on letters of credit for oil companies. Some fuel has been released already and LCs (letters of credit) are coming soon.





It is believed that the oil industry last received LCs from the apex bank on March 14, 2020, which affected the traders ability to buy fuel from NOIC.





Fuel traders are lobbying for liberalisation of the oil industry to allow private players to supply the commodity.





However, Eng Magombo said private companies and individuals with free funds could import fuel.





Let me also remind Zimbabweans that we are still under lockdown and people should minimise movements, she said.





This also means that we cut down fuel usage and slow increased demand. By minimising movement, we fight both Covid-19 and fuel shortages.





Zimbabwe consumes between 4,5 million and 5 million litres of both petrol and diesel daily, translating to 150 million per month.





Last month, NOIC disbursed about 110 million litres of fuel, but the long queues persisted.





Government has since ordered the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) to investigate cases of illegal fuel trade.





Zera recently threatened tough action against unscrupulous dealers who were diverting the NOIC fuel for sale in US dollars on the black market. Sunday Mail








Even so, for part of Sunday night, two groups of protesters circled a section of Manhattan with a problem.

They could not find each other.

Weve been chasing this group for the last two hours, said Nick Andry, 23, who was with a group of about 100 that had struck out from Union Square around 10 p.m. to search for another group that had marched over the Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn.

Even in an era when almost everyone carries a GPS-enabled device, the two groups of youthful marchers could not seem to locate each other. Each group knew the other was nearby, but since they did not personally know anyone in the other group, they could not directly communicate.

It was the police, unwittingly, who came to their aid.

Each group had tuned into police radio scanners to pick up reports that tracked the other group. Mr. Andry listened to a scanner as his group approached Washington Square Park around 10:50 p.m., not realizing that the other group had passed the location 15 minutes earlier.

Were hearing that they just turned, Mr. Andry said. Were trying to catch up.

His group marched east along Saint Marks Place and turned downtown at Tompkins Square Park. They hooked up with a band of musicians and sang their way down Avenue A, then turned west on Delancey Street and marched through SoHo.

Meanwhile, the other group, after leaving the Manhattan Bridge, had headed west on Canal Street, with a light police presence. They were 200 strong, mostly in their late teens or early 20s, and they began a serpentine path toward the West Village.

They seemed uncertain whether to go home or continue into the night.

Im so tired, sighed one of the organizers, who combined scanner reports with a map to track the Union Square group.
The killing of an unarmed African-American by a Minneapolis police officer and resulting civil upheaval have set back U.S. efforts to strengthen its tenuous relationship with Africa and counter China's growing influence.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the African Union Commission, joined senior officials from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana in condemning the death of George Floyd. They berated the U.S. for failing to deal with racial discrimination -- remarks that contrast sharply with the guarded diplomatic tones typically used in interactions with the world's biggest economy.

"U.S.-Africa relations were already at a low ebb," Kissy Agyeman-Togobo, the managing partner of Songhai Advisory Group Ltd., said by phone from Accra, Ghana's capital. "Now with the unjustifiable killing of George Floyd, the hurt, disgust and outrage are palpable."

Africa has always been low on the U.S. foreign-relations priority list -- the world's poorest continent accounts for less than 2% of its total two-way trade. Its clout has steadily been eroded by China, which has almost four times as much trade with the region and has nurtured ties by offering loans and investment with few strings attached.

The Trump administration's Africa strategy, unveiled in late 2018, proposed bilateral trade deals, a foreign aid overhaul and new anti-terrorism initiatives to claw back lost influence.

The coronavirus pandemic afforded it the opportunity to do just that, with State Department officials highlighting America's contribution of more than $400 million to help Africa tackle the fallout from disease, more than any other nation. But the damage done to America's reputation by Floyd's killing and its handling of the ensuing protests indicates the moment may have been squandered.

"The U.S. has traditionally been seen as that beacon of democracy that says you need to treat protesters with decency and stand up for rights," said Adewunmi Emoruwa, the lead strategist at Gatefield, an advisory firm based in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. "Now we see the looting, the arson, the near anarchy going on in the U.S., and the brutal police response. Africa is saying that maybe the U.S. isn't all we thought they were."

The State Department said Floyd's death was a "grave tragedy." Those responsible will be held accountable and Americans are entitled to protest peacefully to express their outrage, it said in an emailed response to questions.

African animosity toward America has been fueled by President Donald Trump's derogatory reference in 2018 to African countries and his plans to quit the World Health Organization -- headed by a former Ethiopian health minister -- over its handling of the coronavirus crisis. And the Nigerian government has locked horns with the U.S. over its call for an independent probe into allegations that African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, the West African nation's former agriculture minister, awarded contracts to friends and relatives.

"America's brand in Africa has been tarnished by the U.S. threatening to pull out of the WHO, the letter requesting a new investigation into the allegations against the AfDB's president, and now also by black people being murdered in the streets," said Audrey Hruby, senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Africa Center. "Even if African leaders have remained largely quiet, I believe the U.S. risks losing some of its ability to stand on any moral high ground, to take a lecturing standpoint, if you will, a position the U.S. has often taken toward Africa."

By contrast, China has largely steered clear of domestic politics in Africa, focusing instead on trade, building and funding bridges, railways and power plants and offering scholarships to students and academics.

China did draw the ire of African leaders in April after accusations surfaced that authorities in the southern city of Guangzhou evicted their citizens from hotels and subjected them to forced testing for the coronavirus in a drive to stem the spread of imported cases. The government pledged to address their concerns and said it wouldn't tolerate differential treatment or discrimination.

Still, America remains the continent's most important development partner -- it contributed $10.7 billion of aid to sub-Saharan Africa in 2018, according to donortracker.org. That, combined with its funding of African health programs that have saved millions of lives, mean the upheaval in the U.S. is unlikely to have a large or long-term impact, said Gyude Moore, Liberia's former public works minister and a senior policy fellow at the Washington D.C.-based Center for Global Development.

"China remains attractive as a partner when it comes to investing in telecommunications and infrastructure, but I don't see there's much space for China to increase its influence," Moore said.

Ovigwe Eguegu, an Abuja-based analyst, isn't convinced the U.S. is truly committed to closer ties with Africa given that it has cut funding for programs on the continent, or that criticism from its leaders will make any tangible difference.

"What the Trump administration has done in the last four years has been everything the U.S. shouldn't do on the continent," he said. "We are not talking about an administration that listens to the continent."
Alliance for Reproductive Health Right (ARHR) a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO), has organized a two day workshop as part of efforts to build the capacity of stakeholders on reproductive health rights.



The capacity building programme, which was designed for community based organizations, community facilitators, health providers and the media, brought together 55 participants from the Ashanti, Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions.



It was held in two separate groups under the auspices of ARHR in collaboration with the United Nations population Fund (UNFPA) and the Canadian Government.



Brainstorming, role playing, games, drama, participatory approach, storytelling, field trips, practical demonstrations and a host of others were the strategies she advised stakeholders to use to facilitate adolescent access to reproductive education.



Giving an overview of the activities of the ARHR, Mrs Rhema Andah, a Programmes Officer of the ARHR, said the ARHR employed right approaches in its programmes to empower communities.



She said focus would particularly be on women of reproductive age for them to realize their sexual and reproductive rights and to demand protection, prevention and mitigation of abuses.



Mrs Andah said the various strategies though may be time consuming, would help the target group better understand the issues involved and also allow ideas from different perspectives.



Share a good and interesting storylines, have facts right, a catching title, it should be reflective, and provide direct answers, involve all, do this and you would for sure reach the goal, she said.



Speaking on the guidelines to delivering reproductive health messages, Mr Nii Sarpei, a facilitator at the event, said in the past parents used traditional methods in educating their wards adding that this form of education is not enough for individuals to live well informed lives.



He urged stakeholders to assist adolescents to acquire accurate and reliable information on their sexual right and health, and to nurture positive attitudes including open mindedness, respect for self and others.



Mr Wisdom Sackitey, a participant, also urged all to be advocates of the adolescent girls and boys in their various communities.

Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
Amelia Khan suffered brain damage because she was mistakenly administered nitrous oxide

The parents of a little girl who was given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen moments after she was born - causing permanent brain damage - have broken their silence on the horrific bungle that 'ruined their lives'.

Amelia Khan was inadvertently poisoned at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in June 2016 after a subcontractor mixed up two gas pipelines in the delivery ward.

When hospital staff thought they were providing Amelia oxygen, she was actually being pumped full of laughing gas from a port which had been incorrectly labelled.

A month later, another newborn, John Ghanem died at the same hospital after being given the deadly gas instead of oxygen.

For the first time, Amelia's parents Benish and Danial Khan have opened up on the mix-up that changed the course of their lives.

'You would never for a second think that in a country like Australia, something like this can happen,' Amelia's mother Benish Khan told 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

'I am angry about this. And you know what? You really have ruined our lives.'

Amelia suffered critical and irreparable brain damage following the incident.

Sydney's Downing Centre District Court last month heard she would likely develop life-long quadriplegic cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities, was unlikely to develop speech and would be reliant on others for all aspects of her care.

The couple shared haunting video of the moments immediately after Amelia's birth, which should have documented the happiest time of their lives.

Amelia Khanare is pictured with her parents. She suffered brain damage after she was fed nitrous oxide instead of oxygen soon after her birth in Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital

Instead, it now serves as a painful reminder of what happened to their little girl.

The footage, which was shared with 60 Minutes, shows the moment doctors placed the mask over a healthy Amelia's tiny little mouth to assist her breathing.

'To this day, I remember in that theatre listening to her cries in between,' Ms Kahn said. 'Listening to them take that mask off for that couple of seconds, hearing her squealing, just not the sound that a baby makes it was the sound that a baby makes in pain.

'It is just something that haunts you forever.'

The Caesarean birth went well, but the medical team decided to give Amelia a small amount of oxygen to assist her breathing, not yet realising a subcontractor had actually mislabelled the gas line.

Amelia immediately began suffocating, and the footage shows the moment doctors realised her condition was deteriorating, while Mr Khan tried to comfort his wife.

Her parents made the excruciating decision to turn off her life support but she survived. Doctors say she will likely develop life-long quadriplegic cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities

The subcontractor who made the error appeared in court charged with serious workplace health and safety breaches. He pleaded guilty and was handed a $100,000 fine.

'The extent of the harm caused is almost too awful to contemplate,' Judge David Russell said when determining the ruling.

In addition to little Amelia's lifelong sentence, newborn John Ghanem died in the same birthing theatre under similar circumstances just one month later.

'I cannot think of a more tragic case. John Ghanem lost his life and his parents will live with their grief forever,' Judge Russell said.

'Amelia Khan has been condemned to a terrible existence. Her parents will have to provide care and assistance to Amelia and deal with their own grief.'

Amelia's parents, Benish and Danial Khan (pictured), told 60 Minutes on Sunday night the mix up ruined their lives

Despite the tragic circumstances, the young first-time parents said they have 'accepted' what happened to Amelia.

'I can't imagine Amelia in any other way, she's funny, she's strong, she's resilient,' Mr Khan said. 'We've accepted what happened.'

'We like to teach Amelia that although these things happen, we forgive and we don't hold grudges with anybody. We never have,' Ms Khan added.

The family were told Amelia would not survive without her life support.

But four years after they made the devastating decision to turn it off, the little girl is still making progress.

'It's just a reminder for us to make sure, to fight for Amelia and to make sure to get the outcome that she deserves we feel even more strongly about making sure that the right people are held accountable for her,' Ms Khan said.

At last month's court appearance, Turner pleaded guilty to failing in his duty under the Work Health and Safety Act and was facing a maximum fine of $150,000.

Judge Russell said both families had cause to consider the $100,000 punishment lenient, but noted there was no scope under the Act to impose a prison sentence.

Turner's penalty was discounted for his cooperation with authorities and expressing remorse in a written statement.

The court found Turner failed in several of his duties when he failed to carry out cross connection and oxygen concentration tests.

The bungle arose when he was subcontracted to carry out work to install piped medical oxygen at the hospital in July 2015.

Turner signed several certificates which indicated he carried out safety checks, even though he had not.

He also failed his requirement to perform the tests in the presence of a hospital staff member.

Judge Russell found Turner told the hospital's assistant engineer Paul Brightwell that he didn't have to be present for the testing, and convinced him to sign the testing certification.

SafeWork NSW in 2018 launched cases against Mr Brightwell, but dropped the charges for legal reasons.

Amelia's family wants the regulator to re-open its investigation into Mr Brightwell and others.

John Ghanem's family (pictured) were left devastated over the tragic death of their newborn baby in 2016

'We strongly believe that everyone responsible needs to be held to account for their involvement and we are determined to make sure that justice is done,' they said in a statement.

Meanwhile Sonya and Youssef Ghanem released a statement through their family lawyer Stephen Mainstone.

'No penalty handed down by a court will ever bring back their son who they lost in not only tragic but completely avoidable circumstances,' the statement said.

In 2016, Ms Ghanem spoke through tears about the moment she learnt her newborn baby was dead.

'Just looking at him, shaking, ''my son, wake up'', I would tell him ''wake up, what did they do to you?'' she told Nine News at the time.

BOC Limited, the company contracted to complete the work, was found not guilty of breaching its health and safety duty because Turner had lied to them.

SafeWork NSW last year dropped charges against the hospital because of its good health and safety record.
Britain's Prince William has revealed that he has been anonymously helping out on a crisis helpline during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Duke of Cambridge's work with Shout 85258  an around-the-clock text messaging helpline developed by the Royal Foundation  was made public to mark Volunteers Week.

Last month, he told fellow volunteers in a video call that was shared on social media late Friday: "I'm going to share a little secret with you guys, but I'm actually on the platform volunteering."

William, who is second in line to the throne, is one of more than 2,000 volunteers who have been formally trained to help those in need.

More than 300,000 text conversations have taken place between volunteers and people needing mental health support, with around 65 percent of those texting aged under 25.

William's wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, has also been helping others by taking part in "check in and chat" calls with people self-isolating or vulnerable during the pandemic.

 Associated Press

Second City shakeup after racism charge

Andrew Alexander, the CEO and co-owner of famed The Second City improv theater, said he is stepping down after a former performer leveled accusations of racism against the comedy institution.

In a lengthy letter posted on the company's website, Alexander said he "failed to create an anti-racist environment wherein artists of color might thrive. I am so deeply and inexpressibly sorry."

He vowed Friday that he will be replaced by a person of color.

The originally Chicago- and Toronto-based Second City was an early training ground for "Saturday Night Live" players including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and Chris Redd, among other comedy stars such as Keegan Michael-Key and the company produced "SCTV" TV series in the 1970s and '80s.

Alexander's announcement Friday followed online criticism from Second City alumnus Dewayne Perkins, an actor, comedian and writer ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine"). Perkins said the company had refused to hold a benefit show for Black Lives Matter unless half of the proceeds also went to the Chicago Police Department, and it also created obstacles for performers of color.

His posts followed a Second City online message of support last week for Black Lives Matter.

In a tweet noting Alexander's resignation, Perkins had a one-word comment: "Oop."

The London-born Alexander said he is "fully removing myself from overseeing The Second City's operations and policies and will divest myself from the company as it stands."

A Second City statement Friday laid out steps the company planned to take regarding the hiring and training of artists of color, along with diversifying its theater audiences and making donations to fight oppression and support black-owned businesses and schools.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

 Associated Press

Mad magazine artist retires at age 99

Mad magazine's iconic back-page Fold-In is about to fold it in. Finito after 56 years. Because Al Jaffee, officially the longest-working comic artist ever, has decided to retire at age 99.

So to mark his farewell, Mad's "Usual Gang of Idiots" will salute Jaffee with a tribute issue next week. It will be the magazine's final regular issue to offer new material, including Jaffee's final Fold-In, 65 years after he made his Mad debut.

"He deserves some spotlight outside our industry," Mad caricature artist Tom Richmond said of the magazine's beloved elder statesman, who broke into the business during World War II.

One of the most heartfelt features in the send-off issue will be by Sergio Aragones, a fellow Mad legend who befriended Jaffee in 1962 upon joining the staff. They formed a mutual admiration society  both deeply steeped in the craft of the pantomime cartoon  and were occasional roommates on the Mad staff's storied annual trips to far-flung vacation spots.

In the tribute issue, Aragones features his cartooning idol as a character in a series of wordless strips, titled "A Mad Look at Al Jaffee."

"The difference between Al Jaffee and every other cartoonist is that no matter how genius they are," they typically have a specific area of excellence, said Aragones, who calls the elder cartoonist "a soul mate."

Jaffee, on the other hand, excels in many areas, as writer and artist. From superheroes to funny animals, Aragones says, "nobody has done what he has done: take every branch of cartooning and make it better."

 The Washington Post
Boston: Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting United States President Donald Trump use of the social media platform to "spread both misinformation and incendiary statements".

The researchers, including 60 professors at leading US research institutions, wrote a letter to the Facebook chief executive on Saturday asking that he "consider stricter policies on misinformation and incendiary language that harms people," especially during the current turmoil over racial injustice.

Sixty professors at leading US research institutions have signed a letter asking Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to be less tolerant of harmful language. Credit:AP

The letter calls the spread of "deliberate misinformation and divisive language" contrary to the researchers' goal of using technology to prevent and eradicate disease, improving childhood education and reform the criminal justice system.

The researchers' mission "is antithetical to some of the stances that Facebook has been taking, so we're encouraging them to be more on the side of truth and on the right side of history as we've said in the letter," said Debora Marks of Harvard Medical School, one of three professors who organised the letter.
Transport Department officials said a hostess eventually grappled with the hijacker. The rest of the crew then jumped on him and helped overpower him. Police stormed the aircraft and took him into custody.

BRISBANE. A hijacker with a sawn-off shotgun held up the pilot of a TAA DC9 c airliner in flight last night. After the plane landed in Brisbane the hijacker allowed the 41 passengers to leave, but continued to hold up the pilot.

First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on June 9, 1979

The officials said the man had been armed with a fully loaded 12-gauge shotgun. Three other cartridges were found in his possession.

The pilot was named as Grahame Mackelmann and the first officer as John Pyman.

Hostess Esme Qazin and Captain Grahame Douglas Mackelmann at Brisbane airport. May 21, 1980 Credit:Staff photographer

The hijacker boarded at Coolangatta a plane on a scheduled flight from Melbourne to Brisbane. Passengers said he strode up and knocked on the pilot's cabin about five minutes after the plane took off. The man yelled obscenities when approached by hostesses.

The man grabbed one hostess by the arm and demanded to be let in to the pilot's cabin. Passengers said he threatened Ihe pilot with the shotgun. Alter circling Brisbane airport for about five minutes, the plane landed and taxied to the far north-east corner.
THE fund drive for the bail of seven activists and one bystander (called the "Cebu 8") arrested earlier for mass gathering was temporarily suspended on Saturday, June 6.

The legal team of the Cebu 8 said the monetary support they received in just two days was "overwhelming."

King Perez, media liaison of Cebu 8's legal team said the bail amounts for the detainees is yet to be determined by the investigating prosecutor, which will be stated in the information to be filed in court.

He said initial charges by the police include violations of Sec. 13, Batas Pambansa no. 880 which prohibits the holding of public assembly without having to secure first a written permit; violation of Sec. 9 (e) of RA No. 11332, and Simple Disobedience under paragraph 2 of Art. 151 of the Revised Penal Code.

"Other than posting bail, expenses such as court fees, transportation, food, processing and other necessary expenses shall be addressed until the resolution of the cases," a portion of their press statement on Sunday, June 7, said.

For security and confidentiality reasons, Perez, said it is prudent to maintain the non-disclosure of the amount raised and the respective donors.

He said the assigned team in gathering funds is currently auditing the amounts received from all donation channels since June 5, Friday, and the expenses incurred. The audited expenses will be posted for purposes of transparency.

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.

"In light with the unprecedented proliferation of ghost Facebook accounts of persons who have vocally expressed their support to our detainees and dissent on anti-democratic policies that happened overnight, we encourage everyone to stay vigilant and careful at the same time as we continue to call for the immediate #ReleaseCebu8," they said./WBS
The cabinet voted to approve veteran diplomat Amira Oron as Israels new ambassador to Egypt on Sunday, over a year and a half after her appointment was announced, Trend reports citing The Jerusalem Post.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed Orons appointment in October 2018, and she was supposed to begin work in Cairo in the summer of 2019.

There has not been an Israeli ambassador in Egypt for the past year, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to appoint former communications minister Ayoub Kara to the position after he did not make it into the Knesset.

Nine former ambassadors to Egypt wrote a letter to Netanyahu to protest Karas possible appointment, calling on him to send a professional diplomat and not a political appointee.

Oron will be Israels first female ambassador in Cairo. A Middle East expert, Oron is fluent in Arabic and headed the Foreign Ministrys Middle East Economic Relations Department in recent years. She was Israels ambassador to Turkey from 2014-2016, though Turkey had lowered the status of that position to charge daffaires. She was the first woman to head an embassy in Ankara.

She is also the former deputy director of the media department in the Arab world at the Israeli Embassy in Egypt.

The cabinet also approved Bat-Eden Kite as Ambassador to Turkmenistan. She was previously deputy ambassador to UN institutions in Vienna, among other positions.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi congratulated Oron and Kite and wished them luck, calling them experienced, professional and esteemed diplomats.

I am convinced they will promote Israels bilateral relations with the countries they will serve, to significant achievements, Ashkenazi said.
He was really angry and agitated, so I stood by him so he would chill out and not take away from the scene or purpose of the event. We got to talking about his bike and how he rides, and how hes angry that all lives matter, Oaks said via text. He went on and on about some white guy 10 weeks or months ago dying in similar situation, at which point I asked him if a life is worth taking over something so trivial. At that point, he was claiming to not feel (well), and we walked out together.
Wanderland

Jini Reddy Bloomsbury Wildlife 16.99

Rating:

A few years ago, broke, bereaved and emotionally adrift, Jini Reddy decided to spend a year searching for magic. She had a hunch that the British landscape might help heal her heart and soul, if only she knew how to look and listen to it properly. This, she admits, makes her sound like a bit of a hippy, whereas actually shes a London-based journalist who has never had the slightest desire to go to Stonehenge.

In this funny, touching book, we follow Reddy as she attempts to track down ancient springs, labyrinths and even the magician Merlin.

At first everything goes wrong, and she spends a lot of time tramping across Britain in heavy drizzle feeling slightly ridiculous. Her discomfort is only increased by the fact that she is of Indian heritage. Could it be that she is not able to tune in to a culture that is not entirely hers? People I meet in the countryside often look at me a second longer than they need to, she explains.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Jini Reddy has a somewhat over-romanticised view of the landscape and hotspots such as Lindisfarne (above)

In time, though, something rather extraordinary happens. Reddy stops feeling so anxious about whether shes doing things right and starts simply to trust her own judgment. When her GPS doesnt work, she follows her instincts about which road to take. Instead of feeling self-conscious about looking different, she starts talking to strangers. Rather than trying to make magic happen, she concentrates on what is occurring under her very nose.

And, she finds that whichever road she chooses, it always turns out to take her where she wanted to go. Once she stops sulking about the rain, she notices a rainbow has appeared in front of her.

There are moments where you could be forgiven for thinking that Reddy has an over-romanticised view of the landscape and she never seems to understand why locals sound sceptical or bored when she turns up at hotspots such as Lindisfarne and starts over-sharing about her search for magic.

But at the same time there is no doubting her sincerity and we are left with the sense that Reddy really has made contact with something deep within herself that feels entirely new and special.
The residents welfare association (RWA) of Block E in Greater Kailash 1 placed an unusual order with a medical equipment dealer on Saturday morning two oxygen concentrator machines and an oxygen cylinder on rent. That evening, the RWA informed residents that the contingency measure is in place and they can avail the facility in case of an emergency.

The RWA decided to procure the machines on rent after a resident, Pawan Madhok, had a tough time getting his wife, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier last week, admitted to a hospital after her oxygen saturation levels dropped to 80. The normal level is between 90-97, doctors said.

Madhok said, She tested positive on June 2, and her oxygen levels were around 80. We went to three hospitals, but all of them turned us away. While some said they were not Covid-designated hospitals, others said they didnt have vacant beds. We only managed to get her admitted to a private hospital on June 6.

In the four days she struggled to get admitted to a hospital, they borrowed an oxygen concentrator machine from a friend to keep her oxygen levels optimal, Madhok said.

Rajiv Kakria, a resident of the block, said, There are reports on social media of people struggling to get admitted to hospitals in Delhi. The idea was to make available a back-up medical support system in case of an emergency, till the family could make arrangements for a hospital bed. The machine will be given on first-cum-first-serve basis, and will be made available to a family for 24 hours in case of an emergency. They will have to make their own arrangements after that. There are doctors in the colony who are advising us.

An oxygen concentrator removes nitrogen from the ambient air to enrich it with about 93% concentrated oxygen for patients in need of respiratory support, with a mask, while a machine costs between Rs 50,000-70,000, one can be rented for Rs 4500-Rs6000 a month.

As reports of Covid-19 bed shortages in the citys hospitals continue make their way around, despite the governments moves to allay fears over the same, some RWAs across the city are exploring the possibility of making similar arrangements.

The RWA of Pocket 3 in Safdarjung Enclave has, for instance, placed order for around 20 oximeters, and are also making arrangements for a concentrator.

We have asked for quotations from local suppliers after discussion with our members, said Pankaj Aggarwal, president of the RWA.

He added, We are also trying to get doctors, mainly those who live in the colony or nearby, so that the oxygen can be supplied under medical supervision.

Dr Sandeep Sharma, a resident of Safdarjung Enclave and president of Indian Medical Associations South Delhi chapter, said, We are working out a way that mild or moderate cases, which dont require hospitalisation, can be managed at the community level. Oxygen concentrators are useful to manage medical conditions that are not very serious.

In an online meeting last week, Atul Goyal, president of URJA, an umbrella body of 2,500 RWAs, said these options were discussed with doctors. These are precautionary measures. RWAs are being forced to look at such back-ups measures, because we are hearing ordeals of people trying to get admission in hospitals, said Goyal.

Rejimon CK, a member of Dwarka Forum, said that he has bought Oxygen cans, which are used mostly while trekking, as a precautionary measure.

Local suppliers of oxygen concentrators and cylinders said there has been no sharp increase in their demand so far. Ashish Sharma, a supplier, said, People are inquiring about it, and a few are getting them installed as a precautionary measure. But there is not much increase in their demand so far.

However, chemists said the demand for oximeters has increased and they receive more inquiries about oxygen concentrators or similar options.

Sandeep Nangia, organising secretary of All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, said oximeters were never in demand earlier. Demand has gradually increasing at local pharmacies over the past week. We are seeing an increase in demand especially in south Delhi areas, he said.

But pulmonary expert Dr JC Suri caution against administering Oxygen without medical supervision. People should check their Oxygen level. If the Oxygen saturation level is below 90, it means the person is sick and needs medical attention. The normal level is between 90-97. Below 80 can be life threatening. But Oxygen should be administered under medical supervision, Dr Suri, former head of the department of pulmonary and critical care at Safdurjung hospital.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

The 7-year-old boy shot in the chest Saturday evening in Northwest Albuquerque has died, according to police.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, identified the child as Michael Betz Jr.

Detectives from the Crimes Against Children Unit are investigating the death and have interviewed the parents, collected evidence and are coordinating a search warrant for the house, Gallegos said in a news release Sunday.

Officers responded to a home on the 7100 block of Acton, near Paseo Del Norte and Rainbow NW, after receiving a call around 6 p.m. reporting that a child had been shot in the chest, APD has said.

The childs mother and father immediately transported the child to the hospital where he later died from his wound, Gallegos said in an email Sunday afternoon.
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?
Who among us cannot open their email without seeing numerous messages from any company from which weve ever purchased something? Every restaurant that has our email, every museum weve ever visited seems to be announcing their unbridled support for Black Lives Matter, as if this will cement our further patronage.

Why have we not received a single email from any corporation or institution vowing their support for the thousands of victims of the groups' wanton devastation of many hundreds of small businesses who have had their livelihoods destroyed? Are these self-flagellating business people doing this out of sincere concern for George Floyds gruesome death at the hands of one bad cop or are they doing it out of fear for themselves and their enterprises if they dont get on their knees and confess their undeserved privilege?

One can be sure it is the latter. What is so disappointing is their cowardice in the face of outright thuggery. What nonsense. Black Lives Matter, as Tucker Carlson so aptly pointed out, is a cult, a new religion for those who virtue-signal because they crave to be seen as woke. Its all pathetic, a sad commentary on the lack of moral and intellectual stamina of far too many Americans.

It is one thing to see obviously brainwashed young people fall for every lie academia and the media spew. It is quite another for people who remember the 1960s and all the stupid riots that have occurred in the intervening years to fall for this elite-orchestrated race manipulation of the mindless indoctrinated masses. Do the rioters who defaced the statue of Gandhi know who he was? Doubtful.

The left/media has assiduously ignored the seventeen people who have been killed during the riots. Countless others have been catastrophically injured. The media do not mention the fact that eighty-nine police officers have been killed in the line of duty this past year. Thank-you, President Obama and Black Lives Matter for having declared open season on cops. Make no mistake; Obama set back race relations fifty years in America and he did it knowingly.

Fomenting racial strife is part and parcel of the leftist agenda. KGB informant Yuri Bezmenovs strategy for subversion has been borrowed by our left: Demoralization, destabilization, crisis, and normalization. George Soros has spent billions on implementing exactly that plan. Hes the man engineering the election of far-left attorneys general who are pro-criminal, anti-law and order, like Chesa Boudin, son of two domestic terrorists who was raised by Obama pal Bill Ayers while his parents were in prison.

Soros, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, is a blight upon this country; both have done terrible damage and intend to continue their campaign to destroy American as founded. The people funding Black Lives Matter and Antifa with untold millions of dollars are spreading chaos and mayhem. Far too many businesses and institutions are falling for their obvious manipulation and laughing all the way to the bank.

Like SPLC, BLM and Antifa have become extraordinarily wealthy thanks to gullible liberals, frightened politicians and hard-core socialists. Those who donate to these groups have a great deal of blood on their hands and not just from these recent riots. Their dark arts were present and provocative in Ferguson and Baltimore. They pay well for violent agitators. Hillary paid well for those she hired to create altercations at Trump rallies throughout the 2016 campaign.

All those people who participated in the rioting and looting across the nation are criminals. They are violent; they are thieves; they are vandals. They were not acting out for George Floyd, they were opportunistic plunderers. If in Los Angeles (like NYC), for example, the police had not been told to back off, millions in damage to small businesses may have been prevented, but Mayor Garcetti, like DeBlasio, is a far-left, incompetent wimp. A week ago, he was praising the police who provide his security. This week he called them killers.

He needs to go. So do all the groveling organizations, restaurants, businesses small and large who are on their knees to a domestic terrorist group. Every email I receive from an obsequious BLM appeaser and donor is a business I will never patronize again. Any business or organization that vows to raise funds for the thousands of victims of the riots and the looting I will support and cherish.

Americans need to embrace law and order, civil society, and peace. We will never have peace without law and order. The notion our police should be defunded is the dumbest rallying cry ever to be proposed by mind-numbed radicals. Even they on occasion need to call 911 like the rest of us.

George Floyd died after abuse by a possibly psychopathic cop who should have been fired years ago, based on his record. The Democrat machine that runs Minneapolis kept him on despite numerous indications that he was a danger to others. Culpability lies with the Minneapolis police and local government. He was charged in a previous shooting but no one in the Minnesota Attorney Generals office bothered to prosecute him or remove him from his job. Its no wonder that he presumed himself free to abuse his power.

But one barbaric cop does not indict the many thousands of cops who keep us safe in every city and town throughout the nation. That he was white and killed a black man does not indict all white people, but that is exactly what BLM wants us all to think. Its a big lie, a very big lie, one the media is thoroughly invested in promoting because its good for ratings. That is all they care about.

The media is a horribly destructive force in America, and they embrace that role with relish. It is the media that all those corporations gushing their support of BLM fear. To be labeled racist by the media is apparently worse than having your business looted and destroyed. That is how amoral all these ingratiating emails vowing support for a violent subversive group that behaves like savages strikes normal people.

Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue
An active-duty Air Force staff sergeant has been arrested in the ambush-style shooting death of a deputy with the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office on Saturday afternoon in Ben Lomond.

Steven Carrillo, who is 32 and stationed at Travis Air Force Base, where he is attached to a military police unit, was arrested at a hospital, where he was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said Carrillo will be charged with murder and other felonies for the killing of Damon Gutzwiller, 38, a father of one with another baby on the way with his wife.

Hart described Gutzwiller, a local kid who graduated from Aptos High School, as a beloved figure at the Sheriffs Office. He was a patrol supervisor and had been with the department since 2006.

On Sunday, the FBI told The Chronicle that the killing of Gutzwiller may be linked to the shooting death of a security guard outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland during demonstrations May 29. In that incident, in which David Patrick Underwood, 53, of Pinole was killed in similar ambush style, a white van was recorded leaving the scene. The suspect vehicle in the Saturday shooting was also a van. Initial reports by the FBI indicated that it is white. The FBI is investigating the case in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. Saturday about a suspicious van near Jamison Creek in Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Martha Mendoza / Associated Press

A person had called the Sheriffs Office to report seeing firearms and bomb-making materials inside the van. When deputies arrived, the van was leaving the area, so deputies followed the vehicle until it stopped at a home on Waldeberg Avenue in Ben Lomond, Hart said.

As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives, Hart said, pausing for several seconds before collecting himself during a Saturday night news conference.

Gutzwiller was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

A Travis Air Force Base spokesman confirmed to The Chronicle that Carrillo arrived at the base as an enlisted man in June 2018 and was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron.

Carrillos wife, Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, died in May 2018 while stationed with the Air Force in South Carolina at the age of 30. She was born in Grass Valley (Nevada County) and graduated from San Lorenzo High School in 2006. A mother of two, she lived in Boulder Creek with her husband. She was found dead at a hotel near Fort Sumter, where she was posted, according to reports. Her death was ruled suicide after a joint investigation by Sumter County Sheriff and Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Another deputy, whose name was not released, was shot by gunfire or struck by shrapnel from the bomb and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled the property. He remains in the hospital in stable condition.

Now Playing: In this surveillance video taken by Redwood Coast Dispensary, a carjacking victim is seen sprinting away. Dispensary owner Patrick McCue is then seen speaking to the alleged gunman, who asks for their keys then jumps into another car. After a female passenger screams, the suspect jumps out and leaves. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

A California Highway Patrol officer was also shot in the hand when the suspect engaged with CHP officers, Hart said. That officers condition was unknown.

Patrick McCue, who owns Redwood Coast Dispensary, a small marijuana business along Highway 9 in Ben Lomond, saw part of the aftermath of the shooting. On Saturday afternoon, after the wife of an employee called with a warning of an active shooter nearby, McCue noticed someone running outside on his parking lot surveillance camera and went to check it out with his budtender, Mark Kowalski.

I noticed a guy crouching by a truck and I said, Hey, can I help you? McCue recalled. Then I noticed he had an assault rifle.

They were still not alarmed, thinking the clean-cut, well-dressed man was an off-duty cop responding to the shooting.

Then he told me, Im not going to hurt anybody. Im in a jam, can you just give me your keys?

Partner, I cant help you, McCue said. Theyd later watch surveillance video that allegedly showed how he tried to carjack a customer moments earlier, sending the driver sprinting away with his keys. The suspect then tried to jump into a running car with his rifle, but when the female passenger screamed he jumped right back out, according to McCue.

LiPo Ching / Special to The Chronicle

He actually apologized to her, said McCue, who shared his surveillance footage with The Chronicle.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

They overheard an odd phrase from the alleged gunman: Im really just fed up with the duality of it all.

Otherwise, he didnt send me any signals that he was a threat, McCue said.

Eventually, a neighbor ran to the shop and told McCue that the gunman was pinned down and to get police. McCue ran toward the police tape just down the highway and yelled to officers.

As he walked back, he saw the SWAT team arrest the suspect.

Im considering myself lucky that he wasnt still pulling the trigger, Kowalski said. The real tragedy of it all is a good officer was targeted for something he had nothing to do with.

On Sunday afternoon, a vigil for Gutzwiller was held at the Sheriffs Office in Santa Cruz. It started at 2:26, estimated to be the time Gutzwiller was shot 24 hours earlier.

A message was read from Gutzwillers widow: You were the heart of our little family and we love you, it read.

I never saw him have a bad day, even when he was due one, said Sgt. Steve Ryan, Gutzwillers longtime patrol partner. He was better than most of us.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Sam Whiting and Matthias Gafni are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com, matthias.gafni@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf, @mgafni
The Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Sunday described the Delhi governments first information report (FIR) against it as unwarranted and harassment and asserted that it would even go to court to get the complaint quashed.

The Delhi government had filed an FIR against the hospital located in Rajendra Nagar for not following protocols for testing patients. The government had asked the hospital to stop testing patients on June 3, citing violations of the ICMR guidelines. The FIR was filed under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

We will contest the FIR as it is totally unwarranted. How can an FIR be filed for not providing data in the format that government wanted? We may not have followed their format but we have been regularly updating Covid data and sending it across to the authorities concerned. So we will ensure that the FIR is quashed even if that means we have to approach the court, said Dr D S Rana, chairman, board of management of the hospital. Even though we are not at fault, I went and apologised for any oversight that may have occurred inadvertently and asked to stop this harassment. There was shortage of data entry operators during lockdown so there was difficulty in feeding data in a particular format. There is no criminal offence committed from our side.

A Delhi government spokesperson refused comment on the hospital contemplating to move the court.

The copy of the FIR against the hospital read: 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.

Rana said the management is also working on implementing the state governments June 3 directive to turn the hospital into a dedicated Covid-19 facility. We are working towards it and have so far managed to convert about 40% of the main hospital into a Covid hospital, said Rana.

The 675-bed hospital is increasing its ventilator bed count to 60 to treat critical patients.

However, the primary concern of the hospital is to find space for its sick non-Covid patients. Creating a dedicated Covid-19 facility is not easy as you have to assign staff, change ventilation, among other things. No hospital can turn do this overnight; much less a busy hospital like ours. It requires time as there are about 200 seriously ill patients, mostly cardiac, neuro surgery and nephrology patients who are not fit to be discharged yet. Where will I send them? We do not refuse to help in the pandemic, but at the same time we cant let non-covid patients die, said Rana.

The hospital has already allotted two of its subsidiary hospitals- the 140-bed City Hospital and the 40-bed Kolmet Hospital- for treating only Covid-19 patients. Apart from that 20% of our bed capacity in the main hospital was also assigned for treating Covid-19 patients, so what more did they want?, said Rana.

The government on June 3 had also ordered the hospital to stop testing for the coronavirus for violating Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. The hospital said it had to refer about 200 people to other centres from its fever clinic since.

Seema Singh, 46, who was in the hospital for dialysis, was running a fever. She was asked her to tested for the virus. I asked them to test my sample but they said they could not as the hospital had been barred from doing so for the time being. I come all the way from Ghaziabad and am not sure if I will find a facility to test for Covid there. Its too much inconvenience for patients, she says.

The hospital is only testing those samples already under process. It will only impact overall testing process as other labs will be overburdened and will send results late, more so for government testing labs that anyway are dealing with a huge sample load of their own. Ultimately, patients will suffer and we are helpless, says Dr Rana.

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The Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday that a trial judge wrongly revoked the bail of a defendant charged with murder.

In a 9-0 decision, the justices ordered Mobile County Circuit Judge James Patterson to vacate his order revoking bail for Calvin Cornelius Barnes and to reinstate the original bail of $150,000. Patterson did so on Friday.

The Supreme Court had previously ordered officials to release Barnes from jail when it placed a hold on Pattersons order in October.

Barnes, 39, was charged with murder in the September 2016 death of his brother-in-law. Barnes claimed he acted in self-defense. In January 2018, Patterson ruled against Barnes request for immunity under the states stand-your-ground law, saying Barnes failed to prove the use of lethal force was justified. That set the stage for the trial to proceed.

A few days before the trial in May 2019, Barnes attorney asked to withdraw from the case, saying he was having difficulty communicating with Barnes and that Barnes hired a new lawyer.

When Barnes appeared for trial with his new attorney, Patterson questioned the change of lawyers and said Barnes was trying to delay the trial. Barnes new lawyer said he was ready to go to trial.

But Patterson said he believed Barnes was a flight risk, revoked his bond, and ordered him jailed. The judge said he did not think there was precedent for a judge revoking a bond on his own initiative and said he would rely on guidance from appeals courts.

Barnes lawyer filed a petition with the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to reinstate bail, but that court denied it on procedural grounds, saying the petition had to be filed with the trial court first.

In Fridays ruling, the Supreme Court disagreed, saying it recognized the futility of asking the same judge who revoked Barnes bail to reinstate it.

The justices wrote that its well established that defendants, other than capital offense defendants, have a right to bail. Revocation of bail requires a motion by the state based on evidence that the defendant violated the terms of release, the justices wrote. That didnt happen in Barnes case, and nothing in the record supported the judges assertion that he was a flight risk, the justices wrote.

Given the totality of the circumstances, the circuit courts revocation order appears to be an impermissible, vexatious measure designed to punish Barnes for what the circuit court thought were attempts to delay trial, rather than a legitimate attempt to secure Barness presence at trial, the justices wrote.

Barnes trial is now scheduled for Sept. 28, according to court records.
The Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to help with the COVID-19 response at a Woodbridge long-term-care home taken over by the province last week.

Woodbridge Vista Care Community, a 224-bed facility at Steeles Ave. W. and Martin Grove Rd., will be operated by the William Osler Health System for the next 90 days under an emergency order from Premier Doug Ford. It is owned by Sienna Senior Living.

We have been advised that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is going to be deployed to support the provision of care at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, reads part of a letter to residents and families from Sienna Senior Living president and CEO Lois Cormack circulating on social media. This is good news for us, and will provide our organization with much needed capacity during the time ahead.

The company directed a request for further comment to the Ministry of Long-Term Care.

We can confirm that CAF is on-site at Woodbridge Vista today to do an on-site assessment. We are grateful for CAFs continued support and we will have more news to share about next steps in the coming days, wrote ministry spokesperson Gillian Sloggett in an email.

Long-term care homes determined to be the highest priority for Canadian Armed Forces deployment were those that have the most acute staffing challenges leading to poor resident outcomes, she added.

As conditions at long-term care homes across the province continue to be monitored and tracked daily, CAF support may be redeployed to other sites, as required.

The home has seen at least 80 residents infected, 21 deaths and 33 staff with COVID-19 since an outbreak that started in early May. Five residents died last week.

Two of the Sienna Senior Living chains other facilities are already under management by the province  Altamont Care Community in Scarborough with 52 residents and one worker dead, and Camilla Care Community of Mississauga with 67 deaths.

Woodbridge Vista is the ninth long-term-care home taken over by the province since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Ford asked for the militarys help with five other privately owned homes in April: Siennas Altamont Care Community, Orchard Villa in Pickering, Etobicokes Eatonville, Hawthorne Place in North York, and Holland Christian Homes Grace Manor in Brampton.

That Canadian Armed Forces released a scathing report on the conditions in these homes last month, finding everything from cockroach infestations to residents in soiled diapers.

Long-term care homes have been hot spots for COVID-19, with almost 1,700 deaths and more than 5,200 residents infected. Almost 1,900 staff members have also gotten the disease.

Ford is planning an independent commission into what went wrong. The provincial ombudsman will also conduct an investigation, as will the provincial Ministry of Healths patient ombudsman.

Sloggett said forces have also since been called in to Downsview Long Term Care Centre in North York.

That facility was placed under the control of Humber River Hospital in May.
My father founded our family pharmacy the year I was born, 1955. Originally, we were located near the White House until we moved to Upper Northwest Washington, D.C., right near the border of Maryland and the capital. We also expanded into groceries.

We've been doing business in this neighborhood for 55 years. Our customers are an international group and we have enjoyed knowing and seeing all our familiar customers, for so many years. We were here even when Washington, D.C., suffered from the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. But it wasn't until the current protests and riots that our family business was attacked and looted.

The night of Sunday, May 31, was a nightmare.

It was the third night of protests in the city when someone threw a chair from the patio set outside through our shop window. My son and I found it and we tried to board up the window as best we could but the professional crews were in frantic demand. We had called for help, but so much was going on that we needed to secure the window ourselves. The police were spread very thin, driving up and down our avenue in emergency vehicles.

The destroyed front window of Rodman's in Washington, D.C., in May 2020.

That night, I left just to get cleaned up and in that time the store was violated again. From our security footage, they seemed to be teenagers who didn't know what they were doing  stealing products like watches and meat hurriedly, even thyroid medication.

I stayed on guard the rest of the night. More looting would have happened if we let it. Throughout the evening hours cars pulled up to the front of our store, eyeballing it and hoping to come in. But our protection was our flashlights. We shined our lights at them, letting them know that we were inside.

Read more: No more George Floyds: Interactions over minor offenses too often spiral out of control

We were able to open on Monday morning and we have stayed open, while obeying the Washington, D.C., curfew. But my family slept at the store for several nights following the attack.

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I'm delighted the National Guard is in Washington. Since they arrived the nights have been comparatively calm and serene and thankfully there hasn't been any more trouble.

Our hearts go out for those who have not had a fair shake or who have been treated poorly. That is what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Rodman's exterior boarded up in Washington, D.C., in June 2020.

But the people who broke in and looted my store had a completely different agenda than those who were protesting about violence.

Looting is horrible for small businesses. In addition to the economic costs of lost product and destroyed property, you feel so violated. And in my neighborhood everyone has boarded up their businesses. As you drive down the street it reminds me of what the city was like after the assassination of Dr. King. It is easy for me to remember that time. The city took decades to recover. It's a shame.

Thankfully, we have a great crew. They are loyal and hardworking. And we have a nice connection with so many of our customers. They appreciate this country and they work hard. I'm proud to serve them and, despite the damage, grateful I can continue to do so.

Roy Rodman is the owner of Rodman's, a drugstore and international marketplace.

As told to Voices editor Kelsey Bloom, a member of USA TODAY's Editorial Board.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Small business owner: My store was vandalized, looted in D.C. riots
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, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

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.
Vermont governor Phil Scott announced on June 5 that social distancing requirements would not be enforced against Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters at coming events because they are exercising "their constitutional rights." The governor's stunning epiphany means he has finally come to comprehend that in Vermont, the United States Constitution actually does apply! This is great news for Vermonters  in almost all past decisions, the governor has demonstrated a total obliviousness, if not hostility, to citizens' rights.

This is the governor who decided in 2018 to abandon constitutional protections of the right to self-defense when he signed a sweeping gun bill that banned high-capacity magazines and imposed universal background checks on gun sales. A current gun bill (H. 610) is even more blatantly unconstitutional, but the governor has been silent.

This is the governor who used COVID-19 to close farmers' markets and numerous businesses in a haphazard fashion, with unclear guidance and even less clear constitutional authority. He delegated responsibility to municipalities to require people to wear masks, while insisting that the president of the United States holds zero authority to tell Vermonters to reopen their communities. Governor Scott has been consistently partisan when invoking and ignoring constitutional rights, consistently progressive.

Phil Scott objected publicly when Donald Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides in the riots at Charlottesville, and the governor passionately called for the Minneapolis police officers who killed George Floyd to be charged with murder. But he did not condemn the two instances of speech-blocking protests against conservative speakers at Vermont's prestigious Middlebury College. Now the governor has announced that left-wing radicals who are blatantly violating his COVID-19 restrictions are free to disrupt Vermont streets. (He has not spoken against climate protesters who have disrupted traffic and events, either.)

Phil Scott displays similar favoritism toward progressive ideology in other applications (or denials) of constitutional safeguards:

 immigration. The governor opposes federal immigration laws (Vermont municipalities presumably have constitutional jurisdiction there, as with masks).

 transgender surgeries for minors. Governor Scott has vocally supported the provision of surgeries to reconstruct sex organs for minors at public expense without parental notification. What of parents' rights?

 abortion and fetal personhood. Governor Scott signed the most permissive abortion law in the nation, stating that solely a woman and her physician decide when life begins.

 TCI and GWSA. Governor Scott has not opposed the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) and the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). These laws grant unlimited powers to government over property rights and business viability.

 remote voting by legislature. The GWSA is being voted in remotely without normal public involvement, under the cloak of COVID-19. Phil Scott has not objected to remote voting on these and other massive bills  but surely there are constitutional questions about the appropriateness of what is now an essentially closed-door restructuring of Vermont's entire economy and powers of government?

-- mail-in voting. Is this constitutional? The Vermont Legislature is completely sidestepping the Executive Branch of government, and there is not a peep of protest from its governor, who says "he wouldn't stand in the way if lawmakers decided to take away his authority over the upcoming elections."

Perhaps Sean Manovill, the Rutland gym-owner who struggled to maintain his business in the face of the governor's orders, was simply protesting. Surely his constitutional right to oppose the governor's elimination of his livelihood merits as much recognition as political protests over an out-of-state incident with police.

It appears that basic constitutional freedoms are being deliberately discarded by the left and that Vermont's governor is a willing ally in this dismantling. Vague demands for "universal rights" that require government domination and wealth transfers have replaced the constitutional heritage of our forebears. Scott has cast off even the pretense of conservatism, revealing himself to be an active agent of a progressive agenda.

Vermont's governor has silently acquiesced as the Green Mountain State has become the playground of those bent on destroying American foundations of constitutional protections. Meanwhile, BLM protesters descend on the Vermont State House on June 7 with the governor's blessing, in a public demonstration on public land, where the U.S. Constitution applies  but where only black voices will be allowed to speak. The event's organizers state that there is an "open mic for black voices."

Yes, BLM has banned white people from speaking on the lawn of the Vermont State House. Perhaps Governor Scott will publicly share his opinion on the constitutionality of this development, since white citizens are prohibited from protesting by a mob of people who have been exempted from compliance with social-distancing requirements...by the Governor.

Image: Norwich University via YouTube.
What President Donald Trump needs right now is a black mama in the White House.

Did we see anyone cutting up outside the White House from 2008-2016? Did we read reports about children misbehaving and speaking out of turn? Was there reason for a large  and visible  Secret Service presence with armed police officers in bulletproof vests protecting the previous White House occupant as he strolled outside with family, friends and staff?

Nope.

Why?

Because first lady Mama Michelle Obama wasnt having any of that. And her mother, Marian Lois Robinson, was right there with her. Two black mamas in The Big House, and neither was playing.

President Barack Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha had no choice but to act right.

Trump is attempting to change the narrative of yet another truth by suggesting that he went to the White House bunker for a tiny bit of time and only for an inspection.

Feels like something you might try on a black mama when you dont realize that shes already got the answer when she asks you, Now how did this happen, son?

Well, what happened was 

Stop right there. I feel the lie about to come out of your mouth.

Black mama: Your friend Johnny told me what happened. He said you, your wife and your son were rushed to the bunker for about an hour and he said they would only do that if there was a Code Red emergency. Did you know that Little Johnny is a law enforcement official? And Babbling Bob told me the same thing.

If Trump had a black mama in The Peoples House, she wouldve warned him not to do and say certain things, or she would wash his mouth with soap and send him to the bunker. He wouldve had a good explanation.

At one point during her time as first lady, Michelle Obama called herself Mom-in-Chief. She said the role was, and always will be, job No. 1.

First grandmother Robinson told Gayle King of CBS in 2018 that she only moved to Washington, D.C., to live in the White House for one reason: I felt like this was going to be a very hard life for both of them, and I was worried about their safety  We know what she meant.

In a Mothers Day post this year, Michelle Obama said mothers offer an extra hand and theyre there for us to be our rock." Trump could use a rock in his house right now.

We can go back to President Jimmy Carters days when another black mama was in the White House. President Carter and Rosalynn Carter had Mary Prince as daughter Amys nanny for much of the time they were at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Prince was a black woman wrongly convicted of murder then pardoned. Apparently, the Carters cherished her support and her motherly affection.

Trump surely could use some mothering right about now. If he can't take the idea of a black mama placing her hand on one hip and sashaying over with a switch in the other hand, maybe he can accept a good Southern mama like President Carters mother, Lillian Carter, who spent some time with them, or maybe Barbara Bush, who had the role of first lady and first mother with her husband George H.W. Bush then George W. Bush.

Most of us love our mamas. We do our best to express our affection and show our love. When theyre gone, we miss them. And sometimes we need them.

As George Floyd was on the street with three Minneapolis police officers pressing their knees on him  and a fourth watching  to make sure he couldnt move, one with his knee on his neck, he cried out for the mother who died a couple of years ago. Mama, hes heard saying on the now infamous video that has outraged our nation and the world. Mama! Im through.

Trump could use some mama love right now. He needs somebody to keep him in check, somebody to warn him and keep him indoors even before the lights come on. Without that in his life, he mistakenly read the situation outside the White House, had the crowd of protesters cleared and walked with an entourage to a historic church to do nothing more than hold up a Bible and take photographs.

Unfortunately, I dont think there are many good black mamas willing to take the job of Trump Mom-in-Chief. Lets hope that the nations voters decide for him what Floyd couldnt decide: Hes through.
(Newser)  A bronze chest filled with gold, jewels, and other valuables worth more than $1 million and hidden a decade ago somewhere in the Rocky Mountain wilderness has been found, according to a famed art and antiquities collector who created the treasure hunt. Forrest Fenn, 89, told the Santa Fe New Mexican on Sunday that a man who did not want his name releasedbut was from "back East"located the chest a few days ago and the discovery was confirmed by a photograph the man sent him, the AP reports. Fenn had posted clues to the treasures whereabouts online and in a 24-line poem that was published in his 2010 autobiography The Thrill of the Chase.

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"It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago," Fenn said in a statement on his website Sunday that still did not reveal the exact location. "I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot." Hundreds of thousands have hunted in vain across remote corners of the US West for the bronze chest believed to be filled with gold coins, jewelry, and other valuable items. Many quit their jobs to dedicate themselves to the search and others depleted their life savings. At least four people died searching for it. (Someone was getting close last summer.)
The Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) is a retirement account introduced by the Government of Canada back in 1957. This investment vehicle was created to provide Canadians with tax breaks and encourage savings that will help secure their retirement.

The RRSP is a tax-deferred account. This means any contributions to the account can be used for tax deductions. For example, if you earn $80,000 a year, you are eligible to contribute 18% of this amount, or $14,400 to the RRSP. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will then calculate your annual taxable income as $65,600 ($80,000-$14,400).

You need to understand that RRSP contributions are tax deductible. However, you need to pay taxes to the CRA when you withdraw these funds at a later date. The RRSP withdrawal age is 71 years, which indicates that your income in retirement should be lesser than what you earn right now. Hence, the tax rate on RRSP withdrawals will be significantly lower.

Do not overcontribute to your RRSP

The RRSP is one of the best ways to defer CRA taxes, allowing millions of Canadians to grow wealth over the long term. However, you need to be wary of one recurring mistake that will attract a penalty from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Some Canadians tend to overcontribute to the RRSP to take advantage of tax deductions. The Canada Revenue Agency has stated that RRSP contributions should be the lower of 18% of your total annual income and the maximum contribution limit for the year.

If you earn $175,000 a year, 18% of this amount would be $31,500. However, the maximum RRSP contribution for 2020 stands at $27,230, and this is the maximum amount that can be allocated towards your account.

If you overcontribute, you will have to pay a penalty to the CRA. So, if you consider the above example and contribute $31,500 towards your RRSP, the excess amount will be taxable, minus $2,000. In this case, you will have to pay taxes on $2,270 ($31,500-$27,230-$2,000). The CRA provides Canadians with a $2,000 buffer for overcontribution.

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This amount will attract a 1% tax each month for as long as it sits in your RRSP. In this case, the monthly tax penalty paid to the CRA will amount to $22.7. Overcontributions to the RRSP severely compromise the tax-sheltered status of your RRSP account.

How to maximize your returns

After calculating the relevant amount available for your RRSP contributions, you can allocate the capital and buy dividend-paying stocks. This income-generating asset will increase investor wealth significantly over time and may help accelerate your retirement.

The current macro-economic situation is volatile, to say the least. So, you need to focus on safeguarding your capital investment, which means identifying low-beta stocks is key. Investors can buy recession-proof utility stocks such as Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) for their RRSP.

Fortis is a Canada-based utility giant with a market cap of $24.7 billion and an enterprise value of $50.7 billion. It has a huge presence in North America and serves customers in Canada, the U.S., the Caribbean, and Central America.

Fortis stock has a beta of 0.15, which indicates it is insulated against the wild swings of broader markets. In the Q1 call, Fortis CEO Barry Perry stated approximately 82% of the companys annual revenue is protected by regulatory mechanisms or residential sales. This demand is expected to increase amid the pandemic and offset any decline in sales associated with the economic slowdown.

Fortis has a conservative approach that helps it comfortably manage economic cycles. At the end of April 2020, it had over $5 billion in liquidity, an enviable position indeed. This will help the company easily sustain dividend payouts. Fortis aims to increase dividends at an annual rate of 6% through 2024.

Fortis stock currently has a forward yield of 3.54%. In the last five years, shares have also gained 42% in market value.

The Foolish takeaway

As seen above, you need to be careful while contributing to your RRSP. Instead of going overboard, Canadians can look to allocate top-quality stocks to their RRSP and benefit from a recurring dividend stream and capital appreciation.

The post Canada Revenue Agency: Avoid This RRSP Mistake That Can Land You in Trouble appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Aditya Raghunath has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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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. "We need equal justice -a and equal opportunities -a for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal -a 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.
Egypts Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait has issued a decree that introduces new tax facilities for finance leasing companies to revitalise the non-banking financial market, a statement by the ministry read on Sunday.

The new facilities, according the finance ministrys statement, include deducting interests of loans and cash advances from companies net profits instead of calculating them not more than four times the ownership rights that involve paid-in capital, reserves, retained earnings, minus retained losses.

It aims to provide the required funds for purchasing commodities and services for consumption purposes in addition to stimulating buying and selling in the domestic market.

On 23 March, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ratified law no.18 for 2020, which organises finance leasing activity in the domestic market after parliaments approval.

The law gives the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) the authority over companies practising finance leasing activity and issue licenses for new ones.

The law organises the finance leasing activity not extended through the banking system.

According FRA data, leasing activity in the Egyptian market has hit EGP 70 billion.

In January, the FRA revealed the biggest leasing companies in Egypt in terms of market value between January 2019 and November 2019.

Technolease for Financial Leasing was in the first place having a market share of 20.2 percent and a total of leasing finances worth EGP 48.1 billion

Corporate Leasing Company was in second place, having a market share of 15.56 percent, while GB Lease, part of Ghabbour Auto Company, has maintained the third position with a market share of 8.35 percent.

The Cairo Leasing Corporation ranked fourth with a share of 5.5 percent, then QNB Al-Ahli Leasing with a share of 5.36 percent.

Global Leasing Company was ranked sixth with 4.56 percent, followed by BM Leasing, which ranked seventh with a 4.11 percent market share.

Al-Tawfeek Leasing Company came in the eighth position with a market share of 3.70 percent, then Al-Ahly Leasing Company with a share of 3.51 percent.

In addition, International Co. for Leasing (Incolease) ranked tenth with a share of 3.36 percent

The real estate sector has dominated the financial leasing contracts in the market with a share of 75.5 percent, followed by the vehicle sector with a share of 7 percent.

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Linkedin Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, June 8, 2020 09:16 592 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdca38ff 1 Opinion Papua,Racism,racial-discrimination-in-indonesia,Chinese-Indonesians,#PapuanLivesMatter,#commentary Free

The giant wave of the United States #BlackLivesMatter campaign has now swept across Indonesia. A number of groups have begun to discuss racism in the country and have touched upon a rarely discussed topic: racism against Papuans.

For a long time, racism against Indonesians of Chinese descent, also called Tionghoa, has dominated the nations discourse on the subject. When someone says the word racism in the Indonesian context, many recall the May 1998 riots, about which considerable documentation and research exist.

As a fourth-generation Chinese-Indonesian myself, I have benefited from progress in the relationship between Chinese-Indonesians and the rest of the population. There have been ups and downs, and racism has not disappeared completely.

But progress has been made because we have been discussing the problem openly; we are aware that it is a problem. Many people have yet to recognize the rape of Chinese-Indonesian women in May 1998, but generally, we have acknowledged the victims deaths, blood and tears.

This does not apply to racism against Papuans.

Even talking about it risks accusations of supporting Papuan separatism. At the very least, we will face a bevy of deniers saying there is no racism in Papua or that the deaths, blood and tears of Papuans are not the result of racism but rather a just punishment for separatists.

To say so is akin to saying that seeking to end racism against Chinese-Indonesians is the same as supporting communism. Fortunately, we left that phase long ago.

Many people are not happy with the #PapuanLivesMatter topic.

On June 5, for example, Amnesty International Indonesia held talks on human rights and freedom of expression in Papua. The discussion, which used the hashtag #PapuanLivesMatter, was bombarded by spammers. The speakers, who joined the discussion by phone, received incessant calls from unknown sources, mostly from foreign numbers  or numbers made to look foreign  as if from the US.

As of Saturday, we remain in the dark about who was responsible and what their possible motivations were. One thing is clear, however. There are people who do not want us to talk about racism against Papuans because the issue relates to many unresolved human rights violations.

On Feb. 17, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) released a report on its investigation of an incident that occurred five years ago called the Bloody Paniai case, in which high school students were gunned down during a protest in Paniai, Papua. Komnas HAM concluded that rank-and-file soldiers and their superiors carried the blame for the deaths of the students, aged 17 and 18, as well as for "torturing" another 21 protesting Papuans. They called the deaths a gross human rights violation. The next day, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko denied that this episode was a gross human rights violation.

There are those who say that it is ridiculous to compare the racism experienced by African-Americans to that experienced by Papuans. They claim racism in the US is worse. But how can we possibly know that when freedom of speech has been muffled in the provinces of Papua and West Papua? How can we understand the gravity of the situation if we prevent Papuans from speaking and refuse to listen when they manage to make their voices heard?

What we know so far is that there are reports of extra-judicial killings, torture and persistent inequality in the social, economic, educational, health and technology spheres. That is easily bad enough, and we must end the injustice.

Others have said on social media that All Lives Matter, that racism against Papuans does not merit particular attention given the number of other victims of injustice in Indonesia. Proponents of All Lives Matter seem to think there is no urgency to discuss racism against African-Americans in the US or against Papuans in Indonesia.

Theyre wrong. At the moment, racism against Papuans is an urgent matter in Indonesia, and as a victim of racism against Chinese-Indonesians, Im saying we have to talk more about racism against Papuans.

Unfortunately, solidarity among victims does not come naturally to most people. I have learned from both textbooks and real life that the experience of being a victim does not necessarily mean you will extend your empathy to others.

There are even instances where victims of injustice do further injustice to others, like a man who is a victim of racism but beats his wife or children at home.

To join together in solidarity is a conscious choice. And we should do so because we believe in the cause: that human beings should be able to live safely amid their differences and give equal respect to everyone, regardless of skin color. No one should die or suffer because of their physical traits.

I make the call to fellow Indonesians, regardless of their race, to recognize racism against Papuans and talk about it more extensively and deeply.

Specifically, I call upon fellow Chinese-Indonesians. We are victims who have come a long way in improving the situation. Support from fellow victims of racism lends more credibility and force to the struggle to end discrimination once and for all.

Indonesia still has a lot to do to combat racism against Chinese-Indonesians, especially as the rising power of China somehow gives rise to negative sentiment against the Chinese diaspora around the world.

But this does not mean we lack the space and energy to fight for justice for other victims of racism. Papuan lives matter. Lets talk about it often and loudly.
- President Uhuru tributed Mathenge as "a man of valour" who displayed integrity and professionalism while discharging his duties

- The President said it was because of Mathenge's commitment to duty and excellent service that he rose through the ranks to become a Commissioner of Police

- Mathenge left State House in 2016 and had not complained of any illness prior to his demise

President Uhuru Kenyatta has led Kenyans in mourning Commissioner of Police Wachira Mathenge.

In a separate story, TUKO.co.ke reported that Mathenge passed on Friday, June 5, following a suspected heart attack.

READ ALSO: Lurambi MP Titus Khamala says he told William Ruto never to come back at his home

Wachira Mathenge left State House in 2016 where he served in the Presidential Escort Unit. Photo: Wachira Mathenge.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Heartbreaking: Jobless widow breaks down in emotional video after Uhuru extended curfew

In his message of comfort to the deceased's family, Uhuru tributed Mathenge as "a man of valour" who displayed integrity and professionalism while discharging his duties.

I have known the late Mathenge for many years and worked closely with him when he served at the Presidential Escort Unit.

He was a humble and amiable person whose virtues of hard work and dedication to duty will remain an inspiration to many police officers who worked with him, said Uhuru.

READ ALSO: Nairobi: Police in search of 2 suspects captured on camera stealing phone, KSh 29K from M-Pesa agent

Wachira Mathenge passed on on Friday, June 5. Photo: Wachira Mathenge.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: William Ruto asks forgiveness from Talai clan elders after neglecting them for years

Until the time of his death, Mathenge served as a Staffing Officer responsible for logistics at the National Police Service Eastern Regional Office in Embu.

According to Uhuru, it was because of Mathenge's commitment to duty and excellent service that he rose through the ranks to become a Commissioner of Police.

We will forever be grateful for the excellent service the late Mathenge rendered to this country over the years," the President eulogised.

READ ALSO: Wakenya wamtania Francis Gachuri baada ya Rais Uhuru kumtambua

Uhuru prayed to God to give the family, friends and relatives of the departed senior police officer the fortitude and strength during the difficult period of mourning.

Earlier, Deputy President William Ruto described him as a dedicated and exceptional officer who took pride in his work.

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.

I married a man every woman wanted - Pastor Joan Chege | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
FAIRFIELD  With eyes toward bargains and hearts slightly touched with sadness, lines of people arrived at Pier 1 Imports on Black Rock Turnpike on Friday afternoon for the start of its closeout sale.

The chain store of home goods and furnishings, which first opened in 1962, was experiencing problems even before the pandemic struck, filing for bankruptcy in February and closing about half of its 900 locations, including all of its Canadian outlets.

While the Fairfield store was initially spared, unlike some other Connecticut locations, last month the company announced it was shutting down completely.

At this time the Fairfield branch is scheduled to continue its closeout sale into September, even receiving more merchandise during the summer for the sale, but that could potentially change as the store winds down.

Were going to miss Pier 1, said Lynette Sobbi of Fairfield, who was among 50 or so customers already on line outside Friday before its noontime opening.

Its a wonderful place, said Robert Testo of Fairfield. And the management team here is wonderful.

Pier 1 Imports began as a single store in San Mateo, Calif., in 1962, according to its website.

Our first customers were post-World War II baby boomers looking for beanbag chairs, love beads and incense, the site says, noting the merchandise expanded to have everything at one time or another from chocolate-covered ants to life-sized suits of armor.

Its got great products, said Amy Hester, who traveled from Bedford, N.Y., to be at the sale, having lost the one in her town in February.

Its just a sign of the times, I guess, she said.

Its sad, said Carter Butler of Bridgeport, who has frequented the Fairfield store for decades.

This is a great place, he said. They always have great stuff and the items are reasonably priced.

I think its not very surprising, said Erin Kelly of Fairfield. I think the company has been on its way out for a little while. Its sad, but kind of inevitable.

I just think its another sad case of another store closing in our town, said Linda Teja of Fairfield.

While she said she wasnt surprised, it still doesnt make it any more pleasant.

Theyve been talking about it, but obviously the pandemic was a nail in their coffin, she said.

Im very sad its closing, said Monica Lucke of Trumbull. I love this store.

Its just sad to see another store going down, she said.

Its hard because theres no other store like it in Fairfield, said Pia Misanda of Fairfield, and so its definitely gong to be a loss to the community.

My husband might be happy, though, she said. No more Pier 1 bills.
Teachers told to increase contact with students, May 31

Whenever there is a difference of opinion between the Ontario Government or Ministry of Education and the teachers unions it is always stated that teachers know their students best and that they should use their professional judgment.

The Ministry of Educations definition of professional judgment is judgment that is informed by professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning. In professional practice, judgment involves a purposeful and systematic thinking process that evolves in terms of accuracy and insight with ongoing reflection and self-correction.

It is noted that more than 4,000 Toronto teachers needed the training to know how to use the computers effectively for instructional purposes.

This clearly demonstrates that not all teachers know what all students need and can provide for all students.

It is time for the teachers unions to provide greater opportunities for teachers professional development in computer programs and computer use for preparation for college, university and employment.

Our childrens future is all about technology. Teachers need to teach our students all about computers and programs effectively and efficiently.
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...
Conservation and public health advocates call on Latinos to act upon the preservation of public lands and fight against climate change.

Organizations such as the Hispanic Access Foundation are particularly urging Latino communities "to push for the Great American Outdoors Act's passage."

The legislature is financing $12 billion accumulation of delayed maintenance projects and programs in monuments and national parks of America. It is permanently financing too, needs in the future.

Arizona's US Representative Raul Grijalva said, the global health crisis has concentrated attention on the manner pollution and poverty have historically impacted Latino communities' health and well-being.

The Link Between Health and Conservation

Grijalva also said the connection between Latino health and conservation was clear before COVID-19 happened and the past couple of months of quarantine and lockdown have made the situation clearer than before.

In addition, the representative said, one final vote on the legislation "is pending this week." He added it would provide total funding too, the long-deferred "Land and Water Conservation Fund."

This particular project would improve parkland in nearly every American county, and give back $4 in benefits for each invested dollar.

As the chairperson of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Grijalva explained that many years of "discriminatory housing practices" have taken low-wage jobs, as well as industrial pollution to a lot of Latino communities with minimal or totally no access to public lands and parks.

Grijalva emphasized as well that majority of the Latinos have no access to parks and green spaces that are close to their communities and homes. He added, "That's a preexisting condition as that stops the needed fresh hair to sustain both mental and physical health.

Conservation Toolkit

Shanna Edberg, the director of programs for the foundation said, the organization has devised an extensive "Congressional Conservation Toolkit" to help legislators and advocates understand further the Latino community's role in advocating conservation and climate change.

Every section of the toolkit covers cultural, public opinion, health, and economic implications of the policies that safeguard the public lands, on top of the risks posed by climate change and regulatory rollbacks.

Additionally, the toolkit also presents growing apprehension about the climate crisis and its impact on Latinos. This year, the ocean and its strong link to Latino public health, jobs and heritage, are added to the toolkit.

Edberg also said, Latino voters, want Congress to protect public lands, and clean water and air. "It is a great source for legislators, as well as for advocates to discover the way Latino constituents are thinking, not to mention, how they are voting on the said issues."

Passing the Great American Outdoor Act, Edberg continued, would finance thousands of conservation programs and projects across the nation, generating much-needed jobs to alleviate the fallout of the economy because of COVID-19.

The HAF headquarter is located in DC. However, it has created extensive and trust-based community networks nationwide to develop HAF is headquartered in DC, but we have developed extensive, trust-based community networks across the country in order to develop Latino leaders and take understated "voices to the table."

Check these out!
President Trumps statement from the White House last week was unnecessarily combative, offensive in tone, and more likely to inflame the situation in many cities than to de-escalate tensions. I do not recall presidential law and order rhetoric this harsh since the late 1960s or early 1970s, well before many of your readers were born.

At that time, I participated in some anti-Vietnam War protests during which others threw rocks and bottles, smashing windows and probably doing other forms of damage. Protesters, law enforcement officers, and members of the public might have been injured. This use of violence was wrong and probably counter-productive, probably alienating some people who might have sympathized with our cause but thoroughly disapproved of the dangerous tactics used by an angry few. With the benefit of 50 years hindsight, I agree.
The Assumption of Mary is a centerpiece of Roman Catholic theology and life. To understand the doctrine correctly we need to listen before responding. There is a regrettable tendency among Christians of different opinions to speak past each other. Of course, we know how that works: when we are making the point with someone, even someone we love, we will often formulate our next thought as the person is speaking. Mostly, this behavior is a benign human impulsebenign but bothersome. So often, this is the way we communicate with each other in the body of Christ. And so we must consider the case of the doctrine of Mary with this tendency in mind.

This article will seek to establish a biblical response to the question of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Like so many theologians, I cant seem to speak a simple answer to a simple question. I would be forever interrupting the main idea with caveats. Well, no, I dont hold to that. However, one must recall . . . And so forth. So, let me try to answer the question about the Assumption of Mary with a scaffolding method, that is, building a response through a scaffolding of ideas. We begin with a question, What is the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary and is it true? We respond with three strands of scaffolding and a conclusion.

What Is the Assumption of Mary according to Roman Catholics?

The teaching is clearly articulated in the Catholic Catechism:

"Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death." (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15th) (CCC 966)

There are numerous parts of this doctrinal assertion that leap from the page for Protestant Christians. Let us refrain from responding until we listen some more. The doctrine of the Assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is necessarily understood within the larger framework of a theology of Mary. Roman Catholic doctrine expresses that theology in a fourfold formula. Each article of the doctrinal statement is dependent upon the other doctrine. One is justified in saying that to remove one article from the fourfold assertion is to invalidate the others.

Here is the Fourfold Doctrine of Mary:

Doctrine 1: The Immaculate Conception

The doctrine of Mary begins with the assertion of her immaculate conception. Those of you who are not familiar with that centerpiece of Roman Catholic theology need to understand that immaculate conception is not speaking of the conception of Jesus. Rather, this foundational statement supports the other statements in that it is asserting that Mary was born without sin. That is, she was born of immaculate conception. Her mother, therefore, likewise, was a recipient of Gods special dispensation concerning the birth of her daughter, Mary. At this point, we will not engage with the doctrine, but we will merely state it. But as you can see from the first of the fourfold doctrines about Mary it is impossible to disentangle one doctrine from the other. These doctrines stand together or fall together; they cannot be justified apart from one another.

Doctrine 2: Mary Is the Mother of God

There is no true believer who is a member of the body of Christ who will deny the virgin birth of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. For in the fullness of time, God gave his Son to us through a woman thus fulfilling the original gospel message of Genesis 3. In the birth of Jesus Christ, woman, without the help of a man, brings forth God in the flesh. However, when we speak about Mary being the mother of God and the Roman Catholic doctrine that is connected to her sinlessness, we must realize that these are two different understandings. While the Council of Ephesus, one of the great councils that most Christian communities recognize as authoritative, does, in fact, call Mary theotokos, the bearer of God, that is still quite distant from the title given to her in the Roman church.

Mary was the earthly mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is, and ever shall, be God in the flesh. When Christ died, the Lord Jesus lovingly recognized the Apostle John to be the son of Mary, and Mary to be the mother of John. Thus, in this glorious act of securing Marys earthly care, as he, her eldest son, is gone, the Lord demonstrated a human love that is both understood and, at once, given reverence for its depth of a sons love. Jesus was commending the needs of the Mary to his close friend. John would provide for the earthly needs and the security that Mary would need as she aged. Church history tells us that John fulfilled this role even as he was the pastor of the Church of Ephesus. Yet, nowhere in antiquity, do we see evidence of her veneration while she was a parishioner at Ephesus under Pastor John. The Roman Catholic doctrine of Mary, however, bestows titles on Mary which her earthly pilgrimage could never bear: Mother of the Church, Immaculate, All Holy, Icon of the Church.

Again, upon first glance, this doctrine probably seems the most compatible with the views of Mary in non-Catholic Christian communities. However, Mary as the mother of God is connected to Mary as Mediatrix, a special role assigned to Mary by the Roman Church designating her intercessory position before God. Again, there is a great misunderstanding about this. Roman Catholics must understand that the mere mention of any intercessor other than Jesus Christ is anathema to the ears of Protestant believers. Protestant believers must recognize that the Roman Catholic Church is able to call Mary a mediator of prayer because of her proximity to Jesus. In the hierarchy of the intercession of saints before the throne of God, the Roman Church holds that Mary holds the highest position.

When the Catechism of the Catholic Church declared that Mary cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation, that her yes, to God was the yes in the name of all human nature we understand a creative, salvific quality in her that is quite alien to Protestant affirmation and Reformed thought and practice. Thus, we see in this outworking of the title, Mother of God, that Marys place as understood by Reformed believers (whether Anglican or Pentecostal or any community in-between) is something radically different from a Catholic confession of Mary.

Doctrine 3: Marys Perpetual Virginity

The Roman Catholic Catechism asserts that The virginal motherhood [which miraculous intervention of God all true believers affirm] led the Church to confess Marys real and perpetual virginity . . . Protestants will find this assertion to be puzzling. Doesnt the Bible mention the siblings of Jesus? Yes, undeniably (see Matthew 12:46, Matthew 13:55-56; Luke 8:19; John 7:1-10; Mark 3:31; Acts 1:14; Galatians 1:19). The Roman Catholic Catechism addresses this by stating,

Against this doctrine [I.e., the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary] the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus. The church is always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary.

For anyone reading this article who might be within the Roman Catholic community that response of the catechism is not only sufficient but compelling. For those reading this article who come from a Protestant community of the Christian faith, you will find any such avowal to be not merely unsupported but illogical and heretical. Once more, I ask you to be patient until we get to the golden hinges on which each of these doors of knowledge and understanding open.

Doctrine 4: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

Some believers in non-Roman Catholic (and some Eastern Orthodox) communities think that the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary came about in the 20th century. This is not so. It is true that Pope Pius XII defined the doctrine in 1950. It is also so that the Catholic Catechism (2016) states,

Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.

The early Church Fathers did not define Marys role or speak of her eschatological state (though Ignatius, and others, wrote and preached about the Virgin Mary). The late fourth century and early fifth-century bishop of Cyprus, Epiphanius of Salamis, composed a collection of heresies, legends, and other apocryphal, non-canonical traditions from around the Church. That book, called, Panarion (The Breadbasket), chronicled the legends that had attached themselves like barnacles to the biblically grounded stern of the Church. It was a sort of Martins Kingdom of the Cults in the 370s. Epiphanius investigations in the death of Mary met with little historical evidence and, of course, no biblical evidence. Epiphanius is the first to chronicle the Assumption of Mary cultus, though early believers had recorded such visions on the walls of catacombs. Accounts of Mary as a death in old age, death and assumption into heaven, death and ascension into heaven, or never died and assumed (like Enoch and Elisha) had not yet crystallized. Dr. Stephen J. Shoemaker, of the University of Oregon, described the situation succinctly:

Despite years of research, the historical record has still yielded no clear witness to the Virgins Dormition [in Eastern Orthodoxy, the falling asleep of Mary, m.a.m.] and Assumption from the earliest church. Rather surprisingly, the early centuries of Christianity, as they are preserved for us today, maintain a profound silence regarding the end of Marys life.

While the early Church fathers did recognize the popular devotion to Mary that was beginning in Rome, particularly in frescos, the history surrounding Marys end of life is silent. No less than Monsignor Timothy Verdon, in his brilliant work, Mary in Western Art, admits that much of the catacomb art depicts paganism mixed with the person of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This admission hints at the ancient Southern European impulse for adoring goddesses (e.g., Diana of Ephesus). Thus, Joelle Mellon documented the syncretism of Mary devotion and goddess worship:

Places long associated with goddess worship in many European countries were frequently transformed into sacred Marin sites . . . In France, Chartres Cathedral, a church particularly rich with Marian artistic imagery, was built over. Spring sacred to the Gallic Goddess in pre-Christian times. It was the Irish, however, who seemed to take to this idea with the greatest enthusiasm. In Ireland, 86 percent of all Christian shrines, including Our Lady of Knock, are based on wells once dedicated to the Celtic goddess Brigid. This deity was also transformed herselfinto the still popular St. Brigid.

How Did Mary Die Then?

Some have gleaned from scant evidence that Mary died in Ephesus where John was pastor. One archeologist claims a house where Mary lived. Benedict XIV declared that Mary died at Ephesus. One can, also, visit the Tomb of the Virgin Mary in the Kidron Valley.

Why Doesn't the Bible Mention Her Death?

Before moving on, we do well to ask, Why? Why didnt the early Church record the details of the passing of Mary from this life? We do not know. Could it be that in Gods providence, the details of the Blessed Marys death are obscured by Providence? Remember the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus: how Peter missed the point, as G. Campbell Morgan preached, and wanted to build a monument to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:1-10; and Luke 9:27-37)? God forbade the act of memorializing the event by localizing it to the Mount. The days of physical signs and symbols were passing (Hebrews 7:26-8:5). The day of spirit and truth had come (John 4:23-24).

As Jesus prevented the construction of a shrine at the Mount of Transfiguration (which would presumably lead to idolatry in the worst case, or confuse the shadow to substance motif of the New Covenant in the best case), it may be that the Lord clouded Marys last daysher death, and her burialin order to preserve attention on the Ascension of Jesus. Thus, constructed.

The definition and meaning of the Assumption of Mary is necessarily connected to the fourfold dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic catechism. Having established the assertion of the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary we now move to what may be called, the great epistemological question.

How Do They Know? - The Roman Catholic Epistemology for the Doctrine of the Assumption of Mary

Epistemology means the theory of knowledge. While this may at first glance appear to be an unnecessary academic insertion, any serious discussion of the doctrine such as the Assumption of Mary requires an examination of how one knows. In the case of Protestantism, the great epistemological question, how do we know, is answered in the first of the solas of the Reformed faith: Sola Scriptura, translated Scripture alone. The Reformed understanding of any doctrine stands or falls upon the special revelation of Almighty God in the Holy Bible (for those interested in pursuing study on a Reformed epistemology of Scripture, I would commend the late Dr. Robert L. Reymonds, The Justification of Knowledge). Therefore, any doctrine such as the Assumption of Mary would, by this definition, necessitate the testimony of Holy Scripture. The fourfold dogma of Mary cannot be substantiated in the Bible. Therefore, one must have another answer to how do we know: and that leads us to understanding a Roman Catholic epistemology for the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary.

The Three Great Pillars of Truth

For adherence to Roman Catholicism there are three great pillars of truth that provide knowledge and guidance. They include Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium. Most of us can understand Scripture and tradition but what is the magisterium? This latter term refers to the hierarchical system of governance in the Roman Catholic Church that includes the Bishop of Rome, that is, the Pope, the Cardinals, and the subordinate jurisdiction of archbishops, bishops, and priests. In the case of the Assumption of Mary, since there is no ground for the doctrine in the Bible (there are allegorical approaches which declare that the Assumption of Mary is found in, e.g., Revelation chapter 12 and the woman clothed with the sun; and in Psalm 131:8, Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place: thou and the ark, which thou hast sanctified.). The catechism of the Catholic Church states,

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death. (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15th) (CCC 966).

Protestants understand faith and life through the lens of Holy Scripture, the divine revelation of God through the prophets, evangelists, and apostles. Roman Catholic believers (or at least their official position in the Catholic Catechism) understand the truths of the Christian faith by the Bible, the sacred works of the Church through history (Tradition), and by the authority of the Magisterium. That is an important piece of scaffolding in our quest to come to terms with the Assumption of Mary doctrine. We are now ready to apply the final scaffolding which will help us get to the top of this question.

What Do Other Believers Say? - The Protestant and Reformed Response to the Doctrine of Mary

There are two things that I would say about Mary in the Protestant and Reformed compendium of thought and practice. Firstly, since Protestants rely upon the Bible as the only infallible witness to faith in life, and since there is no mention of the assumption of Mary into heaven in the Word of God, then, we understand that most Protestant believers would not accept the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary. Moreover, the fourfold doctrine of Mary, which is established on grounds other than, or to be most charitable in addition to, the Word of God, is a formulation alien to both faith and practice in the Protestant churches. Indeed, the very language such as the queen of heaven, the queen of the universe, or immaculate conception of Mary is not only foreign to the common vernacular of Protestant Christians but would be, in all honesty to our Roman Catholic readers, uncomfortable to the point of idolatrous. So, a Reformed theologian like myself would answer there is no Scriptural ground for the teaching of the assumption of Mary into heaven. There is something else that needs to be said.

Mary Is a Model of Faithfulness

When everyone responds to one doctrine there is the possibility if not the inevitability of reactionary belief and behavior. For instance, in the case of Mary, the Bible says that Mary will forever be called blessed. In responding to doctrine such as the Assumption of Mary we who are in the Protestant faith have a tendency to diminish the role of Mary in the life of the church. While we do not exalt, adore, venerate, or in any way look to Mary as intercessor or Redeemer, we should recall her as a model of faithfulness and as the woman chosen by God to bear the Son of God. It is through Mary that the ancient promise is fulfilled: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15, ESV). I remember one of my theology professors saying to us that the greatest theologian in the Bible is the Virgin Mary as she recognizes her place in the covenant of grace. Meditate upon these words from the Magnificat (the song of Mary):

And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever (Luke 1:48, NKJV).

Mary Is Blessed because She Was Chosen

Mary, the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is to be called blessed. She is to be recalled as the highly favored one of God, who would become the human bearer of Almighty God in the flesh. The little girl who plays Mary in the Christmas play at your church this year reminds us of how very ordinary this little lass was. And yetthis girl was chosen of God to bring salvation to humankind. The inconceivable glory of God was conceived by divine power in the womb of a young woman; and the unconstrained love of El Shaddai became embodied in an infant. God has broken through our own fallen world to bring us good news. Marys Son, our Lord Jesus, has come in remembrance of all of the promises.

Surely, we can all call her blessed, not for herself, as godly and gracious as she was, but because she was chosen to bear God in the flesh. And in that sense, we come to know our own sense of blessedness. Why me? Why did You choose me, Lord? That is the enduring testimony of a girl who once lived.

Photo credit: GettyImages/VladyslavDanilin

Related: What's the Difference between the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Birth?

MICHAEL A. MILTON (Ph.D., University of Wales; MPA, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; MDIV, Knox Theological Seminary; Cert. in Higher Education Teaching, Harvard University) serves as the Provost and James Ragsdale Chair of Missions and Evangelism at Erskine College and Seminary. A Presbyterian minister (PCA, ARP), Milton has penned more than thirty books, hundreds of articles in journals, magazines, opinion columns, and newspapers. As president of the D. James Kennedy Institute and Faith for Living, Milton has served as a public theologian. His work has been cited on numerous national media outlets as he provides historic Christian insights into faith and life in a changing world. Dr. Milton's record of ministry includes seminary chancellor, president of three seminaries, senior minister of one of America's historic churches, founder of three congregations, and a Christian academy. A composer and artist, Mike and Mae Milton reside in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Learn more at michaelmilton.org/about. [from a press release by McCain& Associates.]
Among his favorite Scripture passages comes from John 2:5 at the wedding feast at Cana, where Jesus mother Mary tells servants to Do whatever He tells you.

Its about being obedient, McDaniel said. Im not going to do anything without God working through me. Im a bedrock of Christ, just trying to help people find Jesus.

Bishop Robert J. McClory said earlier, This is the first time I have ordained a priest or deacon, and Im looking forward to it.

Due to COVID-19, the ordination rite was revised and social distancing was observed at Holy Angels Cathedral. Even with restrictions, the bishop said, It is a happy time and gives us something to celebrate.

McClory and McDaniel spent Holy Week together, offering six Masses in eight days.

The bishop described the new priest as thoughtful, faithful, having an open personality and heart that wants to serve.

A priest for 21 years, McClory counseled the young priest to stay close to Jesus, love your people and learn from them and with them.
Indian Spying Drone Shot Down by Pakistani Army

Saudi Press Agency

Saturday 1441/10/14 - 2020/06/06

Islamabad, Jun 6, 2020, SPA -- Forces of the Pakistani Army shot down an Indian spying quadcopter after it had intruded Pakistani airspace across the Line of Control (LoC) between the two sides of Kashmir.

A statement issued by the media department of the Pakistani army said that an Indian "quadcopter" was shot down late last night, after it intervened 500 meters across LoC over "Khanjar" sector for the purpose of reconnaissance.

The statement said this was the 8th Indian reconnaissance drone to be shot down by Pakistan Army's troops this year.

--SPA

14:17 LOCAL TIME 11:17 GMT

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Millie Mackintosh has finally unveiled the name of her baby daughter, five weeks after welcoming her first child with husband Hugo Taylor.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 30, introduced little Sienna Grace to the world as she cradled her adorable girl in a stunning cover shoot for this week's Hello! magazine.

The blogger gushed she's 'on cloud nine' and praised sunglasses entrepreneur Hugo, 34, for being present during labour amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused most hospitals in the UK to allow only one birthing partner.

Introducing Sienna: Millie Mackintosh has finally unveiled the name of her baby daughter, five weeks after welcoming her first child with husband Hugo Taylor

Revealing that the couple settled on Sienna Grace's name 'months' before the birth, Millie added of their first few weeks of parenthood: 'We've been on cloud nine; it's gone so quickly.

'We've been in our little love bubble at home, cherishing those newborn moments, whether that's her sleeping on me or just lapping up all the cuteness.'

'Time has gone so quickly. She is so adorable, even down to the little noises she makes.'

Hugo added: 'Sienna has turned our world upside down. It's like first love all over again  that wondrous feeling of excitement, joy and endless possibility for the future. I can't wait to watch her grow.'

New mum: Posting on Instagram the blogger gushed she is 'so proud to introduce our baby girl, and revealed to Hello that the couple picked out the name months before the birth

Family: She added of the couple's first few weeks of parenthood: 'We've been on cloud nine; it's gone so quickly'

It's unclear whether Millie named her daughter after actress Sienna Miller, but she has made no secret of being a supporter of the thespian - having taken inspiration from her cropped haircut in 2013, and fangirled over her wearing her Nouveau Lashes to the 2015 Golden Globes ceremony.

Millie also revealed that Sienna was born via Caesarean section, which was planned after the couple found out at 28 weeks that she was in the breech position.

Expressing her gratitude towards her long-term partner and healthcare professionals, the media personality added that she was grateful Hugo was allowed to be by her side following the restrictions put in place on labour wards amid the pandemic.

Parents: Last month, the London native announced her daughter's arrival as they wrote in a statement: 'We are delighted to announce the arrival of our darling girl (pictured in April)

'I felt really lucky to have him there holding my hand for that special moment. It was incredible.'

The reality star described the first moment she laid eyes on Sienna, detailing: 'When I first saw her, I cried. I remember thinking, "Oh my God, this is really real."'

'Even though you've been carrying a baby for nine months, you still can't quite believe it until you meet her. I definitely felt a surge of love in that moment.'

Last month, the London native announced her daughter's arrival as they wrote in a statement: 'We are delighted to announce the arrival of our darling girl who arrived on Friday 1 May at 1:21pm, weighing a very healthy seven pounds.

Inspiration? It's unclear whether Millie named her daughter after actress Sienna Miller, but she has made no secret of being a supporter of the thespian (pictured in January)

'We are eternally grateful to the doctors, nurses and midwives for taking such good care of us. Mum and baby are both doing incredibly well and we are looking forward to bringing our daughter home and spending time together as a family.'

The couple tied the knot in June 2018 at Hugo's uncle's country estate, Whithurst Park in West Sussex, one year after he proposed during a holiday to the Greek island of Mykonos.

The pair briefly dated during their Made In Chelsea days back in 2011 and reunited in May 2016 shortly after Millie's split from her first husband, rapper Professor Green, 36.

Millie was married to the musician, real name Stephen Manderson, for two-and-a-half years before they announced their split in February 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:38:21|Editor: huaxia

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Medical workers prepare to perform COVID-19 rapid tests in front of Sudirman commuter station in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 8, 2020. The COVID-19 cases rose 672 within one day to 31,186 in Indonesia, with the death toll adding by 50 to 1,851, a health ministry official told a press conference here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Veri Sanovri)

JAKARTA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases rose 672 within one day to 31,186 in Indonesia, with the death toll adding by 50 to 1,851, a health ministry official told a press conference here on Sunday.

Achmad Yurianto said that 591 more people had been discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 10,498.

The pandemic has spread to all the 34 provinces in the archipelagic country.

However, as of 12:00 p.m. local time on Sunday no more positive cases were found in eight provinces, namely, Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, Bengkulu, Jambi, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara.

The Indonesian government is preparing for the so-called "new normal," under which the public will be allowed to resume their routines with social distancing measures.
Looting and vandalism combined with weeks of reduced or no sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic have handed State Street businesses a crushing blow.

A survey by the Central Business Improvement District of 100 of the 152 businesses on State Street has revealed that 40 of those businesses are unlikely to reopen. The number could be greater, however, because the survey is not yet complete; it is expected to be finished this week, Tiffany Kenney, the BIDs executive director said Saturday.

It will be devastating. It will change us, said Kenney. Its really a complex story and hard to make just about this one time, she said, referring to the criminal damage.

The survey began June 1 and queried business owners on the extent of the damage and loss of inventory, insurance coverage and their outlook for the future.

Damage so far has ranged from around $500 to several hundred thousands of dollars. Some businesses sustained only broken windows during recent protests over the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. But most have seen sales plummet from both COVID-19 and from their closure following vandalism. Some have seen virtually entire inventories taken during the looting.

About 90% of the merchants surveyed said they were insured, but the degree of protection varied, Kenney said. Many have said their loss-of-business insurance did not cover losses due to the pandemic but will cover lost sales due to vandalism that forced closure. Deductibles vary by business and insurance carrier, and some businesses will be covered more than others while some had provisions for city-issued curfews. All of those could be determining factors on whether to reopen.

Were trying to figure all that out because a lot of our small businesses took out (minimal policies), whatever they could do to make it as affordable as possible while still protecting the business, Kenney said. Were really trying to gauge all of that.

Formed in 1999, the BID is an assessment district encompassing State Street, Capitol Square and most of the 100 blocks of streets in the immediate area.

The BID uses its funds for marketing, business recruitment and retention; art, holiday lights and flower planters, and an Ambassador program. The BID organizes the Madison Night Market and consists of about 390 businesses, with 152 of those on State Street.

Of those, 59 are classified as food and drink establishments, 54 are retail and 39 are service-oriented businesses such as fitness centers, hair salons and waxing facilities, Kenney said. The majority (107) are locally owned, 14 are nonprofits, eight are part of regional chains and 23 are part of national chains.

Typically, the BID has about a 10% vacancy rate. In May 2019, there were 39 vacancies, and in May 2020 there were 34 vacancies. That number is certain to rise, and its unclear how long it will take for State Street to get back to its former self. Kenney said she has already heard of new businesses that were considering leases but have pulled out of negotiations with Downtown landlords.

One of our biggest challenges already is that we did not have a large lineup of people who wanted to open small retail shops, Kenney said. So I dont know how well fill it in.

Photos: Downtown Madison businesses bearing brunt of community outrage

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Popular Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja breathed his last on Sunday at a private hospital in Bengaluru due to cardiac arrest. He was 39. As per a report by Deccan Herald, he complained of breathlessness and severe chest pain on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, he was rushed to a hospital in unresponsive state. He reportedly suffered a heart attack.

Several film personalities took to Twitter to express their shock and condolences over Chiranjeevis sudden demise.

Actor Sanjana Galrani tweeted: Cannot believe and Im in immense shocking state of mind to know that #chiranjeevisarja is no more, very saddening , my condolences to his family and @meghanaraj at this time of pain and sorrow. Cannot yet digest this fact, my hands are shivering as I write this msg (sic).

Priyamani tweeted: Shocked to hear about #chiranjeevisarjas demise!!! Can never forget his smiling face. My deepest condolences to the whole family (sic).

Actor Sai Kumar tweeted: Shocked and unbelievable! Deeply saddened by untimely demise of Chiranjeevi Sarja. My condolences to family and friends (sic).

Chiranjeevi made his acting debut with 2009 Kannada film Vayaputra. Nephew of popular Tamil actor Arjun and grandson of veteran actor Shakti Prasad, he had starred in over 20 films. His last release was Kannada action-drama Shivarjuna, which released earlier this year.

Also read: Ranbir Kapoor takes a backseat as Riddhima cant stop gushing over Alia Bhatt, her sister Shaheen. See pics

Some of his other popular films include Varadanayaka, Whistle, Ram-Leela, Bhajari and Khaki among others.

In 2018, Chiranjeevi married actor Meghna Raj. The couple were in love and dated each other for quite some time before entering wedlock.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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SANTA FE, N.M. - A bronze chest filled with gold, jewels, and other valuables worth more than $1 million and hidden a decade ago somewhere in the Rocky Mountain wilderness has been found, according to a famed art and antiquities collector who created the treasure hunt.

Forrest Fenn, 89, told the Santa Fe New Mexican on Sunday that a man who did not want his name released  but was from back East  located the chest a few days ago and the discovery was confirmed by a photograph the man sent him.

It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago, Fenn said in a statement on his website Sunday that still did not reveal the exact location. I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot.

Fenn posted clues to the treasures whereabouts online and in a 24-line poem that was published in his 2010 autobiography The Thrill of the Chase.

Hundreds of thousands have hunted in vain across remote corners of the U.S. West for the bronze chest believed to be filled with gold coins, jewelry and other valuable items. Many quit their jobs to dedicate themselves to the search and others depleted their life savings. At least four people died searching for it.

Fenn, who lives in Santa Fe, said he packed and repacked his treasure chest for more than a decade, sprinkling in gold dust and adding hundreds of rare gold coins and gold nuggets. Pre-Columbian animal figures went in, along with prehistoric mirrors of hammered gold, ancient Chinese faces carved from jade and antique jewelry with rubies and emeralds.

He said he hid the treasure as a way to tempt people to get into the wilderness and give them a chance to launch an old-fashioned adventure and expedition for riches.

Fenn told The New Mexican in 2017 that the chest weighs 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and its contents weigh another 22 pounds (10 kilograms). He said he delivered the chest to its hiding place by himself over two separate trips.

Asked how he felt now that the treasure has been found, Fenn said: I dont know, I feel halfway kind of glad, halfway kind of sad because the chase is over.

I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries, he said on his website.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 19:42 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcbca79 1 National South-Kalimantan,journalism,journalist,journalist-detained,Press-Council,press-freedom,press-freedom-in-Indonesia,AJI,petition,online-petition,change-org Free

An online petition calling for the release of South Kalimantan journalist Diananta "Nanta" Putera Samedi, who was recently arrested for his reporting of a land dispute, continues to gather support, reaching over 10,000 signatures as of Sunday.

The petition, published on change.org, was started by the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) on behalf of Nantas wife, Wahyu Widianingsih, and is aimed at President Joko Jokowi Widodo, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin and the judges overseeing the case.

I hope that Pak Jokowi, Pak Attorney General and the panel of judges free my husband, because my husband was helping the little people and had no intention of inciting hatred, Wahyu said in the petition.

Nanta, the former chief editor of local media outlet banjarhits.id in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, was reportedly detained by police on May 4 after Sukirman, who claimed to represent the Dayak indigenous people, filed a defamation suit.

The defamation suit concerns an article Nanta wrote that was published in November 2019. The article covered an alleged land dispute in the province between the local Dayak community and a palm oil company owned by businessman Syamsudin "Haji Isam" Andi Irsyad.

Of course, we cannot interfere with the legal process, but we can tell the truth and demonstrate what is happening, Balikpapan Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) advocacy head Fariz Fadhillah said in a statement on Saturday.

Fariz said the matter should have been closed when Sukirman reported the article to the Press Council, which is responsible for settling press disputes under the 1999 Press Law. In February, the Press Council issued a recommendation that banjarhits.id should publish Sukirmans right of reply and apologize.

Banjarhits.id has carried out the Press Councils recommendation, so the matter is resolved, Fariz said. Nanta carried out his duty as a journalist to fulfill the publics right to know about an incident, and that is protected by the Press Law.
The Bob Freesen YMCA pool will reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday for lap swimming, swim teams and swimming lessons.

Members will need to call the YMCA to sign up for lap swimming. Each swimmer will be allowed 50 minutes, with one swimmer per lane.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Washington, DC, and other US cities on Saturday, demanding an end to racism and brutality by law enforcement, as protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd stretched into the 12th day.

A Lincoln Memorial rally and march to the White House marked the largest outpouring yet of protests nationwide since video footage emerged showing Floyd, an unarmed Black man in handcuffs, lying face down and struggling to breathe as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

It feels like I get to be a part of history and a part of the group of people who are trying to change the world for everyone, said Jamilah Muahyman, a Washington resident at a demonstration near the White House.

Floyds May 25 death has sparked a storm of protests in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, thrusting the highly charged debate over racial justice back to the forefront of the political agenda five months before the November US presidential election.

An almost festive atmosphere prevailed among protesters assembled at an outdoor strip newly rechristened Black Lives Matter Plaza  the phrase Black Lives Matter painted in large yellow letters on the pavement  a block from the White House.

It was near the spot where US Park Police and military personnel cleared Lafayette Square of peaceful demonstrators with chemical spray and smoke grenades on Monday night, so President Donald Trump could walk from the White House through the park to a church to hold a bible aloft for cameras.

On Saturday, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser, a vocal critic of Trumps response to the protests this week, was spotted in the crowd while songs such as Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and Alright by Kendrick Lamar blared from loudspeakers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 12:03:49|Editor: huaxia

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Visitors look at the exhibits of the National Museum of Australia, in Canberra, Australia on June 5, 2020. After a further easing of restrictions in Australia, people in the capital city of Canberra are able to follow Captain James Cook's footstep 250 years ago and learn more about his voyage in a delayed exhibition at the National Museum of Australia (NMA). (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua)

CANBERRA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- After a further easing of restrictions in Australia, people in the capital city of Canberra are able follow Captain James Cook's footstep 250 years ago and learn more about his voyage in a delayed exhibition at the National Museum of Australia (NMA).

The exhibition, Endeavour Voyage: The Untold Stories of Cook and the First Australians, immerses visitors in the moment when the First Australians encountered James Cook and his crew in 1770.

"This exhibition tells a really epic story," said Shona Coyne, curator of the exhibition. "Actually it's a foundation of story that's been rooted in Australia for a very long time."

It was scheduled to begin in April. Just a few weeks before its launch, Australia announced the COVID-19 restrictions and museums, galleries and libraries were closed.

NMA reopened on Tuesday.

However, Coyne said that the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to alter their plan. "For instance, some of the objects were from international lenders, so we have had to replace them with facsimile."

"That's a bit disappointing, but the great thing is we are actually able to make them much larger and brighter so people can actually get a closer look at some of the objects," she added.

Expanding on the often one-sided narrative associated with the Endeavour story, this new exhibition honors both Cook's great voyage of scientific and geographic exploration and the rich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture that has thrived in Australia for at least 65,000 years.

On the wall there are artworks by indigenous artists from a small community south of the Cooktown. According to Coyne, after ship Endeavor crashed into the Great Barrier Reef, local residents then went to the beach, picked up drift-woods and created artworks on top of them.

"So some of these pieces might have been bits of the ship that had splintered off and washed up on the bay," she said.

A purple piece depicted the coral, while another showed the scene of the ship. "And then there are some botanical specimens as well," said Coyne.

On the other side of the wall there showed places named after the event, from Cook Place to Endeavor Street. "The voyage has been remembered and recorded in place names and in monuments," said the curator.

There are interactive games designed to attract visitors. While people are still concerned about the COVID-19, measures were taken to ensure their safety.

A labyrinth game simulated Cook's sailing through the Great Barrier Reef, which was like a maze. Visitors could use a wheel to get a ball through the maze to the other side.

"We have installed the hand sanitizer, so whenever you use an interactive, you can clean your hands before and afterwards, and then have fun with the activities we've created," she said.

"Actually we have a task force go around each one of the interactive activities and make sure we had certain measures in place," Coyne said, noting that at the drawing station, all the pencils are for single use only and visitors could take them home.

She told Xinhua that the museum also used a booking system to control the number of people allowed into the exhibition space.

Garrett Turtill found out about the exhibition online while staying at home during the restrictions. When he learned that the museum was to open to public again, he registered for the exhibition.

"It was really easy, very quick," said the 70-year-old man. "You just get a ticket on your phone, and you bring it in and they wave you through."

Turtill said he was excited both to be out of doors and to be at the exhibition. "I am very interested in early maritime exploration around Australia," he said.

"And I am satisfied with the museum's measures as well as local government's handling of coronavirus. That's why I felt confident to come out to the exhibition."

According to the original plan, the exhibition will run until this October. But the museum said it might extend it until early next year.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Money is many things, but its not fake news. So why block WhatsApp from spreading it around?

India is the laboratory of choice for Western tech firms to test out their mobile payment capabilities so they can be rolled out from Bangladesh to Nigeria. Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg entered the fray two years ago by enabling the popular messaging service WhatsApp to send and receive money in India. But the beta version, limited to 1 million users, keeps getting blocked from becoming a full-fledged service.

Meanwhile, rivals such as Alphabet Inc.s Google Pay, Walmart Inc.-owned PhonePe and Softbank Group Corp.-backed Paytm are dominating Indias mobile transfers landscape. The troika led with 75 million, 60 million and 30 million customers transacting last month, respectively, according to TechCrunch.

While Facebook Inc. deserves scrutiny globally for providing a platform for hate speech, voter manipulation and dissemination of untruth, cashless transfers is one area where WhatsApp can be a force for good. Thats especially true in emerging economies like India. As the Covid-19 lockdown has underscored, hundreds of millions of rural migrant workers in urban centers lack both liquid savings and a state-provided safety net. Increasingly ubiquitous smartphones can bring vulnerable citizens the financial security that bank branches cant supply.

To restrain WhatsApp is a waste of the infrastructure India has built. Four years ago, the country set up a shared interface linking more than 150 participating banks. An account holder in any of them can send or receive money to anybody else on the network. The two parties dont need to know anything more than each others mobile number or a virtual ID. From Google to Walmart, any app can tap the common protocol, which already supports transactions worth more than 10% of gross domestic product. Google is so impressed it wants the U.S. Federal Reserve to consider adopting the standard.

Story continues

WhatsApp needs a nod from the regulator, the National Payments Corporation of India, to throw open the switch. The first roadblock was the central banks requirement that payment data be stored only locally. That hurdle has been crossed, but the service remains restricted. In February, a little-known think tank filed a lawsuit, asking Indias Supreme Court to block payments on WhatsApp since its known to have failed to secure sensitive data of its users. In an affidavit this week, WhatsApp said that the petition by the busybody was not maintainable. Legal challenges in India can drag on endlessly.

The popularity of the messaging app, which has more than 400 million Indian users, is its biggest strength and its worst enemy. Take pinBox, which wants to introduce digital micro-pensions to the masses across Asia and Africa. Its waiting eagerly for WhatsApp payments. The combination of financial and digital illiteracy can be a showstopper; its much easier to promote a saving culture on a messaging app where people spend most of their waking hours, anyway.

The familiarity with the medium cuts both ways. Recently, the service was used to accuse Muslims in India of deliberately transmitting Covid-19, triggering assaults on the minority community. But then, disinformation isnt limited either to WhatsApp or India. TikTok, the most-downloaded app during the pandemic, had posts claiming that 5G technology helps spread the virus, fueling violence against telecommunications workers and equipment across the U.K. and Europe. In India, the user-video platform has raised hackles for enabling sharing of content that promotes acid attacks on women.

While regulators should push Zuckerberg to keep making social media safer, for instance by restricting message forwarding, they need to be pragmatic when it comes to online payments. China is far ahead. But that market, in the pincer grasp of Alipay and WeChat Pay wallets, isnt open to U.S. firms. Besides, the scope for replacing cash is bigger in India, where 14% of money supply is still currency in circulation, a figure that China has crunched to 4%. The size of the opportunity is why India is attracting attention.

Facebook recently took a 10% stake in Mukesh Ambanis Jio Platforms Ltd. for $5.7 billion. Jios 4G network is Indias biggest, with nearly 400 million customers. Ambani, Asias richest man, wants to connect a billion-plus buyers with neighborhood stores, combining physical and digital retail. Payments via WhatsApp will be a way to achieve that link, with brands giving discounts and financiers offering in-store credit based on Jios scoring model.

Others will catch up. Amazon.com Inc. is planning to take a $2 billion stake in Bharti Airtel Ltd., Jios closest rival, Reuters has reported. According to the Financial Times, Google is exploring an investment in Vodafone Group Plcs struggling India wireless business. (Vodafone Idea Ltd. said theres no such proposal before its board.)

The rising global interest in digitizing the billion-plus-people economy could be sustained, as it coincides with what may be a long-drawn tech cold war between China and the West. Although India has recognized privacy to be a fundamental right, giving grounds for legal challenges against tech firms, it has yet to enact a data protection law. Thats where the focus has to be, not on limiting competition. The central bank needs to strike a balance between safeguarding financial stability and encouraging innovation such as account aggregators, who compile and share financial data with the consent of users looking for loans or insurance. With most manufacturing and services in disarray, helping money go viral is Indias best chance to break out of the Covid gloom.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services. He previously was a columnist for Reuters Breakingviews. He has also worked for the Straits Times, ET NOW and Bloomberg News.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Shag, a store that features a collection of body-safe sex toys that has been in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn since 2009, is also feeling financial strain. Samantha Bard, 45, one of the stores owners, said that while online sales have risen slightly in the past two months, the store is selling far less than it would if the brick-and-mortar shop were still open.

As a result, the owners have tried different tactics to succeed online: Theyve started selling locally made face masks; theyve revamped their online store and added more products to it; theyve even integrated with Amazon, so potential customers can find the stores products there.

Were hoping that that will generate some people to come back after theyve made their first Amazon purchase, maybe theyll come back to our own web store and purchase through us, Ms. Bard said.

In addition to single-location sex shops, established chains in New York are also hurting. Lisa Finn, a representative from Babeland  a chain with three of its four locations in New York City  said that, though online sales are higher, it isnt enough to make up for how much the stores usually sell in person.

Glen Buzzetti, the C.E.O. of Romantic Depot New York, said that since shifting to online-only, and offering same-day delivery, sales from the website have surged: Online sales in March and April were roughly 12 times higher than they were this time last year.

Yet it doesnt compare to how much the business, known for its massive, depot-style locations, usually sells from its physical stores.
An Air India flight carries 145 Indians stuck in Vietnam home from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC June 6, 2020. Photo courtesy of Indian Embassy in Vietnam.

India took home on Saturday 145 of its citizens who had been stuck in Vietnam due to the travel restrictions by a special flight.

The Air India flight left Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City for Mumbai and Cochin.

The passengers on board had been stranded in Vietnam after Vietnam closed its borders and suspended all international flights in an unprecedented move to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was the first flight to repatriate Indians from Vietnam in the Vande Bharat Mission launched by the Indian government, its massive Covid-19-related repatriation program.

A second is expected to leave on June 29, also from HCMC. India is currently the largest Covid-19 hotspot in Asia, with over 240,000 infections and 6,700 deaths.

Last month 340 Vietnamese nationals stuck in India for months with a Covid-19 lockdown in place were brought home.

Vietnam suspended international flights on March 25, leaving thousands of foreigners stranded.

European countries, Australia and Russia too have arranged special flights to repatriate their citizens from Vietnam.

Sunday morning marked the 52nd 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 and no deaths.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected 213 countries and territories, with more than 401,047 deaths reported.
US Awards Tiananmen Mothers Still Seeking Justice for Murdered Family Members

On this 31st anniversary of the Chinese communist regimes bloody crackdown on the student protest at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, also known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun presented the honorary International Women of Courage award to the Tiananmen Mothers.

I am honored, on behalf of the Department of State, to recognize the courageous mothers of these victims, known as The Tiananmen Mothers, who have dedicated their lives to unmasking the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] and seeking justice for the fallen, said Biegun at an Honorary Award Ceremony held on June 4 in Washington.

The Tiananmen Mothers movement was started by Professor Ding Zilin, who lost her son in the protest and grew the group into a chorus of hundreds of mothers seeking the whereabouts of their missing sons and daughters, Biegun said.

Biegun was joined on video-link by Ms. Tong Yi from California, who was one of the leading student-protesters at Tiananmen in 1989 and a witness to the massacre.

Tong accepted the award on behalf of the Tiananmen Mothers who, she said, have tirelessly called on China for the right to mourn their dead publicly, to end the persecution of victims families, to release all people imprisoned for reasons related to the 1989 protests, and to hold the perpetrators of the massacre publicly accountable.

Tong shared her experience of the tragedy that occurred 31 years ago.

She said she was standing among a crowd of protesters who filled an avenue leading to Tiananmen Square. Amid machine gunfire that could be heard approaching from afar, people on the street started arranging buses across the road and set them on fire, she said.

After some time, the tanks arrived and soldiers fired randomly into the crowd. Tong saw two people get hit by bullets, but fortunately they were taken to the hospital by passing motorists.

Dings 17-year old son, Jiang Jielian, who was standing in another section of the same avenue as Tong, was shot to death during the protest, Tong said.

After his death, Ding, at great risk to herself, began speaking out and organizing others who had lost family members in the massacre, Tong said.

Ding and the Tiananmen Mothers have faced unrelenting government surveillance and harassment at the hands of the regime, and they are still forbidden to mourn their dead publicly and to receive and distribute humanitarian aid, Tong said.

Translation of Twitter post: This morning, Tiananmen Mothers were at Wanan Cemetery in Beijing.

The Chinese regime views the victims of the massacre as criminals, Tong said.

Biegun added that their fates and their final resting places to this day remain unknown.

Ding,now 83 years old, is practically under house arrest by the CCP, Biegun said.

The Chinese regime has never responded to the demands of the Tiananmen Mothers. Moreover, after Xi Jinping took power, the repression of the Mothers has worsened, Tong said.

The Tiananmen Square Massacre

Hongkongers arrive for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre, in Victoria Park, Hong Kong, on June 4, 2020. (Song Bilung/The Epoch Times)

The crackdown on Chinas peaceful protests began on June 4, 1989, when the communist partys Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) tanks started rolling in, crushing people and objects on their way as soldiers fired live rounds at unarmed protesters.

The massacre was proposed to the then-CCP leader Deng Xiaoping by Jiang Zemin, who was promoted to General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party days before the crackdown.

In 2017, a newly declassified secret British diplomatic cable alleged that at least 10,000 people were killed during the Tiananmen Square massacre, citing an unnamed high-level source from within the Chinese regime.

U.S. documents declassified in 2014 had estimated, based on the information provided by sources within the Chinese military, that over 10,000 people were killed and 40,000 wounded during the massacre.

The Chinese regime said at the end of June 1989 that 200 civilians and several dozen security personnel had died in Beijing as security forces dealt with counter-revolutionary riots.

In 2008, Zhang Zhongshun, a lecturer from Yantai University, was sentenced to three years in prison for showing his class a video of the massacre that he had obtained from an overseas website.
Anti-India protests after forces kill nine rebels in separate gun battles that started on Sunday in Shopian district.

Anti-India protests have continued for a second day on Monday in Indian-administered Kashmir after the Indian forces killed at least nine rebels in the disputed region.

The rebels, including three commanders, were killed in separate gunfights with the security forces in Shopian district, some 70km (43 miles) south of the capital, Srinagar. The fighting began on Sunday.

Four rebels were killed in the Pinjora area on Monday morning after the government forces set up a cordon and search operation when they received intelligence about the presence of the fighters, who either want Kashmirs independence or a merger with Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Five other rebels were killed in a gunfight with the forces in Shopian districts Reban area on Sunday afternoon. Police said three soldiers were wounded.

Nine militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, including its three top commanders, have been neutralized in less than 24 hours, state police chief Dilbagh Singh told reporters on Monday.

Singh said the Indian security forces have eliminated 22 rebels, including six top commanders, during the past two weeks.

Police said 73 rebels have been killed in the Muslim-majority region this year.

In April alone, more than two dozen rebels and about a dozen Indian troops were killed, the most in any month since August 2019, when India revoked the regions semi-autonomous status and statehood, and imposed direct federal rule.

The latest killings sparked protests and clashes as hundreds of residents tried to march to the site of the battle.

Chanting slogans demanding an end to Indias occupation of Kashmir, demonstrators threw stones at police and paramilitary soldiers, who fired shotgun pellets and tear gas.

No casualties were immediately reported in the clashes.

India has stepped up its operations across Kashmir in recent months, with almost daily fighting reported along the rugged and mountainous frontier that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Since 1989, the conflict has resulted in nearly 70,000 deaths, most of them civilians.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the anti-India rebels. Pakistan denies this, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the rebels and to Kashmiri civilians who oppose Indian rule.
The World Health Organization changes its guidance saying masks can help stop the spread of the virus.

The WHO had previously said there was not enough evidence to say that healthy people should wear masks Image copyrightReuters



The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its advice on face masks, saying they should be worn in public where social distancing is not possible to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

The global body said new information showed they could provide "a barrier for potentially infectious droplets".

Some countries already recommend or mandate face coverings in public.

The WHO had previously argued there was not enough evidence to say that healthy people should wear masks.

However, WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that "in light of evolving evidence, the 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".

The organisation had always advised that medical face masks should be worn by people who are sick and by those caring for them.

Globally, there have been 6.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 400,000 deaths since the outbreak began late last year, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

What is the WHO's advice?

The organisation saidits new guidance had been prompted by studies over recent weeks.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead expert on Covid-19, told Reuters news agency the recommendation was for people to wear a "fabric mask - that is, a non-medical mask".

Fabric masks should consist of "at least three layers of different material" in order to be effective, the WHO says.

However, those aged over-60 and with underlying health risks should wear medical masks in areas where there is community transmission.

At the same time, the WHO stressed that face masks were just one of a range of tools that could be used to reduce the risk of transmission - and that they should not give people a false sense of protection.

"Masks on their own will not protect you from Covid-19," Dr Tedros said.

Big shift in guidance

This is a big shift in the WHO's guidance on when the public should cover their faces. For months, the organisation's experts stuck to the line that masks would encourage a false sense of security and would deprive medical professionals of badly needed protective equipment.

Those arguments have not gone away but at the same time the WHO acknowledges that new evidence has emerged on the risks of transmission.

It points to recent research that people can be highly infectious in the few days before they show symptoms and that some people catch the virus but never show symptoms at all, as I reported last weekend.

So where distancing is not possible, such as on public transport and in locations as varied as shops and refugee camps, it is suggested that faces are covered with homemade masks to avoid passing on the infection.

Over 60s with underlying health conditions should go further, the WHO said, and wear medical-grade masks to give themselves better protection.

In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull the country out of the WHO unless it ceased to be a "partisan political organisation". The leader, who had initially dismissed the virus as a "little flu", has been critical of the lockdown policies recommended by the agency to tackle the spread of the disease.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he would end ties with the WHO, saying it had failed to hold China - where the outbreak begun - to account over coronavirus.

In the UK, the government announced on Friday that hospital visitors and outpatients would be required to wear face coverings, and that hospital staff would have to wear medical masks, even if they were not in a clinical setting.

The guidance will come into force on 15 June, as more businesses open up and more pupils return to school. Also on Friday the UK became the second country to record more than 40,000 coronavirus-related deaths, after the US.

What are the latest key developments globally?

The court of appeal in New South Wales, Australia, overturned a ban on a Black Lives Matter protest, which was imposed due to coronavirus concerns. Thousands flooded the streets of Sydney to commemorate African American George Floyd, who died in US police custody.

In other news:

The EU commissioner for home affairs said member states should reopen their internal borders by end of June

Coronavirus is largely retreating in those US states that acted quickly to lock down, but is persisting and even rising sharply in states that locked down later and are already starting to ease restrictions, the Washington Post reports

California will allow film, television and music production to restart on 12 June if conditions allow

Portugal will start reopening its beaches later on Saturday

In Poland, gyms, swimming pools and amusement parks will reopen

In Austria, the Vienna Philharmonic, one of the most celebrated orchestras in the world, gave its first live performance since the lockdown

BBC
China Would Lose 95% of Ballistic, Cruise Capability If It Signed US Nuclear Pact, Research Shows

Sputnik News

10:07 GMT 06.06.2020(updated 10:09 GMT 06.06.2020)

In its justification for binning the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) last year, and its sluggish response to Russian proposals to renew the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the Trump administration has repeatedly demanded that China be made a party to any new nuclear arms control treaty.

Beijing would be forced to destroy 95 percent of its current ballistic and cruise-missile inventory if it joined a new INF-like treaty banning the development and deployment of ground-based weapons in the 500-5,500 km range. That's according to analysts from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a major European defence and national security think tank.

In a new report dubbed 'Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2020', researchers suggest that it would essentially be irrational for the People's Republic to sign on to such a treaty, given that the vast majority of China's missiles are in the short and medium-range categories, which give the country a "comparative advantage" strategically in the region. According to IISS estimates, China has over 2,200 missiles that would fall into a 'new INF-style treaty's' purview. For comparison, according to a 2019 estimate, China has just 90 intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.

"The best way of avoiding a worst-case outcome might be a wider approach to regional arms control, which would involve the US making concessions beyond foregoing the deployment of ground-based missiles and China demonstrating a greater willingness to engage in strategic and regional arms control," the think tank suggests.

After scrapping the INF Treaty last August, the US immediately began testing of ground-based missiles banned by the treaty, with Secretary of Defence Mark Esper announcing plans to deploy such weapons in the Indo-Pacific region. China blasted the decision, while multiple US allies, including the Philippines and South Korea, vowed that they would not allow for such arms to be stationed in their countries.

The INF prohibited the development, building and fielding of all ground-based missile systems in the 500-5,500 km range, and was signed by the USSR and the USA in the final years of the Cold War, with its prime goal being the reduction of the risk of an unexpected nuclear war in Europe. Before scrapping the treaty, the US withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty  aimed at preventing the nuclear superpowers from building anti-missile systems, in 2002. In recent years, Washington has also deployed Aegis Ashore anti-missile systems in Romania and Poland. Moscow fears these systems could be armed with offensive cruise missiles, with their deployment near Russia's borders dramatically reducing flight time and increasing the temptation of a decapitation strike.

In addition to these issues, the Trump administration has recently raised concerns from domestic anti-nuclear groups, as well as Russia and China, over its revision of its nuclear doctrine in 2018 to allow for the use of nuclear weapons in a conventional war, its efforts to militarize space, and recent reports that the US might withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and resume nuclear weapons testing.

Despite these steps, US officials including chief Trump arms control negotiator Marshall Billingslea have alleged that Russia and China, not the US, are responsible for starting an arms race. Moscow and Beijing have dismissed such claims.

A Sputnik

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Even as PG&E Corp.s bankruptcy judge is poised to soon decide the outcome of the case, a crucial factor that will influence how and when wildfire victims get paid remains unresolved.

And the issue threatens to hold up part of victims estimated $13.5 billion settlement for as long as six years, according to one of the leading bankruptcy attorneys advocating for fire survivors.

It all comes down to a long-debated stock agreement. Half of the settlement for victims is supposed to be funded with PG&E shares, which a trust will sell off over time to pay the claims of people affected by wildfires that the companys power lines caused.

The true value of that stock is not guaranteed because it will be determined by a formula at a later date. But the trust is expected to hold nearly 21% of PG&E shares. For a few months, victims attorneys have been in mediation with the company about how the trust can sell off its shares  and theyve been unable to reach an agreement.

On Friday, during a trial about PG&Es bankruptcy restructuring plan, attorney Bob Julian said that without a stock-selling deal in place, federal regulations would bar the trust from selling all its stock for five to six years. Julian, who represents the bankruptcy committee of PG&E fire victims, said the same restrictions would not apply to hedge funds financing part of the companys exit from Chapter 11.

Those large investors could cash in on their investment in months, Julian said, a prospect that he called unfair.

It would be immoral, he said, advocating for fire victims to be on a more level playing field with the other investors.

PG&E bankruptcy attorney Stephen Karotkin expressed hope at the virtual court hearing that the parties will reach an agreement through mediation. He also suggested that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali could delve into the matter after deciding whether to confirm PG&Es plan  a decision that the company wants within the week.

The stock-selling dispute is one of the most consequential outstanding matters as PG&E presses to secure court approval of its plan to restructure its finances, pay fire victims and emerge from bankruptcy. California law requires full approval of the plan by June 30 or else PG&E wont have access to an estimated $21 billion state fund that would insure the company against financial peril from future major fires.

PG&E has already made substantial progress. An overwhelming majority of fire victims whose votes were tallied supported the plan. State regulators at the California Public Utilities Commission approved the plan in late May and federal regulators granted their blessing earlier that month. But the company still needs a favorable ruling from Montali, who has spent several days presiding over a trial about whether to confirm the planned financial restructuring.

Karotkin, the PG&E bankruptcy lawyer, asked Montali to make a decision about the plan within one week in order to help the company pull together the financing it needs. PG&E is trying to raise capital to fund its path out of bankruptcy this month because July is largely a blackout period on Wall Street, Karotkin said. The judge said he may issue a shorter ruling first and then follow up later with a more detailed explanation of his reasoning.

The stock agreement isnt the only concern some people have with the bankruptcy plan. Santa Rosa wildfire survivor Will Abrams argued against the plan for several reasons, including because he felt PG&E has not done enough through the bankruptcy to reduce the risks of its power lines causing more catastrophes.

Jeff Chiu / Associated Press

At some point, we have to start saying the interests of short-term investors are not ... more important than the overall health of the company and, more importantly, than the people living around the wires, Abrams said.

PG&E leaders have only thrown money at the problem, Abrams said, describing it as doomed to fail.

Karotkin presented a different view at a hearing on Wednesday. He stressed that PG&E had won the overwhelming support of virtually all constituencies and warned of draconian consequences if the plan is not confirmed in court.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

It is plainly evident, your honor, that if this plan is not confirmed ... distributions to fire victims and others will be delayed for months, more likely years, Karotkin said.

Also unresolved is a request from a 2018 Camp Fire victim, Karen Gowins, for the judge to appoint an examiner who would review how tens of thousands of fire victims voted on the plan. Nearly 45,000 votes  88% of all tallied ballots  came in favor of the plan, far more than the two-thirds needed by PG&E. But some fire victims have said they didnt get ballots until the last minute or even after the May 15 voting deadline passed.

Montali heard the request from Gowins attorney Bonnie Kane on Thursday. At the hearing, Sonoma County fire survivor Helen Sedwick said the late ballots had validated a feeling among fire victims that the vote was never meaningful at all. She, Kane and another survivor, Theresa McDonald, implored Montali to appoint an examiner or find another way to address the voting problems.

But PG&Es Karotkin said an outside review was unwarranted and could hamper the companys ability to raise the money it needs to resolve the case. Montali was skeptical at times, too.

Its not a perfect system, the judge said. I would have a much different take on this if the vote was close. It wasnt close.

The judge has not yet ruled on the examiner request. He will preside over another confirmation trial hearing on Monday.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
BENTON  In 1995, the year after Gage Peach was born, his hometown of Benton was the site of a KKK rally on the square in front of the historical Franklin County Courthouse. Peach said its shocking that happened in his lifetime.

On Saturday, Peach, now of West Frankfort, along with Kiersten Owens, of Benton, both of whom are white, organized a demonstration that drew about 60 people to that same location to call for justice and equality for black Americans. For nearly three hours, they held signs, chanted and paid respect to George Floyd, whose death in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day has sparked demonstrations across the nation in cities big and small.

With the courthouse slated to be demolished and replaced, Peach said he felt that it was important that we leave it with a good mark on history, that were all for equality. We dont want Franklin County to be known for its racism. This is more about bringing the community together more than anything else.

Joining people across the nation, hundreds have gathered across Southern Illinois in recent days to protest the death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Not unexpectedly, the largest regional demonstrations have taken place in Carbondale, which is relatively diverse  about 40% of its population is people of color. Carbondale is no stranger to hosting large marches and protests, dating back to the civil rights and Vietnam War era. And it has hosted several Black Lives Matters marches and rallies over the past few years.

What seems to distinguish this moments push for racial justice in Southern Illinois is the number of gatherings that are taking place beyond the borders of the liberal-leaning university town. Familiar rally chants of I cant breathe, no justice, no peace and black lives matter have also been ringing out in small, conservative Southern Illinois towns like Benton and Anna, which are overwhelmingly white by historical design, and have remained stubbornly racially homogeneous for generations.

I came to Carbondale as an SIU student in 1972, said Carl Flowers, who is African American and a retired Southern Illinois University professor and administrator. To see that there was a rally for the Black Lives Matter in Anna  that is one that I would have never suspected would ever, ever occur. Annas rally, organized by young adults in Union County, drew about 200 people on Thursday.

In recent days, people have also gathered in Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Sparta, Murphysboro, Du Quoin and Mounds. Mounds is a predominately African American community in Pulaski County, but the other towns are majority white.

Some of these communities  Benton, Herrin, Carterville, Anna  were sundown towns where, by official policy, black people were not allowed after dark into at least the 1960s in some cases, according to research by James W. Loewen, author of the book Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism.

In 1925, a funeral held for a Williamson County KKK leader and federal prohibition agent drew 15,000 people to Herrin, most dressed in full Klan regalia. For a period of time during this era, Carterville excluded black people from its city limits entirely  day or night. The KKK had a significant presence in Benton into at least the 1950s, according to Loewens research.

To see some of those communities also coming together is revealing that times are a-changin, Flowers said. People are realizing that all lives do matter  absolutely  but in this case, a black life should be included in all of those lives.

The organizers of the events have been local residents who said they wanted to make a difference in their small towns. Nicholas Tate, an African American from Du Quoin, said it doesnt require a big gathering to send a message of unity. He organized a one-man rally a week ago after work  and by the end of the day, about 20 others had spontaneously joined him. A second demonstration in Du Quoin took place Saturday evening at Keyes Park.

William Perkins, a 74-year-old African American of Colp, said black people of his generation grew up being warned not to travel to places like Anna and Benton for their own safety. For many decades, Perkins said, the small village of Colp was among the few places where it was safe for blacks to live in Williamson County.

Perkins said the gatherings in the Williamson County towns of Marion, Carterville and Herrin last week were uplifting.

Its amazing to me that theres as many whites out at these rallies in these various towns, he said. Thats just really got me. Our story is being told, in more ways than just as it relates to police.

Perkins said some white people dont seem to understand what the demonstrations are about. Hes heard them say justice has already been served by the arrests, and therefore theres nothing to protest. But the injustices that African Americans have endured for centuries in this country have not been rectified. Racism, Perkins said, has not gone away.
At first, the protesters were demanding justice for George Floyd, a legitimate aim. Now that all the officers involved have been charged, their chant has become Defund the police. I hope this is the minority view. If not, this is beyond dangerous; it is insane. Can you imagine what it would be like without the police to enforce our laws? If the looting we watched during the protests was bad, imagine what it would be like without any protection: utter chaos.
Unlock 1.0: Places of worship all set to reopen in Kerala on June 9

India

pti-PTI

Thiruvananthapuram, June 07: As places of worship across Kerala are all set to reopen on Tuesday following easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions by the government, a few churches, temples and mosques in the southern state have decided not to open its doors to devotees till the month end.

Unlock 1: Guidelines to be followed at malls, hotels, offices and religious places | Oneindia News

The Angamally-Ernakulam diocese, which decided to remain shut due to the COVID-19 situation, was followed by a few other denominations including Niranam archdioceseof Jacobite faction, and informed that they will be closed till June 30.

Unlock 1.0: Tirupati temple opens; Check guidelines for 'darshan

The Syro-Malankara church with around1,100 churches under it, has decided to open the religious places by adhering to strict health protocol.

"Although masses and other services would not be held, the churches can, however, be opened for the faithful to go and say individual prayers," the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, under the Syro-Malabar Church, said in a statement.

However, other dioceses under the Syro-Malabar Church and other denominations in the state are yet to take a call on reopening the churches, which have remained closed for the faithful since the nation-wide lockdown was enforced in March. Father Bovas Mathew, PRO of Syro-Malankara Church told PTI that the churches would be disinfected before allowing the devotees entry.

"The churches will be disinfected on Monday as per the government's directions before allowing the devotees to enter. For a church, it's easier to control the crowd and maintain social distancing. Each church has a specific number of families. Directions have been given to each parish council to restrict the crowd to 100 people..," the priest said.

All the churches have made arrangements for hand-wash, and would provide masks in case someone did not bring one, he said.

The state government had on Friday decided to allow functioning of malls, restaurants and places of worship, including the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, from June 9, but made it clear that the elderly and children would have to stay away from such places.

The Centre had on May 30 issued a notification on easing of restrictions at religious places, shopping malls, restaurants and at public offices from June 8.

Most of the temples in the state have already begun the disinfection process with major shrines including Sabarimala and Guruvayur deciding to allow devotees, who booked their slot through a virtual queue.

While Parassinikadavu temple in Kannur district would reopen on June 15, the famous Kadampuzha temple in Malappuram district would also remain closed.

However, the Kochi and Guruvayur Devaswom Boards have announced that the temples under them would be opened on June 9. Palayam mosque in the heart of the state capital has decided not to open for devotees as lot of travellers come to pray.

India all set for Unlock 1.0: Opening hotels, malls, religious places; Rules in different states

Earlier, mosque authorities had said since the cases were on the rise in the state, it would be difficult to keep track of those who visit the place of worship. The left government has said the maximum number of people inside a place of worship would be decided as per its size.

It further said that there would be thermal scans at Nilackal, Pamba and Sannidhanam in Sabarimala and special provisions to perform 'Neyyabhishekam,' a ritual of offering ghee to the deity. There are restrictions to sing devotional songs in religious places and the state government suggested to use recorded versions of the same.

The state on Sunday reported over a hundred COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day, taking the total number of patients under treatment in the state to 1,095.
The protests since the killing of George Floyd have spread through the streets of major cities and small towns. They have ranged from massive seas of people to a handful of sign-holders, from gatherings filled with displays of heartbreaking anguish and burning anger to spasms of violence instigated by agitators and opportunists.

Everywhere, the clarion call from the black community has been the same: Stop killing us.

What needs to happen next must start there  and make no mistake, much needs to happen.

The arrest and prosecution of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who has been charged with second degree murder for pressing his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, and three other officers charged with aiding and abetting murder, is a step toward justice.

But only the first.

The law enforcement system that facilitates the deaths of black people at the hands of police, then allows culpable police officers to escape accountability, must be remade  from top to bottom.

Youve got to ask for a reformation of this system, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee exhorted at the Houston rally for Floyd. If we walk together, well reform this system so it becomes a system of protect and serve.

That is the goal. Theres no shortage of ideas on how to reach it, from policy changes at the local level to legislation at the state and federal levels. Most have been proposed before and failed after the urgency of another police killing wore off.

This time, we cant let it wear off without change.

The Task Force on 21st Century Policing, created by President Obama in response to the 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, called for common sense steps such as accurately counting police shootings and ceasing incentives for cops to make more arrests.

Many of those reforms are contained in the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, first introduced by Jackson Lee in 2015 and which she renamed and reintroduced last week. It calls for the accreditation of police departments and requires them to adhere to a federal standard stating that force should only be used as a last resort, after exhausting all reasonable alternatives.

The bill would also require state, local and federal law enforcement agencies to give the Department of Justice data on the use of deadly force, along with traffic and pedestrian stops, and require Justice to create a task force to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of law enforcement misconduct.

The Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act, first introduced by U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in 2015, would ban the use of chokeholds and make law enforcement tactics that restrict oxygen or blood flow a civil rights violation. Garner died in 2014 after police put him a chokehold while arresting him for selling loose cigarettes.

Sen. Cory Booker is also drafting legislation that would establish a police misconduct database, which would include use of force incidents and people killed at the hands of police. That is a critical measure to ensure police officers with a history of misconduct are fired when called for, and not allowed to go from one department to another.

Those bills must be passed without delay.

At the local level, law enforcement must rewrite use-of-force policies and hiring practices and re-examine how police departments are funded. They can start by following the reforms recommended by Campaign Zeros 8 Cant Wait project.

The police reform group suggests eight policy changes it claims would reduce police violence by 72 percent: ban chokeholds, prohibit shooting at moving vehicles, exhaust all alternatives before shooting, report use of force, require a warning before shooting, limit the types of force and weapons used and codify duty to intervene. The latter would require police officers to stop colleagues using excessive force. If that had happened in the George Floyd case, it could have saved his life.

In Houston and Harris County, officials should also heed Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Elliss call for a civilian review board with broad subpoena powers and budgetary independence.

Municipalities and county government should also examine how they are funding police departments, as in the city of Los Angeles, which is considering cutting its police department budget by up to $150 million and steering that money into communities of color.

These reforms dont just benefit the public but the vast majority of good officers who want to weed out the bad.

Substantive change is needed. It was needed decades ago. But the public seems finally done with excuses.

We need only scan or social media feeds from the past 10 days to see why:

In Charleston, S.C., police in riot gear arrested a young man pleading for police and protesters to show each other humanity. In Atlanta, officers used a stun gun and ripped a pair of college students from their car. In Minneapolis, they fired rubber bullets at residents standing on their front porches and blinded a journalist in one eye. In Chicago, a throng of law enforcement descended on two women in a car at a mall, shattering windows and dragging one to the pavement. In Denver, police shot pepper balls at a car in which a pregnant woman was a passenger. In New York City, police beat residents out past curfew  looking more like a mob than the citys finest.

We need only read the roll call of lives lost in police custody: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. Sandra Bland. Michael Brown.

There is not enough space here to print them all.

There is not enough patience or prayer in all of America for people to contend peacefully with more.
The VIP child sex abuse fantasist known as Nick has abandoned his appeal against his conviction for lying about the existence of an Establishment paedophile ring.

Carl Beech, 52, conceded defeat after a judge rejected his application to try to overturn the guilty verdicts against him.

He made false allegations against public figures including former Armed Forces chief Lord Bramall, ex-home secretary Leon Brittan, former prime minister Sir Edward Heath and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor.

Carl Beech, 52, conceded defeat after a judge rejected his application to try to overturn the guilty verdicts against him

The paedophile  described by trial judge Mr Justice Goss as a resourceful, manipulative and devious person  had lodged papers with the Court of Appeal last August, a month after he was jailed for 18 years.

Beech was convicted of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud after claiming that the men were members of a murderous paedophile ring.

He was also sentenced for voyeurism and for sex offences relating to indecent images of children found on a laptop.

In the wake of his ten-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court, he appealed against his conviction and sentence, but the attempts to clear his name were rejected by a judge sitting in private.

He made false allegations against public figures including former Armed Forces chief Lord Bramall, above, ex-home secretary Leon Brittan, former prime minister Sir Edward Heath and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor

Last night it emerged that a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer has confirmed in an email to police that Beechs application for permission to appeal against conviction, and his application for permission to appeal against sentence, were refused by the single judge.

She added: The application for permission to appeal against conviction has not been renewed, and the time within which renewal can be sought has now lapsed.

In short, Mr Beech has decided not to pursue an appeal against conviction. He has, however, renewed his application for permission to appeal against sentence.

Three Appeal Court judges will now consider his appeal against his 18-year jail term.

Beechs fantastical allegations, supported by former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, spurred the Metropolitan Police into launching its disastrous Operation Midland investigation, which closed without a single arrest in March 2016.

Prosecutors said that while ruining the lives and legacies of prominent individuals with his wild allegations  which included claims he was tortured with wasps and snakes and had his dog kidnapped by a spy chief  Beech was a committed and manipulative paedophile.

Sentencing the former nurse, Mr Justice Goss said Beech repeatedly and maliciously told lies to the police, accusing living persons of the highest integrity and decency of vile acts.

As a result of the web of lies, the homes of Lord Bramall, Mr Proctor and Lord Brittan were raided by Met officers under the command of Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse. Key officers have since been accused of acting unlawfully in obtaining the search warrants.

The police watchdog has faced widespread criticism over its whitewash inquiry which cleared them of misconduct.

Retired High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques, who wrote a highly critical report into Operation Midland, said that the course of justice was perverted with shocking consequences.

Last night Mr Proctor told the Daily Mail: I am pleased that Mr Beech has accepted his conviction. On the second issue of his appeal against his sentence, I would warn him that the three Appeal Court judges could increase his jail term or keep it as it is.
Just like that, we are already halfway to the year 2020. While the past six months has been particularly challenging and not as eventful as we expected (thanks to the coronavirus global pandemic), there are still some things worth celebrating for -- just like how the world is celebrating Pride Month this June.

It is celebrated in honor of our brave brothers and sisters who are not afraid to wave their colorful sexuality and spread awareness on the liberation movement.

As we celebrate this colorful month, let us take a look at the celebrities who recently decided to live their truths publicly and proudly revealed that they are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Lili Reinhart

Following her rumored breakup with fellow "Riverdale" star Cole Sprouse, Lili casually confessed being a bisexual woman while promoting an anti-discrimination and anti-racist movement.

In an Instagram Story entry, the 23-year-old "Hustlers" actress shared some information about a scheduled LGBTQ+ and "Black Lives Matter" march. Lili wrote that she supports these movements as she is also a "proud bisexual woman."

"Although I've never announced it publicly before. I am a proud bisexual woman," she said.

"I will be joining this protest today. Come join."

Cara Delevingne

Since her 2015 Vogue interview, Cara Delevingne has always been open about being bisexual. She has had public relationships and has openly talked about her gender identity.

But in a recent interview in celebration of Pride Month, the 27-year-old actress and model gave her fans a quick update on her sexual preference.

"I always will remain, I think, pansexual," Cara said, referring to being attracted to a person regardless of their sex or gender identities.

Philip Schofield

For the past 27 years, famous British TV host Philip Schofield has been married to a woman and has lived as a typical family man. But in February 2020, the 58-year-old "This Morning" host revealed his real identity in an emotional Instagram Story entry.

"With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay," Schofield wrote.

Jameela Jamil

Earlier this year, British actress Jameela Jamil received massive backlash after confirming that she will be co-hosting HBO's drag ballroom competition series called "Legendary." In response to haters, the 34-year-old model said that social media hate is the very reason why she never came out as queer.

"Twitter is brutal. This is why I never officially came out as queer," Jamil wrote on Twitter.

"It's also scary as an actor to openly admit your sexuality, especially when you're already a brown female in your thirties," she added.

J. August Richards

Even before coming out as gay last April, J. August Richards has already played the role of an openly gay character on the NBC series "Council of Dads."

In an Instagram live session with co-star Sarah Wayne Callies, the 46-year-old actor opened up about his sexuality. In the clip, which he also shared on his social media account, Richards said: "I knew how important it is to other people out there like me who would need to see that role model."
The allocations for Upper Egypt constitute 25 percent of the total distributed government investments, a 50 percent increase compared to the allocations in the FY2019/2020 budget

Egypts Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said said that the governorates of Upper Egypt will see government investments amounting to EGP 47 billion in the FY20-2021 budget, which constitutes 25 percent of the total distributed government investments, a 50 percent increase compared to the allocations in the FY2019/2020 budget.

El-Said made her comments during a meeting held on Sunday with economic expert and executive director of the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID/El Nidaa) Heba Handousa.

El-Said asserted that the government prioritises the localisation of the sustainable development goals in the Egyptian governorates with the aim of achieving the concept of inclusive growth and balanced regional development as one of the main pillars of Egypt's Vision 2030.

On the local development program in Upper Egypt, El Said stressed that within the framework of the efforts exerted to accelerate the implementation rates in the local development programmes in Upper Egypt; the sustainable development plan 2020/2021 includes government investments of about EGP 2.9 billion directed to development programmes in the governorates of Qena and Sohag.

The total funds directed from the states budget for this program reached about EGP 7.9 billion over four years starting from 2017-2018, in addition to directing EGP 19.2 billion to the border governorates (North and South Sinai, Matrouh, and New Valley) with a growth rate that exceeded 60 percent.

During the meeting, Handousa gave a presentation on the development of economic blocs in Upper Egypt, explaining that there are 145 natural blocks in Egypt that include 77,654 establishments, about 79 percent of which are small and medium enterprises.

She further noted that these blocs are the ones that were created without any government intervention or planning, and employ approximately 580,000 workers, a third of whom are women, according to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA).

Rami Galal, the ministry's official spokesperson, said that the meeting also touched on the executive position of the local development programme in Upper Egypt.

He added that some countries experiences in the field of economic blocs were presented, such as the Moroccan experience, the Marrakech project for cultural activities, the Indian experience, the Chinese experience, and the measures taken to develop the Kashmir bloc.

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Srinagar: Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

On the night of June 3, a patrol team of the Indian Army along the LoC in north Kashmir spotted a group of Pakistani terrorists trying to infiltrate into Indian territory, a report said.

On being challenged, the infiltrators retrieved back under the cover of darkness and inclement weather. But in a hurry, they left behind their rucksacks with winter clothing, batteries and other equipment to be used for their attempted crossing of the fence.

In a similar incident, security forces had foiled another infiltration bid and killed at least three terrorists along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district. A group of terrorists were attempting to sneak into this side from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of June 1 when they were intercepted by the alert troops near the Nowshera sector, triggering a gunfight. The terrorists were killed as the Indian Army successfully foiled their infiltration attempt.

Repeated attempts of infiltration in north Kashmir continue to be foiled by the alert and watchful Army units based on sound intelligence, thus blunting the nefarious designs of Pakistan to foment trouble in the Valley.
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On May 25, a young orthodox vicar, Reverend Nikola Radovic, was brutally assaulted by a gang of masked attackers outside his church in Bar  a town on the Adriatic coast  where he had just celebrated communion with his parishioners. His assailants were as young and as locally-born as he. Yet as they set upon him they claimed he was the agent of a foreign power.

Only days before, just 60 miles from Bar, I and seven priests performed a service inside St. Basil of Ostrog Monastery, one of the holiest sites of Orthodox Christianity. It was in private, without worshipers, and with a prior announcement made that the annual public Saint Basils Day street procession was cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown. Still, the faithful had gathered outside in their thousands, and I went to implore them to respect social distancing, and return home.

The arrests began in the evening. We were taken from our vicarage. They continued for several days, with police brutalizing and incarcerating hundreds of parishioners as they came out in towns and villages across the country to protest our imprisonment. Then they moved on, detaining archdeacons and a further 25 priests.

This should not be happening in Montenegro  a country in the heart of Europe that is majority Christian, a NATO member and a candidate for European Union membership. We fear the reason why it is is money.

Before Christmas, a new law perniciously named the Law on Religious Freedom came into force. Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups  and their assets  now require state registration.

There are few states in the world that genuinely practice freedom of religion yet compel faith communities to first be on an approved government register. There are even fewer that stipulate they must additionally prove the ownership of property before 1918 with the government land registry.

When some 80 percent of Montenegrins are Serbian Orthodox Christians it means that this law in practice is a law for their faith. And when other religious micro-communities have distinct and special treaties with the state that protects them from its property stipulations, it becomes a discriminatory law against the property of the Church.

Land ownership in the Balkans  with its complexities of history and long-shifting borders  should be open to contestation. But in any modern country property disputes should and are heard in courtrooms. In Montenegro, under the new law, they shall instead be decided by the government land registry itself, with no right to appeal their decision in the courts. They have been appointed auditor, judge, jury and executor of all ownership disputes for religious property.

These are holy places of Christian worship, monasteries, hostels for the homeless, and farms that feed many hundreds of families each and every day through soup kitchens. They are buildings that fund university scholarships for young Montenegrins, sanctuary for the destitute and spiritual nourishment.

Those of faith and those in need cannot afford not to have their Church unable to support them. Yet with this law, those property are under threat, and the resources that the Church uses for good is in danger of being diverted to fend off fictitious land ownership claims.

Many faithful Christians in Montenegro fear this will occur. That is why, before the coronavirus lockdown, they came out onto the streets across the country to protest this wrongful law. Sixty thousand alone marched in the capital Podgorica  some ten percent of the entire population  gathered in a single mass demonstration, calling for its recall.

The government has reacted by claiming the Church is a foreign influence in the country, its priests and leaders not of Montenegro. Because we are called the Serbian Orthodox Church this can unfortunately be made to sound credible in the parliaments of Europe and the corridors of the US Congress. Yet we have had the same name across the Balkans for eight hundred years.

No one would suggest that the Roman Catholic Church is Roman, nor its priests and parishioners anything but local to the many countries where Catholicism is practiced. It is no different with our Church: our vicars, monks and worshipers are as equally loyal to their country of citizenship as they are subjects to their faith.

Reverend Radovic realized this, and his reaction to his brutal assault before his own church was the act of a man of God. When the culprits were found, he asked for charges not to be brought. He begged instead for forgiveness from his assailants, and for them to show the same grace through a donation to his parish. When they could not afford to do so, he gave them the donation himself  and they duly gave it to the church.

We wish only for peace and to continue to serve the people. We have no interest in politics. We believe that government should have no interest in religion. As in Luke 23:34 we forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And we pray that they turn back, and recall this unnecessary law.
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Washington, DC - Remarks By President Trump At Puritan Medical Products:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. We had some crowd coming in. I dont know, you have a lot of people up here. A lot more than people think. And theyre great people, and they like Trump  that, I can tell you.

No, we had  (applause)  we had a lot of people. We got off Air Force One, and we came, and the roads were packed. Five deep; ten deep, in some cases. I have to be very careful because I have the fake news back. Theyll say, It was only two deep. (Laughter.) There were some areas where it was only one deep. And theyll end up putting me on the front page.

But we had some fantastic crowd, and I just want to thank you all. Youre very special people. And this is a great plant, and its doing a phenomenal job. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

I also want to thank Scott. Im thrilled to be back in the magnificent state of Maine. As you know, you treated me very nicely in the last election, 2016. You treated me very nicely. I needed the one point. Now Id like to win the whole state. Could you mind, please? Okay? (Applause.)

Maine and Nebraska  they cut them in half and they say, one way or the other  I dont know, you have the double. Thats okay. But this one we had tremendous, tremendous turnout, and we did very well in both parts, actually. But its a great state. And we just solved a big lobster, fishermen problem. We gave 5,000 acres of water, and we gave you your rights back. (Applause.) It was taken away by the previous administration, and it was disgraceful.

So with a stroke of the pen, your fishermen like me maybe even more than you like me. Okay? It could be  could be. But it was a great thing.

But I just want to say hello to the hardworking men and women of Puritan Medical Products. Great company. The incredible workers of this company have carried on the noble tradition of American manufacturing excellence for more than 100 years. Now our nation has turned to you as we massively increase our unrivaled testing capacity.

Were at  as an example, 20 million tests. Germany is at 4 million. South Korea, which you heard so much about  theyre doing a good job  theyre at about 3 million. Were well over 20 million. Very shortly, well be well over 20 million tests.

Remember this: 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.

On behalf of the entire nation, I want to thank you. Youre building a big addition right alongside. You know that. So youre going to have a lot more jobs coming here in a very short period of time.

Puritan is one of the only manufacturers in the world producing the high-quality medical swabs that are crucial for the rapid testing, and every swab you make at Puritan is proudly stamped with a beautiful phrase, Made in the USA. Do you like that phrase? (Applause.) Beautiful phrase.

Thanks to the testing capacity that youre making possible, our country is reopening and our economy is recovering like nobody would have thought possible. I guess you all saw the news today, right? It was unbelievable.

Earlier today, it was announced that the U.S. economy added 2.5 million jobs in May. It was supposed to lose 9 million, you know, during this period  transition period. I call it transition to greatness, but its coming a little earlier than I thought, and thats okay. I dont like to be wrong on the other side, but earlier is okay. But it was supposed to be 9 million.

If you watch  I dont know if anybody watches the business shows, but Im watching this morning, and they thought it was a typographical error because it was supposed to be nine. And before the show  or during the show, theyre predicting. It comes out, the job numbers  the very famous job numbers  and it comes out, and  8:30 in the morning, and Im looking forward to seeing whats going on. And turn it on, and theyre predicting: No, I think its going to be more than 9 million jobs lost, during the period prior to going back up. And another one said, No, 8.5. No, 11. No, 10. You know, all geniuses. (Laughter.)

And now its 8:30, you hear a bell go off, and the woman gets it, in this case, and shes going, Well, its only 3 million jobs lost. And then a couple of seconds later, she goes, Wait a minute, this isnt jobs lost; this is jobs gained. And its almost 3 million jobs gained. And she thought she had a typographical error, and what happened was incredible. I mean  and the market went through; it finished very, very high  almost, I guess, around 900 points up.

And our stock market is booming, and our jobs are booming. And, you know, you just have to look at a place like this. You just have to get off the plane and ride here, and you see the spirit of Maine and other places  other places. (Applause.) Its amazing. Its amazing.

So we absolutely shattered expectations. And this is the largest monthly jobs increase in American history. American  think of that: Thats a long time, right? By far. I think its more than double or about double of what our highest was before.

So this is the largest monthly job increase in American history. How about that? And were going to have a phenomenal next year. Were going to have a tremendous couple of months prior to the election, on November 3rd. A very, very important day. Its 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 border so that everybody pours into our country.

COVID or non-COVID  you used to never hear of COVID, but now we have COVID to add to the list of other things. So, we have a wall thats over 210 miles long already going up. Well have 400 miles  (applause)  400 miles by the end of the year, maybe more than that. And well be finishing it off very early next year with 500 miles of wall in the most treacherous places. And its been an amazing thing. We have  were setting records on our border right now for  for holding people out. We dont want people coming in. We want people coming in through a legal process and through merit  and thats what were doing  where they can help our country.

But economists forecast that the unemployment rate, as I said, would be about 19 percent, and they were hoping for 20 percent, the opponents of ours. Theyd rather have things be bad so they can try and win an election. So they were hoping it would be 20 percent. Instead, its 13 percent. That was good. That  we made up a lot of time, a lot of distance. Its really great. (Applause.) Even I was surprised by this one. This was better than I thought. I thought it would be okay, but I didnt know this. It means you were much ahead of schedule. And dont forget, that doesnt include New York, New Jersey, and many other states  and, by the way, your state. When are you going to open the state up?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Open up!

THE PRESIDENT: No, seriously, youre going to miss your whole  you know, you do 40 million people in tourism, and you have a governor that wont let you open up. Whats she doing? Whats she doing? I dont know that much; I just know youre great people.

You know what I know about Maine? I know youre great people. But you have  this is like  you know, they say December, for Tiffanys, thats their big month, right? This is your time. This is your big month. This is your Christmas, in terms of tourism, your dollars, when you  how can you be closed? I mean  and I see it all the time. Everybody wants to have Maine open, so I figured I might as well say it while Im up here. You ought to get the state open, Governor. (Applause.) Open the state.

Got a lot of  you have a lot of angry people in Maine about that. I mean, they think  I say, What are you doing? Thats a strange one. Some, I understand a little bit more, but this one is not one that should be closed. Youre missing a lot of money and a lot of everything and a lot of people and a lot of spirit. Get it open.

We added 1.2 million leisure and hospitality jobs; 464,000 construction jobs; 424,000 education and healthcare jobs; 368,000 retail jobs. And listen to this one: Remember, the previous administration said, Oh, therell not be any more manufacturing jobs in our country. I say, Excuse me? Two hundred and twenty-five thousand manufacturing jobs, and thats during a pandemic. (Applause.)

And we had the greatest economy in the history of our country. You know, we had a  an economy, the likes of which weve never had. We had almost 160 million, which was the highest number weve ever had, by far. African American, Hispanic American, Asian American  the greatest employment and unemployment numbers weve ever had.

Greatest stock market numbers. And were very close to those numbers, which is pretty amazing. That means that these geniuses on Wall Street, and also a lot of people with 401(k)s  you have 401(k)s?

AUDIENCE: Yeah!

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, youre going to only vote for Trump, because otherwise, those 401(k)s are going to be worthless. (Laughter.) Thats a big incentive. (Applause.) Thats a big incentive. (Applause.) Thats a big  nah  well, it is. Look, its bad things. The only way youre going to end it is stupid policy, because I built it once, now Im building it again. We had to close it down. We did the right thing. We closed it down and we saved millions of lives.

But now we opened it up, and its opening up to a bang. Were going to have better  this next year will be better, I think, than any year were ever had. Thats how I feel about it. And Ive been saying it for a long time. The year coming up.

Americas economic comeback has begun. The next year is set to be a year, and  I remember I said it, but its going to be an amazing year. For you, its going to be great. Your new site is going to be open. Its a big area that youre building, and your expansion at Puritan.

But Im grateful to your leadership team, including Timothy Templet, Scott Wellman, and David Perkins  great people, fantastic people  (applause)  for welcoming us. We have  these are tremendous people. These are great  really, loving people. Theyre doing something very important. When you think about what theyre doing, their product is superior. Its terrific. And its made in the USA, and thats  I shouldnt tell you this, but I use it every other day. (Laughter.) I go like this. I say, Is that a Puritan, please? (Laughter and applause.) No, its great product. (Applause.)

But were also joined by Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, whos doing a great job. Thank you, Alex. (Applause.) And Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt. (Applause.) We just left  we just that meeting with David Bernhardt and Peter Navarro, whos right here. Peter  stand on up, Peter. (Applause.)

Mr. Congressman, would you please stand up? Come on. We did a thing. (Applause.) We did a  we passed a bill together, right? One of the most important things, Right to Try. Do you know what Right to Try is? Thats where we have the most advanced medical people in the world  labs and everything else  and labs, in many cases, that you work with.

And we have a case where somebody was very sick and theyd go to Asia, theyd go to Europe, theyd go all over the world looking for a cure. You know, they were terminally ill or very sick, very ill. If they didnt have the money, theyd go home and die. Theyd go home. But we have tremendous things coming along, and yet you have to go through a process of testing.

And I said, when we have a situation where somebody is terminally ill, or in that category, we want a right to try our labs. They shouldnt have to go to Europe and Asia. They shouldnt have to go all over the world to look for a cure. And we call it the Right to Try. You have a right  and it was complex because the drug companies didnt want it because of liability. The country didnt want it because they didnt want to get sued. The insurance companies didnt want it. The labs didnt want it because they didnt want to have anything bad happen to them in terms of what they had to put on  so, you know, on their  on their schedule.

So we said Right to Try. So they have the right to try. They sign a document. They waive the liability. The results  I dont know if you know, but the results have been unbelievable. The results have been absolutely unbelievable. I mean, weve had some great things. (Applause.) So  great. One of the many things weve done. But every person here today is playing a vital role in the greatest national industrial mobilization since World War Two. Weve marshaled the full power of the U.S. government and U.S. industry to defeat the invisible enemy.

And it is indeed an enemy. Should have been stopped in China. Came from China; should have been stopped in China. They didnt do that.

Weve delivered over 1.5 billion pieces of personal protective equipment to doctors and nurses on the frontlines. We slashed through red tape to speed the development of vaccines. And vaccines are coming along incredibly well. Wait until you see them. Therapeutics.

And we partnered with private-sector leaders, such as Puritan, to build the largest and most advanced testing capacity on the face of the Earth, like this one.

At this single factory, you quickly ramped up production to produce nearly 20 million foam-tip swabs each month. Then, in April, my administration invoked the Defense Production Act to help you scale up even more. Under a 75-million-dollar public-private partnership, Puritan will soon double production to 40 million swabs per month. Thats a lot. Thats a lot. Thats why were beating the world. (Applause.)

And ultimately, youll triple production to an astounding 60 million swabs a month, an amazing achievement of American industrial strength. To accomplish this tremendous increase, you partnered with another legendary Maine institution. Youve never heard of this, Im sure: Bath Iron Works. Right? (Laughter.) Builder of some of the most powerful warships in the United States Navy for over 135 years. They do a great job.

Under the Defense Production Act, Bath Iron Works is now producing the complex machinery you need to manufacture tens of millions more swabs. And were all profoundly grateful to the amazing workers at Bath Shipyard and the executives. Theyre really working very closely in many ways, including the building of ships.

Here at Puritan, youve already hired 200 new employees with full benefits. And when your new 95,000-square-foot factory in Pittsfield comes online, Puritan will hire an additional 150 Maine workers. Made in the USA, right?

Powered by the dedication of the men and women in this room, America has become the world leader in coronavirus testing. The United States has completed more than 19 million tests, the most anywhere in the world, by far, as I said. Youre now over 20  21, almost.

Thanks to you, our country has conducted more tests than all other countries in the world combined. Other than that, youre not doing very well. (Laughter.)

No, if you listen to the fake news, its like, well  you know, I give them a number: We did 20 million. Why didnt you do 40? (Laughter.) Trump should have done 40. If we did 40, theyd say, Should have done 100. Ay-ya-yay, what I have to put up with. (Laughter and applause.) True.

And, you know, when we took over, the cupboards were empty. I always say the cupboards, meaning the stockpile. We had very little. And we became now the king of ventilators, also. Well have to talk to Puritan. You want to make some ventilators? (Laughter.) We dont need them. Were making thousands a week. We have 11 factories, plants. We had practically none, and we saved thousands and thousands of lives.

Ventilators are very hard because theyre big, theyre expensive. I say its like making a car, in a certain way. High technology, right? And were now making thousands of ventilators a week. And we are at a point where were actually helping other countries. Were sending ventilators to other countries  Nigeria, 200 ventilators. And then they called and we sent them eight hun-  we have a thousand going to Nigeria. Italy, France, Spain. Many, many countries. Russia  were sending some to Russia. Its good for relationship. Its good for everything.

And were knocking them out, and, you know, people arent able to just  you can do a swab, even though its not that easy, but a ventilator takes a long time. Its the greatest mobilization, as I said. I mean, greatest since World War Two. Its been really amazing.

And Id love the people of the administration, but Id also like to have our people that work on it, even our  the people of our country to get credit for these things. You know, we got geared up; we did so well. Then you heard about ventilators. There hasnt been one person in the entire country, from the beginning of this horrible plague that came in  the plague; its what it is. There hasnt been one person that needed a ventilator that didnt get it. And we started off from a very low platform. They needed, desperately, thousands and thousands of ventilators.

But when you think of it, not one person  with all of the size of our country and all of the people that were sick  not one person, not one that needed a ventilator didnt get it. I think its an incredible achievement to Mike Pence, to all of the people that work in the administration, and to all of the people that went and worked so hard to produce them. (Applause.) Amazing.

And the testing, the same thing. We get  whether its Abbott Laboratories or any of the many plans  Roche  we have this incredible testing capacity. We started off with zilch, nothing.

So theyve done a fantastic job. The whole team has done a really great job, Peter. Wouldnt you say? Been very amazing.

I want to take a moment to recognize just a few of the hardworking patriots  and thats what they are  of Maine, who were instrumental in this colossal effort that youve done at Puritan.

Angie Buscher. Where is Angie? Come on, Angie. Come on up here. (Applause.) Shes an operator in Puritans laboratory kit manufacturing area, where shes been working 10 hours a day, 7 days a week for the health of our nation. Shes highly respected. I think shes very good. Maybe I should hire her. Lets bring her back. (Laughter.) Lets bring her back to Washington.

Please, say a few words. Please.

MS. BUSCHUR: I have worked at Puritan for the past 21 years. Since the coronavirus hit, we have spent every day making millions of swabs that helped save lives and helped people save the world. I am so grateful to this company and for the chance to serve our country, that the best way we can pay back is to work harder.

Ever since the President started us helping us grow, we have been so happy and excited to produce even more that I dont want to stop until the job is done. The President has done so much to support us, and we are all so grateful to know he is fighting for us. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Angie. Appreciate it. (Applause.) Thank you very much, honey. Lets  lets take a picture. Come on. Get over here, Angie. Thank you, darling. Im not supposed to do that, but its okay. What can I  what am I going to do? Say, Angie  dont do that, Angie? (Laughter.) Thank you very much. Great job, Angie.

Were also joined by Tracy Porter. He has worked here at Puritan for over 40 years  (applause)  and hes your lead shipping and packaging technician. Tracy, come on up and say a few words, please. Tracy. (Applause.) Forty years. Looks too young to say 40 years, I can tell you. Fantastic, Tracy.

MR. PORTER: Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Forty years?

MR. PORTER: Actually, it was 31 years. There was a  a mistake, but thats fine.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay.

MR. PORTER: Yeah, we all mess up. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I feel better. Im looking at you, I say, How is that 40 years?

MR. PORTER: Oh, I appreciate that.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.

MR. PORTER: Thank you. More often than not, when we see news of a crisis in the world, we  we lament that few of us have any chance to changing the outcome. Today, we find ourselves blessed with this opportunity to make a difference.

During this recent push to make medical products, weve received many letters of thanks from all around the country and kind words of encouragement from our local community.

Just prior to this tragic outbreak, we were working  already working long hours, filling orders for customers whove been very good to us  customers like Becton, Dickinson; Hologic; and Quidel, just to name a few. A lot of my coworkers and I were expressing a wish for more machines so we could fill orders faster, and maybe keep our customers price down. Well, it looks like were going to have enough equipment now. (Laughter and applause).

We look forward to working with two great Maine companies like Cianbro Construction and Bath Iron Works. And I want to thank you, Mr. President, for making it all come together.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Great job. Thank you very much. Hes  even 31 years, hes  good head of hair hes got, too. (Laughter.) Good head of hair you have. (Applause.) Thank you, Tracy. Keep looking good. Keep looking good. Keep healthy, everybody in here. Keep healthy.

With us as well is Derek McKenney, the senior manufacturing engineer at Puritan and a project manager for the new manufacturing plant  which is a big deal  coming on line. Derek, please come up and say a few words. (Applause.)

MR. MCKENNEY: Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Derek. Thank you very much.

MR. MCKENNEY: Good afternoon. Im Derek McKenney, senior manufacturing engineer and second-generation employee of Hardwood and Puritan Medical Products. My mother has been with the company for 35 years, and I spent my childhood  (applause) 

THE PRESIDENT: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Thats really your mother?

MR. MCKENNEY: Thats my mother. (Laughter.) I spent my childhood 

THE PRESIDENT: Good genes. (Laughter.)

MR. MCKENNEY: I spent my childhood playing in her office, so I  Ive been around since about kindergarten.

I was lucky enough to be able to go gain education and experience across the U.S. before returning to my roots here in Guilford, Maine. In the last three years, Ive been presented with many amazing opportunities to make a difference in the world with Puritans critical products.

But nothing compared to that day on March 12th when we got the call from the White House Task Force. From that day forward, Ive been part of a team whos chosen to rise up and serve their country and the American people. We have worked tirelessly around the clock and through the weekends for the last 12 weeks to provide the testing supplies required to keep Americans safe.

On July 1st, well start production at our second manufacturing facility with the ability to produce 60 million COVID swabs per month. (Applause.)

This project would normally take 18 months to complete, but in a truly unimaginable feat, it will be operational in 8 weeks. It wouldnt be possible without the total and complete support of the federal government and the dedication of the phenomenal workforce here in the great state of Maine. (Applause.)

This company and all these people are what make the United States of America the greatest country in the world. God bless you all. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Come on, get over here. Lets take a picture. Get over here. Come on. Come on. Come on, mom. Come on, mom, get in here.

MS. MCKENNEY: Thank you so much, Mr. President.

MR. MCKENNEY: Yeah, thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Beautiful. Did he do a good job, mom?

MS. MCKENNEY: He did an awesome job.

THE PRESIDENT: I think he did. Hell be running for office next year. Watch. (Laughter.) Thank you very much, Derek. Appreciate it. Great job.

And thank you all. The remarkable testing capacity that each of you has made possible, its not only helping our nation to defeat the virus  that horrible, horrible, terrible, disgusting, angry virus  its paving the way to get America safely and responsibly back open for business, and thats what were doing right now. Were doing it right now. Its happening very quickly, a lot quicker than people thought.

Our strategy for a phased and gradual reopening protects our most vulnerable citizens  and you know who they are; weve learned a lot about that  especially in the nursing homes, while allowing younger and healthier Americans to get safely back to work and go to school. I think, in the fall, youre going to see the schools all open and in great shape.

The best approach to protect the health of our citizens is to focus our resources on safeguarding those at highest risk, while allowing those at lowest risk to go and resume economic activity, including education.

A key element of our effort to reopen, revitalize, and rebuild America greater than ever is bringing critical industries back to our shores.

As the workers of Maine know well  and thats for many decades  Washington politicians shipped away your jobs, outsourced to your supply chains, and offshored your industry. Its probably the number-one reason Im here today, although I was going to say another politician  probably, they wouldnt be here. They wouldnt bother with it. To me, its very important. I had to save your fishing industry. It was so easy  so easy to do, if you want to do it.

But we  we really talked about this for a long time. Our companies would leave us. Theyd fire everybody, pay no taxes. Theyd go to another country. Theyd make the product. They would sell it into our country with no tax, no nothing  while we ended up with no jobs, empty buildings, empty factories. You had them in Maine all over the place.

But were changing all of that. Weve made tremendous trade deals now. Tremendous trade deals. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada deal is an incredible deal. Incredible deal for our country. And many other deals. We just signed a deal with China, but unfortunately, in that case, the ink wasnt even dry, and all of the sudden, the plague came in  and so I view it a little bit differently, perhaps.

But theyve been living up to the deal. Theyre buying a lot of  a lot of things. They never had any deal. They just came in and took advantage of the United States. Took out hundreds of billions of dollars a year. So they dont do that anymore, but its a terrible thing that happened.

But as the global pandemic has shown, once and for all, the United States must produce essential equipment, supplies, pharmaceuticals, and technologies for ourselves. And we cannot rely on China and all of these other countries that, in bad times, take advantage of us and rip us off. We dont do that anymore. Were moving things back into our country.

Thats why the United States is now engaged in a great national effort to bring industries, factories, and jobs back to America where they belong. We want them back here. Just like youre doing it, we have other  other places all over the country. Of course, theyre not as good as Puritan, but theyre pretty good. (Laughter.)

And Im committed to ensuring that our country will be the worlds premier pharmacy. Its going to be a pharmacy, drugstore, and medical manufacturer. We dont make our medical products here. We dont make our drugs here that we need  our desperately needed prescription drugs or otherwise.

In my administration, we live by two simple rules: Buy American and hire American. (Applause.)

So, just in ending  I mean, I say: For centuries, the people of this great state have fished the oceans and farmed the fields and worked the factories that have supplied and sustained our nation. And then they went through a very bad time  a very bad time. Right here in Guilford, generations of proud Maine patriots have poured out their heart, sweat, and soul for this country, making the critical products produced by Puritan. And now Puritan is doing better than its ever done, I guess, by a factor of a lot, right? Right?

You know, they call themselves associates. See, in the old days, theyd say they were the boss. (Laughter.) Now theyre associates. Theyre very smart. I say, Oh, thats very smart. But theyve done a great job as associates. Youre all associates.

Each of you now carries on this extraordinary legacy and exceptional heritage, serving our nation at this very historic time. This is a historic time. This is a very important time for our country. You see whats going on. But a lot of good things are going on. A lot of things are going on. A very big thing happened, though, today, when we saw numbers the likes of which weve never seen in the history of our country. Good timing. Because people look at that, and they say, Hey, this country is great. Weve done things that nobody else has ever done. It was good to  good that they see that, right? Good timing.

You and your families are making momentous contributions to the vitality of our country, helping us reopen, rebuild, and most importantly, saving lives. The workers of Maine have always been loyal to America. And while Im your President, this government will always be loyal to you.

Just ask your fishing industry, Hows Trump doing? Because they cant even believe what happened today. (Laughter.) Five thousand square miles of ocean that you couldnt touch. They just wrote it off  President Obama. He signed. You couldnt use it anymore. They took it away. I gave it back. With your help  (applause).

By the way, I said, Whyd they take it away? Nobody knew. You know, its okay to take it away if it means something. I mean  but nobody knew.

With your help, we will vanquish the virus, we will get our nation back to work, and we shall build our glorious future with American hands, American grit, and American pride. And I want to just thank all of you for being here. Youre very special people. This is a very special place. And its a great state. And thank you very much.

And get that other half, by the way  get that other half to go with Trump, okay? (Laughter.) You  you, I dont have to worry about. And I think theyll be there, too. Because theres a very, very important election coming up  the most important. Its amazing whats happened, and youve been a big part of it.

Thank you very much. Congratulations to everybody. Thank you.
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.
I am blessed to have been raised by my late father, Chief Master Sergeant Robert Meinhold. Chief Meinhold had eight stripes down his sleeves and was a no-nonsense decorated World War II combat veteran. He was listed during March of 1945 as "Missing in Action" when his B-24 bomber was shot down over Hungary. He miraculously survived that war and served for 28 years. The words "I can't do it," were not part of his vocabulary.

Like so many these days, I have been laid off from work. But this time has allowed me to spend many hours of research on a little-known injustice of names of heroes left off of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C.

How would you feel if your son, brother, father or husband had been deployed to the Vietnam War and then tragically died, but his name is not honored on the Wall?

The Pentagon says your loved one's name is left off of the Wall because he had died outside of an arbitrarily designated "combat zone.''

There is a growing movement of veterans who lost a military brother and families who lost a relative from two different disasters during the Vietnam War demanding action. Action to get a total of 167 sailors' and soldiers' names who died in these disasters onto the Wall.

Two Senate bills: S.849, "The USS Frank E. Evans Act" and S.1891, "Flying Tigers Flight 739 Act" would approve their names to be on the Wall.

And this is likely just the tip of an iceberg. Tim Tetz, a spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit group that built the Wall said: The last DOD estimate I heard of mentioned approximately 500 individuals were in somewhat similar circumstances..."

On June 3, 1969 the USS Frank E. Evans was participating in a 40-ship armada "show of force" war exercise meant to intimidate the North Vietnamese. The Evans was struck broadside by an Australian aircraft carrier ripping the destroyer in half and drowning 74 sailors.

The destroyer had earlier served in several naval bombardment missions to support ground troops in Vietnam. The "Lost 74" names are not on the Wall because the tragedy happened about 100 miles outside of the combat zone. This disaster is layered in tragedies. There were three brothers -- the Sage brothers (Gary, Kelly, and Gregory) from Nebraska -- who were all serving together on the Evans and all of them perished.

There was a father and son who were serving together. Master Chief Gunner's Mate Lawrence Reilly, Sr., who was also a World War II veteran, lost his son in this disaster.

Chief Reilly spent years fighting to try to get his sons' and shipmates' names onto the Wall. Reilly passed away a few years ago.

On March 15, 1962, there were 93 hand-picked Army soldiers deployed on a classified mission to Vietnam. En route to Saigon, their plane, Flying Tigers Flight 739, disappeared between Guam and the Philippines. The official cause of the disaster is "unknown." and the Pentagon had sealed the records A few families who lost a loved one were able to connect via the Internet. One daughter said her family "disintegrated" after losing their father.

The VVMF built the Wall by raising $8 million in private donations.

Robert Doubek, a Vietnam veteran and a founder of the VVMF, "was tasked with identifying all of the names to be included on the Wall."

There is no official listing of casualties from the Vietnam War, but Doubek "tried to make the best call he could when adding names to the list." Doubek determined a multitude of deserving men had died outside the combat zone and added their names to the Wall.

This included deaths from an Air Force bomber from Guam exploding over the Pacific; deaths from the SS Mayaguez incident in Cambodia; and deaths that occurred in Thailand and Laos

The DOD was later given the authority to determine any new names to be added to the Wall.

The names of 375 have been added to the Wall since it was dedicated in 1982.

Included in these names were more men who died outside the combat zone, such as 59 Marines who were killed in a 1965 plane crash in Hong Kong while on "'R&R" leave from the Vietnam War.

The National Park Service (NPS) that maintains the Wall claims there is now not enough room for a large group of names to be added. A representative for NPS testified to Congress saying a "wholesale replacement." of the Wall would be needed.

Maya Lin, the designer of the Wall, said: "The names are the memorial. No edifice or structure can bring people to mind as powerfully as their names."

Lin wanted the structure of the Wall to look like a "cut in the earth" that would eventually "heal."

A new wall could be placed in front and parallel to the existing wall -- like a mirror image. It would be smaller version of the existing wall.

An aerial view would look like two stripes that would be symbolic of the stripes worn by the enlisted ranks of the armed services. The enlisted ranks were the vast majority of those killed in the war.

This design would still be a cut in the earth, just more pronounced. This additional wall would also allow space for more names to be added in perpetuity.

According to a 2017 financial statement, the VVMF that would fund a new wall had more than $40 million in total assets.

Will the VVMF be willing to approve and fund a new wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that will help heal many open wounds of veterans and family members?

The names are the memorial.

The writer is an Air Force veteran.

Image credit: Pixabay public domain
At the time of his death, Bruce Lee made his mark in Chinese cinema and posthumously went on to become a star in the American film world. But he started making a huge impression in Tinseltown in the 60s and 70s and built lasting friendships with some of the eras most famous actors.

James Coburn, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sharon Tate, and Steve McQueenaka The King of Coolwere among them. McQueen, who died seven years after Lee, was one of the industrys most popular leading men, especially in action films. Lee and McQueen had much in common and were thick as thieves.

Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon | Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Steve McQueen | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

How did Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen become friends?

One of the stories you may have heard is that Lee and McQueen were both good acquaintances of Jay Sebring, the celebrity hairstylist who was tragically murdered along with Tate by Charles Mansons followers.

When Lee first relocated to California, Sebring was one of his private kung fu clients and connected him with McQueen. McQueen soon became one of Lees students. Slowly, they became friends.

Known for toughness on and off screen, McQueen dealt with an abusive stepfather and as a teen, was part of a street gang. He learned how to fight at a young age and found himself in physical altercations when he was in the military too.

According to Matthew Pollys Bruce Lee: A Life, Lee was somewhat of a gang leader in school. Polly wrote Lee offered protection to those willing to follow him. But the ones who did admired him and Lee had a reputation for challenging other tough kids to fights.

With that in mind, Lee and McQueen had similar natures and a lot in common. Per Polly, Lee said about McQueen: It took quite a while before I got to know him. But once he accepted me as a friend, we became real close.

They trained hard together

As McQueens martial arts instructor, Lee admired his friends tenacity and dedication to the practice. They linked up for their first session in 1967 and continuedwhen McQueens acting schedule permittedfor years. Lee said McQueen would train for hours on end without any breaks, and would even push through injuries.

Polly wrote there was one time when McQueen cut his toe while training with Lee outdoors at home. It was so bad, blood was gushing and skin was hanging off. Lee advised him to stop, but McQueen wanted to keep going.

Lee looked to McQueen for acting guidance, and would study him or talk to him about how to fuse his fighting skills into a character. McQueen shared some of his wisdom about the art and show business.

Lee and McQueen played around like brothers

After becoming so close, the two had a bond that was like brothers, and while they respected each other for their crafts, Lee often looked up to McQueen.

There was a point in his career when he wanted to buy a Porsche just like his friends, but McQueen tried to talk him out of it. Only, he did it by taking Lee for a scary ride.

A famous story about McQueen and Lee has to do with their cruise on Mulholland Drive. Polly recounted the tale and wrote that McQueen picked Lee up and took him for a hair-raising spin up the road, hitting the curves at high speeds and braking fast.

He spun the car and did slides with it, scaring the crap out of Lee. McQueen you sonovab*tch! McQueen, I bloody kill you! Polly wrote. After seeing how angry Lee was, McQueen sped back to their starting point and tried to calm Lee down. I will never drive with you again, McQueen. Never!

But their moment of sibling rivalry didnt dissuade Lee from wanting a Porsche. He bought a red one at the tail end of 1968 and though his driving skills worried his wife, Lee was quite happy about it.

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Russia Orders Review Of Infrastructure Built On Permafrost In Wake Of Arctic Fuel Disaster

By RFE/RL June 06, 2020

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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-fuel-disaster- caused-by-permafrost-melting/30655856.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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Hundreds of people gathered and marched Saturday for the eighth straight day of protests against police brutality in the police killing of George Floyd, evidence of the enduring interest in San Antonios most impassioned protest movement in decades.

Two separate demonstrations  one Saturday morning in Alamo Heights and one downtown in the afternoon  each drew crowds of at least 300 people.

Another demonstration is planned this afternoon to honor Marquise Jones and Charles Chop Roundtree, two black San Antonians who were killed by local police in recent years.

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The protests that began May 30 have drawn thousands of people and spurred city leaders to renew promises to dismantle institutional racism and combat police violence.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg lifted the nightly curfew Saturday after days of protest without reports of violence.

The fact that San Antonio would come together as a community with every age, shape, size, colors, backgrounds, creeds, religion, coming together for a common cause  thats powerful, and thats change, said Kristen Calahan, 29, the organizer of Saturday's protest at police headquarters.

Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer

The movement in San Antonio is among a wave of protests that have swept the nation, and now the world, since the May 25 killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Floyd was lying face-down and handcuffed at the time. Even after becoming nonresponsive, the officer continued kneeling on him for 2 minutes and 53 seconds, the complaint against the police officer states.

The white officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, and three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Floyd had told them, I cant breathe, multiple times before he lost consciousness  words that have become a rallying cry for the racial justice movement.

As the crowd gathered Saturday at the Police Department, some of the citys littlest protesters took over the megaphone. In front of more than 300 people, 6-year-old Thalia Wilson led a chant of, I cant breathe, before timidly handing back the megaphone back to organizers.

Next up was 3-year-old Fern Skidmore.

Ferns mother, JoJo, 23, said she chose to attend the protest after thinking about the death of Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky emergency medical worker who was shot eight times and killed by police in her own home March 13.

Taylor had been asleep in her apartment when officers burst into her home while serving a warrant in the middle of the night. She would have turned 27 on Friday.

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.

Later in the afternoon, the crowd swelled to nearly 500 people. Waving signs that read, Black lives matter, and, We demand change, the protesters marched a few blocks to the Bexar County Courthouse.

The downtown streets had transformed from the scene a week ago, when San Antonios first protest ended with clouds of tear gas and shattered storefronts. Water bottles and bricks had been hurled at police, and officers in riot gear responded with rubber bullets, pepper spray and sound grenades called flash bangs.

The fourth day of protests also concluded violently when police fired pepper balls and wooden bullets at the crowd of protesters in Alamo Plaza  and continued to do so as the demonstrators fled in the opposite direction.

It was an apparent response to a protester who, a few moments earlier, had thrown a water bottle at a heavily armed officer.

The show of force drew outrage from protesters, community leaders and medical professionals who called the police actions dangerous and unwarranted. In the days since then, none of the protests saw violence.

On Friday, the Population Health Advisory Committee, a volunteer group of local public health professionals that formed to offer science-based advice to city officials during the pandemic, issued a statement in support of people protesting racism and urged police to stop using of crowd-control weapons.

Less-than-lethal projectiles such as wooden and rubber bullets can kill people at close range, the group warned. It also urged police to stop using tear gas, smoke and other chemicals that can damage the lungs and make people more susceptible to COVID-19.

Besides my personal opinion of just thinking that's cruel to do to anybody, any inhaled chemicals  whether its tobacco smoke or the gasses that they are using  cause irritation of the lungs, said Dr. Erika Gonzalez, a local immunologist on the committee. Once you have irritation of the lungs, then you have a higher chance of getting infected.

The guidance also urged protesters to take certain precautions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, such as wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart whenever possible and considering the use of noisemakers and signs in lieu of yelling, which can spread droplets that contain the virus.

We realize that it's going to be very important for them to be able to peacefully protest against systemic racism, Gonzalez said. We feel that systemic and institutional racism is a public health crisis.

On Saturday, even with the 95-degree heat, the vast majority of those who demonstrated in front of police headquarters wore face coverings.

Among them were a group of friends whod set up a table to register people to vote during the protests. Dana Wrann, a teacher, said her group dubbed the radical registrars has signed up between 150 and 200 new voters over the previous week.

Were just a group of friends that in general find that voting is really important, Wrann said. Its important for us to vote for people in power that will stop this systemic oppression.

Protest organizers said they will continue the demonstrations until local leaders begin to tear down the structures that allow institutional racism to exist.

Katelyn Menard, 20, walked in front of the march leading chants for change and justice. Hands up, dont shoot, echoed along the street as marchers moved from SAPD headquarters to the courthouse and back.

After the march, Menard, a criminal justice major at Our Lady of the Lake University, said the protesters are calling for action similar to that taken by Los Angeles.

That citys Mayor Eric Garcetti said $250 million would be slated for jobs for youths, peace centers and health initiatives. He said as much as $150 million would come from the LAPD budget.

Menard said the protests would go on until there is a change in the police budget and officers training in San Antonio.

Until we see change, she said, these will keep going on, day in and day out, no matter how long.
Aerial footage showing thousands of protesters demonstrating at the Philadelphia Museum of Art against the custodial killing of George Floyd, has drawn attention on social media platforms.

The footage, released by local television channels, shows a crowd marching from the museum to the City Hall, reports suggest.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, was handcuffed and pinned to the ground in Minneapolis by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath.

His death has triggered violent protests across the US, leading to the death of at least five persons, arrest of over 4,000 people and damage to property worth billions of dollars.

Videos of a police officer pinning him down, resulting in Floyd getting suffocated, has sparked demonstrations against racism and police brutality. Saying he can't breathe, Floyd can also be seen pleading in the videos to let him go.

According to local media, the police permitted the local protesters to remain at the City Hall for two hours after the 8.00 pm curfew came into effect.

Among other demands, protesters want the Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw to resign. Earlier last week, law enforcement authorities had allegedly fired tear gas at largely peaceful demonstrators, the local media reported. The demonstrators also want the National Guard to be withdrawn.
There has been no immediate breakthrough during the cordial and positive high-level India-China military-level talks held in the Ladakh sector on Saturday, with New Delhi issuing a statement on Sunday that both sides had agreed to peacefully resolve the issue and also accepted that its early resolution would be in the interest of bilateral ties. India added the two sides would continue military and diplomatic talks to resolve the issue, indicating it could be some time before the issue is settled to mutual satisfaction.

As already reported, in these talks on Saturday, India asked China to revert to the status quo that existed in April at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

The Indian Armys Leh-based 14 Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh, and the Peoples Liberation Armys South Xinjiang military region commander, Maj. Gen. Liu Lin, participated in an meeting of over five hours at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC to try to resolve the month-long standoff between the two armies.

In a Sunday morning statement, the external affairs ministry said: A meeting was held between the corps commander based in Leh and the Chinese commander on 6 June 2020 in the Chushul-Moldo region. It 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.

It noted in recent weeks, India and China maintained communications through established diplomatic and military channels to address the

situation in areas along the India-China border.

During Saturdays talks, India asked China to reduce the buildup of its troops at the LAC and revert to the status quo of April in Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley.

The Chinese side had objected to road construction at the LAC, which increased the Indian Armys capability to mobilise troops much faster in the mountainous terrain of Ladakh. India noted all construction activity was going on well within Indian territory.

India had in May accused Chinas Peoples Liberation Army of blocking Indian Army patrols on Indias side of the LAC, the de facto border. New Delhi also said such incidents sometimes occur as both sides dont have a common perception of the LAC. This followed two separate incidents in the Sikkim and Ladakh sectors, when Indian and Chinese soldiers punched each other, leading to troops on both sides being injured.
Afghan fighting, roadside bomb kill 15 including 11 police in Badakhshan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:58, June 06, 2020

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.

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, installed Abdulwasiu Lawal, Abisogun II, as the 15th Oniru of Iruland, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.

Until his recent resignation, Mr Lawal was the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture.

Mr Lawal succeeds the late Oba, Idowu Abiodun, who passed on in September 2019, at the age of 82.

Speaking at the occasion of the Installation and presentation of staff of office, Mr Sanwo-Olu described traditional rulers as strategic in the society.

He said that the traditional rulers were not only symbols and custodians of traditions and cultures, but also rallying points for all of society; agents of stability and development.

The governor commended Mr Lawal on his emergence as the new oba, while calling on the people of Iru Kingdom to work with him.

It is my firm expectation that you will all rally round your new oba and join hands with him for the growth and progress of Iruland, and of Lagos State.

Given the pedigree of His Royal Majesty, I have no doubt that his reign will be a progressive one.

Your Royal Highness, I pledge the full support of the State Government toward the realization of your vision for Iru Kingdom.

It is heartwarming to see how the Kingdom has grown in leaps and bounds in the last few decades, rising to become one of the economic nerve-centers of Lagos State.

Our administration will continue to accord this part of the state, like all others, the attention you deserve, in terms of infrastructure, economic empowerment, human capital development, and security, he said.

According to Mr Sanwo-Olu, there is no doubt that the future of Iru Kingdom continues to be bright and promising.

He said that the ascension of the new monarch marked the start of the next phase of the journey into a bright and promising future.

I commend the Kingmakers and elders of Iruland as well as the ruling houses for the peace and mutual understanding that have characterized the process that has led to the installation of the new monarch, within a period of less than one year after the demise of the previous Oniru.

This is a remarkable feat, worthy of commendation and emulation. I enjoin His Royal Majesty to build on this foundation. There is no better way to ascend to this worthy throne than in this atmosphere of goodwill and harmony.

As the father of all of Iruland, you have an important responsibility to strengthen the existing bonds of unity for the overall development, peace and progress of this historic kingdom, Sanwo-Olu urged Oba Lawal.

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, urged the new monarch to move the Oniru family forward and lead the palace better than he met it.

Sanwo-Olu installs ex-commissioner as 15th Oba Oniru

Mr Akiolu also called on the new oba to take the education of the people of Iru Kingdom seriously and take heed to the advice of elders.

He urged the newly crowned monarch to be wary of sycophants who were only interested in feathering their nests.

He also urged Mr Lawal to embark on immediate reconciliation of all aggrieved royal members of Iruland for the progress, unity and peace of the kingdom.

You must leave Iru kingdom better than you met it and not other way round.

Your selection is divinely commissioned and you show appreciation to God by ensuring justice and fairness in your dealings with everyone, the Oba of Lagos said.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Lawal assured the sons and daughters of Iruland that his reign would be an open one, as he would be fair and just to everyone.

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He said that he would work together as a formidable force with Prince Ajasa to transform Iruland and Lagos State as a whole.

I consider it a divine call to succeed the legendary Oba Abiodun Idowu Oniru, who reigned for 25 years. I pray to Olodumare to grant his, and the souls of all my departed forebears eternal rest.

Iruland is very central to the commerce and economy of development Lagos State. I want to assure all and sundry that Iruland will continue to accommodate business development on all fronts; and remain home for all tribes, and races.

Iruland will continue to align with the vision of our forebears for a cosmopolitan, thriving, and prosperous Lagos.

Our vision is that Iruland will in no distant future rival the likes of greater New York City, in the United States of America, Mr Lawal said.

(NAN)
Worshipers are welcomed back at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County reported 1,523 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday and 25 related deaths. The high number of new cases was in part due to a backlog of test results received from one lab, officials said.

Our community is feeling the sadness and loss of so many who have passed away from COVID-19, said Barbara Ferrer, county public health director, in a statement. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who have passed away.

The county now has recorded nearly 64,000 cases of the virus, and more than 2,600 people have died.

The continued increase comes as hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to join dozens of sweeping protests against the police killing of George Floyd and other black Americans.

L.A. County is also continuing to ease stay-at-home restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the virus. Most recently, the county was given the go-ahead to reopen restaurants for in-person dining, and resume services at barbershops and hair salons. On Sunday, Catholic Archbishop Jose H. Gomez celebrated the first in-person Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels since public services were suspended on March 16.

County public health officials anticipate an increase in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks because of both the protests and the reopening of businesses and other establishments. Still, they hope that the increase in those who become sick enough to be hospitalized is not sufficient to overwhelm the healthcare system.

The county has continued to report that the number of hospitalized patients has held roughly steady, with 1,451 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals Sunday. About 30% of them were in intensive care, officials said.

Ferrer said earlier this week that anyone who has been in a large crowd, in close contact for at least 15 minutes with people not wearing face coverings, should consider self-quarantining for at least two weeks to see if COVID-19 symptoms develop.

Story continues

On Sunday, she reiterated the advice. "If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, its important to know that, because of the long incubation period of the virus, getting tested immediately after exposure is likely to yield a negative result and does not mean you are not infected with COVID-19," she said. "It is important to please stay away from others for 14 days after possible exposure."

The overall percent of people testing positive for the virus in L.A. County also has continued to decline. As of Sunday, about 696,000 people had been tested and received their results, with about 8% testing positive.

Many coronavirus testing sites were temporarily shut down or had their hours reduced last week due to safety concerns raised by the protests or curfews that were enacted, officials said. But since it takes several days for results to be returned and reported, it's likely too soon to know how much the closures drove down testing rates.

Orange County, which has taken similar steps toward reopening as L.A. County and also has seen protests, reported 119 new cases of the virus and one related death Sunday, bringing its total to 7,440 cases and 177 deaths. A total of 297 people were hospitalized, with 129 of them in intensive care.
Malaika Arora reveals she worked and travelled through her pregnancy, says marriage was never a hindrance
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart will hold a press conference at 8:30 p.m. Saturday to discuss the shooting that has left one deputy dead and a second injured.

The press conference will be held at the Sheriff's Office headquarters community room at 5200 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz. It also can be viewed on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzSheriffsOffice/).
This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist . The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission.

Congratulations! Its now been a full year since you and your husband or wife recited your wedding vows in front of your family, friends, and those other people your mom insisted on inviting. Nows the time to defrost that slice of year-old wedding cake and celebrate your first anniversary. Whether youre enjoying a special dinner out or going on a little getaway, youre probably also trying to figure out the perfect gift for your spouse.

According to tradition, first-anniversary gifts should be made from paper. Of course, a simple love note would qualify, but if you want more options to choose from, were here to help. For this guide, we dug through our extensive archive of expert-recommended products to bring together the best paper gifts for all types of couples  from cocktail napkins for consummate party hosts to temporary wallpaper for renters. And when you make it to your next anniversary (and the ones after), we have you covered there, too. Weve also compiled picks for second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-, eighth-, tenth-, 20th-, 25th-, and 50th-anniversary gifts.

For the couple that hasnt made a wedding album yet

For the couple that always has flowers around the house

Eye Travel Lab Paper Vase Set We love the abstract designs on these paper vases that we included in our roundup of the best gifts for wives. They can accommodate both faux and real flowers (just be sure to stick an empty plastic bottle inside one of the vases before inserting a real stem). $30 from Amazon



For the couple that does crosswords together

The New York Times Sunday Crossword Omnibus Volume 9 According to crossword expert Adrienne Raphel (the author of Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Cant Live Without Them), this collection of 200 Sunday crosswords from the New York Times contains the juiciest puzzles. $18 from Amazon



For the couple with big ideas

Smythson Wafer Notebook Fashion stylist and designer Lori Goldstein says one of Smythsons tiny, leather-covered notebooks is perfect for a nightstand, where it is poised to take in late-night thoughts. We should add that the notebook would be just as poised for taking in thoughts from just about anywhere, thanks to its compact size. From $22 from Smythson



For the couple with a modern home

GoodsBeauty Folding Paper Stool With Felt Pad Seat Laura Fenton, the author of The Little Book of Living Small, says this genius sculptural stool thats made out of paper and reminds her of a Noguchi lamp will add a design-y touch to any room without taking up too much space (or breaking a budget). It has a felt seat and collapses down to flat and weighs next to nothing, making it easy to store when not in use. $71 from Amazon



For the couple with a modern home (that has enough seating)

Chevington Column Floor Lamp Speaking of paper lamps, this one comes recommended by Jenny Kaplan, owner of design firm An Aesthetic Pursuit and co-owner of Pieces Home. It also has a Noguchi vibe and makes a worthy dupe if an original is out of your price range. $165 from Wayfair



For the couple that hosts the best parties

Caspari Blue-and-White Cocktail Napkins  Pack of 20 Strategist senior editor Anthony Rotunno likened Caspari napkins to tiny works of art. (The brand actually does collaborate with museums and cultural institutions on its designs.) These Blue Willow chinaesque napkins would be worthy to place beside that china from their registry (even if the patterns dont match). $9 from Amazon



For the couple that wants to be less wasteful

Now Designs Swedish Dishcloths Dog Days Print These reusable, superabsorbent Swedish dishcloths are made from cotton and cellulose (a.k.a. wood pulp), the main ingredient in paper, but look far nicer than any paper towel. Your recipients will no doubt appreciate them for both of these reasons. $11 from Amazon



For the couple that meditates together

For the couple who loves to host game night

Bob Ross Bingo Game | Bingo Set for Up to 16 Players According to Strategist writer Liza Corsillo, this Bob Rossthemed bingo game is a twist on the classic thats fun for all ages. Instead of playing cards filled with numbers, she writes that each square says something like happy little trees, big ol brush, or find freedom on this canvas  things Bob himself said multiple times per episode on his show. $22 from Amazon



For the couple with daily CoStar app notifications

Astrology for Real Relationships Indulge a couples soft side for the mystical with this expert-recommended book by astrologer Jessica Lanyadoo, the host of Ghost of a Podcast. Its a practical, inclusive guide to relationships of all types, from romantic to professional to familial. $15 from Amazon



For the couple that wants to zhuzh their blank walls

Milton Glaser Big Nudes Poster, 36 Inches by 24 Inches This poster by graphic designer Milton Glaser (one of the co-founders of New York Magazine) was originally created for an exhibition at the School of Visual Arts in 1967. The larger three-feet-by-two-feet size is big without being too big, but it comes in less expensive smaller sizes too, if theyre short on wall space. $40 from Amazon



For the couple that really wants to zhuzh their blank walls

patternsCOLORAY Red Flying Zebra Wallpaper If they live in a rental or are just not ready for a long-term decor commitment, removable wallpaper can transform a space  for the time being. Home decorator Carrie Carrollo recommends trying this bold Scalamandre print that you might recognize from The Royal Tenenbaums. From $37 from Etsy



For the crafty couple

Ultimate Origami for Beginners Kit Introduce them to a new paper-centric hobby  origami  with this kit that comes recommended by origami artist Talo Kawasaki. Not only does it come with very clear diagrams and a DVD tutorial for extra help, but paper is included as well. $14 from Amazon



For the couple that looks forward to laundry day

Lemaire Perfumed Paper Indulge their passion with these scented drawer liners from French fashion label Lemaire that weve written about before. Tucked in a drawer, one will keep their clean clothes smelling fresh long after they return from the cleaners (or come out of the washer and dryer). The brand says the five included sheets will last for several months. $94 from Lemaire



For the couple that values good design

Princeton Architectural Press Grids & Guides: A Notebook for Visual Thinkers Each page of this notebook (writer Molly Youngs favorite), features a different grid design, from simple dots to a triangle-pattern grid, so itll appeal to couples who notice the little details. The grids are all bold enough to provide structure but faint enough to foreground your writing, says Young. $15 from Amazon



For the couple that needs a place to keep their rings (or other small trinkets)

Large Silver Paper Bowl Because of its material, this sweet bowl that weve suggested as a great Valentines Day gift would also make for an excellent first-anniversary gift. Youd never know on sight that its papier-mache. The bowl would be perfect for keeping rings and other small valuables organized. While the piece is one of a kind, the Etsy seller that created it can make custom orders, which always adds a level of thoughtfulness to any gift. $74 from Etsy



For the couple that loves live music

Andre Saraiva Dream Concert Beatrice Inn One of our luxury holiday-gift-guide picks, this print of artist Andre Saraivas fantasy lineup for a show at the Beatrice Inn (when it was a nightclub in the mid-aughts) should delight music lovers and New York nostalgics. $400 from Absolut Art



For the couple that prefers snail mail

Paper Source Paper Plane Stationery Letter-writing might be a lost art in our age of email and DMs, but if your recipients keep up the tradition, buy a set of this affordable personalized stationery. Margaret Shepherd, a calligrapher, says knowing you didnt spend a fortune on your stationery will make you more likely to regularly use it. From $36 for 20 from Paper Source



For the (fancy) couple that prefers snail mail

Mrs. John L. Strong Snake Notes Or, if you have the money to spend, you can go with note cards from Mrs. John L. Strong, longtime supplier of stationery to high-society types like Jackie Kennedy and Anna Wintour. According to Jon Call, the founder of the design firm MCD, There is something nostalgic yet timeless about this little luxury. We think the snake design keeps them from feeling too buttoned up. $125 from Mrs. John L. Strong



For the adventurous couple

Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top-Spiral Notebook When we tested this pocket-size notepad, we were impressed that the pages could get wet without looking waterlogged or smearing the ink. It would be a smart choice for the couple that keeps records of their travels to far-flung locales (even if they arent able to visit them this year). $4 from Amazon



For the couple that registered for a Squatty Potty

No.2 Toilet Paper Those who want to optimize every aspect of their bathroom will love this toilet papers cheeky packaging (especially if theyve been having trouble locating their regular TP supply). $34 from No. 2



For the couple that registered for a high-end camera

The Photographers Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideas If theyre overwhelmed by all the features on their fancy new camera, they can try out the exercises in this book (recommended by professional photographers) to learn how to take great shots together. $17 from Amazon



For the Instagram-famous couple

ArtsyCanvas Henri Matisse Blue Nude Matte Print, 18 Inches by Inches Their followers will have major #couplegoals after seeing the two of them posed in front of this Matisse print. Strategist writer Dominique Pariso noticed it popping up a lot in her feed, and New York senior art critic Jerry Saltz explains why its ideal for social media: The intensity of the color and the abstract shape fits perfectly into the pixelated packages on Twitter and Instagram. $26 from Amazon



For the couple getting into wine

For the couple getting into baking

The Baking Bible If The Great British Baking Show has made them curious about sponge cake and kouign-amann, Strategist writer Nikita Richardson recommends this introductory baking book from Rose Levy Beranbaum, a pioneer of baking at home from scratch. $29 from Amazon



For the literary couple

For the couple with big goals

BestSelf Co. the Self Journal Productivity experts like how this planner breaks down your goals into 90-day chunks to focus on all the little steps along the way. Because its undated, its a great gift whether your anniversary is in January or June. Buy from Amazon



For the couple with a honeymoon baby

Clap Hands (Oxenbury Board Books) Newlyweds who are also new parents will appreciate this board book that child-development experts say encourages language-enhancing interaction between babies and their caregivers. $7 from Amazon



For the couple that leaves love notes

Pad of Butter Strategist managing editor Maxine Builder wrote about the joy of trompe loeil notepads and sticky notes, and were smitten with this very realistic-looking stick-of-butter pad. $8 from Amazon



For the couple that hasnt sent their wedding thank-yous yet
Britain's Got Talent have reportedly rescheduled their live shows until the end of the year to replace The X Factor.

ITV bosses had hoped to air the live shows this summer, but due to COVID-19 restrictions it now seems unlikely.

The prerecorded auditions are currently airing and a source told The Daily Star they had initially hoped there would only be a gap of only a few weeks before the live shows.

On hold: Britain's Got Talent have reportedly rescheduled their live final's until the end of the year to replace The X Factor

The insider added: 'However, with measures still in place and lockdown only just starting to be released the plan is now for BGT lives to return at the end of the year.

'With the X Factor on ice for 2020 there is a Syco-shaped hole in ITV's schedule so this would fit perfectly.'

They added that there have been a number of discussions as to how the finals will be carried out but nothing has yet been set in stone.

Delay: ITV bosses had hoped to air the live shows this summer, but due to COVID-19 restrictions it now seems unlikely (pictured auditionee Belinda Davids)

The source continued: 'However, with measures still in place and lockdown only just starting to be released the plan is now for BGT lives to return at the end of the year.

MailOnline have contacted ITV for comment.

It was previously reported Britain's Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing are set for an Autumn ratings battle as both shows are set to air on the same weekend.

Coming soon: The prerecorded auditions are currently airing and a source said they had hoped there would only be a gap of only a few weeks (Amanda Holden, pictured in May last year)

The ITV talent search show could air its live semi-finals in September following a delay because of COVID-19 however this coincides with Strictly's launch show.

A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre TV column: 'Both are hugely popular and this will split the audience if they are on at the same time. Both the Strictly launch show and the first proper dancing episode both air in September.

'But that's when Simon Cowell and the BGT producers are planning on airing the semi-finals now they have their line-up locked in.

Conflict: It was previously reported that Britain's Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing are set for an Autumn ratings battle (Strictly's Katya and Neil Jones, pictured last year)

'They could try and air the semi-finals across a full week, but the final episode will likely clash with Strictly.'

They also reiterated that this clash is due to coronavirus messing with the TV schedule.

BGT judge Amanda Holden has previously said she and her fellow judges, Simon, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon have been given an Autumn date for filming to resume.

Head to head: A source said: 'Both are hugely popular and this will split the audience if they are on at the same time'

However, that will depend on what social distancing guidelines are still in place as the show will not go ahead without a live audience.

She explained: 'All of the main judges have been given a date to hold in early autumn to see if it works live.

'But we would never do it without an audience because we've always said the British public is the fifth judge.

'So we can't do it without them - it would be no fun without them! We'll see what happens, but we are planning to do it this year.'
Ghian Foreman Melissa Ballate Lori Lightfoot

Chicago Police Board President Ghian Foreman and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot voted to approve the the city's next police superintendent on March 17, 2016, in Chicago. Foreman previously served as vice president of the Police Board, and Lightfoot was board president at the time.

M. Spencer Green/AP

Chicago Police Board President Ghian Foreman said he was struck by police with batons multiple times during a protest in Hyde Park on Sunday, WTTW reported.

Foreman said he was not participating in the protest but was attempting to defuse tensions between officers and protesters until the situation escalated and resulted in police hitting him.

He filed a complaint to Citizens Office of Police Accountability, writing that at least one officer had struck him at the protest. Foreman's complaint was among more than 300 filed to COPA in the last week alleging excessive force by officers.

In light of the incident, Foreman told WTTW he now has a "better idea of how to improve all of this."

"This is the duality I live with as a black man in America, even one who is privileged to be part of systems of power," Foreman said. "I am not exempt from what any other black man faces on the streets."

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The president of the Chicago Police Board said officers struck him five times with batons during Hyde Park protest on Sunday, WTTW reported.

Chicago Police Board President Ghian Foreman, who is a black man, said he was not there to protest but "coincidentally encountered the demonstration at a moment when it became confrontational," he told Politico's Natasha Korecki.

Foreman told WTTW that he attempted to defuse tensions between officers and protesters, and told one officer to "stop cursing out a protester" and tried to calm demonstrators.

Related Video: What Stress Does to Your Brain and Body

"I don't know what was the straw that broke the camel's back" to incite violence at the protest, Foreman told WTTW. "Everyone lost their humanity for a moment."

Story continues

Foreman told WTTW that he had two bruises on his legs after being hit by officers at the protest, but the pain from the incident, which he described as "traumatic" does not compare to that of his wife and mother when he told them he was struck by police.

At the suggestion of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who previously served as Police Board president, Foreman filed a complaint with the Citizens Office of Police Accountability (COPA), claiming that he was hit by at least one officer during the encounter, according to COPA spokesperson Ephraim Eaddy.

"There is no reason that that should have happened," Lightfoot told WTTW. "What happened to him is unacceptable."

Foreman's complaint was among more than 300 more complaints of police misconduct filed to the agency in the last week, Eaddy told WTTW.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown spoke personally with Foreman following the encounter, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement.

"If any officer is found to have participated in excessive force, they will be held accountable," the department wrote in the statement.

Foreman told WTTW that he wasn't angry with the CPD, saying responding with anger "would not get us anywhere."

In light of the incident, Foreman told WTTW he now has a "better idea of how to improve all of this." As president of the police board, he said "the buck stops with me when it comes to police accountability, and I take that very seriously."

"This is the duality I live with as a black man in America, even one who is privileged to be part of systems of power," Foreman said, according to a tweet from Korecki. "I am not exempt from what any other black man faces on the streets."

Read the original article on Insider
Many Americans understand that the riots arent righteous protests but are, instead, leftist activism aimed at destabilizing America and (the activists hope) destroying Trumps chance at reelection. Still, people found shocking a video showing police in Buffalo pushing an old man to the ground where he lay with blood pouring from his ear. Dont believe everything you see, though. The old man was a leftist activist looking for trouble and may have staged the whole thing.

If one views the video in a vacuum, its awful. A frail-looking old man standing alone against the Buffalo police is brutally pushed to the ground and left to lie there, bleeding:

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Video shows two police officers in Buffalo, New York, shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground. The sound of a crack is heard and blood trickles from the mans head https://t.co/JOGKvPOjoD pic.twitter.com/TBqs4gelmi  Reuters (@Reuters) June 5, 2020

Almost immediately after the video appeared, the police officers who pushed the man were charged with assault and suspended from the force. This tweet illustrates how effective the mans fall was in advancing the anti-police narrative:

Im not sure any single video since the murder of George Floyd gives us a more insightful glimpse into the minds of American police than this one.



Buffalo Police & friends are CHEERING for the 2 officers who brutally assaulted & then ignored the head injury of a 75 year old man. pic.twitter.com/dtXr8xqlx3  Shaun King (@shaunking) June 6, 2020

When leftists control the narrative, though, assume that what youre seeing is a lie. It took a little while for the truth to emerge, but we now know that Martin Gugino is a hard-left activist. In his Twitter feed, he says F*** the police, longs for Chicago, circa 1968, where the leftists violently rioted, supports Palestinian activism, and retweets theories that undercover cops are responsible for Minneapoliss violent riots. Buffalos mayor, Byron Brown, said Gugino was an agitator whom the police had repeatedly asked to leave the area for trying to incite the crowd.

Footage has emerged showing Gugino hanging around with activists and boasting that hes looking for fun. The shocked young man to whom he confided this said, I think hes looking to get punched in the face. Thats what it is.

That young man was correct.

People who have been carefully examining footage of Guginos interactions with the police, as well as his fall, have noticed that there was nothing innocent about what he was doing. According to the Conservative Treehouse, Gugino was using a phone as a capture scanner, which would allow him to capture information from the police officers communication belts.

Others have pointed out the peculiarly graceful and staged way in which Gugino fell:

Who crosses their feet and slowly lays their phone on the ground like this if its not a set up? pic.twitter.com/KPQE1b61Hr  Irrehs Tfarchsa  (@Tfarchsa_Sm) June 6, 2020

Some also contend that the blood is fake too:

Tubes running out from under his mask used to release the fake blood. Totally staged. pic.twitter.com/UmY6Gh6rGz  Not Your Father's Freedom (@NYFFREEDOM) June 6, 2020

Certainly, the waterfall of blood from his ear immediately upon falling is inconsistent with the type of blow he allegedly sustained as well as with how blood actually trickles out of a persons ear by running down the skin. The double masks Gugino was wearing were also peculiar and the hard blow he allegedly sustained should have impaired his functioning, which did not seem to have happened:

You can also see him talking on a cell phone and reports are he was joking with emt. pic.twitter.com/KMdQUX1hK7  Not Your Father's Freedom (@NYFFREEDOM) June 7, 2020

The Buffalo police force certainly believes that the two arrested officers were the victims of a set-up. Fifty-seven of them have resigned from the emergency response team.

Leftist activism always has an element of theater. That can be amusing when climate change nutcases dress as broccoli. Its less funny when a vicious old man frames the police to drive a hard left narrative aimed at bringing our country to anarchy and vigilantism.
ALTON  The local J.C. Penney store is not on the list of 154 sites the chain said Thursday that it is closing next week in what it is calling the first phase of its efforts to shrink its footprint.

The Plano, Texas-based retailer said it could take about 10 to 16 weeks to complete the closures. In Illinois the group is closing stores in Carbondale, Mt. Vernon, Freeport, Bourbonnais and Calumet City. In Missouri, it is closing stores in Independence and Kirksville.
The most prominent conservative columnist hired by Bennet, Bret Stephens, angered many readers with his inaugural Times column, in which he chastised the moral superiority of those who look down on climate-change skeptics. Late last year, Stephens published another column, headlined The Secrets of Jewish Genius, that led to widespread criticism. After a review, the editors appended a note to the column and reedited it to remove a reference to a study cited in the original version after it was revealed that one of the studys authors had promoted racist views.
Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung, left, and Hana Financial Group Chairman Kim Jung-tai / Korea Times file



Shinhan, Hana chairmen's 32 years of friendship enables alliance



By Park Jae-hyuk



Shinhan and Hana financial groups' sudden announcement Monday that they had formed a partnership to enhance their competitiveness in the global market surprised the nation's financial industry since this was the first time that financial services holding firms here had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with each other.



Some people even compared this with the 1991 American film, "Sleeping with the Enemy."



Those who are well aware of the two banking group chairmen's careers, however, could easily understand how and why they teamed up with each other.



Behind the alliance was a three-decade friendship between Shinhan Chairman Cho Yong-byoung and Hana Chairman Kim Jung-tai.



According to industry sources, Wednesday, the cooperation was initially pursued between the banking units of the two financial groups.



After employees questioned the intensifying competitions among Korean banks in foreign markets, especially in Southeast Asia, Shinhan Bank CEO Jin Ok-dong and Hana Bank CEO Ji Sung-kyoo accepted their suggestion regarding mutual cooperation overseas.



Known as experts in overseas business, Jin and Ji built more than half of their careers in Japan and China, respectively.



In January, they met privately to discuss the establishment of a consortium to buy a foreign financial firm, because both of them realized that there were many obstacles to their global expansion.



Korean banks have aroused concerns recently, since they have relied heavily on the acquisition of local financial firms in Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia for their expansion in the global market.



Due to their fierce competition in Southeast Asia, some of them purchased local firms for more than double any reasonable price and some took over insolvent companies.



Against this backdrop, when the two bank CEOs told their plan to their chairmen, Cho and Kim proposed a partnership between the holding companies.



The two chairmen worked together for a year in 1988 at Shinhan Bank's Yeongdeungpo branch in southwestern Seoul.



Kim, who started his career at Seoul Bank in 1981, joined Shinhan Bank in 1986.



In 1988, he was deployed to the Yeongdeungpo branch and met with Cho, who joined Shinhan Bank in 1984.



At the branch, Kim was in charge of current accounts, and Cho dealt with foreign exchange.



Back then, they used to drink soju together after finishing work.



In 1992, Kim left Shinhan Bank and joined Hana Bank as a founding member.



He served as a vice president of Hana Financial Group in 2005 and president of Hana Daetoo Securities in 2006.



He was appointed KEB Hana Bank CEO in 2008.



Since 2012, he has led Hana Financial Group as the chairman.



Cho, who decided to stay at Shinhan, was appointed Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management CEO in 2013.



He became Shinhan Bank CEO in 2015 and Shinhan Financial Group chairman in 2017.



Although they have been in a rivalry since they became the chairmen of each group, Cho still calls Kim a "brother" when they meet privately, according to industry sources.



Based on this long friendship, the nation's leading banking groups agreed to avoid excessive competition and pursue innovation through mutual cooperation in overseas markets.



They vowed to cooperate in seeking business opportunities, coping with various regulations, making investments in foreign markets and establishing international networks.



"This agreement will show the new paradigm of the financial industry; not just allow us to overcome our rivalry and establish a cooperative relationship," Cho said after signing the MOU. "We hope this becomes a great opportunity for both groups to enhance their competitiveness and break through the uncertainties in the global market."



Kim said: "We hope this agreement becomes a cornerstone for both groups to compete with world-class financial institutions."


Former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter have started a new life in a secret overseas location, according to reports today.

Sergei Skripal, 68, and his daughter Yulia, 36, are thought to have fled from Britain more than two years after they were targeted in a chemical poisoning in their Salisbury, Wiltshire, home.

It is thought that the pair have started a new life overseas after living in an MI5 safe house for two years guarded by British intelligence, The Sun reported.

Sergei Skripal, 68, and his daughter Yulia, 36, (pictured) have started a new life overseas, more than two years after they were targeted in a chemical poisoning in Salisbury, Wiltshire

The father and daughter were rushed to hospital and put in induced comas to prevent the poison damaging their organs after they were found unconscious on a park bench on March 4, 2018 (pictured, fire brigade officers next to the bench)

They were found unconscious on a park bench on March 4, 2018, after Russian agents smeared the deadly chemical on the door-handle of Mr Skripal's home.

The pair were rushed to hospital and put in induced comas to prevent the poison damaging their organs.

Yulia left hospital in April that year and was taken by police to a secret location, where she has been guarded by British intelligence agents ever since.

Her father had sufficiently recovered by the following month to join her in hiding.

Yulia's aunt Natalia Pestsova, 67, said Mr Skripal rang her last summer to say 'farewell'.

Yulia (pictured with her father) left hospital in April 2018 was taken by police to a secret location, where she has been guarded by British intelligence agents ever since, alongside Ms Skripal, who followed her the next month

She told The Sun: 'We heard so many things about their destiny  that they went to live in New Zealand. I just feel they're alive, somewhere, somehow, and that we're very unlikely to see them again.'

She also said Yulia looked at all the family's social media profiles in March but did not post any comments and wondered if it was because her niece was missing them.

Mr Skripal's niece Viktoria, 47, said that he told her he wanted no more contact.

This comes after security insiders told The Mail on Sunday in March that the father and daughter were desperate to leave the UK for Australia or New Zealand.

The Novichok attack claimed the life of British mother Dawn Sturgess, 44, after she handled a perfume bottle containing the poison.

The Novichok attack claimed the life of British mother Dawn Sturgess, 44, (left) and her boyfriend Charles Rowley, 45, (right) was seriously ill after she handled a perfume bottle containing the poison which had been discarded by the Russian poisoners

It remains a mystery why two agents were sent to target Mr Skripal, as he was pardoned for sharing Russian secrets with MI6 and had been allowed to start a new life in Britain. Pictured, the forensic tent at the scene where Mr Skripal and his daughter were found in March 2018

Her boyfriend Charlie Rowley, 45, was seriously ill when Dawn Sturgess used the contents of a perfume bottle, which contained Novichock discarded by the Russian poisoners, that he had found seven miles away.

It remains a mystery why two agents were sent to the UK to target Mr Skripal, given he had been pardoned for sharing Russian secrets with MI6 and had been permitted to start a new life in Britain.

Mr Skripal was not thought to have been active in the intelligence field and there was no evidence of Yulia ever being a spy.

Deborah Bronnert, British Ambassador to Russia, confirmed to a Russian newspaper that the pair were alive back in February.

She said: 'I can't tell you where they are as we respect people's right to make their own decisions'.
Press Release

June 6, 2020 Drilon appeals for more gov't interventions to unemployed workers, OFWs Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon called on the government to act swiftly to mitigate the impact of unemployment on 7.3 million jobless Filipinos and their families, including thousands of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. "The government should roll out livelihood programs and augment funding for programs that provide temporary jobs and loans to people who've lost jobs and their sources of income to the pandemic, including our modern day heroes - thousands of them returned to the country with meager savings and no means of income," Drilon said. Drilon expressed alarm over the possible economic and social consequences of the increasing unemployment, if not acted upon immediately. "The government must act swiftly," he added. The former labor secretary also called on the Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and OWWA Administration Hans Leo Cacdac "to actively fund and provide benefits to returning OFWs." Drilon said the OWWA should use its over P20B in assets to help OFWs and stop relying on the national budget in consideration of the increasing budget deficit. Drilon, also a former chairman of the OWWA Board of Directors, said these funds could and should be used to help OFWs by providing them adequate financial, livelihood and other assistance. He reprimanded the OWWA for its insufficient and dismal assistance to OFWs. "The OWWA Fund was specifically created for the purpose of providing social and welfare services to OFWs. Secretary Bello and Administrator Cacdac should stop thinking of OWWA's return on investment, but the OFWs' welfare," said Drilon. The minority leader earlier filed Senate Resolution No.417 which calls for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the adequateness and sufficiency of the OWWA assistance to OFWs affected by the pandemic. "The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely affected Filipino workers abroad, with about 250,000 OFWs requesting assistance from DOLE and around 80,000 repatriated OFWs without prospects of re-employment," Drilon said. Meanwhile, Drilon appealed to the government and the private sector to continue to provide benefit such as the hazard pay to their employees, most especially those in the frontline services, including the media and health workers. Drilon said that without the vaccine and with the virus still spreading, it continues to pose risks to the employees.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter Friday to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine requesting he pull all Ohio National Guard troops out of the nations capital.

DeWine, a Republican, sent 100 Ohio National Guard troops to Washington at the request of U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to aid in the federal governments response to ongoing protests. Bowser, a Democrat, has been a vocal critic of Republican President Donald Trump ramping up federal law enforcement in Washington following Trumps order to tear gas peaceful protesters and clergy to clear the way for a staged photo at a historic church.

I commend the guardsmen and women from Ohio for rapidly mobilizing to answer the President's request, Bowser wrote in the letter. However, as we have increasingly seen in recent days their presence is unnecessary and may be counterproductive to ensuring the protests remain peaceful.

Bowsers letter to DeWine came on the heels of another she sent to Trump requesting he remove federal law enforcement from the city.

Furthermore, I continue to be concerned that unidentified federal personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., pose both safety and national security risks, Bowser wrote in the letter to Trump. 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.

Read the letter to DeWine below:

Read more cleveland.com politics coverage:

Ohio National Guard member suspended for espousing white supremacist views

Fox News poll shows close race in Ohio between Donald Trump and Joe Biden

Ohio wont hold any executions in 2020, as Gov. Mike DeWine issues three more reprieves

Gov. DeWine: it would be irresponsible to immediately lift Ohios remaining coronavirus restrictions
Syracuse, NY  Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh applauded thousands of protesters who showed up peacefully on Saturday to air grievances over police brutality and systematic racism.

And he promised to give their specific demands thought, even saying hed be very open-minded about one of the big Black Lives Matter grievances  getting police out of city schools.

Its been difficult to pay attention to anything but protesters in the past week, and that will accelerate change, Walsh said Saturday evening.

RELATED: Syracuse Black Lives Matter rally draws 2,000: This is a critical moment

33 Hundreds of protesters take to Syracuse streets after huge downtown rally

The mayor credited both police and protesters for days of dialogue that led to a mutual understanding about what was supposed to take place Saturday. For all of their differences, both sides had a collective desire for peace, the mayor said. We were completely aligned in our goal to have today end peacefully.

The wild card was not the core protesters, Walsh said, but any outside agitators who might take advantage of the situation. A week ago, Walsh and police blamed a handful of bad apples for causing the looting and damage that overtook a peaceful protest after dark.

I think everybody was feeling good," Walsh said of this Saturdays preparations. "Like we were as ready as we were going to be. For both sides, it was fear of the unknown. There was a general trust among each other. But you dont know what else might happen.

The good thing is, nothing else happened. It was a beautiful day, he said.

The dialogue between police and protesters might help pave the way for more difficult conversations to come, the mayor added.

When youre dealing with really difficult issues, trust is critically important, he said. And theres still a lot of mistrust between law enforcement and the community. But based on conversations Ive had, I think some trust was built this week.

So what about the Black Lives Matter groups demands? Here are four specific demands, and where the mayor stands:

Removing police from schools: Walsh said that hes been comfortable with having police officers in city schools, noting that officers there build relationships with young people. But protesters complained that students had to face police officers on a daily basis in uncomfortable situations, building distrust in police from an early age.

Walsh said he and Police Chief Kenton Buckner were open to different options when it came to police in schools. And he promised to enter a conversation regarding the issue with a very open mind."

Strengthening the Citizens Review Board and giving it disciplinary powers against police: Walsh said hes been an advocate for reforming police disciplinary policies, but acknowledged he wasnt sure what role the CRB would play in the disciplinary process. He noted that the city has pushed to take police discipline out of the union arbitration process, a policy that would open some disciplinary proceedings to the public. But that plan has hit some roadblocks in the courts.

The CRB is a board of civilians, with a paid city administrator, that reviews complaints against police. It publishes public reports, but cannot discipline officers or reveal names of officers it investigates.

Walsh said that the police chief has worked to build a constructive relationship with the CRB in the past year, as opposed to the previous contentious relationship that led the CRB to sue the police department four years ago.

Spending less money on police and more within local communities: Walsh advocated adding more police officers. But he noted that the emphasis on reducing serious crime in the city has taken away money from other challenges the city faces. The mayor suggested that investing in police and redirecting money to community initiatives shouldnt be mutually exclusive. He urged citizens to bring their ideas to the citys budget process.

Firing Syracuse police officer Vallon Smith, a target of the Black Lives Matter organization since 2016. Smith has been involved in high-profile incidents including one at Nottingham High School in which a 14-year-old had his arm broken during an arrest. Smith was removed from the school but was not charged.

As for Smith, the mayor said that the movement was too big to focus on one individual, or even law enforcement in general.

I think we need to be careful not to personalize these challenges, Walsh said. Systemic racism and inequality are way bigger than one individual, way bigger than law enforcement.

Economic opportunity and education need to be addressed, he said.

The mayor credited officers for handing things the right way Saturday.

Im really proud of the police department that they went out of their way to protect the protesters as they marched throughout the city, he said.

No one was quite sure where the Last Chance for Change marchers would head after the 1 p.m. rally outside City Hall. As the group began walking, officers scrambled to follow. One asked the protesters to take a knee for a few moments so officers could catch up.

I had a general idea of what was going to take place at City Hall, Walsh said. I dont think we knew when and where the march was going to take place. Consistent with what we saw, the organizers communicated with law enforcement, which helped to accommodate the march.

Walsh said he wasnt surprised by the diversity at the rally  about 50/50 black and non-black participants, with a large number of young people  because issues of systematic racism and inequality are important to us all.

He said the protesters are fueling real change in how people perceive racial issues involving police. Protesters and officers have marched arm-in-arm. Walsh himself took a knee in solidarity with protesters, when asked to earlier this week. There are real, authentic conversations happening between law enforcement and minority communities.

I feel like this is a moment, Walsh said. I feel like the needle moved this week, in Syracuse and across the country. We have a long way to go.

But the mayor added that he wasnt fooling himself into thinking that Saturdays successes solved the protesters underlying distrust of police and the system.

We have heard them loud and clear. And tomorrow morning, we go back to work, the mayor said.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070.
Weeks after the coronavirus lockdown led to fuel sales nosediving to record lows, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm, sees demand returning with the resumption of economic activities. The company said though it is on track to spend the approved capital expenditure for 2020-21, it has "critically examined all capex proposals for rationalisation of cost and time frame."

"The company is also conscious of the costs and has also undertaken rationalisation measures in this direction," it said without giving details.

Fuel sales had dropped in April after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19 infections. The lockdown shut factories and offices, took most vehicles off roads, stopped train movement and suspended air travel.

"The demand for the petroleum products dropped by 46 percent in April 2020. The sales of petrol, diesel and jet fuel (ATF) in April 2020 were down by 61 percent, 56.7 percent and 91.5 percent respectively as compared to April 2019," it said in a regulatory filing on impact of COVID-19.

Due to certain relaxations by the Centre and some state governments starting last month, sales for the products improved in May as compared to April 2020. "However, the sale for these three products was still lower by 38.9 percent as compared to May 2019."

India will see more opening up from June 8 with malls and markets resuming operations.

"It is expected that with the opening up of lockdown and revival of the economy on the strength of the economic package, the sales would soon get revived," it said. "Further, the recent increase in international prices of crude oil and petroleum products as well as rupee appreciation has to some extent already offset the inventory losses and forex losses."

IOC said though there was no closure of any of its refineries due to drop in demand of petroleum products, their operations were curtailed to the level of 39 per cent in April.

However, the improved demand for petroleum products in May 2020 resulted in higher capacity utilisation of refineries to the extent of 75-80 percent and is further being ramped up.

"The drop in sale of petroleum products resulted in a significant fall in revenue collections for the company. In order to meet its contractual and statutory obligations, the company had to borrow funds which resulted in substantial increase in borrowings.

"However, since then the borrowings have reduced significantly with increase in sales and lower crude oil prices," it said, but did not give specific figures.

Stating that COVID-19 had severely impacted businesses across the world, IOC said the oil industry in general and the company in particular came under the twin assault of drop in crude oil prices as well as demand destruction.

The government announced the nationwide lockdown in the last week of financial year 2019-20 (April 2019 to March 2020) and therefore it did not have a significant impact on sales and operations for the fiscal.

Petroleum product sales had witnessed a demand growth of 1.9 percent in 2019-20 till February 2020.

"However, the same declined by 18 percent in March 2020 due to the lockdown, dragging down the growth for the full year to 0.22 percent," it said.

COVID-19 impacted the crude oil and product prices across the world, which saw a significant fall by March 31, 2020.

"The company being the largest PSU oil marketing company in the country having its refineries and marketing infrastructure spread across the country, maintains a significant level of inventories for its operations.

"The drop in the prices of crude oil and products impacted the financial statements for 2019-20, due to inventory loss," it said, adding the financial statements for 2019-20 are presently under finalisation.

IOC said to manage the crude oil inventory, planned crude import was either deferred or cancelled with mutual consent. "Some crude cargoes meant for our refineries were even sold for the Strategic Petroleum Reserves of the Government of India."

With all domestic and international flights being suspended, civil aviation business was badly affected, it said.

"The situation has been closely monitored by the top management of the company on daily basis since the price crash and subsequent lockdown, to take prompt actions for continuity of business operations in an optimised manner, keeping the market well supplied as well as to ensure safety of the employees and frontline personnel engaged in production/delivery of petroleum products," IOC added.

Also read: India surplus in face mask production, allow exports: Industry tells govt

Also read: Unlock 1.0: Goa churches, mosques decide to not to reopen on June 8
Ten men were killed on Saturday when gunmen opened fire on a drugs rehabilitation centre in the Mexican city of Irapuato, the government of Guanajuato state said.

Guanajuato, a region in central Mexico, has become one of the principal flashpoints of surging gang violence which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has promised to quell.

But despite lockdown measures imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak, homicides continue to test record levels.

The state government said in a late Saturday statement that according to preliminary findings, three unidentified assailants shot up the rehab centre in Irapuato, an industrial hub south of the state capital, also named Guanajuato.

Meanwhile, police are also investigating the killing of three men shot dead in a separate attack on Saturday in the city of Celaya, state government said.

Rehab centres have previously been targeted by criminal gangs waging turf wars for control of the drug business.

In September 2017, at least 14 people were killed and several wounded in an attack by suspected gangsters on a drug rehab centre in the northern city of Chihuahua.

governor apologizes for police abuses

The governor of a Mexican state recently roiled by clashes between security forces and demonstrators apologised on Saturday for abuses carried out by police against people protesting the against death of a man in police custody.

Enrique Alfaro, governor of the western region of Jalisco, said he was appalled that police in Guadalajara had on Friday beaten some participants in a demonstration over the death of the man, Giovanni Lopez.

It embarrasses me, it distresses me, it greatly pains me as a man from Jalisco, and as governor, Alfaro said.

Floyds death helped drive demonstrations over the fate of Lopez, who died in police custody in Jalisco last month after reportedly being detained by municipal officers for not wearing a face mask to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus
The 2020 graduating class of the University of Guam will hear from Yuri Kim, the first U.S. ambassador from Guam and also the first Korean American woman to be a U.S. ambassador, at UOG's virtual Fanomnakan Commencement Ceremony on June 18. Kim will address the graduates from her post in Tirana, Albania.

"Ambassador Kim's experience in diplomacy and international relations is so relevant to the global issues we're experiencing today," said UOG President Thomas W. Krise. "And having grown up in Guam, she will be a relatable and inspirational role model for our graduates as Guam's next generation of leaders."

Kim immigrated to Guam with her family in 1976 when she was 4 years old. She graduated from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam. She earned a bachelor's from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

She began her role as the U.S. ambassador to Albania in January. A career diplomat, Kim has worked on key foreign policy and national security challenges across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and was on an American delegation in talks focused on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

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Kim served as the director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the State Department from 20182019.

She also previously served as chief of staff to the deputy secretary of state, a special assistant to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and as special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Her overseas assignments have included Turkey, Iraq, South Korea, Japan and China.

The commencement ceremony will be streamed live at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, on the University of Guam Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UniversityofGuam.
Job

Title: Administrative

Assistant

Organisation: United

States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Open to:

All Interested Applicants / All Sources

Position Number: Kampala-2020-024

About US Embassy:

The United States

Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for

over 30 years. Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.S

Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and

organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the

direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices

operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:



Development (USAID) United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Peace Corps

Job Summary: The incumbent serves as Administrative

Assistant/Office Manager in the Health Unit in Kampala. Responsible for making

patient appointments, writing cables, processing travel vouchers and maintain

patient medical records. Works closely with HRO on all new US Mission LE staff.

Ensures the pre-employment medical exams scheduled and done in timely manner.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed

below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.



The

applicants for the United States US Embassy Administrative Assistant job

opportunity should have completed two years of college. Required.



At least

two years of full time experience as an office manager in a medical environment

with increasing responsibility is required.



Must

have working knowledge of basic office equipment such as fax machines and

computers. Must have strong telephone answering skills.



The

incumbent must know the importance of prompt and timely healthcare. Deep

understanding of local medical resources as appropriate for Embassy patient

population.



Skills

and Abilities: Must be able to

type a minimum of 50 wpm. Must be able

to design database to meet the ongoing needs of the office. Must be comfortable

with MS Excel and Word. Must have strong interpersonal and communication

skills. Must have highly developed organizational and time management problem

solving skills and habits. This may be tested.



Language: Good working knowledge in English

reading/writing/speaking is required. This may be tested.

How to Apply:

All those interested

in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications online

at the link below.

Click

Here

Deadline: 18th June 2020

For more of the

latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Amelia Hamlin wasn't taking any chances on Saturday when she stocked up on supplies at the grocery store.

The 18-year-old model covered up with a respirator mask and wore gloves while stopping at a grocery store in Los Angeles' Studio City neighborhood to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

She wore a comfortable and casual outfit featuring a baggy gray sweatshirt and gray and white striped sweatpants.

Safety first: Amelia Gray, 18, wore a mask and gloves to slow the spread of the coronavirus while picking up groceries at a store in LA's Studio City neighborhood

Amelia paired her look with white and gray trainers, and she wore her shoulder-length raven tresses parted down the middle.

In addition to some essentials, she bought a bouquet of pink flowers.

The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin was more muted on social media than usual in recent days, though she did share multiple posts in solidarity with protestors standing up to systemic racism and police violence across the country.

On Tuesday, she posted a black square to her Instagram for Blackout Tuesday, when multiple record companies temporarily halted operations to honor the Black Lives Matter movement, and social media users shared black squares to show solidarity.

No fuss: Amelia covered her slender frame in a baggy gray sweatshirt and gray and white striped sweatpants. She wore her shoulder-length raven tresses parted down the middle

Doing her part: Though she has been quieted on social media in recent days, she shared posts urging her followers to fight systemic racism, inspired by the death of George Floyd

The day before, she shared a post reading, 'We cannot stay silent about things that actually matter,' presumably referencing the nationwide protests inspired by the death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

'Dont stay silent,' Amelia wrote in the comments, though she didn't bother to caption the post.

Her mother Lisa was even more outspoken on the matter on her Instagram account.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star shared a funny clip from her reality show captioned, 'Me when someone evades the topic when I call them out on casual racism.'

Straight talk: Her mother Lisa was even more outspoken about racism on her Instagram account

Having a laugh: The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star shared a funny clip from her reality show captioned, 'Me when someone evades the topic when I call them out on casual racism'

'She doesn't wanna talk about it,' Lisa says in the repurposed clip. 'You better believe I'm gonna talk about it,' she adds defiantly before taking a dramatic sip of her coffee.

In her Insta Stories, the actress revealed some of the online abuse she had received since publicly speaking out about racism, including renewed rumors of infidelities between her husband Harry Hamlin and model and actress Julianne Phillips.

'I ran her out of town,' Lisa joked, though all parties involved claimed the affair never happened, and she even had dinner with Phillips and her partner Mark Gurvitz at one point to shut down the rumors.

In one text post, she called the 'Trumpers / racists' attacking her in her DMs 'white God fearing blonde women in their 30/40's [sic].'

She also urged her 2.3 million followers to vote and called President Donald Trump a racist.

Not holding back: In her Insta stories, she complained about 'Trumpers / racists' in her DMs because of her anti-racism posts. She said they were 'white God fearing blonde women in their 30/40's [sic]'
Susanne Pedersen Courtesy of GGGI

By Kim Se-jeong







When Susanne Pedersen joined the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) one year ago, she brought with her experience in facilitating public-private partnerships in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.







As assistant direct-general at the GGGI, Pedersen is currently supervising the investment and policy solution division providing technical support in green investment, policy and technical services.







Until May 2019, she was with the Climate-Knowledge Innovation Community (Climate-KIC), Europe's largest public-private partnership on climate innovation, leading the Nordic regional office.







Of the many projects she took part in, she remembers the Zero Emission Construction Site project the most.







"In cities, it's estimated that 6-10 percent of the carbon emissions came from those construction sites. What we did was to work with Nordic capital cities on innovative procurement initiatives as well as an early engagement with the industry so that they used their purchasing power to push the private sector to comply with certain standards," Pedersen said. "As a test, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm launched a joint procurement for climate-friendly wheel loaders, a type of non-road machinery used in construction."







"We worked with the industry, like engineers and architects and construction companies, trying to find out how they could still do construction that was not a lot more costly but with machines that would produce zero emissions. Also, we worked with machinery suppliers, like Volvo and Caterpillar, and we found out that in the very short term, it would be a bit difficult to change all the construction machinery because lots of machines are diesel-powered. But suppliers and developers were willing to try things out and this started the transition."







Pedersen noted that the project had another unintended benefit. "The noise level of the construction was much lower compared with when construction was done the way it's normally done. This was good for neighbors. And the construction companies could work longer hours, in fact because usually construction above a certain noise level has tough regulations in terms of construction hours. With less noise, they could work longer hours. And possibly, they could finish their projects faster."







The project, completing its pilot phase, was implemented last year in Oslo where the first zeo-emission construction site was launched right outside the Oslo Climate Agency.







Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a great challenge facing the globe. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pedersen said, the climate change issue lost its prominence in many parts of the world.







"It's feared that countries will forget everything about climate and environment and pushed forward recovery packages to get the economy kick started, without thinking about the environment any longer," she said.







Yet, she congratulated Korea for vowing to integrate climate change into the recovery package.







President Moon Jae-in vowed that the government's priority in getting the economy out of its current situation will be creating jobs in the renewable energy sector and others that play a significant role in reducing CO2 emissions. More policy details are to come in June.







"If the development path is not going to be green and inclusive, it will be a disaster. That will have an impact on people in those countries and the rest of the world," she said.







Currently locked down in Denmark, she is working out of Copenhagen and trying to share her partnership experience with her GGGI colleagues by holding a Green Roundtable on June 24.







GGGI offers green growth advisory services to its clients, mostly state and local governments in developing countries, in which partnerships with the private sector is also critical.







She spent almost five years with Climate-KIC and before that she spent 17 years at Ramboll, a consulting engineering company based in Denmark, working on the development of sustainable business models for governments and companies around the world.


































By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: With social distancing norms in place, more than 250 sex workers in citys Mali Sahi witnessed their incomes disappear almost overnight due to the Covid-19 health pandemic. Lack of ration cards or other registered identity proofs has added to their vulnerability, leaving them sidelined from government-sponsored relief measures. Out of 250 sex workers, around 60 to 70 women own a ration card or Aadhar Card, claimed a sex worker from the slum, Nagamani. After the lockdown was announced, around 100 women left for their villages in Phulbani, Rayagada, Berhampur, Ganjam, Cuttack, Titlagarh, Sambalpur and West Bengal.

More than 100 women and their children are still staying at Malia Sahi. Most of them dont have ration cards, added Nagamani.

The sex workers, who possessed ration cards, were able to receive 15 kg rice and 3 kg lentils for three months from public distribution system (PDS) shops. But, not all sex workers living in the red light area could fetch the free supplies. Moreover, the relief supplies are too little for us to survive with zero income.

We cant work elsewhere as people will not accept us, she said. Meanwhile, Odisha Human Rights Commission issued notice to the Municipal Commissioner of Bhubaneswar on June 1 to provide food and ration to the commercial sex workers. The order specified that strict compliance should be made but the sex workers have no ration cards. Chairperson of MADHYAM and Mahila Adhikar Abhiyan Namrata Chadha had filed a petition regarding the plight of commercial sex workers due to the lockdown. Meanwhile, officials from BMC remained unavailable for comments.
June 6, 2020  Ottawa, Ontario,  National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

The Government of Canada today announced it is replacing two Challenger model 601 utility aircraft with two Challenger model 650s for the Canadian Armed Forces to allow for continuation of mission critical roles. The retiring aircraft that entered service in the 1980s, fall short of operational requirements and are nearly obsolete due to new rules in the United States & Europe that will restrict their ability to fly internationally before the end of this year.

The replacement ensures CAF can continue to operate a modern and flexible utility flight service fleet that serves a variety of roles  including reconnaissance and liaison missions with international partners, and the speedy deployment of specialized capabilities and expertise, including the Disaster Assistance Response Team.

Without this needed replacement, the Royal Canadian Air Forces operational effectiveness for missions would be limited. The aircraft are used for the medical evacuation of military personnel serving overseas and the safe transport of CAF medical personnel and specialized equipment in the critical first few hours and days of someone being wounded. They are also used for the safe extraction and repatriation of personnel and citizens. The fleet further provides the ability to transport specialized teams from Canada to operational theatres around the world. Earlier this month, a Challenger quickly brought Royal Canadian Navy search experts to Naples, Italy, to support the search for the Cyclone helicopter lost in the Ionian Sea.

This fleet provides critical abilities here at home. It has been used in our whole-of-government effort to support our Northern, Indigenous and remote communities during COVID-19. In May 2020, it supported the delivery of COVID-19 testing supplies to Nunavut. The aircraft have been at the ready to help our provincial and territorial partners with medical evacuations, if required.

This fleet is also critical in facilitating the travel of senior government officials, as well as Parliamentarians from all parties due to security and safety considerations.

The CAFs existing Challenger fleet consists of four aircraft, two purchased in the early 1980s and two purchased in the early 2000s. With the implementation of new international regulatory and interoperability requirements in 2020, only half of the fleet is fully compliant with international standards.

That is why the Department of National Defence has been working on this consolidation initiative since 2018, and why the Government entered into a contract with the company this week, after negotiating the most cost-effective option for these capabilities, which were accounted and paid with existing funds in SSEs fiscal framework.

The Challenger 650 aircraft is the current production version of the model that the CAF currently operates. This commonality will result in significant benefits in efficiency, cost, and interoperability, both in terms of training and support to operations.
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
A laboratory to test garment workers for coronavirus is opening in Bangladesh as manufacturers seek to stem the spread of COVID-19 in factories that produce clothes for many of the worlds leading fashion brands.

The facility, run by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, will test up to 180 samples daily. Two more laboratories for workers are due to open soon.

Its a state-of-the-art lab... workers will get first preference in here, said Rubana Huq, president of the BGMEA.

(We) need data on COVID-19. So if workers or factories register through us, we can adopt an industry-wide practice of precaution and isolation, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Bangladesh, which ranks behind only China as a supplier of clothes to Western countries, relies on the garment industry for more than 80% of its exports.

Most of the nations 4,000 clothing factories, which employ about 4 million people - mostly women, reopened in April after a month-long break. Factories must adhere to social distancing rules and ensure workers can wash their hands.

At least 276 garment workers have been confirmed to have the new coronavirus, with no deaths reported, according to the latest official data. Across the country, there have been 60,000 confirmed cases, including 811 fatalities.

NGOs working with garment workers say more factory employees are likely to have had the virus, citing low testing rates across the country.

Only workers who show signs of infection will be sent for testing, and those that test positive will have to self-isolate.

The Bangladeshi government praised the industrys initiative on setting up the laboratories.

I want these labs to be used as much as possible. The more workers we test the more we will know, said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.

Garment unions also welcomed the launch of the testing facilities, but urged factory owners to prioritise the payment of overdue wages and ensure layoffs were avoided despite a wave of cancelled orders by foreign buyers.

Its a good initiative but the lab should have been opened a lot earlier. Also, there are some workers who havent been paid their salaries and their bonuses, said Nazma Akter, president of the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation.

She said hundreds of workers had still not been paid their salary from May or a bonus paid to mark the annual Eid holiday.

Bangladeshs garment exports fell by 84% in the first half of April as $3 billion-worth of orders were cancelled or suspended due to global store closures, according to factory owners. The number of new orders has also decreased.

Huq from the exporters association said that while a few brands had reversed their decision to cancel orders, the payment terms had not been finalised yet.

According to a government report, at least 17,000 garment workers have lost their jobs since orders started being cancelled in March this year.

(This story has been published from a wire agency without modifications to the text)

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:08:22|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- AirAsia Indonesia will resume flights on June 19 as the country has gradually relaxed rules on the large-scale social restrictions, the airline said on Sunday.

President Director of AirAsia Indonesia Veranita Yosephine Sinaga said that preparations for the resumption of the scheduled flights have been carried out.

"AirAsia is committed to serving the needs of traveling or transporting goods to across the country and abroad through special charter flights for passengers and cargoes," she remarked.

The airline said that the travelers flying with AirAsia in the future are required to understand and strictly adhere to and comply with health and immigration requirements, and the travel restrictions set up by the governments of the country of origin and those of the destination, local media reported.

The airline said it will gradually reinstate its services around the networks once the global health situation improves and regulatory restrictions are terminated.

Indonesia has gradually relaxed its restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the hope of a pickup in business activities but also heeded the areas where the transmission rates remain afloat.

The novel coronavirus has killed 1,851 people across Indonesia and infected 31,186 others, the Health Ministry reported on Sunday. Enditem
Some footage from protests after the death of George Floyd - even some of the peaceful ones - shows ominous plumes of gas rising above fleeing crowds or streets littered with projectiles. Both are evidence of crowd-control measures that were once called "nonlethal" but are now dubbed "less lethal," a nod to the fact that they sometimes kill.

These types of weapons are often included in police department "use of force" continuums, which attempt to assign an appropriate response to the level of risk an officer might encounter. There is no national standard for police use of force, so these continuums vary among departments.

For the Civil Disturbance Unit of the District of Columbia police, the use-of-force continuum begins with the simple presence of uniformed police and ends with deadly force. Between these are less-lethal weapons.

Tear gas, for instance, is considered a higher level of force than kinetic projectiles such as rubber bullets, which are in turn a higher level of force than pepper spray.

- - -

Tear gas: What it is

"Tear gas" refers to crowd-control chemicals that irritate the mucus membranes and the eyes, causing tearing, coughing, difficulty breathing and skin irritation.

One of the most commonly used chemicals is 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, (nicknamed "CS" for the initials of the chemists who created it), which was used by the U.S. military in the Vietnam War.

This "gas" is actually solid pellets that become aerosolized when they are deployed - fired in shells over crowds or thrown as grenades. Pepper spray is sometimes used this same way.

- - -

What can go wrong

Inhaled tear gas can cause inflammation, coughing, wheezing, vomiting and serious breathing difficulty, especially in people who have respiratory problems, according to Physicians for Human Rights.

This effect is particularly dangerous during a pandemic in which the virus is spread by respiratory droplets.

Other serious complications can arise. Heart rate and blood pressure can increase and cause cardiac problems, even heart attacks.

Canisters are supposed to be fired over the heads of crowds, but that is not always the case. A direct hit can cause blunt-trauma injuries or even death.

- - -

- - -

Rubber bullets and other kinetic weapons: What they are

Kinetic weapons include all the things police fire from guns and launchers that are meant to inflict pain without penetrating the skin.

They are often less accurate than ordinary bullets, especially at long distances.

Ideally, law enforcement officers aim kinetics at arms and legs to avoid major internal damage, unlike in lethal-weapon situations in which officers are taught to aim for the center of a person's body.

Kinetic weapons can be shot directly at people or "skip-fired," which means aiming into the ground to disperse projectiles more widely and target only the lower body. Skip-firing is banned by some organizations because the bullets carom so unpredictably.

- Sponge grenades are 40-millimeter rounds with foam noses that are slightly softer than their dense cores and deform when they hit a target. These are becoming the most common types of less-lethal projectiles, according to Cynthia Bir of the Wayne State University's ballistic-research lab. These large rounds spread the force of impact out over a larger area, reducing the chance of injury.

- Baton rounds, also called rubber bullets, can be made of foam, plastic, wood or rubber. They can be single rounds or multiple rounds packaged into one shell.

- Beanbag rounds are cloth bags containing lead pellets that fit into a cartridge. Beanbag rounds are intended to spread impact out over a larger area. Older square-shaped rounds have largely been replaced by sock-style bags, which are round and less likely to cause penetrating injuries.

- - -

What an go wrong

Injuries from kinetic weapons are inevitable, experts say, and are part of the risk calculation.

"To deploy these rounds and expect no injuries is just unrealistic," Bir said, "even if just a bruise."

These projectiles can break bones, penetrate skin, fracture the skull, explode eyeballs and damage internal organs. Austin police critically injured a 20-year-old college student and bystander at a May 31 protest when a beanbag round hit him in the head.

Serious injuries are much more likely when projectiles are fired from close range. A direct hit to the chest could result in heart arrhythmia or broken ribs, which can puncture the lungs or heart. Blindness and abdominal injuries are among the more common permanent injuries.

- - -

Pepper spray: What it is

This oily substance, called oleoresin capsicum (OC) is derived from hot peppers and causes a painful burning sensation in the eyes, along with inflammation, excessive tears and redness.

Because OC is oily, it doesn't rinse away easily and pain can last up to 90 minutes.

The substance is delivered in different ways for different uses, all meant to incapacitate a person or group and blur their vision without causing permanent injury.

- Handheld sprays - just like the kinds mail carriers use to ward off angry dogs and citizens often use for personal protection - are routinely carried by law enforcement officers to use when subduing a suspect during an arrest. The device shoots a quick, precise aerosol stream into a person's face and works from up to about 12 feet away.

- Pepper balls are paintball-size projectiles that contain a powdered irritant similar to OC inside a thin membrane that bursts when it hits a person. They also target individuals but can be fired with paintball guns from farther away.

- Canisters and grenades, on the other hand, are considered much more serious uses of force because they produce indiscriminate chemical clouds that can affect everyone in their path. Large canisters are sprayed like fire extinguishers; smaller ones are fired like grenades. Both are used to subdue and disperse crowds.

- - -

What can go wrong

Pepper spray can cause the same respiratory and cardiovascular problems as tear gas, and skin contact can cause burning, inflammation and allergic reactions.

Grenades and pepper balls can do all the damage mechanically fired projectiles can, including leaving welts and causing serious eye injuries. A bystander watching a protest in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 29 has permanent vision loss after being hit in the eye with a pepper ball.

- - -

Stun grenades, or flash-bangs: What it is

A stun grenade is a small canister filled with magnesium-based pyrotechnic chemicals. It is thrown or fired like a hand grenade.

After a short delay, it explodes with light bright enough to cause temporary blindness (the flash) and a noise loud enough to cause temporary deafness (the bang) in anyone within a few feet of it. Its purpose is to cause disorientation and panic.

- - -

What can go wrong

Anyone who is very close to a stun-grenade blast could suffer serious burns, internal injuries from the shock waves - especially eardrum injuries - or puncture wounds from flying shrapnel if the canister breaks apart. The noise, 150 to 180 decibels, according to Physicians for Human Rights, is well past the "painful and dangerous" threshold set by the American Academy of Audiology.

A 2015 ProPublica investigation found cases of police losing hands and fingers and people being severely injured or killed by the devices, including a 19-month-old baby who was catastrophically wounded in 2014 when a stun grenade landed in his crib during a raid in Georgia.

- - -

Taser: What it is

A Taser uses electrical shocks to stop a person by causing painful and involuntarily muscle contractions. Current is delivered in five-second bursts by two electrodes that are attached to the device by insulated wires that can reach up to 20 feet away. (An officer can prolong the jolt to more than five seconds by holding the trigger down.)

Stun guns are similar, but they are pressed directly against a person.

Both types of weapons are used to control a single person rather than a crowd, and law enforcement officers do not appear to be using them often during recent protests.

But one incident captured national attention. Six officers in Atlanta were fired and criminally charged after they were filmed on May 30 breaking windows of a car, yanking a woman out and using a Taser on the male driver. Both were black college students stuck in traffic while trying to get home after a food run.

- - -

What can go wrong

The manufacturer's warning lists many things, from burning, scarring and puncture wounds to seizures and respiratory and cardiac problems.

Injuries can result from falls when people lose muscle control. Muscle injuries and bone fractures can be caused by violent muscle spasms, particularly in people who have preexisting conditions.

- - -

Other tools

This is not a comprehensive list. In the past two weeks, various law enforcement agencies have used many non-projectile and nonchemical tools, including batons, helicopters, riot shields and even horses, to attempt to control unrest.

These too are part of police use-of-force policies, which are often available to the public through the police departments themselves or through the Use of Force Policy Database.

But local police are not the only officers on the scene of many of the protests.

At least 16 law enforcement and military agencies responded to protests and unrest in Washington, and their policies about less-lethal force are not available to the public.

The U.S. Park Police initially denied using tear gas and rubber bullets to clear Lafayette Square on Monday. It's unclear what kinds of chemical irritants and projectiles Park Police officers do use, though, because their policies about less-lethal weapons are redacted in publicly available material.

National Guard policy varies from state to state. The Secret Service issued a statement saying it "does not discuss our protective means and methods," but in a later statement denied using tear gas at Lafayette Square.

In any case, policy - whatever it may be - sometimes does not match reality. Ultimately, the law enforcement officers are the ones deciding how much force to use.

"Less-lethal weapons are dependent on the person who deploys them," Bir said. "It's not just having them in your toolbox but knowing how, when and where to use it."
Dozens of dead dogs and cats were found at a residence of an animal welfare volunteer in Yawata City on Friday, police said, reports NHK (June 5).

Officers in protective gear searching the residence of the volunteer, a woman in her 50s, found excrement, trash and the bodies of dozens of cats and dogs.

According to police, the woman has been doing volunteer work to protect stray dogs and abandoned cats for many years.

However, a health center has received complaints from neighbors regarding dogs barking and foul smells emanating from the residence over the past two years. Staff members from the center have visited the residence on several occasions to provide guidance to the woman.

In the Kansai area, the woman has become knowns as the aGoda of animal care volunteers for her work over the past 20 years.

When asked by Mainichi Broadcasting System on June 5 about how she cared for the animals, she said, aI fed them the usual amount everyday.a

Police are now investigating whether the woman failed to provide provide sufficient food to the dogs and cats, which would be a violation of the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals.

aManure on the ceilinga

Police entered the residence after receiving a tip from an animal conservation group in Kobe City. Erika Kawada, a member of the group, visited the residence on Wednesday.

aThere was manure on the ceiling, and there were bones of dead dogs and cats on the second floor,a she said. aI was so angry and sad, and wondered why [the animals] had been entrusted to this person.a

Kawada described the case as an example of what is known as aRearing Failure on a Large Scale.a

aBy continuing to accept cats and dogs and not listen to outside advice, it became impossible to properly raise [the animals],a she said. aThis so-called aRearing Failure on a Large Scalea is a form of animal cruelty. I think it is important for the [volunteer] to think carefully about how to responsibly raise [the animals] such that these situations can be prevented.a

The issue is an ongoing problem. According to the Ministry of the Environment, there were more than 2,000 cases of aRearing Failure on a Large Scalea nationwide in 2018.
Sen. John Cornyn has served in the U.S. Senate since 2002. As more businesses start to reopen, Cornyn is looking ahead to the economic forecast in the region, and hes devoted to helping businesses and industries thrive once again.

Texas is about as diverse a state as youll find. Texans in the Houston area have different perspectives and needs than Texans in Amarillo, El Paso and Austin. Even within the region, there are differences in opinion; Katy Tigers dont always see eye-to-eye with Cinco Ranch Cougars.

This diversity makes our state strong. The best way Ive learned to represent all Texans needs is to hear about them directly. During my time in Texas, Im often traveling to multiple cities a day to hear from as many constituents as possible. While were at home during this pandemic, Im conducting video conference calls and tele-town halls, reaching more Texans than ever, all from my living room. Armed with this knowledge, I craft policy in Washington that I know will help my fellow 29 million Texans, as diverse as they are.

In your conference call with the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, you spoke at length about Paycheck Protection Program loans for small, local businesses. These small businesses, as you mentioned, are at the heart of Katy culture. What other advice do you have for small businesses that are struggling right now? How can we help preserve our culture during this time?

Hang in there. These are tough times for everyone, and especially for small businesses like those in Historic Downtown Katy who were bearing the brunt of forced closures. Congress has provided multiple streams of relief in the form of loans, grants and tax delays, and we can all help by patronizing our favorite restaurants and shops or by purchasing gift cards for when we feel safe to return. This will go a long way to keep businesses and their employees afloat until we rediscover our new normal, which is happening slowly but surely in Texas. Know that your community is behind you, and eventually this pandemic will be too.

People are getting a lot of conflicting information from government entities lately. The governor says one thing, but the county judge says another, for example. How do you suggest that your constituents parse through this confusion?

These are unprecedented times, and theres no playbook for us to follow. We all want to defeat this virus and return to normal as soon as possible, and different regions of our country are pursuing that same goal differently. My best advice is to heed the guidance of the CDC: social distance when you can, wear masks when you cant, and wash your hands thoroughly at every chance you get. Theres a lot of information out there, and I recommend Texans use their judgment in determining which other guidance to follow.

As you know, May was Mental Health Awareness Month. Youve mentioned before that you believe mental health is an important issue. How do you think the current climate has impacted mental health on a broader scale? What would you say to people who are struggling right now?

To those struggling in this environment, know that youre not alone. There are resources out there to help you  including telehealth appointments, hotlines, and of course, video chats with close friends and family  and we will come out on the other side of this soon.

Were all facing unique challenges during this pandemic, and we cant overlook the coronaviruss mental health impact. Theres no question the new stresses brought on by this pandemic are compounded by reduced resources for treatment. In-person support meetings have been canceled, treatment clinics and counselors are delaying appointments, and the barriers to overcoming addiction loom even larger.

I supported the passage of an additional $175 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to support health care providers, and Ive followed up to ensure mental health providers are included. In the next coronavirus relief legislation, Id like to target additional resources towards mental health.

You spoke in December at the University of Houston-Victoria commencement in Katy. What would you say to area high school and college graduates as they enter new chapters in their lives amid so much uncertainty?

A lot has changed since I spoke to the University of Houston-Victoria graduating class in Katy last December, but my message to graduates remains the same. First, I offer my heartfelt congratulations on their hard-earned diplomas. Despite our current inability to celebrate you all how wed like, know that your entire community stands behind you and the work youve done to get here.

Theres no doubt these unprecedented circumstances are difficult for all of us  especially new graduates looking to get your feet wet in a challenging job market  but Im confident well all learn something about ourselves during this time and come out even stronger.

You are a native Houstonian. The backbone of the Houston economy is the oil industry, which was hit hard with a surge in production in Russia and Saudi Arabia. What can be done to help with the resurgence of Texas crude?

As a Senator for the top energy-producing state, Ive been thinking a lot about this. Our economy is so interdependent  weve learned that especially during the coronavirus outbreak  and what happens to the energy sector affects not only workers and their families in the Houston area, but the transportation industry, our food supply, and even our national security. With the pandemic and lower oil prices, Texas has been hit with a one-two punch, and I believe its imperative we do something to help. Ive had countless conversations with President Trump, Energy Secretary Brouilette, Saudi officials, and energy stakeholders from Texas about solutions moving forward. Im supporting a bill to authorize $3 billion for the purchase of domestic crude oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. And the CARES Act Congress passed in March has a number of provisions that energy companies can utilize, including small business loans, the state stabilization fund, delayed payroll tax and the employee retention tax credit. Im now exploring additional legislative options to address the energy crisis and working with the Trump Administration to identify ways to support Americas energy workers.

Your father served in the military for more than 30 years. What do you say to someone who aspires to serve in the military during this time?

Growing up on military bases across Texas and the world, I learned to appreciate the service and sacrifice of servicemembers and their families. For Texans joining the military, you are entering a tough, but immensely rewarding, chapter of your life. Especially during this uncertain time, it gives me great hope to see Texas next generation answering the call of duty. Thank you for your service. I know youll make Texas proud.

Overall, Texas economy is becoming more diversified. It is the second largest economy among U.S. states and leads America in exports. How will that help the state as the economic recovery begins?

Coming full circle from the first question, Ill reiterate that Texas diversity makes our state strong. While our small businesses, hospitality and energy industry have been hurting, other sectors are stepping up to keep Texas afloat.

The tech industry, for example, is thriving as we all learn to work from home and conduct business remotely. Health care also has an outsized role in Southeast Texas, and research for a vaccine, treatment and contact tracing  to name a few  will continue to be in high demand as we weather this storm. Texans have been hit hard before, and every single time weve recovered and come out better than wed started. I have no doubt well do the same again.

claire.goodman@chron.com
Six undertrial prisoners and two doctors in a Rourkela hospital were among the 75 new cases to test positive in Odisha on Sunday, taking the Covid tally in the state to 2,856. The State also reported one more death due to Covid-19, taking the toll to 9.

Two doctors at Rourkela Government Hospital tested positive for Covid-19 taking the total number of infected doctors in Odisha to five. Both the doctors were involved in treating non-Covid patients at the hospital apart from their private clinics. Sundargarh district collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan said the administration was conducting contact-tracing exercises for the two doctors.

On Saturday, a 35-year-old doctor had tested positive in Angul district, while two other doctors  one at Cuttack and the other at Bhubaneswar  are already being treated for the infection.

In Rourkela special jail, 6 undertrials, from among the 30 arrested for indulging in violence over the containment zone at Nala Road area, tested positive, Santosh Kumar Upadhyay, director of prisons confirmed. On May 26, thirty members from the minority community were arrested for indulging in violence that left 40 people including 12 policemen and some journalists injured. They were demanding lifting of the containment order imposed on the area after several Covid-19 cases were reported from there.

In Bhubaneswar, an eight-year-old girl and her 40-year-old father tested positive for the disease. The family had a travel history to Delhi, said Bhubaneswar municipal corporation officials.

In Ganjam, a 55-year-old male patient, who had tested positive for Covid, passed away during treatment in a hospital. He was suffering from tuberculosis and other comorbidities.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's CardiacSense said on Sunday it signed a $32.4 million deal to sell medical watches in India, bringing its total backlog of orders to over $60 million.

The company said the agreement is for 150,000 watches - which can monitor vital signs like temperature, blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation - to be used in hospitals, home hospitalizations and patient monitoring.

The deal with Explore Lifestyle Solutions, a manufacturer and distributor of medical rehabilitation products operating in India, will be carried out over the next four years, CardiacSense said in a statement.

The company said it is also in the process of receiving FDA and CEO regulatory approvals for marketing in the United States and Europe.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Tova Cohen)
Representative Image

Traders' body CAIT on June 6 said it would launch a nationwide campaign to boycott Chinese goods across the country from June 10. The campaign call by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which claims to represent 7 crore traders and 40,000 trade associations, comes amid border tensions between India and China.

Under the campaign, CAIT will not only motivate traders to not sell Chinese goods but also urge Indian consumers to buy indigenous products in place of Chinese goods, and in this way Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call 'Vocal for Local' will also be fructified, the traders' body said in a statement.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the traders' body has been continuously campaigning from time to time for boycotting Chinese products for the last four years on the back of government's strong push for 'Make in India' programme.

"As a result of these initiatives, imports from China have dropped from $76 billion in 2017-18 to $70 billion at present. This $6 billion import decline tells the true story of the use of indigenous goods and changing consumer sentiments," Khandelwal said.

He said through efforts like these, CAIT is eyeing reduction in India's imports of Chinese goods by about USD 13 billion (around Rs 1 lakh crore) by December 2021, and has prepared a comprehensive list of about 3,000 products imported from China for which Indian substitutes and alternatives are easily available.
After a fair dose of cat videos on the Internet, one thing is pretty clear that there are no boundaries that these furry beings cannot cross. One such cat has yet again proved that boundaries are not applicable for the feline community by showing up right in the middle of an important UK Parliament committees Zoom meeting.

Posted on Twitter by Matt Korris, a clerk in the UK House of Lords, a clip of the incident shows a woman speaking as she tries to stop a cat from getting on her lap. She is trade expert Sally Jones who was presenting evidence over the call, reports BBC.

As the video goes on, Jones apologises to her colleagues and takes her pet cat Leo on her lap. The video then shows one of the members smiling at the cute intruder and ends with the speaker greeting the feline with, Welcome cat.

How to handle an unexpected intruder like a pro, in the middle of giving evidence to @UKHouseofLords select committee, reads the caption.

Heres the full clip for you to laugh at:

How to handle an unexpected intruder like a pro, in the middle of giving evidence to a @UKHouseofLords select committee.https://t.co/hP97mQHTOT pic.twitter.com/s3mGiz50Ve  Matt Korris (@MattKorris) June 4, 2020

The clip has garnered over 91,500 views since being posted on June 4. Netizens were amused at the kittys intrusion and found it funny how cats have always decided where they wanted to be.

People also praised Jones her professionalism and she replied with a hilarious answer like a true feline lover.

Youre very kind. Unless you mean Leo?  Sally Jones (@SallyJJonesEY) June 4, 2020

Heres how others reacted:

First welcome given to a cat in the Official Record?  Stuart (@aforlornhope) June 4, 2020

that's just brilliant. I am just thinking that more people might become even more interested in watching evidence gathering sessions in parliament in the off chance that a cat, dog or toddler might make an appearance :)  Prof. Diana S. Stirbu (@Diana_Stirbu) June 4, 2020

All her evidence seems like it's from a super villain once Cat is on her lap.  Dr Brandon Comms (@DrBrandonComms) June 4, 2020

"Welcome cat."  Elin James Jones (@elinjjones) June 4, 2020

The matter of intrusion is not new for people, especially journalists who are working from home. Ranging from a half-naked dad to a photogenic corgi, they have faced all kinds of uninvited guests.

What do you think of this kittys dont-care cattitude?
Han Kuo-yu (center) takes a bow during a press conference following a local recall election in Kaoshiung, Taiwan, on June 6, 2020. (Central News Agency)

Hong Kong Activists Applaud Taiwans Historic Recall Election

Hong Kong democracy activists said they were greatly inspired by the historical recall election in Taiwan on June 6, after a Beijing-friendly mayor was voted out for being unfit for office.

Han Kuo-yu, whos aligned himself with authoritarian Chinas interest, has been booted as mayor of #Kaohsiung by democratic vote, tweeted Joshua Wong, the secretary-general of Hong Kongs pro-democracy party Demosisto on Saturday evening, after the election results.

Wong added: A great victory for #democracy and a clear message from Taiwanese saying no to [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping and Beijings influence on #Taiwan.

In southern Taiwans city of Kaohsiung, more than 939,000 voted in favor, while slightly over 25,000 voted against, the recall of mayor Han Kuo-yu, a member of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. The vote marked the first time that a Taiwanese official was removed this way.

The overwhelming vote for the recall was driven in part by local anger at Hans decision to run for president less than a year after he was elected mayor in November 2018. In interviews with the local edition of The Epoch Times, locals said they were displeased that he devoted a lot of time on his presidential campaign, while failing to fulfill his mayoral campaign promises to improve the city.

Han lost in the January 2020 presidential election to the incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen, who is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Hans close ties to Beijing are well known in both Taiwan and Hong Kong. In March 2019, just a few months after being elected mayor, Han traveled to Hong Kong and held meetings with the citys pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam and Wang Zhimin, then the head of the Hong Kong Liaison Office, Beijings representative agency in the city.

Following his trip to Hong Kong and Macau, Han also traveled to Chinas southern city of Shenzhen, where he met with Liu Yieyi, head of Taiwan Affairs Office, an agency under Chinas State Council.

Chinese state-run media have been vocal in supporting Han. Days after Hans meeting with Liu in 2019, Global Times published an article praising Hans efforts at advancing cross-strait relations.

Most recently, on June 5, a day before the recall election, Peoples Daily published an opinion article, praising Hans achievements as mayor, while accusing the DPP of intentionally going after Han and slamming Taiwans democracy as deception in politics.

Global Times also published an article about Hans concession speech following the results of the recall election. In his speech, Han attributed his defeat to distorted, slanderous, and unfounded criticism.

Hans defeat reflected growing public antagonism against Beijing and its proposal to bring Taiwanwhich it considers part of its territoryunder its domain using the one country, two systems model.

The Chinese regime adopted this framework to rule Hong Kong after the citys sovereignty was handed over from Britain to China in 1997.

Hong Kong Activists

Sunny Cheung, a local pro-democracy activist, took to his Facebook page on Saturday evening to applaud Taiwans election result. He said it was not an overstatement to call Han someone who works for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as Chinese state-run media continually praised his accomplishments as mayor.

Cheung also compared Taiwans democracywhere people can vote out their officialsto Hong Kongs current state, wherein the one country, two systems model is completely lost.

Current Hong Kong leader Lam has remained in office despite high disapproval ratings.

He said this was possible because she has the support of Beijing.

The Hong Kong leader, called the chief executive, is elected by a 1,200-member election committeea mostly pro-Beijing body chosen by a small group of eligible voters. There are roughly seven million Hong Kong residents.

In addition, only 35 of the 70 members of the territorys lawmaking body, the Legislative Council (LegCo), are directly chosen by Hong Kongs voters. The remaining seats, elected by special interest groups, are occupied by pro-Beijing lawmakers.

Without democracy, there is no way to put a check on a government that is out of control, wrote Cheung, criticizing the Hong Kong government.

Alvin Yeung, a lawmaker from the pro-Democracy Civic Party, wrote on Facebook that Hongkongers were extremely envious of Taiwanese people, who have the power to vote directly.

Yeung pointed out that the pro-democracy camp has long been fighting for universal suffrage. He also questioned whether the pro-Beijing camp was fearful of a direct election, because their candidates do not have the majority of voters support.

In elections for local district councillors held last Novemberthe only political office where candidates are directly electedpro-democracy candidates won the majority of seats.

Citizens Press Conference, an advocacy group established by Hong Kong protesters, issued a statement congratulating people of Kaohsiung, saying they defended their homes using their votes against Chinas brutal unification apparatus.

They added that protesters will keep in mind Taiwans freedoms as they continue to advocate for greater democracy in Hong Kong.

Nathan Law, of the pro-democracy Demosisto party, wrote on his Facebook: When we successfully free Hong Kong, I hope that Hong Kong will be just like how Taiwan is todaythe envy of others.
Google will be rolling out the new Currents social network for enterprise users next month. While not a full-fledged attempt at a social network once again, Google will hope Currents gets traction with the G Suite enterprise users. That is perhaps why Google describes Currents as a tool that will engage employees and have meaningful discussions. Google Currents will in effect replace Google+, which was shut down in April last year for consumers though an enterprise focused G Suite version has remained around till now.

Incidentally, you must not confuse it with the Google Currents app from many years ago, a magazine app that preceded Google Play Newsstand. For starters, Currents will get a fresher design compared with Google+, which means you have a home stream that can be orders to show posts either by chronology or relevance. The latter will surely improve with time as it understands your interaction with posts and other users on the platform. Currents is currently in beta ahead of the launch next month, but all Google+ enterprise users will be able to port their existing posts to Currents seamlessly.

On the Google Currents feed, you will be able to share posts, images, links and content directly from the Google Drive cloud storage. Since Google Currents accounts will be administered by your companys IT department, content moderation will also be in their hands. In a way, the G Suite version of Google Currents is designed to be your companys social network.

Google Currents for G Suite is doing what has been done before, albeit in slightly different avatars. Workplace From Facebook, for instance also enables an organization wide social network with a news feed, groups, chat, rooms and even live videos. Facebook says they have more than 5 million paying users on Workplace, with companies including Spotify, Walmart, Starbucks and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The advantage for Google Currents is the wider G Suite package that comes along with it, including Gmail, Chat, video meeting solution Meet, Google Docs as well as Google Drive.
N etflixs Queer Eye has taken viewers on empowering, eye-opening and emotional journeys since it first aired in 2018.

If youve seen the previous series (and the spin-off in which the crew head out to Japan), youll already have fallen in love with the Jonathan, Tan, Antoni, Karamo and Bobby, as they bring a hurricane of positivity into peoples lives up and down the US.

In each episode, the five gurus take over almost every area of the participants life, making over not just their appearance, but how they feel about themselves.

Jonathan Van Ness takes care of the outside - hair, skincare and self-care - while Karamo makes sure the inside is looked after too (hes a master at pep talks).

Austin Hargrave/Netflix

Tan boosts confidence through introducing people to the joy of dressing well, Bobby shows off his incredible home renovation skills, and Antoni cooks up a storm.

As the mission to Make America Gay Again is continuing with season five, here's some facts about the Fab Five you may not have known:

Karamo Brown - Culture

Christopher Smith/Netflix

1. Over 10 years before Netflixs Queer Eye reboot, Karamo was on reality television show The Real World: Philadelphia. This made him the first openly gay black man to appear on reality TV.

2. Karamo is a licensed psychotherapist and social worker, and isnt actually a fan of his show title culture expert. Bobby recently told Architectural Digest that they call him Karoprah.

3. The pep-talk master is a huge advocate for diversity on and off screen. There is a stipulation in his contract that two to three gay African-Americans might be hired on any show he works on.

PA

4. Karamo runs an HIV awareness organisation called the 6in10 Organisation, co-founded with friend and longtime HIV activist Donta Morrison. According to the website, the organisation is "a HIV awareness organisation with a dedicated mission to eradicate the 6 in 10 HIV statistic plaguing gay and bisexual black men.

5. The fab five member almost didnt make into the top five! He revealed in his memoir, Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing and Hope that he was too late to audition for the show, and was told that Netflix had closed casting because they already had too many good candidates. Luckily, his agent worked some magic and pitched him until they gave him a time to audition again.

Christopher Smith/Netflix

6. Karamo has a podcast exclusively with Luminary, where he goes deeper than deep on lifes thorniest issues. As well as interviewing people, listeners call in and ask questions about various issues that they're facing in their lives.

7. Karamo is a dad! In 2007, he discovered that he had a 10-year-old son, Jason, with his last girlfriend in high school, before he came out at age 16. Karamo received custody of his son the same year he learned he was a father. Three years later, Karamo adopted Jason's half-brother, Chris.

Bobby Berk - Design

Courtesy of Netflix

8. Bobby has his own online design store! Both the Bobby Berk store and the Berk Interiors and Design say they bring "a new and refreshing point of view with their strong background in consumer sales, expertise in design and collaboration from furniture development, wallpaper, art, and much more. If his Queer Eye makeovers are anything to go by, we agree.

9. Bobby has no formal education in architecture, interior design, or art, and his road to fame was long and full of setbacks. He worked a number of retail jobs to support himself, at The Gap, American Eagle, West Elm, The Body Shop, Express, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Christopher Smith/Netflix

10. The design expert left home at 15-years-old. From the show, we learn that Bobby was kicked out from his home in Missouri after coming out to his adoptive parents, and sometimes lived on the streets. He has previously spoken about how being gay in the Bible Belt was difficult, and he has complicated relationship with the church.

11. Bobbys makeovers are usually wow viewers the most - and because the design process of a home can be super time-consuming, Bobby works seven days a week.

Christopher Smith/Netflix

12. Bobby also designed all of the Fab Five's lofts.

13. According to Tan, Karamo, Jonathan, and Antoni, Bobby is the worst driver in the group.

Tan France - Fashion

Courtesy of Netflix

14. The fashion expert is a founder of not one but two clothing lines: Kingdom & State and Rachel Parcell. He also secretly enrolled in fashion school, as he was worried his parents didnt see fashion as proper job.

15. Tan never applied to be on the show - he was found through social media. His very chic social media channels caught the eye of producers of Queer Eye and the rest is history.

16. Tan is the only one of the Fab Five who didn't work in TV before Queer Eye.

Getty Images

17. Tan lives with his husband in Salt Lake City. Tan told the New York Post: "It made it easier to date somebody who had similarities to me. I dont drink alcohol, I dont smoke. We practice some of our religions practices. We dont practice them all. We practice what works for us.

18. Shockingly for fans, Tan said he almost quit the show once. In the the third episode of season one, the Fab Five were driving to meet their next hero. The group got pulled over by a cop, who was the nominator of this episode. They didn't realise that it was set up by producers and, as people of colour, Tan and Karamo were worried and upset.

Christopher Smith/Netflix

When the group found out it was planned, Karamo and Tan refused to film and Tan almost quit the show. Ultimately, Karamo said he was thankful the moment led to a bigger conversation about police treatment of people of colour, especially black men.

19. Tan grew up in Doncaster! In his memoir Naturally Tan, he speaks about his experience growing up gay in a traditional Muslim family, as one of the few people of colour in Doncaster.

Jonathan Van Ness - Grooming

Jonathan Van Ness / Getty Images

20. Superfans might remember Jonathan before Queer Eye, from his viral webseries Gay of Thrones. The series includes Jonathan hilariously recapping episodes of Game of Thrones from his salon chair.

21. Jonathan studied political science at the University of Arizona before realising hairdressing was his calling. While he was there he had a cheerleading scholarship.

22. JVN was the first male cheerleader at his school! He came out as gay in 6th grade, saying he was an extremely flamboyant child.

Netflix

23. Jonathan came out as non-binary last year. His preferred gender pronouns are he/him, but he stated I didnt think I was allowed to be nonconforming or genderqueer or nonbinary  I was just always like 'a gay man' because thats just the label I thought I had to be.

24. Jonathan is a licensed cosmetologist - meaning hes an expert in hair, skin and nails.

Getty Images

25. The skincare expert has also revealed he has psoriasis, a chronic skin condition. Luckily, his experience with the condition has helped him learn even more about skincare.

26. Jonathan still cuts hair - and he can cut yours! The stylist is still giving out haircuts at a couple of salons: Mojo Hair in Los Angeles (which he co-owns with his business partner Monique Northrop) and Arte Salon in New York.

Antoni Porowski - Food and Wine

Netflix

27. The popular Netflix show is a reboot of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which aired in the early 2000s. Amazingly, Antoni was the personal assistant to Ted Allen, the original food and wine expert! It turns out he recommended Antoni for the job in the reboot.

28. Antoni didn't go to culinary school. In fact, he studied psychology, saying I wanted to be an actor, and my parents really wanted me to go into medicine, so that was the happy medium.

29. The foodie doesnt consider himself strictly gay - while hes had a series of boyfriends, he considers his sexuality more fluid than the 'gay man label, revealing he has had close relationships with girls and guys. He said: Ive always considered myself a little more fluid along the spectrumFor me personally, Ive never really had a label for myself. Today Im gay, Im in a gay relationship, and thats where I am. Thats good enough for me.

Christopher Smith/Netflix

30. Antoni has a cookbook! The book Antoni in the Kitchen inspires both newbies and knowledgeable cooks to get back into the kitchen and includes some of the delicious recipes hes made on the show.

31. Antoni and costar Jonathan once trolled the internet by setting up a joint Instagram account, including kissing pictures, pretending to be a couple. Later they confirmed that there was nothing serious to it (gutted). Jonathan posted on his Instagram: It was all Antonis idea - but maybe someday we will fall in love #notacouplebutitwasfunright

32. It wasnt always all hugs and kisses between the group, as Antoni revealed him and Karamo once fell out. Due to a third party spreading rumours, the two didnt talk to each other off-camera while filming season 1. Luckily, Antoni and Karamo eventually addressed the conflict and became close friends.

Queer Eye season five is streaming on Netflix now.
Photograph: Sergio Lima/AFP/Getty Images

The politicization of the coronavirus crisis and the Brazilian governments deliberate torpedoing of social distancing efforts has condemned South Americas largest country to a historic tragedy that will most punish the poor, Brazils most respected medical voice has said.

As Brazils death toll surpassed that of Italy, Drauzio Varella told the Guardian that historians would be unkind to President Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing international condemnation for his handling of the pandemic.

I think history will ascribe to him a level of guilt that I really wouldnt want for myself, said Varella, an oncologist, author and broadcaster who is a household name thanks to decades of public health activism.

Related: Brazil overtakes Italy as country with third-highest coronavirus deaths

Only two countries, the US and the UK, have lost more lives, and Brazil seems poised to overtake the latter. Brazil has confirmed 615,000 cases, second only to the US.

Because in Brazil we are already the third country in the world in terms of deaths, we will soon become the second, and we are going to come close to the level of mortality in the US, which has 330 million citizens  thats 60% larger than Brazils population, predicted Varella.

The situation couldnt be worse. It just couldnt.

He added: Ive the feeling our country is living through a tragedy  and that this tragedy is going to be so much more severe for the poorest, who often lived in cramped, precarious conditions and had no choice but to go out to work and use packed public transport.

Related: Lockdowns leave poor Latin Americans with impossible choice: stay home or feed families

Brazil has officially suffered 34,021 Covid-19 deaths since confirming its first fatality in mid-March and on Thursday registered a daily record of 1,473 fatalities.

That means that a Brazilian is now dying to Covid-19 every minute, the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper noted on Fridays front page.

Varella, 77, who is widely revered for his work in Brazils overcrowded prisons, said a tragedy of this scale could have been avoided had Bolsonaros administration reacted differently to an epidemic that reached South America after many other parts of the world.

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Drauzio Varella. Photograph: J Vespa/WireImage

Our country had the time to prepare for the epidemic and didnt prepare  and, when the epidemic did arrive, although some measures that could have had an impact in terms of isolation were adopted  this was torpedoed by the federal government.

Varella said warring politicians had given Brazils 210 million citizens conflicting signals  with governors and mayors promoting the need for isolation, and the federal government calling this an outrage that would destroy the economy and cause more people to die of hunger than from the disease.

This is a ridiculous vision, Varella added. And this has created a very difficult outlook for the country  we are now reaping the results of this policy of antagonism, of the politicization of the epidemic  which is the worst situation possible.

Varella said Bolsonaro  who has repeatedly flouted health ministry recommendations by visiting shops and attending protests and even a barbecue  shouldered particular responsibility for the confusion.

Its not that we have an ideological debate. No. The president has simply been going out on to the streets every weekend to draw crowds, without a mask, and challenging the need for isolation. This has virtually become government policy, he said.

Political instability had also played a role in the botched response, which contrasts with Brazils agile and inventive reaction to past health crises such as the 2015 Zika epidemic and HIV in the 90s.

We have lost two health ministers during this crisis and we now have an interim minister. This hasnt happened anywhere else in the world.

Varella, who has spent recent years hunting for medicines of the future in remote corners of the Amazon, praised Brazils SUS public health service, which was partly inspired by Britains NHS, for preventing an even greater catastrophe.

Related: Bolsonaro's anti-science response to coronavirus appals Brazil's governors

Bolsonaro, a far-right populist who models himself on Donald Trump, has defended his opposition to quarantine measures by claiming he is defending the livelihoods of Brazilian workers.

We cant go on like this. Nobody can take it any more, Bolsonaro said on Thursday as he again questioned shutdowns imposed by governors and mayors.

The collateral impact will be far greater than those people who unfortunately lost their lives because of these last three months here, Bolsonaro claimed.

Varella said that view that was mistaken  and warned moves to reopen the economy risked further aggravating a very profound crisis.

The truth is were relaxing [the quarantine] at a point when the number of cases is in full ascent  without any security.

We will pay the price for what is happening now  having more people in the streets, the crowds. In two or three weeks the number of cases will rise. Theres no magic to it. Theres no solution or something that means Brazil will be different, he warned.
(Newser)  The Italian governments point person on combating the COVID-19 pandemic says so far not enough Italians have downloaded an app to help health authorities trace contacts with persons testing positive for the virus. Domenico Arcuri said in an interview with Italian state TV on Sunday that 2 million people in Italy have downloaded Immuni, the app that uses Bluetooth technology to signal when someone comes in close contact with an infected person. That number is "still too few," Arcuri said. He was referring to experts' advising that at least 60% of the nation's 60 million people would have to use the app, the AP reports, for contact-tracing to be effective.

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As Italy gradually emerges from lockdown, allowing travel to resume throughout the country for whatever reason, the health minister and scientific experts who advise him have urged citizens to use Immuni. Arcuri called the app "a very useful component for the strategy of the last weeks" to gradually reopen the country. The government says the app will safeguard privacy. Users wont be told who tests positive but instead will receive a notification urging them to be tested. Arcuri originally pledged the app would be up and running by the end of May. Later, authorities said it should be operating across the country before the end of June. (The global COVID-19 death toll crosses 400,000.)
James Daniels, 59, on his mail delivery route on May 15 in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Before the start of his shift, James Daniels taped the latest note of gratitude to workstation No. 31.

In the nearly 16 years he's delivered mail, the letter carrier has received hundreds of notes of appreciation. But over the last couple of months, as the world changed around him, so did their tone.

In April, a month after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered Californians to stay at home to slow the spread of COVID-19, a family along his San Clemente route wrote a note that began, Dearest Angel man James you are a blessing.

It included Psalm 91, a fitting hymn for this era, its words associated with times of hardship:

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.

James Daniels holds a note given to him by a resident on his route in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

There may be no institution more American than the United States Postal Service, which traces its roots to 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was named the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress. And yet today, in 2020, its finances are imperiled, its workers are menaced by the dreaded coronavirus and its status has been threatened by the 45th president, who in April declared, "The Postal Service is a joke."

Customers have asked Daniels if the USPS is shutting down. One woman wrote a supportive I <3 USPS on her mailbox. But Daniels tells them what he tells himself: Well be all right.

He tries not to worry about top officials who are calling the shots.

You cant think about them up there, the 59-year-old said. Youve got to focus on the people."

::

Packages and letters get ready for delivery at a processing and distribution center in City of Industry. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Kathleen Garcia handles mail at the City of Industry processing and distribution center. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Our postal system is older than the nation itself.

And, just like the U.S., it's had its ups and downs.

In the early 1920s, so many bandits were targeting mail trains that railway mail clerks were armed with government-issued pistols and ordered to shoot to kill. In the 1980s and 90s, after a spate of homicides committed by Postal Service workers, "going postal" became shorthand for becoming uncontrollably angry, sometimes to the point of violence.

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Those infamous dog attacks regularly referenced in movies and on TV? Packing a can of dog repellent is standard operating procedure.

So when the pandemic hit, it became another in a long line of challenges. As they did during the 2001 anthrax attacks, postal employees put on protective gear and kept on working.

But in recent weeks it's become increasingly difficult to ignore the uncertainty surrounding the agency.

The USPS is projecting a $13-billion revenue loss tied to the pandemic and an additional $54 billion in losses over 10 years, Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan told lawmakers in April. At the same time, it has a longer-term burden: a mandate imposed by Congress in 2006 that it pre-fund the retirement benefits of its 630,000 employees, a requirement not imposed on other federal agencies.

The Trump administration has blocked access to a $10-billion line of credit made available in the recently enacted federal stimulus packages. But last month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Postal Preservation Act, which would make an emergency appropriation of $25 billion and require oversight of the funding by the Postal Service inspector general.

A postal worker sorts mail at a post office in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said the agency finds itself on a precipice.

The post office belongs to everybody," he said. "If theres not genuine relief  then the whole question of whether the post office as a public entity can continue to serve the people on an equal basis is going to be up for grabs probably by early fall."

Not if James Daniels can help it.

::

On a recent Friday morning, Daniels observed a series of pre-delivery rituals. He reached down and gripped his knees below his cotton shorts, stretching near a fleet of blue-and-white Postal Service trucks. There are about 800 addresses on his route, one of the longest in the office. He didn't want to pull a muscle.

At 10 minutes after 9 a.m., he wheeled out an orange hamper loaded with packages  from Target and Staples, from Macy's and Ulta Beauty and Amazon Prime  that clerks began sorting hours before the sun rose. They were destined for his truck, where Daniels arranged them by street, before heading back to his workstation to sort the mail. He wore his black reading glasses as he rapidly scanned the letters.

Memory is key in this job. For his USPS entry test, Daniels had to look at 100 addresses and, on the next page, identify the ones he remembered (he recalled getting 80). Over time, regular carriers like Daniels can deliver just by reading the name.

James Daniels loads mail into his truck. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Daniels' voice radiated warmth as he joked with his co-workers. His fellow letter carriers call him "funny man" and "King James."

"Appreciate you guys," Daniels called out to the clerks, as he grabbed a bag filled with small parcels.

With more people sheltering at home and ordering items to be delivered, the post office is now handling more packages than around Christmastime  the peak season, which typically lasts for only four weeks. Letter carriers are delivering gifts and cards for virtual birthday parties, food and flowers, toilet paper and bleach, as well as countless tokens of love and friendship sent by parents and children and friends who can't be there in person.

When Doug Reid, a clerk who arrived at 3:15 a.m. to begin sorting mail, shouted that the last batch of parcels was ready, a cheer rang out among the workers.

James Daniels loads mail. The Postal Service is projecting a $13-billion revenue loss tied to the coronavirus pandemic and an additional $54 billion in losses over 10 years. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Shortly before 11 a.m., Daniels was ready to start his route. He wore the red, white and blue mask a customer had given him for protection.

Before he left the parking lot, he read the Scripture that rested above the sun visor of his truck: Psalm 91.

::

Walking the hilly streets of his route, Daniels was a vision in blue: hat, shorts, long-sleeve shirt and gloves.

James Daniels watches for traffic in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Residents and business owners greeted him by name. A physical therapy office left him a note with three Kind bars: "We appreciate your joy-filled spirit that walks in here every day."

The changes in the city were noticeable. Closed offices. Restaurants boasting takeout and delivery. Customers telling Daniels over and over to "be safe."



I havent seen you in forever, Daniels said to one woman.

"I cant spend any more time with those teenage kids at my house," she replied. "Im coming back to work."

I dont blame you, Daniels said, with a laugh. After raising three kids, he understood.

He greeted his people by name. In 16 years, he's seen young men and women he knew as children head off to college, he's been introduced to significant others and he has grieved for longtime customers who died.

Daniels emulates the letter carrier who  decades ago  inspired him to pursue this career. The postal worker joked around with his grandmother nearly every day on her porch in Flint, Mich.

Daniels' grandmother trusted the mailman completely, clipping her outgoing mail to the box with a raggedy clothespin. When she quizzed him the next day, he'd name everything he picked up.

James Daniels is greeted by resident Katie Price as he walks his route. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

"This guy was just like the coolest dude ever to me," Daniels said.

Although he joined the military at 17, and ultimately spent 26 years in the Army, Daniels never forgot that letter carrier or the importance of the profession.

There are more than 31,000 post offices and 630,000 postal employees across the country. On a typical day, they process and deliver 471 million pieces of mail to nearly 160 million delivery points, according to the agency. A recent Pew Research Center survey showed that 91% of respondents have a favorable view of the USPS.

The Postal Service has long served as an entry point into the middle class for African Americans; around a quarter of the agency's workers are black, according to the Pew Research Center. And, as of 2018, the agency employed more than 100,000 military veterans, according to Pew.

"The man upstairs blessed me with this job, so Im going to go out there and do the best I can," Daniels said. Im going to keep doing it until the candle burns out."

Daniels knows how important the Postal Service is, especially at a time like this.

So do his customers.

::

Gigi Aguilar, left, waits for checks delivered by James Daniels in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

When Daniels reached Avenida Serra around 1 p.m., residents were gathered in the street waiting for a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover honoring front-line COVID-19 responders and essential workers.

"All you've got to do is look up," Traycee Taylor Greene told Daniels. She's lived on the street for 30 years, and every Christmas she gives baked goods to Daniels.

Daniels receives so many treats that time of year that he's had to turn people down or put the sweets in the post office break room for everyone to share.

Because of the virus, Taylor Greene said, she planned to put together another package for him.

Across the street, as Daniels dropped off the mail, Todd McMeill reminded him about the jets.

The longtime resident likened Daniels to Mr. McFeely, the energetic deliveryman on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," who was known for his catchphrase, "Speedy delivery!" Daniels' normal stride, McMeill said, "is about 18 miles per hour."

McMeill, who once worked for the post office, calls Daniels the "No. 1 ` mailman."

Ive been in the industry, and they dont get any better than that guy, he said, describing letter carriers as "unsung heroes."

McMeill joined Taylor Greene in the middle of the street, making sure to stay physically distanced. Both of them stared up at the cloudless sky, waiting for the Thunderbirds to make their appearance.

Id be happy with a rogue balloon flying by, McMeill said. "Give me something."

Something in our lives! Taylor Greene shouted at the heavens. Help us!"

Daniels kept his eyes trained on his route, ducking into apartment complexes and behind fences. As he walked, his postal shoes shining from his morning polish, he sang Dean Martin's "Tiny Bubbles."

There was a Band-Aid on his right leg, applied after he'd been pricked by some rose bushes while delivering mail. Other times, he's had to bandage cuts on his knuckles from ragged mailboxes.

Back at his truck, Daniels wiped down his hand brake, steering wheel and blinkers with disinfectant wipes given to him by a customer.

He kept a laminated handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the back of his truck as a reminder to be careful. More than 1,000 postal workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 61 have died. Before Daniels moved on to his next stop, he changed his gloves for a third time.

After all, he observed, the two dirtiest things in the world are "mail and money."

Daniels, focused on his deliveries, never heard the jets.

::

James Daniels takes a break after a grueling walk in hot sun delivering mail. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

James Daniels greets a resident while taking a lunch break. (Irfan Khan/ Los Angeles Times)

Hours into the day, Daniels pulled down his mask to take a breath.

After walking up steep inclines under a relentless sun, the mask was getting to him. But it was nothing, he reasoned, compared to his time in the Army, when he ran in 100-degree weather wearing an M17 gas mask.

"He knew I was going to do this," Daniels said, pointing up at the sky. "So he got me ready for it."

Daniels falls back on his faith often, especially when conversation turns to the challenges facing the Postal Service. He avoids reading about the issues, but at times his customers will ask him if his employer is going to survive.

If we didnt do this every day, thered be a whole bunch of chaos in the world going on, Daniels said. I look at people up above that dont have a clue, that aint down here doing nothing  they can make all the comments they want to make, but guess what? I just let them keep talking. Ill keep taking care of my people.

"Youve got somebody waiting on their check, somebody waiting on their medicine, somebody waiting on a birthday gift," he said. "These are people's lives you're putting in their mailbox."

Daniels, who thanks God every morning when his feet hit the floor, has faith that a higher power will make everything right.

The Scripture he'd written in his journal that morning was a comfort:

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."

::

Route 31 is Daniels' town, and he's the sheriff.

Over the years, he's seen it all. A boa constrictor coming down the steps of a home on Avenida Miramar (that house didn't get mail that day); a bee swarm that sent him fleeing to his mail truck; and three dog attacks in one day.

"You've just got to be aware of what's out here," he said.

By 5:16 p.m., Daniels estimated he'd made close to 700 deliveries. He drew energy from the half bag of peanuts he'd eaten for lunch. But after nearly two decades, his body had conditioned itself to his routine.

Someone once asked him how far he walked every day.

"I don't want to know that," Daniels said, with a laugh.

As he hit his final homes, Daniels greeted a circle of five people sitting in their driveway along Marquita. It was happy hour, they joked.

He pointed out their dog, his favorite on the route.

"Is there a paycheck in there?" a resident called out to Daniels, as he dropped mail in their box. "All right!"

"You guys have a good evening," the letter carrier responded.

"Have a great weekend," one of the men called out to Daniels, who wouldn't be off for another five days.

Daniels cracked a smile. Gave them a wave.

"See you tomorrow," he said.
LONDON  Thousands of people took to the streets of European cities Sunday to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, with protesters in the English port of Bristol venting their anger at the countrys colonial history by toppling a statue of a 17th-century slave trader.

Demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down to cheers and roars of approval from the crowd.

Images on social media show protesters appearing to kneel on the statues neck, recalling the death of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25 that has sparked worldwide protests against racism and police violence.

Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air while lying handcuffed on the ground. The statue met with a watery end as it was eventually rolled into the citys harbor.

It wasnt the only statute targeted on Sunday. In Brussels, protesters clambered onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted reparations, according to video posted on social media. The word shame was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.

Protesters also defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in central London, crossing out his last name and spray painting was a racist underneath. They also taped a Black Lives Matter sign around its mid-section.

The days demonstration in London had begun around the U.S. Embassy, where thousands congregated  most it seemed wearing masks against the coronavirus  to protest Floyds brutal death and to shine a light on racial inequalities at home.

Everyone knows that this represents more than just George Floyd, more than just America, but racism all around the world, said Darcy Bourne, a London-based student.

The protests were mainly peaceful but for the second day running there were some scuffles near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Objects were thrown at police. Police have sent reinforcements and calm appears to have been restored.

Protesters also threw objects at police down the road outside the gates of Parliament, where officers without riot gear formed a line. They were reinforced by riot police who quickly ran toward the scene.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said violence was simply not acceptable and urged those protesting to do so lawfully while also maintaining social distancing by remaining two meters (6.5 feet) apart. But most demonstrators didnt heed that call, particularly in front of the U.S. Embassy.

Police said 14 officers were injured Saturday during clashes with protesters in central London that followed a largely peaceful demonstration that had been attended by tens of thousands.

Hundreds of people also formed a densely packed crowd Sunday in a square in central Manchester, kneeling in silence as a mark of respect for George Floyd.

In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the U.S. Consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Its a global issue, said Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong. We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the U.S. and in the other parts of the world, black lives do indeed matter.

Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in downtown Rio de Janeiro to protest against racism and police killings of black people on Sunday. The protesters werent just joining protests against Floyds death in the U.S., but also denouncing the killing of black people in Rios favelas.

The most recent case was Joao Pedro Pinto, 14, who was inside his house on May 18 in Sao Goncalo, a city in Rios metropolitan area, when police chasing alleged drug traffickers shot into the house. The protesters on Sunday carried banners reading Black mothers cant stand crying anymore, and shouted slogans against police and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

Several dozen demonstrators took part in a Black Lives Matter protest held in Tel Avivs central Rabin Square. Many wore blue surgical masks but did not observe social distance guidelines.

A rally in Romes sprawling Peoples Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks. Among those present was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying for a masters in business management at one of the Italian capitals public universities.

Its quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of color are being treated as if they are lepers, Nassir said. He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes, most notably when riding the subway.

Maybe youre finding a place to stand, and people just keep moving (away) and youll be, like, What?' Nassir said: Were strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit.

At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.

In Italys financial capital, Milan, a few thousand protesters gathered in a square outside the central train station Sunday afternoon. Many in the crowd were migrants or children of migrants of African origin.

In Spain, several thousand protesters gathered on the streets of Barcelona and at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid.

Many in Madrid carried homemade signs reading Black Lives Matter, Human rights for all and Silence is pro-racist.

We are not only doing this for our brother George Floyd, said Thimbo Samb, a spokesman for the group that organized the events in Spain mainly through social media. Here in Europe, in Spain, where we live, we work, we sleep and pay taxes, we also suffer racism.

___

Frank Jordans reported from Berlin and John Leicester from Le Pecq, France. Frances DEmilio in Rome, Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain; Katie Tam in Hong Kong; Frank Griffiths in London; and Daniel Cole in Marseille, France, contributed to this report.

___

Follow all AP stories about global anti-racism protests and government reactions at https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd
Joseph R. Biden Jr. will travel on Monday to Houston to meet with the family of George Floyd, a black man whose death at the hands of the police touched off a nationwide outcry over racism and police brutality.

Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, will offer his condolences to members of the Floyd family and will also record a video message for Mr. Floyds funeral service on Tuesday, according to a Biden aide. Mr. Biden is not expected to attend the service  given his Secret Service protection, there were concerns about creating a disruption  but he wanted to offer in-person condolences, according to people familiar with the matter.

His trip to Texas  his first major trip outside his home state of Delaware and nearby Philadelphia in close to three months  follows a succession of speeches, round tables, online gatherings and a visit to the site of demonstrations by Mr. Biden to discuss police violence and systemic racism. The former vice president has spoken out passionately about the need to heal racial divisions in the country, and he has advocated a number of new police reforms.

Mr. Biden has also been sharply critical of President Trump, seeking to highlight stark contrasts with his opponent in the November election over issues of race, leadership and character at a moment of extraordinary national unrest.
By Jun. 06, 2020

PADUCAH - The Show Must Go OnLINE ia a virtual musical theatre summer workshop with two sessions planned for grades three through eight. Don't miss the opportunity to perform this summer.MHT staff is having not one, but two sessions of this virtual musical theatre workshop where students will rehearse and perform, The Show Must Go OnLine is a fun new musical comedy where students come up with a creative way to save their school musical from being cancelled. Workshoppers will have creative freedom in their parts and will do most of their creative work offline and then come together in rehearsal to collaborate.In addition, each student will receive one-on-one time with instructor April Cochran. This workshop for grades three through eight begins June 17 and meets once a week until July 16.Register online at: https://markethousetheatre.org/summerworkshops or give them a call at 270-444-6828 to register over the phone.

On the Net:
US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Saturday (local time) hit out at China for callous exploitation of George Floyds death saying that this laughable propaganda cant fool anyone.

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 colours yet again. As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the Partys lust for power. This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone, Pompeo said in a statement.

Pompeo said that contrast between the US and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could not be more stark.

In China, when a church burns, the attack was almost certainly directed by the CCP. In America, when a church burns, the arsonists are punished by the government, and it is the government that brings fire trucks, water, aid, and comfort to the faithful, said Pompeo.

US and China have been at loggerheads with each other on a range of issues in recent times including the coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong.

The US Secretary of State said: 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. In the United States, law enforcement - both state and federal - brings 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.

In China, when doctors and journalists warn of the dangers of a new disease, the CCP silences and disappears them, and lies about death totals and the extent of the outbreak. In the United States, we value life and build transparent systems to treat, cure, and underwrite - more than any other nation - pandemic solutions for the globe, he added.

Pompeo said Beijing in recent days has showcased its continuing contempt for the truth and scorn for law.

The remarks come as Chinese officials have seized on the US protests as a way of hitting back at Washington for supporting pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2019, reported The Hill.

The CCPs propaganda efforts - seeking to conflate the United States actions in the wake of the death of George Floyd with the CCPs continued denial of basic human rights and freedom - should be seen for the fraud that they are. During the best of times, the PRC ruthlessly imposes communism. Amid the most difficult challenges, the United States secures freedom, said US Secretary of State.

The death of Floyd on May 25 has sparked a worldwide movement against police brutality, racism and social injustice, as a video showing a white police officer, kneeling on Floyds neck after the latter had been arrested was widely circulated online on the next day.
You are here: China

Millions of Chinese medical workers grappled with the COVID-19 epidemic at the front line across the country, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

Showing professional devotion and a deep respect for life, the medical workers risked their own lives, racing against time and working around the clock to try to save every patient, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."
Debris is strewn on the ground Sunday, June 7, 2020, at Lake Margaret Village Apartments following a tornado that struck late Saturday, in Orlando, Fla. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Rain pounded the U.S. Gulf Coast on Sunday ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Cristobal, which has already spawned a tornado in Florida and threatened more twisters along with high winds and storm surge.

Roads flooded in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, and thousands were without power even before the the storm made landfall. It was expected to arrive on U.S. soil late Sunday, though it was not expected to grow into a hurricane.

Forecasters warned the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles (290 kilometers) east into Florida. But they forecast the worst impacts in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, where some spots could get up to 12 inches of rain and storm surges of several feet. Tornadoes were also a danger.

"It's very efficient, very tropical rainfall," National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. "It rains a whole bunch real quick."

On evacuated Grand Isle in Louisiana, a highway was underwater and much of the island wasn't passable, Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet told The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

Templet plans to stay on the island during the storm and said he hasn't seen water levels this high since a 2012 hurricane.

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans said the city's drainage system had limits and was old, so residents should avoid underpasses and low-lying areas where water can pool during inevitable street flooding.

Debris is strewn in front of Lake Margaret Village Apartments Sunday, June 7, 2020, following a tornado that struck late Saturday, in Orlando, Fla. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

In Biloxi, Mississippi, a pier was almost submerged by Sunday morning. Squalls with tropical-force winds had reached the mouth of the Mississippi River and conditions were expected to deteriorate, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Cristobal's maximum sustained winds remained at 50 mph (85 kph), and it was moving north at 12 mph (19 kph).

But the storm already made its presence felt Saturday evening with a tornado that touched down near downtown Orlando, the National Weather Service said. The twister just missed a group of protesters at Lake Eola at around 7:30 p.m. There appeared to be no injuries, but tree limbs were knocked down, and there were reports of power outages.

"Yes, it is related to the tropical storm that is well to our west," said Scott Kelly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida. "But the tropical storm provided a lot of low level shear and that has allowed for some tornadoes to form over Central Florida."

Recreational trailers and boats are parked along LA-46 inside the levee gates in anticipation of Tropical Storm Cristobal in St. Bernard Parish, La., Saturday, June 6, 2020. A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal advanced toward the U.S. Gulf Coast early Saturday, bringing with it the heavy rains that already caused flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Central America. (Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate)

A tropical storm warning was posted for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border. Storm surge warnings and watches were in effect in Louisiana and Mississippi, with flooding up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) expected in some places.

Forecasters said the storm's center will move inland across Louisiana late Sunday through early Monday and then head north across Arkansas and Missouri on Monday afternoon and into Tuesday.

In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency to prepare for the storm's possible arrival.

"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," Edwards said in a statement released Thursday.

A damaged vehicle and debris sit in front of Lake Margaret Village Apartments Sunday, June 7, 2020, following a tornado that struck late Saturday, in Orlando, Fla. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

On Friday, he asked President Donald Trump to declare a pre-landfall emergency for the state due to the storm's threat.

"We are confident that there will be widespread, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding," Edwards said in a letter to the White House. "I anticipate the need for emergency protective measures, evacuations, and sheltering for the high-risk areas. The length of possible inundation is unknown and will likely require post-flood activities."

Jefferson Parish, a suburb of New Orleans, called for voluntary evacuations Saturday of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria because of the threat of storm surge, high tides and heavy rain. Residents were urged to move vehicles, boats and campers 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," Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.

Crews from the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East close the Bayou Road flood gate in St. Bernard Parish, La. Saturday, June 6, 2020, ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal. A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal advanced toward the U.S. Gulf Coast early Saturday, bringing with it the heavy rains that already caused flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Central America. (Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate)

Jhon Pico looks over the damage to his brother's apartment on Sunday, June 7, 2020, at Lake Margaret Village Apartments in Orlando, Fla., after a tornado swept through the area late Saturday evening, The roof was torn off the living room during the storm. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Jose Pico walks in the roofless living room of his damaged apartment on Sunday, June 7, 2020, at Lake Margaret Village Apartments in Orlando, Fla., after a tornado swept through the area late Saturday evening. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

A similar order was issued Saturday for several Plaquemines Parish communities, including Happy Jack, Grand Bayou, Myrtle Grove, Lake Hertiage, Harlem and Monsecour. The parish's president, Kirk Lepine, said the order was issued as a precaution.

"We need to ensure residents are protected as this storm draws near, so we are taking all the necessary precautions to be completely prepared," he said.

Explore further Tropical Storm Cristobal draws nearer to US Gulf Coast

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 22:44:45|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The government of India has chalked out a plan to provide livelihood to the migrant labourers who had returned to their homes under difficult circumstances amid COVID-19 outbreak, confirmed a centre government official.

The future of these migrant labourers continues to remain uncertain even as the country's economy is slowly reopening with minimal job opportunities in major cities where they found employment all these years.

Means of earning livelihood would be provided at their native places, under various central government schemes.

According to the official, as many as 116 districts have been identified in six states across the country where majority of the migrant labourers had returned during the lockdown, imposed by the centre government to fight COVID-19 outbreak.

Millions of migrant labourers had returned to their homes in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh after the lockdown was imposed on March 25.

In the initial days of the lockdown, with no transport facilities available, most migrant labourers chose to walk down long distances, in some cases up to 2000 km, to their homes.

These workers returned from major cities like Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, etc., as they faced uncertainty and joblessness with all manufacturing and economic activities coming to a grinding halt amid the lockdown.

A complete roadmap is learnt to have been prepared for the rehabilitation and employment of these millions of migrant workers who returned to their states and villages during the lockdown.

Social welfare and direct benefit schemes of the central government will be run in these 116 districts. The objective is to ensure the benefit of livelihood, employment, skill development and poor welfare facilities for the returned migrants, confirmed the official.

These districts will work in mission mode under other central government schemes, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), Skill India, Jan Dhan Yojana (Public Money Scheme), Kisan Kalyan Yojana (Farmers Welfare Scheme), Food Security Scheme, Prime Minister Awas Yojana (Prime Minister Housing Scheme).

The federal ministries have also been asked to prepare proposals for the schemes keeping these districts in mind in two weeks and send them to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
The Latin name for brook trout -- Salvelinus fontinalis -- means "speckled fish of the fountains," but a new study by Penn State researchers suggests, for the first time, that the larger streams and rivers those fountains, or headwaters, flow into may be just as important to the brook trout.

With few exceptions, brook trout are found now only in small mountain streams that stay cold enough year-round to meet their biological needs, below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Because these trout in the United States are threatened by a warming climate, many have assumed those headwater habitats alone are critical for their survival.

But a genetic analysis of brook trout in streams across the 460-square-mile Loyalsock Creek drainage in north-central Pennsylvania shows that the fish are very similar genetically, suggesting close relatedness among populations. The only way that could have happened, according to researcher Shannon White, postdoctoral scholar in the College of Agricultural Sciences, is fish moving between tributaries in the 86-mile-long Loyalsock Creek.

Temperatures in Loyalsock Creek exceed brook trout thermal tolerance from approximately June through September, White pointed out, so fish are believed to inhabit only the bigger river system during the winter. Although the behavior and survival of brook trout in Loyalsock Creek are not well understood, researchers hypothesize that some brook trout move into the mainstem after spawning in a tributary in October or November and stay until late spring, when some swim up new tributaries.

"It's pretty simple -- if widespread populations are related genetically, it indicates that fish are moving around between those populations," she said. "There's a high degree of genetic connectivity between populations separated by the mainstem, and that indicates that brook trout are swimming into Loyalsock Creek and using it as a movement corridor to connect populations in other tributaries."

Understanding patterns of population connectivity is critical for species conservation, White added, because populations that are more connected typically are able to survive and adapt to disturbance and stress.

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To build what White called "a family tree" of brook trout in the Loyalsock drainage, researchers collected 1,627 adult brook trout from 33 sites, with an average of 49 individuals collected from each site. They clipped the caudal fins of those fish and conducted genetic analysis on those tissue samples.

To estimate statistically how unique habitat features, such as road culverts and waterfalls found in streams, influence the movement of wild brook trout, researchers developed what they call the "bidirectional geneflow in riverscapes" model as part of a practical framework that uses genetic data to understand patterns and drivers of fish movement.

The novel modeling approach is significant, explained researcher Tyler Wagner, adjunct professor of fisheries ecology, because it shows that brook trout -- at least in the Loyalsock Creek watershed -- are not confined just to the headwaters. They are using the mainstem as a seasonal, thermally suitable corridor for movement.

There is no reason to expect that the Loyalsock drainage is different from others in the East, Wagner contends, so these results likely have implications for the conservation and management of wild brook trout. Specifically, these results suggest that conservation of larger streams and rivers may be necessary to protect and conserve critical brook-trout movement corridors that keep brook trout populations healthy.

"Some of the most fundamental questions in ecology relate to how organisms move through their environment," said Wagner, who is assistant leader of the U.S. Geological Survey's Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State. "These questions historically have been hard to address in fishes because it can be difficult statistically to estimate how unique habitat features found in streams and rivers influence movement. To address this void, we developed the riverscapes geneflow model."

The findings of the Penn State study, recently published in Ecological Applications, contrast with other research related to brook trout behavior, White conceded. The consensus has been that trout do not move very far, she said. "But Loyalsock Creek is a fairly big watershed, and we have found that fish are moving quite a bit, and populations on opposite ends of the watershed are connected to one another genetically."

However, White, who conducted a wide range of research on the brook trout population in the Loyalsock drainage while pursuing her doctoral degree in ecology at Penn State, noted that only a small proportion of the fish travel -- and it is not just the young males that branch out. This is different from most wildlife species.

"In a separate study we used telemetry to monitor the movement of 162 fish and found that there is a small proportion of the population that moves," she said. "It's only about 20% of fish that get into Loyalsock Creek. In terms of males, females, and the size of fish that are moving, it doesn't really seem to make a difference. This would suggest that there may be a genetic component to movement, in the sense that some fish have genes that are programmed to make them travel."
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council has called for intensified stakeholder consultations to ensure a smooth election on December 7.

The Electoral Commission (EC) in its resolve to compile a new voters' register ahead of this year's elections has seen opposition from the largest opposition, NDC, as well as some civil society organizations.

Addressing the media after a donation of medical supplies and veronica buckets to the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council by government, the First Vice Chairman of the Council, Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah called for deliberations between the EC and stakeholders for a peaceful election.

On this volatile issue of the voter registration, we are asking everybody to jaw-jaw other than fist-fist. This is not about fights but rather about democracy. Lets debate, lets debate and have consensus and agreements somewhere along the line so that we do what its needful for all of us. As we approach the December polls, we are asking every Ghanaian to be civically responsible, go about the campaign and elections with dignity and respect for one another.

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.

---citinewsroom
The black boxes of a Ukrainian plane mistakenly downed near Tehran airport will be of "no help" in any investigation, but Iran is ready to transfer them abroad, state media said Saturday.

Flight 752, an Ukraine International Airlines jetliner, was struck by a missile and crashed shortly after taking off from the Tehran airport on January 8.

"Even though the investigation is nearly complete and the contents of the boxes will be of no help for the investigation, we are ready to give them to a third country or to a (foreign) company", Mohsen Baharvand, deputy foreign affairs minister, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Iranian civilian authorities insisted it was likely caused by a technical malfunction, vehemently denying claims the plane was shot down.

But in the early hours of January 11, the Iranian military admitted that the plane was shot down due to "human error," killing 176 people, mainly Iranians and Canadians, including many dual nationals.

Ottawa has demanded for several months that Iran, which does not have the technical means to decode the black boxes, send the items abroad so that their content can be analysed.

After Tehran said in March it was ready to transfer the black boxes to France or Ukraine, Canada's foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne guardedly welcomed a "step in the right direction", while noting that he would judge Iranian authorities on "their actions and not just their words".

In his interview with IRNA, Baharvand implied that Iran had certain conditions for transferring the black boxes abroad, but did not elaborate.

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Bruce Lees legend far exceeds his filmography. Due to his untimely death at the age of 32, he only starred in five movies, and one of them is unfinished. Fortunately, all of Lees movies are streaming somewhere. Heres where you can find each martial arts classic for an action movie binge.

Bruce Lees first movie The Big Boss on Cinemax, DirecTV and Flix

After playing sidekick to The Green Hornet on American Television and a few other supporting roles as henchmen, Lee went to Hong Kong to star in a movie. The Big Boss was his first vehicle and showed audiences he could carry a movie. He played an ice factory worker who just couldnt ignore the corruption when he saw his coworkers disappear, but this was only the beginning of what he could do.

L-R: Ying-Chieh Han and Bruce Lee | Golden Harvest Company/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

RELATED: Why Bruce Lee Was Forced to Pursue His Legendary Acting Career Outside of Hollywood

Fist of Fury on Amazon Prime and Cinemax

Lees second movie follows the traditional you killed my master, I will kill you formula. It also deals with Japanese occupation of China and racism towards the Chinese. Lee took the fighting up a level facing off an entire dojo full of opponents, and brandishing his famous nunchucks against them.

Bruce Lee (right) | Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images

Bruce Lee directed Way of the Dragon on Cinemax and DirecTV

Lee made his directorial debut with this film that included more of his philosophy on martial arts. Tang Lung (Lee) visits his family in Italy and defends their restaurant against gangsters. He truly uses martial arts in self-defense, climaxing in a one on one against Chuck Norris.

Bruce Lee | Concord Productions Inc./Golden Harvest Company/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

RELATED: ESPNs Bruce Lee Doc Be Water Has a New Perspective on the Martial Arts Legend

Bruce Lees Hollywood movie Enter the Dragon on HBO Max

The success of Lees Hong Kong movies convinced Warner Bros. to cast him in their Hollywood production. This is Lees only English language movie, and its a full on spy adventure as he infiltrates the underground martial arts tournament of a crime lord.

L-R: Kien Shih and Bruce Lee | Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Theres still room for plenty of fights. Look for young Jackie Chan as an extra when Lee is fighting off a gang of henchmen in the caves.

The posthumous movie Game of Death on Cinemax and DirecTV

Lee was directing his second film when he suddenly died of a brain edema. His vision for Game of Death was a tower with increasingly formidable opponents as he ascended.

Bruce Lee | Concord Productions Inc./Golden Harvest Company/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

RELATED: After Bruce Lee: Who is Todays Martial Arts Movie Star?

Unfortunately, he never completed the film, and producers only used a few minutes of his footage in the climax of this movie. The rest was a double, not so carefully disguised.

Bruce Lee: A Warriors Journey on Amazon Prime

You can see the real Game of Death in this documentary though. John Little reassembled all the footage Lee shot for Game of Death and presented it uncut in his documentary Bruce Lee: A Warriors Journey.

L-R: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bruce Lee | Concord Productions Inc./Golden Harvest Company/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Its not a finished film, but its a whole lot more of Lee in action. Even his fight with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is longer.
A new study has looked into how various Covid-19 scenarios would have played out on the New Zealand economy. Even if the virus had been contained in China we would have taken a financial hit.

New Zealand has now gone 15 days without a new confirmed Covid-19 case.



The combined total of confirmed and probable cases remains at 1504. The number of recovered cases is unchanged at 1481.

The one remaining active case is a person in their 50s, in Auckland.

Each day brings more stories of families with members stuck overseas, unable to get through New Zealands closed borders.

A Government official says that a film crew from LA, allowed past New Zealands closed borders, could not have possibly come into contact with other guests at their Wellington accommodation.

A public health official has opined that airlines are playing down the risk of in-flight transmission of the virus. While Air NZ says it does not have to leave free seats on international flights it was leaving extra space where possible.

Cabinet will evaluate the coronavirus alert level at its meeting on Monday meaning its possible the country could move down to level 1 this week.

"Level 1 essentially means that we keep our border restrictions but life feels very, very normal otherwise," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has previously said.

Ardern has laid out 10 rules Kiwis are expected to adhere to under the new level, including good hand hygiene and contact tracing.

Our borders will remain closed under the new level. But from this week, all new arrivals will be tested, a change to current policy, which sees people only tested if they have symptoms.

Global toll

The worldwide tally is now more than 6.8 million confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of those, more than 362,000 people have died around the world.

The US has more than 1.9 million cases, with more than 109,000 deaths.

What should I do?

The Governments guidelines for Alert Level 2 can be found here.

If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into your elbow and throw tissues away immediately.

Stuff
For some, the protests erupting in reaction to the deaths of George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet have been a distraction from the COVID-19 pandemic. But Black health leaders say these two crises are connected by the same deep-rooted ill: anti-Black racism.

Researchers, advocates and racialized communities have long recognized racism as being harmful to human health. But there are now calls from multiple groups to declare anti-Black racism a public health crisis  an effort they say has taken on fresh urgency in the face of COVID and police violence, both of which disproportionately impact Black communities.

Systemic anti-Black racism is a public health crisis in Canada, said Dr. Onye Nnorom, a public health specialist with the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and president of the Black Physicians Association of Ontario. We are at that point. We are dying and no one is paying attention, whether its due to police violence or health-care neglect.

We are beyond saying that we understand and we are on your side,  said Safia Ahmed, executive director of the Rexdale Community Health Centre. I think our communities are really asking for action.

Ahmed was a signatory on a statement this week from a coalition of Black health leaders that named anti-Black racism as a public health crisis and called on others to do the same. It was one of several such calls in Canada and the U.S. following the deaths of Floyd, a Minnesota man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, and Korchinski-Paquet, a Toronto woman who fell from her balcony during an encounter with police.

The group cited a 2018 Ontario Human Rights Commission study, which found that between 2013 and 2017, a Black person was nearly 20 times more likely than a white person to be fatally shot by police in Toronto. Black people are also vastly overrepresented in cases in which police used force against civilians.

In an interview, Ahmed pointed to recently released Toronto Public Health data showing that the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting racialized neighbourhoods in this city  though the province has yet to begin collecting race-based and socioeconomic data that could reveal the depths of these health inequities, a month after saying it would.

Start collecting this data, so we know exactly who is most impacted and we can better direct resources to help and support these communities, Ahmed said.

She called the collection of race-based data low-hanging fruit in the push to tackle systemic health inequities, and noted that other jurisdictions who do collect this data have found disturbing disparities. In the U.S., the COVID-19 death rate for Black Americans is 2.4 times as high as for white Americans, according to a recent report.

Both police violence and the pandemic have disproportionate impacts on Black communities because we have systematically under-resourced Black communities so that they can live healthy lives with adequate education, employment, housing, health care and fair, just and transparent policing, said Anthony Morgan, manager of the City of Torontos Confronting Anti-Black Racism unit.

The letter signed by Ahmed and a coalition of Black community health leaders  the Black Health Committee of the Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Black Health Alliance, and the Network for Advancement of Black Communities  urged concrete actions, including the declaration of anti-Black racism as a public health crisis, more accountability measures for addressing police violence, a strengthened anti-racism directorate, and provincial funding to support the health and well-being of Black communities.

In response to the Stars questions about whether Toronto Public Health would declare anti-Black racism a public health crisis, medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa said in a statement that the evidence is clear: anti-Black racism is a critical public health issue that impacts the physical and mental health of people of African descent.

From education to employment, housing to health care, there is no aspect of life that anti-Black racism leaves untouched. I acknowledge the profound anger, sadness, fear and exhaustion that many of our residents are experiencing on top of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, de Villa said, describing anti-Black racism as everyones problem. The responsibility is on non-Black people to be allies in creating a city where Black lives truly matter.

On Thursday, the Ford government announced a new advisory council for supporting youth from marginalized communities, as well as $1.5 million to address the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Black youth and families.

Earlier in the week, after stating Ontario didnt have the same systemic, deep roots of racism as in the United States, Premier Doug Ford course-corrected and acknowledged systemic racism in the province and in Canada but stopped short of declaring anti-Black racism a crisis. The Opposition NDP has urged the Ford government to declare it one.

When asked whether the province planned on doing so, a spokesperson for the health ministry did not answer the question but noted public health units are collecting race-based data on a voluntary basis, and said the province is actively looking at making it mandatory province-wide.

This is an important first step to understand the unique impacts race and income may have on public health outcomes, spokesperson Hayley Chazan said in an email.

For Camille Orridge, a longtime advocate for health equity and demographic data collection, that first step of collecting race data to better understand health outcomes is long overdue  and something she has been working towards for 15 years.

She said the provincial health ministry has been stubbornly resistant to collecting race-based data, fighting tooth and nail against doing so under the previous Liberal government. And now that the province is creating a new data platform  an effort led by former federal health minister Dr. Jane Philpott  Black health leaders who have been working on equity-related data were neither consulted nor given a seat at the table, she said.

COVID is showing that the provinces continued failure to collect race-based data is not benign, she said.

I think COVID is culling society, said Orridge, former CEO of the Toronto Central LHIN who is now a senior fellow at the Wellesley Institute.

And the people who are being culled  and I use that word deliberately  are the elderly, those who require communal living, those with mental health issues, kids with disabilities, and Black and Indigenous populations. And this culling has occurred from years of indecision that has set up the climate for this to happen.

In the early days of Ontarios epidemic, Black health leaders  including those now calling for a public health crisis declaration  warned their communities would be harder hit by COVID because of existing inequities.

Ontario is home to the largest proportion of Black people in Canada. Here too, as in the rest of Canada, race is a determinant of health, they wrote in an April 2 statement. COVID-19 does not flatten these disparities; it amplifies them.

For the province to now successfully defeat COVID-19, it must also address the anti-Black racism that created the social, economic and health conditions that place Black communities at higher risk of contracting  and dying from  this virus, said the Dalla Lana schools Nnorom.

And when people take to the streets to protest police violence and other racial injustices, this fight should be seen as intimately connected to the struggle to overcome a deadly pandemic that is also disproportionately hurting and killing Black people, advocates say.

I would encourage folks to hear the declaration Black Lives Matter as a declaration of anti-Black racism being a public health crisis, Morgan said.
Even the members of the royal family are no strangers to racism. In fact, a princess has been receiving death threats for being in a relationship with a black man.

In May 2019, Princess Martha Louise of Norway proved that love knows no color and race when she started dating the self-described shaman Durek Verrett.

Since she is fourth-in-line to the Norwegian throne, some people expect that she would date a royal, too. Despite receiving criticisms for seeing Verrett, the royal princess chose to stand by him and even penned a lengthy and heartfelt message about racism.

On Thursday, the 48-year-old Norwegian writer revealed that people started to change how they treat her ever since she publicized their relationship. Some people even threatened their lives by sending multiple death threats since she dated him.

"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," Princess Martha Louise began her post while sharing a black-and-white photo of her and Durek looking at each other.

She added that she has overlooked at what racism truly is as she took her rights for granted. From her comfortable royal life as a princess, everything changed in a snap due to racism.

Meanwhile, as a white person herself, she admitted that she still needs to grow and educate herself so she can really be an anti-racist.

"Racism is not just the obvious (which I thought it was), of the openly discrimination, mistreating and killing of black people which is easy and obvious to take a stand against. It is in the details (which I had no idea still existed)," she went on.

According to the royal princess, even Verrett's friends see him as a liar and fake with everything he does.

Most people also reportedly assumed that the shaman only wants to manipulate and exploit her financially. But as a loving girlfriend, Princess Martha defended him since she knows him better than anyone else.

"We have both received death threats for being together and have weekly been told that we shame our people and families for choosing each other," the princess ended her post before urging everyone to fight against racists.

The Princess' latest heartbreaking post comes days after George Floyd's death, the American-African citizen who was brutally killed by an ex-police officer who kneeled on his neck. The tragedy highlighted the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which has now reached international level as more and more people join the campaign to stop violence and systematic racism.

Meanwhile, while some people were too busy threatening Princess Martha Louise and Verrett, her Instagram followers were quick to shower them with love.

"Love conquers all!!! I'm exited for what your souls that have been united will do together as one to make a change for our planet earth and the humanity!! I'm honored to have both of you in my life. Love you, Martha and Durek," one follower wrote.

Another one commented, "I wish everyone had your grace and openness."
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is awaiting the governments directions on reopening educational institutes that were closed in March when the measures to curb the Covid-19 spread were introduced. JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar spoke to Amandeep Shukla about his plans for reopening the university, and issues like the post-Covid-19 life, the pandemic, online learning, digital divide, etc. Edited excerpts:

How has JNU coped with the Covid-19 pandemic?

The [Covid-19] lockdown was enforced strictly by sealing gates and restricting movement. JNU has been able to not only shield itself from any outside social contact but made the most of social distancing by getting digitally closer to the world. Academically, JNU showed its responsibility by holding online classes, organising over 100 webinars, and discussions. To help the nations fight against Covid-19, JNU made a substantial contribution to the PM CARES [the Prime Ministers Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations] Fund by voluntary deductions from salaries...

How would you respond to criticism of online education given the digital divide?

While a majority of our students are participating in online academic activities, we are aware that some may not have good connectivity to access lectures and participate in the online evaluation. For all such students, the university has decided to conduct lectures and evaluations when they return.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

When do you plan to reopen the university for regular teaching?

Our initial plan was to open the university from July 1. We planned to conduct special lectures and evaluations from July 1 to July 31 for all students, who could not be part of the online academic activities... However, the actual date of reopening will depend on how the Covid-19 situation evolves and if we are going to get any new guidelines.

Do you plan tie-ups with hospitals to tackle any emergency situations?

We have formed a Covid-19 task force, which issues guidelines from time to time. The campus community has been very cooperative. We have a good health centre and two ambulances are available 24/7.

What will change for JNU, which has a very lively campus?

Life is going to be different for all of us primarily to protect ourselves and also to ensure that a second wave of infections should not affect us. Particularly in common areas, we will be taking precautions to maintain safety and health. Our sanitary section, too, is actively involved in maintaining the hostels and other places.
Staying in a hotel, dining indoors at a restaurant, going to the gym, a museum, or a movie theater will be a little different under new rules in phase 2 of the states reopening plan.

On Sunday, Gov. Ned Lamont released documents detailing specific rules that eligible businesses falling under phase 2 must follow amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The second phase takes effect June 17.

Under rules published Sunday, restaurants will be allowed to serve patrons indoors but can only use half their total capacity  a restriction that applies to most of the businesses allowed to reopen in the second phase.

Restaurants will also be required to close any buffet or self-serve stations and space tables 6 feet from one another, or install Plexiglass or similar plastic barriers between dining booths. Menus will have to be either sterilized between uses or eateries will have to use board menus or disposables. Employees will be required to wear masks, and table servers will need to wear gloves. Customers will also be required to wear masks, except when eating.

We appreciate that we had a seat at the table to help put these guidelines together, said Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association.

Dolch said only around a quarter of the states roughly 8,500 eateries have been able to reopen with outdoor dining, and that more than half of the states restaurant workforce of 160,000 have been furloughed or laid off amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he hopes the new guidelines will help rebuild consumer confidence and get restaurants back on a path to recovery.

Sports and fitness facilities, including gyms and pools; and indoor recreation such as bowling alleys and movie theaters will also be allowed to reopen June 17.

Restrictions on gyms include disabling every other or every third locker to promote social distancing, requiring gym users to wipe down equipment after they use it, and adjusting equipment so athletes are 6 to 12 feet apart from one another.

Personal services, such as nail salons and tattoo parlors, will also be allowed to reopen June 17.

Those businesses will be required to install Plexiglass or similar partitions between customers and employees where possible. Chairs and workstations will need to be disinfected between uses. Nail salon tools such as cuticle pushers, nail clippers and callous removers will also need to be disinfected after each use, and single-use tattoo needles must be disposed of using a medical waste disposal service.

The remaining businesses that will be allowed to reopen June 17 include amusement parks; hotels; museums, zoos and aquariums; libraries and outdoor events.

Lamont said the decision to reopen during this phase rests with each individual business owner  they are not required to open if they do not choose, however, if they do they must follow the rules as prescribed.

The protocols were developed by Lamonts administration and the Department of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with legislators, and recommendations made by the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group, which consisted of medical experts and representatives of business and industry groups.
TDT | Manama

Works are progressing fast at Sar Intersection which includes the construction of a new twolane 800-metre bridge capable of handling 3,600 vehicles per hour. The project, funded by Saudi Fund for Development, has a total cost of 13,750,000 dinars.

This came as Minister of Works, Municipal Affairs, and Urban Planning, Essam Khalaf visited the project to site between Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Street and Sheikh Issa Bin Salman Street to review its progress. Director of Roads Projects and Maintenance Department, Syed Badralawi, was present.

The minister said the project, once completed, will allow traffic to move freely towards Sheikh Isa bin Salman Street without halting on Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Street thereby alleviating the congestion at both the streets.

Increased capacity also means increased safety, especially during peak hours, as it is capable of handling 45,000 vehicles per day, the minister said. The carrying capacity of the current ramp is 900 vehicles per hour (17,300 vehicles per day), while is currently handling 5,000 vehicles per hour or 96,000 vehicles per day, meaning the volume of traffic exceeds five times its absorptive capacity.

Explaining, the minister said the bridges construction also employs a new technology which depends on casting the upperparts and then assembling it. Around 28 per cent construction of the upper bridge is completed, with 100 pc completion in the foundation and nearly 82pc completion in bridge columns.

The minister added: The new technology also avoids the need to divert and disrupt the traffic flow. An Alliance of Al-Ghanem Contracting and Al-Fahd Contracting Company are the project contractors.
Joe Marinucci, 65, standing alone, decided early Saturday over coffee to go to his first protest in over 40 years. He did not tell his sleeping wife, who would have insisted he stay home for fear of the coronavirus. Instead, he texted he was at the White House and then shut off his phone.
The brutal police killing of yet another unarmed African-American man, Minneapolis George Floyd, preceded by the midnight police killing of EMT Breonna Taylor in her home in Louisville, and followed by the police killing of Louisville restaurant owner David McAtee, reinforce that Black Americans live a different reality than White Americans do.

It is not just the horrifying fact that African Americans are disproportionately the victims of police brutality. Medical research demonstrates that police killings of unarmed African Americans exacts a unique and lasting psychic toll on African Americans  beyond those directly affected by the killings. In a study published in the medical journal, The Lancet, researchers found that Black Americans exposed to police killings in their communities suffered adverse mental health effects, amounting to 55 million excess poor mental health days per year in the United States. Police killings are a serious, and avoidable, public health problem.

The spillover effect of police killings is also likely underestimated, as the researchers focused on the communities in which the killings occurred. With mainstream and social media, the effect of police killings extends far beyond that. Moreover, police killings are under-reported, thus not all were considered in the study.

The researchers found no spillover effect of these killings on White Americans, suggesting African Americans understand the killings in the context of structural racism that persists in America and impacts African Americans daily in a way that Whites do not experience.

Similar research has shown that aggressive policing, not even that rising to the level of killing, causes anxiety and trauma, particularly for young African Americans. One study, in the journal Pediatrics, reported that African-American children often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder from contact with the police. That contact can come in the form of racial profiling, arrest of a caregiver, or witnessing or suffering from police violence. Experts emphasize the need to document and monitor the effects of policing on African-American children to ensure they receive proper support.

While African Americans bear the brunt of these phenomena, they are caused by Whites. And it begins early. Studies have shown that at almost every age level, African-American boys and girls are routinely perceived as older and less innocent than they are, and than non-Black children.

These misperceptions, coupled with the negative experience children have with police, present serious implications for school policies. Schools can be places that aggravate, or mitigate, the deleterious mental health effects of structural racism. The presence of police officers in schools and punitive zero tolerance discipline policies have been shown to reinforce the trauma children experience outside school. Moreover, African-American children are disproportionately subjected to more and harsher discipline in school than non-Black children. This disproportionate punishment begins early, then follows children throughout their school career, contributing to the erroneous notion that African-American students behave badly. Harsher discipline is also more prevalent in more segregated schools. Disparities in discipline are linked to less academic and life success for African-American students.

Recent research from Princeton University found that racial disparities in school discipline are associated with county levels of racial bias. Thus, it is not only children who bring the trauma they experience outside school into their school experience. School staff bring the bias from their communities into their daily interaction with African-American students. Furthermore, if not properly identified as PTSD stemming from negative contact with the police, a childs behavior can be mislabeled as attentive deficit hyperactivity disorder or another ill-fitting diagnosis, resulting in that child not receiving appropriate services.

African-American education advocates have for decades stressed the need for culturally relevant curricula, African-American teachers, bias training for White staff, and restorative justice practices, to combat the effects of racism. The recent medical and social science research supports their claims. Advocates have also clamored for integrated and well-resourced public schools, so that African-American students have adequate and equitable opportunities to learn and develop.

African-American students are currently experiencing trauma on top of trauma. The pandemic has exacted disparate harm on the Black community, causing loss of lives, livelihoods, and homes. This horror is now exacerbated by the new round of police brutality, which African Americans experience in a way Whites can neither share nor fully comprehend. When African-American children return to school, it is imperative that our schools be equipped to meet them where they are, with the support, training and services to help them feel safe, to heal and to learn.

Wendy Lecker is a columnist for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and is senior attorney at the Education Law Center.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 05:48:35|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people in Germany demonstrated on Saturday against racism and police brutality following the killing of African American George Floyd in the U.S. city of Minneapolis.

According to police, around 15,000 participants at Alexanderplatz Square in Berlin alone, but only 1,500 participants had registered for the event, despite the minimal distance order during the COVID-19 pandemic. Police officers said on Twitter that the square was full and asked people to stop arriving.

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.

In Germany, many of the demonstrators in black clothes carried banners supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Organizers called for a silent demonstration lasting exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time it took for Floyd to lose consciousness as the police officer knelt on his neck.

Berlin police said they made a number of arrests after a group of demonstrators threw bottles and stones at officers. One officer was injured. In a separate incident, a press photographer was hit in the head by a bottle, police added.

Around 25,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Munich, but according to the police, only 200 people had registered for the event. The meeting area was finally expanded to make more space to allow demonstrators to follow the social distancing order.

In Hamburg, the police said a total of 14,000 people joined the demonstrations in two almost simultaneous rallies at Jungfernstieg and Rathausmarkt, but only around 800 were allowed because of the anti-coronavirus measures.

The Hamburg police had already declared their solidarity before the demonstrations. "We are by your side!" tweeted it before the rallies started. "Racism shouldn't have a place in our society. We work every day so that everyone in Hamburg can feel safe."

Other cities like Frankfurt, Mannheim and Stuttgart were also full of demonstrators on Saturday. Calls for "Silent Demos" had been published on the Internet, calling for "No to racism" and "Black Lives Matter." Enditem
I assure you that I am utilizing this power for the proclamation of martial law vested in me by the Constitution for one purpose alone, and that is, to save the Republic and reform our society. I wish to emphasize these two objectives. We will eliminate the threat of a violent overthrow of our Republic, but at the same time, we must now reform the social, economic and political institutions in our country. The plans, the order for reforms and removal of the inequities of our society, the clean-up of government of its corrupt and sterile elements, the liquidation of the criminal syndicates, the systematic development of our economy, the general program for a new and better Philippines will be explained to you. But we must start out with the elimination of anarchy and the maintenance of peace and order.

Persons who have nothing whatsoever to do with such conspiracy and operations to overthrow the Republic of the Philippines by violence or subversion have nothing to fear. They can move about and perform their daily activities without any apprehension from action or counteraction by the government especially after the period of counteraction which I have directed to be taken against the conspirators. (Extracts from the speech of Ferdinand Marcos declaring Martial law, Official Gazette of the Philippines, Sept. 23, 1972)

It will almost be half a century ago now since those chilling words were spoken with such false assurance, but reading it once more brings back painful memories of those harrowing days under dictatorial rule. It does not help that today, smiling images of Marcos family members grace the pages of our publications once more, and thanks to the ignorance of a new generation of Filipinos weaned on Facebook and Tiktok, their infamous legacy has been perversely rewritten to rehabilitate their tainted family name.

Most family members of dictators of even lesser notoriety than Marcos dont get away with such light-handed treatment.

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Theres not a single descendant of Hitler, for example, walking the streets of Austria and Germany today, who struts about like the Holocaust never happened. Any link to the bloodline is vehemently denied, as it is cause for a great deal of shame and embarrassment on the bearer. Not so in the Philippines. If not for the vigilance of the Filipino electorate (at least partially), another Marcos would have been foisted upon this nation, something in my wildest dreams I never dared to imagine was even possible.

Today, some evidently ill-informed young people claim that Marcos was the best President we ever had in this country, a claim that could only begin to take the shape of truth if simultaneously we also entertain the idea that Hitler was the greatest leader Germany ever had.

And yet, Marcos was a suave and consummate communicator. He made people believe the message that he conveyed abovethat law-abiding citizens should not be afraid of Martial Law, and that only lawless elements need be alarmed. In truth, he made up all of the imagined threats to national security to justify his clampdown on rights and freedoms, and ended up imprisoning his critics and political opponents in the process. Do not be afraid indeed.

Today, we are faced with the same challenge to our constitutional rights and freedoms, from a government that makes the same promise as Marcos did all those years ago. That if you are law-abiding, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Many of our lawmakers who seem blind to the brutal reality of martial law are not spring chickens. Most would have lived through some of the dark days of Martial Law. And even those young enough not to have experienced it are only a generation away from the lived experience of dictatorship their parents went through. And yet, they make the same empty assurance that the dictator made in 1972. Do not be afraid.

Dictatorship is a slippery slope, which often begins with lofty promises. But they always end with the painful reality of lost rights and freedoms.

I can only hope that with all the technology and information now at our disposal, we will not be as blind to the truth, and as trusting of the false assurances, as the unwitting populace during those dark Martial Law years.
MINNEAPOLIS  As a child in Somalia, Ali Yusuf dreamed of joining the United States Air Force.

That dream, nourished by Hollywood movies like Top Gun, featuring indomitable American heroes representing freedom and justice, motivated him to flee his home in a tattered, war-torn failed state where violence and abuses of power were part of everyday life.

In 2014, he finally made it to Baltimore, where he worked on a janitorial crew, arriving a few months ahead of the meltdown of race and law enforcement that followed the death of Freddie Gray, a black man close to his age, at the hands of the police. Worn out by his own experiences with the police, he moved again about seven months ago to a place that seemed more peaceful and where he imagined the police to be more restrained  the liberal-leaning city of Minneapolis.

Now, at 33, the America of fighter pilots keeping the world safe for democracy seems long in the past. And like many people he is trying to find his footing in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the searing issues of race, justice and police violence he has seen almost since his arrival in this country.

See, I love America, but Im scared said Mr. Yusuf, who works as an Uber driver. He started to cry. Being a black man, I feel its not only that you have to die, but when you die, you will not get justice unless you have evidence of video. And then you have to take it to the next level, with protests. And then still you have to destroy properties just to get justice.
By Trend

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.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
ECISD website

The superintendent and school board president of the school district in Odessa called Facebook posts from one of the board members offensive and demeaning.

Ector County ISD Superintendent Scott Muri and board President Donna Smith in a letter emailed from the district Saturday called out board member Doyle Woodall for comments made on social media they said do not represent the views of Ector County ISD.
Four Vietnamese drug traffickers are detained in Cambodia on May 28, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/An Nam.

Four Vietnamese and two Cambodians were detained in Phnom Penh and escorted to Vietnam Saturday for involvement in a cross-border drug trafficking ring.

The detained Vietnamese citizens are: Ma Kim Nguyen, 24, Tran Tan Loi, 23, Nguyen Trung Kien, 43, and Bui Van Quang, 28. The two Cambodian nationals are EK Xa Rit and Xuon Kim Bo, both aged 34, border guards in the Mekong Delta province of Long An, which borders Cambodia, said Saturday.

On May 26, police in Long An had arrested Tran Tuan Khanh, 30, as he passed through a border gate to enter Vietnam from Cambodia with a bag containing 20.8 kg of drugs, two K59 pistols, a Zoraki pistol, a magazine and 25 bullets.

Khanh admitted to the police hed bought the guns and drugs from an unidentified person in Cambodia and intended to sell them in Vietnam.

Based on Khanhs testimony, two days later border guards in Long An and Phnom Penh police officers raided two houses in Phnom Penh and detained the six suspects. They seized a total of 513 pills of drugs, 19 plastic bags containing synthetic drug tablets, two military-style guns, and 63 bullets, among other items.

Police are expanding the investigation into the cross-border drug trafficking ring.

Vietnam has closed borders with southwestern neighbor Cambodia and suspended entry as well as all cross-border activities since April due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, many Vietnamese have recently been caught illegally entering the country through checkpoints and trails.

Vietnam has some of the harshest punishments for drug trafficking, awarding death to those convicted of possessing or smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine and to those producing or selling 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics.

However, this does not seem to have had a deterrent effect, with increasing drug trafficking cases coming to light in recent years.
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.
St Vincents Hospital in Melbourne has apologised after a young indigenous woman claimed she was dragged out of the emergency ward and onto the street.

Khaliyha McKellar, 18, went to the emergency department on May 31 suffering from a drug overdose and claimed staff dragged her outside and left her on the pavement in front of the hospital vomiting and unable to stand.

I could have died, Ms McKellar told 7News on Sunday night.

I woke up crying and then they just dragged me outside and I couldnt walk, she said.

The incident took place last weekend and was witnessed by Audrey Kearns, a patient at the time, who said she was assaulted by security guards for filming and attempting to help Ms McKellar.

A young Indigenous woman vomited and collapsed beside a concrete ledge and passed out on the ground and was completely unresponsive.

Myself and two other patients as well as two other visitors came to her aid as she had been thrown out of the emergency department and deemed treated, Ms Kearns wrote on Facebook along with an image of Ms McKellar on the ground under a blanket and videos of the incident.

Indigenous teen Khaliyha McKellar (L) went to the emergency department on May 31 complaining of vomiting and said staff dragged her outside and left her there (R). Source: Facebook

Both myself and my roommate at the hospital had words with security pleading that she be taken back inside as she was laying there with no blanket, no shoes and was possibly at risk of choking on her own vomit.

We were simply told it wasnt their problem and she had been seen by a medical professional, she continued.

Ms Kearns said she sat with Ms McKellar for about three hours before hospital staff allowed the indigenous girl back inside, but she believes it was only because staff noticed she was documenting the incident on her phone.

Once I began filming three security guards immediately appeared along with an ER nurse. I was assaulted by one of the security guards (he hit my arm suddenly while trying to grab my phone on the second attempt and its bruised). He also stamped my foot (I was in slippers and have cuts), Ms Kearns wrote along with photos of her injuries.

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Audrey Kearns said she was assaulted by a security guard for filming the incident. Source: Facebook

Brendan Nottle from the Salvation Army told 7News the incident is a wakeup call.

Not just for the health sector but for all of us to say are there any underlying attitudes that we need to address.

This is absolutely not the St Vincents Hospital that we know, he added.

Ms Kearns recounted the evening to 7News on Sunday night, after describing it as a disgusting neglect.

What happened here was by far the most disgusting thing thats ever been done to me by health professionals but its daily life for indigenous peoples and those most vulnerable, she ended her Facebook post.

Ms McKellar responded to Ms Kearns about the incident describing her as lovely for waiting with her but called the treatment from hospital normal.

I couldnt even walk or anything and every time I opened my eyes I was crying, Ms McKellar wrote.

Ms McKellar was suffering from a drug overdose at the time. Source: 7News

The hospital can drag me out while Im spewing and collapsing, never mind my heart stopping that day but oh well, I guess thats normal, she added.

St Vincents CEO Angela Nolan apologised on Sunday, issuing a public statement.

Im deeply concerned about the contents of this video and the incident and whats occurred here, Ms Nolan said.

We apologise to the patients in these videos. This is not who we are and not what we are about at St Vincents and we are investigating the matter.

I dont accept their apology at all, Ms McKellar told 7News.

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.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: A gated community was locked down by the Health Department officials, after a 54-year-old man, who tested positive for COVID-19, hid his travel history to Chennai.

A resident of Velandipalayam, he returned from Chennai on June 1.

According to sources, the man went to a private hospital to test his swabs. He had developed symptoms of the viral infection.

Health Development was informed when his result came positive. According to sources, initially, the man did not reveal his travel history to the officials.

A senior health official said, Initially, the man refused to give us information on his travel history. Later, he said he was in Chennai between May 26 and June 1.

Sources said the man had gone to Chennai for official work and stayed in quarters. He returned to Coimbatore in his car.

Following this, samples were collected from the people residing at the apartment; 35 tested negative and the remaining 15 to 20 people are yet to be tested. The officials assured that the residents would not face any difficulty in buying essentials and groceries.

Had the infected person informed the department earlier, the need for locking down the apartment might not have arisen. The man was admitted to a private hospital of his choice, said a health official.
Malawi is one of the countries in Africa where witch persecution is pervasive. Alleged witches suffer egregious human rights abuses including stoning, lynching and murder. In the late 2000s, courts jailed alleged witches. And some court officials claimed that the imprisonment was for their safety. Local humanist and human rights activists campaigned and helped release many alleged witches from state prisons. But recent news suggests that little has changed regarding the plight of alleged witches in the country. Accused persons are still taken into custody but this time by the Sing'anga, as traditional priests/priestesses and witch hunters are called in the country.

Witch hunts in Mzimba

On May 31, 2020, an AFAW associate in Malawi drew attention to a story on the Sunday edition of The Nation (Malawi), "30 'Witches Held Hostage in Mzimba". The story recounted how a local priestess and witchcraft exorcist, Bernadette Tembo, popularly known as Berna detained many alleged witches in her compound in Northern Malawi. The report acknowledged that witchcraft accusation was against the law in Malawi. But it attributed the witch-hunting activities of Berna to lack of law enforcement. Berna detain alleged witches from various constituencies who are unable to pay her fine. And the police do not intervene to rescue victims. In Malawi, those who suspect witchcraft invite witch hunters to come and exorcise and cleanse their communities. And in return for her 'service', Berna fines alleged witches the equivalent of 200 to 300 US dollars, and those who are unable to pay the fine are abducted and detained at her compound.

Police inaction and witchcraft act

The report noted that the police in the area knew about these criminal activities but did not intervene to stop them because they feared a backlash from the communities. The report noted that a legal expert blamed the situation on a British colonial law that was not into tune with reality. The report did not explain what this legal expert meant by "not in tune with reality". Malawi had its independence in1964 and has had ample opportunities to revise the law but did not use them. In Malawi and some African countries, there has been agitation to enact legislation that recognizes the reality of witchcraft. It is pertinent to note that there is nothing wrong with the witchcraft act that legislates against witchcraft allegations and pretensions to having magical powers. The major problem in Malawi and other African countries where this provision applies is mixing religion and politics and lack of necessary and enabling educational and social structures that are compatible with the spirit of this provision.

The journalist from The Nation newspaper went undercover and interviewed witch exorcist, Berna. She denied fining alleged witches. Berna stated that she was providing "services" at the invitation of families and communities and with the permission of local leaders. She claimed that she kept some of the alleged witches in her compound for their safety. Incidentally, the police have advanced the same reason for keeping alleged witches in custody in the past. Judges have used the same excuse to sentence alleged witches to prison. This safety narrative has been used and abused over the years and needs to be unpacked. The place that alleged witches are safe is not in the custody of witchfinders or at the police stations or at state prisons. The place that alleged witches are safe is at their cultural homes and efforts must be made to ensure their safety in their communities. More importantly, efforts must be made to dismantle structures that threaten and endanger their lives and help bring to justice those who undermine the safety of alleged witches in the communities.

After reading the story, I rang up the office of The Nation in Lilongwe, and through a staff member, I got through the person who covered the story. He recounted how challenging it was to report stories on witch persecution. He noted that journalists preferred political stories to witchcraft related reports. This journalist traveled down to Mzimba He met with one of the alleged witches who was abducted but later released after he paid the ransom. He also met with families of another victim who is still held captive by the Sing'nga. Here are stories of these two persons, Yembe and Kundi (not their real names) as recounted by the journalist.

In the case of Yembe, 35, the cousin in South Africa complained that he was bewitching him; that Yembe used to appear in his dream threatening to kill him. Family members consulted Berna, the most powerful Sing'anga in the area. Berna said that Yembe was not a witch, that witches were using his face for their operations and his house for their meetings and conferences. The elders agreed that the Sing'anga should come and perform an exorcism and cleanse the community of witchcraft. Berna arrived with her battalion of assistants. They beat the drums and later broke into the house of Yembe. They removed the witchcraft paraphernalia. Yembe asked if they could disclose the names of the people who were using his face to perform witchcraft but the Sing'anga declined. She asked Yembe to pay an equivalent of 200-300 US dollars. But Yembe could not afford the fine. The Sing'anga abducted and detained him in her compound for three weeks until the relatives came and paid the fine and he was released. The journalist said Yembe was still traumatized at the time of the interview.

The journalist noted that Yembe was fortunate to have been released. Other alleged witches were still trapped at the compound of Berna due to their inability to pay the fines. The journalist visited the family home of another victim, Kundi. A family member told him that Kundi's nephew died and the family consulted the Sing'anga. The Sing'anga stated that Kundi was responsible for the death. Family members reported the matter to the chief. They sort and got approval from the chief for Berna to come and cleanse the community. The Sing'anga arrived with her team of witch-finders and broken into the house of Kundi. Sing'anga removed all the items in the apartment that witches allegedly used for their meetings and operations in the house. She fined Kundi an equivalent of 200 US dollars. Again, Kundi could not afford it. Berna confiscated Kundi's cupboard which was valued at a hundred dollars. Kundi also has a maize farm and the Sing'anga asked that Kundi's maize be harvested and used in settling the outstanding bill. Berna's assistants took Kundi away after beating him. The Sing'anga said that Kundi was not completely free of witchcraft and could destroy the community if left behind. According to the journalist Kundi has been working as a clerk for the Sing'anga for the past two years. As the journalist noted this practice has been going on for years. And Berna was not the only Sing'anga perpetrating these criminal activities in the region. The journalist contacted the police in the area and they claimed to be aware of the activities of Berna and other Sing'anga. The officers noted that the police were ill-equipped to stop them. There was a limited police presence in the communities. In fact, at one police post, there were only six officers on duty. The police claimed that if they tried to stop these criminal activities of the Sing'anga, the community members would attack and sack them.

Meanwhile, AFAW associate in Malawi also drew attention to another incident of witch persecution in Dowa. An angry mob killed three suspected witches and burnt down their houses. The victims, which included the village head were accused of being responsible for the death of a boy in the community.

AFAW

Condemns witch-hunting activities and other human rights abuses linked to the belief in witchcraft in Malawi

Calls on the police and government of Malawi to arrest and prosecute Bernadette Tembo and others involved in witch-hunting activities including assault, abduction, extortion, kidnapping, and hostage-taking of alleged witches in Mzimba and other regions in Malawi

Appeals to the government to convene a meeting of Sing'anga and community leaders in Malawi and get them to commit to stopping witch finding activities nationwide

Suggests that the government of Malawi organizes training sessions for judges, magistrates and police officers on the enforcement and interpretation of the Witchcraft Act and other relevant provisions

Urges the government of Malawi to increase police presence in the communities especially in areas prone to witch persecution and murder

Asks the government of Malawi to establish community clinics/health centers that provide evidence-based diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and put in place health education programs that provide evidence-based explanations of dreams, diseases, and deaths.

Requests the government of Malawi to compensate and rehabilitate victims of witch persecution in the country.

AFAW reminds the government of Malawi that it is their primary responsibility to protect the lives and property of Malawians and end rampant cases of witch persecution and killing in the country.

AFAW is of the view that there is nothing wrong with the Witchcraft Act as contained in the criminal code of Malawi and other African countries. Authorities in Malawi need to muster the political will to enforce this important provision and use it to tackle crimes linked to the belief in witchcraft. AFAW is committed to working with the government of Malawi and other relevant agencies to stamp out witch persecution and related abuses before 2030.
NEW YORK  New York City lifted the curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule Sunday after a peaceful night, free of the clashes or ransacking of stores that rocked the city days earlier.

"I want to thank everybody who has expressed their views peacefully," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning. "I made the decision to end the curfew. And honestly, I hope it's the last time we will ever need a curfew in New York City."

Portland on Saturday: Peaceful protests across city by thousands, followed by skirmishes with police late

While the curfew was lifted, the mayor said a decision hadn't been made yet on whether to lift a ban on vehicles in Manhattan south of 96th Street after 8 p.m.

The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with officials planning to lift it at the same time the city enters the first phase of reopening after nearly three months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

Across the nation Saturday: Largely peaceful protesters turn out in huge numbers coast to coast

The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Peaceful protests continued Sunday with hundreds of protesters, most of them wearing masks, walking through Union Square in Manhattan. More protests were planned throughout the city throughout the day and into the evening.

Police said they arrested four people and issued 24 court summonses on Saturday. There were more than 2,000 arrests made through Friday morning, with the largest number coming on Sunday and Monday, when hundreds were arrested as the police tried to control looting in Manhattans shopping districts.

More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.

Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.

Civil liberties organizations had threatened to sue if the curfew was extended beyond Sunday. "Eliminating the curfew was a necessary step in stopping the cycle of police violence and silencing the mass of voices demanding recognition and dignity for black lives," the New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Aid Society and Center for Constitutional Rights said in a joint statement Sunday.

The end of the curfew comes as New York City prepares to begin reopening some businesses Monday, including manufacturing and construction companies, wholesalers and retailers. Retailers won't be allowed to have customers inside for another couple of weeks, but can let people pick up merchandise on the sidewalk or have it delivered.

Between 200,000 and 400,000 people are expected to head back to the workplace Monday in the city, many taking a subway system that most New Yorkers have avoided since March because of the difficulty of staying 6feet away from other, potentially infected passengers.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated his call for people who have attended the protest marches to get tested for the coronavirus.

Get a test. Get a test, the governor said Sunday, adding that the state planned on opening 15 testing sites dedicated just to protesters so they can get results quickly. I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus.

-- The Associated Press
What do you want? Justice! When do you want it? Now! What do you want? Justice! When do you want it? Now! No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace! No racist police! For the mothers! For the mothers! For the mothers. My son wasnt given a chance to live. I have a chance to live, so I will risk whatever it takes to say his name. Marquis Brown! Say my sons name: Marquis Brown! Say my sons name: Marquis Brown! I dont know all of their names, but what I do tell you is, I stand for all the mothers out here who lost their sons to police brutality. How do you spell racist? How do you spell racist? Black lives matter! Black lives matter! Black lives matter! Justice! Now! Justice! Now! Justice! Its unbelievable that we have to keep doing this. Its embarrassing for our nation. And if we have to be violent, we have to be violent, but I definitely roll with peace. Because they say a Covid virus, you know, is supposed to keep us in the house  thats not going to keep anyone in the house when people are being killed, when people are being slaughtered. Dont shoot! Dont shoot! We appreciate you all, man. We appreciate you all. Get us some water. DJ [unclear], back to action! Take your knee off our necks! Take your knee off our necks! Take your knee off our necks! Take your knee off our necks! Take your knee off our necks! Justice. Systemic racism is really like a knee on the back of your neck. Hands up! Dont shoot! Hands up! Dont shoot! Somebody could steal my car, take my money  I wont be calling the police. I never have, I never will. Even with my son as a police officer, I need to fix my problems. And my biggest problem now is racism in this country, so thats why Im out here trying to fix it. Does your son know that youre here today? Umm  I think he does. As a father and a black man, I know that when hes driving in a car and hes not in uniform, he will be treated as a black man before hes treated as the police. Pulling out his badge could be the end of his life because they think its a gun, so  and I think hes aware of that, but I hope he knows. Its so good to see so many white people here. Im glad I came. If we dont get it  Shut it down! If we dont get it  Shut it down! If you dont get it  Shut it down! Veterans for  Black lives matter! Veterans for  Black lives matter! As a group of veterans, we served our country  we will not stop serving our country even after our duties are done. I did serve in the Air Force, and I feel that the world needs to know that veterans are here to support black lives as well. It doesnt matter to me what else is going on in my life. This is whats going on in my life. Me and my best friend were walking after protesting and then I heard drums. Im from Zambia. Im African. Im a dancer. So once I hear drums, thats my call. Its an outlet for me. I still have to hold it together in the workplace and pretend like  not pretend, but not be able to show it, that its hurting me and affecting me and my family and those around me. Hands up! Dont shoot! Dont shoot! Hands up! Dont shoot! Hands up! Dont shoot! Hands up! Dont shoot!
Genesis GV80 SUV / Courtesy of Genesis



By Baek Byung-yeul



Hyundai Motor Group's luxury car brand Genesis has suspended shipment of its diesel engine-powered GV80 SUV due to an engine vibration issue, the automaker confirmed Sunday.



According to the group, Genesis sent a text message to the diesel model owners on Friday that reads "there have been intermittent vibration problems with the engines of some diesel-powered GV80s. The issue is caused by carbon buildup when the engine is in low ration-per-minute mode for prolonged periods."



A group official confirmed that it has stopped shipments of the diesel engine model starting Friday. "We have acknowledged that the shaking problems have occurred in some diesel models due to carbon buildup," the official said.



He added that the company does not yet know when it will resume shipment of the GV80. For GV80 drivers who are experiencing a similar issue, the official said Genesis will provide a carbon deposits removal service at its customer service center. The cost for removal of carbon buildup will be covered under warranty.



The decision to suspend the delivery came after several owners have recently reported vibration problems. Some said they were shaken so hard by the vehicle that they couldn't hold a conversation when driving the diesel model.



Genesis has sold around 8,000 diesel engine-powered GV80 SUVs and about has about 10,000 pre-orders. The diesel vehicle uses Hyundai Motor Group's first inline six-cylinder 3.0-liter engine that can generate 278 horsepower and a maximum torque of 60 kilogram force meter (kgf.m). Given Genesis has sold a sizeable number of the GV80 SUVs, it remains to be seen whether the government will order a recall of the vehicles.



Genesis released its first SUV model in January with a hope to seek a further boost in the growth of the six-year-old luxury brand. The carmaker said the delayed delivery of the diesel model doesn't mean that Genesis has stopped production of the GV80 because the SUV also comes with two gasoline engine variants  2.5-liter turbo and 3.5-liter turbo  that don't suffer the same issue.



The company is also receiving pre-orders from the United States, another of the company's important markets. Even though there has been a low demand sentiment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Genesis said it has garnered more than 11,000 pre-orders from the U.S.



The carmaker will release two gasoline engine-powered models there  a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine model and 3.5-liter twin turbo engine-powered model.


When I was growing up in the States, yes, I was affected by racism and it never gets easier.

Watching the protests from Ireland has been extremely upsetting, though it is not something shocking or surprising to me. The violence I have seen has been deeply concerning and my heart goes out to anyone who has been affected.

Coming from my own experiences, I am glad people are standing up for what is right. I have family in America, my mother and four of my sisters are currently in Washington. It has been hard to not be there with them.

The behaviour I have seen, the violence I have seen, breaks my heart. Black people are standing up for themselves but there are others, including white people, joining the fight, and I am glad we are coming together to use our voices.

It is hard to believe, but it is 2020 and there are still very negative things, terrible things, occurring against black people worldwide.

So this past week has been hard, but I am glad I have been able to use this platform to speak out against these injustices I continuously see happening against black people.

I was proud to be part of the Black Lives Matter protest in Ireland. I found the protest powerful and I was very proud Ireland stood up and came together to speak out about the horrific fatal assault on George Floyd. It was a very diverse group of people of all ages, of all backgrounds.

Of course, there are dissenting voices and one of the things I hear in response to Black Lives Matter is people saying "well, all lives matter". That's just offensive - at this vital moment, we are focusing on black lives, because it is black people being beaten, choked and killed. We are the target.

I often ask myself are Irish people racist? Recently I read statistics which were quite illuminating. The truth is that Ireland does have a racism issue, just as most countries do. According to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in 2018, Ireland ranked second worst in the EU when it came racial violence against black people. That statistic was upsetting to see.

Another statistic was that 51pc of black people in Ireland said they have been harassed in the form of verbal, physical or online threats, compared to an EU average of 31pc. Again, an upsetting statistic.

So, to the question, does Ireland have a racism problem? Absolutely. But what is important to note is that it is not enough to not be racist. It is important to be anti-racist. And being anti-racist means you don't just step away from the conversation saying it doesn't concern you because you are not racist. Being anti-racist means you actively work against racism. You are an ally and you speak up when you maybe hear someone say the 'N' word to someone and you say: "It is not okay."

I am the first black Miss Universe Ireland. When I won the competition, people posted racist things about me on social media. They condemned me and said there was no way I should have won because I am not Irish and I don't look Irish. In fact, they said there was no way I could be Irish because I was black and had a different background.

I was very proud of the Miss Universe Ireland organisation who stood up for me and directly condemned the racial abuse.

I was the first woman of colour to have won this title. Ireland, in 2020, is more diverse than it has ever been before. When I was a little girl, it was even less common to walk around and see other mixed-raced girls like me. I remember what it was like being so young and being in Ireland.

Racism comes in a lot of different forms. People can just dive in and touch your hair, because it is different. People can make fun of your name and say: "Wow your name is Fionnghuala, I thought you would have been called Shaniqua."

More often than not, it is not about someone being overtly racist, but they are being aggressive towards you subconsciously. They are promoting differences between you and them based on how you look.

The hurt and pain of what is happening in America is something none of us should shy away from. If anything, it means we are having a conversation about racism in Ireland, and that is a start.
Food bank administrators in Texas and surrounding states are baffled by the lack of communication and food boxes from a San Antonio events planning company that landed a $39 million federal contract to provide food relief.

While many U.S. Department of Agriculture contractors in the agencys Farmers to Families Food Box Program began making shipments shortly after the start of the distribution period on May 15, the first delivery from Gregorio Palominos CRE8AD8  pronounced create a date  didnt come until May 28.

After the completion of that first delivery  235 boxes out of a total of 750,000 required under the contract  Palomino posted on his personal Facebook page that tens of thousands of food boxes would be landing next week throughout TX, UT, AZ, OK, LA, AR & NM!

It didnt happen.

They were supposed to ramp up right away, and here we are almost three weeks after the start time and weve got nothing, said Tom Kertis, president and CEO of St. Marys Food Bank in Phoenix. All this money was poured into one provider, and they are not delivering.

In the meantime, people arent getting food because (CRE8AD8) wasnt prepared.

As of Saturday, only the San Antonio Food Bank had received shipments from CRE8AD8, which has until June 30 to deliver all 750,000 food boxes within a seven-state area that includes Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah as well as Texas.

Through Saturday, the San Antonio Food Bank has received 4,121 total boxes: 2,747 filled with fruits and vegetables from San Antonios Avila Produce and 1,374 containing precooked chicken from Gourmet Foods of Rancho Dominguez, Calif., according to bills of lading.

Of the 469 truckloads of food CRE8AD8 is contracted to deliver in the seven-state region, the San Antonio Food Bank is scheduled to receive 57. The boxes typically weigh between 17 and 25 pounds each.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

The Food Bank is scheduled to receive more boxes of protein from CRE8AD8 next week.

We are three weeks into the six-week program and we have received 3 truckloads of the 57 we hope to use to feed our families, said Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the Food Bank. I guess we are lucky to have received the 3 as the other food banks in the Southwest Region have not received any of the 469 they desperately need.

Palomino, who has boasted of heading an internationally recognized business with a global footprint, did not respond to requests for comment.

Lauren Lear, identified as CRE8AD8s dispatch manager on a bill of lading, also declined interview requests.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Palomino traveled to California last week to broker deals with food purveyors. CRE8AD8s credit payment terms have ranged from 30 to 60 days, said purveyors in Texas who had preliminary negotiations with the company but declined to go forward because they didnt want to extend credit to an inexperienced company and other reasons.

Many of these people want everything upfront, Palomino wrote in an email to a consultant in Arizona who shared it with the Express-News. Im not against it, but people think that we just have money in the bank like that.

The USDA required that bidders show proof of adequate financial resources to perform the contract or the ability to obtain them. A USDA spokesperson said contractors are paid upon the submission and approval of an invoice evidencing delivery.

The federal agency handed out nearly 200 contracts worth $1.2 billion for the food box program, which calls for contractors to buy up surplus food from farmers and ranchers, pack it into boxes and deliver it to food banks and other nonprofits to assist people reeling from the COVID-19-triggered recession.

CRE8AD8 won the contract despite having no experience in food distribution and lacking a Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) license, which the USDA likens to a drivers license for operating a produce business.

CRE8AD8 has since acquired a PACA license, receiving it just days after it submitted an application. The process usually takes weeks to complete, industry veterans said.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

With CRE8AD8 lacking contacts within the food bank industry, Cooper helped the company develop a distribution schedule. On May 15, he presented CRE8AD8 with a plan calling for deliveries to 23 food banks in Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.

The USDA is bringing these nonindustry partners to the table, and we are having to help them with the learning curve, Cooper said.

Coopers plan included the number of truckloads for each food bank; the number of boxes in each of the produce, protein and dairy categories; addresses and contact information for food bank employees.

After receiving input from CRE8AD8, the plan was revised several times before it was finalized May 27, Cooper said. The revisions centered on overcoming logistical challenges, mainly involving what is known in the food bank industry as last-mile issues, Cooper said.

They were supposed to then reach out to the (food banks) and coordinate the deliveries, Cooper said of CRE8AD8.

But food bank administrators throughout the seven-state region that should be served by CRE8AD8 said they have not heard from the company.

Ive moved on and I am working with those vendors who are communicating with me, said Denise Blok, chief operating officer of the Central Texas Food Bank in Austin, which is supposed to receive three truckloads from CRE8AD8.

Blok said she called CRE8AD8 shortly after the USDA announced May 8 it had given the company the contract.

Nobody has ever gotten in touch with us, Blok said There is frustration, especially because it is someone that is (geographically) close to us. To not hear from a single person from the company, that is a little discouraging.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Dallas Food Bank in Plano, described a similarly frustrating experience with CRE8AD8. The North Dallas Food Bank should receive nine truckloads from CRE8AD8.

The (North Dallas Food Bank) has requested food from the company, but to date, we have not received any product, Cunningham said. We are hopeful they will be able to deliver on the requested product so we can use this food to feed our community.

St. Marys Food Bank in Phoenix was told it would receive 24 truckloads from CRE8AD8. In need of protein boxes, Kertis said he reached out to Gourmet Foods to see if CRE8AD8 could provide it with boxes of precooked chicken.

Gourmet Foods reply left Kertis crestfallen.

I was told they are going to focus on Texas, and they might schedule a load for (delivery to Phoenix) at the end of the month, Kertis said. The program ends at the end of the month, so in effect we have virtually no meat items.

Kertis said hes puzzled as to why CRE8AD8 is focused on delivering so many boxes of chicken and pork to Texas when it would be cheaper to ship to Phoenix.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

They are coming out of L.A., and its about a six- to seven-hour drive out of L.A., he said. The cost would be lower, and they would spread the wealth around a little bit. But it doesnt sound like they want to do it. Its unfortunate.

Eric Kopelow, chief operating officer for Gourmet Foods, said the companys first obligation is to the San Antonio Food Bank, according to its agreement with CRE8AD8.

Phoenix is a secondary location, Kopelow said.

Tom Orsborn covers sports news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Tom, become a subscriber. torsborn@express-news.net | Twitter: @tom_orsborn
Protesters calling for police reforms and an end to discrimination against black Americans are marching and gathering in Portland again Saturday for the 10th consecutive night, part of a wave of unrest that has spread across the globe.

The calls for change started after the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who 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 on many nights.

Saturday night, several thousand gathered at Revolution Hall, where the marches have started the past week. That group marched more than 2 miles north to Irving Park in Northeast Portland, where speakers and singing commenced.

Meanwhile in downtown Portland, several groups gathered at various spots, including Terry Schrunk Plaza and Lownsdale Square, eventually marching to Pioneer Courthouse Square, where they listened to a series of speakers.

Another group had gathered by 8 p.m. along the fence surrounding the Justice Center, chanting Black Lives Matter! Over the course of the next few hours, some in the crowd hurled various objects at officers behind the fence. Police eventually declared the gathering a civil disturbance, and after 11:30 p.m. moved toward the protesters and cleared the crowd from the fence.

Early Sunday, the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office tweeted that a commercial grade firework was launched over the fence and landed at the steps of the Justice Center, injuring one deputy. The deputy was evaluated for a possible concussion.

It was unclear what sort of crowd-control tactics were employed. Over the next half hour, police were seen making arrests and clearing downtown.

Earlier Saturday, Portland Police Chief Jami Resch said in a statement that the events late Friday and into 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.

Over the course of the nine previous nights, police have at times used tear gas, stun grenades and a device that emits ear-piercing sounds on protesters. That has resulted in even greater scrutiny of police actions, including from city commissioners.

The community board that oversees Portland police has 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.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and police leaders have defended the bureaus tactics as necessary. At his daily press conference Friday, Wheeler said hed support a ban on tear gas if police had a viable alternative.

On Saturday, Wheeler released a statement saying he had directed Portland Police Chief Jami Resch to avoid using gas unless there is a serious and immediate threat to life safety, and there is no other viable alternative for dispersal.

The mayor said he strongly believes gas should not be employed to disperse crowds of non-violent protestors or for general crowd management purposes.

It should only be used in response to violence that threatens life safety, Wheeler said. My priority and focus are to protect the lives of demonstrators, our first responders, and the people in custody at the Justice Center.

Also Saturday, Portland police said they were looking for information about an attack on a houseless person during demonstrations on Saturday, May 30. Police said the person was assaulted near the 200 block of Northwest Everett Street by a man wearing a black hoodie with a red bandana covering his face.

A man wearing a blue sweatshirt is believed to have intervened, police said. They ask anyone with information to contact the Detective Division at 503-823-0400.

Police said about 1:30 p.m. Saturday they confiscated weapons from five subjects who were potentially attacking an individual in Chapman Square Park downtown. In a news release, police said they found knives, a slingshot with marbles, multiple canisters of mace, multiple batons, a hammer and handcuffs.

A bureau spokesperson said officers were alerted to a possibility of someone being attacked. Upon investigation, they learned the community member was being threatened and the subjects were moving to attack the community member. The subjects were excluded from the park and the weapons were taken as evidence, police said.

Live updates:

The scene at Pioneer Courthouse Square (video via @markwgraves) pic.twitter.com/2luWDpNvg1  The Oregonian (@Oregonian) June 7, 2020

A crowd gathered earlier Saturday evening at Southeast Portlands Revolution Hall, the starting spot for marches this week. Speakers began addressing the group, thanking the owners of Revolution Hall for allowing demonstrators to congregate there.

A speaker also said the groups route will take marchers to Northeast Portlands Irving Park, a 2-mile trek to the park at Northeast Fremont Street and Seventh Avenue. About 7:30 p.m., the march got underway, with police tweeting that drivers in inner Southeast Portland should be cautious of the marchers.

A few thousand demonstrators walked north up Southeast Grand Avenue, passing the Oregon Convention Center. The first marchers began arriving at Irving Park shortly before 8:30 p.m.

There, supply tents were set up with first aid supplies, food and water.

A speaker addressed the crowd, saying about the arrest of the officer who knelt on George Floyds neck: Thats, like, round one. We are looking for real policy change that the children here today will see so they dont see whats happened these last few weeks.

In downtown, the group RJP, which tweets as @RadicalJusticeP and describes itself as a people of color exclusive organization that aims to combat racism of all types and liberate all marginalized peoples, organized a march starting at Terry Schrunk Plaza. About 300 people had gathered shortly before 7 p.m., when the march got underway, arriving at Pioneer Courthouse Square. A series of speakers addressed the group, before it resumed its march, heading north.

By 8:30 p.m., another large crowd of about an estimated 1,000 had assembled near the Justice Center, where it lined up against the fence surrounding the building. Chants of Black Lives Matter! rung out, as protesters cars blocked the streets near Lownsdale and Chapman parks. Organizers handed out medical supplies and food from the cars, as music blared from them.

One participant handing out food, water and other supplies such as masks and sanitizer said he goes to the store every day to stock up on items to give to demonstrators. The Clark College student, who would only give his first name, Zyaire, said he receives donations to help fund the effort.

Theres no way I could do it on a student budget so I just put my Venmo on the side (of my car), and people do hand me cash here and there, and it does help because well be spending about $100, $150 a day, Zyaire said.

TriMet tweeted about 9 p.m. that all MAX lines were experiencing up to 25-minute delays because of the demonstration near the Oregon Convention Center, which blocked rail lines.

The scene outside the Justice Center from @markwgraves pic.twitter.com/KjjIAkoIIc  The Oregonian (@Oregonian) June 7, 2020

About 9:40 p.m., demonstrators began throwing items over the fence around the Justice Center, and others began trying to knock it down, an Oregonian/OregonLive reporter observed. Police warned demonstrators to not shake or climb the fence. The fence is there to help protect the Justice Center and the adults-in-custody and the people working in the building, the bureau tweeted. We have a responsibility to protect them.

The crowd chanted back at police, Who do you protect? Who do you serve?

At close to 11 p.m., police, who continue to have items thrown over the fence at them, declared the gathering a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly. They ordered the crowd to leave the area or face use of force or arrest. For the next 40 minutes, the crowd remained, until police advanced and the demonstrators scattered from the fence.

Police cleared the area as well as the parks near the Justice Center, and pushed the crowd to the west. Police video showed officers detaining demonstrators and clearing out downtown until past midnight.

Todays full coverage on OregonLive:

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Martin Dempsey has once again condemned President Donald Trump's 'inflammatory' threats to use active duty military troops in response to George Floyd protests.

Dempsey on Sunday warned that the president's threats have strained Americans' relationship with the US military.

'My generation of military leaders, who entered right after the Vietnam War, spent the majority of our careers, whether it was 20 years, 30 years or 40 years, in my case, trying to rebuild our relationship with the American people,' he told ABC's This Week.

'I felt it important to try to keep that relationship sound and solid. Inflammatory language can be an impediment to that.'

Martin Dempsey, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, condemned President Donald Trump's 'inflammatory' threats to use active duty military troops in response to George Floyd protests

Dempsey charged that the president's threats have strained Americans' relationship with the US military. National Guardsmen are seen at the Lincoln Memorial on June 2

Retired Gen. Martin Dempsey says he decided to speak out against Trump threat to use military in response to protests because it would put the active duty military in a position where its relationship with the American people would be adversely affected. https://t.co/mxYatg1sjy pic.twitter.com/aJnOzuLQe5  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 7, 2020

Dempsey, who served as President Barack Obama's top military adviser, first criticized Trump's response to protesters last week, after the president threatened to deploy 'thousands of thousands' of soldiers to cities across the nation.

'America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy,' he tweeted.

He is one of several former high-ranking military officials to speak out against Trump, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general.

Last week President Trump threatened to deploy 'thousands of thousands' of soldiers to respond to protests in cities across the US

'[Trump is] given a lot of authority by our Constitution and the laws that interpret it,' Dempsey said Sunday.

'I thought, given the state of the unrest, and the risk that we would put the active duty military in a position where its relationship with the American people would be adversely affected, that I should say so.'

Dempsey also commented on Trump's photo-op with a Bible outside St John's Church last Monday, which took place after law enforcement forcibly removed protesters using tear gas.

The general called photo-ops 'some of the most awkward moments we have in that civil-military relationship'.

He said he took Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Gen Mark Milley, current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 'at their word' when they claimed they did not know what Trump had planned for the St John's visit.

'The relationship between the president's principal military adviser and the president himself has to be one of trust and confidence,' Dempsey said.

'I think that this moment will make it a little harder.'

Dempsey (pictured in 2015) is one of several former high-ranking military officials to speak out against Trump's response to George Floyd protests

Protesters are seen running from tear gas deployed to clear the street before Trump's photo-op at St John's Church on June 1

Dempsey also voiced support for the protests that broke out across the nation after George Floyd, a black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25.

He compared the goals of the protesters to the unfinished work of the soldiers who died under his command in the Army.

Dempsey described how he keeps a box of 132 cards at his desk, one for each lost soldier, to remind him of their sacrifice.

'I never let myself forget that in the remainder of my career and to this day, because they couldn't fulfill their potential, I had to make sure that I did the best to fulfill mine, and whatever that meant, and to make a difference in people's lives,' he said.

'That's what these protests, by the way, it seems to me, are all about. Trying to allow people to actually fulfill their potential, one of the great promises of living in this country.'

'We absolutely need to be very careful about how the military is used in that circumstance,' he added.
TV presenter Noel Edmonds in London, for the launch of an appeal for the charity Help the Hospices, with the aim of raising over 1 million for the Hospice movement by having 'A Forest of Lights' on christmas trees throughout the country. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)

Deal Or No Deal star Noel Edmonds has revealed he has launched a radio station in New Zealand aimed at helping plants grow.

The TV presenter and DJ is known for hosting the once hugely popular Channel 4 game show and giving out presents to kids in hospital at Christmas, but the star is also an amateur horticulturist.

With this in mind, the 71-year-old has upped sticks to move across the world with his family to present a show called Positively Plants.

Read more: Noel Edmonds reaches 5m settlement deal with Lloyds

Edmonds told the Mail on Sunday: We ran an experiment with two plants, one of which we neglected and the other we played Positively Plants to.

The difference was absolutely amazing, and then we played those tones, because it's all about tones, we played those tones to the plant that didn't look so good, and it perked up again.

However, the people of New Zealand can rest easy, as the star will not be introducing them to arguably his most famous, or that could be infamous, brain child.

He joked: Kiwis can rest easy. I'm not going to inflict myself upon this proud nation. I'm not bringing Mr Blobby over. I'm here to behave.

Edmonds brought a house and moved to the Auckland region of the country with his third wife Liz in September of 2019.

TV presenter Noel Edmonds and his wife Liz Davies, leave Bristol County Court, where Mr Edmonds is in a legal dispute with former business partner Ulrik Lawson. (Photo by Tim Ireland/PA Images via Getty Images)

They were granted a residency permit earlier this year.

Married since 2009 after meeting while she worked as a make-up artist on Deal Or No Deal, Edmonds told The Guardian last year he must stay fit for his wife.

Read more: Noel Edmonds: 'I snackcercise to stay young for my wife'

He said: My wife doesnt want to wake up next to someone who looks 70. So I work hard to keep in shape. I do something I call snackcercise.

So between staying fit for his better half and serenading plants, it looks as though Edmonds will be kept pretty busy with his new life in New Zealand.
The ruling BJP in Karnataka has shortlisted 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, 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.
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Boris Johnson will soon set out plans to 'rebuild Britain' in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, amid reports he wants to ease lockdown restrictions quickly to save millions of jobs.

The Prime Minister is expected to use a major speech to effectively relaunch the Conservatives' domestic agenda after the Government's attention turned to the Covid-19 crisis, during which the Tories' poll rating has plummeted.

Mr Johnson will this week chair a meeting of his Cabinet to update them on the next lockdown-easing steps for a number of sectors, which are expected to take effect from June 15.

The Sunday Times reported that the PM will unveil plans to ease restrictions on weddings and funerals from next month, as well as possible measures to reopen hairdressers before July 4.

Planning controls will also be relaxed to enable pubs, cafes and restaurants to use outside areas.

And the paper said Mr Johnson has told Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to secure 'travel corridor' deals with holiday hotspots by June 28.

Downing Street announced on Saturday night that churches and other places of worship are set to open for private prayer from June 15, but worship groups, weddings and other services will still not be permitted.

The PM is said to have signed off on plans to reopen the economy after being warned by Business Secretary Alok Sharma that a failure to reopen the hospitality sector could cost 3.5 million jobs. Mr Johnson reportedly replied: 'Christ!'

Another Cabinet source said that the Prime Minister wants the country to be 'Back to normal or as near as possible to it by the summer.'

However, there are concerns that the reproduction rate of coronavirus is dangerously high  with a report by Public Health England and Cambridge University placing the R value just above 1 in the North West.

If R is 1 or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than 1 indicates the virus is in decline.

Senior figures from across the NHS have also issued a plea for a comprehensive plan to tackle a second wave of coronavirus infections. Health chiefs have also said that there should be no further easing of lockdown before the test and trace system has been proven to work.

Boris Johnson will soon set out plans to 'rebuild Britain' in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, amid reports he wants to ease lockdown restrictions quickly to save millions of jobs

The Sunday Telegraph, meanwhile, reported that the Prime Minister would outline plans to accelerate major infrastructure projects  including pledges to build 40 new hospitals and key road upgrades  in a speech in the coming weeks.

Mr Johnson is also said to want to fast-track recruitment campaigns for doctors and nurses to increase the NHS's resilience before the winter.

A Whitehall source told the paper that 'getting the immediate crisis under control remains the Prime Minister's main focus', but said the Government is 'also preparing for tough economic times ahead'.

'The PM wants to explain that rebuilding after this crisis won't be a repeat of 2008.

'In the election the PM made the right diagnosis of the problems many people face. He believes now is the time to be even more ambitious with his plans to unite and level up the country.'

In other coronavirus developments today:

An Opinium poll suggested just under half of the population disapprove of the Government's handling of the crisis, while the Tory vote share has fallen to 43%, with Labour on 40%;

Anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis were held across the UK  despite a plea from the Health Secretary for people not to gather during lockdown;

Healthcare chief Chris Hopson said NHS trusts were not consulted on plans for all hospital staff to wear surgical face masks and visitors and outpatients to wear face coverings from June 15;

The Department of Health and Social Care said another 204 people had died after testing positive for coronavirus yesterday, taking the death toll to 40,465. The total toll for all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK is thought to have passed 50,000.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that places of worship are expected to reopen for private, individual prayer from June 15.

He said: 'People of all faiths have shown enormous patience and forbearance, unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or Vaisakhi with friends and family in the traditional way.

'As we control the virus, we are now able to move forwards with a limited but important return to houses of worship.'

It comes as 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 UK's 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

Medics and NHS bosses slam Matt Hancock for 'rushed' decision to make hospital staff wear masks and say they were not consulted 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. 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 Government's ability to deliver on this, they must be forthcoming on the details of how this will work.' In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Hopson said that NHS staff 'can't 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 Hancock's latest pledge as 'part of a systematic pattern where there isn't enough strategy or planning', he said. Advertisement

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'.

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 UK's 5G mobile phone network.

At a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, Mr Johnson unveiled plans for a new relationship with Beijing which would limit the UK's economic dependence on the Communist state.

However, it was met with stark warnings from Mr Sunak that 'putting up an economic wall' risked hampering Britain's 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 Treasury's script that we are all doomed if we don't 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 world's 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 PM's, 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 Rishi's time could come sooner than expected.'

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 PM's 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 Treasury's 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.

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.

British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet SUE the government over 'irrational and disproportionate' 14-day quarantine rules

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.

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.

Closure of public loos to stop the spread of coronavirus could cause new health disaster: Anger as parks and beauty spots are defiled with waste

Closure of public loos to stop the spread of coronavirus could cause new health disaster: Anger as parks and beauty spots are defiled with waste

Britain risks becoming a third world country because of the decision to keep most public toilets closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts last night warned of another looming public health disaster because the reopening of conveniences has not kept pace with the easing of lockdown.

Families have spoken in horror at seeing day-trippers defiling beauty spots and parks and there are fears that shoppers will not return to the high street unless toilets are available.

Raymond Martin, managing director of the British Toilet Association (BTA), said a decade of austerity had already seen councils close facilities and a revolution was required for WCs in the Covid-19 era.

Weve had reports of people urinating in private gardens and defecating in between beach huts on the south coast, he said. Were not a third world country, for goodness sake. We were once the envy of the world for our standards of hygiene and provision.

Cuts to council budgets have led to the closure of at least one in seven public toilets and the BTA estimates 80 per cent of councils had cut spending on maintenance. Pictured: Visitors queue for a public toilet on Brighton beach

Facilities were closed when strict social distancing rules were introduced in March because of fears the virus would be spread by people touching handrails, gates, door handles and light switches.

Some councils and parks have reopened their toilets, but an appeal by the Government to open more has largely been ignored. Those include toilets operated by Royal Parks in eight London green spaces and the National Trust, which says it will only make them available when it is safe to do so.

Warm weather last weekend saw a rush to beauty spots, including Cornwall, Dorset and the Yorkshire Dales. Bristol councillor Paul Smith likened his city centre to a huge urinal while Peak District cyclist Tom Clark said the area had been left devastated by people who have forgotten how to behave.

Litter, gates left open, regular whiff of marijuana, fires caused by barbecues, human and dog excrement, he said. All public toilets are closed in order to deter visitors and while out on my bicycle Ive seen a lot of public urination.

Government scientific adviser Professor Robert Dingwall said if public toilets were cleaned to the same standards as commercial ones there was nothing much to worry about it and cautioned that human waste might pose a greater danger to health than Covid-19.

Toilets carry away infections, viruses and bacteria that may ordinarily be present in the lower part of our gut, he said. If they get to the upper part, they are capable of causing serious stomach upsets and serious infections. If you have piles of human waste littering beauty spots, they do pose a health risk.

Cuts to council budgets have led to the closure of at least one in seven public toilets and the BTA estimates 80 per cent of councils had cut spending on maintenance. In 2010, there were 5,159 toilets run by major councils in the UK but by 2018 that figure had fallen to 4,486, according to the Royal Society for Public Health.

In the Dorset market town of Bridport, businesswoman Caroline Parkins, 72, has stepped in to buy the towns lavatory block after the council closed it. Mrs Parkins, who owns Leakers Bakery near the block, paid 108,000  80,000 over the asking price  after a bidding war with property developers.

She said: We are a big tourist destination and the idea of not having any public toilets in the town is just ridiculous. You need them. After a renovation project, Mrs Parkins passed responsibility back to the council to maintain them, but they have been closed during lockdown.

High street stores are gearing up to reopen from June 15, but the continued closure of pubs and restaurants means there are already fewer conveniences.

Tesco has kept its toilets open and John Lewis said it will implement a rigorous and frequent cleaning regime to keep conveniences in working order. Ikea is also doing more deep cleans while Bluewater shopping centre in Kent has kept its toilets open by removing a number of urinals and basins.

Dr Clara Greed, professor of inclusive urban planning at the University of the West of England, highlighted the economic case for reopening conveniences. As my American toilet colleagues say, bathrooms means business. If there are no loos, people will be less likely to go out, to go shopping, to be tourists, she said.

With fewer toilets there are also concerns some vulnerable groups and parents with young children will not be able to head out for any length of time. Tom Dillon, 33, who has Crohns disease, said the closure of the toilets in his local park made planning any exercise or time outside impossible.

The Government said that it strongly encourages councils to open toilets where possible but the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said: People should not assume toilets will be open and plan outdoor activities accordingly.
When Tony Abbott recalls his prime ministership, he could be describing a remorseless climb up an exhausting hill on one of his cycling journeys for charity.

It is punishing work, but it is rewarding because it is punishing.

The challenge for government is not to do whats easy but to do whats hard, he says.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott pictured on Sunday in his role as a volunteer firefighter. Credit:Louie Douvis

Its not to do what people want, necessarily, but to do what people need.
New Delhi: Pakistan, which has become a safe haven for terrorists all over the world, has suffered a major setback. It is such a shock that even his old friend China will not be able to save Pakistan and his PM Imran Khan. In fact, a speech given by Imran Khan in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has become a sore throat.

A report in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) says that 6500 terrorists of Pakistan are hiding in Afghanistan. Among them are banned terrorists like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. It is noteworthy that Pakistan has always denied that its land is used to spread terrorism in other countries. But in a report presented by UNSC, Pakistan has mentioned about sending thousands of terrorists to Afghanistan.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan confessed this publicly. The United Nations report states that 6,500 Pakistani nationals are among the foreign terrorists operating in Afghanistan. According to a report by United Nations, terrorist organizations in Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, are capable of producing explosives and transporting combatants to Afghanistan. So that the peace process going on there can be hampered. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has reacted to this report, saying that this United Nations report reinforces India's claim that Pakistan is a stronghold of global terrorism.

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An encounter started between security forces and terrorists in Reban area of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday (June 7). A joint team of 178 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force, Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group (SOG) are carrying out the operation. The exchange of fire between the security forces and terrorists started few hours ago.

Confirming thats DGP Jammu kashmir Dilbag Singh said, On a credible police input operation launched early this morning by Shopian Police along with Local Army and CRPF units at Rebon Shopian. Exchange of fire started sometime back. Operation is on."

He added that as the joint team approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired upon them. The firing was retaliated by the joint team, triggering off an encounter. As per the sources, two to three militants are believed to be trapped.

On Saturday (June 6), a 25-year-old civilian was shot dead by unknown terrorists 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.
Police here are heading into summer facing still another challenge  the expected annual rise in violent crime among gangs. Although crime throughout the city was down overall as the virus peaked in March and April, shootings and murders rose. In Brooklyn North, the pandemic did not deter street violence  there were more murders and shootings during the second quarter of the year (from March 12 to May 26) than there were in the first quarter. Maddrey said there were also more gun arrests. In a 28-day period before Memorial Day, there were 116, nearly double from the same period a year prior.
The number of global cases of coronavirus disease Covid-19 is fast approaching the seven million mark, and the surge is now led by Brazil.

Though about 30 per cent of those cases, or two million infections, are in the United States, Latin America now accounts for roughly 16 per cent of all cases. The total count of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Brazil - a Latin American country - has shot past 6,72,000, more than anywhere outside the United States.

Late on Saturday, Brazil reported 27,075 new confirmed infections and 904 related deaths since its Friday update.

Brazil reported more new cases and deaths from Covid-19 than any other country on four consecutive days this week.

Fatalities in the Latin American country are rising rapidly and it may overtake the United Kingdom to have the second-largest number of deaths in the world.

Globally, death toll from the coronavirus disease is approaching 4,00,000. 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 worlds most deadly infectious diseases.

The first Covid-19 death was reported on January 10 in Wuhan, China, but it was early April before the death toll passed 1,00,000. It took 23 days to go from 3,00,000 to 4,00,000 deaths.

Brazil, with about 210 million people, is the globes seventh most populous nation.

Meanwhile, Brazils health ministry removed the data from a website that had documented the Covid-19 pandemic over time and by state and municipality. The ministry also stopped giving a total count of confirmed cases.

President Jair Bolsonaro defended the move. The cumulative data ... does not reflect the moment the country is in, he said on Twitter, citing a note from the ministry. Other actions are underway to improve the reporting of cases and confirmation of diagnoses.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few snow showers this afternoon. High 38F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 27F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
TORONTO - While hundreds of thousands of companies across the country have seen work grind to a halt amid COVID-19, Chris Priebe is experiencing the opposite.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/6/2020 (593 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - While hundreds of thousands of companies across the country have seen work grind to a halt amid COVID-19, Chris Priebe is experiencing the opposite.

The owner of Two Hat, an artificial intelligence-powered content moderation company based in Kelowna, B.C., has never been busier helping customers including gaming brands Nintendo Switch, Habbo, Rovio and Supercell sift through billions of comments and conversations and quickly identify and remove anything harmful to users.

Chris Priebe runs Two Hat, an artificial intelligence-powered content moderation company based in Kelowna, B.C., as shown in this handout image, that has never been busier than it is during the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Two Hat *MANDATORY CREDIT*

"We processed 60 billion last month. It used to be 30 billion. That's how bad coronavirus is. That is at least twice the normal volume," said Priebe in April, before monthly processing volumes hit 90 billion.

"(Platforms) are faced with, in some cases, 15 times the volume. How can they possibly care for their audience? Because that doesn't mean that the revenues are up 15 times or that they can afford to hire that many more people."

Priebe is not alone in the scramble to keep online, social media and gaming platforms safe amid COVID-19. Companies including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google have all been warning users since at least April that they are experiencing shortages of content moderators, causing a backlog in the removal of harmful posts.

The stakes are high. Record numbers of people around the globe are spending increased amounts of time at home on their favourite platforms, challenging servers and turning messaging services, social networks and comment sections into a wild west.

The situation has heightened privacy experts' worries about the spread of misinformation and the likelihood that users will stumble upon hate speech, pornography, violence and other harmful content.

"Quite a few people are fairly dissatisfied with the content moderation process as it is...and then you add on this pandemic...You are seeing a huge increase in harassing behaviour and problematic behaviour and then having the content stay up longer," said Suzie Dunn, a University of Ottawa professor who specializes in the intersection of technology, equality and the law.

"It's a real challenge because content moderators are a little bit like frontline workers. They're an essential service that we need to have at a time like this, so we would hope to see more content moderators working."

However, unlike workers in other sectors who have been working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, such a shift is difficult for many content moderators as their jobs deal with images and language you wouldn't want kids or other family members catching a glimpse of.

"Some of them may not be able to work on certain things that they would work on in the office," Kevin Chan, Facebook Canada's head of public policy, told The Canadian Press.

"They're looking at potentially private, and sensitive things that have been reported to them and we need to make sure....that these things can be treated in the secure and private manner that they deserve."

Full-time Facebook employees have stepped up and are taking on some of the moderating work, including from contractors who can't have proprietary and sensitive content at home. These workers are dealing with content related to "real-world harm" like child safety and suicide and self-injury.

"There is no question this is going to pose challenges to the degree to which we can be as responsive,' Chan said.

To deal with the situation, Facebook has rolled out measures meant to curb the flow of COVID-19 misinformation and is focused on weeding out and removing content around terrorism and anything inciting violence or linking to "dangerous" individuals and organizations.

At Twitter, machine learning and automation is being used to help the company review reports most likely to cause harm first and to help rank content or "challenge" accounts automatically.

"While we work to ensure our systems are consistent, they can sometimes lack the context that our teams bring, and this may result in us making mistakes," Twitter said in a blog. "As a result, we will not permanently suspend any accounts based solely on our automated enforcement systems."

Google has also upped its reliance on machine-based systems to reduce the need for people to work from the office and said the increase in automation has many downsides, including a potential increase in content classified for removal and slower turnaround times for appeals.

"They are not always as accurate or granular in their analysis of content as human reviewers," added a Google blog released in March.

This is a sentiment Priebe has encountered many times, but he has a counter-argument: "AI is not perfect but...humans are also not perfect."

He gives the example of a child playing a game at home during the pandemic, when pedophiles might be more active online and trying to contact young people.

"You have three different humans look at the same conversation and they're not going to give you the same answer. Some of them are going to call it grooming and some of them aren't," said Priebe.

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.

Priebe believes an ideal system blends humans and AI because the latter is good at knowing what to do with obvious cases like when a user's content is flagged almost a dozen times in a short period of time or when someone gets a message that only reads hello and hits report just to see what the button does.

"You don't need a human to have to be looking at their screen and looking at this absolutely sexual content in front of potentially their children who snuck up behind them because artificial intelligence is going to win every time on that," he said.

"Let humans do what humans do well, which is deal with that middle category of stuff that is subjective, difficult or hard to understand, that the AI is not confident about."

Regardless of how the moderation gets done, some things will always slip through the cracks, especially in a pandemic, said Dunn.

"No system is perfect."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2020.
A Northern Ireland council has been urged to change the name of a street which celebrates one of the leading lights of 19th century nationalism due to his support of the slave trade in 1800s America.

A man associated with the Young Ireland movement, a statue to John Mitchel stands proudly in the border city of Newry, where a city centre street is named after him.

Yesterday, demonstrators in Bristol toppled the statue of a wealthy businessman who worked as a slave trader.

In Mitchel's place of birth in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, a play park also displays his name and several GAA clubs around Ireland have honoured his memory in their names.

But as the Black Lives Matter campaign takes hold across the world following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a darker side to a giant of Irish history has led to calls for tributes to the activist, author and political journalist to be removed.

Now an online petition has been set up by a former Newry man, who is hoping to change his council's opinion on celebrating his name.

"I grew up in Newry. I walked through John Mitchel Place every day on my way to school," said Padraig Mac Cionnaith (25), now living in Dunmurry.

"I'm not a historian and I never thought any more about the name and why there was a statue. No-one ever remarked on it. It was through chance that I found out about his beliefs and what he stood for in America in the 1800s.

"This was a man who was a rebel with two causes. How can we be comfortable with remembering one while conveniently sweeping the other under the carpet?"

Padraig will now be writing to all 41 councillors in Newry and Mourne calling for the street to be renamed. "I don't want this to be a green and orange political issue, that's why I'll be contacting every councillor, from every party," he said.

"When Newry is the home town to sporting legends like Pat Jennings, would it not be a better idea to honour those rather than someone who was a great advocate of slavery in the United States, no matter what his involvement in Irish nationalism was? It's particularly relevant now with what has been happening in America.

"We have people standing up for rights through the Black Lives Matter campaign.

"People are taking to the streets, voicing their opposition in their thousands here in Northern Ireland. Yet in Newry, and elsewhere across Ireland, we are lauding one of the great supporters of slavery."

In Bristol, Edward Colston's bronze memorial, situated on Colston Avenue in the city centre, was built to honour one of the "most virtuous and wise sons" of Bristol.

But in recent years, campaigners have expressed anger at the commemoration of a figure prominently involved in Britain's slave-trade past, and yesterday, it was toppled.

Now, Mitchel, who was born in1815 and is often memorialised as a hero in the US and Ireland, could suffer a similar fate.

A statue to Mitchel was erected in Newry's John Mitchel Place, an extension of Newry's main street, Hill Street.

The Presbyterian was a giant of the Young Ireland movement. The British feared his influence and in a show trial convicted him of sedition and treason. Transported to Tasmania, he escaped from the penal colony in 1853 and found his way to America.

He was also one of the most extreme pro-slavery advocates of the American Civil War, calling blacks "an innately inferior people" and claiming that he wanted to make the people of the US proud of slavery as a national institution. He often expressed the view that slavery was inherently moral and "good in itself".

The petition is available at change.org by searching Rename John Mitchel Place
Amanda Holden thinks her husband helps to keep her 'sane' when she is targeted by trolls on social media.

The star, 49, has learned to cope with the nasty comments over time and has hailed the influence of her husband, songwriter Chris Hughes.

The Britain's Got Talent judge - who has Hollie, eight, and Alexa, 14, with Chris - told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: 'I'm so lucky that when I started out, social media wasn't invented because I might not have got through it.

Strong: Amanda Holden says she is able to ignore hateful comments from trolls on social media thanks to her husband (pictured May 2020)

'It's difficult but I am very lucky because I've got a very strong relationship.

'I've got a very strong husband who is very sensible and not like me in any way. He cuts through all the bull***t and keeps me sane.'

In fact, Amanda - who has been married to Chris since 2008 - thinks their relationship can help her to overcome any problem.

Happy together: The TV personality says her husband Chris Hughes helps keep her 'sane'

She said that she is happy, healthy and stable in the relationship and that helps her cope with her problems.

Amanda and Chris married at Babington House in Somerset in December 2008.

In recent years, the TV personality has come under fire for wearing revealing clothes on 'Britain's Got Talent'.

Team: Amanda said that she is happy, healthy and stable in the relationship and that helps her cope with her problems (pictured 2014)

But the TV star previously hit back at the criticism, saying she sees the show as an 'opportunity to take risks'.

Amanda explained: 'I dress to feel confident. I try not to think about age anymore when I'm dressing.

'My children don't bat an eyelid at what I wear and love borrowing my clothes. Of course, I have fun on 'Britain's Got Talent' - it's the perfect opportunity to take risks.

'Outrageous': Amanda has admitted that she 'flashes her boobs' on purpose and pretends to be 'outrageous' on Britain's Got Talent

'Times have changed and I don't feel anyone should feel pressure to dress for your age.'

One look even sparked 663 Ofcom complaints and another caused her an embarrassing nip slip live on air.

The radio presenter, who has also come under fire for her past swearing on BGT live shows, has now admitted it is all part of her stunt.

Talking to The Sun, she said: 'Even though I am really open and very much myself most of the time, it's a fake circumstance when you're sitting on a panel and judging.

'I'm very aware of myself and what I should say next. Sometimes I pretend I'm not and I'm outrageous, and I'm like, "Oh I had no idea I was going to say that", or my boob pops out, "I had no idea that was going to happen!"

'You have circumstances where you know what you're doing and the situation is always ongoing, so you are always aware.'
Allowed to resume business on Monday, most city restaurants have decided to remain shut, citing problems with UTs SOP and rent demand for the lockdown period, besides anticipation of low footfall.

UTs standard operating procedures (SOPs) mandate that all restaurants close by 8pm and limit seating capacity to 50%, which restaurateurs say is not conducive for profits.

The fact that we have to take the last order by 7.30pm is bad for business. A large share of our earnings comes during the dinner service, especially in summer. Besides, we cant seat more than 50% of our capacity. This is sure to translate into losses, said Ankit Gupta, president of the Chandigarh Hospitality Association.

NO LIQUOR, NO DINE-IN

With SOPs also banning serving of liquor, several restaurants in citys major eating hubs  Sectors 7 and 26  will keep their doors closed.

Liquor service is part of the ambience offered by restaurants. Absence of liquor sale will certainly affect their earnings, said Gupta.

Manager of Great Bear, Sector 26, Debdip Chaterjee said he will be opening shop only after the sale of alcohol was allowed. Ovenfresh in Sector 7 will be closed for two weeks, as it was being renovated, said Rohit Kumar, its proprietor.

However, Social in the same sector and Swagath Restaurant and Bar in Sector 26 will reopen, offering food and non-alcoholic beverages, said Manish Goel, one of the directors of both outlets.

In Sector 35, a hub of hotels and fast food joints, most eateries will continue only home delivery and takeaway services. Nikhil Mittal, director of Nik Bakers, Sector 35, said they will offer items on their menu through takeaway only. We are looking at how the administration enforces the SOP before resuming dine-in services, he said.

The two outlets of Indian Coffee House in Sector 17 and 36 will follow suit, said manager Ramesh Dutt. We will wait for a few days for clarity before we open up completely, he said.

FAST FOOD CHAINS KEEP FINGERS CROSSED

Some fast food chains are also unlikely to offer dine-in services for now. A senior official from one of the leading fast-food brands in the city, requesting anonymity, said, All states are going to have different SOP for dine-in restaurants. The management will go over all these before taking a decision on starting dine-ins.

However, chief marketing officer of KFC India, Moksh Chopra said they will be returning with a limited menu. We have modified our restaurant design to ensure social distancing. A limited menu will allow us to work with a smaller team. We aim to provide contactless dining experience to our patrons, he said.

ELANTE RESTAURANTS TO STAY CLOSED

At Elante Mall, due to impasse over rent between the tenants and the mall owners, the restaurant owners have decided to stay shut on Monday.

Sunveer Sondhi, proprietor of Pyramid and head of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Chandigarh, said, It is incredibly difficult for restaurant owners to pay the rent for April and May when the mall was closed. We are instead asking for a revenue share model based on footfall.

He said a meeting between the tenants and the mall authorities was scheduled on Monday.

HOTELS TO RETURN PARTIALLY

Some hotels will resume business on Monday, while others will return after ensuring adherence of the SOP.

The hotels reopening on Monday will follow the SOP and rent out only 50% rooms to maintain social distancing, said president of the Chandigarh Restaurants and Hotels Association, Arvinder Pal Singh, who is also the proprietor of Hotel Metro in Sectors 35 and 43.

General manager of JW Marriott, Sector 35, Ramandeep Marwah said they were ready to serve patrons. Hotel rooms are available for booking and the dining area of restaurants will also be thrown open to public while adhering to the SOP for hotels and restaurants.

General manager of Hotel Lalit at IT Park, Imit Arora confirmed they wont be reopening yet. We first need to train our staff to follow the SOP released by the administration, and will return after that, he said.
It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Kalium Lakes Limited (ASX:KLL).

What Is Insider Selling?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

See our latest analysis for Kalium Lakes

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Kalium Lakes

Notably, that recent purchase by Brent Smoothy is the biggest insider purchase of Kalium Lakes shares that we've seen in the last year. That implies that an insider found the current price of AU$0.15 per share to be enticing. 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. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 8.39m shares for AU$1.5m. On the other hand they divested 1040000 shares, for AU$520k. Overall, Kalium Lakes insiders were net buyers during the last year. The average buy price was around AU$0.18. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Story continues

ASX:KLL Recent Insider Trading June 6th 2020

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at Kalium Lakes Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last quarter, Kalium Lakes insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. In total, insiders bought AU$1.2m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This makes one think the business has some good points.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Kalium Lakes insiders own about AU$22m worth of shares. That equates to 20% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Kalium Lakes Tell Us?

It is good to see recent purchasing. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Insiders likely see value in Kalium Lakes shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Kalium Lakes has 5 warning signs (2 are potentially serious!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
RICHMOND, Va. - A small group of demonstrators toppled a statue of a Confederate general in the the former capital of the Confederacy late Saturday, following a day of largely peaceful protests in the Virginia city.

The statue of Gen. Williams Carter Wickham was pulled from its pedestal in Monroe Park, a Richmond police spokeswoman said. She said she did not know if there were any arrests or damage done to the statue.

A rope had been tied around the Confederate statue, which has stood since 1891, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, adding that someone urinated on the statue after it was pulled down. Photos and video from the newspaper showed the what appeared to be red paint splashed or sprayed on the statue.

In 2017, some of Wickhams descendants urged the city to remove the statue.

Confederate monuments are a major flashpoint in Virginia and elsewhere in the South. Confederate memorials began coming down after a white supremacist killed nine black people at a Bible study in a church in South Carolina in 2015 and then again after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Last week, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that a state-owned statue of former Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee would be removed from its perch on the famed Monument Avenue as soon as possible.

The Lee statue is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue, a prestigious residential street and National Historic Landmark district. Monuments along the avenue have been rallying points during protests in recent days over Floyds death, and they have been tagged with graffiti, including messages that say End police brutality and Stop white supremacy.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney last week announced plans to seek the removal of the other Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue, which include statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Gens. Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart. Those statues sit on city land, unlike the Lee statue, which is on state property.

Stoney said he would introduce an ordinance July 1 to have the statues removed. Thats when a new law goes into effect, which was signed earlier this year by Northam, that undoes an existing state law protecting Confederate monuments and instead lets local governments decide their fate.

Wickhams statue stood in Monroe Park, about a mile away from the Lee statue and surrounded by the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.
Jessica Larios baby arrived a few weeks before her due date at the end of February.

The owner of Bellas Event  an event planning business in Yonkers, New York, specializing in rentals and sales of all things party-related from wedding gowns to quinceanera dresses, table linens and party supplies  Larios could not afford to take time off during one of the busiest months for bookings.

In a haze of feedings and caring for the baby, Larios plowed through her work. Less than a month later, things ground to a halt as the coronavirus pandemic took hold  and cancellations poured in.

Jessica Larios owns Bella's Events, which specializes in rentals and sales of everything party-related, such as quinceanera dresses, in Yonkers, N.Y. The Acceleration Project, a nonprofit consulting firm, helped Larios navigate the loans process and adapt her business by moving it online.

I was so worried I was not going to be able to make rent and would have to shut down my business, which she opened in 2014, she said.

She thought of reaching out to the women from the Acceleration Project, a nonprofit business consulting firm that helped her with bookkeeping and merchandise sorting last summer.

Unemployment in May: Defying predictions of historic losses, economy gains 2.5M jobs

Coronavirus masks: Do they provide protest protection from face recognition tools?

Consultants from TAP strategized with Larios on how best to approach and negotiate with her landlord.

The Acceleration Project helped Bella's Events, a party planning business.

That was very helpful. My landlord actually cut my rent by half for six months, she said. They have also been keeping me informed about all the protections available for small businesses.

The Acceleration Project was founded in 2012 to help small businesses that were dealing with the aftermath of the economic recession and increased competition from online shopping. Seventy-five percent of the businesses it serves are women-owned, and 33% are minority-owned.

Jane Veron is CEO of the Acceleration Project, a nonprofit consulting firm that helps small business survive in challenging times.

Jane Veron, CEO and co-founder of TAP, made up of all female consultants, said there has been a high demand for their services in the past two months.

It has been an incredibly busy time for us. In a way, our mission from 2012 has become more urgent than ever. And now this enormous disruption is something that impacts virtually all small business owners, Veron said. So what became clear to us very early on is the need to develop emergency services.

Story continues

Since March, TAP consultants have supported small businesses with free emergency services addressing their immediate decisions calculating payroll costs, identifying ways to negotiate expenses and providing guidance on Small Business Administration loans and forgiveness programs. Theyve assisted almost 50 small businesses, a mix of past and new clients.

Initially, the most pressing needs were all around government loan information and assistance, said Nancy Rosenberg, COO of TAP.

We quickly dug in and got up to speed on the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and other loan opportunities and were constantly fielding questions like: Which loans should I apply for? How much money should I request? Should I furlough my employees? How can I use the loan proceeds if my business has been forced to close? Will my loan be forgiven? she said.

Congress established the small-business-focused PPP as part of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Businesses with fewer than 500 workers can secure low-interest loans of up to $10 million. The loan will be fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities (at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Loan payments will be deferred for six months.

Of the businesses that applied for the loan, about 66.7% received the money, according to the Census Bureau.

For businesses who used TAPs expertise, the numbers have been better.

About 83% of our clients that applied for the PPP eventually received the funds they had requested, Rosenberg said.

Tiffany Amaya-Cipriano shut down A Child's Dream in March.

Tiffany Amaya-Cipriano, founder of A Childs Dream, a nursery school at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, New York, shut down her school March 12.

When she reached out to TAP with questions on the loan application process, the consultants advised her to apply for the PPP so she could pay her teachers and keep them involved in her students lives through story hours and other activities.

The consultants were a really great support system, she said.

A planned summer school has been canceled, resulting in another financial hit.

I have a wonderful team of employees that have worked together, Amaya-Cipriano said, and we stay in touch daily to make sure that everyone's doing OK and stay in touch with our families.

For Rob Kissner, president and CEO of Digital Arts Experience in Scarsdale, New York, which provides hands-on classes and experiences to children interested in learning how to code, create video games, design graphics and more, TAP was a familiar sounding board.

In 2015, as he looked to expand his operations, he leaned on the expertise of the TAP consultants. One result was the expansion of DAEs business through after-school programming. After working with TAP consultants, the DAE doubled the number of its school district partners and began teaching hundreds of students coding and digital arts.

When the whole situation came about with COVID-19, I was having to obviously rethink the function of my business, he said. Jane set me up with consultants that were all local parents, so I could get their perspective both as parents and as business consultants and came up with a couple of great strategies.

The consultants suggested teacher-supervised virtual "Minecraft" parties, consulting services for other small businesses that need to move their product and services online and group coding classes. They also suggested targeting parents who want to be more digitally savvy and refundable registration for summer programs.

Veron, who grew TAP from a small consulting outfit in Scarsdale to serving more than 550 clients in 10 states and 110 consultants, is not quite done. She said her goal is to double in size by the end of the year.

We now have a boot camp for businesses to rethink all aspects of their business model, from product offerings to managing employees and operations and their network of vendors and landlords, she said.

Larios, the owner of Bellas Event, plans on shifting her focus to online sales and is setting up a website. For now, she'll double down on balloons and table and chair rentals.

I think its going to be two years before we have events with 100 people or more. But I think people will be having backyard parties and summer barbecues, she said. People want to feel happy. I think balloons and decorations are going to be popular.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy covers women and power for the USA TODAY Network Northeast. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter at @SwapnaVenugopal.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: TAP helps small businesses emerge from the coronavirus crisis
Noel Gallagher and Meg Matthews at 10 Downing Street for a party held by Prime Minister Tony Blair. Many celebrities also attended, 30th July 1997. (Photo by John Ferguson/Ian Vogler/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

Meg Mathews has revealed her divorce from Oasis star Noel Gallagher left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The pair were darlings of the press at the height of the Britpop era after marrying in 1997.

However, the whirlwind romance ended in divorce in 2001, a year after the birth of their daughter Anais.

Read more: Noel Gallagher suffered 'brutal panic attacks' at height of cocaine use

Speaking on DJ Fat Tonys podcast The Recovery, Mathews said: I came through the marriage. Everything was public. At the end of the day I did not have the cog or the PR world that that person (Noel) had.

I was just the ex-wife. I had nobody. I didnt know what to do. I didnt have a press agent, wasnt famous, I just had a daughter.

I used to get terrible PTSD. In 1997 I was the third most written about woman. It was Lady Diana, The Spice Girls and me.

PTSD symptoms include anxiety, disturbing thoughts, flashbacks, and difficulty sleeping.

Gallagher wed Mathews after meeting in 1994. While he was the brains behind the biggest rock band of the day, she was a socialite and part of the Primrose Hill set of pals that included supermodel Kate Moss and actress Sadie Frost.

The couple were known for their hedonistic and hard partying lifestyle.

Meg Matthews attends The Heart Hero Awards at Shakespeare's Globe on September 20, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Speaking on Matt Morgan's Funny How? podcast earlier this year, Gallagher revealed he used cocaine every day before eventually quitting, describing 1995 to 1998 as his "crazy years".

He said: "I had a few really f*****g brutal, aggressive panic attacks which is why I quit."

His marriage to Mathews ended when she filed for divorce on the grounds Gallagher was an adulterer, claiming the guitarist had an affair with publicist Sara McDonald - claims he refuted.

Read more: Liam Gallagher jibes at brother Noel after learning he's missing from unearthed Oasis track

After the divorce was final, Gallagher went onto to have a relationship with McDonald and they eventually married in 2011, sharing two sons, Donovan and Sonny.

Story continues

Mathews said she ended up in rehab, and became teetotal, which she says gave her the best tools to bring up a daughter.

Noel Gallagher and Anais Gallagher attend the 2019 BMI London Awards at The Savoy Hotel on October 21, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for BMI London Awards)

Daughter Anais is now 20. She is a model and social media influencer.

The Recovery podcast is available to listen to online now
A view of the AstraZeneca logo, on a building, in South San Francisco, California.

Associated Press

AstraZeneca, the UK's largest pharmaceuticals firm, approached its heavyweight US competitor Gilead to discuss a merger, according to Bloomberg.

AstraZeneca contacted Gilead in May but "didn't specify terms for any transaction," Bloomberg said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Discussions with advisers are reportedly underway at Gilead, but the companies aren't in formal talks, they said.

Gilead is not interested in merging with a rival, Bloomberg said, preferring to focus on smaller acquisitions.

As of Friday, AstraZeneca was worth $141 billion and Gilead $96 billion. If a merger went ahead it would be the largest ever in the industry, and would likely be opposed by UK competition regulators due to the size and power of their combined resources.

FILE PHOTO: Gilead Sciences Inc pharmaceutical company is seen during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in California

Reuters

AstraZeneca is currently partnering with the Oxford Vaccine Group to help roll out an inoculation against the coronavirus, if a product is approved.

Gilead is not working on a vaccine, but developed remdesivir, a treatment for the coronavirus. The company has a long track record of developing treatments for viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C.

Business Insider contacted both firms for comment but is yet to receive a response.

AstraZeneca told Bloomberg the company doesn't comment on "rumors or speculation."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Dear reader,

The peaceful Black Lives Matter rally at the Capitol last Saturday appeared to be winding down and Sean Simmers was getting ready for his next assignment. But first, the photojournalist decided to follow marchers heading to the Harrisburg Police Station.

The demonstration against the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody was one of many across the nation that day.

The latest death of a black man at the hands of a white officer has unleashed a torrent of protests against racial injustice and inequality across the state and nation.

Sean was in the midst of the crowd when violence erupted between police and protesters. He was an eyewitness to the tumultuous events of May 30th as told through his dramatic videos and photos.

It was one of the more harrowing experiences in his 20 years with our newsroom. But Sean kept his head and kept taking photos.

Oddly, when I have a camera in front of my face I dont get scared, he said. I am normally petrified of heights, but I can handle them as long as I have a camera. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad one.

Sean was downwind of police pepper spray and said he was struggling to keep my eyes open, but otherwise avoided harm. He said protesters gave him water bottles to bathe his stinging eyes.

Other cities have also seen elements of the protests escalate into violence. And journalists like Sean have been there to cover the news. Some were not as fortunate in escaping injury or arrest.

An unprecedented and abhorrent number of attacks on the media were reported in 24 states and Washington, D.C., in the past 10 days. Colleagues at sister AdvanceLocal newsrooms wrote about several such confrontations.

In Detroit, an MLive staffer was among three photographers hit by pellets fired at them by a police officer last Saturday. Undeterred, all three were back on the job by late Sunday.

A social media producer at AL.com was attacked by protesters as he reported live from downtown Birmingham  fortunately escaping without serious harm.

And a photographer in Syracuse received minor injuries when he was shoved to the ground by a police officer in riot gear.

Newsrooms have protocols for safeguarding staff  especially since the arrival of COVID-19. Everyone has stocked up on PPE. But our journalists are aware they could face the unexpected when out on these assignments.

They are driven by a commitment to bring readers vital news of the countrys civil unrest and the search for desperately needed solutions. We salute their courage and their dedication.

I asked Sean what motivates his work. I enjoy documenting day-to-day life, he said. And, with the current situation, I feel like I am documenting history for future generations.

Reader, your subscriptions to PennLive and The Patriot-News provide the resources to help all our journalists do this essential job. We thank you.

Til next week,

Cate Barron

President, PennLive & The Patriot-News
By Trend





Japan has decided not join the United States, Britain and others in issuing a statement scolding China for imposing a new security law, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The United Kingdom, the U.S., Australia and Canada condemned China on May 28 for imposing a law that they said would threaten freedom and breach a 1984 Sino-British agreement on the autonomy of the former colony.

There was no immediate response to Reuters e-mail inquiries to Japans foreign ministry and the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. Chinas foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tokyo separately issued a statement May 28, the day Chinas parliament approved the national security legislation, saying the nation was seriously concerned about the move, which observers fear could endanger Hong Kongs special autonomy and freedoms.

Tokyo is in complicated position amid tension between China and the U.S. over the Hong Kong issue as Japan plans Chinese President Xi Jinpings state visit, which was planned for early April but has been postponed because both have agreed to priorities to contain the virus outbreak.
Earlier: Since May 25, the day George Floyd was killed by a white Minneapolis officer, masses have mobilized their outrage at the police violence against black communities and taken to the streets in a public outcry of mourning. Richmond was no different. But as the week went on, the marches  which started May 29 in Richmond  evolved.

Last Saturday saw a few protesters take down fencing in front of the Virginia State Capitol and launch roadblocks meant to keep them out back toward Capitol Square police. Gunshots were fired on East Broad Street, windows smashed, condemnations proclaimed against police brutality and cops strewn across Richmond buildings. Various dumpsters and cars were set on fire as police wielded tear gas at protesters.

Fires in the city burned past 3 a.m.

A week later, pots and pans clanged together in celebration, herds of people danced along to rhythmic drums as others chanted Black Lives Matter in unison.
Producer Ekta Kapoor has apologised for unintentionally hurting sentiments for a controversial scene in the ALT Balaji web series XXX: Uncensored, which allegedly insults the Indian Army while taking a clear stand against cyberbullying. This comes after rape threats to Ekta and her mother Shobha Kapoor after former Bigg Boss contestant and YouTuber Hindustani Bhau aka Vikas Phatak filed a complaint against them.

In a statement, Ekta said, As an individual and as an organization we are deeply respectful towards 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. We fully apologise for any sentiment that is hurt unintentionally. What we dont appreciate is the bullying and the rape threats by the trolls.

Earlier, in a chat with Shobhaa De, Ekta said, This gentleman who thinks that hes the patriot of the year decided to come out there, abuse my mother and me. And now, he has openly put a rape threat on a social platform. This is now 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.

Ekta went on to say that it was no big deal for her to issue an apology for the controversial scene, which has now been removed from the show, but now I have decided to take the route of standing up to this cyberbullying. She said, If they can decide to take my nudes out, put out my nudes on the net, call me r****, then tomorrow, they can do this to any girl.

Also read | Johnny Depp on George Floyds killing: No way to make sense of what is senseless

You want to rub my nose on the ground? Well, you are not getting a chance, she added.

Meanwhile, Ekta has said that she would willingly apologise if the demand for it came from any bona fide army institution but would not give in to cyberbullying. 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 bona fide army institution. But we wont bow down to uncivilised cyber bullying and rape threats by random elements, she said.

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A handout photo issued by Metropolitan Police of a VW T3 Westfalia campervan that has been linked to the suspect

The prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case is feared to have committed numerous sex offences on regular trips across Europe as he drove between Germany and Portugal for more than two decades.

Christian Bruckner (43) is known to have frequently driven the 1,600 miles between his native Bavaria and the Algarve, through France and Spain and possibly Switzerland and Belgium.

It is feared the convicted rapist, burglar and drug dealer could have used the trip, which would have taken more than a day, to scout for victims.

The full extent of his nomadic lifestyle has meant he either lived in, or had been jailed for crimes in, countries including Germany, Italy and Portugal.

"He would never be able to put down roots because ultimately his sexual fantasies would have to come to the fore. When that happens, there would have been a lot of gossip which would have meant he would have to move on," said David Wilson, an emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University.

"It's absolutely right to think he would have offended in those places he moved, whether in Germany, Portugal, or anywhere in between."

In 1995, aged 18, Bruckner first travelled to the Algarve. He was escaping from part of a two-year youth court sentence for sexually assaulting two children, a boy and a girl.

A year after Bruckner arrived in the Algarve, Rene Hasee, from Elsdorf, Germany, disappeared on June 21, 1996, while on holiday in Aljezur, 25 miles from Praia da Luz.

His parents lost sight of him after he ran ahead on the beach. On the sands where the six-year-old boy had been lay some of his clothes. Last week , German detectives said they were looking again into his disappearance.

The northerly route between Bruckner's native Germany and Portugal could take him within miles of the Belgian seaside resort of De Haan. In the summer of 1996, 16-year-old Carola Titze went for a morning walk along the beach while on holiday there. She never returned, and her body was found six days later.

The schoolgirl was reported to have been in contact with a German man whom she was seen with at a disco in the days before her murder.

Yesterday, the public prosecutor's office in Bruges confirmed it was investigating whether Bruckner could have played any part in her death.

If Bruckner had tried to forge a new identity he failed. In 1999, he was extradited from Portugal to Germany to face the courts for previous juvenile crimes. He had earlier been jailed for a series of burglaries on the Algarve.

Nonetheless, a few years later he was back in Portugal and moved into a rundown property where neighbours reported seeing a variety of dishevelled cars parked up.

By the summer of 2007, his life was truly mobile after he resorted to living in a VW camper van, probably with his unnamed English girlfriend (he was fluent in English). When Gerry and Kate McCann, along with Madeleine and their twins, arrived in Praia da Luz, he was known to have been trundling around the area.

An hour before the three-year-old vanished, Bruckner received a 30-minute call in the town. The next day, he arranged for the ownership of his German-registered Jaguar to be transferred to another person's name back in Germany. He and his girlfriend split up and he returned to his homeland.

In May 2015, Inga Gehricke (5) disappeared in a case so similar to what happened in Praia da Luz that she became known as "the German Maddie". She vanished from a family barbecue after going to collect firewood in the northern town of Stendal. She has never been seen since.

As was the case in the McCann inquiry, Bruckner became a suspect in the Gehricke case, but faded from the inquiry, despite it being claimed he had been at a service station only 90 minutes away from the scene.

A raid in 2016 on his property uncovered a Skype chat on a computer in which he stated he wanted to "catch something small and use it for days".

According to Bild magazine, a USB stick found at the site where he lived had images of the abuse of babies.

It is clear that Bruckner was reluctant to sever links with Portugal. Although he regarded the Algarve as his main home for 12 years from 1995 to 2007, one of his former landlords in Bavaria said he was regularly returning to Portugal in the years before his arrest in 2018.
Taiwan reiterates sovereignty rights over Diaoyutai Islands

ROC Central News Agency

06/06/2020 05:42 PM

Taipei, June 6 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday reiterated Taiwan's sovereignty rights over the Diaoyutai Islands, called Senkaku Islands by Japan, amid a reported plan by a Japanese local government to change their district name.

The Diaoyutai Islands are "undoubtedly inherent parts of the Republic of China," the formal name of Taiwan, the MOFA said in a statement on Saturday.

"The fact that our country has the sovereignty rights over the Diaoyutai Islands will not change because of any country's attempt to alter their name," the ministry said.

The statement was in response to a news report by Okinawa Times earlier in the day.

According to the report, the city council of Ishigaki-shi, a locality in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture which asserts jurisdiction over the disputed islands, is planning to vote Tuesday on whether to change Senkaku Islands' district name from Tonoshiro to Tonoshiro Senkaku.

The MOFA said it is trying to seek clarification over the news report through channels in Taipei as well as in Tokyo and is expressing its concern to the Japanese side.

"Japan's unilateral action to the Diaoyutai Islands is not helpful to the regional security and stability. We hope the Japan side handles the issue prudently," the MOFA said.

The ministry urged Japan to exercise restraint and to avoid actions that will escalate tensions, while reiterating its position that the dispute should be resolved peacefully.

"Our government has placed importance on the development of the situation on Diaoyutai Islands and their surrounding waters and will continue to do so,"the MOFA said, stressing that Taiwan will take necessary actions to protect its sovereignty and the rights of its fishermen.

(By Emerson Lim)

Enditem/cs

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Protesters calling for an end to racism and injustice held a peaceful demonstration June 6 at Lake Geneva City Hall, before marching through the citys downtown.

Downtown Lake Geneva was packed with tourists, many dining outdoors, as protesters marched along Main Street, Wrigley Drive, Broad Street, Center Street and Geneva Street. As the protesters marched, they chanted black lives matter, I cant breathe, and no justice, no peace.

Some motorists honked at protesters, some tourists joined the chants, and other visitors took cellphone videos of the demonstration. One couple dining at Sopra Bistro saluted protesters by holding up their wine glasses as the crowd marched past.

A few peopled heckled demonstrators, with one man seemingly attempting to start an altercation. However, the event remained peaceful.

It went amazing. It was just the way it should, demonstrator Patrick Watrous, 21, of Lake Geneva, said after the march through downtown. We got to protest peacefully.

The protest was organized on social media by Lake Genevas Jordan Patino, who created a Facebook page called the Lake Geneva Protest Against Racism and Injustice.

Patino, 21, concealed his identity on the page, and said that was done to keep the focus on the events message.

I didnt think it mattered who put it together, but instead it mattered what we are out to protest, he said.

The June 6 protest started at about 5 p.m. in front of Lake Genevas City Hall and Police Department. Patino, who estimated that about 100 people attended the event, spoke to demonstrators before leading the group in taking a knee to honor George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man from Minneapolis, died on May 25 while in police custody. Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, has been charged with second-degree murder in the case, and was filmed allegedly kneeling on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyds death has sparked nationwide protests.

Lake Geneva police Lt. Edward Gritzner and Sgt. Jason Hall joined protesters by kneeling to honor Floyd. After kneeling, Patino invited other demonstrators to speak.

Melissa Perez of Lake Geneva, who identified herself as a Latina, said she has been subject to racism while living in Lake Geneva.

The truth is, here in our town, we have our fair share of racism, Perez said. People here think that Lake Geneva is perfect.

Denise Millet, who is from Chicago but graduated from Badger High School in 2003, discussed her experience as a black mother to a 6-year-old boy.

She said she recently had a difficult conversation with him explaining how, as someone who is black, he is expected to act around the police. She told him that while most police are good, some may be dangerous to him.

At what age does he go from being cute to being scary? she asked.

Perez told other demonstrators that she was encouraged to see so many of her former high school classmates at the protest.

We brought our whole community together to spread the word, she said.

Patino said he was inspired to put together the protest after seeing other demonstrations across the country. He also said as a Hispanic man in Lake Geneva he has been subject to racial slurs and other forms of discrimination.

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The experience of coming off a ventilator and breathing again without artificial support is ... unimaginable, we suspect, to anyone who hasnt been through it.

Life-affirming? Its probably hard to put into words  although people coming back from near-death conditions tend to be effusively grateful to the health professionals and the technology that made recovery possible.

Easton Hospital has been on life support for the better part of this year. Its only because of an $8 million-a-month federal stimulus bailout that the lights are still on, and that it has been available to treat COVID-19 patients. And that nearly 700 employees at the 125-year-old institution still have their jobs.

The hospitals for-profit owner, Steward Health Care, informed the state in March that it would close the hospital on April 1 if it didnt receive a $40 million infusion of cash. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf balked at the request, but countered with $8 million a month to keep Easton operating in the short term.

It wasnt just a pandemic that raised the stakes of deadline bargaining. There was another good reason to consider a taxpayer lifeline for Easton Hospital, which had farmed out many essential services and was bleeding money: It was entertaining bids from the Lehigh Valleys two competing health networks for a buyout and takeover.

This week we learned that St. Lukes University Health Network sealed the deal, and the reaction was palpable: Everyone who cares about the future of health care in the Easton area breathed a collective, unrestrained sigh of relief.

The hospital is expected to be rechristened St. Lukes Easton when the new owner takes over July 1, pending reviews and approvals by government authorities. The sale includes affiliated physician practices and two physician residency programs with 36 physician residents. St. Lukes is expected to downsize the hospital initially to gauge the demand for beds and services, and allow it to build up over time. What that means for the 700 employees hasnt been disclosed.

St. Lukes is preserving the hospital and jobs for the community by right-sizing the hospital, said St. Lukes board of trustees President Luanne B. Stauffer.

However that plays out, having a St. Lukes hospital at 21st and Lehigh streets in Wilson Borough  a community asset where most people in the Easton area drew their first breaths  is far preferable to a struggling for-profit entity. Or a dark building.

Bringing back services that had been terminated or transferred under an agreement with St. Lukes to other locations  cardiac surgery, trauma care, neonatal intensive care and a maternity wing  would be welcomed. But given the proximity to other hospitals, the need to return Easton to the 20th-century model of a full-service hospital may be unnecessary.

Its hard to say how Easton would have fared in the last 20 years had its former board of directors opted to merge with one the Valleys health networks instead of selling to a for-profit corporation, Community Health Systems. (It was sold to Steward in 2017.) The record of struggles in recent years took a toll. So did competing for financial support in a competitive market, a Bambi treading alongside two Godzillas.

Thats now part of Easton Hospitals past. Looking ahead, with the haze of a coronavirus still on the horizon and modern challenges to health care delivery, were relieved that St. Lukes will be writing the next chapter.
Sabrina Dhowre Elba has written candidly about her experience of racism, arguing it's time for people to educate themselves about minority struggles.

The model, 29, who is married to Idris Elba, 47, said she has to explain to her colleagues why 'in this moment, it's not about "All Lives Matter" but about "Black Lives Matter"'.

It comes as at least 15,000 protesters took to the streets of London and cities across the world to march for black rights following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis last month.

Sabrina Dhowre Elba has written candidly about her experience of racism, saying it's time for people to educate themselves about minority struggles.

Writing in the Sunday Mirror, the Vogue cover star said: 'It's no longer enough to be "not racist", we must teach others to be "anti-racist".

'We can use this time to reflect and educate ourselves on the struggle minorities live through daily.' She added it isn't a time to be 'politically correct'.

'While I don't support looting or violence, the riots breaking out after the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmed Aubrey and Breonna Taylor cannot be deemed disproportionate in response to the loss of lives and 400 years of oppression,' she said.

'Let's all recognise and attempt to understand the pain and frustration that led thousands to flood the streets in the middle of a pandemic.'

The model, 29, who is married to Idris Elba, 47, said she has to explain to her colleagues why 'in this moment, it's not about "All Lives Matter" but about "Black Lives Matter".

The Black Lives Matter movement was started in 2012 when George Zimmerman was acquitted for murder after fatally shooting an unarmed black child called Trayvon Martin after he went to his local shop to buy skittles.

All Lives Matter is a response commonly used by people who oppose the movement for shining a light on black struggles and injustices.

Sabrina, who was raised in Montreal with Somali heritage, and Idris, who was born in London to a Ghanaian mother and Sierra Leonean father, have both been vocal about the movement as rage has swept the world following the death of George Floyd.

Sabrina, a former Miss Vancouver, wrote on Instagram this week: 'We shouldn't have to guilt-trip anyone into supporting this movement.

Sabrina, who was raised in Montreal with Somali heritage, and Idris who was born in London to a Ghanaian mother and Sierra Leonean father have both been vocal about the movement as rage has swept the world following the death of George Floyd.

'Their silence speaks volumes. "Stop killing us" should not be met with ifs, and or buts. It should be met with what are the next steps to make change.

'The brands and people you support who have not shown you the same should know you no longer stand with them.

'You should feel scared, fear has always been with us. You should feel threatened, injustice threatens us all.

'Saying something is the first step, now do something. Sign a petition, make a donation and join us. Not because you hate cops but rather because you believe black lives matter.'

Meanwhile actor Idris posted a black square with 'Remember Breonna' written across it, in reference to Breonna Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday.

The emergency medical technician, from Louisville, was fatally shot by police earlier this year while she slept in her bed when they raided her home in an attempted drug sting.

Earlier this week, the FBI reopened the case after no charges were initially found against officers involved.
BEIJINGUnder continued fire for its early mishandling of the coronavirus, the Chinese government vigorously defended its actions in a new, detailed account Sunday that portrays the countrys approach to combating the outbreak as a model for the world.

Calling the epidemic a test of fire, Beijing builds a comprehensive picture of its painstaking efforts to identify the virus, stop its spread and warn other countries  a narrative that discounts and ignores missteps by the government at the outset of the outbreak.

In the report, local and provincial officials are described as acting decisively. The World Health Organization is said to have been kept informed in detail starting Jan. 3, while Chinese scientists quickly released the genome sequence. Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping, is described as playing a pivotal role throughout the crisis.

Confronted by this virus, the Chinese people have joined together as one and united their efforts, the report said. They have succeeded in containing the spread of the virus. In this battle, China will always stand together with other countries.

Like much of Chinas state propaganda on the coronavirus, the report provides a sanitized version of events, leaving out political and bureaucratic problems that exacerbated the crisis when it first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

There is no mention of the doctor who was reprimanded by police for raising an early alarm about the virus or the young Chinese bloggers who were taken into custody after creating videos of the suffering in Wuhan.

There is no discussion of local officials delays in reporting cases and underplaying the outbreak, or their subsequent firing. Officials instead are lauded for dedicating themselves to defeating the virus in the report, which speaks of an effective and well-functioning, whole-of-the-nation control mechanism.

The report offers no new information on the origins of the virus. In a news conference Sunday, a top Chinese official dismissed accusations about Beijings conduct as completely unwarranted and unreasonable, an apparent reference to numerous accusations by the Trump administration that China is to blame for the pandemic.

China has much at stake in global perceptions of its actions. Whether China is pilloried or praised could have a big effect on Beijings world standing in the months and years ahead and its ability to continue playing an ever more assertive role in international organizations and geopolitical affairs.

The Chinese government put its full propaganda muscle behind the report. Three ministers, two vice ministers and the president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences held a joint news conference to release it Sunday at the State Council Information Office, an elite propaganda agency.

Xu Lin, the minister who oversees the office, characterized Chinas handling of the disease in heroic terms.

Chinas fight against COVID-19 is extraordinary and should be remembered forever, he said.

As the United States and other countries struggle to bring their outbreaks under control, China has largely returned to normal life. Its last remaining high-risk area, a district in the northeastern city of Jilin, lowered its epidemic response level Sunday. The city of Beijing gave permission Friday for people to stop wearing masks when outdoors and well separated.

The government reported six new cases across the country Sunday. Five originated abroad, and one was said to have been transmitted locally in the southern island province of Hainan.

Since the outbreak began, the Chinese mainland has recorded more than 89,000 cases and more than 4,600 deaths. By contrast, the United States has confirmed almost 2 million cases and nearly 110,000 deaths.

Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs, complained bitterly about foreign criticisms of Chinas handling of the coronavirus. Critics went all out to smear and slander China; this is spreading a political virus, and in responding to such politicized practices, China, of course, will push back resolutely, he said.

As evidence of Chinas transparency, Xu said that 480 journalists from state news media had risked infection by reporting from the epicentre of the outbreak in Wuhan and the rest of Hubei province. In his only hint that China may have had any difficulties in handling the epidemic, he said, They have also uncovered some issues and pressed for their solution.

The report also highlights its co-operation with the United States.

It notes that the heads of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Chinese equivalent spoke to each other by phone Jan. 4 and again four days later. In the first call, the Chinese official briefed his U.S. counterpart about the new pneumonia, the report said, adding, The two sides agreed to keep in close contact on information sharing and co-operation on technical matters.

Ma Xiaowei, the minister who oversees the National Health Commission, said Sunday that China had not covered up the epidemic.

We have not delayed in any way the release of information, he said.

But he indicated that China was stepping up preparations to make sure that it would catch any future outbreak of disease quickly.

We shall also develop a smart early-warning system with multiple triggers, he said.

He did not explain how the existing early-warning system, put in place after the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis in late 2002 and early 2003, mostly failed during the coronavirus outbreak.

The news conference Sunday underlined how completely Xi has consolidated his power.

Chinas top leader said little publicly in the early days of the outbreak and made a state visit to neighbouring Myanmar in mid-January as the virus spread swiftly through Wuhan. He sent Premier Li Keqiang, the countrys second-highest official, to Wuhan soon after that citys lockdown began, on Jan. 23, and put him in charge of handling the governments response.

But the new report barely mentions the premier, while Xi was praised at length. He is described in often martial terms as a resolute commander in combat, making important decisions every week and sometimes every day.

As in an earlier account, the report indicates that the Chinese leader was engaged in the fight against the outbreak since Jan. 7 but offers little further details on his role back then. Toward the end of February, Xi called for a greater effort to marshal the resources of the whole country to reinforce Wuhan and Hubei, it says. Two months later, he said the country had won a vital battle in defending Wuhan and Hubei against the novel coronavirus and achieved a major strategic success in the nationwide control efforts.

Xi made key decisions at critical moments and led the Chinese people in an all-out fight, Xu said.

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By Trend

Turkeys export of cement to world markets from January through May 2020 went down by 6.9 percent compared to the same period in 2019, having stood at over $1.3 billion, Turkish Trade Ministry told Trend.

According to the ministry, the cement export from Turkey amounted to 2.3 percent of the countrys total export for the reporting period.

"In May 2020, Turkeys export of cement to international markets amounted to $250.3 million, which is 29.3 percent less compared to the same month of 2019," the ministry said.

Turkeys export of cement to international markets in May this year amounted to 2.5 percent of the countrys total export.

During the last twelve months (from May 2019 through May 2020), Turkey exported cement worth $3.4 billion.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of cement to international markets amounted to 2.6 percent of the countrys total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkey exported cement worth $3.5 billion.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A 31-year-old woman from Worcester was killed Saturday after being ejected from her vehicle during a crash on Interstate 495 in Methuen.

Massachusetts State Police responded to a call for a motor vehicle crash on the northbound side of the highway near Exit 48 around 6:26 a.m. Saturday.

Police say the woman was driving a 2018 Honda CRV in the left travel lane when it appears she moved across two lanes of traffic and struck the rear of a 2008 Chevy Aveo, sending the Chevy upside down onto the median.

The driver of the Honda was not wearing a seatbelt, police said, and was ejected from her vehicle. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Police say the woman was transported by Medflight to Lawrence General Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the Chevy was a 40-year-old woman from Lawrence who was also transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The crash shut down two of the three northbound lanes for two hours.

Mass. State Police say the crash continues to be under investigation and are notifying family of the Worcester woman before publically identifying her.
Patients with high blood pressure who are not taking medication to control the condition may be at a greater risk of dying from novel coronavirus infection, according to a review of studies which says drugs treating the underlying disease may offer protection in some COVID-19 patients.

The research, published in the European Heart Journal, noted that patients with elevated blood pressure have a two-fold increased risk of dying from the novel coronavirus infection, compared to those without the underlying disease.

In the study, scientists, including those from Xijing Hospital in China, assessed data from 2,866 COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Huo Shen Shan hospital in China, between February 5 and March 15.

They said nearly 30 per cent of these patients (850) had a medical history of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

According to the study, led by Fei Li and Ling Tao from Xijing Hospital, 34 out of 850 hypertensive patients (4 per cent) with coronavirus died compared to 22 out of 2027 patients without hypertension (1.1 per cent).

The scientists said this was a 2.12-fold increased risk of dying from the disease after they adjusted for several health-related factors that could affect the results, such as age, sex, and other medical conditions.

Among the patients with hypertension who were not taking medication for the condition, the study said 11 out 140 people (nearly 8 per cent) died from coronavirus, compared to 23 out of 710 (3.2 per cent) of those who were taking medication -- a 2.17-fold increased risk after adjusting for confounding factors.

Analysing data from nearly 2,300 patients in three other studies, the researchers probed into the death rates in patients being treated with drugs to control blood pressure levels which targeted the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) of the human body.

These drugs, they said, included angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).

The scientists also assessed the performance of other, non-RAAS inhibiting drugs used for treating high blood pressure such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), or diuretics.

In their analysis, the researchers found a lower risk of death among the 183 patients treated with RAAS inhibitors than in 527 patients treated with other drugs.

However, the scientists say this result should be treated with caution as the number of patients in this analysis was small, and so it could be due to chance.

"It is important that patients with high blood pressure realise that they are at increased risk of dying from COVID-19," Li said.

"They should take good care of themselves during this pandemic and they need more attention if they are infected with the coronavirus," he added.

In addition, the scientists noted that there were 140 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who had discontinued their anti-hypertensive treatment due to various reasons.

"We found that this was associated with a greater risk of dying from the coronavirus," Li said.

"In contrast to our initial hypothesis, we found that RAAS inhibitors, such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, were not linked to an increased risk of dying from COVID-19 and, in fact, may be protective," the scientists said.

They suggested that patients should not discontinue or change their usual antihypertensive treatment unless instructed by a physician.

Since the assessed study looked at data from observations in the hospital, and was not based on a randomised controlled clinical trial, the researchers said it is too early to make clinical recommendations based on these results.

"These data should be interpreted cautiously. However, they support recommendations for the European Society of Cardiology that patients should not discontinue or change their normal, antihypertensive treatment," Tao said.
A pair of protests to mark the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, drew hundreds Saturday to Friendswood and League City.

In Friendswood, several hundred people marched down South Friendswood Drive from FM 2351 to City Hall in the afternoon heat. The line stretched for about half a mile.

An organizer surprised at turnout

Hannah Hall, one of the organizers of the event, was surprised at the turnout.

THOUSANDS EXPECTED: Public viewing for George Floyd underway in Houston

Based on the social media posts, I was expecting about 15 people, she said.

Hall is a student at the University of Houston and grew up in Friendswood. She thought it was time to get her hometown involved in the movement.

George Floyds death was really impactful, and you started seeing movements going on, she said. I had seen the movements in Houston, and I thought, Were in the Houston area, and it just makes sense for us to get involved.

The march was organized on social media and drew a diverse crowd of old and young.

I assumed it would be mostly young people, like high school students, because theyre the ones that are on Twitter, Hall said. But it spread more, and Im excited to see a lot of older people here.

One of those older marchers was 75-year-old Friendswood resident John Young.

Its an opportunity to demonstrate our values, the chairman of the Galveston County Democratic Party said. On my behalf, this is not a protest for anything local, it is a concern that there are clearly some things that we can do better.

Precinct 2 Constable Chris Diaz and three deputies also made the march.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: George Floyd: Im gonna change the world

Were here to make a change and create unity with everybody and keep the peace, Diaz said. We live in this world together, and we have to set a good example.

On the march, numerous signs were displayed. Many said, Black Lives Matter, but others included When George called for his Momma, all Mommas were summoned. I didnt fully understand until I finally listened, No justice, no peace and Silence is a choice.

Once the throng made it to City Hall, they knelt for eight minutes and 56 seconds, the length of time a Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyds neck before he died.

If you think eight minutes and 56 seconds was a long time in this heat, imagine what it was like for George Floyd to be laying on the ground with a police officers knee on his neck for that amount of time, said Oliver Jones, another protest organizer.

Mayor attends League City event

Later in the day, another large group that easily bested 200 gathered in front of League Citys public safety building.

That demonstration was designed to fill the needs of the disabled and the immunocompromised who wanted to honor Floyds death but could not attend other protests due to COVID-19 fears or not being able to handle the rigors of a march.

Lia Denny got things started, but she deflected taking credit for being the organizer.

JUSTICE FOR GEORGE: New mural memorializing George Floyd on display at The Breakfast Klub

I just put it out there (on social media) that Im immunocompromised and if somebody wants to join me, thats cool, she said. After that, the community took over. This was all the community.

Several League City officials were in attendance, including Mayor Pat Hallisey, who uses a wheelchair, council members Andy Mann and Hank Dugie and City Manager John Baumgartner.

All of us saw the horrible optics of that knee in the middle of (Floyds) neck, and we all know what happened, Hallisey said. But we are here in hopes that we can make a difference in this world and there will not be another George Floyd.

A skirmish occurred when a small group of men became disruptive and were shooed away by police.

After a pair of speeches by pastors Brian Young and William King III that focused on love and unity, the event ended with a moment of silence.

John DeLapp is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at texdelapp@gmail.com.
A group of defectors fly balloons containing anti-North Korea leaflets at a border village of Paju, Gyeonggi Province in this photo taken on April 2016. / Yonhap



By Yi Whan-woo



The latest anti-North Korea leaflet campaign led by a group of defectors, May 31, is prompting speculation that it may interfere with the resumption of inter-Korean relations.



While Pyongyang has been sensitive about the campaign, a series of criticisms came last week from the North Korean dictator's younger sister and closet confidant Kim Yo-jong.



She threatened to scrap the cross-border military agreement signed on Sept. 19, 2018, and that corresponding measures should be taken if the South wants to prevent it from happening.



This was followed by Pyongyang's inter-Korean governing body Unified Front Department (UFD) which pledged to shut down the joint liaison office, and propaganda website Uriminzokkiri publishing a criticism of President Moon Jae-in's hope for a cycle of improvement on cross-border ties and Pyongyang-Washington ties.



The military agreement and joint liaison office were all part of the outcomes of Moon's three summits with Kim Jong-un between April 2018 and September 2018.



"Whether flying the leaflets across the border is in violation of the Sept. 19 military agreement does not matter. What matters is that Kim Yo-jong found the campaign problematic and that the North can scrap the agreement," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies and a former North Korean soldier who defected in 1979.



An referred to UFD referring to Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party, as responsible for inter-Korean affairs.



South Korean and U.S. diplomats also took note of Pyongyang's criticism being delivered by Kim Yo-jong during their working-level dialogue, according to a diplomatic source, Sunday.



"The consensus between the two allies is that Kim's rapidly emerging political status and presence is hard to go unnoticed," the source said.



The Sept. 19 military agreement designated Military Demarcation Line (MDL), Northern Limit Line and other borderlines as "buffer zones" to prevent all types of hostilities on land, sea and air.



The deal bans the flight of any air vehicle within the buffer zone extending 25 kilometers south and north of the MDL.



The Ministry of National Defense said balloons containing leaflets are not for military use and the anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaign should not be seen as a breach of the military agreement.



But it also said the campaign still "heightens the tensions on the borderline" and that any acts jeopardizing people's lives and property should be suspended.



The Ministry of Unification separately said it is preparing a bill banning such campaigns.



"The government's stance may stir a controversy over freedom of speech and overlooking North Korean human rights," said An, adding this may trigger an internal division within the South over the future direction of cross-border dialogue.



Meanwhile, sources familiar with Pyongyang said the secretive state has found the leaflet campaign more sensitive as its methods have been evolving and that the leaflets reach "deep inside North Korean territory."


The Most Reverend John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, on Sunday cautioned catholic churches in the Accra Archdiocese not to commence activities without the requisite logistics for protecting members from COVID-19.



I wish to emphasize from the outset that even though churches are permitted to congregate with not more than 100 people from Sunday, June 7, parishes in the Archdiocese are obliged only when the requisite logistics that guarantee safe opening and operation have been put in place.



The Archbishop gave the caution in a communique titled: Resumption of Public Workshop in the Archdiocese of Accra to all Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful of the Archdiocese of Accra.



All Parish Priests have been directed to work together with Parish Councils to ensure that their churches were fumigated before any church is opened for public use and disinfect the churches after each use.



They are also to immediately establish a COVlD-19 Team, comprising medical experts and persons with some technical knowledge to guide, advise and accompany parishioners throughout the pandemic period and ensure that members adhered to the safety measures.



In addition to implementing Presidential Directives on health and safety protocols the Most. Rev. Kwofie also directed that parishioners who assist in counting offertories take the necessary precautions including wearing of gloves, face masks, and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.



He also advised that designated entrances and exits of churches be marked where feasible, social distancing measures at times for offertory collection, communion, and other activities that may involve physical contact be observed and that pews be marked in seating arrangements.



Baptisms, marriages, burial Masses, and other Church gatherings must be performed following current public health norms regarding social distancing and hygiene.



For Sunday Masses, there will be the one-hour duration between on Mass and the other to allow the disinfection of pews and chairs before the next Mass.



Each Mass is to last not more than an hour. Sunday School/Children Services are suspended during this period, he noted.



The Archbishop instructed that in the case of concelebration, the main celebrant uses the principal chalice and that chalices be provided for concelebrating priests who would communicate by intinction.



There shall be a maximum of five choristers and two altar servers, if need be at Mass, he noted, adding that face masks must be used by all in the church at all times.

Also, Priests shall wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers before going to distribute Holy Communion, and communion for the faithful shall be received only in the hand.



According to the directive, liturgical robes for choristers, lectors, ushers and altar servers are not to be used during this time, and microphones should be disinfected after each use.



Most Rev. Kwofie said: For pastoral reasons, I grant permission for Priests to offer anticipatory Masses on Saturday evenings where needed.



Also, each Priest has my permission to celebrate two Masses on Weekdays and three Masses on Sundays (cf. Canon 905).



Masses can be celebrated concurrently in the church, at the grotto, or in the parish hall at any given time. I entreat Pastors to ensure that places outside the church where the Eucharist will be celebrated have the proper decorum and reverence.



I encourage parishes to continue with the online streaming of Holy Masses and Catechesis for the homebound and those who, for some other reasons, are unable to congregate physically.



In addition, the telecasting of Holy Masses will continue, he added.



He encouraged all Catholics to earnestly pray for the COVID-19 pandemic to end so that the Church could return to its regular liturgical life.

Source: GNA









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Department of Health Services Agrees to Pay $5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability in Connection with SNAP Quality Control

Washington, DC - The Mississippi Department of Health Services (MDHS) has agreed to pay the United States $5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act in its administration of the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Department of Justice announced today. Until 2008, SNAP was known as the Food Stamp Program.

SNAP is an important vehicle for helping families in need, said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justices Civil Division. This settlement is another example of the Departments commitment to protecting taxpayer funds and the vital programs that they support.

Although it is appalling that these actions occurred within a state agency entrusted with assisting vulnerable and needy residents, I am heartened that MDHS has resolved its liability and cooperated with our investigation, said U.S. Attorney William D. Hyslop for the Eastern District of Washington. Together with our partners in the Justice Departments Civil Division and the USDA, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who misuse and wrongfully obtain SNAP funding.

We appreciate the commitment and investigative assistance provided by our partners at the Department of Justices Civil Division and the U.S. Attorneys Office throughout this multi-state investigation, said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG). We also wish to note the technical assistance provided by our colleagues in the Office of Audit at OIG. During the investigation, conducted by OIGs Northeast Regional Office, we worked together to address the concerns of employees of multiple states and others who alleged that the integrity of the SNAP quality control process was weakened by third-party consultants. These concerned individuals reported that cases were not being treated in a consistent manner, and that certain advice from consultants resulted in identified errors being diminished rather than used to improve eligibility determinations. The settlements reached to date send a strong message regarding the governments commitment to work across agency lines to protect the integrity of SNAP.

Under SNAP, USDA provides eligible low-income individuals and families with financial assistance to buy nutritious food. Since 2010, SNAP has served on average more than 45 million Americans per month, and provided more than $71 billion annually.

Although the federal government funds SNAP benefits, it relies on the states to determine whether applicants are eligible for benefits, to administer those benefits, and to perform quality control to ensure that eligibility decisions are accurate. The USDA requires that the states quality control processes ensure that benefits are correctly awarded, are free from bias, and accurately report states error rates in making eligibility decisions.

The USDA reimburses states for a portion of their administrative expenses in administering SNAP, including expenses for providing quality control. It also pays performance bonuses to states that report the lowest and the most improved error rates each year, and can impose monetary sanctions on states with high error rates that do not show improvement.

The settlement resolves allegations that beginning in 2012, MDHS contracted with a consultant known as Julie Osnes Consulting, LLC (Osnes Consulting) to provide advice and recommendations designed to lower its SNAP quality control error rate. The United States alleged that Osnes Consultings recommendations, as implemented by MDHS, injected bias into MDHSs quality control process and resulted in MDHS submitting false quality control data and information to USDA, for which it received undeserved performance bonuses for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

This is the seventh settlement in this matter, and the sixth settlement with a state agency for manipulating its SNAP quality control findings. The United States has reached previous settlements with state agencies in Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, as well as with Osnes Consulting and its owner, Julie Osnes. Including this settlement, the United States has now recovered over $41 million in connection with this investigation.

The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Washington, and the Department of Justices Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch. The investigation arose out of a nationwide audit of SNAP Quality Control processes by the USDA-OIG. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Mufti Shehzad, who is a Popular Front of India (PFI) member and the main accused behind the anti-CAA protests in Meerut on December 20 last year, has been nabbed by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from his residence in Muradnagar.

According to the reports, the UP police arrested Shehzad, who was absconding after a case was registered against him and his accomplice, Parvez, at Meeruts Nauchandi police station in December.

Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Sahni said that the duo had played an incendiary role during the violent protests on December 20. Shahzad and Parvez were instigating a particular section to indulge in violence to vent their ire against the CAA, he added. Six persons died and over five dozen, were injured in the violence, police said.

According to the police, the accused Shehzad and his accomplice had also opened an office of the PFI at a rented house in Meeruts Shastri Nagar from where the police had recovered several banners and posters carrying inflammatory messages. The police have begun their manhunt to nab Parvez.

He has been handed over to the Nauchandi police by the ATS sleuths for further interrogation.

Anti-CAA riots in Uttar Pradesh

In the aftermath of the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act, riots, violence, arson and vandalism by Muslim mobs in the name of protests against the enactment of the law have taken place across the country.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Muslim mobs, under the pretext of protesting peacefully against the law, had taken to streets to unleash violence and damage public properties.

The Uttar Pradesh police, in its preliminary investigation, had claimed the involvement of PFI, SDPI and Samajwadi Party workers in provoking riots across the state of Uttar Pradesh following the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019 that grants citizenship for the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

More than 40 members of PFI were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for their involvement in the riots that took place aftermath of the passage of CAA.
Gang members are 'excited' to commit crimes on the streets of Birmingham after coronavirus lockdown left them struggling to make money.

Birmingham has seen a series of brutal attacks since lockdown measures were partially lifted.

Shocking CCTV footage showed the horrifying moment a gunman and a machete-wielding thug chased down two men in broad daylight in Balsall Heath.

Shocking CCTV footage showed the horrifying moment a gunman and a machete-wielding thug chased down two men in broad daylight in Balsall Heath

In the video shared by police, a white van rams the car off the road and into a school sign on May 26.

Three men jump from the car and sprint down the road, but a man wielding a gun is in hot pursuit.

A second man, clutching a machete, can be seen inside the van, poised to jump out.

The men from the car sprint down the residential street as the gunman continues to chase them.

In the video shared by police, a white van rams the car off the road and into a school sign on May 26

Three men jump from the car and sprint down the road, but a man wielding a gun (pictured) is in hot pursuit

A second man, clutching a machete, can be seen inside the van, poised to jump out and give chase

Suddenly, the gun-wielding thug stops running, looks behind him and fires at the three men trying to escape.

Smoke can be seen rising from his weapon before he runs back to the van.

The clip then cuts to show the man with the machete chase a fourth victim who runs from the car.

A van with false plates then drives the two men from the scene.

Ex-gang member Simeon Moore, who used to be in Birmingham's Johnson Crew, told The Sun: 'There's a lot of excitement - that the truth.'

A van with false plates then drives the two men from the scene. Police are appealing for information

'They've been told, "You can't do this, you can't do that". They've found it hard to breathe and hard to make money.'

In Small Heath - where the Peaky Blinders were likely founded - violence erupted on Sunday.

A total of 20 people, some with bats, clashed in the incident.

An a man, 33, was shot in the leg in Handsworth.
Hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah's virtual rally in Bihar on Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders and workers staged protests, beating utensils and blowing conch shells against what their leader Tejashwi Yadav dubbed as the ruling party's celebration of the devastation caused by COVID-19 and the lockdown.

IMAGE: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav along with his mother and senior leader Rabri Devi talks to the media after a protest against the Bihar government over migrants issues, in Patna, on Sunday . Photograph: PTI Photo

A large crowd gathered outside the 10, Circular Road, residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, where she stood alongside Tejashwi and her elder son Tej Pratap Yadav and party workers -- all clanging steel plates with spoons -- while standing inside circles drawn on the ground to ensure social distancing.

Huge police contingents were deployed at the protest site, a stones throw from the official residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and also the house of state health minister Mangal Pandey, a senior BJP leader who has been drawing flak from the Opposition for alleged poor handling of the pandemic.

The deafening sound of utensils clanging together and blowing of conches, reverberated through various parts of the state.

"They (the Janata Dal(United)-BJP government) are celebrating the devastation caused by COVID and the lockdown," Tejashwi Yadav alleged in his brief interaction with media during the protest, referring to Shah's rally scheduled later in the day.

No untoward incidents or skirmishes between the opposition party supporters or police were reported from anywhere.

Tejashwi Yadav accused the Nitish Kumar government of treating migrant workers as second class citizens and raked up the withdrawn circular by police headquarters voicing apprehension that the return of a large number of jobless labourers could pose a law and order problem.

"The government is treating the poor people of Bihar like 'goonda and lootera'," the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who has already been declared the party's chief ministerial face for the assembly election due in October-November, said.

He also took a swipe at Shah's digital rally when the state and the country were ravaged by the pandemic.

The ruling dispensation could have used digital technology for providing relief to the millions of poor affected by the calamity. But that seems to be none of its concern. The digital rally is an obvious indication that they are merely interested in pursuing their hunger for power, he said.

Yadav said the protest was aimed at ensuring that the poor, who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, got their due.

There was no representation of RJD allies, including the Congress, former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha or VIP at the protest.
U.S. shale drillers are bringing back shut in production three months after the onset of the current downturn. But steep decline rates will increasingly take hold, dragging down overall U.S. output later this year. With oil prices approaching $40 per barrel, many drillers are covering immediate operational costs. Rystad Energy estimates that a bit more than 300,000 bpd of shut in U.S. oil production has come back online.

A total of 1.15 million barrels per day (mb/d) was shut in in April and May, and that output will return swiftly over July and August, JBC Energy wrote in a note.

But that doesnt mean U.S. oil production will rebound in a V-shaped fashion. $40 is a blessing in disguise. Nobodys going to add rigs, nobodys going to add fleets at $40 oil, Scott Sheffield of Pioneer Natural Resources told Bloomberg. Im trying to convince OPEC members that our industry has changed. Its all about less growth, its all about returning cash back to the shareholders.

The return of shut in production is different from returning to drilling new wells. I see no change at $40. We need to get up to $45 to $50 before you see people start adding rigs and add frack fleets, Sheffield added. Most companies have too much leverage, and they are going to use cash flow to repair balance sheets because the equity markets are closed. So, theres not going to be a rush back to adding activity at all in my opinion, he said.

Because shale wells decline precipitously, overall U.S. production will continue to decline, despite a temporary jolt from the return of shuttered wells. Sheffield puts shale decline rates at an average of between 35 and 40 percent per year without investment. A lot of drillers will try to keep output flat this year, or minimize decline. He estimates that U.S. oil production will be down below 11 mb/d by the end of 2021 because of declines.

Other analysts have similar outlooks. [B]y September, the natural declines from shale wells will have accumulated to almost 2 million b/d, keeping US supply suppressed until mid-2021, JBC said. Related: Global Oil Demand To Fall To Levels Not Seen Since 2014

Goldman Sachs says the oil markets outlook in 2021 is broadly bullish, due to a more conservative outlook for Permian rampup. After analysts with the investment bank met with six large Permian producers, the bank said that one of its key takeaways was that oil executives were serious about prioritizing cash flow and reducing leverage over the return to double-digit production growth. Producers broadly characterized teens production growth as more an upside case than a base case, Goldman analysts wrote in a note. The executives, Goldman says, are not expecting oil prices to rise into the $50s in 2021, instead predicting oil to remain in the $40s.

Oil remaining stuck in the $40s comports with the objectives of OPEC+, which hopes to keep a lid on a shale rebound. The plan is to stick to prices of $40-$50 per barrel because as soon as they rise any further to say $70 per barrel it encourages too much oil production, including U.S. shale, a Russian source familiar with OPEC+ talks told Reuters.

The OPEC+ agreement and the short-term extension has rescued oil markets, and it may even lead to a supply/demand deficit in the second half of 2020. As long as the demand recover stays intact, we believe the crude market will be in deficit also in August and onwards, despite cuts being tapered by 2 million bpd to the scheduled 7.7 million bpd level, Rystad Energys Head of Oil Markets, Bjornar Tonhaugen, said in a statement. Rystad sees a stronger shale response from the deficit, with higher prices spurring a quicker reactivation of curtailed US oil production, and eventually frac crews ending their holidays early.

But the market will not go back to pre-pandemic conditions for years. In addition to the mountain of inventories that need to be worked off, U.S. shale has a wall of debt coming due. On top of that, while demand is on the upswing, it could flatten out well short of pre-pandemic levels.

Pioneers Scott Sheffield said that the quick rebound of demand to around 94-95 mb/d following the reopening of so many economies will give way to stagnation for a few years until a coronavirus vaccine can be widely distributed. He predicts that oil demand wont rebound to pre-pandemic levels of around 100 mb/d until 2022 or 2023.

By Nick Cunningham, Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The government has mandated a one cm green sticker, providing registration details, in all BS-VI compliant motor vehicles.

The order will come into force from October 1, 2020. "...Vehicles complying with BS-VI emission norms shall have 1 cm green strip at the top in the third registration plate," as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The order was issued amending the Motor Vehicles (High Security Registration Plates) order, 2018. Earlier, the government has said that from April 1, 2019, all motor vehicles will be fitted with tamper-proof, high security registration plates (HSRP).

This HSRP or third number plate will be fitted on the inside of the windshield of each new manufactured vehicle by the manufacturers.

Under the HSRP, a chromium-based hologram is applied by hot stamping on the top left corner of the number plates both at the front and back besides laser-branding of a permanent identification number with a minimum of 10 digits into the reflective sheeting on the bottom left of the registration plate.

The third number plate will also have colour coding for the fuel used in the vehicle. The colour coding is done in order to detect polluting vehicles from the non-polluting ones.

A Road Transport and Highways Ministry official said it has been brought-forth that the BS-VI emission standards, which have been mandated from April 1, 2020, provide for strict emission norms, and requests were to made to have distinct identification for such vehicles as is being made in other countries.

"Accordingly, a feature in form of a unique strip of green colour of 1 cm wide on top of the existing third registration sticker for the purpose of BS-VI vehicles of any fuel type i.e.-- for petrol or CNG, which have a light blue colour sticker and a diesel vehicle which is of orange colour sticker -- will have a green strip of 1 CM on top has been mandated," he said.
Lessons to make cities more liveable for workers, why the spike in cases is worrying, and should the middle seats in aircrafts be kept empty or not?  here is a roundup of articles in Indian news publications on how India is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Increasing Covid-19 cases are worrying, even alarming: At this stage and with this number of infections it is important to test people who have come in contact with a Covid-19 confirmed case even if they are themselves asymptomatic. Watch this interview with Professor Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation ...
A FORMER RUC detective who spent three years hunting for Madeleine McCann last night insisted she could still be alive - and urged the world: "Don't jump to conclusions about the guilt of the new suspect."

As German prosecutors stated they believe Maddie is dead after being abducted by paedophile Christian Bruckner, ex-RUC detective Dave Edgar said there is still no "hard evidence" the youngster was murdered or that the convicted rapist and child abuser was involved.

But Dave admitted the identification of Bruckner as a new prime suspect in Maddie's disappearance brought back chilling memories of his investigation into British paedophile Raymond Hewlett - once believed to hold the key to Maddie's disappearance - who lived in Northern Ireland for a period.

Expand Close Undated file photo of Raymond Hewlett, taken in 1995, in Milan. PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Undated file photo of Raymond Hewlett, taken in 1995, in Milan.

The retired murder detective (63) said: "I work on hard evidence and I have been here so many times with the Maddie case, faced with potential prime suspects in her disappearance.

"Certainly, if I had been aware of Bruckner and his movements when I was on the case, he would have been a person of interest in the case.

"But we all need to stop jumping to conclusions about his guilt and need to take the view we need to wait and see how the case develops.

"It's time to just put the brakes on the speculation, and step back. It's not a time for knee-jerk reactions.

"I have seen persons of interest come up so many times while investigating murder cases, and my record in solving them speaks for itself.

"A lot of the time, all is not as it seems, or all is not as clear-cut as it may first seem."

Expand Close Former detective inspector Dave Edgar, hired by the McCann family to lead the investigation into the hunt for Madeleine McCann. Picture: Mark McCormick. 04/08/09 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Former detective inspector Dave Edgar, hired by the McCann family to lead the investigation into the hunt for Madeleine McCann. Picture: Mark McCormick. 04/08/09

Dave - whose hunt for Maddie stretched from 2009 to 2011 after being employed as a private detective by the youngster's parents - spent 30 years as a detective inspector in the RUC and Cheshire police force, and was responsible for cracking some of the UK's most high-profile and grisly murder cases, including child killings.

He added: "I don't work on speculation. I'm not talking about some circumstantial evidence and speculation, I'm talking about evidence you would be confident taking into court.

Expand Close Madeleine McCann METROPOLITAN POLICE/AFP via Gett / Facebook

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"And at the moment, there is a huge way to go from Bruckner being named as a suspect to him being prosecuted.

"Secondly, this case is still without a body. And without a body, there is no evidence Madeleine was murdered.

"Without a body, there is still a great deal of hope for the McCanns their daughter is still alive.

"And I don't believe the lack of a body fits the profile of a kidnapping by someone like Bruckner.

"In my experience, when paedophiles kill children, they do one thing very quickly and they do it almost automatically - they dump the body of their victim so they're not caught with it. That's just the way it works.

"So, without a body, it is very likely somebody took Maddie away and is still keeping her alive."

Cops honed in on Bruckner after he allegdly told a friend in a pub he had snatched her.

The rapist (43), who has a 22-year history of child sex offences, is suspected of having staked out the McCanns' holiday flat in Praia da Luz, Portugal, for days before three-year-old Maddie was snatched in May 2007.

He is in prison for raping a 72-year-old American woman in the Algarve resort in 2005. In that case he left forensic evidence at the scene, a hair.

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His involvement only came to light much later, after a former diesel fuel theft accomplice, discovered a video Bruckner had apparently filmed of the rape, and eventually went to police. Late last year, Bruckner was sentenced to seven years in prison for the rape.

German public prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters announced that they are assuming Madeleine is dead.

He said: "The public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig is investigating a 43-year-old German national on suspicion of murder. From this you can see that we assume that the girl is dead."

However, Bruckner has not been charged in relation to Maddie's disappearance or death.

Read More

Forensic tests on two vehicles he used in Portugal which police believe he may have used to spirit Maddie away - a VW campervan and a Jaguar - have found none of her DNA inside.

Expand Close File photo dated 05/05/07 of the Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, where Madeleine McCann went missing. PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp File photo dated 05/05/07 of the Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, where Madeleine McCann went missing.

Dave Edgar did admit Bruckner brought back memories of scouring Germany for Maddie. During his three-year hunt for the little girl across the world, he probed now-dead paedophile Raymond Hewlett's apparent links to Maddie's disappearance.

Like Bruckner, Hewlett lived in a battered campervan in the Praia da Luz area and had committed a string of sexual offences against young girls.

The British former soldier had a German wife and in 2009, when named a suspect, was wanted by police in both Britain and Ireland, with detectives described him as "cunning" and a "danger to children".

Hewlett (64) was living just an hour's drive from where Maddie disappeared in the Algarve in May 2007.

Stories have circulated for years Hewlett - part of a network of paedophiles who hid out in Northern Ireland throughout the 1990s - boasted he sold the child to gypsies.

The pervert, who lived in a small apartment above a chip shop on Enniskillen's Belmore Street in 2002, is also said to have boasted of making a "good business trip" with his family to Morocco to make a sale, but would not elaborate on the nature of his trip.

But Hewlett died in 2010 of throat cancer after spending years refusing to talk about the theory.

When Dave (right) and his private investigator partner Arthur Cowley tried to confront him, he refused to talk or provide an alibi - unless he was paid thousands of pounds.

Dave said: "Hewlett was definitely a person of interest to us. He was someone capable of abducting a child as he had the background and profile to interfere with children.

"I tried my best to speak to him, but he wouldn't speak.I was out in Germany where he was being treated for cancer before he died and I kept being thwarted by a third party, who wanted money to let us speak to Hewlett.

"Yes, he was someone we were interested in, but in terms of real evidence, there wasn't any, unless the Portuguese are sitting on some that I don't know about."

Dave, whose hunt for Maddie also took in Barcelona and Portugal, also thinks it is "rubbish and a nonsense" that Maddie was sold to gypsies.

The east Belfast born ex-cop has previously said he believes Maddie could be being held just 10 or 15 miles from where she was snatched.

"When you get up 10 or 15 miles beyond Praia da Luz there are loads of very rural communities - farming communities. She could be being kept in one of those quite easily."

The investigator added: "At the minute the case remains what it is - probably the greatest whodunit that's ever been.

"If Bruckner was there (Praia da Luz) he was there but there's loads of sex offenders in Portugal - you've got British, Dutch and German.

"But of course we all hope it is brought to a conclusion for the family's sake."
Salute crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the pandemic: HM Shah

This is a rally to bring all Indians in the country's part against Covid-19

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India reported 9,971 new cases of Covid-19 and 287 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total cases in the country have reached 246,628 and the death toll is at 6,929, which has made India the fifth worst hit country in the world, according to Americas Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus continues to infect populations with Mexico, Brazil, Russia and India reporting new steep spikes in cases daily. The US and UK who have been badly affected also continue to report deaths in triple digits. The rising number of protests in US cities has created a new problem for the government as it tries to prevent any more outbreaks.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea have seen minimal rise in new cases. Globally, the death toll is nearing 400,000 as major companies and governments try to control the outbreaks effect on economics. Indias major cities account for half the cases as the daily spike of cases remained above 9,500 for two days in a row.
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A bronze chest filled with gold, jewels worth $1million that was famously hidden in the Rocky Mountains by eccentric art dealer Forrest Fenn a decade ago has finally been found.

Since Fenn, now 89, announced the treasure hunt in his 2010 memoir, thousands of thrill-seekers have been drawn to the Rockies in search of the prize, and at least five men have lost their lives trying to find it.

But the bronze chest filled with rare gold coins and gold nuggets, pre-Columbian animal figures, prehistoric 'mirrors' of hammered gold, ancient Chinese faces carved from jade and antique jewellery has now been found by an explorer who chose to remain anonymous.

Fenn, 89, said that the man from 'back East' located the chest a few days ago, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. The man sent a photograph to Fenn to verify his find.

Fenn still will not reveal the exact location of the treasure but said in a statement on his website: 'It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago.

'I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot.'

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Fenn, 89, an eccentric art dealer, in 2010 announced that he had buried a treasure somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. This undated photo provided by Fenn shows a chest purported to contain gold dust, hundreds of gold coins, gold nuggets and other artifacts

Fenn posted clues to the treasure's whereabouts online and in a 24-line poem that was published in his 2010 autobiography 'The Thrill of the Chase'

Asked how he felt now that the treasure has been found, Fenn said: 'I don't know, I feel halfway kind of glad, halfway kind of sad because the chase is over.'

'I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries.'

Fenn posted clues to the treasure's whereabouts online and in a 24-line poem that was published in his 2010 autobiography 'The Thrill of the Chase.' He came up with the idea after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 1988 and given a 20 percent survival rate.

Hundreds of thousands have hunted in vain across remote corners for the bronze chest which weighs 20 pounds. Its valuable contents weigh an added 22 pounds and it was hidden by Fenn over two separate trips.

Fenn never said it was buried' but instead emphasized that it was hidden.

Many quit their jobs to dedicate themselves to the search and others depleted their life savings. At least five people died searching for it, the most recent being in March when Michael Sexson, 53, from Deer Park was found dead.

Left: Scott Etzel of Houston, Texas, displays a map of previously explored places of Forrest Fenn's hidden treasure. Mr. Fenn marked the right spot in Santa Fe, New Mexico on June 23, 2018. Right: Toby Younis, a 69-year-old father of six and grandfather of ten, is pictured in 2018

In 2016, Randy Bilyeu died in the wilderness West of Santa Fe after he went hunting for the illusive treasure. Jeff Murphy, 53, Pastor Paris Wallice and Eric Ashby, 31, all died in 2017 during their search.

Fenn faced calls to stop the hunt as the death toll increased with New Mexico police branding it 'nonsense and insanity.'

Fenn, who lives in Santa Fe, said he hid the treasure as a way to tempt people to get into the wilderness and give them a chance to launch an old-fashioned adventure and expedition for riches.

His books and poem have sparked a frenzy in the world of amateur sleuths and treasure hunters making Fenn's treasure a world-wide phenomenon.

An annual festival aptly called Fennboree brought them together to swap stories, meet Fenn himself and ruminate on the meaning of his clues and directives.

Avid treasure hunters picked apart his every quote and equated his every word with anything from local history to his personal background in an effort to decipher the coordinates of the hidden bounty. But Fenn gave almost nothing away to anyone.

Key elements mentioned in the poem are warm waters halt, the blaze, canyon down and home of Brown  all of which are open to interpretation by searchers, who have traced them to landmarks across Colorado, New Mexico, Montana and Wyoming.

One of the major clues is that its at a location that was reachable by a man 79 years old, which was Forrests age when he hid the chest.

In an interview in 2018, Fenn explained why he decided to hide the bounty.

I had several motives, Fenn said. First of all, we were going into a recession  lots of people losing their jobs. I wanted to give some people hope. Despair was written all over the newspaper headlines.

And secondly, were an overweight society  I think not only in this country, but the world, said Fenn, who ran a successful Santa Fe art gallery with his wife for 17 years.

So I wanted to get the kids away from their electronic gadgets  and out into the sunshine, out into the mountains, hiking, fishing, picnicking  and anything but the couch. Get out of the game room.

In addition to the cryptic poem and hints in his memoir, Fenn let a few details slip over the years  saying the treasure is at least 8.25 miles north of Santa Fe and that its above an elevation of 5,000 feet.

The treasure hunt exploded in popularity after it was featured in an article in an airline magazine; the next day, Fenn received 1,200 emails and his computer crashed, he said.

I didnt expect it to catch fire like it has, but I think 350,000 people have been looking for the treasure, Fenn told DailyMail.com. Of course, its been eight years, too; some of them go back multiple times.

Michael Wayne Sexson, 53, was found dead in a remote part of Colorado's Dinosaur National Monument (pictured) in March, where he and a friend were looking for Forrest Fenn's treasure

Fenn masterminded the treasure hunt even before he settled on the bounty, the location or the date when he would finally hide it.

The idea came to him after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 1988 and given a 20 percent survival rate.

I went through all of the emotions like everybody else does  denial, anger, all of those things, said Fenn, who has two daughters with his wife.

But then, after a week or so, I told myself: Okay  if Ive got to go, who says I cant take it with me? I had a bunch of stuff, and I had so much fun collecting it over 75 years, why not give somebody else the same opportunity that I had?

I mean, Im not going to miss these things. My family has been cared for. And so I got this beautiful little treasure chest; I gave $25,000 for it, and I started. My problem was, I wanted it to be valuable, but I also wanted it to be survivable, also. That boils down to gold, essentially, and precious gems.

He began assembling a cache that included hundreds and hundreds of gold nuggets.

He added: Ive given to charity, and everybody else has, too. Thats been done. I wanted to do something that would last. I wanted to introduce the Rocky Mountains to people  flatlanders  thatd go back over and over again. I mean, if I gave to a charity, thatd be the end of it.

A 79 or 80 year old man went to that hiding place twice in one afternoon. Theres no point climbing up to the top of the mountain or hiking 20 miles looking for the treasure.

Thats a fact that one avid searcher has kept in mind throughout his 29 recon missions to date.

Toby Younis  who co-runs a youtube channel dedicated to the search, Gypsys Kiss  said that every site he identifies as possibly relevant to the search must be what he calls Fenny.

Almost immediately, when we go to a new search area, we ask ourselves: Is it Fenny enough? he said, meaning that the site has to not only be lush and beautiful but also accessible by an elderly man.

Younis  a father of six and grandfather of ten  is 69 years old himself.

We start asking ourselves, could an 80-year-old man have done this with a 20lb weight? And its real easy, Younis said.

Within a very short period of time, if I find myself breathing hard, slipping on rocks, walking along an edge  then I say to myself, Forrest Fenn would not have done this at the age of 80 alone, right?

Younis found himself in a bit of a hairy situation on his first recon mission with his adult son in August 2013, when he traced warm waters halt to a dam at the Rio Chama. The father-and-son team had arrived in an SUV with front-wheel drive, went down into a valley, forded a stream, went up the other side of the valley and then hiked two miles.

August is unpredictable, in the sense that every afternoon youre going to get rainstorms, Younis said.

I kept telling my son, we need to start moving back in case it starts raining, cause well have a hell of a time getting back up.

Thats exactly what happened, however, and the river swelled so high that they couldnt get back across  having to spend the night on the other side.

The following day, a group of hunters came over the hill; we were trying to create a dam so that we could ford the river, Younis said. These hunters came down in this huge four-wheel drive; they were going scouting because the hunting season was opening the following day, and they would pull us back up on the other side.

He added: That was the closest we ever came to feeling like we had made a dangerous decision.

Other searchers, however, have not been so lucky. Chicago man Jeff Murphy went hiking on the Montana-Wyoming border, only for his body to be found June 9 at the bottom of a steep, rocky slope in 2017.

Paris Wallace, a 52-year-old pastor from Colorado, disappeared in the Rio Grande Gorge in New Mexico; his body was pulled from a riverbank. Eric Ashby, a 31-year-old whod moved to Colorado to advance his search, drowned after traveling by raft down the Arkansas River in the state.

The previous year, 54-year-old Randy Bilyeu had also died; he disappeared while searching in New Mexico, and his body was pulled six months later from the Rio Grande.

In March this year, Michael Sexson, 53, from Deer Park was found dead while on the hunt.

The deaths have led authorities to send out warnings and ask Fenn to call off the treasure hunt, which he seems to have no intention of doing any time soon  though he has decided on a cut-off point.

If theres been some violence like fist fights or somebodys murdered or something, thats the end of it, he said.

He's a man who's seen his share of violence firsthand in his Air Force career, during which he served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and was shot down twice.

Fenn was rewarded with a Silver Star, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, 16 Air Medals and a Purple Heart.

'The world has got to learn to start leaving people alone,' he said. 'Not only we as a world, but us as a people.'
Trap Kitchen, the Portland soul food and barbecue food cart with roots in Los Angeles, is offering free meals to black Portlanders on Saturday.

The gesture comes about thanks to Portland-born rapper Amine, who, as a post on the Portland Trap Kitchen Instagram account says, bought out the Trap Truck for Saturday service to feed OUR people. The Portland Trap Kitchen location will, as the Instagram post says, be matching what he spend and doubling up... EVERYONE COME EAT FREE SATURDAY while supplies last!!!

During the current times, 'OUR people need as much comfort and unity as possible," the post goes on to say, with hashtags expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

Floyd, a black man, was killed in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer held his knee to Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyds death -- coming not long after Arbery, a black man killed while he was out for a jog, and Taylor, a black woman who was killed by police in her home -- launched protests across the country, with demonstrators calling out centuries of systemic racism and police brutality in the U.S.

Thousands of people have turned out for protests in Portland, as elsewhere.

Trap Kitchen became an example of a successful black-owned business after a pair of former gang members and best friends teamed up to create the catering operation in Compton, California. The Southern-inspired cuisine grew increasingly popular and found celebrity fans, including Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart.

The Portland Trap Kitchen, at 3137 N.E. 82nd Ave., was named one of The Oregonian/OregonLives best new food carts of 2018.

Amine is the hip-hop star (born Adam Amine Daniel) and son of Ethiopian immigrant parents who, as The New York Times reported in a 2017 profile titled, Meet Amine, a Joyful Rapper With an Eye on Politics, was called racial slurs while attending a predominantly white middle school in Portland. He went on to attend Benson High School and Portland State University before moving to Los Angeles to find success as a rapper.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
For the first time in three months, Pope Francis celebrates the Angelus from his study window and the faithful are gathered in the square, with masks and at a safe distance. "And today, thinking of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we think of love and think of feeling loved." The pandemic still has victims in many countries, such as Brazil (unknown). Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus unites "the great spiritual teachers and the simple among the people of God ".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The mystery of the Trinity - today's liturgical feast - is "Love, all in the service of the world, which He wishes to save and recreate." This is how Pope Francis introduced the Angelus prayer today, which was celebrated from the window of his study, with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's square. It is the first time, after more than three months due to the quarantine, that a few hundred faithful returned to the square for the Angelus: all were strictly with masks and at a safe social distance from each other.

Above all, the Pope commented on a phrase from today's Gospel: " For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, " (John 3:16). "These words - he said - are to indicate that the action of the three divine Persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is all a single plan of love that saves humanity and the world. ".

God the Father loves the world so much that, to save it, He gives what is most precious to Him: His only-begotten Son, who gives His life for humanity, rises again, returns to the Father and together with Him sends the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is therefore Love, all at the service of the world, which wants to save and recreate. And today, thinking of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we think of love and think of feeling loved."

Francis invited everyone to let themselves be fascinated by the beauty of God; beauty, goodness and inexhaustible truth. But also humble, close, who became flesh in order to enter into our life, into our history, so that every man and woman may encounter it and have eternal life. And this is faith: to welcome God-Love who gives Himself in Christ, to let ourselves be encountered by Him and to trust in Him.

"May the Virgin Mary - he concluded - dwelling-place of the Trinity, help us to welcome with an open heart the love of God, which fills us with joy and gives meaning to our journey in this world, always guiding us towards our destination, which is Heaven."

After the Marian prayer, the pontiff rejoiced at the "small presence" of Romans and pilgrims in the square, "a sign that in Italy the acute phase of the epidemic is over", although it is still necessary "to carefully follow the current regulations ".

But he also recalled that in other countries, the virus is still claiming many victims. Last Friday in one country one person died per minute." The pope did not mention any country in particular, although it is understandable that he spoke of Brazil. Last week, he recalled the peoples of the Amazon in the tragedy of the pandemic. "I wish - he added - to express my closeness to those populations, to the sick and their families, and to all those who take care of them".

He then invited to devotion to the Heart of Jesus, to whom the month of June is dedicated, "a devotion - he explained - that unites the great spiritual teachers and the simple among the people of God. Indeed, the human and divine Heart of Jesus is the wellspring where we can always draw upon Gods mercy, forgiveness and tenderness. We can do so by focusing on a passage from the Gospel, feeling that at the centre of every gesture, of every word of Jesus there is love, the love of the Father. And we can do this by adoring the Eucharist, where this love is present in the Sacrament. Then our heart too, little by little, will become more patient, more generous, more merciful."

And he made the faithful repeat a prayer that he learned as a child from his grandmother: "Jesus, make my heart look like yours".
By now, you've been told hourly that institutional racism and white privilege are to blame for any inequality between whites and blacks. But both terms, in true sociologist fashion, are merely observations that ambiguously describe some kind of hidden structure.

Stokely Carmichael and Charles V. Hamilton describe institutional racism via example, saying:

When unidentified white terrorists bomb a Negro church and kill five children, that is an act of individual racism, widely deplored by most segments of the society. But when in that same city, Birmingham, Alabama, not five but five hundred Negro babies die each year because of a lack of proper food, shelter and medical facilities, and thousands more are destroyed and maimed physically, emotionally and intellectually because of conditions of poverty and deprivation in the ghetto, that is a function of institutionalized racism.

Where are the specifics in this example? Conditions of poverty and deprivation could be caused by racism, but then again, they could be caused by any number of factors.

Similarly, Peggy McIntosh in "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" describes white privilege "as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was 'meant' to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks."

Both institutional racism and white privilege suggest that "white culture," through unwritten rules and codes, lifts up whites and pushes down blacks. Naturally, both Carmichael and McIntosh see whites as aggressors in a struggle for societal power.

If this is correct, then as long as whites are policing or governing, they'll be blamed for institutional racism and white privilege. Either charge is nearly impossible to disprove.

Institutional racism and white privilege leave few alternatives: segregation, a dual legal system, and revolution come to mind. But of these three, revolution is the most plausible, as segregation and a dual legal system are revolutionary. The West has been going through a cultural revolution for some time, and the recent riots are a product of that revolution.

Through this lens, the law and order position must be resigned to the dust bin of history. You can see this reckless and evil strategy in the Defund the Police Movement, now popular among leftists. Krystal Ball told Joe Rogan that a militarized response, the law and order approach, ultimately never works. She added:

Look at 19 years in Afghanistan. What did we learn? Yeah, you can take the ground, but you can't hold it. You can't hold a society together with an aggressive militarized response. That's not going to work over time. So if that's your only strategy  it's like, okay, then what? Then what are you going to do? Are we going to have curfews at 1 P.M. every day? Are you going to have the militaries holding down American cities every day? Because you have a significant chunk of the population that will no longer consent.

If you have a "significant chunk of the population that will no longer consent" and are equivalent in fervor to Islamists in Afghanistan, then either law and order or the revolution wins, period. Tom Cotton is right: "One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain, and ultimately deter lawbreakers."
The Woman Abuse Working Group stands in solidarity with Nova Scotia honouring the lives of 22 women and men who were murdered in Canadas largest massacre deeply rooted in gender-based violence.

Local Violence against Women agencies are urgently trying to reassure women and children experiencing violence that essential services including shelters, crises lines and counselling are available to them despite ongoing directives to self-isolate and stay home.

The messages of social distancing and self-isolation are critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19, however, the reality for many is that self-isolation only increases risk when abuse or violence is occurring in the home. Heightened stress, home confinement, loss or reduction of income can be a few of the contributing factors for the abuse, however there is never an excuse for violence and abuse. Home should be a place of comfort and safety but for women and her children who experience abuse or violence home can often be the most dangerous place and directions to stay home, stay safe are not realistic.

On behalf of the Woman Abuse Working Group, we want to ensure that women are aware that essential services are open for business. We also want men who perpetrate abuse to know, self-isolation and staying home is not an opportunity for the abuse or violence to continue or escalate. We must reaffirm there is no excuse to abuse, cause harm, instil fear or create terror.

As we have learned throughout history, global crises have the potential to increase risks of violence and threat. Evidence has already illustrated that this is the case during COVID-19 as well. This is of particular concern as we continue to see an increase in femicides across the province as well as a surge in referrals for emergency shelter, counselling and crisis services.

Last year in Hamilton alone there were over 7,000 domestic violence calls to the police and there were over 2,000 situations where a woman was not able to access a shelter due to shortage of space. With the current COVID-19 pandemic layered with the global pandemic of gender-based violence, these numbers are expected to increase dramatically in the coming weeks.

Safety networks and social supports are critical lifelines for women and children who experience abuse or violence. When a family is home and self-isolating together the ability to flee an unsafe situation becomes far more challenging. During this global COVID-19 pandemic women and children also face navigating additional barriers of financial constraints and limited access to necessary specialized support and services. We implore women to reach out to support services, when safe, to find out ways we can help reduce her barriers and create safety. Crisis lines are available 24-7 and we want women to know counsellors are standing by to support her. Over 20 community organizations and agencies collaborate with The Woman Abuse Working Group to strategically and systemically increase collaboration and raise awareness in the community in efforts to end violence against women in Hamilton. For more information about the work of WAWG or for additional resources including information about support and safety planning, visit wawg.ca.
Many A-list stars cringe when it comes to discussing the roles they played many years ago.

But Lisa Kudrow isn't afraid to acknowledge that the success of American sit-com Friends means she can afford to be picky about the roles she takes on in future.





'My success on Friends means that when I find something interesting and I think, "Ooh, I want to be a part of this", then I can,' the 56-year-old comedian told The Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

'I get to only do what I want': Lisa Kudrow, 56, has thanked the success of Friends for her new role in Netflix comedy Space Force

Lisa, who has returned to screens in Netflix's new comedy series Space Force, thanks Friends for helping her score the gig.

'You ask me if I thought a lot about whether to do Space Force or not, and I've always thought a lot about what I'm going to do, because Friends put me in the position where I get to only do what I want,' she explained.

'I just say over and over in my head, "Thank you, Friends" all the time, because it's allowed me so much creative and financial freedom,' she said.

'It's allowed me so much creative and financial freedom': The comedian isn't afraid to acknowledge that the success of Friends means she can afford to be picky about the roles she takes on in future. Pictured in Space Force with Steve Carell (left)

Lisa went on to claim that it would be 'ungrateful' of her not to acknowledge how much Friends helped her career.

Space Force stars The Office's Steve Carell in the role of Mark R Naird, a general tasked with forming a space military branch for the United States.

Lisa plays his wife Maggie Naird in a recurring role.

Quirky: Space Force stars The Office's Steve Carell in the role of Mark R Naird, a general tasked with forming a space military branch. Lisa plays his wife Maggie Naird in a recurring role. Pictured with on-screen daughter Diana Silvers

The series was created by Carell with Greg Daniels, best known for developing the American version of The Office and Parks And Recreation.

It comes after the highly-anticipated Friends reunion special's planned air date was pushed back due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The special was initially set to air when WarnerMedia's new streaming service HBO Max launched on May 27, but has now reportedly been delayed until late November.

Pushed back: It comes after the highly-anticipated Friends reunion special's planned air date was pushed back due to coronavirus

The show's six stars - Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer - will all appear in the one-hour special.

Friends aired for 10 seasons on NBC from 1994 to 2004, and had previously been available to stream in its entirety via Netflix since January 2015.

However, it was reported in July 2019 that HBO Max had obtained the rights to Friends, outbidding Netflix for the coveted rights.
New Delhi, June 7 : Swiss watches and jewellery brand Chopard has created a 'Stay Happy' digital campaign that includes three activities one can enjoy online.

The brand introduces Happy Colouring, Happy Movies and Happy Playlists for the "stay-at-home community" as ways to keep cultivating its share of daily happiness.

Happy Colouring: The brand recently launched its Happy Clown colouring book using sketches and images from their iconic 'Happy Clown' jewelry, one of Caroline Scheufele's (Co-president and creative director, Chopard) first designs for Chopard.

With 'Happy Colouring by Caroline', the brand aims to give children (and adults) an opportunity to reveal their imagination with a series of drawings around Chopard creations to colour as they fancy.

Additionally, there is a video of Scheufele as she takes you through her inspiration behind the piece, and issues a challenge to the Happy children out there, to colour and tag Chopard. You can also join the campaign on Chopard's official Instagram handle.

Happy Movies In the course of its 72 editions, the Cannes Film Festival has awarded prizes to feature motion pictures that have had an enduring impact on the history of cinema. Chopard movie experts have selected six of them, all of which have been awarded the Palme d'Or, to be viewed again and again.

The brand invites its communities to view two Chopard documentaries on YouTube: "The Queen of Kalahari" and "The Legend of the Palme d'Or".

Happy Playlist There are two different playlists - 'love' and 'secret' which are curated by experts at the brand and are available on Youtube and Spotify. The playlists include songs arranged by Scheufele for the 71st Cannes Film Festival.

(Puja Gupta cane be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)
Police in Boston seized a large amount of fireworks Friday night in South Boston after responding to several calls and complaints.

Officers responded to the area of Gavin Way in South Boston around 9 p.m. When police arrived, they spotted a group of people gathered in the Saint Peters Church parking lot.

Several packages of fireworks were in plain sight, police said.

All parties on scene claimed that they were unaware that fireworks were not only illegal in the city of Boston but across the entirety of the commonwealth of Massachusetts as well, police said.

All of the fireworks were confiscated. Police told the crowd they could face fines.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Sunshine early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 24F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 20F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Shajapur: In a shocking incident in Madhya Pradesh, an elderly man was found tied to a bed at a hospital in Shajapur over non-payment of the hospital bill, prompting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to assure justice to the victim and his family.

Taking note of the incident, CM Chouhan assured strict action on the matter and said the culprits will not be spared.

Laxmi Narayan, aged 80, had travelled from Rajgarh district, 38 kilometres away from Shajapur area for medical treatment for his stomach ailment. During the treatment, the family had paid Rs 6,000, followed by another Rs 5,000. However, at the time of discharge, the hospital asked the kin to pay Rs 11,270 more.

Narayan's family, however, failed to bring the remaining amount and urged the hospital administration to discharge him. Instead, the hospital administration tied the elderly man to a bed and refused to discharge him, demanding to settle down the final bill.

After the appalling incident was brought to the administration's notice, they assured that necessary steps would be taken at the earliest.

"We have sent a team of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and a doctor, to the hospital to investigate the matter. This should not have happened and we will ensure that appropriate action is taken against the hospital," District Collector Dinesh Jain told ANI.

Jain condoned the hospital's behaviour and assured that corrective measures will be taken so that no such incident is repeated.
October 19, 1970 - June 3, 2020

Lieutenant-Colonel Peter J. Cohen, USAF (Ret.) passed away on June 3, 2020 at the age of 49 in Bryan, TX. The youngest of five children, he was born on October 19, 1970 in Norristown, PA to Bill and Edith Cohen.

In 1982, Peter moved with his parents and two brothers to San Diego, CA where he attended junior high school and Santa Fe Christian High School. He accepted an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) graduating in 1992 with a degree in Mathematics. From there, he attended Texas A&M to earn a second bachelors degree and masters degree both in Meteorology.

During his 22 year military career, assignments took Peter to several bases in the U.S. as well as to South Korea and Germany. He was an instructor at USAFA before heading overseas to serve as the Staff Weather Officer for the 1st Infantry Division U.S. Army in Wurzburg, Germany in 2001. After a tour in Iraq in 2004, he returned to attend and then teach at the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL. He was honorably discharged in 2010 making his retirement home in Bryan.
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.
(Natural News) Despite ongoing increases in the number of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has consistently failed to declare ASD an epidemic. This public messaging decision highlights the CDCs ongoing disregard for prevalence increases over time that support the overriding importance of environmental causes rather than genetics causality in this serious childhood health condition. According to the most recent 2018 survey from the National Survey of Childrens Health (NSCH), 1 in 35 American children ages 3-17 have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), over 1.7 million children.

(Article by Judith Pinborough Zimmerman and Mark Blaxill republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org)

Using a different method, the recently released CDC report from its Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, reported an average ASD rate of 185 per 10,000 among 8-year-old children born in 2008, or 1 in 54. The CDC proudly promotes ADDM as the only collaborative network to track the number and characteristics of children with ASD. This new rate represents a 9% increase over the 2014 ADDM Network report, which reported a rate of 1 in 59.

Comparing recent ADDM Network ASD rates to those first reported by the network in 2000, there is a staggering 176% increase when compared the earliest ASD report rate of 1 in 149 among 8-year-old children in 2000. Changes by year and site are shown in Figure 1.

Where is the urgency?

The only acknowledgment of urgency in the 2014 ADDM report is a sentence buried deep in the text stating that autism was an urgent public health concern. In the most recent ADDM 2016 report, an autism rate of 1 in 54 is merely a continuing public health concern as shown in Figure 2. Instead of raising the alarm over their unbending upward trend line, the CDC reserves its main concerns for racial equality: applauding the fact that autism in African Americans is now broadly similar to that of white and Asian Americans. Using the ADDM Network methodology, ASD cases are identified through a review and abstraction of records followed by experienced clinicians who systematically review information to determine ASD case status. The CDC claims its methodological approach provides the best possible estimate currently available of prevalence of ASDs without conducting complete population screening and diagnostic clinical case confirmation. If the CDC believes ASD rate increases over time are the result of racial inequities, why havent they recommended population screening and diagnostic case confirmation in underserved populations to obtain more accurate statistics?

What happened in Utah?

The ADDM Network has no evidence of overall flattening or declining ASD rates. There are, however, anomalies in the data reported from a number of sites, including, most notably, Utah and Maryland. Marylands ascertainment areas changed with the inclusion of a second site with reduced access to school records. In Utahs case, (Figure 3) as one of us has pointed out in her 2013 complaint, intentional deviations from the ADDM Network methodological procedures were allowed and covered up by the ADDM Network and University of Utah (U of U).

Sounding the alarm

The two of us share a longstanding concern over the CDCs failure to sound the alarm with respect to the sharp and ongoing increases in autism rates. One of us has been critical of CDCs fraudulent misuse of statistics for nearly two decades. Another of us, was once a CDC insider and Principal Investigator for the Utah ADDM site, Utah Registry of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. After beginning to raise concerns over environmental causation, data errors and privacy violations in the Utah autism data one of us (Zimmerman) was summarily dismissed from her position. She has since filed a series of successful lawsuits against her former employer the U of U.

In addition, Zimmerman became so concerned about intentional data manipulation and public messaging by ADDM officials, she asked two United States Congressmen, Utah Democrat Ben McAdams and Florida Republican Bill Posey, to support a congressional investigation into research fraud by the ADDM Network and U of U. Zimmerman was the original CDC grant awardee and the Utah ADDM principle investigator from 2002-2013. She believes she now has enough evidence to show serious violations of federal health and education privacy laws and intentional deviations from predetermined ADDM study protocols by U of U with the complicity of ADDM Network Officials.

Utahs 2008 autism rate was 1 in 47 among 8-year-old children with trend increases closely tracking the ADDM Networks consistently highest rates in New Jersey. That close tracking abruptly changed, as shown in Figure 3, after Zimmerman was removed as the Utah ADDM principle investigator for study year 2010 and prevented from correcting massive data errors and omissions. Zimmerman was removed by the then U of U Psychiatry Chairman, Dr. William McMahon, after Zimmerman reported Dr. McMahon along with two others, Drs. Deborah Bilder and Amanda Bakian, for research fraud. Fortunately, in 2018, jurors in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City ruled in favor of Zimmermans claims that the U of U had violated her legal whistleblower protections. Zimmerman has a related lawsuit against the U of U in state court. She plans to release more documentation to support her claims of research fraud as documents are made publicly available through the courts. Zimmerman hopes researchers involved in privacy violations and deviations from study protocols at the CDC and U of U will be held accountable.

Correcting the data errors and stringently following study protocols would have resulted in higher autism rates supportive of declaring an autism epidemic, a declaration the CDC has never been willing to make

Turning a blind eye

It is still unclear why CDC ADDM officials turned a blind eye to Zimmermans whistleblower claims. However, two obvious answers come to mind.

First, privacy laws can be complicated and time consuming to follow, making it costly to obtain informed consent. However, what is clear is that in the world of big research and big business, big data equals big money and big power. There are strong financial motivations to gain access to identifiable autism data that would not be available to researchers if federal privacy laws are followed.

Second, deviations from predetermined ADDM study protocols led to erroneous reports of declining Utah autism rates. Correcting the data errors and stringently following study protocols would have resulted in higher autism rates supportive of declaring an autism epidemic, a declaration the CDC has never been willing to make, and which goes against their historical messaging. A declaration that there is an autism epidemic would support environmental causality, a possibility that the CDC has repeatedly downplayed.

The two of us are hopeful Congressmen McAdams and Posey will attempt to get answers from the CDC about research fraud by the ADDM Network officials. McAdams is Zimmermans current congressional representative. He is well-known for his honesty, compassion, and for bringing Republicans and Democrats together to get things done. He has a law degree from Columbia Law School and as such likely understands the complexity of federal privacy violations Zimmerman has documented and reported. Like Congressman Posey, McAdams currently serves on the US House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, an important committee to address issues of fraud related to scientific studies and findings.

Posey is already well-known in national autism circles for bringing to light another whistleblowers claims of fraud and data manipulation by the CDC. Posey previously received extensive documentation about research fraud at the CDC from Dr. William Thompson, a Senior Scientist at the CDC. Claims of research fraud at the CDC by Drs. Thompson and Zimmerman have some striking similarities. Both Thompson and Zimmerman reported deviations from predetermined CDC study protocols on key autism studies. Both Thompson and Zimmerman reported omission of statistically significant data. Both Thompson and Zimmerman reported that the CDC went to great lengths to cover up research data manipulation.

Declaring autism an epidemic is long overdue. The public and most importantly the parents and families impacted by autism deserve better. Accurate information is needed to answer important and glaring questions about etiological factors and planning for services. Researchers and public health officials who blatantly manipulate data and fail to follow federal privacy laws need to be held accountable. Congress should conduct a thorough and independent investigation of autism research fraud at the CDC and specifically within the ADDM Network.

Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org
Britain's beaches may have to be shut down because of a second coronavirus wave, coastal MPs have warned.

The warning comes after sun-seekers up and down the country flocked to beaches to enjoy the warm weather last week.

Images showed several beaches packed with people, with many not following social distancing guidelines.

Now, several MPs have warned that their areas could be hit with localised lockdowns following a potential surge in coronavirus cases.

People on the beach in Bournemouth, Dorset last Tuesday. There are fears huge numbers of beach visitors could lead to a second coronavirus wave

People enjoy the sunshine on the beach near the Brighton Pier in Brighton on the south coast of England on June 2

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavillion, said: 'Local businesses in Brighton are already suffering hugely from this crisis.

'It would be a disaster for them if strict lockdown measures had to be re-imposed locally because of a rising infection rate partly brought about by thousands of visitors.

'To visitors who love coming to Brighton, we love having you, but I'm asking you now  please, stay away until the city is ready to welcome you.'

Sheryll Murray, the Conservative MP for South East Cornwall, said: 'We see waves at the beach but the wave I do not want to see is a second virus wave caused by too many people coming to our fabulous coastline.'

Tory MP for St Austell and Newquay, Steve Double, added: 'Whilst people have the freedom to travel to visit beaches, we would ask people to continue to be responsible.

'If you arrive and a beach looks full then please don't go onto the beach, it's very important that if people do visit they maintain social distancing.'

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK was 'winning the battle' against coronavirus, enabling the easing of some lockdown restrictions in England.

There are still an estimated 5,500 people being infected by the virus every day, government data shows, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is keen to reopen the economy and get people back to work as soon as possible.

Mr Hancock insisted today lockdown restrictions will be lifted 'cautiously' to avoid a second spike of the disease and said there was no 'trade off' between the economy and the health of the nation.

People enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Southend-On-Sea in Essex. MPs with beaches in their constituencies have implored visitors to stay away

He also insisted the R number is below one across the country - despite warnings on Friday it was above one in some parts of England.

If R is one or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than one indicates the virus is in decline.

Estimates produced by experts at Public Health England and Cambridge University suggested the R-rate is above the danger level of 1 in the North West and South West.

The finding has raised the prospect of regional easing of lockdowns in parts of the UK. The R denotes the average number of people an infected patient passes the virus to and keeping it below 1 is crucial to prevent a second surge of the virus.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Hancock said today: 'Overall R remains below one, between 0.7 and 0.9 by the best estimate of SAGE including in all parts of the country so we are able to proceed.

'Sadly there are still people dying but the number of people dying each day is also falling, the number of people admitted to hospital is falling, the number of people in hospital is falling.

'We are winning the battle against this disease and that allows us to release more of the restrictions - including putting in place this local action supported by the test and trace system.'

On Friday, the Health Secretary added that the Government was 'seeking to take a more local approach' to tackling outbreaks.
The billionaire ruler of Dubai is receiving hundreds of thousands of pounds in EU grants, including funding for his luxury Highland hideaway.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's Wester Ross estate received more than 80,000 and his Newmarket horse-breeding and horse-racing operation received in excess of 316,000 in 2019.

Despite being one of the world's richest men, worth an estimated 2 billion, Sheikh Mohammed, 70, is also one of Britain's biggest beneficiaries of EU farming subsidies, which are partly based on the amount of land owned.

The sheikh is the owner of the 63,000-acre Inverinate estate in Wester Ross. Smech Management, which Companies House shows he has a 'controlling interest' in, received 80,775.52 in EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments for Inverinate estate in 2019.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (pictured), who is worth an estimated 2 billion, had become a beneficiary of EU farming subsidies

The sheikh received more than 80,000 for his 63,000-acre Wester Ross estate in the Scottish Highlands

In 2019, the billionaire received in excess of 316,000 for his Newmarket horse-breeding ground

Smech previously received 63,591 in 2018 and 79,214.49 in 2017.

Another of the sheikh's companies, Godolphin Management, also received 316,899 for a horse-breeding and horse-racing operation in Newmarket, Suffolk, for 2019.

Green MSP Andy Wightman, who has spent decades investigating land ownership, said: 'CAP payments should be paid for public good and to those who need them. There shouldn't be a blanket eligibility. I don't think Sheikh Mohammed and Smech need it and should be in receipt of public money.'

Dr Calum MacLeod, policy director of Community Land Scotland, the umbrella organisation for community buyouts, said: 'It's crucial there is accountability and transparency around large-scale and concentrated private land ownership in Scotland.

'At the very least there needs to be a robust public-interest test for large-scale private estate purchases to ensure such land holdings actually deliver sustainable development benefits for the communities that live on them rather than being the luxury playthings of individuals.'

Farmers receive 3bn in subsidies from the CAP scheme, which the UK Government has promised to match after Brexit.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 'Making payments based on the amount of land someone has is inefficient. That is why we are moving away from the EU's outdated, bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy and towards a fairer system that rewards our hard-working farmers.'

Sheikh Mohammed, who bought the Inverinate estate more than 20 years ago for a reported 2million, came into conflict with neighbours, who objected to his plans for a six-bedroom building, claiming it will impact on their privacy.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is worth an estimated 2 billion, purchased the historic Dalham Hall in 2009 for 45 million

A delivery driver passes a mural depicting the Dubai ruler riding a horse along al-Mustaqbal Street in the Gulf emirates

Planning officials have now recommended his plans are approved at the third attempt.

The Queen, a friend of the sheikh, was urged to distance herself earlier this year when a judge ruled he had orchestrated a campaign of intimidation against his former wife and daughters.

In March (2020) the High Court in London ruled that on the balance of probabilities Sheikh Mohammed had ordered the abduction of two of his daughters and made threats against their mother, his sixth (and now ex-) wife Princess Haya bint Hussein.

Sir Andrew McFarlane, the most senior family judge in England and Wales, found he had 'ordered and orchestrated' the abduction and forced return to Dubai of Sheikha Shamsa in August 2000 and of her sister Sheikha Latifa twice, in 2002 and in 2018.

Latifa said in a video in 2018, it would only be released if 'I'm dead, or I'm in a very, very, very bad situation'.

In April it emerged the Sheikh had donated 60 tonnes of personal protective equipment to the NHS, after buying it from suppliers in China and having it flown to the UK.

Smech Management did not respond to requests for a comment.
At the General Election, the Conservative manifesto pledged: In all of our trade negotiations post-Brexit, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards.

The promise could not be clearer, the commitment to uphold our world-class food production standards could not have been stronger.

But upholding that commitment has two important elements.

Former Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers (pictured) welcomes reports that the Prime Minister is holding firm surrounding tariffs for US foodstuffs not produced to UK standards

These are, first, to maintain the high standards we require our domestic producers to meet and, second, to ensure that our trade policy does not allow the unconstrained import of food produced to lower standards.

Ministers regularly give assurances on the first point but have resisted commitments on the second.

That is why I very much welcome reports that Boris Johnson will now insist that in any future trade deal with the US, chlorinated chicken and other American foodstuffs not produced to our own high animal welfare standards will be subject to steep tariffs.

That will protect British farmers from being undercut by produce that is only cheaper because it is reared or grown using methods that would not be permitted in the UK.

However, reports that Ministers will now do all they can to protect British farmers with higher tariffs are not enough.

Promises from Government Ministers that they will do all they can to protect British farmers are not enough

We need a firm, open commitment from the Government either by way of a public statement or by amending the current Agriculture Bill, as I and 17 other Conservative colleagues sought to do last month.

I wholeheartedly welcome The Mail on Sundays campaign to defend British farmers and their renowned high standards of food production.

The problem is that retaining our strict domestic rules on environmental stewardship and animal welfare will have less and less of an impact if an ever-increasing proportion of the food we eat is produced overseas using methods which would be illegal if put into practice in Britain.

This is the great risk if a trade agreement with the US were to remove tariffs or restrictions on food imports without pre-conditions.

The higher cost involved in producing food to some of the most rigorous standards in the world means that UK livestock farmers would struggle to compete with US imports, especially hormone-treated, intensively-reared, feedlot beef which makes up so much of US production.

A core principle of free trade is that it shifts production to locations where firms are more efficient and have lower costs.

In many sectors of our economy, the benefits of that process, in terms of lower prices and access to overseas markets, are considerable and make both sides better off.

But food is different. I am a supporter of trade liberalisation but applying this dry economic principle in an unfettered way to food and agriculture would be wrong, which is why almost no country in the world treats food in the same way as other commodities when it comes to trade policy.

Exposing our farmers to uncontrolled competition from lower-cost, lower-welfare imports would not only undermine our commitments on protecting the environment and on the compassionate treatment of animals, it would have a huge impact on the rural economy.

There is a great risk that many livestock businesses could go bust across the country.

There is a risk that many livestock business will go bust if farmers are exposed to lower-cost imports that do not meet the UK's animal welfare standards

Much debate has centred on the UK/EU ban on the import of chlorinated chicken. While the science is disputed, there can be little doubt that chlorine, and other disinfectant washes deployed at the end of production, are used to compensate for poor hygiene during rearing and slaughter.

Such washes have been banned in the UK since the 1980s, because our approach has been to require higher hygiene standards at all stages of production.

This is a far more effective way to protect human health and also promotes better animal welfare and lower use of antibiotics.

Similarly, the ban on hormone-treated beef has been in place in the UK since 1990 because of legitimate health concerns. These were upheld when the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute between the US and the EU on this issue was settled with the ban staying in place.

Part of the compromise agreed was that a significant amount of imported beef from the US would be allowed in without tariffs, so long as it was not treated with hormones.

This is a precedent which shows that imposing conditions on imports can be done within WTO rules.

Admittedly, it is more difficult to do this with regard to animal welfare than it is in relation to the issues on human health which have been the focus of the chicken and beef disputes with the US.

But if we are serious about animal welfare protections and the environment, we should be making the case that rules on international trade should be updated to better reflect public concern on these crucial issues.

I want to emphasise that I want the import ban on chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef to stay in place but the Governments new proposal to use tariffs instead is a compromise which can deliver more or less the same outcome.

If the tariffs are high enough, American producers using intensive low-standard methods would be priced out of our market and deterred from trying to sell to us.

I very much hope that a US trade agreement can be reached because of the benefits it could bring for jobs, prosperity and lower prices.

However, our negotiators should stand firm and insist on tariffs or restrictions on imported food unless it is produced to standards of animal welfare and environmental protection as good as our own.

Ministers need to fight hard to protect British farmers (pictured) against the US who will negotiate very hard in the post-Brexit trade deal

Therefore, welcome as it is that our Government now seems to be signalling that it is prepared to use tariffs to defend our standards, this is not enough. The US will negotiate long and hard in their own interests.

We must hold our Ministers feet to the fire to ensure they do stay firm and resolute.

The UK market for food and groceries is the third largest in the world. It is a massive prize for any country to be allowed greater access to it. We should not sell ourselves short.

We can make a generous offer to the US on food based purely on produce we do not grow here, and we would still be offering them more than the EU did in three painful years of trade negotiations between Brussels and Washington.

If we want to ensure a successful, green Brexit and keep our promises on the environment and animal welfare, we should not throw our farmers under a bus in pursuit of a one-sided US trade deal.
By Trend





International Financial Corporation (IFC) supports the government of Uzbekistan to structure public-private partnerships (PPPs) that will best attract qualified private-sector investors to participate in transparent and open bidding processes to develop various projects, Regional Manager for Central Asia of IFC Cassandra Colbert told Trend.

"We are working on this closely with the World Bank, which is assisting the government to implement a broad range of reforms in the power sector," she said.

As Colbert noted, IFC is advising the government on a PPP for construction of two photovoltaic power plants of capacity of 200 MW each in Samarkand and Jizzakh regions. The project received 84 expressions of interest (EOIs) before the March 21, 2020 deadline. The companies that submitted EOIs and satisfy all criteria of request for qualification (RFQ) document, will be invited to request for proposal (RFP) stage.

"In addition, IFC is working with the government to plan future projects. In March, we organized a workshop on structuring of PPPs to develop solar photovoltaic (PV) parks with battery energy-storage systems; this was for officers from the ministries and state agencies working to attract investment in the energy sector. The workshop provided insights into - and discussed - the PPP structure for the proposed stations, which will generate a total of 500 MW of power. The new power stations will be the first of their kind in Uzbekistan as they will combine solar PVs with battery energy-storage systems," Colbert stated.

She stressed that IFC is also helping the government structure and tender a PPP to develop a 1,200-1,500 MW gas-fired power plant in the Syrdarya region.

"This is an important project for both IFC and Uzbekistan. This large-scale PPP will help modernize Uzbekistan's aging power infrastructure and supply both residents and businesses with steady electricity. It will also significantly increase efficiency of the use of gas, contributing to reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. The new equipment will make the power sector more flexible, creating a better environment to introduce intermittent renewable-energy sources," she said.

The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global institution dedicated to supporting the private sector in emerging markets. The corporation works with more than 2,000 private enterprises around the world.

In fiscal year 2019, the company provided more than $19 billion in long-term funding to developing countries. In doing so, the corporation has attracted the strong potential of the private sector to eradicate extreme poverty and improve global prosperity.

Recently, IFC and Ipak Yuli Bank of Uzbekistan signed an agreement allowing the bank to better manage currency risks and increase local currency financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, which play a key role in the economic development of Uzbekistan.

"The agreement shows that IFC is standing by its partner banks and is ready to support them in all circumstances. Ipak Yuli Bank can better manage its currency risk and continue lending in local currency to firms that need funding. This is critically important at a time when businesses are suffering currency vulnerabilities due to the global impact of the COVID-19 crises," Colbert stated.




Shigeru Yokota, whose tireless campaign for the return of his kidnapped daughter and other abductees from North Korea made him a well-known figure in Japan, died on Friday outside Tokyo. He was 87.

In a statement, his wife, Sakie Yokota, confirmed his death, in a hospital. She did not specify the cause.

The couples daughter, Megumi Yokota, was one of what is believed to have been at least 17 Japanese citizens abducted in the 1970s and 80s by the North Korean government, which forced them to teach their native language to spies. Pyongyang has admitted taking 13 of them.

Megumi Yokota disappeared in 1977 at age 13; she was last seen walking home from school in Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast of Japan. Mr. Yokota, who was working at the Bank of Japan at the time, joined with the families of other kidnap victims to lobby the Japanese government for their return.
After another busy month, the totals are in, and the West Texas Food Bank distributed just shy of 1 million pounds of food in the month of May to about 25,000 households throughout 19 counties in West Texas. The record distribution was aided by help from the National Guard.

The food bank operates on-campus pantries at both locations in Odessa and Midland and conducts mobile distributions in underserved areas of the 19 counties we serve. The two in-house pantries and mobile distribution locations in May distributed 8,100 pantry boxes, along with proteins, fruits and vegetables.

Speaking of protein, our new friends at FireBird Energy got in touch with our friends over at the Midland Meat Co. about a donation of ground beef. Always working quietly behind the scenes, the Midland Meat Co.matched the beef donation, and forwarded what the meat would have cost to the food bank, so not only did we receive several tons of ground beef, we also received a check for $7,500. We also want to thank H-E-B for delivering some of the donated meat from a processor in South Texas.

May turned out to be the month of matches. The organization behind Giving Tuesday, which is normally held in November, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, decided that Tuesday, May 5 was to be designated Giving Tuesday Now, and was used by organizations around the country to raise funds for their COVID-19 response. Following a successful matching campaign from our friends at KOSA-TV and the Dobbs Law Firm, Odessa attorney Juan Silva, from the Silva Law Group, and the Permian Basin Trial Lawyers Association donated $100,000 to the food bank, then challenged the community to donate $100,000 more, which they would match. The community stepped up big, and we met the match, which will allow us to provide an additional 1.3 million meals.

It is easy to view the numbers from the month of May with rose-colored glasses, and paint the picture of what is going on around the food bank as a win, but we must also not lose sight of the fact that the record numbers we are seeing are from our neighbors who are in crisis, and as many as 74 percent of the people we are serving have never been to a food bank or pantry before. I dont want to lose sight of the fact that we dont anticipate these record numbers going down. With the Payment Protection Program loans quickly running out, and without swift action from lawmakers in D.C., we could see another devastating round of layoffs and cuts in our West Texas workforce, and we still have not fully reopened out economy following COVID closures. I fear the worst is yet to come.

Libby Campbell is executive director of the West Texas Food Bank.
New Delhi: A token system for regulated entry and no physical offerings like 'prasad' at temples will be some of the norms as shopping malls, religious places, hotels and restaurants are set to reopen in most states from Monday after over two months that could pose new challenges to check the spread of the coronavirus.

As India prepares for a calibrated exit from the lockdown by easing more restrictions, Unlock-1 kicks in at a time when the country recorded a daily jump of Covid-19 cases by over 9,000 for the fifth straight day on Sunday and also crossed the 10,000 mark for the first time. It is the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones with a stringent set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which will be in place till June 30.

India registered its highest single-day spike of 9,971 new infections taking the total to 2,46,628 and 287 deaths in the 24 hours since Saturday morning, the Union Health Ministry said. The death toll stood at 6,929, it said.

According to a PTI tally based on reports from states, the daily rise crossed the 10,000 mark for the first time to touch 10,218. The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 1,20,406 while a total of 1,19,292 people had recovered and one patient has migrated, the ministry added. Around 48.37 per cent of the patients have recovered so far, a senior ministry official said.

The new phase is especially challenging for the five worst affected states, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total coronavirus cases, and nearly 78 per cent of the deaths.

Maharashtra (85,975 cases), Tamil Nadu (30,152), Delhi (28,936), Gujarat (20,097) and Rajasthan (10,599) were the five worst affected states. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh inched towards the 10,000 mark.

There also has been an uptick in cases in states like West Bengal which recorded the highest single-day spike for the third day in a row with 449 cases taking the tally to 8,187. Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir also registered a record daily rise.

Maharashtra, which reported 3,007 new cases, on its own has surpassed China which accounted for 83,036 COVID-19 infections to be in the 18th position in the global country tally. However, there was some good news from Mumbai's Dharavi, believed to be Asia's largest slum and also a hotspot.

In signs that could point to the flattening of the coronavirus curve in Dharavi, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said the slum cluster has not reported a single COVID-19 death in the last six days while 939 of the total 1,899 patients have recovered.

A visit to the shopping malls, hotels and restaurants and religious places will no longer be the same like before the lockdown imposed on March 25 after the Union Health Ministry issued the SOPs for strict adherence to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In the malls, cinema halls, gaming arcades and children play areas will continue to be in the prohibited segment. The SOPs are advisory in nature and the Centre has left it to the states to finetune the details. The Punjab government for example provides for a token-based entry to malls as part of its guidelines.

In Gujarat, some of the religious places have decided to organise prayers in shifts and even start a token system to specify time slots to devotees for visits in a bid to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the coronavirus crisis while the city's borders with UP and Haryana will be reopened from Monday.

Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said hospitals run by the Centre will have no such restriction, and if people from other states come to the national capital for specific surgeries, they can also get medical treatment at private hospitals.

He also said hotels and banquet halls will remain closed as the authorities may need these facilities to convert them into hospitals.

The Centre, meanwhile, defended the timing of the imposition of the lockdown and rejected as "baseless" media reports expressing concern that it did not take inputs from technical experts while drawing up its COVID-19 strategy.

Asserting that coronavirus is a "new agent" about which not everything is known, the Health Ministry also said it is "fine-tuning" its strategy based on emerging knowledge and experience on the ground.

In a statement, the ministry said there was all round consensus on the lockdown among all the state governments.

The government has already shared the information on the impact of lockdown and other restrictions on averting lakhs of infections and thousands of deaths, it added.

"The doubling rate of cases had dropped to a low level, pointing toward a dangerous trajectory of high case load and high mortality, as experienced by many western countries. The possibility that our health systems could soon be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, seemed to be real."

The Union Culture Ministry also approved opening of 820 centrally protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) which has places of worship from June 8, Minister Prahlad Patel said.

Malls in Delhi will be focussing on hourly disinfection of the common areas, contact-less shopping and physical distancing, according to some of the mall owners. There are around 100 big and small shopping malls in the national capital.

Several malls have set up ultraviolet(UV)sterilisation chambers for the patrons to disinfect their belongings. "We have asked our staff to report an hour before the malls are opened for the public. After the mandatory screening, the employees will be given face-shields, gloves and sanitiser," said Harsh Vardhan Bansal, the director of Vegas Mall in Dwarka.

In line with the central guidelines, the Karnataka government has specified conditions such as social distancing, no distribution of 'teertha' (holy water) or 'prasada', no ringing of temple bells for devotees and a bar on special 'pooja' or 'archana'.

In Goa, churches and mosques in Goa have decided to remain closed for some more time. The Maharashtra government is yet to take a decision on opening religious places for devotees in the state, Maharashtra's law and judiciary department secretary Rajendra Bhagwat told PTI.

An archdiocese of Catholic Church in Kerala said churches under it would not conduct service like mass but they would be opened for the devotees to go and offer individual prayers.

The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari said all the safety measures have been taken at the historic mosque that will reopen on Monday for prayers.

Bukhari said people have been advised to perform 'wuzu' (ablution) at home before coming to offer namaz. People will bring their own mats and to maintain social distancing floor markings have been made so that there is adequate space between rows of people, he said.

The general SOPs issued by the Centre included measures like allowing only asymptomatic staff, guests, customers and devotees on the premises, proper crowd management and maintaining effective and frequent sanitation, with a particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/areas. The seating in restaurants has also been reduced to 50 per cent of the total capacity.

Frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches and washroom fixtures among others are be cleaned and regularly disinfected.

Hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser) and thermal screening provisions should be in place mandatorily at the entrance and everyone should maintain respiratory etiquettes and follow the prescribed 'do's and dont's', the Health Ministry stated. The SOPs also recommended installation and use of the Aarogya Setu app.

For air-conditioning and ventilation, the ministry said the guidelines of the CPWD shall be followed which emphasises that the temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 degrees Celsius, relative humidity in the range of 40-70 per cent and intake of fresh air be allowed as much as possible besides adequate cross ventilation.

(With PTI inputs)
The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has called for a synergy among all the states of the federation to combat the incessant occurrence of child defilement and rape in the country.

Mr Fayemi stated this on Friday while signing into law the Sexual Violence Against Children (Compulsory treatment and care for child victims of sexual violence), recently passed by the state House of Assembly.

The governor who reiterated the states policy of zero tolerance to all forms of sexual violence against women and children, said the law reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to support effective prosecution of sex offenders as well as present an opportunity for child victims to enjoy necessary treatment by government.

The governor lamented the rate at which women and the girl child are being violated in the country describing it as act of extreme violence which must be addressed urgently before it gets out of hand.

In the drive to combat the scourge nationally, Mr Fayemi called for a state of emergency to deal more effectively with the menace.

Mr Fayemi promised to engage the Nigeria Governors Forum in a conversation on the issue to determine what emergency measures to put in place to address the crisis situation more effectively.

He urged the state House of Assembly to engage the civil society and the private sector with a view to identifying urgent intervention in ending violence against women and girl child that can be implemented immediately.

Governor Fayemi said, Today, Im proud to sign a law that affirms one of the important policies of my administration. That is our policy of zero tolerance of all forms of sexual violence against women and children. The Compulsory Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence Bill, 2020 reaffirms our commitment not only to prompt medical care for child victims of sexual violence but also supports our resolve to achieve the effective prosecution of sex offenders.

It is my view that there is a need for a national consensus on the issue. I will be engaging the Nigeria Governors Forum at our next meeting to determine what emergency measures can be put in place to address this crisis more effectively and on a national basis. Meanwhile, I will urge the House of Assembly to engage civil society and the private sector with a view to identifying urgent interventions in ending violence against women and girls that can be implemented without delay.

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The governor revealed that his administration enacted several laws against sexual violence and had undertaken a number of programmes to enable effective action against sexual violence during his first term in office. This he said included the review of legislations, practices and customs that discriminate against women; laws, policies and programmes that explicitly prohibit and punish sexual violence and ensured an improvement in the quality and accessibility of services so that women and children have prompt access to support services regardless of their location, age or finance.

He explained further that his administration specifically established a Register of Sex Offenders of all persons convicted of acts of sexual violence and adopted a policy of publicly naming and shaming convicted sex offenders as well as putting machinery in motion to strengthen the Gender Based Violence Management Committee to oversee the implementation of the GBV Law.

In many respects, however, it is now obvious that we need to do more to confront the severity of the challenges we face. Our response must be efficient and proactive to end a culture of impunity and foster a culture of justice and deterrent. It is against this background that I now wish to enumerate some of the additional measures we will be taking.

First, by virtue of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence Law, 2020 a child victim of sexual violence in this State will have rapid access to a medical facility that can administer emergency medical care, including treatment to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and counseling.

We are going to overhaul and modernize our register of sex offenders to ensure it is effective in combating sexual violence. I have directed the Ministry of Justice to consider additional measures to make the register permanently accessible to the public.

The Ministry of Justice is further directed to reaffirm state policy of opposing bail and rejecting plea bargain proposals from perpetrators of rape and child defilement. The State Governments policy of ensuring that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from my power of prerogative of mercy remain in force. Dr Fayemi added.

The Governor also directed the Ministry of Justice to work on measures to clear the backlog of rape and child defilement cases delayed because of the closure of courts during the COVID 19 period adding that his administration was determined to improve conviction rates and provide comprehensive and appropriate support services to ensure survivors of sexual offences are not subjected to further trauma.

While seeking the cooperation of medical facilities and the security outfits in the state whose roles are crucial to the implementation of the law, Mr Fayemi expressed his appreciation to State House of Assembly for its prompt passage of the law.
Places of worship are allowed to open from todayafter being closed due to the lockdown caused by the pandemic. But the mahamari is showing no sign of weakening and the Sufi shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in central Delhi will keep its doors closed to the public until at least June 30, informs Peerzada Altamash Nizami, a dargah gaddinashin, an ancestral descendent of Hazrat Nizamuddin. The youthful, soft-spoken gentleman is among a select group of men responsible for the daily prayers in the shrine even in these days of lockdown.

Consequently, he says, there will be no qawwalis to celebrate the 716th Urs, or the death anniversary, of Hazrat Amir Khusro that starts tomorrowhis grave lies in Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. (The death anniversary of a Sufi saints death is not mourned but celebrated. Urs means wedding in Arabic, and it symbolises the union of the lover with the beloved, who is God.)

On such a signification occasion, the fact that Hazrat Nizamuddin shrine will remain silent and empty is something that has never happened before in its centuries-old lifeconfirms Mr Nizami. He is talking over WhatsApp video this evening from the dargahs empty courtyard, with a yellow mask hanging down on his crisp white kurta.

Even so, one can still commemorate a figure of history who is not only important in the story of Sufism in India, but is also one of the most celebrated Delhiwallas of all time.

At 72, the maker of Hindustani classical music lost interest in the world. Poet Amir Khusro, the 14th-century courtier to seven kings, was in mourning after the death of his spiritual mentor, Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

Khusro gave away his wealth, retired to Hazrat Nizamuddins tomb, died six months later in 1325, and was buried in the shrines courtyard.

Perhaps it is a legend. How could one person is said to have simultaneously invented the tabla and sitar, produce the first raga and create the Sufi music of qawwali? The most likely is that Hindustani classical music came out of a civilisation, but Khusros poetic genius certainly gave that civilisation its Hindustani characteristic.

Folksy and immediate, Khusros language  a mix of the courtly Persian and the colloquial Brij Bhasha  merged the ruling-class

sophistication to the earthy sensibilities

of the masses. His love poems for God

shaped the possibility of the idea that

Hindus and Muslims could not only co-exist but also celebrate each others cultures. Today, the soul of the subcontinents Sufi shrines lie in Khusros qawwalis. His verses steer many to spirituality, love and, occasionally, ecstasy.

Over the years, Khusros appeal has seamlessly merged with popular culture. The film song, Zihal-e-miskin mukun baranjish (lyricist Gulzar, 1985 film Ghulami), was inspired from Khusros poem, which had alternate lines in Persian and Brij.

Zihaal-e-miskeen mukon taghaful (Persian)

doraaye nainaan banaye batyaan (Brij)

[Do not overlook my misery by blandishing your eyes,

and weaving tales; My patience has over-brimmed.]*

Another famous Khusro song, Chhap tilak, is completely in Brij.

This playful duality defined Khusro. Devoted to a Sufi who disliked emperors, he himself made his living by serving in their courts. It was a shrewd balance of sense and sensibility: day job in the court, evening spirituality in the shrine.

Born in Patiali, a village in the present day Etah of Uttar Pradesh, Khusros Turkish father died when he was eight. His mother was Indian. He grew up in Delhi with his maternal grandfather who took him regularly to literary soirees. As a court poet, Khusro went on to produce works such as Mathnawi Miftah ul Futuh, Ghurrat ul Kamal, Khaza in ul Futuh, Ashiqa, Baqiya Naqiya and Khamsa. The voluminous Ijaz e Khusrawi is vivid with details of everyday life in 14th-century Delhi. Khusro also compiled a Hindi-Persian dictionary and composed several pahelis, the wordplay riddles.

The modern-day tradition for devotees at Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah is to first pray at Khusros tomb, though he did not officially inherit Nizamuddins spiritual mantle in the Chishti order of Sufism, which went to Hazrat Naseeruddin Chiragh Dilli. Indeed, the poets special status in Sufism is linked to his creation of an extraordinary idiom, which devotees have used to articulate their passion for the divine. Above all, he was loved by Hazrat Nizamuddin, who occasionally wrote letters calling him Turkullah, Gods Turk. Those were said to have been buried with Khusro.

Khusros Urs will be observed from June 9 to 13. In these exceptional times, it will be marked only with quiet prayers conducted across the five days by a small group of dargahs khadims, or hereditary caretakers. The shrine will be closed to the public. During the ceremony, discloses Mr Nizami, well also pray for the health of all.

*Translation taken from a book on languaging by Ramanjaney K Upadhyay
With the aim of researching and utilizing cold plasma technology in various fields of life, ARIPT, the first Plasma technology research institute in Vietnam, has been established.

ARIPT was officially established on April 22 under a certificate of registration of science and technology activities granted by the Hanoi Science and Technology Department.

Dr Nguyen The Anh, head of the institute (left), and Dr Do Hoang Tung, deputy head of the institute.





This is the first time Vietnam has a science and technology institution carrying out in-depth research on the applications of Plasma technology.



Plasma is the fourth state of matter (the other three more commonly seen are solid, liquid and gas), in which substances are strongly ionized. Though plasma is not very common on the earth, but more than 99 percent of visible matters in the universe exist in the form of plasma.

If considering thermodynamic properties, there are two types of plasma: thermal plasma, which is formed at high temperature, pressure and energy, and cold plasma, which is formed at normal or vacuum pressure and needs less energy.

If considering thermodynamic properties, there are two types of plasma: thermal plasma, which is formed at high temperature, pressure and energy, and cold plasma, which is formed at normal or vacuum pressure and needs less energy.



In the last 10 years, advanced countries have been gathering resources in research to utilize plasma in many fields, including biomedicine, chemistry, agriculture and industry.



There could be numerous applications of plasma technology. Plasma technology, especially cold plasma, is believed to be able to exceed the limits that other technologies cannot, with the ultimate goal of reducing production cost, increasing energy efficiency and mitigating adverse effects to the environment.



Plasma physics, for example, has been used by famous electronics manufacturers, including Samsung and Panasonic, to create lighting equipment, and make electronic chips and paint technology.



Plasma medicine, an emerging field that combines plasma physics, life sciences and clinical medicine, has also been used in clinical treatment in Germany to treat slowly healing bacteria-contaminated wounds.



More recently, cold plasma has also been used in seed storage and pre-cultivation treatment, which improves germination rates and promotes seedling growth.



In Vietnam, cold plasma technology has been better known with the applications in medicine and its efficiency has been proven.



Some science and technology institutions have begun carrying out the research on utilizing plasma technology in general and cold plasma in particular, in material and environment science.



However, in general, domestic research is still not popular, partly because the research of this kind requires a high level of technology and many expensive equipment that few laboratories are equipped with.



The leaders of ARIPT are famous names  Dr Nguyen The Anh, head of the institute, and Dr Do Hoang Tung, deputy head of the institute.



The two scientists are famous for utilizing plasma technology in treating open wounds without antibiotics in Vietnam. Both of them are working at the Physics Institute under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

Mai Lan

Vietnamese scientist finds 'super material' in waste products Aerogel, the super material, opens great opportunities for humans to solve problems, from waste treatment and environmental protection to the production of new materials.
The United States Marine Corps has issued a directive to remove all public displays of the Confederate battle flag from their installations. The new directive was handed down Friday.

According to the directive, Marine Corps commanders must "identify and remove the display of the Confederate battle flag or its depiction within work places, common-access areas and public areas on their installations." The directive applies to the entire Marine Corps.

The flags are being removed "in order to support our core values, ensure unit cohesion and security and preserve good order and discipline," the directive explains.

While there were many different battle flags used by the Confederacy, the directive specifies the flag in question is the battle flag carried by the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Exceptions to the new directive include works of art where the flag is present but not the main focus, Confederate grave sites, state-issued license plates depicting the flag and any official state flags that incorporate the Confederate battle flag.

In addition to office buildings, facilities and Naval vessels and aircraft, the directive notably also applies to "all areas in public or plain view."

"For example ... The front yard or external porch of government owned  government operated housing and public private venture housing," the directive states. "This includes, but is not limited to, depictions of the Confederate battle flag on automobile bumper stickers, clothing, and other apparel."

The flag has been a controversial symbol for decades, and the Marine Corps noted in a statement that the flag has "all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps."

Indeed, many attendees of the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, were seen carrying the Confederate battle flag.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - AUGUST 12: Hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In 2015, calls to remove the Confederate flag from in front of the South Carolina Statehouse intensified after the Charleston church shooting. Nine black members of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston were killed during a bible study session by Dylann Roof. Photos posted to social media of Roof showed him wearing clothing adorned with various white supremacist symbols and holding a Confederate flag.

Ten days after the shooting, activist Bree Newsome famously scaled the flag pole in front of the South Carolina Statehouse and took down the Confederate flag flying atop it. Newsome and fellow activist James Tyson were both jailed for the stunt.

Bree Newsome of Charlotte, N.C., removes the Confederate battle flag at a Confederate monument at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C., June 27, 2015.

Bree Newsome of Charlotte, N.C., removes the Confederate battle flag at a Confederate monument at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C., June 27, 2015. AP Photo/Bruce Smith

"I just felt that it was very important that it be a group of citizens ... who go up and bring that flag down  even if they put it back up a minute later  just to know that's how strongly we felt about it," Newsome told CBSN at the time.

A few weeks later, the flag was removed for good.

Christian Cooper on Amy Cooper's phone call to police: "Pulled the pin on the race grenade"

"Justice for All"  full CBS News special

How black police officers are caught between two worlds
History will likely tell a different story than what the majority of New Mexicans can see in front of them. I feel imbued by New Mexicos overwhelming cohesive cooperation; ranging from the aid of our national labs to small local businesses, extraordinary health care workers, and government spearheading direct decisions in our low-resource state. However, Im standing at the crossroads of a major historical moment, watching the Navajo Nation suffer impetuously at the hands of this pandemic while flight crews bring patients to the ICU from their tight-knit communities hundreds of miles away to an enclosed medical center where communication is now more difficult than ever.

Prior to the pandemic, families would regularly accompany loved ones to the intensive care unit and aid in their advocacy and language barriers at times. As it is now, the Navajo Nation is experiencing per capita infection rates that mirror those of the epicenter of the United States. What has been brought to the forefront during this pandemic is the lack of trust and most apparent, lack of equity. As I mentioned, families would oftentimes travel from the Navajo Nation to be with their loved ones during their medical stay. This pandemic has not only made travel and being bedside impossible, but has also devastated families with multiple deaths and made communication ever more challenging. Providers are now giving updates almost solely over a phone. We are having discussions about discontinuation of life support virtually, and believe me, death, as hard as it is, is even more difficult when you take away compassionate touch. Code-status discussions in the time of this pandemic are important and a worthwhile conversation, hard as it is, before you get sick.

It is a well-known phenomenon that minorities lack trust in the medical community, especially if a provider is of a different ethnicity than your own. I think many New Mexicans can share a similar sentiment, and in my experience members of the Navajo Nation have been reluctant when speaking to providers in the Intensive Care Unit, more so when its not in Navajo. Oftentimes, we see this when trying to enroll patients in drug trials or discuss goals of care. I believe that, in part, a reason for the incredible spread of this virus and death seen in the Four Corners is a lack of trust.

As I see flight crews bringing patients daily to our ICU, which now spreads multiple floors of our hospital, from the overburdened medical centers in the Four Corners region of our state I say this: We love you. This sentiment is shared by all of our medical staff.

Our state is bleeding, but we dont back down; New Mexico is pride. As the Navajo Nation endures the brunt of this pandemic in a colossal way, we stand with you. I hope that one day, regardless of your ethnicity or cultural background, we come to trust each other. I hope that politics cease to divide our diverse state. I hope that one day the sovereign nation will gain trust in the state and that health equity will be possible.

Until then, we stand together  6 feet apart  to help each other from Anthony to Shiprock, from Deming to Raton, and every ranch, farm, dirt road and community in between.
Thirty-year-old Qutaiba Idlbi is a man on a mission. A Syrian refugee who recently earned a bachelors degree after 12 years of missing out on college, he is determined to bring the rule of law in his worn torn country.

Idlbi grew up in Damascus in a middle-class family where father worked as a publisher and, due to his involvement in political activism, was detained eight times between 1965 and 1980. Idlbi own life is marked with detentions, imprisonment and exile in Syria which stands torn by a civil war. He faced detention in Syria twice, and to avoid the third one by the Bashar-Al-Assad government, he left the country. In this time, Idlbi decided to travel through other parts of the Middle East, and met Robert S. Ford, former US Ambassador to Syria. Ford planted the idea in his head in 2013, to join the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship run by the state department, which, Idlbi says, proved to be a vital experience that nurtured his interest in politics. Determined to complete his bachelors degree, he applied to Columbia University three years later in 2016. In May this year, Idlbi graduated from the School of General Studies (GS) as a member of the first cohort of refugee students to benefit from Columbias Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS).

On May 20, he went on social media to post his story: 9 years ago my jailer asked me, what would you do with freedom? I told him I would start by making up my missed exams to complete my degree. He laughed: In your dreams (sic).

In an interview to News18, Idlbi talks about this very dream that has finally come true, his vision for the ordinary Syrians that revolted while knowing the price would be torture, death, or displacement. With his new scholarship, this political science major now wants to pursue law. Edited excerpts:

How are Syrians looking at the racial unrest in the US sparked by the killing of George Floyd?

The response to the racial unrest in the US has been heartening. Syrians in Idlib, for example, have been going out in demonstrations in support of the African American community and in condemnation of the killing of George Floyd and racist policies in general. I think over the last 10 years, Syrians really understood what it means to be repressed and they are able to sympathise with the sufferings of others.

What will the political leadership in Syria look like in post-Covid19 world? Will the pandemic give boost to populist, repressive and authoritarian regimes?

This is something I continue to monitor carefully. The pandemic allowed many governments and regimes to be more authoritarian, especially many of the governments that are not very accountable to their own people. I think the battle against authoritarianism around the world is going to become harder. On the other hand, I hope the pandemic has shown to people that populism is not the solution and that ideologies are not beneficial in the absence of good governance and sane policies.

Can you tell us about the events that lead to your imprisonment? What ideals and goal were you fighting for that you didn't care about the repercussions? Please recount the events that lead to your detention and political exile.

I was detained twice in Syria. The first time was on my out of an area that the government besieged because it was a hotspot for demonstrations. I was delivering some aid and acquiring footage from the activists in the area about their demonstrations and government violations in the area. The government did not know that information, and they arrested me because someone saw me meeting those activists and they thought it was suspicious for me to be in that area. While I had my own ideas, a lot of the people who I personally saw inside back then were just detained and tortured based on suspicion.

Personally, I believed in the Syrian peoples right to freedom and dignified life that is not controlled by the government in every little aspect. I was detained the second time because of my activism as a civilian journalist talking to international media about what was happening in Damascus back then. After being released, the government came to arrest me a third time for helping in hiding one of the well-known human rights lawyers in Syria who was wanted by the government for her role in exposing the violations committed by the government. After escaping arrest, the government tried to kidnap my 16-year-old brother to force me to deliver myself and that's when I realised it was time for me to leave the country.

World leaders such as Nelson Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi were also imprisoned. Did their stories keep you afloat while you were in the jail? Who are the heroes in Syria people talk about in prisons and protests?

I did not think about the experience of Gandhi, Mandella or anyone else while in prison. Detention in Syria is not like any prison, and if you are lucky enough to stay alive while in there, it is hard to think of anything else but how to stay alive and how long you would be able to hold on or how much torture your body will be able to handle. I can't think of one particular leader to recognise.

While there are many for sure, the uprising in Syria was not a movement organised/influenced by an individual or a group. It was a natural reaction to long decades of repression, fear and injustice. One community got enough with it and then every other community followed without waiting for a leader to inspire them or a group to organise them. It is those ordinary Syrians that revolted while knowing the price would be torture, death, or displacement who should be recognised.

With the freedom you got, you wanted to make up for your missed exams and complete the degree. The jailor laughed at your dreams but here you are with a degree from Columbia University. What is your next goal? Do you plan to put your scholarship to use in Syria?

In the short run, my aim is to go to law school to get the necessary knowledge and experience so I can, one day, help build a country based on the rule of law, a country that respects who people are and the rights of people to be who they want to be, and a country where everyone is equal. In the long run, my hope is to be able to transfer my experience at Columbia to Syria by starting a small college where Syrians can learn about the experience of other nations, where they can think critically about everything they've faced, and where they can think and explore for themselves.

Could you tell us about the ethnic and religious diversity of Syria  something we can't see because the civil war has cast shadow on its rich past.

Syria is a very diverse country, ethnically, religiously and racially. While the ethnic/sectarian lens help outsiders explain the conflict, the reality on the ground is very different. While I believe that Syria is unique in its diversity because it has always been in the centre of history and was always a land of refuge for people running from prosecution, its social ties, like any other community in political turmoil, have become very fragile. I believe that once the war is over, the country will be able to come back together.

American diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks threw light on how USAs covert foreign policy was a regime change in Syria. What do you have to say about the foreign interventions, United States of America and Russia and then their allies in the civil war in Syria? How do you think Saudi Arab, Turkey and Iran played their role?

I'm not familiar with the leaks you are talking about. The issue of foreign interference is still an issue of debate within ethical studies of international politics. A lot of people mention Russia, the United States, and other countries as if they are all the same, but they forget to mention that while those countries had different levels of interference in Syria in the last decade, some had the blood of tens of thousands of Syrians on their hands while others do not. I'm not familiar with the leaks you are talking about, but it is very clear that if the U.S. wanted a regime change in Syria, it would have supported a military campaign similar to what happened in Lybia or Bosnia, or it could have supplied the rebels with MANPADs as it did in Afganistan, or it could have implemented one of the multiple Red Lines it has drawn in Syria. I believe the US was and is still interested in some form of a political transition, but not in a revolutionary regime change as some imagine. Similarly, other countries interfere in other ways under different slogans but, at the end of the day, each government does what it thinks best for its own people. I think the Syrian people will always remember who supported them in their struggle for freedom, and who stood against them and supported the slaughterer.

What do you have to say about the secularism of Bashar-Al-Assad? Every country has its secularism, context and its critics. How would you see the term in context of Syria and the civil war?

I'm not an expert on secularism, so I can't really answer that much. I believe that any ideology that is forced on people from the top-bottom is authoritarian regardless of its claim of neutrality, or benefit to the people whether it is secular or religious. Assad is authoritarian and that is what matters for the Syrian people. The Syrian Republic is very young compared to other republics and, I think, it needs some 'freedom time' to recognise what it is and what system of governing works best for its people as long as it is not repressive or authoritarian over the Syrian people.
Senior Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken on Sunday targeted chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for what he said was the governments unpreparedness to tackle the growing number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the national capital.

Ajay Maken, the Congress spokesperson, blamed the Delhi government citing several reasons including the lack of hospital beds for Covid-19 patients and tests.

The Delhi government should have strengthened the health infrastructure before opening restaurants, shopping malls and borders, Maken said in a virtual press conference.

The Delhi government has decided to open restaurants and shopping malls, as well as its state borders from June 8.

As he lashed at the Aam Aadmi Party government for indulging in image-making and event management, the Congress leader said state-run hospitals must be opened up for Covid-19 patients.

Out of the 4,400 beds for Covid-19 patients in the hospitals run by the Delhi government, only 28% are occupied. And, in private hospitals 40% beds are lying vacant, he said.

He also questioned the action against the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, which he said has a 88% occupancy rate.

The Kejriwal government filed a first information report (FIR) against the medical superintendent of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for not following protocols for testing Covid-19 patients.

Maken also raked up the report by the five-member committee set up to help the government in planning the augmenting of health infrastructure in the city.

There are about 25,000 Covid-19 cases in Delhi currently and the doubling time is 14 to 15 days. This means, by mid-June, there will be about 50,000 cases and by month-end one lakh cases, Dr Mahesh Verma, the committees chairperson, said.

Now, assuming that 20 to 25% of these patients need hospitalisation, Delhi would need 15,000 beds by the end of the month and 42,000 by mid-July. We have not calculated beyond that, he added.

One of the committee members, on condition of anonymity, has said there will be 100,000 cases of Covid-19 in Delhi by the end of June and it will need 15,000 beds by the end of the month and around 42,000 by mid-July.

The committee submitted its recommendations on the number of beds needed till mid-July for the treatment of Covid-19 patients to the government.

He also criticised the government for not giving the dead a dignified cremation. Bodies lie in crematoriums for five days and are not cremated because of Covid-19 protocol, he said.

The Delhi government is deliberately keeping the death toll lower, Maken also alleged.

Maken also that the 25% positivity rate in Delhi indicates the onset of community transmission and this was not the right time to unlock the city.

Maken said it was shameful that the Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi was the highest in the country and its recovery rate the lowest. This is because Delhi hospitals are in bad shape, he said.

It is premature for the Delhi government to open restaurants, malls from June 8 till health infrastructure is improved, Maken said at a virtual press conference.

According to the Union health ministrys data, there are 27,654 Covid-19 cases in Delhi and 761 people have succumbed to the disease. It shows 16,229 active cases and 10,664 people have recovered.
Imperial Valley News Center

Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community Policing

Washington, DC - The Department of Justice Tuesday announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.

The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide, said Attorney General William P. Barr. A law enforcement agencys most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.

The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.

CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.

The complete list of awards can be found here.
REUTERS/David Becker

Bombardier Inc. will cut 2,500 jobs from its aviation division, the company announced on Friday, as demand for business jets plummets due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Montreal-based company said in a news release that it will adjust its workforce to align with current market conditions, which have been massively disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With business jet deliveries, industry-wide, forecasted to be down approximately 30 per cent year-over-year due to the pandemic, Bombardier must adjust its operations and workforce to ensure that it emerges from the current crisis on solid footing, the company said.

Bombardier said the approximately 2,500 layoffs will impact workers at its manufacturing facilities, including 1,500 employees in Quebec and 400 in Ontario. Another 500 cuts will be in Mexico, 40 in the U.S. and 40 at other worldwide facilities. The job cuts will occur throughout 2020.

The companys stock was down 1 per cent as of 11:45 pm ET, trading at 48 cents per share on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The layoffs come two months after Eric Martel stepped into the role of chief executive of the company. Martel replaced Alain Bellemare, who first joined Bombardier in 2015 and deployed a turnaround plan that has resulted in a drastically smaller company focused on its private jet business.

Bombardier finalized the sale of its its commercial aviation division earlier this year, and has agreed to sell its rail business to Frances Alstom. The deal is expected to close next year, provided regulatory authorities in Europe approve it.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Walter Spracklin said in a note to clients on Friday that Bombardiers decision marks the first indication from the company quantifying the magnitude of declines. Spracklin expected a 31 per cent demand decline in the business jet market.

Overall, while the decision to reduce headcount likely indicates a more challenging operational environment in (business aviation), we do not view the news as overly surprising, Spracklin wrote.

Bombardier said it expects to record a $40 million charge as a result of the job cuts. More information will be provided when the company reports its second quarter financial results on Aug. 6.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief.
If it wasnt for Robert Downey Jr., Tony Starks death in Avengers: Endgame would have been a lot different. At the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely revealed that the character originally had lines written for his death scene. However, Downey Jr. insisted the character should not say anything.

Robert Downey Jr. | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Robert Downey Jr. knew Tony Stark should not say anything

In Avengers: Endgame, Tony Starks famous last line is I am Iron Man. This occurs after he takes the Infinity Stones from Thanos, and he then snaps his fingers, defeating Thanos and his army. However, the power from the Infinity Stones is too much for Tony Stark to bear. As he dies, he looks on lovingly as Peter Parker, Pepper Potts, and Rhodey say their goodbyes.

These actors have spent a lot of time with these characters, McFeely said at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. So Chris and I are very happy, and did, to write all sorts of lovely dying words for Tony Stark. Robert is not happy to say them, right?

The screenwriter also added that Downey Jr. instinctively knew that a guy who has talked and talked and talked for many, many movies, when he doesnt talk, you are crushed.

He knew that, and we didnt feel we could turn in a page where he didnt talk, said McFeely. So he says, Listen, I want to do much, much less, and he was right.

RELATED: The Movie That Proved Robert Downey Jr. Could Carry Iron Man in the MCU

Robert Downey Jr. originally did not want to say Tony Starks final line

While Tony Starks I am Iron Man immediately became iconic, the actor did not originally want to say it according to directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo.

Its an interesting story. I had dinner with [Robert Downey Jr.] like two weeks before we were supposed to shoot it. And he was like, I dont know. I dont really want to go back and get into that emotional state. Itll take its hard. And crazily enough, Joel Silver, the producer, was at the dinner. Hes an old buddy of Roberts, Joe Russo said on the ReelBlend Podcast. And Joel jumps in and hes like, Robert, what are you talking about? Thats the greatest line Ive ever heard! You gotta say this line! You have to do this! So thank God that Joel Silver was at dinner, because he helped us talk Robert into doing that line.

How Tony Starks death scene came to be

In order to get the version of Tony Starks death that fans saw in Avengers: Endgame, Downey Jr. and the Russo Brothers recorded multiple takes.

When we were putting together the end of the movie, when we shot Tonys last moment in the first round, we shot a bunch of different options. Robert had different ideasWe give him space to do that. Joe and Anthony are great about improv, said Avengers: Endgame editor Jeff Ford in an interview with Collider.

He continued, Some of them were jokes. Some of them were obscenities. Some of them were completely emotional, raw, insane things that he was doing. And then some of them were combinations of all three of those things. What we found as we were cutting the scene wasnt so much that we needed a special last line for Robert, but that we needed a moment between Thanos and Tony. A moment that wasnt some kind of transaction, but literally this is how I want it to be and this is how it is. That would give the audience that moment. The exchange where Thanos says I am inevitable and Tony says I am Iron Man, that couplet is what makes that work.
Tens of thousands of people marched in Washington DC in what was described as the citys largest yet demonstration against institutional racism in the wake of the custodial death of African-American George Floyd.

They walked to the White House, National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, singing and chanting slogans  No justice, no peace, Black lives matter and Defund the police. Similar weekend protests were held in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and other places, as well as in many cities globally.

President Donald Trump, who is treating the protests as partisan and aimed at him, sought to underplay them. Much smaller crowd in DC than anticipated, he tweeted. National Guard, Secret Service, and DC Police have been doing a fantastic job. Thank you!

Reports quoting US officials said on Sunday that Trump had wanted to call in 10,000 active duty troops, not the reservists of the National Guards now in DC and other cities. But he was persuaded against it by his top officials at a reportedly contentious meeting.

A senior aide of the presidents re-election campaign, Mercedes Schlapp, has apologised for retweeting a video of a chainsaw wielding man running after protestors shouting racial slurs.

With protests increasingly peaceful, law enforcement presence is being wound down across the country. National Guards are expected to begin leaving DC on Monday, as Trump confirmed in a tweet, with a warning that they can quickly return.

Officials in New York city, which had another day of relative peace, decided to lift the curfew. Two police officers of Buffalo, New York state, were charged earlier for shoving an elderly man to the ground during protests, videos of which have gone viral triggering outrage . In Richmond, capital of Virginia state, a small group of protesters pulled down a statue of Confederate general Williams Carter Wickham.

Around the world, protesters echoed the rage of American demonstrators. Dozens of people protested in front of the US consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday.

In Bristol, England, protesters venting their anger at the countrys colonial history by toppling a statue of a 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston. In London people defying official warnings not to gather lay down outside the US embassy. Police said 14 officers were hurt on Saturday during clashes with protesters in London. In the French port city of Marseille, police fired tear gas and pepper spray during clashes with protesters whose rally drew more than 2,000 people.
At a meeting of the ninth session of the 14th National Assembly (Photo: VNA)



They also plan to adopt a resolution ratifying Vietnams participation in the International Labour Organisation (ILO)s Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (Convention 105), and other resolutions on the NAs supervision programme in 2021; law and ordinance building programme in 2020; and exemption of agricultural land use tax.

The legislators will also discuss in groups the draft Law on Vietnam Border Guards and revised bills on residence; environmental protection; and Vietnamese labourers working overseas under contracts.

Other important contents under discussion include the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas for the 2021-2030 period; a report on the socio-economic situation and State budget; and ratification of State budget balance for 2018.

Afterwards, the NA deputies will hear proposals and verification reports on the supplement of charter capital for the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (AgriBank); a draft resolution on the recognition and enforcement of rulings issued by dispute settlement agencies in accordance with the EVIPA; the adjustment of investment policy for some sections on the North-South expressway in the eastern region for 2017-2020; and a draft resolution on special finance-budget mechanisms and policies for the capital city of Hanoi./.
It is an exhausting time to be alive. Theres a pandemic, sure, but also civil unrest and so much political turmoil. Passionate disagreements 
Thousands of stranded Britons were queuing at the Port of Calais last night in a mad rush to arrive in Britain before lockdown measures forcing them into two weeks quarantine began today.

There were long delays at the northern French port as travellers tried to return to Britain before midnight and this morning ferry companies warned that it was 'very busy' in both Calais and Dunkirk this morning.

Quarantine measures are now in place meaning anyone arriving in Britain will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

One Brit, who was returning from Spain on business said: 'P&O have oversold their tickets and are only taking 200 people on at a time. There are thousands of people sitting in their cars.

Brits rushing to get home before quarantine measures come into effect are facing long queues at Calais tonight

The strict new quarantine rules people face when entering Britain from today What happen when you arrive in the UK? All passengers arriving in the UK will have to fill in a form before heading to Britain. This will include British nationals coming home, as well as foreign visitors. You must provide the address at which you will be staying in the UK  and self-isolate there. You will not be allowed to leave that address at all, or receive visitors, for 14 days. How does it work? Passengers will be able to complete 'contact locator form' on the Government's website up to 48 hours before departure. There will be no paper versions of the form. Failing to complete the form before travelling is a crime, but there will be a short grace period and allow travellers to fill in the form electronically in the arrivals hall. How will this be enforced? There will be spot checks to ensure all passengers have completed a form. Border Force staff will interview people as they leave planes and at border checkpoints. What happens if I refuse to fill in a contact locator form? You will be given an on-the-spot 100 fine by Border Force officers. What checks will take place during the 14-day period? Public health officials will carry out random checks by telephone. If these raise doubts, police will visit the address, issuing a fine where necessary. What happens if I leave the address I provide in the form? In England, you will be issued with a 1,000 spot fine. You could even be prosecuted, and face an unlimited fine if convicted. The fine could increase beyond 1,000 if the 'risk of infection from abroad increases', the Home Office says. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their own enforcement systems. Will foreign visitors be treated differently? Yes. They could be removed from the UK 'as a last resort' if they fail to comply, the Home Office says. Officials could also refuse entry to non-UK nationals who are resident here. But they cannot refuse entry to British nationals. Can I use public transport to travel from the airport to my isolation address? Yes, but the Home Office says it would be preferable if you used your car. What if I don't have a suitable address to go to for 14 days? The Government will provide isolation accommodation  possibly at similar venues to those used by travellers coming back from China earlier this year. The traveller will have to pay for this. Advertisement

'We got here for 4.30pm, in time for our ferry at 7.30pm, we've barely moved since and haven't even got past border control.

'I don't think we'll be sailing tonight. If we don't get back by 12am then we will have to go into quarantine, that's why we tried getting back before then, but we're one of thousands of Brits sitting in this queue.'

One traveller described the service as a 'joke' after being told he would have to travel on a 10pm crossing, after booking his ferry for 2.45pm.

Daniel Bevan gave up on queuing earlier today and is staying in a nearby hotel for the night.

He said: 'We booked a return with P&O four days ago having made a trip to see my partner's elderly parents.

'We arrived for our Sunday night crossing to discover queue stretching back from the ferry to the other side of passport control. Most in the queue were booked on the previous ferry.'

Yesterday P&O ferries apologised to a customer who waited five hours to board his ferry home from Calais.

Nick Phillips wrote on Sunday: 'Absolutely appalling customer service at Calais today. People who have pre-booked ferries being bumped so that cash bookings on the day can be made. No apology at check in desk, despite 1 hour wait to check in and further 4 hours for ferry.'

The ferry service replied: 'We are very sorry for the extremely long waiting time in Calais today. ships are operating with reduced capacity to ensure all social distancing measures are adhered to. We have seen large, unpredicted numbers in Calais following government announcements.'

The operator later commented: 'We sincerely regret that we could not predict the demand from Calais today and that you have had to wait so long for the next available sailing.'

A P&O Ferries spokesman said: We would like to apologise sincerely to any customers who were inconvenienced by the delays at Calais over the weekend.

'The situation was caused by high levels of demand coinciding with the introduction of Governments quarantine policy and reduced capacity, with only three ships in operation compared with five prior to the crisis and volumes significantly restricted due to coronavirus safety measures including social distancing.

'We stopped selling tickets as soon as it became clear that there were more people attempting to travel than we had room for. We eased the backlog by running an additional sailing and the situation at the port is now back to normal.'

Travellers arriving in the UK will now be required to self-isolate for 14 days under Government measures to guard against a second wave of coronavirus.

All passengers - bar a handful of exemptions - will have to fill out an online locator form giving their contact and travel details, as well as the address of where they will isolate.

People who fail to comply could be fined 1,000 in England, and police will be allowed to use 'reasonable force' to make sure they follow the rules.

Border Force officers will carry out checks on arrivals and may refuse entry to a non-resident foreign national who refuses to comply with the regulations.

Failure to complete the locator form will be punishable by a 100 fixed penalty notice.

The plans have been met with strong criticism from opposition parties and some Conservative MPs - as well as the travel industry.

British Airways has begun legal proceedings over what it calls the Government's 'unlawful' quarantine measures.

The Telegraph said a Home Office spokesman admitted it was 'very hard to imagine' how some of the planned measures would work in practice.

A leaked Home Office document seen by the paper reportedly said there was no method for officials to ensure a person's details are 'genuine'.

P&O tweeted earlier on Sunday to say it had 'could not predict the demand' at the French port

The 47 groups who are EXEMPT from the government's 'mandatory' quarantine scheme Here is the list of people exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement. - A road haulage worker and road passenger transport worker - A transit passenger, an individual transiting to a country outside of the Common Travel Area, who remains airside and does not pass border control - An individual arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK - A registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus - A person who has travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare - Quality assurance inspectors for human medicines - Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies - Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties - Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel - A Euratom inspector - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works related to a generating system, an electricity interconnector, a district heat network, communal heating, automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems or network - A worker undertaking activities in offshore installations, upstream petroleum infrastructure, critical safety work on offshore installations and wells - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works - Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited - Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system - A worker with specialist technical skills, where those specialist technical skills are required for essential or emergency works or services - Seamen and masters - A pilot, as defined in paragraph 22(1) of Schedule 3A to the Merchant Shipping Act - An inspector, and surveyor of ships - Crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work - Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site - Nuclear emergency responder - Agency inspector - An inspector from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a specialist aerospace engineer, or a specialist aerospace worker - A person engaged in operational, maintenance or safety activities of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes - A postal worker involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK - A person involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure - An information technology or telecommunications professional whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to security - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC's broadcasting transmission network and services - A seasonal agricultural worker - Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the United Kingdom - Crown servants or government contractors returning to the United Kingdom who are either: required to undertake policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within 14 days of their arrival, have been undertaking policing or essential government work outside of the United Kingdom but are required to return temporarily, after which they will depart to conduct policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom - International prison escorts - a person designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a) - A person responsible for escorting a person sought for extradition pursuant to a warrant issued under Part 3 of the Extradition Act 2003 or sought for extradition pursuant to any other extradition arrangements - Defence personnel and contractors doing work necessary for the delivery of essential Defence activities, including Visiting Forces and NATO - An official required to work on essential border security duties - A person who resides in the UK and who pursues an activity as an employed or self-employed person in another country to which they usually go at least once a week Advertisement

The quarantine regulations must be reviewed every three weeks, with the first taking place by June 29.

They could be in place for a year, when the legislation expires, unless the Government decides to scrap it sooner.

Travellers arriving from within the Common Travel Area - which includes Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands - will not need to self-isolate unless they have arrived in the CTA in the last 14 days.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'We all want to return to normal as quickly as possible. But this cannot be at the expense of lives.

'The science is clear that if we limit the risk of new cases being brought in from abroad, we can help stop a devastating second wave.

'That is why the measures coming into force today are necessary. They will help control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.'

MailOnline has approached P&O for a comment.
AGAWAM  The fallout from the coronoavirus pandemic has hit the restaurant industry hard, especially fine dining establishments such as The Federal that thrived on those seeking a dining experience as well as good food.

Restaurants around the area are gearing up for outdoor dining after months being limited to takeout only.

Ralph Santaniello, co-owner of The Federal with Michael Presnal, said they are in the process of coming up with a plan to offer outdoor seating by June 12 in the hopes of saving what is left of one of the busiest dining-out seasons.

Weve already missed graduations, weddings, wedding rehearsal dinners. We missed a whole season, he said. The bottom line is were scrambling. Were fighting for our lives. Were trying to save the restaurant.

Santaniello said he is working with town officials to come up with a plan for outdoor seating. The restaurants property at 135 Cooper St. includes a lawn with shade trees and a 200-year-old horse chestnut tree.

Were looking at tents, umbrella tables and patio furniture, but Connecticut wiped out the supply, he said. At this point were doing whatever we can and leaving no stone unturned.

Connecticut restaurants opened to outdoor seating on May 20, giving them a jump on the purchase of patio furniture and leaving many Massachusetts eateries in the lurch, Santaniello said.

In keeping with The Federals upscale dining, an outdoor area will be decorated elegantly and lighted while offering guests a scaled-down version of its menu. The restaurant has made its menu available for takeout, but most people who go there are also seeking the experience that takeout cannot provide.

Its going to be more rustic than the interior, but it will be pretty. Its a beautiful spot surrounded by trees.

The menu will also reflect the drastic increase in food costs in that it will be smaller and offer dishes that can be changed quickly depending on what is available.

It could change weekly or daily. Well be flexible. Were good at scrambling to make it work, Santaniello said.

Staying within federal, state and local health guidelines, he added, will not be a problem as restaurants already have to following strict sanitary codes. Santaniello said he is working with the Agawam Health Department and will continue to keep everything as clean as it has always been.

We have the capability and know how to keep everything clean, he said.

Despite the challenges, Santaniello said The Federal is a local institution that will remain.

Weve got our back up against the wall, but were not planning on going anywhere, he said. We just have to get through this.
Trafficking of humans is an international problem affecting millions of people and many countries around the world.



Internal trafficking of children in Ghana is one of the biggest developmental challenges successive governments and development partners have been struggling to overcome.



Some children are trafficked from their home villages to work in the fishing industry for long hours and the irony of it all is that they are denied basic education and lived in miserable conditions to the detriment of their health and well-being.



Trafficked children, in their bid to feed and make life comfortable for themselves and their families, are always exploited by fishermen along the banks of the Volta Lake.



Scenario



Fishing was his hobby when Koomson (not his real name) was staying with his uncle at Jatapko, a fishing community along the Volta Lake in the Pru East District of the Bono East Region in the 1990s.



He was then nine years old when he accompanied his uncle, a basic school teacher, transferred from Accra to stay in and serve the Jatakpo Community, a predominantly fishing community.



His uncle knew leaving Accra to stay with him at Jatakpo would definitely affect his education and ruin his future, but nothing could stop Koomson who had then lost both parents in a fatal accident from following his uncle to the village.



Koomsons new life at the Jatakpo Community seemed interesting when he sought permission from his uncle, who always allowed him to join some young ones in the village to go fishing along the shores of the Volta Lake.



Within a few weeks of stay, he had learnt a lot and gotten himself abreast of the techniques involved in catching fish; hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.



As he grew in strength and stature, Koomson never knew he was the eye of a group of fishermen who had planned to traffic him to a far-reaching fishing community for exploitative work.



With the help of his trusted uncle, who had already negotiated with the traffickers for a fee, they succeeded in trafficking Koomson to Atrapa, a commercial fishing community along the Volta Lake and that was where his ordeal began.



Ordeal



Narrating his ordeal to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Koomson, 31, and a renowned fisherman in the area, said he had been fishing on the Volta Lake for the past 17 years.



He said since he stayed with his supposed master whom the traffickers sold him to, he denied him formal education and subjected him to the worst forms of labour and torture.



My master and his wife always woke me up at dawn to follow him to the Volta Lake. We fish on the lake and return around 1100 hours every day. The day I will tell them I am tired, my master subjects me to severe beatings and denies me food, he said flimsy voice.



He said the workload was burdensome as he was regarded as a slave staying with his master, saying going for fishing and doing house chores were too much to bear.



The ordeal he went through, Koomson said, had left indelible scars in his memory, which was difficult to describe by words alone.



Frameworks, Laws and Conventions



The legal framework on trafficking in Ghana was strengthened in December 2005, when the Government passed a comprehensive Anti-Trafficking Bill, with assistance from a variety of international organisations.



In 2015 the Ghana and United States governments signed a five-year Child Protection Compact (CPC) to contribute to Ghanas efforts at ending child trafficking.



The Compact, among other interventions, aims at improving Ghanas ranking of Traffic In Persons (TIP) Report.



It is being implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.



Also, enforcement of Ghanas Children Act 1998 (Act 560) has failed in tackling child trafficking in the country.



The Act aims at reforming and consolidating laws relating to children, to provide for the rights of the child, protection, maintenance and adoption, regulate child labour and apprenticeship for ancillary matters concerning children generally and to provide for related matters.



Ghana is a signatory to the Palermo Protocol (2000), which seeks to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children. The country is also a signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 182 that defines Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) and tasks ratified countries to establish mechanisms to prevent and protect children from WFCL.



In fact, Ghana was the first African country to ratify the ILO Convention on the Rights of the Child.



The Human Trafficking Act 2005 (Act 694) also provides for the prevention, reduction and punishment for human trafficking, for the rehabilitation and re-integration of victims of trafficking and related issues.

Lastly, enforcement of the Domestic violence Act 2007 (Act 732), that seeks to provide protection from violence, particularly for women and children and connected purposes has also not helped in the fight against child trafficking.



The Act stipulates that: Any person who engages in domestic violence commits an offence and is liable to a summary conviction of 500 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or both but in the midst of these Acts and protocols, the country seems to have done less to arrest the issues of child trafficking.



In August 2019, the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the US Department granted an extension of the Child Protection Compact Agreement to the Free the Slaves, a Non-governmental organisation (NGO), to continue implementing the Compact in Eastern, Bono East, Oti, Volta, Central and Greater Accra regions for two years.



Free the Slaves is an international NGO headquartered in Washington DC, United States, which works to combat child trafficking and modern slavery across the globe.



But Ghana has a project that seeks to combat child trafficking known as the Growing Up Free (GUF) Project. GUF, a 20-month project, aims at enhancing collective efforts to combat child trafficking in the eight traffic-prone fishing communities  Laasaka Akuraa, Fante-Akuraa, Jatappo and Kobre Nsuoano Number One and Number Two in the Pru East District, and Datetoklo, Deifour, Ningo and Atrapa in the Sene East District.



With the intervention of the Free the Slaves, MIHOSO International Foundation, a local NGO, was selected to implement the GUF Project in eight communities along the Volta Lake in the Pru and Sene East districts of the Bono East Region.



MIHOSO works to provide public health education, social and organisational development interventions to communities.



The NGO does this through evidence-based research, advocacy, capacity building and training, sharing of resources, and provision of livelihood empowerment programmes to women, youth and children in Ghana, especially in marginalised and deprived areas to spur local economic development.



Mr Thomas Benarkuu, the GUF Project Coordinator, explained that the project seeks to empower families of children rescued to enable them provide the basic needs of their children in terms of shelter, food, healthcare, and education.



He reminded communities that child trafficking was a serious offence under the Human Trafficking Act 205 (Act 694) punishable by law and urged those in the fishing communities to volunteer information to get the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.



Successes



Within one month, Mr Bernarkuu said the Growing Up Free Project had rescued 12 trafficked children on the Volta lake and the victims had been sent to rehabilitation centres.



The victims were mostly boys between eight and 14 years rescued from the Yeji Township, while a few were picked from other project implementing communities.

All these cases are voluntary rescue and we would want to urge the public to report any form of child trafficking to the Department of Social Welfare or the Ghana Police Service, Mr Bernarku said.



That, notwithstanding, he expressed regret that child trafficking was recording disturbing figures particularly at Datetoklo, Deifour, Ningo and Atrapa and, therefore, called for concerted and decisive approach to tackle it before the menace got out of control.



Way Forward



Mr Fautinus Obrotey, the Pru East District Director of the Department of Social Welfare, expressed regret that despite intensified public education, cases of child trafficking were recording disturbing figures in the fishing communities.



He said more than 200 children had been rescued on the Volta Lake in the past two years, and commended MIHOSO and other human right civil society organisations working in the area for their support.



Mr Obrotey mentioned poverty and large families as major causes of child trafficking in the area but said because communities were failing to volunteer information, it became extremely difficult to fight the menace.



Child trafficking and exploitation is deep-rooted in the fishing industry in Ghana and ingrained traditions can help explain its prevalence because most traffickers do not realize it is wrong for children to be exploited and denied formal education.



Until successive governments demonstrate serious political will and collaborate effectively with civil society organisations to formulate and implement realistic policies and programmes, child trafficking in fishing communities would continue to become a silent nightmare for unsuspecting children and ruin their future.

Source: GNA









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University of Sydney chancellor and businesswoman Belinda Hutchinson is one of three Australians who have been awarded the highest Queen's Birthday Honour.

Ms Hutchinson, also a philanthropist, was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for her eminent service to business, to tertiary education and scientific research, and through philanthropic endeavours to address social disadvantage.

University of Sydney chancellor Belinda Hutchinson.

She was made Chancellor of the University of Sydney in 2013 and also serves as chair of defence contractor Thales Australia as well as a director on the board of Qantas Australia.

She has previously been a board member of Australian companies including Future Generation Global Investment Company, AGL Energy, QBE, Telstra and Coles Myer. She is a member of the New South Wales Advisory Council at St Vincent's Health Australia, and of the Australian Treasury Advisory Council.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 19:30:57|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out at the State Department Store of Mongolia on Sunday afternoon, according to the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

NEMA received a report at 4:50 p.m. local time (0850 GMT), saying that the department store was engulfed in flames.

Six brigades of firefighters are now working to put out the fire, NEMA said, adding that the fire started on the sixth floor of the seven-story building.

No casualties have been reported so far.

The cause of the fire is not known yet. Enditem
The culture ministry on Sunday approved the reopening of 820 Archeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments that have remained closed since the Centre clamped a national lockdown to tackle the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, Union minister Prahlad Patel said.

The list of monuments includes temples, mosques and churches, with 114 monuments in the north region, 155 in central, 170 in the west, 279 in the south and 103 in the eastern circle.

Today, the culture ministry has approved the opening of 820 of its active monuments under the ASI from June 8. All protocols issued by the home ministry and the health ministry should be followed, Patel tweeted.

While the list of monuments approved for reopening included the Taj Mahal, Agra district magistrate Prabhu N Singh said the 17th-century will not open for public from Monday. The district administration decided not to open the monument as the area is classified as a Covid-19 hotspot.

People aware of the developments said that monuments located in Maharashtra were also unlikely to be opened in view of the surging Covid-19 infections in the state.

A statement issued by the Centre said: Culture Ministry said that ASI shall ensure that preventive measures as stipulated in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, on 4.6.2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the religious places/places of worship are effectively put in place and scrupulously followed while opening and managing these Centrally Protected Monuments.

The culture ministry decided to open only ASI-maintained monuments where religious events are held.

About 3,700 centrally protected monuments and heritage sites were closed in March after the nationwide lockdown was announced. Once allowed by local administrations, the highest number of monuments is set to reopen in Karnataka (153), followed by Uttar Pradesh (111), Tamil Nadu (77) and Andhra Pradesh (75).

The monuments allowed to open include the Afsah-wala-ki-Masjid situated outside the west gate of Humayuns Tomb, the Qutub Minar and Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi. According to the document, the Nizamuddin Dargah sees nearly 5,000-6,000 worshippers every day. The Govind Dev Temple in Mathura (1,500-2,000 worshippers daily) has also been allowed to open. The famous Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa (700-2,500 visitors per day, depending on the time of the year) has also been approved to reopen. The Ambernath Temple, which sees a footfall of 800,000 a year, has also been allowed to reopen.

The Union culture and tourism minister told Hindustan Times that the move will allow the ministry to observe and gauge the way forward as the central government eases restrictions in a phased manner. Hotels and restaurants have also been allowed to function starting tomorrow (Monday), Patel said. The standard operating procedures issued by the health and home ministry will be followed at the places of worship that have been allowed to be opened, he added.

The states can further issue orders for the monuments that fall under them, Patel said.
Massive outrage has erupted in Puducherry over a viral video on social media which purportedly shows some government workers throwing the body of a Covid-19 patient into a pit hurriedly and flouting Covid-19 protocols.

In less than a 30-second video as reported by several media outlets, four men in personal protective equipment (PPEs) can be seen moving the body from an ambulance and dumping it into the pit. Moreover, one of the workers can also be heard informing a government official that they have "thrown the body" for which the official responds by showing thumbs up in approval.

After the video went viral, the local administration ordered a probe into the incident.

As per the video, the workers flouted Covid-19 protocol while handling the body of a virus-infected patient as the body was seen merely wrapped with a white cloth and not in a bag as mandated by the government. It is yet to be known if the body was duly embalmed or not.

Sources said that the body was of a Chennai-based resident who had visited Puducherry and later tested positive of Covid-19.

Reacting to the incident, India Against Corruption said in statement, "Dignified disposal of dead body is a matter of right. Such an insult to a dead person is an offence under section 500 of Indian Penal Code. The health workers along with those supervisory staff are punishable with penalty for defamation of deceased person.

According to the sources in the health department, the body was handed over to Revenue officials for burial.

Speaking to NDTV, Puducherry Collector Arun said, "I have issued a memo to the concerned department. It's very unfortunate. I am enquiring into the issue. Have properly briefed them.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi said that show cause notices are being served to those involved in the incident.
Kent State University Ashtabula is based in a rural county near Cleveland where Latino and black students comprise about one-third of the local high school. Despite their presence, only a few of them have successfully graduated.

Based on the college's record, hundreds of Latino students and blacks have enrolled during the past 10 years but black students are said to be underrepresented at the university.

For instance, freshman student Alexis Turner was focused as she listened to the administrators during their orientation for Kent State marked off the student organizations she could join that fall. Here choices were Psychology Club, English Society, and the Student Veterans Association.

Turner left the auditorium worried as she did not find any group she thought would be appropriate. There was no Multicultural Society, Black Student Union, or Latino Student Union on the list to tick.

Reasons for Inexistence

When the semester began, it turned out more obvious why the said clubs don't exist at Kent State University. Sadly, Turner said, there's not a lot of representation of black and Latino students.

Data collected by federal presented that for the first time, the six-year graduation rate for "full-time black students for five years now, has been zero."

According to officials of the university, that number has unsuccessfully captured the students since Ashtabula is a satellite or regional campus.

And even though it offers both the bachelor's and associate degrees, said the officials, Kent State University Kent, the main campus gets credit for the students of Ashtabula who continue specific bachelor's degrees.

University officials also said, between fall 2013 and spring 2019, 55 black students were given bachelor's or associate degree from Ashtabula.

The said number is an average of eight black students per year, at a college or university where roughly 100 black or Latino students enroll every year.

When it comes to graduating Latino and black students, Kent University has among worst records among public universities and colleges in Ohio, a state considered to have stood out countrywide for how bad it serves the so-called "students of color."

Less Likely to Finish a Degree

Ed Trust research analyst for higher education, Marshall Anthony Jr. said students of color "are half as likely" to finish a college degree at a public four-year institution than white students.

The six-year graduation rate for students of color in Ohio is approximately 30 percent, comparable to the black students across the country at 40 percent.

Ohio desperately needs more college graduates. However, its problems with serving students of color contradict with the other universities across the United States that actively work to entice more diverse students and guarantee that they succeed.

A lot of systems in colleges in other states are adding more assistance or support services for students. Such services include centers for the students of color, tracing of data to keep tabs on the progress of students, and cash benefits for those experiencing financial struggle.

And despite Ashtabula's limited support services aimed for black students, university officials said they are not to be blamed for the graduation rates.

School leaders, on the other hand, say, students, many of whom are low-waged households, need to "juggle jobs along with their coursework," extending the time they'd take to graduate.

More so, the officials said, local public schools are not preparing young students university classes to require.

Throughout Ohio, the campuses of Kent State which are of similar size are struggling as well, in serving students of color.

Among first-time full-time students at the university's Salem campus with four-percent black, one black pupil received a bachelor's degree and two got an associate degree in 2017.

Meanwhile, at the Tuscarawas campus, also with four percent black, just one black student got an associate degree and no one received a bachelor's degree in 2017.

Part of the challenge of Ohio in this aspect is the cost. At present, director of Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland Maggie McGrath said, the state is 45th among the 50 states when it comes to college affordability.

At present, the cost of attendance is more than $8,000, and 62 percent of the students are given federal aid, although more often than not, it is not enough.

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The New York Times chose a startling way to mark the catastrophe COVID-19 has wreaked in the US. With the country approaching the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths, on May 24, the newspaper chose to banish articles, photographs and graphics from its front page and instead there was just a list: a long, solemn list of nearly 1,000 obituaries of people killed by the pandemic.

The page clearly stood out, striking and memorable in its spartan sombreness, a throwback to the days before images came to dominate how news stories were told. In another sense, it perhaps signposts a relative change in US media coverage of the crisis.

Observers have noted that during this pandemic Western media has increasingly opted to publish images of ill and dead people. Though doubtlessly distressing, the unfamiliar images pale in comparison with how tragedies such as the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa were portrayed on the same pages, both in volume and in gut-wrenching detail.

Where Ebola victims were routinely pictured in starkly undignified states, uncovered, dead or dying alone on bare floors inside isolation wards, the published pictures of COVID-19 patients are for the most part more restrained, perhaps more respectful, almost always showing them covered.

And it is not that similarly graphic images of COVID-19 victims are not available. They are, but they are not being published.

Still, much like the Times front page, the new visibility of death is also emblematic of a past era. Between the Spanish Civil War, the first war to be extensively photographed for a mass audience, and the Vietnam War, perhaps the most photographed conflict, Western newspapers would routinely show bodies. However, even then, the foreign dead were treated differently.

For example, Folker Hanusch notes in his book Representing Death in the News, that in the latter conflict, when displayed, American casualties were carefully framed and lmed while Vietnamese bodies were regularly shown bleeding, wounded and dead. It is worth emphasising that this aversion to employing potentially disturbing imagery is not unique to Western journalism.

Further, as Rhonda Breit, who specialises in media law and ethics, notes in her book Professional Communication, journalists engage in boundary work and community construction. They help societies reinforce identity by defining who is in and who is out, and typically apply different rules depending on who is being covered.

In terms of using gory images, the unspoken rule seems to be the closer to home the incident, the less likely editors are to use them. The further the cultural, geographical and racial distance of victims, the more likely disturbing images of them are to appear.

This does raise an intriguing question. If coverage of COVID-19 were to include more gruesome imagery, how would this influence contemporary societies perception of the threat? Would it perhaps lead to a greater willingness to abide by the advice of epidemiologists?

These are questions worth reflecting on as countries and communities debate reopening economies and resuming a semblance of a pre-COVID existence. In an environment where many, including public officials like US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro, openly defy scientific advice and risk even greater catastrophe, would covering the crisis differently make a difference?

News coverage does more than simply portray situations and events; the way stories are told can dramatically shape how both citizens and policymakers react to them. This is perhaps even more the case when it comes to graphic images.

For example, as Dr Hanusch writes, The unprecedented media coverage, particularly through television, is still widely held responsible for turning the American public against the war. And though some scholars do think this is, at best, an exaggeration, it is undoubtedly true that governments since have sought to restrict the imagery of war and terrorism out of fear of the effect this may have on public opinion.

A 2017 study found that showing disturbing imagery from conflicts heightened the publics perception of risk and concluded that current journalistic codes fail to acknowledge any potential benefits of showing graphic violence which may include cultivating the public appetite and will for early intervention to stop atrocities. While the study focused on showing graphic images of violence, there is reason to believe that the same effect can occur with graphic images of illness.

Studies of the effect of graphic warning images on cigarette packs, for example, consistently show them to be more of a deterrent than text-based alternatives. And in 2000, an analysis of scientific literature on the effect of appeals to fear in public health campaigns concluded that vivid language and pictures that describe the terrible consequences of a health threat increase perceptions of severity of threat.

However, while it is arguable that publishing graphic news images showing the bodies of coronavirus victims closer to home might be effective at getting the public to listen to health authorities, that is not the sole consideration. Images are not perceived in a vacuum. And, as Thomas Wheeler notes in his book Phototruth or Photofiction, when it comes to images, seeing is not always believing. Rather, viewers will believe in [the truth of photographs] as long as they believe it corresponds in a meaningful way to reality.

This not only means that people are more likely to believe images that correspond to their own version of reality (think uncovered African corpses in decrepit surroundings versus American ones in more sanitary contexts) but also that images may be used to reinforce rather than challenge pre-existing stereotypes.

This is a concern highlighted by the Executive Director of the National Press Photographers Association, Akili Ramsess. She notes that, as a person of colour, she is acutely aware of the fact that the press has always been much more open to showing death of black and brown bodies than [those of] whites. Given that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities in the US, showing more images inevitably risks perpetuating stereotypes of it as a black-brown disease.

In a 2016 interview, Dr Safiya Umoja Noble also raised important ethical issues, particularly about who benefits and who suffers from the online distribution of images and videos of Black men being killed by police. She pointed out that 30 years of graphic videos going back to the brutal beating of Rodney King in 1991 had not resulted in more convictions of people who kill Black people.

However, she says, the images had translated to a tremendous amount of media value. The 24/7 news cycle thrives on these types of videos. It pulls a lot of viewers in. She argues that such imagery may have more of a trauma-inducing impact on Black populations rather than actually helping to shift attitudes.

There is no simple, straightforward answer to whether media should show more graphic imagery. The options are fraught with risk of causing harm, either by commission or omission. For editors having to daily make this decision, the ultimate question may very well be whether the potential downsides of showing the images outweighs the risk to society of not displaying the full horror of the epidemic. The choices they make will have implications for us all.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
LIMERICKs Brown Thomas Store is to re-open this Thursday morning, it has been confirmed.

The landmark store, in the heart of OConnell Street, will see its doors fully reopen from 10.30am and will operate between then and 6pm .

Its the first time the store will have operated since lockdown measures were imposed in March.

The firms Dublin stores will reopen on Wednesday, while Limerick will join outlets in Cork and Galway in trading again the following day.

Donald McDonald, the managing director of Brown Thomas Arnotts said: We are looking forward to welcoming our customers back to our beautiful stores where they will be able to shop our entire offer in a safe and inspiring way. Customers will experience some differences in how things are done as we ensure the highest safety and hygiene standards are adhered to, but we are confident that our customers will enjoy the new innovations that we have introduced, which will make their shopping experience as seamless and enjoyable as ever.

In a bid to keep customers a safe distance apart, walk-ins will be facilitated by queuing, while slots to come and visit the store will also be bookable online.

So-called virtual queuing will also be in place, whereby customers can join a queue virtually and receive a text message when they are at the top of the virtual queue and can enter the store.

Stores will operate at a reduced capacity, the number of customers will be electronically counted on entry and exit, and displayed on screens for customers to see.

New larger consultation areas have been created to allow for social distancing. Best practice standards for cosmetic hygiene will be implemented whereby a no touch policy will be in place on beauty products with testers available to view only.

Technology will allow customers to virtually try on make-up, there will be no staff contact with customers at make-up counters and no self-service tester brushes. Both stores will have digital screens to allow customers virtually assess how make-up appears on their skin.

There will also be a free same-day home delivery service for customers who buy some larger items, to avoid them bringing them on to public transport and potentially into contact with the wider public.

While many shops will re-open this Monday, Penneys is set to re-open its store in OConnell Street this Friday, with its Crescent Shopping Outlet operational the following Monday.
Imperial Valley News Center

EO on Accelerating the Nations Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Emergency by Expediting Infrastructure Investments and Other Activities

Washington, DC - By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby determine and authorize as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The 2019 novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing outbreaks of the disease COVID-19, has significantly disrupted the lives of Americans. In Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020 (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak), I declared, pursuant to the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq., that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constituted a national emergency that posed a threat to our national security (the national emergency). I also determined that same day that the COVID-19 outbreak constituted an emergency of nationwide scope, pursuant to section 501(b) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)).

Since I declared this national emergency, the American people have united behind a policy of mitigation strategies, such as social distancing, to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The unavoidable result of the COVID-19 outbreak and these necessary mitigation measures has been a dramatic downturn in our economy. National unemployment claims have reached historic levels. In the days between the national emergency declaration and May 23, 2020, more than 41 million Americans filed for unemployment, and the unemployment rate reached 14.7 percent. In light of this and other developments, I have determined that, without intervention, the United States faces the likelihood of a potentially protracted economic recovery with persistent high unemployment.

From the beginning of my Administration, I have focused on reforming and streamlining an outdated regulatory system that has held back our economy with needless paperwork and costly delays. Antiquated regulations and bureaucratic practices have hindered American infrastructure investments, kept Americas building trades workers from working, and prevented our citizens from developing and enjoying the benefits of world-class infrastructure.

The need for continued progress in this streamlining effort is all the more acute now, due to the ongoing economic crisis. Unnecessary regulatory delays will deny our citizens opportunities for jobs and economic security, keeping millions of Americans out of work and hindering our economic recovery from the national emergency.

In tandem with this regulatory reform, I will continue to use existing legal authorities to respond to the full dimensions of the national emergency and its economic consequences. These authorities include statutes and regulations that allow for expedited government decision making in exigent circumstances.

Sec. 2. Policy. Agencies, including executive departments, should take all appropriate steps to use their lawful emergency authorities and other authorities to respond to the national emergency and to facilitate the Nations economic recovery. As set forth in this order, agencies should take all reasonable measures to speed infrastructure investments and to speed other actions in addition to such investments that will strengthen the economy and return Americans to work, while providing appropriate protection for public health and safety, natural resources, and the environment, as required by law. For purposes of this order, the term agencies has the meaning given that term in section 3502(1), of title 44, United States Code, except for the agencies described in section 3502(5) of title 44.

Sec. 3. Expediting the Delivery of Transportation Infrastructure Projects. (a) To facilitate the Nations economic recovery, the Secretary of Transportation shall use all relevant emergency and other authorities to expedite work on, and completion of, all authorized and appropriated highway and other infrastructure projects that are within the authority of the Secretary to perform or to advance.

(b) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Transportation shall provide a summary report, listing all projects that have been expedited pursuant to subsection (a) of this section (expedited transportation projects), to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall provide a status report to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ that shall list any additions or other changes to the list described in subsection (b) of this section. Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency, and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

Sec. 4. Expediting the Delivery of Civil Works Projects Within the Purview of the Army Corps of Engineers. (a) To facilitate the Nations economic recovery, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall use all relevant emergency and other authorities to expedite work on, and completion of, all authorized and appropriated civil works projects that are within the authority of the Secretary of the Army to perform or to advance.

(b) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall provide a summary report, listing all such projects that have been expedited (expedited Army Corps of Engineers projects), to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall provide a status report to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Each such report shall list the status of all expedited Army Corps of Engineers projects and shall list any additions or other changes to the list described in subsection (b) of this section. Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

Sec. 5. Expediting the Delivery of Infrastructure and Other Projects on Federal Lands. (a) As used in this section, the term Federal lands means any land or interests in land owned by the United States, including leasehold interests held by the United States, except Indian trust land.

(b) To facilitate the Nations economic recovery, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall use all relevant emergency and other authorities to expedite work on, and completion of, all authorized and appropriated infrastructure, energy, environmental, and natural resources projects on Federal lands that are within the authority of each of the Secretaries to perform or to advance.

(c) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each provide a summary report, listing all such projects that have been expedited (expedited Federal lands projects), to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(d) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each provide a status report to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Each such report shall list the status of all expedited Federal lands projects and shall list any additions or other changes to the list described in subsection (c) of this section. Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

Sec. 6. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Emergency Regulations and Emergency Procedures. The Council on Environmental Quality has provided appropriate flexibility to agencies for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., in emergency situations. Such flexibility is expressly authorized in CEQs regulations, contained in title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, that implement the procedural provisions of NEPA (the NEPA regulations), which were first issued in 1978. These regulations provide that when emergency circumstances make it necessary to take actions with significant environmental impacts without observing the regulations, agencies may consult with CEQ to make alternative arrangements to take such actions. Using this authority, CEQ has appropriately approved alternative arrangements in a wide variety of pressing emergency situations. These emergencies have included not only natural disasters and threats to the national defense, but also threats to human and animal health, energy security, agriculture and farmers, and employment and economic prosperity.

(a) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the heads of all agencies:

(i) shall identify planned or potential actions to facilitate the Nations economic recovery that:

(A) may be subject to emergency treatment as alternative arrangements pursuant to CEQs NEPA regulations and agencies own NEPA procedures;

(B) may be subject to statutory exemptions from NEPA;

(C) may be subject to the categorical exclusions that agencies have included in their NEPA procedures pursuant to the NEPA regulations;

(D) may be covered by already completed NEPA analyses that obviate the need for new analyses; or

(E) may otherwise use concise and focused NEPA environmental analyses; and

(ii) shall provide a summary report, listing such actions, to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(b) To facilitate the Nations economic recovery, the heads of all agencies are directed to use, to the fullest extent possible and consistent with applicable law, emergency procedures, statutory exemptions, categorical exclusions, analyses that have already been completed, and concise and focused analyses, consistent with NEPA, CEQs NEPA regulations, and agencies NEPA procedures.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, each agency shall provide a status report to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Each such report shall list actions taken within the categories described in subsection (a)(i) of this section, shall list the status of any previously reported planned or potential actions, and shall list any new planned or potential actions within these categories. Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(d) The Chairman of CEQ shall be available to consult promptly with agencies and to take other prompt and appropriate action concerning the application of CEQs NEPA emergency regulations.

Sec. 7. Endangered Species Act (ESA) Emergency Consultation Regulations. (a) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the heads of all agencies:

(i) shall identify planned or potential actions to facilitate the Nations economic recovery that may be subject to the regulation on consultations in emergencies, see 50 C.F.R. 402.05, promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; and

(ii) shall provide a summary report, listing such actions, to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. (The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall provide such summary reports, listing such actions on behalf of their respective agencies, to each other and for internal use throughout their respective agencies, as well as to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ.) Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(b) The heads of all agencies are directed to use, to the fullest extent possible and consistent with applicable law, the ESA regulation on consultations in emergencies, to facilitate the Nations economic recovery.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, the head of each agency shall provide a status report to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. (The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall provide such status reports, listing such actions on behalf of their respective agencies, to each other and for internal use throughout their respective agencies, as well as to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ.) Each such report shall list actions taken within the categories described in subsection (a)(i) of this section, shall list the status of any previously reported planned or potential actions, and shall list any new planned or potential actions within these categories. Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(d) The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Directors authorized representative, shall be available to consult promptly with agencies and to take other prompt and appropriate action concerning the application of the ESAs emergency regulations. The Secretary of Commerce shall ensure that the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries for the National Marine Fisheries Service, or the Assistant Administrators authorized representative, shall be available for such consultation and to take such other action.

Sec. 8. Emergency Regulations and Nationwide Permits Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Other Statutes Administered by the Army Corps of Engineers. (a) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, the heads of all agencies, including the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works:

(i) shall identify planned or potential actions to facilitate the Nations economic recovery that may be subject to emergency treatment pursuant to the regulations and nationwide permits promulgated by the Army Corps of Engineers, or jointly by the Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pursuant to section 404 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1344, section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 3, 1899, 33 U.S.C. 403, and section 103 of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, 33 U.S.C. 1413 (collectively, the emergency Army Corps permitting provisions); and

(ii) shall provide a summary report, listing such actions, to the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; the OMB Director; the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; and the Chairman of CEQ. Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(b) The heads of all agencies are directed to use, to the fullest extent possible and consistent with applicable law, the emergency Army Corps permitting provisions, to facilitate the Nations economic recovery.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, each agency shall provide a status report to the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; the OMB Director; the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; and the Chairman of CEQ. Each such report shall list actions taken within subsection (a)(i) of this section, shall list the status of any previously reported planned or potential actions, and shall list any new planned or potential actions that fall within subsection (a)(i). Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(d) The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall be available to consult promptly with agencies and to take other prompt and appropriate action concerning the application of the emergency Army Corps permitting provisions. The Administrator of the EPA shall provide prompt cooperation to the Secretary of the Army and to agencies in connection with the discharge of the responsibilities described in this section.

Sec. 9. Other Authorities Providing for Emergency or Expedited Treatment of Infrastructure Improvements and Other Activities. (a) No later than 30 days of the date of this order, all heads of agencies:

(i) shall review all statutes, regulations, and guidance documents that may provide for emergency or expedited treatment (including waivers, exemptions, or other streamlining) with regard to agency actions pertinent to infrastructure, energy, environmental, or natural resources matters;

(ii) shall identify planned or potential actions, including actions to facilitate the Nations economic recovery, that may be subject to emergency or expedited treatment (including waivers, exemptions, or other streamlining) pursuant to those statutes and regulations; and

(iii) shall provide a summary report, listing such actions, to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Such report may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

(b) Consistent with applicable law, agencies shall use such statutes and regulations to the fullest extent permitted to facilitate the Nations economic recovery.

(c) Within 30 days following the submission of the initial summary report described in subsection (a)(iii) of this section, each agency shall provide a status report to the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Chairman of CEQ. Each such report shall list actions taken within subsection (a)(ii) of this section, shall list the status of any previously reported planned or potential actions, and shall list any new planned or potential actions that fall within subsection (a)(ii). Such status reports shall thereafter be provided to these officials at least every 30 days for the duration of the national emergency and may be combined, as appropriate, with any other reports required by this order.

Sec. 10. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the OMB Director relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
South Africas proposed new drunk driving laws introduce a 0% blood-alcohol limit.

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula formally introduced the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill to parliament on 1 June 2020.

The bill aims to introduce dozens of new traffic and motoring-related changes including further regulations around driving schools, licences, and traffic wardens.

It also proposes a major change to the laws around drunk driving by removing previous blood-alcohol limits and introducing a zero-tolerance approach.

This would totally prohibit the consumption of alcohol by all South African drivers.

Allowed blood-alcohol levels for normal and professional drivers are currently less than 0.05g and 0.02g per 100ml, but under these proposed new laws, if you were to be tested and found to have any detectable concentration of alcohol in your blood you would be prosecuted.

The bill will now follow a full consultation process including consideration by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.

If it is approved, it will then be assented to and signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

To find out more about the potential consequences of this 0% blood-alcohol limit, MyBroadband spoke to Justice Project South Africa chairperson Howard Dembovsky.

Potential issues

Evidential Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) equipment was reintroduced in South Africa in late 2018.

Dembovsky said this should have had the effect of all but eliminating the need for forensic blood samples in prosecutions, but it has not appeared to have had any effect on the conviction rate.

If the law enforcement and prosecution authorities, together with the health department (for blood alcohol testing) do not get their act together, no court is going to convict anyone in the absence of forensic evidence.

In the unlikely event that the authorities do get their act together regarding prosecutions, there is another issue that is of concern, Dembovsky said.

A small proportion of peoples systems naturally produce ethyl alcohol (see auto-brewery syndrome). Although the condition is rare, the prospect that any person can be convicted without consuming any alcohol is of concern.

While one advantage of removing the threshold for alcohol in a drivers system is that there is no longer any doubt regarding how much is too much liquor, motorists might also find themselves being arrested many hours after consuming alcohol.

Generally, alcohol is eliminated at a rate of 1 unit per hour, however, this varies from person to person, Dembovsky said.

If a person has consumed 6 beers (1.5-1.7 units each) it will take a minimum of 9 hours for his or her body to eliminate all the alcohol after they stop drinking. Wine is 1 unit per 75ml serving, so the same goes for it.

If he or she drives before that time and is tested, he or she may well be arrested  and most likely convicted  if conviction rates are increased, he said.

Dismal arrest numbers

Dembovsky said that the allowable threshold is irrelevant when so few drivers are convicted after being arrested for drunk driving.

Whether there is an allowable threshold of alcohol in a persons blood or breath sample or not, is irrelevant, he said. The problem South Africa currently faces is that very few DUI arrests result in convictions.

Removing the limit will not change that. Our courts will still not convict anyone if the State fails to provide the requisite evidence.

Our view has always been that the only way to reduce the incidence of DUI is to convict all those who are arrested, and to do so relatively quickly, without taking shortcuts, Dembovsky added.

He said that when people realise that such a low proportion of people arrested for driving under the influence are convicted (around 6% according to the last reliable information provided to JPSA), they will resolve to take their chances with the ineffective criminal justice system.

All we can see this achieving is increasing the number of arrests for DUI  not increasing the conviction rate or reducing the number of intoxicated drivers on our roads and/or reducing carnage.
The Inter-Korean Cultural Integration Center, located in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, is aimed at helping North Korea defectors and local residents communicate through cultural activities and narrow their cultural differences. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification



By Kang Seung-woo



A center designed to promote cultural exchange between North Korean defectors and South Korean residents has been launched.



Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ambitious project from the Ministry of Unification named the Inter-Korean Cultural Integration Center, originally slated to open in April, held an online opening event on May 13.



The seven-story establishment, located in Gangseo-gu, southwestern Seoul, has several galleries with different themes.



"I hope that North Korean defectors and local residents will be able to achieve a small unification at this center," Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said in a congratulatory speech.



As North Korean defectors' struggle to adjust to life within South Korean society has emerged as a social issue, the ministry said it hopes the cultural center will help defectors and local citizens communicate through cultural activities and narrow their cultural differences.



To this end, the center is set to run programs enabling North Korean defectors and locals to participate together in a variety of different activities, including yoga, childcare, cooking and music. In particular, a conversation program is available, in which they can have heart-to-heart talks.



First of all, the center provides defectors with opportunities to work alongside South Koreans to create cultural content and participate in volunteering activities to help the local community, activities that in turn help them to contribute to South Korean society.



It also serves as a place where visitors can experience the cultures of both South and North Korea and offers programs for North Korean defectors with an exhibition hall, an integrated culture experience hall and two Peace Unification libraries for adults and children, with each having 20,000 and 10,000 books that are available for online viewing.





The Inter-Korean Cultural Integration Center is a place where visitors can experience the cultures of South and North Korea. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification
Ramin Talaie/Getty

New York Times opinion editor James Bennet on Sunday announced that he has resigned, effectively immediately, following an internal revolt over Republican Sen. Tom Cottons Send in the Troops column published last week.

The newspaper announced that Katie Kingsbury will step in as an interim opinion page editor through the election; and that Bennets deputy editor Jim Dao is being reassigned back to the newsroom.

In a statement, Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger said: James is a journalist of enormous talent and integrity who believes deeply in the mission of The Times. He oversaw a significant transformation of the Opinion department, which broadened the range of voices we publish and pushed us into new formats like video, graphics and audio. Im grateful for his many contributions.

Bennet came under intense scrutiny late last week after publishing a column from pro-Trump Sen. Cotton calling upon President Donald Trump to send in the military as a response to nationwide protests against police brutality.

The Wednesday afternoon column, which Bennet did not read before its publication, caused an open revolt at the paper as dozens of employees from across various departments all tweeted its headline along with the caption: Running this puts Black @NYTimes staff in danger.

Bennet initially defended the decision to run the opinion piece, but on Friday, during a tense company-wide meeting, he and the papers bosses issued a mea culpa, lamenting that he allowed the opinion page to be stampeded by the news cycle, and that it would be necessary to rethink the section altogether. He additionally admitted that the Times did invite Cotton to submit the piece.

I just want to begin by saying Im very sorry, Im sorry for the pain that this particular piece has caused, Bennet said. I do think this is a moment for me and for us to interrogate everything we do in opinion.

Bennet also took several questions from the papers staff, including why he did not personally read Cottons column before it was published. That failure, Bennet said, was another part of the process that broke down. He added: I should have been involved in signing off on the piece... I should have read it and signed off.

Story continues

In a memo sent to staff following news of Bennets departure, Sulzberger emphasized that None of these changes mark a retreat from The Timess responsibility to help people understand a range of voices across the breadth of public debate. That role is as important as its ever been.

He added: Because we have faced questions in recent days about our core values, I want to say this plainly: As an institution we are opposed to racism in every corner of society. We are opposed to injustice. We believe deeply in principles of fairness, equality and human rights. Those values animate both our news report and our opinion report.

Seth Meyers Demolishes New York Times for Running Fascist Tom Cotton Op-Ed

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Sonam Chandwani

The 'slowbalisation' of economies on pretext of the novel coronavirus pandemic has adversely impacted credit delivery and asset prices depressing the flow of capital across sectors.

In times where banks and financial institutions such as NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs are under twin-pressure of recovery while offering credit relaxations, the resilience of the sector is put through a litmus test.

Banks wrote off over Rs 80,000 crore of loans in the first half of FY2020. The number exceeded Rs 2 trillion in the past two years. But major Indian banks have demonstrated resilience through uninterrupted services, offering EMI moratoriums or fee waivers to borrowers.

Unfortunately, historic trends alludes to a grim scenario where Indian financial institutions were resigned to overlook defaults thereby leading to grave profitability concerns and credit risks associated with it in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creditors can approach a wide array of courts and tribunals each governed by a different legislation to recover their monies.

The cobweb of legislations has an adverse impact on the recovery front for financial institutions like banks and NBFCs alike. For instance, despite filing an application under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets & Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act), defaulters found ways to stay these proceedings from any court, including labour courts.

As a result, financial institutions are compelled to rush to that court and get the stay vacated.

Further, even the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) failed to notch up recoveries, barring a few landmark cases. IBC may have resulted in many promoters being ousted from their companies owing to non-repayment of loans.

But banks are yet to ratchet up their risk-management practices to assess and price loans. Furthermore, the IBC Code is designed to put a stay on all civil proceedings against the Corporate Debtor upon the commencement of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process at the appropriate Tribunal. Although this framework empowers the IBC Code, it simultaneously trivializes and ousts other remedies made available to creditors under the law.

Further, the six-month blanket suspension of fresh initiation of insolvency cases under Sections 7, 9, and 10 of IBC coupled with increase in minimum threshold to Rs 1 crore aggravates the problem of recovery of monies.

While this move limits frivolous litigation, reduces the burden on judiciary and insulates companies suffering in the pretext of COVID-19, it has deleterious consequences on lenders having outstanding debts less than Rs 1 crore.

As a result, markets may witness a spike in frauds with debtors trying to get away without repayment on the grounds of challenges posed by COVID-19. Suspension of the IBC for a time of a half year will additionally debilitate the lenders from starting insolvency resolution procedures against the corporate debtors, in this manner further hindering the system to resolve the debt and recuperate the credit.

This suspension will undeniably place the banks in desperate monetary emergency, as in spite of easing of the lockdown, they will stay remediless for in any event a time of at least a half year, simply after which they may look for redressal under the IBC, which will additionally take 330 days to recoup the credit from the corporate debtors.

Recently, it was clarified that the six-month blanket ban will be applicable to non-performing assets after March 25. While this move offers relief to battered companies, this decision is a nightmare for the banking sector as banks will be forced to sit on bad assets for a longer duration thereby leading to future stress and lower realization through the resolution process.

Furthermore, the Union Finance Ministry's economic relief packages along with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s six-month EMI moratorium up to August 31 on loans is aimed to provide fiscal stimulus and liquidity to businesses, especially MSMEs in the lowest rung of the pyramid  who borrow not from banks, but NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs to support their operational or expansion plans.

Collectively, these measures are likely to abate a wave of colossal loan defaults and jump-start production and sales, but its effectiveness can be gauged only after lifting of lockdown when the economy gains traction and businesses attempt to avail the benefits to boost Indias supply side with a hope to ultimately push the demand side upward.

Today, while most of the asset quality issues in the Indian banking industry are a reflection of the macroeconomic situation, too much emphasis on just big ticket lending to build balance sheets will lead to concentration of lending to fewer companies with stronger core asset value.

Meanwhile, financial institutions will be expected to demonstrate resilience by offering relaxations to borrowers whilst maintaining a strong intrinsic value of the bank itself.

As financial institutions are spread thin, the governments protectionist stance on its FDI and FPI policies have further scraped the wounds of the ailing banking sector. Though restrictions on foreign investments through the automatic route implicitly protect Indian businesses from opportunistic takeovers by their Chinese counterparts, it places the capital-bait farther away. In light of these amendments, several cash-strapped players from the banking and NBFC sectors will have limited foreign investors at hand and will be left scrambling for money during the economic downturn.

Thus, such restrictive policies will compel banks and FIs to aggressively seek alternative foreign investors to meet their business objectives of survival, growth, expansion or otherwise.

The list of challenges does not end here. The currently dysfunctional and overburdened judiciary, implies that banks and financial institutions must do away the traditional litigations and embrace myriad forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) such as arbitration, mediation, conciliation, judicial settlement, judicial settlement through lok adalat (peoples court) as prescribed by the Civil Procedure Code under Sec. 89(1)(2). This is especially useful in times of social distancing as Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanisms delivers justice through your computer screens.

However, this road to resolution is still riddled with challenges due to lack of robust infrastructure to conduct ODR meetings like strong and stable internet connectivity, and IT support to resolve technical anomalies.

Second, lawyers, mediators, judges and other parties to the dispute may not possess adequate knowledge of computers and softwares to participate in an ODR meeting. ODR can help overcome jurisdictional issues, eliminate geographical barriers, automate administrative tasks, improve productivity of professionals, promote eco-friendly processes, and finally, deliver a quick, economical and effective solution to disputes. As a result, financial institutions are likely to embrace ODR now more than ever before to realize monies and stay afloat during depressionary forces.

The impact of COVID-19 flare-up relies upon the gravity, degree and dissemination of the cataclysm, which remains uncertain even today. Government mandated moratorium and relaxations must be afforded but banks and FIs will be posed with a challenge to elevate their balance sheets without falling into an abyss of liquidations, bankruptcy and vicious litigations.

Relief packages intended to revive the supply side of the economy will compel financial institutions to take massive haircuts and opt for out-of-settlements and ODR mechanisms to recover monies in a cash-strapped economy.

While the government works on revamping its judicial framework, the banking sector should concentrate on its business continuity plans, assess and adopt prudent risk management strategies and build resilient workplace systems and culture.

In the interim, banks, NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs are required to exhibit resilience by offering government-mandated relaxation to borrowers on one hand whilst maintaining its balance sheet buoyancy on the other! As the banking sector tip-toes to circumvent the COVID-19 quicksand, timely if not speedy resolutions will play a key role in helping them rise from ashes!

(The author is Managing Partner at KS Legal & Associates.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Independent TD Mattie McGrath opposed the Dail holding a minute's silence in memory of George Floyd, whose death has sparked major protests across the United States, saying it was "jumping on the bandwagon, showboating and nonsense".

McGrath strongly opposed the move to commemorate George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white police officer placed his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes last month, saying it was "none of our business".

It's also emerged that the Dail business committee refused a request from Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan to give a short speech after the minute's silence - with some TDs expressing concern about her previous opposition to Traveller accommodation in her constituency.

Floyd's death was repeatedly raised by TDs in the Dail last week, who drew parallels with the controversial direct provision system in Ireland and there is to be a further debate on racism in the house this week.

McGrath told the Sunday Independent: "It's a tragedy, but why are we putting our noses in it? We're a different country, what are we supposed to do about it? Are we going to have it for everyone now?

"I did oppose it, I am not a backward gombeen from Tipperary. They're a sovereign country, it's in none of our interests. A debate about racism is all just a cover - we want to be seen to be this great liberal democracy.

"Where is our liberty now? It's in tatters, we can't have a GAA match, we have autistic children who can't get into schools. I'll have all the liberati shouting down at me. I said a man has been charged and there is a court case, due process, so we're going to lock him up and hang him and throw away the keys, summary justice by our great liberati again. We shouldn't be doing anything to inflame the situation - it's none of our business."

Minister Madigan had wanted to deliver a short speech after the minute's silence that she proposed ahead of last Wednesday's sitting of the Dail. In a letter to the Dail business committee, she wrote: "I believe this would be an appropriate, fitting and dignified statement of respect. If possible, I would also be grateful for the opportunity to say a brief word on it as proposer."

But while members agreed that there should be a minute's silence and a further debate on racism, Madigan's proposal that she be allowed to give a brief speech was shot down by committee members.

Social Democrats so-leader Catherine Murphy said that Madigan's previous opposition to Traveller accommodation in her constituency "would have prompted some of us to respond the way we did".

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said he was also mindful of this in opposing Madigan's request to be allowed to speak.

In 2014, the then Fine Gael candidate for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council released a newsletter in which she said a proposal for Traveller accommodation on Mount Anville Road was "a dreadful waste of taxpayers' money". She later defended her opposition to the plan, insisting it didn't "make any logical sense from a taxpayer's perspective".

The Fine Gael minister's spokesman did not respond to a request for further comment this weekend.

Despite there being no formal debate on racism in the Dail, many TDs used their time to raise George Floyd's death, and racism in Ireland.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar criticised US President Donald Trump's response to the protests in the US, saying there has been an "absence of moral leadership".

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said anyone that decries racism but fails to "dismantle the disgraceful system of direct provision is no good at all".

McDonald also raised the "open, blatant discrimination" that she said was still present against the Travelling community. "We have the diagnosis, now we need the treatment," she said. "The ball is in our court. What do we do? That's what the death of George Floyd asks of us."

Varadkar responded that "a lot of direct provision accommodation is sub-standard and that needs to change".

The Taoiseach said the Government was attempting to do this, but also said it was not compulsory and is "ultimately a service provided by the State", with free accommodation, food, heat, lighting, education, and spending money.

"It's not the same thing as a man being killed by the police," he added.
As protests have continued to demand justice amid black people dying at the hands of white police officers, a fired Minneapolis cop is due in court, a day before the funeral of the man whom he was arresting.



Here's the news to watch this week.

1. Minneapolis officer appears in court Monday

The white cop who pressed his knee on the neck of a black man, George Floyd, as he said he couldnt breathe, is slated to appear in court.

Derek Chauvin was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene. Video captured the incident.

Chauvin initially faced third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. On Wednesday, prosecutors upgraded Chauvin's murder charge to second-degree murder and charged the three other officers.

Those officers, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao, were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

2. George Floyds funeral

The funeral for the man whose death has been a rallying cry for the country will take place Tuesday.

George Floyds funeral will take place in his hometown of Houston.

Floyd died after white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyds neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds on Memorial Day. Floyd's death sparked civil unrest across the country as protesters demanded justice for unarmed black men and women killed at the hands of police.

3. Delayed primaries finally commence

Georgia and West Virginia will hold their presidential primaries Tuesday after the coronavirus pandemic delayed them. The two states are among 16 that delayed their primaries because of the virus.

4. New York City to loosen restrictions

The epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. is set to end some of its shutdown-related measures.

Employees returning to offices should expect daily screenings, including temperature checks, and will have to work behind barriers if six feet of separation isn't possible.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the first phase of the reopening process would bring as many as 400,000 people back to work.

5. Prince Philips birthday



The Duke of Edinburgh turns 99 on Wednesday.

Philip was born on Corfu in Greece in 1921, and married Elizabeth on Nov. 20, 1947.

Hes a third cousin of his wife, the Queen, and like her, he is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. He is also Queen Victoria's oldest living great-great-grandchild.

CNN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Australians have defied warnings from the prime minister and health experts about the coronavirus risk to turn out in force to protest against racism and Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Black Lives Matter protests in all the major cities and some regional towns were held in solidarity with those in the United States, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The protests were largely peaceful, marred only by a short-lived clash between police and some protesters in Sydneys Central Station after the main rally had dispersed.

Sydney also had the largest crowd, with 20,000 people marching from Town Hall to Belmore Park after the Court of Appeal declared the protest a legal assembly at the eleventh hour.

NSW Police made just three arrests in Sydney, which Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing called a really positive result.

Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide also had large crowds, with protesters wearing face masks, organizers handing out hand sanitizer and efforts made to ensure social distancing.

But Victoria Police plans to fine Melbourne rally organizers $1,652 (US$1,151) each for breaching the directions of the chief health officer.

Victoria Police had earlier warned the 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.

Federal Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy had said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had also urged Australians not to attend protests.
With the worlds attention riveted in past weeks on COVID-19 and protests over racism sweeping many countries, its no surprise that other issues havent been getting the attention they deserve.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau started to find his voice on one of them this past week: a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to formally annex much of the West Bank, thereby destroying whatever faint hope remains for a political settlement in the Middle East.

Its hard to imagine making the situation between Israelis and Palestinians much worse, but Netanyahus promise to start the process of annexing Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley on July 1 would do the trick.

Even staunch friends of Israel, including scores of the generals and commanders who have defended it their entire lives, condemn Netanyahus plan as a catastrophe in the making.

Canada has long argued that the only path to peace in the Mideast, however difficult it now seems, lies in a so-called two-state solution that would see a Palestinian state created alongside Israel.

Outright annexation of much of the West Bank would effectively end that possibility, so one would expect that Canada would join with other long-standing friends and supporters of Israel in loudly warning Netanyahu from taking such a course.

Until this past week, however, the Trudeau government was conspicuously quiet on the issue, so much so that a group of 58 former Canadian diplomats and politicians, including four former Liberal ministers, signed a letter urging the prime minister to find his voice.

They reminded Trudeau that annexing West Bank lands would violate international law, and warned that such actions have fateful results: war, political instability, economic ruin, systematic discrimination and human suffering. And they called on the prime minister to protect Canadas good name in the international community by speaking loudly and clearly as countries like France and Britain have done.

That prompted Trudeau to do what he should have done earlier  speak directly to the issue and uphold Canadas commitment to international law. We deplore such actions, he said, adding he had given that message directly to Netanyahu and his coalition government partner, Benny Gantz.

That goes some way in the right direction, but its disappointing that Trudeau seems to be taking a softly-softly approach on the issue at a time when Israels friends should be warning it in the strongest terms not to go down this road.

Consider what some 220 retired Israeli generals and security leaders, members of Commanders for Israels Security, have to say about the plan. Having fought on the front lines for decades, they warn it could lead to the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, creating a power vacuum to be filled by the likes of Hamas.

That, in turn, could lead to a renewal of the intifadas of the past  violent resistance to Israeli occupation, in place of the uneasy de facto peace that prevails there now. Unilateral annexation has the potential to ignite a serious conflagration, say the generals.

Other longstanding friends of Israel caution that support abroad could be badly undermined, especially in the U.S. Congress where both Democrats and Republicans have voted billions in aid. Democrats warn annexation could cause long-term damage to the U.S.-Israel alliance.

At the same time, it could well undermine Israels efforts to cultivate closer working relations with Sunni Arab states like Saudi Arabia. Theyve been far more focused on potential threats from Iran and see Israel as an ally in that cause. Up-ending the fragile peace in the West Bank could end all that.

No doubt Netanyahu has his own domestic political reasons to forge ahead with annexation. But other countries, including Canada, owe it to Israel to warn in the strongest terms that he is leading his country down a destructive path.

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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.
NEW YORK - A call came over from dispatch for a rowdy group on a block of two-story houses in Brownsville, a mostly poor section of Brooklyn with a painful history of violent crime and bitter distrust of the police. "It's a gathering," said one of the NYPD officers en route to the scene. "They don't have masks."

Three complaints had been made to 311, the city's non-emergency line, and another three to 911. When the officers arrived on Pine Street, they were greeted with jeers. People reached for their phones to record the interaction.

"We were playing for push-ups," a man explained as officers examined evidence of gambling. The smell of grilled meat hung in the air. Another man, who appeared intoxicated, ranted loudly as friends encouraged him to be calm.

The New York Police Department, America's largest, has fielded dozens of such calls every day since the coronavirus pandemic forced this city into an unprecedented shutdown. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's social distancing order prohibiting large gatherings is credited by medical experts with helping to drive down the rate of infection and save New York's hospitals from being completely overrun, but enforcement has proved tense and, in some instances, volatile.

Officials here are terrified the virus - which has infected more than 200,000 throughout New York City and left more than 20,000 here dead - will come roaring back as residents emerge from their homes with the onset of summer weather. Such concerns have grown with the onset of massive citywide protests over the death of George Floyd, which forced police officials to put social distancing enforcement on pause. Floyd, a black man, died May 25 in Minneapolis while detained by police. Mayor Bill de Blasio has expressed alarm at the lack of social distancing during the demonstrations here and signaled Friday, "We've got to get back to that clear understanding." An NYPD spokeswoman, Devora Kaye, said that once protests wane, police will restart their daily visits to businesses, parks and gathering places.

But with animosity toward police having reached new heights, enforcement may prove even more challenging. The Washington Post was allowed to embed with officers from Patrol Borough Brooklyn North the day of Floyd's death, as they responded to calls for suspected social distancing violations. Their approach was to encourage compliance while overlooking any minor illegality they observed - things like open-container violations or dice games.

The gathering on Pine Street was a repast. Felix Guerrero, age 36, had died on April 26 from a serious respiratory illness unrelated to covid-19, his godfather, Roberto Rivera, told The Post. Guerrero had been buried earlier in the day.

Rivera said those gathered, many wearing screen-printed T-shirts bearing Guerrero's photo set against the image of clouds, were a tightknit group of family and friends. Despite the public health risk, he said, everyone was being careful, in general.

"We all know each other," Rivera said. "Everyone here is family. That's why we're not afraid" to be here together.

The officers said they understood, that their aim was not to issue summonses or make arrests. Detective Kaz Daughtry told the group that neighbors had complained - and that double-parked cars were causing problems for others who live on the block. Daughtry and his team then stood by as people packed up. "We're telling everybody it's time to go, and they're cool with it, basically," he said, later calling the outcome a "happy medium."

The officers moved on.

Videos have emerged revealing far-less amicable encounters in some of the city's minority neighborhoods. One, showing an officer in Manhattan's East Village taking down a bystander to a social distancing arrest, led to the officer's duty modification.

Criticism further swelled when the NYPD recently disclosed that more than 80 percent of the summonses written from mid-March to early May for violations of pandemic-related emergency procedures went to black or Hispanic individuals. Officials insist that seamless interactions - like the one on Pine Street - are the norm, not the exception, and that many are unremarkable. Indeed, during the ride-along, The Post witnessed several encounters in which officers simply handed out face masks and checked in with small sets of friends enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon.

"The objective here was never, ever to be issuing summonses to people when people are losing their lives and people are worried about their paychecks," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said in an interview. Officers are told to reserve summons enforcement for "extreme circumstances" and "only as a last resort," he added. " ... We have had thousands and thousands and thousands of interactions every day where there's no summons, where it never led to arrests, where people are just trying to get through this."

That approach takes into account the trauma New York has faced in recent months, Shea explained. The department also knows that pain: Nearly 6,000 members of the NYPD have contracted the virus that causes covid-19 and more than 40 have died of the disease. In Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, about a third of the command was diagnosed with the virus, commanding officer Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said. As with other units, Maddrey's officers have been overwhelmed by protest duty, he said, but they're expecting guidance on the resumption of coronavirus prevention efforts.

Police here are heading into summer facing still another challenge - the expected annual rise in violent crime among gangs. Although crime throughout the city was down overall as the virus peaked in March and April, shootings and murders rose. In Brooklyn North, the pandemic did not deter street violence - there were more murders and shootings during the second quarter of the year (from March 12 to May 26) than there were in the first quarter. Maddrey said there were also more gun arrests. In a 28-day period before Memorial Day, there were 116, nearly double from the same period a year prior.

This backdrop renders the social distancing mission all the more fraught, for police and for those being policed. At the Cypress Houses, a public housing complex in the neighborhood of East New York, a small group in the courtyard froze when Brooklyn North patrol units arrived in response to a gathering complaint. Then the officers handed out surgical masks.

"Y'all come and scare me," said a man in the quad, grinning under the brim of his gray New York Yankees cap. "Yo, thank you. This is much better than unwanted harassment."

In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, by contrast, police arrested a man after asking him to stop a gambling game and he refused. Afterward, the man's friends shouted at the uniformed officers, who simply stood back and listened. An older man hobbled over from across the street and approached them. "You guys gotta come out here a little more often," he admonished them.

Throughout the day, Daughtry and his team discussed a particular concern for police in Brownsville: Club Garvey, a block party that came together about a week prior in the Marcus Garvey Apartments. In a set of videos taken from the gathering, one dubbed "Quarantine Life," it appeared no one was wearing a mask.

An NYPD "level one mobilization" - indicating the large number of resources - was sent to break it up, but within two days, social media fliers were already circulating for the party's revival. Police planned a preemptive intervention, showing up hours in advance to stop the party from even starting.

Not all gatherings come with advance notice. Daughtry and his recorder, the officer in the passenger's seat eying traffic and giving directions, fielded a call for a "large group" around 2 p.m. A large group of young children from South Williamsburg's ultra-Orthodox community were drawn to a line of banquet tables where machines churned out carnival goodies like snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn. Extension cords snaked through a black handrail in front of 15 Lynch St. and into the building, where an apartment on the first floor provided juice for the event.

The officers shook their heads in disbelief. Posted all around were dozens of fliers written in Hebrew lettering advertising the event. Within this community, several high-profile rabbis have died of covid-19, as pockets of ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in and around the city had been hit particularly hard by the disease. The children, some as young as 3 or 4, could not have organized their own event. But they knew what it meant when the police arrived.

"All the time," one officer said of the children's slow migration away from the tables in both directions. Crowds in this community disperse "as soon as they see us."

Several incidents in the community have drawn scrutiny as potentially dangerous examples of crowding. In one, dozens of kids were secretly attending yeshiva without masks. A popular rabbi's funeral in Brooklyn drew hundreds of attendees; aerial photos show a crowd so dense it would be difficult to walk through.

Community leader Moses Weiser arrived at the kids' party. Weiser, a store owner, is a frequent contact between the police and the insular Jewish community in Williamsburg.

"The parents have nothing to do with this," Weiser insisted to Daughtry.

Daughtry, frustration on his face, told Weiser to find out who was responsible.

"They don't want to cooperate now," Daughtry explained after convening with Weiser. "So now we gotta be the police."

It defied common sense that parents had no role, officers said. "They'd still need some adult supervision," Officer Jonadel Dorrejo noted. "This isn't the 'Little Rascals.' "

Finally, a man emerged and said he allowed his 13-year-old son to put on the party. Police issued him a summons for violating emergency measures. His court date is scheduled for September.

"We can't have this. Send the message out that this can't happen," Daughtry told Weiser.

"The kids are bored. ... There's no yeshivas. No school," Weiser said, throwing up his hands. He recognizes the risk they face but said that people don't know what to believe. "You've got seniors who get (the virus) and they're OK. You've got your kids who pass away. So it's so hard to know what the right thing is."

He surmised there is an obvious reason such gatherings continue despite the public health threat. "Ignorance," he said.
The TV adaptation of Sally Rooney's book, which wrapped up last week, was the unexpected global pandemic hit. To give it a proper send-off, No 1 fan Emer McLysaght has compiled the definitive list of the show's highlights.

A is for... Argos chic

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Searches for men's necklaces jumped 56pc on the Argos website, according to an inevitable press release from the store, after Connell's Chain became the surprise breakout star of Normal People. The chain is referred to as "Argos chic" in Sally Rooney's book, and in the show becomes an absolute constant for both Marianne and Connell as everything else around them changes. I demand a Golden Globe for Normal People costume designer Lorna Marie Mugan based on her accessories work alone.

B is for... Behind the scenes

A Tourism Ireland video exploring the Normal People locations has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube. Sligo's Streedagh Beach, TCD's cobbled campus and Shane Ross's old family home in Wicklow (naturally) all feature, while the Tubbercurry AIB and Tamangos nightclub in Portmarnock have finally had their moments in the sun.

C is for... Connell's Car

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Sure, Normal People is an exploration of the enduring power of attraction and love, but we can't ignore the enduring power of Connell's little silvery-blue runaround, can we? He bops around town giving everyone lifts, it never gives him a whiff of trouble and it's the location for some of the most important scenes in the show. What a little rocket!

D is for... Debs disaster

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Connell doesn't ask Marianne to their school debs, a decision that haunts the pair of them (although it's almost worth it for the apology scene the following year). Instead he takes the popular Rachel, and I'm starting a petition for 'Connell Taking Rachel to the Debs' to be the new lingo for any kind of monumental balls-up. As in, "I'm after doing a Connell Taking Rachel to the Debs on my mam's birthday present. She already has three foot spas and I bought her two of them!".

E is for... Ending

As people turbo-binged their way through the 12 half-hour episodes that dropped on the BBC iPlayer and the US streaming platform Hulu, it became clear that many of them were unfamiliar with the ending of Sally Rooney's novel. The book leaves us guessing as to the fate of Connell and Marianne, a detail which saw me crying on a grim Ryanair flight (remember those?) on the way home from a gin-soaked holiday, Kindle in hand. "When is season two?" the viewers clamoured, not realising that the ending we've been given is likely the ending we will have to live with, with a second season extremely unlikely. Sob.

F is for... Fringe

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Who among us has not stood in front of the mirror during this coronavirus lockdown and considered giving ourselves a Marianne fringe with the blunt nail scissors? Friends, my hair is wavy and blonde, and even I was delusional enough to think that a quick snip might transform me into a brunette beauty like Daisy Edgar-Jones. Thankfully a friend told me to "cop on" and "put down the wine".

G is for... grinds

Marianne teases Connell with a suggestive "maybe you should give me grinds" when they engage in lickarsey yet somehow still sexy banter about who got the better results in their mocks. "Grinds", "mocks", "the debs", "shifting", "the ride" are just some examples of the Irish lingo that viewers in the UK and US have had to get their heads round while watching Normal People. I'm excited to see "shit buzz, pal" popping up in London and LA.

H is for... horny

I'll be writing a strongly worded letter to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland questioning the responsibility of broadcasting such a sexually charged programme during a global pandemic. Totally unfair on the locked-down singletons to trigger such a collective, nationwide massive horn. #AubergineEmoji

I is for... Interrailing

Connell achieves 'schol' status at Trinity, meaning he earns free tuition and board for the duration of his time there. This frees him up to engage in the rite of passage that is interrailing around Europe (handily dropping into Marianne's Italian villa to show off his bronzed thighs in his teeny GAA knickers). I can't be the only one worried about the smell of his runners after weeks of sweating on trains?

J is for... Joe Duffy

Joe 'washyourhands' Duffy was so defeated by the fornication police on Liveline that a studio webcam image of him with his head in his hands became a meme. And who could blame him? Sure, there's sex in Normal People, but more importantly there's the brilliant portrayal of the near-universal delight and devastation of first love. That doesn't set Liveline alight quite as effectively as TEENAGERS RIDING, though.

K is for... kiss

The chemistry and stunning sex scenes between Connell and Marianne have been roundly praised, and Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones's work with intimacy coordinator Ita O'Brien has been credited with getting it just right. However, Edgar-Jones has revealed that her first solo audition tape for Normal People saw her pretending to shift Connell mid-air, mimicking that first kiss they share in her fancy front room. My knees are cringing.

L is for... lectures

Normal People does relatable very well, but perhaps the most unrealistic scene in the show is when Connell goes to Trinity and his lecture hall is absolutely heaving with students. Later, however, he is shown to be one of only a handful in attendance, the others having obviously discovered The Pav and four cans of Bavaria for five quid.

M is for... mams

There's a stark contrast between the mams in Normal People. Marianne's is portrayed as cold and ineffectual in intervening in the emotional and physical abuse doled out by older brother Alan. Connell's mam Lorraine, meanwhile, is a loving, modern and no-nonsense presence, and actress Sarah Greene produces one of the most memorable scenes when she absolutely reefs Connell out of it after he pulls a literal Connell Taking Rachel to the Debs.

N is for... notions

Marianne has pals with an outdoor swimming pool. In Ireland! She gets to stay in a casually massive family-owned D4 apartment while attending college. She and her friends summer at another family home in Italy. These are upper echelon levels of notions. Where I grew up, a second car meant you had obviously won the Lotto, and you only went to Italy to beg the Pope to cure your gout.

O is for... O'Neill's

Connell's GAA prowess in the show is mirrored by Paul Mescal's real-life star-turn as a junior player in Kildare, and man alive, has he figured out the cost-per-wear on his white Maynooth GAA kit! He's basically been acting as a walking free advertisement for O'Neill's since Normal People aired, as he parades The Shorts around his London neighbourhood. Between this and Matt Damon's SuperValu bag, the Irish brands are having quite the summer. Hon the parish!

P is for... psychotherapy

In episode ten, Connell's sound room-mate Niall is the one who convinces him that he should go and talk to someone after the death of his school pal Rob. In therapy, Connell reveals the layers of despair he's been feeling, not only about Rob's suicide but also about how he's struggling in Trinity and not living the "different life" he thought he would when he got there.

Q is for... quotes

I know they only give out Academy Awards for movies, but I firmly believe Paul Mescal should receive an honorary Oscar for his delivery of the line "it was class" after Marianne asks Connell if their sexy session was "a good one". "Yeah, it was class," he exhales, with a big, delighted Irish head on him.

R is for... rocket

In episode 11 Connell asks Marianne if she'd like an ice cream from the van and then unfathomably comes back with a Rocket. No offence to the humble Rocket, but if you offer someone an ice cream, you'd better be coming with a large 99 and have paid extra for strawberry sauce. Can't say I blame her for abandoning the Rocket (although I do worry to this day about the mess it must have made on the carpet).

S is for... sticky carpets

Truly some of the most evocative scenes in Normal People were the ones in which you could practically feel that troubling tension as the sole of your shoe struggles for a moment before lifting from the sticky, Jagerbomb-soaked carpet of a local nightclub. You could almost smell it. Harrowing.

T is for... trauma

On its surface Normal People is a show about young love, but lurking underneath are concurrent plots involving trauma and how it can impact a person's life. For Marianne there's complex developmental trauma sustained during an abusive childhood, and for Connell there's intense anxiety, exacerbated by the suicide of a friend. Add in issues around consent, bullying and abandonment, and you've got yourself an emotional roller-coaster.

U is for... unsung heroes

While Marianne and Connell seem to go out of their way to surround themselves with shitehawks, they each encounter a friend in college who provides compassion and sense and warmth. For Connell it's Niall, his super-sound roommate, and for Marianne it's her pal Joanna. Both are dead-on, would always stand their round and would make excellent subjects for a spin-off show.

V is for... vino

In another instance of suspect authenticity, none of the Normal People characters seem to involuntarily wince when they suck down one of the many, many glasses of wine consumed throughout the series. When I was in college, the only wine we deigned to spend money on would strip the enamel off your teeth. In contrast, Marianne and Co do a lot of quaffing on what seems to be a constant supply of extremely palatable reds and whites.

W is for... Where's the cream?

One of the most menacing lines ever delivered, by one of the most repellent characters to ever grace our screens: Marianne's baffling boyfriend Jamie. His scenes of cruelty and frustration in Italy are excruciating to watch. It's a testament to the acting ability of Fionn O'Shea that he's managed to shake off the shroud of Jamie and portray such a likeable character in David Freyne's new movie Dating Amber.

X is for... Xmas

The heartbreaking final episode of Normal People features moments of pure joy too. Estranged from her family, Marianne is invited by Connell to spend the festive period with his family. She laughs with him in the car as they make the trip home to Sligo on Christmas Eve. She's embraced with such warmth by Lorraine and gets to celebrate in a way she's never experienced but deserves so much. A "proper Christmas".

Y is for... Yazoo

The wide-ranging Normal People soundtrack takes in contemporary Irish hip-hop and folk, the angsty drama of Imogen Heap, Stephen Rennicks's beautiful score, and in the final, heartbreaking scene of the debs episode (remember, Connell made a catastrophic mistake and took Rachel?), the distinctive opening chords of Yazoo's Only You ring out. Now, when I say I nearly had to be put on a drip, such was the emotion

Z is for... Zoom

Paul Mescal has admitted that there has been a silver lining to the release of his first TV role coinciding with an unprecedented global pandemic: he hasn't had to leave his sitting room. Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones have been the darlings of the Covid-19 chat-show scene, appearing via Zoom with James Corden, Graham Norton and our own Tubs. Mescal has said that appearing remotely has taken a lot of the nerves out of such appearances. And look, he probably got to wear his Maynooth GAA shorts for all of them. We'll never know!

Honourable mentions...

Accent

Daisy Edgar-Jones may have an Irish mam, but her usual accent is English through and through. Not that you'd know from her pitch-Irish lilt.

Directors

Lenny Abrahamson directed the first six episodes, then Hettie McDonald took over. They managed to achieve the perfect balance of their own individual styles and a beautifully cohesive work of art. A Golden Globe, a Bafta and an Emmy each please!

Helen

Poor, poor Helen. Connell's college girlfriend was always going to be on the back foot as long as Marianne was in the picture. Be nice to yourself, Helen. Straight onto Tinder, girl.

Uniforms

The grey uniforms featured in the opening episodes are particularly haunting for anyone who attended an Irish secondary school. The scratch of the jumper against the skirt, the smell of a too-tight shirt on a muggy day, the never-ending quest for a clean pair of tights. Marianne ditches the uniform after she removes herself from school before the end of term and shows up to sit her exams in her civvies, setting her even further apart from her peers. You wouldn't have gotten away with a leather jacket in St Mary's College, Naas, I'll tell you that much.

Wrist tattoo

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Just when we thought we couldn't love Connell's mam Lorraine any more after the bollocking she gives him over Taking Rachel to The Debs, a tiny detail later in episode three sent fans over the edge when it was spotted. Lorraine has 'Connell' tattooed on her inner wrist, revealed when she reaches up to bid him a fond farewell as he leaves to collect Rachel. Not Marianne. Rachel. Still not over it, as you can see.

Emer McLysaght is a writer and the co-author of the Oh My God What A Complete Aisling series of books
The German governments coordinator for transatlantic relations has warned that reported plans by the U.S. to withdraw thousands of troops from the country could considerably damage German-U.S. relations.

The German-American relationship could be severely affected by such a decision by the U.S. president, Peter Beyer told dpa.

Mr Beyers comments came in response to reports in the U.S. and German media that President Donald Trump had decided to withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Trump had ordered 9,500 U.S. personnel to be removed from NATO ally Germany, which hosts some 34,500 troops.

News magazine Der Spiegel put the number to be withdrawn at between 5,000 and 15,000 by autumn of this year.

Its not just about 9,500 soldiers, but also their families, an estimated 20,000 Americans.

This would break transatlantic bridges, Mr Beyer added.

There was no official confirmation of the reports from either side.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, in remarks to the Sunday tabloid Bild am Sonntag, stressed that both sides remain interested in close cooperation.

If there is a withdrawal of some U.S. troops, we will take note of this, Mr Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

He noted that Berlin appreciates cooperation with the U.S. armed forces, which has grown over the course of decades.

It is in the interest of our two countries, the minister added.

Regarding the relationship between Germany and the U.S., Mr Maas said: We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But: Its complicated.

The head of Germanys Social Democrats (SPD) in parliament, Rolf Muetzenich, warned that the alleged U.S. plans could lead to a lasting realignment of security policy in Europe.

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In any case, the strategic planning of the U.S. is shifting to Asia, newspapers of the Funke media group quoted Muetzenich as saying on Sunday.

Against this background, embedding German security policy in a European environment is even more urgent and meaningful, although the challenges are greater than a few years ago.

Given the financial burdens of all countries due to the coronavirus pandemic, opportunities for limiting the military and armament could currently arise, Muetzenich added.

Greens politician Juergen Trittin meanwhile accused President Trump of having floated a possible troop withdrawal solely with a view to its effect on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.

After the imposition of punitive tariffs, sanctions contrary to international law and the determination that Europe is worse than China, this should come as no surprise to anyone on this side of the Atlantic. But it should be deeply disturbing, Trittin asserted.

Lawmaker Johann Wedephul, the deputy head of the governing conservative bloc in parliament, said on Saturday that the reports and the apparent lack of consultation were a further sign that Europe needed to become more self-reliant in matters of defence.

The plans demonstrate that the Trump administration is ignoring a basic task of leadership: to keep alliance partners involved in the decision process.

Everyone benefits from the unity of the alliance; only Russia and China benefit from disputes.

Washington should be more aware of this, he said.

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Speculation that the Trump administration could pull troops from Germany  which has the largest U.S. deployment in Europe  has long been rife.

The former U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, threatened such a withdrawal last year.

In an interview with dpa, he said it was offensive that U.S. taxpayers must foot the bill for the deployment on German territory while Germans get to spend their surplus on domestic programmes.

(dpa/NAN)
China Urges UK to Abandon 'Colonial' Thinking, Warns of 'Consequences' Over Hong Kong Statements

Sputnik News

06:53 GMT 06.06.2020

China's foreign ministry earlier warned the UK of consequences over its alleged "gross interference" and "irresponsible remarks" in connection with Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic issues.

China has cautioned Britain to stop its "interference" in Hong Kong's affairs or face "consequences", reports The Sun.

Chen Wen, Minister and First Staff Member of the Chinese Embassy in London told Boris Johnson that the country must give up "its colonial state of mind".

"We believe Hong Kong people who were born in Hong Kong are Chinese nationals. There will be consequences, that's for sure," said Chen Wen on BBC World at One.

The official later backtracked on her words, denying her statement was couched as a threat, and emphasising that it was the UK's proposed visa plan for Hong Kong residents that was the real threat.

"I'm not threatening anything. I'm just saying this is not the correct decision and will be damaging to Hong Kong's stability. It will be damaging to the UK's own image of abiding by its own commitments. It will be damaging to the entire relationship," said the Chinese Embassy minister.

Warning of 'Substantial Damage'

On 4 June a comment piece run by Chinese Communist Party-connected paper The Global Times suggested that the UK faced "substantial damage" to its economy if Prime Minister Boris Johnson intended to push ahead with his proposal to offer visas to millions of Hong Kong citizens.

"British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government may sincerely believe they are battling for their values as they confront China over the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, when in fact they are complicating a much-needed deal, threatening to inflict substantial damage to their own economy," wrote the outlet.

The piece underscored that China's national security law on Hong Kong was exclusively an internal Chinese affair.

The paper wrote that "China's willingness to settle a free trade deal" should not be "exploited by the UK as a bargaining chip".

"It would be misguided and regrettable if the British government were to continue to confuse the trade deal with the Hong Kong issue," cautioned the outlet.

Strongly-Worded Tit-For-Tat

Beijing recently came out with a succession of strongly-worded responses in the wake of statements made by British politicians in connection with the Hong Kong affairs.

After 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, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab expressed the UK's stance on the issue.

In a statement in the House of Commons on 2 June, Raab said the UK had respected the Sino-British Joint Declaration, but that China's "authoritarian national security law", passed in response to unrest in Hong Kong, undermined the "one country, two systems" framework.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson later revealed in an op-ed article in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that if Beijing proceeded with enforcing its security legislation within the city, the UK would offer the right to live and work in Britain to some 3 million Hong Kong citizens eligible for a British National Overseas passport.

Reference was made to some 350,000 Hong Kong residents who held a British National Overseas passport, who would be granted an extendable 12-month visa and further immigration rights, with another 2.5 million eligible to apply for the BNO passports.

The BNO passport is a travel document that does not carry citizenship rights. It was issued to people in Hong Kong by the UK before the city was handed over to China.

The UK was subsequently slammed by China's foreign ministry for what it labelled as "gross interference" in the country's affairs, with spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying 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.

A Sputnik

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Malacanang will continue submitting reports on the use of President Rodrigo Dutertes special powers to address the COVID-19 crisis, even as some senators raised concerns that the law granting the chief executive additional powers had already expired.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines on Sunday that they will continue submitting weekly reports to Congress until June 25, exactly three months after the law was enacted.

Roque had earlier contended that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which gave Duterte 30 special powers to address the COVID-19 pandemic, will only expire three months after the measure became law.

This is contrary to what some senators raised during Thursdays Senate session  that the Bayanihan law had expired, following the Constitution.

Article VI, Section 23(2) of the Constitution states that Congress can grant the president for a limited period special powers in times of war or other national emergencies. These powers will continue to be exercised by the president until the next adjournment of Congress unless the legislature withdraws it sooner.

Congress did not manage to extend Dutertes special powers beyond this month as it adjourned on Friday without passing a new law for the extension of the special powers.

The Senate waited for Malacanang to certify as urgent the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act but Roque said it decided not to.

Still, Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto expects the executive branch to submit what would be its 11th report on Dutertes special powers.

Im sure they will submit. Congress was not in session when they started submitting them, Sotto told CNN Philippines.

Among the powers granted to Duterte under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act include the ability to rechannel funding within the executive department towards the governments COVID-19 response.

The law also grants a 5,000 to 8,000 subsidy to 18 million poor families for two months, and compensation for health workers who contract and die of COVID-19.

It also mandates Duterte to submit a weekly report to Congress on the use of his special powers.
Biden, whose plans to meet with the family on Monday was first reported by the New York Times, has spoken several times about the killing, saying that it is time for the country to deal with systemic racism and that he will be announcing several new policies. On Friday, he sharply denounced President Trump for dishonoring Floyd as he celebrated a new jobs report.
Photo: Glacier Media

It took only a single morning for Huawei Technology Co. Ltd.s 5G ambitions for Canada to implode following years of courting the countrys biggest carriers.

Bell Canada revealed in the pre-dawn hours of June 2 it was opting to build its next-generation wireless network using equipment from Swedish manufacturer Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.

By 10:30 a.m., Vancouver-based Telus Corp. announced it had selected Ericsson as well as Nokia Corp. to build out its 5G network.

Huawei found itself left in the dust after both Canadian telecom companies spent years investing in its 5G equipment while Ottawa conducted a security review of the Chinese tech giant.

Telus and Bell are now on the same side of the fence as Rogers Communications Inc., which had already been aligned with Ericssons 5G technology.

Just the sheer fact a choice has been made and that the Canadian 5G industry is moving out of indecision is great news, said Patrick Ostiguy, founder and executive chairman of Quebec-based network performance provider Accedian Networks Inc.

Canada is already relatively behind other worldwide jurisdictions in regards to rolling out 5G radios. Having made those decisions now starts the clock to play catch-up with the rest of the world.

Uncertainty over the future of 5G in Canada has centred on a precarious political situation in which Ottawa is being pressed by intelligence allies to ban Huaweis 5G equipment over espionage concerns.

But Canada also faces pressure from Beijing following the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver International Airport in December 2018 in connection with a U.S. extradition request.

Two Canadians living in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were detained soon after by Chinese authorities but no formal charges have been filed after more than 500 days.

As for 5Gs future deployment in Canada, Ostiguy said Telus decision to go with dual vendors  Ericsson and Nokia  will pay dividends.

The fact that Nokia is in at Telus and has a chance to prove itself should keep Ericsson honest overall, he said. But in the grand scheme of things in Canada with the low density, and the wide extent of the required underlying infrastructure, the relative cost of the 5G radios is not the most significant contributor to the expensive prices Canadians are paying for mobile services compared to the rest of the world.

Matthew Hatfield, campaigns director at Vancouver-based advocacy group OpenMedia, said he does not believe the decision to go with Ericsson and Nokia  both of which have a 5G equipment portfolio more expensive than Huaweis  will make a significant difference in terms of prices and competition.

Telus cautioned investors in February 2019 that if Huawei 5G equipment and software were to be banned in Canada over security concerns, it would likely seek government compensation for the money and resources poured into this deployment before the Chinese company was made off limits. But because Ottawa has not banned Huawei, its unclear if Telus will seek that compensation.

Business in Vancouver reached out to Telus multiple times, but a company spokesman did not respond to the newspapers questions prior to press time.

As for universities and other organizations, Ostiguy does not believe their investments in Huawei 5G equipment will have been in vain.

The Huawei political situation for the past couple of years has allowed the European options to catch up with Huawei in terms of 5G radio technology, while Huawei is already working on 6G. At this time, 5G radio technology is more or less levelled, fully standardized and compatible inter-vendor. From that standpoint, if Ottawa does not move to ban Huawei, then universities, etc., should not lose their investments. And to the contrary, will be a great test bed for research on inter-vendor interoperability and performance assurance.

Jason Turner, senior director of global carriers at Seattle-based NetMotion Software Inc., said theres only a low chance Huawei is officially banned from Canada.

But as [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau navigates the narrow pathway between appeasing both the U.S. and China, the trend is almost certain to shift away from Huawei, he said.

With the U.K. still stumbling through the same maze, the wisest move for those that still have agency would be to pay the price premium to avoid the political one. For others, it may be too late, which may not be a problem in the short term, but it inevitably will be in the long term.
Representative image

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 69 lakh people and killed over four lakh across the world, scientists may be close to a breakthrough on an antibody treatment that can save the lives of people infected with the deadly virus, The Guardian has reported.

The scientists have developed an injection of cloned antibodies that could have a significant impact on patients who are in the early stages of infection, said the report citing British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

The treatment is a combination of two antibodies in an injected dose because by having both you reduce the chance of resistance developing to one antibody, AstraZenecas chief executive Pascal Soriot told the publication.

Antibody therapy would be prioritised for the elderly and vulnerable who may not be able to develop a good response to a vaccine, said Soriot. It is more expensive than vaccine production, he said.

Coronavirus LIVE updates

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

AstraZeneca has recently signed a deal with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) to help manufacture 300 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine candidate. The globally accessible vaccine is being developed by the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, as per the report.

The pharmaceutical company has already started to manufacture the potential COVID-19 vaccine by the Oxford University to ensure that if it does pass human trials, it can be made available in the autumn, the report stated.

The vaccines trials have reportedly started in Brazil, a new epicentre of the pandemic, to ensure the study can be properly tested as transmission rates fall in the United Kingdom. Development of the vaccine had started in January, using a virus taken from chimpanzees, it said.

Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here
Rights Groups Condemn Attack on Aid Workers in Cameroon

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka June 06, 2020

Rights groups in Cameroon have condemned increased attacks on aid workers and hospital staff in the country's troubled western regions. The groups blame both government troops and anglophone rebels fighting to create an English-speaking state in majority French-speaking Cameroon.

Ernestine Maika, a 33-year-old nurse, has just arrived in the French-speaking town of Bafoussam. She says she was rescued by Cameroon military in the English-speaking northwestern town of Ndop after separatist fighters seized a vehicle in which she was transporting medical supplies. Maika says it was the third time she has been attacked in three weeks.

"The torment is too much, unbearable," said Maika. "We are being killed, arrested, kidnapped. It is not fair. I just want to plead because the pain is too much. Humanitarian workers and nurses and medical staff should be allowed to do their work. I just want to plead that they be allowed to go out there and save lives.

The Cameroonian military confirmed that on Wednesday (June 3), four separatist fighters were killed in a gun battle after they attacked health workers in Ndop.

The government said attacks on health workers and humanitarian staff members have intensified since April, when it launched a $150 million plan to build 115 hospitals, 40 bridges, 400 wells and water taps, 600 kilometers of rural roads, 45 markets and 17,000 private homes destroyed by the separatists. Human Rights Watch Thursday reported renewed attacks on aid workers.

Iliaria Allegrozzi, senior central Africa researcher for the organization, says aid workers have been victims of kidnapping, killing, kidnapping, extortion and various forms of abuse. She says food and nonfood aid items have been looted or destroyed.

"These attacks do not only impact the lives and well-being of those working at the front line in very challenging conditions but also disrupt the provision of life-saving assistance and services to 2 million people depending on humanitarian assistance and over 600,000 internally displaced," said Allegrozzi.

Allegrozzi did not immediately confirm the number of health workers attacked but blamed both separatist fighters and the military for the atrocities.

Cameroon government spokesperson Rene Emmanuel Sadi speaking on state media CRTV blamed separatists for the atrocities and said the military has remained professional.

Sadi says the crimes against aid workers are committed by separatist fighters who are determined to destroy government efforts aimed at returning peace to the restive English-speaking regions. He says the country can only count on the military to restore harmony and consolidate the achievements made so far in the peace process.

Separatists have blamed the military for the abuses on social media, but have warned humanitarian or aid workers against offering assistance in Cameroon's English-speaking regions without obtaining what the separatists call an express authorization from their government.

The United Nations has expressed what it calls grave concern over the interruption of aid delivery to hundreds of thousands of people in need, following the escalating attacks against aid workers in Cameroon's English-speaking regions.

The unrest has killed more than 3,000 people and displaced over 500,000 according to the United Nations. Fifty thousand others are seeking asylum in neighboring Nigeria.

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The U.S. Marine Corps has issued details on its ban of public depictions of the Confederate battle flag on Marine installations.

The depictions that are banned include clothing, a flag, poster, bumper stickers and mugs.

"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," a statement from the Marine Corps on Friday read. "Our history as a nation, and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017, highlight the divisiveness the use of the Confederate battle flag has had on our society."

PHOTO: American and Confederate flags fly at a residence, May 7, 2020, in Brunswick, Georgia. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

The ban was first announced in February 2020 after Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger ordered all Confederate-related paraphernalia to be removed from Marine Corps installations, according to Task & Purpose. However, it was not clear exactly what the paraphernalia was and the statement issued Friday is the first detailing of that.

MORE: Virginia and Indiana joining others in taking down Confederate monuments

Marine Corps commanders will identify and remove the display of the flag or its depictions within work spaces, common-access areas and public areas on Marine installations, according to a Marine administrative message. Work spaces and common-access areas include office buildings, facilities, naval vessels, aircraft, government vehicles, cubicles, break rooms and more.

The ban does not apply to works of art, education materials or historical displays of the Civil War where the flag is present, but not the main focus of the work. State flags that include the Confederate battle flag, like Mississippi, are also not included in the ban.

Commanders are authorized to conduct inspections of installations to see if there is any depiction of the flag, according to a Marine administrative message.

MORE: Air Force leader's impassioned tweets spark candid conversation about racism in America: "I am George Floyd"

Story continues

The ban was enacted "to support our core values, ensure unit cohesion and security, and preserve good order and discipline."

The details on the ban come amidst nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the United States. Protesters have at times damaged numerous symbols of the Confederacy, which are seen by many as a symbol of racism and oppression. Some states, such as Virginia and Indiana, have taken steps to remove those symbols.

US Marine Corps issues details on ban of Confederate battle flags originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Four people are fighting for life and two others are stable after a car crash south of Brisbane.

Emergency services were called about 3.30pm on Sunday to the multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Fletcher and Logan River roads in the Logan suburb of Bethania.

Police are urging drivers to avoid the area.

Paramedics are still on scene and no one has been taken to hospital yet.

More to come.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High around 25F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 13F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Thousands of people gathered in Mississauga to march against racism and police brutality in a peaceful protest on Sunday.

The demonstration started at Celebration Square as protestors marched while holding signs that read "black lives matter" and chanting "justice now."

"It's amazing. It's beautiful to see," said Dwayne Stephens, a protestor who helped organize the march.

"To see everyone unite together as one to fight injustice, we need more of that."

Talia Ricci/CBC

The crowd started at noon and marched toward the Marilyn Monroe Towers, in the city's downtown core, where they took a knee and paused for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time a police officer kneeled on the neck of 46-year-old George Floyd before his death.

Floyd's death has prompted countless protests in the United States, Canada, and several cities around the world.

Racism in Canada

Stephens says he is happy the GTA is coming together in protests condemning injustice because he says problems with racism don't just exist south of the border.

"I think society as a whole has this illusion that racism only happens in the U.S." he said. "But it happens everywhere, really and truly, even in Canada."

Talia Ricci/CBC

It's a sentiment shared by MPP for Brampton North Kevin Yarde, who also attended the rally.

Yarde, a member of the first Black Caucus in Ontario, said "systemic racism is not just an American thing, it happens here in Canada as well."

"The black community and the police community have to come together," he said. "If we don't come together then we're not going to end racism."

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie also stood in solidarity at the protest saying in a tweet, "I am an ally. I am listening."

Demonstrators calling for body cameras

The demonstrators marching in today's rally in Mississauga are also calling on Peel Regional Police to move forward with body cameras for their officers.

Story continues

"It can't be their word against the word of a dead man," Stephens said to CBC Toronto.

"There are a lot of cases where minorities are being killed by police but it's only the police and the victims. We need another witness there to at least validate what happened on the scene."

Talia Ricci/CBC

On Friday, Peel Regional Police announced that they will be begin the process of implementing body cameras.

Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah has been asked to bring forward a report with options for the use of body worn cameras for Peel police officers.

The Peel Police Service Board says that the matter will be discussed and decided on at their next board meeting on June 26.

This comes as a response to community reaction and incidents of police brutality in the United States and Canada and the police service says it is taking action to "preserve the public trust, while at the same time allowing police to do their jobs effectively."

Mayor Crombie, along with Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown have thrown their support behind the plan, with Crombie tweeting "we recognize this won't fix everything."

"Mayor [Patrick Brown] and I will be consulting with the Black African & Caribbean communities starting next week."
As protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd continue to draw thousands of Portlanders to the streets to call for police reforms and racial justice, the uprising has spotlighted divisions within the community.

In the latest example, Laura Jensen, an employee of the Portland Police Bureau records division, sent an email to colleagues announcing, Ill be out sick for the foreseeable future and self-isolating. I wanted to make sure you knew in case you were infected as well and need to be tested. You see, Im pretty sure Im sick with that antifa that President Trump is always warning us about and also that anti-racism that people are protesting about.

The email, which was also shared with members of the media, including The Oregonian/OregonLive, goes on to compare having antifa sympathies with her grandfather fighting Nazis in World War II.

But like so many other things, back then they had another name for it. I think they called it 'patriotism back then, but Im not sure. Ill have to look into it," Jensen wrote. "But again, if Ive infected you Im sorry. Please consider getting yourself tested. Its a pretty easy test. Ask yourself: Do I support fascism and authoritarianism? Yes / No. Thats it. Done.

In the email, the records specialist criticizes tactics employed by the Portland Police Bureau during protests, including the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and Long Range Acoustic Devices.

With these sorts of pre-existing, chronic conditions, there are a lot of things that can trigger the symptoms to re-erupt and then the stress can wreak havoc with your health and well-being, Jensen wrote. Unfortunately an awful lot of them have been in Portland lately. Tear gas, which is banned in warfare but not for use on your own citizens, is one. ... Misuse of rubber bullets is another.

While the majority of protests events in downtown Portland have been peaceful, there has been a pattern of clashes breaking out late at night between some demonstrators and Portland police. After pushback against police tactics, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler told police not to use the sonic warning tones, sometimes referred to as Long Range Acoustic Devices.

Wheeler also said in a news conference Friday that hed support banning the use of tear gas, but only if the Police Bureau had an effective crowd-dispersal alternative.

The group Dont Shoot Portland has filed a lawsuit against the city in federal court, seeking a temporary restraining order that would ban Portland police from using tear gas and smoke as crowd control methods during protests.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported, on Friday, the mayor of Seattle 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.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Express News Service

KOLAR: A team of ten police officers has been formed under the direct supervision of Kolar and KGF Superintendents Karthick Reddy and Sujeetha Salman to nab a coronavirus positive patient who went missing. The senior police officers also informed neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu police to trace the positive patient and avoid spread of the virus. It is suspected that the forty-year-old patient would have travelled to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh or to Tamil Nadu.

He is a resident of Mandya and came to Kolar district to work in a hotel where he was asked to go for COVID test by the hotel staff. He gave his swab for testing in District SNR Hospital on June 3 and his mobile phone and address of the hotel in Bangarpet was collected.

On Saturday, Kolar District health officials received information that the person was infected by coronavirus. It is said that the officials contacted the patient over the phone and reportedly informed that his report was positive and asked him to rush to the hospital for treatment. He assured them of returning to the district hospital.

However, he did go to the hospital and health officials who attempted to contact him were shocked as his mobile was switched off. Repeated calls didn't get any response and the health surveillance officer lodged a complaint with the police, who swung into action to trace the positive patient.

Sources told the paper that after the patient went missing, Kolar Deputy Commissioner Sathyabhama, Karthick Reddy and Sujeetha Salman held a meeting. They later collected the photo of the person from his sister and commenced the process to track him.

Central Range Inspector General of Police, K.V.Sharath Chandra said since Kolar is a border district, information has been passed onto Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu police to identify him if he was found in their jurisdiction. The cops are making all efforts to trace him to prevent the COVID-19 spread.

Once he is traced, it will be a mammoth task to follow the places where he travelled and the procedures of quarantining primary and secondary contacts will have to be done, Sharath Chandra said.

The missing positive patient brought chaos among the people of Bangarpet, Kolar as he was reportedly present in Bangarpet for an hour on June 2 and present in Kolar on June 3 and now his whereabouts are unknown.
Speculations are rife that Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi is getting ready to launch its new smartphone Redmi 9 on June 25 but price, color and other details of of the upcoming device have been leaked online.

The new device is expected to come with a quad rear camera setup and waterdrop-style notched display design. It is also expected that Xiaomi would launch Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C alongside the standard version.

Price, colors of Xiaomi Redmi 9 (expected)

The price of Xiaomi Redmi 9 is expected to start from $139, which is around Rs 10,500 in India. This will be the price for the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model. The 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant is expected to cost $149 (approximately Rs 11,200). As per reports, Redmi 9, whioch is a successor to the Redmi 8, would come in three colors, including Grey, Sunset Purple, and Green.

Specifications of Redmi 9 (leaked)

The image shared by tipster Sudhanshu revealed that Redmi 9 could launch in India with a 6.53-inch full-HD+ IPS display. It is said to come equipped with a MediaTek Helio G70 SoC, similar to the Realme C3, and the recently launched Realme Narzo 10A. It will reportedly be accompanied by 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model.

The Redmi 9 could soport a quad rear camera setup. This setup is said to include a 13-megapixel sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor, a 5-megapixel sensor, and a 2-megapixel sensor. On the front could be a 5-megapixel shooter. It is also expected to have a 5,000mAh battery, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an IR blaster.
There are a lot of factors weighing on people, said Reed V. Tuckson, chairman of the Black Coalition Against Covid-19 and a former D.C. health commissioner. It would be the height of hypocrisy for people protesting on behalf of those who cannot breathe to then bring home a virus that will prevent the people you live with from breathing. At the same time, a major appeal of protests like these is that they are exciting, engaging and morally compelling, and even more appealing when people have been quarantined for so long.
Iran is ready for further prisoner exchanges with the United States, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Sunday, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Michael White, a U.S. Navy veteran detained in Iran since 2018, was freed last Thursday as part of a deal in which the United States allowed Iranian-American physician Majid Taheri to visit Iran - a rare instance of U.S.-Iranian cooperation.

Whites release came two days after the United States deported Sirous Asgari, an Iranian professor imprisoned in the United States despite having being acquitted of stealing trade secrets.

"If the possibility of exchanging prisoners exists, we have the readiness to free the rest of the individuals who are imprisoned in America and return them to the country," Mousavi said.

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German security agencies were informed about the training of young right-wing extremists in Russia but were allegedly unable to ban entry into St. Petersburg for legal reasons. The German authorities suggest that the Russian president is aware of such camps and, at least, reconciles with their existence.As for the Partizan camp itself, it is controlled by the right-wing extremist "Russian Reich movement," which claims to be fighting for "white supremacy."Deutsche Welle, citing Russian media, writes that Partizan was founded in 2012 and is part of the DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy of Russia) system. It also confirms the information that those who took Partizan courses participated in military conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine.
There are challenges in this world that are man-made, self-inflicted and predictable. There are others that are delivered by mother nature and just plain bad luck. Right now, these challenges appear to be colliding across the world with the Black Lives Matter protests and the coronavirus.

The business community  and specifically small and medium businesses  has been on the front line of the pandemic.

An estimated 20,000 people turned out to protest against black deaths in custody in Sydney on Saturday. Credit:Cole Bennetts

Right now, these businesses are enduring hardship as never before in our living memory. They were forced to shut down. Owners lost almost all their income and therefore the ability to feed their families. They still had and have legal financial responsibilities like rent, mortgage, loans, insurance, and electricity to sort out. Nobody saved for this rainy day. Nevertheless, for the most part they did as they were told and continue to do.

Not so those members of the community who decided to participate in Saturday's protests in Sydney while disregarding the government health advice, the legal social distancing rules and the inevitable concern of a second wave. Was this irresponsible? Yes.
Racism is endemic in American society, and history shows how frequently it erupts into civil violence. Cities burn. People die. The brutal killing of George Floyd was what lit the spark this time, and Donald Trump has handled the crisis appallingly.

He's failed as president in his most basic duty, which is say what must be said to heal wounds and bring the country together.

Trump doesn't actually run police departments, though. In general, Democrats in failed, worn down cities with out-of-control crime do that, and have done for decades. The tensions which erupt periodically into blood-curdling violence happen on their watch, under both Republican and Democrat occupants of the White House.

Democrats hold all but seven of progressive California's 53 congressional districts, and every single statewide elected official is a Democrat. In fact, no Republican has been elected statewide to any office since 2006, but California continues to have one of the worst records for police violence, as well as one of the largest disparities in minority representation among law enforcement officers. He may be an awful human being, but how is that Trump's fault?

Of the 50 biggest cities in the United States, 35 are similarly run by Democrats, and just 13 by Republicans.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues to carry out mass executions, arrest women's rights campaigners without charge or trial, and torture Ethiopian migrant workers, whilst China is guilty of the mass internment of Muslims and violent clampdowns on pro- democracy marchers. Despite all that, there is tumbleweed blowing down the street outside these countries' embassies in Dublin, whilst ministers express only the mildest regret.

The refusal to hold Chinese and Arab governments to the same standards as America can't even be blamed on the racism of low expectations, because the French interior ministry has launched 200 separate investigations into alleged police brutality against Gilets Jaunes protesters, and the usual suspects in Ireland haven't painted a single placard in defence of the victims in Paris either.

When it comes to violence perpetrated by police officers who just so happen to speak the same language that we do, suddenly thousands take to the streets.

The culture war which has manifested itself in the UK over Brexit, and in the US over the election of president Trump, is growing increasingly bitter, and it's hard to see any immediate way in which the snarling divisions which have opened up in those benighted countries can be healed. Rather than seeing what's happened elsewhere as a cautionary tale, many people in Ireland seem eager to inject the worst excesses of that vicious discourse of tribal division directly into the Irish political bloodstream.

It used to be said that facts don't care about feelings. Now it's the other way round. Feelings don't care about facts. All that matters is showing that you "care".

After protests in Dublin last week, Lucky Khambule, of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, even rejected the argument the protesters should have waited until it was safe to abandon social distancing by saying: "We can't just pause our emotions."

"Can't" suggests that we're dealing with something that not only has a greater claim to attention than cold facts, but is outside of rational control. Basing arguments on "emotions" is not progress.

Ash Sarkar, the British political commentator who describes herself as a "luxury communist", also reported last week that "every single one" of the protesters she spoke to in London thought they were justified in breaking social-distancing rules because "the daily reality of anti-black discrimination felt more important in their own lives than coronavirus".

There's that word again - "felt". They "felt" that racism was more important, even though people of colour are known to be more at risk from Covid-19, and thousands of them have already lost their lives in the pandemic. This is what happens when feelings take precedence over facts.

Many of the young Irish people taking part in these protests are educated to a high level, at least in the sense of having academic qualifications, even if the task of critical thinking remains beyond them; but they also have limited economic prospects. In a way, why blame them for appropriating the justifiable grievances of black people in America as if they were their own, even as they enjoy the privilege of living in a country with an unarmed police force which overwhelmingly enforces the law without using excessive force? They're angry at the world in general. Black Lives Matter is just the latest channel through which to vent their frustration.

As we head into the jaws of a recession which will push millions further into financial precariousness, and concentrate wealth in the hands of even fewer people than before, this resentment will inevitably lead to greater polarisation and extremism, both on the left and right. And, as the "left behinds" protest about outrages thousands of miles away over which they have no control, their sense of powerlessness can only grow, and they'll become more angry. So far the protests have been peaceful, but it takes only one tragic incident to change the mood. Why take that unnecessary risk when it's not even clear that the protesters themselves know what they want?

That's what makes pandering to them so dangerous. Leo Varadkar may have thought he could gain some brownie points with the protesters last week by attacking the "lack of moral leadership" in the USA, but his words only threw a spotlight back on the treatment of migrants in Irish direct provision centres.

He accepted that it was "substandard", but insisted it was "not the same thing" as a man being killed in cold blood by the police.

That entirely misses the point of the protests, which is to draw connections between unrelated things so that everyone is made to share the guilt, whether in Minneapolis or Milltown, California or Clifden, New York or New Ross. Throwing a few scraps to the tigers, in the hope that you don't get eaten next rarely works. It's not our fault that America is broken. Our only responsibility is to ensure that we don't go the same terrifying way.
Mahesh M Goudar By

Express News Service

VIJAYAPURA: Drama ensued in the designated COVID hospital in Vijayapura after a man, who tested positive for coronavirus, accused his wife, who also tested positive, of infidelity.

The husband suspected that the woman in her thirties, had cheated on him, as he was not in touch with her for at least two weeks before testing positive.

Sources said, When the woman was shifted to the same isolation ward where her husband was being treated in designated hospital, he broke into tears and started shouting at her. Even when top officials of the district tried to convince him, he didnt change his stance.

The man claimed, Before I got infected, I was not in contact with my wife for over two weeks. She got infected with virus because of an illicit relationship.

After doctors explained to him the nature of the virus, he accepted his mistake and apologised to his wife, which resulted in a happy ending.

Meanwhile, in another incident, after a woman was moved to institutional quarantine, her daughter, who was living couple of blocks away was harassed by neighbours.

The neighbours frequently visited and ordered her not to contact her mother over the phone believing that there are chances of getting infected through a telephonic conversation.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Shivanand B Hiremath, psychiatrist, pointed that, These incidents happen when people lack knowledge. Educating people about COVID-19 is the need of the hour. Since the outbreak, anxiety, depression, uncertainty about the future has increased. The only solution is creating more awareness.
Three people have been found dead inside a submerged car in a pond at a remote farm property.

The three bodies were pulled from the pond at a farm near the small township of Raetihi in the centre of New Zealand's north island about 11am on Sunday morning.

It is believed two of the dead were children who had been staying on their grandparents' farm, while the third body was that of their grandmother.

A fourth person, a 69-year-old man believed to be their grandfather, was airlifted to hospital in a stable condition about 2.40pm.

Three people have been found dead inside a submerged car in a pond in Raetihi - a remote township (pictured) in New Zealand's north island

It is unclear whether he was in the car when it became submerged or had tried in vain to save those trapped inside.

He was taken to hospital in a 'moderate condition', a Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter spokesman said.

'Tragically the three people were deceased when recovered from the pond by emergency services,' New Zealand Police said on Sunday.

'Police are working to support the family of those killed. WorkSafe has been notified.'

A police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the victim identification process was still ongoing.

A fourth person, a 69-year-old man, was airlifted to hospital in a stable condition after police were called to the regional property about 11am

The property operates as a farm improvement business and sells diggers, trucks and fencing materials, the NZ Herald reported.

It is understood the property is less than a kilometre from the centre of Raetihi.

The township of about 1,000 people is about 90km north of Whanganui on the north island's west coast.
(CNN) Thousands of peaceful protesters have gathered in London and across Europe for the second consecutive weekend, protesting the death of George Floyd and systemic racism in the United States and around the world.

Activists filled Parliament Square in the British capital on Saturday, defying calls from the government and police that people should stay home to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Crowds joined together to chant Floyd's name and "Black Lives Matter," at one point all taking a knee in unison.

"I feel that what happened in the US was just a spark, that sparked everywhere ... I do think George Floyd's death sparked it across the world and I think it's amazing," one protester told CNN. "It's a worldwide issue, no matter where you are. It's an issue everywhere, we all need to rise up," another added.

The rally follows similar demonstrations in the city in recent days. Last weekend protesters flocked to Trafalgar Square, and on Wednesday actor John Boyega gave an impassioned speech at an event in Hyde Park.

And it comes despite warnings from politicians that mass gatherings should not take place while the country is in lockdown. "I completely understand people's 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," UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said Saturday during an interview with Sky News.

"I would say to those that want to protest, please don't," she added.

While little social distancing has been observed at the demonstration, people were seen handing out free masks and gloves to protect protesters from spreading the virus.

According to the Metropolitan Police, roads into Parliament Square were closed "to protect both protesters and vehicles" entering the area; while there is a substantial police presence, officers were not wearing protective riot equipment.

In France, similar protests took place on Saturday.

Protesters in Paris carried signs reading "Justice for George Floyd" and "Racism is also a pandemic," and chanted "being born black is not a crime" as they formed crowds outside the US Embassy.

Several thousand demonstrators gathered on the Champs de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower.

French authorities had banned such rallies, citing health measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The US Embassy was barricaded Saturday morning to prevent public access.

But demonstrators still gathered Saturday in Paris and in other cities, including Lille, Marseille, and Nice. French TV stations showed police firing tear gas and clashing with protesters in Lille.

On Tuesday, a demonstration banned by the police prefect brought together at least 20,000 people in Paris in support of the family of Adama Traore, black man who died in 2016 under Paris police custody.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Thousands join Black Lives Matter protest in London."
By Josh Gottheimer

Ill never forget the first phone call we received about the state-run veterans home in Paramus. It was from a panicked loved-one of a facility resident  his brother-in-law, a Korean War veteran. He had just learned, second-hand, that there was a massive outbreak of COVID-19 in the facility. His family hadnt heard a peep from the facilitys administrators. Unfortunately, he wasnt alone.

Within hours, we started to learn the truth: 37 veterans had died, and scores of caregivers were infected or exposed, causing massive staff shortages. Like elsewhere, they didnt have enough masks, gowns, and other protective gear.

When news first broke of the outbreak, the facility had 285 residents. Fast forward two and a half months: 195 confirmed COVID-19 cases since they began testing residents, and at least 80 veterans and residents  our nations heroes  have died, as well as one caregiver. These were our mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. I worked with Gov. Phil Murphy and Congressman Bill Pascrell, and we helped get the National Guard and VA to send medics and other strike teams to the veterans home and other facilities, but the virus had already spread like wildfire.

Its absolutely heartbreaking.

While Paramus is one of the worst stories, there are unfortunately far too many long-term care facilities in our state with similar issues, including in Andover, where they found 17 bodies at one time: high infection rates and loss of life, an insufficient supply of masks and other PPE early on, staff shortages, poor communication with residents loved ones, and a lack of planning or failure to act quickly. Half of the states 12,000 deaths have been in long-term care facilities.

With a widespread, ongoing crisis, its hard to know who is responsible just yet. We will need time to properly investigate, but, ultimately, the public and the families should know. Ill tell you this: its not the caregivers. Theyre overwhelmingly wonderful, compassionate people who work around-the-clock, often making less than their hard work deserves.

Some measures have been put in place, like increased communication with residents families and additional state and federal personnel and PPE. New Jersey has also released a report detailing how COVID-19 exacerbated the longstanding, underlying systemic issues affecting nursing home care in New Jersey, making the clear case that more needs to be done. There are steps we need to take right now, as well as strategies to prepare for future waves of infections:

1. We must ensure our facilities have the proper staffing levels, which is why Ive been pushing for VA, National Guard, and U.S. Public Health Service strike teams to assist. In many facilities, a third to more than half of their caregivers are out because they have the virus or have been exposed.

2. Facilities need to continuously maintain a proper stockpile of PPE, so both residents and staff can be adequately protected.

3. CDC protocols must be followed, to properly cohort infected residents to stop the spread, and to prepare for when they return from hospitals.

4. We need stronger oversight and transparency from the state and those with jurisdiction, including at the federal level. For instance, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service came in to inspect the Andover Subacute facility, a multitude of issues and failures finally came to light, including finding that staff didnt have proper protective gear and sick residents never got to see a doctor before they died.

To protect these facilities residents and staff, Ive introduced a bipartisan bill  the Nursing Home Pandemic Protection Act of 2020  to require facilities report infectious diseases and potential outbreaks to the CDC, that residents and their families are kept informed of infections inside the facilities, that nursing homes have a crisis plan to manage an outbreak, and that a stockpile of PPE is maintained on-site.

Ive also helped introduce a new bill  the SOS Act  to create rapid response teams of clinical and non-clinical staff to head into our long-term care facilities to provide immediate support.

We need these measures in place.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has already launched an investigation into how several of New Jerseys nursing homes have handled the coronavirus outbreak, and the state has required testing in all of our long-term care facilities. We also need to take a closer look to uncover systemic issues in all our long-term care facilities, like what Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has done in recent years, to ensure they are consistently providing proper care for their residents  whether theres a pandemic or not.

We will only stop the COVID bleeding this summer  and properly prepare for a potential wave of cases this fall  if we take action right now. We owe it to our seniors and their families. Anything else is unacceptable.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer represents New Jerseys 5th Congressional District, which includes parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties. Hes also co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

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Alan Michnoff, center, protests police brutality and the death of George Floyd in front of the North Hollywood police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Throughout his life, Alan Michnoffs engagement with racial justice issues had been next to none. Although the 30-year-old North Hollywood resident had always been aware of police brutality against black people, he had not actively spoken up.

Last weekend, as the George Floyd protests swelled nationwide, something changed. Michnoff came across a passionate Instagram post by a friend. I am emotionally and physically exhausted yet I continue this fight, she wrote, demanding that others not be complacent in the face of racism.

That just struck a chord with me, Michnoff said. A lot of people have been saying that. Just hearing it over and over again, and it being perhaps the right time, it finally hit for me.

He donated to local bail bond funds and signed petitions demanding charges against the officers involved in Floyds death and that of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician who was shot by Louisville, Ky., police in her apartment. On social media, Michnoff found link after link to resources for people seeking to support the movement.

I felt I had no choice but to participate in something so important, he said on Thursday at a protest in front of the North Hollywood police station. He carried a cardboard sign that read Silence is violence.

The protests in the wake of the killing of Floyd  a 46-year-old black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck while he was begging for air  have mobilized people from all races and walks of life who have not been previously been actively involved in racial justice issues. Many have been educating themselves online, signing petitions and attending protests where they often listen to speakers talk about the racism they face on a daily basis.

In this way, Floyd's killing has created a wide, multicultural activist movement unprecedented in scope when compared with other notorious cases of police abuse. The 1991 videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King by Los Angeles Police Department officers provoked an international outcry, but it did not spark anything close to this movement.

Story continues

Instead of spurring city leaders to action after years of police abuse, the King case exposed political gridlock and ineffectiveness at City Hall that culminated with the 1992 riots.

The political and social ramifications of the Floyd protests are already becoming clear. Many cities are considering restrictions on the use of police force, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed cuts to the LAPD. It's far from the sweeping defunding of the LAPD demanded by Black Lives Matter but still represents a political sea change.

Activists have also taken the protests into affluent, suburban neighborhoods across the city and found residents joining the marches and expressing their outrage.

So many white and non-black folks are staying on message  that if we can lift black lives from the margins of society, we can lift all lives, said Jody David Armour, a USC law professor.

The broad reach of the protests has marked a significant shift in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement, which began as a response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in the 2012 killing in Florida of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager. The campaign grew from a hashtag into a powerful social organizing tool that sought to amplify acts of racism against blacks nationwide.

Its members have been a presence for years at the Los Angeles Police Commission, forcefully decrying shootings and at times disrupting meetings that have ended with the arrest of LAPD critics. But its agenda of reforms saw only limited interest at City Hall  until this last week.

It's unclear how deep those reforms will reach and how long the current movement will sustain itself.

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said that although the movement in the past had had the support of non-black coalitions, the current protests have brought in new allies.

Thats encouraging that people want to stand up despite, maybe, their own privilege," said Abdullah, a professor at Cal State L.A. We also want to make sure that this is not a moment of them getting in but that they are ongoing partners in this work.

Melina Abudullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, says the George Floyd protests have brought in broader support from non-black coalitions. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Brenda Stevenson, a professor of history and African American studies at UCLA, said that activists recognized that the support of diverse coalitions was critical to success, pointing to the civil rights movement as an example.

People have been welcoming of all kinds of people, regardless of race, regardless of age, she said. They have welcomed the military who are taking a knee. They have welcomed police in uniform who are taking a knee. People really want this to work, and they know this will work if there is a broad coalition of people with the same basic goals.

She said the protests had attracted so many allies  including first-time activists  in part because of the coordination among coalition groups and the fact that statements released by workplaces affirming the movement had made people feel more comfortable about getting involved. The high-profile deaths of several black people at the hands of police in a matter of weeks has convinced many of a systemic problem, Stevenson said, adding that the shared vulnerability to the coronavirus may have also worn down barriers between people.

Many new to protesting have reached out to black community leaders. The Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, pastor at Word of Encouragement Community Church in Central L.A., has received text messages and emails from acquaintances she does not speak to often who have asked how they can express solidarity.

Im encouraged by it, she said. In this country, we need allyship. This is an all-hands-on-deck season. Im encouraged because its a sign people are awakening.

Stevie Nelson, left, of Los Feliz joins a protest over police brutality outside the North Hollywood police station. "Sitting at home doesn't feel like enough," she says. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Members of Showing Up for Racial Injustice, a national network focused on organizing white people to fight racism, helped sponsor the protest attended by Michnoff and several dozen other mostly white protesters in North Hollywood on Thursday. Stevie Nelson, a 34-year-old white artist from Los Feliz, came out because sitting at home doesnt feel like enough.

Nelson had spent the week searching for ways to support the black community. She donated to social justice organizations and emailed a city councilman about an alternative spending plan for City Hall dubbed "the Peoples Budget." She's come across posts on social media about black-owned coffee shops to support and recommendations for books and podcasts, finding Instagram to be a helpful tool in how to be of service without it being your black friends responsibility.

Before the protests, her involvement with racial justice causes had been limited to donations.

I paid attention, but it didnt necessarily lead to me acting, said Nelson, who held a "Black Lives Matter" sign. Im ashamed of it, but Im grateful to show up even though Im late.

Standing nearby, Leah Pablo, a 30-year-old Asian American North Hollywood resident, said previously she had mostly engaged with issues of race by sharing information on social media. She decided to attend the protest despite concerns about the pandemic after spending most of Tuesday listening to the Los Angeles Police Commissions weekly meeting. During the public comment session, speakers condemned the use of projectiles and tear gas against protesters.

I heard over and over how the city hadnt done enough to protect people, she said.

People take a knee during a George Floyd protest in front of Los Angeles City Hall. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Local religious groups have also been spurred into action. The Rev. Zach Hoover, executive director of L.A. Voice, a multifaith organization, has received countless questions from clergy about how to become involved. Rabbis text him daily about where they should show up.

About 1,200 people attended a protest in Pasadena last weekend sponsored by churches within L.A. Voices network and other congregations. Hoover said there had been both an internal recognition of the importance of the moment and also people challenging each other in loving ways to step forward.

Nobody was like, we have to go have a conversation with our board, he said. It was like, Sign us on, sign us on.

Spiritual leaders have also sought to bridge gaps on a more intimate level. Rabbi Elazar Muskin of Young Israel of Century City, an Orthodox synagogue, and Bishop Kenneth Ulmer of Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood livestreamed a video chat Wednesday that was attended by more than 150 people. The two recognized during the meeting that both the Jewish and black communities had a history of being persecuted.

Ulmer explained to Muskin that his community feared that the protests might be a repetition of the pattern of the past with an eventual return to businesses as usual without meaningful change. But he acknowledged that the diversity of the protesters now seemed unprecedented.

We feel now that more people not like us get it, he said. What hurts is that it took this long for people to get it.

Brandon Earl, a 35-year-old resident of downtown L.A., shared that perspective. As a black man, he said he faced racism constantly and that whenever he walked outside, he had to be conscious of how he dressed and spoke in order to have some type of acceptance.

A group of predominantly white neighbors from his apartment building attended a protest last week after he shared a photo of himself standing in front of National Guard trucks holding up a sign that read, Vote or Die.

When I see allies and people who dont look like me still marching and protesting and vocalizing their feelings about what was happening, that makes me feel a lot better as to where we stand right now, Earl said.

First-time protester Eduardo Realegeno, 18, joins a demonstration over police brutality and the death of George Floyd in front of Los Angeles City Hall. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

That message has been conveyed to protesters directly. Addressing several hundred people in front of the downtown L.A. courthouse Thursday, Allen Wesley, a 59-year-old black man, shared how his mother had been beaten by police when he was 11 years old.

I see a lot of Black Lives Matter signs here and not that many blacks, he told the crowd, most of whom were in their 20s and 30s. That gives me hope.  We cant do it by ourselves.

Listening nearby was Nathalie Illescas, an 18-year-old resident of East L.A. who held a sign that carried the words Dont shoot. It was her first protest, and she said she related to the oppression suffered by black people as a member of the Latino community whose family had received racist comments in public because of their skin color.

Although her parents were initially reluctant to let her attend because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she sat her mother down the day before.

This is serious, Illescas told her. Its me speaking out and raising my voice.

Also there for his first protest was Eduardo Realegeno, an 18-year-old Salvadoran American student from South L.A. Although he sees injustices in his own community, Realegeno said he didn't need to find parallels for Floyds death to resonate.

Hes a human being, thats how I relate, he said. Its not about being a minority. Its about standing with everyone here.
Maharashtra government on Saturday said that it will procure the repurposed Ebola drug remdesivir to treat critical Covid-19 patients in the state at a price of Rs 12000 per vial. Since the Indian manufacturers of the drug are yet to have the marketing authorisation for the drug and its innovator Gilead is yet to launch in the market, the state government is open to procuring it from Bangladesh.

Maharashtra has registered more than 80,000 cases of Covid-19 and is the worst affected state in the country. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that the state government ...
Television actor Mohena Kumari Singh has shared an update from the hospital. She was diagnosed with the coronavirus last month.

In a 30-minute video, Mohena talked about her health, how her family is dealing with the diagnosis and how they isolated themselves at the right time to break the chain of virus spread. Mohena said that while she does not feel so physically unwell anymore, the disease can be mentally challenging. This is my 6th day in the hospital at Rishikesh. It doesnt feel bad physically that much, but it affects you mentally more, she said. To know you have virus inside you is not very good feeling. Its a very bad feeling, she added.

Mohena and her father-in-law Satpal Maharaj, who is Uttarakhands tourism minister, contracted the Covid-19 infection. Her husband Suyesh Rawat and mother-in-law had also tested positive.

Mohena said that the family isolated themselves when her mother-in-law tested positive for Covid-19. When the rest of the familys results came back positive, they were all taken to a hospital. My family is fine. We have fought it, we are still fighting it, we are still positive and with your prayers, I think this will turn negative soon, she said.

The actor had earlier told The Times Of India, Seven from our family have been tested positive for Covid-19, but we are doing fine now. Right now we are in the hospital. My brother-in-laws latest report has come negative so hes fine now. There are people too who have been infected but they are from the sanstha. We had very mild symptoms and we thought it must be because of the change in weather.

Also read: Ranbir Kapoor takes a backseat as Riddhima cant stop gushing over Alia Bhatt, her sister Shaheen. See pics

In a note last week, Mohena wrote that she was struggling to sleep. Cant sleep. These initial days have been difficult for all of us at home especially our young one and our elders. But Im praying itll all be over soon. We are fine. We have no right to complain about anything as there are people out there who are suffering way more than us, Mohena wrote.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
It is about despair: despair over money, despair over jobs, despair over squalor. It is about agony that morphs into anger at not being heard, at being used but not respected  being the target of economic opportunity for those who own the corporations that seem to exploit, from the usurious pay-day lender to the large corporations that hide behind technology for comfort, to avoid confrontation, and to present any dispute as an assault on their right to do as they wish. In this vein, it is the phone company that makes it onerous to report a fault on the line, the cable company that overcharges for its services, taking advantage of its natural monopoly status.

It is about the insurance company that sends you a computer-generated letter, assuring that you will not be able to deal with an individual, speak to a human being. (Bank of America will not give out phone numbers for officers.) The wretched must go in person to get near anonymous help.

It is knowing that the rich have numbers to call, specialists to see, detours around difficulties, and the glorious knowledge that they will have the more questionable of their deeds shielded from scrutiny.
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China will strengthen international cooperation in future COVID-19 clinical vaccine trials, building on earlier collaboration in vaccine development, the science and technology minister said on Sunday.

China is expending great efforts in the global scramble to develop a vaccine for the new coronaries epidemic that began in its central city of Wuhan, with Chinese researchers conducting five separate clinical trials on humans, or half of all such trials globally, according to the data compiled by the World Health Organization.

President Xi Jinping vowed last month at the World Heath Assembly, the WHO's governing body, that vaccines China's develops will become a "global public good" once they are ready for use, and it will be China's contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

Developing "a vaccine is still the fundamental strategy in our effort to overcome the new coronavirus," Science and Technology Minister Wang Zhigang told a news conference in Beijing.

But vaccine development is very difficult and takes time, he said, when asked how China would initially prioritise shots by country when a vaccine is found.

"The rigour of vaccine development has been compared by some scientists to a dance involving precise steps and rehearsals," Wang said.

In a white paper unveiled by the State Council Information Office at the news conference, the government urges global cooperation, saying the international community should resist finger-pointing and politicising the virus. It did not name any country.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has accused China of cover-ups and lack of transparency regarding the pandemic. Beijing has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying it has been keeping the world informed from the start.

The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention briefed his U.S. counterpart by phone on the then-unknown virus as early as Jan. 4, according to the white paper.

In the white paper, the Chinese government said the medical cost of all the coronavirus patients in China totalled 1.35 billion yuan ($191 million) as of the end of May.

President Xi last month pledged $2 billion in financial support over the next two years to help deal with COVID-19, especially to help developing countries.

Also Read: Unlock 1.0: Delhi to open borders from tomorrow, says Arvind Kejriwal

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: China's exports shrink 3.3% in May; import plunges to 16.7%
UNICEF condemns in 'strongest possible terms' killing of children in DR Congo

6 June 2020 - UNICEF denounced on Saturday, an attack that killed 16 people, including five girls under age 15, in north eastern 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 3 June in Moussa, a village in the Djugu area, north of the Ituri Province 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 neighbouring villages.

Ituri in crosshairs

Since the beginning of the year, ongoing violence in the Ituri Province has taken the lives of over 300 people.

And 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 has received some 100 allegations of serious child rights violations, such as rape, killing and maiming, in addition to attacks on schools and health centres 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", upheld the UNICEF Representative.

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Vietnams air carriers expect their business opportunities to be gradually better again as of the beginning of this years third quarter.

Luckier than air carriers because they dont have to incur huge losses, enterprises doing business in aviation infrastructure still saw their sales and profit plummeting in the first quarter year-on-year - PHOTO: ANH QUAN

However, such a recovery is seen in comparison with the bottom in the first and second quarters, when Covid-19 was at its peak. A comeback to the level of sales and profit prior to the pandemic would take a much longer time.

The catastrophic coronavirus outbreak has sent almost all economic sectors into a tailspin with some in the eye of the storm being the hardest hit. One of these sectors is the civil aviation industry.

In the first quarter, international arrivals in Vietnam reached only 2.99 million, a fall of 15%, of which visitors from China, South Korea and Japan fell by 32%, 26% and 14%, respectively. These all are Vietnams important tourism markets due first to cultural compatibility and geographical proximity among the countries. The three markets alone account for more than a half of all international arrivals in Vietnam.

The above statistics have also faithfully mirrored business operations of Vietnams aviation enterprises. In concrete terms, the consolidated turnover of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (HVN) was estimated at VND19.21 trillion in the first quarter, VND6.71 trillion lower than the same period last year. Notably, Vietnam Airlines suffered a loss of VND2.6 trillion in Q1 compared with a net profit of nearly VND1.98 trillion in the first quarter of last year. The temporary halt of flights caused sales of this air carrier to plummet by minus 26.3% when fixed costs, such as aircraft buying and leasing cost and maintenance fees, remained high. Although fuel cost fell dramatically, it failed to offset the diving sales and operating costs.

Vietjet Air (VCJ), another big name in Vietnams aviation industry, also registered a loss of VND989 billion in Q1, marking its first quarter in the red in its business history after being listed. According to Vietjet, it managed to launch a total of 29,401 flights to carry almost 4.5 million passengers. However, this figure still posts a plunge of 22% year-on-year.

To cope with difficulties posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietjet said it had revised the schedule for receiving new aircraft in the first quarter, which would spare the airline from sales, transferable profit, ownership and leasing in this regard. Moreover, Vietjet was successful in negotiating with partners for extending its due payments from three to 12 months, This may help the airline save more financial resources for focusing on measures to cope with the pandemic and get ready when the market recovers.

Luckier than air carriers because they dont have to incur huge losses, enterprises doing business in aviation infrastructure still saw their sales and profit plummeting in the first quarter year-on-year. The Airport Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) said its total sales in Q1 was about VND4.06 trillion, a fall of VND832 billion from the same period last year; and its pre-tax profit was at VND1.86 trillion, VND586 billion lower than the year-earlier period. ACV projects its total sales this year at VND11.33 trillion, a plunge of VND10.23 trillion; and its profit at VND1.48 trillion, VND9.34 trillion lower than previously planned in the years target.

Old normalcy

Despite the sharp declines across the board in the first quarter, sales and profit of aviation enterprises are projected to plunge deeper when business reports for Q2 come out. In April, almost all domestic and international flights were grounded due to social distancing measures in Vietnam.

The recovery began in late April when the measures were lifted to a certain extent. However, passengers prudence has limited their trips by air. Furthermore, as Vietnam has yet to open its sky to international flights, airlines sales will depend entirely on domestic routes.

To boost passengers demand, Vietnam Airlines has launched five flight routes on which cheap air fares are offered, starting from VND99,000/flight effective from May 13 to June 30. The routes include HCMC-Tuy Hoa, Haiphong-Nha Trang, Vinh-Dalat, Vinh-Buon Ma Thuot and Thanh Hoa-Buon Ma Thuot. Vietnam Airlines has cut its ticket price since 2019 to compete better with rivals, such as the newcomer Bamboo Airways. This tendency will be retained throughout this year so as to stimulate the demand for domestic flights following the pandemic.

When it comes to its fleet profile, Vietnam Airlines last year added 21 new aircraft, including 16 narrow-body A321 Neo jetliners and five wide-body A350-900 and A787-10 jetliners. All the 21 aircraft in the form of dry-leasing increased the national flag carriers leasing cost by VND1.7 trillion, or about VND7 billion per aircraft per month. Given the low demand for air traveling this year due to Covid-19, Vietnam Airlines may need only five additional aircraft this year, raising the size of its fleet to 108 aircraft.

The larger size of their aircraft fleet versus lower sales will inevitably pile more pressure on the profit margin of airlines across the board. However, the following compromise should be taken into account: fuel cost will be more economical because new jetliners are more fuel-efficient and the price of jet fuel in the international marketplace is still considerably cheaper.

In a bid to weather the hard times, airlines are aggressively cutting operating costs, such as payroll reduction (unpaid leave of absence from work, rotation leave, salary cuts, etc.)

In addition, aviation enterprises have implemented in one way or another more action plans to cope with Covid-19. For instance, Vietjet has expanded its services of cargo transport and launched new services and products. This airline has also given ground services for itself at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi so that it can be more active in operations, increase additional income at this airport and improve its service quality.

Finally, the support offered by the Government in terms of taxes, fees and financial aid is expected to partly relieve the burden on aviation corporations in Vietnam. SGT

Linh Trang

More leg room needed for Vietnamese aviation Despite potent financial support from the government, Vietnamese aviation giants are pinned to the ground by the global lockdown, signalling continuous hard rocks in the months to come.
NEW YORK, June 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (ServiceMaster or the Company) (NYSE: SERV). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether ServiceMaster and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On October 22, 2019, ServiceMaster announced disappointing preliminary financial results for the third quarter of 2019, having missed both revenue and earnings estimates. ServiceMaster also gave downward adjusted EBITDA guidance of $415 to $425 million, down from $435 to $445 million. The Companys press release attributed the disappointing results partly to termite damage claims arising primarily from Formosan termite activity, primarily in Mobile, Alabama. ServiceMaster further stated that this had been a known issue, the Company has taken mitigating measures starting in 2018. Finally, ServiceMaster announced the sudden departure of Matthew J. Stevenson from his role as President of Terminix Residential.

On these announcements, ServiceMasters stock price fell $11.44 per share, or 20.38%, to close at $44.70 per share on October 22, 2019.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.
Last week a crowd estimated at more than 1,500 people came to Easton in support of social justice.

About the same number of protesters returned for the second straight week on Sunday, June 7, according to Eastons mayor.

They came Sunday at 12 noon for A Circle for Peace, an event organized to fight systemic racism and shine a spotlight on the death of George Floyd and other alleged victims of police brutality.

I believe its our responsibility to do the right thing, to stand up and show support for Black Lives Matter, said Easton resident Nicole Cooper, who helped organize the event. This momentum we feel as a country needs to keep going. We cant let it disappear. If not now, when?

Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said the crowd circling Centre Square went about 25 deep.

I thought it went really well. I thought the speakers did a great job, the mayor said.

Floyd died after being confronted by a white police officer in Minnesota who accused him of passing a counterfeit bill. A witness captured video footage of an unarmed and handcuffed Floyd being held down on the ground by officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed a knee into his neck until he couldnt breathe. At one point the rally went silent for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time officer Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck, which cut off his air flow.

Moravian College graduate Annisa Amatul, 22, was among those who spoke on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement.

They matter because they are children, parents, brothers, sisters, members of this community and humans, she said. George Floyds death has awoken a global outrage over the treatment of the black community in our nation. This has been based off of institutional and systemic racism that goes back to Jamestown in 1619. ...

Speaker Moriah Solomon quoted comic book luminary Stan Lee from the 1960s.

Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing us today, he said. Unlike a team of costumed super villains they cannot be halted by a punch in the snoot, a zap or a ray gun. The only way to destroy them is to expose them.

Speaker Matty Hall said its important that Sundays message reaches elected lawmakers.

We need to reach out to our elected officials who most often times dont adequately represent us but make decisions that directly affect us, she said. It is very easy for them to cut funding and budgets and social programs that benefit us because often times we are not included in the conversation. We are not considered. We are not looked at as important.

Other speakers lined up were Greater Shiloh Church Pastor Phillip Davis and Easton City Councilman Ken Brown.

For the final 45 minutes of the two-hour event the crowd circled the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Easton, chanting slogans such as Black Lives Matter and No Justice, No Peace.

When the rally broke up, a group of about 50 mostly young people broke off and marched around the downtown streets. They wound up in front of city hall. They continued to chant for an additional 20 minutes. Some of them put up their middle fingers at police officers nearby.

Cooper said this group was separate from the rally and that groups behavior did not reflect that of the rally. She discouraged lehighvalleylive.com from mentioning this group and its behavior.

Panto mentioned there were also a few vulgar signs at the rally that said F--k Police. For the most part the rally was civil, though, he said.

Panto said Eastons department enacted the anti-brutality policies years ago that were advocated at Sundays rally.

I truly understand the reason for social protest. They just have to realize we have a really professional police department, Panto said.

Another event is planned for Sunday, June 14.

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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.
News

Tulsa, Oklahoma - Tulsa based contractor the Ross Group Construction Corporation (Ross Group), and its corporate affiliates, have agreed to pay over $2.8 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining federal set-aside contracts reserved for disadvantaged small businesses, the Justice Department announced today.

Small business set-aside contracts provide opportunities for small businesses to participate in federal contracting and gain valuable experience to help them compete for future economic opportunities, said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justices Civil Division. We will pursue those who knowingly obtain set-aside contracts to which they are not entitled and thereby prevent deserving small businesses from receiving the assistance that Congress intended.

To qualify as a small business for purposes of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, companies must meet defined eligibility criteria, including requirements concerning size, ownership, and operational control. The settlement with Ross Group resolves allegations that the company fraudulently induced the government to award certain small business set-aside contracts to several affiliated entities that did not meet eligibility requirements. The United States alleged that Ross Group created two companies, PentaCon LLC and C3 LLC, to obtain small business set-aside contracts for which Ross Group itself was ineligible. The United States further alleged that Ross Group maintained operational control over the day-to-day and long-term management decisions of the two purported small businesses, including controlling their financial affairs and business operations, and that, as a result, neither PentaCon nor C3 satisfied the size and eligibility requirements to participate in the set-aside programs. Ross Group, PentaCon, and C3 allegedly concealed their affiliation from the United States and knowingly misrepresented the eligibility of PentaCon and C3 for the set-aside contracts.

It is critical that we protect the integrity of federal government contract programs so that taxpayer money goes only to those who legitimately qualify for assistance, said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing for the Western District of Oklahoma. We will continue to hold accountable those who make false statements to take unfair advantage of programs for which they would not otherwise qualify, because it deprives legitimate applicants from obtaining these necessary benefits. I want to specifically thank the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their outstanding and thorough investigative work in this case.

SBAs preferential contracting programs are intended to promote development of eligible small businesses, said Small Business Administration Inspector General Hannibal Mike Ware. OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and pursue people and businesses who abuse these programs by trying to participate through front companies. I want to thank the Department of Justice and the other federal agencies involved for their dedication to pursuing justice in this case.

This settlement highlights the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) contracting process, said Michael Mentavlos, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. DCIS will continue to investigate fraud and corruption targeting DoD programs by pursuing all available remedies possible.

The settlement with Ross Group and its corporate affiliates resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the governments recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in federal district court in the Western District of Oklahoma and is captioned United States ex rel. Southwind Construction Services, LLC v. The Ross Group Construction Corporation, et al., Case No. 15-0102-R (W.D. Okla.). As part of todays resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $520,000.

The settlement is the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, DCIS, the Inspector General Offices of the SBA, General Services Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Unit.
Global Times declared a loss in Chinese consumers to be the 'tip of the iceberg'

Recent rise in racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians

Comes after Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism told citizens to not visit

Chinese escalated its threats against Australia after warning tourists not to visit, with a state-run newspaper warning it could lose Chinese consumers entirely.

The latest round in the hostile war of words between the two nations comes two days after the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism urged citizens to avoid holidaying in Australia.

The ministry claimed there has been a 'significant increase' in racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asian people during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday state-owned newspaper Global Times published a fresh attack, declaring the loss of Chinese tourists would be 'just the tip of the iceberg'.

China claims its citizens will stop visiting Australia due to racism and violence since the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured are travellers from a Wuhan flight arriving in Sydney before the pandemic hit our shores

The strongly-worded article also noted Australia's 'overwhelming media coverage' on the rise of racism since the pandemic and warned its citizens that current laws won't protect them if they are subjected to similar attacks while visiting Australia.

'It is Australia's unfriendly attitude, not the travel alert, that may really scare away Chinese tourists and students,' the article read.

'If Australia wants to retain the gain from its economic ties with China, it must make a real change to its current stance on China, or it will completely lose the benefits of Chinese consumers.

'The tourism loss may be just a tip of iceberg in its loss of Chinese interest.'

More than 1.3 million from mainland China headed Down Under in the year ending September 2019, according to Tourism Research Australia data.

The $12.3billion Chinese visitors spent represented almost a third of all spending by international travellers during the period.

Racist vandals spray painted 'COVID-19 China die' on a home in Melbourne's east earlier this year

The Global Times also criticised Australian politicians after federal trade and tourism Minister Simon Birmingham and deputy prime minister Michael McCormack hit back at China's claims about increased racism.

'Australian politicians have always readily launched attacks against China even when they know clearly that their assertions are unjustified, because they are too easily swayed by US political attitude and too eager to win US favors,' the article states.

'It is what they do, not what they say, that really determines which direction China and Australia will go.'

The latest round in the ongoing feud between the two nations comes after Beijing became infuriated by Australia's calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of the virus, claiming it was a 'malicious' attempt to blame and 'stigmatize' China.

China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley and suspended imports from four Australian beef suppliers in apparent revenge - and warned of further punishment.

About one third of Australia's total exports - including iron ore, gas, coal and food - go to China, bringing in around $135billion per year and providing thousands of jobs.

Tensions continue to rise after the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism urged citizens to avoid holidaying in Australia. Pictured are Chinese tourists enjoying a photo opportunity on Sydney Harbour
Protesters rally in Washington Square Park during a peaceful protest against police brutality and racism, on June 6, 2020 in New York.

[CORRECTS paragraph about Liberia to read "June 21" instead of "June 9" following clarification from government] 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.

Story continues

- 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 21 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.
A small plane crashed Friday in rural Georgia, killing all five members of a Florida family on board, who were traveling to a funeral in Indiana.

Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills told local news outlets no one survived the afternoon crash about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.

Sills identified the victims as Larry Ray Pruitt, 67, of Morriston, Florida; Shawn Charles Lamont, 41, of Gainesville, Florida; his wife Jody Rae Lamont, 43; and their two children, six-year-old Jayce and four-year-old Alice. Larry was Jody's father.

Shawn Charles Lamont, 41, of Gainesville, Florida; his wife Jody Rae Lamont, 43; and their two children, six-year-old Jayce and four-year-old Alice died in the plane crash. Jody's father was piloting the plane and also died

Larry Pruitt was the pilot of the plane - he owned a business called Shadow Trailers which is based near the airport

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Piper PA31-T was flying from Williston, Florida, to Newcastle, Indiana when it crashed

Pruitt owned and was the pilot of the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Piper PA31-T was flying from Williston, Florida, to Newcastle, Indiana.

Tracy Carter, a Milledgeville resident, told The Union-Recorder he saw a plane circling the area and catch fire. Parts of the plane flew off and landed in the nearby field and he said he heard a loud boom.

Emergency crews responded, putting out flames in a wooded area.

Shawn Charles Lamont, 41, and his wife Jody Rae Lamont, 43, are pictured above. They died in the crash

Pruitt is seen above. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate

Peter Knudson, a spokesman with the National Transportation Safety Board, said the pilot radioed and told air traffic controllers he was deviating around weather and then asked about a direct route to Cumberland, Indiana.

According to The Gainesville Sun, Williston Airport manager Benton Stegall said: 'Larry called and needed topped off (with fuel), and I sent a team member over.

'Larry always had a smile on his face and would crack a joke for anyone that needed it.'

Pruitt owned a business called Shadow Trailers which is based near the airport.

Jody was a senior drug counselor with Alachua County Court Services. She is pictured above with her children

The family are seen above in an older Facebook photo when the children were younger

Shawn had previously worked with Pruitt but went on to run J & S Trailer Service, Inc.

A Facebook post shared by the company read: 'It is with a very heavy heart that we at J & S Trailer Service tell our customers and friends that we have lost a very special family. Shawn, Jody, Jayce and Alice LaMont along with Jodys father Larry Pruitt. May they all Rest In Peace.'

Jody was a senior drug counselor with Alachua County Court Services.

'Jody devoted her life to helping those in need find their way back to leading healthy and productive lives,' Alachua County Chair Robert Hutchinson stated in a press release.

He added: 'Her loss weighs heavily on all those who worked with her, knew her, and loved her.'

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
 Flash

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday that Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar have welcomed an initiative to end the military conflict in the neighboring war-torn Libya.



Sisi's announcement came after a meeting with the visiting Libyan leaders in Cairo during which they discussed the recent developments of the ongoing civil war in Libya.

The initiative, dubbed Cairo Declaration, seeks a 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, Sisi said in a joint press conference with Haftar and Saleh.

Under the initiative, foreign mercenaries would pull out from Libya and militias would dismantle and disarm, so that the Haftar-led 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.

Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia support Haftar's LNA, while the GNA is backed by Turkey and Qatar, in addition to Italy.

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.

According to Sisi, the initiative seeks to unify and regulate 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.

"The initiative calls for respecting all relevant UN efforts and initiatives," he noted, stressing that deteriorating security situation in Libya affects the security of neighboring states regionally and internationally.

"The initiative will mark a beginning for a new stage towards the return of normal and safe life to Libya," Sisi said, adding that it also calls for continuing the UN-sponsored talks by the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission in Geneva.

Sisi expressed Egypt's aspiration for all countries and regional and international powers to support this step in order to end the Libyan crisis.

He also called on the UN to assume its responsibility to invite all Libyan parties to the UN headquarters in Geneva to relaunch the political process.

Speaking at the press conference, the speaker of the Libyan parliament said that the presidential council proposed by the initiative will consist of a president, two deputies, and a prime minister, adding that council's term will be 18 months.

"The council will not marginalize or exclude anyone," he said, adding that "we will accelerate drafting of a constitution after which presidential and parliamentary elections will be held."

However, he stressed that the LNA is determined to expel the militias from the capital in order to "unify the Libyan institutions."

Hours after it was declared, Sisi's initiative was welcomed by several countries including the U.S., Russia, France, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Jordan.

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry reviewed on Saturday the elements of the initiative during phone calls with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki, as well as foreign ministers of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Niger, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

Shoukry expressed Egypt's keenness to coordinate with the countries concerned with the situation in Libya.

He affirmed that Egypt will continue pursuing, along with friendly countries, a political solution in light of this initiative, and in the context of the objectives agreed upon in the framework of the conclusions of the Berlin process, with a view to achieving full stability in Libya.
As all modes of communication collapsed in less than half-an-hour after severe cyclone Nisarga made landfall over Raigad district last Wednesday, a group of nine independent ham radio operators using wireless communication became the eyes and ears for the district administration. Their centres? A station without a roof in Shrivardhan, the district headquarters in Alibag and vehicles in Mahabaleshwar.

The entire exercise from the afternoon of June 2 to June 5 evening (when mobile network availability returned in some areas) saw continuous relay of information about deaths, injuries, evacuations, scale of damage (trees loss, falling power lines, and network towers), relief and rehabilitation requirements, across low-lying areas in Shrivardhan, Mhasala, Dighi, Murud, Revdanda, Nagaon, Revas, and Alibag areas in Raigad from the police, local authorities and citizens to radio operators and in turn to the authorities across different parts.

A ham or amateur radio.

The 130-year-old ham or amateur radios is usually used to establish an emergency communication network during natural calamities. The technology developed in the early 1890s in Italy, and was extensively used for the first time before and during World War I (1914-1918).

Pre-empting a collapse in communication lines due to the cyclone, the Raigad disaster management officials on June 1 reached out to Nitin Ainapure, a ham radio operator for the past 30 years. When we were alerted about an impending cyclone, our biggest worry was what if we are cut off from all network connectivity? Ham radio came as an answer to this. We requested ham radio operators and they were more than willing to activate their network of volunteers. Their sets were set up in my office and all coastal tehsils. When the Nisarga hit Raigad, the telecom network was off in Shrivardhan, Murud, Mhasla and Tala. Ham radio volunteers played a pivotal role in ensuring constant information flow from the affected tehsils, said Nidhi Choudhari, Raigad collector and district magistrate.

Based out of Kolhapur, Ainapure was directed to assemble a team to keep wireless systems going before and after the storm. Ainapure was part of communications network during the Kolhapur-Sangli floods last year, 2005 floods in Mumbai, and during cyclone Phyan in November 2009.

Though cyclone Phyan was more intense, its movement was more over the sea before reaching Gujarat. However, it did not cause as much devastation as Nisarga, said Ainapure.

By June 2, teams were in place and trial runs began. The first team at Shrivardhan city included Amol Deshpande, Sunil Unde, Yogesh Sadare, and Chandu Chavan, the second from Wilson Point in Mahabaleshwar led by Ainapure and Bhau Chaugule, and the third from the collectors office as headquarters in Alibag led by visually impaired ham radio operator Dilip Bapat, Amit Gurav and Mandar Gupte. While Bapat only has 10% vision since 2015, his hearing ability is best among all of us. He can deduce codes, muffled messages, and relay them immediately to authorities concerned, said Chaugule.

On June 3 (day of landfall), the Alibag team used the polices wireless system while other teams used antennae kept at a height of 10m for smooth signal transmission atop a hill in Mahabaleshwar and a building in Shrivardhan. The team at Mahabaleshwar and Shrivardhan were charging their systems using their vehicle engines as there was no electricity. When the cyclone made landfall, one of the antennae in Mahabaleshwar broke, and the signal transmission to Raigad collapsed. A similar incident happened in Shrivardhan, said Ainapurne, adding that amid the storm both groups ensured antennae were fixed. Anything could have happened. We were lucky to have made it through, said Deshpande, adding that the Shirvardhan station sustained severe damages with no rooftop and a partially dilapidated building due to the cyclone.

Sagar Pathak, disaster management officer, Raigad said, Using information given to us, we were able to direct the National Disaster Response Force to the spots, provide immediate restoration measures, and ensure major roads were functional again. As there was a blackout in communications post the cyclone, this information allowed us to prepare preliminary damage assessments.

Experts have mixed views about the technology. Ham radios are not necessarily the only mode of communication during calamities. Satellite phones, very high and ultra-high frequency networks are all available modes. Ham radios are the last resort when everything else fails, said Mahesh Narvekar, chief officer, disaster management cell, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

G Padmanabhan, former emergency analyst, United Nations Development Programme, said, Using ham radio is part of the standard operating procedure during any calamity. This is a robust system that does not easily get disconnected or disrupted during disasters. Where satellite phones and other equipment have their limitations, this remains a reliable and effective tool for communication frequently being used across

Odisha, Kerala, and Maharashtra.

HOW THE TEAM WORKS

Each team member is identified with a unique code. For example, Ainapure is VU2CAN while Deshpande is VU2YZO. This helps us identify each other and the location faster. At the same time, rather than using long words that may or may not be comprehended, we use codes to ensure the message is received. When we say QSL it means did you read me?, and if we get a response saying QSL, it means the message has been received. QTH means where do you live. One sided battery outage is reduced through this, said Ainapure. Deshpande said the three-hour landfall completion over Shrivardhan to Murud was the golden period when only the ham radio network was functioning and nothing else. The cyclone had moved Shrivardhan first by splitting from the sea, and then again moving back into the sea, and finally making landfall over Diveagar. During this time, our antenna survived a massive wind speed of 120 kmph, while we were taking shelter in our vehicles, he said.

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Linkedin Celia Lebur (Agence France-Presse) Lagos, Nigeria  Sun, June 7, 2020 14:09 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcabc2a 2 Entertainment pandemic,Nigeria,Nollywood,Nigerian-cinema,film,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

As coronavirus closed businesses around the world and forced billions to stay home, Nigerian director Obi Emelonye came up with an innovative way to keep filming.

Inspired by his wife's teleconferencing calls from their isolation in Britain, he wrote and put together a short feature about a couple separated between London and Lagos.

There was just one day for rehearsals and two for filming, and relatives shot the actors on mobile phones in their homes on two continents.

"I said to myself, 'What if I shoot a film remotely? I can direct my actors and produce it from home, and the cost is zero," the well-known 53-year-old director told AFP.

"I wanted to show young people that despite the countless difficulties of our profession, despite the coronavirus, you can make a film without funding, without even a real camera."

Inventiveness has always been a hallmark of Nigeria's Nollywood -- the second most prolific film industry on the planet -- as it has risen from shaky homemade movies to slickly-produced blockbusters.

But now, in the face of the coronavirus crisis that has seen social distancing rules shut down shoots and cinemas closed, the sector has needed that spirit more than ever.

"We are an endangered species, we have to be innovative and to push the boundaries," said Emelonye, whose short Heart 2 Heart was released for free on YouTube last month.

"Things are very bad? You can make them better!"

Read also: Nigeria's Nollywood film industry reels in foreign investors

'Difficult times'

The Nigerian film industry is riddled with contradictions.

On the surface are the red carpets, glitz and glamorous stars with millions of Instagram followers.

But underneath, much of the sector is poorly-funded, salaries are miserly and rampant piracy robs it of crucial revenues.

The arrival of the virus has dealt a major blow just as producers try to focus on higher-quality movies, cinema audiences grow and giants like Netflix push to tap into the country of 200 million, the most populous in Africa.

Moses Babatope watched in dismay as a government order to close saw income evaporate over the past three months at the Filmhouse, a cinema chain he co-founded in 2012.

"We've been through other difficult times, but this crisis is even worse," he told AFP.

Babatope estimated loses for the sector had reached over $9 million (eight million euros) so far due to the virus.

Dozens of film shoots have been put on hold or scrapped and the legion of workers in the industry -- from make-up artists to technicians to ushers -- are going unpaid.

Netflix has suspended the filming of its first original series made in Nigeria and French media giant Vivendi has delayed the opening of its first cinema in the capital Abuja.

Distributors reckon some 50,000 jobs are under threat since the sector juddered to a halt.

"It's going to take a while before it really starts up again," Babatope said.

Read also: Netflix Nigeria movie banned from Oscars for being too English

'New experiences'

To navigate the current troubles the industry has begun pushing its boundaries.

Producer Charles Okpaleke teamed up with two local cinema chains Genesis and Silverbird to launch open-air "Drive-in" facilities.

A first screening in Abuja in late May saw all tickets sell out in just a few hours as viewers flocked to watched his film Living in Bondage from the comfort of their own cars.

"COVID forces us to rethink our habits, but it is also an opportunity to try new experiences," Okpaleke told AFP.

Producers and directors are also looking increasingly to the release their films on online streaming services like Netflix and its local competitor Iroko TV.

And even up-and-coming industry hopefuls were given the opportunity to keep on honing their skills despite the disruptions.

French start-up LAFAAC has partnered with cinema school Femis and Nigerian television channel Wazobia to offer online training to would-be scriptwriters via a mobile app.

"Nowadays there is a huge demand for series from Subsaharan Africa despite a relative lack of training," said LAFAAC co-founder Francois Catala.

"I believe that online releases are the future of Nollywood."
The Delhi government on Sunday announced setting up of 24x7 helpdesks in each of its hospitals to facilitate admissions of needy patients.

It is hereby ordered that a 24x7 helpdesk shall be set up at each hospital to ensure smooth and hassle-free admission to the needy patients in the hospital. The said helpdesk shall function in two shifts of of 12 hours each and shall consist of two officers/officials of govt of NCT Delhi and and one constable during night duty hours.The hospital administration concerned shall extend all cooperation to the officers/officials deployed at helpdesk, said the order by the Delhi governments health and family welfare secretary Padmini Singla.

It said the decision to set up the helpdesks was taken after it observed that some needy patients visiting various hospitals for admission/treatment of diseases were facing difficulty in admission in government hospitals and that these patients are being made to suffer.

The Delhi government had recently come under flak for the conduct of hospitals amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, the government issued a slew of orders including one to all state-run Covid-19 hospitals that no patient with symptoms of coronavirus should be denied admission.
Week 23 in review: Three vivo X50 phones, two Honor Play 4, and 43 Nokia TV are official

The past seven days saw plenty of new phones - vivo launched a trio of phones with unique cameras, while Honor brought the Play gaming lineup to life.

On the rumor side it was mostly the Galaxy Note20+ - the latest leak suggested the device will adopt the 108 MP sensor, seen in the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but it will drop the 100X Space Zoom and will limit itself to just 50X zoom.

Leaks are also going strong on the OnePlus Z, the upcoming ROG Phone III and the iPad Air 4.

Xiaomi is about to launch the Mi Band 5 next week - we have a specific date to mark on our calendars now.

One thing that grabbed a lot of attention across the globe was the Nokia 43-inch TV that arrived in India - this is a country where smartphone companies are not hesitant to expand beyond the world of mobile devices.

Those were the top stories in the past week, and lets see what the next one will bring!



Samsung Galaxy Note20+ to have a 108MP sensor, 50X zoom It will keep a tri-cam setup like the Galaxy Note10+, the ToF is getting replaced by a laser focus sensor.





OnePlus Z spotted in Geekbench listing with Snapdragon 765G The upcoming budget OnePlus phone is also equipped with a hefty 12GB RAM.





iOS 14 to hit all iPhones that are currently running iOS 13 For the oldest models, this will be the last update. However, some fairly old iPhones will reportedly be supported in 2021 as well.





Redmi 9, Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C specs leak The Redmi 9C will have two variations - with and without NFC, different cameras as well.





Honor Play 4 Pro unveiled with Kirin 990, 40MP main and 3x tele cam, Play 4 gets Dimensity 800 Both are 7nm chips and enable 5G connectivity. The vanilla Play 4 has a 64MP main and 8MP ultra wide cameras, plus two more modules.





Motorola Razr 2 to come with bigger displays It's expected to arrive in September with a Snapdragon 765 SoC, upgraded cameras, and 5G support.





Google is expanding the power button menu in Android 11 It will contain your wallet with bank cards as well as quick shortcuts to your smart device controls.





Samsung unveils Galaxy M01 as Galaxy M11 arrives in India Both phones are available starting today across all Samsung offline stores, Samsung.com, Amazon India, and Flipkart.





ZTE Axon 11 SE 5G is official with Dimensity 800 The ZTE Axon 11 SE 5G packs a Dimensity 800 chipset and elaborate cooling.





Redmi 10X rakes in the cash in just 5 minutes during its first major sale The Redmi 10X 5G became available today, the the 4G version has been available for a week. The Pro 5G is coming in a few days.





Live photos show Oppo Reno4 5G and Reno4 Pro 5G already in stores They are not on sale yet, but the stores are clearly just waiting on the official go-ahead - which is coming this Friday.





Our Sony Xperia 1 II video review is up The Mark II is pricey, but promises unique features, many of which are enabled by Sony's years of expertise in making TVs and cameras.


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Ivanka Trump has hit back after she was dropped as a guest speaker at a Kansas university's online commencement ceremony.

Trump, who also acts as a senior adviser to the president, has blamed 'Cancel Culture' as part of the reason she was removed from the graduation ceremonies of Wichita State University and WSU Tech.

'Our nation's 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!' she tweeted.

The First Daughter also shared the nine-minute video message which she had recorded on May 18 and planned to give to those at the school, despite being dropped from the bill.

In it she told students: 'You are a wartime graduate,' and that their training has prepared them 'for exactly this moment'.

Ivanka Trump has blamed 'cancel culture' and 'viewpoint discrimination' for the cancellation of a virtual commencement address to a Kansas technical school

The First Daughter decided to post the full nine-minute video of her speech online despite being dropped

'You commence at a moment unlike any other. America and the world are battling a terrible pandemic. Our entire society is engaged in a national endeavor to defeat the virus, protect our fellow citizens, and open up America again to rebuild our economy and take care of the safety and well-being of our people,' she said.

'Right now I know the economic uncertainty is real, and it's hard on many of you and your families. Your own blueprint for your future is likely changing due to the pandemic, but I am confident that even if your path is different form the one you imagined, ultimately it can be better than we could ever have planned,' she added.

'In my own life, I have found that my greatest personal growth has arisen from times of discomfort and uncertainty,' the billionaire's daughter said.

The school admitted on Friday that plans to have her speak were shelved amid criticism over the president's response to protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Administrators of both universities, which are affiliated, said Saturday's graduation for the technical university would instead be 'refocused' on students, with a nursing graduate as the only speaker.

Wichita State University and WSU Tech dropped Ivanka Trump from the college's June 6 virtual graduation

The announcement that the president's daughter would speak drew immediate criticism, led by Jennifer Ray, pictured, associate professor of photo media at Wichita State, who sent a letter asking school administrators to cancel the speech

Ivanka Trump visited WSU Tech's National Center for Aviation Training last fall.

But the announcement that Ivanka Trump was due to 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 black man Floyd died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes.

Administrators at Wichita State University and WSU Tech announced the decision late Thursday that the president's daughter would not be speaking to students on Saturday

Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser, toured WSU-Tech National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita, Kansas in October 2019

Ivanka Trump is pictured drilling a rivet in a sheet metal classroom at WSU-Tech National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita, Kansas last October. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo can be seen in the background

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.
FBI probes possible link between Air Force sergeant suspected in ambush killing of CA deputy and officer's murder (ABC News)

An active-duty U.S. Air Force sergeant suspected of wielding a rifle and improvised explosives in the ambush killing of a 38-year-old Northern California sheriff's deputy is also being investigated for a possible connection to the fatal shooting last month of a federal officer during a protest in Oakland, multiple sources told ABC News on Sunday.

The suspect, Steven Carrillo, 32, was taken into custody on Saturday after he was wounded in a shootout with law enforcement officers in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 35 miles west of San Jose, officials said.

Carrillo is alleged to have fatally shot Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and injured another deputy when he attacked them with a rifle and multiple improvised explosives in Ben Lomond, California, authorities said. A California Highway Patrol officer was also wounded during a shootout that erupted as officers moved to take Carrillo into custody, officials said.

"In my 32-year career, this is my worst day I've ever experienced," Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said at a news conference on Saturday evening. "Today we lost one of our own and he was a true hero."

Related: We Absolutely Have to Be Careful About How the Military Is Used

Carrillo is an active-duty sergeant assigned to the 60th Security Forces Squadron based at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, about 100 miles northeast of Ben Lomond, 2nd Lt. Mike Longoria, a spokesman for the base, told ABC News on Sunday. Longoria referred all other questions about Carrillo to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

Multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News that the FBI is investigating a possible link between the deadly ambush in Santa Cruz County and the May 29 killing of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood in Oakland.

PHOTO: Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed on June 6, 2020, in the Northern California town of Ben Lomond in what investigators suspect was an ambush that injured another officer. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)

Underwood, 53, was guarding the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building during protests that broke out in the Bay Area city over the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he was shot to death while standing outside the building, officials said.

Story continues

A white cargo van that appeared to not have license plates was spotted racing from the scene of Underwood's slaying, according to the FBI, who released security photos of the vehicle last week. The FBI warned that the "occupants of the van should be considered armed and dangerous."

PHOTO: FBI officials released images of a white cargo van wanted in the May 29, 2020, fatal shooting of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood during a George Floyd protest in Oakland, California. (FBI)

PHOTO: FBI officials released images of a white cargo van wanted in the May 29, 2020, fatal shooting of Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood during a George Floyd protest in Oakland, California. (FBI)

The deadly attack on Saturday unfolded after a caller contacted a 911 dispatcher at 1:30 p.m. to report seeing guns and bomb-making material inside a suspicious van parked off the road in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Hart said.

Gutzwiller and other sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene just as the van was pulling away. They followed the van to a house in Ben Lomond and as they approached the vehicle gunfire rang out.

"As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives," Hart said.

Another deputy was either shot or struck by bomb shrapnel and was hit by a vehicle as the suspect drove out of the driveway of the home, he said.

Within minutes after the attack, 911 dispatchers received multiple calls from people reporting a carjacking nearby and officers from police agencies throughout Santa Cruz County raced to the scene, according to Hart.

He said Carrillo was arrested after being shot and wounded. He said a California Highway Patrol officer was also shot in the hand during the ordeal.

Our hearts are heavy. You will never be forgotten Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller. pic.twitter.com/3c3SptX45R a Santa Cruz SO (@SantaCruzSO1) June 7, 2020

Carrillo was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released to the custody of sheriff's deputies.

The FBI and the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office are investigating the incident.

MORE: FBI arrests Army soldier who allegedly discussed plans to bomb major American news network

Hart said Carillo was arrested on charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking "and a myriad of other charges."

"There's a lot that we don't know at this point. It's still a very fluid situation," Hart said. "I ask that the community be patient as we go through this investigation and the grieving process.''

Hart said Gutzwiller's colleagues were planning to hold a vigil for him in front of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office headquarters on Sunday at 2:36 p.m. PST, the time the call came on Saturday that an officer was down.

He said Gutzwiller, who joined the sheriff's office in 2006, is survived by a young child and a pregnant wife.

MORE: Cesar Sayoc sentenced to 20 years in prison for mailing pipe bombs to prominent Democrats, CNN

The sheriff described Gutzwiller as a "beloved figure" who started his career in law enforcement as a volunteer with the sheriff's office.

"In this era that we're in, when you think about what you want to see in a police officer, compassion, caring, somebody who truly loves his job, who wants to help people, that's what Damon was," Hart said. "He was a good man and a good police officer."

MORE: Authorities arrest man accused of plotting 'mass casualty' terrorist attack in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer, released a statement expressing their shock and dismay over the killing of Gutzwiller.

"Jennifer and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, who was tragically killed while on duty," the governor's statement reads. "He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father."

An Air Force spokesperson said Carrillo arrived at Travis Air Force Base in June 2018 and was a team leader on the Phoenix Raven unit. That group is comprised of "specially trained security forces personnel dedicated to providing security for Air Mobility Command aircraft transiting high terrorist and criminal threat areas," according to an Air Force website.

FBI probes possible link between Air Force sergeant suspected in ambush killing of CA deputy and officer's murder originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Last week Keir Starmer said he was putting the prime minister on notice and told him to get a grip. Well, good.

If the Labour leaders patience with Boris Johnson has worn thin, who could blame him? As the UKs coronavirus death rate horrifyingly tips over 40,0000  among the worst in the world  so too does the scale of government mismanagement. And as other European nations slowly ease out of lockdown, we are trapped by a botched test and trace strategy, leaving us unprepared to squash any virus outbreaks that may follow a further loosening of restrictions.

One figure this week put the problem in perspective: in one day the UK recorded more Covid-19 deaths than the whole of the European Union put together.

The Labour leader has pledged to work with government to tackle the pandemic. Starmers all-round reasonableness on this matter has been so resounding that he is mildly ribbed as Captain Sensible. In an interview with the Yorkshire Post newspaper yesterday, the opposition leader shook off such comments. Responding to a jibe from the PM about his brilliant forensic mind, Starmer said if thats the worst he gets, he can live with it.

If this were simply a matter of presentational style, we could put it down to personal preference. But the trouble is that, as a strategy, constructively nudging the government to get a grip is not going to cut it in a crisis of this magnitude.

For one thing, it relies on the assumption of a premiership competent enough to respond coherently  and, as even the former Tory MP-turned columnist Matthew Parris has noted, this is not the case. Johnson is no more likely to transform into a capable leader than Starmer is likely to find himself stuck on a zip wire waving a union flag in each hand in a botched publicity stunt. This virus will be with us for a while  and so will this government. Yes, Starmers questioning exposes the PMs shortcomings. But to get the country to a better place in tackling the pandemic, this flailing government will need to be dragged into it.

Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Show all 30 1 /30 Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff react outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus NHS staff at the Mater hospital in Belfast, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Shoppers observe a minute's silence in Tescos in Shoreham Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Firefighters outside Godstone fire station PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Salford Royal Hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Salford Royal Hospital PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Hospital workers take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE across Britain for all workers in care, the NHS and other vital public services after a nationwide minute's silence at University College Hospital in London AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A school children's poster hanging outside Glenfield Hospital during a minute's silence Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A man holds a placard that reads "People's health before profit" outside St Thomas hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Prime minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, stand inside 10 Downing Street, London, to observe a minutes silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus University College Hospital, London Hospital workers hold placards with the names of their colleagues who have died from coronavirus as they take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff at Waterloo Station in London, stand to observe a minute's silence, to pay tribute to NHS and key workers who have died with coronavirus AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Medical staff at the Louisa Jordan hospital stand during a UK wide minutes silence to commemorate the key workers who have died with coronavirus in Glasgow Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus London An NHS worker observes a minute's silence at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London AFP via Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Belfast, Northern Ireland NHS staff observe a minutes silence at Mater Infirmorum Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Plymouth NHS workers hold a minute's silence outside the main entrance of Derriford Hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus NHS Frimley Park Hospital staff at the A&E department observe a minute's silence Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Mater Infirmorum Hospital People applaud after a minutes silence in honour of key workers Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Waterloo Station, London AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Wreaths laid outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A group of trade unionists and supporters standing outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stands outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh to observe a minute's silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus London Police officers observe a minutes silence at Guy's Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A woman standing outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Royal Derby Hospital PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Leicester, NHS workers during a minute's silence outside Glenfield Hospital Getty

From the outside, it looks as though Labour, trying to course-correct after a terrible electoral defeat under Jeremy Corbyn, is now over-steering. Perhaps the reasoning is that, if a major turn-off for voters was Corbyn lacking electable respectability, the current leader must epitomise this quality. But Corbyn, his actual flaws notwithstanding, was pilloried in part because he stepped outside narrowly-defined parameters of political acceptability on both domestic and international policy, for which he was slammed by the press and deemed traitorous and unpatriotic in aggressive social media campaigns.

This vicious, populist-right framing will keep biting Labour, whomever is its leader, unless it is confronted and defanged. As Starmer hinted, forensic is not the worst it will get. Not even for him.

Trying to tiptoe around this fate by focusing on appearing constructive brings an additional peril: it binds Labour into parameters dictated by the government, leaving little room for manoeuvre.

This is exactly how the party already boxed itself in over the prime ministers lockdown exit strategy. Labour set conditions to unlocking, which were not met by the government, but did not then follow through and urge a pause on exit measures. With public opinion, teachers, the British Medical Association, the science community and some of the governments own science advisors on the side of holding back, there was momentum to try and force a shift in government policy.

Similarly, the shambles of Britains test and trace system cannot be rectified with minor tweaks. Contact tracers recruited to systems awarded to private contractors Serco and Sitel described the situation as shambolic and unfit for purpose. As we learned that test and trace will not be fully operational before September, a leaked letter from Sercos chief executive revealed the organisations intention to cement the position of the private sector in the NHS supply chain through the process.

Anthony Costello, professor of global health and sustainable development at University College London, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme last week: It doesnt make sense to me that were bypassing what is a world-beating system, actually, our primary care system in the UK. Putting test and trace within local authorities and health care, he added, would be more cost-effective and trusted, since we know and use these services.

Labour is asking for transparency on the governments outsourcing process. Fair enough, but hardly far enough when outsourcing should be scrapped entirely.

In a spirit of national unity during a crisis, the opposition initially said it would not push alternatives to the governments coronavirus plans. But now we know more; that these plans are failing, and public health is at stake.

Nobody can say that Labour has not been patient in its attempts to work with government over coronavirus. The most constructive thing to do now is build momentum for a different approach.
New Delhi, June 7 : Public sector banks (PSB) have so far sanctioned Rs 17,705.64 crore worth of loans under the 100 per cent government guaranteed Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme.

The scheme is part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat economic package. As per the government, banks would provide collateral-freeloans to the eligible MSMEs loans upto Rs 3 lakh crore in total in a bid to overcome the financial crisis caused due to the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

As of Friday, June 5, out of the sanctioned amount, Rs 8,320.24 crore has been disbursed, said a tweet by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's office.

"As of 5 June 2020, #PSBs have sanctioned loans worth Rs 17,705.64 crore under the 100% Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, out of which Rs 8320.24 crore have been disbursed," said the tweet.

Data shared in the tweet showed that the State Bank of India (SBI) contributed a major chunk of the amount sanctioned and disbursed so far. SBI, as of Friday sanctioned a total of Rs 11,701.06 crore and disbursed Rs 6,084.71 crore of loans.

The sanctioned and disbursed amounts under the 100 per cent government guaranteed scheme are the highest in Tamil Nadu so far. A total of Rs 2,018.89 crore has been sanctioned so far to 33,725 accounts of MSMEs in the state and Rs 1,325.04 crore has been disbursed to 18,867 accounts.

Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand has recorded the highest number of MSMEs to have been sanctioned and disbursed credit under the scheme so far. A total of 43,541 accounts have been sanctioned with Rs 1,960.97 crore and 21,728 MSMEs have received loans worth Rs 852.05 crore, the data sourced from PSBs showed.
The coronavirus pandemic has altered society in immeasurable ways, including, of course, investing. Stocks that benefited from people staying home, such as Netflix and Zoom Video, outperformed expectations in the past few months, while retailers and airline companies, among others, saw their stocks fall off a cliff. And now some of those worst-performing stocks of March and April are staging a comeback, as economies begin to reopen. But there could be a more long-lasting effect on Wall Street: Covid-19 may well prove to be a major turning point for ESG investing as the pandemic alters society's values. This investing approach, which evaluates a company's environmental, social and governance ratings alongside traditional financial metrics, was already coming off a banner year, and its reach continues to expand. So far this year, U.S.-listed sustainable funds are seeing record inflows, despite the market turmoil.

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And analysts and investors say that the pandemic  and the death and destruction left in its wake  will further prioritize investing with a conscience. But where once the "E" was arguably the most high-profile of the trio of considerations, a company's social and governance attributes could become increasingly important as investors scrutinize corporations' responses to the pandemic, as well as their viability looking forward. "The rebound in civil society has been impressive, with an increase in volunteering, social cohesion, community support and focus on public good vs. private freedoms," JPMorgan said in a recent note to clients. "We see the Covid-19 crisis accelerating the trend to ESG investment." Conscience aside, these funds are also attracting record levels of cash because they're proving that they can offer comparable, if not market-beating, returns. The Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF (NULG) has returned 10% this year, for example, while the iShares ESG MSCI USA ETF (ESGU)  the largest of its kind with more than $7.1 billion in assets under management  has returned 0.6% year to date. The S&P 500, by comparison, is down roughly 1% for the year. This short a time frame does not a trend make, of course, but many of these funds have also outperformed their benchmark indices over the last year and even longer. Jon Hale, Morningstar's director of sustainability research, noted that this is the first time these sorts of funds are being put to the test during a market downturn, and so far they're holding up just fine. Sustainable investing has been around for decades, but the ESG fund boom has only really taken off over the last five years, meaning this corner of the market has yet to experience a recession.

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"We expect increased investor focus on ESG considerations after COVID-19, with particular demand for greater corporate transparency and stakeholder accountability," UBS said in a recent note to clients. "The crisis underscores the relevance of ESG considerations to company performance and investment returns, and we expect that this will continue to influence corporate and investor actions going forward," the firm added.

Record Inflows

Sustainability-focused funds attracted a record amount of capital in the first quarter of this year, even as the pandemic rattled worldwide markets. Global sustainable funds saw inflows of $45.7 billion, while the broader fund universe had an outflow of $384.7 billion, according to Morningstar. In the U.S., sustainable funds saw a record $10.5 billion of inflows in the first quarter, although the pace of buying did slow by March. With investor momentum returning, 2020 is on track to be another record year for sustainable funds. In fact, inflows in the first quarter were more than half of the record $21.4 billion pumped into sustainable funds in 2019.

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About 80% of the money has gone into index funds, which means retail investors are likely behind the surge. "While exchange-traded funds are only part of the investment landscape, they are the primary destination for new retail investor flows, so seeing ESG-related funds take in so much capital in 2020 shows this theme is now catching a very large tailwind," noted Nicholas Colas, DataTrek Research co-founder. Over the last month the iShares ESG MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) has proved the most popular vehicle, attracting roughly $555 million in new investments, according to FactSet. Other popular choices include Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG), which saw inflows of around $503 million, while the iShares ESG MSCI USA Leaders ETF (SUSL) garnered $493 million in new capital. All three funds have returned between 9% and 10% over the last month, although they remain in negative territory for the year.

Covid-19 'accelerating' ESG investing

Before the pandemic, stakeholder capitalism  the idea that companies' sole focus shouldn't be deepening shareholder pockets  was growing in popularity. And the pandemic will likely accelerate this shift, with investors rewarding companies that responded to the crisis by focusing on long-term goals, rather than prioritizing near-term profit at all costs. "This global pandemic has really put in pretty sharp relief the importance of how corporations treat their stakeholders, in particular their employees and their customers," said Hale. "So much of even corporate value these days is based on intangible assets like your reputation, and I think stakeholders will remember how companies either rose to the occasion or failed to rise to the occasion during the pandemic and that will pay off for them down the line." Andy Howard, head of sustainable research at Schroders Investment Management, added that Covid-19 will likely spark increased interest in trends that have been building, such as employee protection. Since March more than 40 million people have filed for unemployment protection in the U.S., with minority workers typically faring worse. "That's not a new trend; we've been talking about it for a while," said Howard. "But effectively the coronavirus crisis is starting to crystalize some political actions trying to accelerate the reversal of some of those trends."

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Additionally, the virus-induced economic slowdown is exposing some of the perils of prioritizing policies beneficial to shareholders, such as buybacks and dividends. Some companies have already cut dividends as some of the hardest-hit struggle to stay afloat, and buybacks are also expected to slow this year. Longer-term, the "shareholder first" attitude may prove a thing of the past. Or as JPMorgan succinctly summed up: "COVID-19 is accelerating the trend of stakeholder capitalism and challenging shareholder primacy."

What's in ESG funds?

There are many styles and approaches to ESG investing, including funds that mirror benchmark indexes, except with different weightings. One of the reasons the group has largely outperformed the broader market this year is that these funds tend to be overweight in technology names  the top-performing S&P 500 sector this year  while having underweight exposure to industrials and energy. The latter is the worst-performing sector this year, registering a loss of more than 30%. Looking through the holdings of actively managed funds, RBC found that Microsoft was the most highly owned stock, appearing in 55% of funds. Alphabet and Visa were in 47% and 42% of funds, respectively, while Apple and Xylem rounded out the top five, appearing 35% and 34% of the time, respectively. Of the twenty stocks most commonly found in ESG funds, 75% are outperforming the S&P 500 this year, the firm found. Meanwhile, according to research from Credit Suisse, Intel, Amgen and Merck are among the names that became more popular with ESG funds over the last quarter. For investors looking for more cause-specific funds, there's no shortage of specialized offerings, including the Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) as well as the SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index ETF (SHE).

A bull-market fad or here to stay?

As ESG has grown in popularity, so, too, have the criticisms around this style of investing. The inherently subjective nature of these qualitative metrics muddies the water. Some, including SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, have called for greater oversight, while others say these purportedly "socially conscious" funds are little more than marketing. "Complete fraud," "joke," "jargon" and "so ridiculous" are among the words Social Capital founder and CEO Chamath Palihapitiya has used to describe the growing trend.
Oliver got onto Lake Shore Drive, and another police unit spotted his SUV near Roosevelt Road and Columbus Drive. The officers followed the SUV all the way to a parking lot near 108 W. 23rd St. This lot has only one entrance, and Oliver then turned his car around to face two CPD squad cars. Officers ordered Oliver out of the car and broke the windows of the vehicle in an effort to remove him, prosecutors said.
Four-year-old Samreet keeps asking when her daddy is coming home.

Her mother, 34-year-old Amandeep Kaur, cant answer her daughters question because she doesnt know herself.

Amandeep Kaur with her daughter Samreet, 4, alone in their home in Toongabbie in Sydney's west. Credit:Janie Barrett

Her husband, Pirthi Pal Singh, 39, is one of thousands of Australian visa holders stranded overseas since Australia announced the international border closure on March 20.

Many of the visa holders have families, homes, businesses and jobs in Australia, but no route back.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 26, Chinese Internet giant Baidu announced the completion of Apollo Park, which is purportedly the world's biggest base for the application and testing of autonomous vehicles and intelligent vehicle infrastructure cooperative System (IVICS).

Located at Beijing Economic-technological Development Area, the newly-completed base combines the functions of the storage of complete vehicles and components, the cloud-based remote control of big data, the vehicle maintenance and calibration, as well as the R&D and testing.

There have been over 200 autonomous vehicles deployed in the 13,500-square-meter Apollo Park, according to Baidu. Its completion will help the company boost the maturity of the Apollo self-driving cars and IVICS-related technologies.

On the same day, Gosuncn, a Chinese company focusing on IoT-/AI-based products and solutions, joined Baidu's Apollo ecosystem. Both parties will conduct in-depth cooperation on IoV, IVICS and smart traffic by drawing on each other's strengths and sharing resources.



Baidu Apollo, today's biggest open-source autonomous driving platform in the world, has so far completed more than 100,000 safe passenger-carrying trips in 24 cities worldwide. In Beijing, Baidu has honored the No.1 company in terms of the number of vehicles put into autonomous driving tests and the testing mileage for two consecutive years.

On December 30, 2019, the Chinese capital initiated the tests for self-driving car loaded with passengers or goods. On the same day, the Internet giant Baidu obtained license plates for carrying passengers in autonomous driving tests of 40 vehicles.

In April 2020, Baidu launched its Apollo Robotaxi service through its popular search engine app Baidu and navigation app Baidu Maps, which allowed commuters in Changsha hail free autonomous ride (photo source: Baidu).
An employee and a patient at an intensive care unit at the Republican Clinical Hospital treating patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infection.

Hospitals across the United States are desperately trying to ramp up volume after months where they saw far fewer patients than usual.

In March and April, many hospitals cancelled or delayed elective procedures to make space for a potential flood of Covid-19 patients. Because of that, hospitals were losing millions of dollars per day just staying open. In April, the American Hospital Association estimated that hospitals were bleeding more than $50 billion per month.

The situation is improving for many health systems now, as patients are starting to reschedule their procedures and overall volumes are increasing as the country reopens.

"We were losing $5 million per day, and now it's just a few million," said Dr. Bob Wachter, chairman of the department of medicine at UC San Francisco. Dr. Wachter expects that UCSF's hospitals will lose $600 to $700 million this year alone.

Some health systems can afford the hit, particularly if there aren't major flareups of Covid-19 in the fall and winter that force them to suspend normal operations again.

But others won't make it.

Health industry experts told CNBC that that many hospitals will go bankrupt or consolidate in the coming months, even though some will have access to financial aid. Nathan Kaufman, a strategic advisor to hospitals, notes that emergency room visits are still below usual volumes, which will have a major impact. Kaufman notes that hospitals had their "worst month ever" for operating margins in April.

"Indirectly, these emergency room visits impact about 40 percent of the non-Covid-19 revenue of a hospital," he said.

"Many standalone hospitals won't survive as an independent enterprise."
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FILE PHOTO: A visitor walks past the Etihad Aviation Group logo on display during the fifth day of Dubai Air Show in Dubai

DUBAI (Reuters) - Emirates and Etihad Airways will resume some transit flights after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted a suspension on services where passengers stop off in the country to change planes, or for refuelling.

Dubai's Emirates, one of the world's biggest long-haul airlines, said on Thursday it would operate transit flights to 29 destinations in Asia, Europe and North America by June 15.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad, meanwhile, said it would carry transit passengers to 20 cities in Europe, Asia and Australia from June 10.

The suspension was lifted late on Wednesday for UAE carriers, more than two months after the Gulf Arab state halted all passenger flights in March as it introduced drastic measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

It has since allowed a few, limited flights, while domestic restrictions such as the closure of shopping centres have been lifted.

Foreign citizens remain banned from entering the Gulf Arab state except those holding UAE residency, who require UAE government approval before returning.

Qatar Airways also said on Thursday it was now flying more than 170 weekly flights to over 40 destinations, after announcing in May it would run operations to up to 80 destinations by the end of June.

The airline has maintained transit flights to around 30 destinations since March, with Qatar also banning foreign citizens from entering.

The coronavirus pandemic, which has seen countries around the world shut their borders as they went into lockdown, has decimated the global airline industry as demand was crushed.

Many countries continue to enforce tight entry restrictions, including some countries banning foreign visitors. Airlines around the world have warned it will take years for travel demand to recover.

(Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)
Approximately 60 community members and local leaders gathered in Fort Smith, N.W.T., on Saturday for an anti-racism rally in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Submitted by Kushalini Naidoo

Community members, elders, and local leaders gathered and shared stories, at the four-way intersection at the centre of town where people held up signs with anti-racism messages. Organizers called for accountability and community involvement in police services across the North.

The community was joining in on a worldwide wave of protests against anti-Black racism and calls for an end to police brutality. The movement was sparked by the recent death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.

Kushalini Naidoo was one of the people in attendance and said it was great to see the community show so much solidarity.

"It was so great to have that acknowledgement ... in our community people that came together to recognize the pain and the suffering endured and racism is not okay. It just isn't okay."

For Naidoo, the issue is something that is close to her heart.

"I was born and raised in South Africa and I was subjected to apartheid discrimination and all of those ugly truths that we had to we had to endure growing up."

'It is relevant in the North'

Naidoo said it's also important to recognize that racism happens in this country too. "Right here in Canada we face the same pain with our Indigenous brothers and sisters," she said. Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a Black-Indigenous woman who died during an encounter with Toronto police, has also been remembered at movements across the country.

Pierre-Emmanuel Chaillon

"Canada is not free from racism," Naidoo said. "We experience that here with Indigenous [people]. I've experienced that coming into the country from South Africa."

The event was organized by members of the Midwives Association of the Northwest Territories, who came up with the idea while discussing how their association could show solidarity with the movement.

Story continues

"It was important for people as a community to ... acknowledge what's happening and recognize that it is relevant even in a small community in the far North," said Lesley Paulette, one of the organizers.

"I think there was recognition from the community that it was important to not be silent on this issue."

This week, the federal Indigenous Services minister said he was "outraged" and "pissed" by the continuing pattern of police violence against Indigenous people in Canada. These comments came in the wake of a video circulating of a man in Kinngait, Nunavut, who was arrested after being struck by the open door of a moving police pickup truck.

Many who drove by honked their horns in support and waved at those who were gathered. A couple of local RCMP detachment members also came by the event.

"People stood up and people wanted to talk to one another about it. And I think that's the beginning. You know people were identifying issues and you know that was a success," said Paulette.

Naidoo said she hopes that elders and leaders sharing stories about ongoing struggles with racism will help create change on a local and national level.

"I hope that their words will be a catalyst in working in our community and our country up to its blatant racism that is still being upheld by many."
Press Release

June 6, 2020 Dispatch from Crame No. 817:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Her Continued Incommunicado Detention It is now Day 6 of GCQ in NCR. Still, there is no change in the no visitors policy here at the PNP Custodial Center. For one (1) month and 11 days already, I remain inaccessible to anyone, save for the custodial personnel. Yesterday morning, my Chief-of-Staff, Atty. Fhillip Sawali, Atty. Chel Diokno, one of my legal counsels, and Fr. Flavie Villanueva, one of my spiritual advisers, were barred entry. In the afternoon, my brother-doctor who is one of my listed personal physicians was also not allowed entry. Earlier, or on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Robert Reyes, another spiritual adviser, failed in his bid to see me. I wonder what's keeping the PNP authorities from fulfilling their commitment to ease up the restrictions once the quarantine level was downgraded from MECQ to GCQ. PNP Chief Archie Francisco F. Gamboa was quoted as saying that they would re-assess the existing "standard" policy. What is there to re-assess when all constitutional, legal, practical and humanitarian considerations all warrant the lifting of the incommunicado detention and restrictions? In explicit terms, the 1987 Constitution proscribes any form of solitary confinement or incommunicado detention. Visits from family members, lawyers, doctors, and priests are not a mere privilege but a right guaranteed under R.A. 7438, or the "Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or under Custodial Investigation, Etc.", subject only to reasonable regulations. Such visits cannot be totally barred. Prolonged indefinite suspension of visitation rights under the guise of COVID-19-related precautionary measures, even when there is already relative easing up of restrictions of activities under a GCQ, is no longer reasonable as it is disproportionate and arbitrary. It is never a "standard" policy. There is no rational basis for PNP authorities to insist on the so-called "standard" policy, and follow the lead of other jails and correctional facilities that are also currently under total lockdown. As we keep on stressing, unlike in other jails, there is zero congestion and zero COVID-19 cases here. There are very few PDLs in the Facility. Hence, physical distancing is no problem at all. Besides, I am in an isolated detention quarters here. Alone. I am unable to see any family member, particularly my children, grandchildren and siblings in the past weeks. For someone who has been unjustly deprived of liberty for more than 3 years already, occasional visits from my family and loved ones are an irreplaceable source of hope and strength. I have effectively been in an involuntary quarantine beginning February 2017. With this strict no access policy in place under ECQ and MECQ, and extended up to the current GCQ, I am now under quarantine within a quarantine! As a detained working Senator, I can only fulfill, as I have been fulfilling, my mandate inside my detention quarters and not in my Senate office. Regular access to me by my staff within the allowable visiting hours was never a problem until April 25, when the total lockdown was enforced. I now handle all by myself the preparation and sending out of various documents on a daily basis without direct staff assistance. I have no complaints vis-a-vis the custodial personnel who are generally professional and courteous in the discharge of their custodial duties. The problem is with the higher approving authorities whose one-track mentality causes them to impose unreasonable and unwarranted restrictions under an erroneous or misguided application of IATF quarantine guidelines, oblivious of the actual situation within the Custodial Center. Plainly, what PNP authorities are doing to me is disrespect to me and my status as a duly elected and working senator. It smacks of oppression. Nasaan ang puso nila? The PNP should end my incommunicado detention immediately, as well as that of the other PDLs at the PNP Custodial Center! They should respect and uphold our constitutional and human rights! (Access the handwritten version of Dispatch from Crame No. 817, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_817)
President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the ongoing protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, in the Rose Garden at the White House on June 1, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Trump Orders National Guard Withdrawal From Washington

President Donald Trump said hes given the order for National Guard troops to start withdrawing in Washington, noting that everything is under perfect control after the sometimes violent protests, acts of vandalism, and arson following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

City officials in Washington requested that some National Guard forces last week be sent to assist local law enforcement.

Trump ordered troops and federal law enforcement agents into the city to control the streets following looting and violence. Days later, as the protests eased, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called on the White House to withdraw National Guard troops that some states had deployed to the nations capital.

I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control, the president wrote on Twitter. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!

While there were online claims that about a million protesters would show up outside the White House on June 6, the actual turnout appeared to be a fraction of that. Bowser, in solidarity with the protesters, had the words Black Lives Matter painted in yellow letters on 16th Ave. in Washington.

Of the response to the June 6 protest, the president wrote late at night that the National Guard, Secret Service, and D.C. Police have been doing a fantastic job. Thank you!

Police and National Guard members block a street in Washington on June 6, 2020. (Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images)

A checkpoint blocks traffic on 16th Street Northwest as people gather near the White House on June 6, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

The marches on June 6 featured few reports of problems in scenes that were more often festive than tense. Authorities havent released crowd estimates, although clearly tens of thousands of peopleand perhaps hundreds of thousandsturned out nationally.

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, tooamong them, a ban on chokeholds.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyds neck during a May 25 arrest, pinning him to the ground for more eight minutes. Chauvin and three other officers were fired the following day, and Chauvin now faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

The other officers, Thomas Lane, 37, Tou Thao, 34, and J. Alexander Kueng, 26, have been charged with two counts of aiding and abetting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Valedictorians: EHHS, HHS, NHHS, WHHS, Early College

From left, on ground, are Heather Pinkston of Early College, Elina Misiyuk of West Henderson High School and Kathryn Thomas of Hendersonville High School, on wall, Zachary Garrett of North Henderson and Brianna LaRue of East Henderson.

EAST HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

Brianna LaRue

Parents: Eric LaRue and Angie LaRue

Leadership roles in sports, academics, civic clubs:

Color guard captain and soloist

Winter guard soloist

Sketchbook Club Leader

What are your plans after high school?



Ill be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

What do you plan to major in?

I plan to major in biomedical engineering.

What career would you like to pursue?

I definitely want to go into the medical field, hopefully doing research or working as a surgeon.

What is your proudest achievement in your high school career?

My proudest achievement in high school has been my growth in art. Ive taken AP Studio Art two times (Drawing and 2-D Design). I used to focus solely on creating realistic art, but since taking AP Studio Art my art has really grown in to have a unique style and represent who I am. This year I received two gold keys, two silver keys, and two honorable mentions in the WNC Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, so it really paid off!

You obviously excelled as a student. What advice would you give an incoming freshman at your school on how to be disciplined about studying, reading, major projects like term papers and book reports, and test taking?

I think the best thing you can do is to realize that everyone excels at different things. Do your personal best and dont beat yourself up if school just isnt your thing.

Anything else people should know about you?

Ironically, the attention from being valedictorian makes me a little uncomfortable, even though that was exactly what I thought I wanted as an underclassmen. I had this idea that I would prove myself through my class rank, and I made myself really miserable as a result. When I think about my high school experience, Im proud of my artwork, the time Ive dedicated to serving others, and the friends that Ive made, not my class rank or GPA.

HENDERSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Kathryn Thomas

Parents: Ann and David Thomas

Leadership roles in sports, academics, civic clubs:



 Founder and President, Global Lens Club

 Gold Award Girl Scout

 President, National Honor Society

 Student Leader, First United Methodist Church Youth Group

 Senior Leader, Keywanettes

 Co-Chair, Henderson County United Way Youth Council

 Treasurer, Spanish Club

 Clarinet Section Leader, HHS Band Program

 Youth Representative, First United Methodist Church Board Leadership Team

 Student Leader and Tutor, HHS Math Help Center

 Student Tutor, HHS Writing Center



What are your plans after high school?

I will be attending Duke University.



What do you plan to major in?



I plan to double major in Political Science and Public Policy.



What career would you like to pursue?

I hope to work in the field of International Relations and Policy Analysis, potentially for organizations such as the State Department or UN Women.



What is your proudest achievement in your high school career?

My proudest achievement in my high school career was creating the Global Lens Club. The curriculum of Global Lens is built around the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In meetings we discuss the global and local implications of the SDGs and then participate in service projects to help solve the global problems on a local level. This club has been more successful than I could have ever imagined and I am so excited to see what the new leadership team accomplishes!

You obviously excelled as a student. What advice would you give an incoming freshman at your school on how to be a good student?

My biggest piece of advice is to stay organized! It sounds simple, but creating an organizational system and keeping an up-to-date planner that works for you will be your saving grace! As for major projects, it is all about time management. My personal advice is to break the project down into manageable parts. This will help keep you on track and avoid cramming a huge project all into one night.



NORTH HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

Zachary Garrett

Parents/guardians: Marc and Sandra Garrett

Leadership roles in sports, academics, civic clubs:



Trombone baritone leader of marching band, GSA President.

What are your plans after high school?



Louisiana State University.

What do you plan to major in?



Music Performance.

What career would you like to pursue?

Music performance in a brass or military band.

What is your proudest achievement in your high school career?

Senior and junior year qualified to audition for all-state band on euphonium.

You obviously excelled as a student. What advice would you give an incoming freshman at your school on how to be a good student?

Dont hold off until the last minute. Easier said than done. When you have the chance to do something, you should probably get it done.

WEST HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

Elina Misiyuk

Parents: Pavel and Yelena Misiyuk

Leadership roles in sports, academics, civic clubs:

Made County, District and State honors band, pianist/choir member at church, assistant teacher for Russian school program at church, event photographer at church, leader of instrument ensemble group at church.

What are your plans after high school?

UNCA.

What do you plan to major in?



Accounting, minor in music.

What career would you like to pursue?

Certified public accountant.

What is your proudest achievement in your high school career?

Completing 1-year choir conducting program through a Ukrainian academy with 60 people from neighboring states, which covered music theory and conducting.

(Very out of the box and out of her comfort zone, but good for the experience.)

You obviously excelled as a student. What advice would you give an incoming freshman at your school on how to be a good student?

Start a planner, find people to hold you accountable because its a good pressure.You shouldnt be in your comfort zone.

EARLY COLLEGE

Heather Pinkston



Parents: John and Jennifer Pinkston

Leadership roles in sports, academics, civic clubs:

I have taken part in various clubs, such as Key Club, Science Olympiad and Art Club.

What are your plans after high school?

I plan on going to Warren Wilson College directly after high school.

What do you plan to major in?

I hope to major in either Environmental Studies or Biology.

What career would you like to pursue?

I am working towards being an Environmental Scientist, most likely something with Botany.

What is your proudest achievement in your high school career?

As a freshman, I never expected to do so well with volunteering, but I surprised myself by not only sticking with the same place to volunteer (Carl Sandburg Home) but also racking up more than a total of 200 hours.

You obviously excelled as a student. What advice would you give an incoming freshman at your school on how to be a good student?

Classes seem to be so much easier when you focus on assignments one at a time, and you really spend the time to fully understand the material you are expected to learn. Also, it may be difficult, but give yourself enough time to complete everything expected of you without cutting the deadline close.

Anything else people should know about you?

Despite being Valedictorian, I always made sure to not get carried away in my school work. My hobbies, art being a major one, helped me through high school and make up a big part of who I am.



* * * * *



Interviews were conducted by Elise Trexler, a senior at West Henderson High School, and Gracie Milner, a junior at Hendersonville High School.
London: British anti-racism protesters briefly clashed with mounted police on Saturday after thousands gathered in central London to voice their anger at police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

After a largely peaceful day, small numbers of protesters near Prime Minister Boris Johnson`s Downing Street residence threw bottles at police, and mounted officers charged at protesters to push them back. One officer required hospital treatment after falling from her horse, police said.

Later a group of protesters attacked a dummy resembling US President Donald Trump, while others threw flares.

More than a thousand protesters marched past the US Embassy on the south bank of the River Thames.

Thousands of protesters also crowded into the square outside parliament, holding "Black Lives Matter" placards and ignoring government advice to avoid large gatherings due to the risk from 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 one protester, 39-year-old primary school teacher Aisha Pemberton.

Another protester, IT specialist Kena David, 32, said Britain was guilty of racist abuses too. "Everything you see around you is built off the backs of black and brown bodies."

Saturday`s protests reflect global anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of Floyd when a white police officer detaining him knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as fellow officers stood by.

Demonstrations also took place in other British, European and Asian cities on Saturday, after tens of thousands of people chanting "no justice, no peace, no racist police" marched through central London on Wednesday.

Reclusive street artist Banksy published a new artwork online showing the U.S. flag being set alight by a candle that formed part of a memorial to an anonymous, black, silhouetted figure.

Before Saturday`s protest in London, the US ambassador to Britain condemned Floyd`s death and said the United States needed to do more to fight racism and injustice.

"It is through peaceful protests that injustice is most successfully addressed," said Ambassador Woody Johnson.
Banksys new artwork shows US flag set alight by a candle as part of memorial to anonymous, black, silhouetted figure.

British artist Banksy showed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement with a painting he posted to his Instagram account on Saturday portraying a candle vigil under a United States flag.

In the post, the secretive artist, who rose to fame for his graffiti, writes that the system is failing people of colour, and it is the responsibility of white people to fix the system, not theirs.

Banksy likened racism to a broken pipe flooding a downstairs apartment, and said the downstairs occupants would be entitled to break into the apartment upstairs to fix the problem.

This is a white problem, he said in his caption. If white people dont fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in, he added in the Instagram post.

The painting shows a black silhouette in a picture frame surrounded by candles, one of which has lit the edge of the flag on fire.

In his caption, Banksy likened racism to a broken pipe flooding a downstairs apartment, saying downstairs occupants would be entitled to break into the apartment upstairs to fix the problem [Banksy/Instagram via Reuters]

The post was liked by more than 2 million people as of Saturday night. According to the British news agency Press Association, an anti-racism demonstration is planned in Banksys hometown of Bristol on Sunday, with about 4,000 people expected to take part.

Anti-racist protests have taken place across the world in response to the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of white police officers in the midwestern US city of Minneapolis last month.

Banksy frequently chooses topical themes for his artworks, which are normally stencilled on walls.

Last month, he showed a young boy choosing a nurse as the superhero he wants to play with over Batman and Spiderman, in a new artwork to encapsulate the gratitude Britons have felt towards the countrys National Health Service during the coronavirus crisis.
About 3,000 police personnel and officers have tested positive for coronavirus so far in Maharashtra and 30 of them have died, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said here on Sunday.

He said it was unfortunate that police personnel constitute the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities among frontline workers.

"Police personnel have been posted at nakabandi duty, and also at quarantine and isolation facilities for the last three months," the home minister told reporters when asked about the high number of police personnel contracting the infection.

Queried about the number of inmates being released from various jails in the state to de-congest them in view of the COVID-19 crisis, Deshmukh said a total of 9,671 inmates have been released on temporary bail.

He said a total of 31 temporary facilities have been created in 24 districts to keep new jail inmates.

When asked about the jail where liquor baron Vijay Mallya will be likely to be lodged after his extradition from UK, Deshmukh said it is the lookout of the Centre, but we will make proper arrangements.
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.
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  The Nigerian Government has handed over the fishing vessel, Marine 707, impounded for allegedly carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), to the Ghanian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution
Kate Garraway has revealed her son Billy, 10, sleeps by his coronavirus-stricken father's empty bed every night.

The Good Morning Britain presenter's husband Derek Draper, 52, has been in a comatose state in intensive care for the past 10 weeks, after contracting coronavirus.

Billy is usually walked to school by Derek and misses him so much that he has made a fort on the former lobbyist's side of the bed.

Heartbreak: Kate Garraway has revealed her son Billy, 10, sleeps by his coronavirus-stricken father's empty bed every night (pictured on Saturday)

In a heart-wrenching interview with The Sun, Kate said: 'Derek is such an amazing dad, hes brilliant with the kids, and thats one of the reasons why this is so hard. It just doesnt feel right without him.

'One of the things that makes it so sad is that I know he would have loved this, our time together in lockdown, he was never happier than being in this house, just the four of us.'

Billy and Derek had been building a Lego Death Star from Star Wars and Billy has left it unfinished so the pair can continue when he is out of hospital.

Emotional: The Good Morning Britain presenter's husband Derek Draper, 52, has been in a comatose state after contracting coronavirus (pictured with Billy and Darcey in 2019)

Doting dad: Billy and Derek had been building a Lego Death Star from Star Wars and Billy has left it unfinished so the pair can continue when he is out of hospital

Sorely missed: Billy is usually walked to school by Derek and misses him so much that he has made a fort on his side of the bed (pictured: Derek and Kate in 2019)

Derek, a psychologist, was hospitalised at the end of March after becoming breathless.

Due to hospital hygiene rules surrounding coronavirus, his family haven't been able to visit him.

The family FaceTime him everyday in the hopes that he will still be able to hear what they're saying.

Although the doting father now doesn't have Covid-19, the illness seriously damaged his major organs.

Struggling: The GMB presenter, 53, has talked about how her children (pictured, Billy with sister Darcey, 14) are struggling while missing their father, Derek Draper, 52

Kate and Derek are also parents to daughter Darcey, 14, who claims she is 'all Draper. There's no Garraway in me'.

Kate said: 'There are times when I can't bear to look around this house. It's full of things he's chosen, he's trapped at the moment, in a line between living and the uncertainty of recovery, and we're trapped with that uncertainty as well.'

Derek was initially taken into hospital without any other coronavirus symptoms, just breathlessness.

However, he then rapidly deteriorated and felt like he was suffocating all the time so doctors put him into a coma.

Lonely: Due to hospital hygiene rules surrounding coronavirus, his family haven't been able to visit him (pictured: Kate and Derek in 2006)

The couple were introduced to each other by their mutual friend Gloria de Piero, a former GMTV presenter and were married in 2005.

Just before he was put into an induced coma Derek, told Kate on the phone: 'You have saved my life. I don't just mean now, I mean everything.

'Being married to you, and the children.'

Doctors stopped giving Derek the drugs that put him in the coma three weeks ago but he hasn't yet regained consciousness, although he does occasionally open his eyes.

Family: The television star admitted at times she feels paralysed with fear, but vows to stay strong for their two children (pictured with Darcey, 14, and Billy last week)

Kate revealed that she fears her husband Derek could remain in a coma 'forever', as she spoke about his devastating battle with coronavirus in an interview with The Sun.

Kate said she received a 'terrible phone call' two weeks ago from a senior doctor in the intensive care unit.

The presenter explained: 'My first question, the one I always ask when the hospital call, was, ''Is Derek still alive?'' and he said he was, but then asked me what my greatest fear was.

'I said, 'Derek dying' and he replied, 'Well, now I think I have to give you a second worst case scenario, which is that he never changes from this, that he is locked in this for ever'.

Deterioration: Derek was initially taken into hospital without any other coronavirus symptoms, just breathlessness but his situation rapidly deteriorated (pictured: Derek and Kate in 2005)

'He said, 'I'm not telling you this to scare you. It's because we don't know if he can recover. We'll only know over the coming weeks and months', I threw up, there and then.'

Kate said she never imagined she would be told her husband may be trapped in a comatose permanently.

The Good Morning Britain host described it as the 'second level of loss', saying even if he doesn't die, if he doesn't wake up she will have lost him anyway.

The mother-of-two went on to explain how the virus has wreaked havoc with Derek's body.

She told how the illness 'attacked everything' before heartbreakingly admitting; 'we don't know if he can recover'.

The former lobbyist is now covid-free but is suffering from serious complications.

Worst nightmare: The doctor said: 'Well, now I think I have to give you a second worst case scenario, which is that he never changes from this, that he is locked in this for ever'

While he is able to breathe through a tracheotomy and the hope is everyday he will rely on the breathing support less, an MRI scan revealed he has holes in his heart, is on kidney dialysis, has a damaged liver and pancreas and is now diabetic, which he wasn't before.

Kate said doctors had been trying to pull Derek out of his comatose state for the past three weeks, but he hasn't managed to regain consciousness.

She went on to compare watching his battle to 'like spinning plates', adding that should Derek recover, they are looking at 'months of rehabilitation'.

The television star admitted at times she feels paralysed with fear, but vows to stay strong for their two children.

Further discussing Derek's progress, the star recalled shortly before her birthday on May 4th, Derek opened his eyes for the 'first time', with the presenter hopeful it was the beginning of his recovery.
Not less than four in every ten Nigerians (42 per cent) who were working before the outbreak of coronavirus in the country lost their jobs due to the impact of COVID-19, in April, an NBS survey found.

This estimate includes respondents in the poorest households, where about 5 in 10 (45 per cent) stopped working due to COVID-19, and the wealthiest households, where about 4 in 10 (39 per cent) lost their jobs.

The former bracket is where Folarin Adewole belongs. He said he was one of the outsourced staff laid off by Access Bank last month.

Although he received full payment for May, he said he feels bad and very unusual that that might be his last.

The National Longitudinal Phone Survey (NLPS) on the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 on Nigerian households was conducted between April 20 and May 11, a time range that coincided with a federally mandated lockdown, initiated on March 30.

It is the first of a planned 12 waves of the COVID-19 NLPS of households in Nigeria, where 3,000 households from the 2018/19 General Household Survey  Panel were contacted and 1,950 households were fully interviewed.

The survey also found that the commerce, service and agriculture sectors were the most hit by COVID-19.

Specifically, households earning from non-farm businesses lost their jobs the most, with 9 in 10 (85% per cent) families saying a member of their household lost their job. Likewise, in households engaged in farming, livestock or fishing, about 7 in 10 (73 per cent) said a member of their household lost their job. Among wage earners, about 6 in 10 (58 per cent) families said a member of their household lost their job.

More so, the National Bureau of Statistics said about 8 in every 10 persons interviewed (79 per cent) said that their households total income decreased since mid-March.

Within seven days prior to the survey (April 13 to 19), the report found that the range of 35-59 per cent of households who needed to buy staple foods like yam, rice and beans said they were not able to buy them.

Affordability aside, increase in the prices of major food items reduced the purchasing power of 85 per cent (about 9 in 10) of households since the coronavirus outbreak. This pales when compared to only 19 per cent (2 in 10) between January 2017 and January 2019.

As a result, in the bid to absorb the widespread shocks, half (51 per cent) of all households resorted to reduction in their food consumption.

Daniel Denis, 32, is a porter at Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH) whose salary was recently slashed by half, to N15,000. The father of a 9-year-old daughter told PREMIUM TIMES he barely feeds once a day due to this.

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Experience of economic shocks in the few months after the outbreak of coronavirus far exceeds shocks experienced between 2017 and 2019, the survey which is part of a World Bank global effort to support countries data collection efforts to monitor the impact of COVID-19, said.

The economic strain on many households due to COVID-19 is further worsened by a dip in their access to medical treatment. Approximately a quarter of all households were not able to access medical treatment when they needed it during the lockdown, the report said.

On the educational front, among households with children attending school prior to the nationwide closure in March, 62 per cent said that their children had engaged in any learning and educational activities since the closure.

Respondents are generally aware of important preventive measures against coronavirus such as handwashing (97 per cent), avoiding gatherings (90 per cent) and social distancing (89 per cent).

In Mr Adewoles case, he said although regular staff were not laid off by his employers, but, he, an outsourced staff, was. I had hoped CBNs order that banks must not lay off their workers would be a saving grace, but that wasnt the case.

With that out of the picture, he expected the bank to just pay us off, (so that) one can start a new life, considering the timing of the lay off.

But that, too, was not to be.
NEW DELHI: 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.

ALSO READ | Can't deny treatment to asymptomatic COVID-19 cases but should be discharged within 24 hrs: Delhi CM

The panel, headed by Indraprastha University vicechancellor 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 the sources.

An official said that the government will soon take a decision on the report of the panel, constituted earlier this week.

ALSO READ | Over 1,000 patients admitted to hospitals in last three days in New Delhi: Health Minitser Jain

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 the national capital. According to sorucea, health services in the Centre-run hospitals will msot likely be available for people belonging to other states as well.
Few days back Bigg Boss 13 contestant, Vikas Pathak also known as Hindustani Bhau lodged a police complaint against TV czarina and producer Ekta Kapoor. The complaint against her was due to one of the scenes in her web series which had an army officers wife make her lover wear her husbands uniform and later tears it off for a scene. The Youtuber wanted an apology to the army from Ekta Kapoor but things got ugly on social media.

The ace producer soon got rape-threats and was heavily trolled with filthy language and foul comments. Obviously, Ekta Kapoor was not going to sit down and watch the toxicity unfold, so she stood against them and spoke about it publicly. In a live chat with Shobha De, she cleared the air that her team got the scene removed from the web series as she doesnt want to hurt anyones sentiments but cyberbullying her was not right. She says, This gentleman who thinks that hes the patriot of the year decided to come out there, abuse my mother and me. And now, he has openly put a rape threat on a social platform. This is now 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!

She further adds that this can happen to any girl and she wouldnt keep mum because of her celebrity status, Now I have decided to take the route of standing up to this cyberbullying. She said, If they can decide to take my nudes out, put out my nudes on the net, call me names, then tomorrow, they can do this to any girl. 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.
A 55-year-old man who spent nearly three decades on death row over the sexual assault and murder of a four-year-old girl in Philadelphia has been freed after prosecutors concluded he is not guilty.

A judge overturned Walter Ogrod's conviction for the crimes against Barbara Jean Horn, his neighbour, in July 1988.

Prosecutor Carrie Wood apologised to Ogrod, who still faces a small chance of a new trial, saying at a hearing: "I'm sorry it took 28 years."

She added she now accepted "that you are innocent, and that the words of your statement of confession came from Philadelphia Police detectives and not you".

Barbara Jean was found by a neighbour in a TV box left on pavement about 1,000ft (300m) from her home. She had head wounds and had been partially wrapped in a garbage bag.

Ogrod was arrested four years later while working as a bakery truck driver.

On Friday, a Philadelphia judge vacated Ogrod's conviction, based on misconduct by the prosecution and new evidence supporting his innocence.

Ogrod's lawyers said police had coerced a false confession from him, and his defence lawyers argued that the girl may have died of asphyxiation and not blows to the head.

They said that jailhouse informers fabricated statements from him and that eyewitness accounts do not match Ogrod's appearance.

His confession, his lawyers said, had wrong details about the crime, including how Barbara Jean died.

A review by the Philadelphia district attorney's office found violations of Ogrod's right to due process of law, and that prosecutors had withheld potentially helpful material to his defence.

It is unclear whether authorities have a different suspect.

Prosecutors and Ogrod's lawyers agreed there is no physical evidence linking him to Barbara Jean.

Ogrod was convicted after a second trial in 1996 after his first ended in a mistrial.

The judge said she was not able to throw out the case completely but lowered the charge to third-degree murder, allowing him to post bail and get released.

Story continues

The judge ordered a new trial, but prosecutors filed a now-pending request to decline to retry him.

One of his lawyers, James Rollins, said Ogrod was "very tired" and he was heading to a relative's backyard barbecue.

"He was very pleased and relieved to be out of prison," Mr Rollins said.

Pennsylvania has executed only three people since the 1970s, the most recent in 1999, and all three voluntarily dropped their appeals.
She has been quarantining in her Los Angeles home with her beloved dog in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And on Sunday, the Pretty Little Liars alum star headed out on her nearly daily walk with her pet Elvis by her side.

The 30-year-old actress - wearing $123 Ray-Ban 'Clubmaster Classic' sunglasses - looked sporty chic in $188 Ultracor 'Cherry Blossom' leggings and a white $15 Nikxie 'Logo' T-shirt.

Toned and fit: Lucy Hale showed off her petite figure during a walk with her beloved dog Elvis in Los Angeles on Sunday

On this day, Hale donned dark jogging sneakers and stylish sunglasses on yet another sunny and warm Southern California day.

She also pulled her raven tresses back into a ponytails and carried a small backpack over her shoulder.

Hale kept up a brisk pace during their stroll but that never phased Elvis, who kept up with his mama the entire time.

Colorful: The 30-year-old actress - wearing $123 Ray-Ban 'Clubmaster Classic' sunglasses - looked sporty chic in $188 Ultracor 'Cherry Blossom' leggings and a white $15 Nikxie 'Logo' T-shirt

Four-legged family: Hale kept up a brisk pace during their stroll but that never phased Elvis, who kept up with his mama the entire time

The Tennessee native opted not to wear a protective mask, which is mandatory for people congregating in public spaces. But the Katy Keene star kept to herself and never came in contact with anyone during their time out in the sun.

Afterwards, the proud dog owner posted a quick video on her Instagram Story of Elvis laying on the lawn of their home.

In the end he ended up doing a couple of rolls in the grass and a head-shake or two in the clip.

Solo outing: The Tennessee native opted not to wear a protective mask, which is mandatory for people congregating in public spaces, but she never came in contact with anyone

The previous day, Hale took to her Insta-Story and promoted Sunday's Black Lives Matter march and protest that started on Vine Street in Hollywood.

This past Wednesday she attended 'an amazing peaceful' Black Lives Matter protest in Downtown LA, which she shared with her 38 million social media followers.

Fans can also expect her to attend LGBT Pride's peaceful protest march in response to racial injustice planned for June 14 through Hollywood and West Hollywood.

Aww: Afterwards, the proud dog owner posted a quick video on her Instagram Story of Elvis laying on the lawn of their home

Furry friend: In the end he ended up doing a couple of rolls in the grass and a head-shake or two
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) As the country commemorates the Migrant Workers' Day, the Philippine government paid tribute to overseas Filipino workers who have been manning the frontlines against the COVID-19 pandemic in other countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs released Sunday a clip honoring OFW frontliners in various nations including the United States, Cambodia, Japan, and Norway.

The video showcased Filipinos who have been working tirelessly abroad as medical workers, teachers, and essential staff amid the health crisis. It also featured video greetings from their relatives and loved ones.

Overseas Filipino Workers care not only for the Filipinos, but for the rest of the world, read a part of the clip.

Migrant Workers Day is celebrated by virtue of the enactment of Republic Act No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers Act on June 7 1995, a landmark measure which aims to advance the well-being of OFWs, their families, and Filipinos in distress.

Even during this time of pandemic, people across the globe are witnesses to the valuable contributions of our migrant workers, our modern-day-heroes, the DFA said in a separate statement.
Nearly 1,000 people gather Friday in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd and to support Black Lives Matter. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Dear Reader,

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd's breath was forcibly taken away from him, on video, while in police custody.

Since then, protesters in this country, and all over the world, have taken to the streets chanting, I cant breathe, in a COVID-19 pandemic where the viral infection takes lives by shutting down your lungs so you literally cannot breathe.

Doctors and scientists are working on a coronavirus vaccine to save all our lives. We citizens are called upon to confront the racism that takes black lives disproportionately. There is no vaccine for racism or prejudice of any kind.

The 2020 protests recall the 1992 Rodney King unrest in Los Angeles and for us, painfully, the 1976 Soweto uprising. Post-apartheid, South Africa implemented the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose work gave voice to the abused and sought to heal the wounds of injustice. We might learn from their example.

The Los Angeles Times, which we acquired two years ago, returning it to local ownership, is proud to tell the stories that inform and educate. Our courageous reporters and photojournalists take untold risks to bring the truth to light. We cannot be bystanders and enablers in a crisis. We must all work toward a peaceful solution so that all Americans can truly be equal under the law.

Peace is hard work, but we can do it. We are the can do nation. We are the can do state. We are the can do city. Black Lives Matter.

Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Executive Chairman



Michele Chan Soon-Shiong
There has been a call for an urgent meeting of Stormonts party leaders to be called over the delay in delivering payments to Troubles victims.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he has written to the leaders of Northern Irelands other major parties to work together to resolve the impasse over the victims payment scheme.

Westminster and Stormont are at loggerheads over who pays the estimated 100 million cost.

The aftermath of the IRA bombing of a fish shop on the Shankill Road in Belfast in 1993 which killed 10 people including one of the bombers and injured almost 60 (PA)

The scheme which allows support payments, which range from 2,000 to 10,000 a year depending on the severity of the injury, was supposed to open to applications on May 29.

It is understood that Sinn Fein is declining to nominate a Stormont department to run the scheme because it objects to those with convictions of more than two-and-a-half years being excluded from applying.

Mr Eastwood described the delay so far as inexcusable.

He has urged a meeting of the Party Leaders Forum, a body created by the New Decade New Approach deal to resolve areas of political disagreement, as well as meeting the British and Irish Governments to agree a way forward.

The Rising Sun Bar in Greysteel, Co Londonderry after Loyalist gunmen killed eight people and wounded 19 in 1993 (Martin McCullough/PA)

Victims and survivors have been marched to the top of the hill too many times to be let down again, he said.

These people bear the physical, psychological and emotional scars of conflict, pain they have to live with every day.

The failure of the Executive to deliver on their basic need for recognition, respect and compensation is inexcusable.

I have written to each of the other Executive party leaders today requesting an urgent Party Leaders Forum to take this matter forward.

There is no good reason on this earth why we cant nominate a lead department to take forward the essential technical work on the scheme and prepare to make payments as soon as resource is made available.

Those delaying the scheme are inflicting further pain on people who have suffered immensely over the last 40 years. It cannot be allowed to continue.
UN Atomic Watchdog Report Claims Iran is Stockpiling Enriched Uranium in Violation of Nuclear Deal

Sputnik News

05:41 GMT 06.06.2020

After US President Donald Trump withdrew his country unilaterally from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, slapping Tehran with crippling banking and energy sanctions, Iran gradually backed away from some of the nuclear deal's provisions, including limitations on levels of uranium enrichment.

A confidential report from the International Atomic Energy Agency distributed to member countries says that Tehran has persisted in increasing its stockpiles of enriched uranium and is in violation of its deal with world powers, reports the Associated Press.

The findings, presented by the United Nations' atomic watchdog on Friday, claim that as of 20 May, Iran's total stockpile of low-enriched uranium amounted to 1,571.6 kilograms (1.73 US tons), up from 1,020.9 kilograms (1.1 US tons) registered on 19 February.

According to the report, Iran has also been continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5 percent, which is above the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) designated 3.67 percent.

Tehran is also claimed to be above the deal's limitations on heavy water.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed by Tehran in 2015 with the United States, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia, allowing the Islamic Republic to retain a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms (447 pounds).

The nuclear deal offered Iran economic incentives in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

However, citing Israeli intelligence allegations that Tehran had violated the deal, US President Donald Trump unilaterally scrapped the deal in 2018.

In the wake of that move, Washington has launched a so-called maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, slapping sanctions on the country.

Tehran responded to the sanctions and the failure of JCPOA signatories  specifically Britain, France and Germany  to protect the deal by gradually suspending its own commitments to the nuclear accord. Nonetheless, Iran repeatedly announced its readiness to resume fulfilling its commitments if sanctions were removed.

Tehran has also been insisting it has no goal of producing a nuclear bomb, and its atomic program is exclusively peaceful in nature, aimed at producing energy.

According to the Washington-based Arms Control Association, cited by AP, to produce a nuclear bomb Iran would require approximately 1,050 kilograms (1.16 US tons) of low-enriched uranium under 5 percent purity, which would have to be further enriched to weapons-grade, or more than 90 percent purity.

In 2013, Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was already more than 7,000 kilograms (7.72 US tons) with higher enrichment, says the outlet. Prior to penning the nuclear deal Iran enriched its uranium up to 20 percent purity.

With the JCPOA in place, the period that Tehran would require to produce a nuclear bomb was suggested as around a year, according to expert analysis cited by the outlet, with that "window" narrowing as the Islamic Republic has been stepping away from the limits of the 2015 agreement.

While it remains in violation of the main restrictions contained in the JCPOA deal, Iran has continued to allow inspectors for the UN atomic agency access to facilities to monitor their operations.

While the IAEA has reported that it maintains its monitoring activities in the country, predominantly via chartering aircraft to fly inspectors to the Islamic Republic, the agency raised concerns over access to two of three locations identified in March as facilities possibly used by Tehran for nuclear-related activities without declaring them to international observers.

As the IAEA report suggests that activities at all three sites date to the early 2000s, it believes "extensive sanitisation and levelling" were conducted at one site in 2003 and 2004, suggesting there would be no verification value in inspecting it.

President Hassan Rouhani listens to explanations on new nuclear achievements at a ceremony to mark "National Nuclear Day," in Tehran, Iran, Monday, April 9, 2018

However, the report says that for over four months, Iran has denied access to the other two locations.

One of these was said to have been partially demolished in 2004, with the other facility, according to the agency, upwards from July 2019 displaying activity "consistent with efforts to sanitise" it.

The nuclear watchdog concluded that for almost a year Tehran has "not engaged in any substantive discussions" in response to IAEA questions about possible undeclared nuclear material and activities.

A Sputnik

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Four strikes for mainstream media in the week that changed America.

Why it matters: The protests are raising not just assaults on journalism from outside, but also long-standing problems about the lack of diversity from within the ranks of journalists and power structure dominated by white men.

1. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is accused of barring two African American journalists from covering protests in the city because of "apparent bias":

Photojournalist Michael Santiago, part of a team that won a Pulitzer for the paper in 2019 for covering the Tree of Life synagogue massacre, tweeted that the P-G is silencing two of its most prominent black journalists "during one of the most important civil rights stories that is happening across our country!"

part of a team that won a Pulitzer for the paper in 2019 for covering the Tree of Life synagogue massacre, tweeted that the P-G is silencing two of its most prominent black journalists "during one of the most important civil rights stories that is happening across our country!" "The controversy publicly kicked off Friday," the WashPost reports, "when Alexis Johnson, another black Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalist, reported that the newspapers management had barred her from covering local protests Monday after a tweet from her went viral."

kicked off Friday," the WashPost reports, "when Alexis Johnson, another black Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalist, reported that the newspapers management had barred her from covering local protests Monday after a tweet from her went viral." Colleagues  including Santiago, who took the photos  have repeatedly reposted it with: "I stand with @alexisjreports."

 including Santiago, who took the photos  have repeatedly reposted it with: "I stand with @alexisjreports." P-G managing editor Karen Kane told AP that the paper can't comment on personnel matters.

2. The headline on the New York Times op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) that ignited a newsroom revolt ("Send In the Troops") was written by ... The New York Times.

I know that because I read it in The New York Times. His op-ed wasn't published in the Sunday paper, as had been planned. But a 300-word editors' note has been added: "[T]he tone of the essay in places is needlessly harsh. ... Editors should have offered suggestions to address those problems. The headline  which was written by The Times, not Senator Cotton  was incendiary and should not have been used."

because I read it in The New York Times. His op-ed wasn't published in the Sunday paper, as had been planned. But a 300-word editors' note has been added: "[T]he tone of the essay in places is needlessly harsh. ... Editors should have offered suggestions to address those problems. The headline  which was written by The Times, not Senator Cotton  was incendiary and should not have been used." Cotton's Senate campaign yesterday blasted out a fundraising email boasting: "Ive caused a total meltdown from the media."

3. Stan Wischnowski, 58, executive editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, resigned yesterday "after discontent among the newspapers staff erupted over a headline on a column about the impact of the civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd," The Inquirer reports.

Tuesday's print paper carried the idiotic headline "Buildings Matter, Too" on a column by Pulitzer-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron.

carried the idiotic headline "Buildings Matter, Too" on a column by Pulitzer-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron. With the grace and deftness that only legacy media can muster, that headline was replaced with: "Damaging buildings disproportionately hurts the people protesters are trying to uplift."

that only legacy media can muster, that headline was replaced with: "Damaging buildings disproportionately hurts the people protesters are trying to uplift." Wischnowski apologized to readers and staff.

4. Fox News apologized for a graphic Friday that tried to correlate the performance of the S&P 500 with the deaths of George Floyd, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
A Russian journalist who also serves on a Moscow district council has been released from jail after serving 10 days in detention for staging a single-person picket.



Ilya Azar walked free from the Moscow jail on June 7, two days after a Moscow court ordered his term shortened.



Azar, who works for the independent Novaya gazeta newspaper, was detained on May 26 for staging a single-person picket, a form of protest that does not require permission from the authorities.



He was protesting the jailing of another activist who has worked to expose violations within Russia's law enforcement agencies.



Police said Azar was detained for violating lockdown orders imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.



His arrest prompted an outcry among Russian journalists and municipal lawmakers who also staged single-person protests in support.



Last August, Azar helped organize a series of anti-government rallies in the Russian capital calling for fair elections. The rallies drew tens of thousands of people.
Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed in a telephone call on Sunday the latest developments in Libya with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte following the Cairo Declaration initiative that was announced on Saturday, the Egyptian presidency said.

During the phone call, El-Sisi explained Egypts position concerning the Libyan crisis, which involves restoring the role of Libyan state institutions and ending the chaos caused by criminal and terrorist militias.

El-Sisi also said that Egypt supports giving priority to achieving stability and security for the Libyan people, as well as putting an end to the illegal foreign intervention in Libyan affairs, which threatens the stability and security of the whole Middle East and the Mediterranean region.

El-Sisi and Conte agreed to boost coordination on this matter, asserting that the way to end the Libyan crisis is through a political solution and supporting UN efforts and the conclusions of the Berlin conference.

The two leaders also discussed exchanging expertise on the coronavirus, as well as commercial, military, economic, and energy relations.

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Concerned about dearth of work for skilled migrant workers and stagnant economy, Jharkhand planning and finance minister Rameshwar Oraon on Saturday said they should go back to their workplace and resume work at the earliest.

Big cities are favourable for skilled workers and those who returned home during lockdown should go back to their workplace soon after things start normalising in order to help push the countrys economy, he said, while stressing that they should not sit idle. About five lakh workers returned to Jharkhand during lockdown, he said, adding stress was on creating as many man-days they can under MNREGA.

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These historic churches are closed to tourists, at least for now

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When many readers think of old churches and cathedrals they think of Europe.

The architectural masterpieces in northern Europe are generally Romanesque or Gothic in style as opposed to the more common classical or baroque edifices of southern Europe.

In many destinations, historic churches are among the most visited attractions. Think Westminster Abbey in London or Trier Cathedral, Germanys oldest church.

But coronavirus forced churches and cathedrals to close their doors, both to public worship and tourists.

Months later, countries across Europe are slowly reopening. This includes churches, museums and other cultural attractions.

However, Britain and France  arguably the two most popular summer destinations for American tourists  remain effectively closed, thanks to mandatory quarantine policies.

France lifted restrictions on local travel, though foreigners are still subject to quarantine through July 24, according to CNN. Its a similar situation across the English Channel in Britain, where the government only now imposed a quarantine.

As a result, it is all but impossible to visit some of the finest churches in all of Christendom this summer, unless you plan a trip for August or September. By then, things may be fully open.

Here is a guide to some of the places you cant visit right now, but should visit as soon as the situation changes.

Mont Saint-Michel

This tidal island  St. Michaels Mount in English  off the coast of Normandy is both iconic and remarkable. Some even call it magical for its almost fairy tale cityscape.

Centered around a medieval abbey dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, it may be the most picturesque spot in all of France. Long before tourists discovered it, religious pilgrims flocked here for centuries.

As with so many other destinations, Mont Saint-Michel is the kind of place you want to spend the night as walking the cobblestone streets after day trippers depart is a completely different experience.

Ramsgate, England

Ramsgate has underwent a revival in recent years after decades of decline. This quintessential English seaside town was home to Augustus W.N. Pugin.

Arguably the most important Victorian church architect, he championed Gothic Revival. The style, identified by its pointed arches, has become almost universally associated with churches.

Pugins legacy can be discovered  at least when Ramsgate reopens to tourists  at St. Augustines Church.

The edifice, which belongs to the Roman Catholics, is a textbook example of Gothic Revival. Pugins work here and elsewhere would be imitated by architects well the 20th-century.

St. Magnus Cathedral

Built after a Norse earl by the name of Magnus Erlendsson was martyred some 900 years ago, when the Orkney islands in present-day Scotland were part of Scandinavia, St. Magnus Cathedral is spectacular.

Despite being called a cathedral, it is, technically speaking, no longer a cathedral since there are no bishops under the presbyterianism of the Scottish church. Regardless, the mostly Romanesque architecture  massive piers in the interior and rounded arches  date to the 12th-century, when this was the seat of a Roman Catholic bishopric.

Besides St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall is delightfully charming and the perfect place to explore the rest of Orkney.

Spires and Crosses is a weekly travel column. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram.
Odessa Police Department

A 24-year-old Odessa woman was being held in Ector County jail Sunday after crashing into a Planet Fitness in Odessa on Friday night, according to a press release from Odessa Police Department.

Iliana Jimenez, 24, was charged with two counts of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony, according to the release.



Odessa police and Odessa Fire Rescue responded to 1355 W. University Blvd. at about 10 p.m. Friday in reference to a vehicle that had crashed into Planet Fitness and injured two customers who were working out.



Investigation revealed that a Dodge Journey, being operated by Jimenez was traveling eastbound in the 1400 block of San Andres Drive.

The vehicle left the roadway and crashed into the back of Planet Fitness. The impact caused two customers to sustain serious bodily injury; they were transported to a local hospital.



It was determined that Jimenez was intoxicated, according to the release.
London, June 7 : Protesters in UK's Bristol on Sunday tore down the statue of an 17th century slave trader as anti-racism protests, prompted by the death of African-American man George Floyd in US police custody, continued across the country for a second day, reports said.

In London, where largely peaceful demonstrations on Saturday were marred by some clashes with police, thousands of protesters massed for a second day outside the US embassy in London before moving towards Whitehall, the BBC reported.

Protests were also reported from Manchester, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In Bristol, protesters used ropes to pull down the bronze statue of Edward Colston, a prominent 17th Century slave trader, who has been a source of controversy in the city for many years.

Colston, who died in 1721, was a member of the Royal African Company, which transported about 80,000 men, women and children from Africa to the Americas.

After the statue was toppled, a protester posed with his knee on the figure's neck - reminiscent of the video showing Floyd, who died while being restrained so by a Minnesota police officer.

The statue was later dragged through the streets of Bristol and thrown into the harbour. The empty plinth was used as a makeshift stage for protesters.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, however, called the tearing down of the statue "utterly disgraceful", adding that "it speaks to the acts of public disorder that have become a distraction from the cause people are protesting about", the BBC said.

"It's right the police follow up and make sure that justice is undertaken with those individuals that are responsible for such disorderly and lawless behaviour," she said.

In a statement, Avon & Somerset police said that there would be an investigation into the "act of criminal damage".
SIOUX CITY -- Mike Wilmes had promised Wilmes Do It Best Hardware would return to Sioux City's northside someday. And just as his retail vision was becoming reality this spring, the coronavirus pandemic complicated the whole thing.

A grand opening, for which circulars had already been printed, had to be postponed. Some vendors had a hard time getting product lines set up. And certain items proved quite challenging to obtain.

"I found out this week, we cannot get inflatable swimming pools. There is no one in the United States that has inflatable swimming pools, for kids," Wilmes said. "And then you start thinking, 'Why is that?' And a mother said to me, all the pools are not opening this summer. Everybody's trying to buy a swimming pool."

Despite all that, the 30,000-square-foot full-service hardware store opened its doors May 13, about a month later than originally hoped. The new store is somewhat larger than Wilmes' original hardware store in South Sioux City, which he has operated since 1988 with his wife, Gina.

Wilmes, which employs about 16 people in Sioux City, is the first new tenant inside the former Shopko building, at 3025 Hamilton Blvd. It occupies just under a third of the building's 103,000 square feet.

Shopko closed permanently last June; the Wisconsin-based chain had sagged under enormous debt, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2019 and announcing a total liquidation a few months later.

The Shopko building is a part of the Marketplace Shopping Center, which has been owned by the Gleeson family since 1962.

Wilmes struck a deal with John Gleeson, president of Klinger Companies Inc., to carve a hardware store out of a portion of the building. Klinger did the interior and exterior construction work.

Gleeson said other tenants plan to move into the building soon. He declined to name the future tenants.

"It's a huge undertaking to try, in this day and age -- with retailers nationally shrinking their footage, shrinking their number of stores -- to think, how we might do this. We were elated with Mike wanting a north side location, and I think Mike will do it very, very well," Gleeson said. "We do have two other signed leases at this time."

The north end of town had been on Wilmes' radar for quite some time. In 2007, Wilmes took over a hardware store in Indian Hills, which did well for a number of years.

"It was a great little store, and we met some really nice people in that store," Wilmes said.

But over time the area became less retail-oriented and more professional-services oriented, with the arrival of doctors, a veterinarian, a dance studio, a garage-door repair shop, a church, a construction company, an advertising agency, a sewing machine repair shop.

The lack of nearby stores made Indian Hills less of an attractive place for the retail trade because, as Wilmes put it, "retail feeds retail" -- that is, stores can do better in the vicinity of other stores.

"I use this story a lot because there's a lot of truth to it. When I was a young kid, I remember hearing or reading, someone said, 'The best thing that can happen to a McDonald's would if a Burger King would open up across the street from it,'" he said.

The Indian Hills store closed several years ago, after the closure of a nearby pharmacy caused foot traffic to plummet.

But even after leaving Indian Hills, Wilmes kept his eye on the north side, which he said was ripe for a local hardware store. "I always said, that if a building every came available on the north side, I would back. And I meant that."

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The United States on Saturday offered to help Russia clean up a vast fuel spill that has fouled an Arctic river in northern Siberia.

Saddened to hear about the fuel spill in Norilsk, Russia, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

Despite our disagreements, the United States stands ready to assist Russia to mitigate this environmental disaster and offer our technical expertise.

On May 29, a diesel-fuel tank at a power plant belonging to the giant Norilsk Nickel mining group collapsed near the Siberian industrial city of Norilsk, sending some 15,000 tons of diesel into a nearby waterway and pouring an additional 6,000 tons onto surrounding land.

The spill -- deemed the worst ecological catastrophe of the sort to ever hit the region -- colored remote tundra waterways with bright red patches visible from space.

President Vladimir Putin declared an emergency and said he expects the company to pay for the clean up, which could take years.

Clean up work however has been complicated by marshy ground amid a springtime thaw and the shallow depths of the nearby Ambarnaya River, which prevents boats from reaching the scene.

Russian officials said Friday that the spill was probably caused when long-frozen permafrost under the fuel tank melted and gave way, and ordered a review of infrastructure in vulnerable zones.
Congressional Democrats are set to unveil sweeping legislation intended to address elements of police misconduct and racial bias following the killing of George Floyd in police custody along with the deaths of other people of colour at the hands of law enforcement.

The proposed bill  currently called The Justice in Policing Act of 2020  would make it easier to prosecute police misconduct and recover damages from officers found to have violated the constitutional rights of civilians.

Crucially, the bill will also increase pressure on the Justice Department to address systemic racial discrimination by law enforcement, The New York Times reports, having obtained a copy of a summary of the bill being circulated on Capitol Hill.

Sponsoring the bill are Californias Karen Bass, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, which took the lead on drafting the legislation; Jerry Nadler of New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; and Senator Kamala Harris of California.

It is believed that the four will introduce the legislation on Monday.

The bill would require state and local governments to introduce mandatory anti-bias training among other non-discrimination programmes.

A national register of police misconduct would be created and a ban on chokeholds and other practices that have led to deaths would be implemented.

The legislation also proposes federal standards on the use of force to make it a last resort rather than a question of reasonable use, with a focus instead on de-escalation.

The thrust of the changes to misconduct rules would see a shift from it being a crime for a police officer to willfully violate a persons constitutional rights and instead doing so knowingly or with reckless disregard.

There would also be changes to qualified immunity rules that stop individual officers being held legally liable for damages from those whose rights they have violated.

Federal officers will be required to use body and dashboard cameras and states would be mandated to use federal funds to ensure their use. Also proposed is a limit on military weaponry being deployed by state and local law enforcement.

A ban on no-knock warrants in drug cases is also included in the bill, in light of the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in her Louisville home during a police raid in March.

New powers would be given to Justice Department investigators, and state attorneys general would be incentivised to conduct investigations of police violations of the constitution.

A provision making lynching a federal hate crime would also be included  a current proposal is being held up in the Senate by Rand Paul.

As policing is largely managed at the local level, there are limits to what changes can be achieved by DC lawmakers.

An email to colleagues from the Senate and House Democrats that authored the bill reads: Persistent, unchecked bias in policing and a history of lack of accountability is wreaking havoc on the black community.

Cities are literally on fire with the pain and anguish wrought by the violence visited upon black and brown bodies, it continues.

While there is no single policy prescription that will erase the decades of systemic racism and excessive policing - its time we create structural change with meaningful reforms.

The final text of the bill, and even its name, are still being worked on this weekend.

While any final proposal should easily pass the Democrat-controlled House, prospects in the Senate are less clear and could involve a compromise with Republicans leading to more limited changes.

Republican Senator Kevin McCarthy of California has said that the party will work with Democrats on the legislation. It is unclear what the response from President Trump will be, given his hard line on law and order.

Nevertheless, the proposal is one of the most ambitious reforms of law enforcement ever proposed.
Drew Brees' wife penned an emotional Instagram post in response to the social media backlash her husband's comments received this week.

"I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country, Brees said in an interview with Yahoo Finance.

Celebrities, athletes and social media responded, expressing outrage.

Several Saints players became emotional, posting their disappointment in Brees. Wide receiver Michael Thomas and linebacker Demario Davis were some who went public accepting the apologies.

Even President Donald Trump weighed in, defending Brees' words.

Brees, who issued two apologies this week on his comments, said in a post addressed to President Trump that he realizes "this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been."

His wife, Brittany, reiterated his sentiment to the president promising that their family would do better.

"How could anyone who knows us think that Drew or I have a racist bone in our body? But that's the whole point," Brittany's post read. "That's the problem. We are not listening, White America is not hearing."

Brittany apologized for not doing enough, and said that she and Drew realize the issues the black community is facing are not about the flag.

You can read the entire post below:
Two Places to Find Real Alone Time on N. Oregon Coast, Tillamook County

Published 06/07/2020 at 6:24 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Neskowin, Oregon)  Oh, the crowded madness of some of those summer days on the Oregon coast, especially in places like Lincoln City or not-too-far Pacific City. Even just a day or two of lovely weather causes the masses to swell along the beaches. (Above: the northern edge of Neskowin)

And you came out to get away from it all. Yet it all came along for the ride as well.

On that forested borderline between Lincoln County and Tillamook County, just south of Pacific City, there are two spots you may want to think about, both a quick jump from the civilization of Tillamook, Depoe Bay, Lincoln City, Oceanside or bustling Pacific City.

Neskowin Deep

Just south of Pacific City, Neskowin is the quiet little resort that's constantly threatening to explode into something much bigger. Happily, it never does.

Hit the beach from the main access and you'll usually find loads of people milling about. But cross the creek, walk towards mysterious Proposal Rock, and the population density gets less. You can actually walk around on top of the rock and check out the views from the top (although be extremely cautious of the tide so as not to get stuck.)

Walk further beyond the rock and you'll definitely be more alone. Along the way, note the stumps at the tideline, 2000-or-so-year-old remnants of something rather ominous. Theyre of course known as the ghost forest of Neskowin, the only one ever talked about for some reason, but they are the only such specimens visible year-round. Somewhere in those millennia, enormous geographic changes slowly submerged a forest into the surf. The result was the ground that covered them preserved them instead of allowing them to decay in normal ways.

Keep going south and the cliffs of Cascade Head create a whole new hidden spot, although the surf can get rougher here. Its interesting to note youre standing beneath the remnants of an ancient Oregon coast volcano, originally some 1,000 to 2,000 feet higher. Proposal Rock is an orphaned remnant of that basalt.

To really find yourself alone, head to the very northern edges of Neskowin, to about where it all ends. Follow the streets with Oregon city names, like Monmouth, etc. There, one long and unmarked beach access trudges through the beachgrass and brings you out onto curious sands where theres almost never another soul.





The grains of sand are even larger here and much coarser, often a unique shade of black / dark gray. At the tideline, its a bit of a sudden slope, causing waves to come in hard and fast and then suddenly dissipate.

Its often said this tiny stretch of Oregon coast has a calming, esoteric vibe  an extra dose of something so soothing its downright spiritual.





Strange and Serene Winema Beach

It's hard to get more hidden than this. Just a few miles north of Neskowin, an unassuming sign declares Winema Road. Follow that to the bottom and a tract of sandy beach that nearly no one knows about. There's another blob of a rock structure that looks a bit like Neskowin's Proposal Rock to the north, which features a flat stretch at the top that's perfect for lounging.





Other interesting shapes and crevices present themselves as you walk northward. Some spots in the cliffs seem to invite climbing and exploring. There's more than one kind of cubbyhole in the rocks to hide from the wind and cuddle a bit.

All of it comes in striking colors. The cliffs soar high and become a sometimes shimmering gold, with some awe-inspiring homes up top. After about a mile or so, the beach ends abruptly at the southern end of Nestucca Bay, allowing you a truly different glimpse of the area. Hotels in Pacific City - Where to eat -

Sandlake Country Inn . Close to Sand Lake beach and Winema. 8505 Galloway Rd. (Near Pacific City, Oregon). 877-726-3525. 503-965-6745. 8505 Galloway Rd. (Near Pacific City, Oregon). 877-726-3525. 503-965-6745. www.sandlakecountryinn.com









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Mumbai: 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 Gurugram's 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 cyberbullying 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
Testing for vitamin D deficiency in Australians has spiked in recent years, and researchers are not sure why.

Writing in the Medical Journal of Australia, a group of medical researchers have presented the data on vitamin D testing, showing despite measures taken to reduce it in 2014, the rate has risen again.

For most people, food, exercise and sunshine are enough for adequate calcium and vitamin D. Credit:Getty

Vitamin D is mostly produced by the body when it is exposed to sunlight, and helps to absorb calcium and phosphorus, meaning its essential for healthy bones.

In many parts of Australia, 15 minutes in the sun is enough to provide the body with its daily dose of vitamin D, but the amount varies considerably depending on the location and the time of year.
BEIJING : Chinas trade surplus surged to a record in May as exports fell less than expected, helped by an increase in medical-related sales, and imports slumped along with commodity prices.

Exports decreased 3.3% in dollar terms from a year earlier, beating economists estimates, while imports plunged 16.7%. That resulted in a trade surplus of $62.93 billion.

The record surplus comes as the price of commodities China buys such as crude oil, natural gas and soy beans declined. Exports, meantime, have come off their lows, helped in part by sales of masks and other medical supplies as countries around the world battle to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The recent acceleration in export growth of anti-epidemic materials contributed considerably to Chinas exports," CICC analyst Liu Liu wrote in a note. Chinas full-year export growth in 2020 may be better than our previous expectations."

Net exports of goods and services in the second quarter will increase substantially from a year earlier, swinging to a large positive contribution" to GDP growth after dragging in the first quarter, Liu wrote. Exports of medical devices increased 88.5%, according to CICC.

View Full Image The record surplus comes as the price of commodities China buys such as crude oil, natural gas and soy beans declined (Graphic: Bloomberg)

Cheaper imports

While China increased commodities imports, the average price has fallen, according to a statement from the customs bureau. The average purchase price of crude oil slumped 21.2% in yuan terms in the first five months of the year, although the volume of purchases rose 5.2%, it said.

The price for coal, natural gas, soy bean and other commodities also dropped. The value of auto imports shrunk by 31.3%.

The slump in imports is mainly due to a high base from last year and the fall in commodities prices," said Xing Zhaopeng, an economist at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Shanghai. The volume of most major import items rose, showing Chinas economy is gradually recovering."

The export of textile products including masks jumped 25.5% in yuan terms in the first five months, the second-largest export item after mechanical products, according to the customs.

Slow recovery

Chinas economy continued its slow recovery from the coronavirus slump in May, the earliest indicators showed, with domestic demand gaining momentum while globally it remained sluggish. But the rising risk of an escalation in U.S.-China tensions threatens the outlook for Chinas foreign trade.

US President Donald Trump promised to revoke Hong Kongs special trade status in response to Beijings security law, while Beijing has told major state-run agricultural companies to pause purchases of some American farm goods as it evaluates the potential US response over Hong Kong, according to people familiar with the situation.

China has always opposed the politicization of economic and trade issues," Gao Feng, spokesman of Chinas commerce ministry, said at a briefing Thursday. In the light of the present situation, there are still many uncertain and unstable factors" weighing on Chinas trade outlook, he said.

Exports to the US slipped 1.2% from a year earlier, while those to India slumped 51% and Brazils were down 26% amid those countries battle to stem the spread of Covid-19. Imports slumped 13.5% from the U.S., 43.5% from Hong Kong and 29% from the European Union.

Exports remained resilient as industrial output continued to recover to normal levels and manufacturers benefit from the shift in supply chains as industrial hubs in the EU and US were shut down during the time, according to Rajiv Biswas, APAC Chief Economist at IHS Markit in Singapore.

With lockdowns ending across the EU and US, new orders for Chinese exports should gradually recover during the third and fourth quarters as Christmas season supports a rebound in new orders," he said.













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OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July. (AFP Photo)

MOSCOW: OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July, prolonging a deal that has helped crude prices double in the past two months by withdrawing almost 10% of global supplies from the market.

The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production 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) during May-June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis. Those cuts were due to taper to 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

Demand is returning as big oil-consuming economies emerge from pandemic lockdown. But we are not out of the woods yet and challenges ahead remain, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the video conference of OPEC+ ministers.

Benchmark Brent crude climbed to a three-month high on Friday above $42 a barrel, after diving below $20 in April. Prices still remain a third lower than at the end of 2019.

Prices can be expected to be strong from Monday, keeping their $40 plus levels, said Bjornar Tonhaugen from Rystad Energy.

Saudi Arabia, OPECs de facto leader, and Russia have to perform a balancing act of pushing up oil prices to meet their budget needs while not driving them much above $50 a barrel to avoid encouraging a resurgence of rival U.S. shale production.

It was not immediately clear whether Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait would extend beyond June their additional, voluntary cuts of 1.18 million bpd, which are not part of the deal.

BULGING INVENTORIES

The April deal was agreed under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants to avoid U.S. oil industry bankruptcies.

Trump, who previously threatened to pull U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia if Riyadh did not act, spoke to the Russian and Saudi leaders before Saturdays talks, saying he was happy with the price recovery.

While oil prices have partially recovered, they are still well below the costs of most U.S. shale producers. Shutdowns, layoffs and cost cutting continue across the United States.

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, U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette wrote on Twitter after the extension.

As global lockdowns ease, oil demand is expected to exceed supply sometime in July but OPEC has yet to clear 1 billion barrels of excess oil inventories accumulated since March.

Rystads Tonhaugen said Saturdays decisions would help OPEC reduce inventories at a rate of 3 million to 4 million bpd in July-August. The quicker stocks fall, the higher prices will get, he said.

Nigerias petroleum ministry said Abuja backed the idea of compensating for its excessive output in May and June.

Iraq, with one of the worst compliance rates in May, agreed to extra cuts although it was not clear how Baghdad would reach agreement with oil majors on curbing Iraqi output.

Iraq produced 520,000 bpd above its quota in May, while overproduction by Nigeria was 120,000 bpd, Angolas was 130,000 bpd, Kazakhstans was 180,000 bpd and Russias was 100,000 bpd, OPEC+ data showed.

OPEC+s joint ministerial monitoring committee, known as the JMMC, will meet monthly until December to review the market, compliance and recommend levels of cuts. JMMCs next meeting is scheduled for June 18.

OPEC and OPEC+ will hold their next scheduled meetings on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
In 2018, she stepped down after clashing with her board over an event sponsored by the Israeli government and over what, she believed, was her public support for young undocumented immigrants.

She said that museums should abandon the pretense of a united front. Its time for institutions to drop the monolithic responses, she said, to be more transparent about the different conversations happening inside of a museum.

James Cuno, the president of the Getty Trust, said he was comfortable with having had to revise his museums statement in response to criticism. It was extremely important that our staff brought it to our attention, he said. It was the way institutions should work.

The Guggenheim Museum, which did not have a black curator on staff until last year, has for several months been working with an outside diversity consultant, its director, Richard Armstrong, said. Its statement of support for Blackout Tuesday drew criticism from Chaedria LaBouvier, who organized the Guggenheims Basquiat show last year as a guest curator. She has said her experience at the museum was fraught with racism. Among the examples she cited was her exclusion from a museum panel that discussed the exhibition she designed.

Mr. Armstrong, speaking broadly in an interview, said that the museum should strive to be an ethical leader but that there invariably would be missteps.

One of the missing links in our moving forward as a culture is a greater sense of forgiveness. Weve made mistakes, weve tried as much as possible to address them and we will go on making mistakes.
Phuket Opinion: Not so fast

PHUKET: The first buses to start rolling into and out of Phuket this week marked more than just a milestone along the islands road to recovery, the nature of the relaunch also showed very plainly how Phukets return to normal life will be a slow one.

Sunday 7 June 2020, 09:00AM

A queue of people waiting in the rain to receive food relief contributions in Patong stretches down the street on Friday (June 5). Screenshot: Feeding Friends Patong / Facebook

Services to most destinations previously served before the lockdown are now limited from one to a few a day, with buses to and from Bangkok not to start until tomorrow and Tuesday.

This is not only because of the lack of passengers, but also because operators need time to restart their businesses with whatever staff and finances they have left, and because the new normal health guidelines affecting travel have literally halved the number of passengers each bus can carry.

Bus operators now have to rethink their entire bottom line and determine what remains viable. The same applies to hotels, restaurants and any other type of businesses on the island that are now allowed to reopen but one way or another depend on some form of tourism.

The only businesses that can restart basic operations are those still can afford to pay some staff and overheads for at least basic operations to begin with. Those who managed to save enough for this particular rainy day deserve credit. However, it is expected that many businesses will remain closed.

People have been screaming out loud for weeks for officials to reopen the beaches and the airport as a top priority to open the door for the islands tourism industry to restart. As of now, Phukets beaches are set to reopen on Tuesday (June 9) and all noises so far indicate that the airport will reopen to domestic flights come June 16.

It is easy to argue that any tourists arriving would be better than none, yet even if officials reopened the beaches two weeks ago it would have been for the benefit of only people already on the island. Likewise, the airport could have been reopened two weeks ago and how many actual tourists would have arrived? Even if the central government sticks to its current best scenario plan to reopen the country to inbound commercial passenger flights after June 30, how many tourists will come?

Please do not misundertsand this point: Businesses and tourist attractions must be allowed to reopen as soon as practicably and safely as possible. The sooner the long-term recovery is allowed to get underway, the better. But this pandemic has hit economies hard worldwide. It will take time for people to have enough money to travel, nevermind Phuket being ready to serve them. We are a long way from getting out of this hole.

Right now government support for businesses is just as critical for helping the economy get back on its feet as it is for helping those without work and deprived of any form of income  and for lightening the burden on the plethora of food relief efforts that are rightly so still underway across the island. Many people have lost their jobs, and those lucky enough to have returned to work in the past few weeks are very unlikely to be on full pay, and will have to wait for that vital first post-lockdown paycheck.

Whether or not people agree with any of the lockdown restrictions rolled out, and now being rolled back, the restrictions in Thailand are being lifted relatively much faster than many other places in the world that also were put under lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But even at the current pace of returning life to normal, until economies elsewhere also start to recover, the top priority here and now must be relief efforts, for businesses already under great pressure and for the basic rights of food security. That is where we are right now.
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. (Ken Cedeno/Reuters)

Man Charged With Terroristic Threats Over Suggestion to Burn Part of New York

A Brooklyn man who threatened to burn down Manhattans Diamond District if New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio didnt meet his demands was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats.

The man, who identified himself as Ace Burns, said, Today, Im giving a demonstration from Barclays Center at 6 p.m. to City Hall, and thats the first stopand were hoping [Mayor] de Blasio and [Gov.] Cuomo come out and talk to us and give the youth some direction.

But if they dont, then [the] next stop is the Diamond District, he said, referring to Manhattans 47th Street that is filled with jewelry shops. And gasoline, thanks to Trump, is awfully cheap. So, were giving them a chance right now to do the right thing.

The New York City Police Department said it identified the man [and] took him in to be interviewed.

Earlier tonight, a man wearing this mask threatened, in a live @FoxNews interview, to burn Manhattans diamond district down, it noted, saying that the arrest came within hours.

Police prepare to make dozens of arrests amid unrest in Manhattan, New York City, N.Y., on June 3, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Burns, 34, whose real name is Israel Burns, was charged with making terroristic threats, aggravated harassment, and false reporting, the police department told Fox News.

The protests and unrest come following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in custody in Minneapolis. Officer Derek Chauvin was later charged with second-degree murder in his death.

Burns is awaiting arraignment at the Brooklyn Criminal Court, officials said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio lifted the citys 8 p.m. curfew imposed for the Floyd protests. The police pulled back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands turned out.

Last night was the best by far, de Blasio said on Sunday. We had the biggest number of protesters, the fewest arrests, the fewest problems and that convinced me it was time for the curfew to go away. I have no intention of bringing it back.

Cities imposed curfews after last weeks spasms of arson, assaults, and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. Recent U.S. protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, as were rallies held around the globe.

Floyds body arrived in Texas for a third and final memorial service, said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. A viewing is planned for Monday in Houston, followed by a service and burial Tuesday in suburban Pearland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
James Dobson, Tim Scott talk George Floyd; senator urges Christians to oppose 'bad apples'

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South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott called on churchgoers and police officers nationwide to take a stand against bad apples in their communities while chatting with Dr. James Dobson to discuss the unrest in the U.S. following the death of George Floyd.

Scott, a 54-year-old Christian and Republican, joined the 84-year-old Christian psychologist for an episode of Dr. James Dobsons Family Talk radio program Wednesday as days of protests and violence have hit cities nationwide, leading to 17 deaths in riots and over 300 officers injured.

After videos of Floyds neck being pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer surfaced before he became unresponsive and eventually died, it drove many Americans to hit the streets of their towns and cities to call for racial justice and an end to police brutality.

Touching on the issue, Scott told Dobson that it's impossible to begin the conversation without first acknowledging that the trigger for the protests has been another senseless death of an African American man at the hands of the police.

That has been an unfortunate reality for all of my life, I've been watching this unfold, Scott said. This time with video; it brings a new level of validation to the cries of so many people within the African American community.

Both Dobson and Scott agreed that people must separate the actions of the violent rioters from the intent of those who peacefully protest. Dobson asked the senator how valid he found protesters complaints about police brutality in America.

Now, I would say there's a complicated relationship between law enforcement officers and the African American community, and communities of color, Scott said. Having the chance to talk with so many folks, and then having lived through seven stops, as an African American driving a car, by law enforcement officers. As an elected official being stopped by law enforcement officers, as a United States Senator trying to enter into the Senate buildings, wearing my Senate pin, they just didn't believe me.

There is a complicated and emotional attachment to the fact that the discrimination that so many of us have felt is real, he added. The solution to it, I think it is multifaceted and layered, but the vast majority, and I've had years and years of experience with law enforcement, the vast majority of officers have one objective: it's to do their jobs and go home. It's those apples, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

Scott stressed that while there is definitely more than one bad apple among police in America, there is a strong minority of officers that are casting shadows over all of law enforcement.

The problem is it's been this way for all of my life. And that's where you're seeing the type of energy and emotion, not violence, but energy and emotion that really want to have a civil conversation about bringing justice and fairness to the system, Scott explained. That has to be a separate conversation that is hard to have while you're having violence in the streets, watching people break windows, violate buildings, and other people's rights.

Dobson asked Scott how the establishment across the country should deal with the minority of cops who are bad actors.

For the first time in my lifetime, I've seen the majority, if not all of the law enforcement agencies in my state, South Carolina, all their associations, have come out condemning the acts of the officer in Minneapolis, Scott said. The fastest way to get rid of bad officers is for good ones to take a stand against them. That is the only way, frankly, to get rid of bad officers. I say that in every vein, by the way.

Whether it's officers, or church members, or politicians, if you're not willing to stand up against those in your own corner, so to speak, your voice is probably not going to be as helpful, Scott added. And it's the ability to stand against the bad apples on your side, whatever that means to whomever means it, it is the fastest way for our nation to make progress.
India raced past Spain on Saturday to become the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after a record spike in cases for four consecutive days pushed total infections to over 2,43,733, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.

In less than 24 hours, India surpassed Italy and then Spain to reach the grim milestone.

Now, only the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK 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 Saturday 8 am, 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.

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

A total of 1,14,073 people have recovered with 4,611 COVID-19 patients having been cured in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

"Thus, around 48.20 percent patients have recovered so far," a senior ministry official said.

The total confirmed cases included 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 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 has 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 percent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

According to the ministry data updated 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, Uttar Pradesh at 9,733 and Madhya Pradesh at 8,996.

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 has 692, Himachal Pradesh has 393, Chandigarh has 304 cases, Goa has 196, Manipur has 132 and Puducherry has 99 cases.

Ladakh has 97 COVID-19 cases, Nagaland has 94, Arunachal Pradesh has 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 three 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."

State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:14:35|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China Development Bank, one of the country's policy banks, will provide 550 billion yuan (about 77.46 billion U.S. dollars) in financing to support the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

Of the total financing amount, 520 billion yuan will be loans denominated in yuan and foreign currencies, the bank said.

The bank also pledged to provide efficient financing services to support the development of the Xiongan New Area, the construction of Beijing's sub-center and the preparations for the Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

Founded in 1994, the bank is a policy financial institution under the direct leadership of the State Council, or the cabinet. It provides medium- to long-term financing facilities that serve China's major economic and social development strategies. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 06:15:21|Editor: huaxia

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A demonstrator participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in Brussels, Belgium, June 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

The Spanish Government Delegate had given permission for 200 people to participate in the protest, but far more people than expected turned up to show their support, as also happened in other European cities.

Tens of thousands of people joined a second day of protests in British cities -- including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield -- despite officials advising against mass gatherings due to coronavirus.

BRUSSELS, June 7 (Xinhua) -- More "Black Lives Matter" protests against racism and police brutality took place on Sunday in European cities such as Brussels, Copenhagen, London, Budapest, Madrid and Barcelona.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of European cities like Berlin, Paris, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dublin and Prague in support of the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which has swept the United States and other countries worldwide following the U.S. police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe.





EUROPE "CAN'T BREATHE"

In Brussels, home to the European Union headquarters, more than 10,000 people demonstrated on Sunday afternoon at Place Poelart in the city center. Protesters of all ages and ethnic backgrounds came from all over Belgium, chanting "Black Lives Matter," "No Justice, No Peace."

Their banners and placards read -- "The Police Kill, it's written white on black," or "We can't breathe," echoing the last words of George Floyd.

"The murder of George Floyd has visibly awakened many people," newspaper Brussels Times quoted Ange Kazi, spokesperson of the Belgian Network for Black Lives Matter, which called for the protest, as saying. "Many people are fed up with police violence, which systematically affects Blacks," she said.

Demonstrators participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in Brussels, Belgium, June 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

In the Danish capital of Copenhagen, more than 15,000 protesters gathered peacefully in front of the U.S. embassy on Sunday afternoon, shouting slogans and holding banners as part of the Danish "Black Lives Matter" demonstration.

After demonstrating in front of the U.S. embassy for about an hour chanting "I can't breathe", demonstrators marched through central Copenhagen, in the vicinity of the iconic Little Mermaid, along Kongegade street, before arriving at Christiansborgs Slotsplats, home of the Danish parliament, for speeches.

In Spain, thousands of people added their voices to the "Black Lives Matter" protests worldwide. According to Spanish TV station RTVE, an estimated 3,000 people took part in a demonstration in Madrid, which began outside the U.S. embassy.

The Spanish Government Delegate had given permission for 200 people to participate in the protest, but far more people than expected turned up to show their support, as also happened in other European cities.

A further 3,000 people also marched in Barcelona for the same cause. There were also demonstrations in cities such as Bilbao, San Sebastian and Vitoria in the Basque Region of northern Spain, as well as in Logrono and Murcia.

People take part in a demonstration in Paris, France, on June 6, 2020. Tens of thousands of people rallied on Saturday in Paris and several other French cities to pay tribute to George Floyd. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

In the Hungarian capital Budapest, more than 1,000 people gathered at a peaceful demonstration in front of the U.S. embassy. Almost all of the protesters wore masks. The police presence was strong, but they did not intervene.

Demonstrators, mostly young Hungarians, held up banners reading "Black Lives Matter" at the front of the demonstration. Other banners displayed messages such as "Police everywhere -- justice nowhere" or "No Justice -- No Peace."

After the speeches and music, protesters knelt in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the time it took for Floyd to lose consciousness as the police officer knelt on his neck.





UK ON SECOND DAY OF PROTESTS

Across the English Channel, tens of thousands of people joined a second day of protests in British cities -- including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield -- despite officials advising against mass gatherings due to coronavirus.

Thousands of people gathered in London, the majority donning face coverings and many with gloves, BBC reported.

In one of the protests which took place outside the U.S. embassy in central London, protesters dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air amid chants of "silence is violence" and "color is not a crime," the report said.

In other demonstrations in London, some protesters held signs that made reference to coronavirus, including one which read: "There is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism." Protesters knelt for a minute's silence before chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter," BBC said.

A demonstrator wears a mask in Parliament Square during a Black Lives Matter protest in London, Britain on June 6, 2020. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

In the southern British city of Bristol, a statue of a 17th-century slave trader was pulled down by "Black Lives Matter" protesters.

Footage on social media showed demonstrators tearing the figure of Edward Colston from its plinth during protests in the city center. In a later video, protesters were seen dumping it into the Avon River.

The bronze statue of Colston, who worked for the Royal African Company and later served as the Tory MP for Bristol, had stood in the city center since 1895, and has been the subject of controversy in recent years after campaigners argued he should not be publicly recognized by the town.

Protester John McAllister, 71, told local media: "The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and it's absolutely despicable. It's an insult to the people of Bristol." 
Since video evidence of the death of George Floyd was broadcast to the world there has been an eruption of protests about the prevalence of malignant racism that destroys the quality of life and, indeed, life itself for people whose skin is not white. It is clearly a worldwide problem.

In our country racism arrived with Captain Cook and in todays society is palpable when one looks at our appalling record of deaths in custody and rates of incarceration for Indigenous Australians. It was inevitable and important that Floyds death would be used to raise anew Australians level of appreciation of injustices here.

Around the world emotional cries of Black Lives Matter are associated with literal and metaphorical demands that black people be allowed to breathe. This emphasis was generated by the distressing protestation from Floyd as he was dying that, I cant breathe.

The Black Lives Matter campaign has been injected into the spotlight which for months has focussed an another campaign struggling to protect the lives of all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has to date killed more that 402,000 people whose last words were frequently I cant breathe. Death by suffocation despite the use of a ventilator continues apace around the world.
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

- Nearly 400,000 deaths -

The pandemic has killed at least 399,907 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Sunday, based on official sources.

At least 6,917,107 cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 109,802 deaths, followed by Britain with 40,465, Brazil with 35,930, Italy with 33,846, and France with 29,142 fatalities.

- China foreign trade plunge -

China's exports and imports fell in May, official data shows. Imports saw their sharpest on-year fall in over four years at 16.7 percent, while exports fell by 3.3 percent.

Analysts say a deeper downturn in exports is looming for the world's manufacturing powerhouse.

- Iran surge: more testing? -

Iran's health ministry says a surge in new reported infections is due to increased testing rather than a worsening outbreak.

- UK places of worship -

The UK government announces it will reopen places of worship for individual prayer on June 15, but services and worship groups will remain banned for the time being.

- Camp confinement -

Greece extends for another two weeks a lockdown on its overcrowded migrant camps, affecting more than 33,000 asylum seekers living in camps on the Aegean islands and some 70,000 living in other facilities on the mainland.

- Israel plans ahead -

Israel says it has opened a factory to make millions of the high-spec N95 masks as it prepares for a possible "second wave" of cases.

The new masks are being made in Sderot, a southern town near the Gaza Strip, using machines imported from China by the defence ministry.

- Pope: cautious optimism -

Pope Francis says the worst of the crisis is over in Italy, addressing the faithful for the first time in Saint Peter's Square since the health emergency began.

"Your presence in the square is a sign that in Italy the acute phase of the epidemic is over," Francis tells those assembled for his weekly Angelus prayer.

"But be careful... do not celebrate victory too soon".

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By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Doctors are concerned over the shortage of a drug, which, as they claim, plays a crucial role in the speedy recovery of COVID-19 patients. Tocilizumab is used in serious COVID patients to suppress inflammation, they say. The drug is patented and apparently only one company manufactures it.

"In the last three months, we have seen this drug to be effective on patients with severe inflammation," said a senior government doctor, who is treating COVID-19 patients.

"Though there is no scientific evidence yet, it has been observed that the drug is effective in speedy recovery of COVID patients. Last week, we managed to get the drug for a doctor admitted in government hospital for COVID-19 treatment.

He recovered quickly. It is mainly used in people with cytokine storm," said another. Meanwhile, a senior health department official said the drug is not available anywhere in India and can only be imported.

Speaking to Express, J Jayaseelan, Chairman of Indian Drug Manufacturers Association said, "It is a patented product. Only one company, Roche, is manufacturing it."

"It is not manufactured in India but only imported. Now, there is a shortage of it due to wide usage. We can't do anything about it right now. as it is a patented product. There are many drugs for cytokine storm. Tocilizumbad is one of the drugs being tried by doctors. They all are in trial basis," he added.

Another doctor said, "It is a global issue. Only governments can find a solution. They can consider giving patent right to more companies so that it can be manufactured in India too. They have to consider this since it is a pandemic situation and more doctors find it to be effective."

Tocilizumbad is an immunomodulator, mainly used to treat autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Kosovo Lifts All Trade Barriers Against Serbia

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service June 06, 2020

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.

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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo-lifts-all-trade- barriers-against-serbia/30656182.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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Seven companies withdrew from the Bank of England loans scheme last week, prompting speculation they did not want their names to be made public.

Later last week, the Bank published a list of 53 firms that had accessed the Covid Corporate Financing Facility.

Controversially, a string of companies that claimed a share of the 16.2billion loans are paying dividends or paid no corporation tax last year. Just two weeks ago there were 60 names on the list.

Kevin Hollinrake MP said publication had put pressure on large firms to consider whether they should access public money

Sources suggested some firms may have had very short-term loans or found alternate funding sources.

But Kevin Hollinrake MP said publication had put pressure on large firms to consider whether they should access public money, and reinforced public accountability for taxpayer support. 'Companies might think twice about seeking the support if they don't need it,' he said.

To qualify, companies had to show they had a 'significant' workforce in the UK and made a 'material' contribution to the economy.
Myanmar Avoids Helping Rohingya Minority Despite International Court Order, Observers say

By Ralph Jennings June 06, 2020

Myanmar has sidelined an international court order to improve conditions for its long-embattled Rohingya minority, despite fears that the Southeast Asian government is trying to commit genocide against the group, observers say.

The U.N.'s International Court of Justice in January ordered Myanmar to "take all measures within its power" to prevent any acts of genocide against ethnic Rohingya Muslims, who fled the country amid a bloody military crackdown in 2017. The ICJ ordered Myanmar to submit a report within four months on what actions it is taking to comply with the court's decision, and to submit follow-up reports every six months after that.

The court last month accepted the first of the required reports, but its contents have not been released.

Nevertheless, observers contacted say there has been little change.

"The situation to me seems like it's more of the same," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political science professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "There has not been any major deterioration, but also no major new measures."

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Myanmar to control people's movement in Rakhine state in western Myanmar where about 400,000 Rohingya live, Thitinan said. Legislative elections set for November will embolden the government to stiffen its stance toward the Rohingya, he added. Voters of other groups see the Muslim minority as uninvited people allowed in during British colonial rule over Myanmar.

"The Rohingya is a very paradoxical issue," Thitinan said. "To the outside world, there's a lot of sympathy and outcry. Within Myanmar, it's the opposite."

The Rohingya crisis has tarnished the international reputation of Myanmar's de facto head of state, former opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar has targeted the Rohingya in a "systematic" way, a court news release said. "Genocidal acts" including mass murder, rape and setting fires were intended to wipe out the group, the release said. It pointed to an increase in those acts starting from August 2017.

Rohingya who have fled to camps in Bangladesh face more violence as well as human trafficking.

Those in Myanmar want normal access to hospitals and schools plus freedom of movement, said Tun Khin, president of the advocacy group Burmese Rohingya Organization UK. The government has done nothing on these issues for the past four months, he said.

"If Myanmar complies with the provisional ruling, it will have to change the laws and policies that are part of the genocide against us," Tun Khin said.

The report filed last month probably contains "details" on what the government has done so far to address the court's recommendations, said Moe Thuzar, co-coordinator of the Myanmar Studies Program at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Myanmar acknowledges that human rights problems should be addressed, said Priscilla Clapp, former permanent charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar. The government is trying to educate Rohingya at satellite university campuses already, she said.

Suu Kyi, who's officially Myanmar's state counselor, told the court in December no genocide had taken place.

But a separate conflict between Myanmar's armed forces and the Arakan Army rebel group is diverting government attention away from any more help it might offer the Rohingya, Clapp said. That war, she said, has killed numerous people and displaced "hundreds of hundreds." The Arakan Army is unrelated to the Rohingya, but they're fighting nearby.

"The problem now is that [any protection effort for the Rohingya] probably isn't going to cut any ice because the whole thing has had to close down in Rakhine due the fighting with the Arakan Army and it's a very, very nasty war," Clapp said.

Myanmar's report filed last month probably amounts to "one step in a very long process," she said. The case is set to last at least until July of next year.

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Today, in Hillside, we marched for justice.



For George Floyd and for the many before him  who lost their lives for being Black.



We march because we will not accept systemic racism and bias as just part of our national condition. Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/JGe00Xa1qS  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 7, 2020

Gov. Phil Murphy joined thousands of people in New Jersey and many more across the nation Sunday in protest of police brutality in the wake of George Floyds death.

The governor, along with First Lady Tammy Murphy, took part in the Hillside Strong March to End Racism, Police Brutality and Embrace Diversity event. He also appeared in Westfield.

Murphy has voiced support for protesters but has also cautioned them to be safe amid a worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

Today, in Hillside, we marched for justice, Murphy said in a tweet.

For George Floyd and for the many before him  who lost their lives for being Black. We march because we will not accept systemic racism and bias as just part of our national condition, he said. Black Lives Matter.

The appearances werent listed on his public schedule and the governors office didnt immediately say why Murphy chose to march in Hillside and appear in Westfield. The governor and his wife were both wearing face coverings in the photo he posted on Twitter during the march.

Just me and @GovMurphy at the protest in Hillside, NJ!  pic.twitter.com/6n5M1sRqYb  Cameron Alli (@camalli98) June 7, 2020

He took part in the events two days after he said people are right to protest but that they should be responsible amid the coronavirus pandemic.

We respect completely your right to protest, particularly given the gravity of why folks are protesting, Murphy said Friday during his daily coronavirus briefing. But please do it responsibly.

There have been dozens of police-brutality protests in New Jersey over the past week, with some having thousands of people gathered tightly. Murphy was pictured standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his family and protesters on Sunday.

Yes, Im concerned, he on Friday. But thats not a reason not to protest. But it is a reason to be responsible.

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.

Hes since gradually lifted restrictions as the numbers of new cases continue to drop, though his order still limits outdoor gatherings in New Jersey to 25 people, with an emphasis on people standing six feet from each other.

Last week, Nala Angella Scott, a high school junior, wrote me a heartbreaking and powerful letter inviting me to todays protest and describing her own experiences with racism growing up in Westfield.



Today, so many New Jerseyans and I gathered with her to demand change. pic.twitter.com/ErZFqoKUD1  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 7, 2020

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

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Photo: Getty

The asset management industry will struggle to provide enough capital to address the solvency problems of UK public firms as they emerge from coronavirus lockdown, an asset management boss told the Financial Times.

The stark warning comes from Fidelity International executive Anne Richards, whose investment company oversees 305bn in client assets.

Richards said many businesses would need an injection of capital to offset the high levels of debt they had accumulated during the pandemic, whilst being unable to operate.

But these businesses will need access to a range of capital pots because the asset management industry "is not going to be enough to solve this solvency problem, said Richards.

She expects much of the debt to be written off or to sit on balance sheets where it will have a "depressing effect".

If you dont want that drag from the overhang to depress the recovery, you have to think about the plan to recapitalise. The [fund] industry can support a high proportion of that, but I dont think it can do all of that recapitalisation, Richards told the FT.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: 36bn in toxic loans on horizon

The UK has already seen a surge in fundraisings as companies have tried to deal with cash flow problems. More than 50 share placings have occurred during April and May, according to tech platform PrimaryBid.

And more companies are expected to turn to share sales in the months ahead in order to balance debt to equity ratios whilst other may try to build cash piles to enable them to buy up other struggling businesses.

But Richards warned there is not a huge amount of cash quickly available to support companies, despite fund managers globally having larger cash piles than usual.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 7

Trend:

Military units of the armed forces of Armenia violated ceasefire 23 times throughout the day in various direction of the front, using sniper rifles.

Armenian armed forces, located on nameless hills in Krasnoselsk region subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army located on nameless hills in Gadabay region.

The positions of Azerbaijan Army were also fired from the positions of Armenian military units located near the occupied Goyarkh, Chilaburt villages of Terter region, Garakhanbayli, Horadiz villages of Fuzuli region, as well as from the positions located on nameless hills in Goranboy, Terter and Aghdam regions.
Security forces killed five terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district on Sunday in a joint operation, officials said.

Police said security forces launched the operation early in the morning after a tip off about the presence of terrorists at Reban village in South Kashmirs Shopian district. The encounter raged for 12 hours before all the terrorists were killed.

The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Shopian Police were part of the joint operation.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said all five militants were killed in the operation. The operation has ended.

Police said the militants were holed up in a residential building.

Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said there was no collateral damage in the operation. Cordon was laid and contact established leading to a firefight in which five terrorists were eliminated. The good drills ensured no collateral damage was caused during the operation.

The identification and affiliation of the killed terrorists is being ascertained. But sources the slain terrorists belonged to proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen terror group and one among them is believed to be a top commander.

On Thursday a civilian was injured when militants opened fire on a police patrol party in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district.

A day earlier a top Jaish commander and an IED expert along with two other militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Since the Covid-19 lockdown, 49 militants and two associates have been killed in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir.
She's the former children's entertainer who is now a doting mother to two boys.

And on Sunday, Lauren Brant revealed her creative plan to help her three-year-old son, Miller, ditch his dummy.

Speaking on her Instagram stories, the 31-year-old performer said she told little Miller he could be like Toy Story character, Andy, if he bid farewell to his dummy.

Growing up! Former Hi-5 star Lauren Brant (right) has revealed her creative plan to help her three-year-old son Miller (left) ditch his dummy

'Maybe if we got rid of your dummy, all those toys would choose you to be the new owner,' she began.

The former Hi-5 entertainer explained that Miller is planning to throw his dummy into the ocean for the 'baby sharks' so he can say goodbye.

Lauren and her AFL star husband Barry Hall will then surprise her son with toys from the popular Disney film.

Creative trick! The former Hi-5 entertainer explained that Miller is planning to throw his dummy into the ocean for the 'baby sharks' so he can say goodbye

It comes after she recently admitted she felt 'guilty' for leaving her sons - Miller, three, and Houston, eleven months - at home to enjoy a night out with her friends.

Lauren shared a photo of herself using a breast pump in a public bathroom, alongside a lengthy caption in which she discussed her conflicting emotions.

'I was so excited about the idea of going out for a night! However, I realised that I am so not ready for this,' she said.

Family: Lauren and her AFL star husband Barry Hall (right) will then surprise her son with toys from the popular Disney film. Also pictured with their 11 month old son Houston

'It was hard work having to put pressure on myself to express enough milk during the week. I then had to express while I was out - not fun - and [was] constantly checking my phone to see if the kids were okay.'

She went on to say the stress of her life made her feel tired and emotional.

Lauren said: 'You know what, I love being with my children and I actually do prefer spending a night at home with them, like I do every other night.'
The recovery in Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) reached new heights this week amid continued bullish behavior from crude oil. Black gold is fast approaching $40 after notching its best month ever. Against that backdrop, the angst surrounding the debt-laden energy sector has dissipated. And just like that, Exxon Mobil stock is back to where it was when the Saudi-Russia oil war delivered a massive shock to the energy patch on March 9.

This Is How You Should Trade the Breakout in Exxon Mobil Stock

Source: Harry Green / Shutterstock.com

Lets take a fresh look at the improving technicals in oil and Exxon Mobil. Then well walk through how to profit from the continued recovery using a leveraged options trade.

Oils Meltup

Oil's Meltup

Source: The thinkorswim platform from TD Ameritrade

May went down in this history books as the best month ever for oil prices. West Texas Intermediate rallied 85%, as traders pulled its depressed price back from the abyss. The jump from $19 to $35 was relentless, with only a few pauses along the way. Reopening economies are helping on the demand side with consumers hitting the road and air traffic ticking higher. Meanwhile, historic production cuts are keeping the oil flow to a trickle to help on the supply side.

InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

Pessimists will say oil remains well off its 2020 highs of $65.65, so keep the giddiness in check. The point is valid, but for heavens sake, crude was flirting with negative numbers just six weeks ago! The recovery has been utterly astounding in its consistency and strength. Weve only seen one or two red candles the entire way up. Filling the gap left by March 9s epic overnight plunge seems highly likely in the short run. That would carry oil up to $41.50.

A Look at the Exxon Mobil Stock Charts

A Look at the Exxon Mobil Stock Charts

Source: The thinkorswim platform from TD Ameritrade

For its part, Exxon Mobils stock has now lifted 63% off the lows. Along the way, the 20-day and 50-day moving averages have turned up, officially reversing the short-term and intermediate-term trends higher. Volume patterns also remain healthy, particularly since the false breakdown in early May. Multiple accumulation days have cropped up since to reflect institutions returning to the oil giant.

Story continues

The fear gripping traders ever since the March bottom was that the rebound was only a dead-cat bounce. We now have enough evidence, however, to put that particular theory to rest. The first sign that this bounce had staying power was the failed breakdown I just mentioned from early-May. If sellers were in control, Exxon Mobil would have tumbled from that point forward. But it didnt. The support breach was a ruse, a bear trap. And now, weve taken out the topside of the consolidation zone, as well as the 20-week moving average.

XOM stock chart

Source: The thinkorswim platform from TD Ameritrade

That should be enough evidence for any chart follower to abandon bearish aspirations and start giving the daily uptrend the benefit of the doubt. This weeks rally officially completes the ascending triangle pattern of the last two months and sets the stage for a run to the next ceiling at $54.

How to Trade Exxon Mobil Stock Now

With uncertainty and realized volatility dwindling, options demand has fallen dramatically. Exxon Mobil derivatives now carry an implied volatility rank of 26%. Couple that with the relatively low share price of $49, and a bull call diagonal spread looks good here.

The trade consists of buying a longer-term in-the-money call option and selling a short-term out-of-the-money call option against it to generate cash flow and reduce trade cost.

The trade? Buy the Aug $47.50 call while selling the July $52.50 call for a net debit around $3.10.

Your original cost of $3.10 is the max loss and will be forfeited if Exxon sits below $47.50 at August expiration. I would plan on closing the trade at July expiration, though. Or, exit earlier if the stock breaks support near $42. Your loss will be around $2.

If Exxon can work its way toward $52.50, your max upside is around $1.50 to $2, which works out to a tasty 50% to 65% return on investment.

For a free trial to the best trading community on the planet and Tylers current home, click here! As of this writing, Tyler held bullish positions in XOM.

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The post How to Trade the Breakout in Exxon Mobil Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.
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.
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. 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." Don C. Rockey, M.D., gastroenterologist, MUSC DDRCC's director

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."
Purdue will give students a kit that includes face masks and a thermometer. Brown plans to test all students and employees for coronavirus.

These are some of the ways colleges will look different, if they can open safely in August or September, college presidents told the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee at a hearing. Even with extensive testing, schools understand their best laid plans might not work.

"Brown will not open unless we can do so safely," university President Christina Paxson told the committee Thursday. "We will not compromise on safety."

Colleges across the U.S. are grappling with how to hold classes in person while managing health and safety concerns as they seek to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. They're also making provisions in case students or community members contract the virus in the fall. If they don't open in person, they face additional economic constraints from student deferrals, lower tuition and room and board revenue.Paxson said the measures will surely be expensive.

"Putting these elements in place will require an extraordinary effort, and will create additional financial pressure on colleges and universities," she said in prepared testimony provided to the committee.

If they can't open, schools may need support from the federal government to survive, especially those that were in precarious financial shape even before the pandemic, she said. Already, the Ivy League school in Providence, Rhode Island, expects a negative financial impact next fiscal year of at least $100 to $200 million, depending in part on expenses associated with different reopening scenarios.

Lane College, a historically black college in Jackson, Tennessee, also saw heavy economic losses from sending students home.

Each of the 819 residential students' accounts was credited $713.44 for a total of about $584,000, which is slightly less than 10% of the school's budget, and 76% of the student body resided on campus, the school's president, Logan Hampton, told the committee.

Schools are beginning to outline other ways they expect things to change.

Stanford plans to operate over four quarters, including the summer. The University of Texas at Austin says fall classes will be more spread out than usual and can be scheduled between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The key issue is how schools will reduce density to prevent spreading. Students once sat in 90-person lecture halls that may now hold 30 people.

Harvard imagines disinfecting classrooms after each use.

"We have not made a decision yet whether or not to bring students back or how many to bring back," Harvard President Lawrence Bacow, who wasn't testifying on Thursday, said on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday. "We're trying to delay that as much as possible."

At Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, at least one-third of the staff will be required to work remotely, President Mitch Daniels Jr. said in written testimony.

"Our technologists have applied what they've learned about social distancing to redesign 700 classrooms and labs, and 9,500 dormitory rooms, all of which will be reconfigured with lower occupancy limits," he said. "All large-enrollment courses will be offered online as well as in person, to accommodate those who cannot or choose not to come to campus, and to further reduce in-class numbers."

Once students arrive in August, they will get a kit with face masks and a thermometer for daily temperature-taking.

The school is purchasing plexiglass that exceeds a mile, he told the committee.

The school will ask students to commit to at least a semester of inconvenience, "not primarily for the student's own protection but for the safety of those who teach and otherwise serve them," according to Daniels's testimony.
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." 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
(Newser)  James Bennet is out. The New York Times editorial page editoronce considered a future contender for executive editorhas resigned amid raging backlash over an op-ed calling for military force against American protesters, per the Hollywood Reporter. "Last week we saw a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first we've experienced in recent years," the Times' publisher, A. G. Sulzberger, told staff in a memo. He added in a Sunday interview that "both of us concluded that James would not be able to lead the team through the next leg of change that is required."

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Bennet's fall has triggered two other moves: Jim Dao, the editor who oversaw op-eds, is going to the newsroom, and Katie Kingbury, a deputy editorial page editor, will replace Bennet through the November election. The op-ed in question was written by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton and headlined "Send in the Troops." Over 800 Times staffers later opposed its publication and Bennet apologized, saying he failed to read it amid a breakdown in the editorial process. But Cotton chafed at the notion that his work didn't meet the Times' standards: "It far exceed their standards which are normally full of left-wing, sophomoric drivel," he said on Fox News. (Read more New York Times stories.)
Dozens of medical personnel applauded and cheered as Klinton Patterson was wheeled out of the MercyOne North Iowa Critical Care Unit in Mason City last month.

Once outside, Patterson was reunited with his wife, Lynn, and their three adult children.

The emotional reunion marked the first time in 30 days that he and his family could interact  hug, kiss and speak  in person.

Hes made a remarkable recovery, said Megan Patterson, the couples oldest child and only daughter. We are forever thankful for Mercy and his team. They really did perform a miracle.

Patterson, a hog farmer in rural Britt, has been hospitalized since April 2 after experiencing complications due to COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus.

He was discharged from the Critical Care Unit to begin his rehabilitation on May 29 after 56 days on a ventilator and 70 days after symptoms first appeared.

We definitely never thought Klint would be hospitalized this long, Lynn said.  As is common for married couples unless jobs require separation, Klinton and I had spent no more than three weeks apart.

Klinton and Lynn Patterson returned from an abbreviated trip to Spain in mid-March, and they tested positive for COVID-19 on May 21 the first two confirmed cases in Hancock County.

In the days following, the couple hardly spoke. They mostly slept, she said.

After a week or so, Pattersons cough subsided and his temperature fluctuated, but he hadnt eaten in three or four days, said Lynn, remembering him talking on the phone with a Hancock County Public Health nurse whod been checking in on the couple daily.

When Megan and I finally drove Klinton to Mercy, he was very weak, but I did not expect that three hours later Id be getting a call saying he had been intubated.

April 30 was the first of Pattersons two close calls with end of life, but the timing of the second  and MercyOne North Iowas visitor restrictions  on May 13 didnt allow the family the same opportunity as the first.

The first time, two people were allowed to visit Patterson at a time as long as they wore appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE.

Lynn remained in the room with her husband, while their children Megan, Jacob and Samuel rotated through.

It was extremely stressful, especially since our hopes were up because he had just woken up, Megan said. The fact that he had taken a turn was discouraging.

During the second life-threatening event, the family was told if they needed to make an end-of-life decision, no visitors would be allowed per a change in the hospitals policy.

Can you imagine our despair to learn simultaneously of Klintons critical condition and of the hospitals change in policy? Lynn said. Thankfully, we were spared further trauma, and Klinton is recovering.

In March, MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center announced only visits from immediate family members, loved ones and clergy would be permitted at its campuses due to COVID-19-related concerns; however, in early May, the visitor restrictions changed.

The new visitor restrictions prohibited all visitors in the hospital, clinics, outpatient areas or emergency department with the exception of case-by-case extenuating circumstances, like children admitted to the hospital, maternity units and patients receiving end-of-life care as determined by medical professionals, the medical centers website states.

Those exceptions werent extended to COVID-19 patients.

Lynn said the hospital allowed their family to provide a tablet in Pattersons room, so they could see him and talk to him, but it could never replace human contact.

Frustrated with the changed policy and heartbroken at the thought of her father dying alone, Megan decided to email MercyOne North Iowa President Rod Schlader and several other administrators on May 16.

When she didnt receive a response locally, she contacted several others from the MercyOne executive leadership team.

MercyOne CEO Bob Ritz responded and told her that her concerns would be addressed soon, Megan said.

Days went by, and she still hadnt received an answer, so she posted the letter on Facebook tagging the MercyOne North Iowa and MercyOne Des Moines medical centers on May 23.

The post received 503 reactions, 148 comments and 350 shares.

I know my dads done a lot for the community and has received a lot of support coming from a small town, Megan said. It was very nice to see (the response), but not surprising that the community showed up like this for us.

On May 28  five days after her Facebook post  Megan said she received a phone call from Schlader informing her that MercyOne was changing its visitor restrictions related to COVID-19 patients.

As of June 1, one or two people will be allowed as designated visitors for a COVID-19 patient in an end-of-life situation under the new policy, MercyOne North Iowa said in a statement. The process will be overseen by MercyOne staff managing the patients clinical care, and the visit will be limited to 30 minutes.

"We recognize the importance and the impact the end-of-life experience has for any family," Schlader said. "COVID-19 has challenged health systems worldwide to find a balance in managing the risk of exposure and the risk of increased community spread with providing compassionate care.

He said North Iowas current case numbers allow MercyOne to change its visitor restrictions, but it will continue to evaluate and modify its policy as necessary in the spirit of the highest level of safety for our colleagues, patients and community.

The Patterson family was happy to hear of MercyOnes new policy.

I hope it brings comfort to our community to know that your loved one wont be alone, Megan said in a Facebook post on May 28. I hope that as we continue to learn more about this disease, we will see more family- and patient-supportive policies put in place.

Other visitor restrictions remain in place to reduce patients and their families exposure to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Lynn said faith, hope and the support of their family, friends and community have carried them through this journey.

I am convinced I will never be able to thank everyone for prayers lifted, positive vibes forwarded, words of encouragement offered through phone calls, texts and messages, cards sent, food prepared, flowers delivered, gift cards given, and neighborly acts of kindness performed, she said. I will spend the remainder of my life trying to pay forward the kindness shown to our family.

Ashley Stewart covers Clear Lake and arts and entertainment in North Iowa for the Globe Gazette. You can reach her at ashley.stewart@globegazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0533. Follow Ashley on Twitter at GGastewart.

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Attorney General William Barr is now disavowing any involvement in using tear gas against peaceful protests. He knows he has committed a crime and can not only be prosecuted for it but also could be disbarred from practicing law.

Among the criminal and sycophantic Trump list of current and former cabinet and administration members who must face congressional, federal, and local law enforcement investigation is the sitting Attorney General William Barr.

Since the day he ordered our nations National Guard to attack peaceful protesters in Washingtons Lafayette Park, A.G. William Barr had concluded that he could get away with everything he ordered on June 1, 2020. Except dispersing a peaceful law biding crowd with tear gas violate international law, something, a United States Attorney General should know.

Barr denied any involvement and insisted he never ordered the tear gas used after initially saying that tear was never used on the protestors.

A Biden administrations newly appointed Attorney General would be compelled by the facts to open a criminal investigation into President Trump, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Gen. Mark A. Milley and the rest of his staff that took part in attacking the peaceful protestors to enable the photo-op in front of St. John's Church.

Gen. Mark A. Milley should resign now or face court-martial for his involvement in using U.S. military forces against U.S. citizens. General Milley must not be allowed to hide behind President Trump or A.G. Barr. He has disgraced his uniform. If he is tried by a military court and found guilty, he should be dishonorably discharged with no military benefits.

Democrats in Congress should not only cut off all funds to the office of the A.G. Barr but all monies to the Secretary of Defense office unless they immediately agree to appear in front of the House Judiciary Committee. They should, after being refused testimony, go ahead and impeach Donald Trump again, along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and William Barr, even if the Senate once again refuses to conduct a fair trial. Let, Senators McDonnell (R-KY), Ernst (R-IA), McSally (R-AZ), Gardner (R-CO), Collins (R-ME), Cornyn (R-TX), Graham (R-SC), Tillis (R-NC) and even Senator Lisa Murkowski acquit Trump, Barr, and Esper so the American people can judge their commitment to our Democracy.

The actions taken by all three men have been criminal. Concerning Bill Barr as Noah Bookbinder and Donald K. Sherman opinion contributors for USA TODAY Opinion column state on June 5, 2020

An attorney general who undermines an independent Department of Justice is dangerous to our democracy, but under the direction of a corrupt president who coddles white supremacists and befriends dictators, Barrs conduct threatens the lives and safety of American citizens.

We are in the midst of a much-needed reckoning about the government's role in practicing and enabling violence against black and brown people like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others and the systemic racism that allows perpetrators to escape accountability. Barr has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to lead any national effort to bring about government accountability, or even our nations criminal prosecutions. Now, his role in attacking protesters peacefully opposing state-sanctioned racism warrants a more urgent response.

Congress must act immediately to start the process of removing Barr before his willingness to use the power of the Department of Justice for President Trumps dangerous political ends hurts more Americans.

An attorney general of the United States can and should advance the policy priorities of the president. But the attorney general also has to be the impartial and independent chief law enforcement officer of the United States, acting in the interest of justice, not politics.

A Defense Secretary willing to use our nations armed forces to suppress peaceful protest must face justice and lengthy imprisonment. No amount of apologies, personal recriminations will substitute. He and the others involved should only get mercy from long prison terms if they resign and admit their culpability.

The former Vice President Joseph Biden, if elected as President of the United States resident, has pledged to issue no pardons to show no one, including the President of the United States, is above the law.

While Trump will never admit any wrongdoing, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General Barr are both smart enough to recognize they committed serious crimes on June 1, 2020, against peaceful protesters. Neither of these men suffers the mental illnesses of their Commander in Chief and have no viable excuses other than I just obeyed orders. That excuse didnt work in the International Military Tribunals for the Far East, the Nuremberg Trials following World War II, and it wont work today anywhere beyond Mitch McConnells Republican-controlled Senate.


President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the meeting of the Normandy Four would take place after the Covid-19 pandemic began to fade. He stated this during a press conference that was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV channel.

Zelensky added that he had not even communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a long time because of the current epidemiological situation in the world.

"I really did not have a meeting with him in any format, there were no calls. Now all countries, and it is true, are engaged, everyone is focusing on the situation with coronavirus in their country. We are still working on the issue of the return of our people, on the issue of return of our territories and illegally annexed Crimea," he said.

As we reported on May 6, Head of Ukraines Presidents Office Andriy Yermak held phone talks with the political advisers of the leaders of the Normandy Format countries.
A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit to protect inmates in Connecticut state prisons from COVID-19, according to state officials and the ACLU of Connecticut.

If the agreement is approved by a federal judge, the agreement would require the state Department of Correction to follow procedures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for all inmates of DOC prisons and jails.

In a release, Gov. Ned Lamont said the agreement affirms the approach that the Department of Correction has been taking since the beginning of this pandemic.

The department will continue to act in this responsible manner as identified by the court and by this settlement, Lamont said.

But David McGuire, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said the agreement still falls short of the organizations goal of widespread prison releases.

The legislature must pass a pandemic response plan for Connecticut prisons and jails that includes much broader releases than those mandated in this agreement, McGuire said. The State of Connecticut must also take every step to prevent new people from being churned into prisons and jails once the courts reopen.

McGuire said the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare what incarcerated people and their families have been saying for decades  that prisons and jails are unhealthy, unsafe places for anyone to be.

The fact that it took two lawsuits to get the DOC and Governor Lamont to agree to even basic COVID-19 protections underscores the need for Connecticut to decarcerate to protect human rights, dignity, and public health, McGuire said. As was the case before COVID-19 and as remains the case now, Connecticut can and should reduce the number of people who are incarcerated to protect public health.

The ACLU said the agreement would require the DOC to prioritize elderly and medically vulnerable people for release programs, implement certain hygiene and sanitation practices and comply with other human rights requirements.

Under the agreement, the DOC would be required to: identify people age 65 and above and people at a medical risk scale of 4 or 5 and fast track them for consideration for release; stop imposing punitive measures such as loss of housing status, program access, work assignments, or phone privileges because someone has tested positive or is presumed positive; provide regular access to showers with running water, including for people who have tested positive or are presumed positive; and follow a system-wide cleaning schedule.

Also, the agreement would require the DOC to distribute antiseptic cleaning supplies for inmates to be able to clean their areas if they wish to; provide a disinfectant to wipe down phones between uses; test all people who are incarcerated, dependent on individualized informed consent; ensure people have least at two free bars of soap at all times; and ensure people have at least two clean and functional masks at all times.

Under the agreement, a five-member panel of experts would be responsible for reviewing the DOCs ongoing response to COVID-19 and making continual recommendations.

Attorney General William Tong said the state was pleased the parties were able to work together on an agreement. DOC Commissioner Rollin Cook echoed that sentiment, saying both sides came to the table with mutual interest in codifying practices that best protect people who are incarcerated and prison-system employees.

Unity and collaboration will always prevail. Today is an example of that, Cook said. This has been an unprecedented time in our country and I am most proud of how our staff and leaders have selflessly performed their essential duties to ensure the health and safety of those entrusted to our care.

Their courageous efforts have saved lives and positively impacted our entire community, he said. In fact, I believe Connecticut will be viewed as the balanced, compassionate and collaborative example to follow during such crises in the future.

Dan Barrett, the ACLU of Connecticuts legal director and an attorney on the case, said it is critical for the state of Connecticut to protect people who are incarcerated from COVID-19. He said the ACLU of Connecticut hopes the new measures will protect people from coronavirus and treat them with dignity.

It will require our constant vigilance to ensure the DOC keeps the promises it has made in this agreement, Barrett said.

If accepted by the court, the agreement would resolve two lawsuits, McPherson v Lamont and CCDLA v Lamont.

Under the agreement, the federal court will conduct a fairness hearing, in which the court must provide the opportunity for all members of the class - all people who are incarcerated in Connecticut - the chance to state their positions regarding the agreement. If accepted by the court, the agreement would run until Dec. 31, 2020.

A copy of the agreement is available online.

For information regarding the lawsuit, visit https://www.acluct.org/en/cases/mcpherson-et-al-v-lamont-et-al
Mayank Singh By

NEW DELHI: India stuck to its stand of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army withdrawing its troops from the Indian claim areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during the talks between military commanders of the Indian Army and the PLA on Saturday.

As senior Army officer aware of the situation said the meeting went on for about five hours with a lunch break in between.

The meeting started at 11.30 am at the Moldo border personnel meeting hut on the Chinese side of the LAC and was on till 5.30 pm, the sources said. The Chinese side is also understood to have repeated its demand of India halting construction of roads and bridges in the Ladakh sector.

ALSO READ | India, China remain engaged through diplomatic, military channels: Army on border standoff

The Indian delegation was led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh and China was represented by South Xinjiang Military Division Corps Commander Major General Lin Liu.

Around eight other officers from both sides were also present. As per the protocol, sources said, Lt Gen Singh briefed Army Chief General MM Naravane and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen YK Joshi after reaching the corps headquarters at Leh. Sources said the Prime Ministers Office was updated and a briefing was also given to officials in the Ministry of External Affairs.

A Corps Commander-level talk was held for the first time to resolve a border dispute.

The two sides have held around a dozen rounds of talks since the first week of May when a standoff started at the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. The talks included three division commander- l eve l talks.

On Friday, diplomats from the two sides also interacted through video-conferencing and agreed to handle their differences through a peaceful discussion.

The standoff started at Finger 4 on the northern flank of the Pangong Lake but it extended to three more positions, two in the Galwan Valley and at the Gogra post in the hot spring sector. The Indian side has asked for restoration of status quo ante and the removal of temporary camps erected by the PLA. The motive is a de-escalation of the forces.

PLA too adament

At the high-level meeting, The Chinese side is also understood to have repeated its demand of India halting construction of roads and bridges in the Ladakh sector
In the 1970s, Sesame Street broke barriers for the diversity of its cast, yet the creators attempts to produce a harmoniously diverse world did not insulate the show from accusations of racism by both African American and Latino viewers.

The portrayal of the first African American Muppet, Roosevelt Franklin, for example, caused heated debates and controversy. While he was wildly popular and no doubt broke barriers, many fans disagreed over whether or not he was portrayed as a stereotype or was one-dimensional.

The show also received criticism about its portrayal of female Muppets; some saw the depiction of women as too progressive, some not progressive enough.

Kamp dives deep into how Sesame Streets actors and creators responded to these criticisms. Whether they succeeded or not is still up for debate.

Moving across decades and up to the present day, Kamp also explores the shows continued fight for funding as well as how that fight has shifted the direction of the show for todays children.

Despite challenges, Sesame Street has been a staple of millions of childhoods and has a permanent place in the cultural zeitgeist. Anyone who grew up with Big Bird, Oscar, and Cookie Monster will be fascinated by Kamps account of what went on behind the scenes and how these Muppets have come to hold such a special place in our hearts.
ValueWalk held its second Contrarian Investors Virtual Conference, and Grizzly Research Founder Siegfried Eggert is pitching Hebron Technology Co Ltd (NASDAQ:HEBT) as a short. He believes Hebron is an insider enrichment scheme without economic basis.

Problems with Hebron Technology

In his presentation, Eggert noted that Hebron Technology's stock has skyrocketed following recent private placements and acquisitions. He believes the company is running an insider enrichment scheme. He also said all of last year's major transactions were "announced and portrayed as arms-length," but the Grizzly Research team was able to link all of them back to company insiders.

Eggert said that since the company's initial public offering in 2016, its stock performance has been rather disappointing. Last year it took a major turn after Bodang Liu obtained majority ownership. Eggert believes Liu deployed a "carefully orchestrated stock manipulation scheme" at the same time.

As of today, Hebron was trading at $11.78 per share. Its 52-week low was 80 cents, and its 52-week high was $23.40. During Eggert's presentation, the stock started to plunge. It declined as much as 25% during the presentation. The stock is down about 50% in the past two days.

Alleged fraud

Hebron Technology's legacy business is to develop, manufacture and provide customized installation of valves and pipe fittings for the pharmaceutical, biological, food and beverage, and other clean industries. Spartan Securities Group served as underwriter for the company's IPO, and Eggert describes the underwriter as "shady."

The Grizzly Research founder said that based on SAIC filings, the financials Hebron Technology reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission are "substantially inflated."

hebron technology

The Grizzly team's investigator visited Hebron Technology's two buildings and found them to be "mostly unoccupied." The investigator found that just 20 people work at the main facility in Wenzhou, and one of the company's subsidiaries can't be located. He also said it appears that the company's legacy business has "shrunk to abysmal size."

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Questionable transactions at Hebron Technology

Liu became the company's controlling shareholder in 2019 by paying $2 million for 7.78 million shares at a 70% discount to market price. The company also acquired Shanghai Fintech by acquiring NiSun International Enterprise Management Group from Liu for $7 million at the same time. Eggert describes the business as "sketchy" and "too good to be true."

He also found multiple pieces of evidence pointing to undisclosed related parties selling companies to Hebron Technology. For example, he describes the acquisition of undisclosed related party Beijing Hengpu as a "sham." The deal was valued at more than $11 million. Now six months after the acquisition, ownership still hasn't even transferred. Eggert also said Beijing Hengpu is a related party of Liu and Hebron.

hebron technology

He also called attention to an undisclosed related party transaction involving Nami Holding Company for about $25.8 million in cash and stock last month. He describes Shanghai Nami as "an alter ego of Benefactum Beijing," which is 99.99% owned by Liu. He also believes the company isn't even viable.

"At the end of the day, investors are left with a boring business and a bunch of worthless toxic companies, while Bodang Liu and insiders walk away with over $200M in value," Eggert said.

Disclosure: None
A passionate appraisal of the widespread anger at George Floyd's murder by a white policeman that newspaper columns are full off, inspires no lasting change in race relations. Establishments have entrenched themselves too securely. In India the jury is out: will the establishment be able to contain street level eruption of discontent. It has never been tested on a scale it will surely be once the lockdown has been lifted.

In the US, Gen. James Mattis, respected soldier and former Defence Secretary, is enjoying what Andy Warhol called his five minutes of fame. He chastised a President whom everybody chastises except Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Never in his life had Mattis known a President so dedicated to dividing Americans. He was particularly severe on Trump's call to "dominate" the rioters by taking recourse to troops, in violation of the military's rules of engagement. His successor, Defence Secretary, Mark Esper, also did himself proud by going against Trump's pronounced inclination to bring in troops.

I wonder if it shames us that there is neither a Mattis nor an Esper to provide relief in our arid wasteland, bereft of dissenters. Rex Tillerson, as serving Secretary of State described Trump as a "moron". The Texas police chief, Art Acevedo, was comparatively mild: he asked the President to keep his "mouth shut" if he has no constructive ideas to offer.

The vigour and success of a free society covered up an undercurrent of flaws like racism from the very beginning. Extraordinary success in many fields was able to induce a national amnesia about some harsh realities: the nation was founded on genocide and slavery. Unreliable records of Christopher Columbus combined with modern anthropology point to anywhere between 2.5 million and eight million natives killed by disease or other means of extermination. This was a matter of envy for Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro. He lamented the fact that the Brazilian cavalry had not been as effective as its US counterpart in exterminating natives.

I have not seen anything as disturbing as the brutality of pre abolition slave lives portrayed in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. A gruesome image, fairly commonplace in the film, shows a petrified slave, tied to a tree. A pack of hungry dogs, the size of full grown wolves, is let loose upon him, by way of canine supper. Do not dismiss it as cinematic exaggeration. I have just been forwarded a clip from current disturbances -- a police dog set upon a black woman, screaming for dear life, even as three white policemen watch with scant interest, a sort of mechanical operation.

To flavour the past, let us rewind at fast speed. In 1919, a black teenager, swimming in Lake Michigan, drifts involuntarily towards a beach for Whites-only. He is stoned until he drowns. Record riots follow in Chicago. This, when President Roosevelt, his cigarette holder at a jaunty angle, is busy persuading senators to ratify the Versailles Treaty. What flourished simultaneously were called "lynch laws". Bodies of "niggers" hanging from tall, shady trees were occasions for family outings, yielding photographs for albums preserved for posterity. Such memorabilia was the stuff of American pride.

Everyone talks reverentially about Martin Luther King having brought to fruition the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s. But this reporter saw "busing" an issue in Boston even in the mid-70s. Was an attitude ingrained over centuries going to be disbanded by pieces of legislation? Communalism in India has recent, deliberate beginnings, but caste beats western racism by millennia. Is its erasure possible by legislative means? And the recent walk of the impoverished, was laden with images of caste-class overlap.

There have been a surfeit of newspaper writing on the US riots. But a friend has placed in my hand an editorial from New Democracy, which touches the nub of the matter. The piece contrasts Martin Luther King's failed quest for salvation within the American Dream with Malcolm X's search for revolutionary change.

Look farther afield, and even Nelson Mandela's adjustment with white South Africa's last Prime Minister, F.W. De Klerk begins to look like a bargain struck in a hurry. I was in South Africa weeks before Mandela walked free. That he was free of rancour or bitterness against whites, despite having been in their jails for 27 years, did further elevate his charisma. De Klerk on the other hand came out smelling of roses for having righteously renounced power. In truth, what decided their fate was the global situation. At the end of the Cold War, a nasty, nuclear armed white outpost in the face of rising black anger had become unnecessary. The odium of apartheid could now be shed.

In the high voltage emotionalism of Mandela's release, reporters did not seek out what Mandela's colleagues like Joe Slovo, the white Jewish firebrand communists were thinking. How could they have been happy when Mandela's first Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel had to be cleared by Gavin Riley, chairman of South Africa's largest Corporation? No two situations are absolutely similar, but memory ferrets out an interesting detail from independent India's first cabinet. When V. Shankar, ICS, was first inducted into Sardar Patel's secretariat, he had to go through a ritual interview with veteran industrialist, Ghanshyam Das Birla.

Capitalism, in other words, kept a wary eye on all transitions away from its stranglehold. Then capitalism overreached itself by mismanaging the post-Soviet globalization. The 2008 financial crisis, and a record economic slump after the Covid-19 mayhem, have induced some rethink. Comprehensive health care for all, Universal Basic Income, an appraisal of the Scandinavian model, are all part of a vigorous discourse in the West. There is, on the other hand, a deafening silence on these issues in India where the millions of the hungry and the destitute sent on a trek may well return to plague us.

(Saeed Naqvi is a senior commentator on political and diplomatic issues. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com)
The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a notice on Friday advising Chinese tourists to raise their safety awareness and avoid traveling to Australia.

There has been an alarming increase in acts of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia recently, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the notice said.
As America took to the streets to protest George Floyd's killing and police brutality nationwide, smaller U.S. cities started their own conversations with no less life-and-death urgency than in Minneapolis or Detroit.

These may be calm, silent, tumultuous or contentious conversations outside major metros, but they all share something in common: Black Americans who say conditions have not been and are no longer tenable for everyday living.

How will things improve? Beyond the endless, sleepless national chyron and the drumbeat of Los Angeles and New York City alerts, smaller cities like Savannah, Georgia; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Greenville, South Carolina, are grappling with existential questions.

Where racism is blanketed by the relative calm of a quieter way of life, how does the urgent need for equality find a voice? Who will listen to it and how will people's lives truly change? And what does protesting look like near and far, when a sudden seismic upheaval sends tremors throughout an entire nation?

USA TODAY Network journalists in towns across the country spoke to citizens from May 31 to June 3 at protests and community centers to better understand the situation on the ground. Here's what we heard:

Map of protests across the United States

GREENVILLE, South Carolina

Eric Connor, Greenville News

The line between peace and violence is in the smallest decisions that human beings make in the heat of the moment.

Taurice Bussey and Nikki Bowdoin found themselves in such a moment  human beings on either side of the battle lines drawn in the streets of downtown Greenville as the Sunday sun began to set on a contentious weekend of protest.

One a self-made small-business owner who thinks he had an easier time as a light-skinned black man.

The other a public servant and former high school basketball player who one season was the only white player on her team.

On this day on opposite sides of the line.

Greenville isnt accustomed to mass civil unrest. This is a town regularly featured in the Top 10-best-you-name-the-accolade magazine lists, where protest more or less is a scheduled event to be managed as diners enjoy their meals uninterrupted along the sidewalk.

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This, however, couldnt be scripted.

Taurice Bussey, an activist based in Greenville, S.C., poses for a portrait downtown, where numerous demonstrations occurred in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis June 4, 2020.

A white man, seated on the overhead patio of a fancy downtown restaurant overlooking the crowd of protesters that had begun to thin, spit on a black man.

Bussey and Bowdoin found themselves in a moment. One where one wrong move  a water bottle thrown or a sharp word  could ignite kindling into a wildfire. Or one right gesture could deprive it of fuel.

Bussey, a black protester who says he enjoys an unfair privilege because hes light-skinned and without effort presents a natural so-called non-threatening demeanor.

Bowdoin, a police investigator with 11 years on the force who two years ago made headlines when she was attacked by a man who broke her jaw, requiring extensive surgery.

Please, will someone hold a Black Lives Matter sign? Show us you care? Bussey asked the line of police using their shoulder-to-shoulder bodies and bicycles as a human barrier.

A moment.

It took Bowdoin a few moments to seize this particular one.

Greenville police S.N. Bowdoin, right, holds a "No Justice No Peace" sign protester Taurice Bussey, left, gave her during a protest remembering George Floyd at Falls Park in Greenville Sunday, May 31, 2020.

Then she stretched out her hand and, looking ahead with the blank stare officers are trained to keep to maintain a presence of neutrality in protests, held the sign at waist level.

The crowd and news media took pictures. People cheered. Then Bussey and other protesters said, They did their part. Now its time for us to do ours. Step back.

At that moment, two sides took a step toward common ground.

In that moment, I was looking for a sign that our city and county officers knew what our message meant  that we were looking for true change, Bussey said.

Deep within the pleas and demands was an intimate, visceral culmination of years of frustration poured out in anger and sadness all at once.

Bowdoin saw it.

The people whose eyes I was looking into were pleading their hearts out, Bowdoin told USA TODAY in an interview. It touched my heart, and I wanted them to know. I wanted them to know, Hey, were not against you. Were not against what youre standing for and what youre here for.

However, as with most everything involved in the protests erupting every day across the country, the matter isnt simple.

The crowd ended up passing through and onto the next police line at Augusta Street, which throughout the weekend served as flashpoints of protest.

They marched, in one form or another, into the night.

And the moment was only one of many.

I would say its a start, Bussey said. Its a gesture. ... While other police officers refused to take the sign, while they would just kind of stare me in the face and not acknowledge me, she took the time.

But the police line blocking the protesters was inappropriate, he said  a matter of controlling rather than protecting.

Bussey, a 25-year-old University of South Carolina graduate, grew up poor and black. But as a protester, he said he brings the advantage of being educated and from a two-parent household that supported him through college. Now he owns his own business in financial services and real estate investment.

Unlike his brother and friends, his interactions with police have been mostly positive.

Im not a victim of unfair assumptions about my character, about my level of aggression or level of threat, he said. Im not initially looked at as a threat just because of who I am, because of my demeanor and how I carry myself. Thats not to say that they are justified in looking at other taller, larger, darker-skinned black men as a threat, because they actually are not.

Thats a privilege, he said, that I have no control over.

Protesters take a knee and pause for a moment of silence on Main Street in downtown Greenville during a protest of the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020.

For Bowdoin, the gesture pointed to something deep within her.

At Berea High, Bowdoin was a rare white girl who didnt flee to private school. People of color were her friends. Shes a godparent to two mixed-race children.

She said shes aware of the cliche of saying, Thats just who I am. But she said its true  not just for her, but for the colleagues she knows among the police departments force of more than 200.

In the end, Bussey said what will come of the moment and many others that will happen in the coming days and weeks depends on action.

Its not just about race, he said. A huge part of it is a power issue and an ego issue. Police officers have been allowed to act with largely unchecked power. They have harassed people they feel dont have power to hold them accountable.

The way forward will require fundamental, systemic change, he said.

SPARTANBURG, South Carolina

Dustin Wyatt, Spartanburg Herald-Journal

A group of peaceful protesters marched around the Spartanburg downtown area and to Barnet Park on Sunday.

During a peaceful protest in Spartanburg, a white man confronted a crowd of black men about the Black Lives Matter sign they were holding. It should say All Lives Matter!

The Rev. Joseph Parks happened to be nearby and stepped in. All of my bones matter. But if my wrist is broken, the only bone that matters at that moment is the one thats broken.

The exchange ended in an embrace, even though they disagreed. It was a person who had a different thought. I understand and respect that, Parks said. He referred to Proverbs 4:7, In all thy getting, get understanding.

STAUNTON, Virginia

Jeff Schwaner and Patrick Hite, The News Leader

The police presence at the silent march is Lt. C.R. Kauffman.

He spends about an hour directing traffic at the corner so marchers can safely cross on their way down the hill to the Augusta County Courthouse.

Just doing my job, he says, and then jogs out ahead of another wave of walkers carrying signs saying BLACK LIVES MATTER. From the northeast corner of the intersection, the lone cop facilitating a march of hundreds protesting police brutality is framed by a giant mural of two cardinals holding a banner aloft reading You Belong Here.

Thats Staunton.

The silent march that has traveled over a mile from Gypsy Hill Park is emblematic of the quieter corners of our country where its been years since a cop shot another human being. Where the only police presence days earlier at a vocal rally at the courthouse was a press release from Chief of Police Jim Williams excoriating the police behavior that killed George Floyd in Minneapolis and pledging that it would not happen here.

Behind every officers decision to not engage in violence is a mix of conscience telling them what not to do and hundreds of hours of training giving them options for what they should do. Likewise, years of experience are behind the decision of citizens to take up with their fellow residents and march in a peaceful town that until last year still had its high school named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

Ciara Brown and Meghan Conner organized a silent march in downtown Staunton to protest racial injustice Tuesday, June 2.

Ciara Brown was a cheerleader at Lee. She felt strange wearing a uniform with the name of a Confederate general. Her mom is white and her dad is black. Brown is dark-skinned. When she was 8, her mom went into a local store with her to buy cigarettes.

The cashier wouldnt sell them to her, telling Browns mom that the little black girl with her wasnt her child. Brown remembers telling the cashier that the woman was her mom, but they wouldnt believe her. The Browns eventually left, without cigarettes.

Later that night, Brown's mother talked to her. Before anyone even gets to know who you are, theyll judge you by your skin color, her mother told her. Im sorry youre going to have to face that.

After a silent march in downtown Staunton Tuesday, June 2, protesters gather on the bandstand in Gypsy Hill Park.

Experiencing those types of incidents made Brown want to make a change and be part of a solution. Be a part of something way bigger than myself, she says on the day of the march.

Participants meet at the parks bandstand. A handful, then a dozen, then several dozen, finally well over a hundred walk in from various parts of a park full of shade and trees.

The soundtrack to the silent march begins with markers squeaking against posterboard. Then of shoes on the sidewalks underneath the lush June foliage of Thornrose Avenue. A few cars and a bus honk their approval. One woman slows her car down and shouts, Stand up for your rights! Yeah! Stand up!

As they walk in a flat part of town, Trasonya Crawford remembers the once-thriving black business district that was razed in the 1960s for downtown progress. Later she will have to sit down with her daughter, 9, and speak frankly, just as Browns mother did, about the things you dont always see.

I never taught her color, Traysonya Crawford of Staunton, Virginia, said. I teach her to love people for who they are. But I do teach her history. Crawford and her daughter Adrian were at a silent march after George Floyd's killing.

I never taught her color, Crawford said. I teach her to love people for who they are. But I do teach her history.

Christa Gleaves stands on an elevated stage, looking out at the crowd that had just finished an almost 2-mile journey. Gleaves tells those gathered her own story, of how she didnt even recognize some of the racism inherent here until she left for college. Shes proud the name of her school was changed to Staunton High School.

In Staunton we dont experience it as much, she said. Its easy to be in this place where theres a lot of peace and we can ignore the underlying systems of racism.

She remembers being called the N-word while delivering food to a white fraternity at the University of Virginia, where she has been studying and will graduate in December with a degree in African American studies.

K.I.A.S., also known as Christa Gleaves, spoke to the protesters in Gypsy Hill Park Tuesday, June 2. following a silent march through downtown Staunton.

Seeing racism firsthand changed her. It ignites a flame inside of you that makes you want to fight no matter where you are, she said.

She wants those who have lived their entire lives in Staunton to understand that flame.

Outside its still hot, but nothings burning in the city. No windows broken by angry crowds; the only serial looting has been by a white man taking advantage of the emptied streets in a pandemic and not during protests, and hes in the local jail these days.

The lone law enforcement officer has long since gone home or moved on to another assignment.

As the marchers disperse, theres a sense that somethings been accomplished. A TV crew swoops in for a few summary soundbites, but that wont be found here. Theres something deeper, beneath the level of easy words, in each person. Something that is still walking.

SHELBY, North Carolina

Diane Turbyfill, Shelby Star

The Rev. Billy Houze speaks to a group of protesters that assembled Sunday.

A small group of women made signs and assembled in uptown Shelby. Their protest against racial injustice was met by honks, waves and words of encouragement. That one-day gathering inspired another and yet another.

The Rev. Billy Houze used a megaphone to make his voice heard. He spoke highly of those who chose to protest with the right message. Im glad in Shelby we dont have to burn down a building. We dont have to throw rocks to people who worked so hard to build an economy, he said.

ERIE, Pennsylvania

Ed Palattella, Erie-Times News

Daryl Craig reformed his life and then spread hope in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The former gang member, originally from Buffalo, New York, is known for his extensive anti-violence efforts. Despite the rioting that broke out in Eries downtown May 30, when more than 100 protesters surged in after a peaceful demonstration and smashed glass and set fires at 16 businesses, Craig remains optimistic that progress will flourish.

Before the rioting, Craig thought this industrial city of 95,508 that sits on Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania was headed in the right direction.

Known as Brother D, the 64-year-old activist coordinates the Blue Coats, a volunteer group that works to bolster school safety and mediate disputes between students.

Daryl Craig, far right, is part of an Erie School District door-to-door team back on July 11, 2019.

It is a small town, Craig said. Everybody knows everybody.

Cops went to school with people who stayed in town and built lives. They all played on the same football team in high school. I think that gives us an advantage. There is already some sort of framework for a relationship, if not already a relationship, Craig said.

But being a smaller city, he said, can also work against Erie and its minority community.

Eries overall poverty rate of 26% is a major issue, especially among the minority community. The city has an overall nonwhite population of 27%, including a black population of 17%.

The city and nonprofits have launched anti-poverty and anti-violence efforts as Erie tries to move beyond its Rust Belt image, investing in a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of its downtown  including the area that was damaged in the riot. Craig said he appreciates what led to the rioting. He described a community already weary and on edge because of the pandemic and social distancing.

People are stuck in their homes, Craig said. And then you sit here and you are impacted yet again  another African American loses their life for being African American.

Gary Horton, 68, president of the Urban Erie Community Development Corp., is part of a group that wants to develop one of the poorest neighborhoods in Erie, Pennsylvania, into a health and wellness center, an urban farming facility and a solar panel network on the 25-acre Savocchio Park property.

Gary Horton, president of the Erie NAACP chapter, said hed been concerned about the level of organization for the peaceful protest, which an Erie resident, a white woman, put together through a Facebook post. He believes the rioting grew out of national and local concerns, including a lack of opportunities for black people.

Erie, he said, can help black residents by establishing a community college. He also said Erie needs to build on inclusion, focusing on the concerns of young people in particular.

But any initiative, he said, must be multi-layered. And it must involve more than the police. Too many people leave it for the police to solve, Horton said. It is not fair to them. All the expectation is not on them to make black peoples lives better.

ROCHESTER, New York

William Cleveland, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Iman Abid didnt know what to expect. But when she looked out over the thousands gathered in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in downtown Rochester, she was speechless. And then she delivered impassioned instructions she hoped protesters would follow to protect their own if police intervened.

Abid, 28, was one of the four organizers behind Rochesters Black Lives Matter, Dont Shoot Us! rally to recognize police brutality and call for meaningful change. The rally drew thousands downtown May 30.

Abid, who is executive director of the Genesee Valley chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, organized the rally with three friends.

Iman Abid was one of the organizers of the Black Lives Matter rally through downtown Rochester on Saturday, May 30.

Ask her a question and youll get a passionate and rapid response. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of people who turned out, Abid said. I didnt know what we would see. I know there were large turnouts all over the country but I definitely had no idea what to expect here.

The rally plan was hatched 24 hours before the gathering, and word was spread through social media, including a Facebook event page that boasted 5,000 interested Rochester-area residents.

Most Americans are under stress right now, especially as we think about a lot of the conversations were having around the pandemic and racial disparities, she said. As we have yet another instance of police brutality that weve known historically has impacted black and brown people, this was another stress ...

For those of us who have never felt the impact of police brutality, we felt something after watching that (Floyd) video or hearing the cries of his family.

Several thousand protesters march on Court Street in downtown Rochester to the Public Safety Building and police headquarters, during a Black Lives Matter rally.

Once the speakers wrapped up, thousands began a march from the park. They crossed the Genesee River to the Rochester Police Department Public Safety Building.

Police didnt intervene. Officers closed down streets to allow protesters to pass. It wasnt until some men, mostly white, ended up on top of a police patrol vehicle and the windshield was smashed that the peaceful demonstration devolved into chaos. Several police vehicles and city-owned cars were burned, some were flipped over. More than 80 businesses were damaged and looted. A countywide curfew was enacted.

A protester stands face to face with the Rochester police outside the City Public Safety Building during a Blackout Lives Matter rally in downtown Rochester.

City and county officials tried to separate the nonviolent protest from the chaotic aftermath. They blamed outsiders for the unrest. But Abid and organizers disavowed that narrative. The first batch of arrests showed this. Of the 15 people arrested so far, 13 are from Rochester and two are from neighboring suburbs.

Instead, organizers said police aggression was responsible for the resulting chaos and violence. The only outside agitators were the police, Abid said. Police brutality is not an issue thats unique to Minneapolis. It exists in every single municipality in this country. This was a system that was created to perpetuate the institution of slavery. It was never intended to protect black lives.

So Abid doesn't stop at incremental ideas. She has called for the police to be defunded.

EVANSVILLE, Indiana

John Martin, Evansville Courier & Press

For Amira Donahue and the hundreds of others who marched in Evansville against racial injustice, George Floyds death felt like the last straw. The high school senior was 9 when she saw news coverage of Trayvon Martins death.

Then it was Sandra Bland, then it was Tamir Rice, and over and over, seeing more people killed, Donahue said. Like, I was scared. I have brothers, I have uncles, I have a dad. It was like, 'Whos next?'

Donahue joined the May 30 protest because of her own painful experience with racism as well.

While working in February as a hostess at Evansvilles Olive Garden, a customer requested a white server instead of the server already assigned to the table. Both Donahue and the server were black.

Amira Donahue, 16, is a former Olive Garden employee who made national news when a customer singled her out during an incident of racial discrimination on Feb 29, 2020.

This lady said I looked like I should work at a strip club, and Im 16 and in my work uniform, Donahue said.

The Olive Garden manager on duty complied with the customers request for a different server. That manager no longer works for Olive Garden, the company said.

But for Donahue, the damage was done.

Im tired of it. Speaking about Floyds death, she said, If it wasnt recorded or posted, nothing would have come from it. It would have been swept under the rug. Im tired of that also.

Protesters in Evansville, including many white people, said societal inequities are inexcusable  but they keep happening.

Evansville City Council President Alex Burton noted the city's highest concentration of COVID-19 cases are in a lower-income ZIP code, but no neighborhood-level testing for the virus has been available there.

Just under 10% of Vanderburgh County residents are black, yet 27% of local residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 are black.

That is a perfect example as to the frustration so many people have, said Burton, who is black.

Evansville in recent years has promoted an inclusive-sounding motto for itself, "E is for Everyone."

For the motto to ring true, Burton said, the city must deal with inequities in issues such as housing and economic opportunity for minority communities.

People gather for an anti-violence rally at the Four Freedoms Monument in Downtown Evansville, Ind., Saturday, May 30, 2020.

About 500 people attended Saturdays protest march. The noon event remained peaceful until the early evening hours, when one juvenile and three adults were arrested after confrontations with officers.

One of the Evansville Police Department officers watching over the event was Mario Reid, who is black. He stood and listened as the crowd protested Floyds death and injustices real or perceived.

Some things they were yelling, I agreed with, said Reid, who joined the department in 2014. George Floyd was killed by police officers not acting according to their oath or by any training Ive ever had. Everybody out there (at the protest) was hurting.

Evansville Police Department officer Mario Reid on Thursday afternoon, June 4, 2020.

Reid said he understands protesters. He said he also understands the hurt of an officer in a situation where circumstances legitimately call for the use of deadly force. He killed a man in October who, after crashing a car, refused Reids command to show his hands and approached him aggressively with an object Reid thought was a gun. It turned out to be a hammer.

Reid returned to work after an internal investigation found he acted in a "legal, justified and reasonable manner."

Protesters gather in a group as they chant Unity is power off Carpenter Street in Downtown Evansville, Ind., Wednesday afternoon, June 3, 2020.

When you ask me to stand between society and those who would do harm, its not always safe.  A part of me died that day. It is hard every day, but the reason I continue is Ive got a wife and kids and other family and friends, and Im going to be the one to make sure they are safe by continuing to do this job.

Reid said he had some positive exchanges with peaceful protesters Saturday. He encouraged those who are angered over Floyds death or societal injustice to take additional steps.

I want us to petition the government and for grievances to be heard, but we cant just talk about the grievances. We have to take that next step. I challenge people in the community who want to organize and do those things to come together so we can come up with solutions.  We can build a better community together, but a partnership goes two ways.

ITHACA, New York

Matthew Steecker, Ithaca Journal

Hundreds of protesters march down a street in Ithaca, N.Y., as part of the March 4 Floyd, a peaceful protest against police brutality and systematic oppression on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

Hundreds of members of the Cornell University community marched from campus to the Ithaca Commons and the police department, a continuation of protests in Ithaca.

Others promised protest would be a weekly occurrence in Tompkins County.

George Floyd became the catalyst because of the egregiousness of his death, the blatant disregard of life and the confidence of the police who murdered him, and the system they are a part of that supports that act, said Onyinyechukwu Nnodum, a member of Black Students United.

STOCKTON, California

Scott Linesburgh, The Stockton Record

Alayssia Townsell, a 19-year-old Stockton native and UCLA freshman, says lasting change will require more than a large gathering and chants for justice. The real battle is about ideas and actual reforms that can prevent tragedies like George Floyds death and so many others before.

Theres always room for change if you have enough people advocating for it, Townsell said after protests that drew 1,000 people. Its difficult. But I think its possible and you have to try.

Protest organizers are advocating for widespread measures, including the addition of ethnic studies in the curriculum of schools, removal of cops from campuses and reopening cases against police brutality. Whats vital, she said, is not waiting for others to speak up.

WILMINGTON, North Carolina

Gareth McGrath, Wilmington StarNews

Peacemaker.

Lily Nicole didnt envision playing that role when she joined the George Floyd protest in downtown Wilmington Sunday night. She went worried about what might happen, knowing it wasnt an organized event like Saturdays peaceful protest that was sponsored by several black community groups. Talking to friends and watching social media, Nicole also knew a lot of young people were planning to attend.

I wanted to be there for the kids if something happened, said the self-declared community activist, who is black.

Lily Nicole talks with officers with the Wilmington Police Department during a confrontation between protesters and police in downtown Wilmington, N.C., Sunday, May 31, 2020. The protest turned confrontational as protesters and police clashed a day after a peaceful protest was held to show solidarity with George Floyd.

As tensions began to rise between police and protesters, Nicole stepped up to defuse the situation  at one point speaking with Interim Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams on the police line.

Tear gas was eventually fired, much to her frustration, but Nicole likely helped with a situation that could have gone much worse. She intervened, she said, because nobody else was. I just wanted to see if I could try.

Nicole, who works at Wilmingtons historic Thalian Hall theater, attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington and has remained in the Port City since graduating. Now in her early 30s, Nicole said she has seen lots of change in the fast-growing city, mostly for the good.

But, being a Southern city, physical and social vestiges of segregation remain.

Protesters unite at City Hall in Wilmington for another day of demonstrations June 2 in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Nicole said she has been pleasantly surprised at the cross-section of Wilmington that has come out to join the protests, seeking not just equality in the eyes of law enforcement but social and political justice, too. She just hopes city leaders are paying attention.

Come find out, come talk to us, Nicole said, lamenting that Wilmingtons political elite has been noticeably absent from the protests. Everyone has different reasons, but overall its for change.

The community is begging for you to listen.

Nicole said she doesnt know when or how the protests will end. But she knows she and the other protesters wont let things go back to the way they were.

We need open communication, and we need accountability, she said. Theres an obvious vacuum there.

SAVANNAH, Georgia

Mary Landers, Savannah Morning News

Savannahs mayor was racially profiled this year while escorting a youth group to New York. I didn't do anything, said Van Johnson, the 67th mayor of Savannah. This officer came, jumped out of his car and came in my face and was threatening me.

But as bigger cities around the country erupted in protest and some in violence over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the mayor of Savannah relied on his experiences and empathy to guide his majority-black city.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson II stands in front of Savannah City Hall, where hundreds gathered Sunday, May 31, 2020, to peacefully protest the killing of George Floyd.

Before I became mayor of the city, I was a black man and I will remain a black man, said Johnson, speaking in the quiet council chambers of Savannahs City Hall days after the rally in front of the gold-domed building. Secondly, I have training and experience in the area of law enforcement. So I understood it from a law enforcement perspective. And then finally, as a mayor of a community that is predominately African American, I also recognize then that this was also a matter that was very concerning to our community.

Johnson, 51, grew up in Brooklyn, came to Savannah at 16 for college and never left. He was a county police officer for about a year and then served as a reserve sheriffs deputy for almost 20 years while pursuing a career in human resources.

I understand that the officer, at the end of the day, wants to go home, too, he said. A four-term alderman, hes five months into his new role as mayor.

Savannah was primed to react to Floyds killing in part because the high-profile killing of another black man, jogger Ahmaud Arbery, took place in Brunswick, an hour down the coast.

When Johnson heard rumors of a protest taking shape, he stepped in to guide it, calling a press conference the night before to clarify what would happen. He invited clergy to join him, and more than 100 showed up. They walked together from the historic First African Baptist Church to the May 31 rally, many in their clerical collars or robes.

Thousands of Savannah-area residents streamed into the historic downtown area. Johnson addressed them from the steps of City Hall, speaking from the heart, without notes.

Protests are usually based on emotion, he said afterward. And we know from the various ones that have happened across the country. The protests come  they're there. They happen. The emotion goes away. People go back to their business is always what happens next. And I remember saying that today is the moment, tomorrow is the movement.

At the rally he announced a blue-ribbon panel to study disparities in Savannah.

Because I think you have to have facts, data to quantify the perceptions, he said afterward.

Protesters gather in Johnson Square in Savannah, Ga., on May 31.

The crowd at the rally grumbled when Johnson suggested they could become police officers to make change from inside the organization. Many also chafed, he said, at his suggestion post-rally that black men killing black men is a bigger problem than police brutality in Savannah.

If you look at our statistics, you don't see officers killing black men, he said. You see black men killing black men. If we're going to be upset, we're going to have righteous indignation at what happened to George Floyd, which we cannot control. We can control the young men in our cities that are killing other men.

Among others, activist Moncello Stewart is organizing an "Enough is Enough rally to allow grass-roots organizations, including the mens group League of Brawn and anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action, to introduce themselves and recruit members.

Peaceful, well-attended demonstrations are great, Stewart said, but theyre not the goal.

I think until we kind of hold our elected officials accountable and talk about some of the issues and commit to changes, we're always gonna have these issues, Stewart said.

LUBBOCK, Texas

Jayme Lozano, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

The shockwaves have reached even mostly conservative West Texas, where Lubbock residents began protesting last week.

Students from Lubbock High, Lubbock-Cooper High and Monterey High have all taken part in the protests, including one Wednesday where some graduating students wore caps and gowns the day before their own graduation.

Their jump into the action comes at an unexpected time for the young adults. Senior year activities came to an abrupt stop because of the coronavirus, and graduation plans had been canceled and then rescheduled with limited seating.

Hairuo Yi, a Lubbock High School student in Texas who organized a George Floyd protest.

The virus has been mostly in the background since George Floyds death, only coming back into focus as organizers offer face masks to protesters without one. Some people have arrived with the words I cant breathe written on the front of their masks.

"It's not only about this one case  police brutality has gone on for way too long," said Hairuo Yi, a 16-year-old senior at Lubbock High. "This has gone on a decade, if we're only counting the most recent viral incidents. We don't want any more of this."

Yi, who is Chinese American, came to the U.S. with her family when she was 6. She was inspired by seeing how Americans peacefully protest compared with the few experiences she had as a child, and she's determined to keep advocating for social justice in college.

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She said part of the change she hopes comes from the protests is better training for police and somewhat limiting police immunity to leave less room for potential racial profiling.

Kori Egure, another Lubbock student, said even though their generation has seen some of the most violent acts after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, adults don't take their concerns seriously because they are young.

"Listen to us. We've been silenced for too long," Egure urged. "We've been told we don't know what's going on, we can't understand it, but the reality is we've been exposed to it for too long. We're too young to have to live through this kind of stuff."

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina

Brian Gordon, Asheville Citizen-Times

Michael Hayes and Ajax Ravenel speak of two Ashevilles.

The first Asheville, they described, beckons millions of visitors a year with restaurants, breweries, eccentric vibes and access to western North Carolinas vast mountains and trails.

Though a generation separates Hayes, 53, from Ravenel, 18, both said living within another Asheville  black Asheville  taught them to challenge their citys charming reputation.

It's well for privileged white people, said Hayes, who serves as executive director of the Asheville-based Umoja Health, Wellness, and Justice Collective. It works for them. It doesn't work for us.

As Asheville sees daily mass gatherings against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd, leaders in the local black community demand policymakers reform the citys law enforcement and reverse widespread opportunity gaps in housing, health, recreation and education.

It started because of George Floyd, because of the lack of justice we saw there, but it's about so much more than that, said Ravenel, who is home from Clark Atlanta University for the summer.

Michael Hayes and Ajax Ravenel posed for a portrait at Umoja Health, Wellness and Justice Collective in Asheville, NC, on June 4, 2020.

Ravenel and other advocates say protests must be for the black community, free from destruction and outside agendas that some mostly non-black participants brought to rallies.

Like the city itself, black organizers want the protests to work for them.

To Hayes, Floyds death doesnt feel removed. Sitting on a sofa at the Umoja center with colleagues around the room, Hayes held court. He spoke freely and easily about Ashevilles past, present and future, displaying a cadence and vocal stamina he employs as a local radio host.

He mentioned Johnnie Rush, an Asheville man who in 2017 was subjected to a severe beating at the hands of an officer. Body camera video captured Rush saying he couldnt breathe multiple times while being restrained on the ground.

This is Asheville, North Carolina. The same thing thats happened to George Floyd has happened here, a lot of times, Hayes said. So seeing it sparked something in us.

Ashevilles first mass protest took place on May 31. Hayes marched alongside hundreds, and he worked to de-escalate tensions after authorities fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Hundreds gathered at Vance Monument in downtown Asheville June 1, 2020 to protest police brutality before continuing on to Asheville Police Department.

Later that night, while protesting downtown, Ravenel watched white demonstrators set off fireworks and intentionally topple a newspaper stand and other objects.

It seemed like our voices were being drowned out, she said. The ones who are leading it, the black youth who are leading this stuff, they're actually doing it correctly. It's the antagonizers that are coming in and ruining everything.

When the first fireworks went off, Ravenel left. She skipped the next couple downtown rallies too, which ended with multiple broken storefront windows, copious graffiti and authorities releasing tear gas. On June 2, the city government declared a state of emergency, imposed an 8 p.m. curfew and called in the National Guard.

Hayes did not protest in subsequent days either, but both he and Ravenel were coordinating plans to get back out on the streets. From Umoja, the two attended Zoom calls with hundreds of area residents to plan a weekend demonstration that would be peaceful yet forceful, presenting a unified message about the changes they demand.

We're protesting for George Floyd, but we're also protesting for ourselves, Ravenel said. Right here, right now, every single day. And we're protesting for the generations that come after us.

AMARILLO, Texas

Douglas Clark, Amarillo Globe-News

Tremaine Brown, owner of Shi Lee's Barbecue and Soul Food Cafe, has led the serving of 1,000 meals a day to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. But on a recent sun-splashed morning, Brown woke with another cause in mind, sharing thoughts with a social justice group at city hall about a plan of action after the first George Floyd protests. They got to work.

"What you can do after this is be very courageous, steadfast and passionate about what happens to others," he said. "We have to stay strong.

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina

Michael Futch, Fayetteville Observer

Fayetteville police officers in riot gear take a knee during a protest in Fayetteville on Monday.

Protesters followed a police directive to back up to a tree on Murchison Road one evening this week, facing a line of officers wearing riot gear. A rally leader called for many of the protesters  still close to 300 strong after some had departed earlier  to take a knee.

I cant breathe. I cant breathe, they chanted.

And then, the police officers followed suit, taking a knee in solidarity. Cheers and applause erupted among the activists.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests reach even small cities as US confronts racism
Barr was spotted at the scene just before police moved on protesters, and a Justice Department official and the White House press secretary have said he told law enforcement on the ground to extend the perimeter as part of the plan that had been hatched earlier. But in an interview with the Associated Press on Friday, Barr seemed to try to distance himself from what police did, claiming he did not give the tactical order for law enforcement officers to move in.
The Uttar Pradesh education department has begun a massive exercise of verifying the documents of 5,000 teachers after a woman suspected to have drawn over 5 lakh in salary from multiple schools was arrested in Kasganj on Saturday.

The suspect, who police said initially identified herself as Anamika Shukla, taught at the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at Faridpur in Kasganj. Her alleged crime was discovered after education department authorities discovered her name appearing in more than one school.

She was arrested from the BSA (basic shiksha adhikari) office when she had arrived to resign. A case has been registered at the Soron police station in Kasganj, said Kasganj additional superintendent of police Pavitra Mohan Tripathi. When questioned, she said her name was Anamika Shukla but later said it was Priya Singh. These facts are being investigated to ascertain her real identity. In her appointment letter of 2018, her name is Anamika Shukla and she claimed to be a resident of Kayamganj in Farrukhabad.

The arrested woman told the press that she was working at the Faridpur school for the last 18 months. She claimed a person named Raj helped her get the job in exchange for money.

Confirming the arrest, basic education minister Satish Chand Dwivedi on Saturday said, Our findings suggest a sum of 2.31 lakh was paid to Anamika in Ambedkar Nagar, 1.16 lakh in Saharanpur, 93,530 in Aligarh and 68,200 in Amethi. This matter came to light after the Yogi government decided to upload details of teachers attendance and salary on the web portal to minimise foul practices which had been going on for several decades.

Dwivedi said the database of teachers on the Manav Sampada portal required personal records of teachers. Now, the process of verifying documents of all 5,000 teachers of KGBVs has started to check more such cases, the education department said.
The Executive Director of the GNPC Foundation, Dr. Dominic Eduah says the Foundation is committed to helping to address the never-ending issue of open-defecation across the country.



He said the Foundation is helping in this direction by constructing sixty sanitary facilities nationwide.



Dr. Dominic Eduah-Executive Director, GNPC Foundation

Dr. Dominic Eduah, said this when the GNPC Foundation handed over three of the latest to be completed two 24-seater and one 8-seater sanitary facilities to three communities in the Western Region.



It all started when we decided to find out about the needs of the community. We realized that open-defecation was a major problem just as it is in most regions in Ghana. So there was a decision by the Board to support in that direction. As we speak, we are putting up sixty of these sanitary facilities across the country. Today we decided to handover three of them, he said in a Citi News interview.



We handed over one of the projects to Nkroful, Agona-Nkwanta market, and Nana Katabra Primary School at Kojokrom. I remember when we first came here for the project, the existing wooden structure used as a sanitary facility was in very bad shape. So the decision was very quick to put up this ultra-modern sanitary facility. And Im happy with the quality of work done by the contractors, he said.



The Executive Director of the GNPC Foundation said though COVID-19 has impacted negatively on their planned activities, they are still working towards achieving their key programs for the year.





The COVID-19 came with its own challenges to most institutions and GNPC Foundation has not been an exception. Our plan for the year has changed drastically coupled with the drop in oil prices. Its a big challenge but we hope that we will be able to work within what we have to ensure that we still impact the lives of Ghanaians, the Executive Director added.



In all, the Chiefs and people of Nkroful in the Ellembele District and Agona-Nkwanta Market in the Ahanta West District both benefited from a 24-seater new sanitary facility, while the Nana Katabra Primary School at Kojokrom in the Essikado-Ketan Constituency also benefited from a new eight-seater sanitary facility.



The Headteacher of the Nana Katabra Primary School at Kojokrom, Christina Forson, was excited over the project.



We thank them [GNPC Foundation] so much because we dont have such a facility in the school and it has been a source of worry to the school. Many a time, some of the children would come and ask permission that they want to attend to natures call but they would go home and wouldnt come back. It was hampering teaching and learning in the school. So as this has come, it has come at the right to time to help improve teaching and learning in the school. Its also going to help with the practice of good personal hygiene at this time of COVID-19.



Dr. Dominic Eduah said a management committee would be put together to undertake periodic monitoring to ensure that the facilities are managed well.



He therefore urged the beneficiaries to take care of the facilities so they last long.

Source: citinews









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Police separated anti-racism and anti-police brutality demonstrators and a smaller group of counter protesters during a demonstration in Huntington Beach, California, on June 6, according to ABC7.

CBS Los Angeles reported that protests remaining mostly peaceful as police and sheriffs stood shoulder-to-shoulder, dividing the groups.

But later, police told CBS, at least six people were arrested after protests became violent.

This video shows various stages of the protests, showing police dividing protesters on either side of the Pacific Highway in Huntington Beach. Protesters are shown dancing to music, and chanting I cant breath, while police stand in riot gear and some mounted officers ride among the groups. Credit: Emily Rasmussen via Storyful
Low-cost airline GoAir, having earlier terminated the contract of an employee over alleged communal comments made by him on Twitter, on Sunday revoked the termination and said that they were only suspending him till an investigation is conducted on the same. The airline said that they did not terminate his contract as he filed a complaint with the cyber cell of Mumbai police.

The employee, Asif Khan, lodged a complaint saying that it was not him but an impersonator who had made communal remarks on the micro-blogging website.

The Twitter storm began when the handle with Khan's name made communal statements on the platform.

Khan, a trainee First Officer with the airline, after being alerted by his colleagues, checked the Twitter handle to find that an impersonator used his name on the site to make communal remarks.

Following this, Khan took to Facebook to contend the allegations and said that the comments made on the platform were not his.

Later, he went to the local police station to file a complaint regarding the same and also sent a formal letter to the cyber cell.

GoAir, however, said that the company had put him under suspension till a further inquiry, both external and internal, is conducted on the same.

The incident even led to #boycottGoAir trending on Twitter.
New Delhi, June 7 : A Tik Tok star was allegedly thrashed and threatened by two armed assailants in West Delhi's Chhawla area in broad daylight, the police said on Sunday, adding that the dispute occurred over a photo that was uploaded on a social media platform.

While the men were thrashing the 17-year-old boy, one of them recorded a video of the incident which later went viral on the social media. The said incident occurred on June 3 and came to light after the video went viral on micro blogging website Twitter.

A senior police official said that the victim was contacted, who then filed a complaint against the unknown assailants.

In the video, two men approach the boy, one of them with his face covered and start threatening him saying, "I will make you a TikTok star now". One of them who had his face covered and was holding a gun, then strangled the boy and slapped him multiple times.

In the said video, victim's friend's voice can also be heard, he is apologizing to the men. In another video of the incident, the two men can be seen strangling the boy and point a gun at his head.

One of them then says, "You want to be a gangster aan?..Say sorry now", following which the boy pleads with them to leave him but the assailants continue to torture and harass him.

In his complaint, the boy has said that one of his friend named Ankit uploaded a picture on WhatsApp with a gangster named Ashu, who is a murder accused and is currently in Bhondsi Jail.

Upon seeing the said picture, the complainant tried to warn his friend asking him not to upload a photo with this man.

The complaint further mentions that the said picture was later seen by Ashu's associates who assumed that the complainant and his friend were trying to be a part of their 'gang' and they want to be gangster. Following which they thrashed the boy and threatened them to remove the said photograph.

However, there have also been allegations against Ashu that he sent the men to beat up the boys.

"A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act in Chhawla police station," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dwaraka Anto Alphanso "Though one of the accused has already been identified, we are also ascertaining the reason behind the violence; various other angles including that of a love triangle is also being investigated and looked upon," he said.


Huge bones have been discovered in a place 50 kilometers north of Mexico City where a new airport is being built.

Scientists, who study the past by examining very old objects, are digging up more and more of these bones. These archeologists have found that the bones belong to the mammoth, the most famous mammal of a cold period in Earths history known as an ice age.

Archeologists have found the bones of 70 mammoths so far. The latest discovery includes two large skulls, as well as rib and leg bones.

Ruben Manzanilla is the lead archeologist at the site. Manzanilla said that the place once was part of a shoreline with a lot of mud. Lakes likely formed there at the end of the most recent ice age.

When an animal this size fell here, it got stuck and couldnt escape, he said.

The mammoth bones belonged to a Columbian mammoth, which unlike its relative the woolly mammoth, had little hair. But, it was a powerful creature. Manzanilla believes it weighted about 20,000 kilograms and stood more than 4 meters tall.

Many mammoths likely got stuck in the mud, Manzanilla said. But, he said that evidence at nearby places suggests early human hunters used spears to kill the mammoths. They also may have used traps in the water.

Over 10,000 years ago, central Mexico had many groups, or herds, of mammoths. The bones they left behind led some people to create stories about giants.

Lopez Lujan wrote about some of the stories in the publication Mexican Archeology recently.

In 1519, two local kings showed the Spaniard Hernan Cortes what was probably a mammoth leg bone. They told Cortes that the bone came from terrible, tall men. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a soldier and writer at the time of Cortes, wrote about the incident.

We were sure there had been giants in this land, wrote Diaz Del Castillo.

Im John Russell.

David Alire Garcia reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

skull  n. the structure of bones that form the head and face of a person or animal

rib -- n. any one of the curved bones of the chest that connect to the spine

giant  n. a legendary creature usually thought of as being an extremely large and powerful person

site n. a place where something is happening, like a building project or archeological study

shoreline  n. the land along the edge of an area of water (such as an ocean, lake, etc.) : a coast or shore

trap  n. a device that is used for catching animals

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Seven Group Holdings boss Ryan Stokes has urged a safe lifting of lockdown restrictions as he expressed optimism about an economy recovery, saying infrastructure spending and the resources sector will be vital to a rebound.

Mr Stokes, the son of billionaire businessman Kerry Stokes, said lifting coronavirus restrictions in a safe way would be crucial to generating activity and building confidence.

Ryan Stokes, chief executive of Seven Group Holdings, says it's important that business leaders contribute to the community outside of business. Credit:Janie Barrett

"The speed of response is one of the critical aspects. I think to really get the economy moving, the restrictions need to be safely lifted ... allowing travel, removing border restrictions and getting as quickly back to normal as possible, particularly while there are stimulus measures out there," he said.

Mr Stokes has been acknowledged for his contribution to business, cultural institutions and to mental health and sporting groups in the Queen's Birthday honours list. He is one of 38 business leaders to be recognised alongside Qantas director and University of Sydney Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson, Macquarie director Diane Grady and Australian Industry Group boss Innes Willox.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Frontlines-Everywhere.html

Not all heroes wear capes or medical garb. Many are completely unseen and their praises go unsung.

I thanked my friend who is an emergency room doctor here in Portland, Oregon, for his dedication and hard work during the coronavirus. I asked him what its like being on the frontlines. His answer surprised me: Eve, I dont see myself as being on the frontlines any more than you or anyone else. I have a job. I go to my job each day and I try my best at it. Many people these days arent able to go to their jobs, theyre not getting their pay checks and are really suffering. Im just grateful that Im doing what Ive been trained and want to do.

My friend made me think about the many frontlines  and many heroes  there are these days. Not all heroes wear capes or medical garb. Many are completely unseen and their praises go unsung.

There are the mothers and fathers who are at home with all their children, some of whom struggle in the best of times.

Being a parent has never been more complicated. With all the added screen time our children are coping with and with all the negative influences that are constantly streaming right into the palm of their hands, our children are bombarded and overwhelmed. Kids thrive in structure and most structure has been thrown out the window. It feels like there is no normal in parenting anymore.

I can only imagine that mental health issues must be at an all-time high during this time, with anxiety and depression manifesting itself in so many ways for teenagers and adults alike. When I see my own kids struggle I think of what it would have been like for me (a complete extrovert!) to be a teenager living through this time, striped of all socialization, end of year parties, graduations... For me people are like oxygen. Take away my social life and it would have been disastrous!

So our kids are also on the frontlines. Theyre struggling and trying their best under these circumstances. Theyre showing up where they can. We need to give them (and ourselves) a little slack and a little credit.

I think of all the single mothers and fathers out there who are doing this work all on their own, holding things together, even if sometimes only by a thread. Bringing joy to their homes even when worry and dread is what they hold in their hearts. They are all heroes. Those frontlines are not easy places to be. It can feel more like a war zone at times.

And how about all those men and women who are living with the added stresses of their income taking a massive hit due to this situation? Some have lost jobs, many feel unfulfilled and worried, having no choice but to deplete their savings with each month that passes. Financial stress can often lead to a disruption in the harmony of ones home. The instability of the situation and the not knowing when and how it will all end brings us no peace.

And yet even though some have so little at this time, there is still so much kindness and giving happening all around. From the sharing of basic supplies (like toilet paper) and food, shopping for those more vulnerable, deliveries of homemade challahs each Friday to friends and neighbors, community initiatives collecting and dispersing funds generously to those in need even though many have little to spare. You see people shining in these moments.

And then there are our community leaders who are taking care of the welfare of their people, guiding many through an unprecedented time of isolation and loneliness, grief and loss. One elderly community member that I visited told me that I was the first person she has seen in weeks. She has been too afraid to even venture out to the grocery store and lives all alone, eating only canned food. I cried. She cried. I couldnt even give her a hug.

These are so many frontlines.

Then theres the Chevre Kadisha, the Jewish burial society. From the onset of the pandemic I anxiously waited for that first phone call asking me if I can assist in this holy work. I thought that when the call came I would have to decline. I was too afraid. I didnt know if it was safe or even the right thing to do. But when the call came my answer came quick. It was crystal clear to me that once again I was standing on the frontlines. Its not always easy to stand there but you do what you need to do at every moment. One day at a time, one situation at a time. One frontline at a time, each an opportunity for growth.

The details are different for everyone, but we are all made from strong stuff. Step up. Lean in. Dont be afraid. Appreciate all the frontlines around you as you embrace your own.
Storm surge and flooding were reported in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the surrounding area as Tropical Storm Cristobal was due to make landfall on the US Gulf Coast on June 7.

The National Hurricane Center issued a storm-surge warning from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and warned that tropical storm-force winds were expected along the northern Gulf Coast from central Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the area.

A tornado watch was issued for southern Mississippi and southern Alabama until 5 pm CDT.

Videos filmed by Twitter user @BLF_PA show the severe weather moving into Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, on Sunday. Credit: @BLF_PA via Storyful
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Linkedin Rob Lever (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Sun, June 7, 2020 12:08 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcaa0b0 2 Science & Tech health,coronavirus,COVID-19,Fitbit,technology,wearables,united-states,Apple-Watch Free

Can your Fitbit or Apple Watch detect a coronavirus infection before the onset of symptoms?

Researchers are increasingly looking at these devices and other such wearables as a possible early warning system for the deadly virus.

Last month, scientists at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute said they had created a digital platform that can detect COVID-19 symptoms up to three days before they show up using the Oura ring, a wearable fitness and activity tracker.

An app developed by the researchers uses artificial intelligence to forecast the onset of COVID-19 related symptoms such as fever, coughing, breathing difficulties and fatigue, with over 90 percent accuracy, according to the university.

The researchers said the system could offer clues of infection in people not yet showing symptoms -- helping address one of the problems in detection and containment of the deadly outbreak.

Separately, Scripps Research Institute has enrolled more than 30,000 people -- and aims for much more -- in a similar study aiming to use wearables to find "presymptomatic" and asymptomatic people with COVID-19.

Scripps researchers had already previously demonstrated the value of wearables in predicting influenza in a study published in January in the British journal The Lancet.

Early indications suggest the devices "have the potential to identify people who are presymptomatic but still infectious," said Jennifer Radin, a Scripps epidemiologist leading the research.

Read also: Singapore plans wearable virus contact tracing device for all

Volunteers being sought

Radin told an online conference discussing the research that wearables are detecting "subtle changes that indicate you are coming down with a viral illness" before the onset of symptoms.

Scripps researchers say they hope to show that wearables data may be more reliable than temperature checks.

"Forty percent of people who come down with COVID don't have a fever," Radin said. "This is something that can be used to screen people that's better than a temperature check."

Resting heart rate, for example, is a good indicator because it is normally consistent before an infection, and can be accurately measured by most wearables.

"We see these changes (in heart rate) four days before someone starts to develop a fever," Radin said.

Eric Topol, director of the Scripps institute, said the idea of using wearables is promising because "over 100 million Americans have a smart watch or fitness band" which can provide key data for researchers, but that getting good results "is contingent on getting large numbers" to opt into the studies.

California health tech startup Evidation meanwhile has begun a project to produce an early warning algorithm from wearables worn by 300 people at high risk of contracting coronavirus, with funding from the US government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Luca Foschini, Evidation's co-founder and chief data scientist, said the research aims "to more effectively identify when and where people may contract COVID-19, and can potentially enable real-time interventions to limit spread and monitor outcomes."

A similar research effort is underway in Germany.

Read also: Google buying Fitbit in move into wearables, digital health

From recreation to medicine

The latest research highlights how some wearable devices -- developed initially for fitness and recreation uses -- may be adapted for important medical research.

Apple has begun studies on how its smartwatch can detect heart problems. And Fitbit has been working with some 500 different projects for research on cancer, diabetes, respiratory and other health issues.

Scientists say wearables can provide data on body temperature, heart and respiratory rates, sleep and activity patterns and other indicators which can be used as diagnostic tools.

Researchers from Stanford University announced plans in April to participate in research on wearables, in collaboration with Scripps, for COVID-19 and other diseases.

"Smartwatches and other wearables make many, many measurements per day -- at least 250,000, which is what makes them such powerful monitoring devices," said Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford School of Medicine.

Snyder said these devices may alert users when their heart rate, skin temperature or some other part of their physiology signals of infection or another ailment.

"You might wonder, 'Are these sniffles allergies, or am I getting sick?' These algorithms could help people determine if they should stay home in case their body is fighting off an infection," Snyder said.
Member of Parliament of Ukraine of the 8th convocation of Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada and businessman Oleksandr Hranovsky called the accusation of the Estonian businessman Hillar Teder, the founder of Arricano Real Estate Plc (Cyprus), and his lawyer Yegor Bodrov in the raider seizure of Sky Mall, a farce. Hranovskyi also criticized the speculation on the death of Sobolevs child, used by Teder.

Hranovskyi wrote on Facebook, that the lawyer Bodrov was speculating, publicly linking him to the murder of businessman Viacheslav Sobolevs son. Bodrov simultaneously represents the interests of both sides: the Sobolev family and Teder. Its hard to believe that Yegor doesnt know anything about the fact that Sobolevs wife, Inna, has repeatedly stated in the media that there are no claims against me in the Sobolev family, and Viacheslav once again stated this directly on his page.

Hranovskyi also recalled that in 2015, Hillar Teder was convicted in Estonia in a case of giving a bribe to the mayor of Tallinn, which casts doubt on Teders reputation and statements about his good intentions in the conflict over Sky Mall.

Earlier, Teders lawyer, Bodrov, promised to publish a so-called road map for a seizure of Sky Mall, which Hranovskyi called a fake document. You showed everyone a piece of paper on which there are no autographs, so the ownership of this document is just as easily attributed to your client if you wish. No doubt, I know nothing about this newspaper and have never heard of it, Hranovskyi addressed these words to Teders lawyer.

In response, the businessman gives copies of documents dated 2012 on the provision of legal assistance, signed by the representative of Hillar Teders company Arricano and the representative of the law firm Legal Partner (Yurydychnyi partner) Mr. Valentyn Zagoriy, which was supposed to help Arricano regain control of the Cyprus company Assofit Holding Limited, which owns a 99.9% stake in Sky Mall. An Estonian businessmans company had to pay $15 million for these services. Hranovskyi calls the signed document legal lawlessness, and the fee of $15 million he calls a bribe to representatives of the Ukrainian authorities from Teders company for resolving a business conflict.

Lets remind, that before his election to the Verkhovna Rada, Olexandr Hranovskyi was a director of Assofit Holdings Limited at the time of the business conflict over ownership.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has allowed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to induct 11,815 workers from his state to build critical roads in areas close to the China border after being assured that their welfare and rights will be safeguarded, people familiar with the development said on Sunday.

The state government conveyed its consent to BRO in a letter dated June 6. It gave the permission after getting assurances on concerns flagged by it about the welfare of workers and wages not being paid in time, the officials said.

In a letter to the Jharkhand government on the movement of migrant labour dated June 5, BRO clarified several aspects related to the fixing and payment of wages, medical facilities, injury benefits, ration, clothing, free conveyance and work hours.

On safeguarding the interest of the workers, the letter said, The BRO is committed to safeguard the interest of the labour who are the backbone of the organisation. It has been the constant endeavour of the BRO to ensure that the aspirations of the labourers are met and their legitimate wages are paid in time.

The officials said BRO has communicated to the state the revised wages that will be paid to all categories of workers --- unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled --- who will get 15% to 20% extra from June 10, the officials said.

The workers will be transported on 11 trains to Jammu and Chandigarh, and then be ferried to border areas in Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where BRO is constructing important roads, as reported by HT on May 31.

The move comes even as Indian and Chinese soldiers are eyeball to eyeball at four locations along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. The roads on which works are being carried out include the strategic Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) road.

The Chinese troop build-up in the Galwan area threatens the critical DS-DBO road and if the project is blocked, the Indian army will be forced to use aerial supply lines and prepare for an arduous alternative route.

HT on April 28 reported BROs plans to induct up to 40,000 workers to carry out the construction of key roads and tunnels in far-flung areas in the forward areas along the China border despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

BRO employs a labour force of around 100,000 workers for its various construction projects. Of this, around 60,000 workers are employed locally and the rest of the requirement is met through hiring migrant labour.

BROs peak working season extends from May to November. Migrant workers are a key part of the organisations workforce involved in building strategic roads in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It plans to complete all 61 strategic roads assigned to it along the China border by December 2022 to allow swifter mobilisation of troops and stores to forward areas.
Authorities say they have arrested a man who identified himself as a member of Southern Slaves  a group that actively recruits people to violently protest the government  for damaging and vandalizing multiple patrol cars during a protest against police brutality last month in Miami.

Marco Antonio Lopez, 21, of Miami was arrested Saturday for the May 30 incident and has been charged with two counts of criminal mischief, inciting a riot and resisting an officer without violence, Miami police said.

His arrest appears to mark the first criminal case built against so-called agitators who police say turned peaceful protests into clashes with officers in Miami. Last month, Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told the Miami Herald the department would be pursuing people who defaced police cars, vandalized walls and highways or were throwing objects during the protests that began on May 30.

Ultimately they will be charged after the fact, Colina said. Just because you got away with it tonight doesnt mean we wont come for you.

Marco Antonio Lopez, 21,

Police said Lopez described Southern Slaves as a group that is against police brutality, but advocates riots and violence. He allegedly told police that walking around the city wont do anything, sooner or later you have to turn to violence, according to an arrest report. He remained jailed on Sunday morning. It was unclear if he had retained an attorney yet.

The large march in Downtown Miami on May 30 was staged to protest law-enforcement tactics and the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died after a cop knelt on his neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with murder and manslaughter; three other cops have also been charged criminally.

The death has spurred a wave of unprecedented protests across the nation that continued Saturday in South Florida. Over 100 arrests have happened during the past week in Miami-Dade, most for minor curfew violations and unlawful assembly; at least four people were arrested Saturday stemming from a protest at Florida International University.

Story continues

Miami police announced Lopezs arrest early Sunday.

Detectives said Lopez was wanted for breaking into and damaging two Miami police cruisers with his skateboard  one at South Miami Avenue and Eighth Street, and one along Northwest third Avenue and Fourth Street, near the rear gate of the Miami police headquarters.

He was also wanted for spray painting Southern Slaves on a third cruiser at the corner of Northwest Third Court and Fourth street.

One of the incidents was witnessed by an off-duty Miami officer who was assisting a construction company with traffic control, according to an arrest report. The officer later identified Lopez as the man he saw smashing the rear window of his marked cruiser with his skateboard when a large crowd of protesters marched along Eighth Street.

The officer says he confronted Lopez and was told What you going to do before Lopez ran off into the crowd.

Surveillance camera later recorded Lopez using his skateboard to smash the front driver side window of a marked cruiser after protesters arrived to the Miami police station, the report said. During the investigation, officers later learned that the incident was also recorded and posted on a public Instagram page.

Lopez was identified through a photographic lineup and was taken into custody without incident. He confessed to all three incidents, the report said.

Miami Herald staff writer David Ovalle contributed to this report.
China on Sunday issued a white paper on the countrys battle against COVID-19.

The White Paper, titled Fighting COVID-19: China in Action, was issued by the State Council Information Office.

The Chinese government released the White Paper to keep a record of the countrys efforts in its own fight against the virus, to share its experience with the rest of the world.

China also wants to clarify its ideas on the global battle, according to the White Paper.

The COVID-19 global pandemic is the most extensive to afflict humanity in a century, it said.

Facing the unknown, unexpected, and devastating disease, China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread, the white paper said.

Making peoples lives and health its first priority, China adopted extensive, stringent, and thorough containment measures, and has for now succeeded in cutting all channels for the transmission of the virus, it added.

The White Paper consists of four parts: Chinas Fight against the Epidemic: A Test of Fire, Well-Coordinated Prevention, Control and Treatment, Assembling a Powerful Force to Beat the Virus, and Building a Global Community of Health for All.
Mumbai, June 7 : Under fire from the Shiv Sena, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood - who has shot into limelight for organizing buses and flight for migrants - called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray here late on Sunday.

The meeting - also attended by Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray - came after Sood was labelled as a 'mahatma' for his services to the migrants' cause.

The Sena has alleged it as a move to show the Maharashtra government in poor light even as ruling Nationalist Congress Party leader and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh lauded the actor.

Earlier, Sood had met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Sood has organised dozens of buses for stranded migrants and at least two flights to various destinations in India, earning accolades.

The meeting with the Thackerays was described as a courtesy call by Sood.
Authorities are asking the public for help in finding whoever killed seven people Thursday night in what Morgan County Sheriff Ron Puckett called a cold-blooded shooting.

Authorities and neighbors say the shooting deaths in a Valhermoso Springs house could be drug-related, but authorities have been tight-lipped about specific details because of the ongoing investigation.

On Saturday, Morgan County Sheriff's Office Spokesman Mike Swafford said the department is taking information from the public through tiplink at bit.ly/2N3tluo.

Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn said all of the victims died of "multiple gunshot wounds" and could not elaborate because of the investigation. Six of the victims were 31 or younger.

The bodies were found at 522 Talucah Road in eastern Morgan County after authorities responded to telephone calls from neighbors who reported gunshots in the area late Thursday night.

Swafford said "pieces of evidence" at the scene have authorities believing the shooter or shooters "are no longer in the area and it is an isolated incident" and local residents are not in danger.

The Morgan County Sheriffs Office reported Saturday that the victims are James Wayne Benford, 22, of Decatur; Tammy England Muzzey, 45, of Valhermoso Springs; Emily Brooke Payne, 21, of Valhermoso Springs; Roger Lee Jones Jr., 20 of Decatur; Jeramy Wade Roberts, 31, of Athens; and William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville. The name of the seventh victim, a female, 17, has not been released to the public because she was a juvenile, Swafford said.

According to his social media page, Benford is a 2016 graduate of Decatur High. A family member said Jones also graduated from Decatur High. Reynolds Funeral Home is handling arrangements for Jones.

Peck Funeral Home is handling Muzzey's funeral.

Chunn said the bodies were sent to the state forensics office in Huntsville for autopsies and most were returned to family members on Saturday.

Swafford said the autopsies are expected to be completed Monday.

The one-story brick, ranch-style house where the victims were found also received damage from a fire near the bodies that was contained, according to Swafford. He said the offender or offenders may have started the blaze in an attempt to destroy evidence at the crime scene.

Swafford said a dog was also found dead in the house.

"This was horrific in scope, the sheer volume of victims," Swafford said.

--

Victims' mothers

Payne's mother, Vanessa Hipp of Madison, fought back tears at the crime scene Friday morning.

"I can't put how I feel in words," she said. "We suffered a great loss today."

Wanda Thompson of Somerville, the mother of Muzzey, said she was in shock.

"I'm lost. I can't even cry," she said.

At the crime scene Friday morning, Puckett said, In my 34 years in law enforcement Ive never seen this type of crime. This is horrible and cold-blooded. This is not who we are. As a county, we are better than this.

Swafford said sheriff's deputies are familiar with the residence. He said deputies have responded to six calls at the location during 2020, including three drug overdoses.

He said in past years, calls to the residence have involved drugs, robbery, trespassing and disturbances.

Its incredibly heinous (as a crime scene), he said. Our theory right now is whoever did this, came in here for a reason, did it and left.

He said investigators are not ruling out that more than one shooter committed the crime. Two vehicles were towed away from the house Friday afternoon to be processed for evidence, Swafford added.

Chunn said, In my 37 years as a paramedic, deputy coroner and coroner, this is the most major crime scene in Morgan County."

--

'Quiet neighborhood'

Morgan County 911 Director Jeanie Pharis said her dispatchers received two phone calls, at 11:34 p.m. and a minute later, from neighbors reporting gunshots. She said one caller reported hearing gunshots about an hour earlier.

Some neighbors said they hear gunshots along the street on a regular basis.

A barn behind that house burned down a few years ago because somebody was cooking meth there, said Lawrence Lang, who has lived a few houses to the south of the crime scene for the past 21 years. I dont associate with those people.

Thompson said she was having "problems with the people" at her daughter's house, which was where the shooting occurred.

"People we didn't even know were hanging around," Thompson said. "I ran people off several weeks in a row. ... Somebody was angry when they killed them.

Another neighbor, Dennis Romback, said he observed traffic to and from the house at all hours. (The shootings) are most likely drug-related. Overall, this is a quiet neighborhood. If authorities come around here, its usually to that house.

Other agencies assisting the Morgan Sheriffs Office are Morgan County District Attorney's Office, the Madison County Sheriffs Office, the FBI and the Somerville Police Department.

The shooting was the second involving multiple deaths in Morgan County in two weeks, with a total of 10 people killed in the two incidents.

On May 24, three people were shot to death in the Danville area. Carson Peters has been charged with three counts of capital murder in the deaths.

2020 The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.)

Visit The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) at www.decaturdaily.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The national capital will open its borders tomorrow but its hospital beds are desperately needed for locals

A worker hangs a notice on the main gate of the LNJP Hospital in New Delhi. (PTI)

New Delhi: With hospital beds in desperate short supply for COVID-19 patients, Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that hospitals in New Delhi will only treat people from the city even after the national capital territory opens its borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on Monday.

The Delhi patients only rule will, however, not apply to hospitals run by the central government.

The national capital is gearing up to open up its malls, restaurants and religious places from Monday. However hotels and banquets will remain closed as the Delhi government might need to convert them into hospitals in coming time.

"Over 90 per cent of the people want Delhi hospitals to treat patients from the national capital. Hence, it has been decided that government and private hospitals in Delhi will only treat patients from the national capital," Kejriwal said at an online press conference on Sunday.

He said if people from other cities come to Delhi for specific surgeries, they will be provided treatment at private hospitals.

"Delhi's health infrastructure is needed to tackle the coronavirus crisis at the moment," the chief minister said.

The central government has allowed the reopening of shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services along with the places of religious worship to people from June 8, however, these facilities will not be able to resume operations inside containment zones designated by authorities in states.
NHS removes trans guidance claim that puberty blockers are fully reversible

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The National Health Service in England has updated its policy on puberty blockers by removing the claim that the experimental drugs prescribed to transgender-identifying youth are "fully reversible." It now says it's unknown what the short-term and long-term effects will be on a person's bones, physical body and mental health.

The use of synthetic hormones to block the puberty processes of children experiencing gender dysphoria has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. And the changes made to the guidance come after a lawsuit was filed against the nation's sole gender clinic, the Tavistock and Portman National Health Service Trust in London, where an individual who underwent these experimental treatments says they caused irreparably harm to their body.

The former NHS guidelines previously stated that puberty blockers were reversible:

If your child has gender dysphoria and they've reached puberty, they could be treated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. These are synthetic (man-made) hormones that suppress the hormones naturally produced by the body. Some of the changes that take place during puberty are driven by hormones. For example, the hormone testosterone, which is produced by the testes in boys, helps stimulate penis growth. GnRH analogues suppress the hormones produced by your childs body. They also suppress puberty and can help delay potentially distressing physical changes caused by their body becoming even more like that of their biological sex, until they're old enough for the treatment options discussed below. The effects of treatment with GnRH analogues are considered to be fully reversible, so treatment can usually be stopped at any time after a discussion between you, your child and your MDT.

The newly revised guidelines no longer contain the words "fully reversible" and now lists risk factors.

These hormone blockers (gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues) pause the physical changes of puberty, such as breast development or facial hair. Little is known about the long-term side effects of hormone or puberty blockers in children with gender dysphoria. Although the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) advises this is a physically reversible treatment if stopped, it is not known what the psychological effects may be. It's also not known whether hormone blockers affect the development of the teenage brain or children's bones. Side effects may also include hot flushes, fatigue and mood alterations.

The updated NHS site also notes that the drugs are under an official review and that they yield irreversible effects including changes in breast development by taking estrogen, the deepening of the voice due to testosterone, and that long-term cross-sex hormone use can cause temporary or permanent sterility.

"Given that the NHS now says that hormone therapy for gender-variant children has unknown long-term effects on the physical and mental health of those children, why is the NHS still using such treatments on children? And what are the children and parents who were reassured by those earlier NHS words supposed to think now that the same service that issued those treatments is now admitting it doesnt know what their long-term effects will be?" Spectator columnist James Kirkup inquired, adding that the former guidelines are now only viewable on the Wayback Machine, a digital archive founded by the San Francisco-based nonprofit group internet archive.

Earlier this year, the NHS announced it was revisiting its rules on permitting minors to take the experimental drugs without their parents' consent. Additionally, the NHS announced it was forming a task force of doctors to conduct a formal review of puberty blockers.

The moves came amid intensifying debate in the U.K. pertaining to transgender ideology, not only regarding pediatric medicalization of gender but proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, which would allow individuals to self-identify as either sex without any medical documentation.

In late April, Liz Truss, the U.K.'s trade minister, announced that doctors would be banned from prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children who are younger than 18.

Grown adults should be able to make decisions, to have the agency to live life as they see fit, she said. But before the age of 18, when people are still developing their decision-making capabilities, they should be protected from making decisions that are irreversible about their bodies that they could possibly regret in the future.
Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly received on Saturday the report on the 100 Days of the Fight Against COVID-19 from the cabinets Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), which summarises the efforts exerted by the country to combat coronavirus since its outbreak in February.

The report tackled the governments efforts in infection prevention and control, economic measures, social security measures, international cooperation, especially with countries most affected by the pandemic, as well as efforts exerted by the private sector and state agencies to support the state and medical teams.

Prime Minister Madbouly said that citizens health has always been a top priority in the government agenda, the cabinet said in a statement on Saturday.

He added that the government had been working on enhancing the services provided by the healthcare system nationwide even before the coronavirus outbreak.

Madbouly asserted that the outbreak came at a time when the government was reaping the rewards of the economic reform program.

He stressed that the government has worked since the beginning of the outbreak to put in place an effective prevention program and raise citizens awareness to reduce infection, in addition to economic and social measures that have been taken to alleviate the expected damage caused by the crisis.

Chairman of the IDSC Osama El-Gohary said that the 100 Days of the Fight Against COVID-19 report documents the most important measures taken by the government to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the cabinet said in its Saturday statement.

With regard to infection prevention and control, the report highlighted government efforts like imposing a nighttime curfew, air travel suspension, shutting down places of worship and suspending study at schools and universities.

To prevent the spread of the virus, the government is also conducting coronavirus tests, contact tracing for the infected cases, isolation, and treatment, in addition to several preventive measures to implement social distancing, El-Gohary said.

The report also highlighted the economic measures taking by the government in order to create a balance between social distancing and protecting the economy from any future shocks that may result from the coronavirus crisis.

The economic measures include monetary and fiscal measures aimed at maintaining the countrys level of economic performance, measures to protect the Egyptian Stock Exchange and those working in it, in addition to supporting the tourism sector, which has been the hardest hit by the crisis.

With regard to social security, the report highlighted government efforts like reducing the number of private and public sector employees in workplaces, improving pensions, and including irregular labour in the social security net.

The report also highlighted the exchange of aid between Egypt and other countries, and the communication channels the country has opened to benefit from the experiences of other countries in combating the virus.

It also stressed that the government has worked since the beginning of the outbreak to repatriate nationals stranded abroad due to the outbreak, and making sure they are properly quarantined to prevent a further spread of the highly infectious disease.

The report also highlighted efforts exerted by private sector, religious institutions and state agencies in supporting vulnerable groups and medical teams through donating to the Tahya Masr fund.

To date, the country has recorded 31,115 positive cases and 1,166 fatalities.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that low-pressure area is likely to be formed over east-central Bay of Bengal in the next 48 hours. And under its influence, widespred rainfall is expected in Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from June 9 to 11.

In its weather forecast bulletin on Sunday afternoon, the IMD said that the low-pressure area will become more marked in the next 24 hours and will move west-northwestwards.

The IMD also predicted heavy rainfall in the Vidarbha region, Gangetic West Bengal, Gujarat and South Madhya Pradesh on June 10 and 11.

It further said that the southwest monsoon has advanced to south Karnataka, and condition are becoming favourable for its advancement into parts of Maharashtra, Telangana and coasta, Andhra Pradesh.

The IMD said that the maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius in the next two days.

Temperatures in many parts of the country were on Saturday recorded to be below normal for this time of the year with a number of areas receiving rainfall.

No heat wave is likely in the country in the next five days, said the IMD. It said that the highest temperature in the country on Saturday afternoon was recorded at Vijaywada and Gannavaram in coastal Andhra Pradesh at 41.4 degress Celsius.

The weather departments regional centre has predicted rains, accompanied with thunderstorms, at some isolated places in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

According to the IMD, heavy rainfall is also expected over Nagaland, Manipur and other North-Eastern states.
"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.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

NAVAJO NATION  Two pickup trucks barrel down an unnamed dirt road off one of the main highways crossing the Navajo Nation northwest of Window Rock, Arizona. A cluster of horses and a skinny foal with toothpick legs graze nearby, and dark clouds gather overhead.

One of the trucks is hauling a 550-gallon tank, and water sloshes out of it when the wheels hit a bump in the road. The other is carrying nearly 100 cases of bottled water.

The trucks come to a stop beside a concrete two-room house nestled under tall pine trees.

As the crew begins to unload the cases and pump water from the tank into barrels, Catherine Lee  wearing a blue patterned face mask  grabs her clipboard and approaches a man sitting in the front yard.

Lee is a community health representative. Her job used to entail making the rounds through St. Michaels Chapter, visiting elders and high-risk clients assigned to her.

She would enter their homes, check their vital signs, ask about their health conditions, make sure they know about coming appointments and help them with whatever else they needed.

But since COVID-19 came to the Navajo Nation, Lee and her fellow CHRs have been using their knowledge of the community in a different way. Participating in the water delivery has marked the first time in months that she has seen many of her clients face to face.

Weve just been doing welfare checks over the phone, seeing if they need medication, pick up the medication and deliver it to them  same thing if they need food, and now were doing the water, Lee said. It just feels limited, but it feels good that Im trying to help them in some way.

Sometimes the CHRs drop off informational pamphlets about the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus: how to prevent it and what to do if you or a family member gets sick.

And in the hardest-hit areas of the Navajo Nation, community health workers are not in the field at all any more. Instead, theyre in an office making calls as contact tracers, trying to track down who might have been infected.

Dr. Laura Hammitt, the director of Infectious Disease Programs for the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, said CHRs and public health nurses make up the core of the Navajo Nations response teams and are instrumental in slowing the spread of the virus.

COVID-19 has spread rapidly throughout the Navajo Nation, where there are higher infection rates than in hot spots such as New York state and New Jersey. As of Friday, 264 Navajo people had died of the disease across the reservation, which stretches across parts of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

I think (contact tracing) is the tool we have right now to slow the spread of this virus, Hammitt said. Until we have an effective vaccine  this is the mainstay of coronavirus containment efforts.

Face of public health

The Community Health Representative Program was started in 1968 as a way to do checkups and public health education for people living on remote tribal lands across the United States. All CHRs are certified nursing assistants and have been trained in the National Incident Management System on how to respond to public health emergencies.

On the Navajo Nation, officials say, there are about 90 CHRs across 110 chapters in the three states. Before the pandemic, they generally made eight to 10 home visits a day to elders and other high-risk residents and as many as 1,200 visits a year. All but five are women.

Now, many have joined other health care workers in doing contact tracing, trying to track down everyone who might have been infected by the virus. About 90% of the CHRs have received some training in contact tracing.

Hammitt said several hundred people, including optometric technicians, diabetes educators and physical therapists, are now doing contact tracing and case management for COVID-19 patients on the Navajo Nation.

But she said CHRs and a smaller group of public health nurses are ideally suited for this task.

For one thing, as restrictions lift and other workers return to their previous day jobs, the CHRs and nurses will still be working in the community.

Public health nurses and CHRs are really uniquely equipped to do contact tracing, because they know the community so intimately, so well, Hammitt said.  This is what theyve done prior to COVID-19, and they are the ones who are the face of public health in the community.

Also, she said, although they have been getting volunteers from all over, there are things that those who grew up on the reservation, and as part of that culture, can explain to residents that outsiders cant.

Its really important that people understand cultural competency and how important cultural competency is in the work the CHRs do, Hammit said. Maybe thats obvious, but here its especially important to be able to translate the messages in a way that resonates with community members.

Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment, or COPE, a nonprofit that partners with the CHR program and the Navajo Nation, has been helping train more people on how to do contact tracing and case management for COVID-19.

Hannah Sehn, a program manager with COPE, said the program has trained more than 200 people. She said about 400 contact tracers, case managers and community connectors will be needed.

However, this estimate will need to be constantly refined by the Navajo Nation leadership as the epidemic unfolds, Sehn said.

Hammitt said the size of the workforce will depend on the virus.

The epidemic has spread from the northwestern part of the reservation to the eastern and southern parts. And while some areas seem to be plateauing, Hammitt said, its too early to predict what will happen.

Now, with stay-at-home orders in place, contacts are easily traced within one household, but, Hammitt said, as restrictions are relaxed and people begin leaving the house and going back to work, tracing will become more difficult. The Navajo Nation is no longer under a 57-hour weekend curfew.

As of Friday, there were more than 5,700 cases of COVID-19 on the reservation, and Hammitt said that for each one of those cases, calls need to be made to anyone the patient came into contact with 48 hours before they started showing symptoms or tested positive if they are asymptomatic. About 2,174 people have recovered. The Navajo Nation has tested much higher percentages of its population than other jurisdictions  more than 15%  which also results in more cases being discovered and more people who need to be contacted.

The CHRs and public health nurses, right now we dont have enough of them to be able to fully meet the needs of this pandemic, Hammitt said. This is something that none of us have ever seen before.

Although health care providers are understaffed, Hammitt said, in many ways the Navajo Nation is ahead of other jurisdictions, because it already had a workforce trained in community health that could begin doing contact tracing. She and other officials have been sharing what they learned with other tribes and jurisdictions.

For all of Navajo Nation to have this resource for its entire population is unique, Hammitt said. Its one of the things that helps make Navajo Nation a leader in the contact tracing initiative. I would say they are doing more than a lot of other jurisdictions.

Exhausting work

Before the pandemic, Brenette Pine was a supervisor in the CHR program. Now, she commutes two hours each way to work 10- to 12-hour days as a co-leader of case management at the Health Command Operations Center in Window Rock. Its exhausting and emotional work.

She said that even before the first case of coronavirus was reported in the United States, the CHRs and public health educators had been visiting schools and community centers to teach about the necessity of washing hands and about the symptoms of the illness.

When COVID-19 came to the Navajo Nation in mid-March, the CHRs could easily identify the most vulnerable, because they were already their clients.

Over the past couple of months, they have been helping coordinate donations and deliveries of food, water and other resources and are wiping down all products with disinfectant before dropping them off at homes.

These Navajo people trust their CHRs, Pine said. They wont readily open the door for anyone, but they recognize the CHR vehicle and they understand the CHRs are coming to them.  They know they have that knowledge for any questions they might ask the CHRs.

In St. Michaels Chapter, for example, a volunteer-based relief effort called Water Warriors United linked up with the local chapter house and CHR team to find out which homes needed water deliveries.

Thats how Lee, the CHR, got involved. She estimates about 20 of her clients dont have indoor plumbing in their homes.

Driver CB Barton said he was doing IT in Gallup but when the pandemic hit, work dried up. So now he spends his days driving his truck around the reservation, delivering 55-gallon barrels full of potable water to homes that need it.

He said that every morning he gets a text from a coordinator telling him which chapter to go to and that the CHRs have been a tremendous help in knowing where they should deliver.

They know their community; we dont, Barton said. If we were just to go out here and see who needs water, we wouldnt know where to go. Its good to have somebody who is localized so we can follow them around.

At one home a resident says she was in the midst of getting a waterline to her mobile home but when the pandemic began everything ground to a halt. Her family has been using jugs of water to sponge-bathe and wash their hands since they moved into the home in 2005.

Back at the Health Command Operations Center, Pine said, she sometimes gets calls from community members who appreciate everything her staffers are doing for them. She said that on Thursday as she was getting ready to head home for the day, she got a call from an elder in Chinle who was in tears with gratitude.

In Navajo, she said, Thank you. I beat the illness; you guys gave me water; you guys listened to me,  Pine said.

Thursday evening, on her long drive home to Farmington, Pine listens to music  everything from country to Metallica  and thinks about work, the days events and what its been like living through the pandemic. Her husband has dinner waiting for her.

This story has been supported by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems.
Sana Shakil By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In perhaps the countrys first COVID-19 case in custody, a Kashmiri woman who is accused of planning a terror attack in the country during anti-CAA protests, has tested positive for the infection while in the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A special court on Sunday, which heard the case through video-conferencing, directed NIA to immediately admit Hina Bashir Beigh to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital.

Beigh, her husband Jahanzaib Sami and Abdul Basith were arrested for allegedly promoting the Islamic States ideology and instigating protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The accused were produced before the court as their 10-day custodial interrogation ended on Sunday.

The court sent Sami and Basith to jail after the agency did not seek their further remand for interrogation.

Soon after the development, Beighs lawyer MS Khan moved an interim bail application seeking relief of two months for his client for better treatment at a private hospital, citing the lack of facilities and pressure in government hospitals.

Delhi is struggling to cope up with the rising number of coronavirus positive cases that have gone upto 27,000 as of now and due to lack of proper treatment facilities in government facilities, the Delhi government has been compelled to issue a list of 56 private hospitals for corona treatment, stated the bail application, which will probably be heard by the court next week.

In the plea, Khan also said that Beigh has no criminal record and there is no chance of her absconding or tampering with the cases evidence. Beigh has clean antecedents and roots in society. There is no chance of her absconding or tampering with the prosecution witnesses.

On June 6, the accused were tested for coronavirus infection after the courts direction for the same. While Sami and Basith tested negative for COVID-19, Hina was found positive for the infection, NIA told the court.

The couple, allegedly having links with Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), was arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police on March 8 and later sent to judicial custody on March 23. Basith was already lodged in jail in another case being probed by the NIA when the Delhi Police arrested him in the present matter.

The case was later transferred to the NIA, which lodged a case on March 20 under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (provocation for causing riot) of IPC and sections 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The agency then approached the special court seeking custodial interrogation of three accused, which was allowed for 10 days by the judge on May 20, with a direction to Tihar jail authorities to hand over their custody to NIA after conducting their COVID-19 tests.

The NIA finally took their remand on May 29 after the test results came out negative for all the three accused. According to NIA, the accused were following the ideology of ISIS and planning for a terror strike in India and also recruiting cadres for ISKP.

In one audio message Abdul Basith said to Jahanzaib to motivate and prepare some guys who may be used for lone wolf attack and kill the people through a truck or lorry by running them over on people, the Delhi Police had earlier said. The police had also alleged that the trio was in contact with Abu Ushman al Kashmiri, who is the head of Indian affairs of ISKP.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress on Sunday asked the central government to clear the air on reports of the death of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim due to coronavirus in Pakistan.

Whenever people get disillusioned about the Modi government, talk arises of Dawoods death, the party said.

There have been media reports about the death of Dawood due to corona. But the Centre is creating confusion by keeping mum. It should ascertain whether Dawood has really passed away or is alive, said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

According to reports, Dawood was admitted in the army hospital at Karachi, where he breathed his last after he tested positive for Covid-19. The Centre should find out the truth behind this and issue a clarification, he added.

Dawood is the enemy and the most wanted criminal for India. Since 2014, several stories about his death have been reported. There have been at least six times, when he was found alive after being declared dead, said Sawant.

Whenever public opinion goes against the Modi government or people get disillusioned about it, there are reports about Dawoods death in the media. During the poll campaigns, several BJP leaders, including Mr Modi, made tall promises of bringing the underworld don back to India, but they have failed to do so, he said.

This time too, there are doubts that Dawoods death is being raised due to Modi governments big failure in handling the Covid-19 crisis and collapse of economy. Hence, the Centre should come clean on this, said Mr Sawant.

Dawood Ibrahim is currently believed to be residing in Karachi. He is accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
George Lucas name is synonymous today with Star Wars; however, that was never the filmmakers intention. Instead, he attempted two other professions before falling into show business.

Star Wars creator, George Lucas | Phillip Faraone/WireImage

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How did George Lucas become a filmmaker?

Although Lucas father wanted him to work at the family stationery store when he graduated from high school, Lucas had more lofty ambitions. He left home to attend Modesto Junior College and declared to his parents that he would be a millionaire by the age of 30.

While at Modesto, Lucas began filming car races with a friend, John Plummer. The filmmaker then transferred to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts; however, Lucas still did not believe he was going to make films.

When I went to USC, I didnt know anything about movies, he told a film crew in 2002, according to Wired. I watched television. I wasnt that interested in movies.

RELATED: Star Wars: Underworld: Heres Why George Lucas Recently Leaked Footage Never Had a Chance

However, the manipulation of film was intriguing to him. His purpose in life began to become more apparent to him with his animation classes and a course called Filmic Expression. He loved the idea of telling stories without words by using light, space, motion, and color.

What was Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas dream career?

As a teenager, Lucas dreamed of becoming a professional race car driver, according to Mental Floss. He spent the majority of high school racing on the underground circuit at fairgrounds.

However, on June 12, 1962, he was involved in an almost fatal accident. His car, Autobianchi Bianchina, that he was driving flipped over several times before hitting a tree. Lucas seat belt snapped, throwing him from the vehicle.

RELATED: Why Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Director J. J. Abrams Will Likely Never Work With Disney Again

The filmmaker went to the hospital, where he had severe hemorrhaging of the lungs. The accident scared Lucas away from racing. Instead of pursuing his dream career, it spurred his interest in filming racing with friends in college.

George Lucas pursued 1 other career before filmmaking

Lucas attempted to join the United States Air Force as an officer after graduating with a bachelor of fine arts in film, in 1967. However, the graduate was turned down because he had too many speeding tickets.

Later, he was drafted by the Army to serve in Vietnam. Again, he did not get to join the service. This time, medical testing indicated that Lucas had diabetes, so he was turned down once again.

After the defeat, Lucas re-enrolled at USC as a graduate student in film production. He began teaching documentary cinematography to U. S. Navy students. He then went on to direct more short films, and eventually Star Wars.
More than ten weeks into the nation's coronavirus lockdown and the British public is dividing into three distinct tribes as restrictions are relaxed, a study has found.

According to King's College London experts, feelings towards COVID-19 and the government's response is leaving people either trusting, dissenting or frustrated.

Unlike the the largely united stance seen at the beginning of the lockdown, these groups are more aligned with traditional partisan lines and leave/remain identities.

More than ten weeks into the nation's coronavirus lockdown and the British public is dividing into three distinct tribes as restrictions are relaxed, a study has found

According to King's College London experts, feelings towards COVID-19 and the government's response is leaving people either trusting, dissenting or frustrated

In their study, public policy researcher Bobby Duffy of Kings College London and colleagues analysed data from an Ipsos MORI survey of 2,254 UK residents aged from 1875 that was undertaken between 2022 May.

Respondents were asked about their experiences of life under lockdown, assessment of problems and risks, expectations for the future and views of the governments handling of the health crisis.

'We went into the lockdown incredibly unified, with nine in 10 of the public supporting the measures  but were becoming much more divided on the way out,' said Professor Duffy.

'In particular, our views are now aligning much more clearly with our underlying political identities.'

The team found that 38 per cent of the public  the so-called 'Trusting' are worried about the virus, but are overwhelmingly trusting of the UK Government's response.

Meanwhile, the same number  in the group the experts have dubbed 'The Dissenting'  are concerned by both the virus and the government's response.

The remaining 24 per cent of people  'The Frustrated'  are the least worried about the health risks of the global pandemic, the most likely to be finding the experience of lockdown hard and most inclined to think restrictions should be lifted faster.

According to the researchers, both the Trusting and the Frustrated 'see the risk of being hospitalised from COVID-19 as very high, at just under 50 per cent.'

'But the Frustrated put this risk at 24 per cent  while the actual risk is likely to be much lower, based on early estimates.'

Respondents were asked about their experiences of life under lockdown, assessment of problems and risks, expectations for the future and the governments handling of the crisis

'We went into the lockdown incredibly unified, with nine in 10 of the public supporting the measures  but were becoming much more divided on the way out,' said Professor Duffy

'The Trusting group, for example, have just as high fears about the direct health risks as the Dissenting group, but they have utterly different views of the governments response,' Professor Duffy explained.

'[While] the Trusting are putting their faith in the government, the Dissenting very clearly are not, with only 4 per cent thinking the government has done a good job.'

'But these two groups are not entirely aligned to party support  nearly one in five of the Dissenting group are Conservative voters, showing how important perceptions of the virus response are likely to be in ongoing political support.'

'The Frustrated are quite different, with a much clearer view that were relaxing the restrictions too slowly.'

This group, Professor Duffy added, 'seems to be driven by a much greater focus on the economic impacts and, in turn, a high number of this group are already suffering from financial and other impacts from the lockdown.'

'The Trusting group, for example, have just as high fears about the direct health risks as the Dissenting group, but they have utterly different views of the governments response,' Professor Duffy explained

'[While] the Trusting are putting their faith in the government, the Dissenting very clearly are not, with only 4 per cent thinking the government has done a good job,' said Professor Duffy 'But these two groups are not entirely aligned to party support  nearly one in five of the Dissenting group are Conservative voters, showing how important perceptions of the virus response are likely to be in ongoing political support'

'The costs and benefits of the lockdown are not shared out equally,' said King's College London researcher Daniel Allington.

'It is the elderly who are most at risk from COVID-19, but the biggest sacrifices have been demanded of young working people  especially parents  and of children, who have lost precious months of their education.'

'The size of the Trusting group shows that many people will follow the governments lead even if they are personally afraid.'

'But as the social costs of lockdown continue to grow and a vaccine remains a distant hope, it will become more and more difficult to choose between the contradictory demands of the Dissenting and the Frustrated.'

The full findings of the study were published on the King's College London website.
Thanks for keeping it classy, Rio Rancho.

Way to remember the late George Floyd, Albuquerque. How much did that rioting accomplish?

Floyd, if youve been without any kind of media reports, was the Minneapolis man who died after a police officer there knelt on his neck for a prolonged period as other officers ignored him.

He didnt deserve to die, and the behavior of the officers involved is inexcusable. The officer who knelt on his neck has been charged with second-degree murder, the other officers at the scene were fired and charged with were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, and that situation  what, 1,300 miles away from Albuquerque?  will play out there.

We certainly hope justice will be done. Committing crimes in New Mexico  or anywhere else  doesnt bring about justice.

Last Sunday evening, a planned peaceful protest started at University and Central, lasting for several hours. Albuquerque Police Department helped block traffic for the large group. There were some acts of graffiti, but the vast majority of people marched in peace.

We support their exercise of First Amendment rights and commend the majority for doing so peacefully.

Later, after midnight, another gathering started damaging businesses and other property. Some started small fires in Dumpsters and eventually in the middle of intersections.

APD deployed its Emergency Response Teams to a large portion of Downtown to try to prevent vandalism and violence.

Some people threw bottles and other items at officers. Some climbed on rooftops and threw things down to the street.

After a few hours, shots were fired at police in front of the historic KiMo Theater, fortunately with no injuries.

Shortly after that, individuals broke windows at the KiMo and entered. There was a fear they might start a fire inside.

Police units moved in to save the building from further damage.

Several locally owned businesses also sustained damage.

Duke City Mayor Tim Keller was unhappy: We stand in solidarity with the African-American community who are grieving the recurring violence against their community. What we saw last night was separate violence that must stop now.

These hypocrites wont read that statement, and what a great excuse they think they have to call harm to people who had nothing to do with Floyds death a protest.

During staff writer Gary Herrons college days, he was privy to a few protests. He stayed away from both, believing no good would come from either.

As he recalled from those days on the Eastern Michigan University campus, there wasnt any destruction. But nothing was accomplished then, almost 50 years ago, and nothing will be accomplished by that mayhem in Albuquerque.

We empathize with the owners of damaged businesses. COVID-19 has hurt their business and livelihoods; they sure didnt need this.

Hurting  whether physically or financially  innocent people over the disgraceful acts someone else committed is hypocritical and solves nothing.

Thankfully, we have enough responsible residents in the City of Vision. Weve had no rioting here.

Were also grateful Rio Rancho Police dont kneel on peoples necks until they die, but instead have earned a reputation of treating people right.

If anyone organizes a peaceful protest here, we absolutely support that right. Just be better than violence.

Another way to enact change is to get involved in local government. Call local representatives, attend meetings, volunteer or run for office and most importantly vote.

Be safe; be smart.
Setting the tone for Bihar assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the state moved from 'jungle raj to janta raj' during the National Democratic Alliance rule and expressed confidence that the alliance will get a two-third majority in the state elections under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah gestures as he addresses a virtual rally in Bihar, from New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

Shah's statement at a first of its kind virtual rally', in which he addressed the people of the state from the national capital using internet and broadcast mediums, will scotch whatever speculation there might have been over Kumar's stewardship as a section of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA leaders had been questioning his leadership.

"Elections are around the corner in Bihar. I am confident that the NDA will form the government under Nitish Kumar's leadership with a two-third majority," the senior BJP leader said in the address.

With opposition parties attacking the BJP for holding the rally at a time when coronavirus infection numbers continue to surge, Shah took pains to de-link the exercise with Bihar poll campaign, saying it is one of the 75 virtual public meetings that the party has organised for Jan Samvad' (public dialogue) after the completion of the first year of the Modi government's second term.

It is aimed at connecting people with the fight against the coronavirus and with the government's 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) campaign as the BJP believes in public dialogue, he said.

His speech was interspersed with digs at opposition leaders, including Rashtriya JD's Tejashwi Yadav over his absence from Bihar after the COVID-19 outbreak and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as he highlighted the Modi government's achievements and strongly defended its handling of the migrants issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked chief ministers to cater to the needs of migrant workers and also released Rs 11,000 crore for this, he said, adding that the railways has transported over 1.25 crore people to their homes safely after health infrastructure was ramped up to take care of them in their respective states.

With Bihar home to millions of migrant workers and their concern likely to be a key poll issue in the state polls, which are due in October-November, Shah heaped praise on their contribution to the nation's development and said their hard work is imprinted everywhere.

IMAGE: Shah, with Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey and others, during the virtual rally. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

Some people are doing politics over the issue, Shah said and acknowledged the hardship the migrants have gone through, before taking an apparent swipe at Yadav without naming him.

Shah asked if he was in Bihar or 'enjoying himself' in Delhi during that period.

Taking potshots at the RJD which protested against his virtual rally by beating utensils, Shah asked if anyone had stopped them from holding a virtual rally and added its leader chose to enjoy himself in Delhi.

Praising Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi, who is from the BJP, he said Bihar's growth rate had reached 11.3 per cent under the NDA rule while it was just 3.9 per cent when former chief minister Lalu Prasad's RJD was in power.

"Bihar has travelled from 'lalten raj' to 'LED raj', from loot and order to law and order, from 'bahubal' (muscle power) to power of development and from 'jungle raj to janata raj'," he said.

Listing out several measures, including cash transfer, taken by the Bihar government, Shah said in a lighter vein that while Kumar and Modi have done a lot of work quietly, they lack in doing its publicity.

The Rs 1.25 lakh crore package that Modi had announced for Bihar in 2015 has been executed on ground, he said, giving details of works in different sectors, like highways and agriculture.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, who has frequently question the efficacy of Modi government's measures, including the lockdown, Shah said somebody sitting here interviews people in the United States while the prime minister united the entire country in the fight against the coronavirus.

Gandhi has been speaking to well-known figures from different fields on issues related to the coronavirus crisis.

The former BJP president said opposition leaders dismissed as 'political propaganda' Modi's efforts, be it his call for 'janata curfew' or appeal to citizens to beat utensils or light lamps during the COVID-19 crisis to underscore the national resolve and to unite the country, but the nation stood with him and followed him.

IMAGE: BJP workers listen to Shah during the Bihar Jan Sanvad in Patna on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Modi has become the only prime minister after Lal Bahadur Shastri to draw such support from the masses to his appeals, Shah said.

With Gandhi often accusing the government of not doing much for farmers, Shah hit back, saying some NGO has told the Congress leader that speaking loudly will get him more votes.

"Rahul Gandhi claims that the UPA government in 10 years waived loans of Rs 60,000 crore of over three crore farmers. Modi has ensured that over Rs 72,000 crore is given to 9.5 crore farmers every year," he said.

Highlighting a number of pro-people measures like free cooking gas and housing schemes of the Modi government, he said the biggest work that the prime minister has done is to enhance India's prestige in the world 'to the skies'.

He asserted that Modi has secured the country's borders.

"There used to be a time when anybody would infiltrate, make light of our borders and behead our soldiers, and nothing happened in Delhi durbar," he said, adding that the Modi government launched surgical and air strikes after terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama as punitive measures.

Shah's comments came at a time when Indian and Chinese armies are involved in a standoff in Ladakh, with military and diplomatic channels being used to defuse the situation. He, however, made no mention of the issue.

The Modi government also walked out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as it would have destroyed India's small farmers, traders and fishermen among others, he said.

Shah said issues which none dared to touch in 70 years were resolved in the first year of the Modi government's second term and referred to the scrapping of Article 370 provisions and the law against triple talaq.

While previous governments worked to ensure that that Ayodhya issue remained unresolved, the government's handling of the matter has paved the way for the construction of Ram temple following a Supreme Court judgment, he said.

Citing various steps for the welfare of the poor and the needy taken by the Modi government amidst the fight against the pandemic, Shah asked the opposition what it did in the states where it is in power besides doing politics.

The BJP claimed that more than 14 lakh internet users joined the first of its kind digital political rally.

The Congress criticised Shah for holding a rally 'with politics in mind at a time when people of Bihar were dying due to coronavirus and many were stranded in various parts of the country'.
Hillary Clinton has slammed Donald Trump, claiming his response to George Floyd's death and ensuing protests is 'inadequate,' and asserting the president is 'such a failure across the board.'

In a blistering interview with the Los Angeles Times published early Friday morning, Clinton held nothing back in her criticism of the president.

'It is a mystery why anybody with a beating heart and a working mind still supports him,' she scorned.

She also tore into Trump for his actions last week, when peaceful protesters outside the White House in Lafayette Park were teargassed by police to clear a path so Trump could pose for a photo in front of the nearby St. John's Episcopal Church.

'It was beyond my comprehension,' she continued of the spectacle. 'We have never seen anything like this. He is without shame.'

Trump has received widespread backlash for the Monday stunt, with even some of his allies in Congress condemning the move for law enforcement to clear Lafayette Park.

At the time, Clinton had tweeted that it was 'a horrifying use of presidential power.'

Speaking on the president's response to Floyd's death at the hands of a white police officer, Clinton said it initially seemed promising before he changed course and stepped away from the issues of police brutality and instead turned to bashing rioters for destroying cities across the country in the wake of mass protests.

Hillary Clinton excoriated Donald Trump for his response to George Floyd's death and ensuing protests, claiming he is 'such a failure across the board'

'[W]hen we have a terrible killing like we did in Minneapolis, he makes some steps toward  in the very early hours after we all saw that horrific video  to look like he's going to be empathetic, to look like he's going to try to talk about this stripping bare of the continuing racism and inequities of law enforcement and justice system,' she said.

'And then he pivots again because he's not comfortable doing that,' she added.

Clinton praised protesters for taking to the streets and demanding reform in the police system, saying she hopes that justice will follow.

'If you look at the young people who are the primary movers of the peaceful protests in response to Mr. Floyd's killing, I'm hopeful that this can break open not only some hearts but some structural impediments to equality and justice in a way that defies the distraction of the second-to-second demands of social media,' Clinton said.

'And it may well be that a leader like [Donald] Trump, who depends upon distraction, has finally been brought down to Earth because people are watching in real time what is happening and how inadequate his response has been to these historic moments,' she added.

She also asserted in her interview that the president made troubling circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd's death 'all about him.'

'If it's about a terrible pandemic with an unprecedented virus, he tries to ignore it, tries to keep the attention on himself, Then when it becomes impossible to do that, he tries to seize the moment and turn it into a daily rally, like he loves to do,' she said.

'And then when it becomes impossible to ignore, he tries to change the subject, he tries to withdraw from the spotlight so he can come up with some other diversion and distraction for the body politic and the press,' Clinton continued.

Clinton has not been shy about her criticism of Trump, who bested her for the White House in 2016.

While she claims that she thought on Inauguration Day in 2017, Trump would transform into the type of person who becomes president  but admits she was wrong.

'I heard him get up and give that speech that was the absolute opposite of anything that could have brought the country together,' she said of the January 2017 speech. 'Politics should be about addition, about finding common ground. No, he was speaking to his outraged base.'

She added that she was sitting next to former President George W. Bush at the inauguration, and that he was not pleased, either.

'He just turned to me and said, 'That was some weird s.' And every single day has been a surprise, an unpleasant surprise, about how there seems to be no bottom to this man and his presidency,' she continued.

A new report published over the weekend indicated that Bush is likely not voting for Trump in 2020, and some even indicate he could be considering casting his ballot for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Most private laboratories in Delhi have either capped the number of people they test in a day or are not collecting samples for some time, making it very difficult to get tested for the coronavirus disease in he capital.

Some laboratories said they will start collecting samples from Monday.

On Sunday, HT reached out to all 23 private labs recognised by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to check on testing: three said they were closed for Covid-19 testing because of technical reasons; two said they had a token system with people coming in early in the morning to give their samples on a first- come-first-served basis; two others had an online appointment scheduling system; eight said they could schedule a test on Monday or later; seven didnt answer ; and only one said the patient could come and get tested right away.

Delhis testing protocol is tighter than the Indian Council of Medical Researchs. Tests are restricted to symptomatic individuals. Even direct contacts of infected people can be tested only if they are senior citizens or have co-morbidities.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

Under current rules, a senior official in the chief ministers office explained, the first stop for a symptomatic individual should be a flu clinic (these are located in all government hospitals and the 10 private hospitals that have so far been identified by the government). There, a doctor inspects the symptoms and recommends a Covid test. A laboratory will accept any application for test only with a doctors recommendation.

If the symptoms are mild, the person is assigned home isolation till the result is out. If moderate or severe, then either institutional quarantine or a hospital is recommended, depending on age and presence of co-morbidities. No patient with symptoms can be refused diagnosis by any hospital under an order issued by the (state) health department, said the official.

Delhi currently has 42 labs for Covid tests, of which eight are temporarily suspended from collecting fresh samples.

Once the person tests positive or negative, the same factors  nature of symptoms, age, co-morbidities, etc  determine whether the person is assigned home quarantine, sent to institutional quarantine or admitted in a hospital, the official added.

It sounds simple on paper but isnt: people who want to get tested will have to go to a doctor for a prescription for a test, get a referral form signed by that doctor, and then look for a laboratory that will test them.

Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket and BL Kapur Memorial Hospital on Pusa road said they have a token system for tests. At Max hospital, patients have to reach at 7.30am at gate number 3 where samples are collected from the first 40 patients. At BL Kapur, 45 patients are tested, starting at 8 am.

City X Ray and Scan Clinic in Tilak Nagar and Lifeline Laboratory in Green Park were not collecting samples on Sunday. The rest said tests can be scheduled depending on whether documents are in place. Some asked for the prescription, Aadhar card and ICMR referral form to be sent on WhatAspp before a test can be scheduled on a later date.

Few labs didnt answer callsincluding Genestrings Diagnostic Centre in Sarvodaya Enclave; Gen X diagnostics in Sarvapriya Vihar; Aakash Healthcare and four others. Some of them had a book a test provision on their websites.

Eight laboratories in Delhi were banned from carrying out tests after the government pulled them up on June 5 for not following protocol, and, according to the Delhi health minister, they were taking too long to report results. These are Dr Lal Pathlabs, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Prognosis laboratory, SRL , Fortis , Star Imaging Path laboratory, Pathkind Labs and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) .

That leaves Covid-19 suspect patients with little option but to head to a government hospital where they can get screened and tested. Or the other option is to go to the nearest mohalla (neighbourhood) clinic where a doctor can recommend a test based on severity of symptoms; these tests can happen at the 16 Delhi government test centres. But many may not choose to go directly to a government hospital for the fear of contracting the infection there.

Sambhav Bhalla (26), a banker, has locked himself up for the past four days; he suffers from fever, body ache and chills. He developed fever last week on Tuesday. He has called up many hospitals and private labs since then but none agreed to test for technical reasons.

I called up a few labs and they said they cant do the test for now. I will go to a hospital if I feel my condition is deteriorating. I am not even calling government hospitals because I know the situation will be worse there as one of my friends uncle passed away and got his Covid test result a week after his death, he said on Saturday. Bhalla spoke to HT on Thursday but didnt answer calls on Sunday. He tweeted last week about the difficulties in getting tested.

There are two issuesindividual rights and public rights. The individual has the right to get tested in a private facility if he or she feels the need to. In a government facility the government can have a policy to prioritise which cases it will test as public money is being spent. If both sides collapse its not good. Whether you finally get tested in private or in a government hospital they should counsel you on what you are supposed to do next based on the results. That is crucial in further spread of the infection, said Dr Jugal Kishore, head, department of community medicine, Safdarjung Hospital.
The head of Irans hardliner Judiciary issued a new directive June 6 advocating a separate treatment for political crimes by those who criticize the countrys clerical rulers from security crimes" by those who question the very essence of the regime.

The Islamic Republic has Article 2 of the Political Crimes Act, which includes insulting the heads of three branches of power, as well as offenses related to elections and "spreading false news" counted as "political crime".

But, almost all dissidents are usually accused of security crimes, without a public trial by a jury as inscribed in the constitution.

In the new directive, the mid-ranking cleric Ebrahim Raeesi (Raisi) has stressed the need to investigate people accused of "insulting" sanctities, the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader, and senior Shiite clerics for political crimes as part of security crimes.

This would still keep the door open for charging dissidents who criticize the country's ruler, Ali Khamenei, for "security crimes"

In 2016, Majles (Irans parliament) passed a law defining "political offenses" that would guarantee public trials, a measure cautiously praised by President Hassan Rouhanis so-called "moderate" government as a step towards reform but faulted for not being comprehensive enough. Legal experts also criticized the law as vague and incomplete.

Article 262 of the Islamic Republic Penal Code also stipulates that "Anyone who swears at the Great Prophet [of Islam] or any of the Great Prophets, shall be considered as Sab ul-nabi [a person who swears at the Prophet], and shall be sentenced to the death penalty."

Article 514 of the Islamic penal Code also states, " Anyone who, by any means, insults Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and/or the Supreme Leader shall be sentenced to six months to two years imprisonment."

According to human rights activists and attorneys, the Islamic Republic Judiciary has a long history of applying Article 2 to persecute dissidents and critics of the establishment in the Shi'ite clergy-dominated Iran.

According to Article 1 of the 1995 law, the offenses mentioned in the law are considered political provided "the perpetrator had not intended to question the core of the regime."

Furthermore, it stipulates that it will be up to the courts to determine whether a crime committed had a "political" nature or not. Even if a suspect insists that the offense attributed to him has a political nature, once again, it is up to the court to reject or accept the claim.

According to Article 168 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, the investigation of political and media crimes must be carried out in public and in the presence of a jury, but no law was enacted for it since the establishment of the Islamic Republic (1979) until 2016.

Nonetheless, no one has been tried for a political crime, so far.

Officials in the Islamic Republic have repeatedly claimed that there are no political prisoners in Iran, and those "presumed" political prisoners are mere "security" offenders behind bars.

It is also not clear if Raeesis gesture in issuing a directive reiterating the 1995 law is a genuine decision to separate political offenses from security crimes, or it is just part of his strategy to appear reasonable and moderate. Many in the Iranian media have said that Supreme Leaders hand-picked chief judge who heads a huge and unaccountable judicial bureaucracy is positioning himself as the next president or ultimately as successor to Ali Khamenei.
The man suspected of fatally shooting a Northern California sheriff's deputy and wounding two others in an ambush on Saturday has been revealed to be an active duty Air Force sergeant - as the FBI probes a possible link to a May 29 shooting of a federal officer in Oakland.

The US Air Force confirmed Sunday that the suspect, Steven Carrillo, 32, is an active duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base.

Carrillo allegedly shot and killed Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, in an 'ambush' in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz, as cops investigated reportss of a van containing guns and bomb-making materials.

A second deputy was injured, and a third officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in his hand. Carrillo was shot during his arrest and was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said.

It was also revealed that the FBI is investigating if there is a link between Saturday's ambush and the death of Dave Patrick Underwood, a federal officer who was killed in a drive-by shooting at a US courthouse in Oakland on May 29.

Steven Carrillo (left), 32, is an active duty US Air Force sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base. He is the suspect in the deadly ambush which killed Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller (right) and wounded two other deputies

Carrillo (seen above in the blue shirt on the far right during his arrest on Saturday in Ben Lomond, California) is now facing several charges, including murder, assault with a deadly weapon and carjacking

Investigators are looking into possible link to the May 29 fatal drive-by shooting of Dave Patrick Underwood, a 53-year-old federal officer who was on duty in front of a US courthouse in Oakland when he was killed on May 29

A Travis Air Force Base spokesman confirmed Sunday that Carrillo had arrived at Travis Air Force Base in June 2018 and was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron.

They also revealed that Carrillo's wife Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, who was also in the Air Force, was found dead in an off-base hotel in May 2018 while she was stationed in South Carolina. She was 30.

Her death was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, in coordination with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and ruled a suicide, according to the Air Force.

Deputy Gutzwiller was shot dead on Saturday in Santa Cruz County as officers responded to a 911 call about a suspicious van.

The caller said there were guns and bomb-making devices inside, Hart said.

Carrillo's wife, US Air Force Airman 1st Class Monika Carrillo (above) was found dead of an apparent suicide on a military base in South Carolina in May 2018. No foul play was suspected

When deputies arrived, the van pulled away and the deputies followed.

The van went down a driveway at Carrillo's home and the deputies were ambushed by gunfire and explosives after getting out of their vehicle.

Gutzwiller was wounded and later died at a hospital.

Another deputy was wounded by gunfire or shrapnel and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled.

Carrillo allegedly attempted to carjack a vehicle and was wounded while being arrested.

Hart said Carrillo was taken to the hospital for treatment and would be charged with first-degree murder.

The shooting has shocked the small community of Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains. Scene photo above

'In my 32-year career, this is the worst day I've ever experienced,' Sheriff Jim Hart said as he stared a news conference

The Sheriff's office gave more details on it's Facebook site over exactly what happened

The FBI are now investigating a possible link between the attack, and the shooting of Underwood outside the US courthouse in Oakland, ABC7 reports.

'We are actively working with the Santa Cruz Co Sherriff's Department to see if there are any connections to the shooting at the Oakland federal building. At this time, we have no new information to release', the FBI said in a statement.

Underwood, 53, died and another officer was critically wounded when someone fired shots from a vehicle on the evening of May 29.

It wasn't immediately clear if the drive-by shooting was related to the protests that erupted after the police-involved death of George Floyd, though the federal building's glass doors were smashed and the front entrance was sprayed with anti-police graffiti.

The FBI released images of a white van which may have been involved in the shooting.

No one has been arrested.

Underwood, who was black, and the other officer were contracted security officers employed by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service.

They were monitoring a nearby protest.

The FBI released images of this white van which may have been involved in the shooting of Dave Patrick Underwood

Underwood was the brother of Angela Underwood Jacobs, recently a Republican candidate to fill a vacant congressional seat north of Los Angeles.

'When someone targets a police officer or a police station with an intention to do harm and intimidate  that is an act of domestic terrorism,' Department of Homeland Security Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said at a Washington, D.C., news conference on the day after the shooting.

The shooting of Gutzwiller on Saturday has shocked Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Gutzwiller 'was a beloved figure here at the sheriff's office,' the sheriff said.

'Damon showed up today to do his job, to keep this community safe, and his life was taken needlessly,' a visibly shaken Hart said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom extended condolences to Gutzwiller's family and ordered flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of the slain deputy.

'He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father,' Newsom said in a statement.

Resident Kathy Crocker brought a bouquet to the sheriffs office as Hart gave a news conference about the shootings.

'It just breaks my heart that this keeps happening,' she said, as teary-eyed deputies entered the building.
Washington

Joe Biden has formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, 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 Friday 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 party's 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. While Biden has started to venture out more this week, the coronavirus pandemic has largely confined him to his Wilmington, Del., 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 America's history," Biden said Friday night. "And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer. The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together."

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 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.

His rebound began 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 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 strain. 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."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

That comment, and protests that have spread nationwide, have increased pressure on Biden to pick an African American running mate. He has committed to picking a woman.

Black voters are unlikely to back Trump over Biden by a wide margin. A recent Fox News poll shows just 14 percent of African Americans who are registered to vote have a favorable opinion of the president compared with 75 percent 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.

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.

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.

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.

"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."
Two Ghanaian men, unsafe in their home country, ended up in Brazil and gambled on separate odysseys through South and Central America to reach the United States. Seeking sanctuary, they were detained in the vast U.S. immigration system for months before their claims were rejected.

Out of detention but fearing deportation, they met in Minneapolis, by chance, where they decided to embark together on the last, desperate hope: a foot crossing into Manitoba, with the goal of seeking asylum in Canada. Their perseverance  and particularly their immense suffering from frostbite  became an international story.

Joe Meno tells their stories in Between Everything and Nothing: The Journey of Seidu Mohammed and Razak Iyal and the Quest for Asylum.

On the side of the highway, Seidu tried to retrieve his cellphone from his backpack. He had waited to use his phone until he had crossed into Canada, afraid that somehow he might be tracked by his phone signal, but  fingers having gone numb  he found he could not get his digits to work the zipper.

Razaks cellphone was in his pocket, but because his hands were also frozen, he could not turn it on. Having lost any sort of physical co-ordination after more than four hours in the subzero weather, Razak tore his jacket off with his teeth, removing a sleeveless coat he had been wearing under his topmost layer, then managed to dress himself again. He used the sleeveless coat as something to wrap his fingers in, then turned to Seidu, who had his own hands folded under his jacket.

They had planned on phoning someone for help, to find shelter, but there was no one. It was now 5:30 in the morning and the sun was a far-off wound.

All they could do was carry forward, marking their way beside each other through the unapologetic darkness.

A sign up ahead stated the name of the highway, which Razak stopped to read.

Were in Canada, he announced.

Blinded by the snow, Seidu trusted that it had to be true.

Continuing beside one another, the two men made their way forward through the cold. Each of them walked, each of them struggled to breathe, feeling their bodies beginning to give way. Shape of breath. Wordless fog. What cannot be said or named.

The fear, the past, history drifting away.

Bodies failing them now. Each footprint a struggle, another small victory. One foot in front of the other.

Blood gone cold in their skin. Hair on the surface rising, trying to heat itself. Muscle fibres shortening. Ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit.

Line of footprints going on, going nowhere.

Ice forming in the corner of their eyes, blurring their sight. A dazzling, futile brilliance. Cold, silent, like the end of time.

One mans, then the other mans shadow, one struggling, the other continuing to fight, both moving on.

As hypothermia set in, their body temperatures dropped, hearts and brains slowing, blood becoming absent from hands and feet and toes. Thoughts going quiet. The urge to give in, to fall to your knees, to sleep.

No longer shivering, the cold having struck bone.

Muscle and tendon beginning to freeze.

No one was leading, both of them stumbling, the world at a standstill.

Finally there was a sign announcing the town of Emerson in both English and French. The men walked past it, seeing several trains stopped along the side of the road. By then they could no longer feel their extremities, boots, shoes, feet, hands  all deadened by the cold. At some point they were simply unable to keep walking.

On the side of the road they huddled together and waited, giving themselves over to fate. Every 20 minutes, every half-hour, an 18-wheeler bolted by. The men waved their arms and shouted but none of the vehicles slowed down or pulled over. Ten hours had passed since they had left the taxicab. It was as if  feet numb, legs frozen, bodies given over to exhaustion  they were much farther from their destination than they had ever been.

Razak felt his heart beating too hard. He could feel it pounding in his throat, hear it in his ears. He tried to slow his breathing, but his pulse continued to thrum violently.

Eventually, standing there in the snow, unable to take another step forward, he turned to Seidu and murmured, We made it. We at least tried to make it. But if something happens here, we did our best. If we die here, its the will of God.

Seidu nodded and then began crying, the tears mixing with the ice stuck to his face. Another vehicle hurried by.

Razak looked at the road and said, I dont blame them. I dont blame them. Theyre not stopping because they dont know who we are. Everything that happened here is between us and God.

Quiet then. Only silence.

Both men, staggered by the cold, continued to wait. Soon Razak, too, began to cry, quietly speaking to God.

If I have done something wrong, please forgive me. Please help us get to where we are going safely. Please.

On the side of the road, both men could no longer stand and fell to their knees, like supplicants, kneeling before the infinite, the highway becoming a church, a temple, a mosque.

Before completely giving themselves over to the ice and cold, both men looked out at the highway and the surrounding desolate fields, praying to God for an end to their suffering. Neither man had any idea what time it was, only that it continued to be dark.

Sometime in the dwindling afternoon, another 18-wheeler approached. The sound of its brakes whining and its tires slowing echoed across the empty road.

Both men raised their arms as the truck paused before them and weakly shouted for help. The trucks headlights momentarily fell upon their faces and then blinked once before hurtling past. Neither man thought they had the strength to stand but somehow managed to help each other to their feet. Their clothes were weighed down with so much ice and snow that Razak, unable to use his hands, could not keep an extra pair of pants he was wearing up around his waist.

He asked Seidu for help, but Seidu, too, could not bend his fingers.

Im sorry  I cant  I cant move my hands 

Even this, after so many hours in the cold, this small act of dignity, of keeping himself clothed, seemed like it too had been taken from him.

When they turned and faced north, both men were amazed to see the lights of the black truck parked some 50 yards away. It was idling along the side of the road.

It stopped  Razak murmured, trying to hurry, dragging his feet along. It stopped. The world fell away as they tried to run, their limbs unwilling, unable to respond.

Finally they could hear the trucks engine humming noisily as they approached, the vehicles taillights illuminating the distance between it and the two men.

Seidu, through frozen eyes, could barely see the shape of the vehicle on the side of the road. Razak stumbled and decided to kick the outer layer of his pants off in order to move more quickly. It would be hours later before he realized that his remaining money and the Quran he had carried with him for 10 years had been left behind in the pocket of his second pair of pants, one of the many things he had lost along the way.

By then the driver had come out of the truck and was helping them up into the passenger side of the 18-wheelers cab. He was short and skinny with grey hair, somewhere in his fifties, a white man. He was wearing a sleeveless jacket and looked confused to see the two men standing before him out in the cold, in the middle of nowhere.

Where did you come from? the man asked. He had an accent of some kind, from Europe or Russia, and Razak was worried about trying to communicate with him in English.

Razak carefully asked, Where are we?

Youre in Canada. Youre safe.

Razak nodded. The man looked at them. Where did you come from?

The States.

The driver gawked, taking in the desperate sight of them, and said, Ive never seen anything like this before in all my life. Youre frozen to death. Come in, come in.

The unknown driver  who out of fear of losing his job never gave them his name  helped the strangers climb into the passenger side of the cab, Razak up front, Seidu in the back. He gave each man water from a plastic bottle and took paper towels to wipe the ice from Seidus eyes, who, by now, was no longer able to speak.

The younger man was sitting on a small bed in the back of the cab, shaking and crying from the frostbite on his hands and face. Unable to drink the water, he spat it out. The unknown driver continued to wipe the ice from Seidus face with a paper towel and water.

Where are you guys going? the driver asked.

Were just trying to get to Canada.

You made it. Youre here.

The man took his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1 and put it on speaker.

The emergency switchboard operator asked, Whats your emergency?

The unknown driver leaned forward and spoke. I need some help. Two people are almost frozen to death over on Highway 75, near Letellier. Im in a truck.

OK. Someone will be there in 10 minutes.

Excerpted from Between Everything and Nothing: The Journey of Seidu Mohammad and Razak Iyal and the Quest for Asylum, copyright  2020 by Joe Meno. Reprinted by permission of Counterpoint Press.

Read more about:
SRINAGAR  Indian and Chinese military commanders met 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.

The meeting at a border post was attended by senior commanders and was the highest-level encounter so far. Local border commanders held a series of meetings in the past month but failed to break the impasse.

On Friday, Indian and Chinese foreign ministry officials discussed the border tensions.

There were no immediate details available on Saturdays meeting. Both India and China have provided little official information on the standoff, but media in the two countries have closely covered the escalating tensions.

Indonesia

Single-day record in new cases reported

JAKARTA  Nearly 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus were reported 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.
By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: A village in Meghalaya is under an attack from strange grasshoppers.

The insects made merry in 5 hectares of land at Nongthymmai in West Khasi Hills.

The villagers said they had never seen the black with white striped grasshoppers before that attacked their broomstick plantations. They feared their banana plantations could also come under attack from the insects.

District Magistrate Tableland Lyngwa said the insect attack was reported on June 5.

After the matter was brought to our knowledge, an assistant horticulture officer and an agriculture inspector were sent to assess the damage, the DM said.

The duo found the crops heavily infested. The insects swarmed about 5 hectares of land. Insecticides have been sprayed and we are studying the extent of damage, Agriculture Inspector G Byrsat said.

Official sources said a team from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research had already collected samples for an examination. In recent months, the land in parts of the Northeast had come under fall armyworm and inchworm attacks.


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One of the most popular tweets in recent days was sent by comedian Andy Milonakis: Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice. With the global pandemic, economic crisis, and riots across the nation, the sentiment is understandable.

If youre not an astronaut but are looking for a place to get away, you might consider buying your own village. That way, you can be in charge not only of your house but of your neighbors as well.

This may seem a little unrealistic, but for $7.3 million, the town of Satra Brunn in Sweden can be yours.

The village dates back to 1700, when a doctor named Samuel Skragge discovered its water source that was reputed to have healing qualities. He built a town around the natural spring, including a hospital, church, houses, and more. Over the years, tourists began to visit and build summer homes on the land. The spring is one of only seven in Sweden awarded the highest purity designation.

A bishop bought the homes and grounds in the 1740s, then left it a few years later to one of Swedens top schools, Uppsala University. The university sold it in 2002 to sixteen local businessmen; they have used it as a venue for a spa and various events. They added a bottling business in 2015.

Now the entire village is for sale. You would own the sixty-acre town, its dwellings, and businesses along with eighty-four acres of undeveloped land. Since it is registered as a limited liability company, there are no restrictions for foreign buyers.

The reason we retreat

Retreating from the chaos of our fallen world is a biblical principle. Jesus often spent time alone with his Father (cf. Mark 1:35; Luke 9:18). Mark 6 records that he once said to his disciples, Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while. The reason: For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat (v. 31).

Max Lucado is right: The Sabbath was created for frantic souls like me, people who need this weekly reminder: the world will not stop if you do.

But the biblical call to retreat from the culture serves the biblical call to engage the culture with Gods word.

After Jesus led his disciples on a retreat to Caesarea Philippi, far north of Capernaum and Jewish society, he made this now-famous declaration to them: I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). His words could be translated literally, and the gates of hell shall not withstand its assault.

Christianity is an incarnational worldview. Unlike the worlds religions, which profess to show us how we can climb up to God or the gods, in our faith God climbs down to us. Jesus left heaven for earth and calls us to leave where we are to go where we are needed (Matthew 28:19). He sends us to fish for men (Matthew 4:19), which means we must go where the fish are.

Our Lord intends us to retreat regularly to be with him so we can then advance in his call and power. If we buy a village or take a day for solitude, we are then to go back to our kingdom assignment in his Spirit and strength.

When will you next spend significant time alone with your Lord? How will you then assault the gates of hell in his name?

Originally posted at denisonforum.org
By Trend

Exports of goods from Georgia to China increased by 207.9 percent in the first four months of 2020 compared to the same period last year, while imports from China to Georgia decreased by 23 percent, Trend reports citing Georgian National Statistics Service (Geostat).

According to Geostat, during the reporting period, the volume of imports of seven out of top 10 product groups imported from China to Georgia decreased.

In January-April 2020, imports of natural or synthetic hormones from China to Georgia increased by 26.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Imports of parts for heavy equipment, cars and trucks grew by 33.7 percent.

During the reporting period, the volume of imports of clothing and patterns from China to Georgia increased by 503.7 percent.

In the first four months of 2020, Georgia imported goods totaling $210.57 million from China.

In January-April 2019, this figure amounted to $273.53 million

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Police violence and racism are a public health emergency, read the signs as thousands of doctors, nurses marched on

Healthcare workers and others march to Seattle City Hall during the Doctors For Justice event on June 6, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (AFP)

Seattle: Saturday marked a ninth consecutive day of protests in Seattle over the death of George Floyd, with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality.

Thousands of doctors, nurses and others  many in lab coats and scrubs, in addition to face masks  marched from Harborview Medical Center to City Hall on Saturday. One sign said, Nurses kneel with you, not on you. Another said, Police violence and racism are a public health emergency.

Nhi Tan, a medical student at the University of Washington, told The Seattle Times she joined the demonstration out of overwhelming sadness.

It took irrefutable proof  the perfect video, the perfect camera angle, the perfect light  for white America to see whats going on, she said.

A protest in Seattles Capitol Hill district turned tense about 7:30 p.m. when a small group of protesters started throwing objects at officers and police deployed flash bang grenades to disperse the crowd, KING TV reported.

Crowds also demonstrated in other parts of the city and throughout the state, with protests held in Shoreline, Bellingham and elsewhere.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19, after the city and King County public health departments expanded testing criteria to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests.

Over the last week, residents across Seattle have been gathering to build community and share their anger and frustration about the killing of George Floyd and injustices against black Americans, here in Seattle and across the country, Durkan said in a written statement. While I believe everyone should exercise their right and speak out, we must also remember were in the middle of a pandemic.

Protesters have gathered across the U.S. and around the world to demonstrate against the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck.

The demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest the city has seen in years. After police were severely criticized by protesters and public officials alike for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds, Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best on Friday imposed a 30-day moratorium on the departments use of one kind of tear gas.

During that time, the Community Police Commission, the Office of Police Accountability and the Office of Inspector General for Public Safety will review and update crowd-control policies, including the use of pepper spray and deadly force techniques such as neck and choke holds, Best said. She and the mayor added that the ban could be extended if groups need more time for policy review.

The city last week also addressed other concerns of the protesters, lifting its curfew and forbidding officers who work the protests from covering up their badge numbers.

The protests in recent days have been more peaceful than last weekend, when small groups engaged in rioting and looting. The police have also been more restrained.

I think the last two days have shown that you can have very large demonstrations in two parts of the city and that they can be conducted in peace and without any confrontations with police, Durkan said.

On Friday, Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett banned his officers from using controversial neck restraints except when deadly force is needed.
Some argue that the police force itself must be abolished or at least diminished. While abolition is at best politically unlikely, the idea of diminishing the role of the police appeals to both libertarians and some on the left. It is undeniable that the cost of policing is substantial. For example, based on a 2017 study, Minneapolis spends more than 35% of its general fund on the police, a little less than Chicago. New York City  while spending a smaller portion of its budget on police  still expends nearly $5,000,000,000 per year on the NYPD.

To successfully shrink the role and size of police forces, we would probably have to do two things. The first is to make fewer things illegal, which is a worthy goal regardless, assuming freedom is your priority. Another is to shift some of the responsibilities we give to the police, such as dealing with mental-health issues and some domestic disputes, to social workers better suited for the tasks of deescalation and assessment than police officers. That may seem a lot to put on social workers, but they may surprise you. My sister, Kathy Osler, is a social worker in Chicago who works regularly with people many of us might consider very dangerous and does remarkable and brave things every week. When I lived in Waco, I sometimes taught social work students and was always impressed with their deep sense of vocation and desire to be a part of broad changes towards the good, like my sister. They can have a vital role in resetting our police priorities.
Even with closed churches, pastors are preaching powerful messages.

Last Wednesday, the Rev. Mona Fitch-Elliott went to her Facebook page to tell the story of her great-uncle, an uneducated sharecropper from Alabama after the Civil War. Determined to break free from the racist system he knew, he paid off his debt to his white landowner so he could take his large family and move away. His landlord shot him dead, she said.

We started out being property and for some, still are, Fitch-Elliott, the pastor of St. Johns Lutheran Church in the Jersey City Heights, said.

The Rev. Dr. Alonzo Perry Sr., pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Jersey City, grew up in Asbury Park.

When we saw the police, we ran, he recalled.

Yet, for the past four years, he and Fitch-Elliott have regularly met with Jersey City police brass and recruits in an effort to help them understand what minorities go through so they can be sensitive to them. They are both steering committee members of Jersey City Together, a coalition of over 30 houses of worship.

When police come into a neighborhood, they cant be an occupying force, Perry said.

In minority neighborhoods, officers have to understand that people have a different relationship with the police.

And that goal is the mission of Jersey City Police Capt. Edward Nestor, who denounced the death of George Floyd in police custody and worried that in less than 9 minutes, the Minneapolis officers will have set back what progress there has been.

Commander of the citys West District precinct, located in the heart of the African-American community, Nestor has been strong on community relations.

And unlike many other states and big cities, New Jersey, and especially Jersey City, have seen peaceful protests to date. Some attribute this to the hard work of police brass who have nurtured community relations.

I think there is a good relationship with the police and community, said the Rev. Esterminio Chica, pastor of Christ the King and Our Lady of Sorrows Churches in Jersey Citys Greenville neighborhood. He sees police walking the beat and interacting with residents.

Chica was among the hundreds of protesters who joined in a march Monday from St. Patrick Church on Bramhall Avenue to the South District police station on Bergen Avenue. He noticed a lot of young people marching who, he said, were encouraged by his presence. He also saw many of them interacting with the police that day.

Perry noted the broad cross-section of protesters all over the country. Blacks have historically protested the prejudice and discrimination, but now others are waking up, he observed.

And he thinks this can bring about needed systemic change.

At roll call last Monday, Nestor reminded his officers about the lunches and cards the community have sent regularly during the pandemic.

Its our time to pay back,'' he said.

He noted that many residents and business people work with the district so they can be proactive.

For decades, the Dominican Sisters have taken the pulse of the Clerk Street community around Our Lady of Sorrows and serve as a safety net for the poor. Sister Alice McCoy, a Jersey Journal Woman of Achievement, witnessed a protest on their street last week where someone carried a sign with a hateful message for police, which troubled her, as did President Trumps ultimatum to governors to be tough as threatening violence to people.

Violence begets violence, she said. "I can understand the need to demonstrate, but its the way we do it.

For some time, the parish has had a peace pole on its property to remind others of their mission.

In that spirit, Chicas parishioners will gather at Christ the King at 7 p.m. Saturday for a procession to Our Lady of Sorrows, where they will hold a peace vigil. Those who cannot attend are invited to place a candle or some sign of peace in their window.

Titled "United in Hope for a Better Present and Future,'' the event is being advertised with a drawing of the Station of the Cross where Jesus falls under the weight of the cross. Its captioned: "I cant breathe.''

Where do we go from here? McCoy stressed the importance of dialogue and listening.

Fitch-Elliott, 64, recalled the 1960s when many of the civil rights battles were fought.

We had decided these things already, she said. Evidently not.

Theres more work to be done to root out racism. And it will happen when the community and institutions continue to work and walk together.

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.

Details ...

"United in Hope for a Better Present and Future,'' a vigil for peace, begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, 768 Ocean Ave., Jersey City. Parishioners will process to their sister church, Our Lady of Sorrows, Clerk Street and Ocean Avenue, where the candlelight vigil will continue until 9 p.m. Anyone who cannot attend is asked to place a candle or some sign of peace in their window.
GUELPH  The streets of downtown Guelph were filled with thousands of people Saturday, calling for an end to racism and police violence.

That was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen happen in Guelph. Period, Kayla Gerber, better known as Kween, said after the afternoon protest.

I grew up in Guelph, Ive been an active community member in Guelph, and although my voice is tired and Im tired, my heart and spirit are so full.

The mostly peaceful protest  there were a few reports of people antagonizing protesters  saw the crowd of thousands march through much of the downtown core, including a stop in front of the Guelph Police Service headquarters on Fountain Street.

The protesters stopped on Fountain, in part, because the end of the march was still making its way south down Wyndham Street.

We had to change our route up part way because there were so many people, Kween said.

Prior to the march, the large crowd spilled off Carden Street as people listened to a number of speakers, including Kween and Marva Wisdom, the past and founding president of the Guelph Black Heritage Society, which helped organize the march.

Guelph, we have never seen this before. Guelph, we never want to see this again, she said of the event.

The vast majority of those in attendance wore face masks, with hand sanitizer being handed out throughout the day, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in the week, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health advised those taking part to self-monitor for 14 days. Kween previously said organizers had been in touch with Public Health leading up to the protest.

Saturdays march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement joins hundreds of others from around the world, coming after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.
As students make college plans for the fall, some US universities are seeing surging interest from in-state residents who are looking to stay closer to home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

At the University of Texas at Arlington, commitments from state residents are up 26% over last year.Ohio State and Western Kentucky universities are both up about 20%. Deposits paid to attend Michigan State University are up 15% among state residents, while deposits from others are down 15%.

Colleges and admissions counselors credit the uptick to a range of factors tied to the pandemic. Students want to be closer to home in case an outbreak again forces classes online.Some are choosing nearby schools where theyre charged lower rates as state residents. And amid uncertainty around the fall term, some are paying deposits at multiple schools to keep their options open.

At the same time, scores of universities are bracing for sharp downturns in international enrollments amid visa issues and travel concerns. The result, some schools say, is that campuses will have a more local feel if theyre allowed to reopen this fall.

We are going to be a more regional and local university, Bob McMaster, vice provost of the University of Minnesota, told the schools board of regents at a May meeting. The spheres of geography have certainly changed this year. Universities across the US have ramped up recruiting efforts amid fears that the pandemic would spur students to rethink their plans.Schools have accepted more students and reached far deeper into wait lists than in the past. Some have increased financial aid. And some have focused on recruiting students in their own backyards.

At the University of Minnesota, recruiters shifted attention away from bigger cities to focus on Minnesota, Wisconsin and other nearby states, McMaster said. In May, New Jersey launched a campaign urging students who had left to come home for college.

Lisa Gelman, a private admissions counselor with Apt Tutoring in Massachusetts, said many students are rethinking earlier decisions to study far away or in cities that have become virus hot spots, including New York.

For years, Lizzie Quinlivan dreamed of leaving her home in Massachusetts to study at the University of Southern California. In March, she got in. But by then, the virus was spreading across the U.S.

Anything that required a flight was suddenly off my list, said Quinlivan, of Hingham. I completely crossed off all California schools and even Midwest schools because of the pandemic.Instead, she took an offer from Georgetown University in Washington. The risk of another virus outbreak still worries her, Quinlivan said, but she can get home by car or train if students are forced to leave campus like they were in the spring.

For other students, the pandemic opened unexpected opportunities. Before the virus spread, Jessica Moskowitz had been placed on wait lists by some of her top schools.But as colleges scrambled to offset projected enrollment losses, she got offers from New York University, Emory University and Claremont McKenna College.

If Moskowitz, of Salt Lake City, had been admitted to Emory under normal circumstances, she thinks she would have accepted. Instead shes enrolling at the University of California, Santa Barbara, partly to stay closer to home but also because she was accepted there before the pandemic.

They wanted me from the beginning, and it never feels good to be second fiddle, to be someones second choice, Moskowitz said. Although these are amazing colleges and I was so lucky to be offered admission to them, it feels like maybe theyre just using me to fill seats in the fall. Amid uncertainty over the course of the outbreak, more than 400 colleges extended commitment deadlines from May 1 to June 1. Scores of universities have announced plans to offer in-person instruction in the fall, but most also are preparing plans to keep classes online if needed.

Among 20 public colleges that provided preliminary data to The Associated Press, roughly half reported increases in total freshman confirmations, reaching as high as 30%.The other half saw decreases of up to 15%. Some saw ebbing interest from students in other states, while others held even.

Offsetting some increases in in-state students are plunging numbers for international students. At the University of Florida, new international confirmations are down 50%, the schools data show. The University of Minnesota is down 28%, while Ohio State reported a 21% drop.

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Hugh Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness appeared on Sunday night's episode of The Project, to discuss her guest directorial role on Australian soap Neighbours.

And when asked by Lisa Wilkinson 'what it's like' outside her front door in New York amid the Black Lives Movement, the 64-year-old said they 'can't go out after 8pm'.

New York mayor Bill de Blasio has enforced a curfew following late-night violence that dominated early protests, in the wake of George Floyd's death.

'We can't go out after 8pm!' Deborra-Lee Furness (pictured), 64, addressed life in New York on Sunday's The Project - as violent anti-police brutality protests have resulted in a curfew following George Floyd's death

'You know, we have a curfew, so we can't go out after 8pm,' Deborra-Lee said.

'But it's extraordinary the effect this has had. We really do have to address systemic racism,' she continued.

'It's in Australia as well, the world over. I hope this time gives us a [chance to] re-look at how we [can] shift this up and what needs to be done.'

Changes: 'You know, we have a curfew, so we can't go out after 8pm,' she said. 'But it's extraordinary the effect this has had. We really do have to address systemic racism'

Stateside: The Sydney-born philanthropist lives in New York with her Australian actor husband Hugh Jackman (pictured), 51

The Sydney-born philanthropist also revealed that she is missing Australia, with the coronavirus pandemic having an effect on international travel.

'The fact that I can't go there is really hard. We can't even go there,' she said.

Anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd.

Civil unrest: Anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd (pictured)

Floyd died on Monday, May 25 after he was arrested by four Minneapolis police officers for allegedly using a fake $20 bill.

He was brought to the ground and white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes.

Floyd, who was unarmed and handcuffed, repeatedly said he couldn't breathe and later died in custody.

Attention: The assault sent shockwaves across the world. Pictured: demonstrators in New York on June 6

The horrific assault was caught on video and sent shockwaves across the world.

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

He, along with the three other officers who arrested Floyd, have been fired from the force following outrage over the African American's death.

For over a week, protests have unfolded in at least 75 cities across the United States (as well as Australia) in an unprecedented display of civil unrest.
Ghaziabad: Shopping malls, restaurants and hotels in the district will have to wait for at least two more days to resume their operations. All such establishments have been asked to take up sanitization procedures as per protocol before they can reopen, officials of the district administration said on Sunday.

However, the religious places have been allowed to reopen their gates for devotees, the officials said.

While the Uttar Pradesh government has allowed reopening of public places such as malls and restaurants from Monday (June 8) across the state, the Ghaziabad administration has given two days time to such establishments for preparations required to resume operations.

Hotels and restaurants in the district will reopen from June 10, while the malls may be allowed to resume operations only from June 11.

The decision was taken after a meeting of district administration and police officials, and representatives from different malls, hotels and restaurants. During discussion, it came out that two to three days time will be given for cleaning, sanitization and making other arrangements as per the UP governments directions issued on June 6 for opening up various establishments under the phase 2 of Unlock 1.0.

It has been decided that malls are given minimum three days for making arrangements, while hotels and restaurants have been given two days time for the purpose. They will not open up before June 10. During this period, district officials will check the preparedness and if found satisfactory, the district magistrate will issue directions for opening up, said Manish Mishra, superintendent of police (city) who was present at the meeting on Sunday.

However, religious places have been allowed to reopen, Mishra said.

The district administration on Sunday, however, relaxed timings for opening of shops and markets.

The district magistrate has issued written directions that all shops and markets will now open from 9am to 9pm, but the days of opening of markets will remain same as per the previous order. The shops of fruits, vegetables, dairy, sweets and grocery will also now open from 9am to 9pm, the spokesperson for district administration said on Sunday.

District magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey did not take calls despite repeated attempts.

Earlier, the 34 major markets in different areas were asked to open from 10am to 5pm. Similarly, till Sunday the grocery shops were allowed to open up only from 10am to 4pm, while fruit/vegetable shops were directed for opening from 10am to 2pm.

Though members of the market association appreciated the decision for extension of timings, they slammed the alternate day system for opening of markets.

We are not able to understand why the markets are not allowed to open on all days. This will further lead to large gathering of customers. In places like Delhi where markets are opening up on all days, we have different directions in Ghaziabad. This will not serve purpose of the traders, said Pradeep Gupta, convener of Vyapari Ekta Samiti  Indirapuram.

On the other hand, liquor shops are allowed to open on all days. Even the traders in the market at Vaishali are also suffering as the area has been sealed. The markets there opened only for couple of days before the administration gave orders for sealing, he added.

The state governments announcement for reopening of religious places, malls, offices, restaurants, etc. are accompanied by several mandatory conditions. The guidelines have also advised that elderly persons and those with comorbidities, children below 10 years of age and pregnant woman should avoid movement outside.

Meanwhile, religious places have made arrangements to reopen from Monday. The administration has left the timing of opening up of religious places to us. We will open from 5.30am till 8pm. At our premises, we will not allow devotees to touch idols or ring bells. Sanitization tunnel and thermal screening equipment have also been put in place, besides the circles marked for social distancing, said Mahant Narayan Giri, caretaker of ancient Dudheshwar Nath Temple in Ghaziabad.

The state governments directions have made it mandatory for six feet of social distancing, thermal scanning and sanitization before entering any public place. Likewise, not more than five persons would be allowed inside religious places at a time and not before they have been subjected to thermal scan which has been made mandatory even for entry to malls and eateries.

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Sophie Wessex has revealed her and Prince Edward's two children will not take up official royal roles and are being raised with the understanding that they'll probably have to work for a living.

The Countess, 55, told The Sunday Times Magazine it is 'highly unlikely' Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and James, Viscount Severn will use their HRH titles when they turn 18.

'We try to bring them up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living,' she said.

'Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely.'

Sophie Wessex has revealed her and Prince Edward's two children will not take up official royal roles and are being raised with the understanding that it's very likely they will have to work for a living. Pictured: the family during a visit to The Wild Place Project at Bristol Zoo in July 2019

The mother-of-two added that they try to ensure their children have a 'normal' life and go to a 'regular school' and go to friends' houses for 'sleepovers and parties'.

Pre-lockdown at the weekends, Sophie said the family does 'lots of dog walking and stay with friends'.

She added: 'I guess not everyone's grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are. When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother.'

Sophie told how her husband is 'very engaged' as a father and is 'good at barbecues' - which the children love. He takes their son fishing and does a lot of horse riding with their daughter.

The Countess, 55, pictured at the Commonwealth Day Service in March, said it is 'highly unlikely' Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and James, Viscount Severn will use their HRH titles when they turn 18

The Countess also revealed that she hopes Lady Louise will go to university, because she's 'quite clever'.

Before the schools closed, the teenager was working towards her GCSE exams. Sophie said: 'She's working hard and will do A-levels. I hope she goes to university.

'I wouldn't force her, but if she wants to. She's quite clever, so I think probably, whereas James I don't know.'

Lady Louise was born a month prematurely, weighing just 4lb 9oz, with the eye condition esotropia, and has had operations to improve her sight.

Sophie told how she had corrective surgery for a 'severe squint', and 'it's still not perfect - but none of us are'.

Sophie said she hopes Lady Louise will go to university, because she's 'quite clever', but doesn't know about James. She added that Prince Edward is 'very engaged' as a father. Pictured: the family at Sandringham on Christmas Day last year

She admitted the traumatic birth, during which she lost nine pints of blood, was 'very scary'. When Sophie opened the neonatal ward at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey in 2014, she broke down in tears when she met the midwives who saved her life.

'For the first 10 years after [Louise] was born, I found it very hard to go to prem wards. It brought the whole thing back, but I've learnt to cope,' she said.

Sophie also spoke of her 'frustration' while adjusting to life as a working member of the Royal Family, admitting it took her a while to 'find her feet'.

She said she had to reduce her expectations of what she could actually do and 'take a really big step back'.

'I couldn't turn up at a charity and go, right, I think you should be doing this, because that's what I was used to doing in my working life,' she said.

When Sophie opened the neonatal ward at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey in 2014, she broke down in tears when she met the midwives who saved her life. Pictured on a visit to the Special Newborn Care Unit at Niloufer Hospital in central Hyderabad, India in April 2019

'I had to take a really big step back and go, OK, they want you to be the icing on the cake, the person to come in to thank their volunteers and funders, not necessarily to tell them how to run their communications plan.'

Asked if she would be taking on more royal duties following the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, after they quit as senior members of the Firm earlier this year and moved to the US, Sophie admitted that she is already 'pretty busy'.

'People may pay more attention to what I am doing, but I remain as busy as I have ever been,' she said, adding that she hopes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'will be happy'.

In recent weeks, the Wessexes have opened the NHS Nightingale Hospitals via video link, while Sophie has shared home schooling tips with parents via Instagram to help boost morale.

The couple have also volunteered with local charities to help pack food parcels for the vulnerable during the pandemic.
Rebel Wilson's breakthrough role saw her playing obese Greek-Australian Toula Maccalopoulos in SBS comedy series Fat Pizza from 2003 to 2007.

And speaking to The Sunday Telegraph's Insider before the Black Lives Matter movement, the Australian-born star admitted that political correctness has made it a challenging time for comedians across the globe.

Reflecting on 'culturally insensitive' Fat Pizza that explored ethnicity and stereotypes, the 40-year-old said that 'people would be crucified' if they aired the show now.

'People would be crucified for putting that on air right now': Rebel Wilson, 40, reflected on her role in 'culturally insensitive' comedy series Fat Pizza, prior to the Black Lives Matter movement

'Logically, a comedian's job is to make people laugh and to constantly flirt with the line of what's appropriate and what's not,' Rebel began.

'My first show on SBS was Fat Pizza which was the most extreme culturally insensitive show ever,' the Bridesmaids actress said with a laugh.

'People would have been crucified for putting that on the air right now, but comedy, there are cycles to it and it does go up and down and it is a bit of a weird time.'

Created by comedian Paul Fenech, Fat Pizza originally aired on SBS between 2000 and 2007.

Comments: 'My first show on SBS was Fat Pizza which was the most extreme culturally insensitive show ever,' the Bridesmaids actress said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph's Insider published on Sunday. Pictured as Greek-Australian Toula in Fat Pizza

It was based on the life of Pauly Falzoni, a Greek pizza delivery boy living in Sydney.

Paul Fenech, 47, told Seven News in June last year that 'Fat Pizza is one of the boldest Aussie comedies on television'.

While promoting a reboot of the series, he went on to say that the show is 'political incorrectness at its best'.

2020: 'People would have been crucified for putting that on the air right now, but comedy, there are cycles to it and it does go up and down and it is a bit of a weird time,' Rebel added

'Get set for bigger and cheesier storylines straight from the headlines. Social media trolls, get ready to rumble!'

Meanwhile, anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd.

Floyd died on Monday, May 25 after he was arrested by four Minneapolis police officers for allegedly using a fake $20 bill.

He was brought to the ground and white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes.

Floyd, who was unarmed and handcuffed, repeatedly said he couldn't breathe and later died in custody.

Plot: Created by comedian Paul Fenech (pictured front, centre), Fat Pizza originally aired on SBS between 2000 and 2007. It was based on the life of Pauly Falzoni, a Greek pizza delivery boy living in Sydney

Civil unrest: Anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd (pictured)

The horrific assault was caught on video and sent shockwaves across the world.

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

He, along with the three other officers who arrested Floyd, have been fired from the force following outrage over the African American's death.

For over a week, protests have unfolded in at least 75 cities across the United States (as well as Australia) in an unprecedented display of civil unrest.
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...
The front entrance of Best Buy in Champaign was boarded up Monday, June 1, 2020, after looting and unrest in the area Sunday evening.
Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipeywan First Nation displays his wounds that he says were caused by the RCMP

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadians deserve answers over the arrest of a prominent indigenous leader who alleges police beat him up after an incident involving an expired license plate, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said on Sunday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say officers used reasonable force after Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation resisted arrest outside a casino in the Alberta town of Fort McMurray in March. Adam released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face.

"We are deeply concerned by the incident that took place in Fort McMurray. People across the country deserve answers," Blair said on Twitter. Blair is in overall charge of law enforcement.

Canada has around 1.7 million people of indigenous descent, or just under 5% of the overall population, many of whom live in communities hit by crime, ill-health and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.

Adam, charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police, is due in court on July 2. Late on Saturday, the RCMP said it was launching an independent probe of the arrest, which Blair said Ottawa would follow closely.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said discrimination by police against indigenous people and people of color "needs to end". He spoke after police officers shot and killed an aboriginal woman and video showed police appearing to purposely drive into an indigenous man.

Protesters in Montreal took to the streets on Sunday in the latest peaceful Canadian demonstration against police brutality, sparked by the death of an unarmed black man in Minnesota who was in police custody.

Adam played a leading role in discussions with the federal and Alberta governments over a proposed massive oilsands mine in northern Alberta. Adam complained some indigenous people had not been consulted adequately about the project, which was shelved in February.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
I didn't think she could die like this. Even once her fever hit 104 and her heart started racing out of control, my mind wouldn't go there. Every time she got another bad diagnosis, I would tell her: "You're fine. This is the low point. We'll manage and get through it." She was so healthy. She practically lived at the farmers market. The virus got into her lungs and her heart and her liver, and I still thought she was going to beat it. I was giving her CPR, and I was telling myself. "This can't kill her. This won't kill her."

I caught myself doing the same thing at her funeral this week. I've never been to a funeral before, and it was all so weird. There was a prayer and a poem, and that was basically it, and I spaced out for a minute and started thinking she was back at home lying on the couch. I was like, I wonder if she took my morphine yet? I need to get back. I need to go check her temperature.

She was 52. How am I supposed to accept that? I can't get it to sink in. My brain keeps on refusing.

It was mostly me and her during the last few weeks. Her fever had finally come down and she was breathing on her own again, but she had blood clots in her lungs and a mass on her liver. It was growing faster than anything the doctors had ever seen, and they wanted to get her ready for chemo. They said her whole body was breaking down from the nonstop stress of fighting the virus since March. They said, "It's causing all these fires, and we have to put them out one by one," but it seemed like the fires were everywhere.

She wanted to come home until she started chemo. She had a fear of hospitals, even though she was a nurse. I thought it was a bad idea. She needed morphine and blood thinners and so many other medications, and there was nobody else to watch her. Her husband had to keep working at the grocery store, because that was the only paycheck coming in. My twin sister's in Texas, and my youngest brother is only a senior in high school. I'd never taken care of anybody before. I'd just finished school and gotten out of the Army. She'd always taken care of me. I was scared of what might happen, but she was determined to be home.

She was on the couch in the den, and I would give her ice packs or help her change positions. I put her medications on a schedule. I cooked her au gratin potatoes and asparagus, but it took her maybe three hours to eat a little bit. She wouldn't drink the Pedialyte. She was having headaches and disorientation. She moved from the couch to the floor because she said it felt better to lie against something hard. I'd go try to nap, and if I got by myself, I'd start thinking about how it had been just a few months before. We'd go rock climbing together or shoot off fireworks by Lake Ontario. We'd road trip to Canada because she wanted to try this certain kind of vegan food. She had this unstoppable energy. Her mother died in childbirth with her, so she had to fight and scrap from the very beginning. It was foster homes, abuse - she dealt with a lot. She knew how to soldier up and push through. There was no way she wasn't going to beat it.

But then I'd hear her in the den mumbling or groaning or talking real low. It didn't sound like her. I was physically sore and tense from the stress, but I'd force myself to go check on her every hour. I was afraid of what I might find. How much of her is still in there?

Then one morning she woke me up before 6 and said, "Hurry up. Let's go. We're running late for the doctor." She seemed coherent, but she was agitated. She said if we didn't hurry, she was going to get fined. It didn't make sense. There was no appointment. No doctor's office was even open yet. I thought maybe the medication was clouding her thinking, or she was trying to rush back to her old life. She was always a busy bee from the second she woke up. She would buzz around the house doing ten things at once, and if you got in her way, you'd get stung. I told her: "Your doctors want you to stay home and rest right now. If you need something, they'll come see you." I helped her back onto the couch. She said she was sorry for getting confused, but it started to get worse.

She'd try to leave the house every morning at like 3 or 4 o'clock, but she could barely move. She was a wall walker. She would grab the car keys and inch her way out of the house in her underwear and then collapse into a chair on the porch. She was itching her legs really bad, and she started to get small infections because she was scratching past her layers of skin. She kept talking about how she was late for work, she needs to go work, she's going to get fined, she's going to get arrested. She didn't want to take her medication. She was refusing to eat. Sometimes, she didn't know where she was. I called my sister in Texas, because she went to nursing school and she knows more about this stuff, and she told me to think of it like treating someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. She said: "You have to talk to her like a 2-year-old. You have to comfort her and keep her company." I tried to mix her medication in applesauce and then take a bite to show her. "Look, Mom. We're eating together." I made a show of bringing the spoon up to her mouth. I told her it was going to be OK. I put the oxygen on her to calm her down. I tried to make distractions to get her to stop talking about going to work. I was firm and put her in a timeout for trying to leave the house. I sat with her. I told her how much I loved her. I held her tight and cradled her like a baby.

It was too much. We needed help - a full-time aide. Me and her husband started calling the doctors and nurses a few times a day. "I'm not comfortable. I'm not equipped. What do I do? How do I take care of her?"

They sent a nurse out to evaluate. The appointment was for 9:30. I had to get her up and get her ready, but I was scared to wake her, because I never knew if she'd be a little combative or confused or trying to run out of the house. She said to me: "Paul, can you take me to the bathroom?" She was so helpless. I can't explain. It was gutting. Looking at her was traumatizing. She was 111 pounds. She was losing weight in her face, her legs. She was getting that belly you normally see with starvation. She knew who I was, but it was like her eyes wouldn't focus. She had that thousand-yard stare. I tried to pick her up, and she couldn't move her body. She could barely lift her arms. She was just dead weight. I said, "Can you roll over?" I didn't know if she could hear me. I said: "It's OK. You're OK. I'm going to get us some help."

I went to the porch to see if the nurse was there yet, and then I heard this weird gasping sound. I turned around and she wasn't blinking. It made my heart stop.

The nurse walked in right as I was calling 911. The emergency operator told us to move her to the floor, get her straight. "You need to do CPR." The nurse couldn't help do the puffing, because she could catch the virus, so I ended up trying to give my mom the air. Her eyes were gone. It wasn't her. She wasn't in there. The ambulance came and they probably worked on her for 20 minutes. The sheriff was there. The house got crowded and we got pushed back. They started taking her out on a stretcher and I was looking to see if they had covered her face or anything. We kept asking if there was a pulse, is she breathing, but they wouldn't say.

They pronounced her right away at the hospital. The doctor told us it was a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot that got trapped in her lungs. He said it was something you see a lot of with covid. He called it a sudden death, but it didn't feel that way. She'd been getting carved up a thousand different ways since March. I went to the hospital room and I sat with her body for a long time. I kept her company. I tried to think of something to say, some last words.

We wanted an autopsy. My sister flew in, and we started calling around late that night, getting transferred from one medical person to the next, trying to make the arrangements. We needed answers. This whole thing was a mystery. I had gotten the virus and basically had a bad flu for two weeks. Nobody else in the house got sick. And she caught it and she died? Was it all because of the blood clot? Did the pneumonia factor in? The morphine? The mass on her liver? The weight loss? Some kind of vitamin deficiencies? All of this not knowing had been driving her crazy for two months, and it almost felt like we owed it to her. What happened? Why? How come she never got better?

The hospital and the medical examiners were putting us in circles. The autopsy cost three thousand, and nobody had that. We started scrambling together the money, but they were reluctant to do it because of the risks to their staff with exposure to covid. It went on and on. Her husband is Muslim, and he wanted to respect the body, wash the body, bury it right away. He was being real accommodating, respecting our wishes and putting us first, so he pushed the funeral back three days. But time kept passing, and we weren't getting anywhere.

Eventually, the funeral day came, and we just had to accept it: It's never going to make sense. Nothing is solid. She caught the virus and it kept on assaulting her body for months until it was too much to handle.

So, we let it go. We let her be.
Tropical Storm Cristobal was nearing landfall along the Louisiana Gulf Coast on Sunday, producing torrential rainfall, inland and coastal flooding, and a tornado threat in several Gulf Coast states.

Tropical storm warnings stretched from the coast of central Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle, while storm surge warnings covered the southeast Louisiana coastline to near Biloxi, Miss. The storm surge is the storm-driven rise in water above normally dry land along the coast. Shoreline flooding from the surge and inland flooding from heavy rain were predicted to be the most widespread and serious storm hazards. A five-foot surge had already inundated some coastal areas in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi, while up to six to 10 inches of flooding rain had fallen in parts of the Florida Panhandle through Sunday afternoon. Up to a foot of rain was possible in sections of southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans, and southern Mississippi.

While wind gusts were generally below damaging levels, they had been clocked in the 40 to 60 mph range along the coast in southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi. Of greater concern were tornadoes. On Saturday, a tornado that spun up on the periphery of the storm caused damage in Orlando, Fla.

At 2 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, the storm, packing peak sustained winds of 50 mph, was positioned about 30 miles south-southeast of Grand Isle, La., moving north at 5 mph. Landfall was likely to occur Sunday afternoon or evening.

While the Gulf Coast was the zone of greatest concern for storm impacts Sunday, Cristobal is predicted to be drawn northward through Arkansas on Monday and then into Missouri, Illinois, and the Great Lakes on Tuesday, and ultimately into Canada by Wednesday, intensifying some as it merges with a mid-latitude storm system.

"Heavy rain will move up the Lower and Mid Mississippi Valley Monday into Tuesday, then across the Upper Mississippi Valley and Northern Plains Tuesday and Tuesday night. Flash flooding, and new and renewed significant river flooding is possible, especially where heavier rainfall occurs over portions of the Gulf Coast through the Mississippi Valley," the National Hurricane Center wrote.

The National Weather Service forecast office in La Crosse, Wis., tweeted that Cristobal's remnants could track farther west across Wisconsin than any other post-tropical system on record.

The Hurricane Center was predicting widespread rainfall totals of four to eight inches in southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, with isolated amounts of up to a foot. This zone, under a "high risk" of flash flooding, includes New Orleans.

The National Weather Service office serving southeast Louisiana wrote "extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations and rescues" and that "rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their banks."

Numerous flood warnings were in effect for area rivers.

The Weather Service issued a special statement Sunday morning cautioning that rainfall rates across the central Gulf Coast could reach 1.5 to 2 inches per hour. "Some instances of flash flooding will become increasingly likely today," it wrote.

Some of the storm's heaviest rainfall concentrated in the Florida Panhandle between Tallahassee and Jacksonville on Sunday with rainfall totals of six to 10 inches.

Jacksonsville itself endured flash flooding early in the day on its west side, where up to five to seven inches of rain fell.

The Hurricane Center was predicting the worst surge, up to three to five feet of water over normally dry land, near and just to the east of where Cristobal makes landfall. It included the zone from southeast Louisiana to coastal Mississippi, where it warned that high water could damage marinas and shoreline buildings, flood roads, and cause major beach erosion.

Because of its system of protective levees and flood walls, known as the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, storm surge flooding was not expected in New Orleans. But a dangerous surge was predicted outside of it.

A tide gauge at Shell Beach in southeastern Louisiana had already recorded a surge of 4.5 feet Sunday morning, prior to high tide, with water predicted to continue rising some.

Social media Sunday morning showed high water and areas of inundation from southeast Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.

Coastal flooding due to surge was a possibility over a large area far from the storm center, as far southeast as coastal southwest Florida on Sunday, until the storm moves inland.

Tropical weather systems making landfall often spawn tornadoes, and some were predicted from Cristobal as it comes ashore. A tornado watch was in effect for coastal Alabama and Mississippi through 6 p.m. (5 p.m. central) Sunday for the "threat of a couple of tornadoes with mini supercells."

Social media showed photos of a waterspout, a tornado over water, just off the coast of Gulf Shores, Ala., on Sunday morning.

In addition several tornado warnings were issued for parts of the northern Florida Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, a damaging tornado associated with the storm's outer circulation touched down in the Orlando area. The EF-1 rated twister unleashed winds over 100 mph and damaged buildings and homes southeast of the city, displacing up to 50 residents according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Before entering the gulf, the storm pinwheeled for days in Central America, unloading feet of rainfall in some areas. Ocotepec, a city in Mexico, picked up a measured 26.9 inches between May 31 and June 4 - the bulk of which fell between June 2 and June 4. On June 5, the community probably saw another two to three inches.

Xpujil, a town in Mexico, recorded 23.5 inches during the same period, while Hopelchen saw 23.1 inches.

It's likely that some more remote areas received as much as 30 to 35 inches of rainfall. Potent flooding and mudslides struck El Salvador, where at least 27 died, while excessive rains resulted in multiple fatalities in Guatemala.

On Tuesday, the storm set a record as the earliest third-named tropical storm or hurricane in any Atlantic hurricane season to date.

When it comes ashore, it will become the second earliest landfalling tropical storm on record in Louisiana.

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The Washington Post's Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.
As Monsignor Neal Quartier, rector at the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, blessed the water and wine for Communion Sunday, the congregants took part in their own purification.

They reached into their handbags for bottles of hand sanitizer and shared it among families. The scent rose from the pews like a new kind of incense.

For some, Sundays service was the first in-person visit to church since the middle of March, when the government shut down large gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The virus has killed more than 24,000 people in New York and more than 100,000 across the country. As the rate of infection declines, the state is starting to allow limited restarts. Restaurants have opened outdoor seating. Stylists are repairing bad home haircuts.

But many consider churches to be among the most dangerous communities to return to full capacity. Many people gather in confined spaces with singing, talking and poor ventilation.

This is different from Wegmans, Quartier said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that places of worship could fill the pews to 25% capacity, starting the next day. Last week, groups up to 10 were allowed to worship together.

Many people are attending church services through online platforms during the shutdown and some plan to continue that out of an abundance of caution.

Episcopal Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe led a virtual worship Sunday for the entire diocese. Because the diocese has a higher median age than the general population, its churches plan to return to in-person gatherings more slowly and cautiously than required by government, according to the website.

There was not enough time for the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse to communicate with all of its members overnight. But church leaders had already prepared for the moment they could open their doors. About 30 people showed up at the downtown Cathedral on Sunday morning.

People who wanted to attend Mass were invited to pre-register. The church can hold 107 people under the guidelines.

At the door, volunteers took each persons temperature, recorded their names and escorted them to a seat. Every other pew was roped off.

There was no air conditioning  a system that could blow germs around the church.

There is nothing to touch  no church bulletins or hymnals. The collection envelopes are dropped in a basket at the door.

Nearly everyone who attended church on Sunday filed forward to receive Communion.

Quartier announced some guidance in advance: Clean your hands, walk single file and stay six feet apart.

Form your hands into the shape of a cup and allow the lay person to drop the wafer into your hand. Then, step to the side, lower your mask and take it.

Quartier said he would not be serving Communion himself because he has a family history of heart conditions.

I want to stay around, he said.

Later, he said he chose to share his personal medical history to serve as a role model for others who need to weigh their own health and the risks in participating. Like Quartier, many of the Catholic churchs members are over age 65, he said.

This is not something to take lightly, he said.

There were other differences in Sundays service.

People waved to each other instead of shaking hands and sharing a sign of peace.

Instead of a big choir, the music was played by an organist and sung from the balcony by one cantor.

There were fewer songs to sing. The responses were short.

Quartier said everything about the service was designed to limit talking and congregating.

He would like to keep each service within 40 minutes. That means hell have to pack all of his thoughts into five-minute homilies.

There was a lot to pray for on Sunday.

Since they last came together in person, people have lost their health, access to family members and their jobs.

The death of a black man in Minneapolis under the knee of white police officer has prompted protests across the U.S.

On Saturday, more than 2,000 people marched past the Cathedral, at Columbus Circle, to bring attention to racial injustices in Syracuse and beyond.

Sundays novena was a big ask. Quartier directed parishioners to pray for an end to the coronavirus as well as to end racism, tumult and worldwide need.

Quartier wrapped the inhumanity of the virus and the injustice of racial inequality into a quick sermon to honor the Feast of the Trinity  a celebration traditionally held 50 days after Easter to honor the father, son and Holy Spirit.

He used quotes from the Black Lives Matter movement and Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Holy Trinity is about relationships, he said.

So are the current circumstances, he said.

We need each other more than ever, he said. We cannot do this alone.

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Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186.
The following editorial appeared in Sunday's Japan News-Yomiuri:

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Big technology companies have increased their presence as the new coronavirus outbreak has changed how people consume. The government should monitor their businesses so that a healthy competitive environment is not hampered.

A new law has been enacted to urge tech giants to conduct business transparently. The government aims to put the law into effect next spring.

The law will require companies to notify online shop operators before changes are made in rules and other contract items. It will also require them to disclose how search result rankings are determined when people search for merchandise. The companies will be obliged to submit a report to the central government once a year on how they have tackled these issues.

Likely targets are Amazon.com Inc., Google LLC and Apple Inc., which belong to the group of U.S. tech giants collectively dubbed GAFA, as well as Rakuten Inc. and Yahoo Japan Corp. among domestic companies.

These companies have a huge influence on online retail sites and smartphone app stores.

Some shop operators have complained, saying things like, "They forced us to accept a unilateral change in the contract to raise our fee" or "They demanded an unreasonable price cut." Fair business practices must be ensured so that weaker business partners like these are protected.

The new law calls for tech companies to act voluntarily. Each company should recognize the importance of its role in society. It is essential to be willing to grow together with their business partners, focusing on information disclosure and appropriate responses to complaints.

On top of that, the government's surveillance system will need to be effective. Inspection of the companies' annual reports will be important. A thorough checking system should be created, for example by securing specialist personnel.

The government plans to set up a channel to compile opinions from business partners. It is hoped that detailed information about actual issues will be identified.

If a company fails to provide sufficient disclosure or meet other obligations, the government will issue a correction advisory and reveal its name. In serious cases that may constitute violations of the Antimonopoly Law, the Fair Trade Commission will be asked to address the matter. If wrongdoing is found, it is imperative that it be eliminated through strict application of the law.

The tech companies' businesses are booming amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Amazon's online shopping business expanded rapidly, as "nesting consumption" is growing due to people refraining from going out. Google's sales are also growing, as video streaming and smartphone apps are seeing increased traffic.

As people are trying to adapt to a "new way of life," online businesses have been gaining more importance. There are fears that the dominance of tech giants will further increase. The new law should be put to effective use.

Tech companies have been pouring their huge cash reserves into buying start-ups, which were potential future rivals, one after another, thereby promoting their oligopoly of the market. The government must intensify its vigilance to ensure that such moves will not be accelerated again by the pandemic.
Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza attended the Islamic jihad movement call for the absence prayers at al-Omari mosque in Gaza for Dr. Ramada Shalah, former Islamic Jihad leader.

Ramadan Shalah had been in a coma for more than three years after heart surgery, the group said. It didn't say where he died, but he is believed to have been in Lebanon.

Shalah led the Iranian-backed group for over 20 years, until 2018.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad has offices in Syria and Lebanon, but most of its activities are focused in the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip. Mosque loudspeakers across Gaza blared in the evening with tributes to Shalah.

Last year, the movement took part in several rounds of heavy fighting with Israel. But in recent months it has remained committed to an unofficial truce brokered by regional mediators between Israel and Hamas, the larger Islamic group ruling Gaza.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad previously has taken part in numerous suicide bombings, shootings and rocket attacks that killed dozens of Israelis.

Shalah was on the US most wanted list of terrorist suspects with a 5 million US dollars reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
Credit: Getty.

World Bank president David Malpass has warned the COVID-19 pandemic could have a "devastating blow" on the world economy for the next decade.

Some 60 million people could be pushed into "extreme poverty" living on less than 1.55 ($1.90) per day.

The livelihood of billions of people around the globe will be affected, according to the bank chief.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend he said: "The combination of the pandemic itself, and the shutdowns, has meant billions of people whose livelihoods have been disrupted. That's concerning.

"Both the direct consequences, meaning lost income, but also then the health consequences, the social consequences, are really harsh."

And people living in poverty have suffered the most according to Malpass.

"We can see that with the stock market in the US being relatively high, and yet people in the poor countries being not only unemployed, but unable to get any work even in the informal sector. And that's going to have consequences for a decade."

The World Bank is calling on banks and pension funds to follow their lead by offering debt relief to poor countries.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Savings gap leaves UK consumers more vulnerable

Malpass said he would also like lenders to make the terms of their loans clearer, so other investors are more confident about putting money into developing economies.

Targeted government support and measures to shore up the private sector are vital to rebuild economies and create jobs in manufacturing to replace permanently lost employment in sectors such as tourism, the World Bank argues.

Malpass also predicts that the global economy will be less interconnected in the future as supply chains are created closer to home .

But ultimately the "catastrophe" could be overcome, with an optimistic Malpass concluding that "human nature is strong, and innovation is real."
MILPITAS, Calif.  June 2, 2020  Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings contracted 13 percent to US$15.57 billion quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2020 but increased 13 percent year-over-year, SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, announced today in its Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics (WWSEMS) Report.

The data are gathered jointly with the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ) from over 80 global equipment companies that provide data on a monthly basis. The quarterly billings data by region in billions of U.S. dollars, quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year change by region are as follows:

Region Q12020 Q42019 Q12019 1Q2020/4Q2019 1Q2020/1Q2019 Taiwan 4.02 6.20 3.81 -35% 6% China 3.50 4.29 2.36 -18% 48% Korea 3.36 2.30 2.89 46% 16% North America 1.93 2.28 1.67 -16% 15% Japan 1.68 1.67 1.55 0% 8% Europe 0.64 0.47 0.84 36% -23% Rest of the World 0.44 0.58 0.67 -23% -34% Total 15.57 17.80 13.79 -13% 13%

Source: SEMI (www.semi.org) and SEAJ (www.seaj.or.jp), June 2020

The SEMI Equipment Market Data Subscription (EMDS) provides comprehensive market data for the global semiconductor equipment market. A subscription includes three reports:

Monthly SEMI Billings Report, a perspective on equipment market trends

Monthly Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics (WWSEMS), a detailed report of semiconductor equipment billings for seven regions and 24 market segments

SEMI Semiconductor Equipment Forecast, an outlook for the semiconductor equipment market.

For more information or to subscribe, please contact the SEMI Industry Research and Statistics Group at mktstats@semi.org. More information is also available online.

About SEMI

SEMI connects more than 2,100 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA) and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Visit www.semi.org to learn more






It is extremely thoughtful of the Modi government to designate the next phase of counter corona measures as Unlock 1 in which the basics of lockdown observance at the personal level and in the 'containment zones' remain unchanged but the focus is on the reopening of socio-economic life.

This has created positivity in the environ and promoted self-confidence among people. The pandemic has tested policy formulation, raised questions on implementation and produced many lessons for the future governance. In a democratic dispensation, the elected political executive lays down policies that the machinery of the government implements top-down to take their benefits to the people. The function of implementation is always non political -- the political legitimacy of the policy is questioned, if at all, by the opposition in the Parliament and outside and reviewed by the higher judiciary in case the matter draws its attention.

The handling of the corona pandemic by the Centre under the NDMA was marked by the clarity of decision making in regard to the lockdown but the governance both at the level of ministries and the states was severely tested for execution of the policy. Lockdown did not impede 'essential' services. Considering governance to be the first 'essential' activity in a crisis, it was necessary that government functionaries in the field -- not only health workers and policemen -- got totally geared up to their new responsibilities and remained visible within the norms of social distancing.

Many administrative functionaries closer to the ground might have pulled away from work in the environ of fear all round which is understandable. It did appear, however, that the institutional importance of such key players in governance as district magistrates, station masters, managers of government hospitals, municipal commissioners and controllers of public distribution system, had been eroded over the long years, for multiple reasons. Corruption certainly was known to have undermined the nurturing importance of 'supervision' and taken away the will of the officials to exercise discretion at their level in serving a public cause. This was written all over the saga of migrant labour on the move with their families and the tales of tragedy that they produced. Senior functionaries on the ground had got so used to receiving orders from above for everything that they did not want to take the 'risk' of initiating any solution finding on their own.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having earned a reputation for bold, unambiguous and game-changing policy decisions, would hopefully see to it that the machinery for implementation of national policies was reestablished in the states and the districts. This has nothing to do with the centre-state political relationships. A major learning from the corona pandemic is that people-oriented governance had to be fully restored so that in situations that exposed the weak and the poor to sudden hardship, the local administration would respond with adequate empathy.

The countrywide total lockdown compelled by the corona pandemic became distressful for the less privileged in urban centres -- the city authorities should have sensed it and prepared themselves for the new call of duty. The reform of administrative machinery of India can begin with the Centre acquiring a role in the appointment of Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police of a state through the UPSC based empanelment -- a course that was recommended by the Supreme Court of India itself, in a recent ruling.

A lot of officials did try to do their bit, but the mishandling of the fallout of the lockdown also attracted attention. A few illustrations symptomised what was wrong in this regard. The manager of a government district hospital in Bihar refused to provide the available ambulance to shift a sick boy under treatment, to Patna Medical College -- half an hour away -- with the result that the boy died in the lap of the hapless rural couple in the hospital premises. This was reportedly not a corona case even. The state government tamely ordered an enquiry but the manager seems to be going scot-free. Again, whatever be the reasons for the turnout of migrants on roads with families following the declaration of the long lockdown on March 24, the question is how many collectors -- who were deemed to be the 'Kings' of their districts -- proactively got involved in micro-managing the stranded clusters within their jurisdictions for food, shelter and possible travel arrangements for them to be fixed in consultation with their own state governments? A district magistrate in Maharashtra had, in his area, a very visible group of a score of exhausted migrant labour sleeping on the tracks -- perhaps under the impression that no trains were moving then -- and getting overrun by a goods train. The DM was seemingly unconcerned about what was happening in his district on the ground in the tense post-lockdown atmosphere. Photographs of 'rotis' strewn on the track highlighted the group's tragedy as well as poverty. The cabinet secretary ultimately reached out to many district magistrates as the crisis persisted -- the learning, however, is that India must go back to the districts for effective governance and public service particularly during a national crisis.

That the public distribution system had been thoroughly corrupted was known but even in the corona pandemic many needy were returned from food outlets empty handed on the grounds of non production of ration cards. Officials of the district could have exercised their discretion and accepted the distressed citizen's plea that the ration card was at his village home. How much food grain could have been swindled by these poor people? Ultimately, the Centre had to intervene to announce 'one nation one ration card' rule. Municipal commissioners also should have actively evolved strategies for helping the distressed sections during the lockdown on rentals, food for stranded family groups and essential medical aid on-the-spot -- within the lockdown guidelines. This generally did not happen. It is a measure of India's culture of compassion that many voluntary bodies and religious establishments fed the hungry and the dispossessed -- this cannot be a substitute for the democratic state taking charge of all its citizens in an emergency.

Further, it would have been better if the Railway Board officials had -- after the Centre had decided to run special trains for migrants -- not allowed the matter of sharing of the cost of tickets to become public as this marred the effect of a humanitarian initiative of the Modi government. However, what is distressing is the apparent abdication of responsibilities by the station masters who were in earlier times looked upon as the highest authority on the premises of a station. The station master should be the first to know if there were any dead on a train that had steamed in -- the computation of such deaths should have been instantly communicated to the Railways centrally. It is not known if the station master of Muzaffarpur appeared on the scene at all once the news broke out of a toddler pulling the shroud off his dead mother on the platform.

The top leadership in any wing of the government has to feel accountable for the performance of its machinery down the line. This realisation was generally there in the Modi regime. However, there is no gain saying the fact that the country needs economic reforms as much as an upgradation of governance at all levels, including the state, district and the local.

A trend that developed fast was about the disequilibrium cropping up between the states on the implementation of post-lockdown guidelines of the Centre. Interstate movement was arbitrarily blocked -- sometimes for one upmanship -- in exercise of the authority deemed to have been delegated by the Centre. However, in the absence of detailed instructions issued in advance, unseemly traffic jams developed on the borders, the lasting image of which -- at least in one case -- was an apparent class distinction showing up between people in cars and those on bicycles coming in for work. The first thing Unlock 1 has rightly done is to remove any conditionality on intra-state and inter-state movement of people outside of the containment zones. The Centre must ensure that this basic right of movement of citizens was not played with by the states. This is particularly important for the National Capital Region. Handling the corona pandemic was a non-political national mission directed by the Centre. Ambiguities in administrative responses, allocation of funds and inter-ministerial coordination coming to notice should be resolved -- on the trot -- as the Centre still has the prime responsibility of taking the arduous fight against corona to its logical conclusion both on health and economy fronts.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
Gregg Bemis, who has died aged 91, was an American millionaire and owner of the famous Lusitania shipwreck, the luxury passenger liner torpedoed off the coast of Ireland by a German U-boat in 1915 with the loss of 1,200 lives, among them 128 American citizens.

It was the defining act of terrorism against innocent civilians of the early 20th Century, and eventually drew the United States into World War I. Bemis's interest in the Lusitania had originally been piqued purely by the possibility of making money; he regarded what was left of the stricken ship - and her precious cargo of copper, bronze and silver - as a sound investment which could profitably be sold for scrap. But he quickly came to appreciate the spellbinding allure of her story, and the mystery of how she met her doom.

In particular, he became exercised by the continuing debate over whether the vessel was secretly carrying war supplies from America - still neutral in 1915 - to Britain, nine months after the start of World War I. For the best part of half a century, Bemis devoted himself to trying to establish why the huge ship sank in just 18 minutes and what caused a second explosion, moments after the torpedo hit, reported by surviving passengers.

However, although Bemis subscribed to the widely held conspiracy theory that the British government was anxious to conceal the presence of munitions in the Lusitania's hold, he never managed to clinch his argument with absolute proof.

The Cunarder was steaming from New York to Liverpool when the torpedo struck at 2pm on May 7, 1915. On both sides of the Atlantic, the sinking was depicted as a heinous crime against non-combatants, and when America finally joined the military alliance against Germany in 1917, the sinking was cited by many as a justification.

Although Bemis controlled the salvage rights to one of the most historically significant shipwrecks of the modern era, his efforts to solve the mystery of why the Lusitania sank so quickly were thwarted by the government here, which regarded the ship as part historic monument and part war grave, a fragile archaeological site that could be desecrated if Bemis had physically altered its remains.

Among the passengers on her last voyage were a number of eminent politicians, artists, academics and businessmen, as well as the Irish art collector Sir Hugh Lane, who was reported to have had with him on board paintings by Titian, Monet and Rubens, each encased in a protective lead tube. This revelation led to the government placing an "underwater cultural heritage order" on the ship to dissuade treasure hunters, blocking Bemis from bringing artefacts to the surface.

A flamboyant and outspoken figure, Bemis had owned the Lusitania wreck since 1982, buying the salvage rights as an investment and estimating the scrap value of the steel, bronze, and brass on the historic ship at about $12m.

In 2019, he signed the wreck over to a local museum in Kinsale, saying that at his advanced age, "there is only so much more I can do to further this project".

Farwell Gregg Bemis Jr was born in May, 1928 in Boston, Massachusetts, into a family whose fortune derived from bag-making, and later plastic packaging. After graduating in Economics at Stanford University in 1950, he spent two years on active service in the US marines. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 1954, and over the ensuing 25 years, worked in the top management of three Fortune 500 companies.

Gregg Bemis was married and had five children. He died on May 21, 2020.
WASHINGTON - Amid nationwide protests and a historic economic contraction, President Donald Trump is running for reelection to "Keep America Great" - at least according to the hats he sells on his campaign website, the signs waved by his supporters and the television ads he's airing in key states.

But in recent weeks he has retreated to contradictory slogans with a less triumphant ring, repeatedly reviving his 2016 motto "Make America Great Again!" and trying out new catchphrases such as "Transition to Greatness!" and "The Best Is Yet to Come," a Frank Sinatra lyric etched on the crooner's tombstone.

Phrases such as "Promises Made, Promises Kept," once a cornerstone of the reelection campaign, have been subsumed by current events. Economic messaging still used by the campaign online, including boasts about low unemployment, is now out of date.

The search for a slogan, which Trump confidants say he is likely to resolve in the coming weeks, is a symptom of the president's larger problem: The booming economy that he assumed would be his chief argument for reelection has foundered for the moment, a casualty of a coronavirus crisis he initially downplayed and more recently has sought to move beyond.

On issues compelling to most Americans - health, economy and national unrest about police violence - Trump has offered few new proposals, relying on pointed warnings that Democrats and their liberal ideas would make the country worse. On Friday, asked whether he had a plan to address racism that has sent millions of Americans to the streets - some in view of the White House - he replied, "That's what my plan is: We're going to have the strongest economy in the world."

The president and his top political advisers met Thursday afternoon to discuss how Trump should make his case and how he could improve his standing among voters, a person familiar with the meeting said. Participants included senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, campaign manager Brad Parscale, his recently elevated deputy Bill Stepien and campaign pollsters. Trump was also presented with "tough" swing state polls from his political team in the Oval Office.

A larger group of aides then briefed Trump on their communications strategy - from how to sell the economic recovery to how to attack former vice president Joe Biden, according to people attending the meeting. Trump was described as in a good mood, forecasting that the economy would recover, people familiar with the larger RNC and campaign aides discussion said.

Some inside Trump's inner circle say the "Keep America Great" reelection brand and the "Sleepy Joe" nickname for Biden are not likely to be as prominent in the future. "When the president decides, there will be a new slogan and there will be new ads," said one Trump campaign adviser, who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway has used the slogan "Great American Comeback" to incorporate the recent economic setbacks and thinks there should be additional branding of Biden that focuses more squarely on what she said was his "decades-long lackluster establishment record," calling him "the Loch Ness monster of the Washington swamp."

"With the exception of 1972, when President Nixon had decisive advantages over his opponent, the country has preferred the presidential candidate who is more optimistic and forward looking," Conway said, adding that Trump fit that bill. "We must be sure that our messaging, our messenger and our delivery systems project the same Trump-branded 'joy on the job' hunger and swagger of 2016."

It is not just Trump's own polls that show the president behind Biden, both nationally and in key swing states, with erosion among key Trump demographics like older and evangelical voters. A Washington Post average of public state polls since the beginning of March shows Trump trailing Biden by seven points in Pennsylvania, four points in Wisconsin, six points in Michigan, three points in Florida and five in Arizona - all states Trump won in 2016.

The struggle to define Trump's reelection effort is a sharp departure from his first campaign for president, which was marked by biting branding that defined the election cycle. After a lifetime in business spent marking his brand with hotels, steaks and more, he dispatched opponents with nicknames that stuck, such as "Crooked Hillary" and "Lying Ted," while electrifying his crowds with unforgettable phrases such as "Build the Wall" and "Drain the Swamp."

As multiple crises have forced Trump to shift direction, Republicans have reacted with concern and Democrats have celebrated the relative incoherence in Trump's strategy.

"I don't know what their core message is right now, because they are falling victim to having to respond every day to the crisis of the moment," said a former White House official. "This is a big issue because if you go back to 2016, the main strength of the Trump campaign was a consistent message. It's paradoxical because Trump is always all over the place, but there was a core that he was communicating."

The "Keep America Great!" reelection slogan dates back to January 2017, after his election as president but before his inauguration, when he proposed it in an interview with The Washington Post and told his lawyers to trademark the phrase.

"I am so confident that we are going to be, it is going to be so amazing. It's the only reason I give it to you," he said at the time.

But even before the crises hit this year, he was hosting debates about slogans, both in public at campaign rallies and in private meetings at the White House. In July, during a meeting with campaign aides and political advisers, he expressed concern about switching from 2016's "Make America Great Again" to "Keep America Great."

"This better work, fellas," he told others in the room about the slogan switch, according to two people with knowledge of the exchange. "I'd be the only idiot in the world to give up a brand like that and then lose."

He also asked an aide to go into the Oval Office to get two hats. One said "Keep America Great" and one said "Keep America Great!" with an exclamation point. It was decided, people familiar with the meeting said, to not use the exclamation point on the hats, though the punctuation has remained on the campaign signage. One of the stated concerns was that former Florida governor Jeb Bush, a Trump antagonist, had used an exclamation point in his campaign logo in 2016.

"Everyone kind of agreed that Keep America Great is the way to go," said one of the people familiar with the conversation.

That was months before a viral pandemic, an economic collapse and a national outpouring of rage over policing practices reshaped the electoral battlefield and forced the campaign to reshuffle its stated strategy.

A planned advertising offensive against Biden, scheduled to begin in mid-April, was delayed by weeks to make way for positive television ads that defended Trump's handling of the coronavirus - an acknowledgment of the president's vulnerability.

Since then, the Trump campaign has largely been playing defense by committing its television budget to promoting the president and his pandemic response and beat back Democratic advertising that charges Trump's slow response made the pandemic worse.

Sixty-two percent of Trump's nearly $6 million in campaign television ad spending this year has gone to ads that were primarily positive pitches, mostly around his leadership during the pandemic, according to Advertising Analytics, an ad tracking firm. The other three spots, making up 38 percent of the spending, focused on Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, mostly for his past comments on China.

Though some of the positive spots include passing shots at Biden, other Democrats and the press, they are more notable for the variety of language they use. They include "Keep America Great" branding, but one of them also includes a voice-over of Trump saying "Make America Great Again." The most frequently aired spot calls Trump "a bull in a china shop," and uses a new set of tag lines, including "Mr. Nice Guy won't cut it" and "Donald Trump gets it done."

By contrast, Biden has stayed consistent since the start of the Democratic primaries with the central theme of his campaign: "Restoring the Soul of the Nation." His advisers have privately begun to make light of Trump's attempts label their candidate.

Biden's top political strategist, Mike Donilon, said Trump's inability to accomplish the planned shift from "Make America Great Again" to "Keep America Great" is a perilous sign for the Republican's campaign.

"He is scrambling. He has said something about 'transition to greatness,' which is an admission of failure," Donilon said. "There is no message from Donald Trump. What there is is a demolition derby."

Trump's campaign advisers are banking on an economic recovery in the coming months to erase this deficit and resolve any confusion about the campaign's message. The president was ebullient on Friday when the Labor Department announced a surprise gain of 2.5 million jobs in May, against predictions of giant losses.

"The president is extremely confident that the economy will rebound quickly and forcefully. It will make his original economic argument even stronger," Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said. "The Democrats view economic recovery as bad politics for them."

The campaign also has been working to soften the edges of Trump's more aggressive statements about the need to "dominate" the protesters causing chaos on the streets. Two days after police used force on Trump's behalf to clear a plaza outside the White House of peaceful protesters, the campaign posted a video called "Healing, Not Hatred" that coupled memorial images to George Floyd with words of sympathy Trump delivered last week after the launch of a U.S. space capsule.

The ad has been removed by Facebook, Instagram and Twitter after a complaint from the copyright holder of an image.

"We support the right of peaceful protesters and we hear their pleas," Trump says in the video, which uses outtakes from a speech he gave on May 30 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "The voices of law-abiding citizens must be heard, and heard very loudly." But on Friday he returned to encouraging dominance by law enforcement in the streets and retweeted a tweet casting doubt on Floyd's character.

In the president's online presentation, meanwhile, the past few destructive months appear not to have happened. Training materials for Trump volunteers promote the idea that "the president has created a strong, still growing economy," and a section of his website devoted to his accomplishments is filled with out-of-date economic statistics from before the pandemic, such as "1 million more job openings than unemployed people in the U.S." and "the unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest point in 50 years."

In some ways, Trump's campaign will be in uncharted territory, no matter the message, as he faces a summer filled with double-digit unemployment, protests and other societal factors beyond his control, allies say.

"It's an understatement that Trump hasn't been perfect. But there's a lot out there right now that is feeding into the discord," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said. "In 1968, the country was going through a lot of upheaval. These things happen in a democracy."
Desmond Nazareth is extremely fortunate that his passion for liquor matches his stubbornness about it. Nearly two decades ago, the former software entrepreneur and margarita lover returned from the United States and scoured the Deccan plateau for agave, which is native to Mexico and used in the production of, most famously, tequila.

His search for, and the discovery, in significant quantities, of the plant, gave rise, in 2011, to Agave India. The companys craft distillery, in Chittoor, in Andhra Pradesh, produces a 100 percent Agave Spirit and 51 percent Agave Spirit under the brand name DesmondJi. Its portfolio also includes orange and blue curacao liqueurs and a pure cane spirit that is made from locally grown sugar cane.

The rigours of setting up a distillery in India are well known and convincing the authorities about his ability to produce global spirits with Indian raw materials must have taken some doing. But even for a man used to traversing the labyrinthine corridors of various excise departments, the irony must have rankled when it came to producing mahua. Nazareth launched Desmondji Mahua in 2018, but two years down the line, sale of the beverage is still restricted to Goa and Karnataka.

Everything I have done in the last 20 years has led up to this breakthrough. Mahua is the worlds only spirit distilled from naturally sweet flowers; it is as Indian as it can get, and yet, the fight has been  and is  to see authorities to not perceive as country liquor, says Nazareth. By law, country liquor cannot be sold outside the state it is distilled in, and the Andhra Pradesh government took four long years to grant him permission to make mahua at his distillery.

The mahua tree (Madhuca Indica), which flowers between March and May, grows across a wide swathe of India, from Maharashtra to Odisha. The tree is integral to the life of many indigenous communities, including the Gonds of Madhya Pradesh and the Santhals in Jharkand. They both worship it and use its wood, seeds, and flowers in various ways, and the tree features in weddings and folk tales.

The spirit is made from dried mahua flowers, and for over five years from 2013, Nazareth has established a supply chain that delivers the flowers to his micro-distillery from Orissa and Jharkhand. I spent months travelling through the different states, spending time among the indigenous communities, earning their trust and appraising them of the levels of quality I was looking for. When a person invites you to his home and shares his mahua with you, it is a sign of their trust in you, says Nazareth.

In the pre-COVID world, the process of sourcing the dried flowers, fermenting them, and distilling and bottling the spirit took about three to four months. Today, he is preparing for much longer lead times.

This writer has had mahua only once near Mandu, in Madhya Pra-desh, back in the early 2000s, and remembers, most of all, its smoothness. The tribal people dilute mahua with water, but it can be drunk neat, too. Nazareth also recommends mixing it with tonic water, and adds that mahua shots are a great idea as well. Mahua has the lowest concentration of methanol among pot-distilled spirits, so it gives you a clean high. It is extremely versatile as well, and I see bartenders across the world taking to it.

According to Nazareth, Agave India, which is funded by a clutch of angel investors, sold 12,500 cases in the last financial year, with the agave spirits contributing to nearly 75 percent of that sales volume. 2020 was supposed to have been the year when DesmondJi Mahua would have taken wing. But faced with the obduracy of state governments, Nazareth is thinking of recalibrating his strategy and aiming entirely at the international market later this year.

I keep trying to get the authorities to understand that every international spirit began as a country spirit, says Nazareth. Who knows, its acceptance abroad might pave the way for mahua in its own country.

Murali K Menon works on content strategy at HaymarketSAC. Views expressed here are personal.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:31:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Charities and the Red Cross Society of China had received donations totaling about 38.93 billion yuan (around 5.49 billion U.S. dollars) and 990 million items of different materials for COVID-19 fight as of May 31, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

The white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" noted the broad public participation in virus control in China, saying that urban and rural residents, enterprises, and social organizations donated money and materials.

The allocation of donated funds and materials was focused on Wuhan and other severely affected areas inside Hubei Province and elsewhere, said the white paper.

Of the donations they received, 32.83 billion yuan and 940 million items have been disbursed, it added. Enditem
Seoul, June 7 : South Korean tech giant Samsung is reportedly planning to launch its Galaxy Note 20 series as well as Galaxy Fold 2 on August 5 via an online event due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Korean newspaper The Dong-A Ilbo, a Samsung Electronics staff member has confirmed that the company is planning to launch the much-awaited Galaxy Note 20 series alongside the Galaxy Fold 2 on August 5.

The report claims, "Internal discussions are taking place, but the plan to hold the Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5 is being reviewed favourably".

The smartphone maker is expected to confirm the launch date within the next few weeks.

Last year, it unveiled the Galaxy Note 10 series at an 'Unpacked' event held at the Barclays Center in New York on August 7.

Ahead of the launch, some specifications of the Galaxy Note 20 series surfaced online.

The standard Galaxy Note 20 will sport a 6.42-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1084*2345 resolution.

The top-end Note 20 smartphone will get slightly bigger and sport a massive 6.87-inch LTPO screen with an AMOLED panel.

Like the vanilla Note 20, the Note 20+ will also have support for 120Hz refresh rate but with QHD+ resolution of 1444*3096 pixels.

The smartphone maker may launch the Galaxy Note 20 with Snapdragon 865 processor or its custom Exynos 990 SoC, depending upon the region.

The processor could be paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, which Samsung had previously started mass-producing.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 will feature a 7.59-inch screen with 2213x1689 resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz.
I am not ready to sit in a theater. No reason to! Take your performances to the parks and use bleachers. Make something fun about the seating. Make a section of audience that is interactive with the performance. Design new spaces for performers where 6 to 10 feet of distance feels like part of the whole fun experience. But surely keep dancing and singing and playing. We need you! I need you. SUZANNE OROURKE

I am in the same cohort that many Broadway theater-goers are. I will be 65 this year and have co-morbid conditions. Getting on a plane from California has always been somewhat risky, but now it feels impossible. Going into a packed theater also feels impossible too. All of it breaks my heart. On the bright side, I think a lot more can be done in the virtual space. I watched Love Letters  I had never seen it and thought it was perfect for that presentation. BETH EAGLESON, San Clemente, Calif.

Im a subscriber at three theaters in Baltimore: Center Stage and Everyman, both small houses with a generally gray-haired clientele (though Center Stage has become more diverse), and the 2,000-plus seat touring company venue the Hippodrome. As a gray-hair myself, I cant imagine how Im going to comfortably attend the Hippodrome, with its claustrophobically tight seating and mob-scene lobby. I can more likely imagine the smaller theaters devising a safer, spaced-out seating arrangement. But with fewer ticket sales, how will they pay the bills? JANA KORMAN, Owings Mills, Md.

I think Id be OK with face masks. Longer intermissions (so the bathroom line could be spaced out). Maybe maxing out at 50 percent capacity (not even sure if that is financially viable, however). I honestly, though, would most likely want to see how things go in the fall  whether theres a re-emergence of the virus, or if it fades away. But if theaters open in the fall I would seriously be weighing the risks and deciding whether to go or not  and my feeling now is that I most likely would go. RACHEL DORRIAN, Neptune Beach, Fla.

Im a married 68-year-old woman with good health. Put me in a theater. Block off alternate rows and seats, distribute masks, Plexiglas the merch stands and bars, discontinue the beloved stage door appearances and put me in Row G! I will take a chance. BARBARA LARONDE, Walpole, Mass.

Assuming there is no second wave in the fall, I would come back with adjusted seating and masks worn by audience and staff members. I would also pay a reasonable surcharge to make up some of the lost revenue from lost seats. Prayers for you, New York! JULIE MOORE, Brownsburg, Ind.

I bought tickets last year to see Hugh Jackman in The Music Man, in September. I would wear my mask, not go to the bathroom and wash hands and do almost anything to be there if it could happen. Given the issues of putting on a production, I am getting a sinking feeling it wont. JOANN BERKSON, McLean, Va.
Conoce como se fabrican las camaras aisladoras, que reducen el riesgo de contagio del personal medico que atiende a pacientes con COVID-19 ??. Aqui la historia completa de #CiudadanosPeru: https://t.co/dyKYCpggL8 : ???? #CiudadanosAtuServicio pic.twitter.com/BGvPuUcERK
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department said a 63-year-old man died Friday night in a fire at the Summer Tree Apartments on Azalea Road.

The Fire-Rescue Department responded to the call about 9:35. Callers said they believed a person was trapped inside the building. Firefighters arrived to find flames and smoke visible in an upstairs apartment. More firefighters arrived after a second alarm. Firefighters suppressed the flames, entered the building and battled the fire throughout the building, the MFRD said in a news release.

Search and rescue teams found the victim in a bedroom. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Firefighters extinguished the flames within about 25 minutes. No firefighters were injured. The fire displaced families from seven apartment homes. The American Red Cross is helping.
Nita Pippins, who served as a maternal figure to AIDS patients after she lost her son to the disease, died at age 93 in New York City of the coronavirus.

The retired nurse was living in Pensacola, Florida, when she received a phone call in 1987 from her son Nick, her only child, letting his mother know he could no longer get out of bed and that "it's time."

Pippins initially kept her son's AIDS diagnosis a secret from family and friends, but after she got that phone call, she packed up her belongings and moved to New York City to care for him.

Nita Pippins in her apartment in New York on March 5, 1992. (Marilynn K. Yee / NYT via Redux file)

"She didnt come here to be an activist," Irwin Kroot, who met Pippins through her sons partner, Dennis Daniel, and interviewed her for a possible memoir told the New York Times.

Pippins didn't initially love city life. However, she met her son's friends, including those in the acting group he founded, People With AIDS Theater Workshop, and learned other people in their apartment building were also testing positive for the disease.

That experience changed her.

Nick Pippins was 35 years old when he died in 1990. His mother didn't head back to Florida. She decided to stay, and with a new sense of purpose, started her next chapter helping AIDS patients and their families. She often held the hands of young men as they took their final breaths.

"She was filling a void. She was usually with young men who were dying and was, at their request, a go-between for them and their families," Kroot told the New York Times.

When Pippins was asked for advice from someone who wanted to start an AIDS-related charity, she also offered her input about the importance of having an affordable place to stay for families, caretakers and out of town patients seeing treatment. That's when the Miracle House was born.

With several apartments scattered throughout New York City, the homes provide an affordable place for people to stay, making sure they're able to get the treatment they need and spend time with loved ones traveling to the city, just as Pippins was able to with her son.

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She also hosted a breakfast for residents and relished meeting everyone who stayed at The Miracle House.

"I really wanted to get the mothers together and let them know that my son died of AIDS and that it is very painful," she told NY1 in 2010. "At that time, you were shunned if your son died of AIDS or if you had AIDS in your family. You were shunned. I wanted to let them know there was other people having the same problem."

Pippins died on May 10  Mother's Day  in New York City.

Jesse Ramos, who said he was mentored by Pippins and chosen by her to become executive director of The Miracle House, paid tribute to her in a public Facebook post.

"I was fortunate to meet her when I did as I was lost in my grieving after having lost a circle of friends including my best friend to AIDS. She saw me clearly and knew me as the whole man that I could be. She taught me how to love without strings, on a tight rope, up high," he said. "Our love ran deep. Love is everything... For me it makes life everything it should be."
INDIANAPOLIS - Christel DeHaan, an Indiana businesswoman, philanthropist and founder of a non-profit helping low-income school children, has died, according to the organization. She was 77.

DeHaan died at home Saturday after a recent hospital stay, according to Christel House International.

She was a founder of Resort Condominiums International, an Indiana-based timeshare company. In 1998, she formed Christel House International, which now serves thousands of students and graduates in India, Jamaica, Mexico, South Africa and the United States.

Christels vision and compassion were unparalleled, Dennert Ware, who heads a committee at the organization, said in a statement. Her legacy will live on in the thousands of lives she uplifted.

DeHaan used her wealth to donate millions to Republican candidates and to the arts. The fine arts centre at the University of Indianapolis carries her name.

While Christel House schools have recently been praised for success, theres been controversy in the past. In 2013, the Associated Press found school officials overhauled a grading system to give one of the organizations schools a better score.

Condolences poured in over the weekend from numerous elected officials, including Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb who called DeHaan called her a world renown humanitarian whose legacy will live on for generations to come.
After some false starts, Dr. Kayse Shrum believes saliva testing is back on track to soon become a more robust and less unpleasant way of identifying COVID-19 infections in Oklahoma.

Shrum, state secretary of science and innovation, on Wednesday said stops and starts along the way have kept the saliva test from becoming validated by the FDA for widespread use in Oklahoma nearly six weeks after the state first announced it as a soon-to-be-ready option.

Specifically, Shrum said the state initially believed it would receive fast approval from the FDA because its process was so similar to Rutgers University, which pioneered the technology and had it validated. However, one aspect  the only difference between the two processes  was different, so the FDA required a more rigorous approval track with many more positive samples necessary rather than only a handful.

Shrum said the state now is moving toward FDA validation, with hopes of completing the process in a matter of weeks, not months. She said miscommunication slowed the effort at its outset.
A 40-year-old postman has died on the Isle of Wight after his Royal Mail van rolled down a steep bank.

The man died on Saturday morning on The Downs Road on the Isle of Wight.

Police were called at 7.38am after reports of a single vehicle collision.

A 40-year-old postman has died on the Isle of Wight after his Royal Mail van rolled down a steep bank (file photo)

The man from Southampton was killed on the Downs Road on the Isle of Wight (pictured) on Saturday morning

The man from Southampton died in the collision and officers said no other cars were involved.

Hampshire Police said: 'We are investigating following a fatal collision on the Isle of Wight this morning (Saturday June 6).

'The Royal Mail van had left the road and went down a steep embankment, just west of Newport Shute.

'The occupant, a man aged 40, from Southampton, died as a result.

'His next of kin have been informed and they are being supported by specialist officers.

'Officers are investigating the exact circumstances of the collision and would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision, or saw the vehicle driving in the area prior to it.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'We were deeply saddened to learn about this incident. Our thoughts are with our colleague's family and friends at this difficult time. We are currently helping police with their investigations'

'In addition, if you have dash cam footage of the vehicle and/or the collision please call us.'

The Downs Road was closed for more than eight hours following the police callout as officers investigated.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'We were deeply saddened to learn about this incident.

'Our thoughts are with our colleague's family and friends at this difficult time. We are currently helping police with their investigations.'

They are now appealing for more information or anyone who may have dashcam footage of the incident to contact them on 101 and quite the incident number 159 with the date June 6.
London: Negotiations over a new free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and European Union are at risk of collapse in a fresh risk to an economy already badly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Officials from both sides ended a fourth round of talks on Friday no closer to a consensus on how their future relationship should work following the UK's formal departure from the EU.

"I don't think we can go on like this forever," the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said from Brussels. "These negotiations will need extra political momentum."

The UK formally left the EU on January 31 but existing trading terms remain in place during a so-called 12-month 'transition period' that expires on December 31. Both sides are scrambling to thrash out a free trade deal to come into force once the transition period ends.
New Delhi (India), June 6 (ANI) The meeting between military commanders of India and China to discuss and resolve the stand-off in Eastern Ladakh has concluded, sources said.



They said Indian delegation is on its way back to Leh after holding talks in Moldo on the Chinese side of LAC.

"Talks between military commanders of India and China in Moldo on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control are over. The Indian delegation led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh is returning to Leh," a source said.

The delegation will brief the top Army brass including Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen YK Joshi about the talks.

The Directorate General of Military Operations at Army Headquarters here will also brief the Ministry of External Affairs and other concerned government officials about the discussions.

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 between the two countries over the heavy military build-up by the PLA along the LAC there.

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.

India and China have been locked in a dispute over the heavy military build-up by PLA where they have brought in more than 5,000 troops along 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. (ANI)
White plastic chairs are sprayed down with sanitiser and a smartly dressed cleaner says a prayer while dusting before a first service in her church in more than nine weeks. President Cyril Ramaphosa gave places of worship across South Africa the greenlight to reopen from June 1 provided they could satisfy appropriate COVID-19 self-regulation measures. But few have done so to date, with many worshippers hesitant to return for fear of catching the coronavirus. "Our first service was today... we didn't have as many of our congregation members as usual," Pastor Sylvain Malindhva of Peniel ministries told AFP. "The fear is there... a lot of people are still hesitating to come to the churches." In Johannesburg's crowded business district, some small evangelical churches have opened up for services under strict government regulations including the wearing of masks and social distancing. "God gave us also wisdom and intelligence. We can't just say because we are praying we are not going to observe those preventative measures," Malindhva said. But many religious locals are opting to stay away. - Strange space - "I am praying at home, God hears me just fine when I pray at home with my family," 57-year-old vegetable seller Gloria Msibi told AFP. "I love church but it is so dangerous to be in a closed space with so many people." Since recording its first virus case on March 5, Africa's most modern nation has reported nearly 46,000 infections and 952 deaths, registering at least 1,000 new infections daily in recent days. On Friday many South African mosques hosted their first prayers in more than two months. "We usually stand shoulder to shoulder. Right now we have to give space which is kind of strange," IT technician Tunde Oladeji told AFP after prayers at a Turkish mosque in Midrand, north of Johannesburg. "It is still better to be here than to be at home because praying in a mosque is really special." A fellow congregant described the prayer session as both "emotionally and spiritually challenging." "It is something different and so we have to adapt, and adapting is a challenge for some people. So it will take time, but hopefully ? we will get through this together." - 'Not yet time' - Lockdown forced tech savvy South Africans to seek out online worship, challenging the ordinary and mundane nature of many religious services. "I've been streaming different sermons online... at first it was weird but now I am used to it," said 22-year old Ntokozo Zulu, a devoted Christian living with her elderly mother. "It's a way to make sure that I still keep in touch with God," she said adding that for some people religion was a lifeline. "I can bet people needed that close relationship with God during this tough coronavirus lockdown." But the reopening of places of worship has sparked controversy with religious leaders themselves perplexed on how to resume safely. In a letter to parishioners, clergy and bishops of the Anglican church, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said there was a consensus that "it is not yet time to resume worship". He said preliminary reports had shown many dioceses and parishes had raised concerns including the return of pensioners and clergy over 60-years old, what to do if more than 50 congregants arrive and how to respond if congregants begin singing or mingling spontaneously. Calling for further engagement with the South African Council of Churches and the state, the archbishop said it would take time to gather the data needed before a decision to resume Anglican services can be made. Even the Zion Christian Church, South Africa's largest operating church, has opted not to resume services despite the easing of restrictions. Worshippers wearing facemasks attended Friday prayers at Johannesburg's Nizamiye Mosque after the government said religious services could resume from June 1 Though some evangelical churches have resumed services, the Anglican church has not with some believers -- such as these praying in a Johannesburg park -- fearing it is too early to be in a closed, crowded space A man carrying a disposable prayer mat has his temperature checked outside the Nizamiye Mosque but many religious leaders say they need more guidance on how to resume worship safely
The case where Sternenko is about to be probed as a suspect in the killing of one of the attackers he says were trying to murder him highlights the issue of self-defense boundaries in Ukraine.

Odesa-based activist Serhiy Sternenko says the SBU security service of Ukraine is ready to press homicide charges against him over the death of Ivan Kuznetsov, a person identified as one of the attackers who assaulted him in 2018.

Sternenko earlier claimed he stabbed the man with the knife he managed to grab from the attackers who initially used it against him.

The assault was the third one over the course of the same year, all of which Sternenko claimed were attempts on his life.

At the same time, as earlier reported by Ukrainian media, the attack on Sternenko, which turned out to be fatal for one of the two perpetrators, was qualified as "hooliganism, committed with the use of weapons or another item adjusted for inflicting bodily injuries".

Read alsoUkraine's SBU completes probe into fatal acid attack on Kherson activist Handziuk

The high-profile case has sparked public debate in Ukraine on whether Sternenko's actions were justified and whether the attacks on the anti-corruption activist were being properly investigated as well.

The SBU has summoned Sternenko for Tuesday to hand him a suspicion notice, the activist wrote on Facebook, adding that he does not intend to follow the order as the Criminal Procedural Code gives at least three days to potential suspects from the date they are notified to get prepared and receive legal advice.

He said he is ready to report to the SBU at any other date to properly realize his right to legal defense.

Sternenko has called on his Facebook followers to promote in Ukraine citizens' rights to self-defense, also claiming his case has been politicized and pushed forward by the interior minister and prosecutor general and stressing that law enforcers have so far failed to figure out who orchestrated the attempts on his life.
A 17-year-old teenager has died and another pedestrian was injured after they were struck by a driver in North York in an overnight hit-and-run.

Police received calls for a collision at 12:15 a.m. Sunday at Keele Street and Calvington Drive, north of Wilson Avenue.

Police found two females, including a 17-year-old with serious head trauma who died at the scene.

A 19-year-old woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The pedestrians were walking north on Keele, and were waiting for the traffic signal to turn green at the intersection, police said.

When the light changed, the driver of a black SUV waited in the intersection for a southbound vehicle to pass, before making a left turn and striking the two pedestrians as they were midway through the crosswalk, police said.

Police are looking for the SUV driver who fled the scene. The driver was last seen in the car travelling west on Calvington.

Police originally said the vehicle was a black GMC SUV, but have since retracted that report. At this time, make cannot be verified, police tweeted.

Traffic Services have taken over the investigation and advise anyone with information to call 416-808-2222.

Including the most recent victim, eight pedestrians have been killed on Toronto roads this year. They are:

A 65-year-old man died on Jan. 4 after being struck by the driver of a vehicle near Jarvis Street and Gerrard Street East in a hit-and-run.

A 26-year-old woman was struck and killed by the driver of a tractor-trailer near Dufferin Street and Steeles Avenue West in North York on Jan. 21. The driver didnt stay at the scene but was located later in the day. The block is frequented by drivers of heavy trucks which bring goods back and forth to warehouses and manufacturing companies.

A 76-year-old man died on Jan. 28 after being struck by the driver near Dundas Street West and Scarlett Road.

A 63-year-old man died on Jan. 29 after being struck by a driver near Lawrence Avenue East and the Donway West. The pedestrian was crossing Lawrence, between The Donway West and Don Mills Road, when a 29-year-old man driving west in a BMW struck him, police said.

A 79-year-old woman died on Feb. 24 after being struck by a driver in the area of Victoria Park and Old Sheppard avenues.

A two-year-old boy died on March 24 after being hit by a 25-year-old driver reversing his car near Scarlett Road and Eglinton Avenue West in Etobicoke. The man was waiting to pick someone up in front of an apartment building on Saxony Crescent, when he backed up and hit the child just as the toddler and his mother got out of the building.

A woman was struck and killed by a City of Toronto truck driver at Lawrence Avenue East and Fern Meadows Road, near Morningside Avenue, at around 10 a.m. May 13. She died at the scene.

According to statistics compiled by the Star using police and media reports, 42 pedestrians were killed on Toronto streets in 2019.

That is tied for the highest total since 2002, when 50 pedestrians were killed.

The Star began keeping its own count of traffic deaths in 2017 to fill gaps in police numbers, which dont include fatalities that occur on private property or provincially owned 400 series highways.

In June 2019, Mayor John Tory announced Vision Zero 2.0, a revamp of a three-year-old plan that has so far failed to reduce the citys rate of traffic deaths. The plan calls for lower speed limits, which Tory said he wants implemented quickly, with stickers over existing signs if need be.

The plan also calls for the implementation of short-term design changes using paint, bollards and other features, rather than waiting for crumbling streets to be routinely rebuilt with the citys complete streets system that includes pedestrian safety concerns.

With files from David Venn

Margaryta Ignatenko is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @MargarytaIgnat1
The chart pattern suggests that if Nifty crosses and sustains above 10,200 levels, it would witness buying which would lead the index towards 10,400-10,500 levels, Rajesh Palviya, Head - Technical and Derivative Research, Axis Securities, said in an interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand.

Here are the edited excerpts from the interview:

Q. The Nifty50 rose by about 6 percent for the week that ended on June 5. But, consistent selling pressure below 10,200 will cap the upside. How would you sum up last week's action?

A. The Nifty50 started the week with an upward gap and a buying momentum for most parts of the week led it to a close in positive territory. The Nifty50 closed at 10,142 with a gain of 562 points on a weekly basis.

The index continued its positive momentum for the second consecutive week. Global markets also remained strong. The gradual reopening of economies worldwide after easing lockdown measures continued to boost investors' confidence.

On the weekly chart, the index has formed a long bullish candle forming a higher high-low compared to the previous week and has also closed above previous week's high  indicating strength ahead.

The index continued to move in a Higher Top and Higher Bottom formation on the daily chart which indicates a sustained uptrend.

Q. What are the important levels to watch in the coming week? Do you think a breakout above 10,200 is possible?

A. The Nifty50 is set to give a breakout above 10,200 in the coming week. The market has witnessed a broad-based buying action seen across all the sectors.

The market witnessed high delivery volumes and the turnover resulted in a positive market breadth which indicates participants are confident towards bullish move in the coming week.

During the last week, the Nifty managed to hold 10,000 levels on a closing basis. The index has witnessed aggressive PE writing on 9,900, 10000 strikes price which indicates base is shifting higher while CE writers unwinding their positions and shifted to a higher strike price 10,400-10,500.

The chart pattern suggests that if Nifty crosses and sustains above 10,200 levels, it would witness buying which would lead the index towards 10,400-10,500 levels.

However, if the index breaks below 10,000 levels, it would witness profit booking which would take the index towards 9,800-9,600 levels.

Q. Any important factors that investors should watch out for in the coming week, that are likely to chart market direction?

A. All global markets have shown recovery of around 30-40 percent, after a sharp fall seen in the month of March. Major central banks and the governments have taken the steps to revive the economy and has announced big stimulus packages to support the economic activity.

The Indian market has shown the flow of liquidity from FII and DII front, FIIs turned net buyer in the last few days. Reliance Industries (RIL)'s right issue showed an overwhelming response by the investor and garnered approximately Rs 80,000 crore which shows confidence is coming back to the street.

The government has announced certain measures for easing the nationwide lockdown from June 8, and if there is no incremental negative news from now on, then the market will see some stability.

If Nifty continues to trade above 10,100 we will see another rally in the coming week towards 10,400-10,600.

Q. What is your call on the NiftyBank? What we are seeing is hot and cold moment for rate sensitive stocks? What is causing volatility in the banking and NBFC space?

A. Bank Nifty started the week with an upward gap and a buying momentum for the most part of the week. Bank Nifty closed at 21,035 with a gain of 1,737 points on a weekly basis.

On the weekly chart, the index has formed a long bullish candle. It formed a higher high, and higher low compared to the previous week and has closed above the previous week's high which indicates a positive bias.

On the daily chart, W-Pattern is in the making and a close above the 21,550 will confirm the same. The index continued to move in a Higher Top and Higher Bottom formation on the daily chart which indicates a positive bias.

The chart pattern suggests that if Bank Nifty crosses and sustains above 21,400 levels, it would witness buying which would lead the index towards 22,000-22,500 levels.

However, if the index breaks below 20,300 levels, it would witness selling which would take the index towards 20,000-19,500. The Bank Nifty is now well placed above its 20 SMA indicating a positive bias in the short term.

Bank Nifty continues to remain in an uptrend in the medium term, so buying on dips continues to be our preferred strategy. For the week, we expect Bank Nifty to trade in the range of 22,500-19,500 with a positive bias.

The extension of moratorium by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) poses challenges across the sector. Nonetheless, there is a case to gradually increase portfolio weight in the forthcoming months accumulating high-quality private banks.

The BFSI sector now actually offers good contra plays across the sector as there are high-quality companies with solid liquidity ratios available at cheap valuations.

Q. There was plenty of action in the small & midcap space  what is driving the optimism in the broader markets?

A. Our domestic markets are largely mirroring global counterparts. Midcap and smallcap stocks generally performance in healthy market conditions and since the last few weeks, we are in a positive trend, and the market has witnessed broad-based buying action in quality midcap and small caps.

We expect the smallcap and midcap stocks to perform batter and we could well see another 3-5 percent upside in the Midcap and smallcap space.

Investors can add quality midcaps and small-cap can in their portfolio for decent returns in the near/short term. However, any negative development on the global front might derail the momentum.

Q. Which sectors are looking strong and which are looking weak based on technicals?

A. Technically, Pharma, Telecom, IT and Banking sectors are looking strong.

Q. Three trading ideas for the coming week with a time horizon of three-four weeks?

A. Here is a list of top three trading ideas which could give 10-19 percent returns in the next three-four weeks:

1. L&T Finance Holdings Ltd: Buy in range 62-60 | LTP: Rs 62 | Stop Loss: Rs 56 | Target: Rs 70-74 | Upside 19%
Beijing, June 7 : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has patented a foldable smartphone that looks similar to Huawei Mate Xs.

Xiaomi apparently filed for the patent in late 2019, and it has now been published by China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), reports LetsGoDigital.

Looking at the patent images, the smartphone will feature a flexible display and fold outward, with a noticeable bezel on the right corner when completely unfolded.

When opened, it seemingly transforms into a tablet, while in its folded state, it resembles a standard smartphone.

The display in the patent is edge-to-edge and sits flat while a bulging strip on the inhabits the right when folded.

The panel houses multiple sensors, mostly cameras. Power button along with volume rockers can be spotted on the right side.

On the bottom, there are speaker grills, SIM card slot, a microphone and a charging USB-C on the bottom.

Earlier, Xiaomi filed a patent for a foldable smartphone with quad-camera system that rotates forward for selfies and back for regular photos.

The smartphone maker has filed the design patent for an inward bending phone in China and has also put 48 images to showcase the handset.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





New Jersey : A Haitian-American Appointed to Supreme Court

Friday, June 5 Phil Murphy, the Governor of the State of New Jersey announced that the Haitian-American, Fabiana Pierre-Louis (former federal prosecutor at the State Supreme Court) has been officially appointed to the Supreme Court of New Jersey (USA). After her confirmation by the Senate she will become the first black woman to sit in the highest court of justice in this state.



Covid-19 : Only 2 laboratories process the tests

In Haiti there are currently only two state-run laboratories authorized to process Covid-19 tests. Haiti, according to our sources, has carried out just under 7,000 tests since the start of the epidemic. "With the large demand for laboratories for testing and longer wait times for results, the issue of testing is becoming an increasingly significant challenge in controlling the spread of the disease and providing adequate and timely care opportune to those who are positive," emphasizes MSF. Note that our Dominican neighbors are approaching 100,000 tests. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30966-haiti-covid-19-medecin-sans-frontiere-sounds-the-alarm.html



26th Edition of "Livres en Folie" (online)

The 26th edition of the largest annual literary fair, "Livres en Folie" will be held this year from June 8 to 14 online on the website www.livresenfolie.com, due to the health emergency linked to the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.



More than 146,000 recipients of State aid

In the space of a week, the Haitian State provided financial assistance of 3,000 Gourdes to an additional 23,107 people. To date, a total of 146,150 needy citizens have already benefited from this grant since April 30, 2020, the date of the start of operations. 1.5 million citizens in difficult circumstances should benefit from this financial support from the Government according to the promises of President Moise.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30913-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30829-haiti-social-75-608-people-out-of-15-million-intended-beneficiaries-have-already-received-financial-aid-from-the-state.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30670-haiti-politic-the-government-has-already-sent-3-000-gourdes-of-subsidies-to-22-888-families.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30405-haiti-covid-19-moise-promises-food-to-1-million-families-and-cash-to-15-million-others.html



New Director at the head of the CAS

Friday Willens Alexis the Director of Human Resources of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has installed Frantz Iderice as new Director of the Social Assistance Fund (CAS).



Multiplication of public handwashing points

In partnership with UNICEF Haiti and the National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), 12 hand washing points are already operational in several municipalities in the North East and North. The washing points are installed in public spaces such as markets, squares and bus / tap-tap / motorcycle stations.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















(Shot before lockdown) Styling: Sophie Dearden. Styling assistants: Joanne Toolan, Stephanie Sofokleous. Production and direction: Ester Malloy. Make-up: Camilla Hewitt at One represents. Hair: Louis Byrne at Estella Thomas. Lorraine wears shirt, Matthew Adams Dolan. Earrings, Monica Vinader. Bracelet, Deborah Blythe

With her daughter Rosie stuck in Singapore when the pandemic struck, Lorraine Kelly spent a nerve-jangling and very emotional few weeks wondering when she would see her again. They tell Julia Llewellyn Smith how it felt to be reunited

When Lorraine Kelly finally threw her arms around her 25-year-old daughter Rosie, after five tense months apart, it was all she could do to keep the tears in check. Wed been in touch, wed been doing Zoom calls, but theres nothing like being able to give your child a cuddle, Lorraine says. Every mother will know what Im saying  theres just nothing like the smell of your childs hair. Rosie always smells so good. Im trying not to be too teary, because I dont want to embarrass her, but being able to hold her after all that time was just fantastic.

A Lockdown selfie: Lorraine and Rosie are enjoying spending more time Together

Lorraine, 60, had last seen Rosie, her and cameraman husband Steve Smiths only child, at Christmas when she visited them in their Buckinghamshire home from Singapore. At the time, they had no idea of the extraordinary and tragic events about to engulf the world that would make them desperate to be reunited.

As news of coronavirus worsened daily, Lorraine became increasingly anxious about Rosie. Talking to her I always felt very reassured, because the Singapore authorities were on it right away, way before us, taking temperatures, doing tests where needed, she says. So logically, I knew she was probably in the safest part of the world from the virus, after Antarctica or the International Space Station. But at the same time, when youre living through such scary times, you want your child with you.

In early April, with both the UK and Singapore in lockdown, Lorraine had an emotional call with Rosie live on her morning show. Its good to talk to you, baby, its so good to see your wee face, she sobbed.

Unknown to viewers, before the crisis hit Lorraine had been looking forward to seeing her daughter regularly, with Rosie already having decided that 2020 was the year shed return to the UK. As the pandemic intensified, she decided to quit her job sooner than planned.

My plan had been to go to Bali first, Rosie tells me on the phone. But Singapore stopped all travel. I could have stayed there longer but the restrictions were mental. You couldnt do anything without a mask on, even put out your rubbish. It was 38 degrees and the humidity is nuts, so it wasnt worth going out at all. I decided that rather than sit in my flat I might as well go home a lot earlier.

But, one after another, the London-bound flights she booked were cancelled. Eventually, Rosie found one, but was told shed only know 24 hours in advance if it was leaving or not. It was a weird one because I had to get all my furniture out of my flat, but if the flight was cancelled Id have ended up back there sleeping on the floor. Happily, the flight took off from a deserted Changi Airport with only 16 passengers on the huge plane.

That flight was the thing I was most worried about, Lorraine says. I didnt realise thered be so few passengers  but it only takes one sick one, doesnt it? Dr Hilary [Jones, the resident doctor on ITVs Good Morning Britain] was really reassuring. He said, Shes young, shes fit, shes resilient. So although [coronavirus] could happen to anyone, the chances were shed be fine. Rosie was very relaxed and Steve has always been great at calming me down and saying, Come on, itll be all right.

Rosie wasnt frightened about flying but, on arriving at Londons Heathrow Airport, was shocked to find no health checks on passengers. Everything seemed like normal, she says incredulously. Obviously, there were fewer people in the passport queue and my flight was the only one at the belt for baggage. But I expected a temperature check, or staff wearing masks, or enforced social distancing in the queues  just something. Coming from a place where everything was so restricted, it was completely bizarre. I thought, OK, Im starting to see why Britains not doing very well.

Lorraine and Rosie model mother and daughter fashion on her show in 2018

Although her parents invited her to stay with them in Buckinghamshire, Rosie decided to quarantine herself in their Central London flat, formerly used by Lorraine on weekdays when the family lived in Scotland. They said, Just come home and stay in your room for two weeks, but I thought being in the same house as them and not being able to give them a cuddle would be too weird. So I was adamant  though it was really horrible telling your mum and dad you dont want to see them.

Rosie was happy to be holed up in the flat for two weeks, as she says she is used to having her own space, but was overjoyed to return home. Being able to finally hug Mum was lovely but a bit surreal. Now, having been home for nearly four weeks, daughter and mother have been doing an online yoga class together every morning. I thought yoga was just lying down and breathing, but its not. Its really hard! Lorraine yelps. Often the pair also complete a hard-core Barrys Bootcamp workout online. Thats quite funny because neither of us can do it very well, Rosie laughs.

A keen cook, Rosies also been trying to teach her mother her skills, but with little success. Lorraine says, Shes cooking and Im looking; Im just not very good. Rosies really raised the bar. There are no more trays on your knee watching the telly. Its all proper, three-course meals at the table now. And together the pair watch Rosies favourite TV series, Game of Thrones, which Lorraine had never seen.

Every night we sit down to at least two episodes and Im totally obsessed, Lorraine says. I drive her mad because I keep saying, Just give me a clue  is there any point in me liking this person or are they about to have their head cut off? Rosies like, Im not telling, just be quiet and watch! Then in the next episode well never see them again.

Lorraine is treasuring this unexpected togetherness. When your kids have flown the nest, they dont usually come back, except for big occasions. But now we can really get to know each other properly. Rosie will go again eventually but we have this time and its really precious. Rosie adds, Maybe in a couple more weeks Ill be like, Oh God, get me out of here! But were doing all right.

An emotional video call on air when Rosie was Isolated in Singapore in April

However, Lorraine is still agonising about her elderly parents in Scotland. Her father suffers from diabetes along with heart and lung conditions, so is in the high-risk category for the virus. Dads been watching telly and reading books trying to keep his spirits up. I phone

them all the time and they say, Were great, absolutely fine. But theyre that generation that just doesnt want to worry you. I desperately want to see them and make sure they really are fine, but for now I cant. Its very difficult.

Like all of us at this time, Lorraine has endured a rollercoaster of emotions. Gosh, Ive had moments when Im completely overwhelmed by it all, she says. At the start, especially, Id wake up, look at the headlines and feel that horrible anxiety like a tight band around your chest.

To help, shes using strategies learned when she struggled with the menopause, such as chatting regularly with friends and daily outings with her beloved border terrier Angus (Angus is the better child  they love him more than me. I cant compete, Rosie jokes.)

On walks, we tend to see the same people and its weird  weve never been further apart but at the same time were so much closer. Before wed have just nodded in that very British way. Now people say hello and chat, Lorraine says. By the same token, she has enjoyed getting to know her neighbours better. We can only wave to them from far away, but weve got a WhatsApp group and everybody helps each other out. Last week one neighbour said, Im going to the chippy, and he came back with millions of chips for everyone.

Rosie and Lorraine at ITV Studios, April 2018

The main thing that has helped Lorraine stay strong is work. She cancelled all holidays to host the show every day  and has seen a 54 per cent audience rise since lockdown. Its really important to have some sort of structure, so Im glad Ive had work to go to; its been keeping me sane, she says. Viewers contact

her daily to say how reassuring her presence is. They say, I switch on and there you are and I feel better  and that makes me feel a hell of a lot better as well.

Work, of course, is very different now with ITVs normally bustling studios deserted. Lack of staff means Lorraine is now using the Good Morning Britain studio where Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid host their show. I sit in Pierss chair, but first its fully hosed down and sterilised!

With no hairdressers or make-up artists allowed, Lorraine been glamming herself. Its been a wee learning curve but Helen, who normally does my make-up, has been giving me masterclasses, talking me through everything. I tend just to do my hair on Mondays, then use tons of hairspray as the week goes on to keep it in place. Lorraine had been fortunate enough to have her hair coloured just before lockdown, so Ive been quite lucky; its only in the past week that the grey patches have started to come.

Her stylist has been helping her choose clothes online. God bless M&S and Zara  theyve been lifesavers. And Ive been wearing a lot of things from last year, things that dont need ironing that I can just shove in the washing machine and bring back out.

With COVID-19 dominating the agenda, shes recently interviewed several politicians including Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who Lorraine thinks has steered her native country through the crisis incredibly well. Generally, though, Lorraine is unimpressed by our leadership. Theyve not covered themselves in glory. I know theyre all trying to do their best. Nobody is getting up and saying, How can I screw this up today? But the lack of clarity has made people more anxious. You need a message and you need it to be very clear. We deserve better.

Hugs with favourite child Angus

Interestingly, Lorraine continues, a lot of the countries that are performing the best are led by women  the prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has played a blinder, the leader of Taiwan, the Scandinavian countries  apart from Sweden and their leaders a chap.

Lorraine has loved interviewing so many key workers. These are the people who are really important  the fantastic woman looking after old people or that brilliant guy coming off a shift with PPE on and covered in bruises because its so uncomfortable. Its been so heartening to give those people their place. Priorities have changed towards the people who really matter. Kim Kardashian and that clan seem irrelevant now. Theyve gone from being fascinating  not to me, but to a lot of people  to meh.

By that token, Lorraine says, Im not missing putting on posh frocks for glitzy dos. I miss my pals at my exercise class, going for a cup of tea with a friend, those normal things we all took for granted. But we will get through this. We may come out in a different place that we have to adjust to, but well come out stronger.
Pakistani troops on Saturday violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Indian troops guarding the borders retaliated befittingly to silence the Pakistani guns and there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, the officials said.

At about 8 pm, a defence spokesperson said Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors in Poonch district.

Indian army retaliated and the cross-border shelling was continuing when last reports were received, he said.

Earlier, Pakistani rangers resorted to firing from across the border in Karol Matrai and Chandwa along the IB in Kathua district started around 12.45 am, drawing effective retaliation by the Border Security Force (BSF), the officials said.

They said the exchange of firing between the two sides continued till 3 am.

The Pakistani firing caused panic among the border residents who were forced to spend the night in the underground bunkers for their safety, the officials said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:34:08|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh recorded 42 new COVID-19 fatalities Sunday, the highest increase in a single day since the pandemic began in the country on March 8.

Nasima Sultana, a senior health ministry official, told an online media briefing in Dhaka, "42 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed in a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country since March 18 to 888."

According to the official, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 65,769 with the daily rise of 2,743 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.

According to the official, 13,136 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs across Bangladesh.

During the past 24 hours, 578 more patients were released from hospitals and clinics, taking the number of recovered patients in the country to 13,903, said the official. Enditem
Writer-director and actor Ayushmann Khurranas wife Tahira Kashyap, who battled breast cancer, has penned a powerful poem titled Scars. On National Cancer Survivors Day, she posted an audio clip of herself narrating the poem on her Instagram account.

A small something I have written.... #nationalcancersurvivorsday, Tahira wrote in her caption. In her poem, she says that scars are a reminder of the past and moments of suffering that you thought would forever last, but they are also so much more. But hear me, theres more to this scar, It talks also about the fight, the resilience and your invincible power. My love and respect to those who fought, The treacherous battlefield that few crossed while some got lost, she wrote.

Tahira encourages cancer survivors to proudly show off their scars, which are a testament to the indomitable spirit that cant be crushed by any fright. She writes, Hide not your scars my love, Show them, flaunt them, just like your bright smile, soothing to others eyes, And when you do that time and again giving people nowhere to run and hide, they will have to fall in love with your badge of honour, your prize.

In the final lines of her poem, Tahira urges survivors to love themselves and all their dust, scar and grime. For thats what make you, YOU, Faulty, imperfect, blemished but all true!, she concludes.

Also read | Ekta Kapoor on getting rape threats for controversial scene in web series: It means sex is bad but rape is okay

Tahira was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and underwent a mastectomy. On an audio show My Ex-Breast, Ayushmann said that he was inspired by her strength throughout her battle with cancer and called her his victorious queen.

Even though we were together in this fight, I was always so inspired by you and I saw that youve become even stronger than me and this transformation was a miracle and came at the right time and it gave you the strength to face everything head on, and now youre my victorious queen, standing in front of me, he said.

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(Natural News) The city of Harbin in northeastern China has experienced a renewed outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past months. However, local authorities have remained silent, despite continued reports of cases and deaths coming out of the city.

After a brief period in April, when most regions of China reported little to no new coronavirus infections, a second wave of outbreaks broke out in several Chinese provinces. One of these was the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, where Harbin is the capital.

Local authorities, however, have tried to hide the impact of the new outbreak on the province. Officially, the last COVID-19 death in the province happened way back on February 27. Since then, the provinces official death toll has remained the same, at 13 people. (Related: New coronavirus hotspots identified in China, but official records say otherwise  is this another cover up?.)

However, people who actually live there have said otherwise.

Harbin coronavirus patients confirm outbreak is spreading in hospitals

If Harbin authorities are to be believed, the last COVID-19 patient in the city was discharged from the hospital where he was being treated on May 16.

Locals, however, paint a different story. Talking to The Epoch Times, a number of patients at the Harbin No. 2 Hospital stated that they knew of some people in the hospital who had died COVID-19 on top of a larger number of patients currently being isolated because of it.

Zhang Ling, Li Ping and Zhou Yang all contracted the coronavirus after having visited the hospital in early April. They said that they were healthy when they visited the hospital and that they caught the virus while taking care of their spouses who were being treated for non-virus-related illnesses.

The four had apparently contracted the virus from an 87-year old COVID-19 patient who was staying at the hospitals 17th floor. The spouses of the four were also on that floor. Three of them were eventually diagnosed with COVID-19 and two eventually died from the disease.

Patients catching COVID-19 after visiting the hospital for non-coronavirus related illnesses

Li Pings husband was one of the patients who died. The latter had been confined at the No. 2 Hospital for a non-virus related illness since March 29 when he suddenly lost consciousness and died on April 8. During that time, the hospital staff did not tell Li about the risks of contracting the virus in the hospital. They only told her April 16, when Li herself was already confined at the hospital for COVID-19.

Though the hospital never tested Lis husband, she now believes that he died of COVID-19 as well. Meanwhile, Lis sister and daughter-in-law have since been diagnosed with COVID-19, with their infections traced to her.

Zhang Ling and her husband caught the disease under similar circumstances to Li. Zhangs husband was originally confined due to a tumor but had responded well to treatment and was told by doctors on April 9 that he could be discharged in two days. However, on the evening of April 10, he developed a fever. The next day, Zhang noticed that the hospital staff on the 17th floor had suddenly been changed.

On the morning of April 11, all doctors and nurses were changed up. The newly arrived medical staff all wore protective suits. The previous ones didnt wear them, Zhang said.

We [were] very anxious, but the doctors said they have no solutions, Zhang added. They didnt give us any medicine, and are hoping our bodies recover by ourselves.

Zhou Yang, whose wife had been receiving treatment for dementia at the No. 2 Hospital also noticed the change in staff, saying that they were in a panic during that time.

On April 11, the hospital started conducting nucleic acid tests. Zhang, Zhou and their spouses all tested positive for the coronavirus.

According to Zhang, 30 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in the No. 2 Hospital, while five had died. Of the surviving patients, 20 had originally tested negative in nucleic acid tests, but later tested positive in antibody tests.

While Zhang and her husband are confined at the No. 2 Hospital, Zhou and his wife were transferred to the Harbin Infection Hospital.

Authorities are downplaying the outbreak all over China

Harbin isnt the only city in northeastern China that has tried to cover up its coronavirus outbreak. In Jilin, the capital of the neighboring province of the same name, authorities also underreported the number of coronavirus cases in the city. In addition, they have tried to cover up the fact that a number of medical staff had been infected with the coronavirus.

Northeastern China isnt the only region where these coronavirus cover-ups have happened. Evidence shows that Chinese authorities have tried their best to downplay outbreaks in other regions as well.

This underreporting has cast doubt on Chinas officially reported coronavirus numbers. Official data claims that the country only has around 84,000 coronavirus cases. However, reports indicate that the actual number may be much higher.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

TheEpochTimes.com 2

DailyMail.co.uk
The second season of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted will premiere tonight, June 7, at 10 p.m. ET on National Geographic. You can also watch it on Disney+ or Hulu + Live.

Ramsay is an internationally renowned, Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur and television star. Hell be upping the stakes from season one of Uncharted as he travels to seven destinations across the world this season, including South Africa, Norway, Tasmania, Indonesia, India, Guyana and Louisiana in this second season. In each of those locations, hell learn the local flavor from an acclaimed chef, where hell then be put to the test to learn all about their cuisine.

While learning to cook up local dishes, Ramsay faces action-packed challenges, like fishing for black piranhas by traveling deep into the tropical rainforest of Guyana to the Rewa River. All of the episodes are deeply focused on transportation throughout the locale, ingredient gathering, and getting to understand the culture on a deeper level through masterful creations of their regional food.

What channel is National Geographic on?

You can find which channel it is by using the channel finders here: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

Where can I watch it if I dont have cable?

You can watch Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on Disney+, which offers a 7-day free trial and then costs $6.99/month or $69.99/year. Theres also a Disney+ bundle option available, which includes access to Hulu (with ads) and ESPN+ for just $12.99/month. You can also watch it on Hulu + Live.
The foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow resurrected in 2019-20 to hit a four-year high growth of 13 per cent, but it may decline significantly in FY21 due to the lockdown. Not only the FDI at $49.9 billion was record high witnessed by India so far, it also recorded growth after 1 per cent fall in the previous year.

Since the start of the UPA's second stint, FDI inflows have been following a roller-coaster ride. However, it contracted in three years in the UPA regime, but only in one year during NDA so far and that too by 1 per cent (chart 1). However, when it comes to FDI's ...
The central bank said that a regulatory sandbox would be suitable before the issuance of an official legal framework.

The decree is expected to be submitted to the government for approval this month.

The seven fintech sectors that would participate in the sandbox are payment, credit, peer-to-peer lending (P2P), customer identification support, open application programming interface (open API), tech-based solutions, and other banking support services, according to the draft decree which the central bank made public for comment this week.

Ngo Van Duc, deputy head of the Payment Systems Oversight Division at the SBV told VIR that fintech has so far developed to help provide locals with increased access to banking and financial services such as payments, crowdfunding, personal finance, P2P lending, blockchain, data management, and point-of-sale management.

Vietnam is now home to 150 fintech firms, rising from 40 in 2016. Of them, 34 operate in payment, 40 in P2P lending while others provided banking support services without directly collecting fees from end-users.

Vietnam has a vibrant fintech startup ecosystem

Specifically, more than 80 per cent of fintech companies in Vietnam have developed their businesses correlated with banks.

The central bank cautioned that the lack of legal framework can bring about a variety of risks, such as financial exclusion, security and data breach, money laundering, and financing of terrorism, or high intermediary fees.

United Overseas Banks report cited that Vietnam received investment inflows worth $400 million into fintech last year, which made up 36 per cent of the total investment in the sector in the ASEAN and ranked second in the region, only after Singapore.

Additionally, promoting non-cash payments is a priority for the Vietnamese government, with the ambition that cashless transactions exceed one-third of all transactions nationwide in the coming months.

VIR also reported that the lack of a legal framework could hinder the blossoming of fintech firms and startups. Ride-hailing firms Uber and Grab are perfect examples of this. Uber withdrew from Vietnam after four years, while Grab is facing legal challenges from Decree No.86/2014/ND-CP issued in 2014 on business conditions for transportation businesses.

It is necessary for Vietnam to have a legal framework for the operation of fintech companies amid Industry 4.0 and the countrys rapid international integration, the central bank said, adding that if the management agency was not active in monitoring the development of fintech from the early stage, out-of-control development might pose threats to financial and banking stability, according to local newswire Vietnam News Agency.

A regulatory sandbox would go a long way towards improving security in fintech

Developing a regulatory sandbox for fintech is an urgent need in Industry 4.0, especially in the short term when the country is not able to build a general legal framework to meet market demands, and to prevent possible risks, tax losses, and illegal activities, Duc said.

The SBV planned to allow banks and fintech companies to participate in the sandbox from next year, for a period of around one or two years.

The pilot scheme is expected to help clarify questions and hopefully alley fintech companies concerns. It is also a boon for businesses to get input on their products thanks to insightful suggestions.
Actor Michael B Jordon has called on Hollywood studios, agencies and industry insiders to invest in black staff.

During a protest against systemic racism and police brutality organised by the Big 4 agencies in the wake of George Floyd's death, the Creed star asked the people in the movie business to commit to hiring more black people.



"You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020. Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content led by black executives, black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light," Jordan said while addressing the crowd.



The actor, who played Oscar Grant, an African American man killed by a police officer in 2013 film Fruitvale Station, said the role made him feel the pain of racial abuse victims.



"I lived with that for a very long time and it weighs on me. Producing that movie made me really realise the lengths that the government and oppressors will go to keep knowledge out of your hands," he said of the film.



Jordan said when he played attorney Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy, he understood the importance of being calm and closer to the issue. The actor produced the legal drama, also starring Jamie Foxx.



"I learned his tactics. I learned his mentality. I learned his approach to things. Very calm. Very strategic. Very thoughtful. You have to be proximal. You have to be close to (the) issues," he added.



Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man died on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in an encounter caught on video. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder and manslaughter.

Image credit: Instagram/@michaelbjordan

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Local lockdowns where the epidemic is returning will be unenforceable, two northwest mayors are warning  also raising fears that workers told to isolate will be sacked.

The region is the most likely to see coronavirus restrictions reimposed  after one study put the R reproduction rate above 1  but local leaders are protesting they lack the powers and the money.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and Steve Rotheram, his equivalent in Merseyside, also highlighted the plight of lower-paid staff told to stay off work by the new test and trace system.

It wont work if people receive messages from the system and they simply cant take time off work, because they dont have access to that funding, Mr Burnham said.

And we are also worried that some employers, particularly people who are in very insecure work, might threaten to sack them if they were to do that.

Statutory sick pay for all was a better solution then local lockdowns, which were simply unenforceable, Mr Burnham suggested.

Mr Rotheram accused the government of making policy by soundbite, pointing to problems on the border with Wales  or if Manchester was locked down again, but not Liverpool.

Local council and health chiefs say they have been given no information on how a local lockdown would work, given how staff and others cross authority boundaries on a daily basis.

They are also unclear who would make such decisions, with town halls or perhaps the new national Joint Biosecurity Centre charged with issuing instructions.

Mr Burnham described the Public Health England analysis of a northwest R rate above 1  contradicted by other studies  as a significant development, but said it was important not to overreact.

He criticised the major mistake made in allowing people to again travel any distance to exercise, including to tourism hotspots, suggestions the ban should be reimposed.

Calling for all staff forced to isolate to retain full pay, Mr Burnham said: This represents a better approach than talk of local lockdowns.

We have serious concerns about that and some of our council leaders think that the whole concept is simply unenforceable.

If the government was determined to proceed with this policy, there would need to be local furlough schemes and protection for the self-employed, including taxi drivers and delivery drivers.

Mr Burnham highlighted how a Unison survey found that 80 per cent of care staff feared they would be paid if they isolated, adding: That cannot be right  that needs to be addressed urgently.

The two mayors also criticised their exclusion from the Cobra emergency committee, which was open to leaders in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London.

That can't carry on. If we are going to have decisions being taken that affect the regions, surely the voice of the English regions should be represented there? he told BBC Breakfast.
The University of Alabamas Student Government Association called for the school to rename buildings on campus with racist namesakes.

The SGA released the following statement Sunday afternoon:

"Since the beginning of this administration, President Demarcus Joiner and Chief of Staff Kathryn Hayes have been engaged in much-needed conversations with officials to begin the work of changing the names of campus buildings with racist namesakes.

The University of Alabama Student Government Association joins our fellow students in their call to rename these buildings and urge a review of the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, a state law banning local governments from renaming historical buildings.

Demarcus Joiner, who is African American, ran unopposed for SGA president during the spring semester, winning in March.

Several buildings on campus are named after people tied to the Confederacy, including the following three.

Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library on the University of Alabama campus. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library: Built in 1939. The first university library, known as the Rotunda, was destroyed during the Civil War and its ruins can be found underneath the semi-circular plaza in front of the building. Named for the universitys postmistress and librarian Amelia Gayle Gorgas, who was the wife of Confederate General Josiah Gorgas, the universitys eighth president and librarian. Also, the first academic building at UA named for a woman.

The Gorgas House on the University of Alabama campus. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

The Gorgas House: The Gorgas House Museum was built in 1829, two years before the university opened, and was the first structure on UAs campus, according to the schools records. It is also one of the few campus buildings that survived the Civil War. When first constructed, it was used as a guest house for visiting dignitaries and professors as well as a dining hall for the students. In the late 1840s, the hall was remodeled as a faculty residence which during the Civil War belonged to professor John Wood Pratt. But when seventh president of the university, Confederate General Josiah Gorgas, resigned because of ill health, causing the Board of Trustees to give him the Pratt House as he retired to it under the title of university librarian. His wife, Amelia Gayle Gorgas, accepted the position of post mistress and matron of the infirmary and thereafter both jobs were held in her home. After her husbands death in 1883, she became the new librarian and held that position until 1906.

Morgan Hall on the University of Alabama campus. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

Morgan Hall: Built in 1911, Morgan Hall currently houses the Department of English. It was named for John Tyler Morgan, a U.S. Senator from 1876-1907 who in 1882 helped obtain indemnity from the Federal government for the destruction of the campus in 1865. There have been calls to rename the building, given Morgan (a general in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War) was a strong supporter of racial segregation.

A monument honoring Confederate soldiers on the Quad on the University of Alabama campus. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

A monument honoring Confederate soldiers, erected by the Alabama Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in May 1914, remains at the Center of the Quad between Gorgas Library and Denny Chimes on the University of Alabama campus. Learn more about Confederate monuments in Alabama.

Read the SGA tweet with the statement below:
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.'
The COVID-19 Virus has now claimed 115,000 lives. 1,000 people per day continue to die. The economic toll of the coronavirus is staggering. 32 million people unemployed, economic growth at a complete standstill, and a nation with no clear strategy for preventing a second wave of the pandemic.

These are facts, not soundbites. As much as the Trump campaign and his loyalists want to change the subject, these are realities that American citizens and voters understand all too well.

This is not the first time the United States has faced a lethal crisis. We have faced down tyrants overseas, a brutal Civil War, the Great Depression, and at least three pandemics that could have been disastrous. The difference is that our current leadership is incapable or unwilling to take the steps to protect us.

No, the loyal opposition is not saying that Trump caused the pandemic. But what is undeniable is that his inaction made the situation much worse. I mentioned in a previous column that academicians have now had the opportunity to analyze the data and the federal actions. Columbia University concluded that social distancing was the correct strategy to contain the virus. Indecision or wishful thinking by the president prevented immediate, large scale implementation of social distancing. The result is that, of the 115,000 victims, the research shows that earlier actions could have saved almost half of them.

Trump supporters reach for rationalizations: How could he have known? Nobody warned him about pandemics. And their favorite scapegoat, President Obama is somehow to blame.

Lets set this record straight.

Warnings about this pandemic go back 15 years. In 2005, President Bush and the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases  a man named Anthony Fauci  released the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.

President Obama, addressing Ebola in 2014 said, There may and likely will come a time in which we have an airborne disease that is deadly. He created an office on pandemic preparedness as a branch of the National Security Council which was abolished by President Trump.

On Nov. 18, 2019, one day after the first COVID-19 case was reported, the bipartisan Commission on Strengthening Americas Health Security sent a direct message to the White House: Restore health security leadership at the White House National Security Council.

Despite these warnings and an actual table top drill conducted during the transition in 2016, the president did not feel the heat from the pandemic wildfire until March 2020 when he declared a national emergency. This was a full four months after the first COVID-19 case was reported. It was just days after the president assured us the virus was under control and that it would miraculously go away. As the virus was creeping its way into every part of our country, our president had this to say: I dont take responsibility at all.

Beyond the sheer lack of understanding of the pandemic, the contradictions from the White House have been astounding. While the Trump campaign has flooded the airwaves with a too-soft-on-China campaign against Joe Biden, the president was pandering to China just weeks before: China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!

As to shutting down travel from China, most European nations did the same thing before we acted. An estimated 400,000 Chinese entered the United States when the virus was raging. The presidents travel ban leaked like a sieve and failed completely to stop the spread of the infection.

When Trump partisans complain about politicizing the pandemic, they are hoping that you simply ignore these facts. Now, as we face another crisis that has erupted in violence in many parts of the country, the presidents approach is to present us with photo opportunities rather than real solutions. His supporters create false narratives about the far left or murky stories about Joe Biden and his family. By emulating the full-frontal attack behavior of this president, Republicans are risking their own viability in a post-Trump world.

In a recent article, Professor Robert Reich was blunt about it: By having no constructive response to any of the monumental crises now convulsing America, Trump has abdicated his office.

Heres the bottom line: We are better than this. We are Americans and we know the difference between reality show posturing and real leadership. We have a right and an obligation to object when leadership fails us. Thats not politicizing a pandemic; thats trying to bring America home.

Mark S. Singel is a former Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He and Republican Charlie Gerow can be seen at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday on CBS21s Face the State.
Hong Kong: Govt condemns strike call

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today strongly condemned the call by a group for holding a strike and class boycott as a referendum to oppose the National People's Congress (NPC) decision on the national security law in Hong Kong.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government appealed to the public for their full understanding and staunch support for the legislation of the national security law in the city.

The statement said Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the Peoples Republic of China and a local administrative region that comes directly under the Central Peoples Government and enjoys a high degree of autonomy.

Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions constitutional requirement as well as the Hong Kong SAR Governments duty and is also in the interest of all Hong Kong residents.

The constitutionality, lawfulness and reasonableness of formulating at the national level the legal framework for national security for the Hong Kong SAR is beyond doubt.

The law for the Hong Kong SAR to safeguard national security, to be introduced by the NPC Standing Committee as authorised under the decision, targets four types of activities or acts that seriously jeopardise national security.

They are secession, subversion, organising and carrying out terrorist activities as well as interference in the Hong Kong SARs affairs by foreign and external forces.

Such laws target the very small minority of people who participate in acts or activities which seriously undermine national security. They will not affect the legitimate rights and freedoms enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents under the law, including freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of demonstration and of procession.

Moreover, the national security law will better maintain safety and stability in society and ensure that Hong Kong becomes a safer and more stable city, making it conducive to maintaining a favourable environment for business and investment.

All relevant law enforcement will be conducted strictly in accordance with the law as well as statutory powers and procedures.

The statement noted that since last year, some people have been advocating openly for Hong Kong independence, self-determination and referendum, participating in acts of secession or activities which clearly undermine national unity as well as challenge the Basic Law and one country, two systems.

Such acts and activities not only undermine the rule of law and order in Hong Kong but also jeopardise national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Furthermore, some organisations have continuously incited students and the young to perform illegal acts. Many young people have thus been arrested and jailed, with their future seriously affected.

The Basic Law and Hong Kongs legal system do not provide for any referendum mechanism. Conducting any form of a so-called referendum will have no constitutional basis or legal effect. Holding a strike and a class boycott as a referendum is obviously taking advantage of students for political purposes.

The statement said all of society should dissociate themselves from any organisation which has repeatedly used schools as venues for expressing political demands, and even intentionally misleading or inciting students, especially primary and secondary school students, to take part in such meaningless activities as holding so-called strikes or class boycotts as a referendum.

It called on parents and teachers to better protect the next generation, to urge young children and students not to participate in such activities and work together in preventing politics and fallacies from invading schools.

The statement reiterated that the Hong Kong SAR Government firmly supports and fully co-operates in implementing work relating to the decision passed by the NPC, adding that no person or organisation will succeed in intimidating the Hong Kong SAR Government by extreme means.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Workers in cemeteries and crematoriums in Mexico are under pressure as the country's coronavirus death toll reached more than 13,000 on Saturday, after a surge in fatalities in one week.

While Mexico has begun easing some restrictions, crematoriums and cemeteries in Iztapalapa, an area of nearly two million inhabitants in Mexico City, are still working around the clock while declared a highly contagious zone.

With 816 COVID-19 deaths confirmed on Thursday and 1,092 on Wednesday, gravediggers at the San Lorenzo Tezonco municipal cemetery on Mexico City's east side said they have buried more bodies in recent weeks than they have ever seen before.

Relatives of the deceased waited outside the San Nicolas Tolentino Cemetery where only five relatives were allowed inside to witness the burial.

Juana Salazar, daughter of recently deceased Francisca Gonzalez, explained how she nearly missed her mother's funeral due to the strict measures implemented by the cemetery.

For Juana it all happened too fast, after taking her mother reluctantly to hospital earlier in the week with water in her lungs.

The diagnosis was COVID-19. Her mother died on Friday.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary of Health, Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez said the public should get a medical evaluation if they had symptoms.

Mexico has reported 110,026 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

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.
Four unidentified persons looted Rs 49 lakh from an ATM near Kalyan railway station road. The incident came to light on Friday night when people went to use the ATM and saw the machine was open and had no cash. Mahatama Phule police, who are investigating the case, said the accused hacked the system of the machine, in a way only workers who refill the ATMs can, to loot the money.

V Pansare, deputy police inspector, Mahatma Phule station, said,  About Rs 49 lakh was looted from the ATM, without breaking it. We have called three staffers of the bank for questioning. Investigation is on.

On Friday night, when some people went in to withdraw money from the IDBI Bank ATM near the railway station, they saw the machine was open and cash was missing. They informed the bank and its officials filed a complaint.

The thieves didnt use any gas cutter or broke the machine. They have used some codes which only money refilling teams know, said an officer from Mahatma Phule station.

The CCTV camera at the ATM was not working, added the officer.
Mariah Carey has been just as much an avid fan of Canadian comedy series Schitt's Creek as they've been a fan of hers.

And the five-time Grammy winner finally joined the cast, following the sixth and final season, which ended in April.

She made a surprise appearance Sunday on YouTube's Dear Class of 2020 special, as she crashed the cast's performance of her 1993 hit track Hero.

Surprise! Mariah Carey made a surprise appearance Sunday on YouTube's Dear Class of 2020 special, as she crashed the Schitt's Creek cast's performance of her 1993 hit track Hero

The 50-year-old joined the remote broadcast toward the end of the a cappella cover, which they performed entirely in character.

She said after helping them finish the song: 'Moira [played by Catherine O'Hara] darling, I hope you didn't mind that I jumped in like that. You all sounded so good, that I had to get in on it.'

Star and co-creator Dan Levy (who plays David Rose) exclaimed before bursting dramatically into tears: 'I think I'm having a heart attack.'

Carey continued: 'And to all the teachers and professors, especially the ones who have to deal with students like me, who never really showed up to school on time, you rose to the occasion and helped these students reach the finish line.

In character: The 50-year-old joined the remote broadcast toward the end of the a cappella cover, which they performed entirely in character

Special appearance: She said after helping them finish the song: 'Moira [played by Catherine O'Hara] darling, I hope you didn't mind that I jumped in like that. You all sounded so good, that I had to get in on it'

Heart attack: Star and co-creator Dan Levy (who plays David Rose) exclaimed before bursting dramatically into tears: 'I think I'm having a heart attack'

'And to the students who had to deal with this bleak moment, congratulations on this historic accomplishment... Anyway, to all the teachers and students, you are so appreciated. And I just wanna say, class of 2020, you made it!'

'Oh, and David,' she added as he tried to collect himself, responding, 'I'm feeling light-headed. Yes, Mariah Carey?'

She began to sang her 1995 song Always Be My Baby with the help of her twins Moroccan and Monroe, nine, as Dan went cross-eyed and fainted.

The Glitter star was referenced on the show when Patrick (Noah Reid) told David he loved him for the first time.

David responded: 'You know that I've never said that to anyone else, aside from my parents twice and one time at a Mariah Carey concert.'

Unseen character: The Glitter star was referenced several times on the show, which aired the finale of its sixth and final season back in April

My Mariah Carey: When Patrick (Noah Reid) told David he loved him for the first time, David responded: 'You know that I've never said that to anyone else, aside from my parents twice and one time at a Mariah Carey concert'

Biggest fan: She ultimately gave her stamp of approval to the show, responding on Twitter to the scene: 'That's not bleak, Watch @SchittsCreek !'

Wedding goals: Carey also posted a clip from the finale in April, in which Patrick sang Always Be My Baby during their wedding vows, writing: 'Spoilers!!!! But... OMG!!!'

'You're my Mariah Carey,' Patrick told David, who said, 'That compliment could bring me to tears, but I'm not gonna let it.'

She ultimately gave her stamp of approval to the show, responding on Twitter to the scene: 'That's not bleak, Watch @SchittsCreek !'

Dan later said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: 'It's a particularly meaningful thing for me, because as a young child, she was everything to me. I know her entire catalog, there were posters on the wall. It was a whole thing.'

Carey also posted a clip from the finale in April, in which Patrick sang Always Be My Baby during their wedding vows, writing: 'Spoilers!!!! But... OMG!!!'
Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP

Arthur fears that as the Chinese Communist party tightens its grip on Hong Kong, his kids education will be undermined. Gloria Siu is worried that the sweeping new security law imposed by Beijing could mean she faces retribution for pro-democracy posts on social media.

Both say they plan to take up Boris Johnsons unexpected offer of a path to British citizenship for the citys residents  if China doesnt back down on its harsh legislation  not because they want to leave their home, but because they fear what the future holds there.

The law, a response to a year of anti-government protests, allows Chinese security forces to operate in Hong Kong and targets secession, subversion and terrorism. These charges are often used to suppress dissidents and critics on the mainland, leading to fears they will be deployed for the same purpose in the city.

Over the past week there has been a huge surge of interest in British National Overseas passports, hybrid documents issued by British colonial authorities that allow their holders to travel under British consular protection, but until now have not conferred the right to settle in the UK.

Arthur runs an online chamber of commerce focused on BNO holders  although it is officially called the Blue Navy Organisation Chamber of Commerce, to avoid problems registering the business with pro-Beijing authorities.

A pro-democracy protester waves a British colonial flag during a rally on 1 June. Photograph: Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images

It has 5,000 members on a Facebook page that mixes tips about life in the UK with ads for events like a Brighton Beach craft market scheduled for later this month.

Arthur and his business partner Ericsson, who preferred not to give their surnames, say they have been deluged with queries about how to renew BNO passports and prepare for life in Britain, even as they step up their own plans to move.

My concern is when the security law comes to Hong Kong, the education will be more communist, said Arthur, who is in his 30s with two young children. If you dont want this kind of education, you have to pay a huge amount of money to study at a private school, but most of us normal people cant afford that.

Story continues

He loves the UK, and had hoped to spend time in Manchester when he retires, in perhaps 30 years, watching his beloved Manchester United play live. Now that time frame has suddenly shrunk. For my children I have to move up my planning.

Johnson has not spelt out the details of the path to citizenship, and has said it is contingent on China going ahead with the security law. But that law has already been passed by the rubber-stamp parliament in Beijing, bypassing Hong Kongs own legislature, and signalling an effective end to Hong Kongs autonomy.

Johnsons announcement makes moving easier and helped me to make up my mind Liz Ng

The turmoil of the last years pro-democracy protests through its streets, and Chinas heavy-handed response, has accelerated many plans.

My husband and I have been discussing leaving for some time. We made an investment in the UK already, we bought a property to let, said Siu, a corporate communications professional in her 30s. She expects the move to mean a career change, one reason she was reluctant to pursue life abroad.

But their horizons for life in Hong Kong have slowly receded. Last year we thought wed leave in three or four years time. Now this has happened [the national security law] we need to look again into how soon we should go.

Ive been doing a lot of sending and sharing [pro-democracy messages] on Twitter, Facebook, this is nothing very special but [under the new laws] you might get arrested for unknown reasons, Siu said. Johnsons announcement makes moving easier and helped me to make up my mind.

Liz Ng, a marketing executive, spent three years at school in the UK, but had never thought of leaving her home city until the new security law was announced.

Now we understand the CCP [Chinese Communist party] can apply any laws to Hong Kong, she said. Johnsons offer is the main reason Im thinking of the UK.

Fear about Britains economy and jobs market is shared by many of those preparing the move, or just considering it. A legal assistant in her 40s, who has attended many protests and asked to go by the name Maria for fear of retaliation under the new law, said concern about employment was one thing holding her back.

Most HK people are always considering moving abroad, but they will still stay here because they need to earn money, and only if the worst comes to the worst will they go to other countries, she said. For her, that moment will come when her daughter wants to leave.

Because the 22-year-old student was born after the 1997 handover, she is not eligible for a BNO passport in her own right, and the status cannot be passed to descendants.

It all depends on her, we have been discussing this  and she is not that ready to go, she wants to stay until the last moment to fight against the CCP. Even if we cannot win, Maria said.

This effective age limit is one of the big concerns about the UKs offer. It excludes the citys youngest pro-democracy protesters. I know BNO is not exactly a foreign passport, but I would feel more secure if I had one, her student daughter said. Its like a lifeboat. It would be good if my mother could pass it on.


As Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson went eyeball to eye-ball with Vladimir Putin. And as Chief Whip he managed to keep Theresa Mays dysfunctional administration together with sticking plaster.

But nothing prepared him for the challenge of reopening Britains classrooms. He needed all the skills he learnt in the whips office to get the teaching unions on board, an ally conceded.

In the end the key to breaking the impasse was an unprecedented conference call between union heads and the scientific A-Team of Chris Whitty, Patrick Vallance and Jenny Harries.

Its the only time in the entire crisis weve set up a sector-specific technical panel, a Department of Education source explained, and it worked.

The coronavirus crisis is no longer a crisis at all. Instead, its become the longest bank holiday in UK history. (Above, sunbathers pack St James's Park in Central London during last week's warm weather)

The union heads came away realising their members were no more at risk than people in any other profession.

The debate is over. Last week, we decided as a nation to send our five- and six-year-olds back to school.

So if it is safe for them, and safe for those who care and educate them, it is safe for all the rest of us.

We cannot tell our children to go out to learn and play while we all continue to cower at home.

Actually, we arent all cowering. The Government table of key workers required to keep the nation functioning has been amended. And its a very long list.

We cannot tell our children to go out to learn and play while we all continue to cower at home. Above, a member of staff wearing PPE takes a child's temperature at the Harris Academy Shortland's School in London as students returned this week

It includes staff in banks and building societies. Oil, gas, electric, water and sewage workers. Key staff working in the nuclear, chemicals and telecommunications industries. Charity workers. People running the justice system. Religious staff. Even journalists.

Until now, we have been content to stand at our doorsteps once a week and applaud our national heroes. But the time has come for us all to stop clapping them, and join their ranks.

When the crisis started, lockdown was the appropriate response. The risk of the NHS collapsing. Hundreds of thousands dead. The implosion of civil society. These represented a clear and present danger.

But now the risk register has been updated. And we can no longer ignore the new dangers that stand before us. Impending national economic implosion. Predictions of 6.5 million job losses. The social, health, mental health and public order crisis that will follow.

Inside No 10 there is acute awareness of this looming catastrophe.

The time has come for us all to stop clapping for carers, and join their ranks. (Above, Boris Johnson takes part in the weekly applause on May 28)

But Boris and his Ministers feel paralysed. Trapped in the trash-compactor of public opinion.

First is a terror of being seen to have moved away from the science.

In the past week this was exacerbated by claims of splits between Ministers and their experts over the very modest transition from Stage Four to Stage Three of lockdown.

These split stories are b******s, one Westminster official tells me.

Theyre not coming from SAGE, but from a couple of individuals. Theres still a SAGE consensus and were following it.

However, one Minister is more sceptical about the nature of some of the discordant briefing. We know the experts are getting ready to split from us.

Theyre very aware the advice they gave us at the beginning of the crisis is going to come under heavy criticism when this is over. So theyre going to try to buy themselves some cover. But thats politics.

A second major problem is that, for a significant section of the population, the coronavirus crisis is no longer a crisis at all. Instead, its become the longest bank holiday in UK history.

The parks are full. Social distancing is a distant memory and the police have given up attempting to move on anyone breaking the regulations.

For every person basking in the lockdown sunshine, there is someone else barricaded behind closed doors, genuinely terrified this modern apocalypse will claim them or their family. (Above, members of the public sunbathe in Regents Park on May 25)

Groups of 20 to 30 people partying in the sun are now as common a feature of Covid-19 Britain as the ubiquitous queues for a cup of coffee.

As one MP laments: Rishi Sunak was attacked for wanting to wean people off furlough payments. We cant say it publicly. But if youre furloughed, youre having the time of your life.

And then there is the other great obstacle  fear.

For every person basking in the lockdown sunshine, there is someone else barricaded behind closed doors, genuinely terrified this modern apocalypse will claim them or their family.

Terror that is being accentuated by a new narrative that claims the significant falls were seeing in infection and mortality rates are merely precursors to a deadly second wave of the pandemic.

Its driving us mad, to be honest, said one Minister. All were getting at the moment is, You cant do X, you cant do Y. What about the risk of a second wave? We know theres a risk. Theres a risk of walking down the street. But we cant just stay in lockdown for ever.

We cant. Which is why this has to be the final month of national imprisonment. It can no longer simply be about following the science.

We know the risks associated with reopening society. But they now have to be balanced against the risks of not reopening society.

On Wednesday, chief boffin Sir Patrick Vallance said the R number  the rate of infection that has achieved quasi-religious status as the metric for assessing the UKs pandemic response  would need to be kept as low as possible for when we enter the new flu season in October.

Which may be good science. But it is also impractical science. We can fight a virus, but we cannot wage perpetual war against a phantom.

If the new flu season brings new threats, we will deal with them. But we cant destroy the economy and social fabric of Britain in a misguided attempt to save ourselves from a hypothetical enemy.

We also need to shift the focus from saving life to reclaiming our lives. There is nothing this wave of the pandemic can do to our bodies thats half as deadly as what it is currently doing to our minds.

We are simultaneously atrophying and panicking  lazing in the sun, or trembling in the dark.

So let us take our national placebos. Don the masks. Implement rigid social distancing.

Download the apps that will allow us to order our pints without interacting with the bar staff. If thats what it takes to get us back to normality, so be it.

None of these measures will be sustainable. Well quickly tire of covering our faces. A couple of days back in the office will soon expose social distancing to be nothing more than a theoretical fantasy.

We will soon remember that pubs and restaurants and shops only survive by attracting customers, not treating them as plague-carriers.

But well be back. And once were back, however much we kick and scream, normality will reimpose itself upon us.

We will also come to realise a deeper truth.

On Wednesday, Sir Patrick Vallance said the R number  the rate of infection  would need to be kept as low as possible for when we enter the new flu season in October

That while we have talked a good game of national struggle and sacrifice, the reality is that in the main we have been relying on others to make those sacrifices on our behalf.

Its not just been the nurses and doctors who have been serving on the front line.

Weve been asking banking assistants and shelf-stackers and binmen to take the risks we have not been prepared to take ourselves.

Its time to make the fight against coronavirus a truly collective national effort. Our real fear is even when we reopen everything, a lot of people will still be too scared to go out, a worried Minister admitted.

We have to show that such fears are groundless. Drop the obsession with impenetrable R numbers. Ignore the already redundant colour-coded lockdown phases. And park fears of a second wave.

Because if we dont, the wave of job losses, collapsing business and social disorder that follows in their wake will sweep us all away.

One day soon our children will turn to us and say: What did you do in the fight against Covid-19?

Our response cannot be: I sent you out amongst the virus, then hid myself away at home.
Even as Indians outraged, communalized and politicised the death of an elephant in Kerala's Palakkad which died after eating a pineapple filled with crackers that combusted in her mouth, a new case of alleged animal cruelty is taking India by storm.

Days after disturbing images of the pregnant elephant dying in a river went viral, images of a cow's busted face after eating dough laced with crackers went viral.

The incident occurred in Himachal Pradesh's Jhondutta village in Bilaspur district on May 26. Footage of the cow, named Nandini, surviving with a busted jaw went viral after the cow's owner Gurdyal Singh posted the videos on social media.

As per a report in Hindustan Times, Singh suspected his neighbour of deliberately feeding his cow the crackers and sought an investigation into the same.

While the incident occurred a day before the death of the elephant in a similar fashion in Kerala, many on social media pointed out that it did not provoke half the outrage as the death of an elephant in Kerala did.

In case of the elephant, many netizens debated the facts of the case. While some reports suggested the elephant was "fed" the pineapple while others stated the explosive fruits were left there as traps for boars. The unsuspecting elephant seemed to have been there at the wrong place at the wrong time.

What began as outrage against animal cruelty, however, soon became communal and anti-Kerala after BJP leader and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi accused Mammlapuram (a Muslim majority district) of being a "violent" place where such incidents were common. Seeking justice for the elephant, Gandhi also said that an elephant was killed very three days in Kerala.

While the claims remained unsubstantiated, many have since expressed their anger and hate against the state of Kerala in connection with the case. In contrast, the case of Nandini the cow which occurred even before the elephant incident failed to cause national outrage.

Many on social media wondered what caused this discrepancy with some blaming right-wing trolls for only focusing on the elephant death in order to shame the Left-front government and its supporters in Kerala.

Many pointed out that while the death of the elephant evoked tweets and responses from celebrities such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ratan Tata, and others, not many such responses came for Nandini, who did not accidentally consume the crackers but was deliberately fed them in vengeance.

No one to cry for a cow in BJP-ruled Himachal. No Kohli, no Tata, No canadian Kumar, No Maneka, No IT cellPlease spare some of the care you share for Kerala elephants#JusticeforNandini pic.twitter.com/yFdIiPtvxZ S.R.Praveen (@myopiclenses) June 6, 2020

@imVkohli Can you pls tweet about me too? Nandini (@thejawbrokencow) June 6, 2020

If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, & loving the people who are doing the oppressing Malcolm XThe number of Tweets after pregnant Cow incident in Himachal shows you that Malcolm X is still right#JusticeforNandini Advaid   (@Advaidism) June 7, 2020

#JusticeForNandini: In BJP ruled Himachal Pradesh, a pregnant cow was 'forcefed' explosive laden eatables. It now lives with a permanently fractured jaw. Animal right activists, woke liberals and cow vigilantes, however, are in deep slumber after their #ElephantDeath brouhaha. pratheesh (@pratheesh) June 6, 2020

Bilaspur SP Devakar Sharma told HT that a case had been registered under Section 286 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and that the accused was being investigated. While the case of cruelty toward animals is condemnable in both cases, the discrepancy in outrage was bound to be noted, especially in India where the government champions cow-protectionism and bovine vigilantism is a commonly occurring problem.
Reliance Industries Ltd's Jio Platforms got its latest investor in the form of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) on Sunday. One of the worlds biggest sovereign wealth funds, will pump Rs 5,683.5 crore into Jio Platforms.

The company is estimated to have assets of nearly $700 billion, has invested in 18 companies, according to data from Crunchbase.

ALSO READ: Reliance Jio: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority new investor in Jio Platforms as RIL unit raises total of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore



The fund has for years been spending money in Indian equities. Initially it acted as an anchor investor in several IPOs, and fixed income. In recent years, it widened its interest to assets such as infrastructure, real estate and private equities.

ADIA and Indias National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) agreed in April 2019 to buy a 49 percent stake in the airport unit of Indian conglomerate GVK Power & Infrastructure.

ADIA invested another $495 million in renewable energy firm Greenko Energy Holdings, which runs wind, solar and hydro projects, in 2019. ADIA was also a leading investor in Bandhan Banks IPO.

ADIA has been investing funds on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government since 1976 with a focus on long-term value creation. It manages a global investment portfolio that is diversified across more than two dozen asset classes and sub-categories, according to its website.

ADIA follows a strategy focused on long-term value creation. ADIA has invested in private equity since 1989 and has built a significant internal team of specialists with experience across asset products, geographies and sectors.

Through its extensive relationships across the industry, the Private Equities Department invests in private equity and credit products globally, often alongside external partners, and through externally managed primary and secondary funds.

ADIAs philosophy is to build long-term, collaborative relationships with its partners and company management teams to maximise value and support the implementation of agreed strategies.
SAGINAW, MI -- Its been months that restaurants have been limited to only take-out business, but some Mid-Michigan owners still say they have mixed feelings about reopening their doors to diners when the state order is lifted Monday, June 8.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced June 1 that the stay-at-home order originally slated to end June 12 would be lifted a few days early. Previously, only restaurants in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Michigan were allowed to reopen for dine-in. By May 30, restaurants in Midland, Gladwin, Arenac, Iosca and Saginaw counties were also permitted to open early for dine-in to aid in recovery efforts after recent historic floods.
By Lindsay DeDario BUFFALO, N.Y. (Reuters) - Two Buffalo police officers were arraigned on felony assault charges on Saturday after a viral video now viewed by more than 78 million people showed them shoving an elderly protestor who fell at a march against racism

By Lindsay DeDario

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Reuters) - Two Buffalo police officers were arraigned on felony assault charges on Saturday after a viral video now viewed by more than 78 million people showed them shoving an elderly protestor who fell at a march against racism.

Officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe were part of a unit in tactical gear enforcing an 8 p.m. curfew on Thursday when Martin Gugino, 75, was shoved, fell and struck his head on the sidewalk, the Buffalo News reported.

Both pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault during the virtual arraignment before Buffalo City Court Judge Craig D. Hannah, the Buffalo News reported.

Members of the Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team, the officers have been suspended without pay and are being investigated after a local radio station released video of the incident involving Gugino, a longtime activist who has advocated for affordable housing, climate justice and police accountability. 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.

The western New York state city saw pockets of looting after dark like many cities across the United States, where countless otherwise peaceful protests were staged in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.

The video shows Torgalski pushing Gugino before he fell and McCabe about to kneel toward the man sprawled on the sidewalk before being moved along by a supervisor, the Buffalo News reported. Police initially said the man tripped.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said he has not asked for the officers to be fired.

"It is very important that the officers know they are getting due process," Brown said. "Our information was that individual was an agitator."

(Additional reporting by Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey; Editing by Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Tony Robinson has accused the Government of manslaughter amid new analysis that revealed care home residents are on course to make up half of all deaths caused directly or indirectly by coronavirus in England.

A study warned that by the end of June the death toll from Covid-19 infections and other excess deaths would likely 'approach 59,000 across the entire English population, of which about 34,000 (57%) will have been care home residents'.

The estimate includes those who list a care home as their main residence, wherever they died - including if they died in hospital, the Guardian reported.

It was produced by major healthcare business consultancy LaingBuisson, based on Office for National Statistics data along with the analyst's model for the number of care home resident deaths likely to have happened without the pandemic.

Actor Sir Tony, 73, spent 15 years caring for his father Leslie, who died in 1989 aged 76, and for his mother Phyllis, who died in 2005 aged 89.

He told the Mirror: 'Care homes have been used as ghettos to get people out of hospitals, so we have had a mini epidemic.

Actor Sir Tony Robinson, 73, spent 15 years caring for his father Leslie, who died in 1989 aged 76, and for his mother Phyllis, who died in 2005 aged 89

'Thousands of elderly people have died who shouldn't have died and that is kind of manslaughter really.

'It happened due to inactivity when the facts were on every government's ministers' desks.

'We've just got to make sure this doesn't happen again. The lobby still has to be there.'

A quarter of people who have died with Covid-19 have dementia - a condition affecting more than 70 per cent of care home residents.

Sir Tony, who is an ambassador for Alzheimer's Society, said that for those who are confused, the idea of suddenly not being able to see their relatives was 'just terrible'.

The actor is helping raise money for the group after donations plummeted following the outbreak of coronavirus.

Sir Tony said Alzheimer's was '[his] life' for much of those years, outside of his children and his job.

His remarks come as concerns are raised over failure to protect care homes early on in the coronavirus outbreak.

Senior figures in the care industry have highlighted the decision to move some hospital patients back to care homes in March.

A quarter of people who have died with Covid-19 have dementia - a condition affecting more than 70 per cent of care home residents (stock image)

It has been claimed the inability to get non-coronavirus healthcare amid the pandemic has led to extra deaths.

Last week it emerged that in February Public Health England warned against discharging elderly people from hospitals into care homes if there was a high chance of spreading the virus.

But a letter sent to care providers from NHS England and the government ordered the 'safe and rapid discharge of those people who no longer need to be in a hospital bed'.

NHS England data shows 25,060 patients had been moved to care homes from hospitals between March 17 and the middle of April - when the guidance was officially changed to make sure testing was being carried out.

Author of the new analysis William Laing told the Guardian he believed a series of failings were behind the amount of excess deaths.

He said: 'At the peak of the crisis, there were widespread reports of normal medical support simply being removed from care homes.

'Ambulances would not turn up to take emergencies to hospital, since capacity had to be kept clear for Covid cases.

'In-person GP house calls were replaced with occasional telephone calls. In the absence of any expectation of active medical support, care home residents were encouraged to consider what instructions they should give in the case of serious illness from whatever cause, with many opting for DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).'

He added that care homes had been asked by NHS Trusts to accept discharges without knowing 'the coronavirus status' of the patients.
A close-up view of a giant larvacean shows the inner filter of its mucus complex, which appears like a white croissant. Its body is the round blue mass at the center, and its tail is outlined in luminescent blue. (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

It was decades ago when Bruce Robison first looked through the plexiglass sphere of a submersible and spotted a most curious critter in the waters off Central California.

Nearly transparent and no larger than a fist, the squishy tadpole-like animal was surrounded by an enormous balloon of mucus about 3 feet wide. Robison could discern chambers intricately inflated within this sticky structure, speckled with particles of food and plant debris.

Robison spent years in the open ocean studying these gelatinous animals, which are too large and too fragile to bring back into a lab. Known as giant larvaceans, they inhabit seas across the world. Tens of thousands of them live just outside Robison's office in Monterey Bay.

He and fellow researchers eventually learned that these creatures and their snot palaces play an outsize role in helping the ocean remove planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere  one more part of a vast and underappreciated system that makes the ocean an unsung hero of climate change.



Covering more than 70% of Earths surface, the ocean has absorbed more than a quarter of the carbon dioxide released by humans since the Industrial Revolution, and about 90% of the resulting heat.

We're just on the edge of this tremendous change in how we perceive and understand how the ocean works, said Robison, a senior scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. If an alien civilization from some other solar system were to send an expedition to Earth to look at the dominant life forms on this planet, they wouldn't be up here walking around with us. They'd be exploring the deep ocean.

With giant larvaceans, or Bathochordaeus, scientists and engineers at the Monterey Bay institute finally figured out a way to study their inner workings. In a new study published recently in the journal Nature, the team described how they were able to scan the animals with lasers mounted onto a 12,000-pound robot, and then reconstruct the mucus structure into a 3-D model.

Story continues

Like radiologists with a CT scan, the scientists were able to piece together the intricate architecture within the mucus apparatus, called the house, and study how water moves through these delicate structures. Suddenly they could see chambers and passageways they never knew existed.

The larvacean essentially lives inside two mesh-like filters: A smaller inner house, containing inlet filters and fluted chambers, is surrounded by a coarser outer house that can blow up to be 1 meter across. This outer filter traps plant debris and food particles too big for the animal to eat, while the inner filter guides smaller pieces into its mouth.

Giant larvaceans, or Bathochordaeus. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)

Larvaceans use their tails to constantly pump water through both filters  as much as 21 gallons an hour. All told, scientists calculated that the giants in Monterey Bay could filter all the water between 100 and 300 meters deep in as little as 13 days  equivalent to about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools per hour.

Once the mucus gets clogged, usually every 24 hours or so, the larvacean abandons the filter and moves on to make a new one. This netting of mucus, packed with carbon-rich particles, then collapses like a punctured balloon  sinking a significant load of carbon to the deep sea floor and locking it away from reentering the atmosphere.

Ordinarily, massive quantities of carbon drift through the ocean as marine snow, tiny particles of plants, fecal matter and other debris that shower down the water column.

These tiny particles sink very slowly, however, and often get eaten by other organisms on the way down  which brings the carbon back up the food chain. So scientists were amazed by the mucus houses, which clump together so many particles (not to mention microplastics) that everything sinks much faster to the bottom. Here, the carbon in effect becomes sequestered and unable to reenter the upper systems.

When a larvacean's mucus filters become clogged, the animal swims free. The abandoned house then collapses like a deflated balloon and sinks rapidly, carrying tiny particles toward the seafloor. (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute )

Kakani Katija, who engineered the laser system and heads the Monterey Bay institute's Bioinspiration Lab, said these animals can also teach us new ways to design filters or expandable structures  perhaps to use underwater or even in outer space.

Here's an animal that creates a structure that's a few millimeters in size, but somehow blows it up to a meter in size, said Katija, lead author of the Nature study. "There is still so much we don't know, and every time we develop a new tool or new technique, that just opens up the world to us in a very different way.

Kakani Katija works in the control room for a remotely operated vehicle, where her new laser-based system illuminates a giant larvacean on the screens. (Kim Reisenbichler / Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

"There are a lot of marine animals that use mucus to create really complex structures," she said. "Now that we have a way to visualize them deep below the surface, we can finally understand how they function and what roles they play in the ocean.

There are many sizes and species of larvaceans, also known as appendicularians, that are found in different depths in every ocean of the world. Their mucus houses are notoriously impossible to collect or keep intact in a tank. Although the first giant larvacean was discovered in 1898, the typical method of dragging a net through the water meant that the mucus structure (and all the other gelatinous creatures in the ocean) came up as goo.

It wasnt until many decades later that scientists began noticing the structural details within the mucus.

Alice Alldredge, a professor emeritus of marine biology of UC Santa Barbara, dived into the water herself in the 1970s and described the intricate houses of seven species of small larvaceans. She recalled taking a jar underwater and feeding tiny, tiny beads to tiny larvaceans  watching how they moved through the house and counting how many got filtered in a given amount of time.

Nobody had ever studied them in their natural habitat, even seen them, said Alldredge, who also injected them with dye and captured the first detailed photos of a larvacean. It's kind of like if you were trying to study a rainforest and you do it from a helicopter with a big net or a hook  you might once in a while get a jaguar or a bunch of leaves, but you wouldn't really know how a rainforest worked.

Kelly Sutherland, an associate professor of marine biology at the University of Oregon who is building off Alldredges pioneering work in small larvaceans, has been drilling in on how these animals actually pick their food  whether by shape, size or material.

"It seems like a really simple question: What are they eating? But it turns out it's not trivial when they're eating things that are so small," said Sutherland, who leads a lab specializing in jelly animals, including other mucus-mesh grazers such as salps, pyrosomes and pteropods.

The key has really been taking the laboratory underwater, she said. The Monterey Bay institute, she added, is uniquely equipped to study the larger ones, and we have focused on some of the smaller species that live in the surface ocean."

For Robison, the laser technology developed at the institute allowed him to learn more about giant larvaceans during a single dive than his entire generation had in previous decades.

He had spent years collecting drifting mucus houses and observing these transparent structures from the outside by shining camera lights from different angles. Then one night, after a day of diving with the new system, Katija helped Robison put on a virtual-reality headset, where she had uploaded a 3-D reconstruction of the mucus house.

He was able to fly through the inner filter and explore the maze of chambers and passageways. The reality, he said with awe, was even more marvelous and complex than he had imagined.

There are now many burning questions they can try to answer, like how these houses are even made. When a spider builds a web, the process can be observed one strand at a time. With a mucus house, it comes out all at once.

And why, Robison often wonders, does an animal go through all this trouble to create such an extraordinary structure  only to then throw it away?

It's clearly an effective strategy for surviving in the ocean. And that's an underlying principle we have yet to grasp, he said. We hope we can live in harmony with the planet we live on, and in order to do that, we have to understand how it works.
Unlock 1.0: Most places of worship to open in MP from Monday

India

pti-PTI

Bhopal, June 07: Places of worship outside containment zones in several places in Madhya Pradesh will reopen from Monday, when several restrictions for the coronavirus-induced lockdown are set to be eased, though no decision has been taken for red zones Indore and Bhopal.

Unlock 1: Guidelines to be followed at malls, hotels, offices and religious places | Oneindia News

The state government had issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) for religious places on June 5.

According to an official, the doors of Ujjain's famous Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 'jyotirlingas' which attracts several lakh devotees every year, would open from 8 am on Monday, though another 'jyortilinga' at Omkareshwar in Khandwa district, will follow the suit on June 16.

Mahakaleshwar Temple administrator SS Rawat said only pre-registered devotees would be allowed to enter the temple, adding that 350 such persons would be allowed in every hour, with the daily limit set at 2,800.

"All social distancing measures have been adopted. Ten sanitisation machines have been installed at the gates. The entry of devotees would be stopped for an hour after every two hours to sanitise the campus," Rawat informed.

Ujjain Collector Ashish Singh said Kal Bhairav temple, the gurudwara at Freeganj, a Catholic church, Jama Masjid and Madina Masjid would also open. Rao Devendra Singh, a trustee of Omkareshwar temple, said it would open on June 16.

Unlock 1.0: Places of worship, hotels in Nagaland to remain shut

Datia's famous Pitambara Peeth will also open its doors for devotees from Monday with pre-registration, Gwalior Divisional Commissioner MB Ojha said. He told PTI that all places of worship are allowed to open from Monday in all districts in the division.

Bishop Gerald Almeida of Catholic Diocese of Jabalpur told PTI, "We have prepared guidelines for churches based on SOPs issued by the government.

Churches have been asked to increase the number of services to accommodate devotees while adhering to social distancing norms.

Also, it must be ensured that every devoteeuses face mask and sanitizer." Bhopal Collector Tarun Pithode said a meeting of religious leaders took place on Sunday, and it was decided that the meeting would reconvene on June 12 to discuss when places of worship can open.

Maria Stephan, public relations officer (PRO) of the Christian Dioceses of Madhya Pradesh State told PTI in Bhopal that churches will follow the guidelines and directives of the state government.

Bhopal-based Masajid Committee office-bearer Yasser Arafat told PTI the decision to open mosques would be taken as per directives of the local administration, adding that mosques in red zones like Bhopal and Indore would not open as of now.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling was amid another online backlash after social media users called her out for a string of anti-trans tweets on Sunday.

It all started when Rowling quote tweeted a piece titled: "Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate."

"People who menstruate. Im sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?" Rowling tweeted suggesting only women menstruated.

People who menstruate. Im sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

When people on Twitter immediately called Rowlings comments anti-trans and transphobic as transgender people, non-binary people and gender-nonconforming people can also menstruate, Rowling went on to add that sex was "real" and criticised the idea of discarding the idea of sex. "If sex isnt real, theres no same-sex attraction. If sex isnt real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isnt hate to speak the truth," she tweeted.

If sex isnt real, theres no same-sex attraction. If sex isnt real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isnt hate to speak the truth.  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

The Harry Potter author continued her transphobic rant and wrote, "The idea that women like me, whove been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because theyre vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - hate trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense."

The idea that women like me, whove been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because theyre vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - hate trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense.  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

In a subsequent tweet, Rowling added that she respected every trans person's right to live but added that her life had been "shaped" by being a female. "I respect every trans persons right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. Id march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe its hateful to say so."

I respect every trans persons right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. Id march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe its hateful to say so.  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

Rowling's anti-trans Twitter rant did not sit well with the LGBTQ activists and persons of the community who slammed the author for being one-dimensional and tone-deaf. Soon, Rowling became the top trend on Twitter on Sunday with people schooling her opinions.

People found it hard to wrap their heads around the fact that the author could not comprehend that she saw sex and gender in a binary view.

"You're a great writer. This is a good time for you to become a great reader," wrote one Twitter user.

I also want to remind everyone that when LGBTQ organizations generously reaches out to @jk_rowling in December to discuss all this in a collaborative setting, she refused to speak with them.  Charlotte Clymer  (@cmclymer) June 6, 2020

Youre a smart person. How do you not yet understand the difference between sex and gender? The only way I can possibly explain your ignorance at this point is willfulness. Its incredibly disappointing.  Brad Walsh (@BradWalsh) June 6, 2020

Imagine creating Voldemort and Slytherin and then years later thinking, Yeah, they had a good point. What a disappoint youve become.  Tolarian Community College (@TolarianCollege) June 7, 2020

Please talk to some queer people. Please.  Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 6, 2020

Also, its a scientific fact that intersex patients with a 46 XY karyotype, who are by definition genetically male, have gotten pregnant and even given birth. Unfortunately, doctors have erased the existence of many intersex patients through genital mutilation surgeries at birth. Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 6, 2020

You are embarrassing. The world is reckoning with white supremacy and police brutality and youve decided to use your massive platform to gender police? (Btw, gender and sex arent the same thing. Look it up.)Your books meant so much to me but you are disgraceful. Shame on you. Shannon Purser (@shannonpurser) June 6, 2020

You're a great writer. This is a good time for you to become a great reader. Patrick Thornton (@pwthornton) June 6, 2020

GLAAD, an organization for LGBTQ rights, panned her views and wrote that there was no excuse for targeting trans people in 2020.

JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people.  GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020

This, however, isn't the first instance of Rowling facing online flak for her views on sex implying that transsexuality isn't real.

Last year in December, a woman in the UK, Maya Forstater, was fired from her job as a tax researcher after she tweeted against the government's Gender Recognition Act, which allowed people to legally change their gender. The woman's tweets were deemed transphobic and she was eventually dismissed.

However, JK Rowling seemed to agree with her and believed that "sex is real"/ Funny, this coming from a woman who made a living out of writing about creatures and events which are not only fictional but also entirely the product of her imagination.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Opposition on Saturday demanded a high-level impartial probe into the procurement scam in Covid-19 management in Odisha, the State Government dismissed the allegations as baseless rumours and claimed that no item was purchased beyond the ceiling rate fixed by the Centre. Defending the State Government a day after removal of Industries Secretary Hemant Sharma from the purchase committee, Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das asserted that rates of different items were changed only when revised by the Centre. The Minister said the Centre had fixed the rate of triple layer masks at Rs 10 per piece on March 21 and increased it to Rs 16 due to acute shortage on May 24.

The Minister said in all purchases made during the current pandemic, prices were determined by following a transparent policy and prudential norms equally applicable to all suppliers. Das said rates of medical equipment are based on several factors such as prices administered and fixed by the Centre, prices given by CPSUs such as HLL and prices offered by reputed manufacturers to other Central Government agencies such as ICMR.

Stating that there was a huge shortage in the market after all the manufacturing countries started heavy procurement of masks, PPEs and ventilators, the Minister said in this war like situation, speed of delivery was very critical. Therefore, a policy decision was taken to offer incentive for speedy delivery which was applicable to all suppliers, he said and added that subsequently, incentive was first reduced and withdrawn.

The Minister asked the opposition political parties to share with the Government if they have any evidence or else approach any authority like the High Court. Emergency situations require emergency response and special procedures need to be adopted with due regard to transparency. Covid pandemic is one such situation, he said.

State BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan demanded an impartial probe alleging that several bigwigs in the Government were involved in the scam. People have a right to know the reason behind Sharmas removal from Covid-19 purchase committee, he said.Suresh Routray of Congress also demanded a high-level probe into the alleged scam.


AUBURN  Speaking in front of a packed crowd, Melody Smith Johnson gave a response to the phrase "all lives matter," a phrase some people have used to try to undermine the Black Lives Matter movement.

"All lives ain't laying on the ground with a knee on their neck," she said at a rally Saturday in downtown Auburn, referring to the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed last week by a Minneapolis police officer.

Floyd's death has sparked protests against police brutality and systemic racism throughout the U.S. and the world, with massive crowds turning out again on Saturday.

The Auburn event, called the Demonstration of Solidarity for Racial Justice, took place at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn. The demonstration was organized by the Social Justice Task Force, an independent coalition of various social justice groups, entrepreneurs, organizations and activists within Cayuga County. It marked the second racial justice demonstration in the city's downtown in a week, after crowds peacefully marched through the area's streets on Sunday.

People packed the heritage center's outside area, with many carrying signs displaying phrases such as "I can't breathe," "Black lives matter," "If not now then when" and "White silence = violence." Almost all those at the demonstration, which included police leaders and elected officials, wore face masks in an effort to prevent spreading of the coronavirus.

Speakers throughout the event uttered the phrase "Not in Harriet's hometown," evoking iconic abolitionist and former Auburn resident Harriet Tubman.

With a pizza slice in hand while sitting on a part of the parking garage across from the heritage center a few minutes before the rally, Thomas Love gazed at the crowd with a smile on his face. While he said he was sad it took the deaths of Floyd and others to bring people together, he noted he was heartened by the presence of so many young people. Fighting for injustices has to be done for these young people, he added.

"What are we going to leave them? What's going to be our legacy?" Love said.

Smith Johnson, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Beverly L. Smith Empowerment Organization, kicked off the event by saying she is the wife of a black man and the mother of a black son. The gatherers' eyes all converged on her as she spoke about fighting injustice, hanging on her every word.

Another speaker, Eli Hernandez, president of the Auburn/Cayuga Branch of the NAACP, said there can't be unity if mothers in the crowd have nightmares of the imagery of "black and brown children taking their last breath on camera," he said, drawing applause from the crowd.

"I can't breathe! Mama! I can't breathe," Hernandez shouted as the crowd stopped clapping. "When George Floyd pushed those words from his gut, his dying soul, every mother in this country was summoned." The crowd responded with thunderous applause.

Hernandez added that Auburn's elected officials have a responsibility to make an environment fostering transparency and to "create a community where safety is not only felt by our white counterparts, but every citizen in it."

"Not in Auburn will we mourn the loss of our children by wearing tear-stained T-shirts. Do hear me? I said, 'Not in Auburn!'" Hernandez said as the crowd cheered. "We will not attend vigils for our children who were taken from us."

Hernandez asked for people to pause silently for around 9 minutes to honor Floyd, whether they sit, stand or kneel. The time was symbolic of how long the police officer in Minneapolis had his knee on Floyd's neck.

Most people chose to kneel. As the crouched crowd sat in silence, the occasional sniffle, birds chirping and the roar of nearby car engines were the only sounds available. Hernandez broke the quiet with "Rest in peace, George Floyd."

Another speaker, Dillon Davis-Tirado said he has reflected over the last week, saying "what we're witnessing right now is trauma, what we're witnessing right now is violence and rage, and we're seeing it from two different sides.

"We're seeing it from our citizens who are rioting in the streets, causing a lot of destruction, a lot of damage, as well protesters who are protesting peacefully. But what we're also witnessing is police officers skipping their training and skipping right to force not only against back people but against people who will fight for black people," he said. " It is very hard to watch that, because my generation never really expected to have to sit here, stand and face this fight that our grandparents and our parents have been fighting for years."

Davis-Trinado said he didn't do enough for years and asked that people vote. He said people should prepare for racists to fight harder to resist change.

"I want to tell you something: This is not going to be easy, and this is not going to be something that's just going to be fought from the convenience of our keyboard," he said.

In separate speeches, Auburn Police Chief Shawn Butler and Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck condemned Floyd's murder and said racism must be recognized. Schenck added that the former Minneapolis officers who were involved in Floyd's death were "not my brothers in blue."

Auburn Mayor Mike Quill, Cayuga County Chair Aileen McNabb-Coleman, businesswoman Gwen Webber-McLeod, Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo and pastor Patrick Heery were among those who also spoke at the event.

Bill Berry, who runs online journal aaduna and is chair for the Harriet Tubman Center for Justice and Peace, said systemic racism is a disease worse than COVID-19, adding "that disease's history spans over 400 years and society has not rushed for a vaccine." He said both were killing black people.

He warned against just hoping without action, adding "Hope is not enough. Not anymore. Good intentions fail to embrace the insidious nature of generational racism and that characteristic is in the DNA of most Americans."

Berry asked that people hold authority accountable and become actively involved.

"This is your community. Seek strategic action. Make Auburn and America better for everyone. Be George Floyd's legacy," Berry said.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Black Lives Matter demonstrations have been continuing today with further protests in many European cities, including London where thousands gathered outside the US embassy.



It follows those seen in the US in reaction to the death of George Floyd while in police custody.



In Bristol, protesters tore down the statue of a prominent 17th Century slave trader, Edward Colston, whose landmark in the city centre had been defaced previously.



Earlier England's Health Secretary Matt Hancock reiterated the UK government's advice against large gatherings because of coronavirus fears. Germany's health minister, Jens Spahn, said the fight against racism needed common engagement but big crowds in the middle of a pandemic worried him.



There were similar crowds to those in London at the US embassy in Madrid.



Alba Garcia, an 18-year-old psychology student, said: "What brought me here is when I saw George Floyd's murder video - I was in a lot of pain."



In Rome, protesters stood apart but filled the city's Piazza del Popolo and kneeled in silence with their fists in the air to call for justice for Floyd. There were also marches in Copenhagen and Brussels.

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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MINNEAPOLIS - It's approaching 2 a.m., and city council member Jeremiah Ellison is patrolling his neighborhood in a black sedan when the smell of smoke wafts through the open driver's side window.

Several black-owned businesses had been destroyed in this area - considered the heart of the city's black community - in recent fires that investigators have deemed "suspicious." Neighbors suspect right-wing militias, and social media has been abuzz with purported - but unverified - sightings of masked white men in pickup trucks holding semiautomatic military-style rifles.

The rumors have only fueled the unease that has spread through this community since the death of George Floyd, who lost consciousness under the knee of a police officer on Memorial Day. A video of Floyd's gasps for air triggered massive protests and violent riots that started in this Midwestern city before spreading throughout the country.

Now Ellison - the son of former congressman Keith Ellison, who is prosecuting the four fired officers connected to Floyd's death, as Minnesota's attorney general - is on patrol, hoping to catch the next fire before it destroys another business owner's livelihood. He's also ready to contend with danger of the more human sort, if needed.

Washington Post photo by Jon Gerberg

As the car fills with the acrid scent of burning chemicals, Ellison tells his friend in the driver's seat to pull over. Before they come to a stop, Ellison, 30, flings open the door and jumps out with a pistol in one hand and a small fire extinguisher in the other. He walks briskly down the street, scanning the block for the origin of the fumes.

"I was excited to fight over the budget. I don't think anybody could have pictured this," Ellison says, noting that even as a city official, he can't control how the police respond to the fires and other threats. "This was something I could do."

Across Minneapolis, community-organized citizen patrols have sprung up in recent weeks as confidence in the Minneapolis Police Department has plummeted. Distrust in the agency had been building for years, and now, with emergency responders focused on riots and looting in the hardest-hit part of the city and with the police department's own 3rd Precinct set ablaze, some residents worry that their neighborhoods have been left vulnerable.

Even as riots and violence in the city have subsided, the string of high-profile killings at the hands of Minneapolis police in recent years has prompted calls to defund or disband the department. A majority of the Minneapolis City Council now supports the idea of replacing it with a new model for public safety.

But in the meantime, residents have taken it upon themselves to create alternatives, including forming armed defense forces.

Ellison has been a constant presence on the streets and at protests since Floyd's death, and he started a community patrol the Friday after the incident. While on patrol, he joined a last-ditch - and ultimately unsuccessful - effort to squelch a fire at the Fade Factory barbershop, carrying buckets of water to douse the flames before firefighters arrived. The owner, Trevon Ellis, gave an emotional interview on live TV as his shop burned, explaining that the fire department - overwhelmed by calls throughout the city - had put him on a waiting list and took two hours to arrive.

"I think that we have got to dramatically reimagine how we keep people safe in cities. I think that's been true," Ellison said as he stood on his porch, taking a break from a recent patrol. "But I think that we have underestimated just how urgent that work is. The police forces in the way that they've existed, I think need to not exist."

In Ellison's neighborhood of north Minneapolis, the local chapter of the NAACP has begun to try to do just that: Create a community alternative to police with armed citizen patrols. They call their group the Minnesota Freedom Riders, a reference to the civil rights activists who rode buses through the segregated South in 1961.

On Tuesday, dozens of volunteers, mostly African American, filtered into Sammy's Avenue Eatery, a sandwich and coffee cafe. They checked in with a woman holding a clipboard, who gathered their contact information, asked how many were in their parties, and noted whether they were armed. Almost all of them said they were.

Then each volunteer took a seat as orientation began, led by Minneapolis NAACP President Leslie Redmond.

"Too often, when black people are trying to do the right thing and fight, we are left defenseless, and America has shown us time and time again that they're not coming to our protection," she told the group. "So we've got to protect ourselves."

The project began the previous weekend, just days after Floyd's death, and has grown to 50 volunteers. They divide into groups of three that keep watch at key intersections while others go on patrol.

Redmond said she spoke to Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo about the project, and also informed the National Guard. She wasn't asking them for permission, she insists; she just wanted to let them know: "We are activating our community."

"We are out here simply to defend and protect," she told the group of volunteers. "We are not chasing anybody. We're not here to shoot anybody. We are literally here to protect black businesses and our black community."

The Minneapolis Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. The Minnesota National Guard said it did not have an official statement concerning the community patrols, but spokesman Scott Hawks said, "Our interactions have been uneventful and cordial with the groups that we have encountered."

On the streets, there was evidence of support. One evening, a Minneapolis police officer rolled down his window to chat with the volunteers, and someone in a National Guard truck made a heart sign with his hands as his convoy passed one group.

Volunteer Nate Penrtz, 36, said the fire at the Fade Factory - and Ellis's story about a two-hour wait for a fire crew - spurred him to join the patrol.

"If it weren't for our community standing watch, nothing else was going to prevent these arsonists from burning it down," he said. "MPD and the National Guard weren't going to keep us safe. We had to do it."

The Freedom Riders do face challenges. Some volunteers worry that it will be hard to sustain turnout through the summer, with many people working during the day and guarding their neighborhoods at night. And the guns are clearly visible: Cars approaching the intersection near Sammy's were greeted by the sight of men holding rifles, shotguns and handguns.

Minnesota law allows people with permits to openly carry guns, though volunteers displayed various levels of comfort with their firearms. At one checkpoint, a young man nervously looked down the street as a car approached, his finger on the trigger of a semiautomatic rifle half-raised in front of him. Later, another volunteer in his 30s walked past while gripping a shotgun with one hand.

Others were more relaxed and less quick on the draw. Tyrone Hartwell, 35, originally from Mississippi and a Marine Corps veteran, carried an AK-47 as he helped direct other volunteers. He compared the effort to his time in the military, and when asked who the "enemy" is in this case, he alluded to the widespread rumors of armed white supremacists arriving in Minneapolis.

"We have to be armed to be able to protect them," he said of community members, noting that he has two young children. "That's the one reason we are armed. We are a peaceful group, a loving group. We are brothers that banded together to protect our neighborhood."

Hartwell, a music producer who works under the name Sippizone, said he didn't think the national news media had grasped the level of fear gripping Minneapolis and its black neighborhoods.

"They don't understand how serious it is right now," he said. "There are a lot of people who are sitting in their homes right now sleeping. They all understand how terrified our kids are."

While the mood on the streets is tense, some see the neighborhood patrols as seeds that may produce long-lasting change. City Council member Phillipe Cunningham's ward covers part of the neighborhood, and recently he stood with one of the night watch groups outside Firebox Deli, which served brisket and ribs to passing volunteers.

"What this looks like moving forward is for us to actually really begin the process of building public safety strategies and systems outside of policing," he said. "And so now, we are starting to begin the process of showing that it works here with everyday folks and that we can build it from here."
The Erna Fergusson Library, just north of Comanche on San Mateo, serves as a gateway to a large city park and a public pool.

Thousands of city dwellers drive by it every day, but a swift encounter offers very little in the way of history. The library pays tribute to native New Mexican Erna Fergusson, an internationally known writer who shed light on cultures around the world and gave readers a peek into the states unique cultural makeup. Clark Powell dubbed Fergusson the First Lady of New Mexico Letters in a 1962 New Mexico Magazine article he wrote about her.

Born into privilege, Fergusson began appearing in society columns at a young age. Her grandfather was Franz Huning, an adventurous man who immigrated to the United States from Germany. He was a successful merchant and developer who helped bring the railroad to Albuquerque and platted Huning Highland, the citys first subdivision. Her father was Alabama native Harvey Fergusson who became a prominent New Mexico attorney and was selected as the New Mexico territorial delegate to Congress. He became New Mexicos first congressman when it became a state in 1912. Good friends with Franz Huning, Fergusson married Hunings daughter Clara Mary in 1887.

Erna Fergusson was born in Old Town a year later on Jan. 10, 1888.

She spent her childhood traveling, attending birthday parties of prominent Albuquerque families and visiting her grandfathers mansion, Huning Castle, which sat on 700 sprawling acres along Central Avenue. She traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father when she was just 9 years old. At the age of 18, she left New Mexico and spent a year touring Europe with her grandmother Ernestine Huning.

Despite her charmed life, Fergusson did not rest on her privilege. Her time was used either in the service of others or trying to bring a better understanding of the states cultural nuances. She was fluent in Spanish and shortly before her death she lamented the loss of the language amongst the more recent generations. Her 1931 book Dancing Gods offered a look at the history, ceremonies, rituals and dances of Native American communities in New Mexico and Arizona. She wrote the book after experiencing those things first-hand as she traveled and explored her home state.

Fergusson started her career as a teacher with Albuquerque Public Schools in 1907, and would go on to earn bachelors degree in pedagogy in 1912 from the University of New Mexico followed by a masters in history from Columbia University in 1913. She continued to teach until World War I, which diverted the course of her life. She worked locally for both the Red Cross and Salvation Army, traveling the state assisting families of soldiers. After the war, she spent a year as a reporter at the Albuquerque Herald and started a dude wrangling business named Koshare Tours with Ethel Hickey, a faculty member from UNM. The women offered guided tours of local pueblos and the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona. They sold the business to the legendary Fred Harvey but it was this period that is believed to have ignited her desire to research the different heritages of New Mexico.

Her book New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples was written in 1951 and explored the Spanish, Anglo and Native traditions in New Mexico. She even claimed that her Native American friends named her Shikya-wa-nim, Beautiful Swift Fox, after her footrace victory during an annual Snake Dance at Hopi Pueblo.

She would write several books in her lifetime and UNM granted her a doctorate of letters in 1943, the first woman ever to receive that honor from the institution. She would also help found the Albuquerque Historical Society, known as the Old Town Historical Society, in 1947.

Erna Fergusson was actually the first name I wrote on my list when I started compiling ideas for my column. I only had a vague awareness of who she was. One of the great things my Mom did was take us to the library on a regular basis. We spent a lot of time at the main library Downtown, but the one closest to where we lived, and the one we visited the most, was the Erna Fergusson branch. My elementary brain had no idea what an Erna Fergusson was but I thought it was fancy sounding. I moved from the neighborhood by middle school but that name always stuck with me.

Her grandfathers opulent mansion was demolished in 1955, but Fergussons historic home, La Glorieta, which was across the street from Huning Castle, still stands and is now part of the Manzano Day School campus. La Glorieta was Franz Hunings first home but he gifted it to Fergussons mom, Clara Mary, when she married Harvey Fergusson.

Fergusson died on July 30, 1964. The following day the Albuquerque Journal noted: New Mexico has suffered a deep loss in the death of Miss Erna Fergusson, dean of women authors in this area  Miss Fergussons literary talents had carried her fame  and authoritative knowledge of this state  throughout the nation.

Two years later, the city opened its sixth library location and named it after her. The library was remodeled in 2003 and stands not only as a monument to a pioneering New Mexican, but its a symbol of her impassioned pursuit of knowledge and the desire to share it with others.

Curious about how a town, street or building got its name? Email staff writer Elaine Briseno at ebriseno@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3965 as she continues the monthly journey in Whats in a Name?

Editors note: The Journal continues Whats in a Name? a monthly column in which staff writer Elaine Briseno will give a short history of how places in New Mexico got their names.
With 7.3 million Pinoys go jobless

SANS CERTIFICATION ON BAYANIHAN-2 PASSAGE PUTS POOR PINOYS OUT OF ORBIT --SEN NANCY

"We still have a long road ahead. We have to go on and keep moving, keep fighting for survival--not to give up on those who need our help."

With over 7.3 million Filipinos now jobless, and millions more still awaiting government support, Sen Nancy Binay today echoed her frustration over the non-certification of the proposed Bayanihan Act-2 as urgent by Malacanang.

"Sa panahong ito na lahat ay kapos at walang makapitan, at di natin dapat hinahayaan na magkaroon ng gap sa pagbigay ng suporta lalo na sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng hanap-buhay. Di pa po tapos ang laban, pero bumitaw na ang gobyerno. Nasa ibang orbit ba ang mga Pilipino para iwanan sa ere?" Binay added.

The Philippine Statistics Authority revealed this week that unemployment soared to 17.7% in April, or around 7.3 million Filipinos.

Senate Bill 1564 or the Bayanihan Act-2 would have provided for a P140- billion standby fund to continue the Philippines' COVID-19 response and recovery plan, and was to extend subsidies to the informal sector, displaced workers, farmers, small businesses, teachers, and those in the critical sectors affected by the lockdown.

The Senate was waiting for the Palace's certification of the measure as urgent before adjourning on Thursday, June 4, but no certification came.

With the expiration of Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act) on June 5, the President will no longer have to submit weekly reports to Congress as to how the funds were spent.

"Medyo nakaka-frustrate na sa kabila ng tumataas na bilang ng nawalan ng trabaho, mga negosyong nagsasara at mga pamilyang hanggang ngayon ay di pa naaabutan ng ayuda, makikita natin na iba ang priorities at focus ng gobyerno. Essential concerns dapat ang pagtuunan natin ng pansin," Binay said.

She said that in the face of loss of livelihood in such a massive scale the government should exhaust all efforts to provide jobs, and other non-essential concerns should be put on the back burner.
On 2 June, Elon Musk tweeted: Off Twitter for a while. It was two days before his Space X rocket launch deployed 60 new satellites, and came just after the first commercial space flight to deliver astronauts to the International Space Station. There was no explanation.

But it has emerged the multi-billionaire Tesla tycoon may have in fact been on a flying visit to Bristol in southwest England.

According to The Times, the Space X founder and Tesla chief executive flew in his private jet to Luton airport for a hasty visit to the UK to inspect a possible new factory for electric cars.

Following online speculation that Mr Musk had boarded a rocket himself, or gone into a secret bunker to avoid coronavirus, more serious rumours began to emerge that the UK governments Department of International Trade had recently been on the lookout for a 4 million sq ft commercial premises.

More specifically, it is thought such a large plot could be used for a gigafactory  a facility for manufacturing electric cars and batteries.

Tesla already has one such building, outside Reno in Nevada. Though incomplete, it already produces the companys Model 3 electric motors and battery packs, alongside Teslas energy storage products, the home energy battery Powerwall and Powerpack  the commercial version.

Once complete, Tesla expects the US gigafactory to be the biggest building in the world  and entirely powered by renewable energy sources.

According to Property Week, the Department for International Trade has been approaching local enterprise partnerships in Britain, requesting information on sites of 130 acres or more, apparently in the hope of enticing electric car manufacturers.

One site that has reportedly been approached in recent weeks about whether it could hold a gigafactory is Gravity, a 650-acre location near Bristol which was once the site of a BAE factory.

Musk has previously considered the UK as a European manufacturing location before, but cited Brexit uncertainty as a reason for later deciding to build a plant in Germany.

Tesla is already in the process of building a gigafactory outside Berlin which will be used for the assembly of the new Model Y electric vehicle.

The Times reports that Musks private jet is believed to have arrived at Luton just after midday on Wednesday, and he then likely took a helicopter across southern England to tour the Gravity site.

The jet then took off from Luton early on Thursday morning, after spending just 19-hours on the ground.

The UKs new quarantine laws will come into force on Monday 8 June and will mean international visitors must spend two weeks in self-isolation.

Arrivals will be asked to provide an address at which they will be self-isolating for 14 days. Travellers can be fined 100 for failing to fill in a form providing these details.

The government has said it will use surprise visits to check people are following the rules, with fines of up to 1,000 applicable if people are found to be in contravention of them.
A teacher shows how to wash hands correctly during a drill at a primary school in Hanshan District of Handan, north China's Hebei Province, May 31, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese health authority said Sunday that it received reports of six new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland Saturday, one of which was domestically transmitted in Hainan Province.

The other five cases were imported from overseas, with two reported in Shaanxi Province, as well as one in Tianjin Municipality and provinces of Fujian and Guangdong respectively, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

No deaths related to the disease were reported, said the commission, adding that two new suspected cases from abroad were reported in Shanghai on Saturday.

On Saturday, three people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the last patient in severe condition was transferred to a general ward.

As of Saturday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 83,036, including 70 patients who were still being treated, and 78,332 people who had been discharged after recovery.

Altogether 4,634 people had died of the disease, the commission said.

By Saturday, the mainland had reported a total of 1,776 imported cases. Of the cases, 1,710 had been discharged from hospital after recovery, and 66 remained hospitalized, with no one in severe conditions. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported.

The commission said there were still three cases, all from overseas, suspected of being infected with the virus on Saturday.

According to the commission, 3,389 close contacts were still under medical observation after 633 people were discharged from medical observation Saturday.

Also on Saturday, five new asymptomatic cases, four from overseas, were reported on the mainland. One case was re-categorized as a confirmed one, and 25 asymptomatic cases were discharged from medical observation.

The commission said 236 asymptomatic cases, including 43 from overseas, were still under medical observation.

By Saturday, 1,105 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 45 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 443 in Taiwan including seven deaths.

A total of 1,048 patients in Hong Kong, 45 in Macao, and 429 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 18:56:35|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Somali National Army (SNA) on Saturday killed 37 al-Shabab extremists in a fierce fight in the outskirts of Hudur town in the southern region of Bakol, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Odawa Yusuf Rage, commander of SNA told journalists that the clashes started after government forces got intelligence of the militants' presence in the area and conducted operations.

"Our forces inflicted severe casualties on the militants, killing 37 of them, including the militants' leader in Hudur area," Rage said, adding that the army also recovered weapons from the militants.

Locals told Xinhua there was an intense fight in Abal village in the outskirts of Hudur town which caused casualties from the warring sides and the residents.

On May 27, Somali forces backed by the Southwestern State army killed six al-Shabab extremists in another operation in Dinsor town in the southern region of Bay.

Government forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab extremists in the southern regions, but the militants still hold swathes of rural areas in those regions conducting ambushes and planting land mines. Enditem
Hi Neighbor,

Maybe we havent been at it long enough. Maybe just a little longer to overcome the racial injustice that pervades our society. Despite what Abraham Lincoln said back in 1862, its only 65 years since Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus.

I dont know when the oft-talked-about North Shore-South Shore divide took hold on Staten Island. The divide that calls the Staten Island Expressway the Mason Dixon Line.

I dont recall it as a kid in the 50s and 60s, growing up on our East Shore. In those days, you pretty much knew only your own neighborhood. Public transportation was scant and parent-chauffeured play dates hadnt been invented yet.

That, plus there was no Staten Island Expressway and the South Shore was pretty much wilderness.

Dont get me wrong. Staten Island was never Mayberry. The minority population then was minuscule and not tolerated outside the North Shore or pockets of the East, like Midland Beach, or Sandy Ground on the South. New Dorp, Dongan Hills, Rosebank, Grant City, Fort Wadsworth  basically the pre-South-Shore-Boom Mid-Island -- was a mixed bag.

Bigotry seeped beyond race, too. Many in the Irish and Italian communities showed no great affection for each other. If you were a Jew? Well, you were white. But dont apply for membership in our clubs.

Then the Verrazzano Bridge rose out of the Narrows. It provided a cheap and simple escape for those fleeing something somewhere else. Could have been the growing congestion in Bay Ridge. Could have been the tiny apartment with no backyard in Jackson Heights. Could have been the laissez-faire approach in the kids South Bronx public school.

Or could have been that African American family that moved in next door.

It was time to get out and the South Shore was primed to welcome all with a dream, a $20,000 mortgage and pale skin.

Why did I come to Staten Island? a Bronx developer once confided. They told me the streets were paved with gold.

The Staten Island inclusion quotient turned uglier. A quiet and almost invisible ugliness. No one spoke out loud. They whispered. Minorities seeking a new life in Richmond County were steered north. There might have been some success stories of African Americans finding a home down south but then, too, there was the Charles family. When Alberto Charles tried to move with his family into a New Dorp home in 1972, the seller was threatened and the house torched the night before the familys moving truck showed up.

To sum it up, albeit simply: For some, the South Shore is a peaceful and wooded oasis of lovely homes with landscaped yards where hard-working families escape a hectic life in the big city. For others, its an enclave for wealthy, intolerant boors who fled from somewhere else.

For some, the North Shore is wonderful mix of eclectic cultures, time-honored homes, stimulating neighborhoods and charming restaurants. For others, its a violent slum where South Shore people wouldnt go without a flame thrower.

Which brings us to today, a frightening time . . . a time unprecedented for most of us.

A relentless disease sweeping the globe has killed 108,000 Americans, 24,000 of them in New York State. More than 1,000 on Staten Island.

Another disease as potentially deadly, this one around a lot longer but hardly discussed in comparison to the virus, steals lives too. Literally and figuratively.

Racism, so pervasive in our country that we dont as a society discuss it much because we know deep down we will never eliminate it.

Oh, when numbing incidents like the 1994 death of Ernest Sayon at the hands of police in Park Hill happen, we discuss it. Or the 2014 death of Eric Garner at the hands of police in Tompkinsville. Or when a video shows a cop kneeling on the neck George Floyd until hes dead in Minneapolis in 2020 happen, then yes, we discuss it.

How can we not? Mass protests follow. Those who live every day under the thumb of racism and who know not what else to do, rise up. And infiltrating them are twisted minds out for the joyride of wreaking havoc, looting and burning buildings almost at will.

It is then the privileged, those fortunate to be able to walk the streets without fear of police or neighborhood reprisal, make themselves heard.

Bill de Blasio has dedicated a career to leveling the playing field. Yet he admits, I see my own privilege and can only understand so much. I know enough to say that for the black community every day is pervaded by racism. We will do better.

We will? How, Mr. Mayor? Tell us how.

When the people who want change, no matter their color, cry for justice there are those who claim they do too, but really want upheaval and turmoil. Thugs. Thieves. Radicals. Goons. Call them what you will. Their goal is destruction and thievery.

And the change, the justice the good people want are lost in the violence.

An Advance/SILive headline said it all:  Let Staten Island be an example -- As city burned, peaceful protests over George Floyd here. Staten Islanders of color, the people who suffer because they live muffled by systemic racism, the people of the North Shore who live in a borough tagged as racist by most of the rest of New York  they might be able to tell us how.

These are people who might be expected to lose control, living on an island where, in parts, they are not wanted. Neighborhoods where, whether real or not, they are afraid to tread. A community whose schools are dated. Where health care is not as available, nor are food markets or banks. And yes, where crime is more prevalent.

Those who white Staten Island will never really understand took to the streets in solidarity and in peace in the aftermath of George Floyds murder to make their feelings known and get their message out.

Im not the problem, Im trying to bring about a solution, was the message of 21-year-old Isaiah Buffong outside the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George.

So lets work together and find a solution, was the message of NYPD Borough Commander Kenneth Corey from the stationhouse steps.

We are here for peace. We are here for love. We are not here for hate, 23-year-old Kevin Walton shouted through a megaphone. At the end of the day, they [police] have jobs to do. Not all of them are racist, but some are, and were here to talk about those.

Chief Corey waded into the crowd. Talking, shaking hands.

Thats how to begin finding the solution. Not what some of our worried neighbors are pointing out.

I'm writing to implore you to write about dangerous mobilization of those who stand against the peaceful protestors on Staten Island, one wrote, referring to a private Facebook page called Protect the South Shore.

Guys we are in a war, the post read. If these punks come to our neighborhood we need to defend it. Please add your friends and anyone who will answer the bell when it rings . . . Our political leadership is disgusting and WE need to fight back if they wont. We will help our POLICE if they wont.

The comments were littered with references of being locked and loaded. Read that, Guns at the ready.

I implore you to report on this very unsettling groundswell that will undoubtably end with minorities or peaceful protestors being hurt or killed, the reader begged.

This is a mood prevalent in America. The Make America Great Again mood.

Of course no thinking American wants violence. But calling for vigilante violence in our neighborhoods is hardly the answer.

When the killer coronavirus struck, our country went into overdrive to find a cure. By January, were now told. Perhaps we should put half that energy into finding a cure for the other horrifying disease that infects every state in the union.

Buried so deep in the fabric of our country, the occasional bright light we shine on it in the aftermath of tragic deaths influenced by race will never be enough to eradicate it.

Brian

Oh by the way: Media attention, and thus the nations, has turned to the tragedy of Minneapolis and its violent aftermath throughout America. As it should. But let us not forget there is still a killer virus among us. Its time, so many have been saying. Time to reopen America. The curve has been flattened. Yes, it has. Because Americans responded, painfully for many. They played by the rules. The curve did not flatten because of a magic drug. Nothing has changed medically. So to see scores of Staten Islanders gathered in an Annadale parking lot cheering a defiant store owner opening his business against the rules, and tearing up a legal document served as a summons, is disturbing. All this in the presence of two of Staten Islands elected officials. We have endured for three months. Will a cautious approach of easing into a new normal be a business death knell, or might it help ensure we dont find ourselves in this awful place again?
There is so much that we don't know yet about life underwater, but with technological advancements, we're able to slowly uncover the secrets of the world in the deepest parts of the ocean, including battles between the most ferocious open water predators.

Shark vs. Giant Squid

In a photograph taken by photographer Deron Verbeck in Hawaii, evidence of an underwater battle between a giant cephalopod and a shark has been recorded.

According to National Geographic, although tussles between sperm whales and giant deep-sea squids are famous, there is no proof showing any interaction between sharks and giant squids or similar species of these massive cephalopods that could become as equally big as school buses.

That is until Verbeck captured a photo of a shark off the coast of Hawaii in the summer of 2019.

According to the magazine, Verbeck was at Hawaii's Kona coast when he noticed a shark with an unusual pattern of white dots on its flank, so he shot a photo of the underwater predator to send to scientists to help identify what shark species it was.

However, when he checked the photos on his computer back at home, the photographer had captured something even more significant: the shark had a series of marks that looked like the suction rings of squids.

Even Verbeck himself was astonished by the shot and uploaded it on his official Facebook account.

Read Also: Researchers Use Underwater Microphones to Finally Record What Narwhals Sound Like

The First Evidence of Shark and Giant Squid Interaction

A shark ecologist from the Florida International University, Yannis Papastamatiou, saw the photo and immediately contacted the photographer to ask the photographer to pull off the picture from the internet as nobody has seen before.

Nevertheless, Papastamatiou and his colleagues detailed the apparent interaction between the two sea creatures in the Journal of Fish Biology.

Unfortunately, the team of experts can't be certain what type of giant squid made the marks on the shark's body, but they are confident that the creature would have to be "something pretty big."

They also have a few candidates for the culprit behind the suction ring marks, including the giant squid and species under the genera Thysanoteuthis and Megalocranchia.

In addition, the shark ecologist cautions everyone that it is hard to draw any conclusions with a single photograph.

"My main regret is that we never got to see what happened," he said.

Who Started It?

However, the expert does have a couple of theories as to how the scuffle happened, saying that they might have bumped into each other, thus resulting in a battle or that the shark went after the squid in hopes of a meal.

They also theorized that the squid might have started the scuffle, but co-author Heather Bracken-Grissom, a biologist from the Florida International University, said that there are no accounts of squids hunting sharks.

"It is more likely this squid was being attacked by the shark and defending itself," she told National Geographic.

In addition, the photo evidence and the study may finally offer answers to some shark mysteries, including why they often stay in empty spaces of the ocean.

One theory is that they might be hunting for squids, which is why the recent study would help other experts have more ideas about the interactions between sharks and squids underwater.

Read Also: [VIDEO] Terrifying Video Footage of Sharks Stalking Spanish Paralympic Swimmer

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
10. And finally, dig into one of our Best Weekend Reads.

This week, we tag along with our journalists as they explore the reopening of Europe, talk to the S.N.L. star Pete Davidson, above, and consider the benefits of living in New York City.

For more ideas on what to read, watch and listen to, may we suggest these 11 new books our editors liked, a glance at the latest small-screen recommendations from Watching and five minutes of music that will make you love the cello.

Have a harmonious week.

Your Weekend Briefing is published Sundays at 6 a.m. Eastern.

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What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

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Neha Kirpal By

These are good days for Neeraj Pandey. The credit for Prashant Nairs Tryst with Destiny winning the award for best screenplay for an International Narrative Feature Film at the Tribeca Film Festival 2020 goes to the indie-scriptwriter and lyricist.

He is also a part of the motley team of writers who wrote the lines for Hasmukh, the Netflix dark comedy serial which stars comedian and actor Vir Das as a small-town-comic-turned-serial-killer.

Often, artists get subsumed by their own characters: Hasmukh has explored his dark side through the characters. Since Ravi Kishen, Ranvir Shorey and Manoj Pahwa made up a versatile and challenging cast, he synced the subjects of the story with the image of the actors in his mind.

This is how I created different voices for different characters in my head, caught them and wrote for them, he explains.

Pandey has written all the songs for two upcoming projectsRamprasad Ki Tehrvi, the debut of actress-turned-director, Seema Pahwa, as well as Hardik Mehtas widely-praised Kaamyaab starring Sanjay Mishra.

While Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi is a family drama featuring the veritable whos who of the Indian alternative cinema, in which Pandeys lyrics unravel a familys dynamics after the death of their patriarch, Kaamyaab was recently given a thumbs-up by well-known Brazilian lyricist and novelist Paulo Coelho for its poignant portrayal of forgotten character actors.

Of all his work, Pandey finds writing lyrics most challenging. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, write four lines and go back to sleep. The process is so satisfying that whenever I crack a song, I experience a high, he beams.

Currently, he is busy developing a relationship drama for a leading OTT. Last year, he also wrote the dialogues for a period drama set in old Bollywood, the announcement of which he is still awaiting. Cant put a good man down for long: he has also started working on his own film.

Growing up, Pandey was aware of his artistic inclinations. He always knew he would do something in the field of art. This intuition led to a career in gaming and animation. It was only after working for several years in the industry that he realised that his career was a means to something else that lived deep within himwriting.

When he moved to Bengaluru in 2013 to work in Indias biggest studio, it felt like a dead end. The now what question kept him awake, and writing began to resurface in his life. Pandey says that he is lucky to have met like-minded people and make a living out of his calling.

The sheer pleasure I get from the surprise and the possibilities of discovering the unknown keeps me going, he says. No matter how busy his day is, Pandey manages to take out some time to sit in his writing chair and dream. Im nostalgic about places I have never been to, he adds.

If poetry is the sister of lyrics, Pandey is a family man who is enchanted by verse from different cultures and different authors.

He is fascinated by language and its impact on people. Finding new metaphors and expressing himself through different images stimulates him.

There are things I cant say in my poems, so I verbalize them as jokes. Sometimes a story is the perfect medium to express my thoughts. I can express some emotions better through a song. And sometimes the urge to crack a PJ is irresistible.

I have named them Pandey-Jokes, he concludes. However, such versatility is no joke.

QUICKLY THEN...
Germany on Sunday voiced concern at reports that President Donald Trump plans to cut the number of US troops stationed in Germany, amid fears it could weaken a key pillar of NATO defence in the region. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said both countries stood to gain from close cooperation even if the transatlantic relationship had become "complicated" under Trump. Other senior politicians in Berlin were more blunt, slamming the plan as the latest blow to US-German ties and a potential security risk. "Should it come to the withdrawal of part of the US troops, we take note of this," Maas told the Bild am Sonntag daily. "We appreciate the cooperation with the US armed forces that has grown over decades. It is in the interest of both of our countries." Peter Beyer, Chancellor Angela Merkel's coordinator for transatlantic relations, warned that "the German-US relationship could be severely affected" by Trump's decision. The Wall Street Journal and other media reported on Friday that Trump had ordered the Pentagon to slash the number of US military personnel by 9,500 from the current 34,500 permanently assigned in Germany. Such a move would significantly reduce the US commitment to European defence under the NATO umbrella, and appeared to catch Berlin off guard. - 'Wake-up call' - But Maas admitted ties with the Trump administration had become strained. "We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But it's complicated," Maas told Bild, in a nod to rows ranging from the Iranian nuclear deal to NATO contributions and Berlin's support for a Russian gas pipeline. There was no immediate confirmation from US officials about the alleged plan to slash US troop numbers in Germany and cap them at 25,000 in future. But Trump's lukewarm support of longstanding cooperation agreements with European allies has long caused alarm on the continent. The US leader been particularly scathing towards Germany in recent years, accusing the fellow NATO member of not spending enough on defence. Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe, a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II. Johann Wadephul, a senior member in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party, said the troop reduction plan should showed that the Trump administration was "neglecting an elementary leadership task: involving alliance partners in the decision-making process". It also served as another "wake-up call" for Europeans to take more responsibility for their own defence, he said in a statement on Saturday. Only China and Russia stood to gain from "discord" between NATO allies, Wadephul added. - 'Colossal mistake' - Rolf Muetzenich, leader of the parliamentary group of the centre-left SPD, Merkel's junior coalition partner, told the Funke newspaper group that the US plan could lead to "a lasting realignment of security policy in Europe". Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges, who was stationed in the German city of Wiesbaden before he retired, said a US drawdown would be "a colossal mistake" and "a gift" for Russian President Vladimir Putin. "US troops are not in Europe to protect Germans," he tweeted. "They are forward-based, as part of NATO, to protect all members, including USA." Although the American military presence has strongly declined since the end of the Cold War nearly three decades ago, Germany remains a crucial hub for US armed forces. As well as serving as a deterrence to a resurgent Russia, US troops use their German bases to coordinate military operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The headquarters for US forces in Europe and Africa are both based in Stuttgart, while the US air base in Ramstein plays a major role in transporting soldiers and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The US military hospital in Landstuhl, near Ramstein, is the largest of its kind outside the United States. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Saturday that he hoped some of the troops moved out of Germany could be reassigned to Poland.
"Hide our strength, bide our time," said Deng Xiaoping, China's former leader. Xi Jinping, China's current president, seems to believe the opposite.



Shaking off his failures that let an outbreak in Wuhan become a global coronavirus pandemic, Xi is quickening the crackdown on Hong Kong by championing a new national security law that would allow China to severely limit the freedoms of speech, press and assembly, as well as judicial independence, that were guaranteed when the United Kingdom handed Hong Kong over in 1997.



The rules were part of the Basic Law, which was supposed to allow Hong Kong to retain rights under a promised "one country, two systems" rubric. But like so much under the repressive regime, that was a lie.



On May 27, the U.S. State Department informed Congress that it no longer believed that Hong Kong had significant autonomy, a designation that was reflected in President Donald Trump's decision to "begin the process" of ending portions of Hong Kong's favorable economic status with the United States.



There is justifiable bipartisan anger over China's increasingly aggressive and repressive regime. Chinese citizens aren't just threatened in Hong Kong. More than 1 million Muslims have been imprisoned in gulags _ or worse _ in western China.



Abroad, China's territorial claims have led to maritime provocations; it is currently skirmishing with India over a long-festering border dispute; and it continues to menace Taiwan. Meanwhile, China maintains its predatory business and trade practices.



The bellicosity abroad reflects domestic weakness, including an export economy that's ailing in the pandemic. Here in the U.S., China has become an increasingly important issue in the 2020 campaign, with both Trump and de facto Democratic nominee Joe Biden exchanging accusations about the other being "soft" on China.



The current climate is reminiscent of the run-up of the Cold War. But it would be unfortunate for the world to devolve back to that kind of conflict, especially when international cooperation is needed to tackle transnational challenges like climate change and, yes, the coronavirus.



Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on May 24, "It's time for the United States to give up its wishful thinking on changing China."



No, it's not. The U.S. and its allies never gave up wishful thinking on the Soviet Union. But it's important to remember what carried the West in the Cold War: ideals, international institutions and allies.



All three have been eroded under Trump, including his announcement on Friday that the U.S. was withdrawing from the World Health Organization, ostensibly because of China's influence on it, which would only solidify with this decision.



And through a nationalist newspaper, China called out the U.S. for its "double standards" on Hong Kong and the growing protests over George Floyd's killing. "Hong Kong's rioters and police should carefully watch how the 'democratic U.S.' deals with the chaos in Minnesota," the Global Times wrote.



Trump should continue America's historic support for human rights and democracy abroad and better reflect them at home. And more than ever, the U.S. needs allies; alienating them through moves like the WHO defunding only strengthens China's hand. Such hard issues, and not who is "soft" on China, should be the real debate this election season.





The above editorial appeared in the Star Tribune (Minneapolis). It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.


If Ohios most cautious politician says something even remotely critical of President Donald Trump  amid protests over the death, at the hands of Minneapolis police, of a black man, George Floyd  Republicans must be a tad nervous.

[The president] can and should do more to try to bring our country together right now, Sen. Rob Portman, a suburban Cincinnati Republican, said last week. Words matter. We need to make sure were not inflaming the situation. Translation: Maybe the coal mines Republican canaries havent keeled over  yet. But they feel a little woozy.

Maybe thats why theres a Republican push to hold down turnout by Ohios Democratic voters. Practical reason: When Democrats turn out, we win, 20-year Ohio House Speaker Vernal G. Riffe Jr., a Portsmouth-area Democrat, often said.

When GOP presidential contenders carry Ohio, they tend to beat Democrats by big margins. Only heavy Democratic turnout can overcome that. (Trump led Democrat Hillary Clinton in Ohio by about 467,000 votes.) But when a Democratic candidate has carried Ohio in the last 70-odd years, the Democrats statewide margin can be slender.

True, Democrat Barack Obama drew more than 50 percent of Ohios statewide vote in 2008 and 2012. So did Lyndon Johnson in 1964. But Democrat Harry S. Truman (whose portrait, showing him wearing a Masonic apron, hung on the wall of Riffes Statehouse office) carried Ohio in 1948 by just 7,100 votes.

And in 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter carried Ohio by just 11,000 votes. It may surprise some of todays Ohioans that among counties that Carter carried in 1976 were Perry (New Lexington), home county of Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder; Jackson; Vinton (McArthur); Meigs (Pomeroy); Lawrence (Ironton); Adams (West Union); and Brown (Georgetown).

When Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton carried Ohio in 1992, Clinton drew only about 40.2 percent of Ohios vote (thanks partly to votes won by H. Ross Perot). Even when Clinton, as a White House incumbent, won a second presidential term in 1996, he drew less than 50 percent of Ohios vote.

Bottom line: This years probable Democratic nominee, ex-Vice President Joe Biden, likely needs every Democratic vote he can get in Ohio. That means Republicans need to hold down Democratic turnout.

For instance, House Bill 680, sponsored by Republican Rep. Cindy Abrams, of suburban Cincinnati, which Ohios House passed Wednesday in a 61-35 vote, doesnt give (Republican) Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohios chief elections officer, authority to prepay the return postage on voters applications for absentee ballots  or postage for voters to mail in their absentee ballots. (Have many stamps at your house? How about a postage scale?)

True, in a big plus for Ohio voters, HB 680 does not interfere with Ohioans right to cast an absentee ballot in person during the last three days before Novembers election. (GOP double-talk aside, an earlier version of the bill likely would have.)

Rather than vote early by mail, many black Ohioans prefer to vote early in person during the weekend before an election. Accordingly, Ohios black churches often sponsor souls to the polls events for parishioners on the Sundays before elections. In-person early voting matters to black Ohioans. Moreover, the news agency Reuters, citing census data, has reported that only about 11 percent of black voters [nationwide] cast their ballots by mail  the lowest percentage of any measured ethnic group, and  just under half the rate of white voters.

Black voters tend to support Democratic candidates. Banning in-person early voting in Ohio during the last weekend before an election would limit Democratic wins. Thats why Republicans would like to limit or end early, in-person voting on such weekends. So far, federal lawsuits have stymied the GOP.

The Ohio Constitution says all political power is inherent in the people. It doesnt say Ohioans must jump through hoops. But by not letting LaRose pay postage for voters absentee ballot requests, or for postage when voters mail in their absentee ballots, the legislature puts hoops between voters and ballot boxes. But hey, if Ohios GOP-run legislature cant find ways to hold down Democratic turnout, Donald Trump just might become a one-term president.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474

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Al's, a sporting-goods store tucked in Wilmington, Delaware's small shopping district, opened during the Great Depression, weathered World War II and has been able to keep workers on the job during the coronavirus pandemic. But this past weekend delivered a new challenge.

Owner Bob Hart closed the 17,000-square-foot shop at 4 p.m. Saturday as protesters walked Market Street, blocks away. A few hours later, around 8:15 p.m., the first of the store alarms went off. Looters who followed the peaceful demonstrations broke windows at the store and stole the majority of Hart's inventory, including about 10,000 pairs of shoes.

Hart is among business owners digging into the details of their insurance policies to see what losses might be covered. Hart said he's confident his claim will be successful, but that doesn't make the process an easy one.

"For every item I'm missing, I have to supply an invoice. That could be real tough," he said, with some items purchased a year or two ago. "You just gotta try to work through it."

Protesters have come out in droves across the U.S. to speak out against the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes -- the latest incident of brutality against African-Americans. While the protests have been largely peaceful, some people have used the unrest as an opportunity to vandalize and loot stores in cities including New York, Los Angeles and Wilmington.

"It was wrong what they did to George Floyd -- it's sickening," Hart said. "But when you take it out on somebody like me, who just has a small business," he said, trailing off while shaking his head.

The civil unrest comes as business owners continue to cope with the economic impact of the covid-19 outbreak, which also required them to analyze the fine print of their insurance policies. While there's been a debate about whether business-interruption insurance covers retailers' pandemic-related losses, property damage from riots, civil commotion and vandalism are generally covered under standard policies, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The insurance industry has argued that business-interruption coverage wouldn't pay for virus losses because of a physical-damage requirement, an issue now being fought over by business owners, attorneys and lawmakers. The situation is clearer when there are broken storefronts from looting, said Kim Winter, who leads Lathrop GPM's insurance recovery and counseling practice group.

"Here we know that there is actual direct physical damage -- there's no question about it, it's more than just a microscopic virus, so that's the difference," she said.

Winter and Hahn Pam, an associate at Lathrop GPM, said policyholders should try to alert their insurers quickly, even though the protests are still going on, and study their coverage closely. While property damage is often covered, the double-whammy of the pandemic and looting could mean business-interruption claims become more complicated down the road, Winter said.

The 1992 riots in Los Angeles were the costliest civil-disorder event in U.S. history, totaling about $775 million in insured damage at the time, according to the insurance institute. That pales in comparison to damage done by some natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, which resulted in $41 billion in insured losses.

Verisk Analytics Inc.'s Property Claim Services, which analyzes various events, has already designated the latest riots a catastrophe, meaning they'll probably cause more than $25 million in insured damage and affect a significant number of insurers and policyholders. The group hasn't announced a firm estimate.

Meyer Shields, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, said in a June 1 note that the firm's best guess is that insured damages should be "relatively modest," but that the combination of those losses, costs tied to the pandemic and a hurricane season forecast to be stronger than normal could weigh on insurers.

For now, business owners on the front lines are the ones navigating the aftermath. It isn't clear when Al's, the sporting-goods store in Wilmington, will be able to restock, with some suppliers unable to ship goods for weeks because of the pandemic, Hart said after putting a thick chain and padlock on the store's temporary plywood door.

In Atlanta's wealthy Buckhead neighborhood, looters hit Attom Concept Store, a black-owned clothing retailer, taking $100,000 of merchandise early Saturday morning. Owner Zola Dias, a Swiss immigrant, sells luxury clothes, shoes and accessories from fashion houses including Balenciaga and Givenchy and local designers.

Dias said he'd let his insurance policy lapse after closing more than two months ago because of Georgia's Covid-19 lockdown. It was hard to cover the costs as well as his $20,000 monthly rent in the ritzy Buckhead Village plaza, he said. Dias had planned to open on Monday, but found the windows smashed and store ransacked when he stopped by at 5 a.m. Saturday. For now, he's started a fundraiser and is counting on the generosity of customers to reopen.

"This store is very famous," said Dias, whose shop's Instagram page is filled with pictures of Atlanta hip-hop artists and other celebrities with his apparel. He vents at the injustice of looters targeting a black-owned shop. "We've been here for almost four years, so people know us."
By Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un focused on domestic economic issues at a meeting of the politburo of the country's ruling Workers Party, state media said on Monday, as the North ramped up pressure on South Korea over defector activities.

The two-day politburo meeting comes at a time of economic uncertainty amid the global COVID-19 pandemic that is putting additional pressure on the North's economy, already battered by international sanctions aimed at stopping its nuclear program.

The meeting discussed "crucial issues arising in further developing the self-sufficient economy of the country and improving the standard of people's living," state news agency KCNA said.

Kim did not mention the North's increased criticism of South Korea or of the North Korean defectors who call it home.

For several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects if the South does not stop defectors from sending leaflets and other material into the North.

On Monday morning, North Korea did not answer a routine daily liaison phone call from South Korean officials for the first time in since 2018, South Korea's Unification Ministry said.

The North later answered an afternoon call, however, without explaining its earlier unresponsiveness, the ministry said

South Korea's government has said it remains committed to following inter-Korean agreements, and it is considering proposing legislation to ban groups from sending material into North Korea.

KCNA's report on the 13th political bureau meeting focused on domestic economic issues, including the chemical industry and fertilizer production as "a major thrust front of the national economy."

Kim has made an unusually small number of outings in recent months, with his absence from a major holiday prompting speculation about his condition, as Pyongyang has stepped up measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although North Korea says it has no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, South Korea's main intelligence agency has said an outbreak there cannot be ruled out.

(Reporting by Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Gerry Doyle)
Whats not to like about Chicago Meds Will Halstead? Portrayed by the handsome Nick Gehlfuss, Halstead is a physician and he is kind, gentle, caring, and charismatic. Halstead came to Chicago Med through an introduction on sister show Chicago PD, being the brother of Detective Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer). Fast becoming a fan-favorite through his boyish charm, Will is a major reason so many fans tune into the show.

Nick Gehlfuss as Will Halstead | Elizabeth Sisson/Getty Images

Gehlfuss the actor vs. Will the character

Let's be honest, how could you NOT love Will? https://t.co/9LzJ7lFCAV  Chicago Med (@NBCChicagoMed) May 18, 2020

Gehlfuss, like his character, Will, is native to the Midwest having grown up in Ohio. He is an Aquarius, born on January 21, 1985. Gehlfuss has a bachelors and masters degree, each in fine arts.

Gehlfuss started acting in 2010 with guest appearances in episodes of The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Persons of Interest, and The Newsroom. His first larger role came in 2014 when he portrayed Robbie Pratt in Shameless. Chicago Med has propelled him into a leading role and heartthrob status. But sorry ladies, unlike Will, Gehlfuss is happily married having tied the knot in May 2016. His wife, Lilian Matsuda, is a hotel marketer.

Will Halstead is maturing with the advancement of the show

RELATED: Who is Chicago Med Actor Nick Gehlfuss?

Chicago Med is the third Chicago hit for creators Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead, following Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. Halsteads brother Jay has been a mainstay of PD and so it follows suit that Will is on a similar path on Med.

The Halstead brothers grew up in Chicago, but following college and med school, Will went to work as a plastic surgeon in New York. For an undisclosed reason, he was let go and returned to Chicago temporarily staying will his brother while looking for work. He landed in the Chicago Med ER as a third-year attending physician on an episode of Chicago Fire, I am the Apocalypse which issued in the premier of Med.

Siblings, marriage partners, and friends carry from one show to another

The character tie-ins have worked well for the Chicago trilogy. Family and friends carry over from one show to another. Besides the Halstead brothers, there were the sibling characters of Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), a paramedic on Chicago Fire, and Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda) a detective on Chicago PD, who have both moved on, and Srgt. Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) from Chicago PD is married to Firefighter Randall Mouch McHolland (Christian Stolte) of Chicago Fire.

Will and Jay Halstead are particularly appealing, both being single and good-looking, and each with a heart of gold. Starring on two different shows we dont see them together a lot, but they have made guest appearances on some single episodes as well as crossover events. One of the most memorable was when their father, Pat, died following an arson fire in a crossover event. The fire occurred less than a month following the senior Halsteads heart surgery. It was a time of serious conflict for the brothers, but also one which brought about healing to a long-lived rift between them.

Wills less than successful relationships

From the onset, Will was taken with fellow physician, Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto). It took until the end of the second season for there to be a sign that a real romance was in the works. Through their ups and downs, they became engaged and the wedding day arrived half-way through Season 4 when, as a key witness to an important FBI sting, Will was whisked off to protective custody before the I-dos were said.

Gone for months, Natalie was furious when Will returned, and while they worked to regain their relationship, in the end, the engagement, and wedding, were off.

Will has had other girlfriends. He dated a pathologist at Chicago Med and most recently became involved with Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram), a drug-addicted obstetrician-gynecologist, whom he treats with a Narcan shot while working at an illegal safe injection site where she overdoses. He later learns she is a physician at Med and eventually talks her into treatment for her addiction.

Wills fans do adore him

Twitter fans overwhelmingly love Will. He always goes above and beyond for his patients, Brooke replied to a May 20 Chicago Med Twitter post which called Will one special doctor. Another fan chimed in: such an iconic character hes so loveable, Becca said. He heals people just by walking in the room lol, Ben B said.

Chicago Med also recently posted on Twitter, Lets be honest, how could you NOT love Will? Halstead is extremely reliable, hard-working, and a forward-thinking doctor, Gehlfuss himself said of his Chicago Med character during the shows first season back in November 2015, Whats going to get him into trouble is his want to save everybody, and he cant do that.
Decision on HK national security legislation to be resolutely implemented: liaison office

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/6 20:21:49

The adopted decision to make the Hong Kong national security law will be resolutely implemented and the legislation will target only an extremely tiny number of acts and activities that severely endanger the country's national security, and protects the legitimate rights and freedom of ordinary Hong Kong residents, according to Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (SAR) on Saturday.

Luo made the remarks during a Saturday meeting the office held to listen to opinions concerning the Hong Kong national security law from 21 deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee from Hong Kong, read an official release on the office's public WeChat account.

Luo also stressed that the legislation is designed to firmly safeguard the national security, uphold and improve the "one country, two systems," while adhering to the principle of the rule of law in Hong Kong and resolutely opposing foreign interference.

What has been announced will be delivered, Luo said.

The NPC Standing Committee has attached great importance to listening to the opinions from all walks of Hong Kong society in the law making process, Luo noted. And according to him, the office had collected opinions in written form from the deputies and political advisors and the Saturday meeting is to further elaborate on those opinions and advice.

As of Saturday noon, the liaison office has received 201 pieces of advice submitted by 36 NPC deputies and 165 members of the National Committee of the CPPCC from the city.

NPC Hong Kong deputies and CPPCC National Committee members from the city expressed support for the legislation, according to Luo.

Luo promised to forward their advice and opinions to the relevant department with the NPC Standing Committee.

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An antibody treatment to instantly provide protection against the coronavirus could be ready next year, according to the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca who is also leading the race to manufacture the first vaccine.

The Cambridge-based firm is working on an injection that contains 'cloned antibodies' - proteins that know how to fight the virus.

It would provide a person with the antibodies they need should SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, infect them.

The company says the injection would be prioritised for the elderly because a vaccine may not protect them as well.

Vaccines prompt the body to produce its own antibodies in preparation for the real infection. But elder people do not respond as well and develop less potent antibodies than young people.

AstraZeneca has already started to manufacture the Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine to ensure, if it does pass current human trials, it can be made available in the autumn.

An antibody treatment to instantly provide protection against the coronavirus could be ready next year, according to the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, who would prioritise the elderly (stock)

AstraZeneca's chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said the treatment being developed is 'a combination of two antibodies' in an injected dose

AstraZeneca has already started to manufacture the Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine to ensure, if it does pass current human trials, it can be made available in the autumn

Scientists working on a potential coronavirus vaccine have almost reached a breakthrough on an antibody treatment, The Sunday Telegraph reports.

They are up to 'full speed' on testing, with executives increasingly hopeful an effective treatment can go into production next year.

AstraZeneca's chief executive Pascal Soriot told the newspaper that the treatment being developed is 'a combination of two antibodies' in an injected dose.

Having both 'reduces the chance of resistance developing to one antibody'.

Antibodies are proteins which are produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, like the coronavirus. This can take a number of days.

Antibodies recognize and latch onto these substances, called antigens, in order to remove them from the body.

The immune system remembers the antigen so that if a person is exposed to it again, it can produce antibodies quicker.

It is not clear how long antibodies from the first infection last in the system providing some form of immunity.

An injection of cloned antibodies would be made by taking genetic coding for Covid-19 antibodies and engineering clones in a lab in order to make mass quantities.

'Monoclonal antibodies' have been used in the treatment of diphtheria, tetanus and Ebola. Many international scientists are looking at them for the new coronavirus, but there are few in clinical trials.

The dose which allows the body to counteract Covid-19 could prove hugely significant for those in the early stages of infection, according to AstraZeneca.

It would essentially give a person the chance to fight the virus quickly so that it doesn't have the ability to develop into severe disease.

This could be life-saving for the elderly, the most at-risk group for Covid-19.

It's not entirely clear why those over the age of 80 are the most vulnerable to the virus, but it is known their immune systems are slower to respond, and weaker.

For this reason, there are concerns they may not produce a strong response to a vaccine.

A vaccine works by forcing the body to produce antibodies and other important immune cells by imitating the virus.

Mr Soriot said the antibody treatment, which would be more expensive to produce than a vaccine, would be prioritised for the elderly and vulnerable 'who may not be able to develop a good response to a vaccine'.

WHAT IS THE OXFORD VACCINE? The vaccine is called AZD1222 and is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) from chimpanzees that has been genetically changed so it is impossible for it to grow in humans. The intellectual rights to its vaccine are owned by the University of Oxford and a spin-out company called Vaccitech. Clinical teams at the Oxford University's Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group began developing the vaccine in January. It's a type of immunisation known as a recombinant viral vector vaccine. Researchers place genetic material from the coronavirus into another virus thats been modified. They will then inject the virus into a human, hoping to produce an immune response against SARS-CoV-2. This virus, weakened by genetic engineering, is a type of virus called an adenovirus, the same as those which cause common colds, that has been taken from chimpanzees. If the vaccines can successfully mimic the spikes inside a person's bloodstream, and stimulate the immune system to create special antibodies to attack it, this could train the body to destroy the real coronavirus if they get infected with it in future. It was developed so rapidly by Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology, and her team because they already had a base vaccine for similar coronaviruses. The team have gone through stages of vaccine development that usually take five years in just four months. However, Professor Gilbert said that none of the normal safety steps had been missed out. Advertisement

Oxford University is in the midst of trialling its vaccine, which will be manufactured by AstraZeneca if proven to work, on older people.

Following an initial phase of testing on 160 healthy volunteers between 18 and 55, the study of 'AZD1222' has moved to phases two and three.

It will involve increasing the testing to up to 10,260 people and expanding the age range of volunteers to include the elderly and children.

On Thursday, AstraZeneca signed a deal with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) to help manufacture 300million globally accessible doses.

One of the new members of the coalition agreed this week is the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume.

SII has hinted it is exploring other 'parallel' partnerships with AstraZeneca, suggesting it may increase funding for the antibody treatment too, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

AstraZeneca has started to mass-produce the experimental AZD1222 jab at factories in India, Oxford, Switzerland and Norway, it was revealed last week.

The firm expects to have distributed hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine this year and at least two billion by mid-2021.

It has signed deals to produce 400million doses for the US and 100million for the UK if it is successful in human trials.

Britain has agreed to pay for the doses 'as early as possible' - with ministers hoping for a third of those to be ready for September if proven effective.

Results of the AZD1222 jab are expected in August.

However, Professor Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, told the Telegraph the rapid disappearance of the virus itself in the UK has thrown doubt on the team's ability to meet the deadline in four months' time.

'We said earlier in the year that there was an 80 per cent chance of developing an effective vaccine by September,' he told the paper.

'But at the moment, there's a 50 per cent chance that we get no result at all.

'We're in the bizarre position of wanting Covid to stay, at least for a little while. But cases are declining.'

Trials of the potential vaccine have started in Brazil, a new epicentre of the pandemic, to ensure the study can be properly tested as transmission rates fall in the UK.

The Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group began development on a vaccine in January, using a virus taken from chimpanzees.

Meanwhile, UK-based vaccine manufacturer Seqirus announced it is working in partnership with parent company CSL, CEPI and the University of Queensland to help develop a candidate Covid-19 vaccine in Australia.

Its manufacturing base in Liverpool is producing an adjuvant, an agent which improves the immune response of a vaccine.
American Airlines has recently detailed severance packages for high-level employees if they are laid off when the terms of federal aid expire in the fall, people familiar with the matter said.

The severance packages for upper management include around nine months of pay and a little over two years of health-care coverage for at least some of the employees at the director level and above, one of the people said.

The packages come as American and other airlines are preparing to shrink and offer employees voluntary separation options as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hurt demand. The virus and measures to stop it have pushed airlines including Delta, United and American to their first quarterly losses in years.

American declined to comment.

The terms of $25 billion in federal coronavirus relief set aside for U.S. airline payroll prohibit carriers that accepted the aid from laying off or cutting the pay rates of employees through Sept. 30. Airline executives have warned they expect they will have to shrink to compensate for weak travel demand.

American late last month said it aims to reduce management and support staff by about 30% or around 5,000 jobs, starting with voluntary measures like buyouts. United also aims to reduce the ranks of its management and administrative employees by 30%, or around 3,400 people, it said last month. United, Southwest and Delta have offered voluntary separation packages for other work groups, such as flight attendants and customer service workers.

Delta executives are discussing what voluntary separation packages could look like for senior management, according to a person familiar with the matter. Delta didn't provide details on the voluntary senior management packages, or what involuntary severance packages might include. Southwest and United didn't respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

In late May, American offered management and support staff buyouts and retirement packages, an effort to get employees off the payroll and avoid involuntary layoffs. Buyout options include a third of pay and full medical coverage through Dec. 31, along with five years of travel benefits. The airline told management and support staff that if they are laid off involuntarily later they will not receive severance. However, under the federal aid terms they will be paid through Sept. 30.

"If there are not enough early out volunteers, we will have to take the difficult step of involuntary separations," said Elise Eberwein, American's executive vice president of people and global engagement, in a May 27 staff note, outlining those options. She added that the cuts will be communicated to employees in July and that those employees would get a year of travel benefits and access to COBRA health coverage for 18 months. The deadline to volunteer for the buyouts and early retirements is Wednesday.

The high-level employees, a group that recently took pay cuts, and might receive the severance packages if they are involuntarily cut, could face more difficulty finding work at their level than other employees, said Tom McMullen, senior client partner at organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry.

Severance packages "tend to ramp up for executives," McMullen said. "Executives don't find a new job in a month. They might find a job in a year."

He added it will likely be challenging for laid off airline employees compared with those in a single ailing company because the "sector is fighting for its life."
President Trump's top political advisers, in a private meeting last week, said their boss needs to add more hopeful, optimistic and unifying messages to balance his harsh law-and-order rhetoric.

Why it matters: They're deeply concerned about "brutal" internal polling for the president in the aftermath of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd's killing.

Behind the scenes: During a meeting of top political advisers at campaign headquarters on Thursday afternoon, the president's 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, raised a question that many close to the campaign have been asking themselves recently: "What's our message?"

Lewandowski, who called in on Zoom, later clarified in the meeting that he was asking specifically about the messaging to communicate Trump's second-term priorities.

But the original  very basic  question sounded relevant to some of the president's senior advisers, who worry about the president's political position.

Advisers settled on a theme of the "Great American Comeback" underpinned by words like "renewing," "recovering," "restoring" and "rebuilding."

Friday's surprisingly good jobs report gave them a chance to road test the theme with a new ad: "The great American comeback has begun. ... Renewing. Restoring. Rebuilding. Together, we'll make America great again."

Between the lines: Right now Trump is at a low point in his presidency and re-election campaign.

A source briefed on his internal polls called them "brutal," showing a significant drop-off in independent support.

He has a "woman problem" in the words of another adviser.

And Trump's more incendiary rhetoric and actions  "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" and his calls for the military to enter cities  trouble some of his top aides.

What they're saying: "There's a thought that we need to shift to be much more cohesive in terms of a message of healing, rebuilding, restoring, recovering ... a theme that goes with COVID and the economy and the race stuff," said a senior adviser to Trump.

"The messaging that works for the red-MAGA-hat base doesn't resonate with independents."

"He has to tone down the most incendiary rhetoric, talk about law and order in the context of riots, and at the same time say the country's united that what happened to George Floyd can never happen again," a second adviser familiar with the internal discussion said.

"He's starting to hear from a lot of people, political people, who are saying, Simmer down. ... You are not helping the situation by talking about only sending the military in."

"We need to say police are an integral part of society, but we've gotta dial it down a bit," the adviser added.

But a third adviser familiar with the conversation cautioned: "Nobody would have been invited to that meeting who truly thinks they can stop Trump from saying anything."

Campaign response: Asked about the internal polling, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told Axios, "In our internal data, the president remains strong against a defined Joe Biden."

Be smart: A "defined Joe Biden" means when pollsters tell voters about Biden's record and proposals using the Trump campaigns negative frame.

Look for the Trump campaign to put Biden on the spot about whether he supports language around "defunding" the police, a potential wedge issue.

Inside the room: The president's top 2020 strategists were seated around a table at the Trump campaigns Arlington, Virginia, headquarters  the first time they've all been together for a meeting like this, per two people involved, who described it as a kickoff of sorts.

Around the table were campaign manager Brad Parscale and deputy campaign manager Bill Stepien; senior campaign officials Justin Clark, Michael Glassner, Jason Miller and Bob Paduchik; pollsters John McLaughlin and Tony Fabrizio; and 2016 deputy campaign manager David Bossie.

Calling in by Zoom were Lewandowski, Nick Ayers and David Urban.

One dynamic stood out to insiders: Over the last three years, Parscale has skirmished with the Lewandowski/Bossie duo, before coming to a somewhat negotiated ceasefire. People involved said the meeting attendees were warm to each other. A year ago, that would have been unthinkable.

Toward the end of Thursday's meeting, Bossie cracked a joke that seemed intended to reassure, as described by two sources familiar with his private comments: "Don't worry guys, we've still got plenty of time," he said. "Corey hadn't even been fired by this point in the last campaign."

What's next: The group agreed they needed to build some goodwill with the African American community.
Police and forensics at the scene on Comber Road, Dundonald, where a 39 year old male was stabbed a number of times in the head and upper body. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye

A 39-year-old man is in a serious condition in hospital after being stabbed in the head and upper body during an assault in Dundonald on Saturday night.

The incident happened at around 11.30pm in the Comber Road area.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment, where his condition is described as serious.

Police said the man sustained a number of stab wounds to his head and upper body during the attack.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and a 41-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting offenders.

Both remain in police custody at this time.

Detectives have appealed for anyone who was in the area of Comber Road last night and who witnessed any form of altercation to call 101 quoting reference 1848 06/06/20.

A report can be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Photo: The Canadian Press In this photo provided by WKBW, supporters of two suspended Buffalo police officers assemble outside the courthouse in Buffalo, N.Y., Saturday, June 6, 2020. According to prosecutors, both officers were charged with assault Saturday, after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester in a recent demonstration over the death of George Floyd

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.

McCabe's lawyer, Tom Burton, said after the arraignment that prosecutors didn't 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 Torgalski's 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 don't 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.
'The public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig is investigating a 43-year-old German national on suspicion of murder. From this you can see that we assume that the girl is dead."

So said German state prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters last Thursday, the day after the BKA, the Federal Criminal Police Office, posted new information on their website regarding the case of Madeleine McCann, missing since 2007.

Missing. It can mean a million things, and presumably has meant a million things in the best and worst moments that Kate and Gerry McCann have experienced in the past 13 years. It can mean that the now 17-year-old is somewhere being loved by another family; or somewhere suffering some dreadful torture; she could be happy and have forgotten them, or in agony desperate to return. She could be anywhere, with anyone, but at least while she's missing, Madeleine could still be alive.

Dead. It's very definite.

What was remarkable last week, after the BKA appealed for help in building a case against Christian Brueckner (43), a convicted sex offender currently in prison for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old tourist in Praia da Luz, the Portuguese resort where Madeleine disappeared, was just how much they believed they could say for definite.

After more than a decade of nothing concrete but plenty of conjecture, suddenly there were things that could be said for sure.

The German national is a known child sex offender. He lived in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz, from 1995 to 2007. He burgled holiday homes and apartments. He drove a camper van, in which he probably also lived, around the time of Madeleine's disappearance, and had a Jaguar car, too, which he re-registered in Germany the day after she went missing. The police provided details on all of the above, including the registration plates of the vehicles, all in an attempt to stir the memories of those who might have been in Praia da Luz at the time. They also showed us his face, not a photofit, not an artist's impression, an actual photo.

This is the chief suspect. They were very definite, but now they have to build a case.

Go and have a look through your 13-year-old holiday photos, tourists who visited the town in May 2007 were encouraged last week. There might be a detail there you missed before. Before you had Christian Brueckner's face or camper van or Jag to look for.

Suddenly, there is so much information, it seems, where once there was nothing but speculation. And such damage was done by that speculation, in particular to Kate and Gerry McCann, not just because it meant that their daughter remained missing, but because, always, the finger of blame and suspicion was pointed at them.

There is a sliding scale when it comes to blaming the McCanns, as opposed to simply feeling sorry for their loss. The worst of it is that they were involved in her death and in covering it up. The mildest of it is that they contributed to her abduction through their neglect, leaving her alone with her toddler siblings, taking turns with their friends to go and check on their various sleeping children from the tapas bar where they were having dinner. Not just dinner, but wine, too.

They were out, whooping it up, while something awful happened to their child. If they didn't do it, then they didn't seem to care that it was happening, has been the perverse logic.

Kate McCann, in an interview conducted 100 days after her daughter's disappearance, pronounced herself the "unluckiest person in the world". By that time, not only had she lost her daughter, but she had been blamed for it, unofficially in public opinion, and officially, by being declared an ''arguido'', an ''official suspect'', by Portuguese police.

Kate McCann had been described by Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral as a ''cold actress'', whose lack of public tears or dramatic emotion indicated guilt. Later, Clarence Mitchell, spokesperson for the McCanns, said that they had been told to remain impassive while pleading for Madeleine's return, as paedophile abductors often took pleasure in seeing the distress they could cause.

Last week it emerged that Christian Brueckner was a suspect in the initial investigation, and seems to have been disregarded when what could now be described as a desire to implicate the McCanns took precedence.

The 2019 eight-part American-made documentary The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann made for an interesting summing up of the case. To many viewers, it was disappointing in that it came up with no answers, but that was half the point.

For more than half the series, it seemed that ''evidence'' was stacking up against Kate and Gerry McCann, the pair of middle-class doctors who took their three children, Madeleine (almost four) and twins Sean and Amelie (two) to Portugal on holiday with a group of friends and their children. The series covered again how they knew in advance that the resort's remote listening service was unavailable and chose to make checks on the children themselves instead of employing an actual babysitter. All the usual ''clues'' against the McCanns were unrolled and, for several episodes, it seemed this was forming a case against them.

Jim Gamble, a former RUC officer who, when he became involved in the McCann case was chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, made an interesting contribution to the series.

Initially, he said, he didn't warm to Gerry McCann in particular and, in admitting this, he unveiled the connection between liking a person and making assumptions about their guilt or innocence.

Time and evidence, in Gamble's case, showed him the McCanns's innocence and distress and has since made him one of their greatest supporters. Last week, in common with the Portuguese and British police, he declined to consider Madeleine definitively dead, as the Germans have.

Instead, said Gamble last week, until anything is proven, the McCanns should be allowed to hang on to some hope, even to give them the ability to get out of bed in the morning. Children missing for longer than Madeleine, he said, have turned up alive.

Last week there was suddenly so much information about Christian Brueckner. How he reportedly boasted on the 10th anniversary of Madeleine's abduction that he knew "all about" what happened to her. How he has been investigated for the abduction of another little girl in Germany in 2015. How he engaged in online chats about kidnap and sexual abuse of children. How he has a history of abuse of children and violence.

None of it will make anyone feel any better about the potential fate of Madeleine McCann, but it may bring the mystery around her disappearance to an end. And bring her parents some resolution and maybe some freedom from the blame.

Kate and Gerry McCann haven't given a public interview since 2017, but last Wednesday, they made a short statement to follow the German police's announcement.

"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice," said the McCanns. "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."

For now, and for their sake, let her remain missing, until or unless she definitively is not.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Dive teams and emergency personnel are continuing the search Sunday afternoon for a 6-year-old boy and a teenager.

The teen, who police identified as Christian Ngabo, 17, of Grand Rapids, is presumed to have drowned. Authorities also are searching for Iain Rowe, 6, of Ferrysburg, who is considered missing.

According to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office, the search for both missing persons began Saturday, June 6 and both were last seen in Lake Michigan at Holland State Park.

Ngabo was last seen struggling in the water 40-50 yards off shore in Lake Michigan. Deputies initially responded to Holland State Park about 4:55 p.m. Saturday to look for the 17-year-old missing in the water.

Deputies said they were told that he and his 19-year-old brother were swimming off the beach and began to struggle in the water. Bystanders were able to throw the older teen a life ring and they assisted him back to shore, according to the sheriffs office.

Rescuers were at the scene looking for the Grand Rapids teen when they were told of a missing 6-year-old boy. Rowe was last seen standing in waist deep water.

Rowe is slightly over 4 feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, police said. He was last seen wearing a blue and white vertically stripped swimsuit.

Anyone with information about him can call the sheriffs office at 800-240-0911.

Saturdays lake conditions involved 4-6 feet waves with a rip current, police said. A Michigan State Police dive team is assisting the Sheriffs dive team in the search, according to a press release.

Read more on MLive:

Grand Rapids police continue to negotiate with armed intruder after hostages released

16-year-old, who drowned at Lake Bella Vista, inspired in battle against epilepsy

Overnight fire in Kalamazoo kills one resident
A supporter of Jair Bolsonaro wears a face mask with the president's image - Getty Images

Brazil's government was accused of trying to cover up the scale of its catastrophic coronavirus epidemic after it stopped publishing its total rates of deaths and infections.

The Federal Health Ministry closed the webpage showing daily, weekly and monthly figures on infections and deaths in Brazilian states on its Website on Friday.

The move came as president Jair Bolsonaro, who has previously dismissed the deadly virus as a little flu, claimed that the official count was not representative of the countrys situation and threatened to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organisation.

The last figures released before counting stopped showed Brazil had recorded over 34,000 deaths from Covid-19, the third highest in the world after the United States and the United Kingdom. It had 615,000 infections, the second-highest behind the United States.

The webpage reappeared on Saturday, but only showing the numbers of infections for states and the nation recorded over the previous 24 hours - not cumulative totals.

On Sunday it said that there had been 27.075 confirmed cases, 904 deaths, and 10,029 recoveries. Brazil has about 210 million people, making it the globe's seventh most populous nation.

The move faced immediate pushback from Brazilian health officials.

A council of regional state health secretaries saying they would fight what it called an authoritarian, insensitive, inhumane and unethical attempt to make the COVID-19 deaths invisible.

But Carlos Wizard, a businessman and ally of Mr Bolsonaro, defended the move on the grounds that some states had been submitting falsified and possibly exaggerated data to the federal health ministry.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves the Palacio do Alvorada, headquarters of the presidency, in Brasilia, Brazil, 02 June - Shutterstock

"The number we have today is fanciful or manipulated," Mr Wizard told O Globo, a Brazilian newspaper. He said the government would conduct a review to produce more accurate figures.

Brazil began lifting some restrictions imposed by regional authorities last week.

Story continues

Mr Bolsonaro, 65, has been accused of presiding over one of the worst coronavirus responses in the world after he resisted quarantine and social distancing restrictions and publicly played down the seriousness of the disease.

Late last week he also said he might follow Donald Trump in taking Brazil out of the World Health Organisation, accusing it of being a "partisan political organisation"

"I'm telling you right now, the United States left the WHO, and we're studying that, in the future," he said on Friday. "Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too."

He has also argued forcefully for an early lifting of lockdown restrictions imposed by local authorities, saying they would wreck the economy.

Two health ministers have resigned since the outbreak of the epidemic in Brazil following disagreements with Mr Bolsonaro.

A Demonstration against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasilia on Sunday June 7 - ADRIANO MACHADO/Reuters

Luiz Henrique Mandetta and Nelson Teich, both qualified medical professionals, were ousted from the cabinet after disagreeing with Mr Bolsonaro over social isolation measures and the prescription of anti-malaria drug chloroquine to treat Covid-19.

Last month the mayor of Sao Paulo warned that the citys hospitals in Sao were near "near collapse". The virus has also reached deep into remote areas of the Amazon, with jungle cities like Manaus recording spiralling death tolls.

Indigenous tribes have also recorded fatalities. All countries are thought to undercount coronavirus infections and death tolls because of a lack of universal testing.

Scientists have tried to correct the undercount by taking account of excess deaths in a country or region compared to previous averages.

However, health experts have warned that Brazils figures are less accurate than most and dramatic inconsistencies have made difficult to arrive at even an approximate picture of the epidemic.

On May 14, as independent investigators were questioning the inconsistencies, the Civil Registration office pulled more than 500,000 death certificates from its website, saying most were from Rio and it needed to review how the figures were tallied nationwide in order to make sure statistics were consistent year over year.

Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for the WHO, said on Saturday that the "the epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning."
By PTI

WASHINGTON: 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 authorised 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 criticised for accompanying Trump and thereby giving the impression of endorsing a politicisation 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, although on Saturday the Pentagon said the door to testifying was still open.

"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."

The Pentagon's chief spokesman, Jonathan Rath Hoffman, said Saturday evening that Esper and Milley "have not 'refused' to testify."

He said the Pentagon's legislative affairs office "remains in discussion with" the committee on its request for appearances by Esper and Milley.

He said the Army's top civilian and uniformed officials, plus the head of the National Guard of Washington, DC, will brief Smith's committee next week on the presence of the Guard in the capital.

An informal briefing Friday with the secretary of the Army was 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.

In his own Senate speech Tuesday morning, Inhofe said he wanted to "set the record straight" after conferring with Milley before and after Monday's events.

Inhofe said Milley "told me that he intends to honor his oath and uphold the delicate balance between civilians and the military, and I fully believe him."

In her letter to Trump on Thursday, Pelosi asked the president under what authority and chain of command the troops were operating in the nation's capital, warning the approach "may increase chaos."

The House Armed Services Committee members said they expect a briefing from the Defense Department by Monday.

The development comes amid the reported tensions between the White House and Pentagon which have stretched to near a breaking point over Trump's threat to use military force against street protests triggered by George Floyd's death.

Friction in this relationship, historically, is not unusual.

But in recent days, and for the second time in Trump's term, it has raised a prospect of high-level resignations and the risk of lasting damage to the military's reputation.

Calm may return, both in the crisis over Floyd's death and in Pentagon leaders' angst over Trump's threats to use federal troops to put down protesters.

But it could leave a residue of resentment and unease about this president's approach to the military, whose leaders welcome his push for bigger budgets but chafe at being seen as political tools.

The nub of the problem is that Trump sees no constraint on his authority to use what he calls the "unlimited power" of the military even against U.S. citizens if he believes it necessary.

Military leaders generally take a far different view.

They believe that active-duty troops, trained to hunt and kill an enemy, should be used to enforce the law only in the most extreme emergency, such as an attempted actual rebellion.

That limit exists, they argue, to keep the public's trust.

Vincent K.Brooks, a recently retired Army four-star general, says this "sacred trust" has been breached by Trump's threat to commit active-duty troops for law enforcement in states where he deems a governor has not not tough enough against protesters.

"It is a trust that the military, especially the active-duty military 'the regulars' possessing great physical power and holding many levers that could end freedom in our society and could shut down our government, would never, never apply that power for domestic political purposes," Brooks wrote in an essay for Harvard University's Belfer Center, where he is a senior fellow.

Even beyond the prospect of using active-duty forces, the presence of National Guard troops on the streets of the nation's capital has drawn criticism, particularly after a Guard helicopter may have used improperly to intimidate protesters.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has made known his regret at having accompanied Trump to a presidential photo opportunity in front of a church near the White House.

He has said he did not see it coming to a blind spot that cost him in the eyes of critics who saw a supposedly apolitical Pentagon chief implicitly endorsing a political agenda.

Esper two days later risked Trump's ire when he stepped before reporters at the Pentagon to declare his opposition to Trump invoking the two-centuries-old Insurrection Act.

That law allows a president to use the armed forces "as he considers necessary" when "unlawful obstructions. Or rebellion against the authority of the United States" make it impractical to enforce U.S. laws in any state by normal means.

Esper said plainly that he saw no need for such an extreme measure, a clear counterpoint to Trump's threat to use force.

Almost immediately, word came from the White House that Trump was unhappy with his defense secretary, who often mentions his own military credentials as a West Point graduate and veteran of the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq.

After a night of sometimes violent protesting in Washington last Sunday, Esper pulled several active-duty units, including a military police battalion, to bases just outside the nation's capital.

He never called them into action and may have figured that positioning them close to the capital would give him more time to dissuade Trump from resorting to the Insurrection Act.

On Friday, officials said the last of those active-duty units were being sent back home.

Trump lost his first defense secretary, retired Marine Gen.

Jim Mattis, over an accumulation of grievances, and it took an unusually long time to replace him.

For half a year after Mattis resigned in December 2018, the Pentagon was run by acting secretaries of defense "three in succession, the longest such stretch of interim leadership in Pentagon history" before Esper took over last July.

This week, Mattis added weight to the worry that Trump is militarizing his response to the street protests in Washington and across the nation.

Calling himself "angry and appalled," Mattis wrote in an essay for The Atlantic that keeping public order in times of civil unrest is the duty of civilian state and local authorities who best understand their communities and are answerable to them.

"Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict, a false conflict, between the military and civilian society," Mattis wrote.

The worry felt among Pentagon leaders is reflected in the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen.

Mark Milley, reaching out privately to members of Congress in recent days to discuss concerns about use of the military on American streets.

Milley has been publicly quiet since he caused a stir by joining Esper on a walk with Trump across Lafayette Square for a presidential photo opportunity Monday.

The optics were awkward.

Police had forcibly pushed peaceful protesters out of the way just before Trump and his entourage strolled to St.

John's Episcopal Church in the square, where Trump held up a Bible.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

In a previous post, Why I Am Worried About the Legitimacy of the 2020 Election Balloting Process, I wrote:

If you are not familiar with the issues with Ballot Marking Devices (BMDs)  whose ballots are not verifiable by voters and whose results cannot be audited, making them extremely vulnerable to election theft by insiders[2]  please reread that post, because everything I wrote then is still valid today. Today I am still worried, but for different reasons.

The big news of the week is that Biden clinched the Democrat Presidential nomination. The Associated Press describes these elections just past:

Biden reached the threshold three days after the primaries because several states, overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots, took days to tabulate results.

If we think of voting as a supply chain, we can see that the electoral system was, if not overwhelmed, at least challenged, by an unexpected glut caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused people to mail in their ballots rather than vote in person, risking infecting others (and themselves). In this post, I will focus on these effects of the pandemic, plus logistical and political issues at the United States Post Office.

First, lets do a general wrap-up of the primaries just past, which can be seen as a dry run for the general election in November. From The National Memo:

The results were a spectrum of well-run to more-problematic elections. Montana, which is used to voting by mail, had higher turnout than its 2018 fall midterm. But many voters who were not used to voting from home, especially in metro areas, did not get ballots as expected. They went to vote in person, but often found traditional polling places closed. They ended up in long lines and sometimes faced hours-long waits, where social distancing could be challenging, and, in the worst casein Washingtonpolice were telling voters to go home because of a curfew. These trends, both better and worse, offer lessons and warning signs for the fall elections. Overall, this is a dry run for November, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which runs the nations largest Election Day hotline and fielded more than 5,000 calls for the primaries. Were bracing for high turnout that we will see in the November general election, and lessons learned from this primary season must guide states to ensure that every eligible voter can have their voice heard.. It is clear that the pandemic is having an impact on virtually every aspect of the voting experience, she said, noting that impact was apart from a curfew in Washington that was announced by a text alert on Election Day that did not have an exception making it clear that voters can, indeed, continue to travel to cast their ballot.

(Presumably, we wont have curfews in November, but if we do, its going to be an interesting day!) Reuters writes:

All of the states voting on Tuesday encouraged or expanded mail-in balloting as a safe alternative during the outbreak, and most sharply reduced the number of in-person polling places as officials struggled to recruit workers to run them. That led to record numbers of mail-in ballots requested and cast in many states, along with complaints over not receiving requested ballots and questions about where to vote after polling places were consolidated. Most in-person voting locations across the country featured extensive safety protocols  including masks, sanitizer and social distancing for lines.

A group of election officials from North Carolina give insight into their thinking about organizing voting in a pandemic. From the Charlotte News & Observer, June runoff election in western NC previews voting problems the state will face in November. Leaving aside legal issues for validating mail-in ballots, these are some of the

We write as Republican and Democrat election officials in western North Carolina to sound the alarm about the urgent need to prepare for the fall election. We are eyewitnesses to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic because mail-in voting has now begun for the Congressional District 11 runoff in our region. Conducting a fair, safe and secure election involves dozens of decisions long before the voter enters a polling place or requests an absentee ballot. Wed like to share some lessons from the past several weeks, as well as recommendations for policymakers. First, based on our experience, we can anticipate a staffing shortage this fall. Yancey, Macon, Mitchell and several other counties are combining polling places for the June runoff because of building and staffing problems. Some regular polls are being used for emergency programs and some are too small to permit adequate social distancing. Officials need to start now to identify larger spaces and reserve them for early voting and Election Day. [F]unds are needed for sanitation supplies, cleaning crews, curtains and plexiglass shields, masks, signage and other materials at each voting location. Finally, we must use a variety of formats and resources to educate voters about all the ways they can register and vote in these challenging times.

The difficulty here is that all these well-meant measures have the potential to discourage voting. Changing voting locations lead to voter confusion. Staffing shortages mean long lines. Cleaning and sanitation requirements, both for staff and voters, decrease throughput, and also lead to long lines. Resources to educate voters can intimidate if poorly designed. And of course choking off funding and space also leads to long lines (and is indeed a classic technique for voter suppression[3]). The Brennan Center writes in Waiting to Vote:

Long lines and wait times have plagued several elections over the past decade. The consequences can be far reaching. For example, the Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that more than half a million eligible voters failed to vote in 2016 because of problems associated with the management of polling places, including long waits.

If 2020 is marked both by increased voter interest and turnout and nationwide bottlenecks in the voting supply chain  not just blips in a few precincts  then the entire election could turn out to be problematic (especially if there are problems in Swing States, which Ill get to in a moment).

Now, one could argue that there is a remedy for potential problems with in-person voting: Voting By Mail (VBM).[4] Unfortunately, VBM depends on a functional Post Office, and in this very strange year, thats not guaranteed. From the Pew Trust, Postal Services Struggles Could Hurt Mail-In Election:

An unprecedented shift in American democracy is underway, as more states and counties turn to voting by mail. But as jurisdictions prepare for a pandemic-riddled presidential election, the threat of a financial crisis at the U.S. Postal Service looms over that alternative to in-person voting. If Congress does not pass a $75 billion bailout, the Postal Service says uninterrupted mail service may not last past September. Thats when local election officials plan to send out mail-in absentee ballots, letters with polling place information, voting booklets, new voter cards and federally mandated voter registration confirmation postcards. A federal bailout may be a longshot. Last month President Donald Trump called the agency a joke. He also blocked congressional efforts to infuse the Postal Service with needed cash, instead hinting he would consider only loans. He has said the Postal Service should charge more to Amazon (whose owner, Jeff Bezos, also owns The Washington Post) and other major retailers. The administration has yet to approve a $10 billion loan to the agency that was included in the March stimulus package. This week, Amazon and other retailers launched a $2 million ad campaign to convince Republican lawmakers to oppose Trumps proposal. Meanwhile the president this week installed new leadership at the Postal Service, tapping one of his top donors, Louis DeJoy, as postmaster general. This fall, the financial shortfall could have a similar impact on mail service that hurricanes and tornadoes have had in previous elections, such as delays in delivery and strains on postal workers , said Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser for the elections program at the bipartisan Democracy Fund.

There are good-faith measures to take:

Even so, Patrick emphasized the Postal Service deems mail-in ballots and other election-related mail essential. There might be some slight delays that might impact election mail, she said, but its not going to stop it. There are several ways, Patrick said, to prepare for this situation: Voters should request their mail-in absentee ballots early and send them in as quickly as possible; local election officials should use existing best practices to design envelopes that are both easily sortable by mail carriers and trackable by voters; and state legislators should shape election laws that extend early voting periods to account for delays.

Assuming good faith, of course. On the one hand, Im very taken with the picture of election officials working away in good faith; on the other hand, they should all be fighting BMDs tooth and nail, and they arent.

Now lets turn our attention to the States where pandemic voting issues could really affect the outcome of the election: The Swing States. If (following 270 To Wins consensus) we regard Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin as the states to watch, lets first briefly return to BMDs. Here is a handy map of the Swing State and where they are used:

(Note: Confusingly Verified Votings sloppy map is of counties that use BMDs. BMDs cannot be used exclusively, since people can request a paper ballot or vote by mail, but I find it impossible to accept that election officials would spend money on expensive machines and not try to use them as much as possibly. So I interpret the green counties as counties where BMDs are the dominant voting methods). So, as you can see, the dominant voting method in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin cannot be validated by the voter and cannot be audited. Thats not encouraging.

Turning to the Swing States themselves, lets look at their performance in the primaries just past. Not all states have problems, but any states that do have problems will need to fix them for the general, as of this writing only 149 days away, i.e., practically tomorrow when you consider requirements for ballot design, mailer design, printing, etc. Ill just go through them alphabetically:

Arizona: 2018 was a debacle, especially in Maricopa County, which contains Phoenix. Apparently, however, 80% of Arizonans vote by mail. So well hope that the USPS is allowed to continue its function as a public good. (That would mean that BMDs only affect 20% of the population, but thats still has the potential to swing an election.)

Florida: Amazingly, given Floridas rich tradition, though there are court challenges on felon voting and mail-in ballot rules, Floridas March primary vote seems to have gone reasonably well.

Michigan: In Michigans March primary, long lines: Tuesday presented the first statewide election in which voters could use same-day registration and no-reason absentee voting, which were secured through a voter-approved initiative in 2018. The new options have shifted the dynamics of voting in Michigan and led to delays in both processing voters and tallying results.

North Carolina: North Carolina seems to have gone well (though its a misnomer to call the product of a BMD a paper ballot; the actual ballot, that which is tabulated, is a barcode that is not human-readable).

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania remains a problem child: 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. And: [Sara Mullen of the Pennsylvania Civil Liberties Union] said that thousands of voters in York and Allegheny counties did not receive ballots at all despite requesting them weeks in advance, describing Montgomery Countys election administration as a comedy of errors, including people getting ballots for the wrong party in the primary, people not receiving ballots at all due to their apartment numbers being cut off on the envelope, and some containing confusing instructions. And in Pittsburgh: Polling Places Draw Long Lines, Report Few Problems, Amid Pandemic And Unrest. Long lines are a problem! They discourage voting!

Wisconsin: In Wisconsins April election: The report highlighted several issues with the postal service including tubs of ballots found in a postal service center after the election , ballots not received by voters and ballots returned to clerks unopened, without explanation. The commission had few answers from the postal service, not even the status of an investigation sought by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. and Ron Johnson, R-Wis. concerning ballots mailed to the Oshkosh/Appleton area found in a distribution center after the election. The WEC hopes to integrate intelligent mail barcodes in the absentee voting system so clerks and voters can track their ballots as they move through the postal system [5].

Naturally, I welcome any field reports from readers! It looks to me that, much like our public health system before the pandemic, we have an extremely decentralized and thinly resourced voting supply chain thats vulnerable to attack in all sorts of ways, including the collapse of its primary infrastructural elements, the USPS. And if the pandemic, as it has for every other institution its infected, heightens neoliberalisms worst features the most, hold onto your hats.

* * *

Edward Isaac-Dovere summarized the state of play in The Atlantic in late may, Why Americans Might Not Trust the Election Results, so Im not the only one:

Americans are worried about all sorts of things that could affect the outcome in November: that theyll be risking infection to vote in a pandemic; that their absentee ballots wont be received; that others will submit fake absentee ballots; that there will be funny business in the counting process. Officials say there will be insufficient resources to pay for the staff and infrastructure needed to secure and tally the ballots. And thats just voting by mail. People are also worried that polling places might not be adequately staffed in urban areas; that some voters may have to wait in line for hours, six feet apart, to vote in person; that dirty tricksters could advertise the wrong date for the election or stand, coughing, outside of polling places; that armed protesters will intimidate people trying to vote.

And Americans are right to be worried, Ia Suppose, on election day, a story like the pallets of bricks story goes viral, except this time its the extremely euphonious pallets of ballots, which weve already seen in Wisconsin (OK, tubs, but still). What then?

NOTES

[1] There is also the issue of whether an election can be officially delegitimized on the grounds of foreign meddling. Obviously, that raises issues for the Constitutional order.

[2] Indeed, I believe that capability of election theft is the only unique selling proposition BMDs possess.

[3] See, e.g., the 2020 Michigan primary, where long lines disproportionately discouraged Sanders voters.

[4] Im going to skip over the argument about whether mail-in ballots mean election theft. I know Oregon does well, but the national stakes are enormous, so the incentives are different. The key question for me is whether tabulation, especially central tabulation, can be gamed, say by zip, especially at the state levels, and most especially in swing states. But thats mere paranoid speculation on my part. I would, however, welcome anything readers have to say about how tabulation works, and any dark arts involved. The literature seems a little thin. Although there are items like this: For example: The actual scanning of ballots is a rapid-fire process: The county has eight optical scanners capable of processing 300 ballots per minute. The most labor-intensive part of the process is removing ballots from their envelopes and smoothing them so they dont jam the scanners. Presumably there are observers from both, or rather all, parties. But still.

[5] Oh. Oh no. Theres that word, smart. Dont do that.
Five adults and a minor have been arrested in Assams Guwahati for killing a leopard on Sunday, said police. According to an FIR filed by the forest department, the leopard was killed by locals around 9:30 am in the Kathabari area of the city. The teeth of the animal were removed after it was killed and videos circulating on social media showed people parading the dead animal.

We have arrested 5 persons and a minor on charges of killing the leopard. Investigations are underway to arrest others involved in the act, Dhirendra Kalita, in-charge of Garchuk police station said. He added that the minor was later sent to a remand home.

According to reports, the animal, which looked old and weak due to starvation, was first trapped by the residents in the early hours of the day. However, it managed to escape.

The residents allegedly pursued the animal and killed it. Kathabari area falls under the Fatasil reserve forest, spread over 670 hectares in Guwahati. Assams largest city has several notified reserve forests in and around it.

Sundays incident was the fifth reported instance of leopards being killed in Assam. Three leopards were killed in Golaghat district in separate incidents while one was killed in Jorhat in March.

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Martin Lewis has told how he didn't leave his house for six years after his mother was killed in a road accident when he was 11.

The Money Saving Expert, 48, from Manchester, tragically lost his mum just before his 12th birthday, after she was involved in a horrific accident while horse riding with his sister.

Speaking on BBC Four's Desert Island Discs, he told how his 'childhood ended that day' and that he developed crippling anxiety leaving him unable to leave the house as he 'couldn't cope' with the thought of something else bad happening.

He said: 'My mum was there one day and she wasn't the next and that was it. This was 1984 and you didn't have counselling. My childhood ended that day and I am still not over it.

Martin Lewis, 48, from Manchester, pictured on Good Morning Britain, has told how he didn't leave his house in six years after his mother was killed in a road accident when he was 11

The Money Saving Expert, pictured in 2016, tragically lost his mum just before his 12th birthday

Revealing that he stayed home all the time except when attending school, he went on: 'I never left the house, couldn't leave the house.

'Because I wasn't at home when it happened to my mum and I couldn't cope with the thought of leaving the house because something else could happen.

The money guru, who is Jewish, told how he would pretend to be busy with religious events to avoid socialising with his peers outside of school.

'It was very difficult because when all my friends from school were going to parties and meeting girls and things like that, which I'd have liked to do, I couldn't cope with it.'

The money guru, who is Jewish, told how he would pretend to be busy with religious events to avoid socialising with his peers outside of school. Pictured, attending the ITV Gala at London Palladium on November 19, 2015 in London

He added: 'It was a complete lie, I was a little boy. I was a little boy struggling to deal with something that nobody should be dealing with at that age.'

Martin is a patron of the childrens bereavement charity Grief Encounter, which aims to support and help children and their families deal with the pain caused by the death of someone close.

This isn't the first time Martin has spoken of his grief, and in a previous interview on Loose Women, he admitted he found it difficult to open up about the ordeal for decades.

'I am still now 35 years later deeply scarred,' he told the panel. 'It was a defining point in my life.

'It changed the way I act and behave. It was devastating. 'We didnt know what to do. It was the mid 80s you didnt do that type of thing. My father, my sister and I were incredibly wounded for such a long time.'
Aughnacliffe native Jim Curran, who has lived in Pimlico, London since 1967, was among those who gathered in the English capital yesterday to support a Black Lives Matter protest.

Mr Curran, who is chairman of the Irish Civil Rights Association, had a banner around his neck declaring 'racism is the issue'.

A Black Lives Matter march, which had been planned for Longford town yesterday, was postponed due to a number of concerns from the community regarding Covid-19 regulations.

Also read: Black Lives Matter march in Longford postponed due to Covid-19 concerns

The Longford march will be held at a later date, with one of the organisers Eric Ehigie explaining, "This march was planned, not only because we believe it is necessary to highlight how institutionalised racism in America has took the lives of far too many people of colour; George Floyd being but one of those, but also because we felt the need to emphasise how racism is a virus that knows no borders, and that affects us all in a detrimental way - including people of colour here in Ireland."

In an interview, viewed almost 140,000 times on Twitter, with @foss_film , Mr Curran revealed that he has campaigning against racism since he was ten years old, adding that racism was originally used against the Irish.

Jim remarked, "The Irish were discriminated against in housing, in jobs and in every issue, and since I came to London I've been involved in all the different campaigns against racism and I chose to come down here today to focus attention on the appalling racism that happened in the US and even here in England."

Seven years ago, Mr Curran, was a key figure in the protests following the death of Margaret Thatcher.

Also read: Aughnacliffe man played key role in Thatcher protests

On the day of Ms Thatchers funeral, the Irish Civil Rights Association joined protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice. As the body of Ms Thatcher passed, the protesters turned their backs and booed.

Mr Curran also had a banner which stated that Ms Thatchers paramilitary funeral was insulting and offensive to Irish people.

Brilliant to see Jim Curran from Aughnacliffe, Longford here https://t.co/hDCJ90r1Tr  Mick Cahill (@MickCahill18) June 7, 2020
A stranded guest worker carries his infant child to an assembling centre to get transferred to a railway station in Chennai to board a special train to Bihar, his home state. Elections will fall due in the northern state this year. (AFP)

New Delhi: Narendra Modi is likely to launch the BJPs campaign next week for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls but it will be a virtual rally, titled Bihar Jansamvad. The party has made arrangements at more than 72,400 booths in all the 243 Assembly segments to hear the PM speak.

All ears will be cricked to hear how the Prime Minister addresses the issue of guest workers plight due to the nationwide lockdown that he imposed on March 25, which left millions of workers jobless.

Both Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar and the central government have been facing flak over the issue as lakhs of the states residents have returned from other states after facing severe hardships.

Modis speech will also set the tone and tenor for the BJPs poll campaign at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the economy and employment severely.

With the virtual and digital mode now the new normal for political parties to connect with cadres and people due to social distancing guidelines, a maximum of 50 people will be allowed at the venues where Modis virtual rally will be streamed.

We have made arrangements at more than 72,400 booths across the state, which we have divided into 1,099 mandals so that social distancing measures are followed properly. Our technical teams are all geared up for these virtual rallies and our karyakartas will be using social media and digital modes to disseminate information regarding these rallies to the people, said BJPs Bihar media in-charge, Ashok Bhatt.

Union home minister Amit Shah will address a virtual rally on Sunday and BJP president J.P. Nadda is also scheduled to address one next week in the poll-bound state.

The crucial Assembly polls in the state are scheduled anytime in October-November this year amid growing apprehensions over the Covid-19 situation at that time.

It could be recalled that former BJP president Shah, during a rally in the state in January this year, clarified that the NDA will go to polls under Kumars leadership, putting to rest the otherwise contentious issue between the JD(U) and the BJP cadres.
Actor Sonu Sood has become a Coronavirus warrior due to his relentless pursuit of helping and sending migrant workers stranded in cities to their respective homes. The actor now sent 200 idli vendors in Mumbai to Tamil Nadu via buses.

The actor was greeted by the vendors in a traditional way where they performed an Aarti for him. The actor also broke a coconut for good luck before their journey commenced. This was documented by photographer Viral Bhayani, who shared it on his Instagram page with the caption, @Sonu_Sood sent across 200 idliwalas back to their home state of Tamil Nadu. Kudos to him yet again. The actor has started the Ghar Bhejo initiative with his friend @goel.neeti. #sonusood #viralbhayani @viralbhayani."

Check out the video below:

The post qas received by overwhelming support by Sonu's fans who hailed him for his work. "He is also sending poor people by flight also.its unbelievable.sonu bhai you are great, acchuly 'great' word is very small for you.hatsoff to you sonubhai," one fan wrote. "May God bless him with infinite happiness always," wrote another.

The actor recently launched a toll free number - 18001213711 - through which one can reach out to his team for help. "I was getting a lot of calls... thousands of calls everyday. My family and friends were busy collecting the data then we realised we might miss out on a lot of people who we will not be able to approach us. So we decided to open this call centre, it is a toll free number," Sood told PTI.

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President Moon Jae-in, second from left, speaks during the sixth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in announced plans Monday for a string of big-spending government projects, including the Korean version of the New Deal, to ride out the economic crisis from COVID-19, presenting South Korea's "pacesetting" economic vision.



Moon confirmed the government's push for the biggest-scale supplementary budget in the country's history, as he presided over the sixth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.



The session was meant to set the economic policy direction for the latter half of this year.



"The Korean version of the New Deal is a new national development strategy to leap from a follower country to a pacesetting nation," the president said.



The government will create a new opportunity for the future of South Korea with the massive creation of jobs by transforming the follower-style economy into a pacesetting one, he added.






The Formation Of The United Kingdom

What do England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have in common? They are all part of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or UK, for short. By the 13th century, England had all but conquered Wales and Ireland, either ruling them directly, or through vassals. The two countries did not, however, officially form a union with England until 1523 and 1801, respectively. In 1603, the Union of the Crowns took place, uniting the Scottish and English monarchies. In 1707, the parliament in Scotland dissolved, and the Scots began sending their representatives to the parliament in the English capital, London. This was known as the Union of the Parliaments. And thus began the birth of the British Empire. An empire that, for a time, was the most powerful force on Earth. People used to say that the sun never sets on the British Empire, because it controlled territory in every corner of the world. After World War II, however, the UK would give up most of its colonial possessions. The British Empire became the British Commonwealth, made up of the UK and former British colonies.

The Treaty of Union stating that England (already including Wales) and Scotland were to be united as one entity.

The United Kingdom In The 21st Century

Nevertheless, the UK is still a formidable political and economic power. It hosts a population of approximately 68 million people, and is the sixth biggest economy in the world. It is a member of NATO and the group of industrialized countries, known as the G7. It was also a member of the European Union, but in 2016, its people voted to leave the EU, and in the beginning of 2020, the UK had formally left the bloc in what was known as Brexit.

Today, the U.K. is dealing with numerous challenges, among which are the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has already killed more than 40,000 of its citizens. The countrys economic outlook is unforeseeable, owing to COVID-19 and the fact that the country has yet to conclude a trade deal with the EU following Brexit. In addition, the UKs very existence may be in doubt as the movement for Scottish independence gains support, and the status of Northern Ireland is still questionable.

Indeed, there has always been resentment in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, because of the concentration of power in England. England is, after all, the largest and most populous country in the union. More than eight out of ten UK citizens call England home. The English language is the official language of the UK, and the Church of England is the UKs official church. Its also no accident that Englands capital, London, is also the capital of the entire United Kingdom, and is where virtually all political power in the union has been based for centuries. But growing calls for a more decentralized UK have led to changes in the ways the kingdom is governed.

In 1997, both Scotland and Wales voted in referendums on whether to devolve some governing powers to local parliaments. The people of both countries voted in favor of devolution. One year later, parliaments in both Edinburgh and Cardiff, the respective capitals of Scotland and Wales, were inaugurated.

Scotland has more powers devolved to it, compared to Wales, but the Welsh have been given special power to maintain and promote the Welsh language. Over the centuries, Welsh has declined in use in favor of English. In the last hundred years, however, there have been efforts to revive the language. In 2019, Wales announced an ambitious effort to have one million people speaking Welsh by the year 2050.

Similar efforts have been taken to revive other declining languages in the UK. Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man each have their own distinct dialects of Gaelic. Even in England itself, a minority language called Cornish exists in the region of Cornwall, located in the countrys southwestern tip. In 2002, the UK government recognized Cornish as a language in accordance with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Future Unity Of The United Kingdom

Pro-independence march in Scotland in May 2018. Image credit: Azerifactory/Wikimedia.org

Unfortunately for the future unity of the UK, devolution of powers and the revival of minority languages has not dampened the appetite by many people in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for outright independence from the kingdom. In 2014, Scotland had a referendum on whether to secede from the UK. Ultimately, Scots voted to remain part of the union, but only by a narrow majority of 55%. Despite significant powers being devolved to Scotland, many Scots still resent Londons control. One major point of contention is the differing views that Scots and people in the rest of the UK have of the EU. As previously mentioned, the people of the UK voted in a referendum to leave the bloc in 2016. Most of the people in Scotland, however, voted to remain in the EU, and feel that they have lost the potential benefits that remaining in the political and economic alliance would have given them. This resentment may eventually trigger yet another referendum in Scotland on independence. One that might have a different result from the last time.

Wales also has an independence movement, but it is much weaker than its Scottish counterpart. A poll conducted in 2019 found that only 28 percent of the people of Wales desired independence from the UK. Northern Ireland presents more of a problem and has been a flashpoint for often violent conflict over the past hundred years. It was separated from the rest of Ireland when the Irish Free State was created in 1922, and subsequently became an independent republic in 1937. Since then, the conflict between Irish Nationalists wanting to merge Northern Ireland with the Irish Republic and Unionists of British descent wanting to remain part of the UK has plagued the kingdom. In 1998, an agreement known as the Good Friday Agreement was signed, seemingly putting an end to the conflict. It allowed for Northern Ireland to have its own government with devolved powers that would be shared by Nationalists and Unionists. There are, however, still simmering tensions between the two sides, and the desire of Irish Nationalists to merge Northern Ireland with the Irish Republic still festers.

The growing strength of independence movements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland represents the biggest threat to the continued existence of the UK.
Charlie Garza, a freshman at Port Neches-Groves High School, wasnt the girl who grew up dreaming about her quinceanera, the coming-of-age celebration that is a rich tradition for Hispanic girls as they turn 15.

For her 15th birthday, Garza had three choices: a car, a trip or a quinceanera.

I always loved Paris so much and dreamed of going there, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. It sounded a lot more fun and less complicated than a trip overseas, she said.

She remembers admiring the girls at the two events she had attended.

I saw them as being older and so mature. I wanted to be mature and fit in with them, she said.

And its an experience not everyone gets to have. Im mixed, and I like feeling connected to my heritage, said Garza, the daughter of a father who is Hispanic and a mother who is white.

Garza turned 15 in September, a month steeped in its own tradition  the height of hurricane season. To avoid canceling as another family member once had, the family decided to wait, planning the event for April instead. Better safe than sorry, they thought.

In an effort to avoid one crisis, however, Garzas plans were disrupted by another  a global pandemic.

In the months before COVID-19, Garza began planning for the big day. Her parents Caressa and Luis Garza reserved the presidential suite at the Holiday Inn on Walden Road on a Friday night and the largest ballroom for the party Saturday, at which about 150 guests were to attend. There would be a limo, a DJ, a catered dinner and, of course, the dress.

They planned a trip to the valley to a renowned quinceanera boutique, stopping the day before to take in the Houston Rodeo.

The following morning, as the family drove to Edinburgh, they learned the rodeo had been canceled. Then came news of a wedding postponed.

As schools, then businesses, restaurants, event venues and more closed, it became obvious her April 11 quinceanera would fall prey to the quarantine and restrictions that rolled out faster than the floodwaters any had experienced prior.

Garza still got her dress  a rose-pink tulle gown dusted with glitter and embellished with sequin and beaded flowers.

It was the first dress I tried on, and I knew it was the one, she said.

Pink is her theme color.

My middle name is Rose, and I love pink. Im the first one in the family to have pink as my theme, so its different from the others, Garza said.

It also reflects her personality  half girly-girl, half tomboy.

I really like makeup, but I also love to play video games. I love Disney princesses, but my favorite is Mulan because she isnt the stereotypical princess, and she fought for what she believed in, and I agree with that.

Disney is her party theme. Every table will have its own Disney-character theme. Her cake will be a castle, made by a bakery in Brazoria County.

For the youngest guests, dressed as their favorite princesses, she plans to have a basket of crowns, so she can crown each of them.

Then they will dance  the part of the night to which she looks forward to most, following the traditions rooted in the transition into womanhood that is the spirit of the quinceanera.

Her father will remove her flat shoes, replacing them with a pair of heels. They will dance to a Spanish song about a father giving his daughter her last doll. At the end, he will give her away to dance with her dates.

Garza says when the dream party shed planned was postponed, her biggest concern was her parents losing the money they had invested.

Luis checks off a list of expenses  $3,000 for the dress and jewelry, $6,500 for the catered venue, at least $1,000 for the decorations, not to mention the DJ and limo.

Its a lot of money, he said. Its almost like a wedding.

They learned their reservations will be held until restrictions are lifted.

Garza still hopes for her fairy tale ending  to celebrate her quinceanera before she turns 16. But if not, it wont be the first crisis shes faced in her inaugural year as a young woman.

This has been such a crazy year  first Imelda, then TPC and now this, she said.

The crises have left behind a maturity deeper than the change from the shoes of a child to those of a woman.

I think its really good to go through these things sometimes. My parents are always really open and honest and give us the straight dope about what is going on. I feel like one day, when Im on my own, now Ill know what to do.

kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com
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.
Zoodup.ir scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

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Christians have been urged to adhere strictly to the laid down COVID-19 safety protocols and wear their face masks when stepping out as the COVID-19 is still prevalent.



Mr Emmanuel Obeng Apau, the Head of the COVID-19 Committee at the Assemblies of God, Ghana - Berean Assembly at Ogbojo, on Sunday said regular washing of hands with soap under running water, sanitising with alcohol-based sanitizers and observing the social distancing protocols at all times were very important.



He said this when he engaged the Church members on the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety measures to be observed under the resumption of church services.



Coronavirus is still active globally and in Ghana, we must not joke with it, do well to stay at home if you have nothing doing outside, he advised.



Mr Obeng Apau, also a Medical Assistant at the Bennett Medical Centre at Madina, told the Ghana News Agency that the temperatures of all members was taken and that there was no one with high temperature.



The Reverend David Ampadu Berkoh, the Senior Pastor of the Assembly, in a message titled: The Lord will rescue you, urged members to continuously place their trust in the Lord Almighty and seek His face during difficult situations like the current pandemic.



Quoting Psalm 50:15, he said it was a command for every child of God to call on the Lord in times of troubles because God has assured us He will keep everyone who calls on Him safe.



He said it was important to trust God and believe His promises adding that, When we stand on the promises of God, He will answer our prayers.

Source: GNA









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West Australians who build a new home will be given $20,000 by the state government in addition to the $25,000 on the table as part of the Commonwealth's HomeBuilder scheme.

The $125 million package, designed to stimulate the state's economy which is in recession following pandemic restrictions, also includes a $8.2 million expansion of stamp duty concessions for buyers of new apartments.

New home builders will be handed an extra $20,000 by the state government as part of a coronavirus stimulus package. Credit:Greg Totman

The state government's scheme is not means tested, has no property value cap and is not limited to first-home buyers.

But the existing $10,000 First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions would continue to apply, meaning WA first-home buyers could rake in a $69,440 windfall if they choose to build.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has scheduled the 2020 policy meeting of all tertiary institutions for June 16.

The policy meeting is to be chaired by the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, with all heads of tertiary institutions in attendance.

In a weekly bulletin made available to PREMIUM TIMES by the spokesperson of the board, Fabian Benjamin, he said the meeting will chart policy directions for the nations tertiary institutions, set admission guidelines, and make a holistic review of application statistics, performance as well as evaluate the 2019 admissions exercise.

The meeting, in addition to other deliberations, would take a stand on concessional and acceptable minimum admissions standards to be applied in all admissions to be undertaken by all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, he said.

Mr Benjamin also said the 2020 policy meeting will hold virtually.

Since the coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria, part of the protocols put in place by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19 is to limit the gatherings of people.

Compliance with this directive has become imperative as no fewer than 4000 Heads of Tertiary Institutions comprising degree, diploma, NCE and NID-awarding institutions and other stakeholders would normally be expected to congregate at a location but because of extant protocols, would now be expected to participate in the virtual meeting, Mr Benjamin said.

He said the modalities for the meeting would entail the board issuing only one access code to each participating institution to join the meeting.

This access code is not to be shared or given to unauthorized persons. However, other critical stakeholders within the institutions like the Registrars, Admissions Officers can cluster around a big screen in a location to attend the meeting using the unique access code, he said.

He said the meeting will discuss critical issues bordering on the advances made in the educational sector in the last one year in addition to setting the tone for the 2020/2021 admission exercise.

The meeting would be streamed live on the Boards website; www.jamb.gov.ng, its Facebook, JAMBulletin and other social media platforms, he said.

The 2019 policy meeting held in Gbongan, Osun State, on June 11, 2019.

The venue was Bola Babalakin (Executive) Auditorium and one of the purposes of the meeting was for education stakeholders to jointly determine the cut-off pass mark for 2019/2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

Result notification

The board also said candidates in the just-concluded 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can begin to print their result notification slips.

The results which had earlier been made available through text to candidates on request by them sending RESULT to 55019 but are now requesting for a printed version can now be printed free from the Board website: www.jamb.gov.ng, the board said.

According to JAMB, all a candidate needs to do after visiting the site is to click on QUICK LINKS, then on E-Facility where the candidate would be required to provide his/her registration details and the result notification slip would be displayed for printing.

The printing of the result notification slip is free as it is different from the original result slip that comes with the candidates picture.

Candidates can print their result notification slip anywhere in the country even from the comfort of their homes once there is internet access, he said.

Mr Benjamin said, until now, the board restricted the printing of result notification slips and had made it available to candidates only through SMS to avoid anxiety on the part of the candidates as well as prevent clustering at cybercafes with the attendant risk of COVID-19 contagion all in a bid to print result notifications.

This new development, however, is predicated on the gradual easing of the lockdown and resumption of economic activities in most parts of the country, he said.

He advised candidates to be wary of fraudulent elements masquerading as JAMB agents stating that it has not mandated any person or group to do the printing on behalf of the Board.

Candidates are to note also that delegating this responsibility to third parties could result in wilful manipulation of their results.

Recall that last year some candidates who abused this privilege by attempting to manipulate their scores were caught and are currently saving various jail terms, he said.

Sanctions

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Mr Benjamin said candidates are advised to note that any attempt to forge the slip would attract stiff sanctions.

The decentralization of printing of result notification slips was done mainly to comply with the directives of the NCDC and other relevant agencies on social distancing, he said.

The objective of JAMB is to conduct entrance Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for prospective undergraduates into Nigerian universities.

The board is also charged with the responsibility to administer similar examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private monotechnics, polytechnics, and colleges of educations.
Jammu: With the killing of another terrorist in an ongoing encounter at Reban village in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday (June 7), the total number of ultras killed in the operation has gone up to five.

According to a report, a top commander of a terror outfit was one of the terrorists who was eliminated by Indian troops today. The identities of all the five slain terrorists are currently being established.

"Five terrorists have been eliminated in operation Reban in Shopian," defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia told PTI. He said good drills ensured no collateral damage took place during the operation. With this, the encounter came to an end.

The gunbattle started between terrorists and joint forces of 178 battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group on Sunday morning and went on for several hours, before it came to end with the killing of five terrorists. The encounter took place at the Reban village in Zainapora belt of south Kashmir's Shopian.

Security forces threw a cordon around the village in the morning after they received specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists in the area. As the security forces closed in on the hiding terrorists, they were fired upon that triggered the encounter.

According to initial reports, at least 5-6 terrorists were believed to be holed up inside a house in the area. The authorities had snapped the internet service in Shopian and Kulgam districts as a precautionary measure following the break out the gunfight today morning.

The killing of five terrorists has come as a big success for the Indian forces. As many as 80 terrorists have so far been neutralised by security forces this year, among which 21 were top commanders of various terror outfits.


India and China will continue military and diplomatic engagements to resolve a weeks-old stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the external affairs ministry said on Sunday, indicating that a meeting of top army commanders had ended without a breakthrough.

A delegation led Lt Gen Harinder Singh, commander of Leh-based 14 Corps, had held an hours-long meeting with a Chinese delegation led by Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region, at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC on Saturday  the first meeting of top military officials of the two sides since the stand-off began in early May.

The talks, slated to begin early on Saturday morning, were delayed by several hours. They began at about 11.30 am and continued till late on Saturday evening. People familiar with developments said they had ended inconclusively.

A statement issued by the external affairs ministry on Sunday morning said that, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Also read: India China Ladakh standoff talks to continue at Brigadier-Colonel level

The statement said Saturdays meeting between the Indian and Chinese army commanders took place in a cordial and positive atmosphere. It added that both sides had agreed to work towards resolving the situation through peaceful means and in line with existing agreements for peace along the frontier.

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 tranquillity in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the statement said.

Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship, the statement added.

The statement further noted that, in recent weeks, India and China have maintained communications through established diplomatic and military channels to address the situation along the LAC.

The people cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they expect the process to resolve the stand-off to be long-drawn.

A day ahead of the crucial talks between the army commanders, India and China agreed on Friday on not allowing their differences to escalate into disputes while respecting each others concerns.

Joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava of the external affairs ministry had held talks with Wu Jianghao, director general in Chinas foreign ministry, through video conference on Friday and reviewed bilateral relations, including current developments. This was the first formal diplomatic meeting between the two sides since tensions flared along the LAC.

The army commanders met almost a month after tensions between India and China flared along the disputed border and took bilateral ties to a new low.

India has dismissed Chinas contention that its troops were hindering the activities of Chinese troops along the LAC, and has accused Chinese forces of hindering patrols on the Indian side. The Indian government has also made it clear that it wont allow any change in the status quo along the LAC and that it will tackle the prevailing situation with strength and restraint.
A quintet of unmasked white tweens, oblivious to Covid social distancing, has been plastering our neighborhood with flyers. One reads You are contributing to killing black peopledo something you racist f***s. Another reads A man was lynched by police. What are you doing about it? Another admonishes me to use my white privilege for good.

The specifics of good are not defined.

The vulgar vigilantes were dressed for virtue signaling, short shorts so tight you could read dimples and pimples. Somehow, the white trash look seems appropriate to the occasion and the lite white guilt. After all, Snowflakes across the land are having a meltdown.

In a more serious realm, Mac Market on MacArthur Blvd a few blocks away was trashed and looted last week too. Maybe thats the good the girls seek. Such small stores are often owned by immigrant Korean families. Rodmans, on Wisconsin Ave NW, another DC neighborhood institution, was hit too. Rodmans is owned by a Jewish family.

DC 2020 is now officially a remake of DC 1968.

Ironically, the only major news outlet to editorialize on the Mac Market story was Tucker Carlson at FOX, a report for which he is excoriated right and left. The Washington Post, hometown liberal fish wrap, is largely mute on punks and race riots.

Any truth these days at the Post would be racist.

Tucker Carlson lives in the hood or he too might have ignored the Mac Market travesty, too. The personal is inevitably political.

Withal, I was having hot flashes of deja vu.

During the DC race riots of 1968, I was in Vietnam. History buffs might remember that 68 was a bumper year too; a year when Lyndon Johnson (D) resigned from a pyrrhic war that went on killing for another seven years. Whilst I was keeping my head down and my giblets dry in the jungle, I got my stateside news from AFVN or Stars and Stripes.

I remember hearing or reading something about a joint called Bens Chili Bowl in DC that had survived the 68 fire bombings unscathed because it had a kind of racial immunity, a black owned window sign - or an awesome chili dog. When I subsequently, some might say inevitably, came to the Pentagon for another hardship tour, Bens was already on my bucket list.

As a pot licker and amateur cook, I had to see what was special about the U street miracle. After three visits to Bens, I was certain that it wasnt the food, a very ordinary selection of fried or grilled everything served with indifferent chili  and a side of diabetes.

The Bens legend was political. Black owned 1968 survivor was/is the real draw. The rest of DC, Asians and Jews in 68 and today, were not so lucky.

YouTube screen grab

Back in the day, I thought that the black owned sobriquet was ironic, if not inflammatory.

What was the message? If you have to riot, please burn whitey, not black Americans. Of course, we now know arsonists, black or white, are morons. Still, when America goes pyric or suicidal, its usually local vigilantes that torch the hood.

Nevertheless, the black owned tagging is still alive and well midst the smoke of 2020. Riot and arson have, however, had a rhetorical upgrade to protest or demonstration since 1968 if you read the Post.

Maybe thats the good those adolescent crusaders are seeking. Hegel once said that the only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.

And so it goes in 2020.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Metro Police have taken a knee before the mob, allowing protestors to smash, loot, and burn again. The president had to call in troops to secure the White House.

Slavery, segregation, apartheid, and dependency sponsored by American liberals (nee Democrats), is now replaced by revenge racism, a meme that holds all non-blacks guilty by association, accountable for the historical sins of unspecified ancestors. Would it be impolitic to mention that our slave-holding antecedents were actually Englishmen, Spaniards, and Frenchmen for the most part.

Snowflakes now tell me that I am a racist too. Actually, Im Hibernian on both sides. Albeit, the Gaels might be traif too, to be sure. Irish slavery was upgraded to feudalism in the 12th Century, a great real leap forward according to the English.

The black-owned prophylactic of 2020, alas, is of a piece with the black lives matter mantra, somehow implying, again, that the property and lives of others do not matter  or at least, not as much as black property or lives.

American blacks were the victims of nearly a million violent crimes last year, mostly at the hands of blacks.

Fifty percent of American homicide victims nationally are blacks according to the FBI. If black lives mattered to blacks, the black body count (nearly 8,000 in 2018) wouldnt be five times the rate for whites.

Apparently, BLM doesnt really matter to other blacks, if crime stats tell us anything.

Do the math. Facts, arithmetic, and reason are terrible things to waste. Excuses are not explanations. Racism is no more an excuse for riot, or black bigotry, than tough policing is an excuse for the death of George Floyd.

Forget reparations. Revenge racism is the new structural or systemic social cancer. Guilty whites and angry blacks have found common ground. Selective identity morality is the future. Maybe thats the good that snowflakes seek.

In the meantime, its personal.

Mob justice and virtue signaling is trending and I may indeed be intolerable, but I resent the adjective racist. I am not responsible for the behavior of four white cops in Minneapolis any more than all blacks are responsible for Marion Barry, OJ Simpson, or Jussie Smollett.

Collective guilt isnt any more of an argument than collective punishment. Defunding cops is not just stupid. If you live in DC, it might be suicidal  especially for blacks.

I dont plan to take a knee before any race baiting mob either. I may have privileges, but white is not one of them. I was educated in a south Bronx orphanage, a minefield compounded by 18 years of Catholic schooling. I earned any privilege I have today.

Snowflakes are making the same spurious melanin arguments that Klan bigots always made. Grow up. When you get back to school; if you ever do, history, logic, and ethics should be mandatory.

Civic activism which promotes recidivist ideas and Orwellian solutions is the problem, not the solution.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  Complaints have been filed against police officials following San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora's breach of quarantine rules in Baguio City earlier this week.

Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong said Sunday complaints have been lodged with PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Police General Camilo Picoy Cascolan, San Juan City Police City Director Jimmy Santos, and Baguio PNP City Director Col. Allen Rae Co.

"It is clear that the San Juan City-based police officer who served as lead escort of his City Mayors convoy has committed a serious breach of standing quarantine protocols," Magalong said in a statement.

"I am confident that appropriate steps are forthcoming for this breach of health quarantine protocols, even more so in ensuring that absolutely no one, with or without rank, be allowed to transgress safety measures put in place to keep everyone out of harm."

Magalong reiterated that everyone must comply with Baguio Citys border control checkpoints upon entry, to ensure that no one is put to undue health risk while in the city.

"This policy is strongly iterated in view of the apparent violation of existing health protocols by a group of visiting officials led by San Juan, Metro Manila Mayor Francis Zamora - ignoring the border control checkpoint at Kennon Road, and proceeding to their place of destination (Baguio Country Club) without their having to undergo the mandatory triage health examination," Magalong said on Sunday.

According to Magalong, PNP Baguio City director Allen Rae Co reported that Zamora arrived at the Kennon Road quarantine checkpoint at around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, on board a convoy of six vehicles, with uniformed personnel inside.

Based on the report, when Zamora's group was flagged down for inspection, the driver of the lead vehicle slightly slowed down and told the checkpoint personnel that he was part of a convoy, pointing out the vehicles tailing his police car, then sped off with the mayors entourage in tow.

The checkpoint personnel informed the BCPO traffic operations center about the incident and followed Zamora's convoy to the Baguio Country Club. Upon arrival, the group was asked for the required medical health clearance, but since none was presented, was politely told to undergo triage examination, the PNP Baguio City reported.

Since Zamora and his convoy were already at their destination, medical personnel from the City Health Service Office were dispatched to the Baguio Country Club to set up the triage facility, purposely to ensure that containment and isolation protocols are observed, it added.

"From this narration of facts, it can be reasonably sensed that Baguios health and safety protocols have been violated and the regulatory mechanism of quarantine check and triage examination at the Naguillan facility was not followed," Magalong said. "Mayor Zamora took the effort to inform me about this incident and apologized for the serious lapse on the part of his police escorting officer."

Based on Magalong's statement, Zamora said he was asleep in his car at the time the PNP escort leading his convoy took it on his own to ignore Baguio City's standard border protection.

When asked for comment, Zamora sought for understanding saying, "pasensya na, kasalukuyang undergoing medical treatment ang asawa ko."

[Translation: Sorry, my wife is currently undergoing medical treatment.]

In a statement released Friday evening, Zamora expounded further, saying his wife is a stage 3 breast cancer patient and that the family decided to go to Baguio on Friday, following her doctor's advice to take much needed rest, which combined with her medical treatment protocols would help her achieve full recovery.

"I humbly and most respectfully apologize to Mayor Benjamin Magalong and the people of Baguio City for this incident," Zamora said in a statement. "There was never any intention not to follow Baguio's health and security protocols."

Netizens have started an online petition seeking to declare San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora as persona non grata in Baguio City for violating quarantine rules.

"By ignoring protocols and initiatives of the City of Baguio, one of the cities in the country that serves as a model in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 thanks to the discipline and genuine concern of its citizens and the city's current leadership, San Juan City Mayor Zamora, arrogantly and selfishly, spat in the face of every Baguio citizen who's sacrificed so much to keep the city safer," Karlo Marko Altomonte, who started the petition, said Sunday.

The petition has generated over 3,000 signatures as of this writing.

Baguio has been strictly implementing quarantine protocols at its borders to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

Stringer Lauren Anuma contributed to this report.
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Beijing, June 7 : Oppo has posted some infographics on its official Weibo page to celebrate one year of its commercial 5G efforts in China and down at the bottom of the long image there is a depiction of a TV in a grid of existing products, which means that the company may launch a new TV soon.

Currently, the company's lineup of products include smartphones as well wearable devices and the company is looking forward to launch new IoT products.

Earlier, Oppo Vice President Liu Bo also told media that the Chinese smartphone maker is planning to enter the smart TV space and will launch its first smart TV in the second half of this year.

Oppo smart TV will be powered by Android and is expected to bring features available on OnePlus and Samsung TVs.

The demand for smart TVs has been increasing and many brands have been deviating to try their products in the buzzing market.

The likes of Xiaomi, Realme, Huawei, Honor, Motorola, and OnePlus have already launched their Smart TV line and Nokia branded TVs have also been launched in India.
More than 900,000 people voted for Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yus recall while only 25,000 who voted against.

A high-profile mayor from Taiwans main opposition party lost an acrimonious recall vote on Saturday, auguring new problems for the party that is already reeling from losing January elections on the back of strong anti-China sentiment.

The Kuomintang (KMT) was badly beaten in Januarys presidential and parliamentary polls. Since then, under a youthful new leader, Johnny Chiang, the party has tried to rethink its unpopular policy of seeking closer ties with China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

The KMTs presidential candidate, Han Kuo-yu, had won the mayorship of the southern city of Kaohsiung in late 2018, an upset given it had previously been a stronghold for Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

But he faced sustained criticism that he lacked interest in the city, especially when he took a three-month leave of absence from his new mayoral duties to run for president. Saturdays vote was on whether he should be recalled as mayor.

Han, who had called on people to boycott the vote and go shopping instead, told reporters after the vote went against him that he had been the victim of DPP smears, though did not say whether he would challenge the result in court.

This was an unfair, unjust election, Han said.





The DPP said in a statement the election proved that power comes from the people and called it an important milestone in the history of Taiwans democratic development.

KMT Chairman Chiang said the party respected the result, and expressed remorse that it went against them.

We did not properly grasp the warmth of Kaohsiungs citizens, and we did not respond well to the expectations of Kaohsiungs people, he said.

As of 6pm local time (10:00 GMT) on Saturday, the city election commission said more than 900,000 people voted for Han to be recalled, against some 25,000 who voted against the recall.

Taiwans election commission still has to formally approve the decision, expected to take a week. Once it does, Han will be dismissed and a new mayoral election, in which he cannot run, will be called within three months.

The election commission approved the recall vote after a petition organised by WeCare Kaohsiung, a civic group, which applauded the result.

The DPP won Januarys elections on promises to stand up to China, portraying a vote for the KMT as a vote for Chinas Communist Party, a charge the KMT strongly and repeatedly rejected.

Taiwan has shown no desire to be ruled by China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

The recall vote took place amid renewed anti-government protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong against a Beijing-imposed security law that critics say would undermine most freedoms. The protesters have strong cross-party support in Taiwan.
The much-needed vaccine to combat the coronavirus will take at least one year before it becomes available widely, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday, urging the people to "learn to live" with COVID-19 for a long time.

He asked Singaporeans to play their part in limiting the spread of the virus by maintaining personal hygiene, wearing masks, observing safe distancing rules and avoiding crowded gatherings.

"It will take at least a year, probably longer, before vaccines become widely available," said Lee in the first of six national broadcasts on Singapore's future after the COVID-19 pandemic in the coming days. We will have to learn to live with COVID-19 for the long term, as we have done in the past with other dangerous infectious diseases, like tuberculosis," Lee said.

The prime minister also highlighted Singapore's progress in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

New cases in the wider community have come down and the situation in foreign workers living in dormitories has stabilised, Lee said.

This has allowed the country to ease strict circuit breaker measures, he said, adding that the contact tracing and testing will be stepped up to detect the coronavirus cases earlier, isolate their contacts, and prevent clusters from forming.

"If all goes well and the outbreak remains firmly under control, we will ease up further (on measures to control the spread of coronavirus), and resume more activities as soon as possible," he said.

The prime minister said that beyond the public health impact, COVID-19 had become a serious economic, social and political problem.

"It is in fact the most dangerous crisis humanity has faced in a very long time... We are in a totally unprecedented situation," he said.

Pointing to the global economy having virtually ground to a halt, Lee said the governments have spent trillions of dollars to support businesses, economies and jobs, but still tens of millions of jobs have been lost.

Singapore's domestic economy has also taken a severe hit. The country's gross domestic product is likely to shrink by between 4 and 7 per cent - its worst contraction ever.

Singapore's economy depends heavily on international trade and investments, which were already slowing down before the pandemic hit.

"Now this slowdown will happen faster, and go further," Lee said.

The government has spent billions of dollars to save jobs and keep businesses afloat, and is doing so without having to borrow.

On Friday, parliament passed a second supplementary supply Bill, bringing government spending on four COVID-19 support packages to Singapore dollars 92.9 billion or nearly 20 per cent of the country's GDP. These will require a Singapore dollars 52 billion draw from Singapore's past reserves.

"But even for us, this level of spending is hard to sustain. More importantly, these measures cannot shield us from the tectonic shifts taking place in the global economy," Lee conceded.

The world will not return to the open and connected global economy of the past anytime soon, he said, adding that the movement of people will be more restricted, and health checks and quarantines will be the norm.

Industries that depend on travel, like aviation, hotels and tourism, will take a long time to get back on their feet, and may never recover fully, Lee said, pointing out that it would no longer be easier to travel easily as has been happening.

Countries will also strive to become less dependent on one another, especially for essential goods and services such as food or critical medical supplies, the prime minister said.

"This will have strategic implications. Countries will have less stake in each other's wellbeing. They will fight more over how the pie is shared, rather than work together to enlarge the pie for all. It will be a less prosperous world, and also a more troubled one. All these changes will impact Singapore greatly and mean that the next few years will be a disruptive and difficult time," he cautioned.

But the prime minister said Singapore will emerge stronger and better from the crisis.

Singapore has an international reputation built up over decades, a headstart on preparing for the uncertainties ahead, and plans in place to help Singaporeans cope with the challenges, he said.

Singapore Ministers will share more details at later broadcast as a follow up to the prime minister's Sunday broadcast.

Broadcasts have been scheduled between June 9 and June 20 by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Senior Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
- Today in history, then Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings announced a change in government by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC)

- The June 4, 1979 Revolution, better known as June 4th uprising, arose out of corruption, bad governance and frustration among Ghanaians

- YEN.com.gh takes a look at the real historical narrative behind the uprising

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

Exactly 41 years ago today on June 4, 1979, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, announced a change in government by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

The June 4th Revolution otherwise known as June 4th Uprising arose out of corruption, bad governance and frustration among Ghanaians.

Ghanaianmuseum.com reports that General I. K. Acheampong led a group of disgruntled army officers and usurped Prime Minister Dr Kofi Abrefa Busias government in 1972, and formed a government which they called The Supreme Military Council (SMC).

In 1978, however, General Acheampong was accused of economic mismanagement and forced to resign by a group of army officers led by General Akuffo.

On May 15, 1979, less than five weeks before the national elections, then- Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings led a group of junior Ghanaian army officers in an attempted overthrow of the military government of General Fred Akuffo and the Supreme Military Council.

Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings was then arrested and imprisoned after the failed coup attempt.

READ ALSO: Nana Akomea: STC boss celebrates pretty wife's b'day with ravishing photos of her

Photo credit: Crabbita Media Consult

Source: Facebook

On the night of June 3, 1979, a group of junior officers including Major Boakye Djan and enlisted personnel of the Fifth Battalion and the Reconnaissance Regiment in Burma Camp staged a bloody coup and freed Rawlings.

In the early hours of June 4, 1979 at 6 a.m. on Radio Ghana, an announcement was made about the change of government.

The individual who made the announcement later at 7.30 a.m. identified himself as Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who was expected in the morning to appear before a court martial at the Burma Camp.

He declared that he and some other ranks had taken over the government and asked officers and men to report to Nicholson Stadium inside Burma Camp where election of officers would take place.

He invited all officers who knew they had nothing to fear to attend the meeting.

Barely an hour and a half later, Major- General N. A. Odartey-Wellington, announced on the air that an uprising which occurred in the early hours had been quelled.

He, therefore, ordered officers and men of the Armed Forces to return to their respective units while steps were being taken to return the Armed Forces to normalcy.

He then invited Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings and his supporters to meet him at the First Infantry Brigade headquarters at Kpeahie Ridge and promised there would be no arrests and victimisation.

The lull which followed this announcement was, however, broken at 3.32 p.m. when a special Radio Ghana announcement said that Flight-Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings and his men had taken over control of the country.

Notable on the day was a display by Major- General N. A. Odartey-Wellington. He entered an armoured car and single-handedly shot for three continuous hours.

When he ran out of cartridges, he dashed to the Nima Police Station to surrender.

Unfortunately, he was killed on the spot by military officers immediately he came out of the armoured truck.

That incident marked the beginning of the uprising.

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After the incident, all military installations were searched and senior military officers who were on the side of the Supreme Military Council (SMC II) were killed.

It was on the same day that Col. Aninful, the president of the military tribunal that tried Rawlings and the junior officers on 15th May was killed.

His wife and children, who were also in the same room were shot. Many sympathisers of the previous government fled the country to seek asylum elsewhere.

The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) included a cross-section of ranks from privates and lance corporal to staff sergeants, airmen, lieutenants, and naval commanders.

The membership was as follows:

1. Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings  Chairman

2. Captain Boakye Gyan  Official Spokesperson

3. Major Mensah Gbedemah

4. Lt Commander Akpaloo

5. Warrant Officer 2 Obeng

6. Private Owusu Adu

7. Corporal Owusu Boateng

8. Leading Air Craftsman Gaktipo

9. Lance Corporal Ansah Atiemo among other people.

The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) ruled from June 1979 to September 1979. Power was handed to Dr. Hilla Limann in September 1979.

However, Rawlings again overthrew Limann on December 31, 1981.

Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Princess Ewurabena Pokou was Queen and founder of the Baoule tribe in West Africa, now Ivory Coast.

According to ghanaianmuseum.com, Queen Pokou ruled over a branch of the powerful Ashanti Empire as it expanded westward.

A subgroup of the Akan people, the Baoule people are today one of the largest ethnic groups in modern Ivory Coast.

Her father was a warrior who was not documented because he had no royal lineage. Princess Pokou gained her royalty through the matrilineal culture of the Ashantis.

READ ALSO: Kennedy Agyapongs son speaks about his relationship with dad; reveals he is strict (video)

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

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Source: YEN.com.gh
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Laurel Canyon is a very real place, but it comes off almost as a Brigadoon-style dream in the commemoration of the L.A. rock scene of the late 60s and early 70s that is director Alison Ellwoods Laurel Canyon.

The first half the two-part docuseries on Epix, which premiered May 31, threw a spotlight onto the Byrds, Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Mamas and the Papas, Love, Frank Zappa and others who drove the counterculture in the years leading up to Woodstock, and how they were folksy neighbors in L.A.s least urban enclave. In part 2, which bows Sunday night, Ellwood delves into the world of Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Linda Ronstadt, the Flying Burrito Brothers and, of course, the nascent band that previously was the subject of her History of the Eagles doc.

More from Variety

Variety spoke with Ellwood between the twin premieres about the making of the ravishingly well-received doc.

VARIETY: Was it a choice from the get-go not to have any of your subjects on-camera, and to just do audio interviews, aside from the two photographers, Henry Diltz and Nurit Wilde?

ELLWOOD: It was a decision out of the gate to do audio-only. We never thought of interviewing anyone on camera, with the exception of Henry and Nurit, who are sort of our guides through this, our documentarians. Theyre physically showing us their photographs or their slides, so they have something to do on camera, not just talking. But we wanted it to be immersive and experiential. Especially when there are so many artists involved and you would keep popping out to different talking heads, it would have been taking you out of that moment. We also have, unfortunately, a number of the artists have passed away, and obviously we couldnt interview them, and there would have been a disparity of whos on-camera and whos not.

Story continues

Initially, people may think, I want to see what David Crosby or Michelle Phillips looks like now. But it would be easy to drift out of the movie if you start thinking about how peoples faces have changed. Obviously, if somebody wants to find out what Chris Hillman looks like now, theres the Internet for that.

Exactly. Its pretty easy to find out. Honestly, as people get older, theyre more self-conscious about how they look. And thats been something that weve had to deal with rock docs in the past. [Laughs.] And, you know, the last thing you need is to have to keep reshooting things because people dont like the way they look. But in any case, we were never going to do on-camera interviews for this. Interviews tend to be a little bit more personal and guard-down and casual when you dont have a camera in their face. And pretty much everybody was excited to participate, which was great.

It sounds like the only people you couldnt get were Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who are just never going to be easy gets for anything.

We tried with both of them. We also tried honestly with Carole King and James Taylor as well, because they were also part of the scene  not quite to the same extent that the others were. But all those folks are people that, for whatever reason, dont have much interest in doing these sorts of interviews. Thankfully for us, with Joni and Neil, there were tons of archival interviews. And there were quite a few archival interviews with Carole King as well, but she never talked about Laurel Canyon, so it felt like a bit of an outlier. If we had gotten her, we would have included her, for sure.

Was there anybody whose candor in the interviews most surprised you?

Pretty much everything gave great stuff. David Crosby wasnt in the best mood when I did the interview with him I walked away from that interview thinking it didnt go that well  but he ended up saying a lot of good things. Johnny Echols (from the group Love) was just lovely. Jackson (Browne) was a little combative with me, which was fun. Hed say, Theres nothing special about it. Its a myth. Id say, Okay! Thats your opinion. [Laughs.]

Youd been wanting to do a film about this for 20 years, since you became fascinated with the Doors, so you were immersed in a lot of the lore. Were there any stories that you hadnt heard before?

I didnt know about Peter Tork being a nudist. I didnt know about Steve Martin dating Linda Ronstadt. That was a funny story. I didnt know about the Doors/Love connection [in which the latter band helped the Doors get a record deal, only to come to regret it]. I had no idea that Alice Cooper was tied to the canyon at all. That came as a total surprise. That story he told me about showing up at Franks at 7 a.m. for his audition [Cooper misunderstands that Zappa wanted him to come by the house the following night, not the following morning] I mean, thats just a classic, its so funny. And the fact that Zappa then said Oh, no, go ahead. Do your thing, and then he signed them.

There have been three other significant documentaries that touch on this scene in the last year and a half  obviously Echo in the Canyon, and then the docs about Crosby and Ronstadt. Did you make any editing choices as a result of those coming out first, because something already got covered there?

I intentionally didnt watch any of those films before we finished this. Some folks on our team did, and they were aware of crossover footage, so some of the footage that was used in some of the other projects we stayed away from so we wouldnt repeat. But in terms of style or anything like that, I was intentionally unaware of what they had done prior to finishing. And from the beginning, we knew what we wanted to do, so it wasnt like we changed our course midway or anything.

How did you feel about Echo in the Canyon coming first, knowing that so many people would compare the two?

Honestly, I didnt really think that much about it. I was relieved to know that we didnt have a lot of footage crossover to worry about. And I was relieved to know that they were only covering a specific time period, because I knew our project was much more extensive. I mean, that was their film by design, and our film was different by design.

That other film only covered a 1965-68 time frame, which left a lot of people wondering why there was nothing on the careers of Jackson Browne or Joni Mitchell or all these other names that are most associated with the canyon. Your part 1 ends in 69, and you take it through the mid-70s in part 2. Was it pretty clear when to cut it off and say the scene had ended?

Yeah. We felt like the scene there really kicked in in 65 once the Byrds were established, and by the time the Eagles make it big, by 75, the scene in Laurel Canyon had changed a lot. Most of the people had left. Prices had become much more expensive, so the new wave of artists, like the punk scene that was on their heels coming up, those folks couldnt afford to be there, so that was sort of when the scene in Laurel Canyon sort of fizzled out. And I think the big thing that Linda explains is that they werent playing in the clubs anymore. There was a lot more money happening, and they were doing stadiums and arenas, and they werent playing for each other anymore.

How important was it to try to establish Laurel Canyon visually and geographically, for people who dont really know L.A., since there arent a lot of visual landmarks in the canyon?

We kind of always felt like we wanted to make Laurel Canyon kind of a character in and of itself, that it had this mystique and was drawing all these people together. You know, it really was this atmosphere of doors unlocked and people floating in and out and bumping into each other and moving up and down the street from one another. And they were so close to the clubs, so they would go do the clubs and then the clubs would close at 2 and the party would continue up in the hills until the wee hours of the morning. Whats been fun in the canyon now, in the horrible age of Covid, is that theyve brought back [some of that feel]. Everyone opens their doors on a certain night and plays all this music, so the music is sort of wafting through the canyon again.

One thing you establish is how unique L.A. is as a metropolis where you can be in this bustling commercial strip and in less than three minutes be in something that feels like the mountains, hearing the owls.

Yeah, it is, totally. I would argue, though, that you cant get anywhere in Los Angeles in three minutes anymore. It could take you more than three minutes just to pass the Canyon Store [from Sunset Blvd.].

As you turn the corner from part 1 to part 2, theres Altamont and the Manson murders. But you dont dwell a lot on things suddenly all turning dark, because it wasnt like that, with so much great, uplifting stuff to come after that from Joni, Jackson and CSNY. Theres a kind of darkening, but it still doesnt really get dark at that point.

I think the tonal difference that we felt that we wanted to explore was that it wasnt that the darkness itself became more  because all through part 1, the undertones of the civil rights scene were happening. The Vietnam war is raging, and these guys were all draft-eligible. So there was always darkness under all of that stuff. But I think that they became aware as people; they kind of grew up and became more aware of the darkness. Manson and Altamont happened, and those things were specifically tied to the music and to this hippie kind of movement, where suddenly hippies are considered (potentially) dangerous. That shifted, and I think the music shifted. I mean, Ohio is very different from For What Its Worth. Even though For What Its Worth has become the anthem for Vietnam, it wasnt written about that initially. And I think a lot of people dont know that. They dont know its about kids trying to get into a club! [Laughs.] But it became about Vietnam for everybody. And I think that the artists matured and became more aware of their role in the world, and their activism began to emerge.

Did you ever worry about whether you would be able to keep people interested when so much of it is still photos or archival footage?

No, I always had faith. I mean, first of all, those stills are stunningly beautiful, and I think stills capture so much information and tell stories, and in some cases theyre better than moving pictures. We also shot a lot of super-8 to make it look like it was old footage. Sam Painter, our director of photography, had a lot of fun playing with some visuals to do B-roll, and sometimes people may not even know whats archive and what we shot, and that was sort of fun. And we get a lot of helicopter shots, and we intentionally wanted to make those look modern and new; we werent trying to fake that. Ryan Suffern, one of the producers who was up in the helicopter, wants people to know those were not drone shots!

As far as vintage clips go, when youve got Neil Young talking to Dick Clark, it doesnt get much better than that. And Henry Diltz  some of us didnt realize that he had this folk music background as a member of the Modern Folk Quartet, before becoming a full-time photographer. Seeing him in those clips almost feels like youre watching a spoof, like Spinal Tap as the Folksmen.

I know, its so funny, hes so intense. And then even when they go electric and hes like, We dont need to sing about the oxcart driver anymore, you cut to him and hes still so intense. Hes so cute, hes such a character. Hes such a lovely man. I adore Henry.

And we still see Diltz out shooting at shows in L.A. all the time.

I dont know whether you noticed on his arm, but the day we did the interview, he has a Troubadour wristband. He had been at the Troubadour the night before. Hes still living the life.

Rock doc aficionados will think of you as a music documentarian now, between Laurel Canyon, your upcoming Go-Gos film and History of the Eagles a few years ago. But your career has been broader than that. How much do you want to stay on the music doc track or not get too typecast for that?

For me, as long as Im learning something, Im excited about a project. And music projects are so fun because, one, theres the music, which is so great in and of itself, and then there are very interesting, volatile characters surrounding it, usually, which makes for good storytelling. Certainly, I love doing music docs, but Im in development on two other things, neither of which have anything to do with music. I dont want to get labeled that way, because it is actually a very small portion of my work. But I do love it.

You are not a lady of the canyon these days. You left L.A. and New York and you live on a horse farm in Massachusetts. Are horses of equal interest to movie making?

Well, I call myself now a filmmaker-farmer. I got tired of living in cities and Ive been working remotely for pretty much 10 years. Obviously when I go out on shoots I travel  hopefully that will be able to happen again one day  but most of what I do can be done from home. I have an Avid system here so I can keep track of whats going on with the edits on projects.  The horses came into my life about six years ago. It was not something I would ever have imagined getting involved with. I started rescuing with a couple of friends of mine, and then the place where we were keeping them was sold, and my beach house was selling, so I ended up buying a farm. And we make films with kids. They bond with the animals and we teach them about filmmaking. Its called Film Farm.

Your Go-Gos documentary, which premiered at Sundance in January, is coming on Showtime August 1. Were you working on that and Laurel Canyon at the same time, or has one or the other been done for a while?

It was pretty much simultaneous, but the shooting was broken up perfectly. We actually shot most of the Go-Gos before we shot any of this, so the Go-Gos was heavily into post by the time we started going into major production [on Laurel Canyon]. I was definitely juggling a couple of edits on both of those films, but Ive done that before. and it was fine. Between the two of them, it was cool to be just living in the L.A. scene for 20 years, basically, from 65 to 85.

(To read Varietys review of Laurel Canyon, click here.)

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Senior military commanders of India and China held crucial talks on Saturday (June 6) in order to defuse the mounting tension along the border. The India delegation was led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps while Major General Liu Lin, Commander of the South Xinjiang military region, led the Chinese side. The meeting was held at Moldo, opposite Chushul in eastern Ladakh.

"A meeting was held between the Corps Commander based in Leh and the Chinese Commander on 6 June 2020 in the Chushul-Moldo region. It 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," Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday (June 7).

"Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship. Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas," added the statement.

Sources claimed that the talks did not lead to any major breakthrough but set the stage for further talks. It is learnt that during the meeting which lasted for around three hours, India asked China to reduce the mobilisation of its troops near the Galwan valley and that the Chinese forces must return to their original location.

Meanwhile, China asked India to stop its road construction but Indian side clearly said that the construction is taking place inside the LAC and Beijing should not object the roadwork.
Airbus has named Anand Stanley as President Airbus Asia-Pacific, effective July 1. Based in Singapore, Stanley will lead the strategy and future positioning of Airbus and its divisions across the region.

In this role he will have responsibility for commercial aircraft sales and customer affairs, group-wide government affairs, industrial and joint venture partnerships, as well as the local operations at Airbus sites across the region.



Stanley reports to Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, and will work closely with the Heads of Region for the Airbus Helicopters and Defence and Space divisions who are co-located at the companys Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.



He joined Airbus in 2018 as President & Managing Director of Airbus India, where he has overseen the Airbus business development and advanced the companys position with key stakeholders, including customers, government agencies and industry partners.



Prior to joining Airbus, Stanley held senior positions in the civil aerospace, defence and helicopter markets, as well as in strategic management and M&A planning, having worked with the Linde Group, UTC, Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky.



Anand has brought a wealth of experience to Airbus and managed the companys operations in India with very positive results, said Scherer. His proven track record makes him the right choice to lead Airbus in the key Asia-Pacific market. We know that we can count on Anand to focus on supporting our customers in these most challenging times, while developing further our position as the leading partner for the aerospace sector in the region.



Anand Stanley has an MBA from the University of Virginia-Darden in the US, a Bachelors of Engineering from Andhra University, as well as a postgraduate degree from IMI-Delhi.



He succeeds Patrick de Castelbajac, who is leaving Airbus.  TradeArabia News Service
Migrant Forum in Asia

Call for an Urgent Justice Mechanism for Repatriated Migrant Workers

by: Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), Lawyers Beyond Borders (LBB) Network, Cross Regional Centre for Migrants and Refugees (CCRM), South Asia Trade Union Council (SARTUC), and Solidarity Center (SC)

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted millions of migrant workers in destination countries, many of whom have experienced job loss or non-payment of wages, been forced by employers to take unpaid leave or reduced wages, been confined in poor living conditions, and with little or no engagement in the work options before them. Many migrant workers also struggle with the dilemma of exercising their right to return in these circumstances, while others remain stranded in cities without access to services or support, or in border areas, living in precarious conditions posing as quarantine facilities.

Countries of destination and origin have begun repatriation procedures of these workers, without giving thought to their predicament and presenting the returns as inevitable. Millions will be repatriated to situations of debt bondage as they will be forced to pay off recruitment fees and costs, despite returning empty handed.

Under the above conditions, repatriation poses additional challenges, as, without proper controls, employers might take advantage of mass repatriation programs to terminate and return workers who have not been paid their due compensation, wages and benefits. Without ensuring that companies and employers are doing their due diligence to protect and fulfill the human rights and labour rights of repatriated migrant workers, states across the migration corridor become complicit in overseeing procedures where millions of workers will be returning without their earned wages or workplace grievances being heard, nor seeing justice in their situation.

This is a gross violation of labour rights on a large scale. Wage theft will account for millions of dollars to the detriment of workers and the benefit of businesses and employers who will be exempted from any accountability, even if states and banks extend a helpline to reestablish themselves and adjust to the new normal.

The repatriation procedures have been undertaken hastily by countries of both origin and destination, without any proper redress mechanism, since courts and other labour dispute mechanisms have also been closed during the period of the lockdown. Therefore, these violations will pile up and either not be addressed or overburden the existing dispute resolution mechanisms.

In this regard, Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), Lawyers Beyond Borders (LBB) Network, Cross Regional Centre for Migrants and Refugees (CCRM), South Asia Trade Union Council (SARTUC), and Solidarity Center (SC) call upon countries of origin and destination to urgently put in place a transitional justice mechanism with the following objectives:

The transitional justice mechanism will address grievances, claims and labour disputes of repatriated workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. That the mechanism needs to be expedited, accessible, affordable, and efficient. It should be a priority to guarantee that all repatriated workers with legitimate claims are able to access justice and some kind of compensation. While it must be of the utmost importance to ensure that cases are resolved as soon as possible, without delay, especially in cases involving labour disputes, safeguards must be put in place to ensure that migrants are able to pursue their cases post return. Access to legal advice and support, facilitating power of attorney procedures, and easing requirements for in-person testimony and court appearance or appearance in front of a tribunal/grievance mechanism are paramount. States should require employers and businesses to keep all employment records, including payroll, employee lists, and hours worked and allow workers to take copies of their records with them.

If we are to aBuild Back Bettera, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the issue of wage theft that has been persistent across migration corridors for years, and will be unprecedented in the case of repatriated migrant workers in the COVID 19 pandemic.

Many migrant workers have reconciled to the situation of wage theft in the form of unfair or unpaid wages for months and years before the COVID 19 pandemic. They have accepted it as their fate and refrained from complaining lest they lose their jobs, or, worse still, live with the fear of being made undocumented.

Each year, millions of dollars are lost in potential remittances due to wage theft, even as countries of origin continue to explore new markets for deployment of migrant workers while countries of destination thrive on cheap and exploitable migrant labour.

Repatriation of migrant workers without due diligence by states in the time of the COVID 19 pandemic will only serve to leave unattended the injustices that migrant workers bear, exonerate employers and perpetrators of violence against migrant workers, and wipe away all records of legitimate claims and grievances.

The millions who are and will be repatriated will impact the development trajectory of families for whom a single migrant worker is a source of hope for a better future for generations to come. This dream, this resilience of the migrantas journey must not be stifled as the COVID 19 pandemic runs its course.

If unaddressed at this time, we run the risk of forever delinking the patterns that connect migration to development, as the stories of the lives of migrant workers will bear witness to this mass injustice for years to come.

ENDORSED BY:

Asian Peoplesa Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD)

Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) Asia Pacific

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Civil Society Action Committee (AC)

DIGNIDAD Coalition

Equidem

Equidem Nepal

Focus on the Global South

Freedom from Debt Coalition

Growthwatch India

Human Rights Watch

Indian Social Action Forum

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Migrant-Rights.Org

Mines Minerals and People

Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee

Public Services International (PSI)

Woman Health Philippines
A train loaded with anti-coronavirus medical materials left for Paris on June 4, 2020 from Xiangtang International Port in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. [Photo by Li Qian/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Calls to French, Costa Rican presidents focus on health, economic cooperation

President Xi Jinping called for stronger coordination and synergies in macro policies between China and France to promote economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic as well as expansion of collaboration in emerging sectors while tapping the potential of cooperation in traditional areas.

Xi made the remark in a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday night. He also spoke by phone with his Costa Rican counterpart, Carlos Alvarado Quesada.

In talks with Macron, Xi underlined the importance for both nations of planning exchanges at various levels and conducting dialogues in a steady, orderly and flexible manner after the pandemic.

Xi said the Chinese market remains open to France, and it is his hope that France will take advantage of the "fast lane" opened for business exchanges to China to facilitate the reopening of French businesses in China. He also expressed hope that France would create a fair and unbiased business environment for Chinese businesses.

With the pandemic still raging globally, Xi highlighted the need for solidarity and cooperation, saying that the two countries must continue to jointly support the international community in uniting to fight the pandemic.

Institutions from both countries must move forward with joint research programs, and the two nations must support international cooperation in the research and development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, he said.

He called upon the two nations to bolster support for the World Health Organization and promote more joint cooperation between China, France and African nations to support the coronavirus response in the world's less developed regions, including Africa.

China is willing to step up strategic coordination with the European Union to further the major political agendas between them and jointly cope with global challenges such as public health, climate change and the protection of biodiversity, he added.

Macron said France is willing to work with China to implement the consensuses of the World Health Assembly, support the WHO playing an important role and step up cooperation with the organization.

Relevant departments between the two countries should maintain dialogue and exchanges, deepen mutual understanding and move forward with key cooperation programs, with the top priority now being accelerating the reopening of business, he said.

In the call with Alvarado, Xi said China regarded Costa Rica as an important partner to carry out cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America.

China will continue to provide firm support and assistance within its capacity according to Costa Rica's needs, Xi said, vowing China's resolve to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of medium and small-size developing countries.

He also called on the two nations to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, plan together for bilateral cooperation after the pandemic and deepen practical cooperation in various areas under the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road.

As Monday marked the 13th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Costa Rica, Alvarado said his country will adhere to the one-China principle and is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with China in such areas as public health, infrastructure and culture.
A pregnant woman from Invercargill, New Zealand, died due to an epileptic seizure at her own home. A coroner revealed after her autopsy that her seizure was brought on by her addiction to energy drinks and Coca-Cola.

Too much caffeine

Amy Louise Thorpe, a 34-year-old mother of three died at her home while she was 15 weeks pregnant. Although it has been two years since her death, the circumstances surrounding her demise have alerted medical experts and it emphasizes the harm of too much sugar and caffeine intake.

David Robinson, the coroner who examined Thorpe's corpse, she had a history of epilepsy and other underlying health conditions. Her partner, who was not named, told the coroner that before Thorpe's death, she drank two liters of Coca-Cola and a liter of energy drinks every day.

When she got pregnant, her seizures had been so frequent that it happens once a week. Health experts had warned her that the number of sugary drinks and caffeine-laden drinks that she consumes every day can be dangerous and fatal.

According to the findings of Robinson, Thorpe was asked to consult a gynecologist and obstetrician since she had such bad drinking habits and has months pregnant.

The health experts stated that Thorpe had a seizure disorder that is poorly controlled and that she had random triggers and her episodes became more and more frequent.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Americans Are Drinking Bleach and Using Them on Food to Kill COVID-19

In November 2018, Graeme Hammond-Tooke, a neurologist, examined Thorpe and prescribed medications and other treatments to help control her seizures. He advised Thorpe to take antiepileptic medication and to undergo EEG monitoring in which doctors will use a machine to trace and test the electrical activity in her brain.

The inquest was told that Thorpe was reluctant to do either. On December 4, 2018, dead in her bedroom. She was faced down and the lower half of her body was on the bed while her torso was leaning over the cabinet near her bed. The report of her death was published by the New Zealand Herald.

Warning the public

Professor Hammond-Tooke told Robinson about the potential significance of too much caffeine consumption. Studies suggest that caffeine can increase seizure while in some cases the chronic use of caffeine may also protect against seizures.

The intake of caffeine is not advised to people who are taking medicine for their health conditions, because caffeine lowers the effectiveness of medical drugs. Too much caffeine intake can also trigger and even cause seizures on people who already have underlying health problems.

Large amounts of caffeine intake could cause seizures and it could be fatal. As for Thorpe's case, Professor Hammond-Tooke agreed with the findings of Robinson and stated that excessive caffeine contributed to the seizure of Thorpe.

According to Robinson, he made Thorpe's case public in order to make the public aware of the dangerous consequences of excessive caffeine use. He also recommended that the findings be made available to the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and Epilepsy New Zealand so that it could be studied by the members.

Robinson also recommended that advice should be given to the public and they should talk about the effects of caffeine, as it could mitigate the risk of deaths.

Related Article: Coronavirus Cases in US Surges to 19,000 in 24 Hours Amid Protests

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Collapsing revenues, rising layoffs: the coronavirus crisis is battering media outlets across Africa that were already struggling for cash and often facing pressure from hostile authorities. The news of cutbacks was sudden and painful for journalists at two of Nigeria's most popular independent newspapers when bosses from The Punch and Vanguard made their announcements last month. "It was a rude shock for me because I didn't do anything wrong to warrant such treatment," one Punch veteran told AFP, asking not to be named as he was still owed a "token" payoff. The redundancies were just the latest to hit Nigeria's press -- one of the most vibrant on the continent -- as the economic fallout from the pandemic has sent sales and advertising income plunging. "What is happening in Nigeria is not peculiar to us. The whole world is feeling the impact," said Qasim Akinreti, the chairman of the Lagos Union of Journalists. "For us in the Nigerian media, the story is the same -- we have lost hundreds of jobs in the past four months." - Calls for state aid - In Kenya some media houses slashed wages by up to half, in Uganda a leading weekly halted printing, and in Namibia hours have been reduced and redundancy schemes fast-tracked. The speed and severity of the current crunch has sparked calls for government bailouts -- with private papers in Cameroon even holding a "dead press" day to denounce a lack of action. Authorities in some countries have heeded the pleas for help. Kenya's national regulator on Friday unveiled what it called a "historic" fund worth just under $1 million to help some 150 broadcasters weather the storm. "This challenge of COVID-19 has squeezed life from television and radio stations," said David Omwoyo, the head of the Media Council of Kenya. Officials from Nigeria's journalist union said it had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provide emergency aid to distressed media. But there are fears that state aid would only increase political interference in sectors around Africa that are already often dominated by powerful vested interests. "The government has been harassing the media. Several journalists are facing trials for frivolous offences," University of Lagos lecturer Olubunmi Ajibade said of the situation in Nigeria. "Collecting bailout funds from government at this time will compromise their independence and freedom." - 'Disseminate propaganda' - Just as the spread of the virus has caused revenues to dwindle, it has also posed unprecedented logistical challenges to media outlets. While the official figures -- more than 170,000 infections and 4,700 deaths across the continent -- have risen slower than elsewhere on the planet, governments have still imposed tough restrictions. Lockdowns have hampered reporting, social distancing has forced journalists to work remotely with poor internet or electricity supplies, and protective equipment has added new costs. On the streets there have been reports of security forces harassing journalists trying to do their work. In Ghana -- one of West Africa's most open democracies -- soldiers enforcing virus restrictions "assaulted" two reporters in April, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. A raft of countries including South Africa have introduced legislation criminalising the spreading of disinformation about the pandemic. Authorities insist the measures are needed to tackle a flood of dangerous falsehoods surrounding the virus. But media professionals say journalists are already trying to do the job of combatting "fake news" -- and such laws could be used to muzzle them. Lekhetho Ntsukunyane, who heads the Lesotho branch of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, said two journalists in the tiny kingdom were warned under new rules for spreading misinformation -- only for it to turn out that their work was accurate. The government of Andry Rajoelina in Madagascar has pushed its control even further and mandated outlets carry all official information about the pandemic. "The regime is taking advantage of this requisition to disseminate propaganda," said Nadia Raolimanalina, who runs MBS television and two newspapers on the Indian Ocean island nation. "Messages on COVID-19 no longer occupy an important place in the president's speeches, which must be broadcast in their entirety." She complained that journalists could not investigate key issues as sources feared "going to prison for spreading false information". "The official information is incomplete and the state has concealed the real information which risks tarnishing its image." Two Nigerian newspapers have had sudden cutbacks, as media outlets across Africa struggle during the coronavirus crunch
A white Fairfax County, Va., police officer has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of assault and battery after authorities said he used a stun gun on a black man who was disoriented and did not appear combative as he paced on a street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood on Friday.

Officer Tyler Timberlake was arrested Saturday evening after Fairfax County police and prosecutors reviewed body worn camera footage of the incident, which appeared to show Timberlake deploying the stun gun on the victim multiple times and sticking his knees on the man's neck and back without obvious provocation.

Fairfax County Police Chief EdwinRoessler called the use of force "horrible" at a Saturday press conference and said it violated the department's policies. Timberlake, an eight-year veteran, has been relieved of duty and is also under an administrative investigation.

All other officers on the scene also have been relieved of duty pending outcomes of the criminal and administrative investigations, police said.

"The video erodes the public's trust of police officers," Roessler said. "I've personally reached out to the victim and spoke with his mother to express my disgust with my officer's unacceptable, criminal actions."

The arrest comes as the nation has been gripped by days of protest and civil unrest over the killing of another black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25.

Sean Perryman, president of the Fairfax NAACP, said the incident should serve as a reminder of how police use of force continues to affect his own community.

"This latest video is a testament that Fairfax County is not immune to police violence," Perryman said in a statement. "We need to reduce the interaction of Black people with armed officers because we see time and time again that we are viewed as threat.

The incident began when someone called police to Fordson Road about 1:30 p.m. Friday because a man was walking in the street and shouting that he needed oxygen, Roessler said. The man, whom police did not identify, was having an "episode," Roessler said, but police are still investigating whether it was related to mental health, drugs or something else.

The incident that followed was captured by the body camera of the first police officer who arrived on the scene.

The video, which was played at the news conference, shows the officer getting out of his car and approaching a man who is pacing in circles and mumbling incoherently on the residential street.

The officer attempts to coax the man toward an ambulance that is parked nearby. A second man, who appears to be a medic, also tells the man acting erratically that he is there to help.

"I'm here to help you," the man who appears to be a medic says. "Just tell me what you need."

The victim appears to say he wants to go to detox, before continuing to pace around the street.

Eventually, Timberlake arrives on the scene in a squad car, gets out and walks toward the victim. Timberlake orders the man to get down on the ground and then uses the stun gun on him seconds later.

The victim falls on his back and Timberlake orders him to "roll over" before putting his knee in the man's back and another on his neck. The victim shouts for help. Timberlake hits him in head with the stun gun. Finally, he appears to deploy it again.

Eventually, officers handcuffed the man as he shouted "I can't breathe."

The man was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-thretening and was released, police said.

Timberlake could face up to 36 months in prison if convicted of all three charges. He works out of the Mount Vernon station and was awarded an honor in 2015 for helping residents escape from an apartment fire. He could not be reached for comment and it was unclear if he had retained an attorney.

Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano said case was a testament to the value of body-worn cameras at the press conference. He called the footage unsettling.

"Without it, I fear we would have had a unfortunately narrow and somewhat distorted view of what happened in one of our neighborhoods," Descano said.

As the news conference transpired Saturday night, thousands were marching peacefully through Washington streets, calling for an end to police brutality and racial disparities in policing in what was the largest protest to date in the city over Floyd's killing.

Roessler addressed the poignancy of the moment, calling on his police department to uphold its oath to protect the sanctity of all human life. He said the Fairfax County police auditor will conduct an independent review of the Mount Vernon incident.

"Our nation is righteously angry at the law enforcement profession, as am I," he said. "We shall heal our communities and hold everyone accountable. Now is a time for healing."
MOSCOW -- The Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT has filed a lawsuit against opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Aleksei Navalny, alleging that he damaged the firms business reputation.

Navalny posted notice of the lawsuit on his Twitter account on June 7.



Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer for Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, and the Znak.com news website were also named as defendants in the suit.



According to the notice, Moscows Arbitration Court found unspecified errors in the lawsuit and gave RT additional time to correct them.



Navalny and his foundation have published several exposes in recent months about RT and its editor in chief, Margarita Simonyan. It was unclear which of the reports was the trigger for the lawsuit.



Some of the publications have described various means by which RT, formerly known as Russia Today, boosts the number of views it has on the YouTube platform. Others, in general, have accused RT of being ineffective and a drain on the Russian state budget.



Other propagandists, [Channel Ones Vladimir] Solovyov or [Rossia-24s Dmitry] Kiselyov, for instance, at least have their viewers on state television, Sobol said in an interview with RFE/RL in April. But as we have shown, Margarita Simonyan has no audience.



Navalnys foundation has also accused RT of violating Russian legislation on noncommercial organizations.



In March, the Anti-Corruption Foundation issued a report alleging that Simonyan; her husband, filmmaker Tigran Keosayan; and their relatives received tens of millions of rubles from the state budget to produce a patriotic romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the construction of a bridge linking the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, to Russia.



According to Navalnys Foundation, Simonyan was paid 9.1 million rubles ($138,000) and Keosayan received 13.9 million rubles ($211,000) for their work on the 2018 film, titled The Crimean Bridge. Made With Love!
ARISS-USA formed

In late May, the USA team of the ARISS International working group became an incorporated non-profit entity in the state of Maryland, officially becoming ARISS-USA.

This move allows ARISS-USA to work as an independent organization, soliciting grants and donations. They will continue promoting amateur radio and STEAMscience, technology, engineering, arts, and math within educational organizations and inspire, engage and educate our next generation of space enthusiasts.

ARISS-USA will maintain its collaborative work with ARISS International as well as with US sponsors, partners, and interest groups. The main goal of ARISS-USA remains as connecting educational groups with opportunities to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). ARISS-USA will expand its human spaceflight opportunities with the space agencies, beyond low Earth orbit, starting with lunar opportunities including the Lunar Gateway.

ARISS-USA will continue to review and accept proposals for ISS contacts and expand its other educational opportunities to increase interest in space sciences and radio communications.

Becoming an independent organization has been discussed for quite some time. ARISS-USA lead Frank Bauer, KA3HDO said The scope and reach of what ARISS accomplishes each year has grown significantly since its humble beginnings in 1996. Our working group status made it cumbersome to establish partnerships, sign agreements and solicit grants. These can only be done as an established organization. Bauer further elaborated, The ARISS-USA team remains deeply indebted to our working group partnersARRL and AMSAT, who enabled the birth of ARISSand our steadfast sponsors, NASA Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab (INL).

ARISS-USA aims to keep earning high regards from all these partners and sponsors.

While ARISS-USA is now an incorporated non-profit entity, we are in the process of applying for tax exemption as a Section 501(c)(3) charitable, scientific or educational organization. Until that status is approved by the USA Internal Revenue Service, donations made directly to ARISS-USA will not be tax deductible for taxpayers in the USA. Those wanting to make a tax deductible donation for the benefit of ARISS-USA can, in the meantime, continue to make donations to ARISS sponsor AMSAT-NA through the ARISS website at: www.ariss.org.

As ARISS-USA begins a new era as a human spaceflight amateur radio organization, it acknowledges those who were so instrumental in the formation of human spaceflight amateur radio. These include Vic Clark, W4KFC and Dave Sumner, K1ZZ from the ARRL; Bill Tynan, W3XO and Tom Clark, W3IO from AMSAT; Roy Neal, K6DUE a major guide for SAREX and ARISS; and NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL. Also remembered is Pam Mountjoy, NASA education, who had the vision to develop the ARISS working group as a single amateur radio focus into the space agencies.

All of these giants shoulders are what ARISS-USA rests upon.

www.ariss.org
It has now been almost six months since BlackRock, the worlds largest investment firm, made headlines announcing that it would put climate change at the centre of its investment strategy.

In a letter to investors the firms founder and chief executive Larry Fink said financial and climate risk had converged and that capital would soon start flowing away from fossil fuel industries.

BlackRock is moving against thermal coal. Credit:Robert Rough

As a result BlackRock  which has an eye watering $10 trillion in assets under management  would begin abandoning companies heavily invested in thermal coal and demanding that companies report their exposure to climate change risks, their contribution to emissions and their plans to reduce them.

Fink warned the worlds boardrooms that BlackRock would be willing to "vote against management and board members when companies are not making sufficient progress".
Vatican City, June 7 : An Italian businessman who helped the Vatican to buy luxury property in London in a controversial deal has been arrested by Vatican police, a media report said on Sunday.

Gianluigi Torzi is accused of extortion, embezzlement, aggravated fraud and money laundering in relation to the $200 million deal, said the BBC report.

He is being held in Vatican police barracks, and faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.

The 2018 purchase of the building is subject to an ongoing investigation.

The apartment block on Sloane Avenue, in London's exclusive Chelsea, had been bought with church money by the Secretariat of State, the body charged with the Vatican's diplomatic and political functions.

But it is alleged the price was greatly inflated.

In October 2019, police raided the Secretariat's office and seized documents and computers, and the Vatican suspended five officials, barring them from the city state, the BBC report added.

Pope Francis suggested that parts of the deal made were corrupt, saying "they have done things that do not seem clean".

Earlier this week, the Pope issued a new law designed to boost transparency in Vatican's financial deals.
Shallah died two years after he slipped into a coma due to complications from heart and kidney disease.

Former leader of the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Ramadan Shallah, has died after a long battle with a chronic disease, the Gaza-based movement confirmed.

The 62-year-old, who was in a medical coma after suffering multiple heart and kidney complications for about two years, died in a Damascus hospital on Saturday.

We mourn the passing of a great Palestinian leader who held the banner of Jihad for Palestine and Jerusalem since the founding of the movement, PIJ said in the statement.

The exact nature of his medical condition or coma remained unknown. PIJ officials declined to elaborate when asked by Al Jazeera.

Khaled al-Batsh, a senior member of the PIJ political bureau in Gaza said Shallah will be buried at the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital,Damascus.

Shallah became PIJ leader in 1995 after the death of Fathi Shiqaqi, who was assassinated by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad in Malta.

Gaza-based senior PIJ leader Dawood Shihab told Al Jazeera that the group will remain faithful to Shallahs principles and legacy.

Dr Shallah was an Arab and Muslim patriot who always believed in the cause of Palestine, he said.

In a statement carried by the official Palestine news agency, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, We have lost a major patriotic figure.

Gaza-based Hamas movement issued a statement saying [Shallah] is one of Palestines great leaders and is an example of patience, resilience and honesty and a role model as a fighter.

Shallah, who was born in Gaza, did his PhD in economics from the United Kingdom and taught at the University of South Florida from 1993 to 1995 before he assumed PIJs leadership.

The US government placed him on its most-wanted list due to PIJs role in attacks against Israeli targets in occupied Palestine.

In 2018, Shallahs deputy, Beirut-based Ziyad Nakhaleh, was elected as his successor.

The PIJ was founded in Gaza in the last seventies as a response to the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank after defeating several Arab states during the 1967 war.

The PIJ is mainly supported by Iran which provides most of its military capabilities and training.

Follow Ali Younes on Twitter @Ali_reports
There is an expression in German, wie die Jungfrau zum Kind. Literally it translates as ''like the virgin to the child'' but it denotes a bolt from the blue, a piece of information that changes everything.

It was this phrase that flashed through the mind of Hans Christian Wolter - the German prosecutor in the Madeleine McCann case - when he first learned of the possible involvement of his countryman, 43-year-old Christian Brueckner in one of the most enduring mysteries of our time.

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By then Brueckner was already serving a 15-month prison sentence for sexual abuse of a child in Germany.

Expand Close Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolter. Photo: AP Photo/Martin Meissner / Facebook

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Whatsapp Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolter. Photo: AP Photo/Martin Meissner

After his release he fled to Milan and was arrested there and brought back to Germany to face charges relating to the rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in 2005.

In December last year he was sentenced to seven years for this offence, but the sentence has not yet been imposed because of an ongoing appeal. He could be released on parole as early as today after serving a short period of time for minor drug offences.

While this was unfolding, German police were investigating his possible involvement in the Madeleine McCann disappearance. They had been told about a conversation that Brueckner had had with a drinking friend of his in which he - Brueckner - claimed to know "all about" Madeleine McCann.

Brueckner was already known to have been living as a transient in the Algarve at the time of Madeleine's disappearance, but Goncalo Amaral, the man who led the investigation in Portugal, dismissed the possibility of his involvement in the case.

Until 2018 German authorities also had no reason to suspect Brueckner. "To say we were surprised is an understatement," Wolter says.

The investigation has centred on two vehicles - a Jaguar and a VW camper van - known to have been used in Portugal by Brueckner, as well as a 30-minute phone call he took in the town of Praia Da Luz, an hour before Madeleine went missing.

Expand Close A picture taken in 2018 of Christian Brueckner, when he was arrested for drug trafficking in Italy. Photo: ITALIAN CARABINIERI PRESS OFFICE / AFP / Facebook

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Whatsapp A picture taken in 2018 of Christian Brueckner, when he was arrested for drug trafficking in Italy. Photo: ITALIAN CARABINIERI PRESS OFFICE / AFP

"We want to speak to someone who knows these phone numbers and who can tell us what he was doing around this time when the calls were made, whether he was there with a small child, whether there were any other striking observations," Wolter says.

"The problem for us was that in 2018, when we became aware of this person's potential involvement in the case, we could no longer access the phone data from 2007, and our British colleagues helped with this. They gave this phone data to us - and without this we wouldn't have been able to make the appeal this week.

"We don't know if the person or persons with whom he made the calls were German themselves, or not."

For more than 25 years Brueckner moved between Germany and Portugal, often escaping various criminal proceedings against him for the sexual abuse of children, but also drug-dealing and falsifying documents.

He was given a two-year youth sentence in 1994 for sexually abusing a child when he was just 17. In 2013 he abused another young girl and was caught with child pornography, and was jailed for those offences in 2016.

Wolter says that his office is hopeful that further victims of Brueckner may be able to shed light on his movements in the Algarve.

"We're working on the assumption that there were more victims than Madeleine, and these wouldn't necessarily have to be children, they may also be adults that were in some way sexually attacked by this man. What we're hoping is that these people, who haven't had the strength to speak out, may now be able to do so.

"We hope with the passing of time that these people, if they weren't killed, understand that they are not alone, that there's nothing that he can do to them, because he's in prison."

Although Scotland Yard is still treating it as a missing person case, Wolter says his office is working on the presumption that Madeleine was murdered.

"We have no reason to believe that the girl is alive and because of this we have to work on the assumption that she is dead. It has never happened here that a child has been found again after being missing for so long. It is of course conceivable that this could happen, it may have happened elsewhere, but it is very unlikely."

Madeleine's family were made aware some time ago that German authorities were treating it as a murder investigation, he adds.

Wolter says that if German authorities can assemble enough information to begin a prosecution, that will take place in Saxony-Anhalt, the state in which Braunschweig lies.

"The way it works in German criminal law is that we can prosecute individuals who've committed sexual offences against children in Germany - whether they are German or not - but we can also prosecute German individuals who have committed these kinds of offences abroad.

"If - and this is still hypothetical - we can get this investigation to the stage where we can formally bring a case against this individual, then that case will proceed here before the state court in Braunschweig."

Although Brueckner was named in a number of media outlets including Irish, Portuguese and British, Wolter says that there were good reasons not to give his identity in the press conference, which was held earlier this week.

"We didn't publicise the name or the picture of the accused and there were two reasons for this," he explains.

"Firstly we want to protect the accused - if he turned out not to have been the person who committed this crime it would have been the wrong thing to do to put his name out there because with crimes like child sexual abuse or murder even if the investigation against him were to be discontinued there would still be a suspicion hanging over this man.

"Secondly, we also want to be able to establish that if someone reaches out to us based on the information we've given that they really know who the person is. If they knew who he is, just from the information we've given then we will know that the information they're providing will be especially important for us."

More than five million Germans watched the press conference in which authorities there appealed for more information from the public.

Wolter says that in his 17 years with the state prosecutors office, he has never seen such interest in a case.

"The pressure has come mainly from the media who want to know as much as possible about the case but, from my perspective, we can continue our work quietly here. We're not coming under pressure from politicians or from above. The prosecutor's office is part of the executive in Germany but we do retain a high degree of independence."

Despite the evidence assembled against Brueckner, Wolter says German police are still dependent on the public for the last piece in the puzzle.

"How certain are we? Well, let me put it like this: we don't currently have enough to arrest the man or to bring a prosecution against him - but we do have very good reasons to believe he could be the offender.

"We're at the point now where we can't go any further with the normal methods at our disposal and we needed to appeal to the public in the hope that we can move the case on.

"Somebody out there knows something - and we hope that person can now come forward."

Madeleine's parents Kate McCann and Gerry McCann have said: "We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive, but whatever the outcome we need to know as we need to find peace."
She is arguably one of the most acclaimed British actresses of all time and won an Oscar last year for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite.

But that didn't stop Olivia Colman from uncontrollably giggling when Brad Pitt told her he was a 'huge fan' at the Academy Awards after-party in February last year.

The Crown actress, 46, said she was so starstruck but Fight Club star Brad, 56, she was left speechless and could only laugh rather nervously, before he walked off.

Starstruck: Olivia Colman reveals she 'uncontrollably giggled' after Brad Pitt told her he was a 'huge fan' at the Oscar's after-party last year (pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2019)

The interaction happened on the same night Brad won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Talking to her friend and former England rugby star Will Greenwood on his podcast, the A-list actress said: 'Brad Pitt came up to me and went ''Huge fan'' and I giggled. And then he just walked off.'

After winning her own Oscar last year Olivia tearfully thanked her director and family before admitting she was a bit drunk during her acceptance speech.

Compliments: The Crown actress, 46, said Fight Club star Brad, 56, told her he was a 'huge fan' (pictured at the Oscars in 2019)

The mother of three added: 'Awards are the most terrifying. Ed gets upset with me not prepping my speeches.

'He sends me a text saying ''Just in case, could you look at these names''.

'I was not expecting to win that at all. When we turned up, Ed said ''We should relax, I don't think it will happen''. We were stuck right in the corner, at the side.

Olivia said: 'Brad Pitt came up to me and went ''Huge fan'' and I giggled. And then he just walked off'

'Glenn Close was sat in the middle dressed as an Oscar so we were like "She's gonna win'". There was no way I was going to win it.'

Olivia, who is originally from Norfolk and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, used to have a job as a cleaner.

She says being forced to struggle to find acting work for many years has made sure she will always appreciate her current success.

Emotional: After winning her own Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite (pictured) Olivia tearfully thanked her director and family

After performing in her first play at the age of 16, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Olivia's mind was made up that she would become an actress.

She said she had finally found something she loved doing that she was also good at.

Olivia met her former Peep Show co-stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb while she trained to become a primary school teacher in Cambridge and auditioned for the university's Footlights, which the men were members of.

Down to earth: Olivia, who is originally from Norfolk and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, used to have a job as a cleaner (pictured with husband Ed Sinclair in 2019)

In 2003 she got her first big onscreen break in Peep Show and since then has gone from strength to strength acting in Broadchurch, The Favourite, The Crown and Fleabag.

The Crown, Netflix's hit show about the royal family, is up for three awards in the BAFTA TV awards this July although Olivia herself isn't nominated.

Despite all her success, she said she still struggles with imposter syndrome.

She explained: 'You still think ''Oh God, I'm going to be found out''. The best feeling is getting the job and then it's downhill from there.

'You think I've got to do it now, they're going to realise they've picked the wrong person. All of those doubts come in. I have to tell myself I know I can do it.'
LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of people took to the streets in European and Asian cities on Saturday, demonstrating in support of U.S. protests against police brutality. Police in the German city of Hamburg used pepper spray on protesters and were ready to deploy water cannons.

LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of people took to the streets in European and Asian cities on Saturday, demonstrating in support of U.S. protests against police brutality.

Police in the German city of Hamburg used pepper spray on protesters and were ready to deploy water cannons.

Several hundred "hooded and aggressive people" had put officers under pressure in the city centre, police said in a tweet, adding "We have already had to use pepper spray. With all due respect for emotions: attacks on police officers are unacceptable!"

At another location nearby, the authorities said some 350 people were standing in front of police water cannons and that officers were calling on loudspeakers for them to disperse.

One officer was injured, the police added.

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 as fellow officers stood by.

Europe has seen an unprecedented wave of anti-racism rallies drawing tens of thousands onto the streets.

In London, thousands of protesters ignored wet weather to crowd into Parliament Square, wearing face masks amid the coronavirus threat and waving placards and chanting: "No justice, no peace, no racist police."

Interior minister Priti Patel urged people not to protest in view of the pandemic, which has killed more people in Britain than anywhere in the world outside the United States

"I completely understand people's views and their desire for the right to protest but ... we are in a health pandemic across the United Kingdom," Patel told UK broadcasters. "I would say to those who want to protest - please don't."

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, 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 specific countries as well as mistreatment of minorities in general.

In Sydney, a last-minute court decision overruled a coronavirus ban as several thousand people marched amid 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 pavement.

With coronavirus pandemic restrictions in Bangkok, activists went 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".

Protesters were expected to gather in Washington for a huge demonstration on Saturday as street marches across the United States entered a 12th day.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux around the world; Writing by William Mallard and Hugh Lawson; Editing by Frances Kerry and Mike Harrison)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Donald Trumps latest effort to readmit Russia to the Group of 7 is likely to tip the delicate balance between Moscow, Beijing and Washington, but so far it has received a chilly response from traditional US allies and some diplomatic observers believe it may have the opposite effect to that intended.

The US Presidents olive branch was widely seen as an attempt to drive a wedge between China and Russia, but analysts warn that any realignment of the relationship between the three powers may only create more geopolitical uncertainty in the post-coronavirus world.

As the pandemic crisis deepens in the US, Trump desperately needs to deflect attention, especially in the face of an uphill battle for re-election, said Ma Zhengang, a former Chinese ambassador to Britain.

By turning to Russia despite their acrimonious ties, it takes aim directly at China. There is little doubt that the US will be more focused on China, but it is still an open question if and how far Washington can achieve its goals, said Ma, a former president of the China Institute of International Studies, a government-linked think tank in Beijing.

Donald Trump wants Russia to take part in the next G7 summit along with South Korea, India and Australia. Photo: DPA

Last Friday Trump hit out at Chinas plans to impose a national security law in Hong Kong, threatening retaliation, and criticised Beijings initial handling of the pandemic.

The following day he floated the idea of inviting Russia  along with Australia, South Korea and India  to join a G7 summit in the US later this year.

It was the third year in a row that Trump has suggested Putin be allowed to rejoin the bloc of advanced economies.

Russia was suspended from the then G8 in 2014 following its invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.

While Australia, South Korea and India said they would accept Trumps offer for an expanded summit, his olive branch got the cold shoulder from Russia and was quickly rejected by the European Union, Canada and Britain.

China-South Korea ties face a testing time after Seoul accepts Donald Trumps G7 invitation

Story continues

China sees Russias return to the G7 as an attempt to drive a wedge between Beijing and Moscow and form an anti-China alliance, said Shi Ze, a former Chinese diplomat in Russia and senior fellow at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing.

It is a trial balloon to test the triangular relations between the three countries in a bid to score diplomatic points ahead of the presidential elections.

But frankly it is quite risky for the embattled president to play the Russia card in times of domestic turmoil, Shi said.

Other analysts argued there was no need to overstate the significance of Trumps offer.

Beijing fully understands the need for Moscow to seek a reset in its relations with the US and other Western countries  and breaking its international isolation stemming from Crimea, Pan Dawei, a specialist in Russian affairs at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said.

Vladimir Putin has moved closer to Xi Jinpings China in recent year. Photo: Reuters

But considering the widespread wariness about Russia and Vladimir Putin in particular among US politicians, the intelligence community and public, it is unlikely that Trump, who is accused of having a soft spot for strongmen like Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, will be able to change attitudes.

According to the Pew Research Center, while negative views of China among Americans have reached a historical high in March thanks to Covid-19 and increasing trade and geopolitical tensions, American perceptions of Russia also hit a 10-year low in 2019, with only 18 per cent having a positive view of the country.

Vladimir Portyakov, deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Affairs at the Russian Academy of Sciences, also said Putin did not have any real reason to seriously consider attending the summit or change his current friendly stance towards China.

Russia-China relations have been a success story during the last two decades [under Putins rule], especially when compared with Russias relations with the bulk of other countries, he said.

In 2018 Portyakov described China and Russia as reluctant allies who had long and bitter historical memories over past wars and territorial disputes and different global ambitions that caused deep-rooted distrust.

But he argued pressure from the US was likely to accelerate the China-Russia alignment.

Now Portyakov argues that Washingtons and Beijings efforts to shift the blame for the devastating coronavirus crisis is another moment of reckoning for Moscow.

From the very start, Russia found all the US attempts to make Beijing a scapegoat for Covid-19 absolutely counterproductive. And in a way the US pressure on China contributed to strengthening of the Beijing-Moscow ties, said Portyakov.

As a result, he said, the triangle between the three powers would become less and less equilateral, as Washington moved away from both Beijing and Moscow.

Rising US-China tensions are a godsend for Putin that both distracts Washington and provides an opportunity to seek concessions from both, according to Mark N Katz, a professor of government and politics at George Mason University.

In the economic realm, Moscow certainly does need Beijing more than Beijing needs Moscow, he said. Putin is unlikely to oppose China or join with the US against it if there is a new cold war between Washington and Beijing.

On the other hand, Moscow will not want to link itself too closely with China against the US either, but occupy a position somewhat between Washington and Beijing, albeit one closer to the latter.

But Katz challenged the prevailing views among Chinese and Russian scholars thatTrumps offer to reinstate Russia in the G7 was meant to target China, and said his dislike of Barack Obama, who was president at the time of Russias expulsion, was an important motivation.

I really dont think that Trump sees it as being [an anti-China move] at all. If anything, it is more of an anti-Obama move  part of Trumps desire to undo everything Obama did. I also think that Trump sees Putin as more of a kindred spirit than the other G7 leaders, he said.

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New Delhi, June 7 : The Congress has slammed the Bhartiya Janata Party for online Bihar rally, saying that promises made in pandemic are unfulfilled by the government and voters are going to punish the ruling alliance of the BJP-JD(U) in Bihar.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "During 'online' Bihar rally, BJP should have explained why till date 'offline' promise of special package has not been fulfilled, why sons/daughters were made to wait in-line for over 60 days to return to their home; voters are eager to punish BJP-JDU thugbandhan for betraying the people." Home Minister Amit Shah held a virtual rally where he addressed workers at 72,000 booths in Bihar and said that the central government ferried 1.25 crore people to their destinations. Shah also targeted former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and said that she is now gone but the poverty has not, but what Modiji has said is being done.

Amit Shah, addressing virtual rally on Sunday, said, "India will get back on its feet with 'Aatma Vishwas' and by being 'Atmanirbhar'" (self confidence and self reliant).

Slamming the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shah said, "This is not an election/political rally, but it is a rally to bring the people of the country together in our fight against Covid pandemic." Talking about national security issue, the Union Home Minister said, "Uri and Pulwama happened during our time and we have prompt response by conducting surgical strikes and airstrikes."
Anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans thought he'd beaten 60 Minutes at their own game when he asked to film his interview with Liz Hayes for his two million social media followers.

The former My Kitchen Rules judge had no doubt hoped his uncut version would reveal 'the truth' instead of the mainstream media's pro-science narrative.

But his efforts backfired badly on Sunday night when the full interview showed him rambling endlessly and failing to answer basic questions.

Checkmate: Anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans thought he'd beaten 60 Minutes at their own game when he asked to film his interview with Liz Hayes for his two million social media followers. But he was sadly mistaken

Most damaging of all, however, the footage laid bare Pete's own double standards.

For a decade, the 47-year-old celebrity chef was a judge on Channel Seven's My Kitchen Rules - a competitive cooking show infamous for its manipulative editing.

During his years on the show, Pete turned a blind eye to the egregious way in which some contestants were portrayed as 'bullies' and 'villains'.

In reality, many of these unlucky participants weren't bad people at all.

Oops: The full interview showed him rambling endlessly and failing to answer basic questions

But footage of them had been spliced together with a healthy dose of dramatic music and suddenly they became public enemy number one.

Pete, who earned millions working in the media but now claims not to own a television, never once spoke up when contestants were being crucified on Twitter over their negative portrayals.

But when he found himself on the receiving end of bad press, he recorded the full interview as an insurance policy in case he didn't like the edit.

Double standard: For a decade, the 47-year-old celebrity chef was a judge on Channel Seven's My Kitchen Rules - a competitive cooking show infamous for its manipulative editing. Pictured: the 2018 cast of My Kitchen Rules

Pete may claim he's all about 'freedom' and 'asking questions', but this sneaky move proves that he's not quite as laid-back as it seems.

However, it's important to note Pete was just a judge on My Kitchen Rules and was not involved in the editing himself.

Perhaps the most vocal critics of MKR during its heyday were Sonya Mefaddi and Hadil Faiza, who were kicked off for 'bullying' in the 2018 season.

After their unceremonious exit, the pair accused producers of using them for ratings and conspiring to oust them for being the 'best cooks'.

Silence: During his years on the show, Pete turned a blind eye to the egregious way in which some contestants - like Sonya Mefaddi (left) and Hadil Faiza (right) - were portrayed as 'bullies' and 'villains'

'We've been extremely disappointed with our experience and treatment by the show,' they wrote on their joint Instagram account at the time.

'Imagine how we feel watching the episodes back when the episodes have been extremely tampered with (the amount of editing is insane).

'Twelve to 14 hours of footage... majority of airtime is on us because they want to build us up for ratings which equal $$$$ to the network.'

They continued: 'I assure you people have acted a lot worse than us on the table, that hasn't been aired.

'We will both be happy when we're off air because MKR have bullied us enough, constantly targeting us because we were unfairly dismissed and the only way they could justify this was to make us look so bad!'

Made for YouTube: Pete's version of the 60 Minutes interview saw him share his bizarre views on the COVID-19 pandemic, his own experience with modern medicine and his reasoning for sharing dangerous and scientifically-disproved theories

Meanwhile, Pete's version of the 60 Minutes interview saw him share his bizarre views on the COVID-19 pandemic, his own experience with modern medicine and his reasoning for sharing dangerous and scientifically-disproved theories.

In the unaired footage, he explained he had once supported mainstream medicine, but developed a 'sense of skepticism and suspicion' as he got older.

'We as human beings are a collection of our experiences, of our learnings. When people who are presented with something that is different from that, it is shocking,' he said.

He also gave a long-winded answer to the simple question of whether or not coronavirus exists, and even suggested he wasn't at risk of contracting the virus because of his remarkable immune system.

Superman? He gave a long-winded answer to the simple question of whether or not coronavirus exists, and even suggested he wasn't at risk of contracting the virus because of his remarkable immune system

Pete has faced mounting criticism for his dangerous anti-vaccination and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and viewers initially slammed 60 Minutes for giving those ideals a platform on the show.

But the program only aired snippets of the entire interview, and also included warnings from health experts who urged people to follow the advice of professionals.

In the version that aired on 60 Minutes, Evans suggested that he feared for his life due to his public profile and polarising opinions.

'If I disappear or have a weird accident, it wasn't an accident,' he said.

'There has been too many coincidences out there in the world for people who have questioned certain things... Sometimes those people don't last very long.'
Michel Barnier is an old-school negotiator. At his news conferences he speaks in English when he wants to insult the British - and then switches back to French as he explains how utterly reasonable he has been throughout.

Yesterday, he said - in English - that the political declaration agreed by both sides "is available in all languages, including English", before he accused "our British counterparts" of seeking to distance themselves from it. In French, however, he said he would remain "serene and patient" in the talks.

Both sides admit that little progress has been made and that time is short. David Frost, the UK negotiator, who last week seemed pessimistic about the prospects of agreement, said yesterday: "We are now at an important moment for these talks."

A major international trade treaty needs to be agreed by the end of October - a deadline set by the EU. That is not going to happen, but that does not mean all is lost.

A full trade deal takes years to negotiate, and this one has hardly started, but a basic deal could be agreed if both sides were willing to compromise. Because the UK starts fully aligned with the EU, talks could be deferred about the details of possible future divergence in many areas.

Nor would it have to be done by the end of October: Brussels and Britain have both set many deadlines that have been broken before. As long as there is time for a session of the European Parliament, which needs to approve the deal, it can be done.

A basic deal would not need the approval of the parliaments of all member states, unlike the EU-Canada trade deal, which was held up by the regional parliament of Wallonia in federal Belgium.

But there has to be a willingness on both sides. Which is why the question of extending the transition period is secondary. The UK negotiator says there is no point in extending the period - in which the UK is treated temporarily as if it is still an EU member until the end of this year - just so the two sides can fail to make progress for a further one or two years.

So there is a negotiating logic to the refusal of Boris Johnson's Brexiteer cabinet to ask for an extension, which he has to do by the end of this month, under the terms of the withdrawal agreement.

Once the UK is legally bound to leave the EU single market and customs union on December 31, it will concentrate the negotiators' minds. A deal will either be possible or it will not; and if it isn't, more time won't magically make it possible.

Every time one of these crunch points draws near, people knowingly say the EU always does deals in the middle of the night at the last moment. That was true when the deal was done on Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, later rejected by Westminster, and on Johnson's rewritten version. But one day, a deal won't be done - and this could be the day.

In which case, Ireland and the rest of the EU countries will pay an extra price on January 1, 2021. On top of the cost of the coronavirus recession, and on top of the cost of checks on goods crossing borders, they will have to pay tariffs on EU trade according to the rules set by the World Trade Organisation.

 Independent
The ongoing travel restrictions due to the lockdown in several countries has pushed filmmakers across the world to cancel overseas shootings for a few months. However, some film units are still determined to shoot abroad as per the story demands.

One such unit is Karthikeya 2. Apparently, director Chandoo Mondeti and his team are particular about shooting a major part of the film in Cambodia. Chandoo and his team will fly to this South East Asian country for a location reece and to get necessary permissions for the actual shoot.

Karthikeya 2 stars Nikhil and Anupama Parameswaran in lead roles. Abhishek Agarwal Arts and People Media Factory banners are jointly bankrolling the project.

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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
THE absence of a red filter light at one of the most dangerous junctions in Limerick was a significant factor in a multi-vehicle collision, a court has heard, writes David Hurley.

A careless driving charge brought against a van driver following the collision was dismissed after gardai agreed the layout and traffic lights at the junction are not clear.

The defendant, who has an address in County Galway, was prosecuted in relation to an incident at the junction of the N24 and the M7 motorway on January 2, 2019 at Ballsimon on the outskirts of the city.

Judge Marian OLeary was told the van, which was travelling from Boher in the direction of the city, was turning right to access the motorway slip road when the impact occurred.

Inspector Pat Brennan said the second vehicle, which had two occupants, was travelling outbound when the van crossed straight in front of it.

While both vehicles were damaged, there were no serious injuries as a result of the collision which happened shortly before 8pm.

Solicitor John Herbert said his client was not familiar with the layout of the junction and that he believed he had a green light and was entitled to turn right.

He said he had correctly entered the filter lane (for turning right) and that there was a green light in front of him when he pulled out.

If you believe you have a green light, you expect the other traffic to stop, said Mr Herbert.

Judge OLeary was told that while there is a green light (arrow) to indicate when traffic in the filter lane can turn, there is no red light telling you to sit and wait.

Mr Herbert said there are several sets of traffic lights at the junction and that their was nothing to tell his client he was not entitled to carry out the manoeuvre. Insp Brennan accepted the layout of the junction is confusing and that depending on the time of day there can be traffic coming at you from every direction.

In the circumstances, Judge OLeary dismissed the charge.
Telangana municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao has said the case against him in the National Green Tribunal, which has ordered a probe into a plea over an alleged illegal construction of a farmhouse by him, is a "deliberate vilification campaign" and he would seek legal remedy.

Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said he has already clarified that he does not own the property.

"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," Rama Rao tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Congress demanded that Rama Rao step aside as minister following the National Green Tribunal ordering a probe into the plea.

"Since the National Green Tribunal gave an order that inquiry be conducted by officials of your department, I submit that it would be morally appropriate to step aside.

Congress party demands that K T Rama Rao step aside as minister since an impartial inquiry would not be possible," state Congress president and MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy told reporters here.

Congress Lok Sabha member A Revanth Reddy, who filed the plea, said Rama Rao should step aside as minister as an impartial probe cannot be carried out since seven officers, who are part of the inquiry team, work in his department.

On the plea filed by Revanth Reddy, a NGT bench, comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta, on June 5 issued notices to the Telangana government, K T Rama Rao, the state pollution control board, Greater Hyderabad municipal corporation and others while seeking their replies by August 26.

The petition 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.
Photograph: Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images

Every morning from 8am to 11, family doctor Liz Caballero winds through twisting alleys and ducks under washing lines in Havanas Vedado district. She interviews families sharing crumbling art deco mansions and works her way through Soviet-style apartment blocks. Shes looking for signs.

Related: Brazil condemned to historic tragedy by Bolsonaro's virus response  top doctor

Its not uncommon for us to go door to door like this, she said. Weve done it in the past when weve had dengue outbreaks.

The World Health Organization has identified Latin America as the new centre for coronavirus pandemic, but over the last two months, cases in Cuba have fallen. Cubans are now 24 times less likely to catch the virus than Dominicans, 27 times less likely to catch it than Mexicans, and more than 70 times less likely to be infected than Brazilians.

Desperate for tourist revenue, Cuba closed its border later than most other countries in the region. But ever since the communist-ruled island shut out the outside world in late March, it has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the virus.

The state has commanded tens of thousands of family doctors, nurses and medical students to actively screen all homes on the island for cases Covid-19  every single day. That means that from Monday to Sunday, Dr Caballero and her medical students must walk for miles, monitoring the 328 families on her beat.

Theres no other country in the hemisphere that does anything approaching this, said William Leogrande, professor of government at American University in Washington DC. The whole organization of their healthcare system is to be in close touch with the population, identify health problems as they emerge, and deal with them immediately.

We know scientifically that quick identification of cases, contact tracing and quarantine are the only way to contain the virus in the absence of a vaccine  and because it begins with prevention, the Cuban health system is perfectly suited to carry out that containment strategy.

Story continues

People queue to buy food amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, in downtown Havana last month. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters

Cuba has so far reported 2,173 confirmed cases of and 83 deaths from coronavirus. Everybody who tests positive on the island is hospitalised. People suspected of carrying the virus are put into state-run isolation centres, usually for 14 days.

Alejandro Gutierrez, a 26-year-old French teacher, decided to leave Havana in April to wait out the pandemic in his native city of Trinidad. He and his family were stopped at a military checkpoint and sent to an isolation centre where they were confined inside a disused holiday villa.

Though they werent allowed out of the villa, the family was scared of contracting the illness on-site. Food was left outside their door, and three times a day they received checkups from a doctor. After three days his family tested negative and were allowed to enter the city.

As he was travelling from the capital, where cases were rising, to a city with no active cases, Guitierrez considered the measure severe and rigid  but for the common good.

Gail Reed, editor in chief of the journal Medicc Review, believes Cubas universal health system has allowed the government to direct a unified rather than a fragmented strategy.

Asymptomatic cases are identified through contact tracing followed by antibody testing and, when positive, a PCR [polymerase chain reaction test, which can find viral particles on a person] for confirmation, she said.

Related: Doctor diplomacy: Cuba seeks to make its mark in Europe amid Covid-19 crisis

This tracing and isolation regime is made possible by human resources. Cuba has the highest doctor-to-patient ratio in the world (even when the 10,000 or so doctors currently working abroad are subtracted from the total). And while health spending was cut during Raul Castros time as president (20082018), the island spends a higher proportion of its GDP on healthcare than any other country in the region.

While 30% of the 630 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean have no access to healthcare for financial reasons according to the Pan American Health Organization, everybody in Cuba is covered.

Cuban doctors, protecting themselves from the rain with plastic bags, pass by images of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara before departing to Kuwait to assist with the coronavirus outbreak, in Havana on Thursday. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters

But the states response also involves coercion. A recent study published in the Lancet found that while institutional-based isolation is more effective at containing Covid-19 than home-based isolation, countries in Europe and the US struggle to set up isolation centres due to a lack of social acceptability or negative public perceptions.

In Cuba there is no judicial recourse to enforced isolation. The use of face masks in public is mandatory, and people who refuse to wear them can be fined or even jailed.

And the 28,000 medical students mobilised to help doctors and nurses to detect symptoms and trace contacts must comply if they want to graduate.

At the beginning of this pandemic, President Donald Trump in the US called Covid-19 a hoax. Brazils president, Jair Bolsonaro, has called coronavirus a little flu, attended rallies, and sacked health ministers calling for social distancing.

At a time when eccentric, anti-science populists run the regions most powerful countries, Cubas evidence-based approach  and strict enforcement  sets it apart.

Their real success has been applying the most important public health measures that physicians around the world know are effective, said Reed. And theyve had the political will to make it work.
Members of an expert committee have predicted that there will be 100,000 cases of coronavirus in Delhi by the end of June which would led to the need of around 42,000 by mid-July. The committee has observed trends in worst-affected cities such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad while preparing its report.

The five-member committee, set up to aid the government in planning the augmenting of health infrastructure in the national capital, on Saturday submitted its report to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, which is yet to make it public. However, speaking to Hindustan Times, about the recommendations made in the report, one of the committee members, on condition of anonymity, said that Delhi will need 15,000 beds by the end of the month and around 42,000 by mid-July.

Delhi on Saturday recorded 27,654 cases of novel coronavirus cases, while the death toll due to the disease mounted to 761.

As per a media report, the national capital has more than 8,600 beds for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Of these, almost 49 per cent are already occupied. The government is working to increase the number of beds to about 9,800 by mid of June.

There are about 25,000 coronavirus cases in Delhi at present and the doubling time is 14 to 15 days. This means, by mid-June there will be about 50,000 cases and by month end 1 lakh cases. Now, assuming that 20 to 25 per cent of these patients need hospitalisation, Delhi would need 15,000 beds by the end of the month and 42,000 by mid-July. We have not calculated beyond that, said Dr Mahesh Verma, chairman of the five-member committee, to Hindustan Times.

He further suggested that most of these beds have to be level 3 or 4, which means that they have to be equipped with high-flow oxygen or ventilators as around 20 per cent of patients in hospitals may require ventilator support. The government might have to start looking at makeshift beds in banquet halls, open grounds or stadiums, said Dr Verma.

Dr Arun Gupta, another member of the committee, mentioned that the estimates are based on Delhis population alone. The committee has said that all its projections are based on the number of cases that are being reported from Delhi each day and the increasing trend. This means that the infrastructure suggested by the committee is what is needed just for those living in Delhi, Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

A senior government official, on condition of anonymity, said that the report has also suggested of taking over banquet halls, stadiums, and other air-conditioned halls to increase the bed capacity in the city as the Covid-19 cases are tend to surge. The government panel headed by Verma has stated that with the sharp increase in coronavirus cases and the limited resources, there is an urgent need to prioritise who gets treatment first and who actually ought to be tested. In that case, it found that people of Delhi should be given preference."
Brasilia, June 6 (IANS) 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.

--IANS

ksk/
Unfortunately, there is a deep history of veterans being neglected by the people they served, both in the United States and abroad. In Montana, 1 out of every 10 residents is an individual who has sacrificed a part of their life for their country by serving in the U.S. Military, among them myself. For this reason, Senator Steve Daines should represent us in the Senate.

From his first days in the Senate, Daines has been a strong advocate for a critical component of service to veterans, that being healthcare. In 2015, he partnered with a number of his colleagues to introduce the Veterans Access to Community Care Act, working to improve the availability of care for veterans living great distances from a VA medical center by expanding coverage to local healthcare facilities.

Daines has since remained a champion of veterans care, working across party lines to secure appropriate healthcare access for Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans in 2019. In addition to these tangible victories for American veterans, Daines has been diligent in ensuring that Montanas heroes will not be forgotten, routinely doing his part to honor these heroes, who fell in service of the United States

Remembering and caring for the veterans of the United States Military is a critical task, particularly in Montana. Senator Daines' consistently positive track record on this issue makes him the clear choice, especially for veterans.

Jeffrey Austin

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Under the Governments Decree No 57/2020/ND-CP, dated May 25th, the import tax rate on automobile components would be cut from July 10th in an effort to promote the domestic automobile production and assembly industry in 2020-2024 period.

This would mean that more automakers would enjoy the tariff compared to those regulated in Decree 125/2017/NQ-CP dated November 16th, 2017.

At the Vinfast automobile factory (Photo: kinhtenongthon.vn)



In the previous decree, automakers must reach regulated output levels to enjoy the tax incentive, which benefits only producers with high output. For example, companies must produce at least 8,000 nine-seat cars with cylinder capacity of 2,500 cc or less in 2018 and 13,500 cars in 2022 to be eligible for the tariff.

Notably, firms which import automobile components which had not been produced domestically to supply automakers would also enjoy the tax incentive, according to the new decree.

Le Ngoc Duc, Director of TC Motor, was quoted by online newspaper Vietnamnet that the tax incentive would help narrow down the gaps in price competitiveness between domestically assembled cars and those imported from ASEAN.

However, the competition remained harsh. It was estimated that the tax incentive would help reduce production cost of domestically assembled cars by about 15-17 percent. In comparison, cars imported from ASEAN were enjoying zero import tax, meaning that their prices were 23-25 percent lower.

Automakers were expecting more incentives so that they could further lower their prices to be able to compete with those imported from ASEAN, Duc said.

The Government was also considering amendments to the special consumption tax on cars, which, if passed, was expected to give a boost to the local automobile industry.

The domestic automobile industry was anticipated to face increasing competition as import tax on cars would be gradually cut to zero in the next 10 years following commitments to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Customs statistics showed that Vietnam imported automobile components worth 4.16 billion USD in 2019, from 3 billion USD in 2015, mainly from the Republic of Korea, Japan, China and Germany.

In the first four months of this year, automobile component imports totalled 1.16 billion USD, a slight decrease against the same period in 2019 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government officially gave nod to a 50 percent reduction in registration fees for buyers of locally manufactured cars which was highlighted in the Resolution No 84/NQ-CP dated May 29 about measures to remove difficulties for business and production and accelerate disbursement of public investment in the post-pandemic period.

However, it is unknown when the reduction would come into force, while it would expire by the end of this year.

In the market, buyers tended to delay their purchase decision until they could enjoy the reduction, which would amount to dozens of millions of ong per car. The registration fee is two percent, according to the Decree No 140/2016/ND-CP dated October 10th, 2016.

Pham Dinh Thi, Director of the Ministry of Finances Tax Policy Department, was quoted by Zing.vn as saying that a decree on the registration fee reduction was being developed and would be issued soon. The draft neared completion and would be raised for comments, Thi said, adding that the process for issuance of this decree would be shortened.

The Ministry of Industry and Trades statistics showed that automobile sales saw a considerable drop in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic  by 23.8 percent in April and 26.9 percent in May.

According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), its members sold 10,816 cars in April, 46 percent lower than the same month of 2019./.
Lakyia Jackson says that her seven-year-old daughter, Wynta-Amor Rogers, just wants her voice to be heard. And after videos of the first-grader protesting have gone viral, her message is being shared around the world.

On Wednesday, a clip of the young protester shared by the LI Herald garnered attention, as the young activist marched with determination, chanting, "No Justice, No Peace." Currently, the video has been viewed over 22 million times.

And in a video posted by Newsday on Thursday, Rogers is seen giving an optimistic speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in Merrick, NY.

"So for my message for people," Rogers began. "I just want y'all to be strong, we can get through this. And whoever is like, homeless, we got you, just call us."

When asked why she was marching, the Roosevelt Children's Academy student had a noble answer.

"I just want everybody to get along," the child replied. "I want us to be a good New York community. If we get through with this, we can fight this."

Stars Donating to Black Lives Matter Organizations

In an interview with Newsday, Rogers said she's glad her voice is being celebrated.

"I'm just so grateful," she said. "My message is to people is that we can fight through this. As soon as this is over, in one year, we're going to hug our family, go outside some more, and be peaceful."

She later added: "I was marching because I want black people and white people to be together."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meet Wynta-Amor Rogers. A video of the 7-year-old at a protest in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Merrick?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Merrick</a> yesterday went viral. She has a message for everyone. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIprotests?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIprotests</a> <a href="https://t.co/XnNVQeWYbP">pic.twitter.com/XnNVQeWYbP</a></p> Newsday (@Newsday) <a href="https://twitter.com/Newsday/status/1268651317796442120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Her mother also spoke to the outlet to explain her child's grasp of the situation.

"She understands the peaceful movement," Jackson said. "She doesn't understand why people vandalize people's property and things like that. I just have to explain to her that everyone is not peaceful. She understands that there are good cops and there are bad cops. We want everyone to become, just as one."

The Long Island area has seen thousands gathering to march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, shutting down portions of major roads in Nassau County.

While Jackson has seen criticism about her daughter's age and involvement in the protests, she doesn't let it bother her.

"To the negative comments, God bless y'all.  I just hope that they can come to peace," she said.

And as for the impact that Rogers has already made, her mother is truly proud.

"Look what my daughter has done," Jackson said. "She has been heard."
Sushmitha Ramakrishnan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: All teachers from both private and government schools have been asked to resume duty in their respective schools from tomorrow. The decision comes ahead of the State Board Public examinations for students in classes 10, 11 and 12.

Even those who do not handle students from these classes are expected to carry out exam related duties to ensure a smooth process.

As the number of exam centres and the number of classrooms have been increased to ensure physical distancing, the number of teachers required to monitor the process has also increased.

As the Class 10 public exams are set to begin on June 15, many schools across the State will distribute hall tickets to their students from Monday. The last examination for class 11 students has been rescheduled to June 16 while for absentees of class 12, the exam will be held on June 18. The hall tickets have already been made available on the official website of the Directorate of Government Examinations www.dge.tn.gov.in and some schools have already started issuing it to students who do not have access to the internet.

Teachers have been instructed by the government to issue hall tickets to batches of 10 students at a time based on a pre-set slot basis. In addition to this, school heads have been directed to deploy teachers for other duties including staff for thermal scanning, sanitation monitoring and transport management among others.

Teachers have also been asked to submit a detailed transport requirement of students, so that the government may arrange buses and vans accordingly. Over the past weeks, the government has issued detailed protocols and Standard Operating Procedures for various activities related to the conduct of the public exams.

All schools shall be disinfected twice starting tomorrow and all teachers are expected to follow physical distancing norms and wear masks at all times. Government and private hostels associated with the residential school will be allowed to operate from June 11.

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) in Chennai is getting special buses ready for facilitating students to get their hall tickets for Class 10 examinations from Monday. As no public transport is in operation in the city yet, the MTC has proposed to operate special buses for students and teachers from Monday. MTC would be operating 110 buses in 63 routes covering all parts of the city, to help students get the hall tickets.
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Linkedin Galih Gumelar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, June 8 2020

Critics have predicted Indonesia will see a surge in people downgrading their national health insurance (JKN) plan following a decision by the government to increase premiums, saying it will hinder access to health care for lower class policyholders.

The higher premiums, stipulated in the latest presidential regulation issued roughly two months after the Supreme Court annulled an earlier regulation on premium increases, will come into effect in July.

The first-class service premiums will increase from Rp 80,000 (US$5.30) to Rp 150,000 per person per month, and second-class service premiums will increase from Rp 51,000 to Rp 110,000 under the new scheme to reduce the deficit of the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), which manages the JKN.

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Protesters continue demonstrations across the world against police brutality and racial discrimination.

Protests have continued around the world as people took to the streets to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25.

The death of Floyd, a Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer pressing on his neck for almost nine minutes, sparked worldwide protests against racism and police brutality.

Protesters in the English city of Bristol toppled a statue of a 17th-century slave trader.

Demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down to cheers and roars of approval from the crowd. Images on social media show the statue was eventually rolled into the citys harbour.

Absolute scenes today!!!!! Big up bristol, the statue of Edward Colston just got taken down in the BLM protest!!! #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/6yvyXm2dtJ  s (@salmassalim) June 7, 2020

It was not the only statue targeted on Sunday. In Brussels, protesters clambered onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted reparations.

The word shame was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.

In London, thousands of people congregated around the US embassy for the second day running.

While protests were mainly peaceful, there were some scuffles near the office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and outside the Parliament gates.

Demonstrators clash with police in Whitehall during a Black Lives Matter protest in London against the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US [Dylan Martinez/Reuters]

In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the US consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Its a global issue, Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong, told The Associated Press news agency.

We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the US and in the other parts of the world, Black lives do indeed matter.

Several dozen demonstrators took part in a Black Lives Matter protest held in Tel Avivs central Rabin Square.

A rally in Romes sprawling Peoples Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus. Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying Black Lives Matter and Its a White Problem.

Demonstrators raise their fists as they attend a protest against racial inequality at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy [Remo Casilli/Reuters]

In Spain, several thousand people gathered on the streets of Barcelona and at the US embassy in Madrid.

Many in Madrid carried homemade signs reading Black Lives Matter, Human rights for all and Silence is pro-racist.

We are not only doing this for our brother George Floyd, said Thimbo Samb, a spokesman for the group that organised the events in Spain mainly through social media. Here in Europe, in Spain, where we live, we work, we sleep and pay taxes, we also suffer racism.
Imperial Valley News Center

The fledgling U.S. Space Force is off to an impressive, if not mysterious start

Washington, DC - Off they go beyond the wild blue yonder -- the men and women of the U.S. Space Force, the newest branch of the American armed forces.

The U.S.S.F. officially began its mission on December 20, 2019. The new branch of service is the successor to the U.S. Air Force Space Command, which was established in 1982. It is tasked with protecting U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. But, theres much more to it than that, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC].

Rebecca Weber, AMACs CEO, notes that beyond the military aspects of the Space Force, there are life enhancing benefits to be had. Its an aspect that is clearly reflected in the message in its first recruitment effort -- a 30-second video with this compelling narration:

Some people look to the stars and ask, 'what if?' Our job is to have an answer. We have to imagine what would be imagined... plan for whats possible while its still impossible. Maybe you werent put here just to ask the questions; maybe you were put here to be the answer. Maybe your purpose on this planet isnt on this planet.

The Space Force recruitment video may sound somewhat mysterious, says Weber. If it is, it certainly is not as mysterious as what seems to be the Space Forces first spaceship: the X-37B spaceplane-- the worlds only reusable space vehicle. Last month the unmanned rocket ship blasted off on its sixth mission. The last time it spread its wings it stayed in orbit for an impressive 780 days-- more than two years -- and safely returned to earth on October 27, 2019. How long its newest voyage will last is anybodys guess.

The message from space command is that what we do in space improves our capabilities here on earth not just as they pertain to military endeavors. Weve had these capabilities since the Cold War era, providing peace time and war time aid, according to the U.S.S.F.. Its Website notes that our abilities in space assisted in such military operations in the aftermath of 9/11 and in Desert Storm. It also offers the means of placing new scientific research satellites in orbit and aiding agencies such as NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory [NRL] conduct experiments with the potential to enrich life on earth. There is speculation, for example, the NRL may be prepared to test ways to capture solar energy and send it back down to our planet.

AMACs Weber adds that the potential benefits to life on earth that this endeavor provides are as limitless as space itself. Consider the health and medical achievements that weve developed in space -- such medical miracles such as implantable heart monitors, cancer therapies and treatment procedures and much more. And then there are the practical, non-medical advancements such as efficient solar panels, enhanced computer capabilities, new technologies and, of course, new job opportunities.
Bismah Malik By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: India's wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani, may be successful in listing his four-year-old tech commerce-telecom venture, Jio in foreign exchanges, all thanks to $12.5 billion (Rs 92,202 crore) funding raised in just over one and a half months.

The period has seen the company make stake sales to a posse of leading tech companies and private equity ventures such as Facebook and Abu Dhabhi-based investment firm Mubadala. Soon after Mubadalas announcement that it was investing $1.2 billion in Jio, earlier investor American PE giant Silver Lake has said that it will invest another `4,546 crore in the digital platform for a further 0.93 per cent stake.

Silver Lake has a combined stake of 2.08 per cent in Jio now. The boutique of investments will not only reduce Jios net debt burden, but also bring it closer to attracting further investment if it is listed. Analysts expect Jio to go for an initial public offering (IPO) sometime next year.

The second round of investment by Silver Lakes particularly points towards its ambitions of a global IPO, especially when we look at the kind of success the PE group had with Alibaba in 2014. More importantly, it brings Jio deep technology understanding of incumbents and new age industries like e-commerce and the sharing economy, Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and Founder of Greyhound Research wrote in his note.

With US-China tensions showing no signs of abating, Jio may pose an interesting alternative to US investors. However, the challenges the pandemic poses to the Indian economy, Jio may yet have much to prove to Wall Street.
A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused some hospitals of "doing mischief" over handling of COVID-19 patients and tests, the Delhi Medical Association has condemned his statements saying the Delhi government was putting unnecessary pressure on them. "Doctors who are serving the people of Delhi tirelessly for the last two months in this pandemic crisis and are risking their lives feel insulted by the way they are being treated," a DMA statement said.

The body added that hospitals were the backbone of healthcare and were serving the patients, including COVID and non-COVID. "They were being penalised and the government instead of praising their efforts is issuing new diktats daily," it added.

The association said the FIR against Sir Ganga Ram Hospital was highly condemnable and demoralising for the entire medical fraternity and that the hospital doctors had saved lakhs of lives in the last decade but now they were being penalised and threatened.

The association said doctors of Delhi were already overworked and overstressed amid the COVID-19 crisis and that the state government was putting unnecessary pressure on them.

In its demands, the association has asked the government to form a coordination committee of DMA medical professionals with the Delhi government officials to look after the all health care facilities and proper management of the coronavirus crisis.

Also read: Delhi govt orders hospitals to discharge all mild, asymptomatic patients in 24 hours of admission



It has asked the government to ensure adequate testing facilities were available for early detection and treatment and that every hospital or nursing home should have a dedicated testing lab facility.

The association said in case of COVID-19 patient dies due to coronavirus, there should be an effective system to transport and cremate the body as per the guidelines.

The association's response came after Delhi CM on Saturday had said some hospitals were "doing mischief" (over coronavirus) and that these would not be spared.

"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," he added.

The CM added: "Please allow a few days for us to sort this out. We will investigate and take action against those who are refusing patients even when beds are available. Some are involved in black-marketing of beds".

He also said the healthcare system in Delhi would collapse if thousands of asymptomatic people emerged for testing. He maintained that testing should also be reserved for people who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 to avoid overcrowding the hospitals.

Also read: Delhi hospitals can't turn away people with COVID-19 symptoms, says CM Arvind Kejriwal
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 19:01:29|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army said on Sunday that 25 soldiers were injured while trying to maintain order in a protest in Beirut a day earlier, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The soldiers were also trying to open the roads that were cut off by protesters and prevent destruction of public and private properties in the Lebanese capital, the army added.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated on Saturday in downtown Beirut, calling for the overhaul of the Lebanese political system.

They threw stones at security forces and smashed the windows of the shops near the parliament.

Meanwhile, riot police fired tear gas at demonstrators to disperse them.

The Lebanese have been suffering from dire economic circumstances in the past few months after policies by previous governments failed and have led to an accumulated public debt of more than 89 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) The Justice Department is set to launch a probe into the sudden surge of bogus accounts on social media platform Facebook, its secretary said Sunday.

Justice chief Menardo Guevarra said he will direct the agencys cybercrime office to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to promptly investigate the spike in fake profiles.

This gives me cause for worry. We don't need false information at a time when we're dealing with a serious public health crisis, Guevarra said in a message.

The DOJs cybercrime office appealed to those affected by the creation of fake Facebook accounts to report it to them. It also reminded the public that identity theft is a crime punishable under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

This is actually a very serious violation of our criminal laws on cybercrime, DOJ spokesperson Markk Perete told CNN Philippines on Sunday.

Perete added that they have so far received 100 complaints relating to the sudden surge of fake Facebook accounts.

He said that they plan to ask Facebook to preserve these accounts so they can easily track down the people behind them.

We will be able to determine, hindi lamang kung sino yung subscriber na nag-create ng account, gusto rin natin malaman kung saang terminal at anong ISP (internet service provider) ang ginamit, anong content ng bawat account, at kung ano ang mga data na trinansfer using these accounts, Perete said.

[Translation: We will be able to determine, not only the subscriber who created the account, we also want to know what terminal and what ISP they used, the content of each account and what data was transferred using these accounts.]

The hashtag #HandsOffOurStudents made rounds on Twitter earlier in the day, as students and alumni of various universities around the country voiced concern over the surfacing of dummy accounts in their names. Netizens and collegiate groups say the incident came in light of the recent protests and outcry against the controversial anti-terrorism bill.

READ: #HandsOffOurStudents trends as fake online profiles of university students, alumni surface

It was Tug-ani, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines-Cebu, which first reported how several Facebook pages copied the usernames of its students. This came following the arrest last Friday of some students who joined an anti-terrorism bill protest in the area.

University officials have meanwhile cautioned their respective communities to remain vigilant amid the surge of fake duplicate profiles. They also urged students and alumni concerned to report the suspicious accounts to Facebooks data protection team.

The National Privacy Commission, on the other hand, said it is also monitoring the reported surge of fake social media accounts. The agency added Facebook is also looking into the matter.

CNN Philippines Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
Four persons were arrested for allegedly attacking two youths over personal enmity, at their residence in Shahpur Colony of Sector 38 West on Friday night.

The accused have been identified as Ajay, Krishana, Naveen and Sanjeev, all residents of the same colony.

As per the police, the clash took place over a girl and the accused had threatened the victims--Shovinder Singh and his friend Guri-- before turning up at the house with rods and sticks. The accused also smashed the windows of Shovinders Hyundai Accent car.

As per information, the four accused were accompanied by some other youths who managed to get away.

Guri was rushed to the Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH) in Sector 16, where his condition is stated to be stable.

The case has been registered under Sections 147(rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code. Police said that the accused worked odd jobs and were in their early 20s. They were produced in court and sent to judicial custody.
Troops of Operation Accord in continuation of clearance operations against cattle rustlers and criminals have overrun more bandits camps, killing scores and apprehending others in Zamfara, the Defence Headquarters has said.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Enenche explained that the troops of Operation Katsina under Operation Accord on June 5, intercepted a bandits gun-runner and logistics supplier at Mararraba Maigora in Faskari Local Government Area of the state.

He disclosed that items such as 496 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one Bajaj Motorcycle were recovered during the operation.

The coordinator further disclosed that the troops killed three bandits and captured four in a cordon and search operation at Yauyau and Zandam villages.

He said that items that included seven dane guns, three cellphones and two motorcycles recovered.

He stated that captured bandits were in custody for interrogations.

According to him, troops engaged fleeing bandits on Dunya-Dangeza road and recovered two dane guns and four motorcycles on June 6.

Additionally, troops destroyed the Daban Jabi camp of a notorious Bandit leader known as Dan Jangeru.

Also at Warnu village two bandits were neutralised while others escaped with gunshot wounds, one AK47 rifle was recovered in the process.

The military high command congratulates Operation Hadarin Daji and Air Component of Operation Accord, for their dexterity.

The general public is requested to continue to provide timely and credible information that would assist in eliminating bandits and other criminal elements in the country, he said. (NAN)
China and India have stepped back from a tense confrontation along their shared border high in the Himalayas, pledging to resolve disputes over territory through diplomatic and military channels, Indias Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

The announcement came a day after military commanders from the two sides met near Chushul, a border village at the disputed frontier near Pangong Tso, a lake where troops from the two countries clashed last month.

China did not immediately discuss the talks at the border, but officials and the state news media had sought to play down the confrontation in the days leading up to them.

The clashes at the lake, one of several across multiple points of the frontier, resulted in numerous injuries and led to the most serious tensions between the two Asian powers in years.
CLARKSVILLE -- A Clarksville man who was awaiting sentencing for having sexual contact with a teen has been arrested for allegedly asking two other youths for nude pictures.

Now Clarksville police are encouraging any other possible victims to come forward.

Authorities allege Cody Michael Blue, 29, contacted the girls, ages 14 and 16, through the Snapchat social media platform in May and offered cigarettes and alcohol in exchange for naked pictures. One of the girls later severed ties with Blue, who then threatened to expose the photos he received if she didnt keep in touch.

Clarksville police obtained a tip about the situation on Wednesday and searched Blues West Weare Street home and seized electronic devices. He was arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of possession of a depiction of a minor engaging in a sexual act.

Bond was set at $10,000.

Blue is currently awaiting sentencing for a Clayton County case where he allegedly groped a 14-year-old girl in May 2019. He also allegedly solicited nude photos of her through Snapchat and sent her a photo of male genitalia using an assumed name, according to court records.

Photos: Missing children in Iowa

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Health authorities are waiting to see if Saturday's Black Lives Matter protests across the nation have undermined the containment of COVID-19 in Australia.

Just a handful of new cases were reported on the weekend, but it will be nearly a fortnight before it is known if there are any spikes in cases as a result of the rallies where social distancing was almost impossible.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says while he can understand why people joined the protests, health authorities now have to be extra alert.

Health authorities have warned it will take two weeks to know if protests across Australia on June 6 (pictured), in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter marches in the US, will cause in COVID-19 outbreaks

'We don't know if anyone in those mass gatherings were infected or infectious, and so it is a wait-and-see approach,' Professor Kelly told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

'I was encouraged to see the face masks yesterday ... those people we're doing the right thing.'

Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen agreed the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne increased the risk for cases.

'In terms of potential outbreaks related to the protest, it really will be at least a week and probably closer to two weeks before we have an idea of whether there's been any transmissions or outbreaks related to that,' Dr van Diemen said.

Twenty thousand people also marched in Sydney and crowds rallied in Brisbane, Adelaide and some regional cities and towns despite public health warnings.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt hopes the rallies that clearly broke COVID-19 social distancing rules will not lead to a new wave of infections.

'If there is someone who is infectious in the midst of a crowd like that, that can have a catastrophic impact,' Mr Hunt told ABC radio.

The Australian protests in solidarity with African American George Floyd who died while being arrested in Minneapolis, also a showed support for the Aboriginal community to highlight high levels of indigenous incarceration and deaths in custody.

Labor has attacked Finance Minister Mathias Cormann for labelling the protesters in Australia as being 'reckless' and 'self-indulgent' during a pandemic.

Opposition indigenous Australians spokeswoman Linda Burney described Senator Cormann's comments as 'tone deaf' and 'politically expedient'

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said they were breath hoping the protests (pictured), which broke social distancing guidelines, did not lead to a new wave of COVID-19 cases

Australia has now had around 7260 confirmed COVID-19 cases while the death toll remains at 102.

Worldwide, there have been at least 6,897,225 cases and nearly 400,000 deaths.

The ACT recorded its first case of COVID-19 in over a month, a male aged in his 40s, who recently returned from overseas.

But ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman is confident there has been no risk to the broader ACT community.

'The case is, however, a good reminder of the ongoing pandemic and the need for our community to continue to observe physical distancing and hygiene measures, and for people to stay home if they are unwell,' Dr Coleman said in the statement.

There were also four new cases of coronavirus in Victoria,

One is a household contact linked to an outbreak last month at a McDonald's restaurant in Fawkner and the three others are returned travellers in hotel quarantine.

But Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland all returned blank sheets, as did NSW for a second day in a row.

But Queensland is undertaking contact tracing after a Melbourne man who arrived to pick strawberries in Bundaberg was confirmed on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Morrison government is extending some of the measures in its $1.2 billion support package for the aviation sector to ensure the industry is sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

'We have kept the aviation sector going by funding minimum networks to get essential personnel and critical supplies to where they may be needed,' Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in a statement.
Minneapolis is among several cities with policies on the books requiring police officers to intervene to stop colleagues from using unreasonable force, but that did not save George Floyd.

Law enforcement experts say such rules will always run up against entrenched police culture and the fear of being ostracised and branded a rat for speaking up against violations.

Power dynamics may have been magnified in the Floyd case because two of the four officers involved were rookies and the most senior officer on the scene was a training officer, Derek Chauvin, a 19-year police veteran who was seen kneeling on the back of the Black mans neck despite his cries that he could not breathe.

Even though lawyers for the rookie officers say both men voiced their concerns about Chauvins actions at the time, they ultimately failed to stop him. Chauvin is now charged with second-degree murder, and his three fellow officers are charged with aiding and abetting.

A tight fraternity

This is a lesson for every cop in America: if you see something that is wrong, you need to step in, said Joseph Giacalone, a former New York police sergeant who now teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. There are a lot of grey areas in policing, but this was crystal clear. Youre better off being ostracised by the group than going to prison for murder.

Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Florida, police chief who testifies in use-of-force cases, said: Theyre suffering the effects of an organisational culture that doesnt allow that or reward that behaviour. The fraternity of law enforcement is a tight fraternity and fraternities have a group-think.

Lawyers for the now-fired two rookies, Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng, emphasised their place in police hierarchy in their initial court appearance this past week. They noted that they were only on their fourth day as full-fledged policemen at the time of Floyds May 25 arrest, while Chauvin was an authority figure as a designated training officer for new policemen.





Theyre required to call him Sir, Lanes lawyer, Earl Gray, told the judge. He has 20 years experience. What is my client supposed to do but to follow what the training officer said? Is that aiding and abetting a crime?

Gray noted that Lane questioned Chauvins actions during the arrest, and Kuengs lawyer Thomas Plunkett said his client told fellow officers, You shouldnt be doing this.

But according to the criminal complaints that detailed Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill, the officers did not back up their words with action.

Despite concerns, no action

Lane held Floyds legs and Kueng held his back while Chauvin placed his knee on Floyds head and neck. That is when Floyd repeatedly said I cant breathe, Mama and please. At one point, Floyd said, Im about to die. Nevertheless, Chauvin, Lane and Kueng did not move. And a fourth officer, Tou Thao, continued standing nearby keeping onlookers back.

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Moments later, Lane asked, Should we roll him on his side? Chauvin replied: No, staying put where we got him.

Lane said he was worried Floyd would experience excited delirium, a condition in which a person can become agitated and aggressive or suddenly die, according to the documents.

Thats why we have him on his stomach, Chauvin replied.

Despite his concerns, Lane did not do anything to help Floyd or to reduce the force being used on him, the complaint said. Neither he nor Keung and Chauvin moved from their positions until an ambulance came and took Floyd to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Policy and practice

Minneapolis police added a duty to intervene policy in 2016, saying officers are required to either stop or attempt to stop another sworn employee when force is being inappropriately applied or is no longer required.

City officials moved on Friday to strengthen that duty by seeking to make it enforceable in court and to require officers to immediately report to their superiors when they see the use of any neck restraint or chokehold.

Similar duty to intervene policies and initiatives had been in place for years in New York City, Miami and New Orleans. Since the Floyd case, Dallas and Charlotte, North Carolina, are among the places that have enacted similar policies.

But, Scott said, Theres policy, and then theres practice. More likely than not, practice and custom will prevail over policy.

Departments often do not reward officers for interfering with their colleagues or reporting that they broke policy, Scott said. And officers who do intervene risk being ostracised by their fellow officers and branded as informers.

In law enforcement, if youre considered an individual who cant be trusted, youre not going to have the timely back-up from other officers, Scott said. Thats a legitimate fear factor.

Minneapolis Police Department officers detain a group outside a car during continued demonstrations in reaction to the death of George Floyd [Lucas Jackson/Reuters]

Geoff Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said when Lane questioned Chauvin at the time, he was undoubtedly scared to death.

But ultimately, Alpert said, he wasnt courageous enough to physically intervene to stop him.

He knew he would get hell from the 19-year veteran and all his buddies.

Lost in the furore over Floyds case and the national protests and debate over issues of racism and police brutality is the fact that two of the four officers involved in the arrest were minorities, hired as part of a Minneapolis police programme credited with helping to diversify the largely white force.

Thao, a 34-year-old of Southeast Asian Hmong descent had been on the force for more than 10 years, and Kueng, a 26-year-old African American rookie who previously worked as a department store security guard, were both parts of the community service officer programme that brings in recruits to work part-time with the goal of making them regular members of the force.

Chauvin, 44, is white, as is Lane, though he is an outlier of a different sort, a 37-year-old rookie who joined the police after working as a juvenile detention guard.

Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think-tank, said getting officers to take action, sometimes against more experienced colleagues, is at the heart of stopping abuses by police.

These new officers are put in a position where theyre told, This is your mentor. He will teach you,' he said. A 20-year veteran is supposed to know what he is doing, and clearly he didnt. He made every mistake possible.
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Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall in southeast Louisiana after two young brothers died in a rip current and a tornado tore through downtown Orlando.

The storm moved ashore between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the barrier island resort community of Grand Isle, which had been evacuated a day earlier.

Residents of waterside communities outside the New Orleans levee system  bounded by lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne  were urged to evacuate on Sunday afternoon because of their vulnerability to an expected storm surge.

In Grand Isle on Friday, two brothers were killed after getting swept away by a rip current as Cristobal swirled along the Gulf Coast.

The children, aged eight and 10, were swimming with family near a beach when they were pulled under.

Authorities said children's 12-year-old cousin was also caught in the rip current and the mother's boyfriend went under while saving the children, but both survived, according to Fox News.

The 12-year-old girl was airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans and is expected to make a full recovery.

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Critsobal has already broth three to five feet of flooding across the Louisiana coastline after it entered the United States on Sunday

Parts of Mississippi, including U.S. 90 in Long Beach, were flooded after storm surge hit the area during Tropical Storm Cristobal

Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall in southeast Louisiana on Sunday evening, bringing with it powerful 50mph winds, prolonged rainfall and the threat of dangerous storm surges

Rudy Horvath walks out of his home, a boathouse in the West End section of New Orleans, as it takes on water a from storm surge in Lake Pontchartrain in advance of Tropical Storm Cristobal

A tornado caused by Tropical Storm Cristobal touched down in Orlando, Florida, and damaged homes in the city's downtown neighborhood

The mother's boyfriend is still in critical condition after being airlifted to West Jefferson Hospital in Marrero.

Some residents have fled the area in anticipation of the tropical storm.

'A good bit of our visitors and our summer homeowners left this morning,' Grand Isle Police Chief Laine Landry said.

Pictured: Fishermen secure their boats at Pass Christian Harbor on the Mississippi Gulf Coast ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal's landfall

Cell phone footage shared to Twitter showed flooding in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on Sunday as rainfall battered the city ahead of Cristobal

Flooding in Biloxi, Mississippi, could already by seen on Sunday afternoon after Tropical Storm Cristobal entered the US through mouth of the Mississippi River and the barrier island resort community of Grand Isle

Critsobal has already broth three to five feet of flooding across the Louisiana coastline.

Footage taken from Biloxi and Bay St. Louis in Mississippi show several areas already beginning to flood.

Cristobal packed top sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, but was not expected to reach hurricane strength

Forecasters warned, however, that the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles.

Pictured: People clean up debris from their damaged apartments following a tornado in Orlando, Florida

Around 2,000 homes were left without power after a tornado spawned from Tropical Storm Cristobal hit Orlando, Florida

Pictured: : A man walks along the seawall of Lake Pontchartrain as Tropical Storm Cristobal makes landfall on Sunday

A tornado spawned by Tropical Storm Cristobal touched down in Orlando, Florida, on Friday evening.

Those nearby describe extremely windy and turbulent conditions as the storm passed through the downtown area after the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning.

The Orange County Sheriff's office tweeted: 'Deputies are responding to reports of a tornado that touched down in the Fern Creek and Conway areas. There are numerous reports of damage and downed power lines.

Around 2,000 homes were without power according to the Orlando Utilities Commission.

Flooding from #Cristobal already making portions of Highway 90 in #Biloxi nearly impassable.

Remember #TurnAroundDontDrown

Ill see you on @weatherchannel starting at 4-10pm CT pic.twitter.com/idNyrt8V6U  Felicia Combs (@FeliciaCombsTWC) June 7, 2020

Pictured: A map predicting the path of Tropical Storm Cristobal provided by the National Hurricane Center

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

Some areas will experience as much as 12 inches of rain as bands shift through central and eastern Gulf Coast.

A map from the National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Critsobal will downgrade back to a tropical depression as it travels north through the United States.

Several like Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois are expected to impacted by the storm throughout Tuesday before reached Wisconsin on Wednesday morning.

As of Sunday afternoon, the center of Tropical Storm Cristobal was found 65 miles away from New Orleans.

'The center of the storm may or may not move over New Orleans, but the city is already being affected by the storm,' Danielle Manning, a meteorologist from the Weather Services Baton Rouge office, told The New York Times.

'There is already significant flooding from the storm surge and flash flooding,

Pictured: A woman cleans up debris at her apartment complex during the aftermath. A tornado spawned by Tropical Storm Cristobal passed through Orlando

Cristobal is expected to downgrade to a tropical depression on Monday as it powers through Louisiana and parts of Mississippi

Meteorologists fear flash flooding as the storm is expected to bring several bands of rain to New Orleans.

'It depends on how much rain it is and how quickly it falls. In New Orleans, the city relies on pumps to get rid of all that rainfall,' said Manning.

'If you exceed that capacity of the amount of water that can drain, you end up with flooding.'

The Louisiana National Guard prepped high-water vehicles and rescue boats to travel across southern parts of the state that were most vulnerable.

Pictured: A damaged car that was blown from its parking space during the aftermath of a tornado in Orlando, Florida

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.

In Washington, President Donald Trump said he would be signing an emergency declaration for Louisiana, a measure that enables the release of federal aid.

'At the request of Sen. John Kennedy & Sen. Bill Cassidy of the Great State of Louisiana, I will be approving & signing today an EMERGENCY DECLARATION which will help with all aspects of the big storm that is currently hitting your shores. FEMA is already there. God Bless You!' Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump authorized FEMA to deploy to Louisiana after the governor declared a state of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal

A New Orleans Police Department vehicle patrols the French Quarter as Tropical Storm Cristobal nears the coast.

On Friday, Cristobal strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm as sustained wind speeds surpassed 40mph (pictured)

Forecasters have predicted a heavier than usual Atlantic hurricane season.

Cristobal's formation early in the week marked the earliest that the hurricane season has seen its third named disturbance, US meteorologists said Tuesday.

Cristobal evolved from Tropical Storm Amanda, which left at least 26 people dead across Central America and provoked flooding and landslides.

Tropical Storm Cristobal first made landfall last week in Mexico.

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.

Water puddles along Bourbon St. are visible as Cristobal nears the coast in New Orleans

A woman walks her dog through the French Quarter as Tropical Storm Cristobal nears the coast on Sunday in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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
WASHINGTON - Just a day after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered "Black Lives Matter" painted down 16th Street NW to make a statement to President Donald Trump, a group of Black Lives Matter activists made a statement of their own as an addendum to the city's now-famous mural.

They painted "DEFUND THE POLICE" in the same bright yellow paint as Bowser's much-publicized statement.

On Friday, Bowser renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the slogan painted in giant letters leading toward Lafayette Square, which has become the epicenter in the District of Columbia for protests over police brutality. Saturday night's update by Black Lives Matter D.C. now follows soon after, 10 feet from the original street art.

Makia Green, a core organizer for Black Lives Matter D.C., said Saturday that the "defund the police" display by the organization is a "direct response" to the mural from the mayor. Black Lives Matter D.C. tweeted that the original mural commissioned by the city "is a performative distraction from real policy changes," adding the mayor has consistently been on the wrong side of "BLMDC" history.

"Black Lives Matter means defund the police," the organization said.

Bowser's office didn't respond to a request for comment.

Photo for The Washington Post by Evelyn Hockstein

Hauling buckets of paint and brushes on long poles, the group mopped their statement into the street in about 20 minutes on Saturday night while a large crowd gathered to watch. The District's flag was converted into an "equals" sign, thereby co-opting the city's own work to make the mural read: "Black Lives Matter = Defund the police."

"This is ours. This is all ours. This city is ours," one organizer shouted. "These streets? Ours."

Sunday morning, staff from the city's department of public works repainted the D.C. flag from the original mural but did not touch the "defund the police" message.

Candace R., who declined to give her last name, was standing just behind the yellow caution tape surrounding the project Saturday night as members of Black Lives Matter D.C. were putting the finishing touches on their pointed response.

"Defund ... the ... police," Candace read out loud. "That's good, that's necessary."

"People died and the mayor and the president are arguing about how to police the city," she added. "It's missing the point."

An African American female organizer strolled around in the middle of the circle, wielding a loudspeaker. "Earlier this week, they had tear gas, they had riot gear ... and now," she looked up at the crowd near Candace, smiling, "Look, it's just us, family."

Candace nodded. "The police have been militarized over years," she said. Before the paint even dried, some started to dance to the sound of "Before I Let Go." When the dancing stopped, Black Lives Matter members began calling black people to stand on the mural.

"Come into the circle," said one protester. "Black people only."

Standing in the street after painting, three friends said they were glad the message had been painted in addition to Bowser's mural.

"Nobody is trying to take away all the money, said Rohena Innocent, 18. "But we're talking about investing it into the community."

Her friend Dominique Frederick, 19, said Bowser's display was "a temporary tattoo" done despite the mayor's budget increasing funding this year for the police department.

"It's great marketing," Innocent said.

"But it's not enough," they both said in unison.

Sofia Martinez, a 21-year-old D.C. native, said the importance of decreasing funding for the police and increasing funding for minority communities was especially important given how much the District has gentrified in recent years.

"This used to be chocolate city," she said, repeating an often used line from the late Mayor Marion Barry.

Neil Turner stood on the recently painted first "D" in "Defund the police," towering over most of the protesters.

As others rallied in the middle of the new addition to the mayor's mural, Turner wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Oh snap," he said, gazing down at the letter under his feet. "I like that."

But the Fairfax, Virginia, native, who is black, said he wasn't sure if he agreed with it.

"We gotta have control," he said of the need for some policing. "But where does it stop? All these people in power, who controls them?"

Turner thought Bowser had done a good job. Asked whether the police should be defunded, he replied: "If their intention is to help us out, to help the community out, then of course not."

Turner, who just graduated from Old Dominion University, said he was surprised how much the atmosphere had changed from last week, when he first came to the protests.

"It's so crazy how fast things change," he said. "Tear gas? I didn't want to deal with that."

After the painting was done, Monique Fegans, 31, led a smaller group in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is known as the black national anthem.

"I just was like we have got to sing the black national anthem," said Fegans, who came from Newark, Del. Fegans said she was impressed by the energy in D.C. and by the protesters' message.

"The laws need to change," she said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Jessica Stahl contributed to this report.
Warren McRaes new business is called Peterborough Pro Tackle.

Located at 1123 Water St. at Marina Boulevard, Warren stocks a great selection of sport fishing supplies including rods, reels, fishing line, tackle, bait, accessories, apparel, gift cards and more.

Open Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or check them out online at Ptboprotackle.ca or on Facebook and Instagram

DIY Design

DIY Design Co. is a new local business offering customized do-it-yourself wooden sign making kits.

Owners Meagan and Tiffany design it, you create it. All materials are included with easy to follow instructions.

Check out the website where you can choose different stain and paint colours and lots of designs and then place your order. Diydesignco.ca or find them on facebook at diydesigncoptbo

Living Local Box

The Living Local Box is the brainchild of Alicia Doris. The Living Local Box is a seasonal subscription box featuring the best of Peterborough and The Kawarthas. Your surprise selection could include local artwork, bath and body, food and drink, lifestyle and more.

The Spring Box sold out in a week and the Summer Box is now available, but numbers are limited.

Shipping is free to Peterborough and Selwyn Township. Visit livinglocalbox.com to learn more and order yours today.

Caring companies

Peterborough companies are well known for their generosity, even in tough times. Two good examples are Siemens Canada which launched the Canadian Siemens Caring Hands COVID-19 Relief Fund in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross. Employee donations will be matched by Siemens Canada.

And Nexicom recently launched its Community Support Initiative to help its small commercial business customers. Nexicom used its social media channels to give away a Mothers Day gift certificate from Elmhirsts and profiled Charlotte Paint and Wallpaper, and the Canoe and Paddle restaurant in Lakefield.

If you would like to participate in upcoming prize giveaways follow Nexicom on Facebook Twitter and Instagram.
Christian Brueckner is facing investigations over the deaths or disappearance of at least three other children.

The Madeleine McCann suspect drove regularly between his native Bavaria and the Algarve in Portugal and police are now tracing his movements to investigate if he could be linked to other cold case files.

Prosecutors in Belgium have confirmed they are investigating if he was connected to the murder of 16-year-old Carola Titze, whose body was found in sand dunes in De Haan, near Ostend, in 1996.

The teenager was said to have met a German man while she was on holiday in the town and was seen with him at a disco just days before her murder. Police in Germany have reportedly told the family of a missing boy they are to reopen the inquiry into his disappearance.

Rene Hasee was six when he went missing in 1996 while on holiday in Aljezur, around 25 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner was living in the region at the time.

Convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner has been linked to other unsolved child disappearances since he became the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case

In Portugal, police face pressure to re-examine the case of Joana Cipriano (pictured), eight, who disappeared in 2004 from Figueira, seven miles from Praia da Luz

Police in Germany are also investigating whether Brueckner was involved in the disappearance of five-year-old Inga Gehricke in 2015, after it emerged he had been nearby.

Often referred to as 'the German Maddie', she vanished from a family barbecue in Stendal, northern Germany, after going to collect firewood.

In Portugal, police face pressure to re-examine the case of Joana Cipriano, eight, who disappeared in 2004 from Figueira, seven miles from Praia da Luz. Her mother and uncle allegedly confessed to her killing but her mother has since said she was forced to admit to the crime by police who beat her.

Her lawyers called for the case to be reopened after Madeleine, left, vanished, because of similarities between the two disappearances. Joana's body was never found.

Brueckner, 43, is currently languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence.

Brueckner (right) is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine (left) from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 and is currently languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence

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.

It was revealed yesterday that Brueckner could also be linked to 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.

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)

Prosecutors in Bruges confirmed to local media they are now probing the possible connection between Titze's death and Brueckner.

Carola Titze vanished on the morning of July 5, 1996 while holidaying with her parents at a Flemish resort in De Haan, West Flanders

Six-year-old Rene Hasse went missing in the Algarve 24 years ago.

The boy'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.

He went missing after running towards the sea and his family and the authorities had previously accepted Rene drowned in a tragic accident.

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.

Rene'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'.

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

Prosecutors have also re-opened the investigation into whether Brueckner abducted Inga Gehricke after she was grabbed from Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof in Saxony-Anhalt during a family outing five years ago.

Inga Gehricke, five, had been having a barbecue with her family on May 2, 2015

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 ramshackle five-acre in the isolated of village of Neuwegersleben, south-east of Hanover.

More than 100 officers descended on an 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 discovered 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.

But prosecutors confirmed this week that they have reopened a preliminary investigation into whether he was involved in the unsolved Inga case.
Milla Jovovich has been known to use her platform to promote causes near to heart with 3.6million Instagram followers.

And the Ukrainian actress is teaching the importance of using your platform to her three daughters.

She posted a photo and a heartfelt statement Friday to Instagram as she and husband Paul WS Anderson took their daughter Ever to a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles.

Parenthood goals: Milla Jovovich posted a photo and a heartfelt statement Friday to Instagram as she and husband Paul WS Anderson took their daughter Ever to a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles

The 44-year-old and Ever, 12, held up signs that read 'Black Women's Lives Matter' as Paul, 55, waved a list of Black people killed by police brutality.

She wrote: 'As parents, my husband and I wanted to help our eldest daughter raise her voice in protest as well and feel like a real part of this incredible movement for justice thats happening all over the world in support of #blacklivesmatter.

'Because no matter how small she thinks her voice is, she could see the impact of her actions right there in the moment by the overwhelming amount of people cheering and honking as they drove by our little group standing on the sidewalk.'

Jovovich continued: 'The smile on their faces as they raised their fists in the air while they went about their day. I was able to show her how her small action made us all feel connected to something so much bigger than ourselves and maybe inspired others to take action too.'

Incredible movement: She wrote: 'As parents, my husband and I wanted to help our eldest daughter raise her voice in protest as well and feel like a real part of this incredible movement for justice thats happening all over the world in support of #blacklivesmatter' (pictured in May, 2019)

Inspiring others: Jovovich continued: 'I was able to show her how her small action made us all feel connected to something so much bigger than ourselves and maybe inspired others to take action too'

Call to action: She offered a call to action: 'I urge all parents to do the same with their kids! Make some posters and go out into your neighborhood regardless of the size of your group'

She offered a call to action: 'I urge all parents to do the same with their kids! Make some posters and go out into your neighborhood regardless of the size of your group.

'Because no matter how small your protest is, it will still affect like minded people in a positive way and who knows? Maybe it can seed a kernel of change in those that dont feel the same way we do.'

The Dazed and Confused star previously posted a statement and resources after last week's killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis ex-police officer Derek Chauvin.

Black Lives Matter: The Dazed and Confused star previously posted a statement and resources after last week's killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis ex-police officer Derek Chauvin

Peaceful protesters: She also promoted one of her favorite artists NoMBe, after he was evicted for letting protesters stay in his apartment over night to keep them safe from violent police after curfew

She wrote: 'This needs to stop NOW. We need to re educate our police officers to weed the hateful ones out. We need to demand for change in the way our government treats people of color.

'The War On Drugs needs to be ended. This epidemic of privatized mass incarceration needs to end. We need to treat others as we would like to be treated. End of story.'

She also promoted one of her favorite artists NoMBe, after he was evicted for letting protesters stay in his apartment over night to keep them safe from violent police after curfew.

Jovovich shares daughters Ever, Dashiel, five, and Osian, four months, with Anderson, whom she married in 2009 after her directed her in the 2002 blockbuster Resident Evil.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Asante Akim Central, Susan Akomeah has disclosed one of the things her municipality needs desperately is a new and bigger market.

According to her, the current market at the district capital in Konongo is very small, causing overcrowding leading to social distancing issues as majority of people in the area patronise the market.

What we need the most is a market, she said

Susan Akomeah however indicated that her assembly has run into several challenges in its quest to begin the project that will ease overcrowding in the market.

Speaking on Me Mpasuaso on Salt 95.9FM, the MCE said the unavailability of land to expand the market into a much bigger market is one of the key challenges the assembly is currently facing.

According to her, the assembly has been struggling to secure financing for the project since the Assembly cannot solely finance it.

She added that the assembly is seeking an investor under public-private partnership to see the project materialise.

"Because we cannot get a new land and we are trying to make the most out of the current place, the new market has to be a storey building and the assembly cannot finance such a project alone. So we need an investor who is ready to support the project and reap their benefits over the period under the Public-Private partnership program, She told host, Samuel Owiredu-Acheampong.

Meanwhile, as a way to curb the spread of the coronavirus and ensure strict adherence to social distancing protocols, the assembly has introduced a shift system for traders in the market to curb spread of the covid-19.
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.
Ahmedabad: After resignations by three MLAs ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls, the Gujarat Congress shifted at least 21 legislators to private resorts in Rajasthan on Saturday (June 6) evening.

According to reports, the MLAs from north Gujarat assembly constituencies arrived in their personal vehicles and were stationed at Wildwinds resort on Abu Road near Ambaji temple in Rajasthan. The legislators will continue to stay there for 3-4 days.

The development comes in the backdrop of three MLAs  Brijesh Merja, Akshay Patel and Jitu Chaudhary resigning from their posts, thus diminishing chances of the Congress party winning the Rajya Sabha seat. With the latest three resignations, Congress tally in the 185 member house stands at 63.

The BJP had secured a narrow victory in the 2017 assembly elections with 99 seats whereas Congress finished with 81 seats. However, over the last two-and-a-half years, a number of Congress legislators either switched sides or tendered their resignations.

By March 2020, the Congress tally had come down to 73 from 81. And after eight more resignations thereafter, the party has faced a huge setback as it was hopeful of securing at least two of four seats in Rajya Sabha elections.
The initial autopsy report on George Floyd's death states that he had drugs in his system and suffered from severe heart disease.

However, medical experts and the attorney of Floyd's family said that the medical problems do not change the fact that ex-Officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd down by kneeling on his neck for almost 9 minutes, thus making the whole incident a homicide.

Preexisting health conditions

According to Dr. Gregory Davis, a medical examiner for Jefferson County, Alabama, and a pathology professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Floyd has underlying health conditions.

The stress and suffering he endured for almost 9 minutes under police custody triggered his health conditions and the restraint and neck compression is also the reason behind his death.

The chairman of Florida's medical examiner's commission, Dr. Stephen Nelson, agreed with Dr. Davis' statement. Even if a person has severe heart disease and he died of a heart attack during a confrontation with the police, it is still called a homicide.

The stress that he may have felt with his interaction with the four officers was enough for him to suffer a heart attack. The death of George Floyd went viral after it was posted on Twitter and Facebook. It has sparked protests all over the world, as the public calls for the end of police brutality and racism against the black community.

Also Read: All Four Minneapolis Ex Police Officers Charged in George Floyd's Death

Ex-Officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter but was later changed to second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three officers in the scene who just stood by and watched were also charged with aiding and abetting.

False official autopsy report

The report sent in by Andrew Baker from the Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner states that George Floyd died of cardiopulmonary arrest, restraint, neck compression, and complicating law enforcement subdual.

The key findings of the examiner displeased Floyd's family because the official autopsy did not include asphyxia. This led to Floyd's family to seek independent autopsy, in which the conclusion shows that Floyd died of asphyxiation because of the compression on his neck and back.

Dr. Nelson slammed the autopsy report released by the Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner and said that cardiopulmonary arrest is a meaningless term as it means that Floyd's heart and breathing stopped, which happened when he died.

The report should have stated traumatic asphyxia because, based on the video, Floyd's neck and back were compressed, cutting off the supply of oxygen on his lungs and brain. The autopsy found signs of tobacco use, signs of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and THC, which can be found in the system of marijuana was used.

However, medical examiners believe that the presence of the substances is not relevant to the death of Floyd. The autopsy also reports that Floyd tested positive for COVID-19 on April 3. It is now a concern for the medical examiners who handled his body.

Although the autopsy did not find signs of the virus on Floyd's lungs, as he does not have pneumonia or other signs that go along with the coronavirus, but his body can still infect others.

Related Article: George Floyd Video: Three Footage Put Together Shows Final Moments Before His Death





@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A former colleague shared a James Baldwin speech last week. It dated from February 18, 1965. The African-American author and activist had been invited to the Cambridge Union to debate the question, Has the American Dream been achieved at the expense of the American Negro.

In an impressive speech  eloquent, commandingly persuasive, restrained  he spoke not only of the daily injustices suffered by Civil Rights-era African Americans, but of the generally damaging legacy of historic racism: Moral lives have been destroyed by the plague called colour... the American sense of reality has been corrupted by it.

It is dismaying that a speech made 55 years ago should still feel pertinent. Again there have been demonstrations in protest against an unarmed black mans violent death. The anger stirred by the footage of George Floyds brutal arrest has galvanised millions to leave lockdown.

Author Patricia Nicol said the right to march safely will always be integral to a functioning democracy

Madeleine Thiens Do Not Say We Have Nothing (left). Angie Thomass The Hate U Give is a defining Black Lives Matter novel (right)

Angie Thomass The Hate U Give is a defining Black Lives Matter novel. Published in 2017, it is the story of Starr, who switches between two worlds: the poor, troubled Alabama town in which she was raised, and the affluent, predominantly white school she attends on a scholarship.

When Starr is the only witness to the fatal police shooting of her unarmed childhood friend, Khalil, she has to choose between staying safe or standing up for what she believes is right.

Last week marked the 21st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, a seismic event explored fictionally in Madeleine Thiens Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

The story begins in 1990 with the arrival of Ai-ming  a Chinese refugee  into the Canadian home of ten-year-old Marie.

Ian McEwans Saturday takes place on a single day, February 15, 2003. The march against the proposed invasion of Iraq is its London backdrop.

In the past 20 years, I have been on a few marches through Central London. My children have, too.

Last week we stayed locked down. But the right to march safely will always be integral to a functioning democracy.
By Chang Se-moon





Today, I want to talk about the LGBT lifestyle. Many already have fixed perspectives about, likely against, the LGBT community. Hopefully, from curiosity, compassion, or both, some of you will open your mind and try to understand my view.



One of the many abbreviations for this group is LGBTQ.



Lesbian (L) refers to a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted to women. Gay (G) can be tricky, as it refers to a person who is romantically and sexually attracted to individuals of the same sex. While women may identify as "lesbian" and/or "gay," the term gay in this article is used to describe men who are attracted to the same sex.



Bisexual (B) refers to a person who is romantically and sexually attracted to both men and women, while transgender (T) refers to a person whose gender identity differs from the sex the person was assigned at birth.



Q which stands for queer and describes a person who does not identify with sexual or gender constructs perceived as "normal" by general society. Because the definition of queer is intentionally non-specific, and for some older generations remains a hurtful term, today's article will only refer to the LGBT population.



Recently, I do not know how it started, but had an opportunity to talk about the LGBT lifestyle with my friends. It may be because one of the then-leading candidates for the president of the United States, Pete Buttigieg, was openly gay. I found myself to be alone in defending the LBGT community's needs and rights.



I am also aware of a 2018 survey in Korea which asked 8,000 adults to list minority groups that they did not want to accept. Topping the list was LGBT at 49 percent, followed by North Korean refugees at 12.6 percent and foreign laborers 5.7 percent.



Some say sexual acts by LGBT people are gross. However, anyone's sexual acts might also generate the same thought! Some say the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s was caused by gay people. While the spread of it through the gay community was extraordinary, scientific research points the actual origin of the disease to human consumption of monkey meat in DR Congo in the 1920s.



Some believe that God would not approve of LGBT people. However, all religious persons I have met tell me that God has a reason for everything, and we are not supposed to ask why as that is the entire concept of faith.



To me, this means that God must have created individuals who identify themselves as LGBT, just as heterosexuals were created. God must have a reason for having done so, and if we are to have faith, we must accept anyone who identifies as an LGB or T.



When I find myself a sole defender of the LGBT community, I just tell them that maybe I am more liberal because I had been a college professor too long. The reality is a little more complicated.



The birth of the LGBT rights movement in the U.S. began with the Stonewall riots of 1969. This event became a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City.



The equal rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s provided momentum, and in the 1980s, the LGBT rights movement became more organized and pursued social acceptance.



In response to this, the U.S. Congress in 1996 passed the Defense of Marriage Act to prevent LGBT couples from receiving federal marriage benefits.



On June 26, 2003, the split U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that a Texas state law criminalizing certain intimate sexual conduct between two consenting adults of the same sex was unconstitutional. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriages.



The Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 prohibits discrimination of sexual orientation in the workplace, specifically during hiring.



On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) "is unconstitutional and violates the rights of gays and lesbians," a significant step forward for the LGBT rights movement. Prior to that ruling, 37 states allowed for same sex marriage. However, with that ruling, LGBT citizens in all 50 states were legally able to marry.



To date, 28 countries currently allow same-sex couples to marry, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Uruguay and, as stated above, the United States.



According to the Jan. 24, 2020, Newsletter that I received from Sun Trust Bank in the U.S., "Today, nearly half (49 percent) of all cohabitating same-sex couples are legally married, providing approximately one million Americans not only with equal rights and protections under the law, but also a number of previously unavailable financial benefits and opportunities," including "married filing jointly" tax status and spousal social security benefits.



We live only one short life. Why should I be bothered by how others live their lives, when they do not bother me? While understanding a love that is different may be beyond many, can we not all agree that more love in the world can never be wrong?





Chang Se-moon (changsemoon@yahoo.com) is the director of the Gulf Coast Center for Impact Studies.


The now-retired General James Mattis, instead of thanking President Trump for the opportunity to serve in a high role in his administration, is going all out to please the swamp and criticize him.

According to a statement published in the Atlantic Monthly, he wrote:

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 writes. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.

Unite the American people? What disingenuous piety from General Mattis. How does Trump unite with people who hate him so much they were promising to impeach him before he took the oath of office as president?



General Mattis also speaks of mature leadership. Mature? Remember what Rep. Rashida Tlaib said on the day she was sworn in as a member of Congress? Were going to go in there and were going to impeach the mother f**ker. Is this an example of the kind of mature leadership General Mattis would prefer? Is Maxine Waters a mature leader? Has she been trying to unite America for the past three years?

How about those who were telling the American people that Donald Trump conspired with the Russians and was probably a Russian asset? Remember that? Were they looking to unite the American people? How about Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Jerry Nadler, who contrived a baseless impeachment of the President? Are these mature leaders? Were they trying to bring the nation together? How about the mainstream media, whose coverage of the president is about 95% negative and often dishonest? Or entertainers, like the one who thought the image of a bloodied, beheaded Donald Trump was appropriate commentary? Are these people exemplars of our civil society? Are we to unite with people like this? No, thank you, General Mattis. No, thank you.

Meanwhile, in spite of all the hell they have heaped on this man, he has accomplished more substantive good in three years than the last four presidents combined in the prior twenty-eight years. His policies, one after another, are policies which enhance individual liberty and prosperity for everyone. They are policies which enhance the agency of man. And this, in my opinion, is why the very jaws of hell have gaped open wide after him.

I didnt vote for Donald Trump in 2016. Didnt like him. Didnt trust him. But he has proven to be the president I had always voted for, but never got. And, as others have noted, he has proven to be the great clarifier. He causes people to reveal for all to see what really appeals to their hearts: the superficialities of the ankle biters, the hollow promises of the socialists, or the substance of liberty. Only mature leaders stand undeterred for liberty. There are very few of them, and they are always vilified, marginalized, and dismissed. But this mature leader is the president. They have been trying to destroy him for four years, without success.

If the courage and energy to stand for individual liberty, even under a withering assault day after day, year after year, is what one is looking for in a president, then President Donald Trump, for the most part, has been magnificent.

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of Pixabay public domain source
Sonam Kapoor has been missing home as she couldnt travel to Mumbai to meet her family during lockdown, just like millions of people across the country. The actor has now hinted that since domestic flights have resumed operations, she will soon fly from Delhi to Mumbai.

Sharing a throwback picture of one of her airport looks, Sonam wrote on Instagram, All my bags are packed and Im ready to go..... somewhere.. anywhere. I miss travelling.

Sonam Kapoor has shared a throwback picture of her airport look.

When one of her followers asked her to come to Bombay in the comments section, the actor replied, flights are openI just might. Earlier, in an Instagram live with Vogue, she had expressed her desire to be with her parents, Anil Kapoor and Sunita Kapoor, for her birthday (June 9).

Sonam has been living with husband Anand Ahuja and her in-laws in Delhi after the couple flew from London to India ahead of the lockdown. The two stayed in quarantine for two weeks before uniting with the Ahujas. Since then, Sonam has been posting regular updates from her adventures in the kitchen. The actor has been cooking different dishes for her family during lockdown.

In April, she had shared several throwback pictures with her siblings and cousins from her childhood days and captioned them, I miss you all. The pictures show her cousins Arjun Kapoor, Mohit Marwah and Akshay Marwah .

Meanwhile, Anand appeared to be her pillar of strength as she felt homesick. She had even written an appreciation post for him last month on Instagram. Sharing a throwback picture of the couple, shed written, Appreciation post for the best husband in the world.. who handles my emotions like a pro and loves me unconditionally. I dont know what Id do without you @anandahuja love you.

Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor takes a backseat as Riddhima cant stop gushing over Alia Bhatt, her sister Shaheen. See pics

The actor had also given a glimpse of how she is spending the lockdown by reading books with her husband. She had also given a tour of her house in the capital which is a luxurious property in South Delhi worth over 100 crore.

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A 75-year-old protester was pushed by two police officers in Buffalo, New York, on June 4. After the two police officers were suspended, 57 police officers resigned from the emergency response team of the police force.

Caught on video

The whole incident was recorded by bystanders and it quickly went viral. According to PBS News Hour, Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the incident unjustified and disgraceful, and an investigation is underway. The 75-year-old victim was seriously injured.

In the video, it showed a row of police officers walking toward the man while the people are demonstrating in Niagara Square. Two police officers pushed him and the man hits his head into the concrete. The blood from his head was visible in the video, and some police officers walked past him while the others looked down at him.

The protest in Niagara Square was calling for the end of police brutality and racial justice after the killing of so many black men and women in the country. As soon as the video surfaced online, the two police officers who pushed the old man were suspended.

The following day, 57 officers resigned from the emergency unit but not from the police force. According to the mayor of Buffalo, New York, the 57 members that resigned from the emergency unit make up the while active emergency response team.

According to John Evans, the president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, the 57 police officers resigned because they were disgusted with how the two suspended police officers were treated, and as they stated that the two were just executing orders, as reported by Forbes.

Also Read: Murderers of Ahmaud Arbery Called Him Racial Slurs, Hit Him With Their Truck, Before Shooting Him

The news site WKBW also reported that the victim's name is Martin Gugino, who is hospitalized and in a serious but stable condition.

Gugino's attorney described him as a peaceful protester and human rights advocate. His family is asking for privacy until he recovers. According to Gugino's niece, he went to the protest to talk to the police officers about the First Amendment.

Protests in the city

Mayor Byron Brown, the mayor of Buffalo, New York, said that the two officers should receive due process. He does not want the two officers to get fired, but they will be suspended without pay.

As for Gugino, Mayor Brown said that the police asked him to leave numerous times before force was used. The mayor said that the police felt that they needed to clear the area before violent fights break out among the protesters.

Mayor Brown also said that the instructions from the police managers were to protect residents, be careful with the civilians, and to use common sense. However, the hundreds of people who were present at Niagara Square stated that they were peacefully protesting before the police came with their shields and batons.

The police issued a statement saying that Gugino tripped and fell, but after videos of the incident became available, the police changed the statement, and Byron Lockwood, the Buffalo Police Commissioner, suspended the officers without pay and an investigation over the matter is ongoing.

The New York State Police have sent additional police officers to the city after the resignation of the 57 police officers on June 5.

Related Article: Donald Trump Shares Letter Expressing Dismay to 'Terrorists' Protesters

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Every life unjustly killed deserves justice. In the cause to make things right, I will not join a movement that has nearly everything wrong. More innocent lives have now been killed (#BlueLivesMatter, too) since these predominantly violent protests began over George Floyds horrific death. What about the black lives killed in this nationwide chaos? Do they matter?

Well, you dont have to agree with everything. Just pick out the good things in the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Im told. Really? Lets apply that same logic to another example. Ive been repeatedly approached to partner with New Black Panthers in anti-abortion billboard campaigns. We agree on the violent injustice of abortion, and thats it. Our worldviews are diametrically opposed. But, but, but they believe unborn lives matter! That doesnt matter. Their mission is not my mission. I cover all of this in-depth in my new podcast, Life Has Purpose.

Yes, #BlackLivesMatter. But Truth matters. As a Christian, the Church should be leading on these issues instead of sheepishly following a movement hostile to the Gospel.

The founders of the movement, the #BlackLivesMatter Foundation (BLMF), created it to radically shift culture. The far-left Ford Foundation, the worlds largest population control organization, vowed in 2016 to raise $100 million for the Movement for Black Lives (MFBL)  a nationwide coalition of BLM groups (including BLMF). MFBL released a shocking manifesto of policy positions that are deeply political and deeply disturbing.

Drawing mostly from those positions, here are the top ten reasons why I will never support the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

1. The premise isnt true. According to the FBIs latest homicide statistics, Im eleven times more likely to be killed by someone of my own brown complexion than a white person. Also, a comprehensive 2019 study concluded: White officers are not more likely to shoot minority civilians than non-White officers. Every loss of life is tragic, but Washington Posts database on police-involved deaths puts things into context. In 2020, among those killed were 76 black males and 149 white males (whose deaths are dont get reported by national mainstream media). Only nine black individuals were actually unarmed.

2. There is no goal of forgiveness or reconciliation. None. Its never mentioned on their sites. You cant talk about the sins of the past and expect to move forward if there is no intention of forgiveness. Im tired of the color-based oppressed/oppressor critical race theory paradigm. Its not Gospel-centered. This should, immediately, be a deal-breaker for Christians.

3. Its all about Black Power. Its plastered all over the MFBL website.BLMF founders explain their herstory: It became clear that we needed to continue organizing and building Black power across the country. I dont promote social colorblindness; I love all of our diverse hues of skin. But Im so much more than my pigmentation. Martin Luther King promoted Gods power and human power. Im with him.

4. They heavily promote homosexuality and transgenderism. We foster a queeraffirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking. Im not embracing confusion. The Bible is unambiguous about sexuality. Loving every human being is not the same as loving every human doing.

5. They completely ignore fatherhood. From BLMF: We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and villages that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable. Well, every village that has fatherless families is a village that suffers higher crime rates, higher drug usage, higher abortion rates, higher drop-out rates, higher poverty rates, and so much more. #DadsMatter.

6. They demand reparations. Ok. Sooooo, I guess the white half of me will have to pay the black half of me? If progressives want to push reparations, start with the Party of Slavery and Jim Crow  the Democrat Party! Let them ante up. But the #BlackLivesMatter movement bizarrely demands: Reparations forfull and free access for all Black people (including undocumented and currently and formerly incarcerated people) to lifetime educationretroactive forgiveness of student loans, and support for lifetime learning programs. Uhhh, good luck with that.

7. They want to abolish prisons and police forces. Andcue utter chaos. MFBL asserts: We believe that prisons, police and all other institutions that inflict violence on Black people must be abolished Defund and remove the police have been rallying cries. That would be anarchy in any community. I advocate some needed police reforms, including more accountability and better community/police relations, but this is just foolishness.

8. They are anti-capitalism. Oh the irony of this declaration made by a movement that is the result of capitalism: We are anti-capitalist. We believe and understand that Black people will never achieve liberation under the current global racialized capitalist system. The videos that make us aware of police brutality are captured on phones that are a result of capitalism. The best way to elevate people out of material poverty? Capitalism. This system is why the United States is the most charitable nation.

9. Colin Kaepernick supports it. A biracial adoptee, Kaepernick is now obsessed with his blackness. He idolizes the late murderous Fidel Castro and Che Guevara and worships Malcolm X (just see his social media feeds). Malcolm X was anti-integration, pro-violence and a member of the virulently racist Nation of Islam (who forced him out). Kaepernick makes millions from Nike  a company whose entire Executive Leadership Team is white (isnt this white supremacy???)  that makes its shoes in the most murderous regime in the world. Kaepernick, of course, is completely silent on that. But you know, #SocialJusticeWarrior.

10. Apparently, not all black lives matter. Pro-abortion BLMF declared: We deserve and thus we demand reproductive justice [aka abortion] that gives us autonomy over our bodies and our identities while ensuring that our children and families are supported, safe, and able to thrive. Aborted children dont thrive. BLM groups announced solidarity with reproductive justice groups back in February 2015. You cannot simultaneously fight violence while celebrating it.
Several longtime Republicans who have held political and military offices as high up as secretary of state and even the presidency will not vote for Donald Trump in 2020, as criticism of the 45th presidents handling of anti-police-brutality protests intensifies in the wake of the death of George Floyd and other black Americans.

Former President George W Bush will not vote for Mr Trump this November, The New York Times has reported. His brother, former Florida Governor and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush, is still deciding who hell vote for, the Times said.

Retired four-star US Army General Colin Powell  who served in senior military and diplomatic positions during the Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and George W Bush administrations  has announced he will support presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

The Times story, which cites people familiar with [the Bush brothers] thinking, was published after a rough week for Mr Trump where a handful of sitting Republicans senators rebuked his militant response to the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests, including one, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who openly admitted she is struggling with whether shell back her partys incumbent president.

Ms Murkowski did not endorse Mr Trump in 2016.

Despite her hesitance to support Mr Trump politically, Ms Murkowski said he is still our duly elected president and that she will continue to work with him.

Meanwhile, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the only Republican who joined Democrats in voting to convict Mr Trump in February for abusing the power of his office, will not vote for Mr Trump in November, the Times reported.

Mr Romney, along with Ms Murkowski and Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse, were highly critical of the presidents staged photo op before St Johns Episcopal Church in Washington last Monday after the administration had ordered US Park Police protecting the White House to widen the perimeter around it, even if that meant clearing out peaceful protesters.

The park police subsequently fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bang grenades on peaceful demonstrators to clear a path for the president's walk to the famed church.

"There is a fundamental  a Constitutional  right to protest, Mr Sasse said in a statement to Politico last week, and Im against clearing out a peaceful protest for a photo op that treats the Word of God as a political prop.

The recent onslaught from current and former Republican lawmakers and advisers began after Mr Trumps own former Defence Secretary, retired Marine general James Mattis, penned a letter last Wednesday to The Atlantic denouncing the president.

"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. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership," Mr Mattis wrote in his letter.

The former defence secretary, one of the most highly respected military veterans and US defence thinkers among Republican lawmakers, also pilloried the president for the photo op at St Johns.

"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," Mr Mattis said, taking a dig at current Defence Secretary Mark Esper for his participation in Monday's procession.

It is unclear whether the lack of support from traditional Republicans from the partys so-called establishment will have any meaningful impact on Mr Trumps prospects for reelection this fall.

The president was swept into office on a largely populist, anti-establishment message in 2016, which he has continued to push in the 2020 cycle despite being the incumbent.

Mr Trump took aim at Mr Powell on Sunday with a tweet denigrating his record on the US wars in the Middle East.

Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden, Mr Trump tweeted.

Didnt Powell say that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? They didnt, but off we went to WAR! Mr Trump wrote.

The Republican National Committee and the joint authorisation committee of the Trump campaign have jointly raised $677m since 2017. The Trump campaign has nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in cash on hand. Meanwhile, the president has maintained his mixed but mostly antagonistic rhetorical posture towards the protesters, tweeting on Saturday, simply, LAW & ORDER! and jabbing organisers for the much smaller crowd in D.C. than anticipated.
Victoria is in a position to be a peacemaker and help repair the fractious relationship between Canberra and Beijing, which hit new lows after Australia pushed for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a China expert.

However, another expert says Premier Daniel Andrews' defiance over the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative could add further tension to the China-Australia relationship, which is the most fraught since the 1970s, and be a "vehicle" for Beijing to promote its agenda.

Daniel Andrews, pictured here visiting Chengdu, China, in 2015, could help mend the relationship between Beijing and Canberra, a China expert says.

Weihuan Zhou, an international economic law expert at the University of New South Wales, said Victoria's decision to remain steadfast to its commitment to the BRI could be an opportunity to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.

But if the state government walked away from the memorandum of understanding it first signed in 2018, it could potentially send a "bad message" to Beijing, albeit without severe consequences.
The governor of our state cannot make the trip to see the damage with her own eyes here in Portland? She drags her feet on sending National Guard support, and when she does, she sends them unarmed? We are facing a disaster here in Portland, and our governor is nowhere to be found, just more rhetoric. Why isnt she on television telling the citizens of Portland to honor the curfew instead of inspiring the protestors? Where is Kate Brown?

Ray Ozyjowski, Portland
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk may be facing an uphill battle to win a third term in office at the upcoming state election, according to a new poll.

The YouGov poll shows a 3.2 per cent swing to the LNP, which leads Labor 52 per cent to 48 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis.

The YouGov poll comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk faces pressure to reopen the state's borders, Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

At the 2017 election, the two-party preferred result had Labor on 51.2 and the LNP 48.8.

Labor's primary vote has also slipped from 35 per cent at the 2017 election to 32 per cent, while the LNP's has risen from 33.7 per cent to 38 per cent.
Philadelphia saw its eighth consecutive day of protests yesterday in honor of George Floyd and against police brutality. Thousands of people showed up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and marched through the city.

These peaceful demonstrations came after chaos earlier in the week. We talked with Ellie Rushing, who is part of the team covering the protests, about her experience reporting alongside protesters when police used tear gas on I-676 on Monday.

 Lauren Aguirre (@laurencaguirre, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The week ahead

This weeks most popular stories

Behind the story with Ellie Rushing

Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with Ellie Rushing, who covered demonstrations for George Floyd on Monday and was alongside protesters when police used tear gas on I-676.

What did you know before going out to cover this demonstration Monday? What was your day like?

I didnt know much, just that the group was starting at Police Headquarters in Center City. I saw how intense the protests and unrest became Saturday and Sunday, so I was prepared for another emotional and potentially violent scene and brought a face shield and quart of milk with me in case of tear gas.

I started my day reading my latest book, Becoming by Michelle Obama, and then had to take my new cat to the vet. I rushed home from the vet to get ready to head into the city for the day.

When you followed the demonstration, what did you see and hear on the street? When the group moved to I-676, what did the scene look like?

I was amazed by the size of the group. When the protest at City Hall and the protest at Police Headquarters merged on East Market Street, the mass of people extended at least eight blocks. Their voices were strong and they stood as one, chanting, No justice, no peace and remembering the names of black people recently killed by police as they moved west towards the Ben Franklin Parkway. At first, I thought they were heading to the Art Museum, then they veered to the left, and people started lifting up the metal gates to flood onto I-676. I was shocked at first at how seamlessly they entered the roads and how all the police escorts merely stood by and didnt try to stop them.

I wanted to be able to witness everything unfold, so I followed them. Both sides (of the highway) were blocked, and people were cheering together. A handful of people even got out of their cars and held their fists up in the air, honking and chanting in support. They slowly started moving down the highway and I figured they would pass a few exits then hop off near City Hall. I couldnt see any police interference, just traffic, and I saw no protester violence.

What did you see leading up to the police using tear gas? What did you see, hear, and experience when it was used?

I was toward the back of the group, so I stood on top of the median to get a view of the front. We hadnt been down there 10 minutes before I heard a few popping noises and then saw the people at the front starting to disperse and run back up the embankment. People towards the back were confused. There were no police down on the highway telling people to leave, but I heard some sirens coming from above.

All of a sudden, the wind blew toward me and my eyes started to burn. Everyone around me started to lightly cough. Then out of nowhere, multiple tear gas canisters were thrown into the back end of the crowd. I started running up the embankment with everybody, but it was a really steep hill, crowded by a hundred panicked people. More tear gas was being thrown into us as we ran up, and one landed right next to me. At this point, I couldnt see anything and I could barely breathe. I had to rip off my face mask and dig my hands into the dirt to crawl up the side of the hill. People were grabbing each other, screaming for help and in pain.

What happened next? What was it like at that moment on I-676?

After what felt like an eternity, I made it to the top of the hill. Luckily, the fence on the side I ran up had been taken down, so I was free. I collapsed at the top and thought I was going to throw up. Police still threw tear gas even at the top. I forced myself up and started running forward away from the gas, then collapsed again. A few people came to me and poured a milk-and-baking soda solution into my eyes and I could see again. In between a 3-minute long coughing fit, I looked back and saw another mass of people trapped against a fenced-in part of the embankment.

People were trying to pull themselves over this 12-foot fence, while people on the other side were dragging them over. At that point, I knew I needed to get away from this area, so I just started running toward the Art Museum to find a place to sit down and catch my breath.

In the aftermath, what did you see and experience? What did you do afterward?

I am still processing what unfolded that afternoon. The screams of people still echo in my mind, and the panic I felt as I ran up that embankment is pulsing through my veins as I write this. After I found a relatively safe place to sit down and caught my breath, I tried to send a message to the newsroom and tell them what happened. I dont think I could fully explain what people on I-676 endured in that moment, but I tried. I typed out what I could and then tried to tweet out what happened to update people following the protest. I wiped myself down and tried not to start crying because I knew if I started I might not stop. I had to get back to work to make sure people would remember and understand what had just unfolded.

I was particularly taken by how much the other protesters helped each other escape the area that day. Watching them drag each other up the hill and over the fence and fish through abandoned belongings and try to find their owners afterward. At least five people came to help me when I collapsed. One woman I interviewed who was arrested said she yelled her fiances phone number out of the police bus window as they were driving her away and a bystander heard it and called him to let him know where she was going.

Email Ellie Rushing at erushing@inquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @EllieRushing.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Thanks for sharing what you saw at Saturdays protests in Philly, @kslouf.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!

How to talk to your kids about racism and the protests

What do you tell your kids when the world feels chaotic? When it erupts with frustration from the killing of yet another African American by police? Its challenging to help kids make sense of whats happening. Many parents will tell you they truly dont know. There isnt a universal answer, but experts do say to let your child guide the way. Before you talk about it, though, you need to create the right space in your own mind. Experts stress making sure youre calm before initiating conversations with kids of any age.

What were

Enjoying: Water ice. It finally feels like summer. Here are eight shops where you can get Phillys favorite frozen treat.

Eating: Noodles from the Pasta Lab. Theres an online store with free home delivery and ever-changing weekly offerings that are posted each Sunday.

Watching: Queer Eye. The season that brought the Fab Five to Philadelphia is now on Netflix.

Comment of the week

According to the PECO outages map, there were some 800 or so outages across the entire collar counties from the first storm. That the PECO crews managed to restore power so quickly (~4 hour) for that many outages is truly remarkable. Those guys are magnificent, and I thank them. And for us, they had to come around again for the second storm that nailed northern Chesco.  traveler on Philly severe storm prompts tornado warning; derecho kills at least 3 in suburbs.

Your Daily Dose of | Wedding photos

Kerry Anne and Michael Gordon joined the march on their wedding day. The new Mr. and Mrs. Gordon 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.
Michael B. Jordan is calling on Hollywood to hire black talent.

Jordan, who grew up in Newark, addressed the industry at a protest supporting Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles Saturday.

I want us to invest in black staff, said Jordan, 33. Im proud to have an inclusion rider and all that good stuff and I use my power to demand diversity, but its time the studios and agencies  all the agencies, all these buildings that were standing in front of  to do the same."

In 2018, days after Frances McDormand mentioned the term in her Oscars acceptance speech, Jordan pledged that he would be using an inclusion rider  the practice of stipulating in contracts that a cast and crew be diverse  in all of the projects from Outlier Society, his production company. He urged Hollywood to follow suit.

You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020, where is the challenge to commit to black hiring?" Jordan said at the protest. "Black content led by black executives, black consultants, Are you policing our storytelling as well? So let us bring our darkness to the light. Black culture  the sneakers, sports, comedic culture that you guys love so much. Weve dealt with discrimination at every turn. Can you help fund black brands, companies, cultural leaders, black organizations?

Variety reports that Big 4 Hollywood agencies  CAA, UTA, WME and ICM Partners  organized the protest outside the ICM building in Century City. The gathering joined an expanding series of protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the country following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others.

Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content lead by black executives, black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light. - @michaelb4jordan to Hollywood at #BLMprotest



(: @ProducerTommy/@blacklovedoc) pic.twitter.com/hN58ssXEcT  Vibe Magazine (@VibeMagazine) June 6, 2020

Will you support a nonprofit thats working to solve problems that our industry created?" Jordan asked at the protest. And weve got to vote ... voting has never been more important than it is today.

What were doing today will make our voices heard and thousands heard, he continued. Weve got to keep doing it. Weve got to keep agitating things. We cant be complacent. We cant let this moment just pass us by. We have to continue to put our foot on their necks ... I just want to be here, be present, and show you guys that Im here with you."

Jordan played Oscar Grant in the 2013 Ryan Coogler movie Fruitvale Station. On New Years Day 2009, Grant, 22, was killed in Oakland, California after being shot in the back by Johannes Mehserle, an officer for the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police at the Fruitvale BART Station. It was of the first police brutality cases in which cellphone video played a major role.

Jordan also stars in Just Mercy, a movie that opened wide in January after Jordan attended a premiere in Newark. In light of the protests, Warner Bros. has made the film free for the month of June.

In the movie, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Jordan plays civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, whose client, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), is on death row in Alabama for a crime he did not commit. The film is based on Stevensons acclaimed 2014 memoir Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption." McMillian spent six years on death row before he was released in 1993.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here.
FONTANA  A reverend who led sermons at St. Benedict Church twice a week after his retirement has died at the age of 96.

The Rev. Michael Dineen, who served more than 70 years as a church leader in Wisconsin, died May 19 with his finals words being a recitation of the Hail Mary prayer.

Pastor Mark Danczyk, who heads both St. Benedict in Fontana and St. Francis de Sales in Lake Geneva where Dineen would preach, said he was one of the kindest, most respectable priests he had ever known. The two had known each other for 26 years and met after Danczyk was assigned to St. Catherines Hospital in Kenosha, where Dineen was the hospital chaplain at the time.

Hes just one of those pillars of the community, he just embodies what it means to be a priest, he said.

Father Mike, as many congregants knew him, has been described as a pillar of the church, a man of kindness and the embodiment of a dedicated priest.

Dineen had lived the past six years in Lake Geneva, preaching long past his official retirement at St. Francis de Sales Church, at St. Catherine Church in Sharon, and occasionally at St. Patrick Church in Elkhorn.

Jim Deiters, a deacon at St. Benedict, helped drive Dineen to his sermons toward the end of the pastors life and would often get breakfast with him at Daddy Maxwells Diner and Cafe in Williams Bay or at Sammys on the Square in the village of Walworth.

The deacon said Dineen kept a busy schedule long after his retirement and kept a calendar of sermons he was to give at churches throughout the area.

He was a guy who would do anything for anyone, he said. He got along with a lot of people and touched a lot of lives.

Dineen was known for his soothing preaching voice, his large collection of clocks, his love for his dog Rocky and above all the decades he spent serving the church and community.

He was born on a dairy farm in Mequon and attended Messmer High School before enrolling in St. Francis de Sales Minor Seminary in the suburbs of Milwaukee. After being ordained by Most Reverend Roman Atkieslski, an Auxiliary Bishop to the Archdiocese in Milwaukee, he was appointed as an assistant at St. Clement Parish in Sheboygan on August 9, 1949.

From there he served as an Associate Pastor at Holy Rosary, St. Agnes and St. Matthia, all in Milwaukee, St. John Vianney in Brookfield and St. Patricks in Elkhorn.

Dineens passion for farm-life, which he developed in his early years being raised on a 63-acre dairy farm, were used in his positions as executive secretary of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and as publisher and editor of County Beautiful Magazine and Books. In that role, he reviewed and published over 100 books.

He later served three parishes in the LaCrosse Dioceses, during which he also became a certified chaplain after completing 1600 hours of continuing professional education work.

The life-long devout continued his service to the church long after his official retirement 20 years ago from St. Catherines Hospital in Kenosha, now known as Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital.

Judie Weeks, the parish secretary at St. Benedicts, said she remembers the first time she spoke with Dineen, over the phone, and noted the priests smooth and easy-to-listen-to radio voice she later heard in in countless sermons.

She recalls attending a mass celebrating Dineens 60 years in the church in Cedarburg with her daughter and was amazed to see that the entire church was packed with those the priest had worked with over the years.

It was such a deserving tribute to a man that has dedicated his life to his church, she said.

In addition to serving churches in and around Lake Geneva, Dineen spent many hours in his semi-retirement years teaching and supporting youths at the Christ Child Academy in Sheboygan. He also remained active as Champlain of the Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of the Rosary Council, 722 in Sheboygan.

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James Bennet has resigned from his post as editor of the New York Times editorial page following the controversy over an opinion column by Sen. Tom Cotton that said the military should be called in to handle the swell of protests around the country against police brutality. The resignation of Bennet, who has held the position since May 2016, is effective immediately. Jim Dao, the deputy editorial page editor, is being removed from the masthead and will be reassigned to the newsroom, according to a statement released by the Times. Katie Kingsbury, a deputy editorial page editor, has been named acting editorial page editor and will hold the position through the election in November.

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In a note to staff, publisher A.G. Sulzberger said that the resignation came after last week we saw a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first weve experienced in recent years. That is why Sulzberger and Bennet agreed that it would take a new team to lead the department through a period of considerable change. Sulzberger recognized it had been a painful week across the company, but he also struck an optimistic note, writing that it has sparked urgent and important conversations.

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James Bennet has resigned as head of @nytopinion.

Heres the note from NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger. pic.twitter.com/EWrF68bjHo  Cliff Levy (@cliffordlevy) June 7, 2020

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Neither Sulzbergers note to staff nor the official Times statement on the resignation mentions the Cotton op-ed titled Send In the Troops. The Times received lots of criticism after it published the piece online on Wednesday afternoon. That criticism also came from inside the building as more than 800 staff members signed a letter protesting the publication of the op-ed. Bennet, who told staff he had not read the op-ed before it was published, defended the decision to run the piece, as did Sulzberger, who characterized it as part of the papers commitment to represent views from across the spectrum. But after an internal review, a 317-word editors note was appended to the piece, noting that it fell short of our standards and should not have been published. Eileen Murphy, a Times spokeswoman, said in a statement that the review made clear that a rushed editorial process led to the publication of an Op-Ed that did not meet our standards.

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The announcement of Bennets resignation came hours after Cotton harshly criticized the Times for its claim that his opinion piece did not meet its standards. The New York Times editorial page editor and owner defended it in public statements, but then they totally surrendered to a woke child mob from their own newsroom that apparently gets triggered if theyre presented with any opinion contrary to their own, as opposed to telling the woke children in their newsroom this is the workplace, not a social justice seminar on campus, Cotton said on Fox News.

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Cottons op-ed and the criticism it courted illustrates why many think the Arkansas Republican will take over President Donald Trumps agenda once he leaves the White House, notes the Wall Street Journal. Tom Cotton is indeed setting himself up to be the heir to Trumpism, said Geoffrey Kabaservice, director of political studies at the Washington-based think tank Niskanen Center. In some ways, I think his case to lead the Trump wing of the party after this era has only been strengthened by this past week.

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Shortly after news of Bennets resignation was made public, Trump put in his two cents with a tweet that characterized Cottons piece as excellent and called the New York Times fake news.

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People on ventilator support in Delhi saw only 2-fold rise from Jan 1-14: Data

3-kg bomb at Delhi flower market: Police yet to zero in on any suspect

Republic Day: Delhi-NCR under high-security cover after intel inputs of possible terror attack

Not right time to unlock Delhi: Congress

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, June 07: The Congress on Sunday said that 25 per cent COVID-19 positivity rate in Delhi indicates the onset of community transmission and this was not the right time to unlock the city.

The Delhi government has decided to open restaurants and shopping malls, as well as its state borders from June 8.

Senior Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said it was shameful that the COVID positivity rate in Delhi was the highest in the country and its recovery rate the lowest. This is because Delhi hospitals are in bad shape, he said.

Delhi reserves hospitals for residents only as Capital battles COVID-19

"It is premature for the Delhi government to open restaurants, malls from June 8 till health infrastructure is improved," Maken said at a virtual press conference.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

He asked the Kejriwal government why government hospitals in Delhi were "refusing" admission to COVID patients, alleging that 72 per cent of COVID-dedicated beds in Delhi were lying vacant.

Maken alleged that of the 38 government hospitals in Delhi, 33 were not treating COVID patients and were refusing admission.

He said the Delhi government was busy only in "image-making and event management" and has made no plans or preparations to counter COVID-19.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:53:55|Editor: huaxia

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BISHKEK, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan's COVID-19 cases reached 2,007 on Sunday, after 33 new cases were registered in the past day.

Among the newly confirmed cases, one was imported, 26 are contacts of confirmed cases who were already under medical observation and six are of unknown origin, the country's Deputy Health Minister Nurbolot Usenbaev said at a news briefing on Sunday.

He added that among the newly infected, six are medical workers, bringing the tally of contracted medical workers to 395, including 275 recoveries.

COVID-19 was detected among kindergarten employees as well, Usenbaev said, adding that three workers had tested positive for the virus.

As of Sunday morning, 65 patients have recovered from the disease, raising the total number of recoveries to 1,425.

Currently, 560 people remain hospitalized, and two patients are being treated in intensive care.

In total, 1,461 people who have had contact with infected patients are under medical observation and another 8,415 people are in home quarantine under the supervision of doctors. Enditem
Qatar Petroleum (QP) has entered into three agreements to reserve LNG ship construction capacity in Korea to secure more than 100 ships valued in excess of QR70 billion ($19 billion) to cater for its LNG growth plans.



The ships are to be utilized for QPs future LNG carrier fleet requirements, including those for the ongoing expansion projects in the North Field and in the US.



Under the agreements, the Big 3 Korean shipyards - Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) will reserve a major portion of their LNG ship construction capacity for Qatar Petroleum through the year 2027.



The agreements were signed by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of Qatar Petroleum in a virtual signing ceremony attended by Sung Yun-mo, the Minister of Trade, Industry & Energy of the Republic of Korea.



Al-Kaabi said: The signing of todays agreements with the three esteemed Korean companies reflects our commitment to the North Field expansion projects, even during these extraordinary times. As I have previously stated, we are moving full steam ahead with the North Field expansion projects to raise Qatars LNG production capacity from 77 million today to 126 million tons per annum by 2027 to ensure the reliable supply of additional clean energy to the world at a time when investments to meet these requirements are most needed.



These agreements will ensure our ability to meet our future LNG fleet requirements to support our expanding LNG production capacity and long-term fleet replacement requirements.



With the conclusion of these milestones agreements, we have everything in place to commence the largest LNG shipbuilding program in history. We have secured approximately 60% of the global LNG shipbuilding capacity through 2027 to cater for our LNG carrier fleet requirements in the next 7-8 years, which could reach 100+ new vessels with a program value in excess of QR70 billion, Al-Kaabi added.



Qatar Petroleums LNG carrier fleet program is the largest of its kind in the history of the LNG industry, and will play a pivotal role in meeting the shipping requirements of Qatar Petroleums local and international LNG projects, as well as replacing part of Qatar's existing LNG fleet. - TradeArabia News Service




A Kashmiri woman, who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly planning a terror attack in the country during the anti-CAA protests here, has been sent for treatment after the National Investigation Agency informed a court that she tested positive for COVID-19.

Submitting a medical report before the Metropolitan Magistrate, the NIA, while moving an application for judicial remand of Hina Bashir Beigh, her husband Jahanzaib Sami and Abdul Basith till July 4, informed that the woman accused had tested positive for COVID-19 conducted ahead of shifting her to Tihar Jail.

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In her one-page order, the judge said the accused, who were produced through video conference, were remanded to judicial custody till July 4.

However, accused Hina Bashir Beigh shall be immediately taken to LNJP hospital for her treatment for COVID-19 and upon completion of her treatment, she shall be remanded to Tihar Jail for the remaining judicial custody till July 4, the order said.

The court also asked the NIA to send her judicial custody remand papers along with the medical report to Tihar Jail superintendent to take immediate steps for custody in the hospital during the course of her treatment.

The three accused, allegedly having links with Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), were arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police in March this year and later sent to judicial custody on March 23.

Basith was already lodged in jail in another case being probed by the NIA when the Delhi Police arrested him in the present matter.

The case was later transferred to the NIA, which lodged a case on March 20 under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (provocation for causing riot) of IPC and sections 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The NIA had approached a special court here seeking custodial interrogation of the three accused, which was allowed for 10 days by the judge on May 20, with a direction to Tihar jail authorities to hand over their custody to NIA "after conducting their COVID-19 test and ensuring that it was found negative".

The NIA took their remand on May 29 after the test result had come negative. The custody ended on Sunday.

The agency said the accused were following the ideology of ISIS and planning for a terror strike in India and also recruiting cadres for ISKP.

"In one audio message Abdul Basith said to Jahanzaib to motivate and prepare some guys who may be used for lone wolf attack and kill the people through a truck or lorry by running them over on people," the Delhi Police had earlier said.

Police said the trio was in contact with Abu Ushman al Kashmiri, who is the head of Indian affairs of ISKP.

Beigh's lawyer advocate M S Khan has filed an application seeking interim bail for two months for her, saying "Delhi is struggling to cope up with the rising number of coronavirus positive cases" and that there is "lack of proper treatment facilities in government hospitals".

The COVID-19 tests of accused persons were conducted on June 6 on the directions of the court, while their 10-day custodial interrogation ended on Sunday.
Boris Johnson is pushing to reduce social distancing from two metres to one metre under plans to accelerate the reopening of the economy after he was warned millions of jobs could be lost.

Mr Johnson is believed to be keen to slash the distancing rule if the science shows it is safe to do so.

A group of six senior ministers - dubbed the Save Summer Six - has been set up to figure out how to get the UK back to something approaching normal life by July.

The group believes changing the social distancing rule is the key to restarting the economy and that if two metres remains the standard it will prevent many businesses from being able to reopen.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is said to be speaking to his counterparts in other European nations like the Netherlands and Denmark to see how they moved to 1.5 metres and one metre respectively. The World Health Organisation recommends a one metre minimum.

Mr Sharma reportedly told Mr Johnson in a meeting last week that if the hospitality sector is unable to get back up and running it could cost 3.5 million jobs, prompting the PM to blurt out: 'Christ!'

As a result the PM is believed to have resolved during a meeting with Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Friday to quicken the easing of lockdown with one Cabinet source saying the premier wants the country to be 'back to normal or as near as possible to it by the summer'.

Accelerating the easing of lockdown will prompt concerns among scientific experts after some studies suggested the R rate of infection could be above the crucial one number in certain parts of the country.

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock today moved to assuage any concerns as he said there was no 'trade off' between the economy and the health of the nation.

Mr Hancock insisted the Government will proceed on a strictly 'safety first' basis and that the UK is 'winning the battle' against coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is expected in the coming weeks to use a major speech to set out his plans to 'rebuild Britain' in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as he looks to effectively relaunch his domestic agenda.

The speech is likely to include a pledge to accelerate major infrastructure projects  including Tory manifesto pledges to build 40 new hospitals and key road upgrades.

Boris Johnson will soon set out plans to 'rebuild Britain' in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, amid reports he wants to ease lockdown restrictions quickly to save millions of jobs

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today insisted the Government would take a 'safety first' approach to easing lockdown

What is the science behind two-metre social distancing rule? Britain is one of several countries to maintain a two-metre social distancing rule, despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommending just a one metre distance between two people from separate households. The reason for this, as stated on the WHO's website, is that: 'When someone coughs, sneezes, or speaks they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person has the disease.' But other countries have taken advice from their own health experts and social distancing varies from two metres (in the UK) down to one metre (in France) The two metre rule can be traced back to research in the 1930s that showed droplets of liquid from coughs or sneezes would land within a one-two metre range. Social distancing varies between different countries: TWO METRES: UK, Switzerland, US, Spain, Italy 1.5 METRES: Germany, Poland, Netherlands ONE METRE: Austria, Norway, Sweden, Finland What do studies show? ONE METRE Number 10's chief scientific adviser - Sir Patrick Vallance - has said that the one metre rule is up to 30 times more risky than the two metre rule. He told MPs earlier this month the risk of spending a minute next to a Covid-19 patient for two minutes was 'about the same' as being within a metre of a Covid-19 case for six seconds. The latest evidence, published in The Lancet, found there was roughly a 2.6 per cent chance of catching the virus when one metre from a Covid patient. But doubling the gap cut the risk to only 1.3 per cent. TWO METRE One of the top scientific advisers to the British Government said the two metre social distancing rule is based on 'very fragile' evidence. Professor Robert Dingwall, a member of Nervtag, referred to it as a 'rule of thumb' rather than a scientifically proven measure. Other experts have said the distance may be a non-scientific estimate that just caught on in countries around the world. IS TWO METRES ENOUGH? The UK's coronavirus social distancing limit is four times too short and the gap should be 26 feet, said experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in March. They found viral droplets expelled in coughs and sneezes can travel in a moist, warm atmosphere at speeds of between 33 and 100ft per second. This creates a cloud in the atmosphere that can span approximately 23ft to 27ft (seven metres to eight metres) to neighbouring people, the team said. Another study by scientists in Cyprus, published a fortnight ago, added to the evidence when it found the two-metre rule may not be far enough. Researchers found even in winds of two miles per hour (mph) - the speed needed for smoke to drift - saliva can travel 18 feet in just five seconds. And scientists from the universities of California Santa Barbara and Stanford last week said the two metre rule may have to be trebled when winter strikes. They found droplets that carry SARS-CoV-2 - the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 - can travel up to 20feet (six metres) in cold and humid areas. Advertisement



Mr Johnson will this week chair a meeting of his Cabinet to update ministers on the next lockdown-easing steps for a number of sectors, which are expected to take effect from June 15.

The Sunday Times reported that the PM will bring forward plans to relax planning rules to allow pubs, restaurants and cafes to use outdoor areas for seating. Sunday trading rules could also be loosened.

Meanwhile, restrictions on weddings and funerals could be eased next month to allow up to 10 people to attend the events while hairdressers could reopen before July 4.

The PM has also told Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to step up work on creating 'travel corridors' to holiday hotspots so they are in place by June 28.

Downing Street announced on Saturday night that churches and other places of worship are set to open for private prayer from June 15, but worship groups, weddings and other services will still not be permitted.

It comes as Mr Johnson has reportedly secured the use of the tennis court at the US ambassadors' London residence, Winfield House, to help him get back in shape.

The Queen has already granted the PM access to the grounds at Buckingham Palace for walks and runs, while the Archbishop of Canterbury has thrown open the gates of Lambeth Palace.

Any move to quicken the reopening of Britain will cause concern among some experts after recent reports suggested the R rate of transmission may already be above one in parts of the country.

If R is one or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than one indicates the virus is in decline.

Health chiefs have also said that there should be no further easing of lockdown before the test and trace system has been proven to work.

Mr Hancock today insisted the R number is below one across the country, telling Sky News: 'Overall R remains below one, between 0.7 and 0.9 by the best estimate of SAGE including in all parts of the country so we are able to proceed.

'But again I come back to this, and I will keep coming back to this, we proceed with caution and we proceed with safety first, making sure that as those shops do reopen that it is safe to do so and they do so in a way that is compliant with the Covid safe working guidelines.'

He also insisted lockdown restrictions will be lifted 'cautiously' to avoid a second spike of the disease.

'People do ask me about the economy but my view is that the worst thing for the economy would be a second spike and so there isn't this trade off that much is made of in the media between the health and the economy,' he said.

'I care deeply about getting the economy going and the best way to get the economy going is to ensure that we get the number of new infections right down.

'That is what matters for the future of the economy as well. So it is easy to write stories about a trade off. What really matters for this whole country is that we get the number of infections right down, we keep that R below one and then we can cautiously, cautiously, reopen some of the things that make life worth living.'

Mr Hancock added: 'We are winning the battle against this disease and that allows us to release more of the restrictions - including putting in place this local action supported by the test and trace system.'

The Government is facing growing pressure from Tory MPs and the hospitality sector to reduce the social distancing rule to one metre.

Pub chiefs have warned that if the two metre rule remains in place then two thirds are likely to remain shut.

But if it is reduced to one metre then three quarters could reopen immediately.

Polling has also suggested that 40 per cent of pubs would not be able to survive until September if they have to remain closed.

The coronavirus crisis has been the Government's overwhelming focus since February and ministers are keen to get back to delivering on the pledges made at the 2019 general election.

Mr Johnson is also said to want to fast-track recruitment campaigns for doctors and nurses to increase the NHS's resilience before the winter.

Hospitality industry bosses have called on the Government to reduce the two metre social distancing rule amid fears it will make many pubs, bars and restaurants unviable

Pub bosses have argued that reducing the two metre rule to one metre would allow three quarters of premises to reopen

What is the Government's timetable to ease lockdown restrictions? Boris Johnson is pushing to accelerate the reopening of the economy after he was warned millions of jobs could be lost. To do so, the government could ease a slew of lockdown restrictions in the coming weeks. They include: Planning controls relaxed to allow pubs, cafes and restaurants to use outside areas

The removal of restrictions on weddings and funerals from early July, enabling up to 10 people to attend

Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, is writing legislation to permit outdoor weddings, currently limited to Jews and Quakers

Places of worship will reopen on June 15 for private prayer, the same day as non-essential shops

Barbers and hairdressers could be allowed to reopen before July 4

The Prime Minister has told Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, to secure travel corridor deals with holiday hotspots by June 28

The transport secretary is also working on new rules to allow driving instructors back to work Advertisement

Andy Burnham blasts ministers for allowing people to travel for exercise Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, today blasted ministers for allowing people to travel for exercise as he suggested it had put certain parts of the country at larger risk of a spike in coronavirus. Mr Burnham hinted that he wanted travel restrictions to be reimposed as he said lockdown had been lifted 'too early' in the north west of England. His comments came after reports suggested that the R rate of transmission could be above the critical number of one in some regions. Mr Burnham said lockdown had been lifted 'without proper planning or consultation' as he urged the Government to publish R numbers for every region of the UK every week. On the issue of travel, he said: 'I think it was a major mistake by the Government to give people permission to travel to take exercise because that was in effect carte blanche to go to Weston Super Mare, Blackpool, the places that people will want to go to. 'I think those communities have suffered unfairly as a result of that statement. 'I think that was a step too far and it has had a disproportionate impact on those popular destinations.' Advertisement

A Whitehall source told the Sunday Telegraph that 'getting the immediate crisis under control remains the Prime Minister's main focus', but said the Government is 'also preparing for tough economic times ahead'.

'The PM wants to explain that rebuilding after this crisis won't be a repeat of 2008,' the source said.

'In the election the PM made the right diagnosis of the problems many people face. He believes now is the time to be even more ambitious with his plans to unite and level up the country.'

In other coronavirus developments today:

An Opinium poll suggested just under half of the population disapprove of the Government's handling of the crisis, while the Tories' lead over Labour is down to just three points;

Anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis were held across the UK  despite a plea from the Health Secretary for people not to gather during lockdown;

Healthcare chief Chris Hopson said NHS trusts were not consulted on plans for all hospital staff to wear surgical face masks and visitors and outpatients to wear face coverings from June 15;

The Department of Health and Social Care said another 204 people had died after testing positive for coronavirus yesterday, taking the death toll to 40,465. The total toll for all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK is thought to have passed 50,000.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday announced that places of worship will be allowed to reopen for private, individual prayer from June 15.

He said: 'People of all faiths have shown enormous patience and forbearance, unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or Vaisakhi with friends and family in the traditional way.

'As we control the virus, we are now able to move forwards with a limited but important return to houses of worship.'

It came as Tory MPs expressed concern about 'growing cracks' between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak, with Cabinet splits widening over post-Brexit economic policy and the UK's 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.

Meanwhile, rumours continue to 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'.

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.

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

Medics and NHS bosses slam Matt Hancock for 'rushed' decision to make hospital staff wear masks and say they were not consulted 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. 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 Government's ability to deliver on this, they must be forthcoming on the details of how this will work.' In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Hopson said that NHS staff 'can't 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 Hancock's latest pledge as 'part of a systematic pattern where there isn't enough strategy or planning', he said. Advertisement

The Chinese embassy in London is understood to have passed on warnings that Beijing 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 UK's 5G mobile phone network.

At a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, Mr Johnson unveiled plans for a new relationship with Beijing which would limit the UK's economic dependence on the Communist state.

However, it was met with stark warnings from Mr Sunak that 'putting up an economic wall' risked hampering Britain's GDP and slowing the crisis recovery.

Mr Sunak was apparently 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 Treasury's script that we are all doomed if we don't 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 world's second-largest economy.

Mr Sunak is also thought to disagree with Mr Johnson over the terms of a new trade deal with America.

At a meeting on Monday of the XS Cabinet sub-committee, 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 PM's, which seems to have given him the confidence to push back in areas where they disagree.

Government science expert: UK should have gone into lockdown earlier Britain should have gone into lockdown earlier and failing to impose restrictions sooner 'cost a lot of lives', one of the Government's top science experts said today. Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said he regretted that ministers had not acted quicker to impose draconian curbs on the nation. He also warned the coronavirus crisis is 'definitely not over' and that there is still 'an awful long way to go' before the disease is defeated. He said the nation could not yet 'relax' and if people do then the 'epidemic will come back very fast'. The UK's official coronavirus death toll is now more than 40,000. Prof Edmunds, an infectious diseases expert, said more lives would have been saved if ministers had imposed lockdown before March 23. Asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show what he regretted about the action taken during the outbreak, he said: We should have gone into lockdown earlier. 'I think it would have been hard to do it, I think the data that we were dealing with in the early part of March and our kind of situational awareness was really quite poor. And so I think it would have been very hard to pull the trigger at that point but I wish we had - I wish we had gone into lockdown earlier. I think that has cost a lot of lives unfortunately. Advertisement

'The chatter about Boris needing naps of two to three hours a day has added to the sense that Rishi's time could come sooner than expected.'

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 PM's 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 Treasury's 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.

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 to sleep during the day, or that Mr Sunak had leadership ambitions.

British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet SUE the government over 'irrational and disproportionate' 14-day quarantine rules

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.

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.

Grounded airplanes at Gatwick airport as the airlines join together to stop the quarantine rules

'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.

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.
Back in March, she and husband Kevin Hart, 40, took to Instagram to announce that they were expecting their second child, a daughter.

And Eniko Hart, 35, was fully embracing her pregnancy cravings on Saturday afternoon when she was spotted grabbing sandwiches at Jersey Mike's in Los Angeles.

Eniko showed off her burgeoning baby bump in a black tank top as she attempted to juggle her to-go bag in one hand and her antsy son Kenzo, two, in the other.

Pregnant: Eniko Hart, 35, was fully embracing her pregnancy cravings on Saturday afternoon when she was spotted grabbing sandwiches at Jersey Mike's in Los Angeles

Eniko layered up her look with a black Nike Air hoodie and slipped her muscular legs into a pair of cozy drawstring shorts.

She looked noticeably makeup-free and rocked a cloth face mask for the majority of her outing, before briefly removing it upon arriving to her vehicle.

Hart opted to showcase her natural curls and kept her hair out of her face by using her aviator shades as a makeshift headband.

A plethora of silver chains dangled from her neck and she sported a pair of purple slides on her feet.

Expert: Eniko showed off her burgeoning baby bump in a black tank top as she attempted to juggle her to-go bag in one hand and her antsy son Kenzo, two, in the other

Kenzo held onto his mother's hand, while wearing a red and white patterned pajama set and a pair of black, pint-sized Crocs.

Eniko has been eagerly documenting her pregnancy progress on Instagram.

Most recently, the wife of Kevin Hart took a perspective shot of her bump as she lounged by the pool.

Eniko and Kevin welcomed their first child, son Kenzo Kash Hart, in November of 2017.

Capturing memories: Eniko has been eagerly documenting her pregnancy progress on Instagram; Eniko pictured on Instagram on May 27

Kevin is also father to daughter Heaven, 15, and son Hendrix, 12, whom he shares with ex wife Torrei Hart.

To announce the gender of their impending child, Eniko and Kevin - as well as Kenzo, Heaven, and Hendrix - partook in a gender reveal themed photoshoot shot in the backyard of their Los Angeles home.

'We are thrilled about the arrival of our baby girl....Family of 6 WOOOOOOOOW!!!!' captioned the Jumanji: The Next Level star in a post seen by his 92.3million followers on Instagram.

He continued: 'God is unbelievable....We are blessed to have you in our lives. All I can say is thank you honey.'

Baby #2: Back in March, she and husband Kevin Hart, 40, took to Instagram to announce that they were expecting their second child, a daughter

Mama's boy: Eniko and Kevin welcomed their first child, son Kenzo Kash Hart, in November of 2017; Kenzo pictured on Instagram in January

Eniko had some words on her own that she shared on her Instagram page shortly after Kevin's post.

'OH BABY, its a little lady,' began the brunette beauty. 'This Mothers Day God has blessed us with another baby girl!'

She admitted that 'this pregnancy felt the exact same ' as when she was pregnant with son Kenzo, so she 'couldve sworn [they] were having another boy.'

'I literally screamed, laughed, and cried when we found out this time around because she & Kenzo are what Ive always prayed for!'

Eniko described the entire situation as a 'dream come true' and confirmed that the family are 'filled with so much JOY' over the baby's gender.

Gender reveal: To announce the gender of their impending child, Eniko and Kevin - as well as Kenzo, Heaven, and Hendrix - partook in a gender reveal themed photoshoot shot in the backyard of their Los Angeles home; (L-R) Hendrix, Eniko, Heaven, Kevin, and Kenzo pictured on Instagram on May 10

Excited: For the photoshoot, Eniko showed off her burgeoning baby bump in a flattering white Naked Wardrobe jumpsuit that she paired with white sneakers and a pink sash that read 'Baby Girl'; Eniko pictured on Instagram on May 10

She also made reference to Kenzo's facial expression, which looked to be the exact opposite of the 'joy' she had described.

'Dreams really do come true, and we are filled with so much JOY! (Cant you tell, look at Zo),' wrote Eniko.

'Our little family is growing and starting to finally feel complete. Soon enough the little ones will be running and bossing us all around. Lol! She is already loved in so many ways..and were so anxious to meet her,' she concluded.

For the photoshoot, Eniko showed off her burgeoning baby bump in a flattering white Naked Wardrobe jumpsuit that she paired with white sneakers and a pink sash that read 'Baby Girl.'

Eniko married Kevin - who is worth an impressive $200million - in 2016.
C ressida Dick has said she is deeply saddened and depressed that officers were injured in assaults during clashes with a minority of protesters in London.

The Met Police Commissioner said the number of assaults at the Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday "is shocking and completely unacceptable".

It comes as violence in the capital left 10 police officers injured and 14 people arrested after the Metropolitan Police said the crowd became angry and intent on violence.

Superintendent Jo Edwards said police understood peoples passion to come and let their voice be heard, adding that most members of the public protested without incident.

Speaking on Saturday, Cressida Dick said: I am deeply saddened and depressed that a minority of protesters became violent towards officers in central London yesterday evening.

"This led to 14 officers being injured, in addition to 13 hurt in earlier protests this week. We have made a number of arrests and justice will follow. The number of assaults is shocking and completely unacceptable.

I know many who were seeking to make their voices heard will be as appalled as I am by those scenes.

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

"There is no place for violence in our city. Officers displayed extreme patience and professionalism throughout a long and difficult day, and I thank them for that.

I would urge protesters to please find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London, risking yourself, your families and officers as we continue to face this deadly virus.

Cressida Dick / PA

It comes ahead of more anti-racism demonstrations which are due to take place in London and across the country on Sunday.

A rally is scheduled outside the US Embassy in Battersea, south-west London, while an estimated 4,000 people are expected at a gathering in Bristol and demonstrations will also be held in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The Met Police were out in significant numbers for the marches through London on Saturday, including outside the US Embassy, in protest against police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Demonstrations were carried out peacefully for much of the afternoon but disturbances began breaking out at around 6pm outside Downing Street.

Scuffles broke out when objects were thrown towards officers wearing protective gear, with mounted police called in to drive some of the demonstrators back along Whitehall.

Video footage appeared to show an officer colliding with a traffic light before their horse ran through a crowd of protesters, sending them scattering.

The Metropolitan Police later confirmed a female officer fell from the horse and had been taken to hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening.

Photographs showed the officer being treated at the scene as she lay injured on the pavement, while other images showed bikes being thrown at horses.

Officers are investigating the full circumstances of the officers fall but the Met Police said the horse made its own way back to its stables nearby.
Al Jazeera speaks to experts and grassroots workers on whether tech is a force for good or a tool in hands of powerful.

Doha, Qatar  Can technology unlock world peace? A panel of leading global experts was asked the question at the Doha Debates forum held in Qatar last December.

The three experts  Allison Puccioni, Subbu Vincent and Ariel Conn  deliberated on whether technology will potentially play a role in helping usher in lasting world peace or create an existential crisis for humanity.

Speaking at the debate in Doha, Puccioni, a world-renowned practitioner of imagery intelligence, said the increasing use of technology has helped democratise information that will eventually help create a more equitable world.

Today, we can access from our smartphones the kinds of information, that a few decades ago, was held only in the hands of the most clandestine echelons of elite intelligence agencies, she told the audience in her opening remarks.

Is technology the key to world peace? We teamed up with the UN to host a debate on this very question. We were joined by Tech Writer and AI Policy Specialist Ariel Conn, Media Ethicist Subbu Vincent and Imagery Analyst Allison Puccioni for this special edition of Doha Debates. pic.twitter.com/pVRHrA8wAH  Doha Debates (@DohaDebates) December 19, 2019

A few years ago, Puccioni worked at a company where she was tasked with working with satellite imagery, YouTube videos, Twitter sentiment and other open-source information to track the Nigerian armed group Boko Haram.

That sort of information before may have only part of intelligence agencies  but when the media has access, it has the capacity to hold governments accountable, she added.

While it would be impossible to argue that challenges created by technology do not exist, Puccioni told Al Jazeera the availability of information to a larger audience is a good thing in the long run.

Putting ethics into technology

Vincent, director for the Journalism and Media Ethics programme at Santa Clara Universitys Markkula Centre for Applied Ethics, in the US, preferred to take the middle road.

Theres always been grounds for optimism. But its been hyped up so much that people have forgotten that technology is really an amoral thing. It is designed without a moral sense, Vincent added.

Vincent said that while technology has been used as a force for good, helping to mobilise people, it has also been used to spread lies, disinformation and hate speech, amplify conspiracy theories, sow discord and divide people, he told Al Jazeera.

In the hands of good actors, it can be used for good. In the hands of bad actors, it will be used for bad, he said.

Existential crisis

The third participant in the debate, Conn, believes technology may have created an existential crisis for humans.

Conn, a former director of Media and Outreach for the Future of Life Institute, pointed out the connection between technology and warfare and how, throughout recent modern history, it has been used to bring about immense destruction.

Technology is primarily developed for military prowess, for profit or both. And unfortunately, war is far more profitable than peace, she said in her opening remarks.

Al Jazeera spoke to grassroots activists, tech workers and entrepreneurs to comment on the debate and how technology has impacted their work.

Dalia Shurrab, social media coordinator, Gaza

Shurrab works at a tech hub in Gaza City that helps startups to grow their businesses [Courtesy of Dalia Shurabb]

Dalia Shurrab, a social media coordinator in the occupied Gaza Strip, told Al Jazeera she agreed with Puccioni.

As a person who is trapped under an unjust siege on the Gaza Strip, I used the internet and technology to be connected to the outer world, and I have so many chances to speak out, to represent my people and to express my opinion, Shurrab said.

Gaza has been under an Israeli and Egyptian land, air and sea blockade since 2007, after Palestinian group Hamas won parliamentary elections in a move not recognised by its rival faction Fatah, leading to infighting within the coastal enclave that ended with Hamas running Fatah out of the Strip.

As a result, it has been extremely difficult for many Palestinians in Gaza to leave the coastal enclave, a situation which led the UN humanitarian chief to describe it as an open-air prison.

Shurrab works for the Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG), a tech hub in Gaza City that helps startups to grow their businesses outside of the coastal enclave of nearly two million people.

We initiated our platform, SkyLancer Online to help people like Gazans who live under hard situations, to start learning how to be good freelancers using various freelance platforms and hunt jobs through social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, she told Al Jazeera.

I am an optimistic person and always searching for hope  I cant say that I disagree with Conn, but I prefer to think positively.

Jillian C York, free speech activist, Germany

Jillian York, a free speech advocate based in the German capital of Berlin, highlighted the role of technology, particularly the internet, in amplifying the voices of marginalised communities such as LGBT.

I think that technology is a double-edged sword in light of this [debate] question  Conn and Vincent both noted the downsides, but we also have to look at the ways in which technology, and specifically the internet, is facilitating global movements, she noted.

York is the director for international freedom of expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation in Berlin [Courtesy of Jillian York]

If youre an LGBT person in a rural area or a conservative one, you might not think anyone shares your views/experiences. But online, you can find people who are like you, who share the same causes and who have lived similar lives, York said.

On the other hand, she said she has experienced first-hand how governments use technology  sometimes even that which was ostensibly built for good  to harm their citizens.

So, while technology could certainly democratise information, it was important to note how states have abused technology to silence their own people, citing surveillance and facial recognition technology, York said.

Tahir Imin, Uighur activist, the US

Tahir Imin is a Uighur activist living in Washington, DC [Courtesy of Tahir Imin]

US-based Uighur activist Tahir Imin pointed out how a lack of regulation has led to breaches of privacy and technology being used for mass surveillance.

Imin said that advanced tech companies, including US ones, helped China harvest data that was used for the surveillance and arrest of Uighurs.

Its a terrible feeling when a helpless people face a regime which is backed by the most advanced technology, he said.

Imin believes it is important to note that some Western tech companies have successfully pretended to be defenders of human rights and data privacy rights in the West  while at the same time they cooperated with authoritarian regimes like China.

In the past year, Chinese authorities have come under criticism for applying facial recognition technology, particularly for identifying the members of the Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang province.

According to some estimates, up to a million Uighurs were moved to internment camps after they were racially profiled in Xinjiang and in other provinces.

I, along with millions of other Uighurs, was forced by Chinese authorities to draw my blood, my face scanned, my voice recorded without knowing why and how they will use it, Imin told Al Jazeera.

Nevertheless, despite his criticism of tech organisations, Imin said he was also optimistic about the future of technology which, he said, has also helped him to convey the voice of his people to audiences around the world to raise awareness around the issues of the Uighur minority in China.

Sarwar Kashani, Kashmiri writer based in New Delhi

For Sarwar Kashani, Puccioni sounded unrealistically optimistic on the idea that tech could lead to a more equitable world.

I dont think information technology will be used to unite humans, bring peace and augment democratic values. It is a myth that tech will ever be a peace enabler. Look at the people who are pulling strings, he told Al Jazeera.

They are modern-day Nazis, autocrats and conflict sellers, he added. FB, Google, Twitter and WhatsApp and other platforms are hand in glove with dictators masquerading as liberal democrats.

Kashani was born and raised in Indian-administered Kashmir before moving to New Delhi [Courtesy of Sarwar Kashani]

In a recent controversy, social media giant Facebook has been criticised for not acting against a post by US President Donald Trump that appears to glorify violence in the wake of George Floyd protests.

A communications ban in Kashmir was gradually lifted from January, but a curb on internet speed remains to this day, despite a global pandemic.

After India revoked Kashmirs autonomous status last August and placed a communications blackout across the disputed region, Kashmiris like Kashani suddenly were cut off from the outside world.

Just imagine how tough it is to live without the internet in the 21st century, he told Al Jazeera.

However, Kashani said, even if Kashmir had free access to the internet and social media platforms, censorship would be prevalent, and the voice of his people would remain curtailed.

I have absolutely no hope even if India allows free access to social media in Kashmir, he laments.

You have a partial freedom on what you write on internet [Twitter, Facebook], but you have no control on what you read. Do you think the posts criticising the government disappear on their own? It is not being done by design, he said.

Alima Bawah, entrepreneur, Ghana

Co-founders of Cowtribe Alima Bawah, right, and Peter Awin, left [Courtesy of Alima Bawah]

Alima Bawah, a Ghanaian entrepreneur, says she is 1,000 percent an optimist.

The former journalist said that a lack of basic necessities and conditions like hunger could often lead to conflict.

She says technology has, in this regard, improved peoples lives for the better, particularly in rural areas.

She co-founded Cowtribe, a company that provides on-demand and subscription-based animal vaccine delivery and other vet services to last-mile farmers, those at the end of the agricultural value chain, in Ghana.

Farmers can now access essential services like agronomic foods, vaccines and other veterinary services, she said.

According to the UN food agency, agriculture contributes to 54 percent of Ghanas GDP, providing more than 90 percent of Ghanas food requirement.

Priscilla Madrid, feminist activist, Mexico

Mexican feminist and writer Priscilla Madrid believes the main focus should be the people themselves, not necessarily technology.

Madrid says she has consistently witnessed how technology is used to violate the rights of women  such as men creating closed Facebook groups where they share pictures of women they have sexually harassed or assaulted, in addition to sharing tips on how to do it without being caught.

Priscilla Madrid Valero is a Mexican feminist writer who specialises in sexuality and gender [Courtesy of Priscilla Madrid]

Also, Mexico is also one of the main producers of child pornography in the world, which is shared throughout the world through technology, she said, adding that she wouldnt blame cameras and the internet for that  I blame the people holding the camera.

According to Mexican NGO Guardianes, 60 percent of the worlds child pornography was made in Mexico, a country that has one of the highest rates of physical violence against children under 14.

While Madrid said she found Vincents middle-of-the-road approach the most compelling, she felt more pessimistic about technologys role in ushering peace.
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.
More than 100 demonstrators gathered in Vidor for a peace march and demonstration Saturday afternoon in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It also was a chance for the people gathered to address the towns racism-marked past.

Earlier in the week after organizers Maddy Malone and Yalakesen Baaheth announced the march, rumors swirled on Twitter and other social media sites questioning whether protesters would be safe in Vidor or if the event was some kind of setup.

Going into this, I already knew we would see a backlash because of our communitys history, Malone said on Friday. We are considered a KKK capital, thats no secret. I wanted to show there are people in this generation that are willing to step up and say this isnt who we are.

Other Vidorians and people across Southeast Texas seemed to share the same feeling as masses gathered at Raymond Gould Park to march and take part in a public forum led by Beaumont NAACP Chair Rev. Michael Cooper.

Like other protests held in Southeast Texas earlier this week and around the country since the killing of Floyd on May 25, demonstrators repeated his last words while he was dying and took an 8 minute and 46 second knee in silence.

There was a kind of counter-demonstration near the parks entrance, with more than a dozen white men wearing tactical vests and open-carrying rifles. The men declined to talk to the Enterprise but did have conversations with protesters in which they said they were at the park to protect the Vietnam War Memorial and other monuments.

The two groups remained mostly separate through the event, and officers from the Vidor Police Department, the Orange County Sheriffs Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety were dispersed through the area.

The extra security and presence of the other group didnt seem to dampen the occasion or its meaning for the next generation in Vidor.

In a place where they said it would never happen Vidor, Texas it is happening, one protester yelled to cheers before the march began.

Vidors reputation that surfaced again on social media days before was born from a history of first enforced and then unofficial segregation, and public events that spread an image of the city of about 10,500. The most recent of those events was a march in 1993 by the Ku Klux Klan of Cleveland, Texas, to protest the integration of public housing in Vidor, but it wasnt the first recorded appearance of the Klan in Vidor.

Kristian Meyers, a participant in Saturdays protest, said she first experienced the lasting echoes of Vidors history after her and her family moved there. She said she has heard about the history of segregation there, but it was something else to see how it still lingered.

Then, she had to explain to her daughter one day what a sundown town was after she heard the phrase one day at school and why some people still considered Vidor one.

It makes me hope that things like this will help drop the stigma, but I dont even know where to start, she said. There are some people that dont even recognize the issues.

Gareth Cook Jr., a third generation Vidorian, had conflicted feelings about whether protests were glorifying people or actions he didnt agree with. He said his wife told him not to go, but he had to see what was happening at the park on Saturday.

I had hoped something like this would come, but I didnt know if it would, he said. I just knew I wanted to be here.

Cook said his family moved to Vidor from New Iberia, Louisiana, decades ago and noticed early on that there was something amiss. Namely, there were hardly any black families. Years later, he recalled coworkers of his in Lake Charles asking him why he lived there and telling him he would be better off leaving.

They would tell him about the things they heard about Vidor and the routes they would take to avoid going through it whenever possible.

Later, when he married his wife, Eleonor, he was asked if she felt safe being a Latina living in Vidor. He said his family is settled in and made their place in their community, but he does worry about what his children might have to face.

He also said it could be discouraging to hear people talk about the place he and his family called home, but there was hope for change if protests like the one Saturday could be held there.

Vidor has become integrated, even if its still hard to see some places, but we still have a reputation to beat, he said. I hope people will see Vidor has changed.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
It is not surprising, although it is horrifying, to see the murder of George Floyd and I dare say it will be repeated again this year somewhere in the U.S.

But I find it disheartening when we Canadians display our collective inferiority complex. In Canada, more Indigenous citizens die during police interactions than any other identifiable group (three in Winnipeg alone this year), with little effect to the Canadian consciousness.

There is no racially targeted group that has suffered more at the hands of Canadian legislation and overt racism than the Indigenous community.

When Canadians start to look internally at racism and address our own horrors without looking to the U.S. for some sort of catalyst, when Canadians in the thousands match in unison for justice to Indigenous peoples, I will start to believe that maybe, just maybe, all Canadians will some day be treated equally.

Lou Forget, Port Hope, Ont.

We can all agree that George Floyd was murdered.

We can all agree that slavery in the U.S. raged for more than 200 years and that systemic racism continues to adversely and unjustly affect the Black community to this day.

We can all agree that peaceful protest is one of the most basic and sacred rights and benefits in any free and just society. And we can all agree that violence and looting is not an acceptable form of protest.

I hope we will all agree someday that a president who fans the flames of discontent with his fiery rhetoric; who chooses to tear gas and fire rubber bullets into a crowd of peaceful protesters; who steadfastly refuses to seek legitimate ways to address police brutality against the Black community; and who calls people engaged in peaceful protest low-lifes and sons of bitches, just does not get it.

He lacks the moral courage to stand with the oppressed and he lacks the moral conviction to work tirelessly to secure a better future for all. Shame on him.

Ernie Coetzee, Toronto

The video footage of riot police firing paint canisters at ordinary, unarmed civilians on their front porches is horrifying. The U.S. is now a police state. We have seen police kill unarmed civilians, fire at reporters doing their jobs, some in their workplaces, and now fire at people standing on their front porches. No one is safe.

And lest we get complacent in Canada, remember our own history with hyper police kettling civilians, arresting hundreds without charge, targeting Black men and ignoring the murders of Indigenous women and girls.

I have never had an unpleasant interaction with our police. But my Black friends, who were repeatedly stopped for no reason, remind me we have our problems, too.

Mike Sullivan, Toronto

I heard the phrase I cant breathe throughout my childhood from my severely asthmatic sister. Every time she said it, I felt her pain and helplessness. At 42, she did die of not being able to breathe.

So I can relate to and imagine the suffering of George Floyd.

I see his death as martyrdom for the greater cause of awakening the conscience of some from their shallow bodies. Not being recognized as persons of equal stature, Black people and other minorities live in a perpetual state of struggle to breathe amidst annihilating practices of privileged white people around the globe.

When Floyd was pleading and begging for breath, he wasnt granted even a moment to catch one peaceful breath. The inhumanity displayed by the white police officer is indescribable.

The rebellion around the U.S. and other parts of world will cause ripples of reactions until the segregators recognize that the divide they created is choking them and realize that they cant breathe.

Samina Irfan, Scarborough

Hurt feelings pale in comparison to lynchings, Paradkar, 29

As an academic, even amidst these unusual times, prior to George Floyd, it was not uncommon for me to be part of conversations about institutional racism, systemic discrimination and anti-oppressive practices.

Just before Floyd made headlines, I had been reading up on what Malcolm X stood for. He was talking about institutional racism well before that term became sexy.

He also talked about how it was not the white colour of people that he stood against, rather the collective and dominant attitude of white society that had led to the demoralization and demonization of Blacks over hundreds of years.

Mohammad Zubairi, Hamilton

It is what Shree Paradkar does not say that concerns me. She omits the most important strategy to improve social justice: economics.

Martin Luther King asked, What does it profit a man if he has the right to enter a restaurant, but he cant afford the food?

One of the great moments in the social justice movement was President Roosevelts 1936 nomination acceptance; he said the economic royalty have created economic slavery, leaving millions poor, unemployed, uneducated, homeless and hungry.

In his 1944 State of the Union speech, Roosevelt proposed an Economic Bill of Rights for those things we all want for our children: a living-wage job, health care, an education, a home and a pension, as a part of a social safety net for the protection from misfortune and old age.

The marginalized are disproportionately deprived of these five essentials.

Joseph Polito, Toronto

George Floyds death at the hands of the police says a lot about the justice system in the U.S.

In the financial disaster of 2008, where white-collar workers came very close to destroying the global financial system, very few people went to jail and many of the perpetrators of the disaster were actually awarded bonuses that year for their stellar performance.

Floyd paid with his life for allegedly trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Charles Campisi, Oakville

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.

 Edmund Burke, 18th Century statesman and philosopher

Michel Trahan, Maria, Que.

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The arrest of Nigerian Humanist, Mubarak Bala, has generated heated debate on the issue of blasphemy on various platforms. Opinions are divided regarding the status of contempt of religion and how alleged blasphemers should be treated. In this piece, I draw attention to a perspective that analysts often overlook-that blasphemy is part of everyday discourse. People indulge in one form of blaspheming or another. Contempt of religion is part of the universe of faith and belief. I suggest that it is utterly senseless for some religious believers, Muslims in this case, to accuse somebody of blasphemy. I submit that blasphemy a right, not a crime, and should be respected and not penalized.

As a backdrop to my argument, a quote by George Bernard Shaw is instructive. It states: "All great truths begin as blasphemies". Yes, all great truths! It may be important for those who lodged the petition against Mr. Bala to ask: Do those Facebook posts contain some truths? What if Bala has drawn attention to a veritable side of the prophet? Look, truth claims need not be pleasant. They need not be comforting or good to hear and behold. Truths are not necessarily meant to soothe the nerves. It is in the very nature of truth to reveal and open the eyes of the recipients. So truths are bitter and painful to hear and bear. Especially in this case where people have been mentally conditioned not to question or think; people have systemically been lied to, and been told to unquestionably embrace falsehoods as truths. So proposing new truth claims could be painful and irritating. Consider the case of the inmates in Plato's allegory of the cave. The light of truth is unsettling and unnerving to the extent that recipients become hostile and attack truth-bearers. Along the line of Shaw's quote is another saying that the truth that is bitter is the truth that liberates. Thus blasphemy is a trigger, a harbinger of great discoveries, discomforting insights, painful liberation, and enlightenment.

Apart from being a facility for human enrichment and nourishment, blasphemy is a human entitlement that is at the foundation of every religion. Yes all religions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are blasphemes, they are sets of sacrilegious ideas. All founders of religions were blasphemers. Abraham was a blasphemer. Jesus Christ was a blasphemer. Muhammad was a blasphemer. Buddha was a blasphemer. Confucius was a blasphemer. Even Nigeria's Sat Guru Maharaji is a blasphemer. It was in blaspheming that they departed from the truths of their time and proposed unsettling news teachings that formed the foundations of their respective religions. All religions and philosophies begin as blasphemies and are characteristically sacrilegious.

By implication, all those who profess these religions and philosophies are blasphemers. Traditional religionists, Christians, and Muslims are blasphemers. One faith is an exercise in contempt of other faiths and philosophies. Humanists, atheists, freethinkers, existentialists, materialists, empiricists and rationalists are blasphemers. They are espousers of truth claims and ideas that provoke or annoy others. So if one's religion is relatively a set of profane ideas how can one meaningfully accuse another person of contempt of religion? How can a sacrilegious speaker accuse another person of making a sacrilegious speech? In the case of Mr. Bala, there is no justification for the allegation of blasphemy because those Muslims who lodged the petition are blasphemers. What they believe and what Bala believes are mutually profane.

Muslims who petitioned the police should have realized that the prophet of Islam was a blasphemer and was in contempt of the religions of his time including Christianity. It can be recalled that the prophet of Islam at a point fled Mecca to escape persecution. Just like the petitioners and their Muslim supporters, the people in Mecca at the time of Muhammad were angry and upset by the prophet's blasphemous propositions.

Incidentally, it was based on his contempt for other religions and philosophies of his time that Muhammad along with his followers founded Islam. By extension, Muslims are partakers in this tradition and heritage of profanity. As a habit, Muslims blaspheme against other religions and philosophies including humanism and traditional religions every day as they pray and practice their faith. The Qur'an is filled with passages that speak disparagingly about infidels and other nonbelievers. Even there is saying in Hausa, arne arne ni, an infidel is an infidel. This expression is a demeaning epithet that Hausa Muslims use to reference nonbelievers.

Relative to other religions, the Islamic declaration: There is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger is a blasphemous statement because other religionists believe in the existence of other Gods and do not recognize Muhammad as a messenger or a prophet. So how could someone who blaspheme as a religious habit daily justifiably accuse another person of blasphemy? That is difficult to comprehend. And it will be more difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. As espousers of one religion or philosophy, human beings are all blasphemers. Blaspheming is a part of everyday religious and philosophical discourse and practice. Blasphemy is a right, not a crime. It is a right that all those who founded religions including the prophet of Islam exercised. It is a right which all who practice religion including Muslims exercise.

Free Mubarak Bala.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The governor of a Mexican state recently roiled by clashes between security forces and demonstrators apologized on Saturday for abuses carried out by police against people protesting the against death of a man in police custody.

Enrique Alfaro, governor of the western region of Jalisco, said he was appalled that police in the state capital of Guadalajara had on Friday beaten some participants in a demonstration over the death of the man, Giovanni Lopez.

"It embarrasses me, it distresses me, it greatly pains me as a man from Jalisco, and as governor," Alfaro said in a video posted on Twitter.

After Friday's clashes, media reported more than a dozen people were missing after being abducted by armed men.

Alfaro ordered the missing people to be tracked down and said late on Saturday they had all been found.

"We can say that they are all in their homes," he said on Twitter. "No one has disappeared."

The 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers who were apparently massacred after being abducted by corrupt police in southwest Mexico sparked international outrage and did lasting damage to the reputation of then-president Enrique Pena Nieto.

Inspired by the case of George Floyd, a black American man killed in Minneapolis last month after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest, protests over police abuses have flared up in other parts of the world.

Floyd's death helped drive demonstrations over the fate of Lopez, who died in police custody in Jalisco last month after reportedly being detained by municipal officers for not wearing a face mask to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A resulting demonstration triggered clashes and the arrest of protesters in Guadalajara on Thursday. Alfaro said he had decided to release the detainees without charges.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Robert Birsel)
Indian and Chinese military commanders agreed to peacefully resolve the current border issue in eastern Ladakh in accordance with bilateral pacts as well as the agreement reached between leadership of the two countries, the External Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.

The two sides held high-level military talks on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the month-long bitter standoff in mountainous eastern Ladakh.

"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 tranquillity in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the MEA said in a brief statement.

The military talks took place at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in Chushul sector.

"Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship," the MEA said.

"Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas," it 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.
INS Kavaratti: The silent submarine killer in the seas, to be commissioned into Navy today

NIA digs deeper into Visakhapatnam espionage case, finds involvement of husband-wife from Mumbai

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 07: The National Investigation Agency has arrested one terror funding conspirator from Mumbai in connection with the Visakhapatnam espionage case.

The accused has been identified as Abdul Rehman Jabbar Sheikh. It may be recalled that his wife, Shaista Qaiser has already been arrested in connection with this case.

NIA charges one in fake currency case

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

During the search, the NIA has recovered a number of digital devices and incriminating material.

He is the 15th accused to be arrested in connection with the case. The NIA had in December 2019 taken over the case from the Andhra Pradesh police.

The prime accused, Mohammad Haroon Haji Abdul Rehman Lakdawala who was arrested visited Karachi, met with his handlers under the guise of conducting cross border trade. During those visits, he came in contact with two Pakistani spies, Akbad Ali and Rizwan.

Haroon was directed by the spies to deposit money into the bank accounts of Navy personnel at regular intervals. He did the same through different means, the NIA said.

The case on hand relates to the international espionage racket involving individuals based in Pakistan and at different locations in India. The Pakistan based spies recruited agents in India to collect sensitive and classified information regarding the location and movement of Indian Naval ships and submarines and other defence establishments.

NIA conducts search at Jharkhand in connection with naxal funding case

Few Navy personnel came in contact with Pakistani nationals through various social media platforms and were involved in sharing classified information in lieu of monetary gains. The money was deposited into the bank accounts of these personnel through Indian associates having business interests in India.

During the search conducted at the house of Haroon, the NIA recovered a number of digital devices and incriminating documents. Haroon is a resident of Mumbai.
Looters who hit San Franciscos fashionable Union Square during the protests may be in for a surprise  the area has nearly 430 security cameras, and video from them has been turned over to the police as evidence for arrests.

We have a standing team of 23 burglary investigators and video analysts, and they are going through hundreds of hours of video from around the city, Deputy Chief David Lazar said.

During last weekends chaos that followed protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, there were 18 smash-ins reported around Union Square and 129 reports of looting citywide.

Unlike other parts of the city, Union Square merchants have been aggressively installing security cameras in recent years while working with police to thwart organized shoplifting gangs. And when the looters rolled up and hit high-end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Salvatore Ferragamo and West Coast Leather, the cameras were rolling too.

We have made video footage available to the SFPD and are working with their burglary unit to pull video for the various incidents, Union Square Business Improvement District Executive Director Karin Flood said.

In one instance, cameras caught a group smashing the windows of a camera store on Bush Street and then reportedly hauling out $800,000 worth of merchandise and loading it into a getaway van.

Another video shows a man dressed as a security guard smashing the windows of the Christian Louboutin store on Maiden Lane so looters could enter.

Then the cars come up and people start loading them up, Lazar said. It seems to be very organized.

And it had nothing to do with the protests.

There were 32 arrests at Union Square as the looting occurred, and there have been 92 arrests for looting citywide.

Investigators are now working to match the pictures of those arrested to videos of the actual looting. The idea is to get photographic evidence directly linking suspects to crimes.

We have also IDd a number of people that are known to us from prior burglaries or other instances, Lazar said. We have several suspects and will be pursuing more arrests involving individuals from all over the Bay Area.

What consequences the looters may face remain to be seen.

Burglary and looting can be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor. In either case. looting is still a nonviolent crime, and diversion programs are often recommended over jail time. So the final result of the arrests is unknown.

Whatever the outcome of the arrests, most storefronts around Union Square that had earlier taken down their plywood are boarded up again, although many are still aiming for June 15 to reopen.

But some have been delayed by a week due to this setback, Flood said.

1 out of 5: Just-released numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show the nations job numbers got a significant jolt, with economy gaining 2.5 million jobs in May.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

But San Francisco, still largely shut down, has a ways to go.

Since the shutdown started in March, a record 116,346 San Franciscans  roughly one-fifth the citys workforce  have either lost their job or had work hours reduced to the point where they could file for assistance, according to the May 16 numbers from the California Employment Development Department.

San Franciscos Chief Economist Ted Egan put the citys workforce at 551,400. The 116,346 unemployment filings only cover the period from March 7, the week before the shutdown.

In the two weeks leading up to the May 16 numbers, filings for assistance came in at 3,749 and 4,165 a week.

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.

To put the numbers in perspective, the 2008 recession unemployment figures peaked at 45,000.

The effect is a severe recession, Egan said.

As for the prospect of a speedy recovery?

When businesses reopen, theyre not going to have the same demand they had before the virus, he said. On average, 20% of their customers will be missing a paycheck. So they wont be able to hire everyone back immediately.

And those paychecks wont be all coming back at once, and it will take some time to get back to full employment, Egan said.

Law and money: Progressive supervisors have tagged Mayor London Breeds nominee to the Police Commission, Nancy Tung, for being too close to the Police Officers Association, in part because of a $500 contribution she received from the union during her run for district attorney last year.

Just as quickly, Tungs supporters countered that her critics, Supervisors Hillary Ronen, Gordon Mar, Matt Haney and Shamann Walton have all received $500 campaign contributions from the the citys other major law enforcement union, the Deputy Sheriffs Association, in the past two years.

Mar said he is donating the money to local nonprofits.

Ronen and Walton said the sheriffs deputies and police unions are apples and oranges.

Unlike the POA, the Deputy Sheriffs Association has been collaborative on reform and oversight measures, Ronen said.

Once again friends are friends and enemies are enemies, but political money is money.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier
One night after harness racing returns to Canada in Prince Edward Island, Ontario's top circuit will spring into action as Woodbine Mohawk Park hosts its first cards of racing since Mid-March on Friday and Saturday.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will host a pair of 10-race cards this weekend, with Fridays entry box drawing 200 horses and Saturdays drawing 134. However, due to social distancing measures implemented in accordance with the return to racing, the number of horses that can compete on a program is limited at the moment. Fridays card drew 98 horses, offering $206,000 in purses while Saturdays drew 93 starters, offering $244,000 in purses.

A $32,000 Filly and Mares Preferred Pace headlines the Friday card, with a field of seven going to the gate. Entries in the Friday feature include last years sophomore Ontario Sires Stakes stars Boadicea and Sunny Dee as well as 2018 Fan Hanover winner Shower Play.

Last year Boadicea and Sunny Dee faced one another on five occasions in Ontario Sires Stakes competition. Thrice the pair contested in provincial action at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with Boadicea emerging victorious, including in the $225,000 Super Final. O'Brien Award winner Sunny Dee upended her foe once, winning a single $158,000 dash Ontario Sires Stakes division at Flamboro Downs in late September. The two renew their rivalry with Boadicea starting from post 2 with Doug McNair listed to drive and Sunny Dee from post 7 with Trevor Henry in the bike.

Shower Play will also make her first start since finishing ninth in the $250,000 Milton Stakes last fall. The now five-year-old daughter of Shadow Play also caught eyes last year with a third-place effortbehind Shartin Ns 1:46.4 mile in the $183,500 Lady Liberty at the Meadowlands, when she kicked to the finish with a :25.4 final quarter to finish just over four lengths off the winner. She enters off a 1:53.3 qualifying mile last Friday (May 29) and will start from post 5 with Scott Young listed to drive.

Several other Mohawk mainstays wills compete on the Friday card. The evenings seventh race  a $26,000 conditioned pace  features Kendall Seelster, the now five-year-old Shadow Play mare known for setting the previous stakes record in 2018 when winning a division of Ontario Sires Stakes in 1:49.4 (Boadicea last year lowered the record to 1:49). The Rod Boyd trainee sits under $8,000 away from passing the million-dollar plateau.

Shipping to Mohawk early in the year, Reclamation will compete against Kendall Seelster from post 6 in the field of 10. The five-year-old mare by A Rocknroll Dance attracted attention back in 2019 for her winning streak against mid-level competition down in Pennsylvania and New Jersey after starting her career racing in Ireland. Louis-Philippe Roy is scheduled to drive the Richard Moreau trainee.

The following race  a $24,000 conditioned pace  features London favourite Sporty Tori, who in 2019 ran an eight-win streak into the City Of London Series but finished second in the final as the odds-on favourite. The four-year-old Sportswriter mare since then had tested the waters racing at Mohawk, winning a $16,000 conditioned pace back on Feb. 14 to then win in the next class up two weeks later. She enters the toughest class shes faced to date, which includes Fraser shipper Rockin Mystery, Jeff Williamson trainee Catch An Ace and Windsun Glory, who competed against Hoosiers top pacers before shifting tack to compete against Preferred mares at Mohawk last summer.

A field of seven also aligns Saturday for the featured $36,000 Preferred Pace. Easy Lover Hanover, a perennial fixture in Mohawks top class, will start from post 1 for trainer Ben Wallace and regular driver Doug McNair as the now seven-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere tries for his first win at the top of the conditions sheet this year.

From post 4 starts Century Farroh, who makes his four-year-old debut following an O'Brien Award-winning sophomore campaign that racked nearly $750,000 in earnings. The son of Mach Three collected 12 victories from 16 starts last year, many of which came in divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes while he also scored wins in the $75,000 North America Cup Consolation and $170,000 Jennas Beach Boy at Hoosier Park. Sylvain Filion is slated to again drive the Dr. Ian Moore trainee.

Shipping from the Alberta-California circuit towards the end of February, Icy Blue Scooter will visit the Preferred ranks for the first time. The seven-year-old Blue Burner gelding amassed over $200,000 in earnings after years grinding against the top stock in the west. The former Nate Sobey trainee collected his biggest victory to date in early December last year when he wired his rivals in the $50,000 Jim Vinnell Memorial at Fraser Downs. Now in the Shawn Steacy barn, Icy Blue Scooter will make his third start over the Mohawk oval and is slated to have James MacDonald drive.

Aside from the Preferred Pace, many of Mohawks other top pacers will compete earlier on the card in a $30,000 conditioned pace. Physicallyinclined, an eight-year-old son of Mach Three who won the North America Cup Consolation back in 2015 and has since raced among the Preferred ranks and banked just over $800,000, will start from post 2 alongside Isitfridayyet, who rose from the conditioned claiming ranks in 2018 to become a competitor on the top half of the class ladder for trainer Rob Fellows. Matticulous Gb, shipping from England last summer to climb the class ladder in Pennsylvania and New Jersey before moving to Mohawk in February, also competes and will start from post 4.

A field of 11 caps the weekend of racing with a conditioned event going for a heightened purse of $30,000. The Jackpot Hi-5 race features Nirvana Seelster, who competes regularly at Mohawks top class and also passed $1,000,000 in earnings back in September 2018, as well as Pointomygranson, another consistent competitor in Mohawks Preferred ranks who nears $500,000 in earnings.

Racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park gets underway on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. (EDT).

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

To access free, printable program pages of Mohawks Friday races, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.

To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

To access free, printable program pages of Mohawks Saturday races, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.
The easing of restrictions on religious activities by President Akufo Addo comes with some excitement as some Christians gear up for church, the first time in many weeks on Sunday.



The President in his 10th address to the nation announced that religious activities could resume but churches were enjoined to follow strict rules which included limiting the number of congregants to hundred and conducting the service within an hour.



Interacting with a section of residents in the Tema Metropolis on how they welcomed the news, there was a general feeling that the virus had come to stay therefore normal activities should resume whilst citizens faced up to the new normal.



Madam Sandra, a resident said, "We don't know when the virus would go away from Ghana so the government has put in measures for us to observe social distancing in the church so that the church can go on with its activities".



She however asked pastors not to be over excited and stay beyond the mandated time to attract punishments to themselves and risk the lives of their congregants, adding that, "pastors must also put people in charge to ensure members observe all the safety protocols so that we will be safe".



Madam Sandra endorsed the strict adherence to safety measures by saying that, "Government officials should also go round churches to ensure no one is violating the health directives and if they notice recalcitrant churches, they should close them down immediately.



Mr Kofi Taylor, another resident, said the measures the President was putting in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the country was good and would help citizens go back to their normal lives.



He said, "I think the one hour will reduce the number of people who will go to churches because some of us miss church and would want to attend church services and thank God for how far he has brought us as a country.



Madam Efua, a trader, noted that although Ghana was not yet out of the woods in terms of number of cases recorded in the country, reopening churches and other religious activities will allow Ghanaians to exercise their rights to worship and light up their spirits.



She said, We want to worship God and fellowship with other members physically in order to trust that the Lord will not forsake His children in these troubling times and once there is life, I believe there is hope.



Some churches in the Metropolis the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited, were already putting measures in place to reopen, announcing to their members to visit their premises to engage in clean up exercises.



Speaking to Rev. Dzidzor Etse Atsakpo, Presiding Elder, Tema District of the A.M.E. Zion Church, he informed the GNA that his church's board was seeing to it that everything was in place before they fully reopened to congregants.



Rev. Atsakpo said, We are encouraging the members, particularly the youth to come on Saturday to help clean up the premises and get it ready for church service and we will make sure all safety measures are put in place to protect members against Covid-19.

Source: GNA









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A Tripura doctor tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday and a senior state health official said she was likely to be the first doctor in the state to be diagnosed with the virus.

The doctor, a homeopathy practitioner, was posted at Akhaura Integrated Check Post in Agartala and tasked with screening stranded Indians returning from Bangladesh earlier this month.

She was with the screening team at Akhaura check post. We decided to test the doctor as she had screened stranded Indians returning from Bangladesh. The test result found her positive for the virus. She is currently admitted at Covid care centre set up at Bhagat Singh Youth hostel, said the official mentioned above.

The state has registered a total of 750 Covid-19 cases so far. 173 of these have recovered, three have migrated and one met with an unnatural death.
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.

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Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday beds in hospitals under the Delhi government, and private hospitals  with the exception of those providing specialised surgeries in certain fields  will be reserved for people of Delhi till the Covid-19 crisis subsides, even as he announced that the citys borders with neighbouring states will be opened on Monday.

People from other states can still be treated in the national capitals hospitals that come under the central government. These include the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

On June 1, Kejriwal ordered the closure of Delhis borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. On the same day, he sought suggestions from the citys residents on whether the Capital should open its borders, citing the capacity of Delhis health care infrastructure, which he said could get burdened if people from other states were admitted.

Citing the feedback from the citys residents, Kejriwal said on Sunday that around 750,000 people responded, of whom more than 90% said that hospitals in Delhi should only cater to the residents of the city till the pandemic subsides.

In a digital news briefing, Kejriwal said the governments move was aimed at striking a balance as Delhi opens its borders with neighbouring states at a time when the city-state is reviving business and economic activities, and restarting public transport, even as daily new cases continue to remain over 1,000 in the recent days.

There will be utter chaos at the hospitals emergency unit if we were to check the ID card of each patient that lands up here, said a senior administrative official of a city hospital, asking not to be identified.

Other hospitals said they needed to read the formal order to know the exact details of the directive.

We are yet to get the order, and will be in a position to respond once we get the notification, said a spokesperson for Apollo Hospital. A Fortis Hospital spokesperson, too, said they awaiting the formal order and will act according to the details.

Dr Sanjay Mehta, unit head and VP, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, also said they were waiting for the formal order to implement the directives.

The Delhi government clarified that the directive was not applicable to central government-run hospitals.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan has said the Centres hospitals in Delhi are trying to accommodate as many patients as possible. Our hospitals such as AIIMS, Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge are handling a lot of patient load in Delhi, including Covid-19 cases, he said.

The Delhi government, on Wednesday last week, set up a five-member advisory panel headed by Dr Mahesh Verma, vice-chancellor of Indraprastha University, to guide the government with its health care augmentation plan amid an increasing number of Covid-19 cases.

Citing the findings of a report submitted by the body to the chief ministers office on Saturday, Kejriwal said: The five-member committee assessed the situation and found that by the end of June, Delhi will require around 15,000 beds to treat Corona patients. There are around 10,000 beds each in Delhi government and Centre-run hospitals. The five-member committee has also said that if people from other states are given access to Delhi government hospitals, around 9,000 beds can get occupied within three days.

So far, the people of Delhi never refused treatment to those from other states, who, at any given point, comprise 60-70% of total patients in Delhi government hospitals. But Covid-19 cases are now rising in the city. The panel has suggested that the beds should be reserved for a few months. The cabinet decided that there is a need to strike a balance. So, we will open up borders and reserve beds in Delhi government hospitals. And the Centre-run hospitals will be for people across the country. The private hospitals will also be reserved for Delhis people, Kejriwal said.

But those conducting specialised surgeries, which are not available elsewhere, especially in the fields of organ transplant, oncology and neurology, will be allowed to admit patients from other states. This balance will protect the rights of people of Delhi as well as those from other states, he added. Senior officials said the government is in the process of preparing a list of such private hospitals.

Delhi has five Covid-19-dedicated government hospitals and 10 such private hospitals. So far, the Capital has a total of 8,049 beds to treat Covid-19 patients.

The government has also shortlisted some stadiums, hotels and banquet halls in the city to be used as extended hospital facilities for space augmentation in the days to come. Government records showed, as on June 7, the 15 hospitals collectively had 8,049 beds, of which 4,250 were occupied. These hospitals collectively have 480 ventilators, of which 237 were occupied.
Guwahati, June 7 : A three-member central team, on a week-long visit to Assam, is studying the state's Covid-19 management and has held a series of discussions with senior state officials, a top official said on Sunday.

With 92 fresh cases on Sunday, Assam's coronavirus tally climbed to 2,565 with 1,943 of them active cases.

Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Samir Kumar Sinha said that the three-member team from the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, is now studying disease management in Assam.

"The central team has been in the state since Thursday and held a series of discussions with senior officials including Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna over the Covid-19 situation in the state. After visiting the state, the central team would submit a report," Sinha told IANS over phone.

Another senior Health Department official said that the central team, during the past four days, had visited various medical colleges and hospitals, Covid-19 care centres and quarantine facilities in and around Guwahati and various other districts.

The central team comprises Ajay Tiwari, Joint Secretary, Labour and Employment and two senior public health specialists -- N.N. Naskar and Snigdha Basu from All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that around 2.50 lakh people returned to Assam so far from 14 states across south and north India, leading to the heavy rise in coronavirus patients in the state According to officials, five of the state's 33 districts -- Kamrup Metro (413), Dhubri (259), Golaghat (209), Hojai (198) and Kamrup Rural (120) -- account for 1,199 of the total coronavirus patients. While Assam's main city and commercial hub Guwahati falls in Kamrup Metro, Golaghat is a major tea growing area and a part of the famous Kaziranga National Park falls in the district, Dhubri shares borders with Bangladesh and West Bengal, Hojai district is famous for agarwood processing and agar-product export and the Brahmaputra makes its way through the Kamrup Rural district.
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has asked the Nigerian Army and Police to restore law and order in Isinkwo-Ukawu and Abaomege communities of Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

The directive which is contained in a statement signed by Uchenna Orji, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, on Sunday, stated that the governor is saddened by developments in both communities.

The statement said that the governor expressed dismay that youth in the communities had taken laws into their hands and inflicted injuries on people because of land dispute.

The state government has henceforth taken over the disputed land effective from June 6, 2020, in line with the laws of the state.

The governor has directed the state Commissioner for Lands and Survey to immediately acquire the disputed land for the government, in overriding public interest, the statement read.

The statement added that Mr Umahi further warned both communities to pull out completely from the disputed land.

All concerned are to take this matter seriously, the statement read.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that similar violence had erupted in Izzi recently where seven houses were burnt at Amuzu village in Igbeagu community of Izzi Local Government Area, over a village headship tussle.

The crisis resulted in the arrest of eight persons by the police, including the traditional ruler.

(NAN)
Press Release

June 7, 2020 GORDON PUSHES BICYCLE USE TO HELP ADDRESS UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM Concerned about the 7.3 million Filipinos who lost their jobs amid the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Richard J. Gordon reiterated that promoting the use of bicycles would help create jobs. "That's why I am pushing for bicycles. Sinabi ko they must be accompanied by infrastructural support because it would create jobs. Aside from that, the people would be healthier and the air would be cleaner," he stressed. Gordon explained that parking spaces with rails where bicycles could be chained to should be put up, pointing out that this, alone, would already create jobs. The senator also proposed that bicycles could be equipped with global positioning system (GPS) tracker and rented out to people who want to use them. "Isa na itong means na pwedeng pagkakitaan. Pag ipinark pa nila sa isang area 'yung mga bisikleta, kikita rin 'yung magbabantay ng bisikleta," he said. Gordon also noted that not only would it develop the bicycle manufacturing industry, such as the Patria Bicycles/Kairuz Bicycles, the first bicycle manufacturing company in the country; it would also boost other related industries. "Lalakas 'yung mga gumagawa ng gulong, gumagawa ng rayos at ng mga protective gear gaya ng helmet, knee and elbow pads, at iba pa. Lalakas din 'yung mga nag-aayos ng bisikleta at mga vulcanizing shops kaya it would really create employment," he pointed out. Gordon also proposed backyard farming to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on peoples' livelihood, adding that they could grow vegetables so they would have something to eat or they could sell them. The latest Labor Force Survey showed that the unemployment rate in the country rose to 17.7 percent, equivalent to 7.3 million unemployed Filipino, in April. This is the highest unemployment record in the country, surpassing the 10.3% unemployment rate in the 1998 recession in the Philippines. The Department of Labor and Employment said the results were expected given that the health crisis has crippled most of the country's economic activities.
Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja has starred in films like Varadhanayaka, Whistle, Chandralekha, Rudra Tandava and Amma I Love You.

Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja has passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 39 on Sunday. He was rushed to the hospital in Bangalore on Sunday afternoon after he suffered from breathlessness and convulsions. Dr G Govindaiah Yateesh at the Appolo Speciality Hospital shared that Chiranjeevis family members informed him that the actor suffered convulsions on Saturday and they had consulted a doctor but his condition worsened over the night.

The doctor added that Chiranjeevi was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive state at 2:18 pm. He was declared dead after all efforts to resuscitate him failed. He is also being tested for Covid-19. Grandson of veteran Kannada actor Shakti Prasad, brother of actor Dhruva Sarja and nephew of actor Arjun, Chiranjeevi Sarja tied the knot with actor Meghana Raj in 2018. Meghna Raj is the daughter of veteran actors Sunder Raj and Pramila Joshi.

Having acted in 22 films, Chiranjeevi Sarja made his acting debut in 2009 with the film Vayuputra. Some of his other popular films include Varadhanayaka, Whistle, Chandralekha, Rudra Tandava and Amma I Love You. His upcoming films include Rajamarthanda, April, Ranam and Kshatreya.

Karnataka: Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja passes away at a private hospital in Bengaluru at the age of 39 years. pic.twitter.com/ujciZvf9Po  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

The Indian film industry as well as his fans and admirers is in deep shock after his sudden demise. Confirming his death on Twitter, Actor Priyamani wrote that she is shocked to hear about Chiranjeevi Sarjas demise. Expressing her condolences to the entire family, Priyamani said that she can never forget his smiling face.

Shocked to hear about #chiranjeevisarja s demise!!! Can never forget his smiling facemy deepest condolences to the whole family !!  Priyamani Raj (@priyamani6) June 7, 2020

Heres how social media is reacting to Chiranjeevi Sarjas demise:

Kannada Actor #ChiranjeeviSarja passed away due to heart attack earlier today.. Shocking.. He was jus 39.. Brother of Actor #DhruvaSarja and Nephew of Actor #Arjun Condolences to his family.. May his soul RIP! pic.twitter.com/Y4F8Jpx49g  Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) June 7, 2020

Deeply saddened and shocked to hear the passing away of #ChiranjeeviSarja. A young talent gone too soon. Condolences to his family and friends.  Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) June 7, 2020

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Ghaziabad district administration on Sunday said that their borders will continue to remain sealed till further directions, even as Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the capital will lift restrictions on inter-state movement from tomorrow (Monday).

Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also said that they have completed repair work near UP-Gate that will provide relief to commuters moving to Delhi.

The Ghaziabad district magistrate on April 22 had imposed restrictions on inter-border movement of people, citing rising number of Covid-19 cases in the district. Additional restrictions were put in place on May 27. Later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 1 had announced the closure of border for a week.

There are no directions issued by the district magistrate for opening of Ghaziabads border with Delhi. The previous directions will continue to be in force, said Manish Mishra, superintendent of police (city).

The UP-Gate border is a major transit point for people from Ghaziabad to go to east Delhi. The border witnessed movement of at least 80,000 passenger cars daily on an average, as per estimates of the NHAI, before the lockdown.

Traffic at present, however, has reduced to one-fourth due to restricted movement during the lockdown period.

Of late, the UP-Gate has become a major choke point, where thousands of commuters getting caught in snarls daily due to checks and barricades put up by the Ghaziabad police. Another major issue in the area was a 200 metres dug up patch of NH-9, which restricted movement of commuters travelling from Ghaziabad to Delhi.

The barricades on Ghaziabad side of the UP-Gate flyover are put up by the police. It is their call if they wish to remove these barricades or not, said Mudit Garg, project director of NHAI..

We have completed the repair work of the dug up patch of the highway, near the UP-Gate flyover. Repair was needed as the highway and the expressway lanes were not at same level. Now, the work in the area . We have also decided to open five lanes on each side of the Hindon canal bridge. This will further ease commuting from Ghaziabad to Delhi, Garg added.

SP city Manish Mishra still late on Sunday night did not respond to a query by Hindustan Times on whether the barricades will be removed on Monday.

The barricades on the Ghaziabad side of the UP-Gate flyover have posed issues for commuters who are forced to take the underpass area.

This leads to traffic snarls. If the barricades are removed, after the border is de-sealed, then commuters from Ghaziabad can avoid the underpass area and can go straight to Delhi. Since Delhi has announced opening of its borders, commuters will again start arriving at UP-Gate and more jams are likely, said Kuldeep Saxena, a commuter from Indirapuram.

Following a petition, the Supreme Court on Thursday had directed the central government to convene a meeting between the officials from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to find a solution over the chaos near the Delhi borders.

Ajay Shankar Pandey, the Ghaziabad district magistrate, did not respond to calls for a comment on Sunday.

Since the UP government is a party to the case, the directions will be issued from Lucknow. We are waiting for instructions and hopeful that some solution will come out, Pandey had said on Thursday.

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Shiv Sena, one of the three parties in Maharashtra's ruling alliance, has hit out at actor Sonu Sood, who has been rescuing and sending stranded migrant workers back home amid national lockdown in India due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Sena, in its mouthpiece 'Saamna', said that Sood would "soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and become the celebrity manager of Mumbai". In the editorial, Sena leader Sanjay Raut called Sood a new "Mahatma" who has appeared all of a sudden during the lockdown.

"Sonu Sood is a good actor. There is a different director for movies, the work he has done is good but there is a possibility that there is a political director behind it," Raut later said, according to news agency ANI.

In the editorial, Raut said that the fact that Sood had met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, and that latter had praised "Mahatma Sood" suggested that no action is being taken for migrant workers by state and centre.

Raut also questioned how Sood was getting buses to transport the migrant workers amidst the lockdown and asked where the migrant workers were going if the states were not allowing entry.

The editorial comes amid speculations on social media that Sood might join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) though the actor has denied the rumors and said that he is not interested in politics. He did admit, however, that he has received offers.
A man from Dharavi, Mumbai was booked along with his mother, sister, and maternal aunt by Pune police for pronouncing talaq with his wife over a phone call. A case of domestic violence has also been registered.

The complaint in the matter was lodged by a 25-year-old woman who lives in Kasba peth area of Pune.

The estranged couple married in August 2016 and initially lived in her husbands house for over three years, according to the complainant.

One year ago she was thrown out of the house saying do not return without money, as per her complaint. She came back to live with her father after the incident and has been living with him ever since, said police sub-inspector Tejaswi Patil of Faraskhana police station who is investigating the case.

The estranged couple had a son who returned to Pune with the complainant. While the woman was a housewife, the man did not have any source of permanent income either, according to the police.

The four booked in the case regularly abused the complainant verbally and physically for failing to bring money from her parents house, according to the complainant.

The accused called the woman on Friday night and pronounced talaq thrice, according to the woman. The act is a punishable offence under a newly formed law.

A case under Sections 498(a) (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with the intention of provoking a breach of peace) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code along with Sections 3 (talaq to be void and illegal) and 4 (Punishment for pronouncing talaq) of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 was registered at the Faraskhana police station.
07.06.2020 LISTEN

Sierra Leone gained independence and democratic self-rule on 27th April, 1961 after hundred and seventy-four years of British rule. Sierra Leone became a Republic on 19th April, 1971.

Colonialism refers to the conquest and control of other peoples lands and goods, the forceful seizure of local land and economy, and the reshuffling of non-capitalist economies to speed up European capitalism. Mercantilism and political and military control were the driving forces behind the British colonial expansion in Africa.

Three mechanisms the British employed to prolong their colonial rule in Sierra Leone and these include divide and rule tactics, colonial education, and alien laws. The British introduced innovations that may deserve kudos-the development of a predictable legal system, investment in infrastructure development and education. Despite those initiatives, yet most of the colonial policies, directives and activities were at variance with the will and wellbeing of the Sierra Leonean people.

The British had left, but behind the Sierra Leonean people inherited a broken system that viewed Sierra Leoneans as harbingers of diseases (Due to the undulating mosquito bites that killed white people) and our domestic leaders as the purveyors of poverty on the land.

Since independence Sierra Leoneans have suffered from the manipulative mechanism of several of its early Prime Ministers, Presidents and military Heads of State. Tribalism, regional politicking and corruption on the part of our conventional politicians further diminished the economic standing of the country. Under the one party dictatorship rule in the 1970s and 1980s for instance, Sierra Leone reached a crescendo where it could not import oil and gasoline; food shortages, poor electricity and water supply, dearth in social services and collapse of cherished institutions became the order of the day.

CRY FOR REAL FREEDOM (CRF) is a social forum created by the Peoples Democratic League (PDL) to redefine the true meaning of Sierra Leones motto of: Unity, Freedom and Justice. The PDL has also created two forums, including United for Change in Sierra Leone and Voice Of Justice.

Most Sierra Leoneans may argue that there is freedom in the country after the departure of British rule. It depends on the individual, but what we are saying here is that the motto was designed after attainment of the countrys independence, and therefore our independent fathers should not be misrepresented here.

Freedom in a post independent era means the rebirth of a new Sierra Leone out of the ashes of the old and unwanted colonial rule. That is the true meaning of Sierra Leones motto, to unite the people and not to divide them along tribalism, regional politics or socio-economic status. Secondly, to see that the resources of the country are properly managed to provide for the needs of the people; and thirdly, to see that governance is for the benefit of all members of society without discrimination of any kind. But has Sierra Leone ever had a government that really works along the true meaning of the countrys motto? If yes, which government and how? If no, what do you think our government should do to gain the confidence of the people?

Freedom does not mean just to follow the diktats of the elected government, but to hold it accountable even when it is supposedly discharging its duties diligently.

Our people envisaged that after independence, democracy will prevail and they will have their own independent domestic self-rule. That self-rule will help them in getting rid of illiteracy, misery, poverty, and all Sierra Leoneans will build a country of equal respect and dignity. The meaning of freedom for the people was that Sierra Leone would be a country where freedom of equality is enjoyed in its true sense, no one will be the ruler, no one will be ruled, fair and equal opportunity for everyone. Their dream of equality was not only in political terms, but also to secure social and economic equality for everyone without discrimination.

After independence, our Constitution laid a foundation to realise these dreams of the people and ensure equal rights to all citizens. The Constitution has provided for the right to equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression for all, freedom to practice any religion and culture, freedom of association and peaceful protest, and constitutional remedies to secure civil rights.

When Sierra Leone celebrates 60 years of self-rule in 2021, there will be cry of disappointment across the country whereby the few and opportunist Sierra Leoneans may feel it unpatriotic and unrealistic to think logically about the significance and understanding of freedom. But this question cannot be ignored in the present times.

A country is defined by its citizens. Therefore, the independence of Sierra Leone means the independence of all Sierra Leoneans, whether you live at home or in the diaspora. It means all the nineteen tribes that made up of the national sovereignty will have equal share and right of the countrys resources. To this forum, independent Sierra Leone is a rich country with a population of poor people. Sir Milton Margai (Peace Unto Hum) and others broke the shackles of colonialism and drove away the British colonialists and established the rights of the people of Sierra Leone to benefit equally from the proceeds of the countrys resources, but what we are witnessing is a system imposed on Sierra Leoneans whereby only a handful of people enjoy a monopoly over all the resources.

There is huge economic disparity among our people, and this gap is only increasing with each passing day. The majority of Sierra Leoneans lived and swindle in poverty in inhumane conditions. Only 2% of Sierra Leoneans own most of the countrys resources, while the majority live behind international poverty line. It is very difficult to come to terms with this glaring reality because the struggle for freedom was fought to attain equality for everyone, but presently the rich are becoming richer and the poor are struggling to survive. This was not our collective dream of independence which was envisioned by our founding fathers of independent Sierra Leone.

For the ordinary Sierra Leonean, freedom is to exercise the right to speak ones mind, to enjoy ones right of free expression, free association, ones right of choice of own food according to desire, watch cinema according to interest, choose ones own attire, etc. The 1991 multiparty constitution guarantees Sierra Leoneans all these rights without any discrimination on any basis, be it religion, sex, language, gender, etc. But presently, all these rights are under huge attack from conventional politicians and corrupt officials. A certain kind of environment is being created where one is not free to choose things according to ones like or dislike but a forced choice is being thrust upon everyone on the basis of traditional party colour loyalty and ethnic origin. If one resists or does not obey to subjection, one may have to pay a price.

If one asks a question to the government or tries to question its policies, one becomes a traitor. Sierra Leone is an independent nation and its democracy has bestowed us the right and also a constitutional responsibility to review the work of our elected government and ask questions; if one discharges this responsibility, then one cannot be labelled as a traitor, it only makes one a proud citizen. This responsibility and freedom to question the state was not there during the pre-independence era, as the British were not accountable to Sierra Leonean citizens. If in independent Sierra Leone, too, this right is put under the scanner, then the concept and the meaning of freedom and independence becomes redundant.

Our leaders have created a strange situation that the biggest threat to the freedom of the Sierra Leonean people has come from yester year politicians who are guilty of wrecking Sierra Leones development and prosperity.

Another aspect of this freedom is the equality of all sections of society which now seems like a pipe dream for Sierra Leone. There are marginal sections of society like Sierra Leoneans who lived in the uplands and women whose subordination to others has become an accepted norm in society. The 1991 multiparty constitution guarantees these Sierra Leoneans the right to equal treatment in society, but socially they are still unequal. Their identity is not of a true Sierra Leone rather their political allegiance and tribal affiliations have taken the role of their primary identity. Many types of social deprivations are imposed on them.

Women are also facing a similar situation in the country, as they cannot even enjoy the luxury of illusion of having minimal freedom in a free country. Legally, they are free. We are told that our Constitution has abolished the practice of gender imbalanced, but are they really equal to their male counterparts? Women have equal value of vote as their male counterparts, they are also free to do the job of their own choice, but are they really free? How many women do we have in Parliament? How many women are ministers, compare to their male counterparts?

But despite this situation, Sierra Leone independence has a lot of meaning to it. It is our freedom which ensures that we are able to join this forum, express our opinions and our dissent freely. Freedom has different meanings for different sections of the society or is being interpreted differently. The ruling cabal, whether imperialist or domestic, never wants people to realise the true meaning of freedom. For them freedom means that they are free to expand their business, maximise profit making, and maximum exploitation of the working class. They want a freedom to rob the nation of all its resources and exploit the law accordingly.

Brothers and sisters, it is incumbent upon us all to prepare for celebrating our 60th independent anniversary on 27th April, 2021 with passion because it is our first freedom. Our forefathers worked for it tirelessly, and we need to remember that the freedom of Sierra Leone means freedom of all Sierra Leoneans. When the Sierra Leonean people are dying in poverty, economic deprivation and strange pandemics, then the celebration of our 60th anniversary of independent in the coming year may sound incomplete and meaningless.

This forum-CRY FOR REAL FREEDOM (CRF) will join all Sierra Leoneans God willing to celebrate 60th anniversary of independence, we will hold high our forehead. It is thus our collective responsibility as a nation to protect Sierra Leones freedom and dedicate it to all the people of Sierra Leone.

Lets sit together and discuss so that we all can make Sierra Leones Motto, meaningful!

From:

Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh

Group/Page Administrator

CRY FOR REAL FREEDOM-CRF
Amit Shah holds first of its kind virtual rally in Bihar; here are key highlights

The aim was to reach out to the people residing in the 243 assembly segments of the state which will be holding elections in October of this year

Union Home Minister Amit Shah
By Fatos Bytyci

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's newly elected government has removed all trade barriers for goods produced in Serbia, paving the way for a resumption of talks with Belgrade on an agreement that could enable the tiny Balkan country to get United Nations membership.

After just three days in office, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti said his country had acted in accordance with demands from the United States and the European Union.

"We are ready to immediately sit at the dialogue table," Hoti said after a government meeting. "Now we expect the same thing from the Serb side."

Hoti said he expected Serbia to stop its campaign against Kosovar independence, which is focused on convincing various countries to withdraw recognition of Kosovo and block its membership of international organisations.

European Union-sponsored talks between Belgrade and Pristina came to a halt in November 2018 when Kosovo introduced a 100% tax on goods produced in Serbia.

The government of Hoti's predecessor, Albin Kurti, removed the tax, but introduced other restrictions on trade, a move that angered the EU and United States - the most vocal international backers of Kosovar independence.

Reacting to the government's decision, Kurti said the move was in "Serbia's service."

The United States, Kosovos biggest supporter both politically and financially, said it would unfreeze around $50 million in economic aid that had been blocked due to Pristinas refusal to lift the tariffs.

The aid will come via the Millennium Challenge Corporation or MCC, a U.S. government foreign assistance agency.

Kosovo, where Albanians account for 90% of the population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after NATO bombed Serbia to halt the killing and expulsion of Albanians in Kosovo during a two-year counter-insurgency.

Serbia, together with its traditional ally Russia, has been blocking Kosovo's membership of international organisations, including the United Nations.

Story continues

A deal on mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is also a pre-condition for Belgrade to join the EU.

Kosovos independence is recognised by more than 110 countries, but not by several nations including Russia, China and Serbia, which still considers it part of its territory.

"Whatever agreement we reach it is not going to be favourable for us (Serbia) but we are going to try and find the least unfavourable solution," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Belgrade Prva TV on Saturday.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade; Editing by Mark Potter)
Mrs Queen Igbinevbo, the pregnant wife of Comrade Promise Igbinevbo has died after she was raped and murdered at home.



Mrs Igbinevbo was alone at her home in Benin when her attackers gained entrance into the home through the ceiling.



A source who spoke to LIB said the intruders had come in search of her husband, Comrade Promise Igbinevbo, who is a Governorship Campaign Coordinator. However, when they didn't find him at home on May 20, 2020, they raped and murdered his wife.



Mrs Queen, who is known as a very religious woman in her neighbourhood, was discovered by neighbours who were worried that they have not seen her in a while.



A source said: "When we could not see Queen, I came to check if she was fine, because she lives alone, we met her naked, blood and foam was coming out of her mouth. There was semen all over her body.



"We had to call her husband who is staying in another place."



The source who spoke to LIB said neighbours reported seeing strange men walking up and down the street just days before the tragic incident.



The murder of Queen Igbinevbo sparked a demonstration in Benin. On Friday, June 5, protesters took to Edo State Police Command to demand justice for the deceased.



The source who spoke to LIB said three people have been arrested in relation to Mrs Queen Igbinevbo's brutal murder.

Source: LIB









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

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By Sarah Marsh

HAVANA (Reuters) - The Trump administration has ordered Marriott International to wind down hotel operations in Communist-run Cuba, a company spokeswoman told Reuters, extinguishing what had been a symbol of the U.S.-Cuban detente.

Starwood Hotels, now owned by Marriott, four years ago became the first U.S. hotel company to sign a deal with Cuba since the 1959 revolution amid the normalization of relations pursued by former President Barack Obama.

But the administration of President Donald Trump has unraveled that detente, tightening the decades-old U.S. trade embargo on Cuba and saying it wants to pressure the island into democratic reform and to stop supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The approach could help Trump bolster support in the large Cuban-American community in Florida, a state considered vital to his re-election chances in November.

A company spokeswoman said the U.S. Treasury Department had ordered the company to wind down its operation of the Four Points Sheraton in Havana by Aug. 31. It would also not be allowed to open other hotels it had been preparing to run.

A U.S. Treasury Department spokesperson said it could not comment on specific licensing matters, but that the administration aimed to prevent Cuba's military from using revenue from tourism to "oppress its own people",

The Four Points Sheraton in Havana, like swaths of the tourism sector and economy at large, is controlled by the commercial arm of the Cuban military.

"In 2017, Trump promised he would not disrupt existing contracts U.S. 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 U.S. State Department expanded its list of Cuban entities with which Americans are banned from doing business to include the military-owned financial corporation that handles U.S. remittances to Cuba.

Story continues

U.S. 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 FocusCuba business consultancy and has advised Marriott, said no good had come from a lifetime of U.S. sanctions that separated the U.S. and Cuban peoples, harmed Cubas economy, and limited American 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.

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh in Havana; Additional Reporting by Marc Frank in Havana and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, David Gregorio and Tom Brown)
A deputy died after a shooting, another is injured and a person is in custody in California's Central Coast, authorities said Saturday.



At 2:26 p.m. Sunday, the Sheriff's Office will hold a moment of silence for Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, outside of its headquarters in Santa Cruz. The time marks the moment of his death on Saturday.



Authorities responded Saturday afternoon to a report of a van with guns and bomb-making devices, Santa Cruz Sheriff Jim Hart said.

A Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office deputy was killed, and two other law enforcement officers were injured responding to reports of a suspicious-looking van with guns and explosives inside in Ben Lomond Saturday evening.

"In my 32-year career this is my worst day I've ever experienced," Hart said during a press conference Saturday evening. "Today we lost one of our own and he was a true hero."

According to Hart, Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed by a man believed to be the owner of the van originally reported to 911.

In addition, another Santa Cruz County deputy and a California Highway Patrol officer were also injured. The second deputy was listed as being in critical condition. The injured deputy was struck by gunfire or shrapnel from an explosive and then struck by a vehicle. The CHP officer was shot in the hand.



According to Hart, around 1:30 p.m. a caller reported a van parked off the road near Jamison Creek in Boulder Creek. The caller said there were guns and bomb-making materials inside the van. As deputies arrived, they witnessed the van leaving the area drive by a man later identified as Steven Carrillo. They followed the vehicle to a home on Waldeberg Road in Ben Lomond.

Hart said that when deputies went to investigate, they were "ambushed" with gunfire and multiple improvised explosive devices. It was during this time that Gutzwiller was shot. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Law enforcement chased Carrillo after receiving a report of a carjacking nearby. He was apprehended after he was shot. Police reported he was armed. Carrillo was treated and released from the hospital. He will be arrested for the murder of Gutzwiller and other felonies.

Damon was a patrol supervisor and worked for the sheriffs office since 2006. He is 38-years-old and married with children. Hart described Damon as a courageous, intelligent, sensitive and a caring man.

Words cannot express the pain we feel for Damon and his family, Hart said. He was the kind of person we all hope to be. Today, we lost a hero. We are grateful to have known him and we mourn with his family.

Gutzwiller was a 14-year veteran of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office and leaves behind a pregnant wife and a young child.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A 29-year-old woman is dead Sunday after a shooting on the citys East Side, Cleveland police say.

The shooting happened about 11:30 a.m. at a house on the 9600 block of Mount Auburn Avenue, between East 93rd Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in the citys Kinsman neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said.

At the house, officers found a 29-year-old woman suffering multiple gunshot wounds. She was taken to University Hospitals, where she died, Ciaccia said.

Another woman at the house suffered minor injuries while jumping from the second story of the house in her escape from the shooter, Ciaccia said. She was also treated at University Hospitals and released.

Investigators at the shooting scene learned that the 29-year-old womans ex-boyfriend came to the house and opened fire, Ciaccia said. Cleveland police did not identify the suspected shooter, besides stating he is a 44-year-old man.

The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Ciaccia said. The investigation continues.

More Northeast Ohio news:

18-year-old shot, killed in yard in Clevelands Glenville neighborhood, police say

Cleveland police searching for woman who hit Justice Center doors with baseball bat during May 30 protests

Man dead, woman injured after 50 shots fired in Clevelands Central neighborhood, police say
A 26-year-old man was killed in a road accident on Saturday morning in Chakan after a truck rammed into his motorcycle.

The deceased has been identified as Pravin Nanasaheb Gade, a resident of Pune who worked at an agriculture machinery company in Pune.

The incident took place around 8am near the Hindustan bio-diesel petrol pump in Bhasegaon, Chakan. The deceased was riding a KTM motorbike registered in Pimpri-Chinchwad when he lost control after a truck allegedly rammed into him from behind. After the impact, Gade fell down from his bike and the truck ran over his head, according to police.

The truck driver has been identified as Shashikumar Baburao Muley, 46, a resident of Dehugaon, Pune, and arrested by police.

A man named Ajit Dafal, 24, a resident of Gavadivasti, Shirur has lodged a complaint in the matter.

A case under sections 279, 338, 304(a), 427 of Indian Penal Code along with relevant sections of the Motor Vehicle Act was registered at Chakan police station against the truck driver. Police sub-inspector GN Patange of Chakan police station is investigating the case
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Trade turnover between Turkey and Turkmenistan increased by $2.5 million in April 2020 compared to the same period last year, having stood at over $76.5 million, Turkish Trade Ministry told Trend.

"In April 2020, Turkeys exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $69.6 million, and imports from Turkmenistan - $6.8 million," the ministry said.

In the first 4 months of 2020, trade turnover between Turkey and Turkmenistan exceeded $28.2 million compared to the same period last year, having made up $295.7 million.

"From January through April 2020, Turkeys exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $229.6 million, and imports from Turkmenistan - $66.1 million," the ministry said.

Turkey's foreign trade turnover in April 2020 amounted to over $22.5 billion.

In the reporting month, Turkey's exports dropped by 41.4 percent compared to April 2019, having stood at $8.9 billion.

Meanwhile, imports of Turkey in April 2020 went down by 25 percent compared to April of last year and amounted to $13.5 billion.

According to the ministry, in the first 4 months of this year, Turkeys trade turnover exceeded $120.8 billion.

"From January through April 2020, Turkish exports decreased by 13.7 percent compared to the same period in 2019, reaching $51.6 billion," the ministry said.

It was also noted that Turkish imports grew by 1 percent compared to the same period in 2019, having amounted to $69.2 billion.

The foreign trade turnover of Turkey in 2019 made up $374.2 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
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A shocking video has shown the moment an angry driver drove into a group of protesters in New York City on Saturday following a relatively peaceful day of demonstrations against the death of George Floyd and police brutality.

Footage of the incident, which was shared on social media, showed a driver in Brooklyn's Crown Heights jumping the curb and driving onto the sidewalk where a number of people on bikes had gathered before hitting a cyclist and speeding off.

Witnesses told Gothamist the driver had reportedly complained saying he needed to go to work while a Black Lives Matter march was taking place and blocking the road.

'Protesters tried to convince him to turn around and instead he backed up and drove into a crowd. At least one guy was hurt and FDNY and NYPD responded,' one witness said.

Police later said the driver hit a man's ankle and crushed his bike. He was later arrested, according to the NYT.

The incident comes amid a generally calm night of demonstrations in the city that continued hours after the 8pm curfew.

More than two hours after the order kicked in, groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.

Scroll down for video

Bystander footage shows a car jumping the curb in Brooklyn before striking a cyclist and speeding off

The driver drove through a group of protesters attending a Black Lives Matter rally nearby

Witnesses claimed the driver insisted he had to go to work and was frustrated that the march was blocking the road. He later drove through them and sped off

Meanwhile, protests continued hours after New York City's 8pm curfew on Saturday. Pictured: a person raises a fist during a demonstration in Flatbush, Brooklyn

NYC saw its ninth day of protests on Saturday, which have become largely peaceful compared to last weekend

People were seen dancing on the sidewalk as a protest marched by in the Flatbush neighborhood on Saturday night

The NYPD's enforcement of the curfew, which will remain in place until 5am on Monday, became another point of tension and outrage among the community this week after officers were seen mistreating peaceful protesters and even essential workers who are exempt from the rule, during their strict crackdown.

On Friday, police appeared to have dropped their heavy-handed tactics as they generally allowed thousands to continue marching and only a few dozen orderly arrests were made.

At protests in Manhattan earlier Saturday, the atmosphere in the city had become much more relaxed compared to last weekend, with volunteers handing out snacks, first aid kits and plenty of water bottles on a muggy afternoon.

One person carried a sign listing nearby open buildings for those seeking to escape the heat - which some soon did when a rain storm arrived.

Thousands of people crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and in Greenwich Village.

Others gathered in Harlem near the northwest corner of Central Park to march downtown, about 100 blocks, to the city's Washington Square Park.



A group of people are seen dancing on top of a car during a protest Brooklyn as police officers look on

Just like previous nights, rallies and marches continued well beyond the 8pm curfew in New York City

Most areas of the city were closely monitored by police, but cops were not as quick to move on crowds as previous nights

Further uptown, police had erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic.

As the curfew passed, a large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive, the main north-south artery along Manhattan's east side, closely monitored by police, forcing police to temporarily shut down one side of the roadway.

One of Saturday's marches was enlivened by a band led by Jon Batiste, bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Local politicians and civil liberties advocates have called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it.

But Mayor Bill de Blasio has insisted the curfew will remain in place throughout the weekend.

Images on social media on Friday night about an hour after a Brooklyn protest ended showed officers surrounding a group of protesters and chasing down some with batons.

NEW YORK CITY:

NEW YORK CITY: Protesters and activists walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, Saturday, June 6

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: Activists move along 7th Avenue as they walked for miles in a peaceful protest

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: Washington Square Park was packed with thousands of protesters on Saturday

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY: Demonstrators march down Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn toward the Manhattan Bridge chanting slogans as thousands joined protests across the city again on Saturday for the 12th straight day

And officers on Manhattans East Side also used force to break up remnants of a march that started near the mayors official residence.

There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday - far fewer than previous nights - and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week.

Also on Saturday, police announced charges against a man who allegedly stabbed a police officer in the neck in Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

Dzenan Camovic, 20, has been hospitalized in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. The Brooklyn resident faces multiple charges, including attempted murder of a police officer.

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: Healthcare workers with Frontline4Change protest in Manhattan
Trinamool Congress (TMC) national spokesperson and Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra on Sunday took a swipe at the gram panchayats within her constituency, Krishnanagar, mostly run by her own party, for unspent funds and unplanned work. Moitra has initiated a series of video messages to empower people and educate them about their rights and the need to stand up against corruption by local political leaders.

In a 6-minute video clip, Moitra alleged that the gram panchayats were not taking up necessary work that required funds over Rs 3.5 lakh so that they could avoid mandatory administrative scrutiny. She advised people to get their own work done by dealing with the gram panchayats.

The tenure of the 14th finance commission ended in 2019-20 and the money from the 15th finance commission will start coming in soon. A panchayat on an average gets Rs. 1.2 crore every year. Those under the ISGPP (Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayats (ISGP) Programme) get around Rs 2 crore a year. There are 82 gram panchayats within my constituency. Many of them have failed to spend the previous money allocated. By rule, 60% of the allotment has to be spent by December, which was not done in many cases. If the money was used in a planned way, there should have been no kutcha roads in those areas, Moitra said.

The TMC MP said that each of the panchayats had unspent money ranging between Rs 1 crore to Rs 3.5 crore. She also said that there has been a misinformation campaign against her at the ground-level for taking up these issues with the administration. She alleged that she had been facing opposition in her drive to get the unspent money utilized.

According to an officer of the Nadia district administration, more than 90% of the panchayats within Moitras constituency were run by her own party.

Explaining why the panchayats were working slow and neglecting focus on essential needs, Moitra said, The thing is, in 2014, the state government made e-tenders mandatory for any work above Rs 5 lakh. Most panchayats have not created the infrastructure yet and work requiring above Rs 5 lakh has not been taken up at all. Further, scrutiny at the block level is also mandatory for work above Rs 3.5 lakh. So, panchayats are focusing on work requiring less than Rs 3.5 lakh. As a result, crucial roadway connectivity has been neglected. Assets have not been created.

Her comments came barely two days after chief minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee warned TMC leaders about making comments against the party and their colleagues during a meeting over video conferencing.

Banerjees warning came after consumer affairs minister Sadhan Pandey traded barbs with urban development minister Firhad Hakim, MLA Paresh Pal took digs at Pandey and panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee criticised the irrigation minister  all in the media.

On Sunday, no other TMC leader agreed to comment on Moitras remarks. She is a spokesperson. If anything has to be said, the party chief will decide, said a senior minister who did not want to be named.

Mitra, herself, knew that her remarks could be politically controversial and gave a disclaimer: Im not saying these to turn into a subject of the oppositions mockery. I am saying these in the peoples interest. Panchayat members are only interested in getting their quota of allocation.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Md Salim said that he agreed with most of what Moitra said and that the panchayat system in Bengal had collapsed under the TMC regime.

Before her, another MP, Kabir Suman, had raised the issue of corruption at the grassroot level. The party chief first dubbed him as a guest and then sidelined him. If Moitra keeps making such remarks, she too would be dubbed a guest in TMC soon, Salim said.

Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary Rahul Sinha said, Why is she publicly slamming panchayats run by her own party? Is she trying to save her skin sensing imminent danger of her party?
Press Release

June 6, 2020 GORDON WELCOMES CHINESE EMBASSY'S DONATION FOR COVID FOOD RELIEF PACKS FOR THE NCR With a number of Metro Manila's residents reeling from the economic impact of the two-month long quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Richard J. Gordon, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, welcomed the Chinese Embassy in Manila's donation for food relief packs to be distributed in the National Capital Region. Gordon accepted the donation for at least 3,500 relief packs that was handed over by Chinese Ambassador Huang Xillian in a turn-over ceremony held at the PRC's national headquarters on Friday. The turn-over was also witnessed by the chapter administrators of the different PRC chapters in the NCR, where the highest number of COVID cases had been recorded. "We welcome this donation which would really help the most vulnerable families in Metro Manila who were badly hit by the economic consequences of this pandemic," the PRC chairman said. Gordon also thanked the Chinese envoy for providing him with necessary information last April, when the PRC was in the process of building up its first COVID testing center or bio-molecular laboratory. "We thank you for your help, having directed us to the right people. I remember I wrote you a letter and called you-Then we were able to connect with Sansure Biotech, Inc. Our bio-molecular laboratories gave our country a better weapon for our battle against COVID-. It's important that we both feel that we are there for each other," he said. The Chinese Embassy has been a long-time partner of the Philippine Red Cross in its humanitarian operations, having donated almost P24-million, in cash and in kind, for different disasters that hit the country in the past seven years alone. The calamities include Typhoon Yolanda in 2013; Lawin in 2016; Urduja in 2017; and the earthquake in Surigao, also in 2017.
A wave crashes as a man stands on a jetty near Orleans Harbor in Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, as Tropical Storm Cristobal approaches the Louisiana Coast, on June 7, 2020. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

High Winds, Rain as Tropical Storm Cristobal Makes Landfall Over Louisiana

NEW ORLEANSTropical Storm Cristobal made landfall on the Louisiana coast Sunday, packing 50 mph winds and spinning dangerous weather as far east as northern Florida, where it spawned a tornado that uprooted trees and downed power lines.

The lopsided storm moved ashore between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the barrier island resort community of Grand Isle, which had been evacuated a day earlier.

Residents of waterside communities outside the New Orleans levee systembounded by lakes Pontchartrain and Borgnewere urged to evacuate Sunday afternoon because of their vulnerability to an expected storm surge.

Charles Marsala, who lives in the Orleans Marina in the West End section of New Orleans, La., films a rising storm surge from Lake Pontchartrain, in advance of Tropical Storm Cristobal, on June 7, 2020. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Water covered the only road to Grand Isle by Sunday. It was a similar story in low-lying parts of Plaquemines Parish at the states southeastern tip, said shrimper Acy Cooper. You cant go down there by car, he said Sunday of one marina in the area. You have to go by boat.

Cristobal packed top sustained winds of 50 miles per hour winds nearing the coast but was not expected to reach hurricane strength. Forecasters warned, however, that the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles.

Sen. John Kennedy said in a news release that President Donald Trump agreed to issue an emergency declaration for Louisiana as the storm approached the coast. Gov. John Bel Edwards had issued a state emergency declaration Thursday.

In Florida, a tornadothe second in two days in the state as the storm approachedtouched down about 3:35 p.m. south of Lake City near Interstate 75, said meteorologist Kirsten Chaney in the weather services Jacksonville office. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The storm splintered and uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Debris is strewn on the ground at Lake Margaret Village Apartments following a tornado the day before in Orlando, Fla., on June 7, 2020. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Rising water on Lake Pontchartrain pushed about two feet of water into the first floor of Rudy Horvaths residencea boathouse that sits on pilings over the brackish lake. Horvath said he and his family have lived there a year and have learned to take the occasional flood in stride. Theyve put tables on the lower floor where they can stack belongings above the high water.

We thought it would be pretty cool to live out here, and it has been, Horvath said. The sunsets are great.

Rain fell intermittently in New Orleans famed French Quarter on Sunday afternoon, but the streets were nearly deserted, with many businesses already boarded up due to the coronavirus.

Daniel Priestman said he didnt see people frantically stocking up as he did before other storms. He said people may be overwhelmed by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, and recent protests.

They seemed resigned to whatever happenshappens, he said.

At one New Orleans intersection, a handmade Black Lives Matter sign, wired to a lampost, rattled in a stiff wind as the crew of a massive vacuum truck worked to unclog a nearby storm drain.

About 4 p.m. local time Sunday, the storm was centered about 65 miles south of New Orleans. Cristobal was moving north at 7 mph. With an expected landfall looming in Louisiana, tropical storm warnings stretched from Intracoastal City in Louisiana to the Okaloosa-Walton County line in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

Forecasters said some parts of Louisiana and Mississippi were in danger of as much as a foot of rain, with storm surges of up to five feet.

Its very efficient, very tropical rainfall, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. It rains a whole bunch real quick.

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans said the citys aging street drainage system had limits, so residents should avoid underpasses and low-lying areas where water can pool during inevitable street flooding.

Much of Grand Isle wasnt passable, Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet told The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

The Louisiana National Guard had dozens of high-water vehicles and rescue boats ready to go across south Louisiana. Three teams of engineers were also available to help assess potential infrastructure failures, the Guard said in a news release.

In Biloxi, Mississippi, a pier was almost submerged by Sunday morning. Squalls with tropical-force winds had reached the mouth of the Mississippi River and conditions were expected to deteriorate, the hurricane center in Miami said.

Recreational trailers and boats are parked along LA-46 inside the levee gates in anticipation of tropical storm Cristobal in St. Bernard Parish, La., on June 6, 2020. (Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate)

Jefferson Parish, a suburb of New Orleans, called for voluntary evacuations Saturday of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria because of the threat of storm surge, high tides and heavy rain. Residents were urged to move vehicles, boats and campers to higher ground.

A similar order was issued for several Plaquemines Parish communities. The parishs president, Kirk Lepine, said the order was issued as a precaution.

By Gerald Herbert and Kevin McGill

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
The presidency has released the statement below accusing an outlawed separatist group of working to discredit the Nigerian government internationally, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wants an independent country of Biafra, made up of the Igbo-speaking part of Nigeria, largely in the South-eastern part of the country.

The group was outlawed in Nigeria after the federal government accused it of terrorism, although most of its programmes and protests have been largely peaceful.

The government has also clamped down violently on IPOB members with some of the attacks condemned by rights groups including Amnesty International.

The leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently on exile abroad after he jumped bail from his trial for treason in Nigeria.

In a statement Sunday by President Muhammadu Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, he accused IPOB of waging a smear camapign to accuse the Nigerian government of encouraging the persecution of Christians.

Nigerians and the international community are advised to be wary of this divisive campaign, which available evidence shows is being funded with a monthly spending of $85,000 USD since October 2019, with no records of the source of this largesse, Mr Shehu wrote.

Read Mr Shehus full statement below.

IPOB, SELF-PROCLAIMED JEWS, USING CHRISTIANITY TO WAGE WAR AGAINST THE NIGERIAN STATE

The Presidency wishes to draw the attention of all citizens and the international community to a most misleading campaign spearheaded by the so-called Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) using false allegations of persecution of Christians against the Nigerian State.

A very deep and wide investigation by an agency of the Nigerian government, working with international partners have made us become aware that there are two, interconnected campaigns being run concurrently by the IPOB in this regard.

Both are using the cover of Christianity  and calling for a US Special Envoy to be appointed to stop the genocide of Christians in Nigeria. But the real purpose is to drive a wedge between the Nigeria government and its US and UK/European allies.

IPOB leadership of course self-proclaims as Jewish, a position not shared by the generality of the members.

For reasons of convenience, he claims to have an interest in the welfare of Christians  but this is a ruse: the case for independence, the leader believes, is strengthened by proving the government of Nigeria is autocratic, engaged in a silent slaughter of their own citizens along religion and ethnic lines  and that therefore the only viable option for the unique religious and ethnic minority is a sovereign Biafra separate from Nigeria.

Nigerians and the international community are advised to be wary of this divisive campaign, which available evidence shows is being funded with a monthly spending of $85,000 USD since October 2019, with no records of the source of this largesse.

The campaign consists of producing articles in the names of the alleged Christian NGOs leaders (of campaign groups created at the time this PR contract with a US lobbying firm was signed) and letters to and from members of Congress to the White House.

Unfortunately, some Members of Congress have clearly been persuaded there is indeed a Christian persecution underway in Nigeria  and do so quoting the campaign  and they are known to be taking up the case directly with the White House to appoint the special envoy.

The American charity secured a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and has made presentations to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

There is also a UK and European angle of the Campaign, which is more opaque than its US sister campaign  given there is less legal requirement for public filings  but what is known of this at the moment is that their Budget is sufficient to hire four PR firms in the UK, Belgium, France and the US (the latter additional to the above).

They have founded an NGO/Charity and a linked web-based campaign named Stop the Silent Slaughter which is well designed and complete with video evidence-completely concocted.

Members of the alleged Christian NGO have had multiple Op-Ed articles in conservative news websites promulgating their message of a Christian Genocide. Some of those articles have also been used as evidence in the sister US campaign.

Two of those conservative news websites were co-founded by the owner of the UK PR firm they have hired to generate their publicity as well as an OP-Ed article in the name of a British MP who may have been convinced by their campaign under false pretences.

They have secured additional coverage in France, EU and Germany.

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They secured a MPs debate on the Christian Genocide in the House of Commons in which staff member of the UK PR was referenced as the private secretary to the leader of the UK-based Charity.

It is clear from all of the above that the IPOBs extraordinarily and dubiously well-funded campaign in the US and UK/Europe is misusing the issue of the welfare of Christians purely to further their own political ends, and it seeks to damage inter-religious dialogue in Nigeria as well as to damage the international reputation of Nigeria.

Nigerians and the international community are hereby advised to ignore this campaign as they have disregarded similar past campaigns originated by this group which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian State.

International groups and societies are welcome to send representatives to Nigeria and give a lie to the false claims made by these terrorist groups who are duping them of their money and involving them in conduct and activities disguised to destroy the harmonious relationships existing between their home countries and Nigeria.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 7

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 7, 5,013 tests were conducted to detect new cases of infection.

In accordance with the data, in general, 339,876 tests were conducted throughout the country.
Wichita State University Tech, an affiliate of Wichita State University in Kansas, canceled Ivanka Trump's virtual graduation speech amid backlash over President Donald Trump's response to George Floyd's death and the nationwide protests.

The public community college announced Thursday that Trump would be a planned speaker for its June 6 virtual commencement, and abruptly canceled it the same day after criticism, according to a joint statement from the presidents of Wichita State and WSU Tech.

"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," WSU Tech President Sheree Utash said in a separate statement. "For this, I'm sorry that was never the intent, and I want you to know I have heard you and we are responding."

Instead, the ceremony would be "refocused more centrally on students" and WSU Tech practical nursing graduate Rebecca Zinabu would be the sole speaker, according to the release.

Utash said the invitation to Trump was extended in February and that the White House adviser offered to record a "congratulatory message to graduates" to be played during the ceremony.

On Friday, Trump posted the nearly 10-minute prerecorded address on Twitter and spoke out about "cancel culture."

"Our nation's 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!" she wrote on Twitter.

In her video message, Trump focused on the coronavirus pandemic and said her "heart goes out" to the graduates on this day, adding "changes and hardships do not predict failure. In fact they can be the greatest impetus for success ... You are a wartime graduate."

A White House official told CNN that Trump recorded the message more than two weeks ago, prior to the May 25 death of Floyd and the beginning of demonstrations across the country.

Utash said that the graduates will still be able to view prerecorded "congratulatory messages" from more than 30 people including Trump.

The decision to drop Trump from the graduation ceremony came after the university faced public pressure in the form of a widely circulated open letter signed by nearly 500 of its faculty, students and alumni, according to The Wichita Eagle. The letter, penned by an associate professor, argued that allowing Trump to speak during the ceremony would send the wrong message about the school's commitment to diversity, the paper reported.

"Ivanka Trump, obviously, represents her father's administration as one of his closest advisors. 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," read the letter, which has since been removed, according to The Wichita Eagle.

The move from the university, and Trump's reaction to their decision, comes after a week of continued nationwide protests including some right outside the White House.

Federal law enforcement on Monday used tear gas and rubber bullets to push back the crowd of peaceful protesters outside the White House, after which Trump walked across the street to the historic St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo-op. Ivanka Trump accompanied her father to the church, carrying the Bible that the President held up as he posed for pictures.

CNN previously reported that Ivanka Trump was involved in the process of planning the President's church visit.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:33:55|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- During China's fight against COVID-19, some 4 million Chinese community workers were working in around 650,000 urban and rural communities to guard against the disease, according to a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

Dedicated and responsible, they meticulously protected their communities from the virus, taking body temperatures, screening for infection, disseminating government policies, and sanitizing neighborhoods, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

It also said many ordinary people volunteered at the front line, standing guard in communities, screening for infection, carrying out cleaning and disinfection work, and buying medicines and delivering groceries for other residents' pressing needs.

Preliminary statistics show that as of May 31, 8.81 million registered volunteers across the country had participated in more than 460,000 volunteer projects, rendering a total of more than 290 million hours of voluntary service. Enditem
New Delhi, June 7 : Budget airline GoAir has terminated the services of a trainee pilot over hate tweets allegedly from an account by his name, but now the employee has come out and said that he has been wrongfully terminated, as it was a tweet by another person of the same name.

A Twitter account of Asif Khan with the id '@MdAsif35534489', posted objectionable and hateful comments last week following which there was an uproar on social media.

On June 4, Go Air tweeted: "GoAir has zero tolerance policy and it is mandatory for all GoAir employees to comply with the company's employment rules, regulations and policies, including social media behaviour. The airline does not associate itself with personal views expressed by an individual or an employee. With immediate effect GoAir is terminating the employment contract of trainee First Officer Asif Khan." On Friday, Asif Khan, the terminated employee, in a Facebook post claimed innocence and said that the hateful comments were made from the Twitter account of an impostor.

"I have been getting death threats, abusive hate messages, my mother and sister threatened with rape, all because of a mistaken identity and because a guy with same name as mine had abused Holy Hindu God's," he said.

In another Facebook post on Sunday, he said that he has filed an FIR against the person who has used his name and made derogatory comments on the social media platforms.

Before the decision of sacking the trainee first officer, the airline had tweeted that it was trying to verify whether the person 'Asif Khan' is associated with the airline.

Screenshots of the objectionable tweets from the Twitter id "@MdAsif35534489" of the account named "Asif Khan" went viral, seeking action from the airline. The profile of the handle mentioned -- cabin crew at @goairlinesindia.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed when he and other officers were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities say. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)

After a Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Saturday, federal investigators are trying to determine whether the slaying is connected to other recent crimes in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the shooting of an officer last month in Oakland, officials said.

Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed Saturday in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz. Gutzwiller and other officers, some of whom were also injured, were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities said.

The death, the first in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office since the early 1980s, stunned the region.

"This will be something that will be with us for a long time," Sheriff Jim Hart said at a news conference. "His life was taken needlessly, and its a hard thing to process."

At the scene, authorities arrested and booked Steven Carrillo, who was later identified as an active-duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base. Carrillo, 32, was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron, according to a Travis Air Force Base spokesman.

Law enforcement officials said they were unsure whether Carrillo had been acting alone and whether the explosives in his car were part of a larger plot he planned to carry out. The FBI said it was looking into potential links to previous incidents, including the one late last month in Oakland.

On the night of May 29, Dave Patrick Underwood, 53, was shot and killed while working as a security officer at the federal courthouse in Oakland, employed by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service. Another officer who was present was injured, officials said.

The FBI, already investigating the Underwood case, is now trying to determine the motive behind the Santa Cruz County incident, as well as "links to other crimes committed in the Bay Area, to include the shooting of the FPS officers in Oakland," a spokesperson said in an email.

Story continues

Carrillo, the suspect in the Santa Cruz case, came to Travis Air Force Base in June 2018, a month after his wife died, according to authorities and obituaries. His wife, Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, was also in the Air Force. She was found dead in May 2018 in what was ruled a suicide while stationed in South Carolina, according to the Air Force.

Monika Carrillo, 30, had been married to Steven Carrillo for nine years, and they had a son and daughter together, according to an obituary posted online.

On Saturday, Steven Carrillo was reportedly shot during his arrest and then treated at a hospital, Hart said. He will be charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon and several other felony charges, the sheriff said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all flags in the state Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of Gutzwiller. The fallen sergeant, who had been with the Sheriff's Office since 2006, had a wife, a young child and another child on the way.

"He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father," Newsom said in a statement.

Dozens gathered outside the Sheriff's Office on Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to Gutzwiller. His wife and child stood next to a photo of him and bouquets of flowers.

Gutzwiller's colleagues described him as unusually patient, always smiling and cracking jokes, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. Hart said he had reviewed Gutzwiller's personnel file, and there hadn't been a single complaint from the public against him in his 14 years in the department.

He grew up in Santa Cruz and knew and understood the community, and was beloved by his colleagues, Hart said.

"He was kind, caring and empathetic," Hart said. "I will never forget him."

The Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.
Home Four wheelers Top Car News Of The Week: Here Are The Highlights Of The Auto Industry From The Past Week oi-Rahul Nagaraj

The auto industry over the past week has witnessed a lot of updates. With the lockdown now having started to ease across the country, vehicle manufacturers are quick to resume all operations.

Having said that, here are some of the top highlights from the car industry from the week gone by:

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Kareena Kapoor Khan stepped into Hindi cinema with Refugee opposite Abhishek Bachchan and she bagged several accolades for her performance in the movie. Some of the noteworthy movies of Kareena Kapoor Khan include Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Chameli, Dev, Omkara, Jab We Met, and several others. Apart from her acting chops, she is known for her unique sartorial choices. With all that said now, here are some of her best looks that are perfect to take inspiration from:

Kareena Kapoor Khan's best looks

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a picture of herself in a stylish cowboy look and her style has been going viral on the internet. Her unique sartorial choices grabbed massive attention. She can be seen sporting a rugged look in the picture shared below. Bebo opted for an off-white full-sleeved t-shirt and white jeans and she teamed it with a hat. Check out the post right below.

ALSO READ | Kareena Kapoor Khan's 'What Women Want': Empowering Statements By Guests On The Show

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a throwback picture with Saif Ali Khan from their trip to Morocco. In the picture shared below, the actor can be seen donning a rustic coloured one-piece. She teamed her outfit with several accessories. Bebo opted for a brownish-rustic belt for the outfit and carried a peach-nude coloured purse and completed her look by wearing a pair of sunglasses. She opted for an open hairdo in the picture.

ALSO READ | Kareena Kapoor Khan's Reaction To Chef Saifu's Culinary Skills

Kareena Kapoor has sported all looks with utmost ease, from sporting casual wear to traditional wear to formal wears, she has got it covered all. Bebo made her debut on Instagram with a stunning picture. She went for a casual look by opting for black leggings, black jacket with golden strip, and black and golden shoes of Puma.

ALSO READ | Kareena Kapoor And Rani Mukerji's Most Memorable Moments Together

Kareena Kapoor Khan has been quite active on Instagram and with millions of followers, she is among the most celebrated actors on social media. Dressed in a black outfit with blue-green designs, the actor has carried the look with the utmost ease. She completed her look by opting for an open hair-do, dark kohl-eyes, and subtle makeup. Have a look at her style:

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared yet another picture of her and Saif Ali Khan from her trip to Rome. Apart from the location, what grabbed the attention was her stylish look. Dressed in an olive coloured full-sleeved t-shirt and blue denim jeans, Kareena Kapoor completed her look with a brown coloured shawl and a huge blue purse.

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
Proposal is expected to ban police chokeholds, racial profiling, require nationwide use of body cameras, and more.

US congressional Democrats plan to unveil sweeping package of legislation to combat police violence and racial injustice, after two weeks of protests across the nation sparked by George Floyds death in Minneapolis police custody.

The Minneapolis city council has said it wants to disband the citys police department, after days of protests over the killing Floyd, who died after a city police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25.

US President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of National Guard troops from the streets of Washington, DC.

Monday, June 8:

12:50 GMT  PM Johnson would not agree that Britain is a racist country, says his spokesman

Prime Minister Boris Johnson would not agree that Britain is a racist country but acknowledges there is still more to do to combat cases of discrimination and racism, his spokesman said.

The PM doesnt doubt that there continues to be discrimination and racism but would not agree that this is a racist country. We have made very significant progress on this issue but there remains more to do, the spokesman told reporters.

The PM is absolutely committed to continuing efforts to stamp out racism and discrimination.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he heard the messages from those protesting after the killing of Floyd [File:Reuters]

12:38 GMT  George Floyds family calls for UN intervention in case

George Floyds family has appealed to the United Nations to intervene in his case and to send recommendations for systemic police reform in the US, CNN reported.

According to a press release, a June 3 letter to the UN Working Group on the Rights of People of African Descent, the family urged the UN to investigate Floyds death.

It also encouraged the US government to press federal criminal charges against the officers involved, and make reforms including de-escalating techniques, independent prosecutions and autopsies for every police killing, reported CNN.

In a June 3 letter to the UN Working Group on the Rights of People of African Descent, George Floyds family urged the UN to investigate his death [File: Lucas Jackson/Reuters]

12:29 GMT  Defund the police: What the protest chant means

Protesters are pushing to defund the police over the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans killed by law enforcement.

Their chant has become a rallying cry  but what does defund the police mean? The answer is not necessarily about gutting police department budgets.

Read more here.

Demonstrators holding a Black Lives Matter banner during a protest at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York City [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]

12:03 GMT  New York Times op-ed editor resigns amid backlash over column

The editorial page head of the New York Times has resigned after his decision to publish an op-ed  by a US senator who called for military force against anti-racism protesters  drew online fury and criticism from many of the papers staffers.

James Bennet, the editorial page editor since May 2016, faced intense backlash after initially defending the column headlined Send in The Military by Republican US Senator Tom Cotton.

Read more here.

11:42 GMT  Congressional Democrats to unveil sweeping US police reform proposal after Floyd death

US congressional Democrats plan to unveil a sweeping package of legislation to combat police violence and racial injustice, after two weeks of protests across the nation sparked by George Floyds death in Minneapolis police custody.

The proposal is expected to ban police chokeholds and racial profiling, require nationwide use of body cameras, subject police to civilian review boards and abolish the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity, which protects police from civil litigation, according to congressional sources.

It is time for police culture in many departments to change, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Representative Karen Bass, told CNN on Sunday.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kamala Harris along with Bass are expected to discuss the bill at a 10:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT) briefing.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is expected to discuss the bill at a 10:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT) briefing[File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

11:06 GMT  ABBAs Bjorn speaks out in support of Black Lives Matter protests

The world is full of idiots, said ABBAs Bjorn Ulvaeus, as he condemned critics of the Black Lives Matter movement and voiced his support of the worldwide protests against racism and police brutality.

The solidarity that we see in the streets of the cities around the world now should give us hope, the musician said in a phone-recorded video given to Reuters..

The musician condemned those without the imagination or will to put themselves in the place of a coloured woman or man, adding that he believes such people to be in the minority.

Musician Bjorn Ulvaeus of Swedish pop group ABBA voiced his support of the worldwide protests against racism and police brutality [File: Ilze Filks/Reuters]

10:35 GMT  Ex-police officer who pressed knee on Floyds neck to appear in court

Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on George Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes as the man begged for his life, will make his first court appearance Monday afternoon, CNN reported.

Chauvin was arrested last month and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Prosecutors also added a second-degree murder charge.

The other three officers involved in Floyds death  Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao  were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested last month and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter [File: Reuters]

10:02 GMT  Felling of British slave trader statue heats up simmering debate

The toppling by anti-racism protesters of a statue of a slave trader Edward Colston in the English port city of Bristol has given new urgency to a debate about how Britain should confront some of the darkest chapters of its history.

Statues of figures from Britains imperialist past have in recent years become the subject of controversies between those who argue that such monuments merely reflect history and those who say they glorify racism.

Many people criticised the government for its reactions to the incident.

UK interior minister Priti Patel called the felling of the statue an utterly disgraceful distraction from the protesters cause, while policing minister Kit Malthouse denounced mobs just turning up and deciding to do whatever they like.

Protesters tearing down a statue of Edward Colston during a protest against racial inequality in Bristol [Mohiudin Malik/Reuters]

09:11 GMT  Retired US navy captain uses racial slurs streamed on Facebook

A retired US Navy captain used derogatory language and racial slurs during a conversation with his wife that was accidentally live streamed on Facebook, reported CNN.

Scott Bethmann said he was mortified after the leak and was working to be a better person and resigned from the US Naval Academy Alumni Association board after the incident, according to a statement from the alumni association and a family spokesperson.

Bethmann and his wife Nancy were live on Facebook for more than 30 minutes, discussing recent events around the country, according to audio obtained by CNN affiliate WJXT.

08:03 GMT  French minister denounces violence against protesters, journalists

Violence against peaceful protesters and journalists is unacceptable, whether in the United States or elsewhere, Frances foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a newspaper interview published.

Asked about protests and rioting that have swept across US cities since the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, Le Drian told Le Telegramme that it was necessary to let people demonstrate freely.

Any act of violence committed against peaceful protesters or journalists is unacceptable, in the United States or elsewhere, he told the Brittany regional newspaper.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tells newspaper Le Telegramme that it is necessary to let people demonstrate freely [File: Ludovic Marin/Reuters]

07:56 GMT  National Guard troops begin pull-out from California cities

National Guard troops will be pulled out of California cities where theyve been deployed for a week of protests over the death of George Floyd, officials announced.

The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state, including one on horseback and another on wheels, as protesters continue to call for police reforms.

After nearly a week assisting civil authorities on the streets of California, soldiers with the California National Guard will begin transitioning back to their home armories, the Cal Guard said in a statement. A timeline for the pullout was not provided.

07:33 GMT  Romney becomes first known Republican senator to march in protest

Mitt Romney marched in a protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nations capital, making him the first known Republican senator to do so.

Romney, who represents Utah, posted a tweet showing him wearing a mask as he walked with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington. Above the photo he wrote: Black Lives Matter.

Romney, who was walking with a Christian group, told NBC News that he needed to be there.

We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality, he said.

07:16 GMT  Artists paint End Racism Now on street in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina

Artists painted the words End Racism Now on a downtown street, the Raleigh News & Observer reported.

Charman Driver, former chair of the Contemporary Art Museum on Martin Street, where the painting is located, called it a very painful totem. The street leads to Confederate monuments on State Capitol grounds, which have been spotlighted as offensive during protests.

The painting was applied when a city engineer met the artists and brought barricades to block off the street.

We did it. And its wonderful. And we feel really good about it. Our voices are being heard, but its not enough, Driver said.

06:59 GMT  Seattle mayor, police chief criticised for police use of flash bangs, pepper spray

Seattle City Council members sharply criticised Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best after police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters a day after Durkan and Best said they were trying to de-escalate tensions.

Authorities said rocks, bottles and explosives were thrown at officers in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood Saturday night. Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by improvised explosives.

The mayhem in the Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city. It followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier.

06:40 GMT  Man drives at protesters in Seattle, shoots one

Authorities say a man drove a car at George Floyd protesters in Seattle Sunday night, hit a barricade then exited the vehicle brandishing a pistol.

At least one person was injured. The Seattle Fire Department said the victim was a 27-year-old male who was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Video taken by a reporter for The Seattle Times showed part of the scene in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood, where demonstrators have gathered for days near a police precinct.

03:45 GMT (Monday): BTS fans match groups $1m donation to Black Lives Matter

Fans of BTS have matched the hugely popular South Korean boy bands $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter after a social media campaign around the hashtag MatchAMillion.

Fans, known by the acronym ARMY (Adorable Representation MC for Youth) had given $1,007,518 as of 9:47am (00:47 GMT) on Monday, according One In An Army (OIAA) which runs fan donation campaigns.

Were so proud that ARMY have once again channelled their power for good and are making a real impact in the fight against anti-black racism, OIAA said in a statement.

We stand in solidarity with black ARMY. Theyre an important part of our family. And we stand with black people everywhere. Your voices deserve to be heard.

02:01 GMT (Monday): Curfews lift, police show less force amid peaceful protests

With New York City poised to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials lifted a curfew that was in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice. But they also urged that demonstrators be tested for COVID-19.

Get a test. Get a test, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told people who have been participating in rallies and marches in memory of George Floyd. I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus.

Cuomo said the state would open 15 testing sites dedicated to protesters so they can get results quickly. His call for demonstrators to proceed carefully is similar to those made in Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta following massive demonstrations, with free testing for protesters.

00:15 GMT (Monday): Minneapolis city councillors back plan to disband police

A majority of councillors in Minneapolis have told a rally in the city that they want to break up the citys police department.

It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe, said Lisa Bender, the council president who was among nine of the councils 12 members who took part in the rally. Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period.

Bender said she and the other council members at the rally were committed to end policing as we know it and recreate systems that actually keep us safe. Council member Jeremiah Ellison promied the council would dismantle the police department.

Sunday, June 7

20:50 GMT  UK anti-racism protests subverted by thuggery: PM Johnson

Anti-racism protests in Britain have been subverted by thuggery, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, warning those responsible would be held to account.

Tens of thousands took to the streets of London on Sunday, rallying for a second day running to condemn police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. As numbers dwindled, some protesters tussled with police.

20:40 GMT  Washington protesters ask black Secret Service agent to take a knee

Peaceful protesters have gathered again near the White House in the 13consecutive day of protests in the country.

In one instance, protesters implored a black US Secret Service officer to take a knee in solidarity with their demonstration against racism and brutality by law enforcement.

I appreciate all of this.  Im still black. You see what Im saying? You guys are still fighting for my rights, the unidentified officer told the protesters through a fence outside the Treasury building in Washington, in an exchange captured by Reuters TV.

What Im saying is, technically we just cant do that, he said.

Demonstrators protest near the White House in Washington [Maya Alleruzzo/The Associated Press]

20:30 GMT  Virginia officer charged in use of stun gun on black man

A white Virginia police officer was charged with assault and battery in connection with the use of a stun gun on a black man, authorities have announced.

Fairfax County police Officer Tyler Timberlake was trying to get the man into an ambulance to go to a detox centre on Friday, according to body camera video shown at a news conference late Saturday.

Timberlake is seen striking the man with a stun gun and then getting on top of him, along with the officer wearing the body camera. Once Timberlake is on top of the man, he presses the stun gun into the back of his neck and fires again.

20:10 GMT  Scuffles break out in central London

Scuffles have broken out between police and protesters in central London by the arches that effectively connect the Foreign Office and the Treasury.

Objects were thrown at police lining up at the three arches that bridges the connection just off Whitehall, which is also near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Many of the demonstrators, who gathered earlier Sunday outside the US embassy just south of the River Thames, have moved towards central London, where clashes also took place Saturday.

Police clash with demonstrators in Whitehall during a Black Lives Matter protest in London [Dylan Martinez/Reuters]

19:50 GMT  Attorney General denies Lafayette Square was cleared for Trump photo shoot

US Attorney General William Barr has defended the clearing of mostly peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square on Monday, denying it was done for President Donald Trump to have a photo shoot in front of a local church.

Barr, in an interview on CBSs Face the Nation programme, insisted that, despite contradictory reports from many of those present, that protesters were rowdy and non-compliant and some had thrown projectiles, justifying the aggressive response.

He said the clearing was meant to increase the perimeter around the White House and was unrelated to Trumps photo session.

Donald Trump holds a Bible outside St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park [Patrick Semansky/the Associate Press]

19:20 GMT  Trump wanted to deploy 10,000 troops in Washington, DC, official says

US President Donald Trump told his advisors at one point this past week he wanted 10,000 troops to deploy to the Washington, DC area to halt civil unrest over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police,a senior US official told Reuters news agency.

The account of Trumps demand during a heated Oval Office conversation on Monday shows how close the president may have come to fulfilling his threat to deploy active duty troops, despite opposition from Pentagon leadership.

At the meeting, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, and Attorney General William Barr recommended against such a deployment, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The meeting was contentious, the official added.





18:50 GMT  Serbian president gives Trump rare European support

Offering rare open support by a leader in Europe, Serbias president says US President Donald Trump faces a serious and tough enemy as he tries to quell massive protests over the violent death of George Floyd.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told local Pancevo TV on Sunday, I hope the US will come out of the crisis. He also said he wishes Trump the best of luck.

Vucic, a populist and former ultra-nationalist, also addressed the release of Serbian soccer player Aleksandar Katai by the LA Galaxy soccer club after a series of social media posts by his wife in which she urged police to kill protesters and referred to protesters as disgusting cattle.

Vucic says the teams decision only speaks about the chase and chaos that has been conducted against President Trump.

18:20 GMT  You need to step in: George Floyd police failed to intervene

Minneapolis was among several cities that had policies on the books requiring police officers to intervene to stop colleagues from using unreasonable force, but that could not save George Floyd.

Law enforcement experts say such rules will always run up against entrenched police culture and the fear of being ostracised and branded a rat.

Read more here.

Protesters call for police reform in the wake of the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers [Julio Cortez/AP]

17:50 GMT- Chicago lifts 9 PM curfew

Chicago has lifted its 9 PM curfew, according to a tweet by the citys mayor.

The curfew was put in place on June 1 as protests began to sweep the country.

The curfew is lifted effective immediately and going forward, Mayor Lori Lightfood wrote. I know this time in our city and our country has been difficult for us all, and Im grateful to our residents for working together to navigate this challenging time.

The curfew is lifted effective immediately. I know this time in our city and our country has been difficult for us all, and Im grateful to our residents for working together to navigate this challenging time.  Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 7, 2020

17:15 GMT  Officials urge Floyd protesters to get coronavirus tests

As New York City prepared to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials lifted a curfew that was put in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice  and urged demonstrators get tested for COVID-19.

Get a test. Get a test, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo urged.

He said the state planned to open 15 testing sites dedicated to protesters so they can get results quickly.

I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus, Cuomo added.

16:40 GMT  Protesters in England throw slave trader statue into harbour

Anti-racism protesters in the southwestern England port city of Bristol have toppled the statue of a prominent slave trader and dumped it into the harbour.

Footage from local broadcaster ITV News West Country shows demonstrators attach ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down on Sunday and eventually dumping it into the harbor. Images on social media show protesters appearing to kneel on the statues neck, recalling how a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin down George Floyds neck before his death.

Colston, who was born in 1636, has been a controversial figure in Bristol. Among efforts to decolonise the city have been calls to remove his name from its biggest music venue, Colston Hall.

https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1269661838528086019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

16:10 GMT  Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden to meet Floyd family

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden will travel to Houston and meet with the family of George Floyd, two weeks after Floyds death in police custody triggered nationwide protests over racial injustice, two senior aides said.

Biden is expected to offer his sympathies to Floyds relatives and record a video message for Floyds funeral service, which is taking place later in the day in Houston, the aides said. He is not expected to attend the service to avoid any disruption to mourners that could be caused by his Secret Service protective detail.

Floyds body arrived in Houston on Sunday, officials said.

15:40 GMT  Protesters in Virginia topple Confederate statue

US demonstrators toppled a statue of Confederate General Williams Carter Wickham from its pedestal after a day of mostly peaceful demonstrations across Virginia on Saturday.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that most of the demonstrators had already dispersed when a rope was tied around the Confederate statue, which has stood since 1891 in Richmonds Monroe Park. In 2017, some of Wickhams descendants urged the city to remove the statue.

Confederate monuments are a major flashpoint in Virginia and across the US.





15:15 GMT  Trump orders National Guards withdrawal from Washington

US President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of National Guard troops from the streets of Washington after days of protests over the police killing of George Floyd.

I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, DC, now that everything is under perfect control, he tweeted.

They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!

A demonstrator stares at a National Guard soldier as protests continued over the death of George Floyd near the White House [Alex Brandon/The Associated Press]

14:30 GMT  Trump has drifted from constitution, former military chief warns

Colin Powell, who served as Americas top military officer and top diplomat under Republican presidents, has said he will vote for Democrat Joe Biden, accusing Donald Trump of drifting from the US constitution.

In a scathing indictment of Trump on CNN, Powell denounced the US president as a danger to democracy whose lies and insults have diminished America in the eyes of the world.

We have a constitution. We have to follow that constitution. And the presidents drifted away from it, Powell said.

A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell was the latest in a series of retired top military officers to publicly criticise Trumps handling of the protests.

13:45 GMT  Protests continue across Europe

Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid and Rome in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has drawn large protests against racism and police brutality around the world.

The rally in Romes sprawling Peoples Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus.

More demonstrations were being held Sunday across the United Kingdom, including one outside the US Embassy in London.

Protesters raise their fists at the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, during a demonstration against racism and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement [Gabriel Bouys/AFP]

13:15 GMT  Thailand holds Zoom protest

Some 300 Thais and foreigners in Thailand and elsewhere joined an online protest against racism on Sunday, adding their voices to global calls for justice for Floyd.

With coronavirus restrictions, protesters with I Cant Breathe messages on their arms and placards gathered on the video-meeting platform Zoom to emphasize the call in Thailand as they watched the video clip of Floyds last moments.

12:50 GMT  Dozens attend protest at US embassy in Hong Kong

A Black Lives Matter protest was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions in Hong Kong, but a group of demonstrators showed up in front of US embassy on Sunday.

Its a global issue, Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old UK citizen living in Hong Kong who was at the protest told The Associated Press news agency.

Hong Kong resident and protester Max Percy, 24, said no human should have suffered as Floyd did.

Protesters gathered in a group of eight, which is in accordance with the limit of people who are allowed to meet under current coronavirus restrictions, and took turns to give speeches outside of the embassy.

12:25 GMT  New York: Curfew lifted early after peace protests

New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday morning.

The 8pm citywide curfew, New Yorks first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through to at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city, de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfews end effective immediately. Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart.

The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew on Saturday as thousands took to the streets and parks to protest police brutality, sparked by Floyds death.

New York City: We are lifting the curfew, effective immediately. Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city. Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart. Keep staying safe. Keep looking out for each other.  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 7, 2020

See the updates from Saturday here.
The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of playing politics using money power at a time the country was fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and termed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'virtual rally' an insult to the people of Bihar.

Setting the tone for Bihar assembly polls, Shah held the first of its kind 'virtual rally', in which he addressed the people of Bihar from the national capital using the Internet and broadcast mediums and said the state has moved from "jungle raj to janta raj" under the NDA rule.

Congress leader and former Union minister Akhilesh Prasad Singh said Shah was holding a rally with politics in mind at a time when people of Bihar were dying due to coronavirus and many were stranded in various parts of the country.

The BJP spent around Rs 100 crore on the 'virtual rally', he claimed, adding that around one lakh mobile phones were distributed among the people.

While the Central government does not have money to transport migrant workers back home or provide them food, the BJP has got so much money to spend on political rallies, wondered Singh, a Congress Rajya Sabha member.

"At a time the country is fighting COVID-19, the BJP is holding such political rallies. They are trying to lure the people of Bihar with their money power. This is injustice towards the people of Bihar, who have been insulted," Singh said at a virtual press conference.

The former union minister said while people in Bihar were dying and enough COVID-19 testing was not being done, BJP was holding political rallies. This, he said, was an insult of people of the state.

"The BJP is trying to do politics on the basis of their money power. People are seeing their political design. The people of Bihar are watching the way they have been insulted. They will teach the BJP a lesson and throw this party out of power whenever elections are held," he said.

The Congress leader said the people of Bihar have suffered so much in the last three months that they would not have had even during the British rule. He alleged that while 45 lakh COVID-19 tests were done all over the country, not even one lakh were done in Bihar.

"This was being done deliberately so that the real figure of coronavirus infection does not come out," he alleged.

Singh said this was not the time to play politics but to help people and save those affected by the deadly virus and the lockdown.

The Congress leader also accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of having done nothing to contain the virus in Bihar.

He would turn out to be the "most inefficient" chief ministers in the country, Singh said.

Though former BJP chief Amit Shah asserted that this rally had nothing to do with Bihar poll campaign and was aimed at connecting with people during the fight against COVID-19, he expressed confidence that the alliance will get a two-third majority in the state assembly polls under Nitish Kumar's leadership.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:37:59|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China firmly supports the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing the leading role in the global battle against COVID-19, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

China called on the international community to give the WHO more political and financial support, so that necessary resources worldwide can be mobilized to defeat the virus, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

All countries should implement COVID-19 response under the guidance and coordination of the WHO, said the white paper. Enditem
Ritwika Mitra By

Encouraging domestic travelling will be the key to reviving tourism sector, said Minister of Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel, in an interview to Ritwika Mitra.

What is the level of preparedness of the Ministry of Tourism to open hotels, restaurants and accommodation units after the Centre approved opening of hotels, restaurants from June 8?

Safety and hygiene will be the priorities for travellers who will travel to a destination only if they are assured that the place they are visiting, eating and staying at is virusfree.

The ministry has used this lockdown period to draft new protocols for hotels and other accommodation units, including convention centres and exhibition spaces.

Protocols have been drafted based on consultation with stakeholders and state governments, and we have received feedback from various sectors.

What will be the new protocols that would be followed in order to provide safety to occupants?

The new protocol aims to minimise contact between staff and guests at hotels keeping governments guidelines of maintaining social distancing at all times in mind.

It also aims to make the traceability of guests easier, in case such a situation arises.

The protocols for travel agents, tour operators, tourist transport operators, tourist facilitators/ guides have been prepared with a primary focus on identifying and mitigating risks for the service provider.

Is the ministry planning to conduct an assessment of the estimated job loss and revenue loss that the hospitality and tourism industries have suffered amid the pandemic?

Our focus is on rebooting the tourism economy by reviving demand. Efforts will be put to promote domestic tourism through the campaigns of Dekho Apna Desh and Incredible India.

We are making efforts to engage with our stakeholders and citizens of our country to sustain their interest in travelling within the conduct an assessment of the estimated job loss and revenue loss that the hospitality and tourism industries have suffered amid the pandemic?

Our focus is on rebooting the tourism economy by reviving demand. Efforts will be put to promote domestic tourism through the campaigns of Dekho Apna Desh and Incredible India.

We are making efforts to engage with our stakeholders and citizens of our country to sustain their interest in travelling within the country once travel restrictions are lifted.

In line with the Atmanirbhar call given by the Prime Minister, thrust should be given for holidays in rural India.

What will be the primary responsibilities of the National Tourism Task Force?

The Ministry of Tourism has set up a task force comprising its officials, at the Central level, regional level and representatives of the state tourism departments to address the issues being brought forward on a real time basis.

This task force will help in assessing the needs of the tourism sector at national and regional level. I am sure that the task force will come out with effective recommendations for the revival of tourism sector.

The tourism and hospitality industries had expressed their disappointment on the stimulus packages announced by the Centre. What do you have to say on this?

We should understand that demand has collapsed across the world due to this pandemic. The travel industry will be revived when people are no longer afraid of the pandemic and has sufficient money to travel.

Tourism is a function of several factors. This is where we should see the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for special economic and comprehensive package of Rs 20 lakh crore - equivalent to 10 per cent of Indias GDP on May 12.

The overall stimulus given to economy by this special economic and comprehensive package will have a positive impact on tourism industry.

How do you think international and domestic tourism will change in the aftermath of Covid-19?

We are heading towards a new normal. Many business models including that for tourism have to be re-written. In future, tourism will totally change.

We believe domestic travel will be to beat down the lockdown fatigues, as short travel is believed to be the antidote to stress.

Travel in the coming days will have facets of responsible consumption and tourism.
Nijmegen: Dutch youth hit the club on Saturday, sort of, in one of the country's first attempts to resume night life after the coronavirus outbreak, with social distancing rules still in place.

Clubbers at Doornroosje in the eastern city of Nijmegen booked ahead of time to enjoy short sets of electronic dance music in the afternoon, rather than around midnight, as they used to. During the show, they were restricted to chairs.

Despite social distancing measures including being restricted to chairs and afternoon rather than midnight entry, clubbers enjoyed short sets of electronic dance music at Doornroosje in Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Credit:Facebook

But when the lights went down and the sound came up, almost everything fell into place.

"I expect amazing social dis-dancing!" said Nadie, a young woman who had come to see local favourite DJ Odin play.
CHESTER  Police recovered an unregistered handgun and seized more than 11/2 pounds of marijuana during a raid Thursday morning, according to a release from Deputy Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky.

Drug trafficking and illegal firearms continue to be a challenge in our community, said Gretsky in the release. However, the Chester Police Department and the Delaware County District Attorneys Office remain committed to battling these issues on a daily basis. I would urge members of our community to continue to report illegal drug activity that disrupts their quality of life, which could lead to the removal of illegal firearms from our city streets, as in this case.

Officer John Benozich executed a search warrant at a home on the 2400 block of Lindsay Street at about 6:05 a.m. with members of the Chester Narcotics Unit and Delaware County Drug Task Force, according to a release.

The target of the investigation, Cornelius Newsome Jr., was found in the second floor rear bedroom of the property, the release states. Newsome allegedly told officers its all mine before he was stopped and read his Miranda rights.

Newsome allegedly directed officers to the marijuana and various packaging supplies before advising them that he also had a firearm in the bedroom closet. He told the officers that he had a felony conviction, possibly in 2006, according to the release. Convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms.

Officers searched the bedroom and allegedly recovered a black 9mm Beretta semi-automatic handgun, as well as a partially loaded extended 30 round capacity magazine. Officers found three other magazines, according to the release  one loaded with .40 caliber ammunition and one loaded with 9mm ammunition.

Other items retrieved included 686.8 grams of bulk marijuana in bags and canisters, packaging material, a vacuum sealer, three digital scales, two police scanners, one box of 9mm ammunition, one box of .40 caliber ammunition, $3,261 in cash and three Apple iPhones.

A check of the firearm through the National Crime Information Center revealed a no record found response, according to the release.

Newsome is charged with person not to possess firearms, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Wilden Horace Davis, who set bail at 10% of $100,000. Newsome was committed to George W. Hill Correctional Facility in lieu of bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 23 before Magisterial District Judge Walter A. Strohl.
The recent events have seriously affected the U.S. economy and the common citizen feels the consequences. Millions of people got unemployed due to the coronavirus outbreak and numerous cars were destroyed by rioters during the recent protects. Policyholders may find it difficult to pay for car insurance premiums. However, several factors that are under the policyholders control will influence car insurance rates.

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Bundle all insurance policies. Buying multiple insurance services from the same carrier is almost always cheaper than purchasing the same services but from different companies. Adding property and car coverage under the same contract will help policyholders save the most money. It is possible to save around 10-15% or more on auto and home coverage. As of March 2020, Farmers offered the greatest bundling discount for home and auto policies, at 22.05%.

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Enroll and graduate approved defensive driving courses. Insurance companies are more than happy to work with safe drivers. People who voluntarily enrolled in defensive driving coursed and graduated them will get a discount. Furthermore, graduating courses will help drivers keep premiums low, by offsetting some future license points.

Maintain a clean driving record. Although this may seem obvious, being a safe driver is the best way to keep premiums under control. Furthermore, being a safe driver and staying with the same driver for a number of consecutive years will grant driver access to some discounts and bonuses. Avoid traffic violations, like speeding, ignoring signs and red light, or DUI/DWI. Accumulating too many traffic violations may determine the insurer to cancel current and future bonuses.

Pay the premiums in advance. Paying-in-full is a smart way to reduce insurance costs. As advertised by many online forms, paying everything in advance can save the policyholder as much as 15%.

Drop full-coverage on older cars. If the car is older than 10 years, keeping full coverage is likely to make the owner overpay. Since a cars value diminishes over time, keeping full coverage for cars older than 5-6 years can lead to unnecessary costs.

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File image: Reuters

Since coming to office, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has enabled increased razing of the Amazon rainforest.

Now, the coronavirus has accelerated that destruction.

Illegal loggers, miners and land grabbers have cleared vast areas of the Amazon with impunity in recent months as law enforcement efforts were hobbled by the pandemic.

Those recently cleared areas will almost certainly make way for a rash of fires even more widespread and devastating than the ones that drew global outrage last year. The newly cleared patches are typically set ablaze during the drier months of August to October to prepare the land for cattle grazing, often spiraling out of control into wildfires.

The trend line is shooting upward compared to a year that was already historic in terms of a rise in deforestation, said Ana Carolina Haliuc Braganca, a federal prosecutor who leads a task force that investigates environmental crimes in the Amazon. If state entities dont adopt very decisive measures, were looking at a likely tragedy.

The fallout from the pandemic has exacerbated the ecological degradation set in motion by government policies under Bolsonaro, who favors expanding commercial development in the Amazon and views environmental regulations as a hindrance to economic growth. But some career civil servants are still working to enforce environmental protections.

An estimated 464 square miles of Amazon tree cover was slashed from January to April, a 55% increase from the same period last year and an area roughly 20 times the size of Manhattan, according to Brazils National Institute for Space Research, a government agency that tracks deforestation with satellite images.

Already last year, deforestation in the Amazon had reached levels not seen since 2008.

At the same time, the coronavirus has killed more than 34,000 people in Brazil, which now is recording the highest daily number of deaths in the world. It has also fueled political polarization and dominated headlines and policy debates in recent months, eclipsing the increased damage to the rainforest.

Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, who supports Bolsonaros loosening of environmental regulation, said in late April that he saw the pandemic as an opportunity to reduce restrictions while attention was focused elsewhere.

We need to make an effort here during this period of calm in terms of press coverage because people are only talking about COVID, he said during an April 22 Cabinet meeting.

A video of the meeting was made public.

The remarks, which Salles later said referred to his efforts to streamline red tape, led federal prosecutors to call for an investigation into what they said amounted to dereliction of duty.

The association that represents government environmental workers issued a statement calling Salles a criminal who has been hollowing out his own ministry.

Enforcement actions by the countrys main environmental protection agency, the Brazilian Environmental and Renewable Natural Resources Institute, or Ibama, fell sharply during 2019, Bolsonaros first year in office, according to an agency document obtained by The New York Times.

In 2019, Ibama reported 128 instances of environmental crimes, a 55% decrease from the year before. The amount of illegally logged timber seized by the agency fell by nearly 64% from 2018 to 2019, according to the document.

Government officials and environmental activists say the rise in deforestation is being driven by a prevailing sense among illegal loggers and miners that tearing down the rainforest carries minimal risk of punishment and yields significant payoff.

Bolsonaros government fired three senior officials at Ibama in April after the agency carried out a large operation targeting illegal miners in Para state in the north.

In May, a law enforcement official in uniform was swarmed by illegal loggers in Para after a truck with timber was intercepted. After a small mob heckled the agent, one of the loggers struck him in the face with a glass bottle, according to a video of the incident.

Later in May, the government transferred oversight of federal natural reserves from the Ministry of the Environment to the Ministry of Agriculture, paving the way for commercial development in protected areas.

The government is also championing legislative initiatives that would give land titles to squatters who have taken possession of tracts in the Amazon and other biomes.

Roughly 50% of the tree cover lost during the first four months of this year was on public land, according to Ipam Amazonia, an environmental research organization. Ane Alencar, the director of science at Ipam Amazonia, said that much of the destruction is by people who expect to be ultimately recognized as rightful owners of the land.

I see opportunism fueling illegality as people take advantage of the fragility of the moment were living, politically as well as economically, she said. This coronavirus crisis is turning into an environmental crisis, too.

Eduardo Taveira, the top environmental official in Amazonas state, said illegal loggers, who usually take pains to avoid being fined and having their equipment destroyed by federal agents, are operating more openly than in years past.

Theres a sense that the government is focused only on fighting the coronavirus, so this type of illegal activity is happening more boldly than in recent years, he said.

After Brazils government came under withering criticism over the fires last year, Bolsonaro deployed the armed forces to put them out and prevent new ones from being set. That left much of the land that was cleared in 2019 ripe for burning this year.

That means that the areas that were slashed last year, but werent burned, may be burned this year, said Haliuc, the federal prosecutor.

To make matters worse, she added, this year has been drier than 2019, increasing the risk that controlled blazes will turn into wildfires.

Criminal organizations appear to be making significant investments to expand operations, Haliuc added, based on sales data for the kind of bulldozers used to cut paths into dense forest.

Bulldozer sales more than doubled in Brazil between January and April compared to the same period last year, according to data from an industry group.

Fearing a new wave of international condemnation, the Bolsonaro administration in May dispatched a few thousand troops to the Amazon and tasked them with preventing environmental crimes for 30 days.

We dont want Brazil to be portrayed in front of the rest of the world as an environmental villain, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said as the initiative was launched.

In an emailed statement, the Defense Ministry said it had devoted 3,800 service members, 11 aircraft, 11 boats and 180 vehicles to support the mission. The operation, it said, clearly demonstrates Brazils firm determination to preserve and defend the Amazon.

Environmental activists say they welcome any increase in enforcement, but most see the military operation as a public relations ploy that will not change the trajectory of deforestation or lead to punishment for the key people driving the destruction.

Brazils record on environmental matters during the Bolsonaro era has set off calls for boycotts of Brazilian exports and threatens the implementation of a trade agreement between the European Union and four South American nations.

Marcello Brito, the president of the Brazilian Agribusiness Association, said the lack of control over criminal deforestation could be tragic for his sector.

Even though there is a clear barrier between the good agro and these people, the image always sticks to agribusiness, he said. This will bring losses to us.

Adriano Karipuna, an Indigenous leader in Rondonia state where illegal deforestation has increased, said his community feels increasingly vulnerable.

They launch a big operation, but its just to put it on the news, he said. They never actually arrest anyone.

Karipuna said the ease with which illegal loggers and miners are destroying the forest is putting remote Indigenous communities  including uncontacted tribes  in grave danger.

The dynamic can set in motion a genocide by spreading the coronavirus, he said. The Brazilian government will be responsible.

c.2020 The New York Times Company
Rice traders at a market in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tran.

Average rice export price in the first four months hit $470.2 per ton, up 10 percent year-on-year, the highest in the last two years.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's agro processing and market development department also said that May was an active month for the world rice export market with several countries stocking up on the grain because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, global rice export prices rose to its highest level in years.

Vietnam's rice export prices increased, too. The average price of the five percent broken rice variety was at $473-477 per ton, while that for jasmine rice (also known as fragrant rice) rose highest to $558-562 a ton.

Vietnam's rice prices in 2019 ranged from $376-420 per ton and were around $380-502 per ton in 2018.

In the world market, the export price of Indian rice has reached its highest level in the past one year due to strong demand from African and Asian countries. The price of Thai rice decreased in the past month due to an increase of new suppliers and fierce competition from cheaper suppliers in India and Vietnam.

The agro processing and market development department expects global demand for rice to continue rising.

The Philippines is seeking to import an additional 300,000 tons of rice to strengthen its reserves and prepare for the low-supply season in the third quarter.

Bangladesh has also purchased an additional 200,000 tons of rice from the ongoing harvest season to secure supply for domestic relief operations amid the spread of the pandemic in the country.

China has already achieved 95 percent of its food self-sufficiency (rice, maize, wheat) target, but still allows importing a certain amount through the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system. Accordingly, the country allows domestic traders to import at a tax rate of only one percent compared to the out-of-quota of 65 percent.

The latest forecast of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates world rice production in 2020 at 493.8 million tons, down about 0.5 percent from last year, while global consumption is expected to reach 490.2 million tons, a 0.9 percent year-on-year increase.

Vietnam's rice exports in May reached 789,000 tons with a value of about $415 million. The five-month total volume and export value reached nearly 2.9 million tons and $1.41 billion, up 5.1 percent and 18.9 percent, respectively, over the same period in 2019.

In the first four months of the year, the Philippines was the biggest buyer of Vietnamese rice, accounting for 40.5 percent market share at 902,100 tons worth $401.3 million.

Other markets with stronger rice imports from Vietnam were China and Indonesia, both seeing a 2.7-fold increase year-on-year; Taiwan, up 67.9 percent; and Ghana, up 39.3.

Vietnam, the world's third largest rice exporter, is likely to ship seven million tons this year, official agencies have said.
Baby loss awareness week 2020 runs from Friday 9 October to Thursday 15 October in a bid to raise awareness of the one in four women in the UK who will lose a baby during pregnancy or birth. This article was originally published in June 2020.

Our neighbours brought their newborn baby home 17 days after my miscarriage. After more than two years of trying to conceive, I didnt believe we could be so unlucky as to then lose the baby.

I had checked for blood every morning and avoided blue cheese, caffeine and alcohol. I was so worried about miscarriage that I stopped all exercise, used a thermometer to measure my bath temperature, begged the midwife to reassure me I couldnt catch toxoplasmosis from stroking a cat, and wore a jumper at all times. I even avoided any sudden noises that could cause my uterus to cramp by turning down the TV volume.

But at a 14-week scan the radiographer was eerily quiet. Eventually she said the baby had hydrops, an innocent-sounding name that made me think of eye drops, not endemic swelling. Id caught a cold on the plane back from our babymoon so when she said it could be a virus, I felt reassured. But a second scan, a couple of days later, showed the baby actually had a heart defect and that its organs were growing outside its abdomen.

The next week - at another scan - it took just a few minutes for them to confirm the babys heart had stopped. In my mind I had killed it by contracting a cold on holiday, but doctors said it was a fatal condition (symptoms pointed to a chromosomal abnormality) and that few babies with it would survive to birth. What they dont tell you about miscarriage is how the baby gets out. No one warns you of the dissonance between giving birth and having nothing to hold at the end.

The months following the miscarriage in 2019 were a test for my marriage...

The months following the miscarriage in 2019 were a test for my marriage. Divorce came up fleetingly (over incidents with a bottle of red wine and a laptop charger). We had another IVF appointment booked but I cancelled it, it was too soon.

Eventually an appointment was arranged for 18 March 2020 but two days before we were called to say it had been cancelled due to Covid-19 and the new social distancing rules. Luckily, we didnt need it. In early April I found out I was pregnant again.

It looks as though we may be doing our bit to repopulate after coronavirus, I texted the family WhatsApp. I brought out the baby on board badge and people started giving me a little more space in the Sainsburys queue. Then I started spotting [light bleeding].

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

I rang 111 but as I wasnt calling about coronavirus, I was instructed to hang up. I rang three hospitals, only one picked up. The doctor listened to my concerns about it being an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo implants outside the womb. Id heard bleeding and stitch-like pain were symptoms. But I had none of the risk factors. No coil, IUD, history of pelvic inflammatory disease or major abdominal surgery.

A scan confirmed it. Im sorry Jessica, you have an ectopic pregnancy in your right fallopian tube, the doctor said. With knees in the air and my feet still in stirrups, I watched one of the nurses shake her head. "That shadow above your uterus is internal bleeding," the doctor explained. I needed surgery.

I cried to my mum over the phone from a side room about having the worst luck in the world. My husband had been waiting outside as visitors werent allowed in the building because of Covid. The nurse let him in to say goodbye. Tell my mum and sister and brother that I love them, I pleaded as we stood in the corridor. These annoying masks, he said as he tried to kiss me.

Bleeding to death wouldnt be so bad, I thought, on an empty ward with a choice of window seat...

The nurse escorted me through the maternity ward. Surgery had to wait until Id fasted for six or seven hours. Bleeding to death wouldnt be so bad, I thought, on an empty ward with a choice of window seat. The nurse said she would give me a hug if it werent for social distancing. I still think of that moment when I hear about compassionate doctors holding the hands of dying patients in intensive care.

Before examining me, the consultant asked for my "coronavirus status"  all non-emergency surgery had been cancelled since the pandemic. I told her: I dont mind the pain, as long as you dont think Im going to bleed to death. Instead she gave me the option to go home and come back for treatment later, which was hard to believe. I got in an Uber and left.

I spent the rest of the night curled in a ball wondering if I would bleed to death. When shoulder pain set in, I considered dialling 999 but imagined what it would be like to return to hospital after being discharged. Me again. I know you tried to get rid of me, but I couldnt wait to come back.

Because I hadnt undergone surgery, I now faced a dose of chemotherapy to halt the growth of the embryo in my fallopian tube. The chemo ward was full when I arrived. Four doctors in full personal protective equipment rushed by in the corridor with a patient hooked up to oxygen. One of them ran back to wipe the door handle.

A man in the waiting room asked what my problem was. I felt embarrassed to tell him (he had a rare form of blood cancer). Patients are only here if they really need to be, a nurse reassured me. I had one dose of methotrexate, then a second (two is the maximum given for an ectopic pregnancy). Now its a waiting game to see if my hormone levels fall to zero.

This week the hospital rang to book a telephone consultation for IVF as services have been reinstated. But the clock is ticking  next September Ill be too old to qualify for NHS-funded services. So as the urgency of the virus settles and the small window of eligibility shrinks, I cant help but feel nature will have the last laugh.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk. The helpline is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and until 9.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Jessica Davies, 38, is a journalist, currently writing a novel based on the true story of Rosalind Franklin, the invisible woman behind DNAs double helix.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Confirming that the Kadinamkulam gangrape victim was assaulted brutally, the medical report of the 24-year-old woman has revealed nail and bite marks on her body. The Kadinamkulam police have also sent her dress worn during the incident for forensic examination.

The victims five-year-old son has been made a key witness in the case and his detailed statement recorded. The woman and her two children have been shifted to a Child Welfare Committee centre. The accused  Mansoor, 40, Akbarsha, 20, Ansad, 33, Manoj, 24, and Rajan Selestian, 62, along with her husband  were remanded in judicial custody for 14 days after the completion of their medical examination. Following the Covid-19 protocol, the remand proceedings were completed through webcasting. However, another accused, Noufal, remains at large.

Kadinamkulam Sub Inspector PV Vinesh Kumar said efforts are on to trace Noufal.

The accused have confessed to the crime and all of them were charged under sections 376 D (punishment for gangrape), 366 (kidnap), 394 (causing hurt for robbery). They were also charged under the Pocso act for abusing the victim in front of her child. Though her husband was not directly involved in the crime, he was also charged for the rape as he had taken her to the beach house. The scientific evidence also proves that all the accused are guilty, the officer said.

The incident happened on Thursday night when the woman and her sons  a five-year-old and the other 18-month-old  were brought by her husband to his friends house near Puthukurichi beach. The family visited Selestians house in the evening, where five others were present.

After her husband went outside, the others told her he got injured in a scuffle. The accused took the victim and her younger child in an autorickshaw to a secluded place and raped her after forcefully feeding her alcohol. The accused also snatched a mobile phone and Rs 1,000 from her. She managed to run with her child and sought the help of two youngsters passing by. They took her home and informed the police.
Nigerian pastor and Calvin Seminary grad gunned down with his wife on their farm

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UPDATE: June 26, 2020, 9 a.m. ET: Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria General Secretary Sagarga Nuvalga confirmed to The Gospel Coalition that Emmanuel and Juliana Bileya were killed by members of the Tiv community, a predominantly Christian tribe. Dozens have been killed since last June in attacks carried out between the Tiv and Jukun tribes in the Taraba State.

A Nigerian Christian pastor who graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in Michigan was gunned down along with his wife Monday while working on their farm in the Taraba State of Nigeria. The couple leaves behind eight children ages 1 to 19.

The Rev. Emmanuel Saba Bileya and his wife, Juliana, who is said to be pregnant, were killed by gunmen who have yet to be identified, according to a statement released by the Hausa Christians Foundation.



It was an attack on the pastor and his wife on their farm. While they were working on the farm, suddenly armed men came and opened fire on them, leading to the death of the pastor and his wife, a spokesperson for the state police said in a statement shared by the foundation.



Bileya served as a pastor at a Christian Reformed Church in the Donga local government area. Bileya received a Master of Theology from Calvin in 2014 and served for the last five years at Veenstra Theological Seminary in Donga, according to his LinkedIn profile.

In what is being noted as systematic direct war against Christianity in Nigeria, pastors, Christian leaders and seminarians are either being kidnapped or killed every week, the Hausa Christians Foundation statement reads. Christians in Nigeria have been the target of many attacks by the vicious Boko Haram jihadist Islamist terrorists, herdsmen attacks and many other kidnappings in recent times.

In a statement released through a spokesperson, Taraba Gov. Darius Ishaku condemned the murder of the pastor and his wife. Ishaku said he sympathizes with the surviving members of Bileya's family and members of the Christian Reformed Church in Nigeria.

The killing of the pastor and his wife is wicked and inhuman, the governors statement reads, according to Nigerias This Day newspaper. "Killings of this nature have happened too often recently in Southern Taraba communities and this is unhelpful to the ongoing efforts of the government to achieve lasting peace among communities in the area.

Biyela was a doctoral student at the Robert E. Webber Institute of Worship Studies, a nondenominational graduate school in Jacksonville, Florida.

He enrolled at IWS in 2014 and was in the final stage of his doctoral program. He took a thesis course in 2019.

It is with a broken heart that IWS announces the deaths of D.W.S. student Emmanuel Bileya, his wife Juliana, and their child in utero, whose name is known only to God, an IWS statement reads. Their martyrdom was the result of an ongoing ethnic war in their home country of Nigeria.

According to IWS, Emmanuel and Juliana will receive Christian burials on Friday.

According to IWS, Biyela wrote an explanation of the escalating tribal conflicts ongoing in his local area as recently as two weeks ago.

According to IWS, Biyela wrote:

This war has been going on for about a month now in my area, since April 2020. Another tribe has destroyed our churches and rumoured that they plan to come to destroy the church where I am working at, which is in a town called Mararraba located in Donga LGA of Taraba State in Nigeria. For some time now, many people have fled the town for safety including my family but I have remained in Mararraba praying and hoping for Gods restoration of peace and protection of the town and church. The truth is that the war started from a farm dispute. One man, a member of my branch church kindly gave part of his farmland to a man from another tribe to farm. But this year, 2020, the man encroached more into the farmland, of which the owner disagreed. A farm dispute resolution committee with a membership of both tribes was set up to resolve the issue. Although yet to be resolved, the man from the other tribe invited 200 other people who came with guns and forcefully went ahead to farm on the land. When the owner saw them and tried to stop them, they beat the life out of him to the point of death. While we were trying to calm the situation in town, youths retaliated by beating a man on his farm. After this, 4 of my church members who decided to leave the village and go to different peaceful village to look for a job were shot: 2 were killed, 2 survived. I buried the 2 boys. In summary, the people from one tribe attacked my village 2 times without success but succeeded on the 3rd attempt, they killed some of the villagers and burnt down the whole village with our branch church and the pastorium.

A fellow Nigerian IWS student who spoke with Biyela five days before his death told IWS that Biyela mentioned that he sent his children to the headquarters town of his church, but that he and his wife had stayed back.

According to IWS, that decision saved the childrens lives.

Born on Christmas Day of 1968, his family gave him the name Emmanuel, God with us, the IWS statement continues. For all in the IWS community who were blessed to meet Emmanuel, share a class with him, or enjoy a meal alongside him, it can truthfully be said that God with us was an apt name for him.

The institution states that the deceased students humility and gentleness spoke to all of the voluminous love of God in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Without fail, any email or letter from Emmanuel would begin the same way: Calvary greetings, IWS noted. This constant reminder of Christs death was, as Emmanuel well knew, also a reminder of Christs victory over the grave.

We know that at this time, Emmanuel would want those of us who grieve to place our focus not solely on these tragic deaths, but ultimately on the victory over death that Christ has secured for all who place their faith in Him.

IWS will release more details on how people can help support Biyelas children.

Nigeria ranks as the 12th-worst country in the world for Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List.

Estimates suggest that over 620 Christians have been killed in Nigeria by radical herdsmen and Islamic extremists so far in 2020 as thousands have been killed in recent years.

While the government has maintained that the escalation of violence is a result of ethnic conflicts between predominantly Christian farming and predominantly Muslim herding communities, advocates for Christians contend that religious elements are a factor.
New Delhi: Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said that MSME has a huge contribution in the economy but due to the coronavirus crisis, it has suffered a great deal.

Speaking on Zee News's India DNA E-Conclave, Gadkari said, "The central government has given an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crores to salvage all areas. Out of this, Rs 3 lakh crore has been given to MSME sector.

Gadkari said that despite the losses due to the pandemic there is a positive aspect to it. He cited the example of India made PPE kits. :"For two months we did not make PPE kits. It was ordered from China but now 3 lakh PPE kits are being made within the country in a day. Now we are planning to export it," he said.

He said that Swadeshi cannot be associated with self-reliant India. India is trying to be self-reliant. "We will reduce imports, will encourage exports. There should not be disappointment in the Corona crisis. Must move with positive thinking. The opposition should not govern the workers in such a corona period," he said.

When asked on Shiv Sena's remarks on actor Sonu Sood, who is helping the migrant laborers in Mumbai, being callef the supreme leader of BJP, Gadkari said that Sonu Sood has done his engineering from Nagpur but he has nothing to do with BJP.
New York:

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been diagnosed with pneumonia and advised to rest, hours after she abruptly left the 9/11 commemoration ceremony here after feeling overheated and dehydrated.



The former secretary of state has been experiencing a cough related to allergies, her doctor Lisa Bardack said in a statement.



During a follow-up evaluation of her prolonged cough on Friday, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule, Bardack said.



Clinton, 68, became overheated and dehydrated at the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at the Ground zero memorial in lower Manhattan early yesterday, the doctor said, adding that she examined Clinton and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely.



In December 2013, the former first lady had to be rushed to New Yorks Presbyterian Hospital after a medical scare following a fainting spell and concussion.

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The U.S. President Donald Trump said that the National Guard troops will start withdrawing from Washington, nearly a week after he deployed federal forces to the capital city.

This development comes after several days of sustained peaceful protests in the city against police brutality, a demonstration that started in late May with the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota.

Protests have spread nationwide and Saturday saw mass demonstrations in major cities around the country, including outside the White House, though the president has been seeking to downplay their significance and size.

I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control.



I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020

They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed, Trump said on Twitter.

Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated! he added.

Mayor Muriel Bowser had demanded last week that Trump withdraw the troops from the city, saying incidents of rioting and looting had ended.

Under the constitution, Washington is not a state and the federal government has a large amount of sway over the district.

Bowser had the area outside the White House renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza after federal forces there used tear gas against mostly peaceful protesters.

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Among people who have the most common type of lung cancer, up to 40% develop metastatic brain tumors, with an average survival time of less than six months.

But why non-small-cell lung cancer so often spreads to the brain has been poorly understood.

Now scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine have found that nicotine, a non-carcinogenic chemical found in tobacco, actually promotes the spread, or metastasis, of lung cancer cells into the brain.

"Based on our findings, we don't think that nicotine replacement products are the safest way for people with lung cancer to stop smoking," said Kounosuke Watabe, Ph.D., professor of cancer biology at Wake Forest School of Medicine and lead author of the study.

In the study, published in the June 4 edition of the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Watabe's team first examined 281 lung cancer patients and found that cigarette smokers exhibited a significantly higher incidence of brain cancer.

Then, using a mouse model, the researchers discovered that nicotine enhanced brain metastasis by crossing the blood-brain barrier to change the microglia -- a type of immune cell in the brain -- from being protective to supporting tumor growth.

Watabe and colleagues then looked for drugs that might reverse the effects of nicotine and identified parthenolide, a naturally occurring substance in the medicinal herb feverfew, which blocked nicotine-induced brain metastasis in the mice.

Because feverfew has been used for years and is considered safe, Watabe believes parthenolide may provide a new approach to fight brain metastasis, particularly for patients who have smoked or still smoke.

"Currently, the only treatment for this devastating illness is radiation therapy," Watabe said. "Traditional chemotherapy drugs can't cross the blood-brain barrier, but parthenolide can, and thus holds promise as a treatment or possibly even a way to prevent brain metastasis."

Watabe said he hopes to work with oncologists at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health, to develop a clinical trial to test parthenolide in the near future.
A labourer, 45, has appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 'beautiful and kind' mother was found fatally injured at a home in Doncaster.

Personal trainer Amy-Leanne Stringfellow, 26, was found inside the property on Friday night with critical injuries and died a short while later, South Yorkshire Police said.

Terence Papworth, 45, of Dryden Road, Balby, who neighbours say Ms Stringfellow's was previously dating, has been charged with the murder of the mother-of-one.

He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court today and was remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Sheffield Crown Court tomorrow.

The defendant, wearing a purple T-shirt and a blue hoodie, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Emergency services were called to a home in Balby at 11.35pm on June 5 to reports of a woman with serious injuries.

Upon arrival, the personal trainer, who neighbours say had previously been in the armed forces, was found to be critically injured.

She was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

Terence Papworth, 45, has been charged with murder and appeared at Doncaster Magistrates' Court today

Amy-Leanne Stringfellow, 26, was found critically injured at a house in Doncaster on Friday night, she died a short while later

Papworth's neighbours say he had lived in the area for more than 16 years and well known as a builder and odd-job man.

Papworth describes himself as a joiner on his own social media page, but also did labouring work for neighbours, they said.

Yesterday neighbours said the pair had previously been in a relationship but believed they had separated 'a while ago'.

Speaking of him and Amy, one said: 'They seemed like the perfect couple. They were always holding hands when you saw them out walking together.

'They were always lovely and pleasant towards people.

'He was a real grafter who was always up at the crack of dawn working and never home before teatime.

'She had been in the Army and has a little girl from her former partner.'

Neighbours say Papworth had been busy renovating his home during the lockdown.

In a moving tribute, the mother-of-one's family wrote: 'Our hearts are broken and will never truly be repaired.

'You were beautiful and kind and inspired so many others.

'We know you will live on in your little girl. We love you all the pennies in the world.'

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident number 904 of June 5, 2020.

You can also give information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via their website - www..crimestoppers-uk.org - or by calling their UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111.
New Delhi, June 7 : Kashmiri woman Hina Bashir Khan, who along with her husband, was arrested for instigating protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and planning a terror attack, has tested corona positive in the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The court has directed the agency to shift her to Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. The COVID-19 tests of the accused was conducted on June 6 on the directions of the court.

The couple, Jahanzaib Sami and Hina Bashir Beg, were arrested in March for allegedly promoting the Islamic State's ideology and instigating protests against the CAA.

Another accused named Abdul Basith was also arrested in March for involvement with the duo. The case was later transferred to the NIA.

"Accused persons including Abdul Basith are actively following the ideology of the ISIS and planning for terror strike in India and also recruiting cadres for the ISKP," police had earlier told the court.

In one audio message Abdul Basith had said to Jahanzaib to motivate and prepare some guys who may be used for lone wolf attacks and kill the people through a truck or lorry by running them over on people, the police had said.

The police said that the trio was in contact with Abu Ushman al Kashmiri, who is the head of the Indian affairs of the ISKP.
California's Kamala Harris, the dirtiest of dirty blue city prosecutors before she slept her way into politics and then bit and clawed her way into the Senate, is shrieking about President Trump's unity message on the death of George Floyd:

.@realDonaldTrump, keep George Floyds name out of your mouth until you can say Black Lives Matter.pic.twitter.com/YJ6wPw0Hto  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 5, 2020

Which coming from her, is disgusting in the extreme.

The 'out of your mouth' reference is graphic and repellant, not just for its visual picture, but because of its redolence of prison lingo. The only place I've ever heard that kind of language is from that social set.

More important, let's take a look at Harris's record, starting with the litany cited by former presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at last August's Democratic presidential nominating debate.

Threw 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations, while giggling and laughing on Charlamagne Tha God's radio show that she partook in the weed quite a bit herself.

Blocked evidence that would have freed an innocent man from death row, until courts forced her to do it.

Kept people in prison beyond their terms in order to use their cheap labor to fight California wildfires.

That knocked Harris from her pedestal, and pretty well put paid to any presidential hopes, even among Democrats.

But there was more than just Tulsi's list - here's probably the dirtiest example from her blue-city record:

She covered for dirty prosecutors, caught in the act of falsifying evidence, and carried out prosecutions with full knowledge of the fake evidence, hurling it as a weapon against some poor soul who had no idea that Harris's dishonest thumb was on the scale of justice at the time.

This is a foul, dirty prosecutor, both in her position as district attorney of San Francisco, and later in her position as attorney general of California.

The bad cop who crushed the neck of George Floyd was able to flourish in the Minneapolis police system, despite 18 complaints against him over 15 years, precisely because there were blue city prosecutors willing to cover for him. They must have operated as Harris did - corrupt, dirty, and willing to cover for the establishment. Dirty prosecutors like Harris are why dirty cops like Derek Chauvin were able to operate with impunity in their blue city bubble, until they killed someone.

For Harris to be yelling this is the epitome of hypocrisy, given her record of dishonesty and corruption. To be yelling about Trump with a record like that - when she ought to be in jail right next to the dirty cop who killed Floyd - is incredible. It's probably a bid to draw attention from her own bad record in these one-party blue-city justice systems. During Harris's presidential election campaign, she said she wanted to be the 'prosecutor president.'

Now the Washington Post is touting her as Joe Biden's best, top-ranked choice for running mate. There's little doubt that as Harris employs the prison lingo and seeks to pander to black voters (who know very well that her black-accented speech cadence is as fake as Hillary Clinton's), she's running for Joe Biden's vice presidential slot.

Just say no to this tainted, corrupt prosecutor with ambitions of being Joe's number two.

Image credit: CNN, via YouTube, screen shot
SARASOTA, Fla.  In a memo copied to Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino on May 19, a captain concluded that when an officer placed a knee on the neck of a suspect during an arrest a day earlier, the application of force appears reasonable.

The conclusion by Capt. Demetri Konstantopolous came in a Use of Force report to Officer Matthew Hughes  and ccd to DiPino, according to the document  recounting actions by Officer Drusso Martinez as he struggled with 27-year-old Patrick Carroll, a black Sarasota resident, while arresting him on alleged domestic battery charges on May 18.

The arrest and Martinezs kneeling on Carrolls neck did not become public until June 1, when a video of the encounter was posted to social media.

The police department did not reference the use of force report but issued a statement then saying the agency had been tagged in the video post, and that DePino was disturbed to see an officer kneeling on the head and neck of an individual in the video.

While it appears the officer eventually moves his leg to the individuals back, this tactic is not taught, used or advocated by our agency.

The department said DiPino had placed the officer, who wasnt identified earlier this week by the agency, on administrative leave.

On June 2  two weeks after the Use of Force Report said the review had been closed following the conclusion that the force was reasonable  the document shows Officer Hughes sent a message to Sgt. Daniel Weinsberg stating: I have concerns regarding the officer putting his knee in the back of the subjects neck to maintain control. For your review

Weinsberg responded that the Use of Force is currently under investigation by Internal Affairs.

Attempts to reach DiPino for comment on Friday were unsuccessful.

Earlier: Florida police officer put on leave after pinning black man to the ground with knee

Two days before Carrolls arrest became public, DiPino had condemned the tactic of police using a knee to a suspects neck to subdue them, in response to a viral video that showed the death of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nine minutes, leaving him unable to breathe.

Story continues

On May 30, as public anger over Floyds death was rising nationwide, DiPino issued a statement condemning the kneeling tactic and promising her agency would be professional, transparent and compassionate in working to keep the public safe.

I was shocked and outraged by the actions and conduct of the Minneapolis police officer and the inaction of the other officers I observed on the video, her statement said. The senseless death of Mr. Floyd is tragic, heartbreaking and never should have happened....The men and women of the Sarasota Police Department are not trained to use tactics Ive seen in the videos in Minneapolis. The actions of the officers in Minneapolis were inexcusable.....

Other law enforcement leaders sent out similar statements.

DiPino said it was the bystanders video and overhead video taken by the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office helicopter Air-1 that prompted her to put the officer on administrative leave.

Deputy Chief Pat Robinson told the Herald-Tribune DiPino had not seen the footage of the incident until June 1.

Michael Barfield, president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, questioned the timing of DiPinos message.

DiPino needs to stop pretending she was unaware of the knee-on-the-neck tactic, Barfield said. Her patrol captain signed off on it as reasonable and sent her that message six days before the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis.

Barfield said the chief could have acted much sooner.

Condemning this terrible tactic after-the-fact is a political move, he said. The time for Chief Dipino to be a leader was on May 19th when she knew one of her officers used the knee-on-the-neck tactic. She didnt condemn it then. Worse, she pretended not to know anything about it when it came to light. That conduct is disappointing and inconsistent with being a public servant.

Carrolls arrest

According to an SPD arrest report, Carroll was arrested May 18 in connection with a domestic battery case on Dixie Avenue in the Newtown neighborhood. Officers Martinez and Amelia Wicinski found him wearing a light blue backpack, and at first, he was cooperative with police.

Carroll said he went to the female victims house to pick up some clothes but they argued. He found some of his clothes strewn on the lawn. He said she cursed and yelled at him and threatened to call the police, so he packed a few things and left.

Carroll denied striking the woman, according to the report.

Officers found enough evidence to arrest Carroll for domestic battery. The woman had visible bruising and swelling on her arms, face and chest area, the report said.

Carroll began to yell at officers asking why he was being placed into handcuffs.

While being placed in handcuffs, Carroll continuously attempted to reach into his pockets, police said. His attempts to reach into his pockets were reported in the use of force report but not his arrest report.

In the arrest report, officers said that Carroll simply refused to comply with a body search. It said they attempted to walk him to the rear of the patrol vehicle to conduct the search.

Officers were able to get Carroll to the door of the patrol vehicle but he turned his body and yelled at them. He appeared to struggle with Martinez and Wicinskis efforts to search him and they took him to the ground with minimal force, the arrest report said.

The use of force report added more detail.

In the document, Martinez said that as he moved to arrest Carroll, the suspect became uncooperative, and began to flail his body and drop his bodyweight to the ground in an attempt to defeat officers moves to search him.

I grabbed a hold of Carrolls right wrist and right elbow area and conducted a takedown. Carroll landed on his stomach, at which time he continued to flail his body and head, Martinez recounted in the use of force report. I placed my right knee on the back of his neck to better control his body, at which time he calmed down.

The sheriffs helicopter pilot flying overhead can be heard in the video telling dispatchers Carroll was resisting arrest and to send more officers.

A search of Carrolls body found a baggie of marijuana; his backpack contained a box of change and four .22-caliber bullets, police said. A criminal search found that he had a felony conviction.

In addition to domestic battery, Carrol was charged with felony possession of ammunition and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

The use of force report included a diagram showing where officers exerted force on Carrolls body. Dots indicated that they exerted force on his wrists, elbow and neck.

None of the comments prior to June 1 questioned if the officers use of force was excessive.

Photos provided by Martinez show Carroll had no injuries, the report said.

Follow Carlos R. Munoz on Twitter: @ReadCarlos

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida police chief condemned use of chokeholds, department allowed
A British mother-of-one has claimed Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner 'targeted her' a month after the British three-year old went missing.

Angie Dawes was 32 when she said Brueckner suddenly appeared in the Portuguese village of Foral, Silves, where her family lived.

A month after Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the town of Praia da Luz, Brueckner allegedly starting working in a restaurant 40 miles away.

'I met him at my parents' house,' Ms Dawes, who lived nearby, told the Sun. 'His eyes chilled me to the bone.'

It comes as a former school caretaker claimed Brueckner gave sweets and toys to the children who visited his kiosk in Braunschweig, north Germany, for two years between 2014 and 2016.

Angie Dawes was 32 when she said Christian Brueckner (pictured left) suddenly appeared in the Portuguese village of Foral, Silves, where her family lived, just a month after Madeleine McCann went missing 40 miles away

Ms Dawes told The Sun the paedophile did odd jobs at her family's gated 200,000 home in exchange for showers and meals.

At one point she remembered Brueckner was so obviously staring at her that her father made a comment about him liking her.

'He even tracked me down on Facebook. I can't even think about it now without breaking down.' she added.

Apparently as quickly as he had arrived Brueckner disappeared again.

Meanwhile, a school caretaker who worked 300 yards from Brueckner's kiosk in north Germany has claimed the paedophile could have been grooming children.

Peter Erdmann, 64, said children aged between seven and ten used to regularly get to Grundschule Hohestieg School with presents from Brueckner.

Mr Erdmann told the Sunday Mirror Brueckner was 'mainly giving the presents to boys, but also some girls.'

'He was giving them presents nearly every day and it went on for a couple of years,' he told The Sunday Mirror.

'The kids would come to school holding ponies and teddy bears. They said Christian gave them to them and he always had a big bag of them in the storeroom,' he added.

Brueckner suddenly appeared in a remote Portuguese village just one month after Madeleine (pictured), three, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz

A month after Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the town of Praia da Luz, Bruekner allegedly starting working in a restaurant 40 miles away

There is no suggestion Brueckner abused any of the schools pupils or the kids in the kiosk.

At the time, between 2014 and 2016, Brueckner was living with a 17-year-old girlfriend, said another local called Norbert. That would have made him 20 years her senior.

He told the newspaper he had seen children as young as nine behind the counter at the kiosk.

It comes after a Portuguese witness claimed Brueckner had sex with under age girls by paying them with drugs.

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.

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

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.

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.

'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.

Christian Brueckner 'lost it' when staff at his German corner shop started discussing the Madeleine McCann case, ex-colleague says

By Abul Taher for the Mail On Sunday

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.

Convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner lost it when staff at a kiosk he ran in northern Germany began discussing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (pictured)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.'

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 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

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.'

Witness 'saw Madeleine McCann and a man travelling in a German-owned Volkswagen van just like Christian Brueckner's vehicle weeks after she vanished'

by Jonathan Bucks and Jake Ryan for the Mail On Sunday

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 Madeleine's disappearance.

Detectives believe Christian Brueckner, the latest main suspect in the McCann case, was living out of a German campervan in 2007

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.

'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 Madeleine's 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.

A witness said they saw Madeleine McCann with the unidentifiable man at Tunnels restaurant (pictured) in Alcossebre, some 600 miles from Praia da Luz on May 28 2007

'I'm not sure I'd ever get it back, but if it turns out Christian had something to do with Madeleine's disappearance, then I don't want it back. It wouldn't be right.'

Scotland Yard said Brueckner's 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 van's registration was the same as the one identified in the 2007 sighting, but the force said it was not revealing those details.

Christian Brueckner's secret lair that could lead police to Madeleine McCann: New suspect regularly visited run-down house in the Portuguese countryside for months after toddler disappeared

By Jon Clarke and Laurence Dollimore for the Mail On Sunday

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 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, 'That's 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.'

Brueckner's 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, Brueckner's 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.'
Maharashtra Home minister Anil Deshmukh countered ally Shiv Sena on questioning Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for his efforts in transporting migrant workers back home.

Speaking in Pune on Sunday during a press conference, Deshmukh said whoever is doing good work needs to be applauded.

When asked about Shiv Sena spokesperson and editor Sanjay Rauts article in Saamana criticising Soods work, Deshmukh said that by helping people, Sood has done good work.

I have not heard what Sanjay Raut said but Sonu or anybody else, if someone is coming forward and helping in the current situation, the person needs to be welcomed, he said.

Raut had lashed out at Sood, who has been widely appreciated for helping hundreds of stranded migrant workers home, as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stooge and prospective star campaigner for the party. The Sena leader also questioned how Sood managed to arrange for buses and flights when many state governments were found to be helpless during the lockdown

On the issue of migrants, Deshmukh said that so far 12 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their respective states through the special shramik trains and claimed that the entire cost of the journey was borne by the state government.

Deshmukh was in Pune to review the Covid-19 situation in the city.

Till now, around 12 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their respective states in special trains. Around 5.5 lakh migrant workers were transported to their respective borders in state transport buses. The railway ministry announced that they would be bearing 85 per cent of the ticket fare of migrant workers homebound journey but not a single penny has been received from them, he said.

He said that the entire cost around Rs 100 crore was spent from the CM relief fund for sending the migrants to their states.

We made all the arrangements of the migrant labourers including giving them food and all these people upon reaching to their states are appreciating the state government, he said.

Replying to a question on the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis criticising the state government, Deshmukh said that all people from all walks of life, NGOs, all political parties are coming forward and helping in the fight against Covid-19 and in this time, in such situation, a leader like Fadnavis engaging in politics is not good.

Fadnavis should stop dreaming, said Deshmukh.
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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 22:32:24|Editor: huaxia

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SINGAPORE, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday called on Singaporeans to prepare for a very different future, as COVID-19 would remain a problem for a long time.

He delivered a national broadcast on Sunday evening, saying COVID-19, not only a public health issue but also a serious economic, social and political problem, would take at least a year, probably longer, before vaccines become widely available.

Lee said Singaporeans must all adjust the way they live, work and play, so that they could reduce the spread of the virus, and keep themselves safe. He also warned Singaporeans that the next few years would be a disruptive and difficult time for all of them.

He said companies, big and small, would be hit hard, some industries would be permanently changed, and many would have to reinvent themselves to survive.

Workers will also feel the pain, as retrenchments and unemployment will go up, some jobs will disappear and not come back. "Workers will have to learn new skills to stay employed," Lee said.

The prime minister said the global economy had "virtually ground to a halt" because of COVID-19, and Singapore had taken a severe hit too with its GDP likely to shrink between four and seven percent in 2020, the city-state's worst contraction ever.

Lee also expressed confidence that an even stronger and better Singapore would emerge from this crisis for three reasons.

First, Singapore had economic strengths and an international reputation built up over many decades. It is highly connected to the global flows of trade, investment, capital and people. "International trade and investments may shrink, but they will not disappear entirely," he said.

Second, Singapore has had a head start preparing for the uncertainties ahead, as it had been working hard to transform and deepen its capabilities, and it is systematically rebooting the economy and rebuilding transport and trade links. Besides, Singapore is working hard to retain and attract talent and investments to contribute to its recovery.

"At a time when some countries are closing their doors, we are keeping ours open," Lee said.

Third, Singapore has programs and plans to cope with the challenges before it. Lee said the government's biggest priority now is jobs, and the government will use the programs and plans to help Singaporeans keep their jobs, or find new ones. Enditem




Haiti - Environment : Call to declare the state of ecological emergency





The Support Movement for the Development of Haitian Territorial Communities (MADECTH), Ecovert-Haiti, the Promotion Agency for Integrated Development (APRODI), the Support Movement for the Peasantry (MAP), Zantray Association for Development national (AZADN), Asosyasyon peyizan kwochi (ASPEK) draw the attention of public authorities, civil society organizations, international NGOs to the dangers which weigh on biodiversity in Haiti which threatens our future.



In Haiti, despite the creation of the Ministry of the Environment (1995), three years after the signing of the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity, as the body responsible for protecting biodiversity and sustainable development, the ecosystems of Haiti continue to collapse. After 27 years of commitment to biological diversity, the Haitian State is unable to enforce either the International Convention on Biological Diversity or the decree of January 26, 2006 on the management of the environment and the regulation of citizen behavior for sustainable development



These ecological associations underline "[...] if nothing is done to save ecosystems, in 2036, there will be no more forests" recalling that out of the 27,750 km2 of territory, there already has no more than 85 km2 of forest. They call for actions to reconsider the declared spaces, recalling that according to the law of February 3, 1926, articles 3, stipulates that our forests are inalienable, citing as an example the degradation of the pine forest, the Macaya Park, the Park La Visite and Le Morne Lory (Morne du Cap), a mountain in the foothills of the town of Cap-Haitien which, despite its status as a reserved national forest, by order of March 15, 1947 are the object for several years of squatters and illegal urbanization.



These associations emphasize that marine biodiversity is also very affected by the destruction of mangroves and pollution at the coast. They explain that in certain regions of the country of sea turtles, manatees are subject to overfishing, believing that "[...] all the protected areas in the country are no longer under the control of State authorities and are subject to exploitation."



They emphasize that given the importance of biodiversity and the multiple services rendered to man "this ecological imbalance observed in Haiti seriously threatens the future of Haitians"



This grouping of organizations also denounces the destruction of mangroves at the coast and the deforestation and disappearance of species, stressing "When a species is dead, it creates an imbalance in the ecosystem and that is the future of the man who is threatened."



These ecological associations warn of an announced disaster and ask the State authorities to declare a state of ecological emergency throughout the national territory.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The clear and overwhelming evidence is that logging makes forests more flammable. These are the findings of four peer-reviewed, published scientific studies from four institutions in six years, and of multiple scientific reviews.

Bushfire risks have been getting worse for eastern Australia in recent decades. Credit:NIne

The likely reasons are that after logging, increased sunlight dries out the forest floor, thousands of fast-growing saplings per hectare increases the fuel for a fire to burn, and the wind speed on hot days increases because of the lack of a tree canopy (wind speed is a key factor in creating extreme fire conditions). Most branches that burn in a bushfire are smaller than the diameter of a human thumb. Young trees burn almost completely while big, tall trees often remain alive and standing after fire.

Climate change is already resulting in more extreme fire danger days, and the evidence is that native forest logging makes things worse.

Dense plants create a "fuel ladder" to the treetops. Dense plant growth occurs in forests growing back from either logging or fire. More severe fires produce denser regrowth. Growing trees in young forests create greater fire hazard for decades. In logged forests, the body of evidence shows increased flammability begins in the first 10 years after logging or fire and continues for about another 30 years, depending on forest type.
University of Michigan-Dearborn was recently named a Gold-level Veteran-HPG-L-UMDvet-6-10-2020 Friendly School by the Michigan Veteran Affairs Agencys Michigan Veteran-Friendly School program.

The program was established to recognize higher-education institutions that are committed to supporting the needs of military-connected students. The program awards gold, silver or bronze level to colleges and universities that offer veteran-centric services and programs. To reach the gold-level, universities must complete six of the seven criteria set forth by the agency, which includes veteran-specific career services and a system to evaluate and award credit based on prior military training and experience.

UM-Dearborn Veterans Affairs Coordinator Tom Pitock said UM-Dearborn didnt meet most criteria  the campus met all of it:

1. Established process for identification of current student veterans.

2. Veteran-specific website.

3. Active student-operated veterans club or association.

4. Veteran-specific career services, resources, advising and/or outcome monitoring.

5. On-campus veterans coordinator and/or designated staff point of contact.

6. System to evaluate and award credit based on prior military training and experience.

7. Monitoring and evaluation of student veteran academic retention, transfer and graduation rates.

Meeting at least three of the above earns a school bronze status and completing at least four earns an institution silver status.

Pitock, who has 22 years of military service and retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2008, said its important to meet the needs of veterans and military-affiliated persons by giving respect, structure and support through their educational journey. In addition to the veteran-specific services  which include priority registration and having a veteran staff member be the point person to help navigate the college process  UM-Dearborn also has veteran-focused programming.

In the 2019-2020 academic year, which is the time frame the Michigan Veteran-Friendly School program evaluated, the Veterans Affairs office helped host events that provided stress relief for veterans during finals, celebrated veteran and military-affiliated graduates, and supported a Black Veterans speaking panel in honor of the Montford Point Marines.

According to the MichiganVeterans.com, any institution of higher learning and/or training facility in the state is eligible to receive veteran education benefits and it can to apply for the program regardless of size, location and program delivery.

Dearborns Henry Ford College is also listed as a Gold-level Veteran-Friendly School, as well.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 16:54 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcb5a31 1 Entertainment music-festival,dance-music-festival,Dipha-Barus,DJ,Tourism-and-Creative-Economy-Ministry,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Hype Festival in collaboration with the Building Culture Movement (BCM) initiative is holding the virtual dance music festival Good Vibrations.

Supported by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, the event is raising funds to help workers in the creative and hospitality sectors as well as informal workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty seven Indonesian and international DJs are featured in the festival, including Dipha Barus, Christina Novelli, Indra7, Andrew Rayel, Blinders and Yasmin.

Rizki Handayani of the ministry said the event was expected to help lessen the significant impact of the pandemic and would hopefully entertain the public.

Read also: The timeless and healing music of Dipha Barus

Good Vibrations can be streamed on YouTube and Twitch until Sunday and from June 12 to 14.

As of the time of writing, the event had collected Rp 18.57 million (US$1,318.36) of its target of Rp 150 million on crowdfunding platform Kitabisa.com.

Popular DJ Dipha Barus was involved in the Identity: Project Blue Marble in late May, a collection of performances by Asian Artists live-streamed around the world to celebrate the Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month. It was initiated by James Roh and Kev Nish of the American electronic hip-hop group Far East Movement.

Dipha also joined virtual rave Zouk Phuturescapes in May, created by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and nightclub Zouk Singapore. The event featured American DJ Diplo and Christina Novelli. (wng)
A federal court in Lagos has struck out a suit seeking to make the 36 state governors account for the security votes collected in their respective domains.

Muslim Hassan, a judge of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, held that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit. He said the appropriate court is the respective states high courts.

This suit is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction.

The judgment was delivered on May 4 but PREMIUM TIMES just obtained a copy of the document.

The suit

Security votes are monthly allowance allocated to the 36 state governors to fund security services. The controversial funds, which run into hundreds of millions of naira per state and drawn from the federal purse, are usually spent at the governors discretion and without accountability.

Last year, the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, questioned the legality of the use of the funds by the governors.

The suit at the federal high court was filed by Legal Defence and Assistance Project, Legal Resources Consortium, and Chino Obiagwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Joined as defendants were the 36 state governors and their houses of assemblies; the Attorney-General of the Federation; the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission; and the National Assembly.

In their defence, counsel to the Akwa Ibom governor and the state house of assembly, Thelma Coco-Bassey, said the plaintiffs do not have the right to institute the action against the defendants.

She said there is nothing in the plaintiffs testimony to disclose that their rights and obligations or interests have violated or about to be violated.

The counsel for Ebonyi State, Ogbonna Ernest, said being that the state is not the federal government, an arm of it, or any of its agencies, the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the suit. He further argued that the funds being claimed by the plaintiff to have been misappropriated do not belong to the federal government or its agencies.

In her response, I.P. Akubue, argued that the plaintiffs have the right to institute the action because their registered mandate is to advance, demand and campaign for public transparency and accountability of public funds in all the states of the federation.

Mrs Akubue further argued that the plaintiffs, being public organisations, can bring an action to enforce public interest matters or defend the rights of others.

In his judgment, Mr Hassan agreed with the Ebonyi State counsel that the appropriation and allocation of funds for security votes arose out the operations of the states house of assembly. And, as a result, it can only be challenged or questioned at the state high court, not the federal court.
EDWARDSVILLE  The Madison County Health Department was scrambling Friday to complete an application for a multi-million dollar coronavirus-related grant.

The grant application had to be filed by 5 p.m. Friday, according to Madison County Health Department Director Toni Corona who discussed the opportunity at Fridays Health Department Committee meeting.

Its a big chunk of money and we have to be really swift to get this, she said.

The money is coming from the federal government and passing through the Illinois Department of Public Health. Corona said if the county is successful, the grant could pay for a number of things including hiring contact tracers, security and facility improvements for the department located in the countys Wood River facility.

The grant is for one year, with a possible extension.

Much of the Fridays discussion was on the need for contact tracers, or people who contact anyone who has possibly had exposure to an infectious disease. While it has received a great deal of publicity because of COVID-19, contract tracing is a standard practice in public health departments for a number of diseases, ranging from food poisoning and influenza to sexually transmitted diseases.

Normally contract tracing is handled by health department nurses. Because of the widespread need for such tracers during the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the departments employees have been working almost exclusively with the virus.

Corona said she wants to hire people who can take over the contact tracing work and other COVID-related jobs, allowing health department staff to return to their regular jobs.

We are trying desperately to begin bringing our services that we normally do back online, she said. One hundred percent of my staff has been involved and remain involved in COVID capacity.

There are a lot of things we need to do, that we need to get going on, Corona added.

Other possible uses of the grant money includes increasing security at the departments office and redesigning the floor space to improve the movement of workers and clients.

Corona also said the grant could be used for some costs associated with the countys new mobile COVID-19 testing capacity. That program recently made its debut in Alton, where several hundred people were tested. Testing is planed at other locations next week.

There was some discussion about what would happen with new employees when the grants ran out. Corona said they would have to consider it at that time.

The initial grant would be good from June 1 to May 31,2021.

The committee also approved a temporary amendment to the food sanitation ordinance, waiving late fees for restaurants from March through July.

Wed like to pass this today to give these people some guidance and relief, committee Chairman Ray Wesley, R-Godfrey, said.

The restaurant and hospitality industry has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The change will have to be approved by the full Madison County Board.
Medical professionals take knee outside Children's Mercy for George Floyd Dozens of medical professionals gathered outside Children's Mercy Hospital in support of Black Lives Matter. For 8 minutes and 46 seconds, medical professionals took a knee while social distancing outside the hospital.

Police union leaders recently launchedExecutives for the organization apologized and claimed the email contained links to resource articles that were not properly vetted.However, today's protest action speaks far more loudly than the news quote and offers a glimpse at the political leanings of this beloved local institution.Checkit:
(CNN) As we emerge from our pandemic isolation, the world we're coming back to is far different and more socially confusing than it once was. We're used to warm hugs, hearty handshakes and big gatherings, which means our new safety-conscious lifestyles are bound to get a little awkward. We asked two etiquette experts -- The "Golden Rules Girl" Lisa Grotts and Jodi RR Smith, founder of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting -- for some pointers on navigating some of the most common sticky social situations we'll be facing in our new pandemic reality.

A stranger gets too close at the grocery store

Keep a cool head: You're shopping, and someone reaches in for the same can of beans or is breathing down your neck in the checkout line. Maybe they don't even have a mask! Whatever you do, don't let a snide comment or dirty look escalate the situation. "It's impossible to avoid people, so you sometimes have to be the one to keep your distance. If someone is getting close, just yield," Grotts says. "It's like that immortal 'Jerry Maguire' line: Help me help you."

Don't presume a negative intent: "This person may have been up all night worrying, and they're just trying to get milk for their kids, and they drifted," Smith says.

Try a little levity: If you're stuck in a place where you can't do much moving, like in line or in a small space, she suggests using a little levity. "I might say something like, 'With all of this social distancing, I don't even know what six feet is anymore!' Something that brings awareness with kindness," Smith says.

A friend starts espousing a coronavirus conspiracy theory

Do something, but don't dwell: Some theories about the pandemic are harmless to discuss and debate, even if you're not sold on them. If it's idle (but irritating) chatter, go ahead and change the subject with a pleasant question or anecdote. But if someone keeps bringing up a problematic, damaging or just flat-out wrong train of thought, Smith says you don't need to keep quiet. Just be mindful of how and when you call someone out.

"I'm of the mind that you shouldn't let something problematic go unaddressed, but try to be circumspect in addressing it, and then change the subject," she says. Try something that lets your friend know you regard them highly, like "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were being racist. That's not like you." And then, swiftly move the conversation along.

Redirect: Why not just let it go? "In conversation etiquette, the most important thing is to acknowledge what's going on," says Grotts. "Acknowledge the line of conversation, and then politely redirect."

An acquaintance goes in for a handshake

Use your words -- and body language: In American culture, we're programmed to see the refusal of a handshake as the height of rudeness. If you're staring down the barrel of an unwanted greeting, body language can go a long way in communicating your intent, and words can convey just as much warmth as physical touch.

"I pull both of my hands into a stop sign up to your shoulders, so you're not pushing them away," Smith says. "Say, 'I am so excited to see you.' The key here is not the words, but the tone of voice. So you're expressing warmth through tone of voice."

A little humor can go a long way: "You can spell it out with kindness," says Grotts. "Say something like, 'Oh I wish I could shake your hand!' is a good way to remind people that it's not accepted right now."

The conversation among friends seems to focus on one thing: the pandemic

You can't avoid it, so make the best of it: You've gone through the trouble of arranging a small gathering or, miraculously, getting everyone's Zoom to work at the same time. Why waste quality time talking about the pandemic nonstop?

"It's hard to avoid, but there are ways to make it more personal and positive," says Grotts. "In conversation skills, you want to ask questions that have an open answer. Ask how people are. Yes, we know it's all doom and gloom, but ask how people are planning to spend their summer without traveling or what they're looking forward to. Life may never be the same, but we can still make plans and talk about the future."

You're having a small gathering, but want to set expectations for social distancing

Your house, your rules -- but nicely: It's tempting to let the social distancing dance slide a little bit, and you don't want to be the wet blanket reminding everyone to be in their personal bubble. But, well, sometimes you have to be. Just follow one of etiquette's golden rules: Do it with kindness. "It's your event. You're the host. You get to decide," says Smith. "But set expectations in advance."

Spell out the reasons: If people give you a hard time, spell out reasons for the precautions -- whether it's something general like, "It seems like a lot of people have been testing positive lately," or a gentle reminder of a vulnerable friend or family member. This will also keep people from feeling as if they aren't trusted or are being accused of something, Smith says.

A delivery person or neighbor tries to hand you something

Give them exact directions: Someone needs to invent an automatic no-man's-land for item handoffs, because never before has a package delivery or neighborly exchange of goods been so highly choreographed.

"You want to narrate," says Smith. 'Say, 'Oh that's wonderful. Just put the box down there and I will get it.' Take control. Give as much information as possible so that people know expectations." This is what is known as "preemptive etiquette," and it can help in a lot of situations where normal unspoken rules suddenly don't apply. The idea is to give as much information to someone, through words, gestures, or even preliminary correspondence, so that you avoid an awkward situation before it even begins.

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

Make it about your needs, not their behavior: It can be hard to inquire about safety measures without making other parents feel like they're in the hot seat -- or that they've somehow been weighed in the balance, and are found wanting. Reduce the risk of upsetting someone by making your requests all about you, rather than what they may or may not be doing.

"You can't always keep people from being offended, but present it in a kind way," says Grotts. "We're trusting others with our lives. Of course that makes people apprehensive. So make it a joke, make it about you. Say, 'You know what a nervous Nelly I am,' or 'You know I worry about these things so of course I have to ask.' You have to be in control of your own health, and that's not anyone else's business."

Your friends and family think you worry too much about coronavirus safety

Agree: You may be a mask-wearing, social-distancing, coronavirus-avoiding superhero, but that doesn't mean everyone else chooses to be. Be prepared for a comment or two from friends who don't see it the way you do, but don't take it as an invitation to argue. That will rarely end well.

"If someone says they think you're taking safety measures a little too seriously, you know what? Agree with them," says Smith. "Say, 'Yes I am. You can laugh at me all you want, but this is what I am doing to stay safe.' In a lot of martial arts, you use the another person's velocity for yourself. Instead of blocking them, you move with them in the same direction. It's the same with etiquette."

Here's the bottom line: It's never been more clear why it's so important to show you care about others. Etiquette, believe it or not, exists for the same purpose.

Take this passage, from Dame Barbara Cartland's Etiquette Handbook:

"It is not really important to know the correct way of addressing an Archbishop, whether a cake should be eaten with the fingers or a fork ... But it is important to cultivate an ability to merge with the pattern of one's fellow human beings without jarring their sensibilities," she writes.

That's a tall order, especially when so many of our sensibilities have already been turned upside down.

But with a little kindness and a carefully chosen word or two, we can awkwardly forge our way forward, together.

No handshakes necessary.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "The pandemic has made a lot of social situations awkward. Here's how to handle them."
Speaker of the City Council in Southern Taiwans Kaohsiung, Hsu Kun-yuan committed suicide on June 6, hours after the city mayor Han Kuo Yu lost the highly charged recall votes. Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu from the main opposition party- Kuomintang (KMT), which traditionally favour close ties with China, was soundly beaten in the votes after which he accused the ruling party and the media propaganda. The party had also lost the January Presidential elections after, Han Kuo-yu, the partys candidate was defeated by Tsai Ing-wen.

According to reports, 63-year-old Kun-yuan, was a supporter of Kuo-yu and an active member of KMT. Speaking about the incident, the Kaohsiung police reportedly said that the council speaker jumped from his 17th-floor apartment, a few hours after the announcement of Hans defeat. However, they added that the case is still being investigated.

Mayor recalls vote

Voters in the Taiwanese port city of Kaohsiung on June 6 ousted their mayor, whose failed bid for the presidency on behalf of the China-friendly Nationalist Party earlier this year brought widespread disapproval among residents. The number of votes to recall Han Kuo-yu far exceeded the 574,996 needed to remove him. Han accepted the result in a statement to supporters and media after the threshold was passed.

Read: Taiwanese Vote To Recall City Mayor Who Sought Presidency

Read: US Warship Sails Through Taiwan Strait On Tiananmen Square Anniversary

But he blamed the media in part for the result, saying he had been subjected to constant smears, rumors and attacks." He has one week to leave office unless he decides to appeal. The success of the recall vote - Taiwan's first - was hailed by commentators as the latest sign of politicians being held accountable in the island's robust democracy. It is also a further blow to the Nationalists, who moved their government to the island after Mao Zedong's Communists swept to power in mainland China in 1949.

With inputs from agencies

Read: Taiwan Voters Oust Mayor Who Sought Presidency

Read: Taiwanese City Votes On If Mayor Should Be Recalled
Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick on Sunday appealed for restraint after 14 Metropolitan Police officers were hurt in clashes in central London during a 'Black Lives Matter' protest held over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd.

Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after white police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes while the 46-year-old handcuffed man gasped for breath.

The footage, which went viral, showed Floyd pleading with the officer, saying he can't breathe. The police officers seen in the footage have since been charged. Floyd's death has triggered widespread protests across the US and in many other countries.

Thousands of people, carrying placards reading 'there is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism', ignored the coronavirus lockdown across the UK for the "Justice for George Floyd" protests in solidarity with ongoing demonstrations in the US on Saturday.

The London protest opposite Downing Street turned violent towards the end, with groups seen throwing objects at officers on duty.

Fourteen people were arrested as Met Police officers sustained injuries in the clashes, including a female officer from the Mounted Branch who was seen falling from her horse and remains in hospital with "non-life-threatening" injuries.

"I am deeply saddened and depressed that a minority of protesters became violent towards officers in central London yesterday [Saturday] evening. This led to 14 officers being injured, in addition to 13 hurt in earlier protests this week," Met Police Commissioner Dick said in a statement.

"The number of assaults is shocking and completely unacceptable. I know many who were seeking to make their voices heard will be as appalled as I am by those scenes I would urge protesters to please find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London, risking yourself, your families and officers as we continue to face this deadly virus," she said.

Superintendent Jo Edwards, the Met Police's spokesperson for policing the demonstration, added: "We understand peoples' passion to come and let their voice be heard, they protested largely without incident but there was a smaller group intent on violence towards police officers.

"Twenty-three officers have received injuries, doing their job, policing protest over the last few days, and that is totally unacceptable."

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, who had urged demonstrators to not break social distancing rules in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, said violence was "unacceptable".

"Protests must be peaceful and in accordance with social distancing rules. Violence towards a police officer is completely unacceptable at any time. The police have our full support in tackling any violence, vandalism or disorderly behaviour. There is no justification for it," said the Indian-origin Cabinet minister.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan took to Twitter to say he shared the "anger and pain" of the protestors, but said the small minority of people who became violent "let down this important cause".

Besides London, protestors gathered in Leicester, Manchester, Cardiff and Sheffield, with many donning face coverings and gloves.

In Northern Ireland, police said they had issued a "significant number of fines" in an attempt to disperse crowds to enforce the coronavirus lockdown.
GARDAI expressed horror after youngsters used mobile phones to video the beating and stabbing of a 17 year old boy in Cork with a broken bottle in a row over a phone.

The attack occurred in the Waterpark area of Carrigaline shortly after

10.30pm on Saturday night.

Locals said a large group of teens were "rampaging out of control"

when the vicious assault occurred.

Gardai are now investigating both the vicious attack and the recording

of it by teens in a large group who watched the assault but refused to

go to the aid of the victim.

Despite the injured teen lying prone on the ground covered in blood,

one male teen repeatedly tries to use his phone for a close-up

recording of the victim's face.

When he is chastised by a female teen present and urged to leave the

victim alone, he loudly challenges her and demands that another person

move so he can continue recording the victim.

Footage also shows repeated attempts to stab and kick the victim

despite the fact he is already prone and helpless on the ground.

One scene shows the victim's clothing being pulled up in an attempt to

expose his back for further stabbing attacks.

"It is one of the most shocking things I have ever witnessed," one

veteran garda said.

"The behaviour of some of those present can only be described as disgusting."

Several teens have been identified from the footage as well as the

male teen who made the recording.

The 17 year old victim was beaten and stabbed multiple times in the

back and sides during the incident with a broken bottle.

It is understood the violent attack was sparked by a dispute over a

mobile phone.

The victim was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) by ambulance, he has since been released.

One garda said he was incredibly lucky to have avoided

life-threatening injuries.

It is as yet unclear whether the teen will require plastic surgery for

some of his injuries.

A large number of teenagers are reported to have been in the area at

the time - with several attempting to leave the area by bus after the

assault.

A second teenager - who is believed to live locally - was arrested in

the area a short time later.

He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 and

is being questioned at Togher Garda Station.

Gardai have renewed their appeal for any witnesses to this incident and for any

persons with information to come forward.

Inquiries are underway into whether several of those known to be

present at this incident may be linked to other incidents of

anti-social behaviour in Carrigaline, Rochestown and Douglas over

recent days.

Gardai are also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the area at the time to make this footage available to gardai.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on

(021) 4947120, the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666111 or any

Garda Station.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 04:27:27|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Saturday commended the efforts made by Egypt to solve the Libyan crisis by launching the Cairo Declaration.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi voiced appreciation for the Egyptian efforts that resulted in reaching the significant Cairo Declaration, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

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.

Safadi emphasized that the declaration represents an initiative that aligns with other international initiatives that require support to achieve a political solution to the Libyan crisis in a manner that guarantees the unity and stability of the country through Libyan dialogue. Enditem
There was an average 13 per cent fall between March and April in serious offences

Mumbai's Juhu Beach was deserted for much of March and April due to the coronavirus lockdown. (PTI)

Mumbai: The Covid-19 lockdown led to a slump in serious offences in Maharashtra, police said, adding that the state witnessed 21,107 cases in March-April this year as against 23,859 cases in the same period last year. Cases of thefts saw a slump of 2,290 cases in these two months.

The investigators attributed the slump to the lockdown which hindered free movement of criminals as well. Serious offences, including murder, rape, dacoity and kidnapping all have decreased during the outbreak.

The figures showed an average 13 per cent fall between March and April in serious offences, also called body offences. After steep fall in theft cases, robberies stood at the second position recording highest fall, said a police officer.

The statistics collated by the police revealed that robberies fell by 160, molestation by 65, rape by 59 and murder by 37. The kidnappings slumped from 1024 cases in March 2019 to 842 in the current year.

In the month of April, 14,559 offences were registered as against 22,020 in the same month last year. The figures revealed that among them, 171 cases were of murder in April 2019 as against 94 this year. The number of rape cases reported in April last year was 447 and this year's figure was 165.

The 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.

In April 2019, a total of 7,281 cases of theft were registered but this year the number came down to 1,537 cases. In the lockdown period, the cases of violation of prohibitory orders shot to 9,328 in April 2020 as against 7,731 cases in the same month last year, police said.
- Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has shared a video of her fierce look ahead of her 35th birthday

- Tonto also used the opportunity to celebrate six million followers on Instagram

- The mother of one expressed gratitude to her fans for constant support

- PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh is one of the happiest celebrities as she is celebrating six million followers on the photo-sharing app, Instagram.

The relevance of a celebrity is often judged by how many followers they have. Through their followers, they can land endorsements and also go into other kinds of businesses.

Taking to her page to share the good news, the actress posted a lovely video to celebrate.

Noting that she is nothing without her followers, the mother of one appreciated her fans for their love and support.

"Over the years I realized that there would be no KING TONTO without you all," she said.

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The controversial film star said that she sincerely appreciates the reasons why she is being followed, irrespective of what it is.

For the actress, what makes her six million followers celebration more joyful is the fact that her birthday is just a few days away. Tonto revealed that she will clock 35 years on Tuesday, June 9.

With the heart of celebration, she shared a video of her birthday shoot. In the short video, she was spotted with her hairdresser tending to hair as she showed off her fierce look.

The video showed her wearing a silver-coloured hair, silver earrings to match, and purple lipstick to match her bold makeup.

Watch the video below:

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In other news, Legit.ng earlier reported that Tonto Dikeh shared a throwback photo as she thanked her plastic surgeon for doing a perfect job on her.

In the photo she shared online, the mother of one was still her beautiful self but she was slimmer with small hips. But over the years, she has added more flesh and is now more beautiful.

Her hips are also wider and fuller and she never fails to flaunt them. Despite the society's perception of plastic surgery and a person who does it, Tonto Dikeh does not give a hoot about what people think of her.

Should Tonto Dikeh have blasted her ex-husband online? Nigerians react | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
The uncertainties of the times that we live in and the challenges of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) are bound to bring about changes in human behaviour. This behaviour often takes on strange hues. For instance, I learnt recently that some people in Bihar took to worshipping a goddess named after the coronavirus. This is worrying. India must be wary of treading this path.

The health crisis that we are seeing today makes the need for scientific temper and thought even more urgent. For that, the need of the hour for India is behavioural change at the societal level. It is science, and only science, that can beat the virus. Indians, cutting across the rural-urban divide, must change the way that they live and work. This will be difficult, but we must discipline ourselves, perhaps even change our work culture to overcome the pandemic. Countries across the world used interesting approaches to tackle the virus, providing paths and lessons for India.

The first is Japan. The country declared an emergency once the virus struck, but did not opt for a prolonged lockdown. Having already faced the swine flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) in the past, people were aware of the high fatality rate of such outbreaks. People ascertained the seriousness of the threat and locked themselves down, even without an official diktat. Everyone began using masks and observing social distancing as a rule. As a result of this self-discipline, the spread of the infection was limited and the national emergency was withdrawn soon after.

India has the largest young demographic in the world. Japan has the oldest population in the world. The virus is most fatal for the elderly. But swift action by the citizenry and the government not only saved the country from the worst of the pandemic, but also salvaged their economy. The Japanese do not, as a rule, blame the system for their problems; they see themselves as a part of the problem, and therefore, a part of the solution. It is their way of conquering calamities.

Japan is the only country in the world which has faced a nuclear attack. In the aftermath of the 1945 bombing, radiation crippled Hiroshima, Nagasaki and surrounding areas. It resulted in various ailments including cancer and various disabilities. Despite being devastated in World War 2, it was only a few years later that Japan was again a force to reckon with.

Sweden is another country which was quick on its feet, but with a few roadblocks. Despite harsh criticism, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven was clear that he would not implement a nationwide lockdown. Even when coronavirus cases crossed the 40,000 mark and the death rate reached 4,542, he remained steadfast in his belief that a lockdown was not the answer. He believed that the battle could not be won by restrictions, but through awareness. And because he enjoyed considerable public support, Lofven succeeded in limiting losses to life and the economy.

The situation India faces is different. While people are quick to criticise the government for the prolonged lockdown, stating that it has not fully succeeded in saving lives or the economy, they forget the conditions under which many people live in this country. For instance, people who live in slums cannot maintain social distancing or the hygiene required to protect against the virus. Dharavi is a case in point. Also, in a country which has struggled to maintain order and discipline (owing largely to its massive population), locking down 1.3 billion people proved to be essential in its fight against Covid-19. Sweden could afford different measures. India could not.

However, the time for a gradual opening up of society and the economy has come. Slowly, all 1.3 billion people will come out of their homes and head back to work, with a new normal setting in. It will be incumbent on all individuals to now realise their small but crucial role in limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone must wear masks, maintain social distancing and ensure basic hygiene. In other words, emulate the behaviour of the people of Japan and Sweden, in the best way we can.

I always fiercely opposed the Emergency of 1975-77. But I recall a slogan from that time which related to family planning  Hum do, hamare do (us two, our two). Millions of people realised its importance, and soon this became a part of their lives. Today, urban India sees the benefits of having smaller families.

History proves that sometimes, all it takes is a single slogan, legislation or conduct to change society for the better. Today, one thing remains clear. Discipline, self-reliance and social responsibility are driving forces in fighting the pandemic. This is Indias biggest challenge, and together, we must rise to the occasion to defend the country against the greatest challenge of our time.

Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan

The views expressed are personal
Local officials are using their experiences after the 2018 macroburst that ripped through their towns to keep close track of coronavirus-related expenses, a key task in making sure they receive the proper amount of state and federal aid.

If a Brookfield employee goes somewhere for a coronavirus-related matter, officials know which vehicle is taken and who is driving it. Staff time is recorded down to 15-minute increments and every coronavirus meeting along with its purpose is tracked.

Theyre all practices Brookfield employees picked up while seeking federal aid for the macroburst and are applying to the current coronavirus crisis. Better expense tracking is the biggest change in how the localities hit by the 2018 storm are approaching their reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency now.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Thursday the creation of the Connecticut Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund Program, which will funnel federal money to offset the 75 percent reimbursement from FEMA for coronavirus costs. Based on claims so far, the state Office of Policy and Management, which will oversee the fund, said the administration has set aside $75 million of the fund to aid municipalities throughout this crisis.

Learning from the macroburst, we are tracking even more information, Brookfield First Selectman Steve Dunn said. FEMA seems to have an insatiable need for detailed information, even if those details are not relevant.

Hamden, Southbury and several towns in the Danbury area were hammered by the storm, with some still awaiting the rest of their FEMA payments two years later.

During the macroburst, Dunn said aid was held up as FEMA waited to hear which firefighters were driving the vehicles, even though the town already provided all of the firefighters names, the type of vehicle and logged what work they did when.

Better tracking

Danbury was thrust into the FEMA application process in 2011 when the city was buried in snow, taking down many trees and again with Superstorm Sandy. By the time the macroburst hit in 2018, city employees were very familiar with what information FEMA was looking for.

City employees have an extra tool this time around. Danbury recently installed new software, which allows officials to track expenses by code. All of the employees were trained on it and there is a special code for the coronavirus.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said this has made it much easier to follow city expenses connected to the virus, especially overtime. Previously, they would have had to go through all of the employees timecards by hand.

He said the federal forms themselves are straightforward, its just making sure only expenses that qualify under the grant are submitted.

Local governments are still working with federal and state officials to determine what costs are reimbursable. Some items include personal protective equipment, overtime and modifications to town buildings, such as installing protective glass at service windows.

New Fairfield First Selectwoman Pat Del Monaco said the town is no stranger to the FEMA process after the macroburst. Staff started tracking costs as soon as the coronavirus hit the area. She added theyre probably more detailed than they would have been if they didnt have the storm experience.

Were aware of that level of detail they want, she said. The big question is what is eligible under FEMA for reimbursement. Were continuing to document everything.

Dunn said appointing a FEMA manager was the best thing he did following the macroburst. That person tracked all of the expenses and stayed on top of the hundreds of different items connected to the storm and the cleanup. Staff kept logs on the hours and activities spent on the crisis.

Theres a designated person again and regular meetings with the towns emergency operations management team.

It also helps that our staff has been through the FEMA process recently, Dunn said. They understand what information FEMA will be looking for and they do a great job tracking and reporting this information.

Crisis on a bigger scale

One of the most notable differences between the emergencies is that the coronavirus is a health crisis and the previous ones were natural disasters.

The scale of the emergency is also much larger. The macroburst only affected a few localities while all 50 states are approved for disaster declarations under FEMA.

Boughton said this widespread disaster declaration has made applying for aid easier than the natural disasters the city previously faced. The storms were localized events and took time for the officials in Washington, D.C., to understand what was going on and approve the individual disaster declarations.

Because it was a localized event, it gave us more of a headache, he said.

Since everyone is dealing with the coronavirus and the programs are well-known, Boughton said FEMA has been replying to their aid applications much faster.

Its just much more on the radar, he said, adding the state and federal officials have been great to work with.

Dunn said more applicants might translate to a delay in funding.

I believe FEMA is going to be overwhelmed by the thousands of towns that will be filing with them, and if they keep the reporting requirements that were in place during the macroburst, I believe it will take years to finalize payments to those affected, he said. We are still waiting for FEMA to approve one final payment for the macroburst and we filed for it almost two years ago.

Its also a longer crisis across the board, which means localities are filing for aid quarterly instead of one time at the end, Del Monaco said.

Dunn said the crisis seems to affect everyone in town in some way, with everyone social distancing to protect themselves and their neighbors. The storm destroyed some houses, while leaving others untouched. Residents have also died in the pandemic and no one was killed in Brookfield during the storm.

The pandemic affects every single resident nonstop, he said. The storm, while affecting everyone until power was restored and roads cleared, was over for the vast majority of residents within two to three weeks while some residents are still working today on getting their houses rebuilt.

kkoerting@newstimes.com
Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson (second right back) with some of the survivors who have campaigned for a pension (Liam McBurney/PA)

Details of circumstances which may be used to prevent former prisoners from receiving a Troubles pension have been leaked to the BBC.

The broadcaster has obtained "confidential" draft guidelines which have been circulated to political parties in Northern Ireland.

A row has erupted between Sinn Fein and the DUP over whether prisoners who committed crimes but were impacted by violence during the Troubles should receive the victims' pension.

Sinn Fein has called the regulations "discriminatory and unacceptable", while DUP leader Arlene Foster has said it is "grotesque" that the scheme is not being taken forward to accommodate those "who made people victims in the first place".

The BBC reports the document also details the "guiding principles" the judge-led panel should use when assessing applications from those with a "relevant conviction".

These are generally convictions with longer than a 30 month sentence and will apply to the most "serious crimes such as murder, actual bodily harm etc", the paper states.

An application can also be rejected if the president of the board decides the "exceptional circumstances of the case having regard to material evidence" makes its inappropriate to give the applicant the pension.

This evidence will include recent terrorist activity if the applicant has been convicted under the Terrorism Act, the applicant being a registered terrorist offender, having a recent conviction for membership of a proscribed organisation and if the person caused wholly or in part the incident in which they were injured as evidenced by a case or action proven to a civil standard.

The draft guidelines also set out mitigating factors which the panel must use when deciding if a former prisoner qualifies for a pension.

These include whether the applicant demonstrates remorse, if the offence was committed when the applicant was a juvenile, if a medical adviser appointed by the panel considers that psychological trauma caused by the Troubles may have contributed to subsequent offences and the vulnerability of the applicant due to mental or physical incapacity or brain injury.

Applications for payments to victims of amounts between 2,000 and 10,000 had been due to commence on May 29.

However, the Executive has failed to designate a department to handle the scheme.

The Executive and the UK Government are also in a stalemate as to who will pay for the scheme, which is estimated to cost around 100m.

First Minister Arlene Foster, speaking earlier this week, said: "It is wrong, absolutely wrong, that we should not be implementing this victims' pension because what we are essentially saying is that everybody has been held up to accommodate those people who made them victims in the first place. I think that is grotesque."
German airline Lufthansa will offer passengers a return-flight guarantee during the coronavirus pandemic, CEO Carsten Spohr told German media.

Anyone who wants to go back to Germany, well bring them back, Mr Spohr told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspapers Sunday edition.

Be it because they are not allowed to enter the destination country due to recording a high temperature, they have to be quarantined there or because the virus has broken out.

In all these cases there will be a guaranteed return flight, Mr Spohr said.

He did not go into details, but additionally expressed confidence that demand for private travel would return very quickly.

Lufthansa had come under severe pressure during the coronavirus pandemic, as nearly all flights were grounded for months.

Now that some countries are lifting travel bans, Lufthansa wants to entice passengers back on board.

Thousands of jobs are now at stake in the group, which employs about 138,000 people.

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The company is in the later stages of agreement with the German government over a bail-out agreement worth around 9 billion euros (10.1 billion dollars).

Mr Spohr also called for consideration of government incentives for new aircraft and also spoke of an innovation premium.

A new aircraft needs up to 25 per cent less fuel and to generate 50 per cent less noise than its predecessor. The jump is enormous.

If more new aircraft were purchased, it would help the environment, the aircraft manufacturers and the airlines, Spohr said.

Lufthansa is negotiating with Boeing and Airbus on taking delivery of planes later than agreed.

(dpa/NAN)
It seems out of kilter that in the midst of a health emergency, waiting rooms in GP surgeries across the country have been lying idle for three months. No magazines, no crying children, no suspicious gaze when a person coughs or sneezes.

"To be honest, people have been scared to come in because of Covid-19," Dr Eamonn Shanahan, a GP in Kerry, admits.

"There is reluctance. I was out walking one evening and there were two brothers I met, both with significant health problems. One of them was due to be admitted to hospital for a heart procedure. No way would he do it. His expression was, 'I'd sooner die of my heart than die of Covid'."

Shanahan's practice in Farranfore, Co Kerry, remained busy throughout the crisis but not because patients were visiting him. Covid-19 has changed how it operates. Consultations mainly happen on the telephone or online now, with patients triaged virtually before being brought in.

Expand Close Dr Lucia Gannon in Killenaule, Co Tipperary. Photo: Dylan Vaughan / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dr Lucia Gannon in Killenaule, Co Tipperary. Photo: Dylan Vaughan

Social distancing means all four practice partners and its trainee doctor cannot be on site at the same time. Often a patient may end up speaking to a doctor working from their living room or kitchen, but they wouldn't know this.

Last Wednesday, patients got in touch with a typically eclectic mix of issues. There was one with tonsillitis and another with bad sunburn. Some were brought in for blood to be taken. A few patients needed renewed prescriptions or painkillers for discomfort. More patients needed sick certs for work or others who raised concern about a sick loved one.

"We are treating as many people as ever, but 95pc of things are being sorted out over the phone now," he said.

One patient presented with a suspicious lump. Shanahan says, while people seem comfortable contacting the doctor about routine matters, there is a reluctance to get in touch about ailments that may require a follow-up hospital visit.

This tallies with concern nationally about a drop-off in patients presenting with chest pain, suspicious lumps and other acute matters during the crisis. Shanahan says this will pose issues going forward. He is also especially worried about the mental health needs of patients.

"There is a tsunami coming at us because this [lockdown] is a nightmare for people with mental health issues," he says.

Expand Close Dr Eamonn Shanahan in Farranfore, Co Kerry. Photo: Domnick Walsh / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dr Eamonn Shanahan in Farranfore, Co Kerry. Photo: Domnick Walsh

"You don't need to be a psychologist or psychiatrist to know this impacts people across the spectrum. Preschoolers - in many cases, this is like a summer holiday for them - but older children, six to 10-year-olds, are finding they are losing out on friends, the craic and playing sport.

"Moving on to teenagers, who may have their own anxieties already, they now have other pressures and young adults are in college or coming out of it at the worst time ever.

"You have people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and right through who have financial worries and concerns over being out of work because of Covid-19 and older people who have health concerns.

"One of the worries we have is there are a significant amount of people with mental health problems," he adds.

At another practice, 300km away in Dublin, there is also apprehension that the future will bring another form of deluge. Dr Conor O'Kelly, at Rialto Medical, says his practice has stayed open and coped well throughout the crisis.

He admits an early surge of suspected Covid-19 cases was overwhelming. Many of the patients he treats, because of their economic circumstances, live in cramped or confined conditions where the virus can spread rapidly. Demand for testing was high in March and April and a number of patients were hospitalised with the illness. Some died because of complications with underlying illnesses.

His practice adapted and the majority of consultations are done online or using video software. Patients are called in to the practice, if necessary, but nobody is being left without vital care.

However, he has worries.

"We are seeing people with acute stuff but a large part of what we normally do is chronic medicine. That means managing diabetes, heart problems, lung problems.

"That means routinely checking pulses, checking blood pressure, listening to chests but it is something we are not doing at the moment.

"We need to look at how we start doing that because it is those chronic diseases that, if kept under control, keep people out of hospital.

"Demand for such work is going to ramp up as we head towards autumn, especially as cocooners see the need to get their routine check-ups.

"We have not done any cervical smears for 12 weeks. That is concerning for us. We hope those types of things will be running again soon. Going forward, we need to get back to doing those preventative things such as screening and staying on top of the chronic diseases in a safe way."

He does see positives emerging from the crisis too.

"There has been a revolution in GP care and so much more of it is being done online now or over the phone through telemedicine.

"There are things that patients will still have to come in for, but it is possible to do so much more remotely now. Covid-19 has forced us to get comfortable with this very quickly and it seems to be working."

Dr Lucia Gannon, who runs a rural practice with her husband Dr Liam Meagher in Killenaule, Co Tipperary, agrees.

"We are quite busy, with nurses' and doctors' appointments booked up a week in advance and we have probably doubled the workload to cope because all our patients are triaged on the phone before they come. Anyone who comes in has been given a video or telephone consultation first.

"There are lots of benefits but it is not for everybody and for everything. Nobody comes in without having a chat first but nobody is left stuck."

Further changes are coming in the future, too. She plans to erect a canopy outside the practice where anyone who may present with Covid-19 symptoms can be treated.

She agrees that some of the reforms Covid-19 has forced on the sector are positive and should be here to stay.

However, all three doctors insist they can only do their jobs if patients keep coming to them. Their waiting rooms are shut but a doctor will see you, they insist.

O'Kelly explains: "Probably the most efficient way to operate was to have packed waiting rooms and turn people over every 10, 15 or 20 minutes. Those days are clearly gone. Restructuring might mean having phased starts with staff coming in earlier or later.

"Telemedicine is here to stay, even if we had a vaccine tomorrow, because easily 50pc of our work could be done with telemedicine and 50pc face to face. But we are open. We're still treating people."
Photo: Nicola Valley Food Bank/Facebook Brooke Gabara, Chloe Stockwell, Savanah and Kelsey Stewart, Drew Kanigan, Jenna Sigurdsson.

The Nicola Valley Food Bank is having a good weekend right now, after a big donation from a tree planting service.

Leader Silviculture and its employees donated $3,500 to the food bank based in Merritt. In a Facebook post from Friday afternoon the not-for-profit organization thanked the company and workers for their donation.

"The Nicola Valley Food Bank thanks you for your support and high 5's to all the team," states the organization in the post. "You guys have a grueling job, thank you for what you do for our environment. Stay safe and healthy!"

The company raised the money as part of World Hunger Day, which occured May 28.

On the post the owner of Leader Silviculture, Francois Sauve, noted that one tree planter named Misha planted around 2,000 trees in one day (Misha's personal best) and donated his income for that day.
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CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's antiquities authority is to transfer Cairo's historic Bab al-Azab district - with Ottoman-era architecture and the medieval Citadel overlooking the capital - to its sovereign wealth fund to develop into a tourism destination.

The wealth fund will in turn will bring in private interests to help in its development, it and the antiquities authority said in a joint statement on Tuesday. The area lies directly under the Citadel, an imposing fortification dating to the 13th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1970s.

The fund aims to restore the run-down district's historic buildings and create museums, theatres and traditional market places. No timeline for the project was given.

The antiquities council will retain ultimate management control of the historic buildings, the joint statement said.

Negotiations between the two organisations have been going on since the Egyptian cabinet approved the undertaking in principle in December.

"The fund will team up with experienced private investors to develop the Bab Al-Azab site," said fund CEO Ayman Soliman.

Egyptian resort and property tycoon Samih Sawiris has been involved in talks to help develop the site, Soliman said in December.

(Reporting by Patrick Werr; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Stan Wischnowski, the top editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, resigned on Saturday, days after an article with the headline Buildings Matter, Too, on the effects of civil unrest on the citys buildings, led to a walkout by dozens of staff members.

Lisa Hughes, the publisher of The Inquirer, the 191-year-old daily owned by the nonprofit Lenfest Institute for Journalism, said Saturday in a memo to the staff that she had accepted Mr. Wischnowskis decision to step down after 10 years across two stints as the leader of one of the countrys largest newsrooms.

The headline of the article  a column by The Inquirers architecture critic, Inga Saffron, that was published on Tuesday  played on the slogan Black Lives Matter, long a rallying cry for civil rights activists protesting police violence against African Americans. It has been a key phrase for demonstrators in the nearly two weeks of protests across the country and in cities worldwide since a black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd, died last month after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white police officers knee.

The day after the Inquirer article was published, the papers top editors, including Mr. Wischnowski, who had worked at the paper for 20 years, issued an apology that appeared on its website.
A STUDENT has been fined for his role in a violent melee during which two young men sustained serious injuries.

Dillon Hargreaves, 24, of Whitethorn Drive, Caherdavin had previously admitted assaulting the two men at Michael Street, Limerick in the early hours of September 8, 2014.

During a sentencing hearing, Garda Barry OGrady said the incident occurred at around 2am  a short time after an altercation had taken place inside Crush 87 nightclub.

A number of people were ejected from the premises following the altercation, which involved Mr Hargreaves and several other young men.

Garda OGrady said after leaving the club, a group of friends were hailing a taxi when they were attacked by the defendant and another man  named in court as Mr X.

He told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, that Mr Hargreaves punched two members of the group across the face and head.

One of the men sustained a cut lip and chipped teeth while the other sustained a deviated nose and some cuts and bruising.

Two other members of the group sustained significant injuries after were attacked by Mr X who used a glass bottle. Mr X is responsible for those injuries but he is not amenable to prosecution, said Mr OSullivan

Colman Coady SC said his client had been struck inside the nightclub and that he mistakenly retaliated which resulted in him being ejected.

When subsequently questioned about the assault, he told gardai he was still a bit hot headed and had thrown a punch.

He was very forthcoming, said Mr Coady who added his client has not come to the attention of gardai since.

A hand-written letter of apology from Mr Hargreaves was submitted to the court along with a number of testimonials.

Imposing sentence, Judge Tom ODonnell said such incidents are all too prevalent but he noted the defendants cooperation and remorse and his guilty plea.

He also noted the delay in concluding the matter but said he had to mark the courts concern  given the gratuitous nature of the assault.

A 500 fine was imposed in relation to each charge.
Kenneth Branagh has revealed that he was left confused by the plot of Christopher Nolan's Tenet while making the big budget movie.

The actor, 59, admitted that he had to constantly re-read the script for the upcoming spy thriller in order to work out the storyline.

Speaking to Total Film, he said: 'I kid you not, I read this screenplay more times than I have ever read any other thing I have ever worked on.

Head-scratcher: Kenneth Branagh has revealed that he was left confused by the plot of Christopher Nolan's Tenet while making the big budget movie (pictured 2018)

'It was like doing the Times crossword puzzle every day, I would imagine. Except the film and the screenplay didn't expect you, or need you, to be an expert.'

The plot of Tenet has been closely guarded but deals with international espionage and, like Nolan's Inception, it involves time manipulation.

Kenneth also added that the movie keeps fans guessing about his character throughout the action.

He said: 'In the playing of it, and in the scenes, he keeps upturning, or playing forward and backward, our expectations of what the character should be. So my conversations with [Nolan] about my character were constant, because the character's evolution was not set - it was a series of constant surprises.'

Confusion: The actor, 59, admitted that he had to constantly re-read the script for the upcoming spy thriller in order to work out the storyline (pictured on the set of Tenet)

It comes after Kenneth's co-star Robert Pattinson also admitted to struggling to get his head around the story - even during filming.

'There were months at a time where I'm like, 'Am I . . . I actually, honestly, have no idea if I'm even vaguely understanding what's happening',' he said as part of Esquire's profile of his co-star John David Washington.

Pattinson continued: 'On the last day, I asked [John David] a question about what was happening in a scene, and it was just so profoundly the wrong take on the character. And it was like, "Have you been thinking this the entire time?"

'There's definitely a bond in the end in kind of hiding the fact that maybe neither one of us knew exactly what was going on. But then I thought, ah, but John David actually did know. He had to know what was going on.

Head-scratcher: Robert Pattinson has admitted that even while making Christopher Nolan's movie Tenet, he sometimes struggled to get his head around the complicated story

'It's an incredibly complicated movie, like all of Chris's movies. I mean, you have to watch them when they're completely finished and edited three or four times to understand what the true meaning is.'

For his part, Washington also admitted in a recent interview that Nolan had been 'very patient' with his leading men and 'very calmly and patiently' answered questions they had during filming.

'Every day I had questions for him. But he was very gracious,' Washington explained.

'It was important that the actors could track the story correctly so we could tell it the best way we could, and he was very patient with us. I say that very politely.'

Complicated: Tenet deals with international espionage and involves time manipulation. 'It's an incredibly complicated movie, like all of Chris's movies,' Pattinson said

While several tentpole movies have been pushed to later in the year or even to next year, Warner Bros. is still planning to release Christopher Nolan's film Tenet in theatres in July.

Last week, the British filmmaker made headlines with the news, revealed to UK's Total Film magazine, that he crashed a real Boeing 747 into a hangar and then blew it up for one of Tenet's big action sequences.

While scouting locations in Victorville, in Southern California's high desert, the director came across a plane graveyard where hundreds of old planes were stored.

'I planned to do [the sequence] using miniatures and set-piece builds and a combination of visual effects and all the rest,' Nolan told Total Film, as reported by GamesRadar.com.

No joke: Nolan made headlines last week with the revelation he used a real Boeing 747 rather than visual effects for an explosive action sequence in the upcoming spy thriller

'We started to run the numbers... It became apparent that it would actually be more efficient to buy a real plane of the real size, and perform this sequence for real in camera, rather than build miniatures or go the CG route.'

Nolan, 49, described filming the sequence as 'a very exciting thing to be part of'.

Pattinson shared that it was a one-of-a-kind experience for an actor.

'You wouldn't have thought there was any reality where you would be doing a scene where they just have an actual 747 to blow up! It's so bold to the point of ridiculousness,' he told the outlet.

Cost effective: While scouting locations in Victorville, Southern California, the director came across a plane graveyard where hundreds of old planes were stored and bought a jumbo jet

Stunt: Nolan crashed the 747 into a hangar and then blew it up, all on camera, rather than use miniatures, visual effects and CGI for the pivotal scenes

He added: 'I remember, as we were shooting it, I was thinking, 'How many more times is this even going to be happening in a film at all?''

Tenet has a budget in the region of $200 million, making it one of the most expensive original films ever made.

The movie was shot in seven countries: Denmark, Estonia, India, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States.

There has been a lot of speculation about whether the movie will be moved from its scheduled July 17 release date as lockdown restrictions continue to be in place in many countries.

Nolan has previously made it clear that Tenet was made for theatres and will be shown in 70mm and IMAX formats.
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika and Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 18:01 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcb8ac6 1 People Taiwan,nanny,Indonesia Free

Inspired by a recent story of a Taiwanese student reuniting with her former Indonesian nanny, 27-year-old Taiwanese man Chan Kuo Ting has started an online search for his own former Indonesian nanny with the help of social media.

Chan told The Jakarta Post that he was separated from his Indonesian-born nanny 17 years ago. The nanny, whom he often called E-dam, left Taiwan when Chan was in fourth grade.

I still remember that day. I took some oranges from my school so I could share them with her [E-dam] because she loves oranges, but my teacher told me that she had returned to Indonesia, Chan said.

A copy of E-dam's old passport that Chan showed to the Post shows that E-dam's real name is Sartem Tario. The address on the passport shows that she lived in Rawamerta district, Karawang regency, West Java.

I have always hoped that she would come back to us one day, but as days went by, I realized I would never see her again, he said.

He said that E-dam took care of him like her own son, especially as his parents were busy with work.

Whenever I was at school, I always looked forward to telling her what I did at school when I got home, Chan said.

The separation had taken a huge toll on Chan, to the point that he sought psychologist guidance to help overcome the issue.

Chan, a soon-to-be father, expressed hope he could introduce his wife as well as his future daughter to her.

Im going to be a father this August, so you [E-dam] are going to be a grandma too! I often tell my wife about her, and she really wants to see her. Everyone is dying to see her! Chan said.

Last month, Taiwanese student Hsu Zhih-han made a successful attempt to reunite with an Indonesian woman who took care of her during her childhood.

Hsu began an online search by posting photos of Dwi Setyowati, her nanny, on Facebook and said she was trying to locate her second mother, who had taken care of her since her birth until she was four years old.

The story was later picked up by several Indonesian media outlets, resulting in a job broker in Taiwan giving Hsu Dwis phone number. The two reunited in an emotional video call.

Topics : Taiwan nanny Indonesia
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has attached high importance to COVID-19 prevention and control and assumed full command over the control efforts from the very beginning, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Sunday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for a nationwide effort to block the spread of the virus and defeat it, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

Xi has chaired 14 meetings of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a number of other high-level meetings, the white paper said.

Xi inspected community response and COVID-19 research in Beijing, and visited Wuhan to guide frontline response. He made inspection tours to Zhejiang, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces where he was briefed on progress in coordinating epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, and in poverty alleviation. He has closely followed developments in China's virus control and made timely decisions accordingly, it said.

The white paper said under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core, China has put in place an efficient system under which the central authorities exercise overall command, while local authorities and all sectors follow the leadership and instructions of the central authorities, perform their respective duties, and cooperate with each other.

This highly efficient system has made it possible for China to win its all-out people's war against the virus, it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 19:19:06|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Large- and medium-sized hotels in Phuket and other provinces in southern Thailand will financially survive for the rest of this year, a leading hotelier said on Sunday.

Kongsak Khuphongsakorn, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) Southern Chapter, said most Large- and medium-sized hotels in Phuket and elsewhere in the southern region of the country will manage to get through financially and only small-sized ones might possibly go out of business due to the pandemic, which has kept foreign visitors at bay.

Kongsak confirmed most hotels, including those in beachfront and seaside areas of the tourist island, have reopened for Thai visitors in place of foreign guests between June and September, normally viewed as low season.

Those hotels will very likely manage to keep the business going and offer lowered room rates for Thai guests, he said.

Foreign guests, especially the Chinese, are not expected until October or later whereas international passenger airliners are currently not allowed to land at Thai airports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kongsak assured many hotels in Phuket will take financial aid from the government which has planned to provide soft loans for the country's pandemic-affected hospitality sector as part of its social and economic relief and restoration measures.

The THA southern chapter president said many hotels and guesthouses in downtown areas, considerably far from the beaches, might be operating at enormous loss or be finally closed.

He said the owners of those small-sized hotels and guesthouses might probably look to sell them off rather than continue to run them on their own.

Dozens of small-sized hotels on Koh Samui island off Surat Thani province might probably go out of business later this year due to lack of liquidities and incomes, according to THA southern chapter president Kongsak. Enditem
Jean Seberg on location for "Bonjour Tristesse," 1957 (1978 Bob Willoughby / mptvimages.com)

Fifty years ago, a senior editor at the Los Angeles Times came into possession of a dangerous piece of gossip, leaked to the paper by the FBI. The Times printed it without fact-checking it, and the life of a famous young actress was destroyed.

The leak was malicious and the information was almost certainly wrong. It was intended by the FBI to damage the reputation of the actress, Jean Seberg, as punishment for what the bureau saw as her radical political beliefs. When Times gossip columnist Joyce Haber published the item in the spring of 1970, Seberg  the 31-year-old star of Jean-Luc Godards Breathless and Otto Premingers St. Joan, among other films  spiraled into a long-term depression that led directly to her suicide on a Paris street a decade later.

On its 50th anniversary, the story seems every bit as tragic as it was at the time, but also relevant again. This was an example, after all, of what can happen when unbridled power rests in the hands of irresponsible officials. Its about the accountability and influence of the media, and the danger of dishonest, ad hominem attacks by government on individuals. Its about the subversion of the rule of law.

In the spring of 1970, the FBI was at the height of its war against radical movements in the United States. The bureaus unscrupulous director, J. Edgar Hoover, had for years been working to undermine the antiwar movement, civil rights leaders and black militant organizations. Among the latter was the Black Panther Party, a group of self-styled revolutionaries challenging police brutality and white authority through armed self-defense.

Seberg was one of a number of Hollywood supporters of the Panthers. She had donated more than $10,000 and may have been in a relationship with one of its members (leading the bureau to describe her internally as a promiscuous and sex-perverted white actress). On April 27, a cable was sent from the FBIs Los Angeles office to Hoover requesting permission to publicize the pregnancy of Jean Seberg, well known actress, by [name deleted] of the Black Panther Party by advising Hollywood gossip columnists. The cable said this could cause her embarrassment and serve to cheapen her image.

Story continues

Headquarters responded: Jean Seberg has been a financial supporter of the BPP and should be neutralized.

When the tip came in, a Times reporter passed it to the Metro editor, who sent it on to gossip columnist Haber. She ran the item on May 19 with no names attached  but with enough details that Seberg was easily identifiable. In it, Haber noted that Seberg, whom she called Miss A, was pursuing a number of free-spirited causes, among them the black revolution. Haber said that the father of her child was said to be a rather prominent Black Panther. A similar item ran in Newsweek a few weeks later, this time using Sebergs name.

The information was malicious, manipulative and most likely untrue. Certainly the FBI didnt know if it was accurate (it leapt to a conclusion based on transcripts of a wiretapped call) and neither did The Times. Seberg and her family always denied it.

But in an era when a relationship between a married white woman and a radical African American lover would have been frowned upon in many circles, the assertion was devastatingly effective. The result, as Jon Wiener and Mike Davis put it in their new book, Set the Night on Fire, about L.A. in the 1960s, was a cascade of disaster. Seberg went into premature labor in August; the baby died two days after delivery. Seberg became depressed, her career stalled, and she tried repeatedly to commit suicide. In 1979, she was found dead in her car on a Paris street after intentionally overdosing.

Although it is difficult to say what combination of factors leads a person to suicide, her ex-husband said at a news conference after her death: Jean Seberg was destroyed by the FBI when the bureau gave a large American newspaper inaccurate information.

Just a few days after that, the FBI acknowledged its role. (Hoover by that time was dead.) Among other things, the bureau said: The days when the FBI used derogatory information to combat advocates of unpopular causes have long since passed. We are out of that business forever.

Of all the agencys Nixon-era excesses, those undertaken as part of Hoovers counterintelligence program, known as COINTELPRO, seem particularly villainous. In the Seberg case and many others, COINTELPRO operatives went beyond gathering intelligence or arresting lawbreakers to actively spreading false and derogatory information to discredit, divide and disrupt politically disfavored groups.

Whether true or false  and the evidence suggests it was false  the FBIs tip should never have been published. Why was The Times publishing irrelevant, unsourced, unchecked gossip on peoples sexual and marital activities at the behest of the FBI, and especially in such a racially charged manner? Shame on us.

The story is relevant today because were living through another era in which American democracy is in peril. There is no reason to believe that President Trump has unleashed his intelligence agencies the way Nixon did. But Trump is a leader whose dishonesty has been established and who puts his own interests ahead of the integrity of the U.S. government. He has been contemptuous of the rule of law.

Whats more, he traffics in unfounded attacks and conspiracy theories  and he doesnt need an FBI director or compliant newspaper editor to spread them; he can push them out to his 80 million Twitter followers himself. In recent weeks, Trump has baselessly accused TV host Joe Scarborough of murder.

There have always been leaders who see their own personal ambitions and grievances as more important than the democratic process. As election day approaches, remember: Weve been down this road before and we dont want to go there again.

@Nick_Goldberg
RTHK: British protesters tear down statue of slave trader

British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader and threw it in the harbour on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd's death.

Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston's statue and bring it to the ground in the southwestern city of Bristol.

They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and shoving it into the harbour with a great cheer.

Colston's face got splashed with red paint at one point.

"Today I witness history," eye witness William Want tweeted.

"The statue of Edward Colston, a Bristol slave trader, was torn down, defaced, and thrown in the river. #BlackLivesMatter."

But Home Secretary Priti Patel called the toppling "utterly disgraceful" and police in the city promised to carry out an investigation.

"That speaks to the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause which the people are actually protesting about," Patel told Sky News.

"That is a completely unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism, again, as we saw yesterday in London."

The London police reported making 29 arrests during a day of largely peaceful protests on Saturday that included a few scuffles with the police.

Local police chief Andy Bennett said around 10,000 people attended Bristol's "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on Sunday.

"The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully," he said.

"However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside."

Colston grew up in a wealthy merchant family and joined a company in 1680 that had a monopoly on the west African slave trade.

The Royal African Company was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II.

The company was transporting about 5,000 slaves a year to the Caribbean by the time Colston joined.

He later developed a reputation as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes such as schools and hospitals in Bristol and London.

His statue stood on Bristol's Colston's Avenue. The city also has a school named in his honour.

UK opposition Labour party lawmaker Clive Lewis welcomed the statue's removal by the crowd.

"Good," Lewis tweeted.

"Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We'll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity. #BLM" (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-06-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
 Flash

Outrage over the death of George Floyd have sparked a wave of protests in the United States and beyond, with citizens voicing their opposition against racism and police brutality, as well as demanding justice and social fairness.



Floyd, the unarmed African American, was suffocated to death after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25.

Chanting slogans while holding signs, thousands of protesters marched to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, staging what is expected to be the largest demonstration in the nation's capital against racial injustice and police brutality.

After eight days of protests that ebbed and flowed in the district, people from around the country gathered with renewed momentum, streaming into the capital from nearby places such as Arlington, Virginia.

Tens of thousands of people in Germany demonstrated against racism and police brutality in the United States. Many of the demonstrators in black clothes carried banners supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Organizers called for a silent demonstration lasting exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time it took for Floyd to lose consciousness as the police officer knelt on his neck.

In Berlin alone, police said around 15,000 participants gathered at Alexanderplatz Square, despite the minimal distance order during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Munich, around 25,000 demonstrators took to the streets, but according to the police, only 200 people had registered for the event. The meeting area was finally expanded to make more space to allow demonstrators to follow the social distancing order.

In Hamburg, the police said a total of 14,000 people joined the demonstrations in two almost simultaneous rallies at Jungfernstieg and Rathausmarkt, but only around 800 were allowed because of the anti-coronavirus measures.

Thousands of people also went down on their knees on the streets outside the U.S. embassy in Ireland, which was the third of its kind following the killing of George Floyd, demanding a systematic change to the deep-rooted racism existing in America as well as in other places.

On May 31, a group of around 100 people staged a peaceful protest outside the U.S. embassy in Ballsbridge, while another group of people held a demonstration outside the official residence of the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

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."

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people rallied in Paris and several other French cities to pay tribute to Georges Floyd.

Protestors turned out massively at Place de la concorde and the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower to show their solidarity with widespread demonstrations in the United States. In Lyon, Rennes, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille and Rouen, people also defied the sanitary ban to join the rally against racism and police violence.

Across Britain, thousands of people on Saturday joined Black Lives Matter protests. Protesters in central London took the knee during a minute's silence before beginning chants of "no justice, no peace."

Many anti-racism demonstrators wore masks and social distancing measures were encouraged during the events in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield and Newcastle, among other cities.

Huge crowds marched Saturday in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in cities across Australia, including Sydney where a Supreme Court decision banning the protest was overturned at the last minute.

Thousands of people turned out in Brisbane and Adelaide, with even larger crowds in the more populous cities of Melbourne and Sydney, after the New South Wales (NSW) State Court of Appeal ruled in favour of authorising the Sydney protest.

Minutes before the demonstration was scheduled to begin, and after a large crowd had already gathered, the news came through that the protest would be considered lawful, with police aiming to accommodate the demonstrators while maintaining peace.

South Africans "stand in solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters" in fighting racial injustice, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

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," he said.




UK COVID-19 deaths top 40,000 as another 357 patients die

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/6/6 1:25:52

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.

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.

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Egypt Proposes Libya Cease-fire, Calls for Withdrawal of Mercenaries

By Edward Yeranian June 06, 2020

As forces loyal to the internationally recognized Libyan government in Tripoli gain more ground near the capital from forces under eastern military commander General Khalifa Haftar, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sissi called for a cease-fire. Sissi urged both sides to resume dialogue. Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al Sarraj also met Friday with his main backer, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Amateur video broadcast by Arab media showed forces loyal to the Tripoli government capturing Bani Walid Airport, outside Tripoli, after defenders loyal to General Khalifa Haftar withdrew to positions farther to the east of the capital. Other video showed fighters loyal to the Tripoli government consolidating control of the nearby town of Tarhuna, which they captured a day earlier.

Arab media reported that several Turkish drones bombed a convoy of vehicles that had left Tarhuna as they were approaching the coastal town of Sirte, which is still under the control of forces loyal to Gen. Haftar. Qatari-owned al Jazeera TV (Arabic) claimed that supporters of the government in Tripoli were preparing to attack Sirte, which is still under Haftar's control. VOA could not independently confirm the claim.

Meanwhile, in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi met with General Haftar and the head of the Libyan house of representatives, Aquela Salah, and called for a cease-fire beginning Monday, June 8.

He says that Egypt's initiative is based on the respect of all international resolutions and calls for a cease-fire beginning Monday at 6 a.m., in addition to the withdrawal of all foreign mercenaries from the entire country, and the dismantling of all militias to allow the Libyan Army and the security forces to exert control.

Haftar, speaking at a press conference alongside Sissi, backed Egypt's cease-fire call and urged the Egyptian president to use his influence to oblige Turkey to withdraw mercenaries it has sent to Libya.

He says that Turkey's military intervention in Libya has increased polarization both among Libyans and among countries which are involved in the conflict and have opposing interests. He urges Sissi to increase efforts to oblige Turkey to stop sending mercenaries and weapons to Libya.

Responding to the cease-fire call, Khaled al Meshri, head of the Tripoli government's "presidential council," told al Jazeera TV that "Libya doesn't need another peace initiative," and he claimed that Haftar's forces now have "suffered defeat and should not be trying to dictate the terms of an agreement."

Fayez al Sarraj, who heads the Tripoli-based "National Unity Government" met Friday with the Turkish prime minister in Ankara. Some Arab media report that Turkey has sent close to 10,000 Syrian mercenaries to fight in Libya. VOA could not independently confirm the figure.

Both the UAE and Jordan, which support General Haftar, indicated Saturday that they would support Egypt's call for a cease-fire.

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Protesters calling for police reforms and an end to injustice against black Americans marched and gathered in Portland again Saturday for the 10th consecutive night, part of a wave of unrest that has spread across the globe.

The scattered events were mostly peaceful. About 6 p.m., some of the people gathered in front of the Justice Center started engaging in criminal behavior, Portland police said, that escalated as the night wore on. The agency said at least 50 people were arrested; the names and charges of those arrested were not immediately available early Sunday.

More coverage: Whos taking part in Portlands George Floyd protests? What do they want? When will it end?: Q&A

Over the course of the nine previous nights, police have at times used tear gas, stun grenades and a device that emits ear-piercing sounds on protesters. That has resulted in even greater scrutiny of police actions, including from city commissioners.

Police said CS gas was not used Saturday. The has gas is a powder that burns from a pyrotechnic charge and has been the most commonly used form of tear gas since the 1970s.

Protesters calling for police reform and an end to discrimination plan to march in Portland on Saturday for the 10th consecutive night. @edercampuzano is at Revolution Hall and @markwgraves is downtown. Follow this thread for updates. pic.twitter.com/Uz77OsHr31  The Oregonian (@Oregonian) June 7, 2020

The calls for change started after the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who 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 nightly in downtown Portland.

Saturday night, several thousand gathered at Revolution Hall in Southeast Portland, where the marches have started the past week. That group marched more than 2 miles north to Irving Park in Northeast Portland, where speakers and singing commenced.

More coverage: Push for police reform: If we dont act now, itll be another generation before we make systemic changes, city commissioner says

Meanwhile in downtown Portland, several groups gathered at various spots, including Terry Schrunk Plaza and Lownsdale Square, eventually marching to Pioneer Courthouse Square, where they listened to a series of speakers.

Another group had gathered along the fence surrounding the Justice Center, chanting Black Lives Matter! Over the course of the next few hours, some in the crowd hurled various objects at officers behind the fence. Police eventually declared the gathering a civil disturbance, and after 11:30 p.m. moved toward the protesters and cleared the crowd from the fence.

Police video showed officers detaining demonstrators and clearing out downtown until past midnight.

Portland police said a commercial grade firework was thrown over the fence and injured two Multnomah County Sheriffs Office deputies. The Sheriffs Office said both deputies were evaluated for possible concussions.

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

While the larger crowds have been peaceful, they have been increasingly met with push-back from a much smaller and steadfast group of protesters who believe violence or destruction is a necessary tool to get their message across.

Nationwide, a debate has been raging about whether violence helps or hurts the cause  helps by garnering attention and pressuring government to act, or hurts by giving detractors reason to discount protesters as rioters and anarchists looking for any excuse to break and burn things.

In a statement early Sunday, Portland police Chief Jami Resch thanked the many thousands of Portlanders who demonstrated tonight without violence.

"Your voice is powerful and I am with you, she said.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, the first African American woman on the Portland City Council, said she will ask her fellow commissioners on Wednesday to cut $8 million to $9 million from the mayors proposed $246 million police budget.

She will propose eliminating the Gun Violence Reduction Team and the Transit Police as well as the school resource officer program that the mayor already has agreed to scrap.

I want to eliminate police programs that we know have had a racially disparate impact on our community, she said.

All three police teams have drawn criticism for disproportionally targeting black people, particularly young men, in traffic and pedestrian stops or light-rail and bus exclusions.

Saturdays full coverage on OregonLive:

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Billionaire Bill Gates foundation donated an additional $1.6 billion to help develop vaccines for disease including COVID-19 on Thursday.

To beat the COVID-19 pandemic, the world needs more than breakthrough science. It needs breakthrough generosity, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a statement. When COVID-19 vaccines are ready, this funding and global coordination will ensure that people all over the world will be able to access them.

The billion-dollar commitment goes into a pool of around $7.4 billion in donations made by various groups  from governments to foundations like Gates  for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) to manufacture and deliver COVID-19 vaccines. The money is being raised as part of a virtual summit hosted by the United Kingdom on Thursday.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Chairman Bill Gates speaks during 2019 New Economy Forum on November 21, 2019 in Beijing, China. (PHOTO: Hou Yu/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

Gavi, formed in 2000, is partly funded by Bill and Melinda Gates and its mission is to develop and distribute vaccines in some of the worlds poorest countries for diseases such as HIV/AIDS and polio.

The five-year commitment by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is separate from another $100 million it gave to Gavi to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for lower income countries.

Right now we've got billions of people in lockdown because we don't have a vaccine or cure for COVID-19, and the devastating impact of the COVID-19 is a huge reminder of how vulnerable we are to disease, Gates said on a call with reporters.

There are over 6.6 million coronavirus cases worldwide. (Graphic: David Foster/Yahoo Finance)

Disappointed in the U.S. terminating relationship with WHO

Gates said he was disappointed with President Trump's recent announcement in May that the U.S. is terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization.

"I'm disappointed that they're talking about pulling out, and I think we can resolve that eventually in a positive way, said Gates. "I would encourage the United States to stay as a member of WHO and continue the support they provide.

But questions remain about what, exactly, the termination means.

Story continues

Referring to Congress' funding to WHO for polio eradication efforts, which is being spearheaded by the multilateral organization, Gates said that WHO is important for the work that Gavi was doing and that we need to stay together because there will be future pandemics.

A child receives oral polio vaccine from a house-to-house polio vaccination team in the Kamla Nehru Nagar slum in Patna. (PHOTO: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Prashant Panjiar)

We need to fight what is now called vaccine nationalism

The United Nations and then Red Cross have recently voiced concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine race. Richer countries are taking on huge financial risks to amp up production for their populations, which could leave poorer countries behind.

Termed "vaccine nationalism" by public health experts, the first country to create a COVID-19 vaccine would be at an advantage, as it puts it in a position to revive its economy and protect its population ahead of others.

"We need to fight what is now called vaccine nationalism," Emanuel Capobianco, head of health at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), told the AFP.

Gates said that that situation can be prevented if companies can commit to scaling up so that poorer countries arent left behind, noting that pharmaceutical companies were on board with sharing resources. Gavi hopes to offer vaccines at inexpensive prices, Gates added, and the effort is supported by manufacturers.

A health worker collects a nasal swab sample from a Thai Buddhist monk to test for COVID-19 coronavirus at Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok. (PHOTO: Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Gavi has previously been able to secure vaccines for a few dollars for low-income countries, compared to the price for sale in high-income countries. The HPV vaccine, for example, is $4.50 for Gavi, while richer countries pay at least $120, according to Deputy CEO Anuradha Gupta.

Nonetheless, we have right now, a lot of countries working with the various manufacturers for supply for their country, but we need to overlay that approach with a global approach, so that most of the output is going to a rational system of allocating doses for those most at risk, said Gates.

The United States in particular should have 100 million doses of a COVID-19 by the end of the year, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated earlier in the week. "Then, by the beginning of 2021, we hope to have a couple hundred million doses, he added.

A protester wearing a dinosaur costume holds a placard during a demonstration in front of the Huntington Beach Pier to demand for the reopening of the California economy on May 9. (PHOTO: by Stanton Sharpe/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Conspiracy theories about microchips are so bizarre

Gates was also asked on the call to address comments about mistrust in his motives.

A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that 44% of Republicans mistakenly believe that Gates is plotting to use a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign as a pretext to implant microchips in billions of people, and to covertly monitor their movements. Only 26% of Republicans correctly identified the story as false.

Those polls are a little bit concerning, Gates said. In a way it's so bizarre... And it's almost hard to deny this stuff because it's so stupid or strange that even repeating it almost seems to give it a credibility.



Aarthi Swaminathan is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami.



Anjalee Khemlani is a reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter: @AnjKhem

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Islamabad June 7 : In the ongoing tower of babble in Pakistan's rarefied society, Cynthia Dawn Ritchie, an American blogger and member of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's social media team, hit back at the claims of telly host Ali Saleem, popularly known as Begum Nawazish Ali, stating they're close, and that she didn't tell him anything about being raped.

Fulminating against Ali Saleem's bombast on Saturday, the American adventurist launched a brutal attack on him. Ritchie quoted a tweet stating she and Ali are "not close friends", and wrote: "Thank you for correction. Ask if Ali ever met a visiting Britisher in Khi for business. And if Ali convinced her to fly to his 'big farm' in Chak Shezad, if he showed her horses at a stable, and about allegations that he & 2 men from PPP's 2nd tier leadership raped her." Continuing her tirade, she said: "Ask Ali if the British woman was forced out of her business deals? Ask if Ali uses cocaine/other drugs and performs for PPP leadership at homosexual cabaret dance locations in Mitaiyari, Tando Jam, Rohodi, and Nawabshah?"

Exposing the murkiness and shenanigans in Pakistan's deeply divided polity where the Fauj plays an integral balancing act, Cynthia Ritchie has been slapbang in the midst of a maelstrom recently.

According to a Geo news report, former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, while responding to the allegations, asked: "Can a Prime Minister ever commit such an act at the Aiwan-e-Sadr? What was the lady levelling such accusations doing at the Aiwan-e-Sadr?" Also targetted, Rahman Malik has served as the Federal Minister of Interior, Pakistan. He has been a member of the Nuclear Command Authority Pakistan and Defence Coordination Committee.
New Delhi, June 7 : After 'Speak up India' campaign, the Congress is going to launch a MOJO campaign from Monday to highlight sufferings of the people and shortcomings in the system, sources in the party said.

All workers have been asked to record a video and post it on the Social Media. The campaign on Monday will start from Delhi, and will go state wise, sources said.

Congress Social Media team in Gujarat did a similar program on Sunday for rehearsal.

A meeting at Delhi State office bearers of the Congress party was held on Sunday to take stock of the preparation for the campaign. The states have been asked to highlight their issues and its part of 'Speak up India' campaign but the format has changed, said the source.

The 'Speak Up India' campaign launched by the Congress Party on May 28 to highlight the Central Government's 'gross failure' had 57 lakh participants who posted live videos, and the campaign has reached up to 10 crore people, as per Congress estimates.

Party General Secretary organization K.C. Venugopal said, "Speak Up India emerged as the biggest and most robust digital protest movement in the Country." The Congress said the central government has failed to address the problems faced by the country's migrant workers, farmers, daily wage earners, traders and small entrepreneurs.

The Congress claimed that hashtag #SpeakUpIndia has topped global trends on Twitter and Facebook.

According to the feedback received at the social media department of AICC, over 57 lakh people have posted live videos, which has reached up to 10 crore people.
07.06.2020 LISTEN

Sitting in my bedroom, with a serene atmosphere, Sound was silent, emotions shuttered, it seems my whole being only allowed my mind to reflect on the issues which flooded our public domain "the past three years". Covid-19 is a pandemic that admittedly took the world by surprise, this brought a niggle at the back of my mind flaring me to the "Drone deal". Some people are born to spectate through their Bellies which NDC is not an exception, others to see through the vicissitudes of time with their " mind eye". Leaders are born but true leaders are God-sent. The Nana Addo led administration has a DNA of a Jewish prophet in them; they could see beyond the curtains of natural. I still wonder to myself how Dr. Bawumia managed to envisage the impact this global pandemic could have had on our health sector without the Drones. Their administration has shown not once, not twice but times without number that, " they were elected to rule not to ruin Ghana".

The NDC and their political maculates resorted to the "proverbial cry of a wolf" by suggesting packrat of things which the money to procure the drones could be used for just to abacinate Ghanaians on how useless Drones services are to our health sector back then. Here are some of their political agitprop they rabbit before the court of public opinion about the Drone deal;

Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the minority spokesman on Health downplayed the significance of drones describing it a "misplaced priority" such a mind which could not see beyond one day, should be provided with waste bin so His ideas could readily and easily be disposed off to avert him harm our nation with it. Mr. Bagbin MP for Nadowli Kaleo registered His disapproval by describing the purchase of the Drones as " Catastrophic ". He suggested the money involved in the purchase of the Drones could be used to build CHIPS compounds. He concluded, Ghana is not a hilly country to need the services of Drones in Her health sector ( Interesting perspective). The former Ghana " HEAD OF ACHE" Mr. Dramani Mahama employed himself into the discussion and chided the president to get " his priorities right ", He lectured that, Ghana needs no drones in her health sector and hence its purchase is a misplaced priority, keeping to himself, how He and his administration managed to profligate $20 million on "guinea fowl with burkinabe passports". A calumniation from the NDC National Women's Organizer was as intellectually adolescent as it was astonishing, her comments got my heart racing that I took in some chilled water to slow down the racing of my heartbeat. She said, " The Drones will take naked pictures and film women bathing in the Villages". She added, " When I see a drone over me, I will hit it with a stick". Their comments, like the stupid slave who says his condition of bondage was good after a heavy meal, meant that, CHIPS compounds is enough facilities to wriggle Ghana out of health crisis so drones are needles.

This Covid -19 and the enormous role Drones have played have exposed the NDC myopic thinkers. In this era of forced social distancing as a result of the pandemic. The drone technology has had a bandwagon effect on both the patients and health professionals. The saviour and biggest allies in the fight against this invisible enemy is the Drones, their versatility and fairly extended technology that is easy to implement made Ghana conducted 68'000 test during the lockdown. The situation of forced isolation due to the rapid spread of covid-19 precipitated the adaptation of intelligence which could help travel samples at a faster and contactless rate, and the drones did that in a marvelous way. Test samples that could have taken days before reaching specified testing centers took less than an hour to reach there for immediate health analysis to be conducted on them as a result of the drones technology. The drones has reduced the community spread, health personnel infections through samples in this way, " once the drone reached the testing facility, it opens up its belly, drops the box filled with samples using a parachute to ease its landing. A healthcare personnel disinfect the box and take it inside to be processed. This intelligence helped Ghana to become the first Africa countries to ease it three weeks lockdown restrictions on movement. Subsequently, in Ghana, drones have taken over the fight of covid-19 in such that, the spread has been minimized through contact with samples. Had it not been the drones, Ghana's case would have been in Tens of thousands.

The Nana Addo led administration deserves an ocean of appreciation by prioritizing life over personal gains. Those who thought drones services are useless to our health sector should "bow their head in shame" , they are not worth the vote of many Ghanaians who could have died out of Covid -19 considered Nana Addo led administration heed to their confabulations.

Nana Addo and his administration became a sacred cow, and were butchered with harsh and malicious words mainly because they chose to save the life of Ghanaians. The NDC conscientious objectors only see problems of today and leave that of the future to the mercies of their bellies, they are a threat to the life of Ghanaians. Nana Addo and his administration deserve to be hailed and worshipped for their ability to see this pandemic far beyond human eyes. The drones was indeed meant to save Ghanaians lives and its purchase was never a "misplaced priority". Not even time nor the New Discovered Coronavirus (NDC) could dictate how and what Nana Addo was meant to do for Ghana.

#God bless our Homeland GHANA and make her great and strong

#God bless the Nana Addo led Administration

#4 More 4 Nana To Do More
Seoul:

North Korea is ready to conduct another nuclear test at any time, South Koreas defence ministry said on Sunday, just days after Pyongyang sparked worldwide condemnation with its fifth and most powerful test.



An additional test could be conducted in a tunnel that branches off from the second tunnel or in the third tunnel, where preparations have been completed, ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun told reporters.



The spokesman declined to elaborate, citing intelligence matters, but said the Souths military is on full combat-readiness to respond to further nuclear tests, ballistic missile launches or land provocation by the North.



Citing an unidentified government official, South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported earlier today that Pyongyang had completed preparations for another nuclear test in its previously unused third tunnel at the Punggye-ri site in the northeast.



The North conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006 in the first tunnel and the last four tests in the second tunnel, according to Seouls defence ministry.



In a statement hailing the success of its test on Friday, the North vowed to take further measures to increase its nuclear strike force in quality and in quantity.



The yield from Fridays test was estimated at 10 kilotons, almost twice as much as the one Pyongyang conducted only eight months earlier.



The North also boasted that the test was of a nuclear warhead that could be mounted on a missile.



The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new punitive measureseven though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test have failed to halt the Norths nuclear drive.



Sung Kim, the US State Departments special representative for North Korea policy, said yesterday during a visit to Japan that Washington and Tokyo would work closely to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Koreas latest action.



He also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions.



The envoy will arrive in Seoul later today and hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Kim Hong-Kyun tomorrow morning.

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During his first year in office, Eric Garner died in a police chokehold on Staten Island, and his final words, I cant breathe, became a rallying cry for activists across the country.

Mr. de Blasio tried to empathize with protesters, telling reporters that he had advised his son, Dante, on how to take special care during interactions with officers.

When, later that month, two police officers were fatally shot in Brooklyn while they were sitting in their patrol car, a police union leader said de Blasio had blood on his hands.

Police officers turned their backs to the mayor when he attended the officers funerals  events that proved to be a turning point in the de Blasio administration, making the mayor more eager to accommodate the department.

Now, Mr. de Blasio is facing a possible $9 billion budget gap and significant unrest within his own administration over his handling of both the coronavirus crisis and the mass demonstrations following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

Many protesters and observers have accused the Police Department of using violent tactics during the unrest while enforcing the curfew, which began Monday.

The Brooklyn district attorneys office said on Sunday that it was investigating two police officers over their actions during the demonstrations.
A chorus of former administration and military officials who have criticized the president publicly have often been attacked sharply by Trump in return. Last week, former secretary of defense Jim Mattis said the president had sought to divide the nation and had not engaged in mature leadership in an essay in The Atlantic. Other officials, including former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and former chief of staff John Kelly, have echoed some of those criticisms.
New Delhi, June 7 : The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Sunday took suo moto cognizance of a case of gang-rape that happened in Kerala. The commission said it came across the media reports which said a 25-year old woman from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala was gang-raped by her husband and his friends in front of her five-year-old child.

The NCW stated that the woman was also intoxicated by her husband and burnt with cigarette butts before being subjected to further brutality. As per the NCW, the woman's husband took her to a friend's house where the men inflicted burns on her body before assaulting her in front of her elder son.

The Commission has also written to Sreelekha IPS, Director General of Police, Kerala, directing them to apprise it at the earliest with the action taken report in the case till filing of the charge sheet.

The Superintendent of Police (SP), Thiruvananthapuram (Rural) told the commission that six accused have been arrested in the matter and the victim's medical examination has been conducted. The survivor and her children are currently in safe custody, the SP informed the NCW. The incident happened on Thursday.
A senior Iranian intelligence official has claimed that freed U.S. citizen Michael White was "deported" on "humanitarian grounds" after the deterioration of his health.

The director of counter-intelligences announcement was posted on the Islamic Republic Intelligence Ministrys website, without naming him.

This is the first time an Iranian government official has referred to the "expulsion" of the U.S. citizen. Both governments have said negotiations led to Whit's release, and the U.S. also freed two Iranians.

Michael White, an American Navy veteran, was arrested in Iran more than two years ago and released on June 4. He flew first to Switzerland where he was met by Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative on Iran and then returned home.

Immediately after White was freed, the Swiss Foreign Ministry announced that it had "played a role" in the "negotiations" on his release.

The spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, also confirmed that Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador at the UN had held talks with his boss, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to discuss White's release.

Repeating unproven charges that White was involved in espionage against the Islamic Republic, the unnamed Director-General claimed, that if White had died in Iran it could be used as a "news bombshell" against Iran. That was why he was freed and "expelled" from the country, he claimed.

The official also maintained that certain U.S. officials, including Hook, were "seeking to take advantage of the possible death of White" due to his "chronic illness" and fulfill their "political objectives".

The security official did not mention Michael White's illness, but in the past he had a battle with cancer and there were earlier reports suggesting that he might have contracted coronavirus.

Referring to President Donald Trump's recent conciliatory comments on White's release, the Director-General asserted that the U.S. Navy veteran's "deportation" had nothing to do with negotiations with the United States.

Trump wants to make the most of any petty issue as a platform for negotiations with Iran, he said.

"Thank you to Iran, President Trump wrote in a tweet on Thursday, June 4, adding, "Dont wait until after U.S. Election to make the Big deal. Im going to win. Youll make a better deal now!

Immediately after speaking to White on Thursday, Trump said, "We have now brought more than forty American hostages and detainees back home since I took office. Thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!"

Other senior Iranian officials have also referred to President Trump's tweets and opposed any negotiation with Washington.
The Vallejo police officer who shot and killed an unarmed 22-year old man outside a Walgreens on Tuesday is a six-year veteran of the department who has been involved in three non-fatal shooting incidents, according to sources familiar with the case and public records.

Police have said Sean Monterrosa was kneeling on the ground when a Vallejo police officer opened fire from his vehicle  the bullets piercing his own windshield, and one fatally striking the San Francisco resident.

Officers were responding to reports of a break-in at the Walgreens at Broadway and Redwood on Tuesday at around 12:30 a.m. when they encountered Monterrosa outside the store, police said. The shooting happened during a night of unrest sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Monterrosas family said they believe the young man was surrendering when he was killed.

Vallejo police and officials have declined to name the officer who fired the fatal shot, saying only that he opened fire because he mistook a hammer in Monterrosas pocket for a gun.

But several people familiar with the case identified the officer as Jarrett Tonn, who joined the Vallejo Police Department in 2014 after working several years with the Galt Police Department.

Tonns involvement in the shooting was reported Friday by Open Vallejo, a nonprofit news and government transparency organization.

A person close to the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed Tonn was the shooter. The Chronicle agreed to withhold the name of the source, who is not authorized to release details of the case, based on its anonymous sources policy.

Dan Russo, a defense attorney and former president of the Solano County Bar Association, said of Tonn: Its my belief that he's the shooter.

Tonn could not be reached for comment Saturday. The Vallejo Police Department did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Tonn has been involved in three non-fatal shooting incidents since 2015 during his time on the Vallejo force, according to public records.

In Galt, Tonn was one of the first officers on the scene in 2013, after his cousin, Kevin Tonn, 35, also a Galt police officer, was fatally shot in the face.

Kevin Tonn was responding to a burglary in process. He was shot by Humphrey Kenneth Gascon, 30. who exchanged shots with another officer before turning his gun on himself.

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.

It is sad, and it is awful, but it is not a tragedy, Jarrett Tonn said of his cousin at a memorial service for the slain officer. Giving ones life to protect others is never a tragedy.

Inside the Newsroom Anonymous sources: The Chronicle strives to attribute all information we report to credible, reliable, identifiable sources. Presenting information from an anonymous source occurs extremely rarely, and only when that information is considered crucially important and all other on-the-record options have been exhausted. In such cases, The Chronicle has complete knowledge of the unnamed person's identity and of how that person is in position to know the information. The Chronicle's detailed policy governing the use of such sources, including the use of pseudonyms, is available on sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse

Jarrett Tonn was born in Placerville and graduated from the Basic Police Academy at Modesto Junior College in 2003. He worked for the Galt Police Department from 2007 to 2014, according to Vallejo city records.

Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said Monterrosa appeared to be running toward a suspect vehicle just after 12:30 a.m. when he suddenly dropped to his knees and brought his hands above his waist, revealing what an officer mistook for the butt of a firearm.

An officer shot five times through the windshield of his vehicle.

The officer was placed on administrative leave.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
News

Denver, Colorado - A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado, returned an indictment against four executives for their role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chickens, the Department of Justice announced.

Particularly in times of global crisis, the division remains committed to prosecuting crimes intended to raise the prices Americans pay for food, said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justices Antitrust Division. Executives who cheat American consumers, restauranteurs, and grocers, and compromise the integrity of our food supply, will be held responsible for their actions.

The one-count indictment charges four current and former senior executives from two major broiler chicken producers with conspiring to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chickens. Broiler chickens are chickens raised for human consumption and sold to grocers and restaurants.

According to the indictment, from at least as early as 2012 until at least early 2017, Jayson Penn, Roger Austin, Mikell Fries, and Scott Brady conspired to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chickens across the United States. Penn is the President and Chief Executive Officer, and Austin is a former Vice President, of a chicken supplier headquartered in Colorado. Fries is the President and a member of the board, and Brady is a Vice President, of a broiler chicken producer headquartered in Georgia.

The FBI will not stand by as individuals attempt to line their pockets while hard-working Americans and restaurant owners are trying to put food on their tables, said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs Washington Field Office. Todays announcement shows the FBIs commitment to investigating allegations of price fixing so that the perpetrators can be held accountable.

Rigging bids and fixing prices hurts consumers and undermines our economic system, said Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General of the Department of Commerce. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out those who take advantage of the American publics trust.

We appreciate the commitment and investigative partnership with the Department of Justices Antitrust Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General, said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General (OIG). Ensuring the integrity of competition in agricultural markets in order for producers to receive competitive prices for their products, and to prevent consumers from being cheated, is of the utmost importance to USDA OIG, and we will continue to dedicate resources to the investigation of matters involving such potential of competitive harms.

Penn, Austin, Fries, and Brady are the first to be charged in an ongoing criminal investigation into price fixing and bid rigging involving broiler chickens.

An indictment alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The offense charged carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than $1 million.

This case is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging, and other anticompetitive conduct in the broiler chicken industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Special thanks to U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hetal Doshi from the District of Colorado for their assistance.

Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging, and other anticompetitive conduct related to the broiler chicken industry should contact the Antitrust Divisions Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Electricity generation companies in Nigeria, GenCos, on Sunday, blamed the federal government for the current poor state of the privatised power sector.

The GENCOs were reacting to a call by Senate President Ahmad Lawan for the review of the privatisation exercise for failing to deliver on its objectives.

The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Joy Ogaji, pushed back the accusation, saying the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) should be held responsible for failing to meet its obligations in two of the three foundation agreements reached with the new operators in 2013.

Mrs Ogaji told PREMIUM TIMES the governing contract agreements reached with BPE prior to the takeover of the power industry in November 1, 2013, include guidelines on how to make electricity generation and supply in the post-privatisation era sustainable and effective.

She said the first set of agreements commonly called industry agreements included the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the Gas Supply Agreement (GSA), the Gas Transportation Agreement (GTA) and the Grid connection agreement,

The other agreement for the provision of securitisation was meant to guarantee the power purchase agreement (PPA) and power production to ensure 100 per cent payment to make power available.

The guarantee was to give assurance to banks willing to finance the acquisition of the power plants, without which the business would be infeasible.

Agreements not activated till date

Following the privatisation exercise, Mrs Ogaji said the former Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was unbundled into six GenCos and 11 distribution companies (DisCos), and sold to core private sector investors.

Since the new owners took over in 2013, she said, none of the agreements have been activated.

The BPEs refusal to activate these agreements, she said, resulted in the non-payment for power generated and supplied to the national grid, as there has not been any effective power purchase agreement since 2013.

This has led to a huge outstanding debt of approximately one trillion Naira (N1TRN) owed to GenCos from the inception of privatisation till date, Mrs Ogaji said.

Despite the inactivated contracts, she said the declaration of the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) compelled the GenCos to embark on some additional investments in the sector, resulting in huge capital, increased regulatory risk, and rising debt profile.

The GenCos accused the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), saying its lack-lustre performance as the off-taker of electricity produced by the GenCos, has worsened the situation in the industry.

The non-provision of the securitisation for payments (the Guarantee) has encouraged multiple defaults on invoices for power supplied to the national grid and with zero consequences for such defaults, Mrs Ogaji said.

She said the GenCos have received payments of between 11-30 per cent of their invoiced amount on a monthly basis, with some of the shortfalls settled from the N701 billion power support fund, leaving a huge outstanding.

The weak transmission (Grid) and distribution network inherited from the PHCN are still in existence and are not complementing GENCOs efforts in maximizing available capacities to the benefit of the Nigerian consumers.

The maximum capacity attained by the national grid ever is 5,375 MW as opposed to the current overall average available capacity, 8,589 MW, and installed capacity of 13,427 MW, with an expansion capacity of 20,000MW in an enabling environment.

READ ALSO:

Stranded generated power that could have been made available to Nigerians in the light of maximum attained grid capacity is an average of 3,214MW.

This implies that if we had a grid capacity that matches our average available capacity, 3,214 MW can be immediately made available to Nigerians with the current state of operations of the GENCOS and at no additional cost, she said.

Describing the call by the Senate for the cancellation of the privatisation exercise as premature, the APGC Executive Secretary said focus should be on the structural issues affecting GenCos operations.

Probe all parties roles

She called on the Senate to embark on fact-finding mission to determine the commitment of all parties to ensure everyone was fulfilling the contractual obligations drawn up to guide and regulate the privatisation of the sector.

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The GenCos also called for the review of the Electric Power Sector Reforms Act (EPSRA), the Multi-Year Tariff Order by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as well as market rules and other governance documents in the electricity sector.

Other demands include an independent stress test on the electricity generation, distribution and transmission capacities to enable GenCos plan on how to rebuild the sector.

Also, the GENCOs demand local/foreign guarantees (backed by the World Bank/AFDB) to enhance a guaranteed payment plan to improve generation and implement power expansion plans.

When contacted for the BPEs reaction, the spokesperson, Amina Othman-Tukur, promised to send a response after consulting the appropriate authorities on the matter.

However, Mrs Othman-Tukur did get back to our reporter at the time of publication of this report.
One of the biggest challenges to political leaders in office, according to former British prime minister Tony Blair, is to focus on long-term strategy. A day in government, he argues, is so full of emerging challenges that require immediate responses that managing and incorporating long-term vision can become the last priority.

For Indias current leadership, this must be a painfully familiar problem. The pandemic, which has forced almost all the worlds economies to slow and has had a devastating impact on production in India, might appear to be just the latest in a series ...
The body of a five-year-old boy has been found by police divers after a boat capsized off the NSW coast near Wollongong.

Police say the boat with four on board capsized near Bulli Point about 6.20pm on Saturday.

Two men, aged 23 and 31, were pulled from the water about 8pm by a rescue helicopter crew.

The body of a boy, five, has been found by police divers after a boat capsized off NSW coast

They were taken to Wollongong Hospital in a stable condition and have since been released.

A search for the boy and a 28-year-old man resumed on Sunday morning after being suspended at midnight.

The capsized boat was towed into Port Kembla harbour on Sunday morning where police divers found the body of the five-year-old boy.

The search continues for the missing man.

Emergency crews reported seeing the young boy on the hull of the capsized vessel on Saturday night before his body was found on Sunday.

'The callers were reporting that multiple screams appeared to be coming off Bulli Headland from the rocks,' a police spokesman told The Daily Telegraph.

'They heard the screaming for quite some time and then it went quiet.'
Fern Britton attends the Women of the Year lunch at Intercontinental Hotel on October 14, 2013 in London, England (Photo by Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage)

Fern Britton has revealed she still misses ex-husband Phil Vickery after the pair announced they were separating earlier this year.

The former couple were wed for twenty years and share 18-year-old daughter Winnie but announced their split unexpectedly via joint social media statements back in January.

Now Britton has opened up about the split and revealed she still misses the celebrity chef.

Read more: Fern Britton and Phil Vickery split after more than 20 happy years

Speaking to Weekend magazine, she said: I know Ive hurt people but people have hurt me too.

We had a wonderful time. We were the best of friends. And I miss that friendship.

But there comes a point when the children are substantially off your hands and you look at each other and wonder where youre going to go from here.

Fern Britton And Phil Vickery Attend The Tv Quick & Tv Choice Awards At London'S Dorchester Hotel. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

However, she says she has no plans to remarry as she is turning into a recluse and loving it.

Britton and Vickery posted near identical tweets to announce their split almost six months ago.

It read: After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways.

We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children. We would appreciate it if our privacy is respected at this time.

Thank you for your continued kindness and support.

After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways. We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children . We would appreciate it if our privacy is respected at this time. Thankyou for your continued kindness and support.   Fern Britton (@Fern_Britton) January 29, 2020

In an interview with Woman and Home magazine, back in March Britton explained: "We simply needed to follow our own paths. Over time we realised we weren't necessarily having the kind of life we once did. It seemed right to say 'thank you' and move on.

Read more: Fern Britton details reason behind Phil Vickery split: 'We needed to follow our own paths'

"But we do have a good friendship. Phil and I had the greatest fun together and we have the most beautiful daughter together, Winnie.... as so we will always be connected."

She also shared: At this moment in my life I'm feeling really confident, strong and quite indestructible. There are times, of course, when I've been very low and finding life difficult.
Corning, N.Y.  A woman has been charged with beating a 100-year-old Corning man to death with a hammer Saturday.

The Elmira Star-Gazette reported that Brenda L. McKay, 51, was charged with second-degree murder for the death of Gerald C. Early.

Corning police found Early unconscious and suffering from severe head trauma inside his West First Street home around 1:15 p.m. Saturday. He was airlifted to Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead, the Star-Gazette reported.

McKay, also of Corning, was arrested around 9:45 p.m. Saturday and charged with Earlys death, WENY reported.

She is currently being held in the Steuben County Jail.
We know that high levels of economic inequality are as toxic as the chemicals from Rachel Carsons Silent Spring. Stripped and ravaged by environmental and economic insults, it should not be surprising that so many under-resourced poor people have succumbed to COVID-19. It should not be surprising that so many are angry at these health disparities and mistreatment by our society.

Both the riots that have erupted as well as the racial disparity in the COVID-19 pandemic are profound wake-up calls for our society to address many of the structural barriers that impede a host of economic and health outcomes.

Social distancing, wearing masks, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing are all critical public health strategies that will ultimately bring the coronavirus crisis under control. However, this pandemic provides our nation with an opportunity to rethink our social contract with each other, and assess our underlying sense of community and concern for our neighbors.
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China informed the public right after health experts determined that the new coronavirus was spreading between humans, according to a white paper issued by the State Council Information Office Sunday.

The white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" said that on January 18 and 19, the National Health Commission (NHC) assembled a high-level national team of senior medical and disease control experts and sent them to the city of Wuhan to study the local response to the epidemic.

"In the middle of the night of January 19, after careful examination and deliberation, the team determined that the new coronavirus was spreading between humans," it said.

On January 20, the NHC held a press conference for the high-level expert team, at which it was confirmed that the virus could transmit from human to human, it added.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Tiffany Schechter cracked a smile as she ran past Westcott Street and Harvard Place around 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

It marked the end of a 16.5-mile run throughout Westcott, Strathmore, downtown and other Syracuse neighborhoods to spread awareness about the Black Lives Matter movement.

The event was not sponsored by the local BLM organization, but almost 100 participants came together for an event Schechter independently organized through Facebook and word of mouth in less than a week.

Schechter, a 33-year old Filipino woman, couldnt comprehend the story of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man fatally shot on Feb. 23 in Georgia after a white father and son pursued the 25-year-old black man they spotted jogging.

That was the tipping point for me, said Schechter, who runs about 50 miles a week.

Instead of sharing Facebook posts and speaking with friends about her frustration, Schechter decided to take action.

I wanted to show the community that I support this cause. I want to learn more," she said. I want to educate other people and the only way I knew how to get that message across was to run, even if it was just by myself with this T-shirt on.

Schechter reached out to a couple of friends at CNY Racing to design a black shirt with white and orange font saying: BLACK LIVES MATTER PEACE RUN.

Schechter feared only 10 people would show up, especially to run 16.5 miles. But groups of people kept coming in and out through the run.

Almost 100 people united Saturday morning for a 16.5 mile run to spread awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement. (Mike Curtis | mcurtis@syracuse.com)

Checkpoints were Recess Coffee on Harvard Place; to Upper Onondaga Park; to James Street/Salina; to James and Sedgwick Drive.

It was important to display the message of the BLM movement in those areas because it covers ground in areas the protesters havent reached, she said.

Some people walked. Some people ran. Others even rode bikes.

The crowd was predominately white, but there were a handful of black people spread between groups, especially at the start.

A group of Syracuse University students walked for the first leg. Aimee Iradukanda, 24, was the only person of color among her group.

For me, this is a personal fight, so anything I can do to make sure that my family or anyone I know that is black or a person of color is safe in the future, Ill do it," Iradukanda said.

Iradukanda had an emotional hourlong conversation with her friends after the death of George Floyd; they addressed race for the first time. After the talk, she feels more comfortable sharing certain parts of her life and experiences as a black woman.

For me, theres more trust in the friendship, Iradukanda said.

Her friends said it was important to support her during a time in the country where the conversation is centered around police brutality and racial injustice.

A group of Syracuse University students participates in a Black Lives Matter Peace Run on Saturday, June 6, 2020. From left: Spencer Kim, Mariah Maxwell, Aimee Iradukanda, Alexandra Guinness, (Mike Curtis | mcurtis@syracuse.com)

I never had a close friend who was a person of color before Aimee, and it touched me a little more to see her suffering and going through the emotional trauma of seeing all this, said Alex Guinness, 23.

The goal of the run was to bring people who come from different backgrounds together in order to have conversations that invite closeness, vulnerability and education.

Schechter would like to see white people grow more open-minded and to better listen to the black community.

I think thats where it starts. In order to make this change, I think we have to shut up and listen, she said.

Contact Mike Curtis anytime at mcurtis@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @MikeACurtis2.
(Reuters) - OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts by one month until the end of July, five OPEC+ sources told Reuters after the group held a video conference. The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production quotas in May and June, compensate with extra cuts in July to September.

(Reuters) - OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts by one month until the end of July, five OPEC+ sources told Reuters after the group held a video conference.

The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production quotas in May and June, compensate with extra cuts in July to September.

(Reporting by OPEC team; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Edmund Blair)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Appeal Hearing for Iranian Pastor, Wife Sentenced to Prison for House Church Activities Canceled

Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz with his wife Shamiram Issavi and son Ramiel Bet-Tamraz. The appeal hearing for Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz, his wife Shamiram Issavi Khabizeh and three Christian friends, scheduled for June 1, has been canceled, with no new date set.

Each of the five Christians has been sentenced to at least ten years in prison because of their house-church activities, and their appeal hearings were previously canceled in September 2019, November 2019 and February 2020.

After a long wait at Branch 36 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Victor, Shamiram and their lawyers were told the hearing had been canceled. No reason was given and the lawyers were not allowed to approach the judge. Lawyers for their three friends, who are all converts from Islam, were not even allowed into the room.

Pastor Victor and Shamiram are Assyrian Christians who have been involved in ministry among converts for many years. They led the Shahrara Assyrian Pentecostal Church in Tehran before it was forced to close in March 2009, when they began a house church in their home.
Lucknow, June 7 : The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested an alleged arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists.

Additional DGP, ATS, Dhruva Kant Thakur, said: "The UP ATS has arrested Javed, an arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists, from Hapur. Javed is a resident of the Kithore area of Meerut. His interrogation is on and the Punjab Police has been informed about the arrest." The ADG further said that Javed has also supplied illegal arms to criminals in Amritsar and added that he was arrested following an input from the Special cell, Amritsar.

ATS officials said a number of pro-Khalistan terrorists have been caught in western Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab Police was searching Javed for quite some time.

Earlier, in May, in a joint operation of the Uttar Pradesh ATS and the Special Operation Group of the Punjab Police, Tirath Singh, a suspected terrorist owing allegiance to the Khalistan movement, was arrested from Thapar Nagar in Meerut. He was handed over to the Punjab Police after interrogation.
Why do big tech companies feel so compelled to publish a position on major societal issues? Unless they have something really meaningful and specific to say, it feels a lot like soulless, backside-covering waffle.

There are some exceptions. Facebook, Twitter and Google are central to the way information gets out. They are therefore scrutinised closely on their policies. They can't avoid putting out statements.

But looking down through the ranks of the thousands of corporate responses to the US police killing of George Floyd, it gets a little too close to a branding box-ticking exercise.

Some become so bland that you wonder why, other than for misconceived marketing benefits, they're released.

Consider the response of Marc Allera, chief executive of BT's consumer division (mainly its large mobile operator, EE).

"Everyone at BT, EE and Plusnet stands in solidarity with our colleagues, customers, and the communities in which we live and work." Gutsy, eh?

"I care that all of our colleagues and customers feel safe and are treated with dignity, compassion and respect. It's critical that we continue to support each other and listen to the voices that need to be heard. We're building a culture at BT that recognises the importance of giving people a voice. We know that having people from all walks of life makes us stronger together. But we also know there is always more that we can do. Racism has no place at BT, and no place in the world."

I'm open to the accusation of being cynical, but why would a company release such a statement? Is a more anodyne, less passionate, non-committal response to a searing global issue possible? Other than the word 'racism' in the last line, this could almost be about anything. Why release a statement at all? BT isn't alone.

Microsoft's Satya Nadella, not always the most politic tech leader when it comes to addressing issues of inequality, clumsily reached for a business-efficacy rationale in (sort of) condemning the Floyd killing without actually mentioning it.

"Our identity, our very existence is rooted in empowering everyone on the planet," he wrote on LinkedIn. "So, therefore, it's incumbent upon us to use our platforms, our resources, to drive that systemic change, right? That's the real challenge here. It's not just any one incident, but it's all the things that have led to the incident that absolutely need to change."

It's curious that hundreds of the biggest brands now routinely treat societal strife as a comms and marketing issue, with campaigns ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Within hours of George Floyd's killing by Minnesota police, Nike had digital slogans ready for its social media feeds: "For once, don't do it." This morphed into: "Don't pretend there's not a problem in America." To be clear, this is often applauded. Marketers know that an effective, clever slogan that catches the imagination of the moment is rewarded with millions of likes, retweets, reposts and shares. The upside is tantalising.

The problem with a case like the George Floyd killing, or racism in general, is that companies' own records on hiring, promotion or accessibility usually fall down pretty badly when scrutinised. This is different to environmentalism, where companies can sometimes point to demonstrable improvements in product, supply chain and corporate culture. On this issue, authenticity is a problem and consumers know it. But there may be other reasons behind such predictable, universal PR responses.

Talk to any corporate communications executive and it won't be long until they bring up the issue of internal staff morale. Corporate leaders are now expected to be seen to be more socially conscious and engaged. It's not just that they may have a number of employees directly affected. The cohort of younger workers, in particular, repeatedly say that they want their bosses to take positions on some of the biggest social justice or global issues of the day.

This is when you get responses like that of BT's Allera or Microsoft's Nadella: tokenistic and formulaic.

To be fair, some chief executives - in and out of tech - do feel personally strongly about these issues. The boss of the most important division of Amazon, Amazon Web Services' Andy Jassy, pulled no punches on his own Twitter account.

"What will it take for us to refuse to accept these unjust killings of black people? How many people must die, how many generations must endure, how much eyewitness video is required? What else do we need? We need better than what we're getting from courts and political leaders."

Fair enough. Except many immediately pointed out that Amazon sells facial recognition technology to the same police forces.

As noted in last week's column, Twitter has arguably taken the biggest stand, censuring one of Donald Trump's tweets with a fact-check advisory notice. In recent days, it appears to have gone one step further: a Twitter search for the word "racist" returns his account at the top of the list. But otherwise, the response to the killing of a black man in Minnesota and to all of the police brutality that followed - matched in some instances by outright thuggery from a few protesters - has been reminiscent of an advertising machine. Coming up with slogans and responses is now part of the cost of doing business.

There's an interesting tension now on the issue of ubiquitous smartphones. So often categorised as dystopian and dangerous, none of the American brutality witnessed in recent days would be in the public domain without them.
After gruelling journeys to return home, many migrants lodged in government quarantine centres across Jharkhand now find themselves stranded due to the inordinate delay in testing of samples that sometimes take over 15 days even as the government struggles to boost testing rate.

Some of them have been stuck in these centres for the last 25 days waiting to know their Covid-19 status while some cases have emerged where many inmates have been released from quarantine even before their confirmatory test reports came.

As of June 6, there were 70,655 people in institutional quarantine across Jharkhand. There have been reports of clashes between inmates and guards at some quarantine centres in Sahebganj and Singhbhum districts.

The return of migrant workers from different states to Jharkhand has increased the pace of sample collection. But it has also created a huge backlog of untested samples as the state has only seven real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines installed in four government owned hospitals. These machines together test 2,000 samples on average every day.

As on June 6, Jharkhand had a backlog of 9,599 untested samples.

Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta said the government is trying to boost the states testing capacity.

In order to ramp up our testing capacity, 30 Truenat machines have already been installed at all 24 district Sadar hospitals and six government owned medical colleges and hospitals. Through these machines, we will be able to sort out negative patients in no time. Swab samples, which are tested positive on Truenat, will then be sent for testing on RT-PCR machines for final confirmation.

The minister also said that the government ordered 30 more Truenat machines that can test four samples in an hour. As per norms, a sample that tests positive on a Truenat machine needs to be retested on RT-PCR machine for confirmation. But, there is no requirement of retest if it turns negative on Truenat.

Instances of many migrants now stranded in quarantine centres even after completion of mandatory 14-day period due to delay in testing have emerged from Dhanbad, Hazaribag, Ramgarh and other districts.

As many as 14 migrant workers, who have been staying in Dhanbads Baghmara block quarantine centre since their return from Maharashtra and Gujarat on May 13, feel cheated as Covid-19 reports of their samples have not arrived even after 25 days.

They have completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine period and ought to be released.

With patience running thin, one of the migrants in the quarantine centre said, We pray to God to infect us with coronavirus so that we can get rid of this quarantine centre. We have seen many positive patients get cured and released from hospital even in four to six days. We are healthy but still in quarantine.

Medical officer in-charge of Baghmara CHC-cum-nodal officer of quarantine centre Dr Manish Kumar said, We had sent several reminders to testing authorities at Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Dhanbad, seeking test reports of these 14 migrants as they have completed their 14-day quarantine period on May 28.

But the PMCH says testing quarantine centre inmates has the lowest priority.

Some test reports of Baghmara quarantine centre have been sent and some are in process. We test samples collected from 11 districts leading to delay. Priority is given to samples collected from dead bodies, people admitted in isolation ward and then to people staying in quarantine centres, PMCH principal, Dr Shailendra Kumar said.

In PMCH testing lab, over 4,000 samples including 1715 of Dhanbad district are waiting to be tested.

There have been more shocks from Hazaribag and Ramgarh where 10 Covid-19 patients were shown recovered even before the test results of their first swab samples taken could come. All of them had tested positive.

Samples of Hazaribags five suspects were taken on May 23 during their stay in institutional quarantine but test reports came after 14 days on June 5.

In the meantime, after spending 12 days in quarantine, their second samples were taken and tested locally on Truenat machine, as per ICMR guidelines, which disclosed negative results.

Finding that the patients had recovered before receipt of their first test reports, the hospital authorities discharged them on June 2.

We had sent samples taken on May 22 and May 23 to Jamshedpur and Ranchi for testing on RT-PCR machines. But their results came on June 5, said Hazaribag civil surgeon Dr Sanjay Jaiswal.

He added, Of the total 26 people tested positive on June 5, five had recovered and discharged three days ago. Since, these five patients had completed the 14-day quarantine period and found to be asymptomatic, their second samples were taken and tested negative locally on Truenat machine on June 2. The hospital authorities, therefore, discharged them even before the confirmatory reports came on Friday.

Ramgarh also reported a similar case where five suspects tested positive on June 6. They were, however, released much before this disclosure.

Samples of these five institutional quarantined suspects of Gola block were taken long back but their confirmatory test results came on Saturday. Due to delay in results, re-sampling was done in which test results turned negative. They were therefore discharged, said Ramgarh deputy commissioner Sandeep Singh.
I remember: a jolt of peppery gas searing my sinuses, bringing tears that blurred the world around me; the hiss of fire hoses in the streets of Santiago, sending clusters of protesters fleeing in panic; strangers stopping to pour water on my face or pushing me into alleys where I would be safe.

I remember: a hot tropical night in Manila with a mass of humanity that included nuns in habits and students with backpacks, moving in the dark past military barricades that had just been abandoned, inching excitedly toward a white presidential palace that no one had been allowed to approach in years.

I remember: a courtyard in Lahore under a majestic banyan tree, shading lawyers in black suits and ties who were preparing to march for the reinstatement of fired judges. One young lawyer, quoting Alexander Hamilton and U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall, proudly proclaimed: "This is our American revolution. For my generation, it is a chance to realize the dreams of democracy that have never been fulfilled."

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.

This week, I thought back to these moments as I watched events unfold in Washington and across the United States. Protests that had erupted after the death of George Floyd, a black man pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis, took on larger historic dimensions and spread to more cities. Most were peaceful, but there were incidents of crowd violence, harsh police actions, and threats by President Donald Trump and other officials to quash the protests with military force.

No societies or crises are identical, but those events of long ago seemed to find echo in the turmoil that is taking place in American society now.

Chile's Gen. Augusto Pinochet overthrew an elected socialist president in 1973 with tacit American support, but after years of brutal military repression and thousands of political activists dead, a new U.S. ambassador told him pointedly in 1985 that "the ills of democracy can only be cured by more democracy."

In 1988, after five years of peaceful protests and gradual political revival, Pinochet lost a national referendum and was forced to restore civilian rule. Soon, a moderate president was elected, and a celebration was held at the national palace. I was there, watching, as former political prisoners and exiles from across the spectrum of society hugged each other and wept.

Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared he sought to save society from civilian corruption and injustice when he seized power in 1999. But his efforts at reform stumbled, and he grew increasingly repressive. In 2007, when he ousted senior judges who failed to sign a loyalty oath, the nation's lawyers launched a nationwide protest movement, marching quietly week after week to face rows of riot police. The army, highly sensitive to public opinion, stayed away from the fight, and by 2008 Musharraf was forced to step down.

In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos was a close U.S. military ally for decades, but by the 1980s his corrupt, autocratic behavior led to growing unrest. A massive, nonviolent "People Power Revolution" sprang up in 1986, with backing from church leaders, calling for Marcos to leave power. The army split into loyalist and rebel factions, while millions of protesters camped in the streets. President Ronald Reagan strongly urged Marcos to leave, and finally the army abandoned him. In the streets, people placed flowers in the barrels of tanks.

As news spread that Marcos had flown into exile on a U.S. military jet, people began walking across the capital toward Malacanang presidential palace, long barricaded behind a vast perimeter wall. I found myself carried along in a dense human tide, exhausted but somehow utterly unafraid. People were singing and laughing, and the widow of a famous democratic opposition leader, assassinated in 1983, was about to become the new president.

My only disappointment that night was trivial indeed - that far ahead in the throng, the camera crews had already entered the empty palace, getting a first glimpse at the famous closets full of Imelda Marcos's shoes.

In all three cases, U.S. officials had accepted corrupt or repressive rulers due to anti-communist or anti-terrorist allegiances but ultimately sided with their opponents. And while none of the countries pivoted to perfect civilian democracies, the peaceful resolution of these crises restored breathing room to suffocating societies and purchased a period of relative calm and stability in countries that could have easily gone up in flames.
David and Margaret Matthews met in 1954 (SWNS)

A couple who have been married for 65 years say the secret to a long and happy marriage is being friends and always having plenty to talk about.

David and Margaret Matthews have been married for more than six decades - but they say theyve yet to run out of topics to chat about.

The pair met after a night of dancing at a labour club back in 1954, and have not spent a day apart since.

Margaret noted that relationships were different back then, and said she might never have met her husband if they had mobile phones to distract them.

David and Margaret Matthews met at a labour club in 1954 (SWNS)

Read more: Savvy couple have budget outdoor wedding for less than 3,500

The 84-year-old, from St Helens in Lancashire, said: You have to talk to each other - its the only way to stick together for a long time.

In those days, when I first met David, we used to go dancing at the labour clubs.

One day I was waiting for the bus and he happened to be there and we got to talking.

It was 1954 and a year later we were married.

They have three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren (SWNS)

Read more: Couple thought to be Britain's longest-surviving married pair celebrate 80-year anniversary

Weve always been able to talk and like any couple there are ups and downs but we never shied away from letting each other know how we felt.

Its odd because I thought everyone was like that but whenever I speak to people they seem surprised.

The secret to a long marriage is a cup of tea and a natter.

The couple married at St Peters Church in Parr, Lancashire, on May 28th, 1955.

Margaret said the pair (pictured on their wedding day) still haven't run out of things to talk about (SWNS)

Read more: 104-year-old who survived two world wars, the Spanish flu and coronavirus shares secret to her long life

They have three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Margaret, who worked as a cleaner at St Helens Hospital before retiring, suggested the reason her marriage to former miner David, 88, has lasted the test of time is because they are friends as well as partners.

She said: It keeps it interesting, even now I'll say something to him and hell tell me its the first time hes ever heard that story.

Story continues

We never run out of anything to talk about and I love him for it.

She said they are friends as well as partners (SWNS)

Read more: Heartbreaking images capture care home nurse visiting her son after seven weeks apart

Now and again I do enjoy the gossip though.

Its a different world today even with relationships.

With phones and facebook I think people are communicating less, funnily enough.

Im glad I didnt have facebook back then, maybe Id have been glued to my phone at that bus stop and never met David.

But Im so grateful to have met David. Hes alright isnt he?
A woman in her 60s was killed Saturday afternoon when she was traveling in east Birmingham and got caught in crossfire.

The deadly shooting marks the second time in less than 24 hours that a victim has been killed by gunfire apparently not aimed at them.

This is senseless," said Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Rod Mauldin. This could be anybodys mother or auntie.

Birmingham police and Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service responded at 4:11 p.m. on a report of a person shot in the 6800 block of First Avenue North. When they arrived, they found the woman unresponsive in the passengers side of a white sedan. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

Mauldin said the victim was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another woman. They were traveling eastbound on First Avenue North when it appears the occupants of one vehicle possibly fired on another vehicle.

Those bullets instead struck the victim, who just happened to be passing through.

More than a dozen shots were fired in two different intersections  Division Avenue and 68th Street and First Avenue North and 67th Street.

After being struck, the victims vehicle pulled into the Sunoco service station to call for help.

We had an innocent person caught in the middle of something going on where two people were possibly shooting at one another," Mauldin said.

Police have not yet identified any suspects. We will follow up on every lead that we have to make sure that senseless violence in the city in Birmingham comes to a cease," Mauldin said. If someone is bold enough to ride around shooting at another vehicle, theyre putting lives in danger. Thats a major problem.

We know the type of people were dealing with and theres a sense of urgency to get those people off the city streets," he said.

On Friday night, a 70-year-old man was killed in southwest Birmingham. Larry Pettway was in the area of 17th Street S.W. and Jefferson Avenue when gunfire erupted. Police found Pettway unresponsive on a sidewalk. He was rushed to UAB Hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Saturdays slaying is Birminghams 51st homicide of 2020. Of those, six have been ruled justifiable and therefore arent deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 78 homicides, including the 51 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is under scrutiny after multiple reporters and staff have raised allegations that the management of the paper is intentionally blocking and changing Black Lives Matter protest coverage.

One black reporter, Alexis Johnson, tweeted commentary about the destructive nature of other events held in the city, not dissimilar from what is happening during the citys protests, the Washington Post reported.

Horrifying scenes and aftermath from selfish LOOTERS who dont care about this city!!!!!



.... oh wait sorry. No, these are pictures from a Kenny Chesney concert tailgate. Whoops. pic.twitter.com/lKRNrBsltU  Alexis Johnson (@alexisjreports) May 31, 2020

She told the Post she thought it was funny, and that it would lead people to think about what has caused people to damage the city in the past. She said when she asked newspaper management about being barred from covering protests, she was told her byline could cause an impression of bias.

In the days that followed, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, the journalists union, tweeted a statement in support of Johnson. A black photojournalist on staff at the Post-Gazette also tweeted that he had been barred from protest coverage.

Just like @alexisjreports I have been barred from covering any protest related stories. @PittsburghPG has chosen to silence two of it most prominent Black journalist during one of the most important civil rights stories that is happening across our country! https://t.co/ppIHrAyiOd  Michael M. Santiago (@msantiagophotos) June 6, 2020

Support poured in from other Post-Gazette staffers, as well as official accounts from local figures and politicians, the Pittsburgh City Paper reported.

During that time two other Post-Gazette reporters noticed something was strange about their protest coverage for the paper: it has been deleted.

The newspaper guild said the two journalists had their work deleted after they tweeted support for their colleagues. It believes the papers actions retaliation.

The PG simply does not remove stories, ever, for any reason. It is a longstanding policy in journalism and at the PG that you do not remove published material; it is simply unethical to do so. The proper course of action is to correct any factual errors and include an editors note in the story explaining the reason for any changes, the guild said.

They also allege that some stories were re-posted, without bylines and with the content of the stories change.

As of Sunday, the union added to their statement that the entire photography staff had been banned from covering protests in the region.

The PG took other troubling steps. As if it wasnt bad enough to kill stories and restrict journalists who expressed solidarity with a union colleague under siege, management told several Guild members that protests would no longer be covered, period. And protest-related stories scheduled for Saturday were killed without explanation, the Guild said in a statement.

Johnson told the Pittsburgh City Paper that she is grateful for the support she has received and will support the others whose work is now being affected.

Management of the Pittsburg Post-Gazette did not respond to the Posts request for comment and have not made any statements on the controversy.

The guild is holding an email campaign to the Post-Gazettes management to not only allow Johnson and her colleague Michael Santiago to report on the protests, but to stop the retaliation against their supporters.

Read more on PennLive:
Tech giant calls on court to make 'objective and reasonable' decision



By Kim Hyun-bin



Tensions are on the rise over the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant against Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, over allegations of Lee's involvement in 2015 in a controversial merger of two group affiliates, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries.



A Seoul court will hold a hearing to decide whether to issue the warrant at 10:30 am today. If the warrant is approved, it will be the first time since 2017 that Lee will be arrested on criminal charges, which Samsung claims will trigger a leadership crisis in the nation's biggest conglomerate.



In a last-minute effort to save the Samsung heir, the group released a statement Sunday rebutting speculative local reports surrounding the case and calling on the court to make an "objective and reasonable" decision to normalize its management.



"The ongoing crisis is the one that Samsung has never been encountering before. The drawn-out investigation by the prosecution has been affecting management normalization, and to make matters worse, external uncertainties are growing due to the COVID-19 outbreak and renewed trade war between the U.S. and China," it said.



"We hope that (the court) will pave the way for Samsung to normalize management and play a leading role in overcoming this crisis," it added.





Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong
Saudi Arabia made some of the biggest price increases for crude exports in at least two decades, doubling down on its strategy to bolster the oil market after OPEC+ producers extended historic output cuts.

The steepest jump will hit July exports to Asia, state producer Saudi Aramco's largest regional market, according to a pricing list seen by Bloomberg. Overall, the increases for Saudi crude erase almost all of the discounts the kingdom made during its brief price war with Russia.

The sharp price increases show that Saudi Arabia is using all the tools at its disposal to turn around the oil market after prices plunged into negative territory in April. As the price setter in the Middle East, the increases in its official prices may be followed by other producers.

Tighter crude supply is helping repair an oil market battered by the coronavirus. Unprecedented output cuts led by the Saudis and Russia boosted prices in May, and the OPEC+ group decided Saturday to extend those limits through July. Brent crude, down 36% this year, has clawed back some of its losses and ended trading on Friday at more than $40 a barrel.

But the profits that oil refiners make from processing crude into fuel are struggling to keep up with the rising market, and the sharp Saudi price hikes are likely to exacerbate that problem. Representatives for refineries from Europe and Asia expressed concern and said the pricing would crush margins.

Saudi Arabia unleashed a price war in March when it slashed official selling prices by the most in three decades. The kingdom took that drastic step after failing to reach an agreement with Russia to extend production cuts in the face of the pandemic's destruction of oil demand.

After Tweets, phone calls and top-level consultations, OPEC+ returned to negotiations and hammered out the biggest output curbs in history, pledging to take nearly 10 million barrels a day off the market. U.S. production plunged by roughly 2 million barrels daily as low prices drove producers to shut wells.

OPEC+ chose on Saturday to renew production limits at almost the same level, instead of tapering them as planned at the end of June. Aramco, which typically announces pricing on the fifth day of each month, had delayed its July numbers until after OPEC+ members made their decision.

Saudi Arabia sells its crude at a differential to oil benchmarks, announcing every month the discount or premium it's charging to global refiners. The so-called official selling prices help set the tone in the physical oil market, where actual barrels change hands.

With China's demand for crude now rising, the Saudis are raising prices. The month-on-month increase in the official selling price for flagship Arab Light crude to Asia, which accounts for more than half of Saudi oil sales, is the largest in at least 20 years. Aramco raised Arab Light to Asia by $6.10 a barrel to a premium of 20 cents over the benchmark.

It raised July pricing for all grades to Asia by between $5.60 and $7.30 a barrel. That compares with an expected increase of about $4 a barrel, according to a Bloomberg survey of eight traders and refiners.

Buyers in the U.S., the Mediterranean region and northwestern Europe will also pay more for oil.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 10:42:29|Editor: huaxia

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China on Sunday issued a white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19. The white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," was issued by the State Council Information Office.
I just learnt that the government of Ghana is organising a demonstration in Ghana, in solidary with those protesting the killing of George Floyd. In short, the Ghana government is protesting against racism that hit the headlines these few days when a white American police officer killed a black American in police custody. The usual crowd in front of the demonstration these days in Ghana, are girls who parade the market place carrying head pans, haggard-looking market place truck pushers, street children, and cripples of all kinds, and this demonstration will not be an exception.

In fact, police brutality is normal in the USA and the black population are clearly the majority at the end of the stick. Racism in the USA is institutionalized and all non-whites in the country really suffer these organise form of discrimination.

The death of George Floyd is a typical daily life experience of the majority of black Americans who are well aware of their fate. Anyone of them could be the next victim of racial discrimination. In fact, the fate of non-white Americans relating to racial discrimination is in every aspect of American life. This challenge is historical to the Americal socio-cultural life that racial politics is part of the American culture and, whenever the opportunity presents itself, the racial political machine set itself into motion to make political capital out of the situation. And on each occasion, the racial gap draws closer when the heat is very high.

The policy of the American government change enough to adjust the laws that legitimise the institutionalization of American racial relations. Like Apartheid South Africa, racism is part of the USA national institution.

The death of George Floyd is just another phase of the American history for which the American populace are engineered by their NGOs, activists and political leaders to make a demand on the American government to move the goal poles. This is how marginalised Americans get their government to ease up on its version of Apartheid that characterises the US formal injustice system.

The racial marginalization being experience by the blacks and other minority groups in America is typical of any human society where people coexist with racial differences as the base of their multicultural divides.

The death of George Floyd, therefore, replicated itself in the experience of all societies in which racial differences characterise the population setup. Countries across Europe, Canada, Australia and South Africa had their NGOs putting resources together to make good use of the situation that is gaining global attention.

What is shocking to me is whether Ghana as a sovereign nation, has nationals who are of a different race, enough for NGOs in Ghana to be organizing demonstrations against police brutality motivated by racial hate, on the street of Ghana. What makes this concern more alarming is, the government of Ghana is said to be the one to use the taxpayers' money to fund such demonstration.

So while in the USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada and South Africa, the demonstration is against the governments of these countries by their citizens, the government of Ghana is the one demonstrating in Ghana. The question is, who is the government of Ghana demonstrating against if everyone is demonstrating against their government to do about racism?

If you live in Tabakunda of Senegal, you will understand what the "Solidarity of the Dogs" is all about. It explains the mystery of a dog that barks at nothing. It is about a dog in a wall and gated compound, barking furiously into the sky, simply because the dogs outside the compound are barking. Of course, dogs bark for a reason and anytime one go out to check on the dogs, they are barking against an imminent threat visible to them. The barking is always at something or someone who is of direct concern to the dogs. But the dog in the gated wall compound barks at the moon. Who is the Ghana government demonstrating against? Please don't tell me the GoG is using the taxpayers' money of poor Ghanaians in demonstrating against racism anywhere in the world, while tribalism is well institutionalised in Ghana.

Well, this behaviour of the Ghana government is only informed by the ignorance around the inability to understand that tribalism is a form of discrimination and the horrifying level of injustice in Ghana fueled by tribal discrimination is equally just as evil. The Americans are doing something about their culture of racism but what is the government of Ghana doing about its institutionalise culture of tribalism, misunderstood as the official Culture of Ghana?

Kofi Ali Abdul-Yekin

Chairman

ECRA

(ECOWAS Citizens Right Advocate)
Reliance Jio has announced the eighth investment in a span of just over six weeks, with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) picking up a 1.16 percent stake in Reliance Jio Platforms Ltd, the cutting edge technology division of Reliance Jio, for Rs 5,683.50 crore. The deal values Reliance Jio at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore, and enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore. In brief succession, Jio Platforms has seen unprecedented foreign investment in its endeavours, after back to back investments from Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company, and a returning investment from American equity firm, Silver Lake.

Commenting on the investment, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd, said, I am delighted that ADIA, with its track record of more than four decades of successful long-term value investing across the world, is partnering with Jio Platforms in its mission to take India to digital leadership and generate inclusive growth opportunities. This investment is a strong endorsement of our strategy and Indias potential.

Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, executive director of the private equities department of ADIA, also said, Jio Platforms is at the forefront of Indias digital revolution, poised to benefit from major socio- economic developments and the transformative effects of technology on the way people live and work. The rapid growth of the business, which has established itself as a market leader in just four years, has been built on a strong track record of strategic execution. Our investment in Jio is a further demonstration of ADIAs ability to draw on deep regional and sector expertise to invest globally in market leading companies and alongside proven partners.

ADIA is a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is known for making landmark investments on behalf of the government of Abu Dhabi. Founded over 44 years ago, ADIA is one of the worlds premier investors, and is a member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. ADIAs investment in Jio Platforms reflects the diverse portfolio of investors attracted towards Reliance Jios offering, and further establishes the unbound promise that the company represents towards taking forward the steady digitisation of India. With ADIAs backing, Reliance Jio Platforms has raised Rs 97,885.65 crore in foreign investments so far, selling 21.06 percent stake of the company to an enviable consortium of investors.

So far, investors in Reliance Jio Platforms Ltd include Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Partners, KKR, General Atlantic and Mubadala. Facebook, the worlds largest social media corporation, picked up a 9.99 percent stake in Reliance Jio for Rs 43,574 crore. Following Facebook is Silver Lake, which now has a 2.08 percent stake in Jio Platforms in exchange of an investment of Rs 10,203 crore. The third entity to invest in Jio Platforms was Vista Equity Partners, which invested Rs 11,367 crore for a 2.32 percent stake in the company. General Atlantic then followed up with an investment of Rs 6,598.38 crore for a 1.34 percent stake. Investment firm KKR also followed up with a Rs 11,367 crore investment for a 2.32 percent stake in the company. Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala has invested Rs 9,093.60 crore for a 1.85 percent stake in Jio Platforms as well.
The family of a man who reportedly committed suicide by jumping into the Lagos lagoon in February said they doubt if he actually jumped to his death. The family is now accusing the mans uncle and a Bolt cab driver who saw him last of abducting him.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on February 3, 2020, Toju-Davies Daibo, 21, jumped into the lagoon from the Third Mainland bridge after taking a Bolt cab from Mercy Hospital, Gbagada. The agency stated that Mr Daibo told the cab driver he had stomach upset and requested that he stopped. He then plunged into the lagoon.

His body was never found, despite the effort of the Lagos Fire Service and Marine Rescue team. The search for his body was suspended after 48 hours.

But his family said they do not believe that he committed suicide. Esther, Mr Daibos sister, said he had been having disagreement with his uncle, Olayemi Brown, whom he was said to be living with around the Gbagada area of Lagos.

He complained to our father that uncle Olayemi Brown at Gbagada has been behaving somehow and making him uncomfortable. So, my dad sent him a flight ticket to come to Abuja that day they said he jumped into the Lagoon, Ms Daibo told PREMIUM TIMES.

The day, my aunt called my dad that his uncle fought with him and broke his head with a bottle. When my Dad was trying to call my brother, his number was not going, she said.

She said she was shocked to read about her brothers alleged suicide a few hours after her aunt called to inform her father about the fight between Mr Daibo and his uncle.

She said prior to reading about her brothers reported suicide, around 10 a.m. the same day, her mother had called (their parents live in Abuja) Mr Daibo and a person with a strange voice had answered the call.

He wasnt the one that picked the call. The voice sounded strange like that of street boys, it was like the person later gave him the phone and she asked whether it was his voice and he told his mum he changed his voice.

He was most likely in danger at that time because he said he was in a barbing salon, the sister narrated.

Ms Daibo also said it was strange that it was only the Bolt driver that saw her brother jump into the lagoon despite the heavy vehicular traffic on the bridge. She also wondered why her brothers body has not floated to the surface if he indeed jumped into the lagoon.

Even if he jumped, we should have found his body three days after. We hired private local drivers ourselves, my family members hired flying boats to check for themselves, but nobody was found.

Father accuses uncle, Bolt driver of conspiracy and kidnap

In a petition written to the Inspector General of Police on March 10, the victims father Sunday Daibo, accused Olayemi Brown, the uncle; Tina Brown, the aunt and Badmos Oladimeji, the Bolt driver of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping of his son.

The father told PREMIUM TIMES that his son did not jump into the lagoon but was kidnapped. He said his brother and the Bolt driver are the prime suspects.

The elder Mr Daibo said his son ordered the Bolt ride from Mercy Hospital, Gbagada, where he had gone to treat the injury he allegedly sustained from the fracas with his uncle and was heading to the Muritala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja Lagos en route Abuja.

The boy told the doctor at Mercy Hospital that he was going to the airport, and he called the Bolt driver. How the driver changed the journey and took this mainland bridge is confusing, he said.

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Mr Daibo said when he visited Lagos after the incident, he took a tour around the axis and saw that it was suspicious that the driver took Third Mainland bridge when his son was going to the airport.

He said the story told by the Bolt driver that his son paid N6,000 cash for the trip was dubious.

My son didnt have cash any cash on him because he sent a message that he needed money to take a cab to the airport, and the Uber (Bolt) driver said he paid N6,000 cash, whereas he did not get to his destination and had no cash on him.

Even if he got to his destination, how will they charge N6, 000 for that ride?

Mr Daibo said when he asked the driver these questions, he replied that his app was faulty at that time.

Mr Brown, the victims uncle, was absent at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba where the case was being investigated, he said.

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When I got to Lagos, the aunt said he had travelled on an official assignment to Ivory coast, the father said.

This boy is still alive, he is being abducted and kept there in Lagos, this is between the uncle and the driver, the father said.

Nosa Okunbor, the spokesperson of LASEMA, said after the body was not found in the lagoon, the matter was handed over to the police for investigation.

If someone jumps into the lagoon, after three days, the body should float. But that did not happen, so, there was a need to interrogate the Uber (Bolt) driver, which is the work of the police.

Police respond

Bala Elkana, the Lagos police spokesperson told PREMIUM TIMES that the police are still investigating the case, He, however, said the police did not know if Mr Daibo was kidnapped or not.

Since nobody has made calls to the family or asked for anything, the police cannot yet ascertain it is a kidnap.

We are not coming up to say this guy actually jumped, we only said it was only the Bolt driver that saw him jump, which was why we took him in for questioning.

Up till now, we have not seen the dead body and the driver said he saw him jump. SCIID Panti is investigating the case as I speak, Mr Elkana said.

Mr Elkana added that an investigation is a time-consuming event. It is not something you conclude in one day, you have to work through some leads, he said.

I cannot give the technicalities of the case so as not to jeopardise the work of the police.

Even the family needs to be patient, because there are details that are usually technical and once you disclose them, it will jeopardise our chances of arriving at the truth, but we are working on it, Mr Elkana said.

Bolt responds

PREMIUM TIMES could not reach Mr Oladimeji, the Bolt driver for comment, he could not be reached on his phone number as it has been switched off.

However, Bolts PR manager, Marilin Noorem, told this newspaper in an email that the company was aware of the incident. She added that Bolt is fully cooperating with the police as an investigation into the matter continues.

Ms Noorem further added that in accordance with the companys policy, Mr Oladimeji has been suspended from working for the ride-hailing company until the police conclude their investigation into the matter.

Bolt unequivocally condemns any violence of any form directed towards ride-hailing drivers and passengers because it believes that every person in Nigeria has the right to earn a living and move around without risk of harm, intimidation or coercion, or fear of death or injury.

When the incident occurred, Bolts High Priority team was immediately activated. The team has been cooperating fully with the Adekunle Police Stations investigation into this tragic incident, providing any information possible that may help with the investigation.

It is Bolt policy to immediately suspend from the platform any driver who is under any form of police investigation. The driver involved in the alleged incident has been suspended from the Bolt platform pending the outcome of the police investigation, she said.

He wasnt living with me  Uncle

When reached for comment, the uncle, Mr Brown, denied that Mr Daibo was living with him and declined to provide further comments.

I have nothing to say about the matter, the case is already with the police, go and talk to the police or the lawyer, the boy was not living with me, he said briskly and hung up.

Several attempts to reach the aunt, Tina Brown, failed as she did not respond to calls and text messages sent to her mobile phone.
Chandigarh, June 7 : Less than 24 hours after Akal Takht acting 'jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh endorsed the demand for Khalistan, three legislators of Punjab's ruling Congress reacted on Sunday, demanding a clarification from Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal and his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur.

The acting jathedar had said on the 36th anniversary of Operation Blue Star in the holy city of Amritsar, some 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh, that the Sikh community "will accept Khalistan, if the government offers it." His statement was further endorsed by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Gobind Singh Longowal. 'Khalistan' refers to a separate state for the Sikhs.

"If the government gives us Khalistan, what more can we ask for? We shall accept it. Every Sikh wants Khalistan," the Akal Takht jathedar told the media.

The Congress MLAs -- Amrik Singh Dhillon, Surinder Dawar and Kuldeep Singh Vaid -- said both the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were indulging in divisive politics to grab power in the state.

"Both parties are playing divisive politics to create turmoil in the state, which has attained peace after losing so many innocent lives during the dark days of militancy," they said.

The 36th anniversary of Operation Blue Star was marred by a minor scuffle and heated arguments between Sikh activists and police as they forced their entry into the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Saturday, police said.

The Sikh activists and leaders wanted to gather in large numbers at the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, in the Golden Temple complex that has not officially opened due to the coronavirus lockdown.

They were initially stopped by the police, but later after heated arguments they managed to reach the shrine complex where prayers were performed with a few devotees in attendance.

Operation Blue Star was carried out by the Indian Army at the Golden Temple complex between June 1 and 8, 1984.

Every year, prayers are held at the Akal Takht by radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa to mark the anniversary of the Army operation carried out to flush out heavily-armed terrorists from inside the complex.

As for threats to peace due to observance of Operation Blue Star anniversary, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said nobody would be allowed to disrupt the peace of Punjab, which had lost 35,000 lives during the dark days of terrorism.

"No Punjabi wants this," he had said, adding that it was only a handful of anti-India elements that continued to try and provoke people in the name of Khalistan every now and then.
Lawmakers will continue with the nine session of the 14th National Assembly with plenary meetings at the NA building in Hanoi from June 8-18.

At a NA meeting (Photo: VNA)

The plenary session of the sitting will be broadcast live by the national television and radio channels, and the NA television channel.

During the plenary session, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will brief the deputies on outcomes of the online meetings from May 20-29.

The legislators are scheduled to adopt three resolutions on ratifying the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO)s Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (Convention 105).

Representatives of the embassies of EU countries in Hanoi are expected to attend the sessions for the EVFTA and the EVIPA.

Also on June 8 morning, the deputies will vote on a draft resolution on the recognition and enforcement of rulings issued by dispute settlement agencies in accordance with the EVIPA.

In the afternoon, they will discuss in groups a report on socio-economic development and State budget, the approval of the State budget balance for 2018, the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas during the 2021-2030 period, and the supplement of the charter capital for the BIDV./.VNA
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says the Black Lives Matter protest was an isolated event and pleaded with the community to continue following the state's public health rules.

At least 20,000 protesters marched through the Sydney CBD on Saturday, following a last-minute court ruling that the planned protest was an authorised assembly after NSW Police applied to have it prohibited.

Jane Margaret (inset) recovers after allegedly being sprayed with pepper spray following the Sydney rally on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood

Mr Hazzard said the protest was "approved by the Court of Appeal in a set of specific circumstances" but warned health officials remained very concerned that COVID-19 was "still amongst us".

"For that reason, the NSW government implores the community to stay with us on the journey to keep all of us safe from the virus that is still wreaking havoc on communities overseas," he said.
Toronto police have laid charges after a man was seen brandishing a knife while he was watching the anti-Black racism protest Saturday.

Around 2:30 p.m., police said they received reports of a man standing on the sidewalk in the area of Yonge and Alexander streets holding a large knife.

The man immediately fled on foot as officers approached him, police said in a news release.

After a brief chase, the man was arrested and three knives were found in his possession, police said.

Boyu Shi, 21, of Toronto, was charged with assault with a weapon, possessing a weapon/danger to public peace and carrying a concealed weapon.

Jacob Lorinc is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @jacoblorinc
In what would be the largest healthcare deal on record, AstraZeneca has approached its US rival Gilead Sciences to discuss a merger.

AstraZeneca, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, reached out to Gilead last month to gauge its interest, according to a Bloomberg report, but did not discuss terms.

Gilead is said to have discussed the idea with its advisers, but has not decided how to proceed.

Reaching out: AstraZeneca, which is led by Frenchman Pascal Soriot (pictured), has a market value of 111billion

The two are not thought to be in formal talks. Industry sources played down the likelihood of a deal, noting that it would be extremely difficult to pull together a merger of this size when dealmakers and advisers cannot travel abroad during lockdown.

AstraZeneca, which is led by Frenchman Pascal Soriot, has a market value of 111billion, and is developing a Covid-19 vaccine in partnership with Oxford University.

Gilead, which is worth 76billion, has had its antiviral drug Remdesivir approved to treat coronavirus patients, after clinical trials showed it could improve their condition.

Gilead declined to comment, while AstraZeneca said it would not comment on 'rumours or speculation'.
Villagers in a Portuguese hamlet were left terrified by the sight of paedophile Christian Brueckner regularly carrying a gun, it was claimed last night.

The 43-year-old, now the main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, stayed at a rural bolthole not far from the Algarve resort where the then three-year-old was last seen.

Last night, the building's owner said she would welcome police digging at her property in the hunt for a body after German police said they believe Madeleine is dead.

Lia Silva claimed Brueckner shocked some in the tiny village of Foral, which boasts just a single restaurant, because he carried a weapon.

Lia Silva claimed Brueckner shocked some in the tiny village of Foral, which boasts just a single restaurant, because he carried a weapon

A neighbour said: 'Everyone was absolutely terrified when he was around'

'Everyone was absolutely terrified when he was around,' she said.

'I have been told that when he was here he had a gun that would always be in a holster around his waist.

'Lots of people were very put off by that and found it very intimidating. Back in 2007 you did not need a licence to carry a gun.'

Miss Silva urged the police to search her extensive grounds, now swarming with rescue dogs, in case Madeleine is buried there.

'I just want the parents to get some resolution,' she said.

Brueckner was said to frequent the property when it was being used as a home for troubled teenagers under its previous tenant, a German woman.

Between 2007 and 2009 he would pitch up in the 100-property dusty hamlet, 40 miles from Praia da Luz, in his distinctive VW Westfalia camper van, residents said.

One neighbour, who said she 'instantly' recognised Brueckner and his van when images emerged on TV, urged police to track down the property's former tenants.

The German woman and an Italian man rented the property from Miss Silva for seven years until 2009.

The neighbour said that as well as troubled teenagers, the home was frequented by children. 'There were always little girls  small girls at the property,' she said.

It was also claimed yesterday that Brueckner gave underage girls drugs at woodland raves in return for sexual favours

The woman, a social worker, was supposed to be looking after the teens but suspicions were aroused by the company she kept, she added.

'There were a lot of strange people,' she said.

'This Christian arrived in 2007. They would hang around together and I didn't like the way they were.

'There was talk that he got a girl at the house pregnant and she ran away It makes us think that what they were doing [with the children] was not good.'

It was also claimed yesterday that Brueckner gave underage girls drugs at woodland raves in return for sexual favours.

He is said to have peddled narcotics from his campervan near a hippy commune, four miles from Praia da Luz.

One former friend told how the German would openly give drugs to other people to sell for him.

The Portuguese woman said: 'He gave the girls weed [cannabis] and other things they wanted and in exchange they gave him sex because they didn't have money to pay for the drugs.

'It was a sort of payment in kind. That was the way they did things.'
The Managing Director for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Kwame Agyemang-Budu has indicated that the government has cleared its GHC 2.6 billion legacy debt owed to the state entity.



Mr Agyemang-Budu made this known when he took his turn to address a Facebook live session hosted by NPP Loyal Ladies. He further intimated that, the debt cleared by the Akufo-Addo government is unprecedented, as government now has a credit balance with ECG to the tune of about GHC Five Hundred And Fifty million (550,000,000)



On the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo in January 2017, the state owed ECG, its main power distributor, an accumulated debt of GHC 2.63billion, incurred by the erstwhile Mahama government.



Citing some achievements of the ECG in the last three and a half years, Mr Agyemang-Budu mentioned that their revenue collection had increased. As a result, they had minimized their losses in addition, realised huge profit margins, which was not the case under the previous government. He also cited the ECG power app built in-house to afford consumers the luxury of purchasing power at the comfort of their homes.



Mr. Agyeman-Budu commended the government on its commitment to ensuring sustained power supply to all parts of the country, all year round. He said businesses that were on the verge of collapse due to dumsor under Former President Mahama, are now doing well and expanding.



On their challenges, Mr. Agyemang-Budu bemoaned the spate of illegal connections, power theft and delay in payment of bills by consumers.



Loyal Ladies live is a live session hosted by NPP Loyal Ladies on its social media handles. The initiative provides a platform for appointees of President Akufo-Addos government, the opportunity to engage Ghanaians on how they have executed their mandates in the last three and a half years.



Next on the program will be the Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority Professor Alexander Dodoo on Wednesday 10th June at exactly 6pm.



Watch interview below;





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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Left-wing protesters rally in Tel Aviv against plan to annex parts of Jordan Valley and settlements in the West Bank.

Several thousand Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus plan to annex the Jordan Valley and illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The de facto annexation of occupied Palestinian land has prompted the Palestinian Authority to threaten it will withdraw from all agreements with Israel.

Protesting in face masks and keeping their distance from each other under coronavirus restrictions, the demonstrators gathered under a banner No to annexation, no to occupation, yes to peace and democracy. Some waved Palestinian flags.

The protest was organised by left-wing groups and NGOs, and did not appear to have the support of the wider population.

Around half of Israelis support annexation, according to a recent opinion poll.

The organisers screened a video address by US Senator Bernie Sanders.

It has never been more important to stand up for justice, and to fight for the future we all deserve, Sanders said. Its up to all of us to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli.

The Palestinian Authority wants an independent state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in a 1967 war.

Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but two years later it imposed a crippling land, air and sea blockade of the enclave that the head of the UN humanitarian chief has called an open-air prison.

US President Donald Trump unveiled in January a Middle East plan that recognised Israeli sovereignty over settlements  considered illegal under international laws  in the occupied West Bank.

Trump said Israel would be granted security control of the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, where dozens of illegal settlements have been built over decades.

In return, Palestinians would have their own demilitarised state with a capital in East Jerusalem.

As part of a recent agreement to form a coalition government with Benny Gantz, Netanyahu can submit the Trump plan to his cabinet and Parliament as early as July 1 for possible endorsement.

Netanyahu wants to annex parts of Jordan Valley and illegal settlements in the West Bank.

The plan also envisions the creation of a Palestinian state, but on reduced territory and without meeting a key Palestinian demand of having its capital in East Jerusalem.

Palestinians have rejected the proposal and voiced outrage against Israels proposed annexation.

One demonstrator at the protest called for more solidarity between Palestinians and Israelis.

In an apartheid reality there cannot be peace for us or them, nor can there be justice, a protester, identifying herself as Eden, told AFP news agency.

Warning of possible violence and diplomatic repercussions, some European and Arab states, together with the United Nations, have urged Israel not to go ahead with the annexation plan.








A British-made saliva test for the coronavirus could replace swabs and help Boris Johnson meet the 24-hour result target time.

The Government is reportedly in talks with epigenetics company Chronomics about its test - two months after the US approved a similar one.

The kit, which requires someone to spit into a tube, is easier and less painful than swabs currently used at hospitals, drive-in test facilities and in home packs.

Chronomics says it has the ability to significantly increase how many tests are conducted.

An expert involved with the project said the firm was able to turn around test results within one hour of the samples arriving at laboratories.

It comes amid mounting pressure on the Government to halve its average test result waiting time of 48 hours as it moves out of lockdown.

Turning around coronavirus test results within 24 hours is 'absolutely essential' for an effective test and trace system, former health minister Jeremy Hunt has said.

The Government is reportedly in talks with epigenetics company Chronomics about its saliva test for coronavirus (pictured)

The kit, which requires someone to spit into a tube, is easier and less painful than swabs currently used at hospitals, drive-in test facilities and in home packs (pictured)

On average, tests are currently taking around 48 hours to come back. Some 90 per cent are coming back within this time frame, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

He has pledged that everyone who has a test gets the result 24 hours by the end of this month.

Asked by Mr Hunt what proportion of test results are available in that time frame now, Mr Johnson told parliament: 'I can undertake to him now to get all tests turned around in 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests.'

Mr Hunt, the chairman of the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, has been one of many to urge for quicker test results to ensure contact tracing is successful.

WHAT IS THE SWAB TEST FOR CORONAVIRUS? Nasopharyngeal swabs are used to detect respiratory viruses, such as the flu and the new coronavirus. It is the preferred choice for SARS-CoV-2 testing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It involves inserting a long, flexible cotton bud into the nostril and along the nose 'floor'. This is supposed to be done slowly so that it is comfortable. The aim is to reach the posterior nasopharynx, a cavity made up of muscle and connective tissue, covered in cells and mucous that are similar to the nose. It continues down into the throat. The swab is rotated several times in order to get enough cells. The sample is then sent to a lab, where it will be tested to determine if the patients cells are infected with the virus. The coronavirus is a RNA virus, which means it uses ribonucleic acid as its genetic material. A process called reverse transcription is needed to transcribe the RNA into readable DNA. A swab sample doesn't collect much RNA in one go, therefore a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to rapidly make billions of copies so it can be analysed. The DNA is dyed a fluorescent colour, which glows if the coronavirus is present, confirming a diagnosis. Advertisement

The optimal 24 hours has been recommended by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

The contacts of a person with Covid-19 - traced by Government employed call handlers - are only notified when a positive test result is returned.

If this takes two days or more, it could lead to those contacts infecting more people when they should have been told to self isolate.

The Government is having discussions with London-based Chronomics about rolling out its recently developed Covid-19 saliva test, The Telegraph reports.

Philip Beales, a professor at the University College London Institute of Child Health, who has been helping to coordinate the efforts, said: 'Our guys are working on a one hour turnaround time from receipt of the sample in the lab, to getting the actual result back.'

A study by Public Health England (PHE) is currently underway to validate the kits for use on masses of people, while Chronomics is talking with NHS bosses.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators officially approved the first home saliva test for coronavirus - from Rutgers University - a month ago, on May 8.

In April, the developers RUCDR Infinite Biologics, based at Rutgers University in New Jersey, were given emergency use authorisation which allowed health care workers to begin testing New Jersey residents at select sites throughout the state.

Professor John Newton, the Government's testing tsar at PHE, has previously said saliva tests are 'really interesting' in the diagnosis of Covid-19.

'So we are actively looking at those and we are engaging with the companies and if they prove to be better then we will use those,' he said.

Lawrence Young, a virologist and infectious disease expert at Warwick University, who previously told MailOnline Government officials were looking at saliva tests said: 'I think saliva testing looks very promising and more reliable.'

The Chronomics test would involve patients spitting sputum - a mixture of saliva and phlegm - into a tube.

The collection of the sample can be done anywhere - at home, work or in hospital - by the patient themselves, and the person does not need to have symptoms.

Nasopharyngeal swabs, considered the gold standard, normally require a trained medical professional.

They are invasive and painful because to be accurate, the swab must be pushed deep into the nose until it meets resistance. It can cause someone to gag or suffer a nosebleed.

The sealed tube with saliva is sent to a lab, where technicians read it for RNA - the viruses genetic information.

Nasopharyngeal swabs, considered the gold standard, normally require a trained medical professional. They are invasive and painful because to be accurate, the swab must be pushed deep into the nose (pictured)

The Government will launch a widespread contact tracing scheme to track down people who have been in touch with infected patients. But turning around coronavirus test results within 24 hours is 'absolutely essential' for an effective test and trace system, former health minister Jeremy Hunt has said among other experts

Professor Beales said: 'The saliva test has this inactivation buffer in the bottom, which inactivates the virus, preserves the RNA and then in thousands of [labs] in the country, you can just do a straightforward RNA extraction.'

According to Chronomics, founded by scientists from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and UCL, the saliva test is 'super accurate'.

The website says: 'Even small errors at high numbers can have dangerous consequences in the context of an infectious disease.

'Our test... is incredibly sensitive (in a controlled lab environment it can detect a single copy of the virus), it is highly specific to SARS-CoV-2 (and won't be confounded by other human viruses) and it will detect all strains of the virus that have evolved to date.'

Scientists at Yale found saliva tests had 'greater sensitivity' than swab tests and were more consistent in their results.

Writing in their pre-print paper, researchers said saliva was a 'viable and more sensitive alternative' to nose and throat swabs because there is less variability in sample collection.

It is still unclear how often swab testing used in the UK produces an incorrect result because PHE has never disclosed this information.

Scientists fear as many as 30 per cent of people who have the virus get a negative result back - known as a false negative - as a result of incorrect swabbing.

There are variances in how medics  and those taking a test at home  do it.

Research by the University of Bristol found between two per cent and 29 per cent of COVID-19 tests produced false negatives.

The number of 'true positive' results from swabs taken from the nose was as low as 63 per cent, and 32 per cent taken from the throat, the researchers wrote in the British Medical Journal.

A review of five studies by Public Health Madrid, involving almost 1,000 people, found Covid-19 swabbing produced false negative results the first time round 29 per cent of the time.
A section of the La Son - Tuy Loan Expressway connecting Da Nang City with Thua-Thien Hue Province which will be linked to the North-South Expressway. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Thanh.

The Politburo has voiced support for public funding of some sections of the North-South Expressway earlier planned to be awarded to private investors.

The main decision-making body of the Communist Party, in a recent statement, did not mention how many sections should be publicly funded, but the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has suggested three out of eight sections.

The Transport Ministry had earlier proposed to the National Assembly that all eight sections should be funded by the states coffers since private investors were having trouble getting bank credit.

But lawmakers said only three should be publicly funded in order to involve the private sector in infrastructure development. They are set to review the proposal on Monday.

The eight sections are part of a total of 11 to build the 653-kilometer eastern cluster of the North-South Expressway, a top priority project meant to upgrade the countrys creaking infrastructure. Work on the remaining three sections out of the 11 is underway using public funds.

The eastern cluster's projected total cost is VND102.5 trillion ($4.4 billion). This means, if land costs are excluded, a kilometer costs VND115 billion, or nearly $5 million, to build.

Pham Huu Son, CEO of Transport Engineering Design Inc. (TEDI), which came up with the cost projection, said this price tag is lower than the estimates made by some foreign consultancies of $6-8 million.

Last year the ministry had tried to find foreign investors for the eight projects in the form of public-private-partnerships (PPP), but very few got through the qualification round, which meant low competition.

It then decided that only domestic investors would be asked to bid to also "ensure national security and expand Vietnamese firms capability in infrastructure construction."

Many foreign companies, especially from Europe, Japan and the U.S., said the absence of government guarantees related to minimum returns and foreign exchange risks kept them away from large PPP transport infrastructure projects in Vietnam.
The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Sunday. Web links to longer stories if available. This is no longer updating, click here to read Mondays file.

7:12 p.m.: With New York City poised to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials on Sunday lifted a curfew that was in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice. But they also urged that demonstrators be tested for COVID-19.

Get a test. Get a test, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told people who have been participating in rallies and marches in memory of George Floyd.

He said the state would open 15 testing sites dedicated to protesters so they can get results quickly.

I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus, Cuomo added.

The call is similar to those made in Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta following massive demonstrations, with free testing for protesters.

5:38 p.m.: Ontarios regional health units are reporting their largest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases in more than two weeks after more than 250 cases that had not been reported to Toronto Public Health by a local hospital network were added to the citys tally Sunday.

Of the 476 new cases reported provincewide since the same time Saturday, 267 were the result of a reporting delay from the William Osler Health System involving previously identified infections that occurred in April and May, the City of Toronto said in a news release.

Earlier this month, the province apologized after 485 positive tests, most coming from Etobicoke General Hospitals drive-thru assessment centre, were not reported to local public health units.

Excluding those cases, the province saw just 209 new reported infections, which would be the fewest since late March.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, the health units had reported a total of 32,298 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,485 deaths. The 20 new fatal cases reported Sunday were up slightly from recent trends, but still down considerably from the height of the pandemic from late April to early May, when the province saw as many as 90 deaths in a day.

And, as has been the case in recent days, the overwhelming majority of new infections on Sunday came in Toronto and Peel Region  even accounting for the hospital delay. Excluding those old cases, the regions saw 95 and 65 new cases, respectively; the rest of Ontario outside the GTA reported just 20.

5 p.m.: The Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to help with the COVID-19 response at a Woodbridge long-term-care home taken over by the province last week.

Woodbridge Vista Care Community, a 224-bed facility at Steeles Ave. W. and Martin Grove Rd., will be operated by the William Osler Health System for the next 90 days under an emergency order from Premier Doug Ford. It is owned by Sienna Senior Living.

We have been advised that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is going to be deployed to support the provision of care at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, reads part of a letter to residents and families from Sienna Senior Living president and CEO Lois Cormack circulating on social media. This is good news for us, and will provide our organization with much needed capacity during the time ahead.

The home has seen at least 80 residents infected, 17 deaths and 20 staff with COVID-19 since an outbreak that started in early May. Five more residents died last week.

2 p.m.: Nearly a third of elementary- and secondary-school students in British Columbia returned to classrooms last week.

The Ministry of Education says more than 157,000 kindergarten to Grade 12 students  or nearly 30 per cent of all students in those grades  went back to school for the first week back during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting June 1, kindergarten to Grade 5 students could attend school part-time. Those in grades 6 to 12 can attend for the equivalent of one school day weekly.

Children of essential-service workers and those needing additional supports can attend full time.

Education Minister Rob Fleming says in a statement that the province is fortunate to be able to welcome students back to schools under public health expert guidance that makes it safe to do so.

1:49 p.m.: Quebec marked a full week without breaking 300 new COVID-19 cases a day, while registering its lowest death total since early April with just eight new deaths.

The provinces health authorities say 225 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the provincial tally to 52,849.

The additional COVID-19 deaths bring the provinces total to 4,978.

Officials say the number of hospitalizations dipped by nine to 972, while there were 128 people in intensive care  one fewer than the previous day.

The province has reported 18,714 people have recovered from the virus.

Premier Francois Legault will hold his COVID-19 briefing in Montreal on Monday alongside the provinces health minister and director of public health.

The city has accounted for nearly half of the provinces COVID-19 cases and more than 60 per cent of the provinces deaths.

1:20 p.m.: Members of the Canadian Armed Forces working inside long-term care homes could find themselves testifying about the state of those facilities in relation to lawsuits against the institutions.

The unusual scenario follows the deployment of hundreds of service members in April and May to more than two-dozen nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec hit hard by COVID-19.

Damning military reports later said the troops found cases of abuse and negligence in the homes, including bug infestations, aggressive feeding of residents that caused choking, bleeding infections and residents left crying for help for hours.

Stephen Birman and Lucy Jackson of Toronto law firm Thomson Rogers are leading a proposed $20-million class-action lawsuit brought against the Altamonte Care Community on behalf of the Toronto homes residents and their families.

They say the troops firsthand observations could be critical in proving their clients claims against the home and that they plan to try to collect service members statements during the course of their lawsuit.

The Department of National Defence says military personnel have an obligation to report their observations about any mission and acknowledges they can be called upon as witnesses in legal proceedings.

12:25 p.m.: Dorval organized two movie nights this weekend in an empty parking lot across from a shopping mall.

With many activities still closed across Quebec due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dorval is one of a few places that have turned to drive-ins as a way to give residents something fun to do while following social-distancing rules.

Quebec has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dorval was not spared. But as new cases subsided in Quebec, the province last month began gradually allowing businesses to reopen and certain activities to resume. Drive-ins could reopen as of May 29, the government said, as long as social distancing rules were followed.

11 a.m.: Lawsuits involving seniors homes, airlines, universities and ticket providers affected by COVID-19 could tie up Canadian courts for years, says a litigation lawyer.

Michael Smith, a partner at the Bennett Jones law firm in Toronto, says it has been tracking all proposed class-action claims related to the pandemic.

From the end of March to June 1, the firm recorded 19 such lawsuits across Canada, including eight against long-term care facilities.

What you find with COVID is the breadth of the sectors it touches, Smith said in an interview.

Youre seeing many industry sectors affected simultaneously. We will have COVID-related cases in the courts for many years.

Residents at care homes have been particularly infected with the novel coronavirus.

10:45 a.m.: Ontario is reporting that it completed 19,374 tests on the previous day  shy of its goal of doing 20,000 per day, though weekends often see fewer tests.

The number of people in hospital dropped from 673 to 635, while there was no change in the number of people in intensive care. Five fewer people are on ventilators today.

8:20 a.m.: Coronavirus-related deaths have surpassed 400,000 worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

The U.S. accounts for a quarter of the 400,225 deaths, with 109,802 as of Sunday morning. Second is the United Kingdom with 40,548 deaths, followed by Brazil with 35,930.

The U.S., by far, has the most confirmed cases, with 1.9 million. Brazil is the second most affected nation with 672,846. Russia is third, accounting for 467,073 of the 6.9 million global confirmed cases.

7:53 a.m.: Health Canada says some hand sanitizers are being recalled because they contain industrial-grade ethanol.

The agency says industrial-grade ethanol contains chemicals that may not be approved for use in hand sanitizers.

It warns that frequent use of these products can result in dry skin, causing irritation or cracking.

The products on the recall list include Eltraderm Hand Sanitizer, Gel 700 Hand Sanitizer, Sanilabs Hand Sanitizer and Walker Emulsions Hand Sanitizer.

Consumers are advised to stop using the products immediately and return them to their local pharmacy for proper disposal.

Health Canada says its monitoring the effectiveness of the recalls.

7:30 a.m.: Senior Chinese officials, releasing a lengthy report on the nations response to the coronavirus pandemic, defended their governments actions and said that China provided information in a timely and transparent manner.

National Health Commission Chairman Ma Xiaowei said Sunday that a recent news media report that the Chinese government didnt initially share the genome sequence for the virus seriously goes against the facts.

An Associated Press investigation found that government labs sat on releasing the genetic map of the virus for more than a week in January, delaying its identification in a third country and the sharing of information needed to develop tests, drugs and a vaccine.

7:30 a.m.: They haul food, fuel and other essential supplies along sometimes dangerous roads during tough economic times. But Africas long-distance truckers say they are increasingly being accused of carrying something else: the coronavirus.

While hundreds of truckers have tested positive for the virus in recent weeks, the drivers say they are being stigmatized and treated like criminals, being detained by governments and slowing cargo traffic to a crawl.

That has created a challenge for governments in much of sub-Saharan Africa, where many borders remain closed by the pandemic, on how to strike a balance between contagion and commerce. Countries are struggling to reach common ground.

7 a.m.: India reported 9,971 new coronavirus cases on Sunday in another biggest single-day spike, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.

India has now surpassed Spain as the fifth hardest-hit country, with 246,628 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 6,929 deaths.

New Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad are among Indias worst-hit cities. Six of the countrys 28 states account for 73 per cent of the total cases.

India has already partially restored train services and domestic flights and allowed shops and manufacturing to reopen. E-commerce companies have started to deliver goods, including those considered nonessential, to places outside containment zones.

6 a.m.: China on Sunday reported its first non-imported case of the new coronavirus in two weeks, a 37-year-old woman who tested positive after arriving on the island of Hainan off the southern coast.

The National Health Commission said there were also five imported cases in the previous 24-hour period, bringing the nations total case count to 83,036.

The woman came from Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak in China, and had tested negative two days before leaving for Hainan. China has largely stopped the spread of the virus at home, though it continues to have occasional localized outbreaks.

It is on guard against imported cases as it begins to ease restrictions on flights and people arriving from abroad. Chinas official death toll from the virus is 4,634.

6 a.m.: South Korea reported 57 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, its second straight day with over 50 new infections. The new cases took the countrys total to 11,776, including 273 deaths. South Koreas caseload peaked in late February and early March when it recorded hundreds of new cases each day.

But the outbreak has significantly eased amid aggressive tracing, testing and treatment, prompting authorities to loosen strict social distancing rules. The new cases in recent weeks have been linked to nightclubs, an e-commerce warehouse, church gatherings and door-to-door sellers in the Seoul metropolitan area.

6 a.m.: Malaysians will be allowed to travel interstate, get their hair cut at salons and visit street markets beginning Wednesday, when more coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Sunday that more economic sectors will reopen, schools and religious activities will gradually resume, and people can travel for domestic holidays after nearly three months of lockdown.

But he said certain prohibitions will remain as the country enters a recovery phase until the end of August.Malaysia has confirmed just over 8,000 cases of the virus, including 117 deaths.

6 a.m.: Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said he hopes the Black Lives Matter rallies across the country on Saturday that broke COVID-19 social distancing rules will not lead to a new wave of infections. More than 20,000 people marched in Sydney and crowds rallied in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and some regional cities and towns despite public health warnings.

We dont know whether people will be infected, Hunt told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. But if there is someone who is infectious in the midst of a crowd like that, that can have a catastrophic impact. Australia has had over 7,250 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 102 deaths.

-

Click here for coverage of coronavirus news from Saturday.
Its possible theyre just terrified and sad and dont know what to do without leaders to herd them. They might need a safe space, even though the children being shot to death dont have a safe space.

Or, could it just be that the protesters, so silent now, see no political advantage for the November elections in drawing attention to the Black children, some as young as 1, who are killed?

This is July. And whats on their mind is November, November, November.

Nationally, the white protesters who joined BLM and filled the streets during the George Floyd protests are almost sure to vote Democrat in November.

Ill take a leap of faith and guess that the white and woke live in wealthy and working-class neighborhoods. Many no doubt are from white suburbs, and their parents are Democratic Party donors.

They dont live in neighborhoods where car doors open and guns come out and children are killed almost every day. And so from them, we hear nothing but summer crickets.

Then the bullets start flying again, in cities across America, in Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Milwaukee and elsewhere, and babies are cut down.
The proposal of an Iranian cleric to make marriage compulsory and levying taxes on those who refuse to build a family has become a hot topic among social media users. Many have already made tens of jokes about it.

In a note titled "Proposal of New Laws To Parliament and Administration To Encourage Marriage" Mohammad Edrisi, a conservative cleric, has argued that marriage should become compulsory and those who are not married by the age of twenty-eight should face the consequences.

Many are now tweeting with the compulsory marriage hashtag. "I'm a year and one month and twelve days behind," a Twitter user said referring to the age limit of twenty-eight while a woman said she deserved a prize -- a car or a house -- because she got married at eighteen, ten years before reaching the age limit. Yet another user said she worried that the next bill proposed to parliament would also make having children before the age of thirty compulsory.

A man having trouble to go to sleep, worrying if compulsory marriages could come to be decided by lottery.

The Shiite establishment and officials, and particularly Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself, keep telling people they must marry and have children. On Sunday Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli said investigations show that measures taken to push up the fertility rate are not adequate.

Many Iranians are reluctant to marry due to economic hardships that have made forming a family an unattainable dream for many. But like everywhere else in the world there are also people who prefer the single life to married life. Some others even opt for what has come to be known as "marriage blanche"  or in simple words, living as unmarried partners -- in the clercally ruled country.

The Shiite establishment's concern about the reluctance of younger Iranians to marry and to have children is rooted in their ideology of spreading Shiism across the world. For the country considering itself the leader of the Shiite world which requires soldiers to fight for it, fewer marriages means fewer children and fewer soldiers and the weakening of Islamic Iran.

The consequences of refusing to marry proposed by the quite obscure, low-level cleric include creating laws that will force unmarried individuals of above twenty-eight to pay one-fourth of their income in tax which should be given to those who want to marry but are prevented from doing so due to poverty.

He has gone into quite a lot of detail: People with illness between the ages of seventeen and twenty-eight must receive free treatment, be prevented from marrying if the illness is terminal. However, if those who are cured of the illness and still refuse to marry should pay all the marriage costs of a couple.

In the same manner, he has proposed to deprive unmarried individuals of holding higher managerial positions, teaching in universities and other key positions. The list of incentives proposed to be given to those who do marry is quite long, too. He proposes employment privileges and all sorts of benefits.

Girls and boys as young as 13 and 15 can get married in Iran. For boys it is possible to petition a court to allow marriage before they turn fifteen.

"Setting a legal age for girls to marry is against religious regulations since only fathers have the right to decide when to give away their daughters, regardless of their age," a religious ruling said in August 2019. Shari'a laws dictate that girls marrying for the first time should acquire the consent of their father or paternal grandfather to marry, whatever their age.

Figures from Iran suggest child-marriage is rampant in the country, with girls younger than 14 forced to take husbands. The practice is most prevalent in rural areas. there is no legal limitation on the age difference of the child bride and the groom.

In 2019 a bill to stop child marriages was blocked in the Parliament by legislators who included women.
As hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets over the past couple of weeks to protest police violence and the systemic racism that continues to plague the U.S., organizers are pressuring their cities to cut law enforcement funding, overhaul its very structure and invest that money in community development programs instead. Los Angeles is the first city whose leaders are proposing police department budget cuts to that end.

In Laredo, Mayor Pete Saenz has received an inundation of calls and emails beginning Wednesday evening calling for the implementation of eight common sense use of force policies for police. These come from Campaign Zero, an advocacy group that researches policing practices nationwide and has created an online tool for people to see which of these policies are codified in their city.

Support has also grown for Red Wing United, the group that submitted to City Council a list of their own eight demands for non-violent policing; and other, separate groups have hosted Black Lives Matter protests around Laredo since Thursday.

Ideas on police reform have been brought to the forefront in Laredo, but council members are unsure of what, if anything, should be adjusted in the citys ordinances or LPDs policies.

Mayor Saenz said he welcomes these protests, criticism and the process of community input. He dismissed the thought that Laredoans should refrain from protesting right now just because the local population is so heavily Hispanic.

Theres no place for racism. It shouldnt be tolerated to any extent, Saenz said. ... I dont think here in Laredo people would stand for that. Obviously there are people that are racist or bigoted in any community, I would presume. But I really dont see that here in our city, outwardly or manifested in discreet ways.

READ MORE: Laredoans react to local protests and calls for social justice

And within the citys policing policies, there is probably room for improvement that council should consider, the mayor said.

But this flood of specific policy suggestions from Campaign Zero  a ban on chokeholds and strangleholds; requiring de-escalation; requiring warning before shooting; exhausting all alternatives before shooting; the duty to intervene; a ban on shooting at moving vehicles; establishing a use of force continuum; and requiring that all force be reported  are still something Saenz said he would need to discuss first with the city manager and police chief.

Councilman Roberto Balli noted that there is more law enforcement in Laredo than most other U.S. cities, and that the Laredo community is generally highly supportive of these various local, state and federal agencies. There should be open dialogue between law enforcement and the community, he said.

Theres always room for improvement. Any time that you see theres an act of violence or a firearm is used by an officer, that should always be examined, that should never be taken lightly. ... With us, as a council, we have to be concerned anytime anything like that happens, he said.

The city should never stop trying to improve these processes, Councilman Marte Martinez said. He said he has never seen racially-motivated incidents or excessive use of force among Laredo police but that its important to stay engaged in the conversation as these kind of incidents are broadcast from across the country.

Police respond

Laredo Police Chief Claudio Trevino said it can be difficult to apply community suggestions to policing practice because they are not always based on the way things happen out in the field.

Every time something happens in any part of the country or maybe the world, to be changing wording and injecting wording specific to that  its kind of difficult for us to adapt all the time, he said. But the dialogue is already in process. Were already talking here amongst ourselves.

When George Floyd was killed, Trevino immediately reviewed LPDs policies, he said. Minnesota, where Floyd lived, may be 1,400 miles away, but it still affects the police department here, he said.

Campaign Zero has identified that Laredo has implemented only three of their eight policy suggestions to decrease police violence, but Trevino said this is not correct.

In reviewing LPD policy, six of these eight policy suggestions are explicitly codified. The two practices that are not roundly banned are shooting at a moving vehicle and chokeholds.

In Laredo, an officer may shoot at a moving vehicle only if there are no other means available to avert the threat of the vehicle. And although chokeholds and strangleholds are not banned, they are not taught or part of training, Trevino said.

The idea that civilian crisis response teams should be responding to non-criminal mental health or trauma-related crises, rather than police officers, is something the police chief agrees with whole-heartedly.

But because resources are so limited in Laredo, that work continues to fall on LPD. They respond to these kind of incidents two to four times a week, Trevino said, and sometimes they take 24-48 hours to see through.

If a subject who is suicidal gets confronted by a police officer, the consequences, the results a lot of times are very bad. We shouldnt be placed in that situation, he said.

But there is no room to create this kind of division out of the police budget, Trevino said. Even though LPDs budget makes up a third of the citys general fund  $74 million last year  over 90% of that is just salaries, and the rest is contractual obligations, supplies and debt service, the chief noted. He believes a civilian crisis response team would have to be funded with federal dollars.

READ MORE: UISD: HS students who joked about George Floyds death dealt with

Initiatives for reform

With body cameras, mental health resources and regular policy updates through an online system called Lexipol, Trevino touts 21st century policing at the Laredo Police Department.

But for local groups such as Red Wing United, this is not enough. Among their demands are calls for more citizen oversight on police activity, a complete audit of training, more robust background checks for officers and a dismantling of the police union.

Before Red Wing United was orchestrating protests against police brutality, they were delivering food, medical supplies and other necessities to homes in Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley during the COVID-19 crisis.

So we would talk to the community, and they would talk about their distress. A lot of them said, My sons in jail for a minor drug offense, or things like that, said Red Wing United member Silvia Castanos.

These conversations were the basis for the demands Red Wing United wrote and delivered to City Hall last week. Castanos believes that Laredo needs to implement all of them in order to protect its citizens against police brutality.

The most conspicuous recent incident of police brutality in Laredo occurred six years ago, when officers killed a man who had pointed a BB gun at them, shooting him 80 times.

Andres Sanchez was among a group of Laredoans who protested these shootings at the time. Now, he believes Red Wings scope is too broad.

They have a really good opportunity to accomplish a lot. And by shifting their focus to this broad array, I think that means they wont get anything done, he said.

A revolution is required, but not in a violent sense, Sanchez said. Policing needs to be restructured, and that can only be done through City Council and current laws, he said.

Red Wings demands were read during the public comment section at the last City Council meeting.

They have a job to understand what theyre supposed to do, Castanos said. Were only giving them our demands. I dont think we should be the ones leading them on how to start, where to start. They should know. This is our community, they work for us.
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Linkedin Galih Gumelar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 15:44 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcb0652 1 Politics Pilkada-2020,pilkada,#RegionalElections,regional-elections,#pilkada,#pilkada-2020,KPU,#KPU,COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,#COVID19 Free

The General Elections Commission (KPU) is preparing health protocols to prevent COVID-19 transmission during the 2020 simultaneous regional elections, which the government has insisted on holding in December despite the health risks.

The protocols, which will be laid out in a set of new KPU regulations, will be mandatory for KPU officers, candidates and voters during all stages of the elections, from the preparations starting from June 15 to the final vote count a week after voting day.

We have coordinated with the Health Ministry and the COVID-19 national task force to prepare for health protocols, KPU commissioner I Dewa Kade Wiarsa Raka Sandi said in a virtual public discussion on Saturday.

The move follows a decision by the government and the House of Representatives on May 27 to hold the regional elections on Dec. 9 to elect 270 regional leaders, comprising nine governors, 224 regents and 37 mayors. The elections were pushed back for around three months from their initial schedule of Sept. 23 after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo issued in May a regulation in lieu of law that mandated election organizers, the House and the government to decide on a new date for the ballot.

Critics have urged policymakers to push back the elections to 2021 over fears the COVID-19 outbreak could continue late into the year  and even beyond it  and put voters and election organizers at risk of contracting the disease. They also expressed concern about low voter turnout should the outbreak in the country show no signs of abating, thus discouraging people from showing up at polling stations.

Read also: COVID-19: House, watchdog call for delay of regional elections

Dewa said, however, that health protocols and their strict implementation would be sufficient to protect voters and KPU officers from infection.

The KPU is also adjusting some election procedures, including limiting the number of election campaign participants permitted to be present in indoor facilities to 20 people. It will also prohibit candidates from hosting campaign events that could attract massive crowds, such as music concerts, sporting events, bazaars and blood drives.

The commission will still allow candidates to install and distribute campaign props, but it is also advising them to look to social media to campaign.

The number of registered voters per polling station will be reduced from 800 voters to 500 to comply with physical distancing measures. Voters will be obliged to wear face masks and disposable gloves when voting, while polling stations should provide hand sanitizer, disinfectant and body temperature scanners on site.

Any voters with body temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius will be banned from entering polling stations. Election officials will escort them to vote in specific polling stations.

Registered voters found to be positive for COVID-19, patients under surveillance (PDP) and people under surveillance (ODP) will be allowed to cast their vote after 12 p.m., an hour before voting closes, at designated polling stations at nearby hospitals.

These special polling stations will be managed by three polling station administrators (KPPS), consisting of regional KPU officers and hospital management representatives, who must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), transparent face shields and gloves.

But the long list of the new protocols requires additional budget funds, Dewa added.

The KPU previously estimated that the additional safeguards would add about Rp 536 billion (US$35.72 million) to the current regional election budget of around Rp 10 trillion, but the source of the extra budget remains unclear.

Read also: Year-end regional polls risk low turnout due to virus fears

Fadli Ramadanil of election watchdog the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) warned of possible delays in PPE procurement for the elections due to uncertainty over the financing of health protocols extra budget. He said the lack of budget would eventually affect the overall preparation stages and might put the balloting behind schedule, recommending the KPU to postpone the elections until next year.

Activist Jerry Sumampouw from the Indonesian Voters Committee (TEPI) urged the commission to seek help from the COVID-19 task force to procure PPE.

The Home Ministrys acting director general for political affairs and general administration, Bahtiar, said that the government was exploring whether the state budget allocated for the COVID-19 task force could be used for procuring PPE and other health equipment during the elections.

The government has allocated Rp 3.14 trillion for the task force to procure protective gear and pay for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country.

"The KPU should only focus on preparing for the elections as another agency has taken the responsibility of providing health equipment, Bahtiar said.
But school principal Jun Ninomiya says he is still checking the governments coronavirus data, in detail, every day, and has drawn up contingency plans in case the school needs to close again. The end of the state of emergency has seen a small but significant rise in cases, especially in Tokyo and the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka prefecture, in Japans southwestern island of Kyushu.
Tech-giant Huawei's founder told his staff to 'surge forward, killing as you go, to blaze us a trail of blood' in the battle for global supremacy.

Former-Chinese army engineer Ren Zhengfei addressed employees at Huawei's research and development centre in Hangzhou, eastern China, in 2018.

In February this year, Ren told staff that Huawei had 'entered a state of war' after the second-largest smartphone maker in the world found itself at the centre of a technology battle between China and the US.

Huawei earlier described the British government's decision to allow the controversial company to develop its 5G mobile phone network as 'just like the success of the Battle of Stalingrad, which was a turning point that reshaped the global landscape', The Sunday Times reports.

Tech-giant Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei told his staff to 'surge forward, killing as you go, to blaze us a trail of blood' in the battle for global supremacy

Former-Chinese army engineer Ren Zhengfei addressed employees at Huawei's research and development centre in Hangzhou, eastern China, in 2018 (stock image)

But US President Trump has urged allies to ditch Huawei technology as it could allow the Communist Chinese government to hack vital telecommunication systems.

Ren's military-like speech in 2018 came shortly after his daughter Meng Wanzhou (pictured), the company's chief financial officer, was arrested following accusations that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions

The company has said it is independent from the government and would not spy on unsuspecting users.

Ren's military-like speech in 2018 came shortly after his daughter Meng Wanzhou, the company's chief financial officer, was arrested following accusations that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions.

Last month, a Canadian judge ruled that the US extradition case against her can continue to the next stage, a decision expected to further harm relations between China and Canada.

As more and more countries allow Huawei to expand their superfast 5G networks, the company is set be decentralised with decision-making capabilities given to its 170 regional heads.

Ren said of the plan: 'People assigned to the Pentagon may not necessarily have a bright future, while people working in the field may get promoted faster.'

The UK's board has former BP chief executive Lord Browne as chair.

The conflict between China and the UK escalated again last night after it was revealed that Britain is to form a deeper relationship with our 'Five-Eyes' intelligence partners.

The move, unveiled by Boris Johnson, will see heavy investment in areas China dominates  such as technology and research.

The change is designed to end reliance on Beijing.

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.

A Huawei spokesperson said: 'The original Wall Street Journal article references to the Chinese phrase '' which was mistakenly translated as "surge forward, killing as you go, to blaze us a trail of blood."

'The translation is an overly literal interpretation of a common idiom that is used to mean 'fight your way out [of a difficult situation].'
Greek Experts warn of COVID-19 Flare up as Tourism Gears up to Reopen

By Anthee Carassava June 06, 2020

Greece is preparing to reopen to international tourism in the coming days, a move expected to bring in as many as 10 million travelers from several countries. The re-start is vital for the weak Greek economy that relies heavily on tourism. However, health officials fear tourism could fan a flare-up in COVID-19 and have grave repercussions for Greece, after a decade of financial recession.

Health concerns have surged after a flight from Doha this week brought in 19 cases of the coronavirus.

The number may seem small but, matched up against the near-zero infections that Greece has been showing for weeks now, infectious disease experts such as Haralambos Gogos are worried.

We are on alert, he says, monitoring the situation and holding one meeting after another to best tackle this matter without having to shut down flights and tourism before they actually kick off.

Health concerns have also arisen from a recent report by Greece's National Public Health Organization showing a startling 36% rise in imported COVID-19 cases in the last 10 days.

That's almost twice as many as the country recorded in total from the start of the pandemic here five months ago.

However alarming, officials in Athens say, Greece's tourism re-launch will proceed as planned on June 15, when the first wave of travelers is due to fly in from 29 countries.

Those countries are currently showing low rates of COVID-19 infection.

Beginning July 1, though, Athens hopes to include several more countries, opening its doors to between 6 million and 10 million foreign travelers.

Emmanouil Dermitzakis, a professor of genetics at the medical school at the University of Geneva , says that means thousands of COVID-19 cases hitting Greece.

A rough estimate, he says, shows that about 10% of those incoming travelers will be carriers, and of them, as many as 700 will show symptoms and require treatment.

For a nation counting less than 3,000 infections and 180 deaths from the pandemic, the predicted figures look daunting.

Dermitzakis says Greece's random testing capabilities have significantly increased in recent months.

The situation, he says, is manageable. But the spread of the virus during the summer will ultimately come down to how Greeks themselves comply with social distancing rules -- or not.

Since lockdown measures eased here in May, thousands of Greeks have taken to public places, defying social distancing rules in ways that have experts like Demitzakis concerned.

It's understandable that after months of lockdown, Greeks are out and about, but this does not justify and warrant the defiance we are currently seeing, he says.

Ultimately, DermitzakIs says, Greek will have to make a stark choice between altering those behaviors to suit the demands of this different summer or suffer unemployment and a financial crisis if the pandemic roils out of control, forcing Greece to shut down again.

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Ministers are being urged to curb Chinese involvement in Britain's nuclear power plants as relations with Beijing sour.

As Hinkley Point C is built in Somerset, state-owned China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) is being lined up as a partner in similar schemes planned for Sizewell in Suffolk, and Bradwell in Essex.

The projects were part of a deal struck by former prime minister David Cameron and Chinese premier Xi Jinping in 2015, with the nations hailing a 'golden era' of relations.

Toxic: Senior Tories want PM Boris Johnson to reconsider Chinese involvement as concerns grow about Beijing's ambitions and potential grip on important infrastructure

But senior Tories want Boris Johnson to reconsider as concerns grow about Beijing's ambitions and potential grip on important infrastructure.

The Prime Minister has restricted the involvement of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei in the 5G mobile network. Now China's ambassador to the UK has fired a warning shot at the Government in return.

Liu Xiaoming has privately told ministers China could cut its backing for the nuclear plants and HS2 if Huawei is sidelined in 5G plans.

HSBC has also asked the Government to reconsider its position on Huawei.

Chairman Mark Tucker told Johnson he feared fresh reprisals against HSBC in China if Huawei was blocked, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Johnson has faced pressure from US President Donald Trump and Tory backbenchers to ban the firm altogether.

Tougher scrutiny of China has grown as its relations with the UK cooled, with Beijing's communist leadership criticised over its early handling of the pandemic as well as its crackdown on Hong Kong.

Bob Seely, a member of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: 'The world has changed. There's a strong case for saying we need to be more mindful of our vulnerabilities.

'I would be wary of letting China in. That's the case with Huawei and nuclear power. It is better to be safe than sorry.'

French firm EDF submitted plans last week for Sizewell, which it will develop with CGN  the second of the three plants agreed by Cameron and Xi. Hinkley, the first, was reviewed by Theresa May's government but allowed to go ahead.

Like that plant, Sizewell C will use French designs. CGN will help to fund it and have an option to take a 20 per cent stake.

But state-owned CGN will be the senior partner at Bradwell, owning a two-thirds stake and using its own designs. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warns the plants are set to become 'the next Huawei'.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 04:53:11|Editor: huaxia

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A woman wearing a face mask is seen at a Saturday market in Al Ayat, Giza province, Egypt, on June 6, 2020. Egypt registered on Saturday 1,497 daily new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 32,612, said the health ministry. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Egypt registered on Saturday 1,497 daily new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 32,612, said the health ministry.

This is the 10th consecutive day for Egypt's COVID-19 daily infections to exceed 1,000.

Death toll from the disease rose to 1,198 after 32 fatalities were added, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

The spokesman said that 380 patients left hospitals in the past 24 hours after fully cured, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 8,538.

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.

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 deadly 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 government has already 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.

Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, through mutual provision of medical aid and sharing experiences in containing the spread of the deadly respiratory disease.

In early February, Egypt was among the first nations to provide aid to China in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

China, after having largely controlled the pandemic, returned favor by sending three batches of medical aid to Egypt.

On April 16, May 10 and May 16, Chinese doctors held video conferences with Egyptian counterparts to share their experiences in prevention and treatment of the virus.
Brazil is limiting the amount of data it publishes about Covid-19 cases and deaths as the government of President Jair Bolsonaro grows uncomfortable with the countrys status as a global hotspot for the pandemic.

The nation reported on Saturday 27,075 new cases and 904 deaths from the coronavirus during the past 24 hours, while omitting consolidated numbers. The government has stopped publishing the full set of data on Friday just as the countrys death toll surpassed that of Italy.

The portion of the health ministrys website containing information about the pandemic was unavailable for most of Saturday, which got Brazil temporarily pulled from the Johns Hopkins global dashboard. When it came back, it only showed the latest daily numbers -- historical figures including new cases and deaths by date and region, as well as mortality rates were no longer available as of Saturday evening.

From a health perspective, its a tragedy, former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said in a webcast on Saturday, likening it to an information blackout on a meningitis epidemic during the nations military regime. Not giving out the information makes the state more harmful than the disease.

The country, which has lost two health ministers -- including Mandetta -- amid the crisis, had already been limiting the amount of information available on the pandemic. Daily news conferences have become sparse, and usually go on without cabinet members when they occur. Daily figures are being released increasingly late, and now they come out only at 10 p.m. local time.

It will no longer be a story on the evening news, Bolsonaro said when asked about the delay on Friday, adding that it takes time to get the consolidated data. He also said the government should release only the number of people who died each day. Yesterday, almost two-thirds of the deaths were of those who had died in days before.

The president, who is mulling pulling Brazil out of the World Health Organization, also questioned the data, saying that dying while suffering from Covid-19 is different from dying from it.

Sometimes the person is 94 years old, has 10 co-morbidities, than they get the virus. It amplifies them, he told journalists. And then people say Brazil has record deaths. You cant compare deaths from a country that has 210 million people with one that has 10 million.

The changes were met with criticism. Lower House Speaker Rodrigo Maia called for data transparency so that states and municipalities can plan their actions to fight the virus. Sao Paulo states Public Defenders Office filed a motion requesting the health ministry goes back to releasing the data as it previosuly did, website G1 reported. Bruno Dantas, a minister at the countrys audit court, said on Twitter the court and its state branches could take on the task of releasing the data daily.

Brazils response to the pandemic has been marred by political infighting and lack of coordination. Bolsonaro, who has dismissed the disease as just a flu, has repeatedly called on Brazilians to return to work while touting the anti-malaria drug chloroquine, unproven against the coronavirus. The President has also openly sparred with governors who implemented quarantines, saying the economic toll of the crisis will be worse than the disease. The pressure to reopen the economy has made local governments ease restrictions in the past few weeks even as cases continue to grow.

In an emailed response to questions, Johns Hopkins press department said the country was removed from the univeristys dashboard because it had temporarily suspended its official Covid-19 website.

Until this data becomes available again, we are propagating the last official data point we have. As data becomes available, we will correct the historical data points.

The country was back on the global dashboard on Saturday evening. The latest data show Brazil had 35,930 deaths and 672,846 Covid infections, according to government data. It ranks third in the world in death toll, trailing the US and the UK, and is second only to the US in number of cases.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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OPEC, Russia and allies agreed on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July, prolonging a deal that has helped crude prices double in the past two months by withdrawing almost 10% of global supplies from the market.

The group, known as OPEC+, also demanded countries such as Nigeria and Iraq, which exceeded production 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) during May-June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis. Those cuts were due to taper to 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

"Demand is returning as big oil-consuming economies emerge from pandemic lockdown. But we are not out of the woods yet and challenges ahead remain," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the video conference of OPEC+ ministers.

Benchmark Brent crude climbed to a three-month high on Friday above $42 a barrel, after diving below $20 in April. Prices still remain a third lower than at the end of 2019.

"Prices can be expected to be strong from Monday, keeping their $40 plus levels," said Bjornar Tonhaugen from Rystad Energy.

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de facto leader, and Russia have to perform a balancing act of pushing up oil prices to meet their budget needs while not driving them much above $50 a barrel to avoid encouraging a resurgence of rival U.S. shale production.

It was not immediately clear whether Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait would extend beyond June their additional, voluntary cuts of 1.18 million bpd, which are not part of the deal.

BULGING INVENTORIES

The April deal was agreed under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants to avoid U.S. oil industry bankruptcies.

Trump, who previously threatened to pull U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia if Riyadh did not act, spoke to the Russian and Saudi leaders before Saturday's talks, saying he was happy with the price recovery.

While oil prices have partially recovered, they are still well below the costs of most U.S. shale producers. Shutdowns, layoffs and cost cutting continue across the United States.

"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," U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette wrote on Twitter after the extension.

As global lockdowns ease, oil demand is expected to exceed supply sometime in July but OPEC has yet to clear 1 billion barrels of excess oil inventories accumulated since March.

Rystad's Tonhaugen said Saturday's decisions would help OPEC reduce inventories at a rate of 3 million to 4 million bpd in July-August. "The quicker stocks fall, the higher prices will get," he said.

Nigeria's petroleum ministry said Abuja backed the idea of compensating for its excessive output in May and June.

Iraq, with one of the worst compliance rates in May, agreed to extra cuts although it was not clear how Baghdad would reach agreement with oil majors on curbing Iraqi output.

Iraq produced 520,000 bpd above its quota in May, while overproduction by Nigeria was 120,000 bpd, Angola's was 130,000 bpd, Kazakhstan's was 180,000 bpd and Russia's was 100,000 bpd, OPEC+ data showed.

OPEC+'s joint ministerial monitoring committee, known as the JMMC, will meet monthly until December to review the market, compliance and recommend levels of cuts. JMMC's next meeting is scheduled for June 18.

OPEC and OPEC+ will hold their next scheduled meetings on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
Kanpur, June 7 : The Shivnagar area of Barra in Kanpur has emerged as the biggest hotspot of the city after 50 persons tested corona positive since Friday. The area has been marked as a red zone.

Majority of those who have tested positive are asymptomatic.

The matter came to light after a corporator of Barra area fell ill, and was found to be corona positive after he was tested. His representative also tested positive.

The health officials began contact tracing and found that people who had come in contact were also Corona positive. 19 of those who have tested positive are women.

According to chief medical officer Dr Ashok Shukla, all those who have tested positive have been admitted even though majority of them were asymptomatic.

Vice-principal of GSVM medical college, Prof Richa Giri, said if a person does not show any symptom, it simply means that his/her immune system is good.

"But it does not mean that the person should be let free as any carelessness will prove deadly. They must come forward and cooperate with the medical teams for their treatment," she said.

Meanwhile, sources said that majority of those who had tested positive were those who had been visiting the house of a local councillor to watch Ramayana on television, which was being televised by Doordarshan till last month.

In their eagerness to watch the epic on television, the people neither wore masks nor maintained social distancing.

A senior health official said, "The area is essentially a Dalit slum and majority of the residents are involved in the trade of selling milk, vegetable, fruits etc. The women work as domestic maids. The area has now been declared a hotspot and we are stepping up testing." IG Kanpur Mohit Agarwal visited the area on Friday night after the Corona test reports came in.

The IG ordered door-to-door supply of essential items in the area and warned of action if people violated the lockdown rules and stepped out of their homes.

Ramdevi, a local resident, said that the people of the area move out of their houses for work and also for social interactions.

"I cannot recall how many people I have met in the past few days. I work as a maid in three houses and interact with the families and their guests. How can I point out the people I have met recently?" she asked.

Ramdevi and her sister-in-law Krishna are among those who have been visited the councillor's house to watch Ramayana and refuses to believe that this caused the spread of corona.

"We do not have a TV set in our home so we used to go there to watch Ramayana. How can anyone get corona by watching Ramayana?" she wanted to know.
The treatment her mother meted out to her during her childhood days was frustrating  so much that she concluded it was influenced by sheer hatred.



Gospel musician Stella Aba Seal recounting how life was back in the day said it was not rosy. Taking her turn on Restoration with Stacy, the stylish songstress mentioned that she was compelled to assist her mother sell foodstuff in the morning before heading to school.



It wasnt pleasant growing up, she said, obviously to the surprise of person who may have thought otherwise. I sold all kinds of things.



Usually, my mother will wake me up before 4am, well go for bread from the bakers. Ill go and sell early morning and rush to go to school. When I come back, my mother sells yam at the market; after selling at Mallam Atta market, she comes to Accra New Town station to sell to the workers.



"She didnt want to pay for truck pusher because if she calculates the amount shell pay to the truck pusher every day and multiply it by the week So shell tell me to come carry the yam after school and head to the station. Ill do that, go back home to do my homework, go back to the market at about 9pm to help her to pack



She sold charcoal, kerosene, groundnut You cant afford to sleep. Youll sleep? For what? She will pour water on you and wake you up. I thought she hated me. But when I became a woman of my own, I sleep at 12 midnight or 1am and wake up at 4am because I realized I was not lazy.



Having triumphed and become an independent woman, Stella has encouraged persons who are overwhelmed with challenges to remain focused, keep trusting God and work towards changing the narrative.



She asserted that the economic quagmire experience should be a basis for one to be compassionate after an elevation.



If you think life is beating you up, youre selling and you look at other people driving their cars, Im telling you that Ive been there before. People dont believe it because the scars dont show on the skin. Either you use that to have mercy and compassion on people or rather become proud If youve been in it before, Im telling you that should rather create a well of compassion in your heart for people because its just by grace.



Watch the full interview below.





Source: Ghanaweb









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A Kashmiri woman, who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly planning a terror attack in the country during anti-CAA protests, has tested positive for Covid-19 while in the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The judge directed the NIA to admit Hina Bashir Begh to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital with immediate effect.

The court sent her husband Jahanzaib Sami and another accused Abdul Basith to judicial custody in the case after the agency did not seek their further remand.

Her lawyer advocate M S Khan, meanwhile, filed an application seeking interim bail for two months for her, saying "Delhi is struggling to cope up with the rising number of coronavirus positive cases" and that there is "lack of proper treatment facilities in government hospitals".

The accused were arrested for allegedly promoting the Islamic State's ideology and instigating protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the agency had alleged.

The COVID-19 tests of accused persons were conducted on June 6 on the directions of the court, while their 10-day custodial interrogation ended on Sunday.

"The report of COVID-19 test of accused persons namely Jahanzaib Sami and Mohd Abdullah Basith is negative but report of Hina Bashir Begh is found positive," the NIA informed the court.

In the bail application, which is likely to come up for hearing in the coming days, advocate Khan said, "Delhi is struggling to cope up with the rising number of Corona positive cases that have gone up to 27,000 as of now and due to the lack of proper treatment facilities in government hospitals, which has also been highlighted in the media, the Delhi government has been compelled to issue a list of 56 private hospitals for corona treatment."

The three accused, allegedly having links with Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), were arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police in March and later sent to judicial custody on March 23.

Basith was already lodged in jail in another case being probed by the NIA when the Delhi Police arrested him in the present matter.

The case was later transferred to the NIA, which lodged a case on March 20 under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (provocation for causing riot) of IPC and sections 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The NIA later approached a special court here seeking the custodial interrogation of three accused, which was allowed for 10 days by the judge on May 20, with a direction to Tihar jail authorities to hand over their custody to NIA "after conducting their COVID-19 test and ensure that its found negative".

The NIA took their remand on May 29 after the test result had come negative. The custody ended today. The agency said the accused were actively following the ideology of ISIS and planning for terror strike in India and also recruiting cadres for ISKP.

"In one audio message Abdul Basith said to Jahanzaib to motivate and prepare some guys who may be used for lone wolf attack and kill the people through a truck or lorry by running them over on people," the Delhi Police had earlier said.

Police said that the trio was in contact with Abu Ushman al Kashmiri, who is the head of Indian affairs of ISKP.
A federal court judge has approved the $212 million settlement of three class action lawsuits over firefighting contamination caused by the Department of Defence.

In a judgment delivered late on Friday, Justice Michael Lee also directed additional money towards a family who suffered "remarkable" abuse, including being spat on by other community members, after taking a leading role in the class action.

Williamtown red zone residents celebrate the announcement of a settlement. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers

The action was launched by residents near military bases at Williamtown, near Newcastle, Oakey in Queensland and Katherine in the Northern Territory whose properties were polluted with toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals [PFAS].

Justice Lee acknowledged the disillusionment of some residents who feared the compensation offered would not be adequate.
A controversy erupted after the marksheet of a supposedly Other Backward Class (OBC) candidate, Archana Tewari, went viral on the social media for having secured the highest marks in the written test for recruitment of 69,000 assistant teachers in primary schools in the OBC category in the state. The row prompted the Uttar Pradesh Basic Shiksha Parishad to issue a clarification on Sunday.

The controversy arose as Tewari is usually reckoned as an upper caste surname but the candidate in question had filled in her application in the OBC category.

Caste details are filled by candidates while applying for recruitment and the results are declared based on it. It is during counselling that the candidate has to prove his or her eligibility to claim the benefits of reservation, said Anil Kumar, deputy secretary, Uttar Pradesh Basic Shiksha Parishad, Prayagraj.

The Allahabad high court had stayed the recruitment process of 69,000 assistant teachers on June 3, prima facie finding that certain questions and answers were ambiguous and wrong and, hence, it required fresh scrutiny by the UGC.

The stay order came on the first day of counselling during which candidates documents were to be verified.

Since then, the Uttar Pradesh government has challenged the single-bench stay order. The special appeal has been listed for June 9 before a division bench, comprising justice Pankaj Jaiswal and justice Dinesh Kumar Singh. It has been filed by the Examination Regularity Authority (ERA) on behalf of the state. In its appeal, the ERA has said the single-judge bench order was unwarranted and illegal.

For its part, the UP basic education department, Prayagraj has approached the cyber cell in Lucknow to deal with fake information about the selection being spread on social messaging sites.

An official said no comment on the womans caste can be made as it was inappropriate. Moreover, her documents indicated she belonged to the Gosai Samaj that was in the OBC category and members of Gosai community used a second name like Tewari and Mishra, an official said.

Irrespective of surname, if a candidate (in this case the woman) belongs to a reserved caste and proves it during the counselling where all the documents are verified, then he/she gets the benefit, or else her candidature is cancelled, an official said.

Kumar explained that the candidates who applied for 2019 examination filled in all the information in the form on their own. The candidates forms are verified during counselling only after the results are declared.

The documents submitted by the candidates are verified by the district selection committee at the district level. The committee cancels the application of a candidate, whose documents are not complete or are found to have discrepancies at the time of verification.

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As the coronavirus crisis wreaks havoc on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, state and local governments are struggling to meet the needs of their people. In New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic, the devastation is particularly acute and promises to grind on indefinitely. Mayor Bill de Blasio confronts unfamiliar and difficult budget decisions. He has not met the moment.

After presiding over years of prosperity, the mayor now finds himself facing a city in critical condition, with unemployment soaring and tax revenues plummeting. His budget office has projected a shortfall of $9 billion through June of next year. (The citys 2021 fiscal year starts on the first of next month.) No one imagines that this will be the final tally. The hole will grow deeper, made worse by possible funding losses from the state, which is facing its own multibillion-dollar shortfall. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already warned that more than $8 billion in aid cuts to localities will be necessary.

Like many state and local leaders, Mr. de Blasios best hope for help is the federal government. He and other New York officials are asking for Congress to provide direct aid to hard-hit budgets. The governor has said the state needs an additional $60 billion in unrestricted funding. To avoid exacerbating the economic damage, in New York and beyond, Congress needs to step up.

But progress on any such package will be slow. The Republican-led Senate is resistant to additional relief spending, and the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has voiced particular distaste for providing unrestricted aid to states and municipalities. He has said his chamber will not even consider another round of relief until late June. So it remains unclear when, or if, Washington will get around to helping New York. Assuming it does, the funding is unlikely to be sufficient to the need.
A B.C. archaeologist is mining a garbage dump beside an old Chinese restaurant, working to unearth clues about the lives of Chinese gold miners more than a century ago.

Dawn Ainsley's dig site is in the Chinatown section of Barkerville Historic Town and Park, about 700 kilometres north of Vancouver.

2,000 Chinese miners

At the height of the gold rush, about 2,000 Chinese miners lived in the area, making up about half of the local population.

Betsy Trumpener/CBC

Now, working beside historical wooden buildings, Ainsley picks through layers of trash thrown off the side porch of the Doy Ying Low restaurant as far back as 1870.

The garbage has been buried in layers of mud from the flooding that's occurred in the last 150 years.

The treasure trove of trash was discovered during modern-day excavations for water and sewer lines.

'Amazing things'

Now, several days a week, Ainsley digs into the refuse pile with a shovel, filling a simple, silver bucket labelled "archeology." Then she sifts the material and dries the artifacts at her lab.

Some days are very mundane, "with nothing but broken glass and rusted metal," she says.

"But then other days, amazing things come out of there."

Betsy Trumpener/CBC News

Her discoveries include dominoes, Chinese medicine bottles, opium tins and pipe pieces, beer bottles, and a bone that appears to be a crochet hook.

History in garbage

Ainsley has found Qing dynasty coins that are almost 400 years old.

There has also been a toothpaste cap, a can of tinned meat, and many pork bones. Ainsley thinks some of the bones came from suckling pigs, and there's evidence there was a pig roasting pit near the restaurant.

Betsy Trumpener/CBC

"There's a lot of history in garbage, absolutely," said James Douglas, who heads Barkerville's public programming and global media development.

"In fact some of the greatest things we've ever [discovered] have come out of garbage dumps," he said. "She's been finding some remarkable artifacts."

Story continues

Betsy Trumpener/CBC

Rich Chinese history during gold rush

Barkerville already has one of the largest Chinese archival collections in Canada, with approximately 18,500 items.

Ben Zhou has worked in Barkerville's living history program, dressing in costume to portray a gold rush era Chinese school teacher.

Tourists visit his Chinese school house for old-fashioned lessons in Mandarin and calligraphy.

Zhou says many visitors are surprised to learn about the gold rush's rich Chinese history.

"The men came here from Guangdong province," said Zhou.

"They were looking forward to make some money to help [their] family back home. They wanted to find gold. They worked hard."

Zhou applauds Ainsley's efforts to find out more about the lives of these Chinese men.

"It's very important," he said.
Keeping HK's business, financial center status benefits US, and all

Global Times

By Wen Sheng Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/6 22:26:52

Whatever the kind of geopolitical rivalry that the two powers, the US and China, are now engaging themselves in, the distinctive place of Hong Kong as a cultural and economic bridge between the East and West should be preserved and prolonged, which is widely believed to not only benefit the city itself but also the whole Asia-Pacific region, including the interests of the US.

It is a set policy that authorities in Beijing still keep faith in the Special Administrative Region (SAR)'s ideological plurality and economic vitality.

After introducing the high-profile national security law for the SAR aimed to reinforce China's territorial integrity and awing the secessionists there, the country's leaders have reaffirmed their wish to uphold the political structure of the "one country, two systems" in the city.

What the general public in the vast Chinese mainland abhor the most is the violent protests and ransacking riots that had convulsed Hong Kong nearly every weekend in the second half of 2019 - identical to what has been engulfing dozens of US cities in the past two weeks. The chaos, violence and destruction of public and private property shouldn't have a place in Hong Kong, or anywhere in the world, and needs to be stopped by a powerful law.

To put a lid on street violence, the Trump administration should have understood the legislation by China's NPC, the country's top lawmaker. However, Trump vowed on May 30 to "take action" to end the Asian financial hub's special trade and customs privileges, and that it would consider "taking necessary steps to sanction the Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for the bill".

By public targeting the NPC's legislation, the US government has irked the Chinese people by seriously and wantonly interfering in China's internal affairs. The measures to be detailed and enforced by Washington will hamstring Hong Kong's economy, and devastate China-US relations.

In addition, up to 90,000 American high-paid jobs and trillions of US financial investment assets in Hong Kong will be compromised.

And, US businesses alone are likely to be harmed by the Trump administration's "decoupling" Hong Kong policy. Other countries, including many European governments, will encourage their banks and companies to fill the void if the Americans pack up and go.

The opportunities in Hong Kong, buoyed by and integrated into China's "Greater Bay" economic powerhouse, are bountiful. Lately, the US government's discriminating policy against US-listed Chinese stocks is driving more high-tech Chinese companies - including Alibaba, JD.com, Netease - to migrate to Hong Kong's stock market, which will naturally back up Hong Kong's position as a financial hub. So the city's charm will not dwindle.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU has a "strong stake in the continued stability and prosperity" of Hong Kong.

The EU's statement carries weight and is noticed by Beijing. Like what the central government has said and done in the past 23 years since the city's return from a British colony to China's administration in 1997, the mainland has been bolstering the city's "stability and prosperity".

The Trump government, perhaps, is exercising some caution too.

It has been "vague" on what measures or sanctions it will take to engage the NPC's national security legislation. Maybe it's pondering an "appropriate response" that will not endanger the massive US interests in Hong Kong, at a time when its domestic economy is reeling in a morbid recession, and the Covid-19 public health crisis hasn't been contained yet.

And, Hong Kong administrators are sending a nuanced signal to the White House too. "For some countries that have had a high-profile response and claimed they will take military action (against street rioters)... They are very concerned about their own national security, but regarding our national security... they hold a different and distorted view," said Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

So, the US should not worry about the national security legislation which will only reinforce Hong Kong's stability and safeguard its business-friendly environment. Like Beijing and Washington have agreed through successful talks to keep some of their flights open while at the same time preventing the Covid-19 spread, the two sides could also resolve the diplomatic bust-up over Hong Kong.

The author is an editor with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn

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The Spanish government is seeking to convey messages of relief not just with regard to the coronavirus epidemic, but also the economy, with a view to starting a cross-party debate as soon as possible on a new budget. Speaking during a televised address on Sunday afternoon, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that his coalition government is making an unprecedented effort to supply the countrys regions with a 16 billion fund to be spent on health and education in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

The Socialist Party (PSOE) leader also stated that on June 26, a total of 225,000 people will start to receive payments from the new guaranteed minimum income scheme, a measure that had been agreed on by the party and its coalition partner Unidas Podemos when they signed their governing deal before forming a government, but which has since been fast tracked given the effect that the coronavirus crisis has had on the economy and the most vulnerable members of society.

Sanchez was in a different mode today, focusing more on emerging from the toughest part of the crisis and with more of a view on what went wrong

Sanchez explained that half of these recipients are minors, and that there have already been 21 million visits to the website that has been set up for the star policy of the coalition government, suggesting that there is a lot of interest among citizens who need the financial assistance given the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus confinement measures.

In contrast with previous televised addresses, Sanchez was in a different mode today, focusing more on emerging from the toughest part of the crisis and with more of a view on what went wrong and what can be improved in the future. In this respect, the prime minister was particularly critical of the Spanish regions that have made major cuts to healthcare funding in recent years.

While he didnt name names, the PSOE has often referred to the Madrid region  which has long been governed by the conservative Popular Party (PP)  as an example of an area that has made most cutbacks. Sanchez rejected the idea that the Spanish healthcare systems  which are devolved to the countrys 17 regions  are worse than was thought.

Its just the opposite, he said. Spanish healthcare is even better than we thought, but we have discovered that it wasnt being cared for as it deserved to be. We have seen the reaction when resources are injected, but we have also seen the wounds left behind by the cuts. No economic circumstances justify the mistreatment of our health system. That makes us weaker. Its the same for science. Society will demand a country in which science and research are strategic sectors, he said.

The prime minister also expressed his support for his interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who has been under fire for sacking a Civil Guard colonel named Diego Perez de los Cobos. Mr Marlaska has the right to choose his team, and he wants to modernize it, Sanchez stated, echoing the ministers claims that Perez de los Cobos had been fired as part of a reorganization plan, and not due to the law enforcement agencys report into the March 8 Womens Day marches, which were authorized by the central government despite the looming coronavirus crisis. 8-M, as the day has come to be known, has been constantly used by the political opposition since to attack the governments handling of the crisis, with claims that they let the demonstrations go ahead despite knowing the dangers of contagion.

Asked by journalists about his coalition partner Unidas Podemos, and whether the leftist party was creating an environment conducive to a coup detat  a reference in particular to party chief Pablo Iglesiass accusations against far-right Vox of wanting to overthrow the government  Sanchez offered an ambiguous response. This is a solid state, he said, in reference to Spain. Its institutions work, the Civil Guard has our confidence. And if there are any elements that stray from that, they are not compromising their institution, but rather themselves, he said, leaving the possibility open that there may be elements taking irregular actions, but that this was not a widespread phenomenon.

Appeal to youngsters

Prime Minister Sanchez also launched an appeal to youngsters in Spain to observe the measures aimed at preventing new outbreaks of the coronavirus. I am begging you, do it for yourselves and for everyone else, he said, after having warned that the risk is still out there, and that the virus could return.

With regard to the reopening of European borders, Sanchez said that we believe that it should be [the European Union] that leads a coordinated operation. The Spanish government has previously stated that overseas visitors will be able to come to Spain from July 1, but the details of that measure are yet to be confirmed.

The prime minister was also asked about Spains excess mortality figures, which show that 47,000 extra deaths were registered from March to the end of May, compared to the 27,135 official coronavirus death toll cited by the Health Ministry, based on fatalities where PCR tests were carried out and confirmed Covid-19. The data from the [National Statistics Institute] and the Carlos III Institute are complementary to those from the Health Ministry, not contradictory, he argued. When we overcome the pandemic we will be able to know what the fatality rate has been. We need time to fit together the information. The government cannot be accused of lacking transparency.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Senior IAS officer Vikram Dev Dutt has been appointed as the principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare department of the Delhi government, an official order said on Sunday.

Dutt, a 1993-batch IAS (AGMUT cadre) officer, will be posted as principal secretary (Health amd Family Welfare) on his joining Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), in pursuance of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India order, dated June 5, said the order issued by the Services Department of the Delhi government.

Vikas Anand, a 2002-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, will continue to be posted as Officer on Special Duty at the Health and Family department in addition to his own duties, till further orders, it said.

Anand, secretary-cum-commissioner (industries) is holding additional charges of managing director of the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastrucuture Development Corporation, chief executive officer of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority.
The result of a study using standard statistics revealed that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloriquine does not cure COVID-19 and will likely cause more deaths.

What is Hydroxychloriquine?

Hydroxychloriquine is used to treat patients who have malaria that is caused by mosquito bites. This is also used to treat auto-immune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid, and arthritis according to WebMD. However, there are stringent guidelines in using this drug to treat its patients.

Epidemiologist Does Not Recommend Anti-Malarial Drug

Martin Landray, the deputy chief investigator of the Recovery trial and professor of medicine and epidemiology at Oxford University, said that Hydroxychloriquine should not be given anymore to COVID-19 patients in any hospitals around the world because the drug does not cure.

The drug was first believed as a potential cure to treat COVID-19 patients following the claims of few doctors and that includes Didier Raoult in France. This was also the basis of Pres. Trump why he touted the drug and even admitted that he was taking Hydroxycloriquine to protect himself from infections. Recently, he said that he already stopped using it.

Meanwhile, Landray said that hyping people to use this anti-malarial drug should stop now. He asserted: "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."

How the Clinical Was Conducted?

The clinical trial of the drug was conducted since March where it was participated by 1,542 COVID-19 patients where they were randomized to receive the drug. Meanwhile, 3,132 patients were randomized as well to receive normal care.

Result of the Research

COVID-19 patients who participated in the clinical trial were observed for over 28 days. It was found out that 25.7 percent of COVID-19 patients who were treated by the drug died while 23.5 percent of those who did not take the drug died as well.

Statistically, there is no significant difference between the two groups. But the number shows that the anti-malarial drug is not effective. With the margin of error of only five percent, the clinical trial failed. This simply means that the drug does not cure.

The World Health Organization recently stopped the global trial of Hydroxychloriquine because of the result of the research conducted by The Lancet. The study revealed that COVID-19 patients taking Hydroxychloriquine are more at higher risks of dying and have developed serious heart problems.

From December to April, 14, 888 patients were treated using the anti-malarial drug but 10,700 of them died. According to the study, most of the patients have developed irregular heart rhythms that were believed as one of the causes of their death.

Following this, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency recommended immediately that the clinical trial of the drug must be stopped because it posed a high death risk.

Moreover, one of the leading infectious disease experts and global health at the University of Oxford, Peter Horby said that they already informed the World Health Organization about the result of the study. It was also found out that WHO restarted its trial again after it stopped its trial because of the result of the Lancet Paper.

Read related articles:
Yesterday, after an interesting yet very successful visit to the Big Village:

I found myself working all day and getting done a major project??? Except after getting the brunt of the project done? I found that now I have to stop and contemplate how to support the awnings open at varying degrees & how to secure them for the winter with locks and such

I knew that there was a place in the Big Village that would most likely have the poly carbonate sheeting I was looking for. I was correct and I really like the guys running and who own the place. They are inquisitive and helpful. They like most Russians love to see that American trying to communicate in a world that is foreign to him. Normal communication is always fine for me, but when dealing with car parts and home parts beyond the normal. Things get interesting

But, after all said and done. I came home with three sheets of yellow tinted poly carbonate and they cut them from a huge sheet for me. They could not grasp around the fact that I wanted three sheets 1 meter X 2 meters and not the whole sheet the size of Godzilla to take home. They kept saying, Grab GAZelle and take home!

A GAZelle is a Russian pickup truck:

You got one in your back pocket right?

Finally after breaking out the smartphones and using the Yandex translation app on each. We came to a final conclusion that I wanted three sheets of 1 meter X 2 meters in size poly carbonate with yellow tint.I did not have a way to get a huge sheet home and that green Volga was the way it was going to be taken to my home. Also that unless they grabbed a GAZelle and brought it to me and no I would not shell out money to be delivered and since I live in Communa (TRV) in the boonies of Russia, that was not going to happen

Again, we finally came to a solution; how about they cut me three pieces full length of 2.1 meters tall and 1 meter wide. See to a Russian the fact I wanted 2 meters tall instead of 2.1 meters (Which is the actual factory height of the sheet.), it upset the equation and life was bad. So I said 2.1 meters is perfect and they cut me three sheets 2.1 meters X 1.1 meters

They were happy, to get my money and I stuffed them into the Volga and went on my merry way. A situation that in my world in America that was at best a half hour time frame to do, was and became three plus hours. That my friend is the Russian way

Everything you do in Russia, you have to call in all experts ~~, call the owner of the place, call the neighbors and ask the doggy on the porch also, discuss for a year or so and then finally decide that today is a good day to cut a sheet of poly carbonate for someone that is from America

You must remember that when work is involved, such as something as important as cutting a sheet of poly carbonate roofing, that you must remember that the term work is the key factor

You must also remember that everyone wants to know, What the hell is wrong with America? You got me, but they want an answer as to why America treats the world so bad? You got me.I am just a sweet peaceful bear of a man

Life moves slow in Russia in the villages:

Therefore, I got my sheets and put them into the Volga called Sammy and went about my business. Doing what bears do, looking for my next exasperating deal to make

Granted it was fun and I have to turn down multiple attempts of, Do you want a Vodka to seal the deal? Every new person to show up to investigate the situation, because the grapevine is humming by now wants to be part of the complicated process of poly carbonate sheet cutting. And it helps to say no, that I am driving and do not need to be in trouble with the police. They understand that

Surprised they did not call the local news paper to investigate this process at large?

Now I am baffled:

See that always increasing issue factor at play!

I have to figure out how to make, buy and or create a system to allow me to prop open the awnings and not have them fall on my head and kill me a dozen times during the day, as the wind blows

It is always a challenge to accomplish what I am doing and it is always a project that should take one day, becomes weeks, months and even years at times. I start this process last summer and come hell or high water, it will be done this summer. 

This is why I love Russia and very much the reason that I have lived much longer than I would have in America. Life has forced me to slow down and smell the coffee

Svetochka would say, That is just right!

WtR
Staying back in her hometown Lucknow, Bhindi Baazaar Inc. actor Vedita Pratap Singh is back in action. The actor-model is shooting for her digital projects on mobile phone and has no plans to move back to her karmaboomi Mumbai anytime soon.

With the change being new normal, fresh opportunities are also opening on the work front. Virtual shoots are happening particularly for the digital platform. Concepts come to us and we actors shoot with available resources in our homes and send it to the makers. I have already completed one such project and submitted. And now there is another one that Ill be completing soon, shares the winner of Indias Hottest reality show.

Most of projects Vedita has in hand at present are being made for social media handles. So, work is happening though at a slow pace. But as its said something is better than nothing so I am going with the flow and taking up new challenges. Though remuneration is less due to small budget issues but it is okay for now. Besides, I am busy making personalised videos for my fans through an app. So there is no point in going back to Mumbai where cases are on a rise and the shootings dont seem to restart anytime soon.

Vedita returned to Lucknow after spending eight months on Hawaii islands in the US. I reached home in the first week of March and quarantined myself and then the lockdown was imposed. During my trip I was travelling, working backstage with a theatre group. I kept myself occupied being an animal care volunteer. Till then, there were no Covid19 cases on the island. I mean there were cases in the mainland but not in Hawaii, said the pretty actor.

Living with a house help Vedita feels life is completely based on online services. Initial days were tough during the lockdown but as online services are back to normal life has definitely become easy. I have started going out too but with proper precautions like glasses, mask and gloves. I even went to a parlour where they were following proper guidelines with mask, face shield and covered hands. I am meeting friends but following social distancing too. We now need to learn to love with this for some more time.

Her last film The Past got a OTT release recently. I also shot a thriller with actor Faisal Khan tentatively titled Ranger along with a web thriller in Baroda with Yuvraj Parashar, Diana Soares and others. But, I have no idea when all these projects will be released, she said.

An animal lover and crusader she adopted a puppy during the period and calls her a Lockdown baby.
Moradabad : , June 7 (IANS) A Dalit father-son duo were allegedly beaten to death by their neighbours over a property dispute in Hanuman Nagar locality in Moradabad on Saturday.

The deceased have been identified as Kishan Lal (52), and his son Rajesh (22).

The father's body was found inside the house, while the son's body was found about 200 metres away from the house.

According to police, 10 to 15 people barged into the victims' house and attacked the family members, killing the father and son on the spot.

Two of the accused have been arrested in this connection. The bodies were sent for post mortem and the report is awaited.

In her complaint, Kishan Lal's daughter Gudiya, said that neighbours used to fight with her family over a property dispute.

On Saturday, a mob of 10 to 15 people barged into her house and attacked her brother Rajesh, who was mentally unstable, and her father, who was unwell.

Majhola police station SHO Rakesh Kumar Singh said, "The accused had fled the spot before police reached there. The bodies have been sent for post mortem." Moradabad superintendent of police (SP) Amit Anand said, "The father-son duo died after they were repeatedly attacked with bricks. An FIR has been registered under section 304 (punishable for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Police have arrested two accused, Moti Ram and Sanjay, while a hunt has been launched for the other accused.
UPLAND  Hundreds of physicians, nurses and other medical staff across all four hospitals in the Crozer-Keystone Health System took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds Friday as a way to bring awareness to racial inequity in public health.

At Crozer-Chester Medical Center shortly after 1 p.m., staff, still clad in their scrubs, streamed out of the facility to gather on the lawn across the street from the seminary where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. studied to take a knee for the amount of time ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on George Floyds neck, killing him late last month.

In one graceful gesture  as colleagues at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, Springfield Hospital and Taylor Hospital in their respective locations did the same  the staff filled the space and took a knee as more kept coming to join and pay their respects to the movement in conjunction with others across the nation aligned with WhiteCoats4BlackLives.

Established in 2014, WhiteCoats4BlackLives is a medical organization involving physicians and medical staff and organizations to actively engage in dismantling racism and promoting the health and well-being of people of color. Its focus is stemming out the roots of racism embedded in public health from infant mortality rates to gun violence to accessibility to health care.

Crozer trauma surgeon Dr. Amber Batool is a member of the Philadelphia Physician Moms Group, where she saw that hospitals in Philadelphia were taking a knee Friday. She and DCMH obstetrician Dr. Hayley Quant urged for the system-wide observance.

I think its crucial that we all take a knee and observe 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence against racism, Quant said in her remarks to the participants who lined Lansdowne Avenue in Upper Darby.

She explained how she sees discrepancies firsthand.

Im a high risk obstetrician in our health care system and when I see a black mother for her anatomy scan or I deliver her baby, I am acutely aware that this is the beginning of her worry for the safety and livelihood of her unborn or newborn baby because of the overt and systemic racism that permeates our society, Quant said. Racism is also a public health issue. Most relevant to me is the fact that black women die in and around childbirth at a rate higher than any other race. This bothers me and it should bother you too.

Batool was thankful that Crozer-Keystone administration supported the observance.

I think its very important as we mourn the loss of George Floyd and many other lives that have been lost that all physicians and health care workers unite to combat to fight racism and to fight for equality, she said.

Gwendolyn A. Smith, Crozer-Keystones executive director of patient experience, spoke to the executive support.

I think its a needed thing to have because we all know this is real, the nurse executive with 41 years of Crozer-Keystone service said. We know that the determinants of health are determined on race and trauma so I really agree with the initiative and the physicians on this because we need to do better.

Having working on community needs assessments dating back to 1982, Smith said shes familiar with what the communitys needs are.

She noted that programs like Healthy Starts and Women, Infants and Children are a start. But its going to take more than that because still in this country, we still have babies that are not born when they should be born because of  poverty, its based on income.

With poverty a large influence on health, Smith added, Having equal rights and justice will make a difference.

Both Quant and Batool explained how Fridays moment should expand into equitable health care access for all.

I saw a video of George Floyds daughter yesterday saying her daddy changed the world, Quant said. So, this gathering should be about more than this moment. It should mark our commitment to continue or to start to actively fight against racism in our lives and in our work.

Batool said, We want to give care to everyone, it doesnt matter their race or gender.
When Dr Harry Barry went on The Late Late Show in March, and urged viewers to "stay calm and get on with living your lives", he was hailed by some as a beacon of common sense in a storm of Covid hysteria. For others, however, Harry was downplaying the crisis, and by the time he appeared on Claire Byrne Live the following month and spoke of the dramatic mental health consequences of isolation - a "tsunami" of grief was coming, he said - some viewers accused him of changing his tune, and of replacing the minimising language of the Late Late with a series of catastrophic predictions on the psychological toll that Covid will take on the nation.

Almost two months on, Harry says that with the benefit of hindsight, he might have phrased things a little differently on the Late Late.

"At that moment in time, with the information we had then, I felt what I said was right," he tells the Sunday Independent. "At that point people were panicking - you had a lot of panic-buying, for instance - and that was something I was trying to address. I do recall also saying we needed to follow the HSE guidelines rigidly. It's difficult to go back in hindsight because, at that point, how many of us realised how serious the pandemic was? With the benefit of hindsight, I completely understand that it would be normal and acceptable to be anxious about the Covid-19 pandemic, but still, panicking doesn't help us, and that was the point I was trying to make."

He still thinks that the consequences of lockdown will be felt for some time to come.

"I've never seen such a cessation of all normality as we are seeing now," he says. "I'm really worried about the mental health effects of this coming down the line. I think there's a lot of anxiety and depression coming when we've dealt with the more immediate problems of Covid. People can't bury their dead properly and some are going to see a lot of blocked grief there. Grief is hidden behind the curtain at the moment. People feel they're letting their families down. As for the consequences of all of this, I'd expect an increase in self-harm. It's hard to call if it will increase rates of suicides. I think we may see more of that down the track."

There is a thinking with Covid that if we have prevented people from dying we have done our job, Harry says, but he takes a broader view of people's mental health, which forms the subject of his new book, Emotional Healing.

"We're all talking about mental health, we're afraid to talk about mental illness but none of us are really talking about the thing that really matters, which is emotional distress. The vast majority are mentally healthy and only a small group will go through mental illness. For instance, when someone dies by suicide, that is only rarely caused by mental illness - it's much more commonly caused by simple emotional distress, which itself might be caused by a relationship break-up or the hangover of abuse, or bullying. The vast majority of young people don't have mental illness but they are, as a group, struggling hugely because of difficulties coping with emotional problems."

Harry's expertise was forged through decades as a GP, as well as a masters in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from ICHAS in Limerick. He has addressed the Dail Committee on the future of mental health care in Ireland and he says that central to this will be the planned regulation of the psychotherapy profession - at the moment, anyone can set themselves up as a psychotherapist here.

"If you're a doctor or nurse you're presumed to have a general standard," he says. "For them a masters is the necessary next level. But if you're training as a counsellor and you have no underlying qualification, in my opinion, a degree in the relevant field should be necessary first."

A natural understanding of human nature imbues Harry's writing, and this might partly have grown from a peripatetic childhood and young adulthood, during which he moved around a lot and saw all human life. He was born in Dublin and reared in Louth, but his family also moved to Wexford, then Tipperary. He studied medicine at UCD and spent time training at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Following that he worked as a medic with missionaries in Africa, which was, in some senses, a trial by fire.

"In Tanzania there was a 120-bed hospital run by just myself and one other doctor. It was very tough at times. I did the most horrific obstetrics. For instance, we had a situation where a baby was dead and half in, half out of the womb. I once spent nine hours with two mothers who came in unconscious and bleeding - operating on one, resuscitating her and the baby, and then with the second mother, the baby was already dead. All this played out over nine gruelling hours.

"I dealt with typhus, cholera and meningitis epidemics. I even looked after a boy who died of rabies. It was tough but also great training because you saw every possible medical situation and you had to handle these with the equipment that was available."

Harry and his wife Brenda took their four-month-old baby with them to Africa, and while they were there, he ended up delivering their second child by bush lamp.

"He was 31 weeks - very premature. In a hospital in the Third World the lighting would only go on at night if you were doing a C-section because there was only a certain amount of electricity; and the midwife had gone off somewhere else, so I had to do it myself. There was no place for emotion but of course, all the emotion came later. We hadn't known if it would be a boy or a girl. We had to place him in a warm cot, there were no incubators. I'd worked in Holles Street in the neonatal unit there so I was more aware of the risks of prematurity, and that experience stood to me."

There were adventures too: Harry and Brenda crossed the Serengeti in a Volkswagen Beetle and he remembers this as "an incredible time, something I will always look back on with happiness," he says.

In Africa, Harry met a woman who would have a profound effect on him, Sister Kieran Saunders, a medical missionary from Longford.

"We were inseparable while we were there," he recalls. "She was an amazingly humble and spiritual woman. You have to understand that the situations you deal with in a Third World hospital are beyond your wildest expectations. You're grabbing sleep when you can. It is like being in a war. I saw a man come in with a spear stabbed into his chest. I became distressed because no matter how often I cleared the wards, it never stopped."

Harry's voice trembles and cracks as he recalls the advice Sr Saunders gave him at this critical juncture.

"She took me aside and she said to me the real lesson for life is that you can't change the world. What you can do is you help the person who is there in front of you. That is something that always stayed with me." Harry was Sister Saunders' doctor when she died of old age. "I felt very lucky, privileged really, for that. We went off to the woods and collected bluebells, and when we came back, she was gone."

Harry returned to Ireland and spent five years "in the wilds of Donegal". Then a post came up in Drogheda and he set up a GP practice there. After the chaos of a Third World hospital, it was the more prosaic practicalities of tax that presented the greatest challenge at home.

"When we came back first we lived in two rooms. Can you imagine Revenue coming to you and saying 'we're taking all your income tax for this year and the same amount for next year'? It was like, in effect, taking two-thirds of your salary. We were trying to run the practice and raise children, and money was very tight. We had hard times. I have seen struggle."

Brenda was the practice manager. "We worked incredibly hard, we were working until 9, 10, 11 o'clock at night. When people say to me I have a nice life now, I tell them I earned every bit of it."

He says these years were "another era" in terms of dealing with mental health issues in Ireland.

"There was a time in this country when Valium and things like that were totally overprescribed. It was an accepted norm to treat anxiety with Valium and Xanax. A lot of those patients became addicts as they went on. If someone is addicted to Valium, you can't just take them off it like that as they will be prone to seizures. A decision might be made to refer them to the mental health team, or even just to leave them alone.

"What really worried me was the replacement of this use of Valium with antidepressants. The use of antidepressants is really a reflection of the fact that a lot of GPs feel that psychotherapy resources are not adequate. My book shows the techniques that we could use other than medication.

"What's happening now is people are self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, they are self-harming by cutting themselves, or they are pressurising their GPs for medication. We need education in psychotherapy to teach people new coping strategies."

Now, at 67, Harry has pulled back from his practice as a GP but still works in referring people who are going through mental health difficulties. He says he has found a sense of peace and contentment that was more elusive when he was younger.

"You spend the first 50 years of your life doing: getting through school and college, getting married, raising children, getting on in work. And then, when you get into your 50s, you start to focus a bit more on being. You start to ask what was it all about. I think that was how it went for me. We rewrite our own stories day after day, week after week; our story is not set in stone." Harry has been gratified by the response to his writings on mental health.

"A father who had lost his son to suicide came to me and told me that he had found great solace in my book. I've had people, some of whom I've never met, writing to me from around the world telling me that it has helped them. That is the greatest satisfaction for me."

Emotional Healing by Dr Harry Barry is published in trade paperback by Orion Spring on June 11 , 14.99

Dr Harry Barry on how to deal with three key emotions

Anger: It is important to deal with anger, as devastation can occur when it is left to fester. You can manage anger by separating the behaviour of the person we believe has wronged us from the person themselves, identifying triggers that set us off and identifying the irrational beliefs and behaviours that underlie the anger.

Shame: The first technique for dealing with shame is to try to develop unconditional self-acceptance, where you cease rating yourself as a human being or allowing others to rate you but instead accept responsibility for yourself and/or behaviour. The second technique is to identify and deal with the unhealthy behaviours that are consolidating this sense of shame.

Grief : Dealing with grief involves separating the emotional component from the significant changes that occur when loss occurs in our lives.

Its worth remembering that pain and joy go together in life. CS Lewis in A Grief Observed says: The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. Thats the deal.
NEW YORK (AP)  The New York Times editorial page editor resigned Sunday after the newspaper disowned an opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton that advocated using federal troops to quell unrest, and it was later revealed he hadn't read the piece prior to publication.

James Bennet resigned and his deputy, James Dao, is being reassigned at the newspaper, the Times said Sunday.

The fallout was swift after the Arkansas Republicans piece was posted online late Wednesday. It caused a revolt among Times journalists, with some saying it endangered black employees and calling in sick on Thursday in protest.

Following a review, the newspaper said Cotton's piece should not have been published, at least not without substantial revisions.

Katie Kingsbury, a Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing who joined the Times from the Boston Globe in 2017, will oversee the opinion pages through the November elections, the Times said.

Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger said in a statement that he was grateful for changes Bennet had made to the papers opinion pages, including broadening the range of voices. Bennet, who was editor of The Atlantic before taking over the Times' opinion pages in 2016, had received some heat for adding new voices, including conservative columnist Bret Stephens.

The publisher told a reporter from his own newspaper that he and Bennet both concluded that James would not be able to lead the team through the next leg of change required.

It was the second high-level journalism job lost because of mistakes made in coverage of the nationwide protests about the treatment of blacks by law enforcement. The top editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stan Wischnowski, resigned Saturday after uproar over a headline that said, Buildings Matter, Too.

Even before Bennet's resignation and the paper rescinding its support for Cotton's piece, Sulzberger had called for beefing up the opinion section's fact-checking and suggesting that it was publishing too many opinion pieces by outsiders.

Story continues

The Times reported that Cotton's piece was edited by Adam Rubenstein. But Dao, in a tweet on Saturday, revealed that he supervised the acceptance and review of Cotton's piece and that blame should be placed on the department's leadership and not Rubenstein.

Cotton on Sunday tweeted an initial copy of a Times article about Bennet's resignation, saying it was false and offensive. He said he advocated using military force as a backup, only if police are overwhelmed, to stop riots  not against protesters.

Cotton retweeted President Donald Trump, who said that the State of Arkansas is very proud of Tom. The New York Times is Fake News!

He had no other comment, a spokeswoman said.

Bennet, who had revealed in a meeting in a meeting on Friday that he had not read Cotton's piece before it was posted online, had defended it following the initial protests, saying it was important to hear from all points of view.

But the Times review criticized several aspects of Cotton's piece, starting with the headline, Send in the Troops, which the newspaper said in an editor's note Saturday was incendiary and should not have been used.

Cotton's essay referred to left-wing radicals like antifa infiltrating protest marches to exploit Floyd's death when, in fact, there has been little evidence of antifa's involvement in the demonstrations. Cotton's statement that police had borne the brunt of violence stemming from the demonstrations should have been challenged, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said that given the life-and-death importance of the topic, the senator's influential position and the gravity of the steps he advocates, the essay should have undergone the highest level of scrutiny.

Bennet, the brother of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, was declining requests for interviews, a Times spokeswoman said. Sulzberger was unavailable, she said.

Sulzberger also told the Times the Cotton incident was a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first we've experienced in recent years. The opinion section received criticism in 2019 for publishing an unsubstantiated allegation against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

____

AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
FURIOUS traders have said they may take legal action to stop the temporary pedestrianisation of city centre streets.

Plans unveiled by the local authority this week aimed at driving Limerick through the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic will see cars banned from thoroughfares including Catherine Street, Denmark Street and Nicholas Street.

But retailers are angry saying they were not consulted about the blueprint  codenamed Guiding Limerick through Covid-19  with respected Catherine Street menswear store owner Mike OConnell denouncing the strategy as a scandal.

Meanwhile, Paul Craughan of OConnells Butchers, Little Catherine Street, is set to organise a meeting of local retailers to decide on how to react to the plans.

And the Limerick Civic Trust chief executive David OBrien has also waded in, saying he hopes changes to the strategy will be done by the community, as a bottom up rather than top down approach.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader, Mr O'Connell said: I would say us traders will have to make a legal stand on this. Go to the court. We cannot let this happen. The council needs to come out and tell us the truth, explain the reasoning.

He expressed concern that if cars cannot access Catherine Street, they will not be able to park in the Limerick City Car Park, based in Anne Street. However, the Limerick Leader understands access will be maintained through other streets.

When they did the works in Catherine Street before, our shop lost 100,000 turnover at that time. That was 100,000 turnover that never came back to me, that never came back into the city. This is about attracting people from outside the country to come in, park in peace, or pull-up for a second to shop of do their local messages, he said.

Mr OConnell said while initial aims of a 300% increase in peddle bikes would ultimately still be a low amount, a 30% cut in cars would be devastating.

Mr Craughan confirmed he hopes to convene a meeting of neighbouring retailers in the week.

We feel we havent been listened to, weve not been kept in the loop at all. This all happened without any consultation from us, he said.

Mr OBrien added: It is our hope that, as well as the one-off tourist events and activations that already form part of the plan, the cultural and heritage organisations that exist throughout the city and county will receive supports to continue the work they do creating long lasting, sustainable and authentic activities engaging the citizen and visitor alike while providing a creative impact and a lasting legacy.

A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council described the plan as a working document.

We are looking for the publics views on he plans and we are calling for people to submit their views, they added.

As well as the pedestrianisation of streets, the strategy provides for a cut in the speed limit to 25 kilometres per hour, as well as the erection of street furniture outside some restaurants. Night-markets and evening street performances are planned.
HSBC warns it could face reprisals in China if UK bans Huawei equipment - the Telegraph France softens lockdown rules during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

(Reuters) - HSBC Holdings Plc <HSBA.L> Chairman Mark Tucker has warned Britain against a ban on networking equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, claiming the bank could face reprisals in China, the Telegraph reported on Saturday.

Tucker made the claim in private representations to British Prime Minster Boris Johnson's advisers, the newspaper reported, citing industry and political sources.

Britain designated Huawei a "high-risk vendor" in January, capping its 5G involvement at 35% and excluding it from the data-heavy core of the network. It is looking at the possibility of phasing Huawei out of its 5G network completely by 2023, according to officials.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler)
The Chairperson of the Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Network, a group of NGOs in health, Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai has said the over-concentration on COVID-19 at the expense of other diseases could have dire consequences on the country's health sector.

According to her, there is an anticipated increase in late-stage Non-Communicable Diseases at health facilities across the country after COVID-19.

Patients with Diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and other underlying health conditions have been identified as those who are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

Officials from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have indicated that many people who died of coronavirus in Ghana had some of these underlying health conditions.

Dr Wiafe Addai, who spoke during a presentation of hand sanitizers and face mask to the over 800 members of the to the Peace and Love Survivors Association is worried about complications that will come up after COVID-19.

People have stopped taking their medications and we anticipate a lot of complications after COVID-19. This is the reason why I am so happy to find you the media here. So, please take the message to them. We are already worried about the complications that we are going to receive after the COVID-19 is over. Already we see a lot of late-stage diseases. We see women coming with huge breast tumours, that was before COVID-19.

What are we going to see after COVID-19? We think that if we don't do a lot of education, we are going to receive people with an advanced-staged disease that we cannot even help, she said

Dr Wiafe Addai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Breast Care International (BCI) advised patients to visit the hospital should they notice any abnormality.

She added that Breast cancer is still there; Covid-19 did not come to stop breast cancer. So, please check yourselves, examine your breast every month and if you find any abnormality, go to the hospital for you to be checked. Because we need to continue treating the diseases.

She handed over the face mask and the sanitizers which were delivered by the supported by Ghandour Cosmetics to be distributed to members of the Peace and Love Breast Cancers Survivors Association.

She also urged the beneficiaries to continue to practice the safety measures including social distancing, regular hand-washing, and the wearing of the face mask.

President of the Peace and Love Breast Cancers Survivors Association, Vivian Gyasi-Sarfo who received the items said the gesture will aid vulnerable members.

She extended the Association's appreciation to Ghandour Cosmetics, Peace and Love Hospital and Breast Care International(BCI).

---
As U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and other congressional Democrats prepare legislation designed to curb police abuses, the New Jersey senator told nonviolent protesters to stay on the streets to demand action.

The bill, to be introduced Monday, is a response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on the victims neck for more than eight minutes.

Floyds death, for which four police officers face criminal charges, and other high-profile killings of unarmed blacks, such as Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, in February, has sparked more than a week of protests around the country.

Im just grateful to see this kind of nonviolent protest outpouring in the streets because they are leading, Booker said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Theyre putting the pressure. Theyre creating a possibility that our policies can reflect the spirit of this country, that we can be, in the law, a more beloved nation.

Stay on the streets in your nonviolent protest, stay demanding change, he said.

Last Monday, federal law enforcement officials broke up a peaceful demonstration near the White House so President Donald Trump could walk to a nearby church and pose for pictures holding up a Bible.

Another demonstration is scheduled for Monday in Newark by the Peoples Organization for Progress, which organized a massive peaceful protest in the city on May 30.

The groups chairman, Lawrence Hamm, is challenging Booker in the July 7 Senate Democratic primary.

The protests erupting across the country are resonating with the American people, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday

In the survey, a majority of U.S. voters, 59%, said they were more concerned about Floyds death and police actions than about any violence that broke out during some of the protests. That compared with 27% who said they were more concerned about violence.

Booker is introducing the Justice in Policing Act Monday with Kamala Harris of California, along with Rep. Karen Bass of California, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who discussed the legislation at a New York City press conference Sunday.

The legislation would creating a national registry of police misconduct and make it easier to prosecute or sue officers accused of wrongdoing, according to a bill outline obtained by NJ Advance Media.

It would ban the use of chokeholds, prevent racial and religious profiling, require that deadly force be used only as a last resort, and mandate bias training for federal law enforcement. States that dont offer the same bias training could lose federal funding.

No-knock warrants in federal drug cases would be banned, and, again, state and local agencies could lose federal funds if they do not do the same.

A new grant program would help fund programs for state attorneys general to investigate police misconduct or excessive use of force.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has said he would update the states use of force policies for the first time in almost two decades, put together a state database and license police officers.

NJ Advance Media put together a database of use of force records in 2018 and in the The Force Report found major racial disparities in how and when New Jersey police officers used force against suspects.

The legislation also would limit the transfer of military equipment to local police departments. President Barack Obama announced such a policy during his 2015 visit to Camden but President Donald Trump reversed his predecessors action two years later.

And the legislation also would incorporate the anti-lynching bill that recently was blocked in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Attorney General William Barr said on CBSs Face the Nation that he opposed efforts to reduce the immunity police officers now have.

That would result certainly in police pulling back, Barr said. The vast, overwhelming majority of police are good people. Theyre civic minded people who believe in serving the public. They do so bravely. They do so righteously.

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

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Exchange Rates UK Research team have compiled a roundup of expert FX views on the current EUR/USD outlook from 6 leading FX analysts.

Six Expert Currency Analyst Views and Opinion on Euro Near to Medium-Term Outlook

Shaun Osborne, Chief FX Strategist at Scotiabank

"EUR/USD short-term technicals are neutral/bullish - the EUR rose to its highest point since March 10 as it seemed to target the 1.14 mark above which the currency hasnt consistently traded since late-2018, stringing its longest rally in about a decade at eight days before retreating into the low 1.13s as the currency reached deep into oversold territory upon quickly leaving behind the psychological barrier of 1.13which should be strong support on downside movement. Price signals are not suggestive yet of an impending leg down for the common currency to correct its recent rally, yet the speed of its gains is unlikely to continue to the point of testing its yearto-date high of 1.1495. Resistance is 1.1384 with support at 1.13 followed by ~1.1250."

Robin Wilkin, Lloyds Bank

"Once again, pullbacks have been shallow and brief as prices continue to push towards the 1.1495 March reaction highs  1.1595 above there. We do note, some potential resistance in the 1.1395-1.1415 region ahead of there. Support in the near-term lies at 1.1315-1.1290, although the more important levels arent until 1.1225-1.1150. A decline through these latter levels suggesting a more significant turnaround is on the cards."

Chris Turner, ING

"Just over a month ago we were concerned that Europe would derail a global recovery story, as it belatedly did in 2010/12. Now, however, the mood has changed dramatically with aggressive fiscal and monetary support and even some progress on financial burden sharing  a story which should grow into the June 18/19 EU summit. The European Central Bank's extension to its Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme into 2021 certainly suggests fiscal risk premia can be contained for 2020 at least. EUR/USD has come a long way in a short space of time, but it looks as though the reflation trade and the emerging dollar bear trend can sustain the rally. We are also closely watching the options market for signs of active buying of upside structures, which would add another layer of confidence to our view for 1.15/16 and possibly higher if those hoarding dollars are forced to unload."

Kathy Lien, BK Asset Management

"In general the rallies in currencies are overstretched. EUR/USD finally pulled back after 8 straight days of gains but the AUD/USD is up for seven days in a row and NZD/USD is up for five. The risk rally is strong but with no major economic reports scheduled for release outside of the US next week, it could be time for the US dollar to shine."

Marc-Andre Fongern, Fongern Global Forex

"[EUR] The ECB remains the knight in shining armour, which is currently bolstering European assets. However, the EUR still faces challenges, i.e. to what extent are EU leaders willing to compromise (Recovery Fund)? Things may be more complicated than the market currently expects."

[EUR] The ECB remains the knight in shining armour, which is currently bolstering European assets. However, the EUR still faces challenges, i.e. to what extent are EU leaders willing to compromise (Recovery Fund)? Things may be more complicated than the market currently expects.  Marc-Andre Fongern (@Fongern_FX) June 5, 2020

Richard Perry, Hantec Markets

"The rally on the euro has been incredible. It was clear from the price action yesterday that we were not the only ones in being a little nervous of how much further the move could go in the near run. Trading around -50 pips lower ahead of the ECB, the feeling was that the move had could be coming to a halt. However, with a larger than expected expansion of the ECBs PEPP programme EUR got another boost from the jet-pack once more. The run formed another huge bull candle, for 8 consecutive positive closes in a row and is continuing higher today. Momentum is also extremely strong with RSI into the high 70s (the massive volatility of March saw the RSI top out at 80), MACD lines accelerating higher and Stochastics strong. Given the nature of this move, it now enters very difficult territory. Clearly the euro has gone a long way in a very short space of time. With the market now pricing in the ECB move, the run could now begin to be subject to profit-taking. SO we must look to the hourly chart for signals. There is no evidence of negative divergence yet though. Watch for hourly RSI dropping back below 40 and MACD lines below neutral for an indication. Initial support at $1.1310 may also be a gauge today. For now we run with this euro move, but it is with increasing caution and believe that tightening profit triggers may be wise."
Belarus's 'Slipper Revolution' Seeks To Stamp Out Lukashenka. Is He At Risk?

By Tony Wesolowsky June 06, 2020

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 hasn't shut its borders and hasn't 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 Belarus's population of about 9 million. But analysts and others fear the real figures, especially deaths, could be much higher. Some have likened Lukashenka's response to the Soviet government's 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 don't 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/RL's 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 he'll 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/RL's 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/RL's 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, let's remember, 26 years, and he feels he hasn't carried out reforms in the country  [he's] asking for five more years, and 'maybe I'll 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 Lukashenka's government. However, some of those penalties have been lifted in recent years as Belarus freed political prisoners as part of Lukashenka's efforts to reach out to the West during tense times with Russia, Belarus's 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 doesn't 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.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-s-slipper-revolution -seeks-to-stamp-out-lukashenka-is- he-at-risk-/30656256.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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Over the past few weeks, the Albuquerque NAACP has participated in national conversations regarding the events happening here and across America. We are deeply concerned and disturbed about the indefensible murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Sean Reed and so many other black lives.

The recent protests, demonstrations, vigils and marches are necessary and justified and have given voice to communities who have felt the frustration of oppression and discrimination far too long.

It is our belief those who cause destruction and demonstrate inciteful and provocative behaviors during these demonstrations will distract from the message  the need to dismantle the systems that perpetuate racism, a need for police reform, equal justice for all, prosecution of police officers who kill black people and the need to respect differences. We must unite around the outrage we feel and fight, in a peaceful manner, for the justice we demand.

The NAACP is inspired by the recent turnout of youth and young adults at marches and protests in Albuquerque and across the nation. Youth engagement is necessary for effective and positive societal change. It is their time in history to be leaders and keepers of the village. When planning a march/protest, we would encourage consideration of:

1. Understand why you are marching/protesting and create a strategic plan.

2. Create a strategy to maintain control and order.

3. Emphasize peace and order to minimize violent and unlawful conduct.

4. Designate leaders who have authority to halt the march/protest, when necessary, to regain control.

5. Quickly identify agitators and remind them of the purpose of the march/protest. Internal regulation is sometimes best.

6. Wear masks to protect yourself and others around you during this health pandemic.

7. Have a plan of action of what to do next after a march/protest.

The Albuquerque NAACP is on duty every day. We will continue to lead and support those who seek peaceful and positive change. Too many black people and people of color have been lost to police brutality. We acknowledge that there are many law enforcement officers who are dedicated public servants. We must give them proper respect. Those who cross the line and engage in constitutionally impermissible conduct and break the law must be held accountable. Also, we must work in concert and challenge public officials who do not embrace diversity, police reform and equal justice under the law.

Remember: One way to bring about effective change is to register to vote and support those who represent your concerns and priorities.
The one word I have to use with respect to what he's been doing for the last several years is the word I would never have used before, never would have used with any of the four presidents I worked for, he lies, Powell added. He lies about things. And he gets away with it because people will not hold him accountable.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:41:43|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of COVID-19 has risen to 2,002 with 98,943 confirmed cases in Pakistan, according to data updated by the country's health ministry Sunday morning.

A total of 4,960 new cases and 67 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

Overall, 63,476 patients are under treatment in different hospitals while 33,465 people have recovered completely, which is 33.8 percent of the total confirmed cases.

The country's eastern Punjab province is the most affected region with 37,090 cases followed by southern Sindh province with 36,364 cases.

The northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reported 13,001 cases, with 561 deaths. At least 6,221 cases have been reported in southwest Balochistan province, 4,979 in the capital city Islamabad, and 927 in north Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Punjab recorded 683 deaths so far followed by Sindh where 634 infected people have lost their lives, the statistics said, adding that Pakistan has conducted 23,100 tests during the last 24 hours officially.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan urged on Saturday the people to follow the standard operating procedures formed by the government against COVID-19. Enditem
A top editor in the United States resigned over a headline in connection with the George Floyd protests which have singed the country for more than 10 days.

Stan Wischnowski, the Philadelphia Inquirers senior vice president and executive editor said on Saturday that he was stepping down. His resignation came after an uproar over the Buildings Matter, Too headline lamenting damage to businesses amid turbulent protests denouncing police brutality against people of colour.

The Inquirer had apologised for a horribly wrong decision to use the headline on a column Tuesday about looting and vandalism on the margins of protests.

In its apology piece, The Inquirer that the headline offensively riffed on the Black Lives Matter movement. It called the error unacceptable.

The note, however, said that the comparison between the loss of buildings and the lives of black Americans was not intended, and that the intent was ultimately irrelevant.

It further described the headline-writing process followed at the news organisation, and vowed to change it after the error.

The backlash came as The New York Times was widely criticised for publishing an opinion piece by US Senator Tom Cotton advocating the use of federal troops to quell the protests.

About 30 members of the Inquirers 210-member editorial staff called in sick earlier this week, and black staff members angrily condemned the headline.

The piece was written by architecture critic Inga Saffron, who worried that buildings damaged in violence over the past week could leave a gaping hole in the heart of Philadelphia.

The Inquirer drew fresh scorn after it replaced that headline online with one that read, Black Lives Matter. Do Buildings? Eventually, the newspaper settled on Damaging buildings disproportionately hurt the people protesters are trying to uplift.

Publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes said in a memo to staff that the headline was offensive and inappropriate and said the newspaper needed a more diverse workforce.

(With inputs from agencies)
When Gina Lee-Satomi was thinking about driving to Southern California last month to help care for her elderly parents and 100-year-old grandmother, she worried that she or her son might transmit the coronavirus to her relatives.

But Lee-Satomi, who lives in San Francisco and had been carefully following stay-at-home orders, had struggled with a lingering, on-and-off cough since February. She wanted to make sure it wasnt the coronavirus before she reunited with her family. Both she and her 10-year-old son got a coronavirus diagnostic test, and tested negative, before proceeding to her parents home, where they plan to stay for a couple of weeks.

I was like, It would put my mind at ease, said Lee-Satomi, 47. It made me feel like I wasnt going to accidentally kill my family.

As the coronavirus pandemic stretches into its fourth month, keeping many families apart for longer than ever before, many people are getting tested, or considering getting tested, before seeing family and friends  especially if they have relatives and friends who are at higher risk of becoming gravely ill because of age or chronic health conditions like diabetes or autoimmune disorders.

Public health officials have not issued any guidance on whether people who do not have symptoms should get tested for this purpose. Officials generally advise testing for people who have COVID-19 symptoms and for people who do not have symptoms but who regularly come into contact with sick patients, members of the public, or high-risk individuals  such as health care workers, essential workers and staff at nursing homes.

But now that access to tests has vastly improved, compared with the early days of the pandemic, infectious disease experts say it is reasonable for people to consider getting tested before coming into contact with a family member, especially if the family member is high-risk. But getting tested is not a foolproof way of ensuring you will not transmit the virus.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

If youre going to see an older relative, I cant say you must do it, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine. Id say its something you consider doing. Theres one main caveat. If you test yourself now and youre negative, you dont know youre going to be negative when you see them. ... Itd be nice if we could say, Just get a test and youll be fine, but we dont know that.

If someone gets tested and contracts the virus before coming into contact with their friend or family member, they may still spread the virus. To reduce the likelihood of that happening, experts advise getting tested as close as possible to the day you plan to come into contact with someone. And consider avoiding situations where you might be exposed during the window in between getting tested and seeing them. After Lee-Satomi got tested, for instance, she canceled a planned cherry-picking excursion with her son because it was scheduled the day before they drove to see her parents.

If you do come into contact with family members before youre able to take a test, or before you receive the results, wear a mask in the meantime, said Dr. George Rutherford, head of the division of infectious disease and epidemiology at UCSF. Rutherfords daughter, who lives in Virginia, did just that when she came home to the Bay Area for a month in May to stay with her parents.

It wasnt practical to get a test there, so she got on a plane, came home, the next day we got her tested, he said. She wore a mask, the next day got the result, took the mask off, thats where we are. ... I think getting tested just before you come, or when you first get there, makes perfect sense to me. Until you know you have a negative test, keep a mask on.

There is another complication: It is possible to test negative and still be infected with the coronavirus. This can happen if someone gets tested too early in the virus life cycle, when the concentration of viral particles is too low to be detected in a test. It takes about three days from the time of exposure to when virus particles are at high enough levels to generate a positive result.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Most false-negative results happen because people got tested too early, before there were enough virus particles to be detected, not because there was a problem with test performance, Rutherford said.

Whether members of the general public who do not have symptoms should be tested for the purpose of reuniting with friends and family raises ethical questions. Lee-Satomi did consider whether she would be using a resource needed by health care workers who should get tested regularly. She would not have requested a test had she been planning to stay home for the foreseeable future, she said, but felt it was worth doing because she was going to see her aging parents.

Rutherford said there are enough testing resources now for health care workers, and if someone is taking a test to prevent spreading the virus to a frail, high-risk person, they are not misusing it because it is for disease prevention.

People are also weighing other factors when seeking testing. Erik Utter just moved from San Francisco to his parents home in Calaveras County, and got tested within a few days after he arrived. Utter, 29, did not have any symptoms but sought testing more as a peace of mind thing. He tested negative.

He knows San Francisco has been much harder hit by the virus than Calaveras County  the city has about 2,600 cases, compared with Calaveras Countys 13  and wanted to make sure he didnt spread it to his parents and their friends in the community.

God forbid I move up here and theres an outbreak two days later, he said.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

There is no cut-and-dried strategy when it comes to getting tested before reuniting with friends and family, Rutherford said.

Someone who has been strictly following stay-at-home orders for months may not need a test as much as someone who has been out in crowds recently without a mask  such as last weeks Black Lives Matter protests. Someone who is planning to see a family member for 30 minutes in their driveway may not need a test as much as someone who is planning to move in to care for an ill, immunosuppressed relative.

These are all judgment calls, Rutherford said. If I were at a protest the last three days and not wearing a mask, can I get a test and go see grandma? Id say, that might make me worry, he said. I might want you to wait 14 days and get tested at the end of 14 days. If Ive been sheltering in place and watching TV and sitting in my backyard for two months and Id like to see grandma, Id say, OK, go get tested and see her.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Cat_Ho
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Interparliamentary Relations, will meet on June 8, 2020.

The (CKAIR) Committee meeting which was adjourned on June 5, 2020, will be reconvened on Monday at 9.00 hrs. The meeting will be held in a virtual setting.

The agenda point is:

Preparation virtual IPKO on June 10 and 11, 2020

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.

The parliamentary session will be held virtually and will be carried out live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1 www.pearlfmradio.sx, via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and Parliaments Facebook
When the Morrison government in April urged foreigners to go home if they could not support themselves through the pandemic, Chilean citizen Alfredo Dattwyler heeded the call.

He cut short his English studies in Perth, and flew his young family to Sydney on what was supposed to be the first leg of a long journey home to Santiago. Hes been in Sydney ever since, without an income.

Stranded Chilean Alfredo Dattwyler with his wife Nivia and son Alfredo

Like more than 200 compatriots, Mr Dattwyler was stranded when major South American airline LATAM began cancelling flights in response to COVID-19 travel restrictions and closure of borders.

He is now a spokesman for a group of increasingly desperate Chileans imploring their government to work with LATAM to fly them home, and calling on the Australian government to press Chile to help.
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria on Friday almost doubled the amount of debt it plans to issue this year to a record level as coronavirus-related emergency aid has helped drive up its borrowing needs by well over 20 billion euros.

Days after introducing a lockdown in mid-March, the government announced an economic aid package of up to 38 billion euros, about a 10th of last year's economic output, for items such as loans, loan guarantees and grants to companies and a layoff prevention scheme.

On Friday, the Austrian Federal Financing Agency (OBFA), which issues government bonds and other debt instruments, updated its funding outlook for 2020 to say it now expects a total debt issuance of roughly 60 billion euros, almost double the 31-34 billion it originally announced in December.

"That is of course a snapshot with the numbers we currently have. We cannot rule out that it will be even more or that it will be less ... The figure is the best estimate one can give," OBFA co-chief Markus Stix told Reuters.

"We have an expansion of the programme of 85%. If you compare that to other countries, Germany for example expanded its programme by 150%, Holland by more than 200%, so the expansion we are announcing now is a relatively moderate one."

OBFA said the amount of government bonds was expected to be at least 35 billion euros, up from 18-21 billion originally.

As of Thursday, more than 40% of its funding programme for this year had been completed, 23.8 billion euros of which was in the form of bonds, OBFA's presentation showed.

The government has passed only a stopgap budget, declining to say how big its deficit will be, arguing it is too soon to tell. Austria's central bank on Friday predicted a budget deficit of 8.9% of gross domestic product this year.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Michelle Martin)
Dzenan Camovic, 20, is accused of stabbing one NYPD officer and shooting two others during an attack in Brooklyn on Wednesday night

A man suspected of stabbing one NYPD officer and shooting two others reportedly yelled out 'Allahu Akbar' during the violent attack.

Dzenan Camovic, 20, allegedly walked up to the group of cops in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn Wednesday night and lunged a knife into one of the officer's necks.

According to officials, he then took control of that policeman's gun and shot the other two deputies in the hands.

Camovic is accused of screaming 'Allahu Akbar' three times.

The assailant was himself shot and injured by another police officer who quickly responded to the scene.

Camovic, whose family hails from Bosnia, is currently in a critical condition in hospital. Police have yet to interview him as he is intubated.

The New York Post reports that he is expected to be charged with three counts of attempted murder. The FBI is also said to be reviewing the case to see if federal charges should be filed.

Camovic's family members told the Post that he is a practicing Muslim, but is 'absolutely not a terrorist'.

Officers have not linked him to any specific terrorist organization.

However, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of counter terrorism, John Miller, said the attack had 'all the hallmarks that would be out of the terrorist playbook'.

The NYPD released surveillance footage showing the Camovic walking around a corner before ambushing the three cops

An image of the kitchen knife used in the attack. One of the officers was stabbed in the neck and rushed to hospital in a stable condition

The NYPD - which has released both surveillance and bodycam footage from the attack - say the episode was both unprovoked and pre-planned.

'This was not a chance encounterit was a planned assassination attempt on an NYPD police officer,' the department wrote on Twitter.

'It's only by sheer luck that this didn't have a drastically different outcome.'

All three injured officers were hospitalized in a stable condition.

According to investigators, Camovic recently started a Twitter account. He had 'liked' two dozen anti-police tweets linked to recent lootings in New York City.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Police announced they expected a peaceful protest march would be held at 1 p.m. Sunday in the city.

The march will begin at High Rock Park, and make its way to Lake Avenue, Broadway and end in Congress Park. Various speakers will then be featured in the park.
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.
Support for Boris Johnson's government is falling with just under half of the population disapproving of its handling of the coronavirus crisis according to new polls.

The Conservative lead over Labour appears to have narrowed this week as a survey of 2,000 adults on Thursday and Friday by Opinium Research placed the Tories' vote share at 43 per cent - the lowest since the 2019 general election.

Meanwhile, Labour under Sir Keir Starmer has edged up to 40 per cent, its highest rating since January, according to the poll.

Though Mr Johnson does not need to seek re-election until 2024, the apparent growth of support for Labour is likely to rattle an under-fire No10.

Support for Boris Johnson's government is falling, according to new polling, with just under half of the population disapproving of its handling of the coronavirus crisis

According to polling by Survation, public support for the Conservatives has fallen by four points while public support for Labour has risen by five points

Around 47 per cent of those surveyed disapproved of the government's handling of the pandemic, with 44 per cent unsatisfied at Mr Johnson's performance as PM.

Seven in 10 people (71 per cent) thought Mr Johnson's chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, should be sacked following his alleged lockdown breach.

And two thirds of people - 66 per cent - believe that Mr Cummings' actions make it more likely that the public will break the rules.

Meanwhile, a separate poll conducted by Survation on Wednesday indicated that support for the Tories fell from 45 per cent to 41 per cent.

Support for Labour rose by five points to 39 per cent, according to Survation.

Meanwhile, Labour under Sir Keir Starmer has edged up to 40 per cent, its highest rating since January, according to a survey of 2,000 adults on Thursday and Friday by Opinium Research

Commenting on the survey, Adam Drummond, head of political polling at Opinium, said: 'The public are starting to lose confidence in the Government's ability to handle the crisis - approval of how they are handling things has dropped from 65 per cent at the beginning of lockdown to just 34 per cent today.

'Public appetite for lifting the lockdown measures remains minimal, with Conservative voters more likely to say that things are being released too quickly.

'Meanwhile Keir Starmer's "constructive opposition" positioning is continuing to pay off, with the Labour leader drawing almost level with Boris Johnson on the 'best prime minister' question as well as overtaking the PM on a series of leadership attributes such as competence and trustworthiness.'

A survey on Thursday by the market research company Kantar indicated that British people had lost a greater degree of confidence in their government than citizens of any other country in the G7 group of large, advanced economies.

Britain has recorded around 50,000 official coronavirus-associated deaths so far, the highest number of fatalities during the pandemic in Europe.

According to Survation, 40 per cent of adults polled regarded the government's performance during the crisis unfavourably, with 39 per cent approving of its crisis-management

There is increasing scepticism over the wisdom of locking-down the country in response to the spread of Covid-19 on March 23, as the suspension of regular business trading since then has caused an unprecedented economic crisis.

Britain is on track for a 'significant recession', Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor has said. His warnings chime with an earlier forecast by the Bank of England that the UK economy could contract by up to 30 per cent in the second quarter.

Economists have also estimated that lockdown is costing Britain 2.4billion per day.

High death rates and severe economic pain could combine to further erode public trust in the government, if lockdown proves to have been for nothing.
An eminent scientist on Sunday suggested a shift system in schools to prevent spread of the coronavirus and continuing with online classes with focus on project-based learning in a big way to promote creativity.

Former Director-General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) V K Saraswat supported the idea of online teaching in the absence of regular classes in view of closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, he said it should be organised in far better and more interactive ways so that delivery of knowledge can be better. The NITI Aayog member stressed the need for schools to have a strategy when they reopen keeping in mind the safety of students.

May be they will have to organise shifts so that within the same space they can handle the students; May be they will have to employ more teachers, and they can run two shifts. "May be half the strength in a class can come in the morning and others in the afternoon.

Or students of first to sixth standard can come in the morning and seventh to tenth can come in the afternoon, Saraswat told PTI. Reopening strategy will have to be worked out by the education department, added the former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister.

Along with normal classes, online education should be continued as a regular system in future, and promoted in a big way because that is the way technology is going to help delivery of knowledge, he added.

Saraswat also raised the pitch for reforms in the education sector, saying India is facing the problem of rote learning. Rote learning has to give way for more project-based teaching, he underlined. Children should be made to work on projects at home and that can be done online. That will also support the changeover from rote learning to creative learning.

I personally believe the education delivery system -- primary, secondary and college levels -- has to be completely changed because creativity in India is less and creativity would come only if we replace rote learning with project-based learning, Saraswat said.

On some academics holding the view that the marks-based model is killing the education system in India as it does not promote creativity, he said evaluation of any outcome is important. Even when we perform in our normal way, evaluation cannot be replaced. Otherwise, you cant find out how much you have succeeded in delivery. Certainly evaluation cannot be dispensed with.

He did not agree with some experts, who favoured a single, uniform system for school education in India by dispensing with CBSE, ICSE and state boards. I am not for normalising everything in life. I personally believe variety should be there.

This concept of one kind of a system is okay for a Communist society, society which was trying to drive everybody like a herd, he said. Creativity comes with variety, and there is nothing wrong in having different kinds of education system, but one thing which is important is we have to integrate vocational training as part of the education curriculum," Saraswat said.

Vocational part cannot be kept away from the education system, he added.
New Delhi, June 7 : A ten-month-old girl allegedly lost her life in an accident in West Delhi's Tilak Nagar area, the police said on Sunday.

"The incident took place when the baby was in the compound of the parking area at the ground floor of her residence and the driver of Mercedes Benz was reversing the car," a police official said.

The deceased was identified as Radhika, whose father Rakesh used to work as the security guard in the said residence.

The unfortunate incident occurred at around 3.30 p.m. in the afternoon following which the baby was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital where she was declared brought dead.

The owner of the said Mercedes Benz SUV is identified as Jassbir Singh who is into elevator business. At the time of the incident, his driver Akhilesh was driving the said vehicle.

"The offending vehicle has also been taken into possession and the FSL team is being summoned for inspection. Investigation in this matter is underway," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West Delhi.
Rajesh Asnani By

RAJASTHAN: Bhavna Jagwani, 55, was in the third trimester of pregnancy in 1992 when she lost her eyesight due to a drug reaction.

The world of then 27-year-old jewellery designer had come crashing down as doctors declared she may never see her child.

She regained vision almost as suddenly as it was lost about 25 days later. But it was these days of darkness, she says, that gave her a new purpose in life.

Jagwani, who went on to set up Jaipurs first eye bank 10 years later, When doctors had told me that I would not be able to see again, I was in a shock. I would just sit on the floor and meditate. People would tear upon seeing me. It was a very traumatic experience. But there is a purpose in everything, she says.

In 2002, Jagwani established the Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan (EBSR). Set up with a primary objective of cornea collection, the ESBR team has been able to ensure nearly 14,000 eye donations in Rajasthan in the last 18 years.

Buoyant by the campaign, Jagwani started a cadaver organ donation and transplant programme in Rajasthan in 2014 and set up an NGO, MOHAN Foundation  Jaipur Citizens Forum (MFJCF).

Soon after my son was born, I had begun to look for an eye donation centre to donate my eyes. I knew the value of eyesight more than anybody else in my family or among my friends, Jagwani says. It was then that she found there was no eye bank in Jaipur.

Around the same time, an All India Eye Bank Association team was visiting the city for a survey. Some doctors told them about me as I had expressed interest to set up an eye bank. The team approached me and asked me if I was interested in becoming a member of the associations Jaipur unit, an offer couldnt refuse, she says.

While the initial days were difficult, a workshop, organised to create awareness and attended by several prominent people and doctors of Jaipur, had finally set the wheels into motion. In February 2002, the EBSR was founded and with a 10-member team, Jagwani initiated a Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HCRP) -- a mortuary-based programme where the family permits to donate the eyes of the deceased. In May, Jagwani managed to convince a young man, who had lost his mother in a road accident, to donate his mothers eyes  which was also the first case of eye donation in Rajasthan.

In January this year, 18-year-old Siddharth, suffering from congenital vision impairment, underwent an eye transplant at the centre. I had lost all hope thinking about the plight of my childs future. But EBSR saved his life, said Kusum, mother of the Class XI student. But Jagwani did not stop with mere eye donations. Between 2006 and 2014, every time I visited a mortuary, I used to think that while the eyes would be donated, the other organs would be burnt away and go waste. After her father died of renal failure, she finally took the first step towards organ donation. For the past six years, she has been working with the MOHAN Foundation in Rajasthan (Multi-Organ Harvesting Aid Network), which has several leading doctors of India as trustees. So far, there have been 39 organ donors and 120 recipients. Coordinator of Mohan Foundation, Lalita Raghuram says, With the changing lifestyle and diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, our country needs 5 lakh organs each year.

First organ donor

The first cadaver organ donation in the state was that of a six-year-old boy, Mohit. Jagwani convinced his parents, Alwar residents, to donate the child's kidneys, liver and eyes. The EBSR later organised a special funeral for the child which was attended by the security staff and all prominent people of the area
There is no need to point out that this crisis could have been avoided, or at least its impact on public health and the economy reduced if only the technical know-how of scientists, doctors, public health experts, epidemiologists, social scientists, plus data from mathematical prediction models, had been applied in time. In countries where this happened, there is a clear correlation between prompt decision-making based on expert knowledge and the positive outcomes for both the population and the economy.

The lack of scientific-medical knowledge is particularly apparent based on the large amount of information in the public domain that is devoid of a basic level of precision and truth. The widespread use of social networks has frequently led to lowering the bar on the quality of information and data that the population receives. And it is hard for citizens  and their public representatives  to make the right decisions when the information available is neither precise, rigorous or even true.

Although we have dedicated our lives to the optimistic advance of science and technology, we are concerned about the future. We believe there will be challenges ahead to match the coronavirus  not only in the realm of global pandemics or drug-resistant infectious diseases, but also regarding issues such as climate change and the incorporation of artificial intelligence, neurotechnology and biotechnology into society.

The urgent need for science goes beyond this crisis. Were talking about science in a broad sense, encompassing medicine and engineering. After all, medicine is the science of the human body and engineering applies scientific discoveries to the world we live in. So now is the time to bring science and scientific thinking into the corridors of power, just as legal and economic thinking was brought in over the past decades to lay the intellectual foundation of our modern political economy. As a measure of how far we have yet to go, consider the fact that more than half of the 535 members of the US Congress are lawyers while 17 are doctors and only three are scientists.

A 2017 march in support of science in Madrid. Marcos del Mazo (LightRocket via Getty Images)

Rather than recruiting scientists as political leaders, we must inject scientific thinking into both new and existing institutions. Fundamental conceptual errors in economic thinking caused indescribable suffering to billions last century. Whether it is fighting pandemics or global climate change, scientific thinking  and the speed with which power and scientific resources for science are mobilized  will determine the wellbeing and prosperity of billions of people around the world.

But how do we incorporate scientists and scientific thinking into societys governance and decision-making? We believe that now is the time to institutionalize the role of science in the organs of the state. Our proposal suggests several potential courses of action. First, there is the need to strengthen the role of science in countries governments. As has become obvious during this crisis, the economy depends on us first tackling the most fundamental of societys problems, such as health and climate change.

Just as it is standard practice to have a deputy prime minister for the economy within a government, we think there should also be a deputy prime minister for science who carries the same weight. The person in in this role would have a professional scientific and medical background and could coordinate aspects of health, technology, development and education.

In addition to a deputy prime minister for science, which as far as we know does not exist anywhere in the world, we think that scientific advisory councils should be more rigorously and formally institutionalized as fundamental entities within any government. These advisory councils could be either national or international. An example would be the creation of International Scientific Reserves, a scientific advisory council that operates on a global level.

Besides the actual government, political parties operating in parliamentary democracies should also be seeking to strengthen the role of science in their internal discourse and decision-making. The opposition should have the equivalent of a scientific spokesmen and a scientific advisory council. By incorporating these professionals into their ranks, governments and political parties could concentrate on issues of genuine importance, reducing the shortsightedness that unfortunately dominates the political discourse in so many countries.

Besides including scientific roles within governments, we believe it is essential to strengthen the role of science within legislative bodies. All parliaments should have an official scientific advisory body, just as every parliament has a legal counsel. There are many issues  and there will be many more  that are technically difficult to understand if you do not have a basic scientific background. Parliamentarians should have first-hand information on all issues with a significant social impact as they represent the public and have an obligation to represent them in an informed manner.

It would be equally appropriate to incorporate technical knowledge into the judiciary. Judges who interpret laws to decide on real-life cases need to have first-hand scientific information. In fact, it would be appropriate for the highest judicial bodies to have advisory councils.

Finally, the media should also have professionals to hand with a scientific background to ensure that the information they distribute is based on reliable data and statistics. The press is a common good and has a huge responsibility when it comes to influencing public opinion and warning the public in crises such as the one we are experiencing. Unfortunately, during this pandemic, we have often seen alarmist medical information on the front pages of some of the worlds most popular newspapers that does not correspond to reliable data. This lack of accuracy is harmful as it undermines societys confidence in its own ability to face the future. Many newspapers do have professionals with a scientific background they can consult, but the existence of scientific advisory boards is not a common or institutionalized occurrence.

To conclude these recommendations, we believe, along with many others, that it is more important than ever to strengthen the connection between science and society through education. This can be achieved by placing greater emphasis on science in schools and popularizing science for adults. We should encourage scientific careers and create a strong institutional system to deal with potential crises, so that scientific activity is maintained and generates the solutions that society needs.

Scientific methodology and thinking are among mankinds greatest achievements and are tools that can help us to overcome the challenges of the future. We have magnificent professionals  experts in health, infectious diseases, climate, artificial intelligence, neurobiology and biotechnology. Let us take advantage of their knowledge and training to lead society into the future intelligently; let us incorporate them at all levels. They would be delighted since scientists are working for humanity and the future of all of us. Let us make use of them. It is urgent.

International Scientific Reserves

Lets have a look at some of the most important institutions in the United States: the Social Security Administration, National Laboratories, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), NASA and the National Security Department, all of which have their origins in the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War and 9/11.

Crises have always been catalysts for institutional renewal and reinvention, and the coronavirus pandemic will be no exception. Even now, when all we can see is tragedy and emergency, the coalitions that are forming and the solutions that are emerging will lay the foundation for the institutions of the future.

The creation of the largest public-private supercomputing partnership in history in the US is a prime example. The Covid-19 Supercomputing Consortium has brought together voluntary elements from government, universities and the private sector to speed up the process of discovering new treatments and vaccines against coronavirus with the help of supercomputers. The Department of Energy is at the helm along with IBM, a private institution. Other technology giants, usually considered rivals, are contributing skills, from Amazon and Microsoft to Google. NASA and the NSF have also signed up, as have seven national laboratories, including the historic Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Sandia, not to mention more than 10 universities, from MIT to the University of Texas and the University of California. Researchers from around the world can access the supercomputers for free, and the international dimension will grow as supercomputing centers in England and Switzerland are incorporated.

This consortium was conceived and launched in just five days, without a single contract, and is a true reflection of the catalytic power of an unprecedented crisis. It should be evident that a global pandemic  the microscopic equivalent of an alien invasion  requires unity and cooperation. The virus does not distinguish between institutions, passports, identity or political persuasion. Within nation states, we are seeing numerous examples of mobilization, but it is also clear that international unity and global coordination has not been part of the picture.

The need to transcend the horrors of war coupled with the desire for economic prosperity drove earlier examples of regional and global cooperation; they led to the creation of the United Nations and the NATO alliance, along with the emergence of the European Union, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Together with Avi Loeb, head of Harvard Universitys Department of Astronomy, we believe that now is the time to create a new body  the International Scientific Reserves, composed of scientists and organizations with voluntary participation. These reserves would bring together the best of the public and private sectors, recognizing that the scientific capacity of any member state is distributed between government organizations, academia, foundations and the private sector. The objective would be to provide free advice to all institutions across the world to prevent future crises, mobilize human or technical resources and facilitate coordinated action. The reservists, an army of volunteers from scientific, technological and medical institutions, with experts in all areas, would donate their time and skill and would be ready to act when needed.

Crises and emergencies require alternative mechanisms for leadership, funding and coordination between institutions. By preparing ahead, Scientific Reserves would be ready to mobilize adequate resources in emergencies, just as military reserve forces prepare in peacetime and mobilize in times of crisis. The international dimension is also crucial, as researchers from a variety of disciplines, institutions and countries would be able to detect, prepare for and respond to threats, sharing real-time information and providing a global coordination mechanism.

It is now clear that adequate scientific preparation for natural disasters is key to saving millions of lives and billions of euros in the global economy. We need to find a better way to harness the power of science to keep our world safe. Science will not only help us defeat the deadly coronavirus, but will also be critical in addressing other major threats such as climate change and antibiotic resistance. If ever mankind needed a wake-up call to recognize the value of scientific readiness and collaboration, it is surely this pandemic. Science is vital to our future prosperity and health; it always has been and always will be.

Rafael Yuste is a neuroscientist and professor at Columbia University (US) and Ikerbasque research professor at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) in San Sebastian.

Dario Gil is a doctor in computer and electrical engineering. He currently manages the research branch of IBM.

English version by Heather Galloway.
"Selfish" and "self-indulgent" we are not. It was most regrettable for Mathias Cormann to make such disparaging remarks ofthe thousands who turned out at the Black Lives Matter rally ("Minister says Black Lives Matter protesters 'incredibly selfish'", June 7). For too long, Australians have been complacent, turning a blind eye to injustice. The demonstrators put principle before self-interest and tried to highlight the problem amid physical distancing and the wearing of masks. -Helen Ho, Milsons Point

Among a throng of passionate young people at the Black Lives Matter march in Sydney, I, as one of the few over 70, felt with regret, that we Baby Boomers have cruelly closed our eyes for too long to Aboriginal injustice ("Sydney rally: We will go regardless", June 6-7). All that I can now hope for is that those among my contemporaries who still wield undue influence on this matter wake up to the burning issue of the day and give sway to the Indigenous voice. - Andrew Thornley, Ashfield

At the Black Lives Matter rally, I stood next to two young Aboriginal boys from Brewarrina and their mother. She related the story of how the boys' father was a member of the Stolen Generations, taken from his family at their age, and how systemic racism continues to this day. I looked at these two shy young boys and out at a sea of Aboriginal people standing with their non-Indigenous supporters and thought if not now, then when? We know that not all police are racists who use brutality to subjugate Indigenous Australians but it takes just one indelible experience with police denigration and violence to taint a young persons view of the world, and of the police in particular, for life. - Peter Winkler, Vaucluse

All Aussies should be brimming with pride. Not only have we shown the world how to deal with the pandemic, but we have shown how we can protest peacefully and in numbers against Indigenous deaths in custody. The organisers, the protesters, the public and the police and state authorities displayed impressive co-operation. Now, we must examine how to prevent further loss of life when Indigenous men and women get caught up in the cycle of crime, be it petty or serious, and punishment. - Brian O'Donnell, Burradoo

Congratulations to all those young Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who were prepared to march in Sydney in support of Indigenous rights. I am 78 and now physically unable to march but I was with you in spirit and so encouraged by your commitment to justice and peace. - Judy Hunt, Orange
A 22-year-old man suspected of armed robbery at a Salt Lake City strip club was fatally shot by cops last month while he was running away from officers who fired at least 20 rounds at him, body camera footage released on Friday shows.

Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, 22, was shot and killed May 23 after police who were responding to a call of a gun threat chased him when he ran from a motel.

Officers said a weapon was found near him after he was shot.

The two officers who fired their weapons have been put on administrative leave, which is standard practice for a police shooting.

The case is still under investigation.

Police body cam video shows the fatal May 23 shooting of 22-year-old Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal

Footage shows Palacios-Carbajal running away from officers and stumbling several times

Officers fired at least 20 shots, killing the 22-year-old man. Video shows Palacios did not aim a weapon at the officers

According to police, an armed robbery was reported just before 2am at the Trails Gentlemen's Club in Salt Lake City.

'The victim went toward the dumpsters on the east side of the parking lot ... when he was approached by two males whom he had seen inside the club earlier on in the night,' according to the police watch log.

'Both males had guns and told the victim to empty out his pockets. Once they took his money and wallet, the victim fled the scene.'

The victim, who just revealed his first name, Alvaro, alleged that Palacios, was one of the men who robbed him at gunpoint.

The Salt Lake City Police Department released three videos from body cameras worn by officers who were on scene.

Salt Lake City police were called to the area after receiving a report of someone who was 'making threats with a weapon'

Palacios (top left) immediately took off running after officers spotted him near the parking lot outside of a strip club

Police said they yelled at him 17 times to either 'stop,' 'show me your hands,' or 'drop it,' referring to a gun

Police said a gun was recovered from the scene, though Palacios doesn't appear to ever point the weapon at officers, according to the video

Officers fired some 20 shots at Palacios, all from close range, the video shows

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the Salt Lake City Police Department investigates the shooting

Mayor Erin Mendenhall called the video 'disturbing and upsetting' and said she expects the investigation to be handled quickly and with transparency

The video showed Palacios running away from the officers at the Utah Village Motel just after 2am.

Capt. Richard Lewis said the officers chased him and yelled at him 17 times to either 'stop,' 'show me your hands,' or 'drop it,' referring to a gun, the Deseret News reported.

The footage shows Palacios trip and fall several times before getting up and continuing to run.

He then picks up something from the ground and continues running before two officers begin shooting.

After Palacios-Carbajal is shot in the back and falls to the ground, officers continue shouting at him to show his hands, footage shows.

Based on the body camera footage, it does not appear that Palacios pointed a gun at the officers involved.

Police said Palacios was one of two men who robbed another man at gunpoint at the Trails Gentlemen's Club in Salt Lake City

Mayor Erin Mendenhall called the video 'disturbing and upsetting' and said she expects the investigation to be handled quickly and with transparency.

'Right now, given all that our country is going through, in particular the rawness and fear that so many people of color are feeling, outrage is understandable,' Mendenhall said Friday as protests continue around the country over the killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck.

'I know that I haven't walked in your shoes, but I will walk with you. I hear you, and I accept the work thats being asked of us.'

Police Chief Mike Brown said he trusts in the department's investigative process for officer-involved incidents.

'I love the women and men of the Salt Lake City police department, and I stand behind them,' Brown said.

Palacios's family is calling for the officers involved to be criminally charged.

Palacios's family wants the officers involved in his death to be criminally charged

At the time of his death, Bernardo Pelacios-Carbajal was on probation after he was convicted in October of robbery

They privately met with police Friday to see the video before it was publicly released.

'They didn't have to kill him,' his sister, Elsa Karina Palacios, told The Salt Lake Tribune.

'They didn't have to shoot him so many times. He was running. He was scared. He would still be here.'

His brother said police could have used less-lethal measures to take Palacios into custody.

'There are ways to de-escalate a situation - Tasers, rubber bullets, K-9s,' Freddie Palacios said.

'Especially when they show up on scene and they dont know if that person is who they were even there for, just because a person took off running.

'Where did they get their facts for that? I mean, if I see a cop Im going to run because Im scared, especially now.

'Like, I don't want that happening to me.'

At the time of his death, Bernardo Pelacios-Carbajal was on probation after he was convicted in October of robbery.

But friends and family said that his past criminal history is irrelevant and that the officers involved in the shooting could not have known about it.

A GoFundMe crowdfunding page was set up by the family to help pay for burial and funeral expenses.
Saturday's Funeral for Late Mayor Ashu Prisley Ojong Twitter

Mayor of Mamfe Ashu Prisley Ojong, murdered by armed separatists on May 10, 2020, has been buried.

The 35-year-old politician was buried at his residence in Laterite Pit in Mamfe Town Saturday, June 6, 2020. It followed an official funeral at the Mamfe Grandstand attended among others by Mengot Victor Arrey-Nkongho, Minister in charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic, who represented the Head of State President Paul Biya.

Mengot called on the people of Manyu to show their commitment to peace and a united Cameroon.

When things like this happen, then love doesnt exist. When you love each other, you cannot hurt each other. Today, what do we find in our communities  petty jealousies envy. That is why we need to find that ethos, the ethos of how to love one another, said Special Duties Minister Mengot.

Manyu Senior Divisional Officer Um II Joseph said although Mayor Ashu Prisley Ojong has been killed, they are hopeful that his death will be useful for this division, for peace to reign and for unity also to reign.

Senate Vice President Senator Nfor Tabetando paid glowing tributes to the deceased, describing him as a Mayor who enjoyed popular support. He was elected unanimously by the Mamfe Central community.

The late Mamfe Mayor, reports say, was shot and killed around Berore quarters, precisely at Charles Eyongechaws Hill, about some 500 meters before entering Eshobi, his hometown, on Sunday, May 10, 2020,

His death was received with shock, forcing the population to stage a protest Saturday, May 16, 2020, demanding justice for the Mayors death. They accused a Cameroonian-US based activist, Eric Tataw for being behind the brutal assassination. Traditional powers have since been evoked to avenge the killing.

Ojong was heading to his village to receive Ambazonian fighters who claimed they had dropped their weapons before he was brutally ambushed and murdered. He received a bullet on the head fired by the enemy using an automatic weapon of the AK47 brand and died on the spot. In the same vein, two elements of the defense forces who were escorting the Mayor were also severely wounded and immediately rushed to the Mamfe District Hospital for emergency medical assistance, said Bernard Okalia Bilai, governor of Cameroons South West Region.

Born in 1985, Ojong leaves behind an expectant wife and three children to mourn him.
Nagpada police have arrested a 22-year-old man for celebrating his birthday on a public road by lighting crackers and cutting a cake with his friends in Madanpura in south Mumbai. After a video of the celebration went viral, police registered a case against him for violating social distancing norms of the lockdown. The accused was arrested and released on bail.

According to police, the arrested accused Hammad Ansari works as a social worker. Ansari celebrated his birthday at midnight on June 6 at Mandanpura. At 12am his friends burst firecrackers and cut a cake. The celebration did not follow any social distancing norms as the friends are seen mixing around freely [in the video], said an officer.

After the cake was cut, Ansaris friends went on to rub the cake on his face. He shared the video of the celebration on social media with the tagline Baap Baap Hota hai which sent out a message that the lockdown could not deter him from celebrating his birthday, added the officer.

Soon after the video went viral, Nagpada police swung into action and registered a case against Ansari under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. We arrested him on June 6 and after completing the formal procedures he was released on bail. We also made him delete the video and pictures of the celebration from the social networking site, said the officer.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 03:45:17|Editor: huaxia

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CHICAGO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- In response to the now worldwide protests over the death of African American George Floyd in police custody, scholars from the University of Michigan (UM) have expressed their opinions on what people and the government should do to ensure racial equality.

"What we're seeing now is bigger than anything we've experienced as a nation since the 60s, which makes me feel extremely humbled, angry and sad," said Eugene Rogers, director of choral activities and conductor of the chamber choir at the UM School of Music, Theatre and Dance. "These are emotions that a lot of people are experiencing right now: they're looking for comfort, and for concrete ways to process these events and to move forward."

"I feel that change won't happen if it doesn't start with each of us leading within our own communities. Real change begins at home and in our own places of influence. I long for the day when we have truly met Dr. (Martin Luther) King's dream for all of us," Rogers stressed.

"When police kill black Americans at twice the rate of other races, that is a disproportionate and systemic health problem that should not haphazardly be addressed," said Riana Anderson, UM assistant professor of health behavior and health education.

She said to address social determinants of health, the country needs to eliminate policies and practices that facilitate disproportionate violence against specific populations, institute robust law enforcement accountability measures, and increase investment in promoting racial and economic equity.

Muniba Saleem, an assistant professor of communication and media at UM, said that mainstream media tend to represent racial ethnic minorities in a negative light across media genres, and violent acts committed by minorities receive more media attention than violent acts committed by the dominant racial group. "Claims about discrimination are perceived as 'complaining' by the dominant group."

As "social justice messages from the dominant group garner more support than the same messages from marginalized communities," the process of seeking racial justice for marginalized members is perilous, she said.

"Protest is not something that is done instead of voting ... They are both part of the American repertoire of political participation ... addressing the same fundamental issues: inequality, vulnerability and frustration," said Christian Davenport, a professor of political science and faculty associate at UM's Institute for Social Research.

Michael Esposito, a research fellow at UM's Institute for Social Research, revealed in a study last year that black men are about 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white men.

"George Floyd's homicide is evidence of deep-seated, systematic issues with how law enforcement is structured in this country," he said. "It's clear that if we'd like to see this type of structural, racialized violence end, we'll need to transform how we 'do policing.'"

Margaret Hicken, director of the UM RacismLab, said that structural racism is a self-sustaining system.

"The fact that we have witnessed continual violence ... that we as a society see this regularly and shake our heads in pity or disgust means that our society will not change," she said. Enditem
Han Kuo-yu, a populist Taiwanese mayor, faces a recall vote - Ann Wang/Reuters

The potential ousting of a high-profile mayor in a recall vote on Saturday has cast a spotlight on Taiwans hardening views towards China under increasing threats and intimidation from Beijing during the global pandemic.

Han Kuo-yu, 62, a charismatic but polarising figure in the opposition Kuomintang party, considered by critics to be too close to Beijing, fell out of favour with many of his constituents after deciding to run for president less than a year after his surprise election as mayor of Kaohsiung, Taiwans third largest city.

He was defeated by incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen in January, whose record-breaking win reaffirmed the islands rejection of closer ties with Beijing in favour of a stronger assertion of Taiwanese identity.

In a double whammy for Mr Han, the wheels were already in motion to try to push him out of office in Kaohsiung after the citys aggrieved residents gathered enough support to force a recall vote.

If their attempt succeeds, Mr Han would be the most senior Taiwanese politician ever to be expelled from office by constituents. A majority of 25% of eligible voters would be needed to do so.

Lev Nachman, a Fulbright research fellow specialising in party politics in Taiwan, said the recall would likely pass if the voter threshold was met. Its a very popular idea, he said.

Supporters of Han Kuo-yu wave Taiwanese flags - Ann Wang/Reuters

As mayor his biggest (flaw) was taking months off to run for president, and I would say his repeated blunders in the public spotlight, he said.

But Mr Hans blatantly sympathetic stances towards China were also an important factor, he added.

In 2018, Mr Han charmed the electorate as the bald guy with a common touch who would foster better local trade ties with China.

Critics claimed he could be tempted to sell out Taiwans political interests in favour of the economy  a charge he strongly denied, but an accusation that gained more traction as the Taiwanese public nervously watched Beijings growing crackdown on Hong Kongs pro-democracy protests last year.

Story continues

In a Telegraph interview in December, Aaron Yin, founder of the WeCare movement behind the recall vote, said the public had backed the campaign because they felt abandoned by Mr Han and because of his pro-China label.

China seeks to annex Taiwan, an island of nearly 24 million which functions like any other nation with its own democratically-elected government, military, currency and foreign policy.

President Tsai Ing-wen beat Mr Han in a landslide victory in January - AFP

Mr Hans resounding defeat at the election prompted the Kuomintang party to rethink its unpopular policy of seeking a closer relationship with China.

Since January, the outbreak of the pandemic, Chinas efforts to block Taiwans participation at the World Health Organisation, and an increase in sorties by Chinese fighter aircraft and warships intended to intimidate the island, appear to have turned Taiwanese public opinion further against Beijing.

An annual China Impact Factor survey by Academia Sinica, Taiwans national academy, showed the number of respondents who said that China's government is not a friend to Taiwan rose from 58% in 2019 to 73% this year.

This was the highest recorded percentage since the survey was first run, said Catherine Chou, an assistant professor of history at Grinnell College, Iowa.

"Support for the Hong Kong protests and disapproval of [Chinas] handling of the pandemic both seem to have contributed to hardening of Taiwanese attitudes towards the Chinese government in the past year, she said.

This weeks 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre may also play a role in voters decisions.

The organisers of the campaign to recall Han Kuo-yu have also invoked the memory of the Chinese students who died fighting for democracy at Tiananmen, arguing that a successful vote against a politician they see as authoritarian will honor the work of both Chinese and Hong Kong activists, said Ms Chou.
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Linkedin Choi Ji-won (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network)  Sun, June 7, 2020 19:01 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcbaa87 2 Entertainment Shin-Hye-seon,Bae-Jong-ok,film,South-Korea,actor Free

Crime-drama Innocence, featuring actresses Shin Hye-sun and Bae Jong-ok, is ready to hit theaters in South Korea on Wednesday. Originally slated to open in February, the film has been postponed twice due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

In the upcoming film, Shin plays a hotshot attorney from a big law firm, Jeong-in, who defends her long-estranged mother Hwa-ja, played by Bae, in a murder trial. Hwa-ja, suffering from dementia, is accused of tampering with makgeolli served to guests at her husbands funeral, leading to the death of one of the guests. Delving into the case, Jeong-in finds suspicious signs of a scheme surrounding the towns Mayor Chu In-hoe and several townspeople in relation to the construction of a casino in the region.

Veteran actor Heo Joon-ho also stars as Mayor Chu.

The film is the first commercial movie to come from director Park Sang-hyun, who previously assisted direction of well-recognized films Forever the Moment (2007) by director Yim Soon-rye and Bloody Tie (2006) from director Choi Ho.

Read also: 'Parasite' bags 5 trophies at Daejong Film Awards, including best picture

Shin, 30, an aspiring actress who made herself known to Korean viewers through 2017 smash-hit tvN drama Stranger and KBS 52-episode My Golden Life, is taking up her first lead role on the big screen in the upcoming film. She was honored for best actress by KBS last year for her role in the broadcasters romance-drama Angels Last Mission: Love.

During the films premiere Thursday at the CGV cinema in Yongsan, central Seoul, the director explained he had Shin in mind from the start to lead the cast.

I saw Shins acting in Stranger and the flow of her emotions and her diction were very impressive. After Shin accepted the script, Bae naturally came to mind as Shins mother, but I was cautious since she has always taken up intelligent characters, the director said. Fortunately, Bae, who says she has had a thirst for acting, took the role with no hesitation.

Bae, 56, made her debut as a television actress in 1985. Over time, she expanded to film and theater, winning the best supporting actress prize at the prestigious Daejong Film Awards in 1991 for her part in Passion Portrait and the best actress prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 1993 with Walking Up to Heaven.

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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
A beleaguered China on Sunday exonerated itself from the global allegations of delay in reporting the coronavirus outbreak, saying the virus was first noticed in Wuhan on December 27 as a viral pneumonia and human-to-human transmission was discovered on January 19, after which it took swift actions to curb it.

A whitepaper released by the Chinese government gave a lengthy explanation to refute the allegations of cover up and delay by Beijing on reporting the Covid-19 outbreak last year in Wuhan.

US President Donald Trump and leaders of several countries have accused China of not being transparent in reporting the deadly disease, leading to huge human casualties and economic crisis across the world.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the coronavirus has infected over 68,00,000 people and killed nearly 4,00,000 across the world. The US is the worst affected country with over 1.9 million cases and more than 1,09,000 deaths, while the total number of cases in China stand at 84,177.

The contagion has also battered the world economy with the IMF saying that the global economy, which was in a sluggish recovery even before the coronavirus outbreak, is now bound to suffer a "severe recession" in 2020. The World Bank has also called for countries to step up efforts to fight the disease and improve the economy.

According to the whitepaper, after the Covid-19 was identified by a hospital in Wuhan on December 27, the local government called experts to look into the cases through an analysis of the patients' condition and clinical outcome, the findings of epidemiological investigations, and preliminary laboratory testing results.

"The conclusion was that they were cases of viral pneumonia," it said.

Researchers from a high-level expert team organised by the National Health Commission (NHC) confirmed that the virus was transmissible among humans for the first time on January 19, hours before they notified the public, and less than a month before the experts were alerted by the newly-discovered disease, it said.

Before January 19, there was not sufficient evidence to indicate that it could be transmitted by humans, said Wang Guangfa, a leading Chinese respiratory expert who was among the first group of experts dispatched by the NHC to Wuhan in early January.

When the experts landed in Wuhan, they found the number of fever patients soared during that time, and also found patients with no direct exposure to the Huanan wet market where the virus believed to have first emerged, he was quoted as saying by state-run Global Times.

Bats and pangolins were suspected to have been intermediary transmission sources "but the evidence was not sufficient," Wang said, adding that it was left for science to decide whether the virus was capable of human-to-human transmission as any abrupt decision could have caused unimaginable consequences.

Recently, the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), passed a unanimous resolution to probe the origin of the virus. China also backed the resolution.

According to the whitepaper, the NHC on January 14 required Wuhan and the whole Hubei province to enhance their preparation against the virus as "there was great uncertainties, also the ability and routes of the virus to transmit via humans still needed to be investigated with the possibility of the viral spread accelerating not being excluded."

Zhong Nanshan, China's leading respiratory disease specialist, confirmed its human-to-human transmission, saying that on January 20, two cases in Guangdong province were confirmed to be infections via people-to-people transmission.

Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), told CGTN TV network in April that experts, in a meeting on January 19, discussed the possibility of human-to-human transmission.

"As soon as cases of pneumonia of unknown cause were identified in Wuhan, Hubei province, China acted immediately to conduct etiological and epidemiological investigations and to stop the spread of the disease, and promptly reported the situation," the whitepaper said.

In a timely manner, China informed the WHO and other countries including the US of the developing situation and released the genome sequence of the novel coronavirus, it said.

"After community spread and clusters of cases emerged in Wuhan, and confirmed cases were reported in other Chinese regions, which were due to virus carriers travelling from the city, a nationwide programme of epidemic prevention and control was launched," the whitepaper said.

From January 3 when the virus was identified as unknown pneumonia, China's health bodies began updating the WHO and the US a day later, it said.

The whitepaper was released after media reports said that though WHO publically praised China for sharing information, there was considerable frustration among the WHO officials over not getting the information they needed to fight the spread of the deadly virus.

It praised the ruling Communist Party of China, especially President Xi Jinping, terming the containment as a strategic achievement for the country.

China will make its Covid-19 vaccine a global public good when it is ready for application after successful research and clinical trials, Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology, told reporters in Beijing.

"The international community must find resolve and forge unity. Solidarity means strength. The world will win this battle," the whitepaper added.
New York, June 6 (IANS) An Indian-origin doctor who survived COVID-19 is now working on programmes to develop medicines to treat the disease while also treating coronavirus patients with empathy informed by her own experience, according to a media report.

Aakriti Pandita, who was the first healthcare worker (HCW) to come down with the disease in Rhode Island, told the Providence Journal, "That changed me as a clinician."

The newspaper said, "She's able to speak from experience when she tells her patients that there's light at the end of the tunnel. There was for her, too."

She has expressed concern over the safety of HCWs being overcome by the disease. A shortage of personal protection equipment has exacerbated the problem.

Pandita tweeted, "Limited data shows at least 45 HCWs in the US have already lost their lives. The question is how long are we willing to wait? What is the sweet number that will shake soul of this nation?"

Among the HCWs killed by COVID-19 in the US are Indian-origin father and daughter, both doctors. Satyender Dev Khanna and his daughter, Priya Khanna, died in April after being infected by the disease while treating patients in New Jersey.

Pandita, who is an infectious disease specialist, is now involved in clinical studies on investigational drugs for COVID-19 helping enroll patients and following up their treatment to figure out if the treatments work, according to the Journal.

She told the newspaper about COVID-19: "It's difficult, and it's mysterious. But it won't be mysterious for that long. I think it's just a matter of time before we figure it out."

Pandita, 31, grew up in Delhi, where her father is a doctor, and studied medicine in Kashmir before coming to the US.

She is pursuing a fellowship in infectious disease at Ivy League Brown University in Providence and practising at Lifespan hospitals treating patients who have ailments ranging from staph infections to HIV, the newspaper said.

As one of the first people to come down with the disease in Rhode Island state, her diagnosis proved to be a problem because she had not travelled abroad or had direct contact with a known COVID-19 patient.

She developed symptoms of the disease in late February after a trip to Colorado state, where she is going take up a position as an attending physician soon.

Although she felt that it was more than a bacterial infection and probably COVID-19, doctors were sceptical and her persistence finally got her tested on March 9 confirming her fears, according to the Journal.

She told the newspaper, "It was an unsettling question for me: How many cases did we miss in those early days because of our lack of understanding of this disease?"

The Journal said it was likely that she was infected at an airport.

She, however, got better without going to a hospital and after tested negative twice for the coronavirus, she went back to work.

She now advocates for more work in the field of infectious diseases.

"Pandemics like this, it really reminds us that we need more work in the fields of infectious diseases," she told the Journal.

--IANS

al/prs
For help and support call Samaritans helpline 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org

Hollyoaks and Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson has revealed she had a 'very bad' battle with depression in her 20s.

The actress, 36, said she struggled for years during her time between the two soaps.

The Blackpool-born star joined Coronation Street when she was just 15 and played Candice Stowe for six years until she left the famous cobbles.

Honest: Soap star Nikki Sanderson has opened up about her battle with depression throughout her 20s

She told the Mirror: 'If I go from a busy lifestyle to nothingness it's very hard. It's bad for my mental health, feeling empty, so I try to keep my mind motivated. I suffered depression in my 20s and it was a very, very, bad time.

'I'm lucky my mind is healthy now. But I have to stay busy to avoid the feeling of a lull. I'm fortunate I always have someone at the end of the phone.'

Nikki, who now plays Maxine Minniver on Hollyoaks, said the show's bosses have been checking in on its stars during lockdown and making sure they are safe and well.

Difficult period: The actress left Coronation Street aged 21 and went on to suffer with her mental health in the following years

Nikki previously opened up about her mental health struggles on Instagram in 2018, where she wrote: 'This is the first time I have openly and publicly admitted this, as like so many, I had been ashamed and embarrassed...

'I have suffered with depression in the past.'

Nikki was recently put through her paces as one of the stars of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

She said the show had an impact on her mental health as she was unable to switch off during the gruelling challenges.

Last month, Nikki was keen to flaunt her toned physique as she posed in scanty lingerie in her latest Instagram post.

Wow! Nikki Sanderson appeared keen to flaunt her toned physique as she posed in scanty lingerie in her latest Instagram post on Wednesday evening

The actress flashed her taut abs in a black lacy bralet, which she teamed with a pair of high-waisted black pants.

Nikki added a quirky edge to her look with a colourful cardigan from the 80s, which she revealed she had discovered while routing through her mum's loft.

The star kept her look glamorous with a full face of make-up, and wore her brunette tresses in bouncy voluminous waves, swept to the side.

She completed her loungewear look with a pair of retro glasses with silver frames.

Who dares wins! She is currently being put through her paces as one of the stars of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins where she faces physically gruelling challenges

The sexy snap came after it was revealed that Nikki had her nose broken while appearing on the survival challenge programme.

Helen Skelton broke fellow contestant Nikkis nose after instructors encouraged them to box each other.

The former Blue Peter presenter, 36, left Nikki nursing her nose after the friendly scrap, with Helen insisting she didn't want to hurt her.

Injured: The sexy snap comes after it was revealed that Nikki had her nose broken while appearing on the survival challenge programme

Speaking to The Sun, Helen explained: 'I had to fight Nikki and that was tough because I really like her.

'She hit me a lot and I only hit her a couple of times, but when I did she was like, "Oh my God, I think youve broken my nose".

'I might have only hit her a couple of times but I connected. Its so weird having to fight someone you like, I didnt want to hit her, then she hit me once and I was like, OK!

The brutal reality show sees Helen and fellow celebrities including Katie Price and Joey Essex, will be head to Scotland's West Coast to find out if they've got what it takes to pass SAS selection.

For help and support call Samaritans helpline 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
(Natural News) Radical Left-wing and Communist groups are fueling the ongoing riots and protests across the United States, according to reports. This theory, pushed forth by authorities handling the current spate of violence, stems from the organized and well-coordinated nature of the riots.

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, Attorney General William Barr said during a press conference at Justice Department headquarters Thursday.

Barr linked Antifa  a loosely organized group of anti-fascist activists and anarchists with no discernible hierarchy  to activities such as arson, looting and assaults on law enforcement, echoing statements made by other authorities who are also currently involved in controlling the riots.

According to John Miller, Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism, certain unnamed groups were found to have organized scouts and medics specifically for those who are participating in the riots and protests.

These groups, Miller said, were also financially well-prepared, with the groups and their organizers able to carefully set out and raise bail money in case some protesters get detained.

The groups, Miller added, have also developed a complex network of bicycle scouts.

These scouts would move ahead of demonstrators in order to direct individuals from the larger group to places where they could commit acts of vandalism such as the torching police vehicles.

More troubling, Miller said, is the growing evidence that outside agitators are organizing the violence, pointing out in an interview with NBC New York that one out of every seven arrests made during the riots in New York involved people from out of state.

A similar situation has been noted in Minnesota, where the protests first began.

In a press briefing, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, stressed that several bad actors have infiltrated what he called were rightful protests, adding that 80 percent of the rioters have come from outside the state.

The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd, he said, referring to the black man who was killed by a white police officer late last month.

It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great city, Walz said.

Walzs comments echo that of conservative journalist and editor Andy Ngo, who is currently covering the recent demonstrations and riots.

In a series of tweets, Ngo, who writes for the conservative publication The Post Millennial, said that the current spate of violence and riots are the direct result of the activation of militant Antifa cells across the country who are now being mobilized to aid Black Lives Matter (BLM) rioters.

We are witnessing glimpses of the full insurrection the far-left has been working on for decades. Within hours, militant antifa cells across the country mobilized to aid BLM rioters. The first broken window is the blood in the water for looters to move in. The fires come next.  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 30, 2020

Bernard B. Kerik, a former police commissioner of the New York City Police Department, agrees, saying in an interview with The Epoch Times that he believes that the protests have been 100 percent exploited by Antifa, and that the groups various websites often control and dictate where the protests and riots start.

According to Kerik, the group  which espouses radical, leftist and socialist ideas  is currently actively promoting riots and protests in 40 different states and 60 cities. (Related: Origins of Antifa (Briefly, what is Antifa and why should anyone care about it?))

Kerik, in his Epoch Times interview, noted that organizing the protests and riots would have likely cost tens of millions of dollars, adding that it would be impossible for somebody outside of the anarchist organization to fund this operation.

The claims linking Antifa to extremist violence have not escaped the White House.

In a tweet posted May 31, President Donald Trump threatened to declare the group a terrorist organization.

The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020

Legal experts, however, say the President may face problems with pushing forward with that decision as there is no provision in federal law to designate a domestic organization as a terror group.

Experts also noted that ideological movements such as Antifa are protected under the First Amendment.

There is no authority under law to do that  and if such a statute were passed, it would face serious First Amendment challenges, Mary B. McCord, a former head of the Justice Departments National Security Division, said in an interview with The New York Times.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NYDailyNews.com

ABCNews.go.com

NBCNewYork.com

TheGuardian.com

AJC.com

NYTimes.com
The State Bank of Viet Nam is planning to pilot a regulatory sandbox which would allow fintech companies to participate in providing some banking services starting from 2021.

Search results for online lending apps. A regulatory sandbox for fintech was planned to be piloted from 2021.  Photo bizlive.vn

The seven sectors fintech would participate in within the sandbox were payment, credit, peer-to-peer lending, customer identification support, open application programming interface (open API), tech-based solutions and other banking support services, according to the draft decree which the central bank made public for comment this week.

The central bank said that there was a lack of a legal framework to regulate the operation of fintech companies in Viet Nam, which created risks such as financial exclusion, security and data breach, money laundering and financing of terrorism, high intermediary fee and lack of transparency.

Meanwhile, fintech is developing rapidly in Viet Nam.

The central bank said that the past three years saw a rapid increase in the number of fintech start-ups, from 40 in 2016 to more than 150 currently. Of them, 34 operate in payment, 40 in P2P lending while others provided banking support services without directly collecting fees on end-users.

More than 80 per cent of fintech companies in Viet Nam had operation related to banks.

The fintech sector also attracted significant attention of tech giants in Viet Nam like FPT, Viettel and VNPT through the foundation of fintech solution companies, investment funds and incubators to support fintech start-ups.

The central bank cited United Overseas Banks Fintech in Asean  From Start-up to Scale up Report 2019 that Viet Nam saw an investment inflow worth US$400 million into fintech last year, accounting for 36 per cent of the total investment poured in fintech in ASEAN and ranking second in ASEAN, only after Singapore.

The rapid scale-up and operation expansion of fintech companies could have negative impacts on the stability of the financial and banking system, the central bank stressed.

The participation of Uber and Grab in the transportation market of Viet Nam was an apparent lesson for the financial and banking sector about how to respond to the rapid development of technology, the central bank said.

It was necessary for Viet Nam to have a legal framework for the operation of fintech companies amid Industry 4.0 and the countrys rapid international integration, the central bank said, adding that if the management agency was not active in monitoring the development of fintech from the early stage, their out-of-control development might pose threats to financial and banking stabilities.

The central banks task was to promote innovations in the banking sector, at the same time, ensure the financial safety and stability and promote economic growth.

The central bank said that a regulatory sandbox would be suitable in the early stage before the issuance of the official legal framework.

The decree was expected to be submitted to the Government for approval this month.

The central bank planned to allow banks and fintech companies to apply for the participation in the sandbox from 2021 and the sandbox would be piloted in one or two years, depending on each field.  VNS
(Raises information on Minneapolis city council members pledge, adds quote from city council president)

By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) - A mounting wave of protests demanding police reform after the killing of a black man in Minneapolis swept across the United States on Sunday, building on the momentum of huge demonstrations across the country the day before.

In response, a majority of city council members in Minneapolis pledged to abolish the police department, though how they would navigate that long, complex undertaking was not yet known.

In some of the largest protests yet seen across the United States, a near-festive tone prevailed over the weekend. Most unfolded with no major violence, in sharp contrast to heated clashes between marchers and police in previous days.

The outpouring of protests followed the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being pinned by the neck for nine minutes by a white officer's knee. A bystander's cellphone captured the scene as Floyd pleaded with the officer, choking out the words "I can't breathe."

"I have cops in my family, I do believe in a police presence," said Nikky Williams, a black Air Force veteran who marched in Washington on Sunday. "But I do think that reform has got to happen."

The change in the tenor of the demonstrations this weekend may reflect a sense that the demands of protesters for sweeping police reform were resonating in many strata of American society.

Nine members of the 13-person Minneapolis City Council pledged on Sunday to do away with the police department in favor of a community-led safety model, a step that would have seemed unthinkable just two weeks ago.

"A veto-proof majority of the MPLS City Council just publicly agreed that the Minneapolis Police Department is not reformable and that we're going to end the current policing system," Alondra Cano, a member of the Minneapolis council, said on Twitter.

Minneapolis City Council president Lisa Bender told CNN "the idea of having no police department is certainly not in the short term."

Story continues

In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a series of reforms he said were designed to build trust between city residents and the police department.

De Blasio told reporters he would shift an unspecified amount of money out of the police budget and reallocate it to youth and social services in communities of color.

He said he would also take enforcement of rules on street vending out of the hands of police, who have been accused of using the regulations to harass minority communities.

Curfews were removed in New York and other major cities including Philadelphia and Chicago.

TALKING REFORM

In the nation's capital, a large and diverse gathering of protesters packed streets near the White House, chanting "This is what democracy looks like!" and "I can't breathe."

A newly erected fence around the White House was decorated by protesters with signs, including some that read: "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace."

Republican Senator Mitt Romney marched alongside evangelical Christians in Washington on Sunday, telling the Washington Post that he wanted to find "a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter."

A common theme of weekend rallies was a determination to transform outrage over Floyd's death last month into a broader movement seeking far-reaching reforms to the U.S. criminal justice system and its treatment of minorities.

The intensity of protests over the past week began to ebb on Wednesday after prosecutors in Minneapolis arrested all four police officers implicated in Floyd's death. Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneed Floyd, was charged with second-degree murder.

Still, anger in Minneapolis remained intense. The city's mayor ran a gauntlet of jeering protesters on Saturday after telling them he opposed their demands for defunding the city police department.

The renewed calls for racial equality are breaking out across the country as the United States reopens after weeks of unprecedented lockdowns for the coronavirus pandemic and just five months before the Nov. 3 presidential election.

U.S. Democrats have largely embraced the activists packing into streets to decry the killings of black men and women by law enforcement, but have so far expressed wariness at protesters' calls to defund the police.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama said in an YouTube commencement address for 2020 graduates that the protests roiling America right now "speak to decades of inaction over unequal treatment and a failure to reform police practices in the broader criminal justice system."

(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Andrea Shalal, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, and Jonathan Allen and Sinead Carew in New York, and Brad Brooks in Austin, Texas; Writing by Brad Brooks; Editing by Frank McGurty, Peter Cooney and Lincoln Feast)
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala recorded 108 new Covid cases on Saturday, taking the total number of patients under treatment in the state to more than thousand for the first time. At present, there are 1,029 active cases in the state. The state also recorded its 15th Covid death. Parappanangadi native E Hamsakkoya, 61, a former Santosh Trophy player who had returned from Mumbai on May 21, died at Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri.

Of the new cases, 98 were returnees -- 64 from abroad and 34 from other states. Despite the returnees accounting for most of the cases, the state government did away with the mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine for those coming from abroad, subject to certain conditions. They could instead undergo the mandatory quarantine for 14 days at home. Those who are already in institutional quarantine can also avail of the new facility.

Based on a guideline from the health ministry on May 24, a state executive meeting of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority was convened on May 27. In that, it was decided to treat all residential facilities/ dwelling units identified and approved by district administrations or local self-government units as institutional quarantine facilities, said a senior health department official. According to the official, though home quarantine is allowed it cant be availed of by everyone.

It will be based on the verification by the local body concerned through the medical officer of the primary health centre that such an option could be availed. It will be ensured that there are proper facilities for room quarantine and the least chances for disease transmission.

Experiments will do more harm than good

It will be ensured that there are proper facilities for room quarantine and there are least chances for disease transmission. It will also be ensured that there are no children below the age of 10, people above 65 years of age, pregnant women and other persons who are immune-compromised or with co-morbidity residing in the same facility. If any of the conditions are not met, person will have to continue institutional quarantine.

However, some officials in the health department have raised an alarm over the decision, saying the matter has not been discussed thoroughly. The chief minister, the chairman of state-level expert committee of Covid-19 and secretary-level officers say that home quarantine is the best option. But considering the experience so far, especially with those coming from abroad, it is impractical. With cases spiking and a community spread due in the state, such experiments will do more harm than good, said an official.

While Kollam accounted for 19 of the new cases on Saturday, the remaining are from Thrissur (16), Malappuram and Kannur (12 each), Palakkad (11), Kasaragod (10), Pathanamthitta (nine), Alappuzha and Kozhikode (four each), Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Ernakulam (three each) and Kottayam (two).As many as 50 patients recovered. They are from Palakkad (30), Kozhikode (seven), Ernakulam (six), Kannur (five) and Idukki and Kasaragod (one each). Six Air India crew members also recovered from the illness.

As many as 10 places were declared as hotspots on Saturday. They are Puthupariyaram, Kannadi, Vandazhy, Vadakanchery, Pookottukavu, Thenkara, Piriyari and Kollengode in Palakkad, Neendakara in Kollam and Olavanna in Kozhikode. With this the total number of hotspots in the state rose to 138.

10 Malayalis die in Gulf Adding to Keralas worries, 10 Malayali expats died in the Gulf on Saturday alone, in one of the highest single-day counts abroad. With this, 192 Keralites have died due to coronavirus infection in the Gulf countries. The deaths on the day include three each from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, two from Oman, and one each from UAE and Bahrain. According to reports, so far, 89 Keralites have died in the UAE, 54 in Saudi Arabia, 38 in Kuwait, four in Qatar, five in Oman and two in Bahrain due to the pandemic.
VALLEJO (BCN)

The Vallejo Police Officer's Association is backing the officer involved in the shooting death earlier this week of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa outside a Walgreens store.

In a letter released Friday, the association defended the officer's actions, saying the officer used deadly force as a last resort, because he was afraid Monterrosa was about to open fire on officers in the vehicle.The association contends the officer had no other reasonable option to prevent getting shot.

Following the shooting, officers learned an object sticking out of Monterrosa's sweatshirt pocket was in fact a hammer and not a gun.

Officers with the Vallejo Police Department responded just after midnight on Tuesday to a report of looting near the pharmacy and saw Monterrosa, a San Francisco resident, running from the building toward a vehicle.

Monterrosa then kneeled to the ground while facing officers.

An officer, who believed the hammer sticking out of Monterrosa's sweatshirt pocket was the butt of a handgun, fired several shots at Monterrosa through the windshield of his squad car.

Monterrosa was shot and later died at the hospital.

The officer involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave pending investigations by Vallejo police and the Solano County District Attorney's Office.

In the letter, the police association placed fault on Monterrosa's decision to "engage the responding officers" because he "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."

The association also reported in the letter the officer is facing multiple death threats to himself and his children.

The association ended the letter by asking the public to support this officer and the good work done by the overwhelming majority of all officers.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
OWEN SOUND, Ontario (June 7, 2020) It may have been a delay getting the 2020 season off the ground, but Wally Wilson is hopeful of making the most of the opportunities ahead.

That is why the young man will be one of the drivers in the field for Flamboro Speedways first event of the year. The Hamilton, Ontario based oval will be running their season opening Pro Late Model / Canadian Vintage Modified event on June 20, with Wilson in the field.

My thoughts going into the event are that weve got an amazing opportunity to get on track at Flamboro Speedway, a place thats always putting on some of the best Pro Late Model races, he commented. Were going to have a lot of eyes watching us with it being accessible at home, which makes it some added excitement Id say!!

Wilson has been able to get some laps under his belt behind the wheel of his new ride, testing at Sauble Speedway just last week. Now entering his PLM debut, he says the goal is to log as many laps as possible, and keep the car in one piece while learning as much as we can.

The move for Wilson into the Pro Late Model ranks comes following a couple successful seasons in Queenston Chevrolet Buick GMC OSCAAR Modified presented by Scott Reinhart Trailer Sales Ltd., Touchwood Cabinets, and the Fyre Place & Patio Shop action. Wilson had a successful campaign in 2019, walking away from the banquet with the Most Improved Driver Award.

With the current government restrictions, no spectators are allowed to be in attendance for the event. However, Flamboro Speedway has partnered with GForceTV to broadcast the event. Fans are encouraged to log on for the service free on their website at http://www.GForce.net to take in the action, as well as other racing. The races will take place at 2:05 pm ET, streamed live on the service, with the broadcast beginning at 2pm ET.

Wally Wilson Racing is proud to be sponsored by The Fyre Place & Patio Shop, and Have1.com.

Keep up with Wally Wilson by liking his facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Wally-Wilson-Racing-443805665798939/?fref=ts, while following on twitter at https://twitter.com/WallyWilson69.

Press Release by Ashley McCubbin  AM Marketing  ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
The Brihandmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday informed the gas-leak situation in Chembur and Chandivali had been brought under control. "17 fire appliances are on the field and are equipped with public announcement system and ready for the response if required," BMC said on Twitter. However, the origin of the smell has still not been traced yet. BMC said the probe was on and it would inform the public about it soon.

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

Yesterday, the municipal corporation was inundated with complaints of suspected gas leaks from the residents of Chembur, Kanjumarg, Powai, Ghatkopar, Andheri and Vikhroli. Subsequently, it sent 13 fire engines to monitor the situation.

Responding to complaints on Twitter, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray said, "We've got tweets about a foul smell in Chembur and Chandivali. The BMC disaster control room is locating the source and the Mumbai Fire Brigade is operating as per SoPs."

With regards to the foul odour across some parts of Mumbai, as of now the Mumbai Fire Brigade has been activated with its SoPs. I appeal to all to stay indoors, not panic. Close your windows. @mybmc is actively monitoring this situation https://t.co/jOLvZdCfJW - Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) June 6, 2020

However, Chief Fire Officer PS Rahangdale of Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) said the smell of leakage of gas was still being felt in the Andheri region. "Total 17 fire engines were deputed for the search of gas leakage and it was announced to not panic. Hazmat vehicles were kept ready for the emergency," Rahangdale added.

Also read: Govt will have to spend more, focus on getting growth back: Uday Kotak

Also read: Jindal Stainless posts Rs 153 crore profit in FY20; revenue remains flat
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









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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Pandemic forces new normal in grieving, death

Courtesy photo Kim McCormick is seen from outside the Denton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, placing her hand up against the glass, with her mother, Christine Simpson, while she was quarantined at the facility because of the novel coronavirus. Courtesy photo Kim McCormick is seen photographed with her mother, Christine Simpson, who died of complications relating to the novel coronavirus on Mothers Day. Courtesy photo Christine Simpson, 77, died on Mothers Day from complications relating to the novel coronavirus. She was reported as the 29th Denton County resident to die from complications of the virus on May 21. Courtesy photo Brandi Felderhoff Courtesy photo Kim McCormick, of Sanger, stares into her mother's room at the Denton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, where her mother lived for two years. Because of restrictions of the pandemic and her mother being quarantined, McCormick was distanced for seven weeks leading up to her mother's death on Mother's Day. Jeff Woo/DRC Bill DeBerry Jr., the owner of Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors, says part of the healing process is touch  a hug, a handshake, a pat on the back. We are missing that type of connection, he said.

For nearly a decade, Kim McCormick sat beside her mother through hospital stays and health conditions such as strokes, brain aneurysms and several rounds of surgery in between.

McCormick, 60, of Sanger, promised to always be there for her and said their relationship was inseparable. But when her mother, Christine Simpson, died on Mothers Day from complications of the coronavirus, McCormick said that because of the disease, her promise was robbed.

The struggle I had was watching her go down every day; she had pulled through so much until [COVID-19], McCormick said. I was always there, but I couldnt, and this disease took that away from me.

As 33 Denton County residents and more than 1,500 Texans have succumbed to complications of the disease, added hardships have been experienced by those left to grieve such as McCormick.

Brandi Felderhoff, a licensed social worker and counseling professor at Texas Womans University, said under the veil of the pandemic, traditional processes of grieving have changed. Felderhoff, who specializes in nursing home and end-of-life settings, said a lack of connection is a significant loss.

From not being able to say a proper goodbye to being unable to congregate in groups to console each other, everything has changed, Felderhoff noted.

There are so many pieces that are stunted or wiped out because of COVID-19 restrictions, but it has significant impacts on our mental health, which is ultimately what unaddressed grief boils down to, Felderhoff said. If we are not able to fully grieve and move through the stages of grief, then that can develop into depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

Simpson, 77, a former resident at the Denton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, was described by her daughter as spunky and someone who loved to play bingo in addition to the slot machines at WinStar World Casino. She was affectionately known to five grandkids and nine great-grandkids as Nanny  but to McCormick, she was my best friend.

With the exception of a handful of occasions, McCormick said she was distanced and isolated from her mother for seven lonely weeks before her death. In total, she was able to see her mother in person three times while she was hospitalized.

The last time I got to see her was on FaceTime, but she wasnt responding to me, McCormick said of her last visit on May 9. It was tough, because I needed to be with her, but I couldnt, because she was coughing so hard.

As the effects and restrictions of the pandemic rippled across Denton County, there has been significant confusion and uncertainty among the community about the limitations on funerals, said Bill DeBerry Jr., of Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors.

DeBerry, the senior mortician and owner of the funeral home, said whether a person died from the coronavirus or other causes, all services were restricted the same.

He said that because of social-distancing requirements and restrictions to public gatherings, funerals with large groups had to be rotated out.

But the more challenging part, he said, has been facilitating a comforting environment for those mourning.

We were limiting families to viewing during standard business hours with 10 people or less at a time, DeBerry said, and that many were disappointed the entire family could not attend or interact at the gravesite together.

In Denton County, he said funerals are a little more congenial, and a component of the healing process is the personal touch of another person, such as a hug, handshake or pat on the back. We are missing that type of connection, he said.

In spite of being surrounded by upward of 80 friends and family in staggered attendance, McCormick said only a few people could gather at a time and that her mothers funeral was cold, lonely and bittersweet.

I have a 5-year-old granddaughter who would go to the nursing home with me; she was their little mascot, and shes the one struggling right now McCormick said. My other three great-grandkids had a hard time, too, and we did not really have that much closure, because we could not be around her.

Feeling robbed of her promise and the closure of goodbye, McCormick said two aspects of her mothers funeral brought a sense of comfort  being able to close the casket and having attendees drop a yellow rose in a vase.

I had 15 days of laying here thinking, What can I do to honor my mom? and those were the roses that she loved, McCormick said. So there was a lot of people that, instead of hugging me, they dropped a rose in a vase.

However, she said that being able to close the casket brought the greatest comfort.

She looked whole again and just looked so pretty, so I kissed her and told her goodnight and that I loved her, and that I would see her again  I felt like that was my closure, McCormick said.

Although she is wary of what the future might hold and when a return to normalcy might be, McCormicks wish is to honor her mother later this year with a celebration of life. While the date is subject to change, the goal is to have the celebration on her mothers birthday on Aug. 21, she said.
A British mother has told how her 23-year-old son died gasping "I can't breathe" as he was held down by 11 police officers in the UK ten years ago.

Olaseni Lewis, an IT student, had his hands shackled with two sets of handcuffs and his legs held in two sets of restraints when he was sectioned at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham, south London.

When his body went limp officers simply walked away, believing he was faking it.

But his brain had been starved of oxygen. He was placed on life support, and died four days later.

Seni is among more than 156 people from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) communities who have died following contact with police since 1990.

The revelation comes as the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparks protests across the US and in the UK.

Olaseni Lewis, an IT student, died after he was sectioned at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham, south London. He was held in four sets of shackles

His mother Aji, pictured, said they have never received justice following their son's death. An inquest in 2017 found 'excessive force' was used but no officers faced a criminal probe

The family had taken him to Bethlem Royal Hospital, pictured, due to a mental health episode

Seni's mother Aji told The Sunday Mirror: 'They held him over 45 minutes until he went limp. Then, instead of treating him as a medical emergency, they simply walked away. They believed he was faking it.

'They left our son on the floor of a locked room, all but dead. We struggle to comprehend he died simply because police and medical staff failed in their duty to treat him as a human being.

'I can't watch the George Floyd video, because he is saying the same thing as Seni said: "I can't breathe".'

'People think it's happening in America it's not happening here. I just want people to know that it's happening here all the time. The same thing. "I can't breathe",' she told BBC News.

'You never get justice because I don't know any case of a police officer who's been held accountable.

'There's no accountability. And you really until there is you don't feel as if there's any justice really. You don't feel it. It's impossible. And that's what pain is really.'

An inquest undertaken seven years later concluded 'excessive force' was used on Seni that was 'disproportionate and unreasonable.'

But a gross misconduct hearing held behind closed doors by the metropolitan police concluded that none of the six officers breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to the death.

His mother Aji said she can't watch the George Floyd video because it reminds her of her son

Mother told BBC News: 'People think it's happening in America it's not happening here. I just want people to know that it's happening here all the time. The same thing. "I can't breathe".'

The Lewis family's ongoing fight for justice August 2010: Olaseni Lewis, 23, is placed on life support after he was restrained by 11 officers and starved of oxygen. He died four days later. April 2015: Then home secretary, Theresa May, meets with the Lewis family to discuss their cases. She later launched an independent review into deaths in police custody. May 2017: After a lenghty delay, an inquest is finally held. It finds 'excessive force' was used against Seni that was 'unnecessary and unreasonable'. October 2017: IPCC holds a misconduct hearing following the death of Seni Lewis in private. It finds that the failings were outside the remit of the panel and a 'matter of performance'. November 2018: The Mental Health Units (Use of Force Bill), triggered following Seni's case, becomes law. Changes it brought in included the requirement for officers to wear body cameras when called to mental health settings. Advertisement

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that six of the 11 officers should face a misconduct hearing over the death in their second investigation.

Deborah Coles, director of charity INQUEST, said the outcome was 'bitter' for Seni's family.

'Seni was brutalised, neglected and failed and yet no one person at an individual or senior management level has been held to account,' she said.

'After a seven-year wait, this is a bitter outcome for Seni's family. We are a lesser society for a system that fails to hold to account police action leading to these preventable deaths from our community.'

The family said, in response to the inquest: 'When Seni became ill, we turned to the state in our desperation: We took him to hospital which we thought was the best place for him.

'We shall always bear the cross of knowing that, instead of the help and care he needed, Seni met with his death.

'The officers involved in the restraint have not been or willing to offer any word of condolence or regret in their evidence, in the same way that none has been forthcoming from any of their managers or superiors in the Metropolitan Police over these years.'

Theresa May, as home secretary, met the Lewis family in 2015 to discuss the case.

She wrote in a letter to them: 'It is clearly unsatisfactory that families should have to go to court to quash an IPCC report in order to secure a second investigation into the death of a loved one.'

The family also campaigned for a law which would require that any use of force on patients is recorded, that staff are better trained and that every mental health unit should have to publish a policy on the use of force.

It became law in 2018 as the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act following a vote in parliament.

The death of George Floyd has sparked protests across London against racism

Protesters pictured outside Downing Street, London, during a Black Lives Matter protest

The fences outside parliament have been festooned with placards calling for action

The death of George Floyd has sparked largely peaceful protests in central London.

However, ten officers have been injured and a policewoman has been hospitalised after her horse bolted.

Footage shows flares and a Boris bike being hurled at officers attempting to police the street action.

In reaction to the chaos Priti Patel last night said violence towards police at protests was 'completely unacceptable' and gave officers her 'full support in tackling disorderly behaviour'.
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
WHEN members of the Civil Disturbance Management Unit (CDMU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), wearing anti-riot gear and bearing high-powered firearms, assembled outside of the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu where about 30 persons were holding a rally on the morning of June 5 to protest the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the stand-off; dispersal and chase by the enforcers of the rallyists; and the arrest of eight individuals, exploded online as netizens pointed out what the videos of the incident documented: the stark contrast between the orderly demonstrators, who wore face masks, brought quarantine passes, and practiced social distancing, and the polices inappropriate use of force to break up an assembly they deemed as illegal.

The CCPOs breaking up of a demonstration by citizens exercising their rights to assemble and express dissent to a controversial bill reifies many citizens fears of the return of state repression and suspicions of abuse committed by authorities using the pandemic quarantine as an excuse to suppress citizens rights and legitimate criticism.

The real-time uploading of journalists and eyewitnesses reports, videos, and posts on social media drew unfortunate parallels between the CCPOs dispersal and arrest of the rallyists on June 5 and the May 25 death of civilian George Floyd while under the custody of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

No one was reported as physically harmed in the June 5 dispersal. Yet, UP Cebu constituents posted on social media that rallyists who sought refuge inside the campus were prevented for hours from leaving due to operatives that remained outside the campus.

As narrated by reporter Annie Fe Perez on June 5 in TV Patrol Central Visayas, with corresponding footage, operatives wearing civilian clothes breached the campus walls and pursued the rallyists on campus grounds.

This violates the 1989 UP-Department of National Defense Accord that prohibits the police, military, and their civilian agents from entering any campus in the UP System without permission from the university authorities. The agreement shields UP constituents peaceful protests on campus grounds from police and military interference.

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Police heads must review their June 5 handling of the citizens action to evaluate and recalibrate their responses to civil disobedience.

The death of George Floyd sparked worldwide protests, including riots, that decry police violence, excessive use of force in dealing with civilians, and abuses by rogues in uniform.

However, the rallies have demonstrated how the handling by the police of civil disobedience significantly determines whether the protest action ends peacefully or descends into chaos and violence, with perpetrators coming from the ranks of both enforcers and citizens.

The willingness of the police to discuss and negotiate with protesters, even to the extent of showing sympathy with the cause of seeking social justice for Floyd and other victims of police brutality and racism, has resulted not just in unexpected rapprochement but also release of pent-up trauma and violence among former antagonists.

In her official statement on the June 5 dispersal and arrest of the rallyists, UP Cebu Chancellor, lawyer Liza D. Corro, wrote that, we are deeply disappointed that none of the police officers tried to coordinate with UP Cebu in regard to handling the situation which we hope could have led to a more sound and sensible resolution....

In his short story, The Use of Force, William Carlos Williams uses a battle of wills between a doctor and his young patient to demonstrate how the use of force corrupts and leads to abuse, even with the ostensible purpose to achieve something good.

The doctor admits after he forces his patient that he had got beyond reason... I could have torn the child apart in my own fury and enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to attack her.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the recent police killing of an autistic Palestinian man was unjustified and a "tragedy", offering his condolences to the bereaved family.

Israeli police shot 32-year-old Iyak Hallak in Jerusalem on May 30 while he was walking to his special needs school, after officers mistakenly thought he was armed.

"What happened with Iyad Hallak is a tragedy. This is a man with limitations -- autism -- who was under suspicion, we know, wrongly, of being a terrorist in a very sensitive location," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.

The killing happened near Lions' Gate in the alleys of the walled Old City, where Hallak had attended school for six years.

"We all offer our condolences to the family, I think this is shared by the entire Israeli public, as well as the entire Israeli government," Netanyahu said.

The premier added that he awaited the outcome of an investigation into the shooting.

Thousands of mourners massed for Hallak's funeral, while online the hashtag #PalestinianLivesMatter echoed the fury being seen at mass protests against police violence and racism in the United States.

Hallak's slaying prompted condolence visits from Israelis, including lawmakers from the Arab-led Joint List, Jerusalem's chief rabbi and Yehudah Glick, a right-wing former member of parliament.

Glick is dedicated to increasing Jewish presence at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam, in the Old City. The location is also the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.

Glick, who survived a 2014 assassination attempt over his Jerusalem activities, said he was attacked Thursday when exiting the Hallak mourning tent in an attempted "murderous lynching" attack and sustained light wounds.

Speaking on Sunday, Netanyahu said the killing of Hallak "does not justify the wild attack on former MP Glick".

"I'm sure justice will be done here too," the premier said.

Police arrested one person in connection with the attack and released him to house arrest while the investigation continued.




Haiti - Diaspora : Notice of the Consulate of Haiti in Orlando





The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando informs the Haitian Community of Central Florida that from Tuesday June 9, 2020, the Consulate will be open to the Public on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm to receive urgent passport requests and legal documents.



Wearing a protective mask is compulsory in accordance with the recommendations of the health authorities, as well as respecting social distancing measures in order to prevent the risks of contamination of staff and the public.



Access to the public attention space will be strictly reserved for those affected by the service to be requested, and limited to the reception capacity adjusted to the reopening plan.



Upon arrival, users can enter their name and mobile phone number in the register corresponding to the document to be drawn up or retrieved and wait until they are contacted by an agent available from the section concerned. This new provision aims to reduce the waiting time at the Consulate and to better manage the flow of attendance at the premises.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Despite strict lockdown restrictions enforced by the government with an aim to combat the spread of novel coronavirus, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday recorded 382 new cases, taking the total tally to 10,103 in the state.

According to data released by Uttar Pradesh Health Department, 11 people have succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 268 in the state. While there are 3,927 active cases and 5,908 patients have been cured of the disease.

In Uttar Pradesh, Agra continues to remain as one of the worst-affected districts with 939 Covid-19 cases so far, followed by Gautam Buddh Nagar (623), Meerut (502), Kanpur (498), Lucknow (445), Ghaziabad (403), Firozabad (313), Saharanpur (266), Jaunpur (264), Moradabad (253), and Basti (228).

As of now, more than 86,000 samples of migrant workers have been tested. Of these, 2,856 migrants have tested positive for the virus. Over 10 lakh migrant workers from other states have been put under surveillance, said Dr Vikasendu Agarwal, State Surveillance Officer.

Meanwhile, so far, a total number of 194 police personnel have been found infected with coronavirus in the state, while two of them have succumbed to the infection. Most of the cops found infected were deployed on duties in and around the containment zones.

Speaking in brief about it, a senior police official, on the condition of anonymity, said that more than 350 police personnel were sent to quarantine after they came in contact with a Covid-19 positive patient. Of these, 194 tested positive and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals across the state. Out of these 194, 99 police personnel have been treated and discharged from the hospitals.

Apart from Uttar Pradesh police personnel, around 32 cops of PAC and 31 cops of GRP have also tested positive for coronavirus in the state. While PAC personnel who have tested positive were mostly the ones who were helping civil police in maintaining law and order, the GRP personnel who have tested positive were busy with handling of Shramik special trains coming to Uttar Pradesh from other states.
Local leaders may have been apprehensive when thousands of young people took to the streets of Washington, aiming to shut it down. Still, given its long experience with political demonstrations, the District prided itself on its crowd control. But now the federal government was stepping in, guided by an attorney general who many felt was only too happy to do the presidents bidding.
Prince Charles contracting coronavirus was 'one of the best things that could have happened' because it's made him more empathetic and boosted his social media following, a royal expert has claimed.

The Prince of Wales, 71, previously revealed he was 'lucky' to have experienced 'relatively mild symptoms' of Covid-19 after testing positive in March.

Last week he opened up about his brush with the deadly infection in an interview with Sky News for their series After The Pandemic: Our New World. He told royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills: 'I was lucky in my case and got away with it quite lightly. But I've had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.'

He added: 'I feel particularly for those who have lost their loved ones and have been unable to be with them at the time. That to me is the most ghastly thing.'

The Prince of Wales, 71, said he was 'lucky' to have experienced 'relatively mild symptoms' of Covid-19 after testing positive in March

Royal biographer Penny Juror told The Sunday Times his battle with the virus means he is now 'able to understand people going through terrible times' and 'show leadership'.

'That he caught the virus is one of the best things that could have happened,' she said.

'It echoes the Queen Mother and King George VI being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the public during the Second World War after Buckingham Palace was bombed.'

She added that more people have 'seen and listened' to Charles during lockdown - and that he has used his platform well throughout the pandemic.

Royal biographer Penny Juror said Charles' battle with the virus means he is now 'able to understand people going through terrible times' and 'show leadership'

'There are so many people who don't really get Charles, who don't know what he does,' Juror explained.

'But during the coronavirus, maybe because of the lockdown, more people have seen him and listened to him than perhaps they would during normal times.

'The pandemic has given him a platform and he has been masterful in the way he's responded and used that platform.'

Juror, author of Charles and Diana: Portrait of a Marriage, added that Charles' social media posts are now reaching a far wider audience, and people are finally starting to understand 'a bit more about who he is and what he does'.

Juror, author of Charles and Diana: Portrait of a Marriage, added that Charles' social media posts are now reaching a far wider audience, and people are finally starting to understand 'a bit more about who he is and what he does'

'He is a king in waiting, that's what he has shown himself to be,' she added. 'He's ready, he has got everything his mother has.'

Charles' first coronavirus post attracted nearly 850,000 likes from its 1.1 million followers - a significant jump from the usual 20,000 received by a Clarence House Instagram update.

As patron of Age UK, he shared a video message, filmed at his Birkhall home on the Balmoral estate, addressing the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the older members of the community.

In it, he described lockdown as a 'strange, frustrating and often distressing experience' and highlighted how this is an 'unprecedented and anxious time in all our lives'.

Charles' Zoom calls and photos of him working in his office at his 'messy desk' have also offered royal fans a refreshing insight into his life and work

Since beating the virus, Charles has shared an eclectic selection of social media posts championing causes close to his heart.

Last month he posted one of his favourite recipes for 'cheesy baked eggs' in a nod to British cheesemakers, and he marked VE Day by reading an extract from his grandfather George VI's diary.

He highlighted his commitment to sustainability and the environment in April with a post dedicated to Earth Day, writing: 'It is increasingly clear that when we care for our planet we fundamentally care for ourselves.'

Charles' Zoom calls and photos of him working in his office at his 'messy desk' have also offered royal fans a new insight into his life and work.
The New York Times announced Sunday that Editorial Page Editor James Bennet has resigned after his department published a widely criticized opinion article written by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Cotton's article, published Wednesday and titled "Send in the Troops," incited a backlash not just from readers but also from Times journalists. Many from within the newsroom publicly stated that the article put the lives of black journalists employed at the company in danger.

The article supported the use of military force to suppress the nationwide protests against police violence that were sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Image: James Bennet (Larry Neumeister / AP file)

Bennet defended the article in a Twitter thread Wednesday, saying The Times owed it to readers to present counterarguments to balance editorials written in favor of the protests.

"We understand that many readers find Senator Cotton's argument painful, even dangerous," Bennet wrote. "We believe that is one reason it requires public scrutiny and debate."

But on Sunday, the newspaper's publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, made it clear that significant changes would be coming to the opinion process.

"Last week we saw a significant breakdown in our editing processes, not the first we've experienced in recent years, " he wrote. "James and I agreed that it would take a new team to lead the department through a period of considerable change."

On Thursday, the newspaper said in a statement that an internal review had showed a "rushed editorial process" that did not meet its own standards. Short-term and long-term changes would be coming as a result, the statement said.

An article written by the paper's own journalists revealed that Bennet told staff members that he had not read the essay before it was published.

The Times' publication of Cotton's op-ed, and the ensuing protest from its staff, set off an important debate about how the nation's paper of record weighs its commitment to causes like racial justice.

Story continues

For some Times staffers who opposed publishing the essay, Bennet's resignation was a positive sign, indicating that the paper takes their concerns seriously and is committed to applying more care and fact-checking to the op-ed process.

For others, it was evidence of a growing trend that would have been all but unthinkable in previous generations  the power of progressive employees to force change at the organization through collective protest.

Katie Kingsbury, who joined the op-ed section in 2017, will take over Bennet's role as lead editorial editor through the November election. Jim Dao, Bennet's deputy editor in charge of the op-ed section, will also be removed from the masthead and moved into a new role.

"None of these changes mark a retreat from The Times's responsibility to help people understand a range of voices across the breadth of public debate," Sulzberger said in his memo. "That role is as important as it's ever been."

The company is opposed to racism in every corner of society, Sulzberger clarified as the newspaper has faced questions about its "core values."

"As a company we have made real progress in recent years in becoming more diverse and inclusive, but we must increase our efforts to ensure that this is a place that welcomes, supports and reflects the contributions of all of our employees," Sulzberger said.

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In a statement from The Times announcing the resignation, Bennet said he was "so proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to focus attention on injustice and threats to freedom ... by bringing new voices and ideas to Times readers."

"The journalism of Times Opinion has never mattered more than in this time of crisis at home and around the world, and I've been honored to be part of it," Bennet said.

President Donald Trump, who has often openly condemned The Times, tweeted about Bennet's departure Sunday: "That's right, he quit over the excellent Op-Ed penned by our great Senator @TomCottonAR. "TRANSPARENCY! The State of Arkansas is very proud of Tom."

Clifford Levy, an associate managing editor, responded to the president's tweet by echoing Sulzberger's words about the paper's commitment to providing readers a range of voices.

"The decision to change @nytopinion management has nothing to do with our belief in that mission, which remains a core principle," Levy said.

CORRECTION (June 7, 2020, 10:35 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of the editorial page editor who resigned. He is James Bennet, not James Bennett.
New Delhi/Beijing, June 7 : China is running full-blown propaganda on its high altitude war preparations, threatening India as troops of both sides remain locked in a face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times claimed that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) organised "a large-scale maneuver operation featuring thousands of paratroopers and armoured vehicles to the country's high-altitude northwestern region over a long distance from central China's Hubei province amid border tensions between China and India." The entire process was completed in just a few hours, demonstrating China's capability of quickly reinforcing border defences when necessary, Global Times reported.

On Saturday, China Central Television (CCTV) had reported that PLA Air Force airborne brigade recently maneuvered from Hubei to an undisclosed location in the plateaus of northwestern China thousands of kilometers away.

Reacting to the propaganda, defence analyst Nitin Gokhale tweeted, "Since China is bent on trying to create an impression that its terracotta warriors are ready for high altitude battle, perhaps it is time to talk about an imaginary table top exercise some military enthusiasts have authored and played out in their minds." India's China expert Brahma Chellaney however, warned, "India extended the hand of friendship to China but that country's communist dictatorship repaid with aggression in Ladakh, resurrecting the ghosts of Mao's 1962 military invasion of India. The latest aggression is not just a wake-up call for India, it could prove the final straw." State-run media in China has been persistently running war propaganda against India since the Xi Jinping regime earned worldwide opprobrium for initially covering up the coronavirus pandemic which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province.
An estimated 8.5% of people in England have had the virus, the Government says

Only 10 per cent of people who are infected with the coronavirus develop antibodies, a professor claims.

Professor Karol Sikora, an advisor to the World Health Organisation, said the majority would have a negative result on an antibody test, even though they have had the coronavirus.

Governments have pinned their hopes on antibody testing to understand how much of the population has been infected to guide the easing of lockdown.

These people - given the nicknames 'immuno privileged' or the 'Covid elite' - would be able to return to work or socially mingle with an 'immunity passport'.

But not everyone who has had the virus will produce detectable antibodies, and may have used a different immune response in order to attack the virus. For example, T cells are one of the first lines of defence and act before antibodies are even needed.

Some parts of the immune response remain a complete mystery to scientists and are unable to measure.

It means it may never be possible to measure the scale of the pandemic or pick out those who have definitely had the coronavirus and have some sort of protection.

Surveillance testing suggests that 8.5 per cent of people in England have already had the coronavirus, based on measuring antibodies. But scientists say the true figure is likely to be far higher.

Karol Sikora, a former World Health Organisation director, said the majority of people would have a negative result on an antibody test, even though they have had the coronavirus

Governments have pinned their hopes on antibody testing (pictured, a blood sample) to understand how much of the population has been infected to guide the easing of lockdown

Antibodies are proteins that develop in response to a foreign pathogen over a few days. They are also created when a vaccine that imitates the virus is injected.

The immune system remembers the antigen so that if a person is exposed to it again, it can produce antibodies quicker.

These antibodies are present in the blood and the 'have you had it' tests are used to identify people who have previously had Covid-19.

Professor Sikora, the chief medical officer at the cancer centre Rutherford Health, told MailOnline: 'If you have antibodies you are essentially immune privileged or among the Covid elite - you are exempt from the rules because you are likely immune, are not likely to get it again, and are not likely to pass it on.

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

'But there is a snag, and thats that less than 10 per cent of infected people have antibodies. That doesnt mean only 10 per cent have been infected. Probably far from it.

'There are other immune defences at play but we cant measure that.'

The immune system is a huge web of proteins that have different functions to protect the body against infection - and antibodies are just part of the picture.

Professor Sikora said the immune system is very sophisticated and there is a huge amount to uncover about how it works - especially in response to a novel coronavirus.

He said: 'There is what we call "immunological dark matter". We dont understand it, but it's definitely protecting us. It may be one of the protections against the virus.'

Antibodies, which latch on to the coronavirus and mark it for other immune cells to destroy, are part of the adaptive immune system.

The adaptive immune response is much slower to respond to threats and infections than the 'innate immune response', which is primed and ready to fight at all times.

The innate immune system is the immediate response to the virus, or the 'first line of defence'. It includes some T cells, which both kill the virus directly and stimulate other immune cells to join in.

Professor Sikora said there is 'a hint' that older people produce antibodies more often than those under 30 years old, and those who are more severely ill.

'But other than that, there is nothing to identify them. There is nothing about racial characteristics either. Its quite a mystery.'

He added: 'What you need is a test to identify those you dont need to worry about. The problem is developing a test that is really specific, and we don't know what to measure.'

His comments follow research which shows most people who recover from the novel coronavirus generate a weak antibody response to SARS-CoV-2.

Researchers from Rockefeller University in New York City looked at blood plasma samples from 149 recovered patients. They did not use an antibody test.

They found every patient's immune system seemed to be capable of generating the types of antibodies that neutralise and inacctivate the virus, just not particularly enough of them.

In fact, the neutralising effect was undetectable in 33 per cent of donors. The investigators say this may be because their immune systems cleared the infection before antibodies could be produced.

They found that the effect was very high among one percent of patients, the so-called 'elite'.

Gus Dalgleish, a professor of oncology at University College London, told MailOnline he believes the majority of people fight the virus with T cells, based on research so far.

He said: 'If you have a good T cell response, it will protect you against the flu, the cold, or the coronavirus. This immune response declines dramatically over the age of 50 - which fits the people who get ill more quickly with the coronavirus.

'Antibodies are a clear sign of many other infections. With this coronavirus, it doesnt appear to be quite as clear.'

It hasn't stopped governments globally moving full steam ahead to buy millions of antibody tests in order to measure the size of the pandemic.

The Department of Health and Social care have secured ten million antibody tests being conducted on NHS and social workers in the UK now. Health chiefs have lost at least 20million pounds trying to find one that reaches their standards.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the deal with pharmaceutical companies Roche and Aboott was 'an important milestone' because it meant people on the frontline could finally find out if they had been infected.

In the long term, the public may also be able to get their hands on a 'have you had it' test - either one that is sent to the laboratory or conducted from the comfort of your own home.

The Department of Health and Social care have secured ten million antibody tests being conducted on NHS and social workers in the UK now

In the long term, the public may also be able to get their hands on a 'have you had it' test - either one that is sent to the laboratory or conducted from the comfort of your own home

An estimated 8.5 to 10 per cent of England's population (4.76 million to 5.6million) have had the coronavirus, according to the government-run surveillance scheme. But experts believe the figure is far higher because it only accounts for those who produce antibodies

Professor Sikora, former Director of WHO Cancer Programme, said: 'When they [the Government] ordered the antibody tests they thought it would be of great importance. It won't be particularly helpful I dont think.

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

'The hope was the antibody test would identify you are recovered so you could get back to work. We were hoping it would be at least 50 per cent, but it hasnt worked out like that.

'We started testing people in cancer centres six weeks ago and I was disappointed at the results. Less than six per cent of people had antibodies. Its not significant.

'I have had the coronavirus, but I havent got antibodies.'

An estimated 8.5 to 10 per cent of England's population (4.76 million to 5.6million) have had the coronavirus, according to the government-run surveillance scheme which uses blood samples taken from almost 8,000 people.

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.

Professor Dalgleish said he believes there are far more people who have had the virus but are being unaccounted for in estimations.

Not only do the majority of people not appear to produce antibodies, but it's not clear for how long they can be detected in somebody's blood after infection.

Professor Dalgleish said: 'There is a picture emerging that people can have antibodies against it but they wane quite quickly.

'I've seen evidence of people who have definitely had the virus but they can't find antibodies in them months later.'

'It makes finding the number of people who have been exposed to the virus very difficult to nail.'

It also has implications for the vaccine, Professor Dalgleish warns.

Speaking of vaccines in clinical trials, including that developed by Oxford University, he said: 'It has been designed in a classical way, but is it going to work if the antibodies fade quickly?'

Scientists are concerned that the focus on antibodies will off-rail the development of a vaccine.

Vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection, causing the immune system to produce antibodies that remember how to fight the foreign pathogen.

The early signs a vaccine works is conferred by the presence of antibodies - which scientists are warning is not a given and may not be as important as T cells.

Professor Dalgleish said: 'I propose a vaccine that uses T cells. We have a T cell boosting vaccine in cancer patients and none of them, even those over 70, get viral infections.'
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On May 30, the successful launch of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon vehicle marked the first manned mission to space from U.S. soil in nearly a decade. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, who ascended from the same launchpad as the Apollo missions and the space shuttle, are now aboard the International Space Station.

Only this time, in an amazing giant leap of technology, the rocket that carried them into orbit returned and landed itself aboard a ship to be reused. All of this was, for the first time in manned space flight history, carried out by SpaceX, the private company founded by billionaire Elon Musk.

SpaceXs stated goal is to make off-world travel more affordable, but Musk has deeper, more science-fiction-like ambitions, including seeding the human species on other planets. Back in 2008, he wrote in Esquire:

An asteroid or a supervolcano could certainly destroy [humanity], but we also face risks the dinosaurs never saw: An engineered virus, nuclear war, inadvertent creation of a micro black hole, or some as-yet-unknown technology could spell the end of us. Sooner or later, we must expand life beyond our little blue mud ballor go extinct.

Musks movie-like ambitions dont end there. In addition to SpaceX and (of course) Tesla, he founded a company called Neuralink to develop ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers. At the press conference announcing the launch of Neuralink, Musk restated that in plain English. He wants to help humans achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence, creating technologies that would enable humans to merge with AI.

In other words, the worldview at work behind most of Musks projects is an atheistic transhumanism that seeks to control the evolutionary process toward the end of preserving and expanding human consciousness and capability.

Recognizing these worldview motivations does not, however, minimize the achievements of Musk or SpaceX. Sending Americans back to the stars in a private spacecraft propelled by a retrievable rocket is just downright cool, to say nothing of just how useful the technology could be.

At the same time, Christians should realize that the awe that overwhelms humans when watching man set foot on the moon or a robot land on Mars or astronauts boarding the space station is more than a mere feeling. Rather, its a testament to our unique status and role in creation, as well as our drive and capacity to imagine beyond the constraints of what is to what might be, and its a reminder that the universe is a place to be known, explored, and even subdued. Adherents to any worldview must recognize these observable realities about this universe, but Christianity can uniquely explain them.

No elephants or apes look to the stars and long to visit them, nor are they capable of trying. Humans do and are, because were created in the image of the One who set the stars in place to declare His glory and gave us wonder and the ability to know Him. An atheistic worldview, even with ambitions to transcend our bodies and settle other planets, simply cannot account for these desires.

That doesnt stop those who hold this worldview from trying. Elon Musk, for example, sounds eerily similar to atheist space-farer Dr. Weston from C. S. Lewis Space Trilogy. In civilized man, says Weston, life has reached its highest form, and now presses forward to that interplanetary leap which will place us forever beyond the reach of death.

Though anyone who knows Dr. Westons eventual fate will shudder, similar ideas often drive this new era of space travel. The opportunity for Christians is to, as my friend Greg Koukl often says, put a pebble in their shoe by asking why. Why is human civilization worth preserving and spreading? Why do we long to visit other planets? Why do we treat death like an enemy to be overcome?

Not only do these questions lack answers if we are no different from the elephant or ape, theres really no explanation for why we would be asking them in the first place. If we are different from the animals, however, if we were made to know the universe and the God behind it, then our sense of awe and our drive to return to space makes a world of sense.

Originally posted at breakpoint.org
China-India border meeting injects hopes to ease tension; 'bottom line' with India non-negotiable: experts

Global Times

By Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/6 15:10:31

A meeting between Chinese and Indian military officials, led by top tactical army commanders, according to Indian media, is scheduled on Saturday. The meeting between the top echelons injects hopes to ease the ongoing border tensions that have been dominating the spotlight.

Indian news portal ThePrint.in, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and China's Southern Xinjiang Military District chief will attend the meeting.

There are no further updates on the details concerning the meeting, as of press time.

However, ahead of Saturday's scheduled meeting between the military officials, near the site of their border stand-off, India's ministry of external affairs issued a statement on Friday, stressing diplomatic channels as a way to peacefully resolve the border tension in the Ladakh region.

Citing the statement in a late Friday report, the Reuters revealed that senior officials of the two counties held a video conference and reached agreements that two sides should handle their differences through peaceful discussion and not allow the differences degrade into disputes.

Chinese analysts reached by the Global Times on Saturday echoed similar views, agreeing that the peaceful discussion through the diplomatic channel is the only effective way to resolve the problems.

However, Chinese analysts also emphasized that the Indian side should immediately stop provocative acts along the border and respect China's bottom line stance on the common border, otherwise deadlock will not be truly resolved.

They also cautioned that the seemingly friendly rhetoric the Indian side deliberately revealed to the Western media could also serve as a pressure tactic against China, aiming to silence China's reasonable proposition on the pretext of peaceful resolution.

"The due meeting of military generals from the two sides near the site would be conducted in a restrained fashion. But the Indian military must halt any constructing defense facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region, and stop crossing the border to create conflicts, which allows no wiggling room and is the fundamental sincerity the Indian side has to offer, " Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Song said the selection of military officials as part of the delegation for the Saturday meeting indicated that the two sides are expected to work together to resolve the regional tension in a point-to-point manner.

Top tactical army commanders stationed near the site are sufficient to raise relevant issues and implement the outcome of the discussions within the region. However, any major China-India border disputes, bigger than the current round of tensions, may require participants at the level of the defense and foreign ministries, Song said.

Chinese border defense troops have bolstered border control measures and made necessary moves in response to India's recent, illegal construction of defense facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region, a source close to Chinese military told the Global Times in May.

Since early May, India has been crossing the boundary line in the Galwan Valley region and entering Chinese territory. The Indian side built defense fortifications and created obstacles to disrupt Chinese border defense troops' normal patrol activities, purposefully instigated conflicts, and attempted to unilaterally change the current border control situation, the military source said.

This round of China-India border tension is reminiscent of the 2017 Doklam stalemate.

"At present, the overall situation in the China-India border areas is stable and controllable," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, at a routine press conference on Friday.

Geng added, "There are sound mechanisms for border-related matters between China and India. The two sides maintain close communication through diplomatic and military channels and are working to properly resolve relevant issues."

China's stance at the border is consistent, which adheres to the principle of not initiating troubles and safeguarding the peace and stability at the border region, said Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

"The Indian side might have miscalculated the situation, and tried to press China to make compromise by creating troubles amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Hu told the Global Times on Saturday.

The Indian side should now understand that border disputes can only be resolved in good faith from both sides, rather than exerting pressure on the other side when encountering difficulties, Hu noted. "India has clearly underestimated China's capability to cope with the COVID epidemic in the country."

Indian officials said both sides would first focus on getting both the Indian army and the People's Liberation Army to pull back additional troops and equipment deployed in the area, according to the Reuters report.

Chinese observers predict that the military of the two countries, after Saturday's high-level meeting, will cease operations "to certain extent," but the border tension may continue, mainly due to India's tendency of playing petty tricks on the border.

However, there is still a possibility that India would adopt a hard-line stance during the military meeting, as a way of shifting focus from its domestic difficulties of containing the COVID-19, Zhao Gancheng, a research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Saturday.

China should be prepared for further escalating tension, and China does not fear such an outcome, Zhao said.

Chinese and Indian leaders held an informal summit in 2018 and reached an important consensus. The high-ranking officials of both countries maintained frequent contacts over the past two years, and Indian leaders showed strategic calmness.

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China opposes United States adding Chinese entities to export control list: spokesperson

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/6/6 1:32:09

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 US 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."

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 22:32:44|Editor: huaxia

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KAMPALA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Health on Sunday reported 23 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 616.

Out of the 2,494 samples collected from cross-border cargo truck drivers and communities over the last 24 hours, 23 Ugandans tested positive for the virus, said the statement.

According to the ministry, 47 foreign truck drivers who tested positive for COVID-19 were handed over to their countries of origin.

Out of the 616 COVID-19 cases, 96 have recovered and no one has died of the disease in the country, according to the ministry. Enditem
Barr: I Dont Think That the Law Enforcement System Is Systemically Racist

Attorney General William Barr said on Sunday that he does not believe the American law enforcement system is racist, but acknowledged the distrust people in the African-American community have historically had toward law enforcement.

I think theres racism in the United States still but I dont think that the law enforcement system is systemically racist. I understand  the distrust, however, of the African-American community given the history in this country, Barr said during an interview on CBSs Face the Nation.

He acknowledged that U.S. institutions for most of our history had been explicitly racist but had been undergoing a phase of reform since the 1960s to ensure that they were in line with laws.

When asked whether he thinks the reforms were effective, he replied I think the reform is a difficult task, but I think it is working and progress has been made.

I think one of the best examples is the military. The military used to be [an] explicitly racist institution. And now I think its in the vanguard of bringing the races together and providing equal opportunity. I think law enforcement has been going through the same process, he said.

His comments come as tens of thousands of people across the nation have taken to the streets to call for change in policing in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody. Floyd died as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest.

The attorney general said he did not think tweaking of the rulessuch as limiting qualified immunity for police officers in order to make it easier to hold them civilly liable for misconduct during official dutywould be effective, adding that it would result certainly in police pulling back.

Its, you know, policing is the toughest job in the country. And  I frankly think that we have generally the vast, overwhelming majority of police are good people. Theyre civic-minded people who believe in serving the public. They do so bravely. They do so righteously, Barr said.

He also cautioned against characterizing an organization as rotten just because of the actions of an individual.

All organizations have people who engage in misconduct, and you sometimes have to be careful as for when you ascribe that to the whole organization and when it really is some errant member who isnt following the rules, Barr said.

Barrs remarks echo comments made by other Trump administration officials who deny systemic racism is a problem. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that while systemic racism was common during a time when he was growing up, he said its very uncommon now.

Carson added that now is an opportune time to deal with issues in police departments as people are focused on the matter.

People are concentrating on this, we cant let this slip away. We need to deal with some of the issues in the police departments, but this is an easy time to do it, he said.

Meanwhile, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf made similar comments during an interview on ABCs The Week on Sunday, adding that he believes police officers who abuse their jobs should be held accountable.

Barr said that the Justice Department and FBI are currently investigating whether any federal civil rights laws were violated in the Floyd incident and that that probe is proceeding quickly.
Airlines have been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdowns. Photo: GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP via Getty Images

Pilots' union Balpa accused British Airways of jeopardising discussions over proposed job cuts, the BBC reports, after the airline said it will fire its entire pilot workforce and rehire them under new terms and conditions, should no agreement be reached with the union.

Balpa has been meeting with the company, unlike some unions such as Unite and GMB, which BA says have refused to enter talks. But Balpas general secretary Brian Strutton said discussions are now under jeopardy.

"Balpa reps have been in consultation with BA over its proposed 1,130 pilot job losses and we've been doing that constructively and in good faith," Strutton said in a statement.

"Then, on Wednesday evening, a letter from BA added another 125 job losses and also for the first time threatened all 4,300 BA pilots with dismissal and reengagement if we did not reach agreement on changes to terms and conditions.

"I'm appalled at the cavalier attitude shown by BA towards the Balpa reps and to its pilots, Strutton said.

"This has seriously undermined our talks which now hang by a thread."

Earlier, in a statement Strutton called on the government to help the aviation industry, because he claimed it is blindingly obvious that individual airlines will plot a path out of this that only suits their shareholders.

READ MORE: BA, Ryanair, easyJet protest over 'wholly unjustified' UK quarantine plan

BA parent IAG (IAG.L) wrote a letter to Parliament last week outlining the challenges the company faces and defending a proposal to make 12,000 BA staff redundant. This was after the transport minister criticised airlines such as BA for making use of the governments job retention scheme to pay employees but then also threatening them with redundancy.

Willie Walsh, CEO of BA's parent company IAG, said: "There are some who believe the company is exaggerating the scale of the challenge. Nothing could be further from the truth. The situation is unprecedented."

British Airways had hoped to operate about 40% of our scheduled flights in July but this has been torpedoed by the introduction of the 14-day quarantine period for people arriving into the UK. British Airways is not generating any revenues and continues to burn through approximately 20m ($25.3m) of cash a day. The current situation is not sustainable, he added.

Story continues

Meanwhile, BA, Easyjet and Ryanair have begun legal proceedings to protest its "wholly unjustified and disproportionate" quarantine rules for most international arrivals, a copy of the letter seen by Reuters showed.

They sent a pre-action letter, which is the first stage in a judicial review, to ministers on 5 June ahead of the measures coming into effect on 8 June.

READ MORE: Airlines handed 1.8 billion in emergency coronavirus loans
A migrant labourer allegedly ended his life by hanging himself at his rented accommodation in Ludhianas Shivpuri area on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

The victim worked at a hosiery factory. His co-worker was the first to see the body hanging from a ceiling fan on Sunday morning, when he returned home. He raised alarm and informed the police.

According to police, the victim was living here alone, while his wife and two children were in Bihar.

The police are investigating to know the reason behind the extreme step. No suicide note has recovered from the spot. The police have informed his family about the incident.
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Retired four-star general and former Republican secretary of state Colin Powell joined other former top military officials who have recently spoken out against President Trumps handling of the police brutality protests, saying that Trump has drifted away from the Constitution.

Powell also said that he will vote for the Democratic candidate for president come November. I cannot in any way support President Trump this year I will be voting for Joe Biden, he said.

More from Rolling Stone

Powell went on to reminded CNNs Jake Tapper that he did not support Trump in 2016 and cited the presidents racism and disrespect of immigrants as reasons why.

I made my point with respect to Trumps performance some four years ago, when he was running for office. And when I heard some of the things he was saying, it made it clear that I could not possibly vote for this individual, the former secretary of state said.

Powell explained that Trumps racist and completely false birther campaign against then-president Obama topped his list of reasons not to support the 2016 Republican candidate: The first thing that troubled me is the whole birthers movement. And birthers movement had to do with the fact that the president of the United States, President Obama, was a black man. That was part of it.

Powell continued, And then I was deeply troubled by the way in which he was going around insulting everybody, insulting Gold Star mothers, insulting John McCain, insulting immigrants  and Im the son of immigrants  insulting anybody who dared to speak against him. And that is dangerous for our democracy. It is dangerous for our country.

Powell then suggested the immense size of the current protests might be a signal that the American people may be more aware of Trumps incompetence and are fed up with him.

Story continues

I think what were seeing now, the most massive protest movement I have ever seen in my life, I think this suggests that the country is getting wise to this, and were not going to put up with it anymore, Powel said.

Trump responded to the interview via Twitter by attacking Powell and Biden without addressing any of the points the former secretary made.

Powell spoke further about the demonstrations and put a twist on Trumps favorite Make America Great Again slogan, by adding an inclusive note.

What we have to do now is reach out to the whole people, watch these demonstrations, watch these protests, and rather than curse them, embrace them to see what it is we have to do to get out of the situation that we find ourselves in now, Powell said. Were America, were Americans, we can do this. We have the ability to do it, and we ought to do it. Make America not just great, but strong and great for all Americans, not just a couple.

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Originally published Feb. 18, 2020, this article is the first in an Injustice Watch series detailing problems in Alabamas prisons. Injustice Watch is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in Chicago.

An Alabama prisoner died weeks after he was allegedly beaten by a fellow inmate, beaten again and hog-tied by prison guards, and then denied treatment by a nurse, according to a secret Alabama Department of Corrections report obtained by Injustice Watch.

The report contains shocking details about the death of Billy Smith, including apparent efforts to conceal the timeline of events and obscure the roles that correctional employees played in his fatal ordeal.

Smith, 35, was found dazed and injured on the floor of a bathroom at Elmore Correctional Facility in November 2017 after another man allegedly punched him in the head and knocked him out over a bungled drug deal.

Inmates took Smith, bloodied, to the shift command office, where witnesses said he complained about head pain and refused to wait outside. Officers then allegedly beat Smith, hog-tied him, and left him strapped to a gurney.

Smith lay untreated for at least an hour, witnesses said in the report, bleeding heavily from his nose and pleading for help.

Officers then took him to a nearby prison medical facility, where a nurse refused him treatment. When authorities returned with Smith, he was unconscious and trembling.

Prison officials then sent Smith back to the medical facility, and paramedics took him to a hospital. Smith, who suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding, never woke up again. He died 26 days later from blunt force head trauma.

Smiths mother, Teresa Smith, said the Alabama Department of Corrections never reached out with condolences or an explanation. Smith, who left behind three children, was serving time for a 2006 murder.

For him to have to die like that  he got the death penalty in my view, Teresa Smith said in an interview with Injustice Watch. People say he deserved what he got, but nobody deserves to suffer like that. I know that inmates are prisoners, and maybe they are there for a reason, but they're not animals; these are people's sons, brothers, and daddies.

Teresa Smiths son, Billy Smith, died as a prisoner at Elmore Correctional Facility in December 2017. (Adeshina Emmanuel | Injustice Watch)

The details of how guards allegedly left Smith without prompt care for his wounds and then inflicted more injuries were included in the confidential investigative report that the Alabama Department of Corrections has kept secret from the public. In the report, inmates contradicted the explanations correctional staff gave investigators.

Some prison supervisors first denied seeing Smith hogtied, but later revised their statements or were otherwise called into question by video described in the report. An office log was found apparently altered, with notes about Smith missing and a dubious signature. One sergeant failed a polygraph exam, and an assistant warden edited her time card without explanation, according to the report.

Injustice Watch emailed the Alabama Department of Corrections with a long list of questions and sought interviews about what investigators found. Officials responded with a statement confirming that they had probed the circumstances around Smiths death and forwarded findings to prosecutors, but declined to say much more, out of respect for the legal process.

Bryan Blount, who was serving time at Elmore for a 2002 murder, is scheduled to go on trial for manslaughter next month for allegedly causing Smiths death. So, too, is former correctional officer Jeremy Singleton, who prosecutors say struck Smith multiple times on his head and failed to seek timely medical attention for the inmate.

Mickey McDermott, Singletons lawyer, said his client is innocent. Blounts attorney didnt return calls for comment. Neither did the state medical examiner who investigators said concluded that Blount was responsible for Smiths death. Injustice Watch also reached out to the other officers accused of abusing Smith, the nurse who denied his care, and prison supervisors mentioned in the report. All either failed to respond to requests or refused to answer questions about what state investigators found.

The Shift Commanders Office

Late in the afternoon of Nov. 13, 2017, prisoners found Smith with a bruised forehead and a bloody nose in a prison dormitory. Two officers were watching the dorm, according to the report, which houses nearly 200 inmates.

Prisoners told investigators that Blount punched Smith in the head about 5:30 p.m., knocking him to the concrete floor. The fight was over money  Blount accused Smith of shorting a package of synthetic marijuana. Prison officials alleged that Smith smuggled drugs for Blount from a nearby trade school where Smith attended classes. Smith, of Arab, Alabama, had struggled with addiction and crime since his teen years, his mother said.

Former Elmore correctional officer Joel McClease told Injustice Watch that an inmate brought him to the bathroom, where he found Smith lying on the floor by a toilet. Other prisoners told him Smith was intoxicated. McClease remembers helping Smith to a shower, saying he was conscious but unsteady on his feet. McClease said guards were typically advised to send injured or sick inmates to the shift office so that supervisors could then take them to a nearby prison health facility where nurses could evaluate their condition and fill out a body chart.

McClease said he radioed supervisors and requested that an ambulance unit of inmates come with a stretcher and transport Smith to the front shift command office.

According to the report, one of the inmates in the ambulance unit told investigators he remembered finding Smith lying on the floor, possibly intoxicated, wearing only boxers and a sweatshirt after his shower. He had a cut atop his head and a bloody nose.

Smith stood and was helped into the gurney. He was taken to a grassy area outside the shift commanders office, where it was cool and raining. About an hour had passed since the fight.

Nurse Tara Parker was in the office passing out medicine to a long line of inmates. Singleton had just arrived to work an overtime shift as a transport agent, moving inmates from prison to prison. At least two supervisors, Sgt. Jonathan Richardson and shift commander Lt. Kenny Waver, were in the office as well.

Waver, according to the report, said he threatened Smith with a can of mace when Smith first arrived on the gurney because he refused to sit down. But both shift leaders denied hitting Smith or seeing anyone abuse him, and both failed to return calls and letters seeking comment.

Smith continued to complain that he was cold and that his head was hurting badly. According to what several inmates told investigators, Smith defied correctional officers who told him to stay out of the office for fear he would track blood inside.

As the situation escalated, Singleton allegedly smacked Smith hard in his face and head, punched him twice in the ribs, and swept his feet from under him, causing him to fall on his side, three prisoners who helped guards transport Smith said in the report. McClease told Injustice Watch that he left his post to smoke a cigarette, looked down toward the shift office, and saw Singleton hit Smith.

Singleton was coming out of the door, and Billy was standing on the wall right next to the door, and Singleton turned around and punched him, he said. And everybody who was in the pill call line scattered.

Several prisoners also accused other officers in the report of attacking Smith. Officer Ramus Johnson allegedly "grabbed inmate Smith by the shirt with his left hand and slapped him twice with his right hand and pushed him to the ground, according to one account. Another prisoner claimed to have seen Officer Walter Green punch Smith in the ribs after putting on gloves with hard plastic knuckles. Neither of the officers responded to repeated requests for comment.

At some point, witnesses alleged, Singleton punched Smith in the face and then hogtied him with help from other officers. They cuffed his hands behind him, shackled his feet, and then connected the cuffs to the shackles. Many law enforcement agencies have banned this sort of dangerous restraint method. Some critics liken it to torture.

Smith was laid on his stomach on the gurney, strapped in, and left behind the office beyond the view of cameras, yelling for help for at least an hour or more, according to the report. After he began to vomit, Waver ordered Singleton and rookie officer Ell White to take Smith to the health care unit down the road at Staton Correctional Facility. White, whose personnel file says he is a motor transport operator for the Alabama National Guard, did not return requests for comment.

Inmate runners said the officers unstrapped Smith and that he walked to a prison transport van near the back gate. Video footage showed the van leaving the prison about 9 p.m. Smith entered Staton under his own power, Singleton and White said. But he didnt leave that way, according to the report.

Denied Care

On Nov. 13, 2017, paramedics took Billy Smith to the emergency room at Jackson Hospital with a fractured skull and a bleeding brain. He died 26 days later. (Adeshina Emmanuel | Injustice Watch)

Parker, the nurse, told investigators that she left the shift office at Elmore Correctional Facility and returned to Staton to find the officers in a hallway with Smith. Parker said she told the officers that she needed a few minutes to get settled, but would return. The officers placed Smith in a holding cell to wait.

The officers told investigators they saw Smith sitting on a bench with his eyes closed, and that he eventually slid off and began kicking, hitting his head on the floor, and grabbing at Singletons legs. They said they didnt hit Smith or let him fall.

White said Smith collapsed when officers tried to get him to stand up. Smith became unresponsive, so White rapped him lightly on the back of his neck to wake him. It was nothing ruthless, he said. White declined to take a polygraph about that account.

In a second interview, White said that he picked up a water cooler inside the cell and began pouring water over Smith to wake him up. He also said Singleton poured water and ice over Smith, but Singleton denied it. Nurses later discovered the sound of water in Smiths lungs, according to the report.

When Parker got to the cell, she said there was blood smeared on the walls, and that she found Smith rolling around on the floor, thrashing and yelling. Parker remembered the officers saying that Smith was wigging out on drugs, investigators said. In Parkers statement, she admitted that she made two big mistakes: The nurse did not complete a body chart on Smith, and she ultimately refused to treat him, she said, because he was acting erratically.

Parker initially told investigators she didnt see water on the ground in Smiths cell and didnt see anybody pour water on him. More than two months later, Parker gave a second statement, telling investigators that she did see White pour water over Smith in the holding cell.

Once Parker refused to treat Smith, the officers said they loaded Smith into a wheelchair and rolled him to the van. Singleton said that the officers buckled Smith into the van, but that he unbuckled himself and tore at his clothing. But White, in his second interview, had a different story than Singleton: Smith was not moving when they got to the van, and the officers didnt buckle him into his seat.

The van was captured on camera returning to Elmore just after 10 p.m., about an hour after Smith was taken to Staton. At least two inmate runners helped unload Smith. They saw him lying on his left side, unresponsive, stuck between two benches, with his shirt over his head, his pants around his ankles, and his boxers down to his thighs, according to the report. One of the runners said that he pulled a trash bag filled with ice from between Smith's chest and one of the seats.

The inmates who transported Smith, as well as a supervisor who saw him after he returned to Elmore, offered the same account: Smith was wet, shaking uncontrollably, and making a strange snoring noise. Oh my god, Waver exclaimed when Smith was rolled back to the shift office, according to one inmate runners account. Supervisors then ordered him taken back to Staton.

Parker and one of the inmate runners said that Smith returned to Staton with several marks on his body that were not there before. Parker told investigators it appeared Smith had been dragged. After nurses evaluated his condition, they gave him medicine meant to treat drug overdoses, but it had no effect, according to the report. After that, authorities took Smith to Jackson Hospital, in Montgomery, but the report doesnt say when.

There are discrepancies in different witness accounts. Some inmates, including retired officer Joel McClease, said that they saw Smith walking on his own closer to 10 p.m.

One of the prisoners who helped transport Smith initially declined to talk to investigators until he was transferred to another prison, 25 miles away. There, he gave investigators a statement largely supporting the descriptions of how Smith was mistreated. He later told investigators that Singleton unexpectedly visited him, saying, I suppose I know why you are up here."

The prisoner said Singleton confided that "they are trying to pin that inmate's death on me, and then told him to stay strong.

The prisoner told investigators that he took the statement to mean he should stay quiet about what happened to Smith, according to the report.

John Crow, who was the warden at Staton during Smiths incident but has since moved on to another facility, didnt return calls for comment. And nurse Parker, contacted in February by Injustice Watch, refused to answer questions about what happened at the shift office or the medical facility in 2017 when Smith suffered fatal injuries while she was on duty.

"Please respect the fact that I do not want to talk about this case, she said. I do not want to be bothered anymore about the situation.

Exceptionally Cleared

State investigators interrogated many of the correctional employees named in the Billy Smith case at Alabama Department of Corrections headquarters, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Adeshina Emmanuel | Injustice Watch)

The Alabama Department of Corrections Investigations and Intelligence Division began looking into Smiths injuries on Nov. 14, 2017, the day after he arrived at the hospital.

Investigator William D. Favor and a partner, T.A. Wallace, found Smith unconscious, visibly battered, and recovering from an emergency brain surgery when they arrived at the hospital. A nurse told the investigators that Smith had a fractured skull on the left temporal area of his head and a swollen brain that had shifted to the right. Favor wrote in his report that Smith was brought to the hospital due to a possible drug overdose.

The investigators reviewed his body and observed: several cuts to the top of his head, abrasions and bruising on both legs, hips, shoulders, however; he did not appear to have any defensive marks or bruising on his arms nor did he have any cuts to his knuckles and hand that would indicate hitting any object with his fist.

ThenElmore Correctional Facility warden Joseph Headley, who didnt return Injustice Watchs requests for comment, was among the first people Favor interviewed. Headley, now the warden at Staton Correctional Facility, never indicated that guards or nurses had mishandled Smith, according to investigators. Instead, he helped connect investigators with alleged witnesses to Smith and Blount's dormitory fight.

When investigators later approached prison leadership with harder questions about what had happened to Smith under their watch and asked whether officers had abused Smith, leaders responded with apparent defensiveness, deception, and a lack of cooperation, the investigators report shows.

Assistant Warden Gwendolyn Babers, who refused to be interviewed for this story, denied ever seeing an inmate abused, according to the report. A prisoner, however, alleged that Babers had exited out the front side door in view of the shift office, and spoke to Waver briefly while Smith was hog-tied. Investigators couldnt confirm that inmates account. And Babers time card showed that she clocked out about 40 minutes before Smith was brought to the shift office, according to the report. However, investigators noted that Babers time card was edited on the day Smith was hurt, and that the reason for the editing is unknown.

Waver denied that any officers under his command struck Smith and denied seeing Smith hog-tied on the gurney, though in a later interview he acknowledged seeing Smith handcuffed and shackled on the gurney outside the office for an hour or more.

Richardson denied seeing any officer strike Smith and said he could not confirm if he was hog-tied. The corrections sergeant said he had only been outside the office once during Smiths ordeal  when other witnesses said he was being beaten  but video later showed he had been outside at least six times, according to investigators.

Investigators also found that the original copy of a shift office log was missing notes about Smiths first trip to Staton that a clerk remembered entering, and it lacked a required signature from a supervisor. A copy of the unsigned, incomplete log was found on a clipboard in the womens bathroom. The purported original was later found in a locked file cabinet bearing Richardsons signature.

Richardson denied knowing whether anyone had changed the shift log and insisted that he had signed the log. He failed a polygraph exam when agents asked him if he had seen Smith hog-tied, if he had signed the shift log after it had been altered and if he knew who had made the changes, the report shows.

A state autopsy concluded Smith had died of blunt force trauma. After hearing investigators describe the details of Smith's fight with Blount and witness statements about Smith's contact with officers, a medical examiner with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences attributed Smith's fatal injuries to his fight with Blount.

In February 2019, one of the investigators referred a manslaughter charge against Blount to the Elmore County District Attorneys Office.

Investigators declared the Smith probe exceptionally cleared and closed it in October 2018, due to the case against the inmate. But in July 2019, the grand jury returned indictments against both Blount and Singleton, who had been promoted to sergeant a year prior.

Prison officials put Singleton on mandatory leave after learning of the indictment, and he resigned about a week later, in August 2019, according to a statement from the Department of Corrections.

Both Singleton and Blount are scheduled to begin trial in December.

McDermott, Singletons lawyer, said the state of Alabama cant have it both ways by charging both men with manslaughter even though a state autopsy concluded Blount was at fault.

He accused inmates of making false statements, and blasted corrections staff at Elmore for allegedly scapegoating Singleton while other employees got off the hook.

Mr. Singleton has been sued civilly, hes been charged criminally, yet if you read the report, the person who denied medical treatment to Mr. Smith was a nurse, McDermott said. The nurse has not been charged, she has not been sued, but clearly she refused medical treatment to this inmate, and Im sorry, but if you look at it, it looks like her delay contributed to this mans death.

Smiths mother, Teresa Smith, also rejects the notion that only Blount and Singleton are responsible. That is one reason why her family filed a civil lawsuit against Singleton, Warden Headley, who transferred to Staton last year, Waver, state prison chief Jeff Dunn, and former associate commissioner Grantt Culliver, who retired in 2018 amid a sexual misconduct scandal.

She hopes that the story of how her son died can help spur greater accountability at Elmore Correctional Facility and other Alabama prisons, and urge consequences higher up the organizational chart when corrections employees mistreat inmates.

I want to save another mama, or another child, from having to feel pain like this, she said. I don't really blame the prisoner, because I don't think he killed my son. I know that the guards did it, and it wasn't just one person involved."

Click here to read the rest of Injustice Watchs Alabama Prison Crisis series.
NSW Police are being criticised over the conduct of several officers at Sydneys Central Station following the Black Lives Matter rally through the city on Saturday.

Confronting images and footage emerged of a confrontation between police and protesters at the station, where witnesses said officers deliberately blocked people after the march.

Police shown spraying protesters with pepper spray inside Central Station on Saturday. Source: AAP

Members of the crowd were shown being hit with pepper spray, and video captured chanting ringing through the station as protesters found it impossible to maintain any level of social distancing.

At least two officers used pepper spray inside Central station with up to 30 people in the firing line.

Backed by an eleventh-hour Court of Appeal decision legalising the rally, about 20,000 people joined the largely peaceful Black Lives Matter march through the city centre.

A protestor is treated after being hit with pepper spray by police inside Central Station. Source: AAP

Demonstrations also took place in Newcastle, Byron Bay, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Wyong, Wagga Wagga and Broken Hill.

Protesters rallied in solidarity with those in the US angered by the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

They defied warnings from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Australia's chief medical officer not to protest due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In Sydney, protesters waved signs saying "Police the police" and "Same s*** different soil", while the crowd chanted "I can't breathe", the final words uttered by Mr Floyd and 26-year-old Dunghutti man David Dungay Jr.

"They held my son down for 10 minutes," Leetona Dungay said of her son's death in Long Bay jail in 2015.

#blacklivesmatteraustralia perfectly peaceful if it weren't for the cops kettling everyone in for no bloody reason. endangering protesters and bystanders pic.twitter.com/6gUo21Dvmo  larrikin (@the_larrikin) June 6, 2020

An officer is shown aiming pepper spray across the crowd. Source: AAP

At 4.32pm demonstrators knelt en masse in Sydney's Belmore Park and held a fist aloft to acknowledge the 432 Aboriginal people who have died in custody since 1991.

Story continues

Police said protests across the state were mostly peaceful.

Officers tasered a 23-year-old man at Town Hall Railway station after he scuffled with a 15-year-old boy and allegedly became aggressive towards police.

He is expected to be charged with affray, while the boy, who knew the 23-year-old, was given a caution.

A 51-year-old man was also arrested at the rail station and released without charge for allegedly breaching the peace.

I do hope that there will be further investigation of this incident, in which a lady with a disability on crutches has been pepper sprayed by the NSW Police at Central Station pic.twitter.com/hUn4k6Loe9 #auspol #auslaw #blacklivesmatter  Matthew Rimmer (@DrRimmer) June 6, 2020

In one incident, a woman on crutches was among those who was pepper sprayed with footage posted online showing her hurling furious abuse at officers following the incident.

The woman, Jane Margaret Bedford-Heighton, recounted the moment to 7News after she said she was ushered into the train station by police with protesters.

I wasnt sure what was going on but when I saw a line of police officers pushing on a line of black protesters I started to get concerned, he said.

The woman stood between the police and the protesters and yelled keep your hands off them. She thought because she was disabled, police would not treat her with undue hostility.

It was then that police allegedly reached over her to push protesters and pepper sprayed her.

He reached over his shoulder, placed a pepper spray can in front of my face less than 10cm away and blasted it for a few seconds into my eyes, she told 7News.

Police spraying protesters with pepper spray inside Central Station. Source: AAP

A spokesperson fro NSW Police told Yahoo News Australia inquiries into the events following the rally in Sydney were ongoing, saying the pepper spray was in retaliation to an increasingly aggressive group.

A man has been charged with offensive behaviour and resist police following an altercation with officers at Central Railway Station about 6.10pm, they said in a statement.

As police attempted to move a group of people through the station after the conclusion of the rally, some individuals reportedly became aggressive.

When one man allegedly became violent, officers from the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS) attempted to remove him and a struggle ensued.

The 21-year-old was arrested and, after the group became increasingly aggressive, OC spray was deployed. Five people were subsequently treated at the scene for the effects of OC spray.

The man, from Mt Druitt, was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he has been charged with offensive behaviour and resist police. Hes been granted strict conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 27 August 2020. Inquiries are continuing."

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said in a statement on Saturday that to have such a small number of people arrested out of a 20,000 strong crowd was a really positive result.

The Court of Appeal had declared the Sydney rally an authorised public assembly about 15 minutes before the 3pm start time.

The decision overturned a Supreme Court ruling on Friday night, and gave protesters immunity from arrest for blocking roads.

The judges' reasons are expected to be published early in the week.

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.
So far, 2020 has been a year of disruption for many Americans. Finances and lives have been upended by the mental, physical and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. And now, another threat looms: storm and wildfire season.

Colorado State University predicts that well have an above average Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June. Tornado season has already begun and brought the deadliest outbreak in six years with a cluster of storms in mid-April. And the U.S. Forest Service says what once was a four-month wildfire season now stretches to six or eight months.

While youre sticking close to home, take time to prepare your financial records and learn where to turn for help if natural disaster strikes.

Prepare for the worst

By preparing your important documents during a period of calm, you can get a jump-start on your recovery if a disaster hits.

The sooner you start taking action, the better your outcome will be, says Kate Bulger, director of business development at Money Management International, a nonprofit credit counseling agency. There is no benefit to waiting  ever.

You can prepare thoroughly by using the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit as a guide. The kit was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and nonprofit Operation HOPE. It provides checklists and forms youll use to gather important materials, such as:

Household information: These details will help you prove identity and apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

Financial and legal documents: These also can help with applying for assistance and reestablishing financial accounts.

Medical information: Having these details will help your family get proper medical care.

Contacts: This ensures you have a way to reach important personal, financial and service provider contacts, such as insurance agents and benefits providers.

The information to gather is extensive, but youll be glad you did so if an emergency hits. And if you get tripped up along the way, Operation HOPE provides help at 888-388-4673.

Once youve pulled information together, make digital and physical copies to keep in secure locations. Store physical documents securely, such as in a fireproof and waterproof safe or safe deposit box; upload digital copies to secure cloud storage for remote access. Consider putting copies in a bug-out bag to take with you if you have to leave your home.

When disaster hits, know where to turn for help

No single governmental or nonprofit organization will be the key to your recovery; instead, youll likely have to tap several different sources.

When youre talking about trying to come back whole from losing your home, job or any kind of natural disaster, its really going to take a variety of sources to get you whole, says Regine Webster, vice president at the nonprofit Center for Disaster Philanthropy. She recommends making use of aid from federal agencies, but notes that youll need assistance from other sources, too: Its going to be a quilt that comes together to help make you whole.

Here are a few sources of aid in a disaster:

Government: FEMA and the Small Business Administration are two go-to government resources that offer aid and often work in conjunction with each other. Those who apply for FEMA assistance are often required to also apply for an SBA loan. Thats right  even if youre not a small-business owner, SBA loans are available to you, since this agency is the federal governments primary source of funds for long-term rebuilding of private property damaged by disaster. Youre not obligated to accept the loan if you qualify, but you need to be mindful of these technicalities.

Direct assistance: This is the assistance typically provided by nonprofits, including the Red Cross. A free program called Project Porchlight , from Money Management International, can provide custom recovery plans and can help you maintain good standing with your creditors.

Community groups: Social media, such as Facebook and Nextdoor, can provide up-to-date information about local aid.

Be mindful of deadlines  and take the long view

Disasters can unfold in an instant; recovery can take months or years. To get through the hard moments, focus on long-term recovery goals. Develop a system to stay on top of deadlines for aid applications and pursue ways to rebound from any disaster-related debt you may accumulate.

Youre going to have setbacks, and it can be hard, says Bulger. Just try to keep that momentum up. Continue to apply for help and work on your recovery. That momentum makes the difference between getting through recovery in a reasonable time frame and having the hardship linger.

More From NerdWallet

Sean Pyles is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: spyles@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SeanPyles.

The article Make a Financial Recovery Kit to Rally Faster After Disaster originally appeared on NerdWallet.
DETROIT  And on the ninth day, they danced.

Jah-T Headd, Detroit resident, helped facilitate a dance party with fellow protesters at the Joe Louis fist in downtown Detroit after circling through Lafayette Park.

Several protesters lined up for a dabke, a form of line dancing from the Levante, and showed off their moves to the beat of the music. Protesters then returned to the police headquarters to end the night.

The dancing was in stark contrast to previous protests in Detroit, which have included violent clashes between protesters and police.

I saw during the crowd people trying to move their feet and move their bodies to kind of match with the marching. Im just trying to let the people get out this energy that they have in a positive way and a way they can own, Headd said. As black people specifically, we deal with our trauma, we deal with our pain, often times through song and dance. This is really wholesome for a lot of the people in the community to not see these outsiders tearing our s--- up.

Detroit protesters dance through curfew Posted by MLive.com on Saturday, June 6, 2020

Nationwide Black Lives Matter protests spread after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck during an arrest for nearly nine minutes on May 25. Protests sparked looting and violence with police across the nation.

But Headd wants the opposite.

We remember ... 50 years ago, still to this day, and that is my history growing up in Detroit as it refers to a long hot summer in 1967. Detroit had one of the most deadly race riots out of the 159 that happened that summer. In many parts of the city, we still have those scars and were recovering from it, Headd said. This is not a peaceful march but we do not come from violence. They brought the violence. The reason why we are not labeling ourselves as peaceful is because we have power in them being afraid of us and they know that.

On Friday, protesters walked through the neighborhood where the 1967 riot began to recognize its historic struggle.

Related: Detroit protesters march to site where 1967 riot began in recognition of historic struggle

Saturdays protest was Alexis Hammerles first.

Hammerle said she is tired, exhausted and angry of the bias and discrimination the black community faces, and does not want her future child to become a hashtag, which has become an online trend for black people killed by police.

Im tired of people saying Oh, but Im not racist. Oh, but I have a black friend. It doesnt mean anything. You have to be anti-racist, Hammerle said. Just a couple days ago, I was brought to tears ... I dont even have a kid, but of my son or daughter becoming a hashtagI can only pray hopefully my kid wont have to.

Detroit resident Lynn Raymore came for her sons, grandsons and nephews because all of those boys are George Floyd.

It couldve been any one of them, Raymore said. Im tired ... I want it to be better for them. All lives cant matter until black lives matter.

The protest is expected to pick back up on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Detroit Police Department headquarters at 1301 Third Ave. in Detroit.

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Driver tried to hit protesters at Black Lives Matter march in Jackson, mayor says

MLive photographer among journalists fired upon with pellets by Detroit police officer during protest coverage

Majority of arrests during Detroit protests were people who lived elsewhere, police say
For the past decades, Africa has been grappling with the sustainable diffusion of improved cassava varieties due to a weak and uncoordinated dissemination strategy. Consequently, improved varieties have often failed to reach the hands of farmers, forcing the yields of cassava in Africa to remain low.

However, the project Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) has demonstrated that the cassava seeds system can be profitable for the players involved across the value chain and can sustainably deploy improved varieties of cassava stems to farmers while creating jobs.

Researchers say in the last five years, BASICS has created a viable and sustainable cassava seed system in Nigeria, opening a vista of opportunities for seed entrepreneurs and cassava farmers looking for new and improved varieties for cultivation.

The Project Director, Hemant Nitturkar, explained that the project was able to link breeders and researchers who developed improved cassava varieties and technologies; with farmers and processors who benefitted from high quality planting materials.

According to him, the BASICS project has created over 150 community based seed entrepreneurs who are running viable cassava stem businesses in states like Benue, Cross River, Abia and Imo; and facilitated the establishment of two seed companies (namely IITA GoSeed located on the IITA campus in Ibadan, and Umudike Seed at National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) in Umudike, Abia State) to ensure reliable supply of breeder and foundation seeds of varieties in demand.

Until the coming of BASICS, there was no formal seed sector for cassava stems. Farmers would usually share cassava stems with their fellow farmers. In some cases, government would buy improved stems and share them to farmers free of charge. However, most of the stems shared by the government are usually not certified and in small quantity due to the bulky nature of cassava. Such distributions happened only occasionally, either to address some exigencies or to introduce new varieties, and that too were targeted at certain segments/locations of farmers. This approach has proved unsustainable as the spread of improved varieties still hovers less than 40 per cent.

Mr Nitturkar said, In Nigeria, 46 varieties were released in the last 20 years, but we have seen that people do not know about or use more than about five of these varieties.

READ ALSO:

We encouraged development of village seed entrepreneurs because cassava stems can be costly to transport over long distances, so we aimed at locating seed production closer to the cassava growing communities. These village seed entrepreneurs multiplied improved stems, and they made certified seeds available to the farmers on a commercial basis, he explained.

He stated that apart from ensuring that seeds of different varieties are always available to farmers, the seed entrepreneurs formed a vital link between researchers and farmers because as they are selling these seeds, they also learn from the farmers what new features they require in the varieties. The seed entrepreneurs push up this information to the seed companies who take it back to the breeders.

Mr Nitturkar stressed that the Nigerian seed market has come to stay with 50 per cent of the informed farmers doubling as seed entrepreneurs and root farmers who made additional profits of up to $1200 from selling stems for two seasons and harvesting the roots in the second season. He said interested seed entrepreneurs can talk with the village seed entrepreneurs or reach out to IITA GoSeed or Umudike Seed for training on how to produce quality stems, how to get certified and how to approach the market.

Peter Kulakow, Cassava Breeder with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture said one of the greatest achievements of BASICS was its ability to work with young people and women and to empower them in seed production.

About BASICS

The Building a Sustainable, Integrated Seed System for Cassava in Nigeria (BASICS) is a four-year (2016-2019) project that is working to strengthen all components of the cassava seed value chain. The project was led and implemented by CGIAR program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas in partnership with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Context Global Development (CGD), Sahel Capital and Fera Science Limited (Fera).

For more information on how to get improved cassava varieties, please contact: Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Churches and mosques in Goa have decided to remain closed for some more time, even though the state government has allowed reopening of religious places from Monday as part of the lockdown relaxations.

Temple committees, however, are yet to take a call on opening their shrines for devotees in the coastal state.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said religious places in the state can open from Monday, but no mass activities will be allowed there in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Till Saturday, Goa reported 267 COVID-19 cases. Of these, 202 are active cases, as per official figures.

A spokesman of the Goa Church on Sunday said looking at the COVID-19 situation in the state, churches would not be opened from Monday and they would wait for some more time to decide on it.

"We would like to inform our priests and faithful that we are critically assessing the novel coronavirus-related fluid situation that has come upon our state. Therefore, we are not in a position to declare our places of worship open from tomorrow, Father Barry Cardozo, director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, said in a statement.

When we eventually decide to open up, with prudence, vigilance and careful discernment, it will be in consonance with the state governments SOPs (standard operating procedures), which we expect to receive by then, he said.

Churches across the coastal state, which has nearly 30 per cent Catholic population, have been shut since lockdown came into force in March. Several priests have since then been addressing the religious masses online.

Easter and other festivities were held without the gathering of parishioners.

In the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the state, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats has also decided to defer reopening of mosques till June 30.

"Since June 1, COVID-19 cases in Goa have been on a rise. We have touched almost 196 positive cases in the past one week and its an alarming spike in positive cases,the association's president Shaikh Bashir Ahmad said in a statement.

Hence, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats executive committee members have decided to delay the reopening of all masjids in Goa till June 30, 2020, for the safety of members of the community and society, he said.

"We are issuing this advisory and request committee members/heads of jamats of masjids across Goa to implement our advisory, which is issued keeping in mind the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases in our state, and halt it from becoming a community transmission, he added.

Meanwhile, representatives of all major temples across the state have decided to meet on Sunday to decide on reopening their religious places.

"A meeting of officials of nine major temples will be held to decide on the reopening, but considering the situation, it is likely that temples wont open on June 8, a trustee of one of the prominent temples in North Goa district said.

Also read: COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia should be considered for shifting to ICU: Protocol

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The United Nations is looking into reports of looting and destruction of property in two towns outside Tripoli retaken by the forces of Libya's internationally recognised government, it said on Sunday.

Forces of the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) on Thursday recaptured Tarhouna, as part of an advance ending a 14-month offensive on the capital by the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar.

Since the LNA -- which is backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia -- retreated, videos have been posted online purportedly showing looting of shops and torching of homes of families associated with the LNA and its local backers.

The U.N. Libya mission (UNSMIL) said in a statement more than 16,000 people had been displaced in the past few days in Tarhouna and southern Tripoli.

"Reports of the discovery of a number of corpses at the hospital in Tarhouna are deeply disturbing," UNSMIL said in a statement, without blaming anyone.

"We have also received numerous reports of the looting and destruction of public and private property in Tarhouna and Alasabaa, which in some cases appear to be acts of retribution and revenge that risk further fraying Libya's social fabric."

Alasabaa is another town south of Tripoli that was retaken by the GNA after changing hands several times.

"The GNA should take urgent steps to stop revenge crimes in Tarhouna," said Hanan Salah, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The Tripoli-based justice ministry said the GNA forces that entered Tarhouna had discovered more than 100 bodies in a morgue.

Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute, said international diplomatic efforts that had supported the Tripoli government "will be predicated on that government providing security, imposing order and promoting robust transitional justice".

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar, and Libya's parliament speaker Aguila Saleh announced on Saturday Cairo Declaration, a new joint political initiative aimed at ending the conflict in Libya.

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.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Saamana: You don't need a screen all the time to show your acting skills as has been demonstrated by Mahatma Sood

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Sunday slammed Bollywood actor Sonu Sood over helping north Indian guest workers who are stranded in Maharashtra.

In a weekly article titled Rokh-Thok published in Saamana, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, spokesperson Sanjay Raut questioned the sudden rise of Mahatma Sood during the lockdown. He indicated that Sonu Sood is a pawn of the BJP and will likely be a star campaigner of the party in future.

Sanjay Raut said people might soon hear Sonu Sood's name in the 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme and hear news of him meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Sood might even visit Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi as a star campaigner for the BJP. When most of the actors were sitting at home, Sonu Soods acting skills were flourishing, he stated.

He further added that the BJP has (politically) adopted Sonu Sood and tried to create an influence among the North Indian migrant workers.

The Sena leader said that the actor managed to send 177 girls in a special plane to Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. The article alleged that as the actor did not find a plane in Kerala, a special plane was flown from Bengaluru to Kochi. Without the help of the political party, government and administration, is it possible for Sood to be able to make such arrangements, Raut questioned in his article.

You do not need a screen all the time to show your acting skills as has been demonstrated by Mahatma Sood. Soods political directors are experts in their field. We will come to know soon about his next political move, he added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has come forward in support of the actor. He said, Mr Sood should be praised for helping the migrants during such trying times. The Sena failed to provide food to the migrant labourers in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra for two and half months.

The BJP leaders including Ram Kadam and Shubhranshu Dixit too hit back at the Sena for slamming the actor. Mr Dixit, a member of BJP Yuva Morcha National Executive, tweeted, This is not the time to indulge in politics. Sonu Sood has done a great job by sending the migrants back home. It was the duty of the Shiv Sena-led state government to look after the guest workers. But the Sena has failed to do so. Therefore, many NGOs and citizens, including Sood have come forward to help the needy people. If you can't praise him, at least don't criticise him.
Dubai

OPEC and allied nations agreed Saturday 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 coronavirus pandemic.

Ministers of the cartel 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 10 percent of the world's overall supply.

However, danger still lurks for the market. Algerian Oil Minister Mohamed Arkab, the current OPEC president, warned attendees that the global oil inventory would soar to 1.5 billion barrels by the mid-point of this year.

"Despite the progress to date, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels," Arkab said. "The challenges we face remain daunting."

That was a message echoed by Saudi Oil Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman, who acknowledged "we all have made sacrifices to make it where we are today." He said he remained shocked by the day in April when U.S. oil futures plunged below zero.

"There are encouraging signs we are over the worst," he said.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak similarly called April "the worst month in history" for the global oil market.

The decision came in a unanimous vote, Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei of the United Arab Emirates wrote on Twitter. He called it "a courageous decision and a collective effort deserving praise from all participating producing countries."

OPEC has 13 member states and is largely dominated by oil-rich Saudi Arabia. The additional countries part of the plus-accord have been led by Russia, with Mexico under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador playing a considerable role at the last minute in the initial agreement.

Crude oil prices have been gaining in recent days, in part on hopes OPEC would continue the cut. International benchmark Brent crude traded Saturday at over $42 a barrel. Brent had crashed below $20 a barrel in April.

The oil market was already oversupplied when Russia and OPEC failed to agree on output cuts in early March. Analysts say Russia refused to back even a moderate cut because it would have only served to help U.S. energy companies that were pumping at full capacity. Stalling would hurt American shale-oil producers and protect market share.

Russia's move enraged Saudi Arabia, which not only said it would not cut production on its own but that it would increase output instead and reduce its selling prices in what became effectively a global pricing war.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Prices collapsed as the coronavirus largely halted global travel. That also hurt U.S. shale production, drawing the ire of President Donald Trump. But Trump welcomed the earlier deal, as U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette did on Saturday with the extension.

"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," Brouillette wrote on Twitter.

Under a deal reached in April, OPEC and allied countries were to cut nearly 10 million barrels per day until July, then 8 million barrels per day through the end of the year, and 6 million a day for 16 months beginning in 2021.

However, some countries produced beyond their quotas set by the deal. One of them was Iraq, which remains decimated after the yearslong war against the Islamic State group.

On Saturday, Iraq Oil Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said in statement that Baghdad had "renewed its full commitment" to the OPEC+ deal.

"Despite the economic and financial circumstances that Iraq is facing, the country remains committed to the agreement," Jihad said.

Analysts had expected OPEC and the other nations to extend the cuts of 10 million barrels per day by one more month since the level of demand is still fluctuating.

"If the demand is great, countries like Russia will want to produce more oil, so they probably won't want to get locked into a longer-term deal that may not help them," said Jacques Rousseau, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 03:51:00|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A statue of a 17th-century slave trader in the southern British city of Bristol was pulled down by "Black Lives Matter" protesters on Sunday.

Footage on social media showed demonstrators tearing the figure of Edward Colston from its plinth during protests in the city center. In a later video, protesters were seen dumping it into the Avon River.

The bronze statue of Colston, who worked for the Royal African Company and later served as the Tory MP for Bristol, had stood in the city center since 1895, and has been the subject of controversy in recent years after campaigners argued he should not be publicly recognized by the town.

Protester John McAllister, 71, told local media: "The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and it's absolutely despicable. It's an insult to the people of Bristol."

Local police superintendent Andy Bennett said some 10,000 people had attended the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Bristol and the majority did so "peacefully". However, "there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside," he said.

Bennett said an investigation will be carried out to identify those involved.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of people joined a second day of anti-racism protests in British cities, including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester and Sheffield.

Thousands of people gathered in London, the majority donning face coverings and many with gloves, BBC reported.

In one of the protests which took place outside the U.S. embassy in central London, protesters dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air amid chants of "silence is violence" and "color is not a crime," the report said.

In other demonstrations, some protesters held signs that made reference to coronavirus, including one which read: "There is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism." Protesters knelt for a minute's silence before chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter," BBC said.

The protests in Britain were part of a huge wave of demonstrations worldwide sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down and repeatedly said he couldn't breathe. Enditem
Unlike most countries, Sweden never locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, largely keeping businesses operating, but the economy appears to be taking a hard hit nonetheless.

Under the Scandinavian country's controversial approach to the virus, cafes, bars, restaurants and most businesses remained open, as did schools for under-16s, with people urged to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines.

Whatever hope there may have been that this policy would soften the economic blow now seems dashed.

"As in most of the world, there will be a record decline for the Swedish economy in Q2," SEB bank economist Olle Holmgren said.

'A long Time'

A rebound was likely in the latter part of the year, but "we expect it to take a long time before the situation normalises," he told AFP.

To be fair, Swedish officials insist their strategy was always aimed at public health, and never specifically at saving the economy.

The idea was to make sure hospitals could keep pace with the outbreak and protect the elderly and at-risk groups.

Sweden has succeeded at the former, but admitted failure at the latter, with more than three-quarters of virus deaths occurring among nursing home residents and those receiving care at home.

"When we have decided what measures to take to stop the virus from spreading, we have not had any economic considerations. We have followed the advice of our (public health) experts on this issue," Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters in late May.

Still, authorities acknowledge that keeping businesses open was also part of a broader public health consideration, as high unemployment and a weak economy typically lead to poorer public health.

Sweden, a country of 10.3 million, had reported 4,639 COVID-19 deaths as of Friday.

That gives it one of the world's highest virus mortality rates, with 459.3 deaths per million inhabitants -- four times more than neighbouring Denmark and 10 times more than Norway, which both imposed stricter confinement measures.

At first Sweden's export-heavy economy seemed to be doing okay, with GDP actually growing by 0.1 percent in the first quarter.

But now the country is expected to follow the same path as most of Europe, with its economy shrinking for the full-year 2020 and unemployment soaring.

DP Down, Unemployment Up

In April, the government predicted GDP would contract by four percent in 2020, compared to its January forecast of 1.1 percent growth.

While the European Commission has forecast a Swedish contraction of 6.1 percent (compared to -6.5 percent for Germany and -7.7 percent for the eurozone), the outlook presented by the Swedish central bank is even more dire -- it anticipates a GDP decline of up to 10 percent.

Some economists see Swedish growth rebounding as early as the second half of 2020, but the finance minister has warned things could get worse before they get better.

Before the crisis, Sweden's labour market was in good shape, with strong job creation and a declining unemployment rate.

Now, the government expects a jobless rate of nine percent for 2020 and 2021, compared to 6.8 percent in 2019.

It sees growth of 3.5 percent in 2021.

Export-based Economy

Sweden's sharp downturn is largely explained by its dependence on exports, which account for around 50 percent of GDP.

"70 percent of Swedish exports go to the EU. Shutdowns in Germany, the UK and so on are expected to hit Swedish exports considerably," the government said.

In March, some of the country's biggest companies, such as automaker Volvo Cars and truckmaker Scania, halted production in Sweden.

This was not because of local restrictions, but because of problems with supply chains in Europe and the rest of the world. Their activities have since resumed.

Meanwhile, consumption plunged by 24.8 percent between March 11 and April 5, according to a study conducted by four University of Copenhagen economists.

"Sweden is paying the same price (as Denmark) for the coronavirus pandemic. The explanation is that when you are in a galloping crisis, consumers pull the emergency brake, whether restaurants are closed or not," Niels Johannesen, one of the four economists, told Swedish daily Helsingborgs Dagblad.

The government in mid-March announced measures worth nearly $32 billion to help businesses.

Since then, more money has been allocated and new measures have been added, including a reduction of employers' contributions, as well as paying companies' costs for furloughed workers and sick leave.

"Given the state of government finances there is room for more expansionary fiscal policy ahead," Olle Holmgren promised.
Ancient village cursed by Jesus flooded in heavy rains Location said to be hometown of 3 apostles, near where Jesus fed 5,000

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One of the sites on the banks of the Sea of Galilee near where some believe Jesus miraculously fed the 5,000 as described in all four Gospels has been flooded by heavy rains that have forced archeologists to abandon their excavation.

Kinneret College professor Moti Aviam, a lead archaeologist at the excavation site that researchers are trying to prove is where the ancient fishing village of Bethsaida once stood, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz about the extent of the flooding at the site.

He recently returned to the site following record-breaking rainfall in northern Israel in recent months after coronavirus restrictions were lifted.

Obviously I knew the Kinneret [Sea of Galilee] had risen, but I didnt know how its rise would affect the excavation, Aviam said. I dont remember a thing like this in the last 30 years, though I dont schlep over every year to check it.

Even if it rains in April and May [and it did], by July or August the site dries out, he added. But it never occurred to me that the lagoon would encompass the whole site of el-Araj.

The excavation site is located in the historic coastal village of El-Araj.

Collaborating with Kinneret College on the excavation is the Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins R. Steven Notley of Nyack College in New York, as well as student volunteers.

The New Testament verse John 1:44 states that Bethsaida is the hometown of Jesus disciples Andrew, Peter and Philip. Bethsaida is also one of the towns on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus cursed for failing to repent as described in Luke 10:13-15 and Matthew 11:20-24.

The town is also said to be near where Jesus also miraculously fed the 5,000 from five loaves of barley bread and two fish, and near where Jesus restored a blind mans sight as described by Mark 8:22-25.

According to Aviam, much of the village was on land before the rains came.

Now, some parts of the excavation site are submerged. He told the newspaper that the remains of a Byzantine structure that is believed to be the Church of the Apostles is underwater.

The Church of the Apostles was said to have been built over the house of Jesus disciples Peter and Andrew, who were brothers.

At the moment, the water is 80 centimeters [2 feet, 7 inches] above the mosaic of the Byzantine church, which was built 500 years after Jesus time, Aviam said.

The excavation of the church structure was set to resume this summer. However, the excavation will have to be delayed until the summer excavation season of 2021.

The lake water rises and falls over the ages, and no damage has been caused, Aviam was quoted as saying. We conserved the mosaic floor of the church and the water standing on it wont harm it. But even if the water level recedes by July, we wont be able to continue excavation work because of the mud.

A competing excavation site that researchers also believe could be the village of Bethsaida is called et-Tell. The ancient village is located north of el-Araj on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

An excavation site in et-Tell is led by Rami Arav, associate professor of religious studies at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He is author of the book, Bethsaida, a City by the Northern Shores of the Sea of Galilee.
They're due to become a family of three in the coming months.

And on Sunday, the Bachelor's Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich celebrated their last wedding anniversary before becoming parents.

The stars took to Instagram to mark their second anniversary by sharing photos from their gorgeous wedding in Italy.

'Cheers to the last one with just the two of us': The Bachelor's Tim Robards and pregnant Anna Heinrich celebrate wedding anniversary ahead of becoming parents

The inaugural Bachelor Australia couple exchanged vows in a beautiful wedding ceremony in Puglia, Italy on June 7, 2018.

Tim shared a photo from their special day in 2018, writing: '2 years married! Time goes fast when youre having fun!!.'

Anna also wrote: 'Happy wedding anniversary to my partner, my best friend and the love of my life @mrtimrobards.

'Cheers to our last wedding anniversary where it will be just the two of us. Soon to be, two becomes three,' she added.

The pair announced in early May that they were expecting their first child together.

'Time goes fast when youre having fun!' The inaugural Bachelor Australia couple exchanged vows in a beautiful wedding ceremony in Puglia, Italy on June 7, 2018 (pictured)

Happy times! The reality TV couple announced in early May that they were expecting their first child together in 2020

It's believed Tim and Anna were separated on Sunday for their anniversary, as they currently reside in separate states.

The reality TV lovebirds have spent a good chunk of their first two years of marriage living apart.

After landing a permanent role on Neighbours, Tim, a former chiropractor, officially relocated to Melbourne in March 2019, while his Sydney-based criminal lawyer wife previously remained in New South Wales.

'My partner, my best friend and the love of my life': Anna doted over his Neighbours star husband Tim in the wedding anniversary tribute

The couple tied the knot at the Masseria Potenti hotel, among the olive groves and vineyards of the Puglian countryside.

Anna looked absolutely breathtaking in her couture Steven Khalil dress while being walked down the aisle by her father, Les Heinrich.

The couple dated for four years before getting engaged in May 2017 while on holiday in Kimberley, Western Australia.
Press Release

June 7, 2020 Drilon: Tap P13-B contingent fund, P4.5-B intel fund to compensate health workers, provide relief to poor Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the government can tap the P13-billion contingent fund and the President's P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence to continuously provide compensation to frontline health workers who are affected by the COVID-19 and augment funding for relief programs to poor families who are still suffering from effects of the pandemic. Drilon issued the statement amid concerns that frontline health workers who are sacrificing their own health and lives to treat patients infected with coronavirus disease are not entitled to compensation following the expiration of Bayanihan to Health as one Act last Friday. Drilon said that while the compensation for frontline health workers lapsed with the expiration Bayanihan law, the President can still continue the program. "Kaya po ng Pangulo na magbigay ng compensation sa ating frontline health workers kahit wala na ang Bayanihan Law. Kayang ipagpatuloy iyan at kunin sa contingent fund o intelligence fundng Pangulo,"Drilon said in an interview over radio station DzBB Sunday. "The President has enough funds at his disposal," he added. The 2020 General Appropriations Act has allocated P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence fund for the President and P13 billion for contingent fund. Drilon reiterated that the President has the power to realign funds and within the executive branch to other items of existing appropriations or items in the 2020 General Appropriations Act to fund COVID-19 response activities. Such power, he emphasized, is granted by the Constitution and not by the expired Bayanihan law. Hence, the minority leader pushed for the continuation of relief and assistance programs to the poor and the labor and business sectors heavily hit by the pandemic. "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," according to Drilon. He said the President can exercise all these powers in order to respond to COVID-19 pandemic and continue some programs which were provided for in the lapsed Bayanihan law. "You cannot say that because the law lapsed or that we are no longer under an enhanced community quarantine, we should stop giving relief and assistance programs to the poor. Many of our countrymen still do not have food to eat and millions have lost jobs and are still unable to get back to work up to now. We should continue to assist them until they are able to get back on their feet," Drilon said. Drilon called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to immediately release the second tranche of government social amelioration program, the fund for which was already downloaded even before the expiration of Bayanihan Law. "Hindi dahilan na sa wala ng ECQ, wala ng dahilan para hindi magbigay ng tulong," he added. Drilon also urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to continue to shoulder the hospitalization of frontline medical workers despite the expiration of Bayanihan law. Meanwhile, Drilon said police authorities could no longer use the expired Bayanihan law to arrest and detain those who allegedly posted "fake news" and violated curfews and quarantine restrictions. Drilon deleted the punitive provisions of the Bayanihan law amid reports of abuses and inequity in its implementation.
Invistas technology and licensing group, Invista Performance Technologies (IPT), and Hengli Petrochemical (Hengli), have announced that Henglis 4th purified terephthalic acid (PTA) line utilising Invistas P8 Process Technology has met all performance guarantees.

Henglis 4th PTA line of 2.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity, located in Changxing Island, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, utilising Invistas P8 PTA technology with industry leading variable cost, capital productivity and environmental performance, came online on January 8, 2020. This PTA line also produces benzoic acid as co-product, utilising Invistas proprietary R2R technology.

Henglis 4th PTA line was executed in record time of 22 months from engineering kick-off meeting to start-up. Both parties demonstrated extraordinary commitment under the difficult circumstances. Invistas commissioning team provided Hengli with onsite and remote technical support to optimise the plant performance in quick time, Invista said in a statement.

Adam Sackett, IPT vice president PTA, commented: This is the latest in a series of successful collaborations between the teams of both companies and I congratulate Hengli on achieving this significant milestone on Line 4. Whilst Hengli Line 4 has already demonstrated industry leading variable cost performance, we will continue to support Hengli to further optimise the plant.

Chen Xinhua, vice chairman of Hengli, expressed his trust in Invistas PTA technology, saying: We are honoured to choose Invistas world class P8 PTA technology. We appreciate Invistas excellent support throughout the whole project lifecycle. We look forward to ongoing cooperation with Invista in the future.

Invistas industry-leading PTA technology, including its latest version of P8 technology, is available as a license package from IPT. TradeArabia News Service
Jadira Gurule is familiar with narratives.

As a curator at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Museum, Gurule helps move a story forward.

She was responsible for the exhibit, Que Chola, which grabbed national and international attention.

Recently, she was named as one of 10 leaders in the Young Leaders Program, put together by the United States-Spain Council.

The program was launched in 2001 and gives the young professionals a unique opportunity to visit Madrid and Valencia, Spain for a week-long immersion program in Spanish culture.

This includes meetings with Spanish government and business leaders, in-depth cultural tours, and conversations with fellow young Spanish leaders.

The trip was set to take place at the end of June, but has since been postponed. A new date will be given.

Despite the inevitable delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to congratulate this years exceptional class of young leaders selected to the program. Each year I am impressed by the immense talent and strong credentials exhibited by our cohort and those that apply to join, said United States-Spain Council Honorary Chair U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas. Becoming a U.S.-Spain Young Leader is the opportunity to see first-hand the strong international friendship that ties the United States and Spain together. This bond serves as the foundation on the long history of diplomatic cooperation and joint economic prosperity between our two nations.

Gurule says she hadnt heard of the program until former NHCC executive director Rebecca Avitia encouraged her to apply.

Its such a cool opportunity to share with the group what the NHCC does, she says. I havent worked through all the details yet. Its a hefty goal to engage in programs like this. You are representing your center, representing your state and country. Theres a lot to unpack and Ill see what rises to the surface.

The Albuquerque native has been involved with the NHCC since 2008, when she began volunteering as a docent. After a stint as an intern with the Visual Arts Department in 2016, she was officially hired as a curator.

Im looking forward to sharing the work that the NHCC does with a new group of people, she says. Ive never been to Spain and am looking forward to learn in a different arena.
The Austin Police Department has been accused of faking thank you letters, following heavy criticism of force used on protesters amid the Black Lives Matter movement.

On Saturday afternoon they shared a picture collage of cards and envelopes reading 'thank you', 'u r appreciated' and 'we are so thankful for all you do'.

'We cant express enough how grateful we are to serve you, Austin,' the captioned the post. 'Our officers have been working around the clock during these unprecedented times and thank everyone who took the time to write and make our day a little brighter.

In the Twitter post, a black officer and a white officer are seen smiling as they look at the cards.

On Saturday afternoon the Austin Police Department shared a picture collage of cards and envelopes reading 'thank you', 'u r appreciated' and 'we are so thankful for all you do'

However some people pointed out similarities between the handwriting style on many notes

Dozens of envelopes are also seen spread across the counter at a precinct.

They used to hashtags 'one Austin safer together' and 'thankful'.

However some people pointed out similarities between the handwriting style on many of the notes.

'Damn. Everyone in Austin has the same handwriting. Public schools must be amazing out there,' one man tweeted.

A woman added: 'And why no postage? How did they even get them...?'

Another wrote: 'A few dozen thank you cards apparently written by 4-5 people won't cover up the fact that your department murdered Michael Ramos and almost killed several peaceful protesters last weekend as well.'

Twitter users pointed out the striking similarities in handwriting on many of the letters

Another social media users called out the police department for death of unarmed black Latinx man Michael Ramos last month

Ramos - who was black Latinx - died April 24 after neighbors called the Austin Police Department (APD) claiming to see a man and his girlfriend in a car doing drugs. When cops arrived to the scene officer Christopher Taylor fired a 'non-lethal' round into Ramos' side despite him having his hands in the air and stating he was unarmed.

Many APD followers criticized the department after numerous protesters have been seriously injured.

Brad Levi Ayala, 16, has been hospitalized after he was 'standing quietly on a hill' in Austin, Texas when he was hit in the head and left in pain.

Austin college student Justin Howell, 20, was hit with projectile, causing brain damage.

'How many cards has @Austin_Police sent to Justin Howell in the hospital? You know, the kid that took a "less-lethal" round to the head,' one man asked.

Austin's chief of police, Brian Manley, said police shot the wrong person after officers who were guarding the department's headquarters building were pelted with rocks, water bottles and a backpack.

Instead of hitting the person who threw the bottle and backpack, it hit the head of a nearby protester who was recording on his cell phone, KVUE-TV reported.

But some people who were seen on video trying to get him away from the scene have claimed cops told them not to help Howell, and threatened to shoot them too.

Howell, a political science student at Texas State University, suffered serious head injuries, including a fractured skull and brain damage.

'[Justin] has a fractured skull,' his older brother, Joshua Howell, a student at Texas A&M University, wrote in his student newspaper, The Battalion.

'He has brain damage. Doctors anticipate that when he wakes up, he will have difficulty telling his left from his right.'

Manley has vowed to investigate.

Brad Levi Ayala, 16, has been hospitalized after he was 'standing quietly on a hill' in Austin, Texas when he was hit in the head and left in pain

Justin Howell (left) has suffered brain damage after he was hit in the head at a protest by the police department's 'non-lethal rounds'. Cops also allegedly shot at those trying to help (right)

Protesters decry the death of George Floyd, Michael Ramos and police brutality against black Americans in front of the Austin Police Department headquarters in Austin on Friday

While it remains unclear exactly which kind of non-lethal projectile was used to injure Howell, the Austin Police Association, a local police union, posted images of used bean bag rounds.

A bean bag round, also known as a flexible baton round, is usually fired from a 12-gauge shotgun. Each round holds a small fabric 'pillow' that is filled with lead pellets weighing about 40 grams.

When it is shot, the bean bag bursts out of the shotgun at a speed of between 70 and 90 meters per second - or between 230 and 300ft per second.

The bag spreads out in flight and distributes its impact over an area of about 6 square centimeters - or 1 square inch.

The purpose of using bean bag rounds is to render an individual who does not pose a deadly threat to law enforcement temporarily immobile by causing muscle spasm or some other physical injury.

According to the website of one bean bag manufacturer, the effective range for firing the munition is 82ft.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 04:09:56|Editor: huaxia

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Members of the Chinese medical expert team attend a video conference on prevention of the coronavirus with China's embassies in South Sudan, Mauritania and Morocco held in Khartoum, Sudan, on June 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Ma Yichong)

KHARTOUM, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese anti-coronavirus medical experts in Sudan on Saturday discussed the prevention and control of COVID-19 with members of the 35th Chinese medical team in the country.

The forum, held at Omdurman Friendship Hospital of Sudan, was presided over by Zhou Lin, head of the Chinese medical expert team.

The scientific nature of COVID-19, laboratory testing and improvement of mental health are among the topics. The Chinese experts reminded the medical team's members to improve their immunity and strengthen the protection in work and daily life to resist the virus.

The members of the 35th Chinese medical team consulted with the experts on patient classification management, doctors' protection and cleaning.

After the discussion, the Chinese medical expert team donated medical equipment to the Chinese doctors in Sudan.

"We welcome the proposal of the experts ... we will further enhance the level of protection and provide support and assistance within our capacity to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19," said Guo Yadong, head of 35th Chinese medical team in Sudan.

On June 5, coordinated by the Chinese embassy in the Sudan, the Chinese medical expert team organized a video conference on prevention of the coronavirus with China's embassies in South Sudan, Mauritania and Morocco.

The Chinese medical expert team arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on May 28 from Algeria after ending its two-week anti-coronavirus mission there.

China has offered help to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19.

In late March, the Chinese Embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government.

On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experiences in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Enditem
CASHLESS payments, wearing of face masks, drivers opening and closing the passenger door and strictly no booking for other passengers are some of the new measures that ride-hailing app GrabCar will implement in the new normal.

Grab Philippines recently unveiled GrabProtect, a set of initiatives and features, which include online health and hygiene checklist, a mask selfie verification tool, safety and hygiene certification, hygiene kits, mandatory deep disinfection of vehicles to enforce higher safety and hygiene standards for public transport in the country.

As we gradually resume our economy, it is very important for us to always be cognizant of our responsibility of safety to each and every one, which is why Grab remains committed to innovate and expand our safety and hygiene protocols as we protect and support the lives and livelihoods of many of our kababayans, said Raymond Dejan, Grab Philippines senior city manager for the Visayas and Mindanao.

Earlier, Dejan told SunStar Cebu that they are in the process of securing the necessary permits to resume operations in Cebu City.

New policies

Following the governments mandate for cashless payments on all public transportation, Grabs mobility service offerings will be simplified to either GrabCar (GrabPay) for all transactions using GrabPay as the payment option and GrabCar (Credit/Debit card) for all transactions paid through credit or debit cards.

Moreover, under its new policy, each GrabCar will have a maximum seating capacity of only two passengers, and each will sit close to the windows at the back of the vehicle. Drivers and passengers are required to wear face masks at all times.

Drivers are also required to open and close the doors for the passengers; passengers are not allowed to open the doors themselves. Eating and drinking will no longer be allowed inside the car. Drivers are also required to keep their vehicles disinfected at all times, especially after every end of the trip.

Each GrabCar vehicle is required to have a non-permeable acetate barrier installed between the passengers and the driver.

To aid in an effective contact-tracing procedure when deemed necessary, passengers are not allowed to book for others. They are required to show their booking code to their respective drivers before entering their assigned vehicle. (JOB WITH PR)
A couple in Florida have been caught on camera using the N-word and other racial slurs in reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Scott Bethmann, 63, and his wife, Nancy, were heard discussing news of companies that have denounced systematic racism following protests sparked by the killing of black man George Floyd.

Mr. Bethmann was a Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees member but resigned on Saturday after he accidentally started streaming the 33-minute conversation on Facebook Live which was initially viewed by hundreds then quickly went viral.

'I've got the emails about how we're supporting and we need to fix this problem, f**k you,' he said in the video from Friday. 'So all the white people have to say something nice to the black b***h that works in the office. But the black b***h don't get fired. It's bulls**t. Management's going to fire the white people.'

Scott Bethmann, 63, and his wife, Nancy, were heard discussing news coverage of companies that have denounced systematic racism following protests sparked by the killing of black man George Floyd

Bethmann continued: 'The white motherf***er can't say anything. That's the point we're making here, Nancy.'

Nancy is heard ranting: 'They're gonna get the blacks and the f***ing Asians from China who love to steal all of our intellectual property.'

Scott asks her at one point: 'Are you against the n****rs?'

Much of the clip features a black screen or shots of the couple's couch after Bethmann accidentally aired his opinion, particularly in response to an initiative taken by Citi Bank.

He only realized that followers could hear what was intended to be a private conversation after he started receiving comments on the social media platform.

'What are they talking about?' Mr. Bethmann can be heard saying, before seemingly realizing his mistake, and reacting: 'Oops.'

It's unclear what the comments stated.

The video was quickly cut off, removed from the website and Mr. Bethmann has now deleted his profile.

However some viewers screen recorded the racist rant and shared it to the Atlantic Beach Facebook group as well as other virtual communities that have repeatedly removed threads about the video.

Social media users discussed whether the couple's opinion may have affected recruitment in the Naval Academy Alumni Association.

Nancy is heard ranting about 'f***ing Asians from China who love to steal all of our intellectual property,' to her husband

The couple were live for 33 minutes before Mr. Bethmann realized he was being broadcast on Facebook

Bethmann resigned from the Naval Academy Alumni Association on Saturday.

Caleb Cronic, the USNA Alumni Association Jacksonville chapter president, confirmed Bethmann had also been dis-enrolled from the alumni association.

The association has 65,000 members from 'diverse backgrounds and perspectives,' according to Retired Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III.

'These attributed statements do not represent the mission and values of the Alumni Association, the Naval Academy or the U.S. Navy,' Locklear III. 'As volunteer leaders in our communities, we must be inspirations and examples for all citizens. As Chairman of our Alumni Association, I have accepted the resignation of this alumnus effective today, and asked the Jacksonville, FL, chapter to take appropriate action to appoint a new Chapter Trustee.

'We support the Naval Academy mission. As alumni, we seek to uphold the Naval Academy core leadership values of honor, courage and commitment.

'As an alumni organization, we seek to be an inspiration for all young people who want to become future Navy and Marine Corps officers. We will continue to honor that inspirational role. We are all in this together. We must face the challenges of today and all future challenges of tomorrow...together.'

Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Mike Gilday added to the Florida Times-Union: 'As individuals, as Sailors, and as a Navy, we cannot tolerate racism of any kind. We must actively speak out against it. And when it rears its ugly head, we must take decisive action.'

Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Mike Gilday added to the Florida Times-Union : 'As individuals, as Sailors, and as a Navy, we cannot tolerate racism of any kind'

Mr. Bethmann was also a member of the Atlantic Beach Country Club but his membership was rescinded in response to the video.

'Be assured we find these comments extremely offensive, inflammatory and antithetical to what this Club stands for and represents,' Atlantic Beach Country Club said in a statement. 'As such, we have voted today to immediately expel this member and his family from the Club.'

The club said its board of directors 'condemn any racist, bigoted and demeaning behavior' and is committed to protecting 'an inclusionary staff and membership where respect and dignity are openly represented.'

The couple said they are embarrassed, sorry and committed to becoming better people.

'There are no words that can appropriately express how mortified and apologetic my wife and I are about the insensitive things we said that were captured on social media,' the family said in a statement. 'There is never a time when it is appropriate to use derogatory terms when speaking about our fellow man. I know that an apology from us rings hollow on many ears in our community, especially in the current environment. We intend on using this experience as an opportunity to grow, listen, learn, and reflect.

'We are deeply sorry for the impact our actions have had on the Naval Academy, my fellow servicemen and women, our former colleagues, friends, family, and the community as a whole. We are committed to educating ourselves more on the racial inequalities in this country and being better people.'

A spokesperson for the couple said this would be the only statement released by the Bethmann family.
The Madeleine McCann suspect was tipped off about British tourists leaving their apartment doors open while they dined out by an 'inside man' at the complex where they were staying, a Portuguese newspaper has claimed.

Christian Brueckner was said to be friends with an employee of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz who told him apartments would be easy to break into as they were left open by the visitors.

It also claimed that police were able to pinpoint Brueckner's phone in the area around the the apartment complex shortly before the three-year-old was snatched.

In their appeal for new witnesses Met Police from Operation Grange revealed that Brueckner took a 30 minute call on his mobile. They released the two numbers in the hope someone might recall having previously called them.

Christian Brueckner (right) was 'tipped off about British tourists leaving their apartment doors open while they dined out by an inside man' at complex where Madeleine McCann (left) was staying

Christian Brueckner was said to be friends with an employee of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz who told him apartments would be easy to break into. Pictured: Ocean Club Tapas Bar

While one number was registered to Brueckner police have yet to trace who he called but revealed he was contacted from (+351) 916 510 683.

The number was registered to a man called Diogo Silva, which is a common name in Portugal

In a front page exclusive article The Correio da manha newspaper claims Brueckner only intended to steal valuables from the McCann's apartment and was shocked to find three children sleeping inside.

It said he went into a 'panic' and grabbed the three-year-old  but does not say what happened to the child afterwards.

The Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, where Madeleine McCann went missing

The tapas bar at the Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, where Madeleine McCann's parents dined on the night of her disappearance

German police have said they believe the toddler is dead while Met Police say they are still involved in a missing person inquiry.

Police in Portugal have not made any comment on the front page article.

All employees of then Mark Warner Ocean Club were interviewed extensively as part of the initial police investigation.

It is thought unlikely the employee  who has not been identified - would have willingly owned up to tipping off his 'friend' about apartments being easy prey for a burglar.

Brueckner was known to steal from hotel rooms and villas to supplement his income as a drug dealer on the Algarve.

Detectives believe Christian Brueckner, the latest main suspect in the McCann case, was living out of a German campervan in 2007

German prosecutors linked Brueckner to the 1994 disappearance of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse from the Algarve and the 2015 vanishing of five-year-old girl Ingra Gehricke

The newspaper claims an employee of the Ocean Club was found to have the 43 year old German's mobile number stored on his phone.

The friend is alleged to have spoken Brueckner about a group of English visitors staying at the complex who would dine out every night.

Gerry and Kate McCann were in that group with the others becoming known as the 'The Tapas Seven' as they met up at a restaurant in the complex most nights.

The parents would take turns to return to the apartment complex to check on sleeping children  with both Gerry and Kate walking back to their ground floor flat on the night of May 7th 2007.

Kate discovered Madeleine was missing around 10pm and began searching for her missing daughter.
Kerry Barnett

Barnett is president and chief executive officer of SAIF, Oregons not-for-profit workers compensation insurance company. He lives in Portland. A version of this op-ed was previously shared with SAIF employees on Saturday, May 30.

We talk a lot about the medical and economic damage wrought by the coronavirus. Weve also experienced its negative impact on our sense of community. It has literally driven us apart. Weve retreated into our homes, physically distanced ourselves from each other, canceled community gatherings and shuttered the places where we come together.

In the last couple of weeks, weve started to see welcome signs of progress. Many businesses, parks and other gathering places are beginning to reopen  cautiously, with health and safety restrictions in place. Our own planning to reopen SAIF facilities is well underway. Weve begun to see some hopeful signs of reawakening in our sense of community.

Then just over a week ago, an angry but peaceful crowd gathered for hours to protest in Portland. As the night wore on, a subset of the crowd marched downtown, and a day of concerted, thoughtful, unifying protest gave way to violence and vandalism. It was the first of several nights of upheaval. Just as we were poised to make a big step forward in our community opening up and coming together, weve moved backwards into self-destruction and isolation.

Were not alone, of course. Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York and countless other communities were on fire, too. Its the same dynamic weve seen in Portland, but when its our state and our community, we feel it acutely.

We should not separate the protests (and riots) from the events that led to the protests. A man was killed in Minneapolis in front of a crowd by four police officers. An officers knee was on the neck of George Floyd when his body went limp. Earlier this year, a man in Georgia was out jogging and was pursued, confronted, and shot and killed in a struggle. A white woman in New York got in an argument with a man in Central Park over her dog being off-leash; she called 911 and reported falsely that a black man was attacking her. As we all know, these three examples barely scratch the surface. I read about these and other incidents and cant help but feel angry and incredulous.

Each of these situations  and dozens of others in recent years, and countless others in recent decades  is a unique and complex web of facts and circumstances and accusations. But we should recognize the common thread of racism and hatred and the accumulated weight of so many tragic and egregious events and share the resulting anger and frustration. I believe the conclusion has to be that something is deeply, systemically wrong, something that runs counter to the basic value of social justice.

I cant empathize with the nightmare of the riot: setting fires, destroying vehicles, throwing rocks and bottles, and looting stores. These actions push us away and alienate us from a common cause. We should condemn these actions and individuals that destroy our physical and emotional community.

But we must also condemn the egregious actions over the years  and of the last few weeks  that reflect racism and hatred, result in needless death and injury, and spawn the anger and frustration we see boiling over all around us. These actions threaten us all; they imperil our community in every sense. These actions create anger and hatred, which inevitably leads to violence, as we saw last weekend. We cant focus only on the violence without paying attention to whats going on upstream. Were looking at a long, complex, difficult, multi-faceted string of events, where hatred leads to more hatred, and violence leads to more violence. Each of us has to work to break the chain and nourish our fragile sense of community  that gravitational pull that draws us together.

Its not enough to sweep up the broken glass the next morning and try to get back to normal. Theres no simple five-step plan to fix everything. I wish there were. But lets not let the size and complexity of the problem paralyze us. Progress is slow: two steps forward, one step backwards. Lets each of us move forward in our understanding of the problem, in holding ourselves accountable for our own attitudes and biases, and in coming together, not apart.

Im proud of our efforts at SAIF to build an open, accepting, diverse, positive culture. Weve worked hard to maintain our strong sense of community, but between the coronavirus and recent national and local events, never has it been as challenging to do so.

When I was a kid and my brother, sister and I would be in a large boisterous crowd at some event, my dad would always tell us, Stay together."

Pretty good all-around advice. Thats our goal: Stay together.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter including links to editorials, op-eds and letters to the editor by visiting oregonlive.com/newsletters.
CHARLESTON  Lexie Madlem got some encouragement in her career choice with her finish in what she described as a tech-based version of capture the flag.

Motivated by her interest in computers and plans to work in cybersecurity, she took part in a recent contest designed to help students learn more about those very topics.

I thought it would be the perfect way to get a taste of what its like, the 2020 Charleston High School graduate said.

Madlem was one of 268 female students nationwide to reach the final round of the Girls Go CyberStart competition.

Solving problems that simulate hacking and other computer security issues, she had the fourth highest score of students from Illinois and placed 77th overall. She actually finished sixth out of 13 students in the state, because of tie scores for third.

Madlem said she was surprised indeed with her ranking, as many of the other students in the contest attended larger schools or ones with curriculum emphasizing technology.

The two-day, online competition finals took place last month, with participants completing as many challenges as they could during that time.

There were problems of varying degrees of difficulty and Madlem said she answered eight, each worth 100 points, not the highest per-question point total available but also not the lowest.

She likened the problems to the capture the flag game that requires contestants to be the first to locate and latch on to a marker.

She said there were different challenges to overcome to find a secret website that had the needed answer. She had to look at codes and network information to open files.

They really wouldnt tell you anything, Madlem said. It was a lot of trial and error.

According to the Girls Go CyberStart website, girlsgocyberstart.org, the contest is designed to help high school girls explore their interests in cybersecurity or computer science.

Its been a male-dominated field and Madlem was one of the few girls in the Intro to Programming and Design class at CHS this year, school business teacher Angie Niebrugge said.

Niebrugge said she immediately said yes when Madlem asked if shed be willing to be her teacher sponsor, which is required for the contest.

I knew this would be a great opportunity for Lexie, she said. Illinois jumped on board this year to encourage students to participate.

Niebrugge said she registered the school with the contest program and kept track of what Madlem was doing, but otherwise Lexie did it all.

She deserves all the credit and is an amazing person and student, Niebrugge said.

The contest also required participants to be members of computer science clubs at their schools. Niebrugge said one other girl joined the club but didnt take part in the competition.

Madlem finished just out of the rankings for prizes in the contest. Third place in a state ranking brought a $50 prize for each member of a schools contest team and $100 for the sponsoring school.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 11:41:29|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Chinese medical workers grappled with the COVID-19 epidemic at the front line across the country, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

Showing professional devotion and a deep respect for life, the medical workers risked their own lives, racing against time and working around the clock to try to save every patient, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action." Enditem
BEIJING  Under continued fire for its early mishandling of the coronavirus, the Chinese government vigorously defended its actions in a new, detailed account on Sunday that portrays the countrys approach to combating the outbreak as a model for the world.

Calling the epidemic a test of fire, Beijing builds a comprehensive picture of its painstaking efforts to identify the virus, stop its spread and warn other countries  a narrative that discounts and ignores missteps by the government at the outset of the outbreak.

In the report, local and provincial officials are described as acting decisively. The World Health Organization is said to have been kept informed in detail starting from Jan. 3, while Chinese scientists quickly released the genome sequence. Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping, is described as playing a pivotal role throughout the crisis.

Confronted by this virus, the Chinese people have joined together as one and united their efforts, the report said. They have succeeded in containing the spread of the virus. In this battle, China will always stand together with other countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 16:26:40|Editor: huaxia

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SANAA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Fighting overnight between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen's central province of Marib killed at least 11 fighters from both sides and wounded dozens others, a local government security official said Sunday.

"At least nine rebels and three soldiers were killed and dozens from both sides were wounded in the battle near the western district of Majzar," the official in Marib told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Houthi group's al-Masirah TV reported that the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen launched 14 airstrikes overnight on the Houthi positions in Majzar.

The coalition has made no comment on the allegation.

The Yemeni government has controlled much of Marib since it recaptured the province from the Houthis in late 2015.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in early 2015 to support Hadi's government.

The Yemeni five-year civil war has pushed more than 20 million to the brink of starvation. Enditem
"Progressives" throughout the West seem eager to erase our history and impugn our civilization, with ample blowback from those beastly "deplorables." You know, those horrid patriotic people who hang out at Dunkin Donuts and live on farms or in small towns, or who serve(d) in the military, or who are blue collar. Thankfully, James S. Robbins, Ph.D, formerly a professor, journalist, and special assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, now a senior fellow at the American Foreign Council, has effectively researched this phenomenon from an American perspective. His recent book, Erasing America: Losing our Future by Destroying Our Past (2018), is clear, well written and well researched, without getting bogged down in esoteric jargon. Nor is much spared as the falsehoods of sacred cows are exposed.

Robbins reminds us that America's first and third presidents, both southerners, are impugned as slave owners, which we know is evil, thanks in no small measure to the history we have been taught. There have been demands to remove their statues as well as their names from schools, government buildings, streets, etc. But should this be the sole basis for judging George Washington and Thomas Jefferson? Slavery was commonplace in their era, especially in the South, and it is not fair to completely judge those of a bygone era by contemporary standards (here's looking at you, Halifax). Fairness demands a balanced portrayal, not just a negative one, which means the greatness of Washington and Jefferson must also be acknowledged. Besides, these America and western civilization hating "progressives" might want to grudgingly concede that Great Britain and her Commonwealth were first to abolish slavery, a worldwide blight hardly unique to the English speaking world. And while the United States followed suit a few decades later, it was still long before many anti-Christian, non-Christian, or non-western societies; the ones romanticized

by the politically correct postmodernist left.

Sadly, even Abraham Lincoln is skewered. In 2016, Wunk Sheek, an indigenous student organization at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), staged a "die-in" to protest the mass execution of thirty-eight Dakota men under Lincoln's watch. One Wunk Sheek member even falsely accused Lincoln of owning slaves and described his campus statue as "belittling."

Actually, the executed Dakotas participated in the 1862 Sioux Uprising, which left approximately eight hundred settlers dead. Why let the truth get in the way of an agenda? Also, of the three hundred three indigenous men captured, two hundred sixty-four were pardoned by Lincoln and another was later reprieved.

A year earlier, a Black Lives Matter affiliated group at the same campus suggested that Lincoln's statue be removed. Reasons were either not provided or Robbins is unaware of them. Nevertheless, a few pages prior, Robbins references a book where the author, Lerone Bennett Jr, (2000) made a wild and unsubstantiated claim that Lincoln was a white supremacist who only wanted to free the slaves so he could deport them to Africa or the Caribbean. Who knew? By 2017, and true to form, a sycophantic student government at UM (Madison) caved by approving "a resolution to educate the community about 'Lincoln's oppression' "(p.69).

Adding insult to injury, objections to the Confederate flag, believed by some to represent slavery and subsequent Jim Crow laws, reached ridiculous extremes, with the toy version of The General Lee, the Duke boys' magnificent 1969 Dodge Charger, taken off the market because said flag was emblazoned on its roof. The old Dukes of Hazard reruns were also cancelled and I loved that show(!!).

Even NASCAR got into the politically correct virtue signaling game, although, to their credit, they merely asked, not demanded, that fans not bring Confederate flags to their events. But kudos to many NASCAR fans who dance to their own drum and ignored the plea by bringing these hated flags en masse to races.

Actually, Confederate flags represent southern pride, not slavery, to many. It's too bad that Robbins doesn't extend this argument by noting that the flag symbolizes "states' rights," which, like Canadian provincial rights, has considerable merit, when not used as cover to justify slavery or Jim Crow. After all, states, like provinces, are closer to the people and more sensitive to local needs than are distant out-of-touch centralized federal governments, which may be more inclined to default to one-size-fits all approaches, which are wildly inappropriate for geographically large countries.

Yet Robbins doesn't limit his thesis to history. His is a staunch defense of liberty, tradition, freedoms of speech and religion, individualism, personal responsibility, and patriotism vis a vis an onslaught of group grievance mongering, victimhood (and entitlement) culture, multiculturalism, diversity, (sans the diversity of ideas), open borders, censorship, political correctness with its totalitarian intolerance and persecution of those who don't share its worldview, plus an education system teaching that America is a racist, xenophobic, genocidal country rooted in slavery.

Robbins nevertheless concludes on an optimistic note, citing polls suggesting that patriotism remains strong, which implies that large swathes of the population may have at least a rudimentary knowledge of America's historical accomplishments, which, as Robbins correctly notes, is bad news for authoritarians (not to mention totalitarians) seeking to destroy our civilization. They prefer history that erases the triumphs and emphasizes the bad, so as to better socialize people to hate their country, their culture, their civilization, and perhaps even hate themselves. These manipulated, psychologically "broken," folks are then more susceptible to radical ideas and radical change, which, within the western democratic context, is what the authoritarian or totalitarian is promoting. Organized religion and the family also compete with the despot for loyalty and must be quashed.

Indeed, Robbins stresses how important parents can be if they intellectually challenge children who spout the anti-American propaganda they learn in school, on television, or on the internet. Emphasis may be placed on a can-do attitude that has made America a leader in finance, industry, technology, and information. Other accomplishments include, but are not limited to, the First Amendment, which is freedom's gold standard, the rule of law, and the abolition of slavery before most other countries and civilizations. And let's not forget America's instrumental role (to put it bluntly!) in helping defeat the twentieth century's evil twins, Nazism and communism. But unfortunately, this otherwise good idea only works if parents haven't succumbed to the same politically correct dogma as their kids.

Although Robbins doesn't mention it, there is also considerable pushback from Fox News and magazines such as National Review, plus YouTube presentations from intelligent and articulate people like Dennis Prager and Dave Rubin (once a man of the left). Accessing these sources and their biases can help balance the equation. And in Canada, we have Rebel Media, True North, and individuals like Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and Spencer Fernando, fighting the good fight. God willing, they will never be "deplatformed" by the likes of Senator Elizabeth Warren stateside or by Canada's pro-censorship Trudeau Liberals, who want to ban internet sites and persecute/ prosecute people for writing unflattering books.

Another potential solution (albeit, easier said than done) is the philosophy, "say whatever you like, just let me do likewise and leave me to my own devices (and while you're at it, don't take or destroy my stuff!)." One must be free to have a particular point of view, a specific religion or lack thereof, and a freedom to avoid what offends them. They must also have every right to speak out against what they dislike or disagree with, but not to censor or deprive others of their freedoms. If they don't like Christmas, they need not celebrate it. If they don't like a particular, book, movie, television program, news network, newspaper or magazine, they need not read, watch, or listen to it. If they virulently hate American history and culture, or western civilization generally, they should consider emigrating to a country that rejects these worldviews and more closely approximates their notion of an ideal society. At the very least, they shouldn't deny others their history, the good as well as the bad, as this prevents people from better understanding who they are and what their country or civilization represents, as well as what it has overcome. Knowing our history's virtues tells us what we ought to continue emulating, while being aware of our history's vices hopefully encourages and better enables us to avoid mistakes from the past. In essence, the solution is not to erase or fabricate history, but to factually supplement what is already there, while exposing genuine falsehoods.

With Erasing America, James Robbins effectively confronts the destructive, paternalistic and even totalitarian impulses battering America (and Western civilization) and, as such, joins a formidable list of those speaking out against the tyranny that not only seeks to erase history, but celebrates cancel culture and political correctness.

Robbins, James S; Erasing America: Losing our Future by Destroying our Past; Regnery; Washington, DC; 2018 (Hardcover, 344 pp).
The palace, once the home of the Hochberg family, was selected as the location for the gold, which had apparently come from banks in Breslau, now the Polish city of Wroclaw (stock photo)

The owners of a dilapidated palace in Poland have put up a security fence to deter treasure hunters after their property was named as the secret location of 28 tonnes of Nazi gold, buried there in the dying days of World War II.

Located in Roztoka, a town in south-west Poland, the palace once lay in Germany before the end of the war changed the international borders. The claims of hidden gold were made in a diary written some 75 years ago by an SS officer. Writing under the pseudonym Michaelis, the officer detailed 11 locations where gold and artefacts owned by the Nazis were buried as Soviet forces swept in from the east.

The palace, once the home of the Hochberg family, was selected as the location for the gold, which had apparently come from banks in Breslau, now the Polish city of Wroclaw.

"The manuscript covers the last months of the war and the efforts made by the SS to hide treasure, bank deposits and valuables from advancing Soviet forces," said Roman Furmaniak, from Silesian Bridge, a foundation based in the town of Opole and the owners of the diary.

"I'm not saying it [the gold] is definitely there, but according to the information it was buried there."

To make sure it was well hidden and protected from any fighting, the gold was apparently hidden at the bottom of a well. The well was then blown up and its entrance levelled to conceal it. Just how the foundation came into possession of the diary, which had remained secret for decades, has added a twist of mystery to the story.

The diary was handed over by a Christian lodge in the town of Quedlinburg. Composed of the descendants of former SS officers and German aristocrats, the lodge gave the diary to Silesian Bridge as an act of atonement for crimes committed by the Germans.
Ive been wrestling with alcohol for more than half a century. Sometimes Im on top, other times Im flat on my back, firmly in its grip. Exhausting though the struggle is, I keep getting back in the ring.

It didnt start as a fight. Quite the opposite  it was love at first taste. That first sip of cider at the age of 16 felt instantly right, filling my brain and limbs with warmth, excitement and euphoria. Its a feeling Ive been trying to recapture ever since.

I became confident and at ease with other people. For an introverted teenager, this was miraculous.

Good times became so closely tied to drinking that fun times could not be had without it.

Ed Mitchell was a successful broadcast journalist for Reuters, the BBC, ITN and U.S. news channel CNBC until alcohol cost him his career, his marriage and his home. In a new book of personal essays about conquering adversity, he gives a courageous and searingly honest account of sinking into destitution  and reveals how, with luck and a powerful desire to survive, he has learned to manage his addiction.

This drink/fun connection translated seamlessly to life at university, but it had other advantages, too. My homesickness, my state-school inferiority and the need to fit in could all be alleviated by consuming gallons of beer.

There was not a hint of it being a problem. Why would it be? All the in-crowd drank. Good blokes played hard, worked hard, got the good degrees  and the girls. Those were the best days of my life.

Then I went straight into Fleet Street as a graduate trainee with Reuters. Having a close relationship with alcohol fitted in perfectly with the atmosphere and ethos of Fleet Street, which, in the 1970s, was still home to all the main newspapers.

The mantra was: Get the story, get it first, get it right, get the drinks in.

To me, an enthusiastic, impressionable 22-year-old, the best journalists displayed a worldly attitude, met their contacts in bars and operated well while intoxicated.

I moved to the BBC for the next ten years, but I never felt entirely comfortable broadcasting until Id had a few drinks. Getting just the right balance between cool confidence and slurring gibberish was always key.

'I moved to the BBC for the next ten years, but I never felt entirely comfortable broadcasting until Id had a few drinks,' says Ed Mitchell

Occasionally I was getting that important calculation wrong and it was noticed.

By this stage I had a wife, two children and a large mortgage and was commuting by train from the south coast to London five days a week. My way of handling these demands was by self-medicating through alcohol.

Drinking had now evolved from good fun to something darker. I was using it to control my mood; life without alcohol was grey and flat.

I was chasing after the sunshine of my youth, but I had to drink more and more to return to that happy place.

I didnt think I had a problem, but I got a harsh reality check at the end of 1999 when I was sacked from my 90,000-a-year job for an alcohol-related incident.

I mention my salary because it had sustained a high level of easily available credit. On zero income the house of plastic cards came tumbling down.

Judy and Ed Mitchell with their children Alexandra and Freddie in the summer of 1992 on their annual picnic to Balcombe Viaduct, Sussex

I floundered around for the next six years, taking on any job, at any pay, to keep the family ship sailing.

It meant more debt, paying one credit card with another (I had 25) and using loans to cover the mortgage. My income barely paid the interest on only one of the cards.

Throughout this time I was keeping our perilous finances and my alcohol dependency a secret  or thought I was.

My wife and I had been together for 25 years and shed witnessed how drinking had gradually got a terrible hold on me. She tried to intervene, but all attempts failed.

In a lucid moment, I revealed the calamitous state of our finances. Bankruptcy was the only way out.

These were agonising times: divorce came first, then the family house was sold and the mortgage paid off.

By mid-2006, I found myself with no family, no house, nowhere to live, no possessions, no car, no income and no idea of what would happen next.

After a period of sofa-surfing and brief stays at council shelters, I was left with one option: sleeping on the streets. Following several painful early mistakes, I found what seemed like a safe park bench behind a nightclub on Hove seafront.

There were half a dozen of us street sleepers (many of them former soldiers), so that gave some security, even camaraderie.

The long, mostly sleepless nights on that bench provided plenty of time to reflect on my rapid fall from family man and successful broadcaster, who had interviewed presidents, prime ministers and CEOs, to a tramp whose possessions were contained in a rucksack.

There was no one to blame, nor did I want to. I could see how I was responsible, however tempting it was to slip into victimhood.

Rough sleeping is quite simply awful, painful and exhausting. Its also virtually impossible to get out of. To the local authority, a male between 18 and 65 (I was 54) who is not mentally or physically disabled is non-priority.

Id interviewed presidents and PMs  but now I was a tramp

Not having an address (often associated with being homeless!) presented yet another problem: a catch-22.

Homelessness was also profoundly embarrassing. I did everything I could to stay clean and not sink into the stereotypical image of a dosser, but it involved some tough physical challenges.

I remember one night in driving rain on my bench. Soaked through, I resorted to my liquid comfort, a quarter bottle of vodka.

Disastrously, it slipped through my cold, wet fingers and smashed on the pavement  bad enough, but made worse when I tried to clear the broken glass and found it immersed in dog excrement.

The only people who knew of my existence were charity workers visiting at night with coffee, sandwiches and the Word of the Lord. I was just glad of their kindness, the food and the company.

One of my nocturnal visitors was a local journalist who recognised me. It was just ten days to Christmas and he thought my plight would make a good story  riches-to-rags, no room at the inn, homeless at Yuletide.

I had nothing left to lose so, oiled by a few free beers, I was interviewed and photographed. The story swiftly spread to the national newspapers, radio, TV and even internationally.

Mr Mitchell married Mandy Tines in 2012, after he said she was his 'lifeline' when he met her while homeless

The public exposure of my destitution was uncomfortable, but I had run out of options to extricate myself from the hole I was in.

As an added bonus, wads of cash were being thrust into my hand by various media people; I used it to upgrade from cheap cider to something stronger.

Then a documentary maker contacted me. That half-hour programme, Saving Ed Mitchell (the title made me cringe), was viewed by more than five million people.

The media attention resulted in a book deal, From Headlines To Hard Times. But perhaps the greatest outcome was that I was offered the chance to go on a 28-day rehabilitation programme at the Priory in Roehampton, South-West London.

Its an upmarket sort of place set in its own leafy grounds and attended by many high-profile (so-called) celebrities.

A months stay costs five figures. I was exhausted, had lost a lot of weight and was simply glad of a comfortable bed, three good meals a day and the opportunity to tackle my alcohol dependence.

In his heyday Mr Mitchell (right) was working with Alistair Stewart and the late Carol Barnes, pictured in 1988

It was a while, in the endless hours of group therapy, before I could say out loud that I was an alcoholic.

Apart from it being true, this admission seemed to be the only way to make progress in a regime based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I relaxed into the fellowship of the gatherings, but I never thought AA was going to be for me. I did, however, appreciate its underlying philosophical roots and that it has worked for thousands over the past eight decades.

Abstinence lasted for a couple of years before thoughts began to creep in that I could probably handle a drink.

The first mouthful was like getting in touch with an old friend and being transported to that youthful feeling of euphoria.

But this state of mind needed topping up with further doses; as they say in AA (they are fond of aphorisms): One is too many and a thousand is never enough.

Mr Mitchell is pictured with his son Freddie and daughter Alex following his recovery for his alcohol addiction

Soon, I was back in that firm, craving grip; a rapid return to round-the-clock drinking. Then my mother died, which impacted me in ways I was not fully aware of at the time  or even am today.

By then I was working on three demanding month-long contracts training TV presenters for new broadcast companies overseas.

The result was an alcohol crisis and a return to rehab, this time in Boscombe, near Bournemouth. The therapy regime there was a lot tougher than at the Priory, more like a boot camp.

I stuck the course and stayed on the rails for a year or so, but then the old brain patterns re-emerged.

Over the last ten years, since my escape from the park bench, the main driving force has been simply to keep going. Life is worth living  on balance. I do actually want to see what happens next.

And this is a point I want to emphasise: I am alive because I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I must cling on.

Mr Mitchell appeared on This Morning talking about his return to the radio after his battle with alcohol in 2014

It also helps to have someone close and important in my life. I got to know Mandy in the darkest days of rough sleeping, when she brought me coffee and soup.

An enthusiastic drinker herself at that time, she gave up completely when I went into the Priory. We married a few years later.

Without alcohol running through my system, drinking actually has little attraction. I can walk through the stacked alcohol aisles of local supermarkets without the urge to fill my trolley.

Indeed, our road has six outlets for alcohol, but I dont use them. Booze is everywhere and I accept its existence; its never going away.

The trouble comes when the other me begins to argue its safe to revisit my old friend. His case goes something like this: Look how well you feel. You could feel even better with just one drink.

'Itll be like the old times when you were young and life was filled with opportunity and excitement. Go on! What harm will one drink do? Dont be a bore!

This madness will be hard for non-alcoholics to understand: Why not just stop? Snap out of it! Get a grip! But its just not that simple. The compulsion to drink comes in very subtle, beguiling, convincing forms.

Even though I know their siren song, I can still become wrecked on the rocks.

In the beginning, of course, decades ago, it felt like a choice to drink; there appeared to be the possibility of exercising free will. But the habit of drinking slowly carves deep neural pathways  ruts that become hard to escape.

Intriguingly though, in my case, the compulsion to consume alcohol can fade for no apparent reason. The inner voices urging me to drink are stilled. Serenity reigns and I am comfortable in my own skin. Blessed are these moments.

I have tried to pin down what causes this. Is it hormonal changes? Something to do with nutrition? Sleep patterns? Phases of the moon? Solar activity?

Whatever it is, I am grateful  until the next storm front arrives. Thats when I have learned to batten down the hatches, hide myself away, let the alcohol get me through without too much damage and get off it again as soon as possible.

What has kept me going through more than 50 years of drinking is  at least in the later decades  awareness of the problem, a desire to live, sheer brute stubbornness, a great deal of reading on the subject (books have saved the day) and a focus on developing a personal philosophy.

That philosophy, a work in progress, is a patchwork of threads selected from a sewing box of ideas, mostly ancient. Its an enduring attempt to create personal meaning.

At the heart of it lies stoicism, which can be summed up in the Serenity Prayer that we all had to learn in rehab: Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference.

In other words, the only aspect of life you can really control is your reaction to events and people.

This search for meaning and some sort of workable answers to the mystery of existence is, for me, a key part of keeping going. Not being p***ed all the time makes this quest that much easier.

The most fortunate escape was getting out of permanent homelessness. Only my past as someone recognisable from TV got me out of that deep ditch.

Most of those I slept alongside a decade ago are dead. Good luck rescued me  but responding to that luck played its part, too.

I began this piece by using wrestling as a metaphor for my long relationship with alcohol. But Ive no willpower to wrestle any more.

Over the decades the battle has evolved into acceptance and, with it, I have realised I am not my opponent, and that life  what remains of it  is there to be embraced.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7)  The University of the Philippines Cebu administration on Sunday demanded the immediate release of the activists arrested during the June 5 protest against the Anti-Terrorism Bill.

In a statement, UP Cebu denounced the city polices violent dispersal and undue arrest of its students and alumni, along with four others, saying the individuals were simply exercising their right to peaceful assembly.

"Our students are not criminals and they were despicably manhandled by police force who were in full battle gear and heavy firearms during the arrest. This is totally unacceptable, the statement read.

The university administration stressed that the right to express ones view publicly and to hold peaceful protests is not prohibited by any law.

One of those arrested, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Central Visayas Secretary General Jaime Paglinawan, earlier maintained that they practiced social distancing measures during the rally. This adherence to the health protocol was also evident in photos of the protest that circulated on social media.

UP Cebu called on Mayor Edgar Labella and the Chief of the Cebu City Police to investigate the clear transgression of the policemen against the universitys constituents and properties.

The city police violated the 1989 UP-Department of National Defense Accord, which prohibits the entry of police and military in the UP system's campuses without authorization, it said. The school administration also noted that some police personnel who apprehended the protesters were even in civilian clothing.

Echoing the call of its students, UP Cebu in its statement expressed opposition to the proposed anti-terrorism bill, writing that the reported cases of abuse of authority by state officials and their agents, all the more demonstrate, as an essential activity, the right to peaceful protest in an outdoor setting.

The seven activists and one bystander who were arrested are currently still detained at the Cebu City Police Office Station 3.

They now face criminal charges for allegedly violating provisions of The Public Assembly Act of 1985," the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act," and Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes resistance and disobedience of person of authority or agents of such person.

Cebu-based stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 07:18:26|Editor: huaxia

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Video: Thousands of protesters march to Washington, D.C. on June 6, 2020, staging what is expected to be the largest demonstration in the nation's capital against racial injustice and police brutality. (Xinhua)

Saturday's protests in D.C., by and large calm, comes as the nation has been engulfed in demonstrations from coast to coast over the brutal killing of Minneapolis black man George Floyd last week under the custody of white police.



WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chanting slogans while holding signs, thousands of protesters marched to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, staging what is expected to be the largest demonstration in the nation's capital against racial injustice and police brutality.

After eight days of protests that ebbed and flowed in the district, people from around the country gathered with renewed momentum, streaming into the capital from nearby places such as Arlington, Virginia, Xinhua reporters spotted.

Destined for the city's landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Hill, and the White House, which has been fortified with tall black fences, the demonstrators in one group were heard chanting "Whose streets? Our streets!"

Protesters march near the Capitol Hill during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

D.C. police closed much of the downtown area to vehicle traffic starting 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, with boundaries of the restricted area reaching the National Mall in the south and L Street NW in the north. The western end is along 19th Street NW and the eastern edge is Ninth Street NW through the city center down to Third Street NW facing the U.S. Capitol.

As of 12:00 p.m., D.C. Police Traffic estimated that there were roughly 6,000 protesters in town, with some 3,000 at the Lincoln Memorial and another 3,000 at 16th and I streets, NW. Other groups were proceeding along 15th and H streets NW, as well as Pennsylvania Avenue, a diagonal street connecting the White House and the U.S. Capitol.

Protesters march near the Capitol Hill during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who on Friday urged President Donald Trump to pull back military forces deployed in the city against the protesters, greeted the crowd near the White House -- which she referred to as "the people's house" -- saying that today she "pushed the Army away from our city."

Saturday's protests in D.C., by and large calm, came as the nation has been engulfed in demonstrations from coast to coast over the brutal killing of Minneapolis black man George Floyd last week under the custody of white police.

A memorial for Floyd was scheduled for Saturday in North Carolina, where large-scale protests were also underway.

A protester is seen under the sign "Black Lives Matter Plaza" near the White House during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Under Bowser's direction, the section of 16th Street leading to the White House was renamed "Black Lives Matter Plaza" on Friday, honoring protesters not just in the capital but around the country in pursuit for racial equality.

In addition to hanging up a sign featuring the new name at the corner of 16th and H streets, workers also painted a "Black Lives Matter" slogan in gigantic yellow letters on the part of 16th Street stretching two blocs between K and H streets toward Lafayette Square at the doorstep of the White House. The actions are a direct rebuke to local law enforcement staff, who had been blamed for acting cruelly Monday to disperse the peaceful demonstrators in the very area.

Protesters rally near the Lincoln Memorial during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Also on Friday, Bowser sent Trump a letter, in which she requested that the president "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" in her city. Federal law enforcement personnel and equipment, the mayor said, "are inflaming demonstrations 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."

Speaking of her two-year-old daughter at the scene of protests on Saturday, Bowser said, "I want to grow up in a country where she is not scared to go to the grocery store, not scared to go to work."

Protesters march near the White House during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The mayor doubled down on her condemnation of the excessive use of force and the deployment of troops to counter the peaceful protests. "You know, if you're like me, on Monday you saw something you hoped to never see in the United States of America: federal police moving on American people protesting peacefully in front of the people's house," she told the cheering crowd through a loudspeaker.

On dispatching the out-of-state National Guard, Bowser said, "We pushed the Army away from our city. Our soldiers should not be treated that way. They should not be asked to move on American citizens."

The White House is seen in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Without consulting the White House, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Friday ordered the disarmament of the National Guards deployed in D.C., telling them not to use firearms or ammunition to tackle the protests. Esper, who opposed Trump's idea to call in the military, also ordered the troops amassed in the capital to be sent to their home bases.

Additionally, the D.C. National Guard confirmed Saturday it is investigating the appropriateness of the use of one of its helicopters during Monday's protest for the purpose of clearing the way for Trump to walk to a church near the White House for a photo op, which has since caused tremendous controversy.

"The completion of a thorough and transparent investigation is of the highest priority to me and to the investigative team," Major General William Walker, the local guard's commander, said in a statement. 
Italian police set up a trap for Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner by making a fake appointment for a new passport at the German consulate in Milan, it has emerged today.

The police did not know he was a suspect in the McCann case but knew he was a fugitive when he came up for a drug conviction.

The German had just arrived from Switzerland and said he needed new ID documents because they had been stolen from him on the train.

When the police found the drug conviction they arranged an international arrest warrant and set up the fake appointment.

Col Michele Miulli, commander of the Carabinieri investigative unit that planned his arrest, told the Mirror they had 'no idea' about Brueckner's link to the McCann case.

Italian police set up a trap for Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner (pictured) by making a fake appointment for a new passport at the German consulate in Milan

Col Michele Miulli (pictured), commander of the Carabinieri investigative unit that planned his arrest, told the Mirror they had no idea about Brueckner's link to the McCann case.

Col Miulli said: 'We investigate some of the most serious crimes, but when you hear that children were involved it touches your soul. Pictured: Madeleine McCann

Lieutenant Andrea Papa, part of the city's elite murder squad, said that Brueckner 'looked homeless' on the day he was arrested.

'He was in jeans, trainers and a military jacket. He had no phone or money, just a Bible and a business card with his lawyer's number,' said Lieutenant Andrea Papa.

The Lieutenant said they even felt sorry for the man and offered him some water.

Brueckner was extradited to Germany where he was also found guilty last year for raping a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005 and given seven years.

He is appealing the conviction while he is in jail for a drug trafficking conviction arguing that his extradition was unlawful as it was for the drug conviction and not the rape conviction.

Now that Brueckner is being investigated in the McCann case his activities in Italy before his arrest are being looked at.

However, it is difficult to do this because there is no record of when he entered Italy or what he did there.

Col Miulli said: 'We investigate some of the most serious crimes, but when you hear that children were involved it touches your soul.

'Anyone who touches children is evil, inhuman.'
MEXICO CITY - A group of men attacked a drug rehabilitation centre in central Mexico and killed 10 people there, authorities in the state of Guanajuato said Sunday.

The attack occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday at the Beginning a New Life centre in the city of Irapuato. Nine people died immediately and another in a local hospital.

Guanajuato has been plagued recently by drug gang disputes and Irapuato has been especially hard hit. In December, another armed gang kidnapped 20 youths from another rehabilitation centre in the city and four others were kidnapped at a third centre in February.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has blamed past governments for the problem.

Its not enough to achieve economic growth, because Guanajuato is one of the states with the most sustained economic growth, he said. Nevertheless, it is the state with the most violence. He blamed causes such as inequality.

Federal officials have reported more than 11,500 homicides so far this year in Mexico, with more than 1,500 of those in Guanajuato state.
Representative Image (Venice, Italy, May 4, 2020) (REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri)

For a change, it was the Venetians who crowded the square.

Days before Italy lifted coronavirus travel restrictions Wednesday that had prevented the usual crush of international visitors from entering the city, hundreds of locals gathered on chalk asterisks drawn several feet apart. They had come to protest a new dock that would bring boatloads of tourists through one of Venices last livable neighborhoods but also to seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show that another, less tourist-addled future was viable.

This can be a working city, not just a place for people to visit, said the protests organizer, Andrea Zorzi, a 45-year-old law professor who frantically handed out hundreds of signs reading, Nothing Changes If You Dont Change Anything.

He argued that the virus, as tragic as it was, had demonstrated that Venice could be a better place.

It can be normal, he said.

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The coronavirus has laid bare the underlying weaknesses of the societies it has ravaged, whether economic or racial inequality, an overdependence on global production chains or rickety health care systems. In Italy, all those problems have emerged, but the virus has also revealed that a country blessed with a stunning artistic patrimony has developed an addiction to tourism that has priced many residents out of historic centers and crowded out creativity, entrepreneurialism and authentic Italian life.

During the lockdown, Romes center became as sleepy as a ruin, while the surrounding neighborhoods remained vibrant. The mayor of Florence said he would tour the world, starting in China, to raise private funds for a city hollowed by the lack of tourists. But it is Venice, a city threatened by inundations of tens of millions of tourists as much as it is by high water, where things changed most drastically.

For months, the alleys, porticoes and campos reverberated with Italian, and even with Venetian, dialect. The lack of big boats reduced the waves on the canals, allowing locals to take their small boats and kayaks out on cleaner water. Residents even ventured to St. Marks Square, which they usually avoid.

Venice, which gave the world the word quarantine during a prior pandemic, has undergone many transformations in its roughly 1,500-year history. It started as a hideout for refugees, became a powerful republic, mercantile force and artistic hub.

Now, its a destination that largely lives off its history and a tourism cash cow worth 3 billion euros, or about $3.3 billion, a year, about 2 billion euros of which is expected to have been lost by the end of summer. But with the money comes hordes of day trippers, giant cruise ships, growing colonies of Airbnb apartments, souvenir shops, tourist-trap restaurants and high rents that have increasingly pushed out Venetians.

That lucrative model is likely to return. But longtime proponents of a less touristy city are hoping to take advantage of the global standstill.

This is a tragedy that has touched us all, but COVID could be an opportunity, said Marco Baravalle, a leader of the anti-cruise-ship movement in Venice who called the absence of big boats and of the passengers they carry, magnificent.

He said he feared that the citys mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, backed by powerful boating and tourism interests, would turn things back as soon as possible and that there remained no unity candidate to rally opposition in elections this fall.

Its going to be difficult, Baravalle said. But its our best chance.

If tourism critics are in agreement that there needs to be a different vision for Venice, they are less clear on how to bring about a renaissance.

There is talk of opening Airbnb apartments to university students, of a proposed international climate change center and of other initiatives to attract professionals. They talk of lower rents drawing local artisans and factory workers back to the islands from the mainland section of the city, and of a creative community of artists, designers, web producers and architects.

In this floating field of dreams, people will come, just other kinds of people. The tourists would be more like the arts crowd that flocks to the Venice Biennale, and they would carry canvas tote bags and be interested in Venices heritage, its museums and galleries. Students would stay and become young professionals, draw startup investors, and have families, replenishing an aging and diminishing population. Good restaurants and natural wine bars would push out the awful ones.

The type of people you attract to Venice depends on what you offer, said Luca Berta, a co-founder of VeniceArtFactory, which promotes new art in the city, as he stood in his exhibition space.

He said he had rented the premises from a Venetian couple for less than they could have earned by converting it into another Airbnb, citing that as evidence that landlords wanted, and needed, to be part of the solution.

Alberto Ferlenga, the rector of the Iuav University of Venice, one of several colleges in the city, said his goal was to make Venice more a university town, with students and professors making the city their campus.

He said he was working on a project with the city, but also with powerful Italian banks and Airbnb, that would allow thousands of students  including international ones  to live in Airbnb apartments, which are now empty, instead of commuting from the cheaper mainland. He argued that such an arrangement was in the interests of landlords, students and the city.

At the moment, there is estimated to be nearly 9,000 Airbnb apartments in Venices historic center, accounting for nearly a quarter of the areas housing inventory, according to one study.

Common sense says, Lets take advantage of it, Ferlenga said of the available housing, adding that he believed students who stayed and built careers and families in Venice could eventually prove as economically viable as the mass tourism market. It would change everything. In this moment, there is a temporary window.

But as advocates of change talk of motivating long-term lending through housing-tax breaks, low interest loans and a restricting of infamously generous squatting rights, the window is already closing.

In recent days, the city was opened only to those in the surrounding Veneto region. Still, the place was jammed. (Besieged, exclaimed the newspaper La Nuova di Venezia.) The tight Venice alleys and porticoes proved less than conducive for social distancing, and so many people lined up outside the cicchetti bar Al Squero that the police ordered it to stop serving temporarily.

Still, the city was offered a sense of what was, and what could be. Only Italian  and Veneto-accented Italian  could be heard over the spritzes and plates of black squid ink spaghetti. Italians took gondola rides.

We thought wed take advantage of this last chance to see Venice when it is only for us, alone, said Matteo Rizzi, 40, from nearby Portogruaro, whose children carried cameras as he crossed a bridge into the city from the train station. Its like having the museum to ourselves.

Toto Bergamo Rossi, director of the Venetian Heritage Foundation, who lives in a palace not far from the train station, said the hordes had rudely waked him that morning.

I was really sad, and at the same time, really angry, said Bergamo Rossi, whose 15th-century ancestor is depicted in an equestrian statue high above the square where residents protested the new tourist dock. We dont want to go back to that. I want my city to be a real city.

Airbnb is like our COVID, he added. Its like a plague, and it turned us into a ghost town.

His organization has prepared an open letter on behalf of citizens of the world that he said he would send this week to leaders of the Italian government, some of whom Bergamo Rossi is also scheduled to meet.

Co-signed by museum directors and academics, and also by Mick Jagger, Francis Ford Coppola and Wes Anderson, the letter presents Ten Commandments for the new Venice, including calls for stricter regulation of tourist flow and the Airbnb market, and support for long-term rentals.

Supporters of the status quo are quick to dismiss such proposals as noise from the out-of-touch rich and famous. And local tourism workers, who themselves took advantage of the lack of international visitors over the weekend, said that such complaints were exaggerated and that they hoped things would switch back soon.

Its been a bad period. But I think it will go back to how it was before in about two or three months, said Jessica Rossato, 28, from nearby Camponogara as she stood outside the Banco Giro bar by the Rialto Bridge. And thats an absolutely good thing.

But its not only Venices upper- and professional-class residents who hunger for a more livable city. In the Castello section of Venice, a woman who poured wine into empty bottles for locals said she had been priced out of the neighborhood after more than 50 years. A couple, who have a baby on the way and who were visiting from the mainland, said the rents, even in the more working-class districts, were too high for their salaries.

Wed love to raise our child here, said the pregnant woman, Sara Zorzetto, 30, who works with the handicapped and whose husband is employed at a nearby chemical plant. But theres no way.

It is with that in mind that the protesters back in the square were arguing that something had to change. As they held their signs over their heads and applauded, Zorzi told them that their common battle during the period of lockdown would not be in vain.

A fellow demonstrator asked him if they would still march down to the new tourist port as planned. He explained that the police had nixed the idea out of coronavirus concerns.

They say there are too many of us, Zorzi said, shaking his head at the irony of the order. And its not safe to move.

c.2020 The New York Times Company
On the Chinese Communist Party's Obscene Propaganda

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

June 6, 2020



The Chinese Communist Party's callous exploitation of the tragic death of George Floyd to justify its authoritarian denial of basic human dignity exposes its true colors yet again. As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the Party's lust for power. This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone.

The contrast between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could not be more stark.

In China, when a church burns, the attack was almost certainly directed by the CCP. In America, when a church burns, the arsonists are punished by the government, and it is the government that brings fire trucks, water, aid, and comfort to the faithful.

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. In the United States, law enforcement  both state and federal  brings 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.

In China, when doctors and journalists warn of the dangers of a new disease, the CCP silences and disappears them, and lies about death totals and the extent of the outbreak. In the United States, we value life and build transparent systems to treat, cure, and underwrite  more than any other nation  pandemic solutions for the globe.

In China, when citizens hold opinions that diverge from CCP dogma, the Party imprisons them in re-education camps. And, when people  such as those in Hong Kong and Taiwan  with common roots in an awe-inspiring civilization that has endured for thousands of years embrace freedom, that freedom is crushed, and the people subordinated to Party dictates and demands. In the United States, in contrast, even amidst reckless rioting, we demonstrate our robust commitment to the rule of law, transparency, and unalienable human rights.

Beijing in recent days has showcased its continuing contempt for the truth and scorn for law. The CCP's propaganda efforts  seeking to conflate the United States' actions in the wake of the death of George Floyd with the CCP's continued denial of basic human rights and freedom  should be seen for the fraud that they are.

During the best of times, the PRC ruthlessly imposes communism. Amid the most difficult challenges, the United States secures freedom.

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Tim Keller asked followers for prayer as he begins chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

The popular Christian author and pastor announced the news of his diagnosis in an update on Instagram and Twitter Sunday morning.

Less than three weeks ago I didnt know I had cancer, wrote Keller. Today Im headed to the National Cancer Institute at the [National Institutes of Health] for additional testing before beginning chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer next week in New York City.

Keller, 69, said he has felt God present and felt physically great as he underwent initial tests, biopsies, and surgery. He sees it as providential intervention that doctors caught the cancer when they did.

I have terrific human doctors, but most importantly I have the Great Physician himself caring for me, he wrote.

Keller stepped down as senior pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan in 2017 after 28 years of ministry there. He has continued to write, preach, and work with Redeemers City To City church planting initiative. Keller requested prayers that he could continue his work despite the side effects of the treatment.

In recent weeks, Keller has shared his Gospel in Life series on the gospel and race and promoted Uncommon Ground, the book on Christian witness amid divides that he co-edited with John Inazu.

Keller was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002, which he wrote about in his book Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering. He now has a familiar face at the NIH: director Francis Collins. Keller spoke with Collins, a fellow Christian and an award-winning geneticist, last month during an online conversation about faith amid the coronavirus pandemic. Collins has led the NIH amid a historic research push around cancer immunotherapy, including developments for the treatment of pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancer.

Pancreatic cancer can be a particularly hard-to-diagnose and aggressive form of cancer, accounting for about 3 percent of cancer diagnoses in the US and 7 percent of all cancer deaths.

In the past decade, fellow evangelical leaders including theologian Dallas Willard and former InterVarsity Christian Fellowship president Steve Hayner have died after battling pancreatic cancer.

Keller concluded his announcement with a reference to Hebrews 12:12: Running the race set before me with joy, because Jesus ran an infinitely harder race, with joy, for me.

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LUDHIANA/PATIALA/AMRITSAR

Punjab on Sunday reported two deaths and 41 new Covid-19 cases, taking the states tally to 2,671.

A 60-year-old woman from Habib Gunj area in Ludhiana became the 10th corona casualty of the district. Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said that the patient, who was undergoing treatment at Christian Medical College and Hospital, died during treatment on Saturday night. The patient was rushed to the hospital on June 4 in serious condition. She was suffering from comorbidities, including chronic kidney disease, bilateral pneumonia and sudden fall of blood pressure.

A 46-year-old man died of the virus Nabha town of Patiala district, while four others tested positive for virus on Sunday. The 46-yrar-olds samples were collected on Friday, while his reports came positive hours after his death.

Patiala civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra said the deceased, a resident of Adarsh Nagar, approached Nabha civil hospital on Friday following Influenza like Illness (ILI) symptoms.

He added five other who tested positive include a mother-son duo, a resident of residential colony of Diesel Loco Modernisation Works (DMW), a unit of Indian Railways, who returned from Gurugram, 65-year-old Nabha resident, who returned from Mumbai and Patialas 18-year-old returnee from Gurugram.

JALANDHAR COVID TALLY CROSSES 300-MARK

With 11 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, Jalandhar became the second district in Punjab after Amritsar to cross 300-mark. Jalandhar nodal officer for Covid-19 Dr TP Singh Sandhu said that 10 persons, including two kids tested positive in Jalandhar and one patient tested positive of virus infection in a private hospital at Ludhiana.

FOUR FRESH CASES IN KAPURTHALA

Four persons, including one woman, resident of Mayo Patti in Phagwara sub-division of Kapurthala district, tested positive of the novel coronavirus on Sunday. The health officials said that the patients belong to Uttar Pradesh and returned to Punjab on June 2.

A woman who came from Delhi along with her husband and three year-old son to meet the parents in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, tested positive of coronavirus. The health officials said that 10 family members of the woman have been quarantined. They said that the patients will not count in the district tally because they were native residents of the New Delhi.

A 26 old-year man of Harkhowal village who had returned from Kuwait on June 1, has tested positive for coronavirus in Hoshiarpur.

20 TEST +VE IN MAJHA REGION

Twenty fresh cases, including of an 8-month-old child, of the novel coronavirus were reported in Majha region on Sunday. Fifteen of the 20 cases were reported in Amritsar alone while two from Pathankot and three from Gurdaspur.

In Ludhiana, an 18-year-old girl, daughter of positive patient from Prem Nagar in Islam Gunj area of the city, tested positive.

An employee with a nationalised bank branch at Bathindas Goniana village tested positive. Civil surgeon Dr Amrik Singh Sandhu said presently the patient is at his residence in Delhi and the Delhi government has been contacted to shift the patient to the isolation facility.

Besides, a 25-year-old youth in Fazilka district was also found positive for novel coronavirus late on Saturday evening.

An ASI and a home guard volunteer under Mehal Kalan police station in Barnala also contracted infection.

Three people, including the wife and son of an infected person, tested positive for coronavirus disease in Mohali on Sunday, taking the districts count to 131.

The third case is of a 32-year-old photographer from Dhakoli in Zirakpur. He had gone to Amritsar on an assignment with his friends, and returned on June 1.

(Inputs from Patiala, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka and Mohali)
On the day security forces eliminated five terrorists in an anti-terrorism operation in South Kashmir, Pakistan violated ceasefire at three different places across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier this morning, Pakistan army violated ceasefire along the line of control in the Shahpur Kerni and Qasba sectors of Poonch district, the fire was retaliated by the Indian Army.

Later in the day, Pakistan violated ceasefire first in the Uri sector of Baramulla district, followed by the ceasefire violation in the Keran sector of Kupwara district, the army retaliated heavily to Pakistan ceasefire violation.

Meanwhile in Rebon area of South Kashmir's Shopian district security forces gunned down five dreaded terrorists.

"On credible police inputs the operation was launched early this morning by Shopian Police along with the Local Army and the CAPF unit. Five terrorists were killed in the encounter that has been closed now, " Director General of Police Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh told Republic World.

Read: J&K: Security forces eliminate 3 terrorists in Shopian, seize ammunition in Rajouri

Read: J&K: One more terrorist killed in Shopian encounter, toll 5; operation underway

The army said that it was a clean operation in which "good drill" was followed which resulted in Zero collateral damage.

"Joint operation launched in the early hours today on the Jammu and Kashmir police inputs. Cordon laid and contact established. Firefight ensued. Five terrorists eliminated. Good drills ensured no collateral damages", Col Rajesh Kalia Army spokesman told Republic world.

Meanwhile, Pakistan violated ceasefire in at least four different sectors across three districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Pakistan army violated ceasefire along the line of control first in the Shahpur Kerni and Qasba sectors of Poonch district. Then they violated the ceasefire in the Uri sector of Baramulla district and then Keran sector of Kupwara district. The Indian Army retaliated to the ceasefire violation effectively" a senior army officer said.

He said that with the dwindling number of terrorists in the Kashmir valley, Pakistan wants to push in terrorists in the valley in the garb of ceasfire violation.

"What else could explain the fact that on the day when we eliminated five terrorists, Pakistan violated the ceasefire violation at four different places, it shows their frustration that they want to push in terrorists into the Indian side, but we are foiling their nefarious designs" the officer said.

He said that in the past one week, several iniltartion attempts have been foiled in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district and the Nowgam sector of Kupwara district", the officer said.

Image Credits: PTI
Morgan County investigators said on social media on Saturday they have no new leads to share on the motive behind the shooting deaths of seven on Friday night in Valhermoso Springs, about 15 minutes outside of Huntsville.

Authorities said Saturday James Wayne Benford, 22, of Decatur, was among the victims. Those identified Friday included a 17-year-old girl; Tammy England Muzzey, 45, and Emily Brooke Payne, 21, both of Valhermoso Springs; Roger Lee Jones Jr., 19, of Decatur; Jeramy Wade Roberts of Athens, 31; and William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville.

Reports of gunfire drew deputies to the house at 11:23 p.m. They found the home on fire and later discovered seven bodies inside after the fire was extinguished.

MCSOs public information officer Mike Swafford described the scene as horrific. Authorities said they had been called to the house for a variety of drug-related activities in the past year, including overdoses and more.

In my 37 years as a paramedic, deputy coroner and coroner, this is the most major crime scene in Morgan County, Coroner Jeff Chunn told The Decatur Daily.

The sheriffs office said on its Facebook page Saturday: As you would expect, we continue to receive questions and requests for information about the septuple homicide. [This] video of our press briefing ... has most of the information that we are able to share at this time. Our teams are working around the clock to solve this horrific homicide. We hope to provide additional updates in the days ahead.

If you have information to share with the department, this tip page is available.

From Friday: It is a horrific scene:' 7 killed in Alabama mass shooting; no arrests
New Delhi: A suspected operative of terror groups Islamic State  Hina Bashir Beigh has tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19 while in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). After testing positive for the infection, she was immediately admitted at a Delhi hospital.

The entire NIA team probing the ISIS-link to the anti-CAA protests has been asked to get tested for COVID-19 and undergo quarantine.

Beigh and her husband Jahanzaib Sami, both residents of Srinagar, were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police from Jamia Nagar's Okhla area of the national capital on March 8. The couple was accused of instigating anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests.

According to the police, both the accused were in touch with several senior ISKP operatives and were trying to incite Muslim youth to carry out terror strikes in the national capital. As per the investigation agencies, they were in touch with senior ISIS members from Afghanistan. The police also recovered several incriminating materials from their possession.

The police also claimed that the couple had been running a social media platform named 'Indian Muslim Unite', which was aimed towards connecting more and more people to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens protests.

At the time of NIA taking over the case, Tihar jail authorities had conducted COVID-19 tests on three accused, in which the ISIS-linked couple had tested negative.
Editors Note: Hunterdon Central High School student Fabianna Rincon submitted the following story about a racial equality rally held in her hometown, Flemington, on Saturday.

With protests raging in all 50 states and in 18 different countries, it was only a matter of time until the Black Lives Matter movement reached Flemington.

This one wasnt organized by experienced protesters, lobbyists, or campaign officials. Rather, a group of Hunterdon County teenagers saw the terrible things happening across their country, and they decided to act.

I was tired of posting on social media, tired of talking about it with no action being done, said Karen Garcia, one of the lead organizers of the protest. She, along with Natalie Jankowski, started a group chat of teenagers in their area who they knew were just as furious as they were.

The protest prioritized peace from the start. Organizers welcomed anyone who wanted to come, and reminded them that Black Lives Matter was not a partisan issue - any form of offensive signs, speeches, or language, regardless of political beliefs, would not be tolerated. Soon, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat became filled with support for the march, and county residents began preparing to protest.

The event began at noon Saturday, with nearly 1,500 residents gathering in front of the Hunterdon County Judicial Center. With a crowd that large, the COVID-19 crisis needed to be addressed by the organizers. At the Judicial Center, protesters were requested to respect social distancing guidelines and, when advertising the event, were told wear a mask or dont come.

Turning the corner onto Main Street, the protesters marched until they reached Flemingtons historic courthouse. For the next two hours, high schoolers and government officials stood as equals, letting their messages be heard.

One of the first to speak was Tom Malinowski, the Flemingtons Congressional Representative. He addressed the crowd somberly, in awe of the action made by the young people of his district. You can give us a united congress and a united Washington. Ready to take action. Ready to solve these problems that have been festering for way too long.

Soon after was Sierra Willis, another high schooler organizing the march. Her speech brought chills, even tears, to onlookers.

We were taken here, we made hereThe ground that you walk on was made by us," she told the crowd. "They dont want to talk about it cause they want to keep it away from us. We march outside just like Martin did. And with that, even Sierra fell to tears.

We fight for our rights," added Patricia Campos-Medina, a Latin American immigrant. "Today we are here fighting for the rights of every African American person in this country. Because if they dont have rights, our kids dont have rights.

The march was a true show of harmony between all corners, all races, of Hunterdon County.

One by one, representatives of the community stood and let their message be heard. Whether in song, like Jadon Blacks rendition of Stand Up by Cynthia Erivo, or in silence, like the eight minutes and forty seven seconds spent kneeling in silence in honor of George Floyd -- the next generation was heard.

These teens took a time of division and used it to unite their community. Together they shouted, We will be the change." That is their promise for the future.
More younger people are seeking jobs under the governments flagship rural job guarantee scheme -- indicating the impact of the return of migrant labour from cities back home to the hinterland because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to slow its spread that stopped work at construction sites and factories around the country and also forced restaurants and retail stores to down shutters.

The month of April saw a tepid start of the worlds largest job programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), with 12.8 million households asking for work. Officials point out that a hard lockdown, lack of preparation at the state level and scarcity of workers led to low demand even as millions were stranded jobless as the Covid pandemic swept across India.

But as more Shramik special trains brought migrant workers back to their states, the demand for work jumped by 181% in May with 36.1 million households wanting work, according to official data. The railway ministry said it ran 4,286 Shramik special trains to bring back over 5.8 million migrant workers to their state of domicile from cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi.

In the first week of June, the MGNREGS dashboard shows that 19.6 million families have asked for work, signalling further rise in the demand as the harvest season is over and hardly anyone is returning to their workplace.

With younger workers having returned to their villages, their participation in MGNREGS has increased.

Among the people employed in the flagship job programme this year, 31.1% are in the 31-40 years age group. And another 30% in the 41-50 age bracket. For last year, the corresponding figures were 29.5% and 29.6%.

As the participation of younger workersmostly those who returned from citiesincreases, the proportion of workers in the age group 51-60 years has reduced to 19.3% as against 20.2% of the last year.

The drop in percentage terms is small, but across tens of millions of households, the change in absolute terms is significant. For instance, across 10 million people, a 1% point difference will mean 100,000 people.

The established pattern in MGNREGS was that while young men would leave for cities in search of more lucrative jobs, the women or the elder people in the family would opt for the governments job scheme to earn additional money. This year, we are witnessing some changes in this pattern, said an official.

The flagship job scheme, once criticized by a section of the politicians for rampant corruption, has emerged as the main source of income for the rural poor in this distress. The government too, has pumped in an unprecedented Rs 1.01 lakh crore in the programme and aims to generate 3 billion person days of work to help jobless migrant labourers in their villages.

Among the states, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Odisha Punjab, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have witnessed massive demand for work. Officials pointed out that while large parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan have now been reopened from lockdown allowing MGNREGS work, the other states have seen large-scale return of migrant workers.

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China has granted market access to a self-developed cancer drug, according to the National Medical Products Administration.



The drug, known as Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) in capsule form, was developed by the biotechnology company BeiGene. It is for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy, and also for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).

The drug was approved through a priority review procedure and its marketing authorization holder should continue with the confirmatory clinical trials, according to the administration.

The approval of the drug will provide an important treatment option for Chinese patients with lymphoma.

Wu Xiaobin, president of BeiGene said the development of the drug has taken more than eight years and around 25 clinical trials have been carried out in more than 20 countries, involving more than 500 international clinical experts. More than 1,700 patients have joined the clinical trials globally.

The approval of the drug also underlines China's progress in developing innovative drugs, Wu said.

In November last year, the drug received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for MCL in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy.

Wang Zhiwei, vice president of BeiGene said the company's production line in the city of Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province has an annual output of 100 million capsules, which can ensure the demand of the domestic market as well as the international market.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer which has seen increasing incidence both in China and the world.
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. 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. 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. Abdelmalek Droukdel was once regarded as Algeria's enemy number one Droukdel was killed near the northwest Mali town of Tessalitm The Sahel is a huge, largely lawless expanse stretching overBurkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, where drugs and arms flow through porous borders


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The social whirl may seem a long way off, but these timeless pieces will never let you down

Bell sleeves and fabric buttons up the drama on this simple big day number. Dress, 495, ghost.co.uk. Earrings, 69, daisyjewellery.com. Ring, 120, bonvojewelry.com

A slouchy suit in muted pink has easy elegance sorted. For a sharper look, belt it Blazer, 165, and trousers, 95, stories.com

Polka dots and an asymmetric style give this high-street hit high-end clout. Dress, 55, nastygal.com. Necklace, 142, mishodesigns.com

What could be cooler than a slip dress in fresh mint green? For contrast add a chunky chain. Dress, 89.99, mango.com. Necklace, 575, tillysveaas.co.uk

Slashed to the waist and with statement ruching, this dress does all the talking, so wear it plain. Dress, 565, pieceofwhite.com.tr

The cut-out detail softens this black maxi for summer. Dress down with flats  or glam up with gold jewellery. Dress, 256, staud.clothing. Earrings, 95, racheljacksonlondon.com. Bangle, 220, tillysveaas.co.uk

Styling: Sophie Dearden

Photographs: Andres De Lara

Fashion assistants: Joanne Toolan and Stephanie Sofokleous

Make-up: Lisa Valencia at Carol Hayes using Sisley

Hair: Alex Szabo at Carol Hayes

Model: Cam Roche at Fusion

Production and casting: Lucy Coghlan. With thanks to BAjALA productions

Shot before lockdown. The YOU fashion team stayed at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Mexico (loscabos.nobuhotels.com). A deluxe king room starts from 350 per night. TUI (tui.co.uk) offers direct return flights to Los Cabos from London Gatwick from 579 per person. All prices are for selected dates in October 2020.
A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot Sunday morning in a drive-by shooting in northwest Houston, and officials say the suspect is still at large.

The victim was walking down a street in the Villas at Northpark gated community just before 3:25 a.m. with a friend, when a group of four people in a dark blue SUV drove up next to the pair, said Harris County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ben Beall.
Grand Josun Hotel on Jeju Island / Courtesy of Shinsegae Josun Hotel



By Kim Jae-heun



Shinsegae has flopped in the alcohol drink market with its new soju brand, "Pureunbam," and has also delayed opening its duty free business on Jeju Island due to the COVID-19 outbreak.



The company's next big hope is to launch its Grand Josun luxury hotel in Seogwipo on Jeju.



Last year, Shinsegae secured the operating rights to the Kensington Jeju Hotel from SK D&D and has been remodeling it with a view to opening it as the Grand Josun by the end of the year.



There are mixed opinions on the outlook of Shinsegae's hotel business on Jeju, as the COVID-19 pandemic is showing few signs of abating, and the government still recommends people to stay at home to prevent any spread of the virus here.



Also, its rivals Lotte and Shilla are already operating luxury accommodations in the town, meaning the competition will be fierce there.



However, Jeju Island could be one of the regions with the highest resilience once the pandemic subsides. In the first week of May, when the country was still practicing social distancing, people flocked to Jeju Island during the long weekend to enjoy a vacation.



Oversea travel bans left limited options for vacationers, and Jeju Island was the top pick. Five-star hotels operated by Lotte and Shilla enjoyed unseasonable booms, and industry insiders believe the Grand Josun Hotel has a chance too when COVID-19 begins to fade.



The increasing trend of contactless consumption and travel is also a favorable factor for Shinsegae. More people are preferring to stay at private and premium hotels owing to social distancing practices, and the Grand Josun has much to offer in this context.



"The prolonged case of COVID-19 may not bring many customers to the opening of the hotel, but the demand is still there for people visiting Jeju Island, and its merit as a luxury hotel will attract people. The previous Kensington Jeju Hotel had loyal customers thanks to its high-end facilities including the infinity pool which was loved by young visitors," an industry insider said.



Shinsegae withdrew from a real estate deal for a duty free store in January after the COVID-19 outbreak began. The Korea Customs Service decided not to hold a meeting to grant new duty free business licenses, and Shinsegae could not just begin constructing a building, and so paid a 2 billion won cancellation fee.



However, it has not totally given up on its duty free business on the island, and will seek another chance after the pandemic.


A heartwarming video of a couple in Philadelphia attending a Black Lives Matter protest immediately after getting married has gone viral.

Dr. Kerry-Anne and Michael Gordon tied the knot at the Logan hotel and were greeted with rapturous applause from protesters as they walked out into the street in their wedding garb.

The couple is then seen sharing a kiss in the middle of the crowd as people around them cheer and hold up placards reading: Black Lives Matter.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the newlyweds proceeded to join the march from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to City Hall.

It ended up being a very powerful moment, Kerry-Anne told ABC News.

Not only are we feeling the movement of the people... but Im meeting my husband, on our wedding day, as a strong Black man and a good representative of who we are as people, what our men are like, what our culture is like.

Kerry-Anne added that it was a very empowering moment.

The couple were pictured kissing in the middle of the street surrounded by Black Lives Matter protesters (AP) Michael added: We all see this injustice. We all want to see this needle shift away from the status quo and ... that made this day more memorable in ways.

He went on to explain that the protest was entirely peaceful.
TDT | Manama

Saritha Suresh, a university student currently attending online classes said, I go out once in a week just to buy the necessary things for home. (My family and I) wear the cotton masks which can be washed after using them. But I havent tried making my own funky masks yet.

With so many Bahraini residents working from home, they find that they have fewer reasons to go outside. I go out every few days just down the road to the cold store, just a five minute trip. Only to pick up small perishable items like milk or bread.

The rest of my shopping I do online wherever possible, otherwise maybe once a month Ill go to the pet store or somewhere else that doesnt offer delivery. I was going for daily walks when it was cooler weather, on quieter roads only, said Zoe Salman who usually wears regular surgical masks. On days when she plans to be outside for longer or in a crowded areas, she takes extra precautions and wears the N-95.

I havent made my own (masks) yet but might give it a try when my stock finishes. She added when asked about whether shes like to get creative with her masks. Whilst working from home, I still go out almost every other day to do groceries and other errands that cannot be done online.

I havent tried making my own mask but I have purchased and tried using washable/cloth type. Its cheap and ok for use but only for really short periods of time, say an hour or two. I prefer wearing a 3-ply mask, easier to breath and more comfortable to wear, said Mary Mendoza Rosal.

Karen Colaco, who resides in Bahrain with her family spoke to Tribune about how much of a change the virus has brought with it. How many times, in the past, have we gone in and out of the house in a day, let alone during the whole week.

The convenience of going to get the groceries on any given day, reaching home to realise you have one more errand left for the day and quickly going back out to complete it, without a second thought. Now we are forced to be more organised (for our own benefit) and cautious about the number of times we go out, in hopes of limiting the chances of contracting the virus or, in some cases, spreading it.

Personally, we make a conscious effort to stay indoors most of the time and it isnt too difficult with restaurants, supermarkets and many other vendors providing services through online channels, she said. She added: Whenever we do go out, which is once a week or twice at the most, we wear disposable masks and always have a bottle of hand sanitizer in our bag.

Its just about doing our part to ensure our safety and to be conscious of the efforts being taken by the country, nurses and doctors who are working round the clock to care for those affected. Its nice to see new ideas coming out there with home-made masks that seem easy to make should you run out of usual disposable ones at any time.

Colaco hasnt tried to make her own masks yet but shes sure that will be the norm soon enough. What the expert says Tribune reached out to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) chief resident Dr. P V Cherian for his expert advice on the proper usage of masks. There are different types of masks. A surgical mask has 3 layers.

The outer layer is meant to hold and attract the virus. The middle layer is a filter for added protection. How to wear a mask It should cover the nose, mouth and chin completely with no spaces on both sides. Mask should not be worn while exercising or inside houses.

It can cause hypoxia, a condition where the person gets less oxygen in the blood and so to vital organs including brain. Surgical masks are recommended to be used for not more than six hours. Cloth masks also can be used. They can be washed in soap and water or alcohol based sanitizers and then reused.

N 95 masks are indicated only for health care workers who directly deal with COVID positive patients. Disposal methods It should be held on the side strings and disposed off in a bin with lids. Do not touch the front where the surface may be contaminated.

Wearing the masks without covering the nose and mouth and just letting it hang around your neck may cause contamination and infection. So the proper use of masks and removing are important. Smera, a resident of Bahrain, has started selling hand painted masks with customised patterns, unique illustrations and company logos.

Agi Joshua is another creative craftswoman who stitches her own cloth masks and even sells it to those who need it. She explained why she started selling these handmade cloth masks. My main intension, was the environmental concern. All these disposable masks will end up in the soil, cultivatable land and sea, killing the vegetation and marine life.

Second was helping some tailors, and housewives to earn some money, so that they dont have to depend on charity boxes, she said. Joshua who is also a trained councillor and NLP practioner pointed out the psychological aspects of wearing designer masks with unique patterns and styles.

The best way, to get adjusted to a change is to accept it wholeheartedly. The situation is demanding us to wear mask. So I made it colourful, with a tag line- MASK IS THE NEW FASHION STATEMENT, she said.

Speaking about the materials she uses, she said that we make masks, with professional cutting and stitching, using pure cotton material, and quality elastic, so that they can be washed and reused. We put two different colours on either side, so that one mask, will match two outfits.

photos by Omar Alawadhi
It has been three months since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in India, and if expert opinion is anything to go by, social distancing is here to stay for the near future. Even with the lockdown restrictions gradually being relaxed in different zones, authorities are struggling to open up businesses in a way that will not violate social distancing norms.

VBRIDGE, a group of young designers-architects from West Bengal, has come up with an inventive initiative to encourage social distancing in the rural areas of Bengal through a 1500-feet-long street artwork.

If you happen to walk the streets of Wireless Para in Konnangar, Hooghly district, youll notice variously patterned white geometric shapes that ensure one conforms to social distancing norms.

A viral video of this extensive art shows a circular maze at the centre, from where lines branch out, and intercept with shapes and patterns, guiding people to maintain their distance.

Speaking to News18, co-founder Soumyadeep Das says, As architects/designers, we have the responsibility to come up with solutions through infrastructural development. Hence, we created this street art, to try and stop this pandemic in our own way.

He explains that the circles and triangles on the sides of the streets have mostly been drawn in front of standalone shops and carts, as major marketplaces remain closed due to Covid-positive cases being reported in neighbouring areas.

Aesthetically, geometric shapes tend to have a better visual effect than other patterns. Keeping that in my mind, co-founder Ayan Roy says, Theres a very common line used in the field of architecture that says Every line in architecture matters, and we believe that if people understand and follow these lines, thats success.

Nearly 30 people came together to have the art executed in only two days, right before Cyclone Amphan hit parts of Bengal.

The idea of spreading awareness, however, stemmed from another venture  exploring ideas for Durga Puja. Puja preparations in Bengal usually start months in advance, and the idea took off from there.

Although there are serious concerns about Durga Puja-- and if Bengal can celebrate its biggest festival, the hope never dies. To ensure that the merrymaking does not nullify the gains of social distancing, the team, along with Sukanta Sporting Club, rolled out the artwork.

As per the information we have, we must follow social distancing at least until 2022. So, this could be an interesting way to make people aware and manage the crowd during pandal hopping, says Das, adding, Setting mythology as the theme for this years Puja pandal, we wanted to do something around Abhimanyus Chakravyuh (popularly known as labyrinth) from Mahabharata.

Hence, the centre is a circular maze, and if the lines of this labyrinth are straightened, they end up looking somewhat like what we have tried to implement in the design, he added.

The art has been drawn on two streets: one is six feet wide, and the other four feet wide. The lines in each are at a one-metre distance from each other. The design also provides a way for two-wheelers to maintain social distancing.

Only thinking about the pandemic will be of little help, unless theres a solution to it, says one of the architects at VBRIDGE, adding, Art has always affected mankind in different forms, but if we can use it to spread a social message, then theres nothing like it.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Beirut  Sun, June 7, 2020 18:27 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcba57b 2 World Syria,Iran Free

At least 12 pro-Iranian fighters died in strikes by unidentified aircraft on eastern Syria late Saturday evening, a war monitor said.

"Eight air strikes before midnight on Saturday night targeted a base of pro-Iranian forces in rural eastern Deir Ezzor [province], killing 12 Iraqi and Afghan fighters and destroying equipment and ammunition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Observatory did not identify the aircraft responsible, but its head Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP that Israel was likely responsible.

The Jewish state has carried out hundreds of strikes targeting regime and Iranian-backed forces, notably in Deir Ezzor.

The Israeli military rarely claims responsibility for such attacks but has vowed to prevent Iran gaining a foothold in the war-torn country or delivering advanced weaponry to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Iranian and Iraqi armed groups backing the regime of Bashar Al-Assad have deployed across swathes of Deir Ezzor, a large desert province bordering on Iraq.

The Observatory said the latest strikes came after Afghan forces brought in reinforcements from near the Iraqi border to a large Iranian base near the town of Al-Mayadin on the Euphrates river.

Two waves of similar strikes in May killed 12 pro-Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory.

Syria's complex, almost decade-long war has killed over 380,000 people, devastated the country's infrastructure and forced millions of people to flee their homes.

Topics : Syria Iran
WASHINGTON  With two U.S. Senate candidates who generally agree on most policy matters  as Saturday nights debate made clear  the July 14 Democratic runoff is essentially a choice of who can turn out the votes needed to defeat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in November.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

State Sen. Royce West, who has served nearly three decades in the Texas Legislature and would be the states first black senator, said he can build a multiracial coalition that Democrats need to win statewide.

Im going to keep on working as hard as I have been, said West, who leaned on his experience in the Legislature throughout the debate. With the coronavirus outbreak, mass unemployment and political unrest over the killing of African Americans by police, West said its an historic moment.

This is a perfect storm  a perfect, historic storm, he said. And people are tired of being tired and theyre fed up of being fed up. The fact is were going to see people turn out. Were going to see a coalition as we have seen in these protests  between anglos, African Americans, Asians, Latinos  that will come together.

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Then there is MJ Hegar, who has pitched herself as a political outsider and motorcycle-riding badass aiming to take on political cronyism she says Cornyn represents. She said Democrats cant take groups for granted and assume theyre going to support us.

We need to earn everybodys support, said Hegar, who said with Cornyns approval rating at just 37 percent in one recent poll, Democrats have an opportunity  but not a guarantee.

Im going to seize on that opportunity by connecting with every community across the state and making sure that Im giving them a reason to vote and that they understand that I hear them, that Im going to take their solutions and their ideas and their challenges and their struggles  which are also mine  to D.C. Hegar said, saying she plans to follow the same game plan that led to her a surprise near-victory in a deep-red congressional district north of Austin in 2018.

BUILDING THE BASE: As West zeroes in on the votes of minorities, Hegars strength is her appeal to women voters

West and Hegar emerged from a crowded Democratic primary field earlier this year, with Hegar leading the pack with 22 percent of the vote. West finished with 14.5 percent, drawing more than 143,000 fewer votes than Hegar. Hegar, meanwhile, held a massive lead over West in a Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler poll released in May, up 32 percent to Wests 16 percent.

Hegar has drawn national support  from Senate Democrats in D.C. and major groups like EMILYs List and gun safety organizations, as well as prominent progressives such as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. West has drawn key endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus and Carol Moseley Braun, the first black woman to serve in the Senate, while building a robust slate of backers within Texas, including nearly every Democrat in the legislature and most other Democratic senate candidates.

On Saturday night, the two met face to face for the first time in the runoff for an hour-long debate that touched on police violence, racial inequality and the coronavirus.

We dont have a few poison apples, we have a plague of locusts that have come through the orchard, Hegar said of police violence. The militarization of police is wrong, she said. Youre not doing them any favors, because the civilian population will respond like theyre at war.

You begin to think about whats going on, West said of the protests. Were finally getting to the point where we can harness that energy so we can effectuate change.

The candidates tackled perennial issues, as well, like energy and the environment, education and healthcare.

There were very few moments when the two disagreed. And when they did it was mild. West said he supports two years of free college and some student debt forgiveness. Hegar was less certain saying cost was part of my hesitation. West said he would support a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until we know more about the chemicals it uses and how it impacts the environment. Hegar again was less certain, saying she supports aggressive action on climate change, and is in favor of moving in that direction as soon as we can do it safely, as soon as we can do it without overburdening the economically disadvantaged.

CORNYN HAS ADVANTAGE: Coronavirus outbreak, by most measures, has boosted his chances

Cornyns campaign hit at Hegar for not staking out clear positions on some of those issues.

At least Radical Royce owned up to his radical agenda to change Texas, John Jackson, Cornyns campaign manager, said in response to the debate. At some point, Hollywood Hegar will need to tell Texans where she stands on banning fracking, reparations and defunding ICE. Considering her endorsement of Elizabeth Warren, we can only conclude that she supports all of these things but doesnt want Texans to know.

The Democrats were laser-focused on Cornyn throughout the night, with neither candidate addressing the other at any point.

Hes followed Donald Trump frankly off the cliff, West said at one point. We need to make sure we have someone in Washington who will take care of Texas values.

Hegar on multiple occasions accused Cornyn of legislating at the whim of donors.

As long as John Cornyn is cashing gun lobby checks, hes going to be legislating in their best interest, she said.

Whichever Democrat emerges will go up against the three-term senator and his nearly $13 million campaign fund.

ben.wermund@chron.com


The deputy senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege has distanced himself from a letter making the rounds on social media calling for the investigation of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over allegations of corruption levelled against him.

The discredited letter that was reportedly written on his behalf by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Nelson Ayewoh was addressed to the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

The National Assembly is currently probing allegations that the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC, allegedly mismanaged N40bn in three months and had demanded written explanations from Akpabio, whose Ministry supervises the activities of the intervention agency.

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Read Also: Stop Sleeping With Your Husbands In Dark Rooms  Patience Akpabio Tells Couples

Speaking via a new statement by Yomi Odunuga, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, ovie denied asking the Senate Clerk to write any letter to the EFCC Chairman.

Part of the statement read, The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to a letter dated 7th May, 2020, purportedly written by the Clerk of the Senate acting on behalf of the Office of Deputy President of the Senate requesting the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate and monitor the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and one other.

This Office hereby states that the said letter is false, fake, malicious, mischievous and vexatious.

This Office never instructed the Clerk of the Senate, or in fact any person, to write to or contact the EFCC in relation to any person.

In the light of the foregoing, we wish to urge the public to disregard the fake letter, same being the handiwork of a person or persons with criminal intents.
The Central board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is working on rationalising the curriculum to make up for academic loss caused by COVID-19 pandemic and the reduced syllabus will be ready in a months time, board chairman Manoj Ahuja said on Friday.

We cannot bring sudden changes in the education system and create confusion and uncertainty. The curriculum reforms are going to be in sync with the learning outcomes, he said during a virtual conference on Future of Schools: Overcoming COVID-19 challenge and beyond organsied by Ashoka University. We are rationalising the curriculum. We plan to retain the core elements, which are very unnecessary in terms of learning outcomes, he added.

If something is duplicated in some way or working extra on same concept, we aim to shelve it and thirdly anything which can be done in a more practical manner should be done that way. Thats what we are planning and we should be able to finalise within a months time, he said.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had announced in April that CBSE will be reducing the curriculum for the next academic calendar for all the classes to make up for the lost time due to the COVID-19 lockdown asserting that the curriculum will be curtailed in proportion to the lost time.

The HRD ministry has come up with alternative calendar for different grades detailing the learning plan during the lockdown.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of a slew of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day. While the government has announced easing of certain restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.
The death of George Floyd and subsequent demonstrations nationwide have many families discussing racism -- but for many African American parents, "the talk" has long been a necessity in society where their children must learn the dangers of growing up black in the United States. "I don't know any black parents that don't have the talk with their child," said Tiffany Russell, 26. "But it's now definitely a good time." When Russell was three years old, after a dramatic incident, her mother sat her down, explained what happened, and advised her how to behave in the future: "You have to be careful about how you act, about how you react." "You can't be too aggressive, too angry. She told me if a police officer stops me just don't say anything and just listen. Even if you're upset -- you cannot show that you're upset." Glen Henry, a black father of four, spoke less to his two oldest children -- ages five and seven -- about how they carried themselves, focusing more on what they were likely to encounter. A YouTuber, he filmed and posted the conversation. His wife Yvette was initially opposed to bringing up the topic so soon. By the end of the clip, she was in tears. Henry convinced her that recent events justified putting racism on the table with "children who should not have to learn this." Brittany Everette, a 27-year-old bi-racial mother in Virginia, appealed to Twitter for help knowing if the moment had come to speak to her son. "Children see the world as this bright, shiny place full of opportunity and wonder," she said, adding that her son who will start kindergarten in the fall sometimes dresses up as an officer. But for Russell, shielding children is "not doing any justice." "I didn't think it took away any of our innocence or any part of our childhood," she said. "It made us aware of our actions." "It's the reality." - 'Delicate balance' - Everette and her husband, who is black, ultimately agreed two discussions were necessary: first on the question of race, and later on to discuss police brutality against black people. In many ways the discussion is life-long, with added complexities at milestones including starting primary school, entering the workforce, getting a driver's license. Joseph West, a partner at the law firm Duane Morris and a father, remembers what his own father told him before he went out for his first drive: he taught careful driving and respecting traffic rules, but also no fast moves in case of a police check, and a deferential tone even in case of an unjustified pull-over. The message? "Even though the vast majority of law enforcement officers are good people, they in fact have the power to take your life -- and you are far more likely to have that happen to you if you are a black man than if you're not." "It was a chilling realization to have at that time, and it is something that stays with me to this day," West said. What's more, the message conveyed to girls and boys often varies, said Everette. "Black boys go immediately from cute little children to threats, while black girls are sexualized and seen as mature at much younger ages," she said "Their skin is weaponized the minute they enter puberty." West had already discussed issues of racism with his boys, but delved into the theme once again as disturbing images of Floyd's death circulated online. "There's a very delicate balance that has to take place," he said. "You want to provide enough information so that they can make informed decisions about their interactions... while not tamping down the confidence that you want them to have." "There is a thin line between confidence which will help you be successful, and being overconfident which could get you killed," said the lawyer, who is also his firm's diversity officer. After publishing an essay on Law.com about speaking to black children about the trials they will face, West said he received hundreds of mostly supportive messages. Especially white men, according to West, told him that "what I had expressed never occured to them and that they were going to have that version of the talk with their children." "And that was very gratifying." The father of Michael Brown, attending the funeral of his son who was killed by a police officer The father and daughter of Bettie Jones, killed by a police officer in 2015 in Chicago in a death ruled an accident
UP Polls: Amit Shah to conduct door-to-door campaign in Kairana on Saturday

Amit Shah holds virtual rally in Bihar, takes jibe at opposition protest

India

oi-Deepika S

Patna, June 07: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah held a virtual rally in Bihar on Sunday to kick-off the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) campaign for the state assembly polls, which are slated for October-November. This will be Shah's first virtual rally which comes amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing a rally in Bihar, Shah lauded the works being done by the doctors, nurses, health officials and others who are at the forefront of the fight against Coronavirus.

NDA will get two-third majority in Bihar under Nitish Kumar's leadership: Shah at virtual rally

The BJP leader took a jibe at opposition for banging thalis and bowls to oppose his event. He said that when I am addressing this rally, a few are banging thalis to welcome me. 'Finally, they have listened to the Prime Minister.'

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

The saffron party is pulling out all the stops to make the event a success after the COVID-19 outbreak has ruled out any big political gathering.

Assembly elections in Bihar will be held in October-November this year. While Nitish Kumar will seek fourth consecutive win, it will be a do or die battle for Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD.

The RJD is led Tejashwi in the absence of Lalu who is behind the bars for his role in multi-crore fodder scam. The grand alliance of opposition comprises five politicial parties - RJD, RLSP, HAM, VIP and Congress. The ruling NDA comprises 3 political parties, JD(U), BJP and LJP.
In a scathing attack on the Congress, BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday (June 6) said that the Congress has done nothing except politics during the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis in India. Accusing the Congress of mocking the plight of migrant workers, Nadda siad that initially the Congress raised questions over the imposition of lockdown and when the Centre decided to lift the lockdown then also questions were raised by the Congress. Nadda also claimed that the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states were against the lifting of lockdown.

Nadda also slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for saying that economic growth curve has flatten and not the coronavirus infection curve, saying that it seems that the Gandhi scion's brain has flattened. The BJP chief made these remarks during an exclusive interview to Zee News Editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary.

Nadda also talked about the steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deal with the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis, the upcoming Bihar assembly election and the simmering border tension with China along the Line of Actual Control.
Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) condemns the decision by the Somali parliament to prevent most of the independent media from reporting on the official opening of 7th Session of the Somali Parliament on Saturday June 6, 2020.

FESOJ has learnt with concern that most of the journalists from independent media were informed not to attend the important session at which the President of the Federal Government of Somalia addressed members of both houses of parliament which is unacceptable to Somali people, independent media and their Federation.

.

The parliament represents the people of Somalia and it is the single most important institution to this country. Its decisions and activities affect the public directly, so it is unfortunate that that most of the independent media were denied access to parliament today.

Journalists should be allowed to do the important work of informing the public -- as long as journalists do not violate the rules and protocols of the Parliament, this restriction could be considered a crackdown on journalists and denial of access to any worth news information Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, FESOJ Secretary General told journalists at a press conference in Mogadishu on Saturday.

FESOJ considers the President's speech is a public interest matter and was supposed to be broadcast to the nation to keep them well-informed on public policy matters. However, barring of these vital media outlets through which people could find that important information is even more worrisome.

FESOJ is dismayed by the decision of the Speakers of both houses of Somali parliaments that prevented the independent media from attending the opening session and thats completely contrary to the democratic values and laws of the country that specifically allows journalists to operate with protection of the freedom of speech and the free flow of information, two cornerstones enshrined in the Constitution and must be observed by the parliament.

The state-run media was the only media singlehandedly chosen to livestream the event; therefore we would like to call for the government give equal access as the state media to the private independent media Moalimuu added.

FESOJ will submit a written complaint to the Speakers of both Houses of Somali Parliament seeking an explanation on the decision independent journalists were barred from the important session since it so important now that all sides should guarantee the access to information in this crucial moment as our country prepares for elections.

On the other hand, FESOJ welcomes the release of a Somali journalist & social media activist Abdimalik Muse Oldon by the Somaliland authority on Saturday 06 June, 2020 from Hargeisa prison. Marodi Jeh court sentenced him 3 & half year jail on July 8, 2019. Somaliland has since held the journalist who routinely languished in prison incommunicado.
Sandalwood cinemas leading star Chiranjeevi Sarja has passed away today (June 7) due to cardiac arrest at the age of 39. For the unversed, the actor was admitted yesterday to a private hospital in Bangalore after he complained of chest pain and shortness of breath. However, he failed to respond to the treatment and breathed his last this afternoon (Sunday).

Sarja made his acting debut in Vayuputra in 2009 and has acted in over 22 films. The actor is the nephew of southern star Arjun Sarja and grandson of veteran actor Shakti Prasad. His younger brother Dhruva Sarja too is a leading man in the industry.

Meanwhile, Chiranjeevi Sarjas throat swab sample has been collected and sent for testing. A source from the Apollo Hospital has added that they will be handing over the body first to the police today.

The actors sudden demise has sent shock waves across the film industry. He is survived by his wife and actress Meghna Raj. The duo got engaged in 2017 and had tied the knot two years ago in 2018.

Chiranjeevi Sarja was last seen on the big screen in Shivarjuna that released this year, just before the COVID-19 lockdown was put in place.
Mumbai:

In a dramatic turn of events, a man, who recently performed Ganesh puja at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis official residence Varsha here, was arrested in connection with a criminal case filed against him three years ago.

A police official from Kudal in Konkan told PTI that the accused, Parmanand Hewalekar, was arrested yesterday and produced before a local court. He was released on bail.

Hewalekar was arrested in connection with the FIR filed in 2013 under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), the police official said.

Hewalekar and his wife were recently invited by Fadnavis to perform Ganesh puja at Varsha after he came to know about the social boycott faced by the couple in their native village.

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Demonstrators protest Saturday, June 6, 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. Read more

WASHINGTON  Massive protests against police brutality nationwide capped a week that began in chaos but ended with largely peaceful expressions that organizers hope will sustain their movement.

Saturdays marches featured few reports of problems in scenes that were more often festive than tense. Authorities were not quick to release crowd size estimates, but it was clear tens of thousands of people  and perhaps hundreds of thousands  turned out nationally.

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 May 25 and came as many cities lifted curfews imposed following initial spasms of arson, assaults and sm

ash-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 London and Marseille, France. In the U.S., Seattle police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters hurling rocks, bottles and what authorities said were improvised explosives that had injured officers, just a day after city leaders temporarily banned one kind of tear gas. Around midnight in Portland, a firework was thrown over the fence at the Justice Center, injuring a Multnomah County deputy, Portland police Lt. Tina Jones said. Smith said police had declare an unlawful assembly and were making arrests.

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 neighborhoods. 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 were 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 mingled with motorists as they crossed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Cars had been cleared from the Brooklyn Bridge as protesters streamed into Manhattan on a day that New York police relaxed enforcement of a curfew that has led to confrontations, foreshadowing an early end to the citywide curfew announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday morning. They walked the boulevards of Hollywood and a Nashville, Tennessee, street famous for country music-themed bars and restaurants.

Many protesters wore masks  a reminder of the danger that the protests could exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus.

Roderick Sweeney, who is black, said the large turnout of white protesters waving signs that said Black Lives Matter in San Francisco sent a powerful message.

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.

A large crowd of Seattle 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 Floyd's 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. A large photo of Floyd and a portrait of him adorned with an angels wings and halo were displayed at the front of the chapel.

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.

Floyd's 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 they're determined to turn the outpouring into change, notably overhauling policing policies. Many marchers urged officials to defund the police."

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.

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.

Back in North Carolina, the Rev. Christopher Stackhouse recounted the circumstances of Floyd's 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; Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee, Florida; John Leicester in Paris; and David Crary and Brian Mahoney in New York.
Dr Denis Napthine says he cant think of anything nobler than public service, and he remembers vividly reaching the peak of it on March 6, 2013.

On that day he turned 61, became leader of the Victorian parliamentary Liberal Party and was made Victorias 47th premier. He woke that morning knowing only that it was his birthday.

He also treasures a lifetime working to improve services for the disabled. There is an intensely personal aspect: he and wife Peggy many years ago fostered a disabled child named Jack, who is regarded as one of the Napthines three sons.

Denis Napthine has his portrait taken in Parliament House a week before the 2014 election, which Labor won. Credit:AAP

Dr Napthine as Premier took pride in signing Victoria up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He believes the scheme may have foundered if Victoria had not signed.
Covering a pandemic for more than three months was challenging enough for The Oregonian/OregonLives newsroom, requiring long hours and seven days a week of fast-paced coverage.

Then, we were stretched again as Portland demonstrations against police violence began a week ago, grew and at times turned chaotic and destructive. The demonstrations seeking justice for the killing of George Floyd drew more than 10,000 people at times, the vast number of whom protested peacefully.

We sent teams of reporters and visual journalists onto the streets to monitor protesters and police. That first night, night editor Molly Young and journalists who started work at the 6 p.m. Friday, May 29, Peninsula Park vigil ended their night past 3 a.m. May 30. In between, the reporters walked many miles, witnessed a violent confrontation between a driver and skateboarder and saw numerous acts of vandalism.

At the corner of NE Shaver & MLK, a VW Gold lunged into the crowd. It was pummeled & pursued in reverse down shaver and stopped. After an altercation I couldnt see, roared south. I heard two loud pops, people ran, then it raced back north through intersection & hit skateboarder pic.twitter.com/S04zd9PeAt  Dave Killen (@killendave) May 30, 2020

The Oregonian/OregonLive sends journalists into the thick of demonstrations to act as the publics proxy, to show an unvarnished view of what is occurring and to act as watchdogs for police and protester activity.

We aren't parachuting in looking to confirm pre-existing biases, said photojournalist Beth Nakamura. We are here day in, day out. We will be here when it's over. I think our coverage reflects that commitmentto being not just factually accurate but also fair and truthful.

Tense moments have occurred, but as of this writing our journalists had not been physically attacked by protesters or interfered with by police, as has been reported in other cities. Our sister newsrooms in our parent company Advance Local have not been as lucky. In Birmingham, Alabama, two journalists for al.com were detained by police Wednesday night. In New York, a syracuse.com photojournalist was shoved to the ground by police while he was documenting a protest.

A Detroit police officer fired at and struck an MLive photographer with pellets, leaving welts and narrowly missing an eye. My counterpart at MLive, John Hiner, denounced the attack as outrageous.

Journalists have a right and an obligation to be on the scene of breaking news, without being targeted, he said. These journalists had credentials, identified themselves and were not posing any threat.

Keep in mind, journalists are also going into crowds during the pandemic, which carries added risk. They are wearing masks and trying to keep their distance, but it isnt always possible in the chaos and crowding of demonstrations.

Hanging around at a demonstration for six hours and occasionally getting dosed with pepper spray is miserable work, said reporter Jeff Manning, who covered Sunday nights protests from downtown. But you never know when (things) are going to go out of control.

We take criticisms from all sides: those who think we are favoring protesters or police, singling out word choices for criticism. Those who think we rely too unquestioningly on what police tell us. Those who think weve ignored the cost to businesses, havent pressed officials hard enough, and the like.

As I wrote to one reader Wednesday:

Can we do better? Certainly. Always. But, right now, I would defend our work as thorough, fair and accurate.

Reporter Noelle Crombie, who was out Wednesday night for many hours, said it even better in response to one reader. He wrote angrily that he believed we were letting officials off the hook for the economic damage from pandemic restrictions and instead focusing on people who hate police, among other criticisms.

While I appreciate your taking time to read The Oregonian, I take great exception to your characterization of our work, Crombie wrote in defense of herself and her colleagues. The people you have described as a disgrace have put themselves into harms way each night to report on these demonstrations. We have done our best to represent the truth, as close as we can get to it. Oregonian journalists are as dedicated a group of journalists you will find. With all due respect, readers are fortunate to have such a committed news organization reporting not only on a global health pandemic but a massive social movement against racism.

To be sure, were received many thanks from readers as well, for both protest coverage and our in-depth accountability reporting on the coronavirus in Oregon. One anonymous reader even mailed in $50 cash to support us (thank you!).

As editor, I am proud of our work. I know we are not perfect, and readers can argue over a phrase or two. But Id ask readers to judge the totality of our coverage. I think it is deep, nuanced, fair and accurate.

Why do we do it? Manning said simply, Its history.

Reporter Joe Freeman, who covered the massive demonstration Wednesday night, said, Were going to look back at this moment years from now as an important and perhaps defining period in our history. So its vital that we have unbiased, accurate and detailed reports about what is happening on the ground, as it unfolds, to provide a snapshot of the moment and relay the depth of hurt and emotion people are expressing.

We could not do any of this without the support of our readers, subscribers and advertisers. I thank you for your support. Journalism is tough in the best of times. Right now, its downright exhausting.

Dont send cash. Instead, please subscribe to OregonLive today: oregonlive.com/supporter
WASHINGTON - First, President Donald Trump called Jim Mattis "one of the most effective generals and extraordinary leaders of our time."

Now, he says his former secretary of defense "is the world's most overrated General."

John Kelly was once a great Homeland Security secretary who would be an even better White House chief of staff, "if it's possible."

This week Trump said he is an also-ran who "was not in my inner-circle, was totally exhausted by the job, and in the end just slinked away into obscurity."

Jeff Sessions entered the administration being hailed by the president as "a world-class legal mind" who was "greatly admired by legal scholars and virtually everyone who knows him."

Now, Trump demeans him as someone who "didn't have a clue," "let our Country down," "was played like a drum" and is not to be trusted by Alabama voters weighing whether to return him to the Senate.

And Rex Tillerson went from "the embodiment of the American Dream" whose "tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for Secretary of State" to "'dumb as a rock' and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State"

There are few constants in the tumult of the Trump administration, which has had far more staff departures than any recent president. But one rule of thumb is that if you speak ill of Trump - and a remarkable number of former officials have - the president will strike back.

But beyond illustrating Trump's counter punching ethos, it's a pattern that raises serious questions about his ability to fill some of the most important posts in government and why he continually hires top officials he later comes to describe as incompetents.

If they were such stooges, why were they hired in the first place? And if Trump didn't know enough about them, what type of vetting took place?

Former aides say the answer for why the president turns on so many officials is that Trump can't stand any public dissent or criticism - and grows frustrated when aides push back on his impulses. His current White House staff, officials said, does far less of that.

"You can never stay on good terms with him forever unless you're willing to defend every single thing," said one former official.

The spectacle of Trump harshly denouncing his former aides and those aides so freely and publicly criticizing his performance as president is unprecedented among modern presidents.

"President Trump's approach to personnel management resembles that of a rich man who disowns his relatives because they do not show him proper deference or respect," said Rutgers University political science professor Ross K. Baker. "Anyone who works for him appears to need to adhere to a kind of unwritten nondisclosure agreement. Breaching that agreement even in a minor way brings the president's wrath down on them."

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

While his feuds with some former aides, such as former communications director Anthony Scaramucci and former adviser Omarosa Manigault, seemed more like colorful moments in a chaotic presidency, his feuds with Mattis and Kelly could be more politically perilous.

Both men were seen early on as proof that Trump could attract top talent to his administration and their appointments quelled fears among congressional Republicans about who would fill key administration spots. They were also participants in sensitive discussions about some of the most important national security decisions of the Trump presidency.

A senior administration official said that the view inside the West Wing is that Mattis's statement this week won't damage the president with swing voters by itself, but it shows vulnerability that other Republicans who previously have not criticized the president may be moved to do so.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions, said Trump's 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.

Trump recently acknowledged he's aware of the problems posed bad relations with former officials.

"I learned a lot from Richard Nixon. Don't fire people," Trump told Fox News.

Some aides are concerned that Mattis may have also given other former officials more reason to speak out ahead of the election, including Tillerson and former national security adviser H.R. McMaster. Kelly could also be more explicit about what he witnessed as chief of staff and he has been wrestling with what to do, according to people who have spoken with him.

Mattis' scathing critique this week of the president's handling of protests across the country following the death of a black man in police custody has already had some political impact - one GOP senator suggested she may not vote for Trump this fall.

"General Mattis's comments yesterday, I felt like perhaps we're getting to the point where we can be more honest with the concerns that we might hold internally and have the courage of our own convictions to speak up," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Thursday.

One problem for the White House is that there is such a large pool of former officials who could speak out if they chose. Trump's staff turnover rate is currently 88 percent, after slightly less than 3.5 years in office, according to a running tally maintained by the Brookings Institution.

"Just for the sake of comparison, after four full years in office, President George W. Bush had 63 percent turnover among his most senior aides," said Kathryn D. Tenpas, senior fellow in governance studies at Brookings.

"The level has far surpassed presidents from Reagan through Obama," with Trump far exceeding his five most recent predecessors after the entirety of their first terms, Tenpas said.

Democrats are trying to take advantage of this sense of chaos after the latest comments from Mattis and Kelly.

Trump's presumed Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, released a video ad Friday reprising criticism of Trump from retired senior military leaders.

Kelly's quote from earlier in the day is the kicker: "We need to look harder at who we elect."

Trump blasted both Mattis and Kelly this past week after they criticized his handling of racial unrest and street protests that gripped the country. Mattis called Trump a threat to the Constitution and its system of checks and balances. On Friday, Kelly said he agreed.

Trump has also gone through several national security advisers as well and none of their departures were without controversy or hard feelings.

After John Bolton left, Trump claimed the man he hired was "holding him back" on key foreign policy initiatives. Trump said later that Bolton, who claims he resigned last fall, was "very publicly terminated," and only interested in selling a book. Bolton has written a tell-all book that he is fighting with the White House to publish.

Among Trump's high-profile hires, some have left without rancor. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tops the list among those whom Trump has praised on the way out and kept on his nice list thereafter. Other aides, including Trump's first chief of staff Reince Priebus, have stayed close and even those who left under clouds of scandal can stay in Trump's good graces if they don't speak out.

The impulse to denigrate and humiliate is part of Trump's political biography, with antecedents in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, where insult nicknames - "Little Marco" Rubio and "Lyin' Ted" Cruz - shocked and titillated. Having vanquished those Florida and Texas Republican senators and the rest of the field, Trump moved on to "Crooked Hillary" Clinton, a moniker he continues to use for the Democratic nominee he defeated.

Mattis drew laughs last year when he mocked Trump's insults during a charity dinner, a day after Trump had called him "the world's most overrated general,"

"I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress," Mattis said, referring to the famed performer.

"So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals and frankly that sounds pretty good to me. And you do have to admit between me and Meryl and you do have to admit between me and Meryl, at least we've had some victories."

Trump and his defenders have savaged Mattis in recent days, calling him out of touch but not engaging in much debate about Mattis's constitutional arguments regarding deploying active-duty military within the United States to quell protests.

"It's obvious that the general doesn't have a clue what's going on in the American cities out there, or is he actually worse, turned a blind eye to it," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said on Fox News Thursday.

Kelly has kept his criticism somewhat veiled. On Friday, he said he strongly disagreed with the idea of deploying the military on American streets, as Trump has said he is considering in response to protests.

"No president, ever, is a dictator or a king," and must be checked by Congress and the courts, Kelly said, by way of agreeing with Mattis's overall critique.

"I think we need to look harder at who we elect. I think we should start, all of us, regardless of what our views are on politics, I think we should look at people that are running for office and put them through the filter of, 'what is their character like? What are their ethics? Are they willing if they are elected to represent all of their constituents, not just the base?'," Kelly said, appearing by video link on Scaramucci's new "SALT Talks" forum.

He acknowledged tension with Trump before he left the White House in January 2019 and laughed along with Scaramucci, whom Kelly had fired as one of his first official acts as chief of staff, at the general level of chaos.

Scaramucci thanked Kelly for firing him in 2017 after less than two weeks on the job, saying Kelly had saved his career and his marriage.

Scaramucci went through his own emotional roller coaster with the president.

Hired for a short stint as communications director in 2017 after being friendly with Trump for years, he became a critic of the president in recent years.

Trump hasn't liked it.

"Anthony Scaramucci is a highly unstable 'nut job'" who had supported other candidates during the primary, Trump tweeted in August 2019. "I barely knew him until his 11 days of gross incompetence-made a fool of himself, bad on TV."
Food delivery platform Easi is turning up the heat on global rivals Uber Eats, Deliveroo, DoorDash and Menulog, with the Melbourne-based business global customer base ticking past a million users despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Easi's distinctive square yellow delivery boxes are a familiar sight in inner city areas but the inner workings of the platform, started in Melbourne in 2014, and its founder Jie (Jason) Shen, have largely stayed out of the limelight.

Jie (Jason) Shen, the chief executive and founder of Easi, at the company's headquarters in Melbourne's Docklands. Credit:Joe Armao

"Not many people know about me, but most people know the yellow box," Mr Shen told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. "People email us and they want to know what is in the yellow box."

The 34-year-old Shen migrated to Australia with his family from China 20 years ago and after running Melbourne restaurant Yabby House saw an opportunity to use that experience to build a delivery platform.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been 'quietly' having meetings with key people and organisations linked to the Black Lives Matter movement to 'educate' themselves.

The Duchess of Sussex broke her silence on the murder of George Floyd earlier this week, declaring that 'black lives matter', and revealed that she had not spoken about his death before because she had been 'nervous'.

Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after white police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on his neck in Minneapolis on May 25 for nine minutes.

Meghan, 38, gave an address to graduating pupils at her old school, Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, where she also named other African Americans who were killed in the US by police in recent years.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been 'quietly' having meetings with key people and organisations linked to the Black Lives Matter movement to 'educate' themselves

According to a source, she and Harry, 35, have been having 'private conversations' with people 'on all levels' to ensure they are 'connected to the issues of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement'.

They told Harper's Bazaar's royal editor Omid Scobie: 'Harry and Meghan have been having private conversations with community leaders and people at every level, to ensure that they understand current events.

'This is something that is incredibly personal to Meghan, especially given everything she has experienced. And as a couple, it is, of course, very important. They are both feeling it, just like the rest of us.'

In her poignant six-minute virtual speech delivered to pupils at her former school, Meghan said: 'George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered.'

The Duchess of Sussex broke her silence on the murder of George Floyd earlier this week, declaring that 'black lives matter' and revealed that she had not spoken about his death before because she had been 'nervous'. Meghan, 38, gave an address to graduating pupils at her old school, Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles (pictured)

The other three people Meghan mentioned were killed by US police over the past six years. Meghan also referred to Los Angeles as the family's 'home town' after moving there with Harry and their son Archie, one.

On speaking out about Mr Floyd, she said: 'I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart. And I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing.'

The video was released to black women's lifestyle magazine Essence, which published it on its website saying 'courtesy of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex'.

The Duchess also said how the students are 'going to have empathy for those who don't see the world through the same lens that you do', adding: With as diverse, vibrant and opened minded as I know the teachings at Immaculate Heart are, I know you know that black lives matter.'

Meghan mentioned three other people who were killed by US police over the past six years during her speech to pupils at her old school. She also referred to Los Angeles as the family's 'home town' after moving there with Harry and their son Archie, one (pictured together in South Africa in September)

Meghan also referred to some advice she was given by a teacher aged 15, saying: 'I remember my teacher at the time, one of my teachers, Ms Pollia, said to me as I was leaving for a day of volunteering, "always remember to put other's needs above your own fears".

'And that has stuck with me throughout my entire life and I have thought about it more in the last week than ever before.'

Meghan was referring to her former theology teacher, Maria Pollia, who has previously described her as a 'remarkable student' who was 'very enthusiastic about the material, but always took it a step further'.

Meghan also spoke to the students about their futures, saying: 'You know that you're going to rebuild, rebuild and rebuilt until it is rebuilt.

Protests have taken place across America and beyond after white police officer Derek Chauvin (seen right) knelt on unarmed George Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds last week, despite Floyd's desperate repeated pleas for help crying, 'I can't breathe'. Floyd (left and right) passed out and later died

'Because when the foundation is broken, so are we. You are going to lead with love, you are going to lead with compassion, you are going to use your voice.'

Her speech left some Immaculate Heart students in tears, with one on Twitter with the user name 'blm  gia' saying: 'Meghan Markle talking about George Floyd and BLM in my virtual graduation. I'm crying.'

The Duchess has opened up in the past about how racism has affected her own family.

Meghan has previously described the experiences of both her mother and grandfather, and her own journey as a biracial woman.

The Duchess has opened up in the past about how racism has affected her own family. She is pictured as a young girl with her father Thomas Markle

The former Suits star became the first mixed-race person in modern history to marry a senior British royal, in 2018.

But Meghan and the Duke of Sussex quit as senior working royals in March to pursue personal and financial freedom in the US, after telling of their struggles dealing with their royal life and the intense media interest.

The American ex-actress recounted, before marrying into the Windsor family, how her grandfather told her as a child that he and his family stopped off at Kentucky Fried Chicken during a road trip, but had to go to the back of the restaurant for 'coloureds' and eat the chicken in the car park.

'That story still haunts me,' she wrote. 'It reminds me of how young our country is. How far we've come and how far we still have to come.'

An old clip of Meghan filmed as part of the 'I Won't Stand For...' campaign for non-profit organisation Erase the Hate, has come to light following the recent protests. In the video, Meghan shared her hope that society will become more 'open-minded'

Meghan, whose father Thomas Markle is Caucasian and mother Doria Ragland is African-American, wrote of her background: 'While my mixed heritage may have created a grey area surrounding my self-identification, keeping me with a foot on both sides of the fence, I have come to embrace that.

'To say who I am, to share where I'm from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman.'

In a piece for Elle Magazine in 2015, she said she witnessed her mother being called 'the n word' by another driver in Los Angeles and described the heartache it caused.

'My skin rushed with heat as I looked to my mom. Her eyes welling with hateful tears, I could only breathe out a whisper of words, so hushed they were barely audible: 'It's OK, Mommy',' she wrote.

Meghan also described how her great-great-great-grandfather went on to create his own identity when freed from slavery.

'Because in 1865 (which is so shatteringly recent), when slavery was abolished in the United States, former slaves had to choose a name. A surname, to be exact,' she wrote.

'Perhaps the closest thing to connecting me to my ever-complex family tree, my longing to know where I come from and the commonality that links me to my bloodline, is the choice that my great-great-great grandfather made to start anew.

'He chose the last name Wisdom.'

As a child, her father, from whom she is now estranged, created a Barbie family for Christmas when they were only sold in sets of white dolls or black dolls.

She wrote on her lifestyle blog how her new collection had 'a black mom doll, a white dad doll, and a child in each colour. My dad had taken the sets apart and customised my family.'

Earlier this week Scobie shared his own experience with racism in a candid post.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal biographer Omid Scobie revealed his experience with racism in a candid Twitter post this week

The British writer, who has co-written the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's upcoming biography Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family, took to Twitter amid the Black Lives Matter movement, to speak out against injustice.

Revealing that 'fear' has previously stopped him from speaking about his experiences relating to his mixed race heritage, Omid said recalled how he lost his first job in journalism after fighting back against a workplace incident.

Omid wrote: 'I see some asking why, in the past, I didn't always publicly speak up about racism or racial bias and the answer, quite honestly, is fear.

'My first job in journalism was also my first experience of racism in the workplace.

Revealing that 'fear' has previously stopped him from speaking about his experiences relating to his mixed race heritage, Omid said recalled how he lost his first job in journalism after fighting back against a workplace incident

'Worried that, as a 20-year-old mixed race guy, taking on an older white person of power would probably mean the end of my job, I sat on the incident for a few months before mustering up the courage to present the issue to HR.'

Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20

He continued: 'Unfortunately my complaint was met with poor excuses, a lack of empathy and me having to leave. I felt small, ashamed and convinced my journalism career was over before I'd even attended my university graduation ceremony.

'Of course, the racist in question had no such worries. They got a pay rise and continue to work in a prominent media role.'

Omid admitted: 'That incident knocked my confidence for some time (not just regarding my place in the industry but also about my own mixed race identity) and I did my best to work and stay below the radar to protect myself.'

The writer finished his brave revelation by saying that he 'realised the incident is small compared to the racist horrors many face', and added that he had shared it as an example of why the 'fight against racism needs to be led by the truly privileged.

He concluded by asking others with a platform to speak up, adding: 'There are far less risks for you when you do it. You are lucky enough to condemn racism with virtually no fear.'

At least 15,000 protesters have taken to the streets of London and cities across the world to march for black rights following the killing of George Floyd.
The killing of George Floyd has seen mass protests from across the globe, where people from different walks of life have taken to the streets to raise voice against racial injustice and heavy-handed police tactics. Now, a pilot has taken to the skies to lend his support to the cause.

Dimitri Neonakis, a pilot from Canada, on Thursday, flew his aircraft through a very specific path, outlining a raised fist, which is symbolic of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.

While flying a 330 nautical mile flight in Nova Scotia for two and a half hours, Dimitri Neonakis remembered "the words of George Floyd I cant Breath a few times."

Taking to social media he said, "I see a World of one race in multi colours - this is the World I see, and this is my message!! End Racism."

Neonakis shared the pattern of the flight path on Facebook and said, "for George."

Flight tracking website, Flight Aware too took to Twitter to share the image of the pattern and said, "HAPPENING NOW In the skies over Halifax, Canada."

A few days back, another viral video showed a young African-American demonstrator at Merrick shouting, "No justice, no peace" with an aggrieved face. At a point, the girl also folds her arms to apparently show her strength and power, as she continues to raise her voice as she walks.
You are here: China

There is no delay or cover-up in the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese officials said Sunday.

China timely notified the international community of virus data and information about the epidemic, and made significant contributions to the global prevention and control, said Director of China's National Health Commission Ma Xiaowei at a press conference in Beijing.

The work of the Chinese government and Chinese scientists can stand the test of time, Ma said.

At the same press conference, Xu Lin, director of the State Council Information Office, denounced some foreign politicians and news media labeling and politicizing the virus, and fabricating groundless accusations that China covered up information.

Xu stressed that such remarks are groundless and unreasonable, and show no respect for science.
The Conversation

GettyImagesA geopolitical earthquake could begin within weeks. As a string of bilateral crisis talks predictably falter, further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine seems all too probable. If this comes to pass, the shock waves will likely be fast, wide and highly disruptive, potentially activating tripwires in the global security environment far beyond the edge of Europe. Aotearoa New Zealands geographical distance will be no defence against the rolling consequences of a protracted
A bomb found during a PSNI search operation in Londonderry is believed to belong to the New IRA and was fully primed and ready to be deployed.

Police also seized a handgun and ammunition during the searches in the Ballymagroarty area on Friday and Saturday.

The police believe the handgun is the same type of weapon used in the murder of journalist Lyra McKee last year.

It is a main line of investigation that the weapons belong to the New IRA.

Derry City and Strabane District Commander Emma Bond said: This operation was designed specifically to find items we believed were being stored by violent dissident republicans in the Ballymagroarty area and which posed a serious and imminent risk to the community.

"We were able to locate and safely remove a command-wire initiated bomb, a handgun and a quantity of ammunition. A strong line of enquiry is that these munitions belong to the New IRA. They have now been seized and will be subject to rigorous forensic examination in the coming days and weeks.

"The weapon found appears to be of the same type and calibre as the gun we believe was used to murder Lyra McKee, however at this time we are not in a position to say whether this is the murder weapon."

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DC Bond said the gun will be subject to extensive forensic testing in the coming days and weeks to determine if there is a link between the weapon and Lyra McKee's murder.

She added: "The fact that these items were left close to a populated area, and particularly on land where children are known to play, yet again underlines the total lack of regard these violent terrorist criminals have for their own communities.

"These people are so singularly focused on murdering police officers that they do not care if others - men, women, children, families - are caught up in their evil plots. The community is simply collateral damage."

The senior officer said violent dissident republicans are "immersed in a constant campaign to kill police".

"This is the reality we live with every day, and yet everyday police officers come into work, they go out into communities like Ballymagroarty and they work to build relationships and tackle the issues that matter to local people," DC Bond said.

NI Policing Board chair Doug Garrett praised the search operation.

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I welcome that these deadly items have been safely recovered, but share the concern voiced by others at the reckless disregard of the Dissidents in leaving weapons of harm in a community area," he said.

"Those who primed this bomb had the likely intent of killing our police officers, but they really have no care about anyone else who may be harmed in the process. Despite the clear threat faced, we thank our officers for their continued work in the community to tackle and respond to issues of public concern.

"The police need the support of the public to stop further acts of terrorism. If anyone has information that may help the police please report it to the police or anonymously through Crimestoppers.
New Delhi: Irrfan Khans wife Sutapa Sikdar celebrated World Environment Day on Friday by sharing two special pictures and remembered the late actor with a heartwarming post. Sutapa posted pictures of a tree Irrfan planted in 2016 in Uttarakhand and wrote on her social media accounts, "What a wonderful gift to get today! Trees will always bloom even after you are gone. Plant trees.

On World Environment Day in 2016, Irrfan had planted a kachnar tree in Kaladhungi town of Uttarakhand and four years later, it bloomed like this:

Sutapa and her kids Babil and Ayaan have been sharing memories of Irrfan since with special posts. Just recently, Babil explained to his fans Irrfans "strange" quality of understanding rain and Sutapa too shared a similar post that said the rains connect them.

Babil took to Instagram and shared a throwback picture in which Irrfan is seen feeding a camel and wrote, "He had this strange understanding of rain. I cannot compare it to anything that I have ever experienced. He could only explain it to me through the limits within what words would let him, but there was a connection that I cannot envelop even in the most beautiful language; only the desert could show, oh my god, what the rain did to him."

Sutapa, meanwhile, sharing an old picture of Irrfan swimming in a lake, along with posts on rains, wrote, Thank you so much I hear you ...yes I know its from you to me and it touched my body and soul.. Between the two realms we have the rain connecting us.

Irrfan died on April 29 after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour. He is survived by Sutapa, Babil and Ayaan.
When Tulsans tuned in to COVID-19 updates from local leaders, they most frequently saw three faces: Mayor G.T. Bynum, Bruce Dart of the Tulsa Health Department and Glenna Cooper.

Bynum was already a household name, and Dart instantly became one as Tulsans hunkered down in March and watched as the numbers of positive test results and then deaths mounted.

But it was the friendly face of the unknown Cooper who drew a new audience from well beyond Tulsas city limits.

The work that she and her unseen colleague, hearing interpreter KT Laughlin, did to provide critical access to information about the public health emergency in many deaf peoples first language  American Sign Language  just drew special recognition for City Hall.

The professional organization representing sign language interpreters in Oklahoma recently applauded the work in a formal letter to Bynum, noting that many in the deaf community in surrounding areas had tuned in to the city of Tulsa news conferences because they could count on the interpreter being provided.
Asked why he was there, Romney, the first GOP senator to attend the protests that have been disparaged by President Trump and several other members of his party, embraced the weeks mantra, saying he wants to find a way to end violence and brutality and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.
The Army element known as "America's Contingency Corps" marked the 76th anniversary of D-Day by telling the story of a black veteran of that battle who died without ever receiving the full hero's recognition he deserved.

The Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based XVIII Army Corps published a series of tweets Saturday night telling the story of Cpl. Waverly Woodson, who sustained "grievous" wounds at Omaha Beach in Normandy, but still managed to save the lives of 80 other soldiers.

Read Next: Helicopter Crew Grounded as Probe Into DC Flyovers Continues

The XVIII Corps is the same unit from which some 1,600 soldiers were ordered to the Washington, D.C. region this week to stand on alert for protest control. They ultimately returned home without entering the district.

Woodson was one of roughly 2,000 black American soldiers who landed at Normandy on June 6, 1944. A member of the all-black 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion, he worked for 30 hours to triage the wounded after getting hit by a German shell himself, according to the tweet thread. In all, he treated more than 200 soldiers.

"He was transferred to a hospital ship but refused to remain there, returning to the fight to treat more Allied Soldiers. He was hailed as a hero in his hometown of [Philadelphia]," the thread stated. "Yet when he returned to the US, he had to fight Jim Crow, facing discrimination at every turn."

Woodson was nominated by his commander for the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest combat award. Instead, he was awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple heart.

The tweets noted that Woodson had departed Lincoln University, where he was a pre-med student, to serve his nation after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Despite passing the Army's officer candidate school exam, his race meant he could only serve as an enlisted soldier.

"Waverly Woodson never truly received the recognition he deserved for his selfless heroism on this day 76 years ago," the thread concluded. "Today, let's acknowledge him and the [largely overlooked] African American troops who landed on Normandy on D Day."

Though Woodson died in 2005 at the age of 83, his widow, Joann, is still fighting to get him the Medal of Honor he was denied. In July 2019, a group of 52 lawmakers largely from the Congressional Black Caucus wrote to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy asking him to initiate a formal review into upgrading Woodson's Bronze Star.

"Based on extensive research on his service record, it is clear that Cpl. Woodson did not receive the Medal of Honor during WWII because of the color of his skin," the lawmakers wrote. "We believe that the Army has sufficient evidence of the required recommendation to, at a minimum, permit a formal review by an award decision authority. Accordingly, we respectfully ask the Army to rectify this historic injustice and appropriately recognize this valorous Veteran with a posthumous recommendation for the Medal of Honor."

It's not clear if the XVIII Airborne's public acknowledgement of Woodson and his heroism signals a larger interest on the part of the Army in revisiting his award.

Until the 1990s, no Medals of Honor had been awarded to black World War II veterans. Following a review commissioned by the Army in 1993, seven black veterans of the war received the nation's highest combat honor, all but one posthumously.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: Army Medic from All-Black WWII Unit Backed for Medal of Honor
Iran Speaker Compares Acceptance Of Trump's Olive Branch To 'Peace With Infidels'

Radio Farda June 06, 2020

Brian Hook, U.S. Special 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".

"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!," 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".

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/negotiation- with-u-s-equals-peace-with-infidels -iran-parliament-speaker-replies- to-trump-s-olive-branch/30656316.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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A multi-million-euro investment is behind IHGs plans to open InterContinental Rome in 2022, marking a welcome sign of confidence in the Italian tourism industry at this challenging time.

The luxury hotel will be set on the iconic Via Veneto, in the Ludovisi area of the city, close to the Villa Borghese. The existing property - which includes 160 rooms and suites, a restaurant, bar, spa and public areas - will be restored to create a sense of discreet, modern luxury for visitors and locals alike.

Designed in the early 1900s by architect Carlo Busiri Vici in the neo-renaissance style, the palazzo building was originally home to ambassadors staying in Rome, opening as a hotel in 1993. Guests will benefit from its proximity to the citys wealth of art and history, thanks to a prime position less than a kilometre walk from the Galleria Borghese, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. The hotel can be easily reached from Romes Ciampino or Fiumicino international airports and is less than 10 minutes from the citys main rail station.

IHG joins a strong consortium including the US-based fund, Oaktree, Westmont Hospitality Group, strategic investment partner and operator, and UniCredit S.p.A, the projects senior lending bank. The project is held by a newly established real estate investment fund managed by Milan-based Castello SGR, one of Italys premier real estate management companies.

Willemijn Geels, Vice President of Development, Europe, IHG, commented: The signing of an InterContinental in Rome represents an important moment in the growth of our luxury portfolio and brand presence across Europe. In these challenging and unprecedented times, this signing shows the continued trust our Owners and partners place in IHG and our brands. We are delighted to partner with Oaktree Capital and Westmont Hospitality Group and look forward to offering InterContinental guests a rich and unforgettable experience in the Eternal City.

Alfredo Maria De Falco, Deputy Head of CIB and Head of CIB Italy at UniCredit, commented: Confirmation by primary international investors of their commitment to Italy even in this difficult time is a strong signal of the country's unimpaired attractiveness as a cultural, tourist and business destination. UniCredit is a strategic partner for the development of large real estate projects and we are happy to support this important initiative in a sector, such as the luxury hotel industry, which can be a driving force for the recovery of tourism in Italy.

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is the worlds largest luxury travel hotel brand. Each of its 213 hotels is a destination in its own right with a distinctive style and ambience, from historic buildings to city landmarks and immersive resorts in every corner of the globe. The InterContinental in Rome will join a family of 34 iconic InterContinental properties in Europe, including InterContinental London - Park Lane, InterContinental Paris  Le Grand and InterContinental Berlin, many of which are undergoing multi-million-euro refurbishment programmes.

This announcement comes weeks after the signing of the Six Senses Rome, which is set to open in late 2021. IHG currently has 44 luxury hotels in Europe, with another 17 luxury hotels in the pipeline to open in the next 3-5 years. In Italy, IHG has a portfolio of 29 hotels  across brands including Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express - and further four in the pipeline. These recent signings in Rome are the latest in a string of developments for IHGs global luxury portfolio, including InterContinental Khao Yai Swan Lake Resort in Central Thailand, InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping Hotel and Regent Shanghai Pudong. - TradeArabia News Service
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

Talks between India-China could lead to restoration of status quo says sources

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 07: Both India and China have expressed satisfaction after holding talks on Saturday amidst the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control.

The meeting was a positive one, sources told OneIndia. The talks were positive and could lead to the restoration of status quo, the source also said.

Talks between India-China could lead to restoration of status quo says sources

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.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | 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.

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.

India, China hold talks amid standoff: Here is what transpired

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.

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.
Meanwhile, leaders across the armed forces have issued statements denouncing racism within the ranks and reminding those under their command of their duty to uphold the Constitution and to protect and serve all Americans.

Other presidents have deployed troops during domestic crises, but usually the number of troops is small and sent at the request of a states governor. Its alarming to hear Trump talk about using mighty forces to suppress demonstrations if a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary  according to him, presumably.

Trump seems obsessed with the military, even as he lacks understanding of its proper role. He has sent the wrong messages by glorifying a few military members who were disciplined for improper actions. While military leaders emphasize their role as a global force for good, Trump speaks of troops as people who want to kill.

Sending troops in any significant way to go head to head with civilian protesters would be dangerous for the country and for the armed forces. As Mattis pointed out, the troops are also a part of our society. Most of them are not trained in enforcing the law among their fellow citizens.
Police use tear gas to disperse protestors who descended onto the Vine Street Expressway and blocked traffic in Philadelphia on June 1. Read more

In nationwide demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd in police custody, protesters have been frequently pepper-sprayed or enveloped in clouds of tear gas. These crowd-control weapons are rarely lethal, but in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, there are strong calls for police to stop using these chemical irritants because they can damage the body in ways that can spread the coronavirus and increase the severity of COVID-19.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, some experts said additional research was needed on the risks of tear gas  an umbrella term for several chemical riot-control agents used by law enforcement. Its known that the chemicals can have both immediate and long-term health effects.

Their widespread use in recent weeks while an infectious disease  for which there is no vaccine  continues to spread across the U.S., has stunned experts and physicians. The coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 is highly contagious, spreads easily through the air via droplets, and can lead to severe or fatal respiratory illness. Deploying these corrosive, inhalable chemicals could harm people in several ways: exposing more people to the virus, compromising the bodys ability to fight off the infection and even causing mild infections to become more severe illnesses.

This is a recipe for disaster, said associate professor Sven Eric Jordt, a researcher at the Duke University School of Medicine who studies the effects of tear gas.

Jordt refers to these chemicals as pain gases because they activate certain pain-sensing nerves on the skin and in the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and nose.

You have this excruciating pain, sneezing, coughing, the production of a lot of mucus that obstructs breathing, Jordt said.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

People who have been exposed describe a burning and stinging sensation, even a sense of asphyxiation and drowning. Sometimes the chemicals cause vomiting or allergic reactions. In law enforcement, officers generally use two types of chemicals for crowd control: CS gas and pepper spray.

The active ingredient in pepper spray, called capsaicin, is derived from chiles. It is often sprayed from cans at close quarters or lobbed into crowds in the form of pepper balls.

CS gas (o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) is a chlorinated, organic chemical that can induce very strong inflammation and chemical injury by burning the skin and airways when inhaled, Jordt said.

Using it in the current situation with COVID-19 around is completely irresponsible, he added. There are sufficient data proving that tear gas can increase the susceptibility to pathogens, to viruses.

Jordt said research on the harms of tear gas has not kept up with its escalating use in the U.S and around the world in recent years. Many of the safety studies that law enforcement officials rely on date to the 1950s and 60s, he said.

 READ MORE: Even in this time of protest and unrest, wearing masks is essential | Expert Opinion

But a 2014 study from the U.S. Army offers an alarming glimpse into how the chemical could escalate the pandemic. The study found that recruits who were exposed to tear gas as part of a training exercise were more likely to get sick with respiratory illnesses like the common cold and the flu.

We have a lot of antiviral defenses that can inactivate viruses and prevent them from entering cells, he said. These are depleted by inhalation of tear gas and also compromised.

The findings of the Army study led the U.S. military to significantly reduce how much recruits were being exposed to the chemical.

Even the Army realized they had done something wrong and that this was more toxic than they thought before, Jordt said.

Even though there is a limited amount of research on this new coronavirus, there are studies from China and Italy about how other irritants, such as smoking and air pollution, affect COVID-19. These studies indicate that tear gas could also make people more likely to develop severe illness, said Dr. John Balmes, a pulmonologist at the University of California-San Francisco and an expert with the American Thoracic Society.

I actually think we could be promoting COVID-19 by tear-gassing protesters, said Balmes. It causes injury and inflammation to the lining of the airways.

Balmes said this period of inflammation sets back the bodys defenses, and makes it more likely that someone who already harbors the virus will become sick.

Its adding fuel to the fire, said Balmes. These exposures to tear gas would increase the risk of progression from the asymptomatic infection, to a symptomatic disease.

Growing evidence shows many people who have the coronavirus are asymptomatic and dont know they are infected, or are presymptomatic  infected with the virus and able to infect others, but not yet showing symptoms.

With thousands of people jammed together at mass protests, the demonstrations are already primed to be superspreading events, which can lead to an explosion of new cases. Outdoor gatherings typically decrease the chance of spreading the coronavirus. But activities like singing and yelling can increase the risk.

Tear gas and pepper spray can also sow confusion and panic in a crowd. People may rip off their masks and touch their faces, leading to more contamination.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, with Johns Hopkins University, said the bodys reaction to the chemicals causes people to shed more of the virus.

If theyre coughing, the particles actually emanate and are projectiles that travel about 6 feet or so and could land on other people, said Adalja, who is also a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

This is a way to almost induce the virus to be expelled from people when they are exposed to these agents.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus does not spread easily from surfaces or animals, revised CDC website states

Adalja anticipates the protests will inevitably lead to a spike in infections.

We know that any kind of social unrest, especially in the midst of an outbreak, is only going to make things worse, he said.

He said the most recent example would be bombings in Yemen that exacerbated a cholera outbreak.

Dr. Rohini Haar, an emergency physician in Oakland, California, has studied the use of riot-control agents around the world.

These weapons dont actually deescalate tensions in peaceful community policing, said Haar who is a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley.

Haar has also been treating COVID-19 patients. She recognizes there is a danger of spreading the virus at these gatherings, but she would not discourage people from attending the protests and exercising their right to free speech.

Its a really tough situation, said Haar. I think the irony is that people are rightfully and justifiably protesting police violence and are being met with violence that is worsening the pandemic conditions were living under right now.

Last week, more than a thousand physicians and health care professionals signed an open letter in support of the demonstrations.

 READ MORE: Study involving Penn shows human speech creates long-lasting droplets; could help explain coronavirus crisis in confined spaces

Dr. Jade Pagkas-Bather, an infectious disease expert at the University of Chicago, is one of them. She said it will be difficult to determine whether any spike in cases was a direct result of the protests, because theyre happening at a time when many states are also allowing businesses to reopen.

In everyday life, we weigh the risks and benefits of our actions. People who are going out to protests are clearly at a critical juncture where they are saying this state-sanctioned violence is unacceptable, and I am willing to put myself and others potentially at risk, she said.

The open letter she signed recommends ways that protesters, police and local officials can reduce the transmission of the virus. Among the major recommendations: Police should not use tear gas or pepper spray.



(Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.)



2020 Kaiser Health News

Visit Kaiser Health News at www.khn.org

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.



PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): tear gas
So letas get this straight. Weare supposed to be out revving up the economy, while continuing to observe the prescribed aThree Csa rule? No crowds, closed spaces or sitting in close proximity? That surely precludes many of Tokyoas very best eating places.

Are we expected to shun those wonderful restaurants shoehorned into basements or crammed on top of each other in tall, skinny multistory buildings? And what about all the superb one-counter sushi specialists, the elbow-to-elbow ramen shops, the buzzy izakaya taverns?

Thankfully, a growing number of places boast a few outside tables, or are keeping their dining room windows ajar. Now the state of emergency has been lifted and weare allowed to dine until 10 p.m., this could be the perfect time to head out and support some of our favorite operations, before they get too busy again.

At Pignon, the front of the premises has always been left wide open to the street, as long as the weather permits. This is an essential part of its laid-back style, just as much as chef Rimpei Yoshikawaas brilliant bistro cuisine.

He has carried on throughout the coronavirus crisis, refocusing on takeout meals and deliveries to the local area, but without paring back his extensive menu at all. For a while he was also serving lunch, and also added a web shop. Although Yoshikawa has since returned to his regular weekday evening schedule, heas still offering takeout. Donat miss his signature guacamole, quiche, Moroccan salad or the charcoal-grilled Joshu Akagi-gyA beef.

The alleys around Kanda Station, usually so brash and busy, have been sadly empty these past months. But that hasnat deterred chef Shin Harakawa from getting back to work at The Blind Donkey, the popular farm-to-table restaurant he runs with co-owner Jerome Waag.

Initially, Harakawaas main focus was the takeout selection. But now heas able to keep serving a bit later, heas offering a regular a la carte evening menu, along with his full list of natural wines. And already customers are starting to return. With the entire glass frontage pulled back and the warm glow spilling out on the empty (for now) street outside, it makes for a very mellow, comforting space in these dark and troubled times.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday that the citys curfew has been lifted, effective immediately, following another night of peaceful protests demanding police reform and accountability.

The curfew was initially expected to be in effect until at least Monday morning.

Several protests attracting tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken place in New York City nearly every day for more than a week amid civil rights rallies across the United States following the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

New York City: We are lifting the curfew, effective immediately. Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city.



Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart. Keep staying safe. Keep looking out for each other.  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 7, 2020

Looting and violence spurred the mayor to institute the curfew Monday. While those incidents have ended almost entirely, there were reports of violent arrests and altercations between officers and protesters as police enforced the curfew.

City Councilman Mark Levine said the curfew was serving as a pretext for aggressive and violent confrontation of protesters by the police," according to NBC 4. It is doing nothing to make our city more peaceful, it is doing the opposite, he added.

De Blasio initially said he had no plans to end the curfew before Monday, June 8, saying that it was working to deter crime. The New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Aid Society and other civil rights organizations threatened to sue the mayor if the curfew was extended any further.

In a statement released Friday, the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said it would not prosecute protesters arrested for low-level offenses, explaining the offices policy is designed to minimize unnecessary interactions with the criminal justice system. However, Vances office said anyone accused of violence against officers or property will be charged appropriately.

Cities and communities across the country are ending their curfews today. NYC should follow suit.



The curfews are doing more harm than good, and the protests wont stop until justice is served. https://t.co/UWAy3yUBlS  NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo) June 4, 2020

Up to a dozen marches and rallies have taken place throughout the city each day since the protests began. By 7 p.m. Saturday, groups were spotted in Central Park, walking along the West Side Highway, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge and gathered around Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Earlier in the day, the Staten Island chapter of the National Action Network marched to the NYPDs 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George, calling for legislative change.
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Council polls: Plot yet to unravel

June 6 is the last date for the Maharashtra Governor to nominate 12 members to the Legislative Council from his quota.

As per normal practice, these names for the Upper House of the Assembly are recommended by the state Cabinet and then approved by the governor.

The Maharashtra Cabinet has not yet submitted its list as Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena are yet to finalise the names.

It is interesting to see whether Governor BS Koshyari will wait for the Cabinets list or announce his own choice of people with BJP-RSS backdround.

Snubbed in polls, NCP veterans irked

NCP workers who put their heart and soul for the expansion of the party are rattled after their leaders were neglected in the Legislative Council nominations.

Recently, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar recommended Amol Mitkari, who had joined the NCP a few months before the Maharashtra elections, as his choice.

It is natural that party loyalists and veterans, who do not get the chance to contest polls, expect nominations to Council or Rajya Sabha.

A debate has started in a WhatsApp group of the NCP that if the party continues to ignore veterans, then there is no point in working hard and giving time and resources to the party.

The common demands in such groups are that NCP loyalists should be given priority ahead of outsiders and newcomers.

Boost for CM Uddhavs image

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray featured as the best chief minister in a survey done by a private agency.

Uddhavs popularity is said to have soared in pandemic because of his nonplussed addresses and informing the people in a soft, approachable way.

For Uddhav, who is the first from the Thackeray family to be a CM, this recognition comes as another feather for the Shiv Senas first family.

It has also comes as a boost to his leadership and silenced his critics who were saying that Uddhavs zero administrative experience would come in the way of his functioning.

Past catches up with Patole

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Nana Patole has expressed his desire to the Congress leadership in Delhi to work for the party expansion if he is made the state president.

Patole, a firebrand OBC leader, had earlier joined the BJP but left it after he was ignored. Patole is close to Rahul Gandhi.

However, Patoles stint as a BJP MP may come in his way to become the state party president.

The Congress leadership checks the history and past record and loyalty towards the party while assigning important and crucial positions to leaders.

The Congress brass is also not keen on making Patole the state party head.
COVID-19 may possibly directly affect the heart with the same penetration mechanism as when it invades lung cells, the spokesman of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) told Sputnik

GENOA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2020) COVID-19 may possibly directly affect the heart with the same penetration mechanism as when it invades lung cells, the spokesman of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) told Sputnik.

Earlier in the week, a group of molecular biologists from Germany announced in their research published on the bioRxiv preprint server that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could directly affect cardiac cells and reproduce in the cardiac tissues of certain COVID-19 patients.

"The same receptors that the virus uses to invade the lung cell are present in the cardiac myocyte, so it could directly affect the heart and produce myocardial damage. There is little information on how these patients should be treated, but in addition to the specific treatment for the virus, and according to the degree of cardiac affliction, symptomatic treatment measures should be implemented, as well as, diuretics in case of heart failure or ventricular assistance in case of cardiogenic shock," the ESC spokesperson said.

In April, a group of researchers from University Hospital Zurich published a study claiming that the COVID-19 disease is more a systemic vascular inflammation rather than pneumonia and that the novel coronavirus attacks the lining of blood vessels across the body. Also, a number of scientific studies and publications emphasized that the high level of the COVID-19 death rate was related to cardiovascular complications. In particular, Circulation Research published in AHA Journals in May says it reaches 40 percent, which makes the disease look like a vascular infection.

"COVID-19 could probably be a primarily immunological disease, with all the consequences which that implies on the vascular system.

Immune system activation along with immunometabolism alterations may result in plaque instability, contributing to the development of acute coronary events. Moreover, an increased rate of thromboembolic events has been observed in the context of COVID-19 infection," the spokesperson continued.

Therefore, patients with cardiovascular risk factors, including male sex, advanced age, diabetes, hypertension and obesity, as well as those with established heart and circulation diseases, are particularly vulnerable to the virus and demonstrate increased mortality when suffering from COVID-19, the spokesperson concluded.

Meanwhile, the effect of coronavirus on children apparently manifests on the cardiovascular system as well.

"Severe COVID-19 infection is associated with myocardial damage and cardiac arrhythmias. The aetiology of Kawasaki disease is unknown, although several theories have been proposed about the pathogenesis. Genetics seems to play an important role," the spokesperson said, noting that there is still not enough evidence to support the explanation of PMIS related to COVID-19.

In May, a study was published in Italy claiming a monthly incidence of Kawasaki-like disease cases in children in the Bergamo province was at least 30 times greater than the monthly incidence of the previous 5 years. It stated that there was a "clear starting point" after the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the area. Later, the growth in Kawasaki-like syndrome, affecting young children and causing heart and kidney failure, was detected in other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. It was classified as Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS).
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 06:14:10|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. New Orleans issued a voluntary evacuation order for areas outside the city's levee system Sunday afternoon as tropical storm Cristobal approaches the Gulf Coast.

Local media reported that officials are recommending residents outside the levee system to evacuate. There are no recommendations for evacuations from any of the areas within the levee system.

The order came as Cristobal's forward speed had dropped from 12 miles per hour to 5 miles per hour. That could mean Cristobal will bring a prolonged risk of storm surge to the area when it makes landfall, said weather forecast.

On Sunday morning, storm surge flooded streets of Grand Isle, an island along Louisiana coastline. Residents and visitors had been ordered to evacuate on Saturday.

The National Weather Service said last month that a 60 percent change of above-normal 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is expected. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 every year. Enditem
Beautiful warm colors, calm sea, dive boats and traditional boats on the main beach on the west coast of the island.

The volume of searches by Britons for homes located overseas has surged amid the coronavirus lockdown, according to property website Rightmove (RMV.L), with Spain, France and Portugal the most popular destinations.

Searches on Rightmove Overseas were up by a third (33%) in May compared with May 2019.

In April, earlier on in the coronavirus lockdown period, searches for overseas homes were also up 18% compared with a year earlier.

The Costa del Sol, Ibiza, Brittany, Normandy, the Loire Valley, the Algarve and Lisbon were also among popular hotspots.

READ MORE: Rightmove says break-ups fuelling surge in rental demand

The surge is a mixture of people seriously thinking of buying a holiday home, those contemplating a relocation, and some who are dreaming of a trip abroad after their holiday was cancelled, the company said.

Rightmoves property expert Miles Shipside said: Lockdown has allowed many people time to re-appraise their lives Social distancing would be far more straightforward if youre lucky enough to be able to afford your own overseas pad.

Its still early days as were 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, he added.

The report also noted that people browsing Rightmove continue to dual-screen (home-hunting on a phone or tablet whilst watching TV), with searches for Ibiza up 174% compared to last May, thanks to a new Netflix show called White Lines that is set on the Spanish island.

Some previous housing market reports have also suggested that UK house hunters are considering moves to the countryside as they expect to spend more time working from home in the future.

Meanwhile, last month, the number of homes sold in April nearly halved compared with March across the UK, HM Revenue and Customs figures showed.

An estimated 46,440 residential property transactions took place last month, down by 46.1% compared with 86,200 sales in March.

READ MORE: Door numbers that fetch a premium on house prices
A man films with a mobile phone as he helps bury a victim of COVID-19 at a cemetery on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Surging fatalities in Latin America helped push the global coronavirus death toll above 400,000 on Sunday, even as Europe emerged from its virus lockdown with infections increasingly under control there.

Pope Francis, addressing Catholics in Saint Peter's Square on Sunday for the first time since the health emergency began, said the worst was over in Italy and expressed sympathy for those in hard-hit Latin American countries.

"Your presence in the square is a sign that in Italy the acute phase of the epidemic is over," Francis said as the Vatican confirmed it had no more cases of COVID-19 among its employees or within Vatican City.

"Unfortunately in other countriesI am thinking of some of themthe virus continues to claim many victims."

Brazil has the world's third-highest tollmore than 36,000 deadbut President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized stay-at-home measures imposed by local officials and has threatened to leave the World Health Organization.

Tolls are also rising sharply in Mexico, Peru and Ecuador, while in Chile, total deaths have now reached 2,290.

Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich said on Sunday that some miscounting pointed out by the World Health Organization in March and April was corrected, pushing the toll up from 1,541 on Saturday.

Pope Francis said the worst of the coronavirus crisis was over in Italy as he addressed the faithful for the first time in Saint Peter's Square

But in communist Cuba, President Miguel Diaz-Canel declared the pandemic "under control" after the island nation registered an eighth straight day without a death from COVID-19, leaving the toll at 83.

The number of infections has reached almost seven million worldwide since COVID-19 emerged in China late last year, forcing much of the globe into lockdown and pushing the world economy towards its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

However, fears of a second wave of the deadly disease have given way to grave worries over the economy, encouraging European countries to reopen borders and businesses, and those throughout Asia and Africa to slowly return to normal life.

As of 1900 GMT, a total of 400,581 deaths were recorded worldwide, according to an AFP tally using official figuresa number that has doubled in the past month and a half.

While almost half of the deaths have been recorded in Europe, the United States remains the hardest-hit nation with more than 110,000 deaths, followed by Britain, whose toll exceeds 40,500.

Late Sunday, the US daily death toll, at 691, was the lowest it had been in a week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

World map showing official number of coronavirus cases and deaths per country, as of June 7, 2020 at 1900 GMT

The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia surpassed 100,000 on Sunday, the health ministry said, after a new surge in infections.

The kingdom has seen infections spike as it eases lockdown measures, with the number of daily cases exceeding 3,000 for the second day in a row on Sunday.

Europe restarting

In Europe, countries are slowly working towards a post-pandemic normal, and trying to revive tourist sectors in time for the summer and return to business.

The UK government said Sunday it would reopen places of worship for individual prayer on June 15.

But British Airways and the low-cost carriers EasyJet and Ryanair launched legal action against government plans to force foreigners arriving in Britain to self-isolate for two weeks.

In a joint statement, they said the measures would devastate tourism and destroy even more jobs.

The UK government said it will reopen places of worship for individual prayer on June 15, 2020

The European Union said it could reopen borders to travelers from outside the region in early July after some countries within the bloc dropped restrictions on other European visitors.

France 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.

But in South Africa, where President Cyril Ramaphosa gave places of worship approval to reopen from June 1, few were returning to services.

"I am praying at home, God hears me just fine when I pray at home with my family," 57-year-old vegetable seller Gloria Msibi told AFP.

"I love church but it is so dangerous to be in a closed space with so many people."

Oil revival

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 pummeled by slumps in demand.

Factories in India are struggling to restart because of labor shortages after millions of migrant labourers went home during lockdown

But gloomy data from Asia's two powerhouse 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.

Factories in India are also struggling to restart because of labor shortages. The country is slowly emerging from a strict lockdown that sent millions of migrant laborers back to their distant home villages.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
New Delhi, June 7 : The first case of coronavirus has come to light at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). A pharmacist in the varsity has been found to be Covid-19 positive after he was tested for the infection.

The JNU administration has asked all those who came in contact with the pharmacist to be vigilant and get themselves tested immediately if any symptoms appear.

Delhi government officials informed the pharmacist about the test result which came positive.

The pharmacist is in home isolation at his residence in the JNU campus.

The JNU administration has issued a circular saying, "all students and the JNU community are requested to follow the guidelines issued by the Government of India and Delhi government from time to time to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus".

Dean of Students Sudhir Pratap Singh said: "Any student who develops Covid symptoms should immediately contact a doctor or health care centre." Most of the students at the campus have returned to their native places and educational activities at the university are at a low key.
The Australian state of Victoria might be in the clear for fresh Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus cases but concerns remain after thousands took part in a mass protest in Melbourne CBD.

Just one person with COVID-19 at Saturdays Black Lives Matter rally could be all it took to squander the gains made, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton had warned.

The impact wont be known for potentially a couple of weeks.

There might be others who have just developed symptoms  and in those circumstances hopefully they have worn a mask, he told Melbourne radio 3AW on June 7.

Melbourne CBD was flooded with protesters in a show of solidarity for the U.S.s Black Lives Matter movement and to call for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Victoria Police has confirmed it will fine Melbourne Black Lives Matter rally organizers $1,652 (US$1,150) each for breaching the directions of the chief health officer amid the pandemic.

Organizers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance posted online they were touched by supporters offers to pay their fines but preferred the money be directed to families directly affected by deaths in custody.

We have enough networks and community to deal with this internally (if we even get a fine). Thank you VERY much for having our backs, the social media post reads.

A smaller, socially-distanced protest of about 20 people is planned outside the Frankston police station on Sunday morning.

Victoria reported no new cases since June 5, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said on June 6.

By Christine McGinn
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is responding to a recent claim made by actor David Oyelowo and filmmaker Ava DuVernay alleging that Oscars voters refused to support their 2014 film Selma after the cast and crew protested the death of Eric Garner.

Oyelowo, who played Martin Luther King Jr. in the film, said in an interview published Thursday that members of the academy threatened to sabotage Selmas awards chances. The voters allegedly disapproved of Oyelowo, DuVernay and others wearing T-shirts with Garners famous last words, I cant breathe, to the movies 2014 premiere in New York.

Although Selma did win an Oscar, for best original song, DuVernay later confirmed Oyelowos account on Twitter, and by Thursday night, the academy addressed the controversy.

Ava & David, we hear you, the academy tweeted to DuVernay. Unacceptable. Were committed to progress.

Garner died in July 2014 after a white New York police officer put him in a chokehold and wrestled him to the ground, ignoring Garners repeated pleas that he could not breathe. The officer, Daniel Pantaleo, did not face charges.

Six years ago, the premiere of Selma coincided with Garners death, Oyelowo told Screen Daily. I remember at the premiere of Selma, us wearing I Cant Breathe T-shirts in protest.

Members of the academy called in to the studio and our producers saying, How dare they do that? Why are they stirring S-H-I-T? and We are not going to vote for that film because we do not think it is their place to be doing that.

Selma was nominated for best picture at the 2015 Oscars, yet Oyelowo was snubbed for his critically acclaimed lead performance as the legendary civil-rights leader. The academy drew harsh criticism for its all-white slate of acting nominees.

DuVernay was also snubbed for a directing nomination in 2015, which in part helped foment the social-media movement #OscarsSoWhite.

Its part of why that film didnt get everything that people think it shouldve got and it birthed #OscarsSoWhite, Oyelowo told Screen Daily. They used their privilege to deny a film on the basis of what they valued in the world.

Hours later, DuVernay shared Oyelowos interview, simply writing, True story.

Both vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, the director and actor have been using their platforms in recent weeks to demand justice for George Floyd and other victims of police brutality.

In an emotional Instagram video, Oyelowo reflected Thursday on how racism has affected him personally, recounting the hatred he and his family have endured and looking back on his challenging Selma experience.

We were protesting the death of a Black man, and we felt we had the right to do that, Oyelowo said. They said, We are not gonna vote for that film because they have the audacity to be protesting when all they are is actors. ...

You feel like you have these moments of progress. ... But you constantly get slapped in the face with the reality that things are essentially the same.

This week wasnt the first time Oyelowo has spoken up about the Selma incident. In 2018, he told Variety that academy members reprimanded the cast and crew for their activism.

On Friday morning, DuVernay announced on Twitter that Selma will be free to stream on all digital platforms in the United States from today through the end of June.

Weve gotta understand where weve been to strategize where were going, she tweeted. History helps us create the blueprint. Onward.
Hyderabad: The World Health Organisation has said face masks made from cloth should not be used in places where people do not follow social distancing norms.

The WHO said in settings where physical distancing cannot be achieved and an increased risk of infection and/or negative outcomes exists, then a medical mask should be preferred over a fabric one.

The WHO said in an advisory that anyone who is above 60 years of age, or those with pre-existing health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung disease, cancer or other underlying co-morbidities, must wear only a medical mask for their own protection.

With Telangana state said to be experiencing the community transmission phase  where anyone could be a Covid-19 carrier and spreader  the WHOs guidance on using medical grade masks assumes importance.

While masks made from cloth can be used for activities such as using public transport, their use should always be accompanied by frequent hand hygiene and physical distancing.

The use of face masks has been a topic on which the WHO had been ambivalent since the outbreak of Covid-19. In its advice issued on Saturday, the WHO said that non medical masks which have lower filtering ability and increased breathability, and are made of woven fabrics such as cloth, can be used for source control (used by infected persons) in community settings and not for prevention.

The state and central governments have been appealing to people to maintain a minimum of six feet of distance in a public setting. Following this condition strictly is required to prevent either catching the virus from those around them, or spreading it by asymptomatic individuals who have no clue that they have been infected and have turned into disease spreaders. Wearing of masks has been made mandatory for everyone in a public setting but it is not uncommon to see people not following these guidelines in the city and elsewhere in the state.

The WHO advice comes at a time when state health department officials have been holding the general public partly responsible for the recent surge in Covid-19 cases because they are not following safety precautions. Some private hospitals have banned entry of people not wearing a triple layered medical mask.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) Various universities around the country said Sunday they have received reports that bogus and empty social media accounts bearing the names of their respective students and alumni have been surfacing online.

It was Tug-ani, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines-Cebu, which first reported how several Facebook pages copied the usernames of its students. This came following the arrest last Friday of some students who joined an anti-terrorism bill protest in the area.

However, not all ghost accounts were reported in the Cebu area, as students and alumni of other UP campuses have flagged the same incident.

In a statement, the premier state university called on the members of the UP community to check their respective names and report suspicious accounts to Facebooks data protection team.

It added that UPs Data Protection Officer has also reached out to the National Privacy Commission to help students and alumni report the dummy accounts in their names.

The UP Office of the Student Regent also urged concerned parties to help one another in reporting suspicious accounts, but cautioned them to exercise restraint in doing so, given the possibility of having real-life accounts with same names.

We are hoping that this is a glitch in the system only and can be resolved as soon as possible, it added.

De La Salle University also reported a sudden surge of empty profiles which pose as members of the schools community. It also urged students and alumni to remain vigilant and to not interact with or click any links associated with the suspicious accounts.

The University of Santo Tomas advised its community to employ best practices to keep their online accounts and data secure, through revising their respective privacy settings.

RedWire, an online school publication of the University of the East, said its students have also encountered bogus and blank profiles.

The hashtag #HandsOffOurStudents made rounds on Twitter earlier in the day, as netizens voiced out concerns over these fake profiles, which groups say came in light of the recent protests and backlash against the controversial anti-terrorism bill.

Netizens including even celebrities and athletes alike have expressed disapproval with the hasty passage of the controversial anti-terrorism measure, saying the proposed law may be used to target those who express dissent against the government.

Officials, however, earlier assured that citizens have nothing to worry about the bill, as there are several safeguards under the Constitution.

The Justice Department meanwhile said it will launch a probe into the matter. NPC said it is also monitoring the situation, assuring the agency has contacted the Facebook Philippines team to address the issue.
Amid the outrage over the brutal killing of a pregnant elephant in Palakkad in Kerala late last month, a leopard was trapped in a snare laid by a farmer in Wayanad on Sunday, forest department officials said.

The farmer immediately alerted forest officials after the big cat was trapped. And unlike the elephant, the leopard survived, but not without some drama.

When forest department personnel tried to tranquilize the animal it escaped to the nearby forest. But they tracked it and tranquilized it after a three-hour chase.

It will now be relocated in the deep forests, an official said.

The forest department has registered a case against farmer P. Eliyas for laying an illegal trap. Officials said that he claimed to have laid the trap to scare wild boars which often raided his crops.

Eliyas was later arrested.

The recent killing of an elephant by using cracker-filled coconut had triggered a countrywide outrage. One person was arrested for the elephants killing.

The latest incident shows many farmers still lay snares to trap boars and other animals that raid the fields to eat the crops.
(Natural News) June 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews)  Big Tech held its breath last week as President Trump announced on May 28 his executive order regulating the big social media platforms. The president issued the executive order (which had been in the works for at least a year) shortly after Twitter decided to censor his tweets about the possibility for fraud resulting from mass mail-in balloting.

(Article by Gualberto Garcia Jones republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

At LifeSiteNews, we have experienced severe censorship at the hands of Twitter and other Big Tech for quite some time, but our options for how to respond to this censorship  like that of most other conservative organizations being shamelessly silenced  have always been very limited. Sometimes we are able to maneuver around Big Techs blatant anti-Christian anti-conservative censorship, but in other cases, like in the case of Twitter, we have been given the choice of violating our conscience by covering stories in the way Twitter wants us to cover them (e.g., using gender-preferred pronouns, etc.) or being locked out of our accounts. Whether it is for financial gain or for ideological control, this is how monopolies always work: It is either their way or the highway. In really tight monopolies, the highway is a toll road that the monopoly also controls.

Last week, Twitter started a war with the most powerful politician in the world. President Trump responded in the way that those who voted for him were promised he would  by fighting back. If anyone is looking for a reason why Trump is so popular with his base, look no further than this situation with Big Tech for a prime example. America wanted a New York brawler, not a polished Washington DC statesman, and that is what America got.

But the reality is that Twitter and the other social media giants have a very good shot of winning this battle. It is a fight Big Tech has been preparing for, as every other monopoly before it did, by greasing the wheels of power through lavish donations to the Washington, D.C. political establishment. And while it will come as no surprise that Big Tech donates overwhelmingly, sometimes exclusively, to the campaigns of leftist politicians and the Democrat Party, most people would be surprised to learn that they have also been pouring money into the nations largest conservative think tanks. Yes, the big conservative think tanks have been taking donations from Google, Facebook, etc.

In the latest reports available from Facebook and Googles own voluntary reporting, the three big Washington, D.C. think tanks, commonly thought of as being conservative, are listed as recipients of substantial donations from both Google and Facebook. The Heritage Foundation, The Cato Institute and The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research all received substantial contributions from Google and Facebook in 2019 (check the Google roster of donation recipients here and the Facebook list here).

Can there be any doubt that their donors will have a deep impact on the policy positions these think tanks take? The initial reactions out of the gate, along with the opinion pieces and policy articles pushed out by the big three on the issue most important to Big Tech, leave little doubt as to the potential influence these donations might have had with the think tanks.

The most conservative of the three, the Heritage Foundation, published an Op Ed written by the executive editor of the Daily Signal (Heritages online publication) titled Tucker Carlson Gets it Wrong on Tech Policy. In that article, the Heritage Foundation cried foul after Carlson and others called attention to the organizations apparent proposal that the free market and self-policing were the best ways to deal with Big Techs increasing censorship and monopolization of the social media public square. Shortly after the release of last weeks executive order, the Heritage Foundations president and the director of technology issued a very noncommittal statement that called for a balancing of interests between free speech and the rights of private businesses and individuals to be free from government interference  hardly a ringing endorsement for the presidents executive order.

Heritage Foundation spokesman Greg Scott told LifeSiteNews that donations do not affect policy positions.

Total corporate support amounts to less than 2% of contributions and has exactly zero bearing on our policy positions. No one should be surprised that The Heritage Foundation favors consumer empowerment, opposes government intervention, and champions the free market. We always have and always will operate according to a core set of principles when evaluating policy proposals. The Heritage Foundations authority rests on the quality, rigor, depth, and independent nature of our research and analysis. Any suggestion to the contrary is false.

The other two conservative Washington, D.C. based think tanks, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and Cato Institute, were not as subtle as the Heritage Foundation in downplaying the presidents executive order.

In statements put out shortly after the signing ceremony was broadcast at the White House, AEIs James Pethokoukis wrote a stinging rebuke to the presidents executive order, dismissing the censorship concerns of conservative media outlets and personalities as supposed suppression of conservative speech by social media companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube   concluding that theres no evidence that such censorship is happening in any sort of systematic or substantial way. The Cato institute joined AEIs anti-executive order policy position, titling their article Trumps Social Media Order Rewrites Internet Law by Decree.

Is it any coincidence that the biggest of the big Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tanks have all received funding from Big Tech and are either missing in action (or fighting for the other side) with regard to the presidents executive order to curb the influence of Big Tech?

Of course, these think tanks have every right to accept donations from Big Tech, Big Oil, Big Pharma, or whomever they please, and in their defense, they are upholding a superficially conservative position in favor of limited government and free enterprise. But the conservative think tanks positions are superficially conservative because removing special immunity from Big Tech is not equivalent to government interference in private enterprise. Instead, it is leveling the playing field so that Big Tech has to operate under the same rules as every other publisher that seeks to curate or moderate content.

Big Techs monopolization of information technology poses a much greater threat to democracy than any alleged foreign interference that has preoccupied the Washington political establishment and the media for the last three years. Just last year, Big Tech put their thumb on the scale in the all-important abortion referendum that quite literally stripped the fundamental right to life from preborn children in Ireland. If that was not a life and death situation, nothing is. No one who honestly follows the cases of Big Techs increasing censorship and invasion of privacy can doubt that they will attempt to influence the presidential election in 2020. And of course, Big Tech has been complicit for the last two months in covering for the WHO and the Chinese Communist Partys responsibility for the origins and devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The tools deployed by President Trumps executive order  the reinterpretation of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and the removal of taxpayer funds invested on social media  are just the beginning of what needs to be done to ensure that Big Tech sticks to improving information technology and stays out of social engineering and influencing elections. Legislation is now being crafted by Congress that will further attempt to bring accountability to Big Tech, but there too, Big Tech has been investing heavily with steep increases in political donations over the last years, mostly to Democrats, but sending enough donations to Republicans to break any party-wide consensus.

The year 2020 may decide the fate of the internet as a venue for free speech and may even determine whether a government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the Earth. Conservatives must remain vigilant and ready to rally for our and everyones freedom of speech, paying special attention to those organizations that purport to represent our interests in Washington, D.C.

If you feel so inclined, politely contact the following organizations to share your concerns about Big Tech censorship of conservative organizations and persons.

The Heritage Foundation

[email protected]

(202) 546-4400

The Cato Institute

(202) 789?5200

[email protected]

American Enterprise Institute

(202) 862-5800

[email protected]

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 13:28:39|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China has launched the largest medical assistance operation since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to support the COVID-19 fight in Wuhan and other locations in Hubei Province, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

From Jan. 24 to March 8, China rallied 346 national medical teams, consisting of 42,600 medical workers and more than 900 public health professionals to the immediate aid of Hubei and the city of Wuhan, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

The People's Liberation Army dispatched over 4,000 medical personnel to Hubei to work in epidemic control and sent aircraft to transport emergency medical supplies, said the white paper.

The Chinese government also urgently solicited key medical supplies including negative pressure ambulances and ventilators from across the country for Wuhan and other locations in Hubei, it said. Enditem
A 10ft great white shark has attacked and killed a 60-year-old surfer off the coast of New South Wales in Australia.

Several "heroic" boarders fought off the shark and tried to help the injured man before pulling him ashore at Salt Beach in South Kingscliff, police said.

He was given first aid for serious injuries to his left leg but died at the scene.

Nearby beaches were cleared of swimmers and surfers and will remain closed for 24 hours.

New South Wales Police Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe told reporters: "The male was taken out of the water with the assistance of some other surfers in the area.

"But tragically he has passed away at the scene. He suffered a significant injury to his left leg."

He called the action of those who had tried to save the victim "nothing short of heroic" and said the shark had been spotted "on a number of occasions just off the shore".

The Sydney Morning Herald said police gunmen were deployed to find the shark, but were unable to kill it and it left the area after several hours.

Kingscliff resident Stuart Gonsal had just arrived at the beach for a surf, when he found out about the fatal attack.

We came down and we hadnt got in the water and police were immediately hauling people in, Mr Gonsal told ABC radio.

We found out there was a fatal shark attack on the south side of the rock wall. We were going to get in, were not going to now for sure.

It was at least the third fatal shark attack in Australia this year.

In January, a diver was killed near Esperance off the Western Australia state coast. In April, a shark fatally mauled a 23-year-old wildlife worker on the Great Barrier Reef.
WASHINGTON  It was a message that was perfectly timed, seeking to reassure a young Iranian monarch in crisis. And it came from the world's most prominent royal, Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

But it soon became clear there was no such message from London. It was a snafu, a garbled diplomatic note and a case of mistaken identity the Americans continued exploiting for their own purposes even after realizing their mistake.

According to "The Queen and the Coup," a documentary airing this month in Britain citing newly discovered U.S. documents, the comedy of errors may have played a key role in the 1953 CIA-British coup that toppled the democratic government of Iran.

Image: Mohammed Riza Phalevi (

The 1953 takeover, which restored Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran to power and has fueled distrust between the U.S. and Iran ever since, has inspired numerous books, documentaries and academic research. But nearly seven decades later, British historians have uncovered State Department documents in U.S. national archives that reveal a new twist in the run-up to the coup.

The key document comes from February 1953, five months before British and U.S. spies helped overthrow the parliamentary government led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The shah of Iran was teetering, and considering fleeing the country, which would effectively wreck the joint British-U.S. plot before it even began.

The document had never come to public attention until now, even though it had been declassified along with other documents in the U.S. archives, according to the documentary produced by Brave New Media for Britain's Channel 4.

On Feb. 27, the U.S. Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, received a "top secret' cable from the American embassy in London relaying a message from Britain's Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, saying:

"Foreign Office this afternoon informed us of receipt message from Eden from Queen Elizabeth expressing concern at latest developments re Shah and strong hope we can find some means of dissuading him from leaving the country."

Story continues

The extraordinary message appears to read as if Queen Elizabeth is appealing to a fellow monarch to remain resolute.

Washington viewed the message from Britain as an ace card to convince the shah to stay put, said Rory Cormac, professor of international relations at the University of Nottingham, one of two scholars who unearthed the documents.

For the Americans, "this is great," Cormac told NBC News. "This is ammunition that we can use from somebody whom the shah really respects, the queen, the leader of the global royal families."

The U.S. ambassador in Tehran, Loy Henderson, promptly requested a meeting with the shah to deliver the message from Britain, according to the documentary, citing Henderson's account sent back to Washington. A palace aide told the ambassador the shah could not meet in person because he was expecting Prime Minister Mossadegh to arrive to "bid him farewell."

Henderson expressed concern as to whether the phone was secure and then tried to convey his message to the shah via the palace official, using discreet language.

Although there is no way to know what the shah made of the message, he quickly dropped his plans to fly out of Tehran, said Richard Aldrich, professor of politics and international studies at the University of Warwick, the other scholar who discovered the papers.

"He does a U-turn," Aldrich said.

"What we would really like to do as historians is to be able to set up a laboratory and rerun the events and change that one thing, but you can't do that. But my assessment is, that this coup would have been much, much less likely to have happened if the shah had fled," he said.

In London, however, the U.S. embassy soon realized the message it had passed on from British officials could easily be misunderstood.

Citing its earlier telegram, the embassy says the reference to "Queen Elizabeth refers of course to vessel and not  repeat not  to monarch," according to a second note recounted in the documentary.

The British Foreign Secretary had sent his message on board a ship, the RMS Queen Elizabeth, as he headed to Canada for meetings. There was no message for the shah from the queen. There was no top-secret royal diplomacy in play. It was just a blunder caused by a confusingly written note.

"It's poorly drafted, and I wouldn't blame the Americans at all for misreading it," Cormac said.

In its telegram to Washington, the London embassy wrote: "deeply regret lack of clarity. It was not, repeat not, until re-reading the message this morning that it occurred to us that it was open to misinterpretation."

U.S. officials decided not to tell their British counterparts about the mix-up. The British government would have been outraged to hear the queen was being invoked as a tool in a covert regime change operation, Cormac said.

And as for the shah, the Americans chose not to correct the record.

"They don't want the shah to realize that essentially he's been misinformed, perhaps even unintentionally duped," Aldrich said.

"He's been persuaded to take risks . . . And all this to some extent is on a false premise. He believes he has received a message from one monarch to another. He's actually received a message from a boat.

"Not quite the same thing."

The coup to topple Mossadegh was launched in August of the same year. After Mossadegh's government had shut down the British embassy in Tehran in 1952, suspecting it was a center of espionage, the CIA took the lead in running the coup operation using British agents and plans. President Harry S. Truman's administration had resisted the idea of ousting Mossadegh. But after Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration in January 1953, a more hawkish team  worried about the Soviet Union gaining a foothold in Iran  backed the British approach.

Relying primarily on Iranian military officers, bribery and exploiting existing opposition to Mossadegh, the coup  dubbed "Operation Ajax" by the CIA  initially faltered, with Mossadegh's camp getting wind of the plot.

Image: Queen Elizabeth II (

But CIA officers on the ground, led by Kermit Roosevelt Jr., the grandson of former President Teddy Roosevelt, staged a second attempt that succeeded.

On Aug. 19, the shah dismissed Mossadegh as prime minister and installed a military government. In 2013, the CIA publicly admitted for the first time its involvement in the 1953 coup, an event that continues to shape the troubled relationship between Iran and the United States.

The shah himself was overthrown in the 1979 Iranian revolution following mass protests. Students and other opposition activists cited the 1953 coup as a partial justification for the revolution.

The revelation about the 1953 diplomatic notes raises the question of whether the British queen ever knew she had an inadvertent role in the events in Iran, or whether British officials ever sought to invoke the British royal in other geopolitical machinations, Aldrich and Cormac said.

But gaining access to historic documents related to the royal family is extremely difficult and often impossible, even for papers from the 19th and 20th centuries, the historians said.

"The most secret institution in the United Kingdom, by a long shot, is the royal family," Cormac said.

After the takeover in 1953, the American ambassador in Tehran proposed to London some sort of congratulatory message to the shah from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill or from the queen, according to the documentary.

The British Foreign Office shot back: "I do not think there can be any question of the Queen sending a message!"
President Donald Trump says he's given the order for National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nation's capital, saying everything now is under perfect control.

The District of Columbia government requested some Guard forces last week to assist law enforcement with managing protests after the death of George Floyd. But Trump ordered thousands more troops and federal law enforcement to the city to "dominate" the streets after some instances of looting and violence.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser last week called on Trump to withdraw National Guard troops that some states sent to the city. Trump tweeted on Sunday that "They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed."

He also ordered more than 1,000 active duty troops to be flown to the D.C.-area in reserve, but they have begun returning to their home bases after days of peaceful protests.
An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday sentenced 10 persons, including a journalist, to a fine of GH12,000 each for not complying with the COVID-19 restriction orders.

In default, they would each serve a four-year-jail term.



The convicts were arrested for demonstrating near the private residence of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on May 5.



They are Yahaya Alhassan, journalist, Bassarou Moaro, car washing assistant, Alhassan Arafat, drivers mate, Abdul Gafa, head porter, Emmanuel Anim, construction labourer, Mohammed Nazif, trader, Issaka Mutakiru, drivers mate, Zakari Salisu, head porter, and Abdulai Yahaya, and Mohammed Amin, both unemployed.



They all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit crime, failure to notify police of event contrary to Section 1(1) of the Public Order Act, and failure to comply with the restrictions imposed on public gathering contrary to the Imposition of the Restrictions Act.



Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court, presided over by Mrs Susana Eduful, that the Accra Regional Police Command received information on May 4, 2020 that some people were planning to demonstrate near the private residence of President Akufo-Addo the next day.



He said on May 5, the police were on standby to avert any possible breach of the Law. At about 10:30am a group of 50 converged at the Frankies Hotel, Nima with placards.



Some of the inscriptions were: Osafo Marfo does not respect Bawumia, Why our Northern sister and Betrayal of the people, Deny Hajia Tina, deny the entire Zongos.



Inspector Ahiabor said when the demonstration was on-going, the police managed to arrest only the 10 and the rest bolted in breach of the Public Order Act and failure to comply with the restrictions imposed on public gathering.



After investigations, they were charged and put before the Court.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Renault acknowledged that its global ambitions had been unrealistic, announcing plans to cut about 15,000 jobs, shrink production and restructure French plants as it pressed the reset button and sought to banish the spectre of Carlos Ghosn, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Faced with a slump in demand that has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, the French carmaker detailed plans on Friday to find 2 billion euros ($2.22 billion) in savings over the next three years.

We thought too big in terms of sales, said interim Chief Executive Clotilde Delbos, adding the company was coming back to its bases after investing and spending too much in recent years.

Renault was under pressure even before COVID-19 hit, posting its first loss in a decade in 2019, and has said nothing would be taboo as it reviews its business.

It plans to trim its global capacity to 3.3 million vehicles in 2024 from 4 million now, focusing on its most profitable models and areas such as electric cars while freezing manufacturing expansion in countries like Romania.

Renault, like its Japanese alliance partner Nissan, is rowing back on an aggressive expansion plan pursued by Ghosn, its former boss-turned-fugitive, who is wanted on charges of financial misconduct in Tokyo. Ghosn denies the charges.

The mindset has completely changed. The previous line was volumes and sales and being the first on the podium, Delbos said. Were not looking to be on top of the world, what we want is a sustainable and profitable company.

The company, due to bring ex-Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) executive Luca de Meo on board as CEO in July, said it would cut costs by reducing the number of subcontractors in areas such as engineering and the number of components it uses, as well as shrinking gearbox manufacturing worldwide.

Delbos ruled out the need for a rights issue, saying Renault was close to sealing a 5 billion-euro credit line guaranteed by the French government.

Renault shares were down 5.3% by 1223 GMT, the worst-performing stock on Frances blue-chip index.
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

India all set for Unlock 1.0: Opening hotels, malls, religious places; Rules in different states

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, June 07: Amid spike in coronavirus cases, hotels, shopping malls and places of worship are gearing up to reopen from Monday while abiding by SOPs part of the Ministry of Home Affairs' "Unlock-1" notification.

Unlock 1: Guidelines to be followed at malls, hotels, offices and religious places | Oneindia News

This is part of the Government of India's three-phased plan to gradually reverse the nationwide lockdown first enforced on March 25 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones with a stringent set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which will be in place till June 30.

Unlock 1.0: Tirupati temple opens; Check guidelines for 'darshan

Opening restaurants, religious places: Rules in different states

Delhi

Malls, restaurants and religious places in Delhi would open from June 8, but banquets and hotels would remain closed.

Hotels and banquets might be converted into hospitals in the coming days to treat the novel coronavirus patients and, therefore, they would remain shut.

The elderly, who are at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), have been urged to confine themselves in a room and not to interact with anyone in their families in order to protect themselves.

Some malls have set up UV sterilisation chambers for people to disinfect their belongings, others have reduced the carrying capacity of elevators by 25 per cent.

Contact-less sanitiser dispensers have been placed in most of the malls.

Uttar Pradesh

Malls, hotels, restaurants and religious places will open up across Noida and other areas outside containment zones in Uttar Pradesh.

Devotees cannot make any offering of 'prasad' nor will be able to to touch statues, idols or holy books in places of worship as and when they visit them after their opening.

The visitors to religious places will have to use their own mats for sitting there and their managing authorities will have to ensure social distancing in shrines.

The UP government also advised people over 65 years of age, children younger than 10 years, pregnant women and people with various ailments to avoid venturing out in open even after June 8.

Visitors of religious places will have to leave their foot wears outside and separate arrangements have to be made for areas having shops in religious campuses.

The offices and other places having air-conditioners, will have to ensure temperature settings in the range of 24-30 degrees Celsius while relative humidity has to be maintained in the range of 40 to 70 per cent, with continued intake of fresh air. Hotels which have been asked to keep a track of the travel and medical history of guests.

Food courts and restaurants should allow customers only up to 50 per cent of their seating capacities and e-payments have to be encouraged for monetary transactions

For offices it has been advised that people suffering from ailments like asthma, cancer, kidney disease should not be deployed in field works and asked instead to work from home.

Offices reporting one or two positive cases, should be sanitized . It has to be ensured also that the CCTV cameras installed in shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and other such places are in working condition.

People will have to continue adhering to various anti-COVID precautions, like social distancing, mandatory use of face masks, use of sanitisers etc strictly.

Goa

Churches and mosques in Goa have decided to remain closed for some more time, even though the state government has allowed reopening of religious places from June 8 as part of the lockdown relaxations.

However, temple committees are yet to take a call on opening their shrines for devotees in the coastal state.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that religious places in the state can open, but no mass activities will be allowed there in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Haryana

Shopping malls and religious places are set to open across 20 districts in the state except Gurgaon and Faridabad.

Restaurants, hotels and other hospitality services will, however, be allowed to operate across the state.

Restaurants shall be permitted to operate their dine-in facility with maximum 50% seating capacity.

All places of worship can reopen from June 8, but no religious gathering will be permitted. Social distancing norms must be followed.

Punjab

Punjab government allowed reopening of places of worship, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other hospitality services after a hiatus of over two months.

Places of worship will be barred from distributing 'prasad' when they reopen from June 8.

Religious places shall remain open between 5 am and 8 pm.

Besides, there shall be no distribution of prasad, food or serving 'langar' at the places of worship.

In case of religious places, the maximum number of persons at the time of worship shall not exceed 20 with due distancing.

The worship time should stagger in smaller groups.

The fresh guidelines also provide for a token-based entry to malls.

Mall visitors are required to have COVA app on their mobile phones.

However, a family can be allowed to enter a mall even if one of the members has COVA app installed in his/her phone, the guidelines said.

COVA Punjab (Corona Virus Alert) App has been developed by the state government to provide people with preventive care information and other government advisories. The new guidelines forbid loitering in malls.

A token system for entry to the malls will be introduced and there will be a provision for maximum time limit for a mall visitor.

The maximum capacity of persons allowed in each shop in the mall shall be fixed on the basis of maintenance of six-feet distance.

Restaurants or food courts shall not operate in any of the malls except take away or home delivery.

In case of hotels and other hospitality units, hotel restaurants shall remain closed and food shall be served only in the rooms of guests.

The management of hotels shall make adequate arrangements to ensure social distancing, wearing of masks and hand hygiene.

At restaurants, there will be no dine-in facility till further orders. The situation shall be reviewed on June 15

With the management being responsible for ensuring maximum capacity of the mall, not more than 50 per cent of the maximum capacity shall, at any point of time, enter the mall.

Each shop shall have markers to indicate social distancing while lift shall not be used except in case of differently-abled person or medical emergency.

Trial of clothing/accessories shall not be permitted.

Chandigarh

All malls, including Elante mall, DLF Mall, Centra are set to open in Chandigarh from today.

Hotel chains, microbreweries, food courts will also open from June 8, but with distancing rules in place and only till the prescribed time.

The night curfew will be from 9 pm to 5 am for the movement of non-essential items.

Gujarat

Religious places In Gujarat could open in "non-containment zones, but only for viewing".

The temple management and organisers will have to ensure the devotees observe the protocols issued during the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid crowding.

Authorities of places of worship to ensure no rituals, like offering prasad and sprinkling holy water, are performed.

Some of the religious places have decided to organise prayers in shifts and even start a token system to specify time slots to devotees for visits in a bid to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding.

Kerala

Kerala will reopen places of worship, shopping malls, private offices, hotels and dine-in restaurants that were shut since 23 March. These places should be sanitised on 8 June.

All places that are reopened should ensure social distancing norms, allowing only 15 people per 100 square meters, and only a maximum of 100 people inside a complex at a time.

Malls should fix timing for those who enter, and keep air-conditioning to 24-30 degrees celsius.

Hotels and restaurants should serve food only in dishes cleaned in hot water.

Places of worship must include recording the name and contact details of visitors.

There will be no entry for people beyond the age of 65 and below 10, including for priests.

The state has banned many traditional practices such as offering sandalwood paste in Hindu temples or Holy Water in Christian Churches, and free distribution of food known as 'Annadanam' or delicacies known as 'Prasadam' in Hindu temples.

Special ceremonies such as 'Chorunnu' (a ceremony for babies) and touching idols have to be avoided, the protocol said.

Inside the Sabarimala temple, one of the most visited worship centers, that attracts millions of people from all southern states, entry will be allowed only through a virtual queue system that entails giving only 50 e-passes at a time.

Thermal scanners will be installed at entry points of the temple.

Wearing masks is mandatory for entry of the reopened places, while gloves and masks will be compulsory for employees within the premises.

Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government has permitted hotels, restaurants, clubs and shopping malls to operate from June 8 with certain conditions amid the ongoing lockdown.

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.

Karnataka

Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services in the state, except in containment zones, are set to open.

People above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities and pregnant women are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

At restaurants, takeaways would be encouraged, instead of dine-in and delivery personnel have been advised to leave the packet at the customer's door.

Thermal screening and sanitiser dispensers will be mandatory at the entrance of all restaurants.

In restaurants, not more than 50% of the total seating capacity is allowed.

Shopping malls across the state will also be opened from June 8.

Only asymptomatic visitors shall be allowed to enter, and wearing a face mask is mandatory at all times.

In food courts, not more than 50% of seating capacity is permitted to be occupied and tables will be sanitised each time a customer leaves.

Gaming arcades and cinema halls inside malls will remain closed.

Temples in the state are et to open but touching of statues/idols/holy books etc. not to be allowed.

As far as feasible, recorded devotional music/songs may be played and choir or singing groups should not be allowed.

It has been recommended that devotees remove their footwear inside their own vehicle.

Telangana

Trial of clothing or accessories has been banned in shopping malls in Telangana.

Religious places would not see any offerings like prasadam or holy water when all of these open on Monday after almost a three month gap due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Standard Operating Procedures would have to be followed by managing committees, trusts or societies running religious institutions, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls and any failure to compy with them would lead to closure of the premises and attract penal provisions as per law.

In religious places, no offerings like prasadam or holy water, among others, would be allowed, while community kitchens, langars (community kitchen of Sikhs), Annadanam (sacred offering of food) need to follow social distancing norms during preparation and distribution of food.

The government also banned touching of idols, holy books, mazars (a Muslim shrine or enshrined tomb).

Common prayer mats should be avoided and devotees asked to bring their own for the purpose.

Wherever necessary, disposable paper tokens should be used for management of queues at religious places.

Face masks are mandatory for all people at these places and air conditioning, wherever installed, should be set at temperature range of between 24 C to 30 C and relative humidity range of 40 per centto 7O per cent.

Madhya Pradesh

Places of worship outside containment zones in several places in Madhya Pradesh will reopen from Monday.

The doors of Ujjain's famous Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 'jyotirlingas' which attracts several lakh devotees every year, would open from 8 am on Monday, though another 'jyortilinga' at Omkareshwar in Khandwa district, will follow the suit on June 16.

Also, it must be ensured that every devoteeuses face mask and sanitizer.

Churches have been asked to increase the number of services to accommodate devotees while adhering to social distancing norms.

Jammu and Kashmir

Religious places would continue to remain closed in the Union Territory as it allowed certain activities, including reopening of malls, barber shops, hotels and restaurants with new guidelines from Monday.

Malls, barber shops, salons and parlours have been asked to open in the entire Jammu and Kashmir (subject to an SOP to be issued on Monday), while restaurants will function only for home delivery and take-away and hotels allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity.

With regard to public and private transport, the order said mini buses and buses can operate at 50 per cent and 67 per cent capacity, respectively in orange and green zones (only on notified routes), while only State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses can operate in red zone.

It said no inter-state and inter-province movement would be allowed except for those having valid passes issued by the competent authorities.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government is yet to take a decision on opening religious places for devotees. Last week, the Maharashtra government had extended the lockdown period till June 30 and decided to keep religious places closed for some more period.

"A decision is yet to be taken on opening temples, mosques, churches and other religious establishments for people. There has been no decision so far on allowing people to gather at such places, Maharashtra's law and judiciary department secretary Rajendra Bhagwat told PTI.

Authorities of some prominent temples in Maharashtra also said they have not received any official communication on allowing shrines to be opened for devotees.

Uttarkhand

The places of worship will be allowed to open from 7 AM to 7 PM.

However, the places of worship in containment zones will remain closed till further orders.

Wider publicity in advance, regarding the restrictions to be placed on public 'darshan' and worship protocol shall be made.

Moreover, the religious places should strictly adhere to the SOP which was issued by the Union Health Ministry on June 4.

The pilgrims from places outside the state are not allowed to visit until further orders.

Nagaland

Nagaland, which has witnessed a recent spurt in COVID-19 cases, has decided to keep places of worship and hotels in the Christian-majority state closed till further orders.

All places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.

All hospitality services, barring those dealing with police personnel, government officials, healthcare workers and stranded persons, shall remain closed.
Demonstrators have torched a Minneapolis police station as three days of violent protests spread over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

A city police spokesman confirmed that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, in the interest of the safety of our personnel.

Live-streamed video showed the protesters then entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as fires were started.

Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket.

US president Donald Trump later blasted the total lack of leadership in Minneapolis.

He wrote on Twitter: Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

A visibly tired and frustrated Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey made his first public appearance of the night at City Hall at around 2am and took responsibility for evacuating the precinct, saying it had become too dangerous for officers.

As Mr Frey continued, a reporter cut across loudly with a question: Whats the plan here?

With regard to? Mr Frey responded.

A protester gestures in front of the burning 3rd Precinct building (AP)

Then he added: There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that  What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.

Story continues

The mayor defended the citys lack of engagement with looters  with only a handful of arrests across the first two nights of violence  and said: We are doing absolutely everything that we can to keep the peace.

Protests first erupted on Tuesday, a day after Mr Floyds death in a confrontation with police which was captured on a widely seen video.

On the footage, Mr Floyd can be seen pleading as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him.

Mr Trump has vowed to crack down on the protests (AP)

As minutes pass, Mr Floyd slowly stops talking and moving. The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Mr Floyd was arrested.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz earlier activated the US National Guard at the Minneapolis mayors request, but it was not immediately clear when and where the Guard was being deployed, and none could be seen during protests in Minneapolis or neighbouring St Paul.

The Guard tweeted minutes after the precinct burned that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area.

The National Guard said a key objective was to make sure fire departments could respond to calls, and said in a follow-up tweet it was here with the Minneapolis Fire Department to assist.

Peaceful protests over Mr Floyds death in Ohio (Barbara J Perenic via AP)

But no move was made to put out the 3rd Precinct fire. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said fire crews could not safely respond to fires at the precinct station and some surrounding buildings.

Earlier on Thursday, dozens of businesses across the Twin Cities boarded up their windows and doors in an effort to prevent looting, with Minneapolis-based Target announcing it was temporarily closing two dozen area stores.

Minneapolis shut down nearly its entire light-rail system and all bus service through until Sunday out of safety concerns.

Mr Floyds death has deeply shaken Minneapolis and sparked protests in cities across the US. Local leaders have repeatedly urged demonstrators to avoid violence.

.@MayorFrey is providing an update on the #minneapolisriots on Facebook Live: https://t.co/FVQZAWXfty  City of Minneapolis (@CityMinneapolis) May 29, 2020

Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again, tweeted St Paul mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.

The US attorneys office and the FBI in Minneapolis said they are conducting a robust criminal investigation into the death. Mr Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Mr Floyds civil rights were violated.

Mr Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyds neck, was sacked along with three other officers involved in the arrest.

The next day, the mayor called for Mr Chauvin to be criminally charged.
Eight contract coronavirus in Ambala district

Ambala, Jun 7 (UNI) Eight more people tested positive for coronavirus in this district on Sunday.

Of these, two cases were from Housing Board colony Ambala Cantt, one from Milapnagar Ambala City, a police official from Gurugram, one each from village Boh who had come from Dubai and Kot Kachhwa, two were from village Naggal and had returned from Qatar . Yesterday, four positive cases were reported including that of an old man. Of these, two had come from Delhi.

The Housing Board resident who is a readymade garments shopkeeper had also returned from Delhi after making purchases and was found corona positive. One of his relatives who had accompanied the shopkeeper was also infected.
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In September 2019, two women of the Kho Mu ethnicity from Huu Kiem Commune in the north-central province of Nghe An arrived in northern Quang Ninh Province en route to China to sell newborn babies when authorities detected and ceased the clandestine operation.

>> Newborns for sale (Part 1): A behind-the-scenes look at infant trafficking in Vietnams mountainous regions

>> Newborns for sale (Part 2): When victim becomes dealer

Despite the enormous efforts of the Nghe An authorities to eradicate the sale of newborn babies, the racket continued to linger in the background.

Intercountry adoption rings lay lower, waiting for another opportunity to thrive again.

The climactic escape

As mentioned in earlier installments of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper's three-part series, the two Kho Mu women who embarked on the newborn trade journey are Lu Thi Van and Moong Thi Phuong. Both hail from Dinh Son 2 Village of Ky Son District.

After the intervention at the Quang Ninh border area, Phuong returned home and delivered her baby there.

Van also chose to return, but left the residence with her husband shortly after. Insider sources informed local police that the couple moved to work for a factory in northern Vietnam.

Because of the commonplace nature of the illicit child trade, pregnant women in Huu Kiem Commune are subject to more diligent scrutiny from local police.

Nguyen Van Truong, a police officer from Huu Kiem Commune, looked back at the climactic escape involving the two pregnant women.

Seven days prior to the incident, Truong was checking up on the pregnant women of Dinh Son 2 Village and was greeted by Van and Phuong, both of whom turned out to be absent when he revisited their home two days later.

According to their relatives, the two women went to work in their cropland. As the crops of the Kho Mu people are located far from home, their trip may take a few days.

Police officers waited for several days to check back on Van and Phuong, but they still had not returned. The officers then scrambled to look for the whereabouts of the two women, fearing the worst.

In September 2019, Truong received a phone call from Quang Ninh Police; they had detected two pregnant Kho Mu women and were keeping them safe.

They were quickly identified as Van and Phuong.

No one would have thought [the two women] would organize such an escape scheme to sell their newborns, Truong said.

The success of the mission was greatly attributed to Quang Ninh police officer as the unit is always highly vigilant about pregnant women approaching their border town.

Upon their arrival to Quang Ninh, Van and Phuong were immediately singled out for inspection by local police, and they had to admit their intention to cross the border to sell their babies.

We try our best to keep tabs [on pregnant women], yet all it takes is a phone call to set up an appointment with Chinese rings. Another phone call to board a bus heading to Quang Ninh via National Highway 7 and the women will be taken to China within the same day, Truong shook his head as he talked.

Police-and-population health officer

Huu Lap Commune of Ky Son District is rather desolate.

Cruising through the territory, Xong Ba Vu, a communal police officer, headed toward Cha Lan Village on his beaten-down motorbike.

Upon arrival, he pulled out a spreadsheet full of bullet points, names and numbers, and started to take a glance through one entry at the very top.

He then walked to a humble house down the bank of a stream, where Hoc Thi Xanh, a 17-year-old Kho Mu girl, lives with her husband.

Xanh was expecting a baby, which was the topic of Vus inquiries. After putting checkmarks on the spreadsheet and giving Xanh a few recommendations, Vu set out to visit another expectant mother on the list.

As a local to Cha Lan, Vu knows his way around the village to do his usual law enforcement tasks. However, since the newborn trade phenomenon hit the locale, Vu also took up the position of a population health officer.

This memo lists all expectant mothers in the village. My job is to visit each one of these every few days to verify the unborn childs health status as well as the presence of the mothers in the village, Vu said.

A corner of Cha Lan Village, the hotbed of Nghe An Provinces newborn trafficking issue, as captured in this photo in 2020. Photo: Quoc Nam / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Van Truong, another population health officer, also ferried a copy of this spreadsheet with him.

Since the discovery of 20 expectant mothers preparing to sell their newborn children in the villages of Dinh Son 1, Dinh Son 2 and Huoi Tho, Truong is responsible for staying up-to-date on all of the pregnant women in his area.

[We] need to monitor their statuses up until the child is born, only then can we leave them off of the sheet, Truong said.

According to Lt. Col. Lo Van Thao, deputy chief of the Ky Son police bureau, police personnel have been mobilized to monitor unborn children in every single village.

At the slightest signal [of illicit activity], [the officers] would take prompt action to prevent mothers from leaving for China for child peddling, Thao declared.

Thanks to the synchronized efforts of local authorities, the prevalence of newborn trafficking has noticeably diminished in the first part of 2020.

Still, the community is on high alert.

Despite a lack of concrete evidence, Huu Kiem police officers have noticed a changing landscape in newborn trafficking as perpetrators take advantage of loopholes in the law.

Some Kho Mu couples have been reportedly engaged in newborn trade journeys to China under the guise of 'labor export.'

Some other Kho Mu women are allegedly being sent to China on 'marriage contracts.' After the child is born, they are released as per a 'liquidation agreement' and receive an amount of money as compensation.

These activities all happen in China. Despite the intelligence, officials in our communes and districts cant really do anything, Truong said.

Newborn trading must be recognized as human trafficking: police

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Huu Cau, director of the Nghe An Department of Police, said that newborn trafficking is the latest ploy of human trafficking rings and it is most prevalent in the Kho Mu community of Ky Son district.

Nghe An police officers have initiated discussions with the provincial Peoples Procuracy and the Criminal Investigation Department under the Ministry of Public Security, even sending an official request to multiple ministerial bodies, but they have not yet received a specific resolution.

According to Cau, the 2017 amendment to Vietnams penal code detailed five crimes related to human trafficking, none mentioning trade of unborn children.

Meanwhile, in order to constitute a crime, an action must have a victim. This is the catch that makes the discussion on criminalizing newborn trade more complicated than it seems.

Some law experts argue that an unborn child is not yet a human being as they might have chronic defects or may die at birth, said Cau.

There are two resolutions to the problem, according to Cau.

The first one requires a re-negotiation of the Vietnam-China Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

The treaty was signed in 1998 and requires a modification to grant our police permission to enter China and vice versa, Cau said.

The other requires the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, and the Supreme Peoples Procuracy to issue a joint circular addressing newborn trade.

In the long term, the problem also needs to be addressed in the penal code, he said.

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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jun. 06, 2020 | FRANKFORT

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 06, 2020 | 05:18 PM | FRANKFORT

Gov. Andy Beshear's office provided an update on the novel coronavirus on Saturday.



He reminded Kentuckians to follow public health guidance this weekend during the ongoing fight against the virus, and announced 319 newly confirmed cases. Beshear said 65 percent of those cases are from Jefferson County.



"The virus is still out there. I know we're tired. I know we all just want to have a normal summer," said Gov. Beshear. "But we've already saved so many lives as Team Kentucky and we can't let up now."



Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear reported four new deaths Saturday, raising the total to 470 Kentuckians lost to the virus.



The deaths reported Saturday include a 73-year-old man from Clay County, 73- and 90-year old men from Jefferson County and a 70-year-old woman from Logan County.



At least 3,344 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.



Since the virus is still in our midst, Beshear and state health officials asked all Kentuckians to keep gatherings to 10 or fewer people. He also passed along other guidance, including wearing masks, maintaining social distancing of six feet or more, gathering outside instead of inside, washing hands frequently, covering food and individually wrapping plates.
Roxy Jacenko has been enjoying a weekend of celebrations ahead of her milestone 40th birthday on Monday.

In exclusive pictures obtained by Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, the PR queen held an elegant soiree with her friends at her $6.5million mansion in Sydney's Vaucluse.

Seen on the balcony of her modern home, the entrepreneur sipped on a cocktail as she mingled with her nearest and dearest.

We'll drink to that! Roxy Jacenko (centre) continued her early 40th birthday celebrations with an elegant soiree at her $6.5million mansion in Sydney's Vaucluse on Sunday

Known for her primped persona, Roxy's beauty look was glamorous as per usual.

The mother-of-two styled her signature blonde locks semi-straight, and her makeup included defined brows, false lashes, bronzed cheekbones and a natural lip.

Husband Oliver Curtis cut a dapper figure in a crisp black dress shirt which he teamed with a tailored white suit jacket.

Glamorous: Known for her primped persona, the PR queen showed off semi-straight blonde tresses and an expertly applied makeup palette

Social: Roxy treated herself to a cocktail as she mingled with her nearest and dearest on the balcony of her modern home in the upscale locale

Festivities: Roxy's guests were dressed in their finest and were treated to gourmet food

The businessman sipped on Champagne as he mingled with his well-dressed guests.

Earlier on in the day, Oliver was seen running errands ahead of the night's festivities.

The media identity, who grew up in Sydney's exclusive suburb of Mosman, dressed casually in a white T-shirt, black graphic sweatpants, trainers and a white LA cap.

Birthday girl: The bestselling author engaged in conversation and couldn't wipe the smile off her face

Property: Roxy and husband Oliver Curtis purchased the home in September 2018 before undergoing renovations

Dapper husband: Oliver (pictured) cut a dapper figure for the occasion in a crisp black dress shirt and a tailored white suit jacket. He treated himself to Champagne

Mingling: The businessman, who grew up in Sydney's exclusive suburb of Mosman, engaged in conversations with guests

Roxy and Oliver wed in 2012 and are proud parents to daughter Pixie, eight, and son Hunter, six.

On Friday, Oliver and Roxy's PR team surprised her with an early birthday party at their Paddington headquarters.

The bestselling author was treated to a spread of treats, including a watermelon birthday cake, antipasto and Champagne.

All the bells and whistles: Earlier on in the day, decorative items for the event were delivered to the house

Getting everything in order: Drink and wait staff were also seen setting up for the night's festivities

On the go: Earlier in the day, Oliver cut a casual figure as he ran errands

Cool and casual: He wore a trendy white T-shirt, black graphic sweatpants, Nike trainers and a white LA cap

Roxy shared a photo to Instagram with her 'Betty's', writing in the caption: 'What a team! Family more like. Birthday celebrations start now!'

She also offered a glimpse of her birthday card filled with well-wishes from her team.

The card featured a throwback photo of herself flaunting her washboard abs in a blazer worn over a bra and Daisy Dukes.

Kicking things off! On Friday, Oliver and Roxy's PR team surprised her with an early birthday party. Roxy's actual birthday is on June 8

Now that's a spread: In footage shared to her Instagram, the entrepreneur was treated to a watermelon birthday cake, antipasto andChampagne
New Delhi: Traders' body CAIT on Sunday said it would launch a nationwide campaign to boycott Chinese goods across the country from June 10.

The campaign call by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which claims to represent 7 crore traders and 40,000 trade associations, comes amid border tensions between India and China.

Under the campaign, CAIT will not only motivate traders to not sell Chinese goods but also urge Indian consumers to buy indigenous products in place of Chinese goods, and in this way Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call 'Vocal for Local' will also be fructified, the traders' body said in a statement.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the traders' body has been continuously campaigning from time to time for boycotting Chinese products for the last four years on the back of government's strong push for 'Make in India' programme.

"As a result of these initiatives, imports from China have dropped from USD 76 billion in 2017-18 to USD 70 billion at present. This USD 6 billion import decline tells the true story of the use of indigenous goods and changing consumer sentiments," Khandelwal said.

He said through efforts like these, CAIT is eyeing a reduction in India's imports of Chinese goods by about USD 13 billion (around Rs 1 lakh crore) by December 2021, and has prepared a comprehensive list of about 3,000 products imported from China for which Indian substitutes and alternatives are easily available.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:06:26|Editor: huaxia

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Senior students attend activities in Heilongjiang Experimental High School in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, May 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- There is no delay or cover-up in the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese officials said Sunday.

China timely notified the international community of virus data and information about the epidemic, and made significant contributions to the global prevention and control, said Director of China's National Health Commission Ma Xiaowei at a press conference in Beijing.

The work of the Chinese government and Chinese scientists can stand the test of time, Ma said.

At the same press conference, Xu Lin, director of the State Council Information Office, denounced some foreign politicians and news media labeling and politicizing the virus, and fabricating groundless accusations that China covered up information.

Xu stressed that such remarks are groundless and unreasonable, and show no respect for science. 
Modern cinema has a vast selection of movie titles centered around race relations in America. Here are a few historical dramas about heroes who chose to fight for positive change and civil rights for all.

Mississippi Burning | CHRISTOPHE D YVOIRE/Sygma via Getty Images

Mississippi Burning (1988)

The 1988 film, Mississippi Burning, is a dramatization of harsh realities that took place in Mississippi in the 1960s. Inspired by actual events, the narrative follows FBI agents on the hunt for murderers who took the lives of civil rights workers. Mississippi Burning stars Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand, and Michael Rooker. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Malcolm X (1992)

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Spike Lees biopic, Malcolm X, follows the life of the civil rights leader who advocated Black empowerment in America during a time of unrest and national transformation. Denzel Washington portrayed Malcolm X in the film, giving a stirring performance. Much of the plot takes place during the turbulent 1960s, which Lee captures with raw authenticity. Lee co-stars in the movie, along with Angela Bassett, Al Freeman Jr., Delroy Lindo, and Theresa Randle. History buffs can stream Malcolm X on Netflix.

Amistad (1997)

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The year was 1839, and a group of Africans was abducted from their homeland and placed aboard a ship called La Amistad. The captives executed a mutiny, sparing the lives of two Spanish crewmen. Alas, the vessel ended up in the United States, and the Africans were dubbed runaway slaves and subsequently jailed. An abolitionist enlisted the help of a lawyer to help liberate them. Steven Spielberg directed Amistad, the true story depicted on screen, with Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, and Anthony Hopkins in starring roles. Amistad is streaming now on Hulu with the STARZ Add-on.

Rosewood (1997)

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Director, John Singleton of the smash hit, Boyz n the Hood, brought audiences Rosewood in 1997. Rosewood is a fictionalized retelling of historical events that took place in 1923 in Levy County, Florida. In what is now called The Rosewood Massacre, a racist White lynch mob terrorized a self-sufficient Black town by destroying property and slaughtering residents. Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, and Jon Voight portray citizens who try to protect the innocent. Rosewood is available for rent on various platforms, including iTunes and Amazon Prime Video.

Selma (2014)

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From the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing to Alabama Governor George Wallaces segregationist rhetoric, by the mid-1960s, the American South was a powder keg ready to blow. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other trailblazers led marchers from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery. Through the peaceful protest, the citizens demanded equal voting rights. But they succeeded in spurring an even greater shift in America.

Director Ava DuVernay depicted a portion of that story in the 2014 movie, Selma. In the film, David Oyelowo portrays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Giovanni Ribisi, and Oprah Winfrey in supporting roles. Selma is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Shrines in Bhopal and Indore, two major Covid-19 hotspots in Madhya Pradesh, will not open their doors for devotees on Monday according to decisions taken by the administration in both districts on Sunday.

However, the famous Mahakal Temple and four other shrines in Ujjain city, another Covid-19 hotspot in the state, will see entry of devotees on Monday after closure of these shrines for more than two months now, according to the district administration.

Another famous temple in the state- Ma Peetambara Peeth at Datia will also allow entry of devotees on Monday. However, the facility of darshan will be limited to local devotees only. No more than 450 devotees will be allowed in a day, as per the district administration in Datia.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on June 1 announced opening of the shrines across the state from June 8. However, he had made it clear earlier that decisions on commercial activities and other establishments will be taken by the district crisis management group in every district in view of the Covid-19 situation over there.

The decisions on shrines in Bhopal and Indore were taken by the respective district administrations on Sunday. There is no let-up in the Covid-19 situation in both the cities.

In Bhopal, the district administration in a meeting held under the chairmanship of collector Tarun Pithode in which various religious leaders also took part, decided not to allow opening of shrines for at least one week.

The district administration decided not to allow opening of shrines till June 15. The next decision for will be taken on June 12, said an official spokesperson.

After the district administrations decision in Bhopal, Mushtaq Ali Nadvi made an appeal to committees of all the mosques in Bhopal to continue to follow the administrations guidelines till further orders and ensure cleanliness and hygiene in mosques during the period.

Dr RR Patel, information officer in Indore, said, The district administration has decided not to allow opening of shrines on Monday. The administration will assess the situation later to take a decision in this regard.

Besides, the Mahakal Temple the shrines that will see peoples entry in Ujjain from Monday include Kal Bhairav Temple, Catholics Church, Jama Masjid and a Gurdwara, as per an administrative authority.

Ujjain district administration decided on opening of selected shrines in the city on Friday.

The administrator of Mahakal Temple management committee Sujan Singh Rawat said, The first slot for devotees entry to the temple is 8 am to 10 am. The timing of darshan is till 6 pm. This makes it clear that no one will be allowed to watch Bhasm Aarti which is held early in the morning.

As per decisions taken no shops selling prasad items and flowers will be allowed around Mahakal Temple. Only such devotees would be allowed to enter the temple premises who have got themselves registered one day in advance. No one will be allowed to attend four other aartis in the temple. Devotees will have to wear face masks and undergo a thermal screening. They will not be allowed to ring the bell and take prasad.

The temple premises will be sanitised every two hours. No more than 300-350 devotees will be allowed to remain present on the campus at a time and a maximum of 1000 devotees will be allowed to enter the temple premises in a day.

(With inputs from Anand Nigam in Ujjain).
Representative Image

Shweta Bhandral

"Someone has entered the group, they are removing kids from the class, you have to come here, Sasha, my 11-year-old, shouted for me to check what was going on in her online class before the teacher came in. The children were in panic mode, or perhaps excited, all the microphones and videos were on, and a surprisingly healthy discussion was taking place. Who could this be? Why would they be doing this? Is this cybercrime? They went on and on with their arguments and counter-arguments until I told them to run a virus scan on all their computers and inform the class teacher.

Online education is de rigeour in the days of the COVID lockdown, from small towns in India to the worlds most prestigious universities. While this appears to be the best solution in the short-term, there are various pros and cons that have already become clear in the past two months of the lockdown, especially in a developing country like India.

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 challenges

Just a few days into lockdown, Arambh School in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, asked its teachers to explore and identify an online platform. Subhi Malhotra, 40, who teaches English from grades three to six, found that the task wasnt as simple as it sounds, and some teachers took up to a week to understand the process. She adds, Not everyone can afford computers, headphones, broadband connections and the other devices one needs in this kind of setup.

Neither are all teachers tech-savvy, trained to embrace change, or understanding of the needs of introverts who sit quietly in class. In addition, lack of private spaces in Indian homes could be a major hindrance to such classes for both teachers and students.

Connectivity and bandwidth issues have emerged as the biggest challenges in the Indian scenario. And while many kids genuinely do not have the resources required, many others happily use it as an excuse to skip class. Bandwidth issues are also forcing schools to keep the video off, which means that the teacher has no clue if the child is sitting and listening in the class or playing online or offline games, or using the internet for other purposes entirely.

At this nascent stage, training is needed to build online etiquettes  such as muting ones mic, sitting at a spot with minimum background movement, chatting in the chatbox while the class is on, and so on. The class size also needs a re-think. A class with 40 or 90 students becomes just a monologue by the teacher. Online learning is not going to work if it replicates the classroom  monologues are not the way forward, says renowned education strategist Meeta Sengupta. Online is an egalitarian medium, and teachers will need to create lessons that are about listening more than about talking.

Meeta Sengupta.

Long scattered timetables have also increased the screen and sitting time of the child, which is physically harmful and mentally tiring. Though we are getting to interact with our teachers and schoolmates and finishing our syllabus faster than normal, I dont think its a good idea for our eyes and health, says my daughter, Sasha, whose head starts to ache after a point.

Twelve-year-old Avi agrees: The timetable sometimes has too many continuous online classes, which makes my eyes hurt, and sometimes the timetable has too many offline classes, which become boring.

After all, a childs education doesnt end with textbook syllabi but includes all the other aspects that school provides: the friendship of peers, the attention of adults and a hands-on learning experience. Ten-year-old Mumbai schoolboy Arjun says, Going to school is much more fun than sitting at home. I miss my friends. Sitting in ones home may also make children lazy or laid-back, or alternatively, frustrated at their lack of resources.

The opportunities

But there are multiple positives to be spotted as well. Most children have taken to these classes like a pro and even help their teachers to conduct class peacefully. They are happy to upload their assignments on the Google Classroom, and with online worksheets, teachers no longer have to spend hours and days on correcting hand-written copies.

Aditi Grover, 44, who teaches entrepreneurship and retail to high school students in a public school in Delhi-NCR, affirms that the experiment had been successful for her senior classes. These students are mature enough to understand the medium, its advantages and challenges. For subjects like IT, web apps and entrepreneurship, it is a blessing in disguise as the concepts can be explained better by features like screen sharing, she opines.

Schools that were lagging in technology had no option but to pull up their socks, and even government schools have gone ahead with digital transformation.

Teachers have shed their inhibitions and adapted new technologies, and now better understand the world in which their students operate. Assignments are now given keeping in mind the availability of resources at home, which is making the teaching process more relatable and practical.

With most teachers being women, some effort is required to adapt to the new work-life imbalance, though. A senior teacher from a public school in Mumbai shares, Teachers are working 24/7 these days, dealing with their household work, taking classes, understanding technology, making audio PPTs and assignments. Those who are good with technology are helping their peers catch up. Its a new normal, for sure.

Post-lockdown, Meeta suggests schools focus on best practices for health and safety first, then focus on safe spaces for genuine learning. We have seen that the world managed well without an intense focus on exams and results  let us bring learning to the fore and push exams back to their proportionate spaces, she says, adding that this may just be an opportunity for course correction. Education is about safety, care and progress, but we gave that up and ran children through the same assembly line regardless of safe mental spaces to grow, or care for personal potential. Everyone cannot and must not progress into being the best photocopier of them all. This is the time to reframe, redraft and rebuild our ways of learning and teaching. Our pause gives us a chance to turn our faces towards the sun again, towards authentic learning.
Its been a mixed couple of weeks for the Big Five  and thats putting it lightly. Whats remarkable, though, is that investors hardly batted an eyelid. In what other year could a bank post an enormous Q2 profit loss and experience 10% five-day gains?

These kinds of Looking Glass markets are not for the faint of heart. However, long-term investors may have some rest-easy plays in these blue-chip financial stocks.

When it comes to the Big Five, there are as many investment strategies as there are banks. Each top tier Canadian moneylender is a play for its own reasons. TD Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD), for instance, brings access to American market and satisfies a +5% dividend strategy, while RBC is a play for its sheer size, even if its yield is a little lower at 4.5%.

While growth potential isnt a key factor when it comes to investing in financials, there is at least one name that satisfies this criterion. With strong emerging markets exposure, Scotiabank packs access to the domestic housing market. Known as Canadas most international bank, Scotiabank is a play not only for its strong Latin American presence, but also access to Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

CIBC has the highest yield of any Big Five bank, currently serving up a juicy 6.1% yield. This name bounced 11% this week, showing just how highly valued moneylenders are in the current market.

However, when it comes to assets, names like CIBC and BMO are at the fuzzy end of the lollipop. Investors need to weigh systemic risk and consider looking beyond yield and fundamentals right now.

Investors should go large and long on bank stocks

The bullish mood in the markets right now adds up to a win. But theres a disconnect between stocks and the actual economy. In the real world, the amount of risk right now is off the charts, which could be dangerous in the near-term.

Therefore, size matters in the current market. Asset valuation and market cap are increasingly key to the sustainability of a dividend portfolio.

Story continues

TD Bank is one of two globally systemically important banks (G-SIB) in Canada, and was labelled as such last year by the Financial Stability Board (FSB). Its also the second-largest bank in Canada per assets, but the distinction is almost nominal.

Per Statista, TD Bank commands assets of $1.415 trillion, pipped to the post by RBCs $1.428 trillion, Canadas other G-SIB. They are trailed by Scotiabank, BMO, and CIBC in that order.

Banks are still divisive, though, and theres good reason for that. While the Big Five collectively pulled in $5 billion in the most recent quarter, all of them are down against last years results.

However, while profit loss in the most recent quarter might be alarming, loss provisioning makes these banks stronger plays in the long run.

Investors will need to balance this against the non-trivial risk of anther market crash.

The post Why Canadian Bank Stocks Are Still an All-Weather Play appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

More reading

Fool contributor Victoria Hetherington has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA.

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
Portland, like cities across the nation, has been gripped nightly by thousands of protesters marching and chanting in outrage over the death of George Floyd.

The dramatic protests, which marked their 10th night in Portland Saturday, have continued to shut down the citys downtown core. Activists have vowed to keep showing up until massive reforms to address police violence and long-standing racism are made.

Some protesters and observers have likened todays widespread calls for change to the Civil Rights Movement, which in the 1950s and 1960s resulted in legislation and regulations outlawing the suppression of black voters, employment discrimination, prejudicial housing practices and segregation at lunch counters, schools and on buses.

The Oregonian/OregonLive has covered each night of the protests held since Floyd, who was African American, died after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for more than eight minutes. Heres what we know:

Who is protesting?

Thousands of marchers moved west onto the Burnside Bridge on the sixth night of protests in Portland. (Sean Meagher / Staff)The Oregonian

During past protests in Portland over the 2016 election of Donald Trump or the more recent clashes involving Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys with antifa, the vast majority of protesters were white. This time, in the protests over Floyds death, many of the protesters are black, especially young black adults.

Still, many protesters also have been white, but thats largely reflective of the citys and the states demographics.

Protesters say theyve made it a point to ensure that those leading the marches and rallies are African American. At a recent march, leaders called for the African Americans in the crowd to move to the front before they trekked across a bridge, from Southeast Portland to downtown.

Ive been to a lot of protests since Ive lived in Portland. This is the youngest, most diverse crowd Ive ever seen protesting here. By blaming this movement on outside agitators, youre pushing a racist narrative. Youre saying these young Black kids dont belong out there.  Olivia Katbi Smith  (@livkittykat) June 4, 2020

Who is organizing the protests?

No one group claims responsibility. But there are lots of platforms that have been sharing information on social media about the protests, including the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front; Popular Mobilization, aka Pop Mob; Dont Shoot Portland; Black Lives Matter Portland and Rose City Justice.

Even though no single group has come forward as the lead organization, the protests have drawn at least 8,000 to 10,000 participants for a few days this past week.

Is antifa driving these protests?

President Trump announced that antifa -- anti-fascists often clad in black with masks, even before the coronavirus pandemic -- are responsible for the burned buildings, vandalism and other destruction wreaked in cities across the nation last weekend. Trump announced antifa would be declared a terrorist organization.

A spokesperson for Pop Mob , said communities of color and people who feel genuine disgust over racism are fueling the protests -- not anarchists.

Given the public perception and stigma that already exists against antifa ...its an easy scapegoat, the spokesperson said. If the politicians and the administration and the police can say Oh, its just these white anarchists, its antifa, its not the communities that are affected by police murdering them (then) its a way to delegitimize what is actually a very diverse movement.

Of note, Pop Mob describes its mission as Building a mass movement of everyday antifascists, but says its not organizing the protests.

Have Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys been involved?

One would think that supporters of the right-wing groups Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys would be playing a big role in these protests, given their frequent attendance at Portland protests in recent years.

But protesters say theyve seen few indications that the groups are present.

Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he visited Portland once by myself -- on Friday, May 29 -- to watch the protests, but didnt participate.

I would love to be involved. Im totally against police brutality. But I also dont want to get murdered for going down there, said Gibson, acknowledging that his presence likely wouldnt be welcomed by other protesters.

He added: My presence doesnt even need to be there. I dont need to provoke. I dont need to agitate. Personally, I like seeing 10,000 people marching on the streets peacefully.

Gibson is still facing a rioting charge in Multnomah County Circuit Court, alleging that he incited a dangerous confrontation between Patriot Prayer and antifa outside of the former Northeast Portland pub Cider Riot in May 2019.

How have the protests evolved?

Protestors demonstrated on the street outside the Multnomah County Justice Center in the first day of protests in Portland over George Floyd's death on May 28, 2020. (Mark Graves/Staff)Mark Graves

George Floyd died May 25. Three days later, Portland held its first protest -- with dozens of participants lying in the street next to the Multnomah County Justice Center, downtown jail and the Portland Police Bureaus Central Precinct.

The next day, Friday, May 29, thousands filled Peninsula Park in North Portland in a peaceful showing. After they marched downtown, their numbers thinned and a smaller group spent the early morning hours setting fires within the justice center, Chase Bank and on the street. They also looted or shattered windows at Target, the Apple and Microsoft stores, Starbucks and Pioneer Place.

The city declared a temporary state of emergency and set a curfew that spanned four nights. Mayor Ted Wheeler rushed home from meeting with family whod gathered to make plans because his mother is dying.

The protests have continued each night, but with less property damage and violence than that first Friday night. Protesters, however, have set some fires and thrown objects at police.

What force have police used?

Portland police have used stun grenades, smoke, tear gas and, on early Friday morning for the first time, a long range acoustic device that creates piercing sounds meant to get protesters to go home. By Friday evening, Wheeler announced that hed directed police not to use the irritating warning tone sound on the device.

Wheeler also indicated he supports a 30-day ban on tear gas, as Seattle leaders have done.

Police say theyve used such tools when peaceful gatherings have turned violent with protesters throwing or using sling shots to propel bricks, mortars, bottles of water, cans of beer and glass bottles or tried to climb or knock down a chain-link fence erected temporarily to protect the justice center.

Although it wasnt force, officers also have used spray paint to tag license plates of at least two cars. In a news release, police said that was so they could later easily spot cars they believed had brought weapons and other supplies to protesters.

Portland police spraying license plates with spray paint pic.twitter.com/gfKhaIydIY  Matcha chai (@matcha_chai) June 3, 2020

KGW also recorded five police cars driving through barriers that several people had dragged out onto into the street next to Pioneer Square. The video shows the people frantically running out of the way. Police later explained they believed the people were going to set the barriers or debris on fire, and officers drove through to stop them.

This was the clip that made @LauralPorter & me gasp on live TV.



We saw people moving barricades & equipment around Pioneer Square... when a police SUV came speeding through. Ppl ran out of the way.



This was around 12:14 a.m. @PortlandPolice can you tell us what happened? pic.twitter.com/K7ejbx1FHi  Maggie Vespa KGW (@Maggie_Vespa) June 3, 2020

Protesters say police escalate confrontations by acting far too aggressively. They say that starts with the riot gear and shields that officers wear for protests.

When you fence off half the city, when you initiate a curfew, when you close off on ramps into the city, when everyone in the city of Portland gets a text message saying you cant go out (tonight), when you show up to the protest in riot gear ... those are escalations, said Greg McKelvey, a protester who became well-known after leading protests after Trumps election in 2016.

How many have been arrested so far?

More than 200 people have been cited or arrested by Portland police, as of early Monday morning, for charges including interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct, violating curfew, riot, theft or burglary of a business.

Some observers speculated that those arrested were out-of-towners who drove into the city to tear it apart. But an analysis by The Oregonian/OregonLive found that of those cited or arrested in the first few days of protests, most were from Portland and its immediate suburbs.

What effect have protests had on police?

Mentally and physically, its been taxing. Protesters have chanted Quit your job! over and over at officers. Protesters have shouted all sorts of expletives and names, including Pigs! Someone spray-painted Oink on the metal elk statue near Central Precinct.

Phrases such as KILL COPS and ACAB, which stands for All Cops Are Bastards were spray painted across the federal courthouse, across the street from police headquarters.

Portland, every night I keep getting prouder and prouder of you all.

Way to keep those pigs in their cage tonight!

<3  C.A.R.E. PDX (@CAREPDX1) June 5, 2020

Police have said the vast majority of protesters are nonviolent, but violence has continued most nights and someone  protester, bystander or police -- could be seriously injured.

Physically, police have been working long hours. Police spokeswoman Nola Watts said she didnt have numbers on overtime hours logged or how many officers have been working protests.

But the bureau appears to be maxed out. It has canceled all days off for officers. Other agencies also have helped staff protests or respond to emergency calls to relieve the burden on the bureau. The National Guard, Oregon State Police, Port of Portland Police and deputies from the Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas sheriffs offices all have assisted.

What do protesters want?

There are many differing answers, depending on the protester.

Many protesters have said they want the city to defund police. But that appears to mean different things to different people.

Some want less money spent on police and more directed to community organizations that offer mental health help or substance abuse treatment -- to help people before they might ever get in trouble with police.

Others have renewed calls for Portland State University to disarm its campus police officers, pointing to the 2018 shooting of Jason Washington, a black man who reportedly tried to de-escalate a fight by confiscating the gun of a belligerent friend who he worried would make a poor decision.

Many protesters saw an announcement Thursday that armed police officers would no longer staff high schools in Portland as a success toward their defunding goal.

But some demonstrators are also calling for much more drastic change. The Youth Liberation Front, who has prominently promoted protests and calls for change on social media, told The Oregonian/OregonLive in an email that it wants the abolition of police. It also wants an end to prisons, borders and the state as a whole.

The state Legislatures People of Color Caucus says itll support several bills, including one that would require the states attorney general to investigate and prosecute deaths caused by police officers.

McKelvey, the protester, said he wants police and public officials to admit wrongdoing in the deaths of people of color during confrontations with Portland police.

We have elected officials who are very quick to condemn officers in Minneapolis in the death of George Floyd, but who havent uttered the names of Quanice Hayes or Kendra James or Terrell Johnson.

What about the coronavirus?

With thousands of protesters crowding together shoulder-to-shoulder in cities across the nation, the concern that demonstrations will become super-spreader events is real, epidemiologists say. Masks and being outdoors help, but certainly dont eliminate the risk.

Many protesters, however, believe that racism is a long-lasting pandemic that seriously threatens the lives of people of color, more so than the new coronavirus.

Cities from Seattle to San Francisco to New York have urged protesters to get tested for free.

Although not all protesters were eligible, Portland non-profit Self Enhancement, Inc. offered free coronavirus testing for up 300 members of the African American community on Saturday. The testing was designed to address the disproportionate impact the virus has had on communities of color.

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

Reporters Maxine Bernstein, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Joe Freeman contributed to this report.

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The preliminary approval comes after the parliamentary majority 'Support Egypt' coalition officially submitted two draft bills on the formation and election of the Senate and three other draft laws

Egypts parliamentary legislative and constitutional affairs committee approved in principle on Sunday a draft bill on the formation and election of the Senate.

The preliminary approval comes after the parliamentary majority Support Egypt coalition officially submitted two draft bills on the formation and election of the Senate and the House of Representatives (law 46/2014), and two other draft laws on the Exercise of Political Rights (law 45/2014) and the Performance of the National Election Committee (Law 198/2017).

Earlier on Sunday, parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal announced in a first session after a three-week recess that he decided to refer two draft bills on the formation and election of the Senate and the House of Representatives to the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee to discuss them and prepare a report to be discussed and voted on by MPs in a plenary session.

Two other draft laws amending the Exercise of Political Rights and the performance of the National Election Committee were also referred to the committee.

Abdel-Aal said "the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee will discuss the four draft bills very carefully and its members will make sure that the newly drafted bills on the Senate and the House serve the people and nation's interests and that active political forces be allowed to join the new parliament."

From my first reading of the amendments, I can say that they contain very good texts that will allow all political forces compete in parliamentary elections via the list system and have an active role in the nation's political system, and that there will be a fair representation for all political forces, he said.

However, Abdel-Aal said the amendments will not allow "rogue elements rejected by the people" to infiltrate the coming parliament.

"I want to say that the party lists should be prepared in a way that should not allow any undesirable persons to infiltrate parliament, and so I urge that political parties draft their lists of candidates in a very careful way," Abdel-Aal said.

Abdel-Aal said earlier that the parliament will have a busy legislative agenda in the coming period.

"We are about to discuss amendments of laws on the formation and election of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Exercise of Political Rights and the performance of the National Election Commission," he said.

Ihab El-Tamawy, deputy chairman of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said the committee has already begun discussing the above four draft bills.

"We are keen to discuss these bills in two meetings today and tomorrow because of their urgent importance and because they aim to achieve constitutional requirements," he said.

Abdel-Hadi Al-Qasabi, the spokesman of the "Support Egypt" coalition, told reporters on Sunday that the four draft bills have gained a kind of semi-consensus from politicians and party leaders in a national dialogue.

El-Qasabi indicated that in light of the amendments, the coming lower parliament - the House of Representatives  will be composed of 596 MPs.

"Fifty percent of these will be elected via the closed list system and the other 50 percent through the individual system, not mention that the lists shall be prepared to go in line with Article 102 of the constitution stipulating that women (25 percent), young people, Christians, Egyptian expatriates and physically challenged candidates should be represented on the lists, he said.

Al-Qasabi also indicated that the amendments will set up a 300-member Senate.

"One-third [of the 300 members] will be elected via the closed list system, one-third through the individual system, and the last third will be named by the president of the republic," he said, expressing hopes that the coming Senate will be "Egypt's house of political expertise."

Egypt's 2014 constitution, which was amended in April 2019, states in Article 250 that a Senate  an upper house parliament  is to be created and that its members should not be less than 180, and that two-thirds of its members be elected in a secret ballot.

Article 102 of the Constitution also states that MPs of the lower house parliament  the House of Representatives  shall not be less than 450, a quarter of seats are to be reserved for women representatives, and the president is authorised to appoint no more than 5 percent of the total.

Egypt's parliamentary elections are scheduled for November this year.

The 2019's constitutional amendments passed in April 2019 will bring back the upper house parliament (the Senate) previously known as Shura Council, which was abolished in 2014.

Al-Qasabi said the parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held next November.

"But in light of the coronavirus crisis, the final decision on the coming parliamentary elections will be left to the discretion of the National Election Committee and the government," Al-Qasabi said.

Secretary-general Mahmoud Fawzi told reporters on Sunday that although parliament has a busy legislative agenda in the coming few weeks, MPs are keen that they finish this agenda before the summer recess begins next July.

"Should we need more time, the president in consultation with parliament can extend the session's term for additional weeks or months," Fawzi said, expecting the new political laws to receive priority and intensive discussion in parliament in the coming period.

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Saudi Arabia said on Sunday its coronavirus caseload had surpassed 100,000, the highest tally so far recorded in an Arab country.

Saudi Arabias Health Ministry confirmed 3,045 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the countrys total recorded cases to 101,914, the state news agency SPA said, citing a spokesman.

The ministry also reported 36 new deaths due to COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, bringing the total death toll to 712, SPA said.

The oil-rich monarchy with a population of around 32 million has seen a spike in new infections in recent days in the week after some restrictions were eased.

Domestic air travel was resumed and mosques were reopened, with the exception of those in the holy city of Mecca. A nationwide night-time curfew was also shortened.

However, authorities reimposed a lengthier curfew and tightened other restrictions in the coastal city of Jeddah for two weeks from Saturday due to a spike in virus cases there.

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 400,000, the Johns Hopkins University said on Sunday.

The U.S. has recorded the highest death count, with close to 110,000 deaths.

(dpa/NAN)

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A Metropolitan police officer is in hospital after falling from her horse during the Black Lives Matter protest in London.

The officer fell from her horse in London during the protests on Saturday and has been taken to hospital.

Her injuries are said to not be life threatening.

The horse bolted after she fell, causing chaos. However, it has since made its own way back to the nearby police stables.

The Metropolitan Police said there have been four arrests at the Black Lives Matter protests in London and all of the suspects are in custody.

Mounted police charged protesters in an attempt to disperse them / AFP via Getty Images

A Met Police statement said: "The arrests were for assault on police, criminal damage, making threats and calling for violence and an incident of dangerous driving near the US Embassy.

"The officer is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for her injuries which are not life threatening.

"The officer fell from her horse, and we are examining the full circumstances of what took place."

Thousands attended the protest / AFP via Getty Images

The statement added: "The horse, uninjured, made its own way back to the stables, nearby.
The National Bureau of Investigation has conducted house searches in the Kranj and Ljubljana areas in connection to Adria Airways collapse last October. The search has centred around two foreign nationals, believed to be the bankrupt companys former executives. Adria Airways' receiver, Janez Pustaticnik, confirmed the raids took place at several homes, as well as Adrias headquarters. The General Police Administration said the investigators were visiting residential, commercial and other premises in the areas of Kranj and Ljubljana, which are owned by one legal entity and two individuals. A pre-trial investigation is currently being conducted against the two foreign individuals.





Earlier this year, Ernst & Young were awarded a contract by Adria Airways bankruptcy administrator to audit the former flag carrier in order to determine the responsibility its past owner, 4K Invest, played in the airlines collapse. The auditor is looking into Adria's financial information for any material misstatements of income, expenses, assets or transfers of property within the last few years. It is believed the German fund funnelled money from the airline and inked a number of highly damaging consultancy agreements on behalf of the Slovenian carrier with other companies in its ownership. Allegations of abuse of office and business fraud, including the theft of 5.000 US dollars from the companys safe following its bankruptcy last September, are also being investigated by police.





Since Adrias collapse, the majority of businesses owned by 4K Invest went into bankruptcy. The firm's managing director, Martin Vorderwulbecke, registered a new company under the name HDS 35 in late December of 2019. Mr Vorderwulbecke was the responsible manager who headed negotiations with the Slovenian government over the acquisition of Adria Airways. He is linked to over a dozen other companies, most of which have been liquidated. It includes AA International Aviation Holding, which 4K Invest created to formally acquire Adria Airways.
A protest organized by the group STAND UP! FIGHT FOR BLACK LIVES! and led by Jasmine Sinclair brought thousands of people to the Northampton Police Station at 4 p.m. on Saturday to protest police brutality.

Northampton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police erected concrete barriers on Center Street that lead to the police station as a safety measure for the protest to highlight police brutality in memory of George Floyd.

The protest planned on Saturday is the second in Northampton. The first was held on Monday and ended when Kasper met with protesters, and in a show of unity, took a knee with the hundreds that had descended upon and surrounded the station.

Our experience on Monday was different from past protests in our city. Based on that experience, we have had to make adjustments for todays protest, said Northampton Police Chief Jody D. Kasper on the police Facebook page. We want to do everything that we can to ensure that this is a peaceful event.

Protesters gather outside the Northampton Police Station to make their voices heard due to police brutality. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Kasper went on to say that the department has been in contact with the event organizers. Both Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz and Kasper offered to walk with the group and would have knelt in solidarity but according to the police Facebook post they were turned down.

The protest organizers indicated that they do not want us there. We are respecting this request, Kasper said.

Kasper said during the earlier protest on Monday four police cruisers were damaged. A windshield was smashed, a tire punctured, there was body damage to the hood as well as body damage to the side of a cruiser. There was spray paint on front and side of the building, parking deck and signs. A window at the station was broken and there was damage to a flagpole and an American flag.

Protesters gather outside the Northampton Police Station to make their voices heard due to police brutality. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

A small number of NPD officers will be behind the line and will have face coverings to hand out if anyone needs them, said Kasper. Its important that everyone remembers that we are working to manage a deadly virus, and social distancing is still recommended.

The group that has been organized by Sinclair posted on the groups Facebook page that no violence is to be used.

This is a peaceful rally. Absolutely no violence will be tolerated, steps are being taken to ensure the safety of all who attend.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available

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Two nearby towns have found different ways to honor 2020 graduates amid social-distancing protocols in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In Collingswood, more than 170 yearbook portraits of graduating seniors line each side of busy Collings Avenue in front of the high school in Camden County. Most are lined up on yard-sign placards in a grass median along a sidewalk next to the school and leafy Knight Park on the other side of the two-lane street. Some student athletes have banner portraits in uniforms hanging on the side of the school.

We talked about just doing signs with their names but we talked about if we put their pictures on, not only could they cheer the seniors but they could see every single face of our senior class, said Taryn Silverman, a chemistry and philosophy teacher who had the vision to honor the graduates.

It cost $13 per placard to put their pictures and first name on the front and back. Silverman said the local education association, teachers and an NJEA grant paid for it.

Matt Genna, the high school principal in Collingswood said the signs will stay up for another month and they be given to each student as a graduation gift.

He said the school is eyeing a graduation ceremony around mid-July but may need to do it in groups of 25 students for the 180-member senior class.

In Voorhees, also in Camden County, township officials recruited a cadre of local artists to paint a 190-foot long mural at the town center with silhouettes of commencement figures honoring elementary, middle school, high school and college graduates.

A student in Voorhees, New Jersey takes a picture in front of a mural to honor 2020 graduates.

One official said the images were designed in scale for graduates to interactively position themselves receiving a degree from a silhouette during commencement and with other areas with more generic designs without insignia of Eastern Regional High School from which most of the township students graduate.

We wanted every student to see themselves on the wall, said Marianne Leone, of the township art alliance. We want the word to get out this is a gift to the community.

Leone said it took 14 days to paint the background and images on the 12-foot high wall. She said it took 12 gallons of paint funded with $500 in donations and volunteer artists.

New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported 11,970 known deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 162,530 cases, since the outbreak here started March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among U.S. states.

Gov. Phil Murphy has allowed parks, beaches, boardwalks, and lakes in New Jersey to reopen. He increased the limit on outdoor gatherings to 25. Indoor gatherings remain capped at 10.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Have you seen an inspiring story in your community during this troubling time? Tell us about it.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.
A month into the Covid-19 lockdown, the town of Abbeyfeale became the focus of national attention, when the documentary Abbeyfealegood was broadcast on RTE television.

The title of the documentary was well chosen, as Abbeyfeale is an incredibly good place to live, to work and to raise a family. The experience of living under the shadow of Covid-19 has brought the best out in people. People have rallied round to the assistance of those who are cocooned or living alone.

Gestures of goodwill are everywhere to be seen, like the young shop assistant who delivers a newspaper to an elderly customer every morning and takes time to check in with her about her fears and concerns. Community organisations led by Abbeyfeale Community Council have organised support structures for people who are isolated because of the restrictions. Yes, Abbeyfeale is a good community to live in and the fruits of that goodness are very evident during this pandemic.

As a priest in the community much of my time and ministry is spent with people. With the arrival of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown, all of that personal interaction as I knew it, ended over one weekend. Suddenly, I was looking at empty church pews. Visiting parishioners in their homes was not a wise or a safe thing to do. There are no parish or school meetings. Life as I knew it up to St Patricks Day ground to a halt in an instant.

A number of years ago, a webcam was installed in our local church. It has provided a means for parishioners to join in the celebration of Mass and other church ceremonies every day. At first it was a shock to have no physical congregation present in the church, but we know that hundreds of people link into our celebration of Mass each weekday. At weekends, the numbers of people joining us on the internet link increases significantly. During the month of April, we have had more than 10,000 join us for Mass and the Holy Week ceremonies. Fr Shoji and I have had to adapt very quickly, but it has taught us much about the importance of digital communications.

From the time that Jesus preached his sermon on the mount, the Church has used every means to communicate the Good News of the Gospel. Through this present crisis, I have discovered that digital communication provides opportunities for far-reaching pastoral possibilities, that I never imagined were possible to engage in until now. Of course, many parishioners do not have broadband, but West Limerick 102FM, community radio broadcasts Mass live from Abbeyfeale church every Sunday morning at 10am. We have also begun to use other digital platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to communicate with families and children who are in the first communion and confirmation classes.

The Gospel message of Jesus Christ in one of hope. I have been particularly conscious of trying to communicate that hope to all who join us on our online liturgies. Using new communication technologies, priests can give people an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Alongside traditional means, digital communication has opened up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis. In a way Covid-19 has opened up a whole new world for the seeds of the gospel to be sown, and right now the world is fertile ground for the Good News of the Gospel.
Jeh Johnson frowned. Cemetery groundskeepers had cut down a broad magnolia tree that once sheltered his grandfathers grave from the sun. Lichen pockmarked the granite headstone.

We got to get this stuff off, he said, pointing to the mottled slab. Chiseled on it is the name of Charles S. Johnson, a distinguished sociologist who was president of Fisk University after World War II, when it was a haven for black intellectuals in the Jim Crow-era South.

The secretary of Homeland Security was in Nashville on business. But he asked his security detail to stop at his family plot in Greenwood Cemetery, a nearly all-black burial ground that remains a vestige of the citys color line.

Johnsons department is a key part of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts, and his grandfather has become a powerful personal touchstone for him as he juggles competing demands for national security and personal privacy, for government surveillance and civil liberties.

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Johnsons grandfather was a target of the communist witch hunts of the postwar era. In 1949 he was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee, which investigated allegations of disloyalty and subversive activities.

The black college president was asked if he was then or had ever been a member of the Communist Party. He wasnt and he hadnt. The FBI investigated him but found nothing.

The family kept silent for decades about how the humiliations of the Red Scare touched them. Jeh Johnson only learned of his grandfathers tribulation last fall while researching a speech.

Basically in the late 40s and early 50s, if you were a black intellectual with a PhD, you were also suspected of being a communist, Johnson said.

Basically in the late 40s and early 50s, if you were a black intellectual with a PhD, you were also suspected of being a communist. Jeh Johnson

Now Johnson sees uncomfortable parallels to the animus and distrust that many Muslim Americans face for the terrorist actions of a few.

We always risk a fundamental misunderstanding of who is an individual of suspicion and who should be subject to government surveillance, Johnson said.

The issue is resonant because Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has made suspicion of Muslims a centerpiece of his campaign.

Trump has not only called for banning all foreign Muslims from entering the United States. After a gunman who pledged loyalty to Islamic State killed 49 people on June 12 in Orlando, Fla., he said that many American Muslims and mosques knowingly protect terrorists.

Court records show that since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Muslim clerics, family members, friends and others have repeatedly called the FBI to report suspicions, or have agreed to work as informants.

In fact, a member of Orlando gunman Omar Mateens mosque had told FBI agents the security guard was a fan of jihadist videos. The FBI dropped the case after interviewing Mateen. Two years later, he attacked the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

Johnson has voiced strong support for police after gunmen killed eight officers and wounded a dozen others this month in Dallas and Baton Rouge. But he also says he understands how a rash of police shootings of unarmed black men in several communities has sparked public outrage.

Ive had my share of unpleasant encounters with law enforcement when I was much younger, he said on CNN this month. But, he added, incidents of profiling, of excessive force, are not a reflection of the larger law enforcement community.... I think we have to remember that, especially now that tensions are so high.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson before a press conference on the recent police shootings across the country at One Police Plaza on July 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images )

Johnson travels every few months to meet Muslim leaders around the country, usually in private. He asks them to help authorities identify potential threats in their communities, and he often describes his grandfathers torment to show he understands how innocent people can be harmed when fear, fueled by politics, sweeps the nation.

This is not an effort to enable us to spy in mosques, Johnson said. The U.S. government cannot and should not be everywhere, and so it is incumbent on community leaders, neighbors and others to help us in these efforts.

Its a carefully calibrated appeal, and it doesnt always work.

On May 3, Johnson made his pitch to about 30 Muslim clerics and community leaders in a drab conference room in Philadelphia. He sought their help battling extremist calls to violence, asking them to report loved ones and friends who might try to join Islamic State or even launch their own attacks.

Why single out Muslims, a cleric from a mosque in West Philadelphia objected. What about the non-Muslim gunmen who have attacked U.S. schools, churches and movie theaters?

Johnson nodded, and told them that his wife, Susan, had received emails from a neighbor in Montclair, N.J., where they have a house. The neighbor warned that hed seen a Muslim-looking person riding a bicycle on their street.

My wife responded, Thank you very much. Thats my son. Hes home from college. Thank you for your interest in national security, Johnson told them.

The group laughed  but kept pressing.

A woman in a yellow and green headscarf said authorities had visited the home of a local 14-year-old after he searched Islamic State on a high school computer. A man said his 4-year-old son, Abdullah, was questioned at an airport checkpoint because the childs name was similar to someone on the terrorist watch list.

As an African American whose ancestors were the subject of discrimination in law and in fact, I appreciate and understand, I think, the discrimination you face, Johnson said.

As an African American whose ancestors were the subject of discrimination in law and in fact, I appreciate and understand the discrimination you face.

Sometimes Johnson reaches deeper into his family history.

His great-grandfather, Charles H. Johnson, was born into slavery in 1860, was freed three years later with the Emancipation Proclamation, graduated college by 23 and spent 42 years as a Baptist minister in Bristol, Va.

When youre the Baptist preacher in a black community in southwest Virginia [at that time], very often you were the preacher, you were the therapist, you were the marriage counselor, you were the estate planner, and every once in a while you had to break up a lynching, he said.

Johnsons grandfather grew up in the preachers house, surrounded by books and Bibles and the threat of mob violence that governed race relations in the post-Reconstruction South.

He would go on to earn a doctorate in sociology and spend his life writing about race in America. During World War I, he served as a volunteer in a segregated infantry unit that battled through France and Belgium.

After the war, he finished his studies at the University of Chicago and survived the 1919 race riots that left 38 people dead. He wrote an influential sociological study of the riots that closely examined race relations in Chicago.

His report helped lay an academic foundation for future integration policies and propelled Johnson to prominence among sociologists and in black intellectual circles.

Jeh Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, waits to swear in immigrants during a naturalization ceremony in New York. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images )

Working at the National Urban League in New York City in the 1920s, he organized dinners that introduced white publishers and critics to emerging black writers.

One of his events, in March 1924, was attended by Eugene ONeill, H.L. Mencken, and W.E.B. Du Bois, among others, and is considered by some scholars as the coming-out party of the Harlem Renaissance.

Jeh Johnsons first name honors a tribal chief who helped his grandfather during a visit to Liberia for the League of Nations in 1930. He was investigating a government-sanctioned slave trade.

Johnson, 58, never met his grandfather, who died of a heart attack in 1956 at age 63. A friend at the time blamed his death on the strain from a single decision he made following years of anti-communist badgering.

Charles Johnson had caved to pressure a few months earlier to fire a white mathematics professor and civil rights activist named Lee Lorch, who would not deny being a communist.

Johnson had stood by Lorch for five years. He finally concluded that keeping Lorch on the faculty at Fisk put the universitys future in jeopardy.

Jeh Johnson thinks often about his grandfathers choice between bad options, like the dilemmas he sometimes faces in trying to prevent terrorist attacks.

When you are in a leadership role concerning a very difficult, emotional, polarizing issue, you can rarely occupy a purist position, he said.

In my grandfathers case he decided he had to do what he thought was right for the school, he said. So I totally understand that and I can appreciate how stressful it was.

Two days after his visit to Nashville, Johnson got an email from a funeral director he had met at the cemetery.

Thank you for all you do for me and the country, the message read. Attached were four photos of his grandfathers headstone, freshly cleaned, the blurred letters made clear again.

brian.bennett@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @ByBrianBennett

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Professor Marcia Langton, a descendant of the Yiman and Bidjara Nations, has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to tertiary education and advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Professor Langton is an associate provost at the University of Melbourne and held its foundation chair of Australian Indigenous Studies since 2000. She studied anthropology at the Australian National University, where she was the first Indigenous honours graduate in that field. She went on to work for the Central Land Council, the Cape York Land Council and for the 1989 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Marcia Langton. Credit:Arsineh Houspian

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She has been instrumental in the path towards constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians: she was a member of the expert panel on the subject and is co-chair of the senior advisory group canvassing design options for an Indigenous advisory body to government.
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El Paso, Texas - Tuesday, federal authorities served a temporary restraining order upon Fort Davis, Texas, resident Marc White Eagle Travalino in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The restraining order was issued on Monday, June 1, 2020, by United States District Judge David Counts of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and was unsealed Tuesday.

The government filed the civil action in order to stop Travalino from committing mail and wire fraud by peddling fraudulent remedies for a host of diseases and medical conditions, including COVID-19, through his business and his website, whiteeaglenativeherbs.net. According to court records, Travalino sells product that he claims are proven to work and destroy coronavirus. In fact, there are no drugs or other therapeutics that have been demonstrated to cure or prevent COVID-19.

When sellers falsely promise cures for serious diseases, they put the public health at risk, said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The Department of Justice is committed to preventing fraudsters from exploiting this pandemic.

After guaranteeing an undercover special agent that his hospitalized grandmother would not die from COVID-19 if given the medicine, Travalino allegedly sold the agent a treatment for COVID-19 on May 5, 2020. On May 14, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent Travalino a warning letter requiring him to cease and desist sales of unapproved and unproven products related to COVID-19 cures and treatments. But almost a week after he was warned to stop, Travalino again sold his fraudulent COVID-19 treatments to another undercover agent.

Todays action will shutter Travalinos business and website immediately while this investigation continues. In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.

The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:

Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.

Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use cdc.com or cdc.org instead of cdc.gov.

Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.

Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.

Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.

Ignore offers from suspicious sources for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you wont hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.

Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.

Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like CDC or government in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.

Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Dont send money through any of these channels.

Be cautious of investment opportunities tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small companys products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Eddie Castillo and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Divisions Consumer Protection Branch. The FBIs El Paso Field Office and the FDAs Office of Criminal Investigations are conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.


An international team of scientists has successfully decoded ancient DNA from animal skin on which some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were written.

The first of the 2000 year old religious documents were found in 1947 in a cave near Qumran, about 20 kilometers east of Jerusalem. Scientists since have gathered more than 25,000 pieces of writing on skin and ancient paper in the caves and other sites in the Judean Desert.

The University of Tel Aviv, the Israeli government and experts from Uppsala University in Sweden and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City carried out DNA tests over seven years. They identified the kind of animal skins used for the documents. The finding will help experts to establish real scrolls from fakes.

Many experts believe the scrolls were made by a small Jewish group called the Essenes. The Essenes had separated from the more traditional Jewish religion and were very secretive.

However, other experts argue that several people from different groups wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. Those experts believe the scrolls were gathered together and put in the cave to keep them safe during a time of conflict.

The DNA tests show that the animal skin used for the writings was mainly from sheep common to the desert area. But, there were also some cow skin documents. The scientists say this suggests some documents may have been created in a city like Jerusalem, where cow raising was more common. Jews built a major religious center in the then Roman-ruled city around 2,500 years ago.

The biological material of which the scrolls are made, is as telling and as informative as the content of the text, said researcher Noam Mizrahi. He is a professor of Bible studies at Tel Aviv University.

Study at the DNA laboratory in Uppsala showed the two versions of the document called the Book of Jeremiah were on cow skin. The scientists say the finding shows that these two documents were brought to Qumran from outside. They say the different versions also suggest that the understanding of Jewish religious writings differed.

Mizrahi said the Jewish community during the Second Temple appears to have been more diverse in religious understanding than researchers once thought.

The team of scientists tested extremely small pieces, even dust, of the scrolls. They say the same process could be used in the future to identify fake scrolls, like those found at The Museum of the Bible in Washington. Museum officials removed the documents in 2018, after discovering they were false.

Im Susan Shand.

The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

decode - v. to figure out an unknown language or system

fake - adj. not real, a copy

text  n. the written words
The police command in Benue has confirmed the attack on three communities in Guma Local Government area by suspected armed herders.

Confirming the attack to journalists on Sunday in Makurdi, the commands Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said the attack happened on Saturday night.

She said that the command had yet to establish the number of casualties in the onslaught.

Ms Anene, however, said that normalcy had been restored in the affected communities by troops of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), who repelled the attack.

Efforts to get reactions from Adeyemi Yekini, the Force Commander, OPWS, however, failed, as he referred all inquiries to the Information Directorate, Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

One of the locals, who simply gave his name as Jonah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone that the attackers had invaded three villages in the local government area.

Mr Jonah named the villages as Torkula, Kponko and Kaseyo, all in Mbadwem council ward.

He said that the invaders stormed the villages and started shooting in all directions, thereby killing people and injuring others in the process.

As soon as the troops of the OPWS heard about the attack, they swiftly went on the trail of the invaders and sighted them in the bush.

In fact, there was a fierce exchange of gunfire between the troops of the OPWS and the armed herdsmen during which five of the herdsmen were killed, but with no casualty on the side of the troops, the source said.

(NAN)
The Union health ministry has issued a draft notification to allow import and manufacturing of certain unapproved drugs on compassionate grounds in small volumes based on a prescription from a medical institution. The move is aimed at making experimental drugs for treating coronavirus disease (Covid-19) accessible for severely-ill patients in India.

In the draft gazette notification issued on June 5, the health ministry amended the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, in consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, which advises the government on all drug-related matters.

Application for import of unapproved new drug for Compassionate use for treatment of patients by hospitals or and medical institution a medical officer of a hospital or medical institution may import new drug for compassionate use for treatment of patients suffering from life threatening disease or disease causing serious permanent disability or disease requiring therapy for unmet medical need, which has not been permitted in the country says the notification.

The rules will also be applicable to the manufacturing of such drugs in the country.

However, only those drugs will be allowed to be imported or manufactured that are under phase-III clinical trial either in India or in any other country. The medical superintendent of a hospital or head of a medical institution will have to certify an application before sending it to the central licensing authority for approval.

This rule already existed and was applied on a case to case basis... keeping the Covid situation in mind... the rules now have been amended to allow import or manufacture of an unproved drug to treat seriously-ill patients based on a prescription by the authority concerned, said an official in the drugs controllers office. The prescription will be given to manufacturer or importer who will attach it with the application for approval to the central drugs controller. Many drugs are being approved for trials and there may be a need to get these drugs to our patients.

The official said the condition related to phase-III the clinical trial is to have the safety and efficacy data in place, which is important to know when you are giving an experimental drug to a patient.

The rules will be applicable 15 days after the final draft is published in the gazette of India. As per protocol, we have to wait for a particular time for responses on the proposed amendment. If there is no objection, then the draft is finally gazette notified and implemented, the official said.

Drugs controller general of India, VG Somani, last week approved emergency use of Gilead Sciences Incs anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat Covid-19 patients.

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Several thousand Israelis demonstrated on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state.

Protesting in face masks and keeping their distance from each other under coronavirus restrictions, they gathered under the banner "No to annexation, no to occupation, yes to peace and democracy". Some waved Palestinian flags.

The protest was organised by left-wing groups and did not appear to be the start of a popular mass movement. Around half of Israelis support annexation, according to a recent opinion poll.

The organisers screened a video address by U.S. Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.

"It has never been more important to stand up for justice, and to fight for the future we all deserve," Sanders said. "Its up to all of us to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli."

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in a 1967 Middle East war.

Netanyahu has set July 1 as the date to begin advancing his plan to annex Israel's settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, hoping for a green light from Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a peace plan that includes Israel keeping its settlements and the Palestinians establishing a state under stringent conditions.

Palestinians have rejected the proposal and voiced outrage against Israel's proposed annexation.

Warning of possible violence and diplomatic repercussions, some European and Arab states, together with the United Nations, have urged Israel not to annex its settlements, regarded by many countries as illegal.
Athabasca Chipewayan Chief Allan Adam is shown in a handout photo. The chief of a northern Alberta First Nation is calling for the government to investigate after he alleges RCMP assaulted him during an arrest that he says began over a simple matter of expired registration tags on his truck. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Allan Adam MANDATORY CREDIT
Protests have erupted across the nation in wake of the unjust killing of George Floyd, who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25.

And actress Milla Jovovich, 44, took to Instagram on Saturday to announce that 'one of [her] favorite musicians' NoMBe was 'being evicted' from his Hollywood studio for sheltering protesters who were allegedly 'shot at by police' on June 1.

'[NoMBe] is being evicted because he let some kids who were protesting into his apartment the other night,' wrote the Resident Evil star, who shared the 29-year-old record producer's original post with her 3.6million followers.

Eviction: Milla Jovovich, 44, took to Instagram on Saturday to announce that 'one of [her] favorite musicians' NoMBe was 'being evicted' for sheltering protesters who were allegedly 'shot at by police' on June 1

Unjust: '[NoMBe] is being evicted because he let some kids who were protesting into his apartment the other night,' wrote the Resident Evil star, who shared the 29-year-old record producer's original post with her 3.6million followers; Milla pictured in 2019

According to NoMBe, 'after 5 years of working in this studio space and making countless records' there, he was unexpectedly 'given 30-days notice to move out.'

'Why? There have been several instances at which Ive let people spend the night in emergencies, the most recent being one of three boys who were shot at by police on Monday,' he explained in his post.

'Im not asking for a pity-party or anything, but I want to remind you to keep bringing awareness to what is happening to our people.

'This is your greatest gift to me. I will come out of all this strong AS F**K, so dont worry about me, but please please please keep learning and supporting,' concluded NoMBe.

Unexpected: According to NoMBe, 'after 5 years of working in this studio space and making countless records' there, he was unexpectedly 'given 30-days notice to move out'

Notice: According to NoMBe, 'after 5 years of working in this studio space and making countless records' there, he was unexpectedly 'given 30-days notice to move out'

He also shared an image of the eviction notice that he received that had '30-DAY NOTICE TO MOVE OUT' written at the top of it in bold lettering.

NoMBe - being African-American, himself - has been voicing his support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Instagram over the past week.

On Tuesday, he attended a police brutality protest held in Hollywood that brought together the LGBTQ+ community and the black community.

'I promised mama Id stay home, but I just cant... this is literally my street soooo technically Im home #peaceful #georgefloyd,' captioned NoMBe, who provided numerous clips and photos from the organized demonstration.

Black Lives Matter: NoMBe - being African-American, himself - has been voicing his support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Instagram over the past week; NoMBe pictured on Instagram on May 3

The first clip showed protesters walking with homemade signs in hand as they shouted 'peaceful protest.'

Other brief videos showcased the atmosphere of the demonstration, as well as the heavy police presence.

Though Jovovich has not appeared to have attended any of the protests being held across Los Angeles, she has been using her Instagram to spread accurate information pertaining to protest locations/resources and updates on the George Floyd murder case.

On May 29, Milla made a powerful statement when she took a selfie with an 'I Can't Breathe' sign in hand, while the names of various African-American victims of police brutality rested on the wall behind her.

The post came just four days after the senseless killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Taking it to the streets: On Tuesday, he attended a police brutality protest held in Hollywood that brought together the LGBTQ+ community and the black community

All on video: 'I promised mama Id stay home, but I just cant... this is literally my street soooo technically Im home #peaceful #georgefloyd,' captioned NoMBe, who provided numerous clips and photos from the organized demonstration

'These are just a few names of the many African Americans who have been murdered by our so called justice system. This needs to stop NOW. We need to re educate our police officers to weed the hateful ones out,' began the The Fifth Element actress.

'We need to demand for change in the way our government treats people of color. The War On Drugs needs to be ended. This epidemic of privatized mass incarceration needs to end. We need to treat others as we would like to be treated. End of story,' concluded Mila.

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.
What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

___________

Matt Ormond stood next to his wife, Sherri, as they both stared at the small space outside their restaurant, The Banner Bar & Grille on Friday morning.

A pair of parking spaces cut deep into the sidewalk in front of the bar. A tree occupies even more space outside. A ramp leading to a crosswalk on Pond Streets eats even more space.

As restaurants across Massachusetts prepare for Gov. Charlie Baker to usher the state into the second phase of his reopening plan on Saturday, which includes restaurants, the Banner Bar & Grille will remain closed.

Even with the city of Worcester allowing restaurants to obtain licenses to use sidewalks and parking lots for outdoor dining, Ormond projects he could fit two tables in the space.

It doesnt do anything, Ormond said. Im trying to weigh all options at this point.

The Banner Bar and Grille operated takeout for about three weeks after Baker prohibited dine-in service. With the cost associated with remaining open, it didnt make economic sense to continue, Ormond said.

The same is true for the start of phase two for his restaurant. Under the state guidelines restaurant can open only for outdoor dining with seats at least 6 feet apart. Worcester is allowing restaurants to obtain licenses to put tables on the sidewalk.

Still, for most restaurants on Green Street, that translates to about two tables.

Restaurants on Green Street in Worcester hope to expand outdoor dining beyond small sidewalks.

"Were kind of looking as a collective group, what can we do together to help us survive? said Nick Panarelli, who owns Bucks Whiskey and Burger Bar at the other end of Green Street. Because one or two tables really isnt going to be worth it.

Panarelli said the best-case scenario for him would be to have six tables outside. However, that would include sidewalk space on his neighbors property - who agreed to let Bucks use it. In reality, though, Panarelli anticipates only having three or four tables for outdoor dining.

Because our sidewalks are kind of narrow, theyre obviously very busy, were trying to figure alternative ways to really [help], maybe shut down part of the street, Panarelli said.

Ormond on Thursday brought the idea of closing Green Street for dining to city officials including Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edwards Augustus Jr. Ormond also introduced the idea to the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. As for Friday morning, he had not received a response.

Green Street in Worcester

At first Ormond pitched the idea as a temporary measure to help restaurants increase capacity during the pandemic, but he believes making it permanent during the summer would highlight the streets businesses.

The idea of closing Green Street could be beneficial to the city for years to come, Ormond said. It will offer a safer environment at this point, and down the road its going it will be more profitable. If the city wants to invest in [Polar Park], Green Street is right here.

Worcester officials have discussed possibly closing streets temporarily - for a day or two - to allow for restaurants to expand outdoor dining.

On Wednesday, the city released applications for restaurants to expand outdoor dining licenses to parking lots and sidewalks. As of Friday afternoon, the city said in a Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Zoom meeting that it had received more than 25 applications.

Concerns for businesses owners on Green Street extend beyond seating and into dining experience. Multiple business owners told MassLive that the homeless population along Green Street has created a concern that panhandling could occur near the sidewalk seating.

The Canal District, we have a very high homeless population. That brings in a problem if there are one or two tables out front, it makes it very easy to come up and ask for money, Panarelli said. As opposed to a crowd where everyone is putting four or five tables together, I think they may stay away from that. With one or two tables the last thing you want to do when youre trying to enjoy your meal outside is somebody try and come ask for money.

Buck's Burger and Whiskey Bar on Green Street in Worcester

The idea of a closing of Green Street would mimic the idea behind Jersey Street by Fenway Park in Boston. The short roadway is shut down only to pedestrian traffic before, during and after Red Sox games.

Sherri Ormond suggested the closure only occurring during the summer before normal traffic operations returned in the fall through spring.

Green Street is about three-tenths of a mile emptying from downtown on Francis J. McGrath Boulevard into the Canal District and running to Kelley Square.

It will be like having an old school festival. I think that would be really cool, Panarelli said. But right now were just trying to bring awareness to the fact that we cant survive on just two tables outside. If we can collectively work together as a community, that will [send a message] to the city that were already working together as a neighborhood and I think we can pull it off.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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Mumbai, June 7 : Maharashtra's Covid-19 fatalities shot past the 3,000 mark with 91 new deaths, while Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) fatalities zoomed above the 2,000 mark, even as 3,007 new cases - the second-highest single-day spike - ere reported across the state on Sunday, health officials said Sunday's deaths mark a two-digit toll after five consecutive days of deaths in excess of 100.

The previous highs of three-digit tolls were - 103 (June 2), 122 (June 3), 123 (June 4), 139 (June 5) and 120 (June 6).

Sunday's tally comes to roughly one death every 16 minutes, and an average of 125 new cases notched every hour in the state.

Maharashtra has been recording 75-plus fatalities and over 2,000 new patients for the past 13 days, with the single-day highest figure of 3,041 infections notched on May 24.

With the new fatalities, the state death toll has touched 3,060 while the total number of coronavirus patients increased to 85,975.

The Health Department said of the total number of cases declared till date, 43,591 were active cases, increasing by 991 over Saturday's 42,600.

The state, however, has recorded an encouraging recovery rate of 45.72 per cent and a mortality rate of 3.55 per cent.

Of Sunday's fatalities, 61 were recorded in Mumbai alone - taking the city death toll to 1,638 now, while the number of Covid-19 positive patients here shot up by 1,420 cases to touch 48,774 now.

Besides Mumbai's 61 deaths - besides one person from West Bengal - there were nine fatalities in Thane (Ulhasnagar, Mira-Bhayander), eight in Solapur, six in Pune, two in Kolhapur and one each in Palghar, Nashik, Jalna and Akola.

The victims comprised 64 men and 27 women and nearly 74 per cent of them suffered from other serious ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems and asthma.

On the positive side, a total of 1,924 fully cured patients returned home on Sunday, taking the number of those discharged from 37,390 to 39,314 now.

Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray and Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal inspected a new 950-bed Covid-19 hospital with 650 ICU beds coming up at the Dahisar Toll Post on Mumbai's north-west border.

The MMR (Thane Division) continued to cause grave concerns with 71 new Covid-19 deaths taking its toll overshoting the 2,000 mark to touch 2,064, while the positive cases rose to 64,714.

Though trailing a distant third after MMR, Pune Division fatalities touched 537, besides 11,678 patients.

Since June 1, Thane district with 13,014 cases and 331 fatalities, has zoomed past Pune district which has 9,705 patients and 406 deaths.

The next major region of concern is Nashik Division with 231 deaths and 3,051 positive cases, followed by Aurangabad Division with 99 fatalities and 2,444 cases, and Akola Division with 61 deaths and 1,328 cases.

Latur Division has reported 15 deaths and 485 cases, Kolhapur Division 22 deaths and 1,264 patients, and finally, Nagpur Division with 12 deaths and 938 cases.

Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home quarantine increased to 558,463, while those in institutional quarantine went down by 594 to 28,504 now.

In another relieving news for patients, there are as many as 77,654 beds currently available for Covid-19 quarantine in the state.

The state's containment zones increased from 3,603 to 3,654 on Sunday while 18,515 health teams have fanned out around the state to survey a population of around 69.60 lakh till date.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Central Body of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Sunday said that fall in the net direct tax collection for the financial year 2019-20 was "on expected lines and is temporary in nature". The tax authority said that decline in direct tax collection was "due to historic tax reforms" undertaken by the government and "much higher refunds" issued during the last fiscal.

During FY20, the revenue impact of tax reforms due to cutting of corporate tax was Rs 1.45 lakh crore, Rs 23,200 crore for the Personal Income Tax (PIT). Among others, the collection was also affected by income tax exemption for individuals earning up to Rs 5 lakh and an increase in the standard deduction.

Adding to it, total refunds of Rs 1.84 lakh crore was given as compared to Rs 1.61 lakh crore in FY19, a year-on-year growth of 14 per cent. The tax body further stated the buoyancy in the collection of direct taxes, which consist of corporate taxes and personal income taxes, has remained positive in 2019-20, resulting in an increase in the gross tax collection as compared to 2018-19.

"Therefore, by removing the effect of the extraordinary and historic tax reform measures and higher issuance of refunds during the FY 2019-20, the buoyancy of total gross direct tax collection comes to 1.12 and almost 1 for Corporate Tax and 1.32 for Personal Income Tax. These buoyancies indicate that the growth trajectories of both the arms of direct taxes, i.e., Corporate Tax and PIT are intact and are rising steadily," the CBDT said.

The higher growth rate in direct taxes as compared to the growth rate in the GDP even in these challenging times proves that recent efforts for the widening of the tax base undertaken by the Government are yielding results, it added.

The CBDT issued this statement in response to media reports that claimed that the growth of direct taxes collection for the FY20 has fallen drastically and buoyancy of the tax collection as compared to the GDP growth has reached negative.

"There are reports in a certain section of media that the growth of direct taxes collection for the FY 2019-20 has fallen drastically and buoyancy of the direct tax collection as compared to the GDP growth has reached negative. These reports do not portray the correct picture regarding the growth of direct taxes," the CBDT said.

Gross direct tax collections declined to Rs 12.33 lakh crore in FY20, compared to Rs 12.97 lakh crore in the corresponding period of FY20.

The CBDT asserted that in spite of the tax reforms, the investment has not been picking up is not correct and is without an appreciation of the reality of the business world. "The setting up of new manufacturing facilities requires various preliminary steps like the acquisition of land, construction of factory sheds, setting up of offices and other infrastructures, etc. These activities cannot be completed in just a few months and the manufacturing plants cannot start manufacturing goods from the next day of the announcement of reforms," it said.

The government had announced tax reforms in September 2019 and the results were expected to be visible in the next few months and in years to come. The outbreak of COVID-19, may further delay this process but the growth in production due to these tax reforms is bound to happen and cannot be stopped, the CBDT said.

"The government is committed to providing a hassle-free direct tax environment with moderate tax rate and ease of compliance to the taxpayers and also to stimulate the growth by reforming the direct taxes system," it added.

Also Read: Unlock 1.0: Delhi to open borders from tomorrow, says Arvind Kejriwal

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: China's exports shrink 3.3% in May; import plunges to 16.7%
With Under Armour's (NYSE:UA)(NYSE:UAA) sales pressured by the COVID-19 pandemic, investors may be wondering whether the company can recover in the aftermath.

But at least one form of effective investing is finding out of favor companies that still hold tremendous potential. Even before the lockdowns, Under Armour had been struggling for several years, but there are some encouraging signs that there's value yet in the business. Here are three signs that a turnaround might be somewhere around the corner.

Customers are engaged

Under Armour's initial success came from truly innovative products for the athlete. This is still the company's sweet spot, but the advent of athleisure has pulled away a lot of potential customers and handed them to rivals such as Nike and Lululemon. But when customers were forced to stay indoors for a long time, they returned to the fitness expert.

Under Armour maneuvered its new slogan, "The only way is through," to address the current atmosphere as "Through this together." It leveraged its celebrity endorsements to create virtual social events, curated virtual fitness programs, launched a healthy at home fitness challenge, and offered free stuff to engage customers. Since the middle of March, when people first began to stay at home, new app users have almost tripled, increasing 275%.

The record for the number of "MapMyRun" workouts offered through the company's Connected Fitness program has been broken six times, and the Connected Fitness business was up 9%. The connected footwear business is also up with workouts increasing 200% year over year. These numbers should give Under Armour some direction as it plans for the future.

Under Armour is leaning into digital and seeing success

While other companies have been seeing fantastic shifts to digital and e-commerce, particularly Nike, whose digital sales increased 36% year over year in its fiscal third quarter (ended Feb. 29), Under Armour's journey to digital has been more moderate. In 2017, before Under Armour started to lose its brand cachet, it had the largest fitness community in the world. But the company didn't convert its community into sales.

CEO Patrik Frisk said during the first-quarter conference call: "With respect to the emerging shift in consumer behavior, this is a unique time to sharpen our digital knowledge by converting real-time data and analytics to drive brand interest and consideration within our largest categories of training and running." The ideal time to make the push into digital is now.

Although sales were sharply down in the first quarter, there were increased digital sales and improved digital performance in North America, the company's toughest and largest market. The digital segment, and really the business overall, is seeing gains with women, and the company is leveraging that popularity, introducing new technically advanced apparel and other products to target the fitness-minded female.

The company has been moving into digital operationally as well. Digital is enhancing its ability to execute, especially now that management is working remotely. It's also moving toward virtual modeling and sampling, which eases the pressure on the supply chain and allows for a more agile and precise inventory system.

New and improved management

There have been news reports about mismanagement at Under Armour under the leadership of founder Kevin Plank, and perhaps the company got too big too fast. He handed over the reins to Patrik Frisk in 2019, and the new CEO has been able to stabilize and restructure operations successfully.

Frisk has been using data analytics to make better planning and inventory decisions, which helped the team make quick adjustments to its supply plans when COVID-19 first hit China, reducing the negative effects of the outbreak. Most importantly, despite a hostile sales environment on top of already problematic sales trends, Under Armour has been able to keep enough cash on hand to stay liquid throughout store closures. It ended the first quarter with $959 million, of which it still had $700 million as of May 11, and with stores mostly reopened, it appears to have weathered the storm intact.

Under Armour is still a risky stock while in this transition period, but it's a worthwhile bet for investors who believe the company can overcome its recent inertia and become a leading apparel retailer once again.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With New York City set to begin Phase 1 of its reopening plan Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was cautiously looking toward the second phase.

Phase 1 will include the reopening of several industries, including construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, limited retail service, manufacturing and wholesale trade. Businesses allowed to reopen -- including some small retailers across Staten Island -- will have to adhere to state-mandated physical distancing, protective equipment, hygiene and cleaning, and communication and screening guidelines.

Officials estimate between 200,000 and 400,000 people will return to work Monday.

As of Saturday, the city Health Department reported 72 new hospital admissions for suspected coronavirus, which falls below the citys threshold of 200, while the percentage of residents who tested positive for the virus was 4%, which falls below the 15% threshold needed to reopen.

Should there be no setbacks during Phase 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his daily press conference Sunday that the city could enter the second phase by early July.

While most other regions across the state have been allowed to enter Phase 2 two weeks after initially reopening, Theres some X-factors here that are causing some pause," de Blasio said.

We are not like the other regions of the state. We were the epicenter and we remain the epicenter of this disease in this state, the mayor said. Our reopening is much more complex than any other part of the state. Theres a reason why we were the last to go to Phase 1.

The mayor said if the indicators remain favorable, Phase 2 could be approved earlier than July, but that if officials dont like what we see, were gonna slow down the pace.
The Geisel Library at UC San Diego, which hosts the largest number of Chinese international students in the University of California system. (Erik Jepsen / UC San Diego Publications)

President Trump's recent decision to halt entry of some Chinese graduate students to the U.S. is sowing broad anxiety, particularly in California, as universities fear they could lose an essential source of research talent.

U.S. officials say that Trump's order, which took effect last week, is aimed at safeguarding national security by barring Chinese graduate students and researchers associated with institutions deemed to support China's "military-civil fusion strategy." That strategy, the order says, involves Chinese efforts to acquire foreign technologies to advance China's military capabilities.

In a news briefing last week, State Department officials stressed that Chinese students and scholars pursuing legitimate studies here would continue to be welcomed and that the order will affect only a small number who could be used by the People's Liberation Army to divert or steal sensitive technologies.

"American universities and research laboratories should not be used to contribute to PRC goals of military dominance," a State Department representative said.

University officials say that concern about Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property is legitimate.

Arthur Bienenstock, a Stanford University professor emeritus of photon science and special assistant to the university president for federal research policy, said it was appropriate for federal officials to limit the entry of suspect scholars since universities are ill equipped to screen them.

But universities are deeply concerned that the order could lead to vast overreach, wrongly shutting out students whose work is non-military, openly published and critical to American research efforts in fields ranging from climate change to energy storage.

Trumps crackdown, they say, could drive away top Chinese scholars and jeopardize the kind of open international collaboration that has been a hallmark of higher education in the U.S., contributing to world-class research and scientific progress.

Story continues

Universities are waiting for more details on the order from the Trump administration, including which Chinese universities will be covered by a visa ban, but a State Department official said a list would not be published "anytime soon."

If the list is narrowly drawn to include only institutions directly tied to the military  analogous to West Point in the United States  the impact would be relatively small, Bienenstock said.

But Susan Shirk, a leading China expert with UC San Diegos School of Global Policy and Strategy, said she and others fear that federal officials could include all universities that receive any funding from the Chinese military, which would potentially sweep in far more students. That would be akin to targeting the many top U.S. research universities that receive Pentagon funding, almost exclusively for non-classified research, she said.

"We're concerned about a slippery slope here," Shirk said. "I'm definitely concerned that it would very much discourage talented Chinese students from doing graduate work or research at American universities, which would be very counterproductive from the standpoint of our scientific and technological innovation."

Shirk and Bienenstock are working with China experts, scientists and others to craft a plan on how to protect U.S. science and technology without jeopardizing America's hallmark academic openness. Ideas include banning members of the Chinese military from studying here, better training of all international researchers on U.S. research protocols, including conflicts of interest, and robust prosecution of those who violate them.

China has been the largest source of international students to the United States for 10 consecutive years, according to the Institute of International Education. In 2018-19, students from China numbered 369,548  about 34% of all international students  and California was their top destination.

USC was the leading host campus, but the 10-campus University of California system enrolled about 38% of the state's 68,072 Chinese international students, who primarily attended San Diego, Irvine, Davis, Berkeley and UCLA.

The order does not apply to undergraduates, who make up the vast majority of Chinese international students, or those pursuing fields not likely to contribute to China's military advancement. Federal officials have said that areas of concern include artificial intelligence and advanced materials and manufacturing.

Nox Yang, a sophomore from China who is studying sociology and film at UCLA, knows she won't be directly affected by the order. But that doesn't make her rest any easier.

She said the new ban adds to mounting stress among Chinese students exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis. Students are feeling isolated, far from supportive family and familiar surroundings, have recoiled at Trump's references to "the Chinese virus" and are concerned by the rise of anti-Asian hostility triggered by the pandemic.

"It sends out a message: now we are targeting Chinese students," Yang said. "When I came to the United States, I was imagining a country that is open, inclusive and welcoming, but I'm really disappointed."

Another UCLA student, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, said he and many of his Chinese friends were drawn to the United States by renowned professors, advanced labs and potentially better job prospects than in China. But that is changing, he said, as the political climate toward China gets dicier and visas are no longer assured.

"This policy is very unfriendly to Chinese international students," said the student, who asked for anonymity to avoid retaliation. "It will hurt their confidence in the U.S. and they may choose to attend graduate schools in Europe, Japan or other places."

UC student leaders have condemned Trump's order. "The Trump Administration has provided no credible evidence to justify this unprecedented crackdown on international students," said the statement by UC Student Assn. President Varsha Sarveshwar and UC Graduate and Professional Council President Connor Strobel.

And Asian American civil rights groups have accused the Trump administration of scapegoating their scholars with unfair racial profiling.

"It's the new Chinese Exclusion Act," said Stewart Kwoh, founder of Asian Americans Advancing Justice  Los Angeles, referring to the 1882 law that barred Chinese immigration to the United States.

The Trump proclamation marks the latest crackdown on Chinese students and scholars. In California, UC campuses from San Diego to Berkeley are reporting that Chinese students and scholars are encountering visa delays, federal scrutiny over their research activities, and new restrictions on collaboration with China and Chinese companies .

Last month, UC President Janet Napolitano and all 10 chancellors sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, asking them to ensure that student visas "are not affected by future executive action" and that visa interviews proceed so students can start their academic programs on time.

Trump, however, caught university officials off guard with his May 29 order that directs the State Department to deny new visas and revoke existing ones for suspect students.

David Ware, an immigration attorney, told a UC Irvine webinar Thursday that a visa revocation should not affect students' permission to study here, just bar reentry should they leave the country.

UCLA and UC San Diego officials say their campuses have not seen a drop in Chinese international students planning to attend this fall, although final enrollments will not be known for months.

Among UCLA's 3,300 Chinese students, nearly half of them are graduate or professional students, according to 2019-20 figures. Those pursuing advanced degrees make up about 35% of 5,617 Chinese students at UC San Diego.

"Chinese students, like many of our students ... bring tremendous intellectual power to the institution, make great contributions to the research effort," said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. "To the extent possible, we'd like to keep open borders and maintain a rich sort of global presence in our student body ... recognizing that we do understand there are security issues and we have to be mindful of those."

Times staff writer Don Lee contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 20:14:34|Editor: huaxia

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DUBLIN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's trade surplus plunged by nearly 84 percent in the first quarter (Q1) of this year mainly due to a sharp rise in its service trade deficit, according to the latest figures released by the country's Central Statistics Office (CSO).

In Q1, Ireland reported a trade surplus of 5.1 billion euros (about 5.76 billion U.S. dollars), a decrease of 25.8 billion euros or down by 83.5 percent when compared with the 30.9-billion-euro surplus recorded in the same period last year.

The drastic drop in the country's trade surplus is mainly due to a sharp rise in its service trade deficit, showed the CSO figures.

Ireland's service trade deficit stood at 29.3 billion euros in Q1, more than 23 times larger than the 1.2-billion-euro deficit recorded in the corresponding period of last year.

In Q1, Ireland's service imports were valued at 80.8 billion euros while its service exports amounted to 51.5 billion euros.

In the same period, Ireland exported around 59.4 billion euros worth of goods while its goods imports were valued at 25 billion euros, with a goods trade surplus of 34.4 billion euros, according to the CSO. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Amy Discount & Ryan Unger

They spent a multitude of summers at Margate Shore houses six blocks apart without ever meeting. Three simultaneous years at Penn State Main didnt do it, either  even though her sorority sisters are his Archbishop Ryan High School classmates.

But in June 2017, a dating app algorithm succeeded where real life had failed, introducing Amy and Ryan and leading to their first date at Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. There, they discovered how close their paths had come without crossing and found that knowing so many of the same people and places made them instantly comfortable.

Amy, a Yardley native who is now 33, was drawn to his wit and the silly side of his humor that really blossoms when its just the two of them. He makes me laugh all day long.

Ryan admired her authenticity, and the confident way shes exactly herself no matter who else is in the room. There is no front. She is always nice, said Ryan, now 35. She is a friendly, fun human being.

For Amy, meeting Ryan was a bright spot in a very dark time: Her brother had cancer. He was dying. Amy worried her new relationship would not hold up beneath news so heavy, but she had to tell Ryan what was happening.

Im so sorry, Ryan told her. Im here for you. And then he was.

Amys brother, Brian, died from melanoma on Aug. 16, 2017  three months after Amy and Ryan started dating. Listen, she said at dinner the following week. I want to talk about him every day. I just want him to be a part of my everyday life.

Ryan, who had lost a beloved aunt to cancer at 45, didnt hesitate. I want that, too, he said.

Amy teaches fifth grade at Manor Elementary in the Pennsbury School District. When they met, Ryan, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia, was a film industry production assistant. He lived in Los Angeles from 2008 to 2016, then moved home, worked on films here, in New York, or wherever he was needed, and stayed with family members  that is, until things got serious with Amy.

In September 2017, she bought a condo in Holland, Bucks County. After that Thanksgiving, Ryan, who was there most of the time anyway, left the city  a move thats gotten much easier since his best friend now lives less than two miles away.

A lot happens down the Shore

The couple continues to spend much of their summers in Margate.

Last year, Amys family decided to hold their annual Brian J. Discount Melanoma Fund benefit  which raises money for melanoma research at Penn  at Maynards Cafe in August. Amy and Ryan headed down the morning before to enjoy a lazy, rainy beach day of naps and TV watching. It was raining so hard that Amys mother dropped the two off at the restaurant where they were having dinner.

We had a bottle of wine and a full loaf of bread. I ate a full bowl of pasta, and a cannoli. I told Ryan I couldnt wait to get home to put on my sweatpants, Amy remembered.

Walking up the stairs to the house, Ryan asked her to wait on those sweats just a little longer.

I have something for you, he said.

He handed her a seashell. On the front was a hand-painted sleeve of french fries bearing a Flyers logo  a reference to the repeating line from a poem Amys brother wrote in the fifth grade: I am a Flyers fan who loves french fries.

This poem hung on Amys late grandmothers wall. Her fathers best friend, who was Brians godfather, read it at Brians funeral.

Ryan knew the image would evoke Brian for Amy. She loved his gift even before he asked her to turn the shell over, where she saw the words, Will you marry me?

Ryan knelt on the porch, Amy said some version of yes neither of them remembers, and he handed her a ring.

Amys turn to be supportive

About a year ago, Ryan faced a transition bigger than city to burbs, or even L.A. to Philly. Becoming a film producer was his goal, and he hadnt reached it. He loved the work he was doing, but it wasnt conducive to having the family he wanted, not in terms of time or money. Still, it was hard to let go  film work was a piece of his identity. It was a scary Band-Aid to pull, he said. I was probably not always a friendly person then. We had many conversations about it.

Amy was patient and sympathetic, and supported him as he figured things out.

In December 2019, Ryan pulled off the Band-Aid, and this past January, he landed a new job: Hes a technical recruiter for RX2 Solutions, based in Plymouth Meeting. Im definitely glad I did it, he said.

Amy brags on him a bit: Hes a rock star! His bosses have made mention of it many times, its very impressive.

The wedding can wait

The couple had planned to marry next weekend  June 13  with a ceremony and a big bash for 300 at the Warrington. In March, when COVID-19 required them to hunker down at home, and Amy began sharing Ryans at-home office space to teach virtually, they didnt think about changing their most-important-ever summer plan. But by mid-April, they decided they would rather postpone the wedding than to leave anyone out of what would likely need to be a much smaller gathering.

Disappointing or inconveniencing guests who had already made plans was their biggest concern, but the people on the other end of every phone call were relieved, Amy said.

The wedding has been rescheduled for the first weekend date the venue, their DJ, and their photographer were available: Jan. 16, 2021.

We didnt want to settle for a Thursday or a Sunday  we were trying to make a party out of this, Ryan said. Hopefully, by January, this will be something everybody can look forward to, Amy said.

Amy admits she kind of hopes the weather is miserable on their abandoned wedding date. But she and Ryan agree that delaying their wedding for safetys sake and even the stress and worry that comes with living through this pandemic have not been as difficult as previous challenges theyve come through together.

People have said if we can get through COVID-19 and socially isolating together, we can get through anything, Amy said. But weve already gone through tons of very hard things together that have already proven the strength of our relationship.
Signalling a peaceful resolution to the border standoff between India and China, military commanders from both countries have agreed to resolve the issue in eastern Ladakh in accordance with bilateral pacts.

The decision was taken during high-level military talks on Saturday to diffuse tensions between the two nations in mountainous eastern Ladakh.

"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 tranquillity in the India-China border regions are essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the MEA said in a statement.

Military commanders from both sides held a Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in the Chushul sector.

China deceives India in Ladakh; mobilises forces on mud trucks

"Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship," the MEA said.

"Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas," it said.

India-China row: Chinese fighters fly close to Ladakh, India keeps a close eye
Representative image

Keralas liquor sales policy  which at the best of times is bad  seems to have crossed the line. In its greed to generate much-needed revenue to run the state, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government seems to have hurt (not killed, at least not yet) its golden goose  the sale of alcohol. Exorbitant taxes and the increasing societal disdain for alcohol consumption seems to have taken things to a precipice.

Since March 24, when the national lockdown was announced, and until recently, alcohol vends across the state were shut. It was expected that once the Kerala State Beverages Corporation outlets or BEVCOs opened, there would be a rush. However, this rush is fast petering out. Either the average Keralite with a huge yen for drinking has lost that urge or is happy elsewhere.

There are various factors that have contributed to this lull in sales; some are, a flawed sales approach, social stigma, and, most importantly, high taxes.

The hassles of a flawed sales plan, based on the cumbersome BevQ App as the only way to buy liquor, has demolished the myth that liquor sale in Kerala needs rationing. The argument here seems to be that if the supply of subsidised food grains and oil through ration shops could be done without an e-pass, why have it for the sale of liquor?

Another factor is the stigma from the morality brigade striding social and political platforms, and, of course, faith groups.

The response from a good number of the 867 new retail outlets, 576 bar-attached hotels and 291 beer parlours, has been lukewarm, given the low sales figures and 10 percent margin charged by the State-owned Kerala State Beverages Corporation. The damage seems to have been done by further increasing the tax rate to an unrealistic 247 percent.

Adding serious insult to grievous injury has been the attitude of the police towards customers lining up to buy liquor. There have been several instances where BEVCO outlets have witnessed police highhandedness. Perhaps the sale of liquor is the only sector where customer experience, service and satisfaction is not a concern.

Heavy Hitters

Clearly, there can be no argument over the financial muscle that this customer-base can flex. In 2018-19, the turnover from the sale of liquor in Kerala stood at over Rs 14,500 crore and the revenue earned by way of tax was in excess of Rs 12,400 crore.

Not many business world over can fetch these kinds of returns. Not even the central government, much demonised for hiking excise duty till it exceeded the basic product cost, can hold a candle to the current rate of tax for alcohol in Kerala. Keralas 247 percent tax is reminiscent of customs duty rates in the pre-liberalisation years.

Kerala, ruled for decades by the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), has improvised on Bruce Yandles economic theory of Bootleggers and Baptists to an art form of pristine purity. The concept puts focus on regulations that thrive on account of support from groups that seek to impose restrictions and those who stand to gain monetarily by undermining these regulations. Here the politicians make the play, pretending to keep both groups happy.

In Kerala, the LDF and the UDF have not only benefited from ostensibly appeasing both groups, but the government has taken over as the single-point distributor of liquor in Kerala. By this, it has usurped the role of bootlegger by devising newer ways to raise taxes on alcohol, and augment the largest and perennial tax base.

This duplicity is best evident in societys reaction to the sale and consumption of alcohol. Religious groups, especially Christian clergy, which condemn the spirits in Kerala, do not seem to hold the same standards in, say, Goa. Similarly, the Congress, which has fought one too many assembly elections on the promise of banning the sale of alcohol, does not have such delusions in Punjab, where it is in power.

Home Breweries

One of the reasons stated by the government for reopening liquor sales during a pandemic is that there could be multiple cases of suicide because of the non-availability of liquor. However, barring a few odd instances, there hasnt been a spurt in such cases.

One reason being talked about is that over the past two months there has been a rise in the number of mini breweries at homes  many under the supervision of the women at home who detest the idea of their men splurging hard-earned money at BEVCO outlets. On a lighter note it is being said that the men are being brought under a regime of supervised drinking with the women of the house taking up quality and quantity control.

All this evidently shows Keralas uneasy relationship with its tipplers. The State heavily depends on them to generate revenue, but will treat them with disdain. This has led to the current state where the frenetic activity expected is missing. Bars are not entirely deserted, but sale volumes are low. However, hoteliers have not given up hope. Meanwhile, the jury is still out on whether or not home brews will change Keralas alcohol consumption model.
iStock/traveler1116By: MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- After years of civil rights activists calling for the removal of Confederate monuments, they're falling like dominoes amid nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody.



Politicians on Thursday announced Confederate monuments will be removed from Indianapolis and from Richmond, Virginia. The news follows removals earlier this week in Alexandria, Virginia, and Birmingham, Alabama.



The statues, which honor soldiers and leaders on the losing side of the Civil War, are seen by many as symbols of racism and oppression.



That's why the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, will be removed, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday.



"The legacy of racism continues, not just in isolated incidents," Northam said. "The legacy of racism also continues as part of a system that touches every person and every aspect of our lives."



Those protesting Floyd's death and police brutality had gathered at the statue this week, chanting, "Tear it down!"



Mayor Joe Hogsett also acknowledged the current protests in the decision to remove a monument dedicated to Confederate soldiers who died at a prison camp in Indianapolis.



"Our streets are filled with voices of anger and anguish, testament to centuries of racism directed at Black Americans," he wrote on Twitter Thursday. "We must name these instances of discrimination and never forget our past -- but we should not honor them."



The grave monument was commissioned in 1912 and relocated to Garfield Park in 1928 following efforts by public officials active in the Ku Klux Klan to make it more visible, Hogsett said.



"Whatever original purpose this grave marker might once have had, for far too long it has served as nothing more than a painful reminder of our state's horrific embrace of the Ku Klux Klan a century ago," the mayor said. "For some time, we have urged that this grave monument belongs in a museum, not in a park, but no organization has stepped forward to assume that responsibility. Time is up, and this grave marker will come down."



Northam acknowledged that many residents won't support removing the Robert E. Lee statue, which was erected in 1890.



"I believe in a Virginia that studies its past in an honest way," said Northam, who signed legislation authorizing localities to remove Confederate statues in April. "When we learn more, when we take that honest look at our past, we must do more than just talk about the future -- we must take action."



The Rev. Robert Wright Lee, a descendent of Robert E. Lee, said he fully supports the monument's removal.



"We have a chance here today ... to say this will indeed not be our final moment and our final stand," Lee said at a press conference Thursday. "There are more important things to address than just a statue, but this statue is a symbol of oppression."



Northam said the monument will be removed as soon as possible and go into storage, with the community involved in determining its future.



The Richmond monument will join the fate of an Alexandria monument honoring Confederate soldiers that came down earlier this week.



"Some said this day would never come," Alexandria City Councilman John Chapman said on Facebook Tuesday. "The confederate statue at Appomattox is starting to be taken down. We, our community made this happen."



Also this week, a Confederate monument damaged in weekend protests was removed from a Birmingham park, local ABC News affiliate WBMA-TV reported.



Confederate monuments in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, also will be taken down, it was reported this week.



It was not just in the United States that statues that symbolized racism were taken down. In Bristol, United Kingdom, protesters tore down a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston. The protesters dragged the statue through the streets and then threw it into the river.



In Philadelphia, a target of protesters also came down this week. The controversial statue of former mayor Pete Rizzo near City Hall was removed on Wednesday, following vandalism. Many saw the statue of the former police commissioner as a symbol of police brutality.



"The statue represented bigotry, hatred, and oppression for too many people, for too long," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said on Twitter Wednesday. "It is finally gone."



ABC News' Dee Carden and Whitney Lloyd contributed to this report.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Chandigarh, June 7 : While asserting his government's total preparedness to handle the COVID crisis, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday made an impassioned appeal to the people to strictly adhere to the safety protocols and restrictions to save themselves, their families and the state.

Though the state had adequate essential equipment to manage any further spread of the pandemic, which it had been largely able to control so far, the Chief Minister said he did not wish the stocks to be pulled out of storage for use as his entire focus was on saving lives.

Responding to questions during the Facebook live edition of #AskCaptain, the Chief Minister said the COVID situation in Punjab had so far been manageable due to the strict lockdown imposed in the state and the cooperation of the people.

However, it had become essential now to ease some of the restrictions, but that did not mean that people could be allowed to violate the safety protocols, he said, terming as unfortunate the large number of violations being reported, forcing the police to take strict action.

Citing figures, Amarinder Singh said on Friday alone, 4,600 challans had been imposed for failure to wear mask in public, 160 for spitting, and around two dozen for not adhering to social distancing norms.

Such irresponsible behaviour could not be permitted as it could push Punjab on the same path as many other states in India, he warned, pointing out that with 2.5 per cent of the country's population, the state was currently contributing a mere 0.5 per cent of the COVID cases.

Terming the anti-COVID 'Mission Fateh' as the battle of the people of Punjab, the Chief Minister exhorted them to strictly follow medical advice to check the spread of the virus and to consult their doctors immediately in case of any symptoms of cough, body ache, fever, etc., to rule out the pandemic infection.

Amarinder Singh thanked the various noted personalities who had lent their support to 'Mission Fateh', saying the state would always remember their contribution to its fight against COVID.

Among the notable personalities are Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Sonu Sood, Milkha Singh, Kapil Dev, Yuvraj Singh, besides others.

Elaborating on the state's roadmap to handle the pandemic, the Chief Minister said with 2,461 total positive cases, of which 2,070 had recovered, Punjab's situation had been under control so far.

As of June 5, he said, 48 people had died of the infection.

A total of 113,000 samples had been tested, and only 438 persons had to be put in isolation, with just three persons having to be placed on oxygen and another three on ventilator since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.

Despite this, however, the state was not taking any chances, said Amarinder Singh.

In the first stage, 4,248 beds in government hospitals had been set aside, with another 2,014 now being added, while the private hospitals had allocated 950 beds for COVID patients, he said.

The total number of isolation centres identified to accommodate a large number of cases if the crisis aggravates stands at 52 government and 195 private, he added.

Responding to a complaint of private hospitals charging exorbitantly for admitting COVID patients, the Chief Minister said he will ask the Medical Department to check, but urged people to go to government hospitals which were equipped with the best-in-class facilities and staff.

Referring to the Central Government's so-called agriculture reforms, the Chief Minister made it clear that his government will take tough measures to counter the move to obstruct the smooth agricultural marketing processes that had worked successfully for 60 years.

He said he will write to the Prime Minister, who he said should understand the farmers' problems, having himself been the Chief Minister of the agricultural state of Gujarat.

Expressing concern over the Centre's clear intent to do away with the MSP regime, Amarinder Singh said the Punjab government will fight any such move tooth and nail, and will not allow the interests of its farmers, who had given the nation its food security, to be compromised in any manner.

To a question regarding problems being faced in paddy sowing due to the shortage of migrant labour, the Chief Minister pointed out that less than five lakh of the total 13 lakh migrant labourers in Punjab had left the state.

With over eight lakh migrant workers still here, along with the state's own local labour, there were no problems in the field or in the industrial units, he said.

In any case, farmers, with the support of the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana city and the Agriculture Department, were going for direct sowing in large numbers, he said.

Further, the Chief Minister said a large number of the migrants who had gone to their native places were now wanting to return to Punjab and many of the industrial units and farmers were, in fact, making their own arrangements to bring them back.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  While retail shops and restaurants in Santa Fe, and throughout most of New Mexico, have begun to open at limited capacity, it only takes a walk through Santa Fes downtown Plaza to see that business activities are still dragging as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

But some local business leaders, the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Community Foundation, city government, marketing groups and others have joined forces to launch the We are Santa Fe Safe campaign in an effort to stimulate the local economy and do it in a safe way.

According to a news release, the campaign puts employees at the center of the initiative to inspire customers to dine, shop and do business again.

We are all consumers, and this program is asking businesses to make a commitment to our community and come together so we can all look out for one another, said Fred Cisneros, of Cisneros Design, one of the local marketing firms behind the effort.

Any business can participate, provided they follow the campaigns guidelines. The businesses would receive a program packet that includes a door cling designating the business a We are Santa Fe Safe participant, commitment documentation, COVID-safety practices and resource guide, and a do-it-yourself marketing toolkit.

Part of that effort includes employees at local businesses recording short 10- to 20-second videos explaining what has been done in their workplace to make them safe. The videos will then be circulated on social media  tagged as #santafesafe  and the We are Santa Fe Safe website, santafesafe.com.

While the cornonvirus pandemic has impacted business everywhere, Santa Fe, as a cultural and arts center that relies heavily on tourism dollars, is especially hard hit. Marquee events that attract people from out of state, such as Indian Market, Traditional Spanish Market, International Folk Art Market and the Santa Fe Opera, have all been cancelled. For a city where gross receipts taxes are responsible for 70% of its operating budget, its a huge hit. The city is projecting a $100 million deficit in the budget for the next fiscal year because of the outbreak.

Bridget Dixson, president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, said the goal of the We are Santa Fe Safe campaign is to keep the community healthy and thriving.

Reopening our local business is the ultimate community effort because we all want to be safe and successful in bringing our city together again, she said.
President Donald Trump walks off Marine One in Washington on May 30, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Trump Criticizes Democrats, Biden for Defund the Police Movement

President Donald Trump accused former Vice President Joe Biden and radical left-wing Democrats of trying to weaken law enforcement in the wake of George Floyds death.

Sleepy Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats want to DEFUND THE POLICE, Trump wrote on Sunday morning. I want great and well paid LAW ENFORCEMENT. I want LAW & ORDER!

He then said that Biden, if elected, would also defund our military because he has no choice as the Democrats are allegedly controlled by the radical left.

Following the death of Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died while in police custody after an officer kneeled on his neck, organizers of Black Lives Matter stated they want a national defunding of police. Some Democrats echoed the statement.

Biden, who has been supportive of demonstrators, has not called for defunding police departments. In an opinion piece written for the Los Angeles Times, the former vice president said additional police oversight is needed.

If elected, I am committed to establishing a national police oversight commission within 100 days of taking office, Biden wrote. We need to implement real community policing and ensure that every police department in the country undertakes a comprehensive review of their hiring, their training, and their de-escalation practices, with the federal government providing the tools and resources needed to implement reforms.

Several city council members in Minneapolis have said they will disband the Minneapolis Police Department.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey looks over a demonstration calling for the Minneapolis Police Department to be defunded in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 6, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

And when were done, were not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. Its really past due, said city council member Jeremiah Ellison, who recently professed his support for the far-left militant group Antifa. He is also the son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

The Democratic Socialists of America have also called for defunding the police.

We demand a Peoples Budget that accounts for the structural iniquities inscribed in our citys operations and enforced by HPD, the Houston wing of the organization wrote on Twitter.

But some police officials said the idea to defund or even abolish police departments is an absurd one.

I mean, so we talk about defunding, and then theres talk about dismantling in some instances, its clearly a knee-jerk reactionthis notion that one-size-fits-all, its flawed, Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who is black, told Fox News. I mean how does that go with ensuring that police departments are providing effective and efficient policing to the community theyre serving? It just makes no sense. Now, I acknowledge that and certainly in challenging communities that we should pay attention to recreation in schools but we dont do it by defunding the police, he added.
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.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that crucial issues which no earlier government had dared to touch in the last 70 years had been resolved in the first year of the Modi governments second term, making a reference to the controversial citizenship amendment law, the abolition of triple talaaq and the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi ji brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This Act provided citizenship and respect to refugees in India, Home Minister and veteran BJP leader Amit Shah said addressing the Bihar Jansamvad Rally through a video conference.

This virtual rally has nothing to do with Bihars assembly poll campaign and is aimed at connecting with people in the fight against Covid-19, Shah said addressing the BJP workers in Bihar.

ALSO READ | Rally to boost publics morale against Covid-19 pandemic, says Amit Shah

The home minister mentioned all the achievements of the Centre and cited the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), power connections for the poor, toilets, the surgical airstrikes in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack, the abolition of triple talaq, the Ayodhya verdict and the establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) among others.

Billed the Bihar Jansamvad Rally, this is the first in a series of virtual meetings that Shah will address. He will address the people of Odisha and West Bengal through virtual rallies on June 8 and June 9 respectively.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has selected Bihar BJPs Facebook and YouTube pages for live streaming to reach out to the people residing in the 243 assembly segments of the state.

BJP President JP Nadda and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too will hold virtual rallies on Monday in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.
LONDON (Reuters) - Three airlines have written to the British government in protest at its "wholly unjustified and disproportionate" quarantine rules for most international arrivals from Monday, a copy of the letter seen by Reuters showed.

With planes around the world grounded since late March, airlines had hoped to start flying from July, but bosses say quarantine measures will hamper that recovery.

From June 8, almost everyone arriving in Britain will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and to fill in a contact form with details of their accommodation.

Describing itself as a "pre-action protocol letter," meaning it could be followed by legal action, the letter from British Airways, Ryanair <RYA.I> and easyJet <EZJ.L> said the government had failed to justify the blanket nature of the regulations.

"The effect is to establish a wholly unjustified and disproportionate restriction on individuals travelling to England (and questionably the United Kingdom) and will inevitably mean that there is very little increase in the numbers of persons leaving and entering the country," the letter said.

Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA owner IAG <ICAG.L> said on Friday the industry had not been consulted and the company was considering a legal challenge.

The government has said the new regime will be in place across Britain, although enforcement measures will be set individually by each of the devolved nations. In England, a breach of rules will be punishable with a 1,000 pounds fine.

The airlines say the quarantine measures are more stringent than those imposed on people suspected of being or confirmed to be infected by the novel coronavirus who are asked to isolate and do not face criminal sanctions.

Their letter also said it was "illogical and irrational" to impose quarantine on people arriving from European Union countries that have lower infection rates than Britain.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has found love with a finance worker after being left heartbroken by his ex-wife and the mother of his only son.

Mr Albanese had previously been married to his long-term partner and former New South Wales deputy premier Carmel Tebbut before their divorce on January 1 last year.

But it now seems the 57-year-old Labor Leader has moved on with avid South Sydney Rabbitohs fan 41-year-old Jodie Haydon.

It now seems the 57-year-old Labor Leader has moved on with 41-year-old finance worker Jodie Haydon (pictured)

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) has found love with a finance worker and fellow South Sydney supporter 16 years younger than him

A source close to Mr Albanese confirmed the relationship to The Sunday Telegraph before the pair were pictured together having dinner last week.

The loving couple were also captured sharing a kiss at China Doll restaurant on Sydney's Woolloomoolo Wharf.

Ms Haydon is the Manager of Strategic Partnerships at First State Super with over 20 years experience.

She grew up on the Central Coast and has never been married or had children, her LinkedIn page reveals.

Ms Haydon describes herself as a strategic partnership manager who works to 'empower unions, associations and their members to make the right superannuation choices for their future'.

The Labor leader was addressing 250 people at a Melbourne conference late last year when he asked whether there were any Rabbitohs supporters in the room.

Ms Haydon was the only person to raise her hand, prompting Mr Albanese to introduce himself while working the room.

Ms Haydon is the Manager of Strategic Partnerships at First State Super with over 20 years experience

Mr Albanese was left heartbroken after his 'difficult' divorce with NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt, who decided to call it quits on the 30-year relationship on January 1 last year

He discovered Ms Haydon was a Souths member, from Sydney and living in his very own electorate in Marrickville in the city's inner-west.

Sources have disclosed that the couple have been able to get to know each other as Mr Albanese has had time off the road due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The couple have been trying to keep their relationship a secret as it is still early days.

The relationship is the first for Mr Albanese since splitting with his wife of 30 years just last year.

The pair married in 2000 and have a 19-year-old son called Nathan, who lives with the Labor leader in Marrickville in Sydney's inner-west.

Mr Albanese - then a Labor frontbencher - said it was 'really tough' and a 'difficult period' in an eye-opening interview with The Herald Sun in January this year.

'It wasn't something that I expected. It wasn't something that I was prepared for,' he said.

'I'm an emotional person and I found it very difficult.'

The relationship is the first for Mr Albanese since splitting with his wife of 30-years, Carmel, just last year. They are pictured together in 2018

Mr Albanese, who said the break-up wasn't his decision, said it took a long time to accept and come to terms with the end of the relationship.

He announced the couple were separating in a statement released on January 7, 2019.

'I am deeply saddened that my relationship of 30 years with Carmel Tebbutt has ended in separation,' the statement said.

'We will continue to share parenting responsibilities for our 18-year-old son Nathan, who has successfully completed his HSC and has developed into an outstanding young man who we are both proud of.'

The statement said no third parties had been involved in the split.

In the wake of the separation, Mr Albanese followed a commitment in the US before travelling to Europe for a self-funded break.

The opposition leader said it allowed him to clear his head and return to Australia with a 'renewed sense of energy' before the Federal Election on May 18, 2019.

'I thought Carmel would be my life partner and that wasn't the case,' Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese said he was very proud of his son, who is a 'smart young man' and now tackling university life.

He declared his relationship with Nathan to be the strongest it's ever been as they were forced to rely on each other more than ever in their two-person household.

The Labor leader added his son spends time with his mother and the pair have a good relationship.

Mr Albanese met his former partner in Young Labor during the late 1980s.

Ms Tebbutt was a NSW Labor MP for 17 years before departing state politics in 2015.

She was deputy premier between 2008 and 2011 - the first woman to hold the position - under leaders Nathan Rees and Kristina Keneally.
By PTI

KOLKATA: West Bengal will resume bilateral trade with neighbouring Bangladesh through the Petrapole integrated checkpost in North 24 Parganas district on Sunday after more than a month, a senior official said.

"Starting today, we are allowing bilateral trade to recommence through the Petrapole ICP and all necessary safety protocol will be followed," he said.

A pool of 100 local truck drivers will only be allowed to go up to 500 metres within the Bangladesh port area, and return after unloading goods, the official said.

"Drivers must wear PPEs and not get down from the vehicles while the unloading process is underway.

Empty trucks will have to be sanitised, too," the official added.

Another official said that trade will be allowed for 12 hours daily.

All Bangladesh-bound vehicles stranded in and around the Petrapole check post, around 80-km from Kolkata, will be cleared by June 14, he said.

The local administration has also asked traders to be ready with another pool of 50 drivers outside the ICP area for any exigency.

"A large number of trucks are stranded near the border due to the lockdown. Exports through Petrapole check post will resume on Sunday. We have agreed to follow the instructions given by the administration," an official of exporters' body FIEO told PTI.

Bilateral trade through this land port, the largest facility on the Indo-Bangla border, was stopped on May 2 after two days of operation, following protests by locals who were afraid that truck drivers and labourers might spread the coronavirus infection.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration has lauded itself as leading the world in confronting the coronavirus. But it has so far failed to spend more than 75 percent of the American humanitarian aid that Congress provided three months ago to help overseas victims of the virus.

In two spending bills in March, lawmakers approved $1.59 billion in pandemic assistance to be sent abroad through the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development.

As of last week, $386 million had been released to nations in need, according to a government official familiar with the spending totals that the State Department has reported to Congress for both agencies. That money was delivered through private relief groups and large multinational organizations, including United Nations agencies, that provide health and economic stability funding and humanitarian assistance around the globe.

Of that, only a meager $11.5 million in international disaster aid had been delivered to private relief groups, even though those funds are specifically meant to be rushed to distress zones.
A day after getting briefly blocked on Twitter, Amul has pinned 'Exit the Dragon' tweet on its profile. The image caption reads: "About the boycott of Chinese products."

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), manufacturer of Amul brand of food products, found its Twitter account blocked on June 4 evening. The account was restored on June 5. Amul had posted 'Exit the Dragon?' tweet on June 3 afternoon and its account went down on June 4 evening.

On Saturday, the microblogging site cited the security process as a reason behind the action. However, a few Twitter users sought to link the blockage to Amul's Dragon tweet.

"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 told news agency PTI. "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 added.

Meanwhile, #Amul began to trend on Twitter on Saturday with thousands of users coming out in support of the company 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 a Twitter user.

"Shocking Twitter briefly restricted Amul account because of the post calling to boycott Chinese products. We Indians stand with our company's across India," said another user.

Amid the ongoing standoff between the two countries in eastern Ladakh, boycot of China made goods is currently a popular sentiment in a section of population in India.

Also read: Delhi unlock 1.0: Restaurants, malls to open; hotels to remain closed from Monday; check out full MHA guidelines

Also read: Liquor prices to come down as Delhi govt removes 70% corona tax on alcohol
On June 4, the social media site Facebook announced that they will start labeling pages, posts, and advertisements from media outlets that are controlled by a state.

Labeling media outlets

The labels will start showing on pages that belong to media outlets like Russia Today and Xinhua from China. In mid-June, readers from the United States will start to see the label on the posts of the state-controlled media outlets.

The readers from other countries will also start seeing the labels. Facebook's head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, stated in an interview on June 2, that the company is taking such measures so that online users will know more about where the news is coming from.

Gleicher said that Facebook is concerned that the state media may spread an agenda to the readers. He also added that if a user is reading coverage of a protest, it is important that they also know who the writer is and what the motivation is.

Facebook wants to label pages so that the readers can know and understand who is behind the pages and posts.

In December 2019, Facebook first announced its plans for the labels, but its delay came after media outlets from countries such as Russia and China have been posting articles about the coronavirus pandemic and about the killing of George Floyd.

Also Read: Facebook Messenger App Spying on Your Cell Phone? Mobile Users Freak Out After Reading Terms of Service

The media outlets, especially those from China, have written about the recent Black Lives Matter protest and have questioned why American officials are praising the protesters who are fighting for the independence of Hong Kong but they are criticizing the protesters in America who are fighting for the end of racism.

Later this year, Facebook will start blocking the media outlets that are state-controlled from running advertisements, it is a precautionary measure that the company will take before the general elections in the United States this November.

Gleicher states that the ban is only applicable in the United States for now, and there is no plan to apply the strategy in other countries yet. Gleicher said that the company consulted with 65 experts so that they can create their own criteria to define which outlets to label as state-controlled media.

The criteria will include where the funding of the outlet comes from, the ownership structure and governance, editorial transparency, internal accountability mechanisms, and third party confirmation of independence.

An entity can be funded by a state, but can still be independent. Even though an initial list of outlets including Xinhua and CCTV, Sputnik and Russia Today will get the label as soon as possible.Gleicher stated that the list is dynamic and it will change in the next couple of months.

How other social media companies handled the labeling

In 2018, social media platform YouTube began labeling the videos that came from media outlets that are funded by a state. This decision has led some media outlets to criticize Facebook and stated that they are equipped with a legislative firewall that can help prevent interference in reporting.

As for another social media platform, Twitter, the company does not label media outlets that are state-controlled, but in August 2019 the company stopped accepting advertising from new media entities that are state-controlled.

A spokesperson for Russia Today disapproves of the move and said that it is an example of fake news. The spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, Geng Shuang, called on social media companies to give up ideological prejudice. He stated that all media outlets should be treated equally as long as they abide by laws and regulations.

Related Article: Facebook Adds Feature That Lets Users Offer or Request Assistance From Neighbors Amid Coronavirus



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Srinagar:

Three militants and a policeman were on Sunday killed and six others, including a police officer, were injured in twin encounters between security forces and four terrorists in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir.

The encounters between security forces and the militants, who were holed up in a house and another structure near the under-construction Mini Secretariat, erupted at around 7.30 AM and continued through the day.

Three militants have been knocked down. The civilians, who were held hostage, have been safely evacuated. Operation is still on, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Willian told PTI.

A policeman Rajinder Kumar was killed in the incident. Two Army jawans, two police jawans and a civilian were also injured.

One of the injured is Sub Inspector of Special Operation Group (SoG) Manzoor Hussain and another a civilian Tariq, police said, adding the injured have been hospitalised.

(Read More: Ongoing encounters in Poonch and Nowgam in J-K)

The authorities used drones to track down the militants who had taken shelter inside a house where an elderly couple lived and another structure. The couple was safely evacuated.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone Danish Rana said body of one of the militants has been recovered and others are being recovered.

The cordon in the area will remain intact till tomorrow as operation is on, Rana added.

Earlier, state police chief Rajendera Kumar said, Four militants are involved in the two encounters at two different locations.

They (militants) are in a house, where there is a civilian couple. Forces are retrieving them. we have to evacuate the civilians first, he said.

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A total of 27 police officers were left injured during anti-racism protests in London this week, Met Police has said.

Almost half of these - 14 - occurred during Saturdays Black Lives Matter protest which was largely peaceful until skirmishes erupted later in the afternoon.

Cressida Dick, Met Police commissioner, on Sunday condemned the attacks as shocking and completely unacceptable.

It follows chaos in Whitehall when a police horse bolted after riot police charged at protesters and flares and missiles were hurled at them.

An officer who fell off her horse suffered "quite nasty" injuries but is "stable", Met Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said.

Police horses charged at the crowds as things became heated / PA

He said: Shes stable  she has some quite nasty injuries which she sustained. And the horse is fine."

The policewoman suffered a collapsed lung, a broken collarbone and broken ribs after falling to the ground during the melee, according to reports.

Thousands of people descended on the capital for three protests this week over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.

Video footage showing Mr Floyd, 46, pinned to the ground as a white officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes has sparked a fortnight of unrest in the US and UK.

Dame Cressida said: "I am deeply saddened and depressed that a minority of protesters became violent towards officers in central London yesterday evening.

Police have formed a battle line with hundreds of protesters / AFP via Getty Images

"This led to 14 officers being injured, in addition to 13 hurt in earlier protests this week.

"We have made a number of arrests and justice will follow. I know many who were seeking to make their voices heard will be as appalled as I am by those scenes.

"I would urge protesters to please find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London, risking yourself, your families and officers as we continue to face this deadly virus."

AFP via Getty Images

Sadiq Khan said that while the majority of protesters were peaceful, pockets of violence was simply not acceptable.

In a statement, the London Mayor said: The vast majority of protesters in London were peaceful. But this vital cause was badly let down by a tiny minority who turned violent and threw glass bottles and lit flares, endangering other protesters and injuring police officers.

This is simply not acceptable, will not be tolerated and will not win the lasting and necessary change we desperately need to see.

More anti-racism demonstrations are planned on Sunday, including a rally outside the US Embassy in Battersea, south-west London, while an estimated 4,000 people are expected at a gathering in Bristol and demonstrations will also be held in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Dame Cressida urged protesters to find another way of making their voices heard, rather than descending on the capitals streets amid the coronavirus crisis.
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The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan releases a statement about the death of the shelter director outside its headquarters in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap



By Kim Se-jeong



The head of a shelter for South Korean victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery was found dead in her home in an apparent suicide, according to the police Sunday.



According to the police, her body was found in her apartment in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at 10:35 a.m., Saturday. The police didn't find any traces of intruders and ruled out the possibility of homicide.



The shelter, run by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Korean Council), has been the center of controversy since May, when sex slavery survivor Lee Yong-soo came forward publicly to criticize the Korean Council and the organization's former director Yoon Mee-hyang for misusing funds. Yoon left the post in April after winning a National Assembly seat in a proportional representation vote.



"The late director struggled to accept what was happening to the organization," the Korean Council said in a statement released on Sunday. "Putting her personal life aside, she committed herself to taking care of those survivors' health and well-being. After the prosecution's visit, she pleaded that her life was being completely negated."



The Korean Council is currently under a prosecution investigation over the allegations of embezzlement and illegal accounting practices.



Yoon blamed the media and prosecutors for her former colleague's death.



"The media talked about the shelter as if it were a criminal shelter and prosecutors rushed there for confiscation. Constant pressure and endless phone calls must have made her feel like she was guilty. This must have been too much for her," she wrote on Facebook, Sunday.



On May 21, prosecutors made a surprise visit to the shelter and confiscated accounting documents and others, and then questioned the council's accounting officer.



Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office expressed condolence Sunday, saying "although we've been investigating the allegations, she was never our direct target."



Yoon was seen at the shelter on Sunday morning, walking into the building with one hand covering her tearful face.



Located in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, the shelter opened in 2012 with the help of a local church and is currently housing only one survivor, Gil Won-ok. Yoon is currently living in Daegu.



According to news reports, the Korean Council purchased another shelter, located in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, in 2013, above the market price and sold it back recently below the market price, a move which Yoon's critics regarded with suspicion.



It turned out that the organization paid Yoon's father to take care of the property while it owned the property. Yoon explained it was because the group couldn't manage to find anyone more suitable.



The suicide is a new development in the spiraling controversy surrounding Yoon.



In two news conferences in May, Lee said she had been completed deceived by Yoon and added the former activist didn't deserve to represent the citizens at the National Assembly. Also, the survivor demanded Yoon should return to the Korean Council and continue the advocacy work.



Over the weekend, Lee continued her criticisms of Yoon at a highly publicized event for the sex slavery survivors.



Yoon dismissed the allegations as groundless and pledged to continue addressing the issue through legislative work.



Experts and those who've been following the sex slavery issue said the recent controversy is damaging the advocacy work.










Curious quietitude

Opposition parties constantly attack the opacity of the PM-Cares fund but the resolution after a mega joint Opposition meeting didnt have any reference to it. Now tongues have started wagging with a couple of parties pointing fingers at NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar for this particular omission. They have gone one-step ahead to say that Pawar delayed the meeting of Opposition parties by a month and wanted to go slow on his attack on the government for some worldly consideration. What was it and did it materialise? There is no answer.

Anand Sharmas dream

The Karnataka Rajya Sabha polls are being closely watched by the likes of Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other Congress stalwarts. Apparently, the outcome of Karnatakas Upper House polls will have a bearing on the internal power equations of the grand old party. One Congress winning nominee from Karnataka is likely to be Mallikarjun Kharge, who was the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha during 2014-2019. If Kharge becomes a Rajya Sabha member, Sonia Gandhi may give the Leader of Opposition post to Kharge who is a prominent dalit face. In such a scenario, Azad, currently the Leader of Opposition (with perks of a cabinet rank minister), will lose out. Anand Sharma is currently the deputy leader of the Congress and has been pleading with Rahul Gandhi to promote him in place of Azad. Kharges entry will also shatter Sharmas dream.

Classified information?

The news of the defence secretary testing Covid-19 positive stunned many in Lutyens Delhi power circles. However, those occupying higher offices were more concerned about the possible source of the leak to the media. A defence ministry WhatsApp group is being blamed where some babus are said to have shared information. A probe is on to identify the culprit and trace the media trail.

The Setu defaulter

Uttarakhand minister and spiritual guru Satpal Maharaj has acutely embarrassed the BJP regime in the hill state. Maharaj and his wife have tested positive for the coronavirus but the minister still chose to attend a cabinet meet. In Dehradun, questions are being asked as to whether Maharaj had activated the Aarogya Setu app, mandatory for all Covid cases. Was the much-touted Aarogya Setu app not functioning or was it not operationalised, some BJP insiders wish to know. There are stringent penal provisions for disregarding the Aarogya Setu app. Would Trivendra Singh Rawat act against his tourism minister?

Squabble over protocol

To say all is not well in the Congress would be an understatement. The party is at war from within. Take for instance a rather innocuous matter of Rahul Gandhi posting his interview with industrialist Rajiv Bajaj. This part of the information was released by a woman journalist considered close to Rahul Gandhi, while Congress IT cell chief Rohan Gupta and his team were unaware of it. On battleground Twitter, a clash was visible. A TV channel reporter known to thick with Gupta tweeted how Team RG didnt keep the partys social media unit in the loop. The son of a former Congress leader and a member of Rahul Gandhis social media team retaliated. Behind the scenes, angry words were exchanged and threats were made till someone powerful intervened.

Respect, lost and found

In BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, a reverse migration is taking place. A few Congress leaders who had left on the eve of the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls are returning, saying that outsiders are not respected in the BJP. The case of Prem Chand Guddu and Choudhury Rakesh Singh coming back to the Congress has got a section of the BJP worried. They fear that if this line of thinking gains currency, there will be a problem in retaining all those who had recently defected under Jyotiraditya Scindias leadership.
The Managing Director for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Kwame Agyemang-Budu has indicated that government has cleared its GHC 2.6 billion legacy debt owed the state entity.

Mr Agyemang-Budu made this known when he took his turn to address a Facebook live session hosted by NPP Loyal Ladies.

He further intimated that the debt cleared by the Akufo-Addo government is unprecedented, as government now has a credit balance with ECG to the tune of about GHC 550,000,000.

On the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo in January 2017, the state owed ECG, its main power distributor, an accumulated debt of GHC 2.63billion, incurred by the erstwhile Mahama government.

Citing some achievements of the ECG in the last three and a half years, Mr Agyemang-Budu mentioned that their revenue collection had increased. As a result, they had minimized their losses in addition, realised huge profit margins, which was not the case under the previous government.

He also cited the ECG power app built in-house to afford consumers the luxury of purchasing power at the comfort of their homes.

He commended the government on its commitment to ensuring reliable power supply to all parts of the country. He said businesses that were on the verge of collapse due to dumsor under Former President Mahama, are now doing well and expanding.

On their challenges, Mr. Agyemang-Budu bemoaned the spate of illegal connections, power theft and delay in payment of bills by consumers.

Loyal Ladies live is a live session hosted by NPP Loyal Ladies on its social media handles. The initiative provides a platform for appointees of President Akufo-Addos government, the opportunity to engage Ghanaians on how they have executed their mandates in the last three and a half years.

Next on the program will be the Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority Professor Alexander Dodoo on Wednesday 10th June at exactly 6pm.

Below is a link to Mr. Ageman-Budus interview:
Here's a look at futures prices on commodities that impact Southern Illinois and the rest of the Midwest.

Jobs and stocks bounce back

Markets were gleeful on Friday morning after a report showing 13.3% unemployment, the second-highest rate since the Great Depression. The reason for their optimism? Things didnt get worse after Aprils record-breaking 14.7% rate.

Investors had been fearing that Mays unemployment rate would rise to near 20%, and that another 8 million jobs were lost during the month. Instead, the economy bounced back, adding back 2.5 million jobs. While this barely puts a dent in the 22 million jobs lost during the coronavirus outbreak, reversing the losses was a welcome sign.

This news sent stock markets to their highest level since late February, when the disease outbreak was still seen as an isolated issue in the United States. Prices are now up nearly 50% from the lows that markets hit during mid-March, a sign of how drastically sentiment has changed.

Alongside stocks, commodities like crude oil and copper rallied to new highs, another sign of hope that the global economy will successfully weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. Crude for nearby delivery was approaching $40 per barrel midday Friday, for example, after trading at negative $40 during the famous storage debacle on April 20.

Hogs wallow

Hog prices were some of the hardest hit so far this year and are still dreadfully low. June lean hog futures traded Friday for 48 cents per pound, barely half of what they were at the beginning of the year.

Market-ready hog supply is far outpacing slaughterhouse demand, as nearly a quarter of U.S. meatpacking capacity is still offline due to coronavirus containment efforts.

Worse yet, major foreign buyers like Mexico have slowed their purchases, and a renewed trade war with China could exacerbate the glut of U.S. hogs.

Despite these concerns, China could also be the solution to low pork prices, as that nation is still suffering from an outbreak of African Swine Fever, which eviscerated its hog herds. Should China return to normal economic conditions and resume trade fully with the United States, pig farmers may see a record number of hogs heading to the worlds most populous nation in the coming year.

Walt and Alex Breitinger are commodity futures brokers in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the opinions here are solely the writers'. They can be reached at 800-411-3888 or www.indianafutures.com. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell any market.

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New Delhi, June 7 : The Enforcement Directorate has filed a second supplementary charge sheet against eight private builders and five entities in the Manesar land deal scam in Haryana, the agency said on Sunday.

Businessmen Atul Bansal, his wife Sona Bansal, Shashikant Chaurasia, Dilip Lalwani, Varinder Uppal, Vijay Uppal, Viney Uppal, and Ravinder Taneja have been named in the charge sheet.

ABW Infrastructure Ltd, Mahamaya Exports Pvt Ltd, TDI Infrastructure Ltd, Wisdom Realtors Pvt Ltd and AB Rephcons Infrastructure Pvt Ltd are the firms named in the charge sheet in the case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. This case involves attachment of properties worth Rs 108.79 crore.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is under probe in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already named him in its charge sheet filed in 2018.

The ED initiated money laundering investigations based on a case registered by the Haryana Police and thereafter investigations done by CBI against unknown public servants of Haryana government and unidentified private persons.

In the FIR, it was alleged that the Haryana government had issued a notification on August 25, 2005 for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an Industrial Model Township in villages Manesar, Naurangpur, and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon district -- now known as Gurugram -- bordering the national capital.

A large number of landowners, in haste, had to sell about 400 acres at throwaway rates to private builders which caused a wrongful loss of Rs 1,500 crore to the landowners of these village and corresponding wrongful gains to the builders.

Investigation revealed that builders and private entities bought land from the farmers and landholders on meagre prices by playing up fears of acquisition, said an ED statement.

"The farmers and landholders under different fears sold their land to such private entities which ultimately sold the land to various builders who obtained licences and earned handsome profits in a fraudulent manner." Investigation further revealed that most land was purchased by ABWIL Group controlled by Atul Bansal, said the ED statement, adding that the company later sold the licensed and unlicensed land and licences to private persons and developers to make huge profits. "Further investigation in this case is in progress," the ED said.
In January this year I returned home from Papua New Guinea where I had been serving on the medical ship the YWAM PNG since July last year. As I have shared in my previous columns the time that I spent in this ministry was life changing.

The experiences that I had during my time on board were amazing. The people that I had the pleasure of working with came from all around the world and brought the whole operation to life. The shipboard environment gave me the opportunity to dwell on things of the Lord and develop my faith and spiritual understanding.

Since returning home I have had time to reflect on my experiences. I have thought a lot about both how the time onboard affected me and how it affected the people that I went to serve. From this time of reflection I have had a few realizations that I would like to share.

Serving the servers

I knew that going to serve on the YWAM PNG for six months would have an effect on my life and I obviously hoped that it would have an effect on the people of PNG. I had been on board the ship for about a month however, when I realised that I was not only there to serve the people of PNG but also the people of the YWAM PNG.

As the head of the ships deck department I was responsible for organising a team of around 10 people at any given time. They came from many backgrounds and stayed onboard for anywhere from one to six months. Most of the people joining the deck department had little to no experience in the shipping industry prior to joining.

The individuals serving in the deck department looked to me for guidance and leadership. I was blessed to be able to share my knowledge and experience of shipboard operations with them. As a result I built good working relationships with these individuals.

These relationships then gave me a position of influence from which to share my faith. For the extent of my time onboard the Lord blessed me in my work, creating what was for me an unexpected opportunity of service within this mission field.

Long term commitment

The volunteers joining the YWAM PNG come onboard for a range of different time periods. Many join for a single, two week outreach, whilst others stay for several months at a time. The demands of life on the ship mean that year round service on board is difficult and only a few people call the ship home.

Whilst everybody who comes onboard plays a crucial role in the success of the ships outreach, it is a handful of people who have dedicated their lives to the management and operation of the vessel that make the whole operation possible.

These people are based in Townsville and have been involved with the ship since its purchase in 2014. They work tirelessly behind the scenes and without them this mission would not exist.

I have realized that for any mission like this to be successful it needs people dedicated long term. Seeing this groups commitment to Gods work and how it has impacted this ships ministry, has driven me to look towards long term mission involvement for my future.

Continued accountability

Whilst working on the YWAM PNG I felt that there was a constant push from the management team for the ship to be effective in its ministry. You would think that a drive to be effective would be an obvious part of any mission organisation. I think however that it is easy and all too common for mission organisations to fall into the trap of being ineffective in their field of ministry.

An operation that runs smoothly and efficiently with a prevalent presence in a field, may still fail to have a positive impact on the people that it is there to serve. When an organisation dedicates resources (finance, volunteers or assets) towards a ministry they have a responsibility to ensure that the ministry is effective.

I believe that over its time of running ships YWAM Townsville has done a tremendous job of ensuring its operations remain accountable for the resources they occupy. Their drive to succeed and be successful in their mission field has comes from a love for the people of PNG. They desire to see a change through what they are doing and are not satisfied with just showing up.

A servant heart

Finally I have realized that there is one thing that stands out above all else in achieving an effective mission outreach. That is to have a servant heart. Whatever an individuals job is within a mission organisation they will always do more good if they are there to serve others in love.

These few realizations that I have had from this time of reflection will be a guide to me in the future. I think that the Lord will use these ideas of mine to put me in the mission field that is right for me. I also hope that this may be some fuel for thought to others that are looking at being involved in missions work.
WASHINGTON  Cotton farmers were paid 33 times as much in federal subsidies in 2019 as the income they actually lost to trade disruptions, one study showed.

Farmers in Georgia, the home state of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, were paid more in federal aid per acre than anywhere else in the nation, another found.

Some farms collected millions of dollars in payments despite a limit of $250,000 per farmer.

The Trump administrations $28 billion effort in 2018 and 2019 to compensate farmers for losses from its trade wars has been criticized as excessive, devised on the fly and tilted toward states politically important to Republicans. Now the administration is starting to send farmers tens of billions more to offset losses from the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions about how the money will be allocated and whether there is sufficient oversight to guard against partisan abuse of the program.

Months before an election in which some farm states are major battlegrounds, Democrats and other critics of the administrations agriculture policies are expressing concern that the new subsidies, provided by Congress with bipartisan backing, could be doled out to ensure President Trump continues to win the backing of one of his key voting blocs.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday (June 7) reiterated his stand that city government hospitals will only be available to residents of Delhi until the coronavirus COVID-19 cases are contained. The AAP supremo, however, added that central hospitals in the national capital will remain available to everyone.

The private hospitals in Delhi, except those where special surgeries like neurosurgery are performed, are also reserved for Delhi residents, the Chief Minister announced today during his address via video conferencing to people. He added that people coming to the national capital for specific surgeries will be treated at private hospitals.

He added that by the end of the month of June, Delhi would need 15,000 beds as the city continues to witness a surge in COVID-19 cases. CM Kejriwal also cautioned the elderly citizens against the COVID-19 infection and appealed them to have minimum interaction with their family members and others, as a precautionary measure, saying they are most vulnerable to the disease. "Try and remain in a single room of your house," he stated.

Earlier this week, CM Kejriwal had called for suggestions from people on opening city borders and whether hospitals in Delhi should be reserved for citizens of Delhi amid the ongoing pandemic due to coronavirus.
" " You'd think being able to smell fresh water would be an evolutionary advantage. But we can only smell things that suggest fresh water. Why is that? Momatiuk-Eastcott/Getty Images

We humans have done pretty well for ourselves, evolutionarily speaking. Check out this sweet empire we've built that renders every other organism on Earth a second-class citizen! With our winning combo of dexterity, intellect, endurance and a scrappy can-do attitude, we've managed to meet all of our material needs, and then some. But although humans are physiologically tricked out in a lot of ways, other animals have evolved capabilities we don't have: sniffing out water sources, for instance.

That ability seems like it would've been of great evolutionary advantage to us, considering that, relative to most animals, humans have exceptionally high water intake requirements. So, if dogs, elephants and vultures seem to be able smell water, why can't we?

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Before we get too far down this rabbit hole, let's be clear about two things:

Science has always characterized the human olfactory sense as being just so-so. Though new research suggests we might be able to differentiate between around a trillion different odors, it's true that modern humans don't interface with the world through our schnozzes as much as some other animals do. Water is odorless. This chemical element is a total nonnegotiable requirement for almost every organism on Earth, but it's just a couple of hydrogen atoms stuck with covalent bonds onto an oxygen atom. There's nothing smelly going on there.

So, it seems American environmentalist Edward Abbey was onto something when he wrote in "Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness," his 1968 memoir: "Long enough in the desert a man like other animals can learn to smell water. Can learn, at least, the smell of things associated with water  the unique and heartening odor of the cottonwood tree, for example, which in the canyon lands is the tree of life."

Because although plain H 2 O has no scent, chemically pure water also basically neveroccurs in nature. You've got to make that stuff in a lab. So when other animals sniff out a water source, it isn't the water they're smelling  it might be a water-loving cottonwood tree, or it may be the other stuff in or around or otherwise associated with the presence of fresh water: chemicals, bacteria, algae, plant matter or minerals.

" " An indigenous San hunter-gather from Botswana's G/wi tribe sucks moisture from sand through a straw in the Kalahari Desert, then deposits it into an ostrich egg to drink later. Peter Johnson/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

"Humans, like all terrestrial animals, smell volatile, or airborne, compounds," says Dr. Kara Hoover, an anthropology professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Dr. Hoover specializes in the evolution of human smell. "Our Class 1 olfactory receptor genes that detect water-borne odors are switched off, so we can smell water via other compounds in it that get released into the air through a variety of physical processes."

According to Hoover, people have evolved to take pretty detailed visual and auditory inventories of their surroundings, and though our olfactory assessments aren't often as thorough as those of some other animals, we're perfectly capable of detecting a nearby swimming pool when we smell chlorine, and we can pick up on the sulphuric odor of a hot spring, or that mineral-rich, dead-fish thing the ocean's got going on. Like Abbey said, we might be able to teach ourselves to detect water sources if we applied ourselves to learning the smells that go along with it.

Another reason humans might not smell sources of water as well as other animals is because we need a lot of it  our bodies require extravagant amounts of the stuff due to the way we sweat. According to Hoover, walking exclusively on two feet came with some physiological shifts that drastically raised our water requirements.

"One major shift is our ratio of eccrine to apocrine glands  modern humans have more eccrine glands than any other mammal." says Hoover. "These glands release water, and to a lesser extent, sodium from our bodies when we sweat. Shedding water through eccrine glands is less energetically costly than shedding nutrients through apocrine glands, which is why humans will always beat a horse in a long-distance race as long as there is water available."

Hoover suggests that between 4 and 7 million years ago, when our ancestors became bipedal, they became tied to sources of water, meaning they couldn't afford to sniff around  they needed to know where to find reliable sources of water in their home territories or along regularly traveled routes.

"We have no way of knowing, but most likely our original home ranges included water sources that were cognitively mapped," says Hoover. "As ranges expanded, new sources would be located."

And maybe that next watering hole could be found by just following an elephant around for a while. Who needs a good nose when you've got brains?

Now That's Cool Petrichor, that powerful, sweet aroma you smell in the air when a rainstorm is imminent, or just after one hits, comes from a compound called geosmin, which is excreted by soil-dwelling bacteria and is carried to your nose after rain hits the ground.
For eight minutes, they jogged.

For eight minutes, they chanted.

For eight minutes, they battled searing June temperatures in a

Birmingham park to remember what happened on a Minneapolis street.

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.

I cant breathe, they chanted to remember the final words of George Floyd.

They went for eight minutes since thats how long Floyd spent on the Minneapolis pavement under the boot of then-police officer Derek Chauvin. He died. Chauvin now sits in jail, charged with second-degree murder and Saturdays rally on the west side of Birmingham was the latest in the worldwide movement demanding justice for the systemic ills that led up to Floyds murder.

Before the stationary jog, the mic was open to anyone after organizers from a group of young Birmingham residents. A corporate lawyer and a surgeon at UAB were among those who stepped up to spread the message.

A real estate agent who grew up in Walker County drew one of the strongest reactions. Luciana Guin wasnt even planning on attending the protest and she certainly didnt envision addressing the crowd when her niece Briana Guin convinced her to come along.

I dont have a problem talking, Luciana Guin said in a brief interview following the rally. What I have a problem with is sharing those intimate things that I was talking about. If this never happened and I didnt see so many of my friends say This doesnt really happen here. No, it happens here. And it could very easily be one of your black friends that experiences this. You have to know how real it is and how close it is to everybody.

A powerful message from Luciana Guin, who said she was the only black person in her class growing up in Walker County. She didnt plan on speaking Saturday but was moved to do so. pic.twitter.com/LYeb6VISJA  Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) June 6, 2020

Guin is tired of being told to keep quiet on these matters at the risk of losing business.

Now, Im like, if you dont, you dont, she said. If you do, you do. God is going to take care of me.

At the podium, she told the story of her upbringing as the only black student in her Walker County class. She spoke about the pain and embarrassment of being racially profiled.

The whole point in treating us this way is to belittle us, she said in conclusion. And we dont feel little anymore.

Other speakers touched on the value of supporting black-owned businesses, voting and contacting lawmakers who have the power to fix broken systems. Police kept their distance with marked cars on the perimeter of the protest while keeping uniformed officers away from the event.
The cruise industry has been slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the virus, Joe Asch and his wife, avid cruisers, are still big fans.

Asch, 83, says they have sailed with Princess Cruise Lines more than 50 times, and theyve gone with Royal Caribbean another 20 times.

So when the couple wanted to give a special birthday present to their 13-year-old granddaughter, they booked a Royal Caribbean cruise. The Adventure of the Seas vacation was set to depart for Bermuda, Cozumel, the Bahamas and Grand Cayman on July 1.

Then the coronavirus pandemic happened.

Asch, of Long Branch, booked the trip through his travel agent back in December 2019 with a $750 charge to his credit card. The balance of the trip, $3,064, was charged to his card on March 31 or April 1, he said.

Right around the same time, Asch said, his granddaughters father decided he was uncomfortable about exposure to the coronavirus on a ship. They decided to cancel the cruise.

Asch asked for a refund.

On April 26, two credits  $19.02 and $470.85  appeared on Aschs credit card. But the remaining cost of $3,064 wasnt refunded.

Royal Caribbean refused to talk to me because I had a travel agent, he said. My travel agent could get no further information.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

He next filed a dispute with his credit card company.

On May 20, Royal Caribbean said in a press release it would extend the suspension of most sailings through July 31, 2020, with the exception of sailings from China, which will be suspended through the end of June.

It said it was working with travelers to address this disruption to their vacations, but it didnt say whether people would get refunds or credits for future trips.

That meant the cruise Asch booked wouldnt be sailing, so he believed even more strongly that he deserved a refund.

He asked Bamboozled for help.

GETTING MONEY BACK

We reached out to Royal Caribbean to ask it to take a closer look. With the cruise not setting sail, it seemed a refund would be the right thing.

The company agreed to review the case, and a few days later, Asch got a phone call.

The woman I spoke to said it was based on The Star-Ledgers call to them, Asch said. She gave me her phone number and indicated the $3,064 would be returned in 45 days.

Thats a long wait for a refund.

Its a delaying tactic on the part of Royal Caribbean and I wish they would take care of this, he said. They should do it immediately.

It will also mean another call to his credit card company to make sure it doesnt pay the pending money to Royal Caribbean.

And, he said, Royal Caribbean said it would be keeping his $750 deposit, he said.

I think it was wrong due to the virus, Asch said.

We reached out to the company again to see why it plans to keep the $750 deposit, but it didnt respond in time for publication.

Asch said hes not worried about going on another cruise.

We had just gotten off a Princess trip on March 11 when this started to break out. They didnt have coronavirus, but norovirus, he said. We had no fear about getting any virus.

Asch said he wears his mask all the time, even when he goes out to get the mail.

We are well-aware of the problems. People are dying. Its a real tragedy, but were fine, he said. Even though my wife will be 78 in a couple of days and Im 83, we have absolutely no fear of this virus.

We have four back-to-back 10-day cruises starting Feb. 28," he said. "We will be on that ship.

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

Karin Price Mueller may be reached at bamboozled@njadvancemedia.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 11:39:48|Editor: huaxia

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BUENOS AIRES, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities began a "house-to-house" operation Saturday to search for close contacts of people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease in the capital city of Buenos Aires.

The program, "Strategic Testing Device for Coronavirus in Terrain of Argentina (DETECTAR)," began in the central neighborhood of Balvanera and will continue into the districts of Flores and Palermo, spokesmen for the Buenos Aires city government told Xinhua.

The three neighborhoods have registered some of the highest numbers of cases in the capital.

"The objective is to identify early the close contacts of the 84 people from Balvanera recently confirmed to have COVID-19, to evaluate them, and to mitigate the contagiousness of the virus," the spokesmen said.

As of Saturday morning, Argentina had reported 21,037 cases of the disease, with 10,174 in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires authorities said that the operation includes the deployment of a fever emergency unit and a sanitization truck, as well as personnel utilizing specialized hygienic clothing and equipment. Enditem
CEDAR FALLS  Black residents shared their experiences of living in the Cedar Valley and other areas during a vigil for George Floyd at Overman Park on Saturday night.

Joyce Levingston recalled how a science teacher in her Cedar Falls junior high school told her she would never be anything.

But the rest of the kids in that class, which she was pointing to about 20 other white children, they had a chance, and I would not ruin that by being talkative, said Levingston, now a doctorial student at the University of Northern Iowa.

Levingston also recounted how, later, teachers would touch her daughters hair and how her daughters classmates didnt want to play with her because of her skin color.

Much of our hurt and trauma begins in our school system, and we need to acknowledge that, she said.

Zion Dale, a recent high school graduate, read a poem about how his mothers fears for what might happen if he encounters the police.

My mother looks in my eyes while hers are filled with tears. The look created by injustice and in her voice I can feel her fears, its because she continues to see boys that look like me in her screen for years, Dale said.

Vicki Brown recalled growing up in the south and joining a march during the civil rights era. She still has bite marks on her legs from police dogs, and she told of losing a friend to a bomb blast at a Birmingham, Alabama, church.

At that time, they called it Bombing-ham because we would always hear the bombs going off. The churches were being bombed, homes were being bombed, Brown said.

The Rev. Mary Robinson told of how police wouldnt do anything when someone wrote KKK on the sidewalk in front of the Cedar Falls church she used to lead, and of how a neighbor once reported her grandson as a burglar when he visited her Cedar Falls home.

The grandson had to show officers pictures of himself in the home before they believed him, she said. Nothing happened to the neighbor, who knew better, she said.

We cant keep living this way. This is the United States of America. We are supposed to be the moral speakers to the rest of the world, about how you treat people. We have lost that, Robinson said.

She said the people in the community have to quit keeping silent about their pain.

Overman Park Vigil, June 6, 2020

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CHICAGOFollowing a social-media tumult sparked by a series of racially accusatory tweets from a former performer and employee, Second Citys co-owner, Andrew Alexander, told staffers on Friday that he was apologizing for his many failures as a steward of an important cultural institution and stepping away from one of Chicagos most famous and internationally influential theatres.

The exit of Alexander, 76, the accomplished producer of SCTV, a longtime kingmaker and an iconic figure in sketch comedy, came after accusations of institutionalized racism were levelled on Twitter by Dewayne Perkins. In particular, Perkins criticized Second Citys prior reluctance to fundraise for the Black Lives Matter movement without also financially supporting police-related causes. Commenters amplified Perkins remarks and extended them to other improv theatres in Chicago.

Attempts were made Friday to reach Perkins for further comment.

The Second City cannot begin to call itself anti-racist, said Alexander, in a long and profoundly self-deprecating statement. That is one of the great failures of my life.

The irony is that what attracts so many people to Second City  myself included, he continued, is that it gives a public platform to a group of people to speak truth to power and use the undeniable power of comedy to force a recognition of injustice. Over the years, Second City has never shied away from talking about oppression. On stage, we have always been on the right side of the issue and of that, I am very proud. On stage, we dealt with the absurdity of the equal opportunity narrative that society uses to oppress BIPOC. We dealt with the double standard that rationalizes violence against people of colour. We dealt with the cynicism of the liberal pact with capitalism. Offstage, its been a different story.

Alexander also said he had failed to create an anti-racist environment wherein artists of colour might thrive, saying he was deeply and inexpressibly sorry.

He said that he was fully removing himself from overseeing The Second Citys operations and policies and that he would divest himself from the company as it stands. He also said that the next executive producer of the company would be a member of the (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community.

In an interview with the Tribune Friday, Alexander, who owns 50 per cent of Second City, said he would look for a buyer for his interest. I want to find the right person, he said, who will move the theatre forward.

Alexander took over Second Citys Toronto outpost in 1974 after buying the Canadian branch of the theatre from Bernie Sahlins. going on to launch the careers of Gilda Radner, John Candy, Dan Ackroyd, Eugene Levy and Martin Short and inarguably providing the inspiration for the NBC show Saturday Night Live!

He became owner of the Chicago flagship in 1985, serving as executive producer for hundreds of revues. He was given the League of Chicago Theaters 2009 Artistic Leadership Award and was named 2009 Arts Chicagoan of the Year by the Tribune.

Second City, a for-profit company that has been forced to remain closed since March, has been roiled by the COVID-19 crisis, resulting in scores of layoffs and an uncertain economic future, especially given its high rent bill in Chicagos Old Town neighbourhood.

In recent years, conflicts over racism, diversity and equity have been frequent at a highly competitive theatre that was birthed with white, male-dominated casts from its University of Chicago roots and traditionally did not limit its audiences suggestions or comments, even though some performers, especially performers of colour, have complained in recent years that they had been made to feel unsafe.
Crew members of the Republic of Korea Navy vessel, named after the independence fighter Hong Beom-do, stand in formation on June 5, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Bongodong. Yonhap



By Do Je-hae



President Moon Jae-in urged Koreans Sunday to remember the sacrifices of independence fighters who struggled against Japanese imperalism on the centennial of the victory of the Bongodong (Fengwudong) Battle.

He paid tribute to Hong Beom-do, a commander-in-chief of the Korean Independence Army, who led his force of 1,200 to 1,300 freedom fighters to victory at the Battle of Bongodong, with 157 Japanese killed and 300 wounded of a force of 500 soldiers. It was the first large-scale battle between the Korean Independence Army and Japanese troops in Manchuria.

"The Bongodong Battle occurred only five months after the Provisional Government declared the year of war for independence," Moon said in a social media message Sunday. "The Bongodong Battle gave confidence and hope for independence to our people who were suffering under the colonial rule."

"The victory was all the more special because the army consisted of ordinary people, including farmers and laborers at the end of the late Joseon period."

Moon also paid tribute to the power of ordinary citizens, who are still driving the fight against national challenges. "After 100 years, it is our ordinary neighbors who are the driving force against national crises such as COVID-19. Our people have emerged as an example of overcoming the pandemic through solidarity and cooperation. Today I am reminded of the great power of the ordinary people that have written a history of victory and hope."

In 1921, Hong and his forces relocated to the Soviet Union to seek refuge from the Japanese forces and were relocated to Kazakhstan in 1943 as a result of Stalin's deportation of Koreans in the Soviet Union. He died there in 1943.

Hong Beom-do, left, poses during a conference in Moscow in January 1922. Korea Times file



The Moon administration has been trying to repatriate the remains of independence fighters who died abroad.

Moon made special mention of Hong and other independence fighters in his speech to mark the 101st anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement.

"Last year, we brought home the remains of independence activists Gye Bong-woo and Hwang Woon-jeong as well as those of their spouses. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Fengwudong this year, the remains of General Hong will be repatriated and buried in his homeland on the occasion of the Kazakh president's visit to Korea," Moon said.

"I extend my profound gratitude to the officials of the Kazakh government and Kyzylorda provincial government for their cooperation as well as to the ethnic Koreans there, who protected the general until the last moment and have looked after his grave. I hope that the repatriation of General Hong Beom-do's remains will serve as an opportunity for us to contemplate the patriotism of our forefathers and realize the value of the nation's existence."

The president of Kazakhstan was going to bring back Hong's remains during a planned visit here in March, but the visit has been delayed due to COVID-19. The two countries have decided to reschedule the visit for later this year, according to Moon's office.

Moon made an official request for the repatriation of Hong's remains during an official visit to the country in April 2019.

"It is a duty for the government to remember the members of the independence army and educate the future generations about them," Moon said.

"Due to COVID-19, the repatriation has been delayed. But we will bring back his remains and show him the highest level of respect and honor his cause for the independence movement."

The Moon administration has been more active about the commemorative activities for the independence movement than previous conservative governments.

The government will build a memorial hall in Seoul and held a groundbreaking ceremony in Seodaemun on April 11.

In December 2017, Moon became the first sitting President to visit the provisional government complex in Chongqing, China, during a state visit to the country.

The provisional government moved around various cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Guangzhou among others before settling in Chongqing in 1940. The last three years of the provisional government from 1945 through 1948 were based in Seoul.
Bolsonaro Threatens to Follow in US Footsteps and Leave WHO

Sputnik News

00:27 GMT 06.06.2020(updated 00:37 GMT 06.06.2020)

Earlier, US President Donald Trump cut ties with the World Health Organization after accusing the agency of having a "China-bias" amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, while speaking to CNN Brazil, warned that the nation could follow the United States and leave the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the global health agency of being a "political partisan organization".

"And ahead of here, the United States left WHO, and we study, in the future, either WHO works without ideological bias, or we will be out too. We don't need anyone from outside to give a hunch on health in here", Bolsonaro told reporters.

Bolsonaro stated that hydroxychloroquine "is back" as a potential anti-COVID-19 medication, returning after "sham" studies on its efficacy based on false data were pulled back, echoing US President Donald Trump's appraisal of the anti-malarial drug as an effective measure against the coronavirus.

"What is this WHO for? The WHO recommended a few days ago not to continue with studies on hydroxychloroquine, and now it has turned back. Just take their money and they start thinking differently", he suggested.

His comments come as Trump earlier cut ties with WHO, removing US financing over accusations that the agency is "China-centric" and that it had refused to make "necessary reforms" that Trump had earlier demanded in a letter to the organization. The WHO repeatedly denied all allegations, still expressing hopes for possible collaboration with the country.

The Brazilian president's intention to follow Trump in relation to the WHO comes as he has been criticized for "clearly imitating both the actions and the rhetoric of the United States", as some experts imply.

Bolsonaro is known to enjoy good relations with the Trump administration, even amid POTUS's implementation of a travel ban between the countries after Brazil saw a sharp increase in registered coronavirus infections and deaths.

 Sputnik

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June 6, 2020 Bong Go urges DOLE and DTI to collaborate efforts to assist workers losing their jobs; cites plans under BP2 program may be utilized Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go urged the Department of Labor and Employment to collaborate with the Department of Trade Industry and other concerned agencies in order to work on strategies and lay down necessary measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on the livelihood and employment of affected Filipinos. "Umaapela tayo sa DOLE at ang DTI at iba pang mga ahensya na magtulungan para gumawa ng mga paraan kung paano matutulungan ang milyun-milyong Pilipinong mawawalan ng trabaho dahil sa pandemyang ito," Go said. "Sa ngayon pa lang, marami nang business ang nagsara at dahil dito, marami na ring Pilipino ang nawalan ng trabaho," the Senator added. The possible unemployment figure will hurt the country's economy even more if strategies and mechanisms will not be put into place as early as now, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III admitted on May 20 during the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing. Bello also reported that 2.6 million workers have already lost their jobs at present due to the health crisis. Go mentioned that under the Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa (BP2) program, which is slated to be in full swing after the pandemic, DOLE and DTI have already identified programs that may be utilized to help mitigate the expected jobs loss and provide affected Filipinos alternative sources of livelihood. "Marami pong mga kababayan natin na nagtatrabaho dito sa Kamaynilaan para lang may maipadalang pera sa kanilang pamilya sa probinsya ang nadala na at gusto nang umuwi dahil sa krisis na dulot ng COVID-19," Go said. "Ito po ang rason kung bakit ko ibinahagi ang inisyatibong Balik Probinsya para mabigyan ng bagong pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan. Wala pong pilitan ito. 'Yung mga gusto pong bumalik na sa probinsya, tutulungan po kayo ng gobyerno na magsimula muli sa paraan na ligtas at makakabuti sa inyo at sa komunidad na inyong babalikan," he added. "Mayroon nang mga programa na nakalatag ang DOLE at DTI. Gamitin dapat ito para makatulong sa mga mawawalan ng trabaho," Go stressed further. DOLE will offer various programs in varying phases. In the immediate phase, the department will focus on those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 outbreak. Programs include the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers Program and Government Internship Program (TUPAD-GIP), Special Program for Employment of Students during their school breaks, Work Appreciation Program for on-the-job training experience, Tulay 2000 Program for persons with disabilities, and JobStart for employment facilitation. The DOLE ASSIST WELL (Welfare, Employment, Legal, Livelihood) Program for national reintegration program of overseas Filipino workers, wage subsidy, one-time assistance for qualified freelancer beneficiary, Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program, and Labor Enforcement and Action Program (LEAP)-Balik Probinsya are among those the labor department intends to also implement during the short-term period. Meanwhile, in the mediate or medium-term, DOLE will help nursing graduates and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-trained nurse assistants to gain employment. In addition, DOLE proposes to also require contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways to increase the number of workers from the localities where their projects are being constructed. On the other hand, DTI said they are ready to provide different forms of financial assistance for micro, small and medium enterprises support and development, such as Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo sa Barangay that will include mentoring and training in addition to a seed capital; Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso Program - Enterprise Rehabilitation Program; Negosyo Centers under the Go Negosyo Act for business registration, technology centers, production and management trainings and marketing assistance from other agencies; Shared Service Facilities Program for machinery, equipment, tools, systems, skills and knowledge for MSMEs; Diskwento Caravan or Rolling Stores, Philippine Trade Training Center Global MSME Academy; and Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa Program for victims of the pandemic. "We need to do whatever it takes to find the solutions for our Filipino brothers and sisters, especially those who may soon lose their jobs due to the crisis. From job fairs, information on job opportunities, skills training and availability of alternative forms of livelihood-let us do what we can to help the country bounce back from this crisis," Go said. Go also recently urged the government to assist SMEs manufacturing COVID-19-related medical devices and equipment to help the country in sustaining its medical supply for frontliners that continue to help combat the health crisis. He particularly asked DTI to check its existing programs that can potentially support these SMEs which manufacture these medical supply and equipment, such as personal protective equipment and masks.
A Maryland cyclist suspected of attacking a group of teens as they put up signs calling for justice for George Floyd was arrested Friday, police in Maryland said.

Image: Anthony Brennan III (Maryland-National Capital Park Police)

Anthony Brennan III, 60, of Kensington, Maryland, was booked on allegations of second-degree assault in the Monday attack, which was videotaped and posted on social media.

One of the victims, described as a male, was pushed down by the suspect, who used his bicycle, the Park Police Montgomery County Division said in a statement. Two other teens, described as females, were also listed as victims of the attack in Bethesda.

The trio was putting up flyers that read, "A MAN WAS LYNCHED BY THE POLICE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?"

The video shows the man approaching the teen with his bicycle and the teen can be heard yelling what?, hey, what the f***? before he is thrown to the ground and the camera cuts off.

The male teen told NBC News a man ripped the posters and tape out of our hands before eventually throwing his bike into me and trying to hold me to the ground with it."

The group filed a report with the police and the Park Police Montgomery County Division put out a statement on Twitter urging anyone with information to come forward and help them identify the suspect.
German officials have criticized the reported decision by the US to withdraw more than a quarter of American troops stationed in Germany, as a senior aide to Chancellor Angela Merkel warns of damage to the countries' longstanding alliance.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to reduce the number of US 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 America's NATO ally.

Peter Beyer, Chancellor Angela Merkel's coordinator for transatlantic relations, warned that 'the German-US relationship could be severely affected' by Trump's decision.

In an interview published Saturday by Germany's Funke Media Group, lawmaker Norbert Roettgen said such a troop withdrawal would be 'very regrettable.'

A senior aide to German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) warned relations between Berlin and the United States 'could be severely affected' by President Trump's (right) decision to remove 9,500 troops from Germany

German lawmakers in Merkel's ruling coalition also panned the move, saying it ran contrary to the interests of both countries. The image above shows paratroopers from the US Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade and soldiers from the British 16 Air Assault Brigade during military exercises near Grafenwoehr, Germany, in April 2016

Roettgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc who chairs the German parliament's foreign policy committee, was quoted as saying that he couldn't see 'any factual reason for the withdrawal' and that U.S. soldiers were welcome in Germany.

Johann Wadephul, the deputy chairman of the Union's parliamentary caucus, said the US 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.

Meanwhile, Germany's top diplomat says ties with the United States are 'complicated' and he fears that America's domestic discord could further fuel international tensions.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview published Sunday that if the US goes ahead with plans to withdraw thousands of troops stationed in Germany then Berlin would 'take note of this.'

Maas told weekly Bild am Sonntag that Germany 'values the cooperation with US forces that has grown over decades. It is in the interest of both our countries.'

Maas said Germany and the United States are 'close partners in the trans-Atlantic alliance. But it's complicated.'

He voiced concerns that the US presidential election campaign could further polarize America and stoke populist politics.

Rolf Muetzenich, leader of the parliamentary group of the center-left SPD, Merkel's junior coalition partner, told the Funke newspaper group that the US plan could lead to 'a lasting realignment of security policy in Europe.'

Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe, a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II

Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges, who was stationed in the German city of Wiesbaden before he retired, said a US drawdown would be 'a colossal mistake' and 'a gift' for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

'US troops are not in Europe to protect Germans,' he tweeted.

'They are forward-based, as part of NATO, to protect all members, including USA.'

Although the American military presence has strongly declined since the end of the Cold War nearly three decades ago, Germany remains a crucial hub for US armed forces.

As well as serving as a deterrence to a resurgent Russia, US troops use their German bases to coordinate military operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The headquarters for US forces in Europe and Africa are both based in Stuttgart, while the US air base in Ramstein plays a major role in transporting soldiers and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US military hospital in Landstuhl, near Ramstein, is the largest of its kind outside the United States.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Saturday that he hoped some of the troops moved out of Germany could be reassigned to Poland.

A senior US official who did not want to be identified said on Friday that 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 Merkel, who thwarted Trump's plan to host a G7 meeting this month.
Contrary to claims in Pakistan, western democracy cannot thrive under Islamized constitution since democracy requires sharing sovereignty and entitlement with humans which according to religion is a form of Shirk or polytheism and therefore punishable. In conclusion, survival of both democracy and minorities in Pakistan rests with separating religious from politics.

Hindus are true heir to the Indus (Sindhu/Sengge) Civilization. However, in modern day Pakistan, Sindh has become the killing field of defenseless Hindus. The worsening situation is forcing their majority to flee to India and share shocking stories of forced-conversions and genocide.

Hindus subsist at the bottom of socio-economic ladder in Pakistan. Religious apartheid in tandem with absence of educational and job opportunities makes their lives insufferable. The Hindu farmers are losing battle against dwindling resources, land erosion and encroachment. Making the matters worse, they lost major portion of this years harvest to one of devastating locust attacks in decades. A leading rights activist from Sindh, Sufi Munawar Laghari says that Hindus do not have much choice in the political scheme of Pakistan. They have to convert and leave ancestral lands to save lives. In many cases, the less abled elderly and infants are immolated inside homes and temples when Muslim brigades set fire to their neighborhoods.

Now, the coronavirus is adding insult to injury as many Muslim scholars in Sindh are targeting immoral and filthy lifestyle of Hindus and other religious minorities for the spread of pandemic. Hindus say the government has abandoned them with the excuse of lack of funds which provides space for predatory Muslim brigades and extremist officials to use food, water and virus protective and screening kits as tools of conversion.

They are forced to starve as pious Muslims refuse to offer food during the lockdown. Some Shia organizations which tried to offer food to Hindus are facing backlash after being accused of sacrilege by extremist Muslims. Many Hindus were injured and jailed by police for stepping out of their homes to beat famishment. In Sukkur, Muslim goons beat and severely injured more than a dozen Hindu women and children for drinking water from a Muslim pump.

The United States Commission for Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls these actions reprehensible and condemns Pakistan for linking food and medical aide to religion. The USCIRF asks Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure equal rights for religious minorities while leading the nation out of Covid-crisis. Media often goes for self-censorship in such conditions as reporting on incessant persecution of Hindus is construed as benefiting India and therefore a national security concern.

In February of 2020, US Secretary of State reminded Prime Minister Imran Khan about his commitment to control violent extremism against Hindu, and restoration of their temples, which is yet to see the light of day. There are less than two dozen functioning temples in Pakistan and a large majority of Hindus have no access to crematoriums due to demolition of their temples. For the time being, no one is holding breath expecting Imran Khan to confront the influential Muslims who razed these temples and used the land to build offices and shopping malls.

Human rights organizations blame Pakistans anti-Hindu constitution and judicial system for Hindu-population decline. Dr. Lakhu Lohana of World Sindhi Congress attests that persecution and expulsion of Hindus from Sindh is part of Pakistans grand designs. He says, As appalling as it sounds; all State institutions are in it together and there is no punishment for the perpetrators and no justice for the victims. It is not too hard to uncover the paradox in their moral standards as same Pakistani rulers will leave no stone unturned defending land and religious rights of Kashmiri and Palestinian Muslims. He asks the members of the United Nations Organization to press upon Pakistan to stop gross violations against helpless Hindus and other religious and ethnic minorities.

Meanwhile, the USCIRF in its 2019 Annual Report notes that Hindus face continued threats to their security and remain subjected to various forms of harassment and social exclusion. According to Pakistan Hindu Council, over five thousand Pakistani Hindus migrate to India annually to escape forced conversions and physical attacks. Hindus, who in 1947 formed over twenty percent of the newly created Pakistan now account for less than three percent of its population. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) writes that in the province of Sindh alone, approximately twenty-three Hindu girls get converted each month. The same source reveals that over one thousand Hindu Sindhi girls, some as young as eleven, were abducted, tortured, raped, and forcefully converted and married to Muslims in 2018.

The ruling party of Sindh, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is often dubbed as a bulwark against persecution of religious minorities. However, in five decades of its rule, PPP has given nothing but disappointment and pain to Hindus. Driven by vote-bank politics, the Sindhi ruling elite often succumbs to pressures from religious centers like Islamic Madrassahs of Bharchondi and Amrot which champion in forced-conversion. These centers use police and judiciary to provide shelter and legal aid to the abductors of Hindu girls and promote proselytism with impunity.

In 2016, the PPP government shocked many pro-minority voices when it turned down a bill to ban conversion of minors. In 2019, it once again rejected a bill criminalizing forced conversion. The government has done very little to implement Hindu marriage act thereby denying inheritance to Hindu women. A Hindu member of Sindh assembly, Mr. Nand Kumar Golkani, reacted to government policies in the following words: "I will suggest that they [PPP] stop staging drama of celebrating Diwali, Holi and other festivals of the Hindu community. They should stop proclaiming themselves as the champions of minorities rights. Our girls are being kidnapped and converted and I have been struggling for the past few years to pass a law against the menace but the Sindh government has proved that it is unwilling to address the issue."

Dr Lakhu Lohana says that Madrassahs have become the source to formalize sex slavery in the name of serving religion. It is common for such Madrassahs to invite media and local crowds to cheer conversion ceremonies. Crowds celebrate the solemnisation rites with chants of Allah O Akbar to register Islams victory over Hindu religion and community. These converted minors often find themselves tethered to a man three times their age and already married with two or three wives.

Hindu girls who resist rape and forced conversion are at high risk of murders. These children are permanently severed from their families and roots. Those few who manage to escape to their parents cannot revert to Hinduism as leaving Islam is judicial execution under Pakistani law, often by stoning to death. Any attempt by Hindu parents to reclaim their girls is deemed blasphemous, which is also a capital punishment in Pakistan. Those accused of blasphemy walk with a death warrant and often face mob lynching and target killing before they make it to the court of law.

Like madrassas, public schools also aid in conversion where Hindu students, and have ample opportunity to rote-memorise myths on Islams superiority. Majority of Hindus cannot qualify for college after failing in Islamic studies and Arabic.

There is no room for religious co-existence under the Islamic constitution of Pakistan since a permanent co-existence with people of other faiths is synonymous to rejecting sovereignty of Allah. As part of core principle of Islam, a Hindu submitting to Allahs sovereignty means abandoning ancient civilizations and cultures as dark and false Satanic practices. On the other hand, someone resisting or obstructing conversion is what the religious scriptures label as a defiant enemy or Harib who must be subjugated to establish Allahs mandate.

Contrary to claims in Pakistan, western democracy cannot thrive under Islamized constitution since democracy requires sharing sovereignty and entitlement with humans which according to religion is a form of Shirk or polytheism and therefore punishable. In conclusion, survival of both democracy and minorities in Pakistan rests with separating religious from politics.
In Beatlebone, Kevin Barry's 2015 novel, he follows John Lennon into the west of Ireland, where the land itself seems to soothe the singer's troubled soul. In the torpor of lockdown, the writer has found his own solace in the countryside of south Co Sligo.

"For the first few weeks I was distracted, checking the news a lot," he says. "The word count in my work also slowed down a lot during those weeks. But in the last while it's been going good again.

"The most important part of all of it for me has just been showing up. If you're there every day, you sort of earn your good luck as a writer."

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Part of that work ethic was forged in his years as a journalist - for years before becoming a novelist he was a court reporter in Limerick.

"Journalism takes a lot of the preciousness out of you, you don't lie around on a chaise lounge waiting to be in the right mood for it, you just go and do the f**king work."

It also proved a fertile source of inspiration for his later work.

"I think the very best research anyone could do for a novel is to go down to the courts," he says. "The things I saw there very much fed into [his first novel] City of Bohane, which was set in a small, deranged little city in the west of Ireland.

"Limerick was a very troubled place in the 1980s and there were all sorts of things going on. I have a vivid memory of meeting the late Jim Kemmy and looking out over the Shannon river with him.

"There had been gang feuds in the city and I said 'Jim, what's happening in this city?' And he said 'I don't know but I think it's coming in off that river'."

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It was a line Barry would later use in City of Bohane and by the time it came out he had realised he couldn't excel at fiction while generating copy by the yard. "I realised that writing fiction had to be the first thing I did every day and that meant that I had to accept getting poorer for a while," he says.

"For a few years after that I had columns in the Irish Examiner and in the Glasgow Herald and the two of those - amazingly, considering freelance rates now - were enough to get by. They bought me time to work through my terrible attempts at novels and short stories. It was a slow process for me - I was 37 before my first, thin volume of short stories came out."

Music was a huge influence on him - one critic notes the spirit of Nick Cave in his work - and he ordered his collections of short stories like a musician orders album tracks.

"Growing up in the suburbs of Limerick in the 1970s it was, of course, an Irish upbringing but I was very influenced by American television and culture, and pop music from the north of England."

He had a flinty ambition.

"I recognised that I had ability as a fiction writer and that I just had to apply work to the talent," he says.

"The interesting thing about literary ability is that there is a lot of it around, it's not rare at all. What's rare is the capacity for hard work and it took me a while to learn that. In my 20s, I was out in the town quite a bit."

"I am working out personal things in my work. It's my soul pinned to the page.

For some writers, journalism can teach a kind of pertness of style but Barry survived his years as a hack.

"I did worry that 'journalese' would affect my prose but that turned out not to be a problem. I think one great thing that journalism teaches you is that you don't need inspiration to start, you can always get 1,000 words on the page."

As his success grew and he won a slew of awards - including the International Dublin Literary Award for City of Bohane - Barry would not stint in mining his life for his prose.

"I am working out personal things in my work. It's my soul pinned to the page. I use anything I've got to try to make drama on the page to give it emotional impact, and that might not just be things that have happened to you but things you've seen around you," he says.

"I've gone at most of my own stuff by now. I found myself writing about my mother's death when I was a child and it was the first time I had ever written directly about that.

"You can go at your fundamental material in oblique ways. I do have this guilty sense of 'am I just using this for material?'

"I don't know if there is any catharsis - but there is an old Graham Greene line where he says that the writer needs to have a chip of ice in the heart. And you do need to have that coldness in approaching your own material. Everything is grist to one's mill."

The cancellation of the circuit of literary festivals has meant there is a hole in the social life of himself and his wife Olivia Smith - but he has been heartened by his inclusion in the inaugural Dalkey Literary Award, the winner of which will be announced on June 20, where he sits alongside Joe O'Connor and Edna O'Brien on the shortlist.

"For Olivia and me, a big part our social life over the summer is going to the festivals - but it's important to remember that that is not the work of a writer.

"What Dalkey are doing (offering a 30,000 cash prize) is a very pragmatic support and bless them for doing it. As a country we have a really important literary traditions.

"We're near the bottom of the league in Europe in terms of government supports for the arts. It's nice to be on the shortlist and it's a great festival. Writing is the only thing the Irish are world class at."

His last novel Night Boat to Tangier was long-listed for the Booker (where judges described it as "a rogue gem of a novel") and for the Irish Novel of the Year Award - but he says its greatest prize was simply that it won him the right to continue doing what he loves.

"You have years where a book isn't coming out and you sort of recede into the woodwork a bit and then when a book does come out, you're everywhere, at readings, but really it's about driving yourself back to the desk.

"There is only one workable definition of success for a writer and that's the ability to keep going."

The Dalkey Literary Awards have replaced the Dalkey Book Festival and will take place on June 20. See www.dalkeybookfestival.org/
Antwerp, N.Y.  An Ohio man was killed Saturday in a rollover crash in Jefferson County.

State police said Raymond J. Reynolds, 56, of Deerfield, Ohio, was driving east on county Route 194 in the town of Antwerp around 12:13 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a turn and went off the road.

The 2003 Dodge Caravan Reynolds was driving then became airbourne and rolled over.

Reynolds was pronounced dead at the scene.

State police said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.
China has moved its troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh areas including the Finger area, Pangong Tso Lake, and Galwan Nala area.

The Union Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said that Indian and Chinese military commanders have agreed to peacefully resolve the current border issue in eastern Ladakh, in accordance with bilateral pacts as well as the agreement reached between the leaderships of the two countries.

The statement came a day after both the sides held high-level military talks in an attempt to resolve the month-long standoff in mountainous eastern Ladakh. The Indian delegation, led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh, met his Chinese counterpart Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of the Chinese People's Liberation Army at the Chushul-Moldo point along the Line of Actual Control.

The MEA stated on Sunday, "Both sides also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship...Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas."

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."

China has moved its troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh areas including the Finger area, Pangong Tso Lake, and Galwan Nala area. However, in the last few days, there has not been any major movement of the PLA troops at the multiple sites where they have stationed themselves.

The standoff is said to have been triggered by China's opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake, and the construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley.

China is said to have deployed around 2,500 troops in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley, and is also believed to be gradually enhancing temporary infrastructure and weaponry, according to News18. India has also been bolstering its presence by sending additional troops and artillery guns, sources told the channel.

With inputs from ANI
A man who spent more than 23 years on death row in Pennsylvania for a crime he did not commit walked free from jail on Friday.

A judge overturned Walter Ogrods conviction in the sexual assault and murder of four-year-old Barbara Jean Horn, his neighbor in Philadelphia, in July 1988.

We not only stole 28 years of your life, assistant district attorney Carrie Wood told Ogrod, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. We threatened to execute you based on falsehoods.

Ogrod, who was held at State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Skippack, had his charges reduced and was released on bail. Technically, he should face a new trial but prosecutors have said they will not pursue it.

One of his lawyers, James Rollins, told reporters Ogrods first stop would be a relatives backyard barbecue.

He was very pleased and relieved to be out of prison, Rollins said. He is very tired.

Ogrod, who was 23 when Barbara Jean was killed and is now 55, has autism. He confessed to the crime in 1992. At his first trial, in 1993, his attorneys argued the confession was coerced by detectives, while five eyewitnesses said a man seen putting on the street the TV box in which Barbara Jeans body was found did not look like Ogrod.

That trial ended in an 11-1 verdict to acquit, and a mistrial. In 1996 Ogrod was convicted, on jailhouse hearsay, and sentenced to death.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, among US states Pennsylvania has the fifth-most inmates on death row, but has carried out only three executions since 1976.

Ogrod protested his innocence from prison and his case attracted national attention.

In 2018, CNN released a film, Snitch Work, an episode of the Susan Sarandon-narrated Death Row Stories which featured coverage by author Tom Lowenstein and the Philadelphia City Paper, an alternative weekly that closed in 2015.

Also in 2018, as part of an initiative under district attorney Larry Krasner, a review of the case was announced. DNA testing carried out in January this year ruled definitively that Ogrod did not kill Barbara Jean.

Story continues

In April, Barbara Jeans mother, Sharon Fahy, said in a statement: There is no question in my mind that Mr Ogrod is innocent and that he should be released from prison immediately.

My daughter is never coming home but I wanted justice for her, not simply a closed case with an innocent person in jail, Fahy wrote. Two families have already been destroyed. Keeping Mr Ogrod in prison does nothing to accomplish my goal of bringing the person that killed my Barbara Jean to justice.

A motion to overturn the conviction was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, in which Ogrod fell ill. He recovered but Fridays hearing was held remotely, via Zoom.

Andrew Gallo, an attorney for Ogrod, said: Until today, our society  our justice system  has failed Walter Ogrod and Barbara Jeans family.

Wood told Fahy: This office has not told you the truth about what happened to your little girl so many years ago. The truth is painful and terrible, but it is what you deserved to hear from this office and we did not do that. And I am so sorry.

The truth, according to the DAs office in court documents filed earlier this year, is that Barbara Jean died of asphyxiation. In his confession, Ogrod said he beat her with a metal bar.
Urban areas across the developing world are characterised by an underbelly of shanty towns, slums, and other forms of informal settlements. With the availability of affordable homes failing to keep up with rapid urbanisation and population growth, this underbelly continues to grow in most major cities, making its residents increasingly vulnerable. Once in every few years, this vulnerability gets brutally exposed, particularly during disasters, such as the current coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The poor housing conditions within informal settlements make them a hotspot for the spread of the pandemic for many reasons. Physical distancing and frequent hand washing are near impossible in the cramped houses with shared toilet facilities. A recent study by Brookings India showed that 30% of Covid-19 containment zones in Mumbai were inside slums. Moreover, 70% of these were red zones, indicating the rapid spread of the virus in such congested areas.

So, how did we get here? The 2011 Census recorded 65 million slum dwellers, of which one-third resided in slums that did not exist on any government record. Similarly, a study by Duke University used satellite imagery to track the growth of slums in Bangalore and found nearly 2,000 slum settlements in the city, while the official records showed close to only 600 settlements. If informal settlements, and consequently their residents, do not exist on government records, it is unlikely they will receive access to basic sanitation services, let alone, quality housing or relief measures during a disaster.

This informality also causes a looming fear of eviction which, according to consulting firm FSG, discourages the residents from making an incremental investment in building better facilities. Similarly, municipal authorities view these settlements as illegal and de-prioritise the provision of basic services. However, experts agree that securing tenure for slum households not only increases the inclusion of slum dwellers in public welfare records, but it also leads to better economic and physical health, educational outcomes, gender equality, and better land and resource conservation. If people feel secure that their investment will not be demolished, they are more likely to pour their hard-earned money into improving their housing.

A good example is Ahmedabads Slum Networking Project (SNP). Initiated in 1995, it introduced a no-eviction guarantee to the citys slum residents for a period of ten years. This encouraged residents to co-invest along with the government in laying down last-mile sanitation infrastructure, thus significantly leveraging the public finances. This created a ripple effect that led to a better economic and physical health, and educational outcomes, and was acknowledged globally as a best-practice housing policy.

As policymakers work to solve the current pandemic challenges, it will be important to reflect on the long-term measures needed to prevent similar crises. Experience and evidence suggest three measures.

One, recognise the informal. India is marked by a large informal economy, which comprises of informal workers, businesses and housings. Moving towards a way to recognise and record them officially is the first step. It has taken a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic to highlight the facts that we dont know who these informal workers are, what their sources of incomes are, or where they live.

Two, provide security of tenure. Slums have become an integral part of our society. They impact our daily lives and cannot be wished away. The Ahmedabad SNP programme offered a short duration no-eviction guarantee, which transformed the housing conditions in the slums. Policymakers will need to innovate and offer solutions to improve the quality of housing and basic services in these settlements, such as a no-eviction guarantee, community land titles, or individual household titles, as offered by Odishas Jaaga Mission.

Three, partner with the community. For a country of our scale, top-down solutions can only go so far. Bottom-up solutions, involving community members and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), will allow last-mile delivery of services and minimise conflict. For example, Odishas Jaaga Mission, by partnering with NGOs and slum dweller associations, successfully mapped nearly 200,000 slum households in a matter of months to provide land titles and housing benefits. Even during this pandemic, state governments have acknowledged the role of NGOs in providing relief measures. This last-mile partnership, when enhanced with technology and greater transparency, can truly transform the delivery of governance at the grassroots.

The ongoing pandemic prevention and relief programmes are reactive, bandaid solutions. We need to acknowledge that this will not be the last public health emergency that we will face as a society, and we need to take a long-term view of the efforts needed to improve our collective resilience and build a more inclusive society. Thankfully, successful models exist. We just need the political will to implement them at scale.

Shreya Deb is director (investments), Omidyar Network India

The views expressed are personal
Imperial Valley News Center

Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Holds Hearing on the Role of the Public Defender

Washington, DC - Tuesday, the Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice held a hearing on the role of public defenders. The hearing was conducted via teleconference and featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and answered questions from the commissioners.

The commission received testimony from Geoffrey Burkhart, Executive Director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission; Douglas K. Wilson, Chief Public Defender, Aurora (Colo.) Public Defenders Office; Carlos J. Martinez, Miami-Dade Public Defender, Miami-Dade County, Fla., and; Mark Stephens, Former Elected Public Defender, Knox County, Tenn.

The panelists discussed the role of the public defender in the criminal justice system. Mr. Burkharts opening testimony argued that, Public defenders are key to a fair justice system. The right to an attorney is a threshold right that helps protect all other constitutional rights But public defense faces a basic problem: more than half of American counties dont have a public defender. Instead, they rely on non-systems, in which unsupervised attorneys take cases on an ad hoc basis, often for a flat fee.

In Mr. Martinez testimony, he maintained that public defenders roles are critical to communities. The criminal justice system functions by default as if offenders and victims are distinct classes of people with conflicting interests, ignoring the reality that today's offender was yesterday's victim (and vice versa), he said. Victims are often family and friends, who frequently identify more with offenders than with law enforcement. When punishment is meted out, the offender is not the only one punished, it is family and the community as well.

All four testimonies touched on the need for more resources. Mr. Wilson stated, We have no federal mandate on how the delivery of indigent defense should be funded and provided at the state and local level. This lack of direction and support at the federal level has caused severe resource deficiencies, a lack of sustainable workloads and inconsistent if not non-existence training standards. Mr. Stephens testimony added, Clients living in poverty often internalize a sense of alienation and exclusion that often manifests itself as hopelessness, desperation, frustration, powerlessness, anxiety, or depression. When public defender services are delivered in run-down, undersized, poorly maintained physical settings by attorneys with overwhelming caseloads, that sense of alienation, exclusion, and lack of worth is reinforced by the client's own lawyer.
Anti-Government Protests in Beirut Explode Into Violence

Sputnik News

18:22 GMT 06.06.2020

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - Thousands of anti-government protesters, angry at continuing economic hardships in Lebanon, clashed with security forces in downtown Beirut on Saturday.

Hundreds of violent protesters pelted the parliament's building with stones and smashed shop windows before moving to central Martyrs Square, where thousands were holding a peaceful protest, a Sputnik correspondent said.

The demonstration quickly descended into chaos, with protesters hurling rocks and firecrackers at security forces, who responded with volleys of tear gas.

Rival protests were held by those opposing Hezbollah's influence on the government and Shiite supporters of the Lebanese militant group.

Troops were called in to disperse the crowd. In response, demonstrators set a police motorbike on fire and barricaded the road with burning tires and trash cans.

Peace returned to the iconic square, the centre of last year's protests that toppled the previous government after the military held brief negotiations with the crowd.

Lebanon has seen months of pro-reform protests since frustration over the government's inability to stop currency depreciation brought people into the streets in October. Prime Minister Hassan Diab, who took office in January, has been in talks with international creditors to secure a financial lifeline for the nation.

 Sputnik

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Burkina Faso: 58 killed in attacks targeting Christians

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At least 58 people, including children, were recently killed in northern Burkina Faso in three separate attacks by armed Islamic militants who were targeting Christians.

Christians were among those targeted and killed in the attacks that took place in the provinces of Loroum, Kompienga and Sanmatenga within 24 hours, from May 29 to May 30, according to the U.K.-based aid agency Barnabus Fund.

The group said a local source spoke to a survivor, who said the militants targeted Christians and humanitarians taking food to a camp of internally displaced people with many Christian villagers who had fled before the violence.

Referring to an attack on a humanitarian convoy in Sanmatenga provinces Barsalogho area, which left six civilians and seven soldiers dead, the survivor said, The driver shouted forgive, forgive, we are also followers of the [Islamic] prophet Muhammad. One of them [among the gunmen] turned to the other attackers and said, they have the same religion with us.

The attack subsequently ended, the charity said.

Apart from the attack in Sanmatenga, militants opened fire indiscriminately at a cattle market in Kompienga on May 30, killing at least 30 people. The day before, a convoy of traders, which included children, was attacked while traveling from Titao to Solle in Loroum province.

Dozens were injured in the three attacks.

Last December, at least 14 people were killed when gunmen stormed a Protestant church service in the town of Hantoukoura near the border with Niger. Last April, gunmen killed a Protestant pastor and five other Christians who were leaving a worship service in Silgadji.

Burkina Faso, one of the most impoverished countries in the world, has been fighting armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for more than four years.

Over 4,000 people were killed in Islamic extremist attacks in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali in 2019, according to the U.N.'s envoy for West Africa and the Sahel Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

Since 2016, extremist groups including the Islamic State West Africa Province and Ansaroul Islam have carried out attacks throughout the Sahel region of West Africa. But attacks increased fivefold in 2019  deaths rose from 80 in 2016 to 1,800 in 2019.

Jihadist violence has now spread from the countrys north to the western Boucle du Mouhoun region where rice and maize are produced and transported to other areas, resulting in a food shortages and might cut off food for millions more in the region, according to The Associated Press.

It is feared that the COVID-19 pandemic might exacerbate the situation at a time when 2 million people in the country are already facing food insecurity.

If production goes down in this area and if movement restrictions due to the coronavirus drive up food prices in the markets, it could push numbers of severely vulnerable people to double or triple, Julia Wanjiru, communications coordinator for the Sahel and West Africa Club, an intergovernmental economic group, was quoted as saying.

According to the U.N., the number of people displaced in Burkina Faso rose 1,200 percent in 2019. There are about 600,000 internally displaced people in the country as it is becoming one of the worlds fastest-growing humanitarian crises.
Children in care are at risk from unjustified rules that have stripped back visits and inspections during the pandemic, a watchdog is warning  calling for them to be revoked immediately.

In an interview with The Independent, Anne Longfield, the childrens commissioner for England, said the countrys most vulnerable youngsters were now less protected, including from sexual abuse by grooming gangs.

Emergency regulations, which water down certain safeguards regarding children in care, were introduced to help councils cope with coronavirus. They are due to stay in place until at least September, but Ms Longfield said: I think they should be revoked now  I dont think they are necessary or justified.

The commissioner revealed worrying examples of failings by local authorities that had reached her desk, since the rules came into force  without public scrutiny  at the end of April.

One child worried about their care was told we dont do complaints anymore, while a second in care left home to live somewhere else, but the council did not notice for weeks.

There is a potential for children in care not to be given the protection they need and for them to be put at greater risk, Ms Longfield said.

For some, that means they are at greater risk of grooming or exploitation, especially older children in semi-independent accommodation.

The criticism comes as one childrens charity launched a High Court legal action against the dangerous regulations, warning decades-old safeguards had been snatched away.

One requirement lifted  for a six-monthly review of a childs care  has been traced back to the manslaughter of a 12-year-old by his foster carers way back in 1944.

Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Show all 23 1 /23 Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds hands with Nichollette and Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza, 27, who is pregnant, sits next to Ryan Morgan, 30, her partner and father to their unborn child, as they relax at Pedrozas parents house in Forth Worth, Texas, where they currently live, during the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza attends an appointment with her licensed midwives Susan Taylor, 40, who checks her stomach, and Amanda Prouty, 39, in Taylors home office at her house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy takes a brisk walk to try and speed up her contractions with Ryan and her midwives near Taylors home where Pedroza plans to give birth Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy receives support from Nichollette Jones, her doula Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan and Nichollette as she experiences contractions while labouring at the home of Pedrozas licensed midwife, Susan Taylor Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy lies on a bed in front of Ryan as he helps to pump her breastmilk to try and speed up her contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions as Susan lies on a bed Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy embraces Ryan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is placed onto an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics, after her unborn childs heartbeat dropped from 130 beats per minute to 30 Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried on an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried into an ambulance on a stretcher Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds her one-day old newborn son, Kai Rohan Morgan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy breastfeeds her newborn son at the house of her parents, where they are currently living Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan Taylor positions Kai for a photograph at his newborn screening Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Amanda Prouty and Susan Taylor conduct a newborn screening for Kai at Kais maternal grandparents house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan takes two-day old Kais temperature while checking if he has tongue tie, an oral condition that can potentially cause issues with feeding Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy and Ryan clip the fingernails of their two-day old son Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Kai, who is two days old and is experiencing jaundice, is positioned in the sunlight by his mother Nancy Reuters

Labour has forced a Commons debate on the controversy next Wednesday, protesting that ministers had not produced any evidence to show the relaxations are needed.

The regulations, rushed through because of the extraordinary pressure on local authorities:

* Allow social workers to contact children living in care, or privately fostered, as soon as reasonably practicable  rather than within one week initially, and every six weeks for the year after that

* Relax requirements to review care plans  depriving children of the opportunity to raise concerns and have them independently scrutinised

* Allow children to be locked up in care homes if they are showing symptoms of coronavirus  without, it is feared, clear guidance for monitoring this

* Scrap monthly independent visits to childrens homes  and twice-yearly Ofsted inspections  provided reasonable endeavours are made

* Remove the requirement for independent panels to approve foster carers and adoption placements

* Allow local authorities to approve anyone as a temporary foster carer who meets requirements  rather than only someone connected to a child, such as friends or family.

Ministers said they were needed because of fears that care staff would be struck down by the pandemic and forced to isolate, creating shortages.

But Ms Longfield said this had not happened and criticised the original decision, saying: The focus was not on the best interests of children, it was on the system and the providers of it.

It didnt give the impression that children were centremost in anyones priorities  when all of this should be based on the best interests of children, especially those that the state has such a high level of responsibility over.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Just For Kids Law group of childrens charities, echoed the criticism, saying: These are children who have already received great trauma in their lives and now they will find it more difficult to cope by themselves.

The application for a judicial review has been launched by the charity Article 39, which says it has identified 65 separate removals, or dilution, of protections  some of which will survive even if the regulations are removed in September.

It has accused ministers of smuggling through deregulation on steroids, arguing it is the fourth such attempt to relax childrens social care rules since 2016.

The legal protections snatched away were carefully built up from the 1940s onwards and the governments actions are dangerous, said Carolyne Willow, Article 39s director.

They were the culmination of decades of childrens experiences, testimony, learning and positive social work. Terrible failures to protect children are also a significant part of that history.

And Tulip Siddiq, Labours spokeswoman for children, said: These changes are unnecessary and could put children in harms way. They must be revoked immediately, or at the very least withdrawn pending proper safeguards and scrutiny.

The department for education declined to respond to the childrens commissioners criticisms and call for immediate revocation of the regulations.
Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in 1967 Middle East war

People chant during a rally against Israel plans to annex parts of the West Bank, in Tel Aviv. (AP)

Tel Aviv: Several thousand Israelis demonstrated on Saturday against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state.

Protesting in face masks and keeping their distance from each other under coronavirus restrictions, they gathered under the banner No to annexation, no to occupation, yes to peace and democracy. Some waved Palestinian flags.

The protest was organised by left-wing groups and did not appear to be the start of a popular mass movement. Around half of Israelis support annexation, according to a recent opinion poll.

The organisers screened a video address by U.S. Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.

It has never been more important to stand up for justice, and to fight for the future we all deserve, Sanders said. Its up to all of us to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli.

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in a 1967 Middle East war.

Netanyahu has set July 1 as the date to begin advancing his plan to annex Israels settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, hoping for a green light from Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a peace plan that includes Israel keeping its settlements and the Palestinians establishing a state under stringent conditions.

Palestinians have rejected the proposal and voiced outrage against Israels proposed annexation.

Warning of possible violence and diplomatic repercussions, some European and Arab states, together with the United Nations, have urged Israel not to annex its settlements, regarded by many countries as illegal.
Syracuse, N.Y.  A Syracuse woman was killed in a shooting earlier this morning, one of four firearm-related incidents that happened in the city overnight.

Police responded to the 300 block of Ellis Street around 12:51 a.m., where they found a woman shot in her mid-section. She was rushed to Upstate University Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Police identified her as 24-year-old India Butler.

Police have not announced any arrests in connection with her death.

Police also responded to three other shots fired calls in a roughly 90-minute period early Sunday morning, one of which culminated in an arrest.

Officers responded to the 1400 block of S. Salina St. around 12:33 a.m., where they found two vehicles that had been struck by gunfire and 35 spent casings in the street.

Officers Ralph Solis and Anthony Sticca were in the area when the shots were fired and they observed a car attempting to leave the scene, police said.

After police stopped the vehicle, one of the passengers, identified by police at 26-year-old Daquan Singletary, fled from the car.

With assistance from officers Corey Goode and Amanda Wolf, Sticca took Singletary into custody.

While searching the area, officers found a loaded 9mm handgun, police said.

Singletary was charged with second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm, as well as minor drug and marijuana possession charges.

At 12:35 a.m., officers were called to the 300 block of Rowland Street to investigate gunshots. They located evidence that shots were fired, including a casing, police said. No injuries or damage were reported.

At 2:04 a.m., officers investigated a similar call in the 300 block of Tully Street. There they found multiple casings and other evidence of gunshots. No injuries or damage were reported.

Anyone with information about any of the cases is asked to call the Syracuse Police Department at (315) 442-5222.

Contact Jacob Pucci at jpucci@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @JacobPucci.
BRADY ANDERSON, Chariho, Wrestling, Sophomore; Anderson finished first in the 152-pound weight class at the Griswold Midseason Invitational tournament. Anderson went 3-0 in the tournament, pinning all of his opponents in the first period. Anderson is 10-4.

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

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

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

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Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - On Friday, at approximately 1:09 a.m., Yuma police officers responded to a report of a delayed burglary at Ron Watson Middle School, 9851 East 28th Street. The initial investigation revealed a considerable amount of damage to the school.

Four 14 year old juveniles have been identified as the suspects in this case. Three of the juveniles have been arrested and charges will be forwarded to the Yuma County Attorneys Office for review. All four were 8th grade students from Ron Watson Middle School.

The last suspect, a 14 year old juvenile, was arrested today in reference to this case. In addition to this arrest, the remaining stolen property was also recovered. The suspect was booked into the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
Three Australian men have been arrested over their alleged roles in facilitating child abuse in the Philippines, during a month of major AFP-led breakthroughs in the Asian country.

In addition to the capture of the three men, police also uncovered a horror sex den in which 13 children, the youngest just 12 months old, were sexually abused on camera.

A mother arrested in that case had allowed four of her own children to be abused.

With a big number of predators visiting the Philippines to prey on children Australian Federal Police work closely with their counterparts, using their intelligence gathering to provide tip-offs about tourists or locals who may be involved in child sex abuse.

The efforts are coordinated through the International Justice Mission and in May this year resulted in 23 children being saved - and the arrests of several suspects, among them the three Australian men.

Three Australian men have been arrested over their roles in facilitating the abuse of children (pictured) in the Philippines, during a month of major AFP-led breakthroughs in the Asian country

Kevin Raymond Doyle (pictured), 57, is facing a total of 75 charges over the alleged abuse of up to 50 children

Brendan Curt Schulz (pictured), 35, allegedly live-streamed the sexually abuse of children, and will face Mount Isa Magistrates Court in Queensland on July 30

Kevin Raymond Doyle, 57, is facing a total of 75 charges over the alleged abuse of up to 50 children, News Corp reports.

The Brisbane truck driver allegedly shared child abuse online and encouraged others to procure children to engage in sexual activity.

Police first began to investigate Doyle last November when his phone was seized as he prepared to fly from the Philippines to Brisbane.

William Allen Corley, 63, last week faced Burwood Local Court in Sydney on multiple charges of child sexual abuse.

Brendan Curt Schulz, 35, allegedly live-streamed the sexually abuse of children, and will face Mount Isa Magistrates Court in Queensland on July 30.

In the wake of one May arrest, Philippines-based AFP agent Graeme Marshall said the joint work of the international police forces was crucial to catching paedophiles.

'International partnerships are critical to our combined efforts to protect children no matter where they live,' agent Marshall said.

The efforts, coordinated through the International Justice Mission, resulted in 23 children being saved - and several suspects being arrested - in May alone

Among those people arrested was a 28-year-old mother who allegedly offered up four of her own children to be abused

With a big number of predators visiting the Philippines to prey on children Australian Federal Police work closely with their counterparts, using their intelligence gathering to provide tip-offs about tourists or locals who may be involved in child sex abuse

'The AFP and its international partners are working tirelessly to target anyone who seeks to exploit children, and we are not distracted by the demands of the COVID pandemic.'

Two of the Philippines-based police teams charged with investigating child sexual abuse are led by mothers.

After arresting the 28-year-old woman who allowed for four of her own children to be abused, Chief Janet Francisco said she 'could not comprehend' how a mother could allegedly do that.

'This just shows that criminally minded individuals will do whatever it takes to exploit minors for profit,' Francisco, of the National Bureau of Investigation's anti-human trafficking division, said.

'We as law enforcers will also do whatever it takes to apprehend erring individuals.'
Delhi is witnessing a surge of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). For close to 10 days, it has witnessed over 1,000 positive cases every day. It is the third most severely affected state in the country, after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, but on a per capita basis, in terms of population, Delhi will rank as the most affected region in the country. It has the among the highest positivity rates in the country (this measures the number of people who are positive per 100 tests). And its own expert panel believes that the Capital needs to be prepared for 100,000 cases by the end of the month. Even as the data presents an alarming picture, anecdotal evidence suggests that people are struggling to get tested, and get admitted to hospitals. There has also been a range of government directives, against private hospitals and private labs, which presents an image of a rather incoherent policy landscape.

The Delhi government needs to get its act together, and follow a three-pronged approach. The first is science. To its credit, it allowed science to determine its approach in the initial weeks. But this needs to be reinforced. Science dictates widespread testing, a rigorous process of contact tracing, home isolation for asymptomatic cases and those with mild symptoms, hospitalisation for all other cases, and oxygen and, if needed, ventilator support for severe cases. The second is transparency. Delhi needs to be more transparent with data. It took pride in a low fatality rate, until a review process has now thrown up a higher death count than initially assumed. It needs to provide a district-wise break-up of testing and hospital data. All governments, across the world, are overwhelmed due to the health challenge. Instead of blaming others and getting defensive, Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal needs to be honest about the scale of the crisis.

And finally, it needs to deliver. There appears to be a major gap in the governments claims of the number of beds available and the ability of patients to get those beds. For a patient not to get medical support at this time almost amounts to criminal negligence. Blaming private hospitals  which must contribute in meeting the challenge honestly, with price caps on treatment  comes across as evasion of responsibility. The Aam Aadmi Party government has been known for its delivery. And if it requires Mr Kejriwal and his Cabinet to get on to the street, visit hospitals, and get the system in place, do it. The CM asked for Delhi to open up, and claimed the citys health infrastructure was ready for a surge. It is time to translate that promise into reality.
On August 5, 1967 Janet Jan was united in marriage to Jerry Fessler at Zion Lutheran Church in Northwood. In 1974 Jan and Jerry moved to Thief River Falls, Minnesota where they owned and operated a Pizza Hut franchise while raising their daughter. Jan was a very active member at Redeemer Lutheran Church and an avid volunteer in the community. She loved traveling and spending time in their winter home in Mesa, Arizona. Jan moved to Newburgh to be closer to her family after Jerry's passing and so enjoyed all the time spent with her two granddaughters and all their activities. She was a member of Newburgh United Methodist Church and looked forward to her outings with her friends through the Christian Fellowship Church group. Jan had a very generous heart and never met a stranger. Most of all, Jan was a loving Mom and devoted Grandma.
Leh, June 7 : Amid the standoff with China, Ladakh MP, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, toured border areas of eastern Ladakh and promised safety, security and overall development to residents along with Pangong Lake near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where tension is prevailing.

In his three-day tour, the BJP MP visited Thakung and Chartse Posts and examined the actual position at Finger 4 and other posts.

Namgyal also visited the last villages of the area including Phobrang-Yurgo-Lukung, Spangmik, Maan-Merak, Khagtad, Chushul and Shayok at the Galwan Valley side and interacted with the residents and heard their grievances, especially about the ongoing situation.

During his tour, he stayed overnight in Chushul which holds prominence as it was the site of a fierce battle during the 1962 India-China war and also interacted with the village representatives of the region.

During the visit to the border, the MP said: "We don't want any confrontation with our neighbouring countries and we strongly believe in peace, progress and prosperity." "We have a very competent government at the Centre under the leadership of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister who is very patriotic, dynamic and committed for the overall development of a well secured and very strong nation. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, we, the countrymen, have full faith that not even an inch of Indian land would be lost," he added.
As protests against police brutality and racism following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis continue in cities across the U.S., Nelly Rodriguez of Newark decided she needed to say something against the police violence that rocked her world in January.

Michael Rivera, her fiance and the father of her six-year-old son, was shot to death by Riverdale Police Officer Andrew Duffy during a police chase sparked by an alleged theft in Riverdale Jan. 23.

I didnt want for him to be forgotten, she said Saturday, after staging a small protest at the Riverdale Police Station with her son, Michael Jr., and several friends and relatives. There are more George Floyds out there.

There have been dozens of protests against police brutality in New Jersey since last weekend. While protesters chant Black lives matter and repeat Floyds name, some have also carried signs bearing the name of local men who died in police custody, like Jameek Lowery in Paterson, who police said died from bath salts and meningitis, and Rashaun Washington in Vineland, who was shot by police who believed he might be armed.

Rodriguez said she felt it was important to put together her own protest, with signs proclaiming Rivera as a loving father and uncle, and that the officer shot at him 14 times.

Holding signs at a protest over the death of Michael Rivera are left to right, Brianna Rodriguez, Arelys Negron, Anna Rodriguez, and his son, Michael Rivera Jr., and kneeling, his fiancee, Nelly Rodriguez.Provided

Rivera was being pursued for a shoplifting, according to the familys attorney, Josh McMahon.

The chase ended when Rivera was cornered on a small dead end street in Bloomingdale.

Duffy began firing on the SUV through his cruiser window as Rivera drove toward Duffys cruiser, according to video obtained through a public records request. The SUV struck the cruiser door as it went by, pinning Duffys leg as the shots continued to ring out, according to police and the video. The officer was treated for the injury.

The Attorney Generals Office, which investigates all police shootings, is still investigating whether the shooting was justified. However, Riverdale Police Chief Kevin Smith has said he stands by his officers actions given the situation. Smith did not return a request for comment about the protest Saturday.

Rodriguez said it felt like a kind of relief to protest alongside her son, whom she said is angry and confused by his fathers death.

It felt powerful to let them know that I didnt forget, that he was loved, that he had a son," she said. We were all looking forward to him coming home that day.

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Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
A disabled military veteran has revealed why police pepper sprayed her at a Black Lives Matter rally.

Jane Margaret Bedford-Heighton was captured berating police officers in Sydney's Central Station after being sprayed during the demonstration on Saturday.

Shocking pictures showed Ms Bedford-Heighton sprawled on the ground after police fired pepper spray into the crowd, hitting her square in the eye.

Ms Bedford-Heighton claimed the attack was unprovoked after she tried to distance police officers from a group of black protesters as tempers flared in the station.

She said she thought her disability would have stopped officers from reacting with force, only to be pushed back by police.

Jane Margaret Bedford-Heighton screams at police after being pepper sprayed at the Black Lives Matter in Sydney's Central Station on Saturday

Ms Bedford-Heighton told 7News an officer told her she was 'going to get hurt' before being pepper sprayed by a cop behind the first row of police.

'The next thing I saw was a male police officer standing behind him (the first police officer). He reached over his shoulder, placed a pepper spray can in front of my face less than 10cm away and blasted it for a few seconds into my eyes,' she said.

Footage filmed at the tense scene shows Ms Bedford-Heighton screaming at police after being helped back to her feet by onlookers after cleaning her eyes.

'I said nothing. I did nothing, look what you did! Look what you did!' she said.

'I served five years in the defence force and I got medically discharged for being injured on deployment. And this is what you did to me.

'If you did this to a white woman, what do you do to black people?'

Ms Bedford-Heighton said she was completely blind-sided by the pepper spray and slumped to the floor.

First aiders rushed to help Ms Bedford-Heighton and pour water over her eyes just moments after being pepper sprayed

'There was no threat or warning that foresaw pepper spray was about to be used. I heard nothing like that at all,' she said.

Despite watching her writhing in pain, Ms Bedford-Heighton was shocked at the lack of reaction from the officers as she screamed at them.

'It was terrifying. I don't think I have witnessed that detachment from someone suffering before, just in the looks in their faces,' she said.

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.

Around 20,000 people gathered for the Sydney protests, which moved from Town Hall to Central Station

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.

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.

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'.

Despite the violent scenes of crowds being pepper-sprayed, NSW Police insisted the protests had 'remained peaceful'.

NSW Police insisted the protests were peaceful despite the scenes in Central Station (pictured). Only three arrests were made

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.

'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.'
New Delhi, June 7 : With Indian Naval Ship (INS) Jalashwa evacuating 700 stranded Indians from Male in the Maldvies on Sunday, the Navy has so far ferried 2,874 people from the Maldives and Sri Lanka as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, according to the force on Sunday.

While INS Jalashwa has brought in 2,672 citizens, INS Magar has evacuated 202 Indians.

The embarkation was facilitated by the Indian mission in the Maldives after requisite medical screening and coronavirus-related safety protocols were strictly adhered to during the voyage, the Navy said.

The evacuation was conducted as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the central government and factoring all possible contingencies. All precautions for infection control on ships, in conjunction with isolation and quarantine protocols for crew, were ensured.

The evacuees were received at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu amid speedy disembarkation, health screening, immigration and transportation.

On May 12, INS Magar had evacuted in 202 Indians, which included 23 women and three children, from the Maldives. The ship had sailed from Maldives on May 10.

Meanwhile, as part of the Mission Sagar, INS Kesari reached Port Victoria, Seychelles, during the day to deliver second consignment of essential medicines at the request of the Seychelles government.

INS Kesari carried medicines for most common ailments found in the islands, like blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and other cardiovascular diseases.

The India government has also donated two 'air evacuation pods', designed by the Indian Navy, to the Health Care Agency (HCA), Seychelles, to help in urgent medical evacuations.
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By more than a two-to-one margin, American voters are more concerned about the death of George Floyd and police actions than they are about protests over racial injustice that have risen throughout the country.

According to a new poll by The Wall Street Journal and NBC News, 59% of all voters say the actions of police and Floyds killing are more troubling than the unrest theyve sparked.

Floyd died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin Floyd down by the neck for nearly 9 minutes. Protesters have turned out by the thousands in dozens of cities across the U.S. since Floyds death, with demonstrators calling out racial injustice thats impacted generations of black men and women. Most protests have been peaceful, but several have seen violence escalate.

Fifty-four percent of white voters, 65% of Latinos and 78% of African Americans said they were more worried about police actions and Floyds death, the poll found. Slightly more than a quarter of Americans, 27%, say theyre more concerned about the protests.

The poll showed Americans starkly divided based on political parties, with 81% of Democrats and 59% of independents more concerned over Floyds death than protests. Only 29% of Republicans agreed that Floyds death was more troubling than the protests.

NBC News noted that the poll was conducted before Fridays jobs report, which showed the economy picking up 2.5 million jobs last month. But of the 1,000 voters surveyed, 80% described the country as out of control. Fifteen percent of Americans said they felt the country was under control.

More than 9 in 10 Democrats said the country was out of control, compared to 78% of independents and 66% of Republicans.

Out of control  thats America in 2020, Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt told NBC News. (Its) one of the few things Americans can agree upon, and the one finding that we can definitively state given the tumult and torment of the past 12 days.

Horwitt, of Hart Research Associates, helped conduct the poll with Republican pollster Bill McInturff and Public Opinion Strategies, NBC reported.

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LONDON - Thousands of people took to the streets of European cities Sunday to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, with protesters in the English port of Bristol venting their anger at the countrys colonial history by toppling a statue of a 17th-century slave trader.

Demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down to cheers and roars of approval from the crowd.

Images on social media show protesters appearing to kneel on the statues neck, recalling the death of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25 that has sparked worldwide protests against racism and police violence.

Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air while lying handcuffed on the ground. The statue met with a watery end as it was eventually rolled into the citys harbour.

It wasnt the only statute targeted on Sunday. In Brussels, protesters clambered onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted reparations, according to video posted on social media. The word shame was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.

Protesters also defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in central London, crossing out his last name and spray painting was a racist underneath. They also taped a Black Lives Matter sign around its mid-section.

The days demonstration in London had begun around the U.S. Embassy, where thousands congregated  most it seemed wearing masks against the coronavirus  to protest Floyds brutal death and to shine a light on racial inequalities at home.

Everyone knows that this represents more than just George Floyd, more than just America, but racism all around the world, said Darcy Bourne, a London-based student.

The protests were mainly peaceful but for the second day running there were some scuffles near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Objects were thrown at police. Police have sent reinforcements and calm appears to have been restored.

Protesters also threw objects at police down the road outside the gates of Parliament, where officers without riot gear formed a line. They were reinforced by riot police who quickly ran toward the scene.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said violence was simply not acceptable and urged those protesting to do so lawfully while also maintaining social distancing by remaining two meters (6.5 feet) apart. But most demonstrators didnt heed that call, particularly in front of the U.S. Embassy.

Police said 14 officers were injured Saturday during clashes with protesters in central London that followed a largely peaceful demonstration that had been attended by tens of thousands.

Hundreds of people also formed a densely packed crowd Sunday in a square in central Manchester, kneeling in silence as a mark of respect for George Floyd.

In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the U.S. Consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Its a global issue, said Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong. We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the U.S. and in the other parts of the world, black lives do indeed matter.

Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in downtown Rio de Janeiro to protest against racism and police killings of black people on Sunday. The protesters werent just joining protests against Floyds death in the U.S., but also denouncing the killing of black people in Rios favelas.

The most recent case was Joao Pedro Pinto, 14, who was inside his house on May 18 in Sao Goncalo, a city in Rios metropolitan area, when police chasing alleged drug traffickers shot into the house. The protesters on Sunday carried banners reading Black mothers cant stand crying anymore. In Sao Paulo, another demonstratation ended with clashes between a small group of protesters and the police.

Several dozen demonstrators took part in a Black Lives Matter protest held in Tel Avivs central Rabin Square. Many wore blue surgical masks but did not observe social distance guidelines.

A rally in Romes sprawling Peoples Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks. Among those present was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying for a masters in business management at one of the Italian capitals public universities.

Its quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of colour are being treated as if they are lepers, Nassir said. He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes, most notably when riding the subway.

Maybe youre finding a place to stand, and people just keep moving (away) and youll be, like, What? Nassir said: Were strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit.

At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.

In Italys financial capital, Milan, a few thousand protesters gathered in a square outside the central train station Sunday afternoon. Many in the crowd were migrants or children of migrants of African origin.

In Spain, several thousand protesters gathered on the streets of Barcelona and at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid.

Many in Madrid carried homemade signs reading Black Lives Matter, Human rights for all and Silence is pro-racist.

We are not only doing this for our brother George Floyd, said Thimbo Samb, a spokesman for the group that organized the events in Spain mainly through social media. Here in Europe, in Spain, where we live, we work, we sleep and pay taxes, we also suffer racism.

___

Frank Jordans reported from Berlin and John Leicester from Le Pecq, France. Frances DEmilio in Rome, Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain; Katie Tam in Hong Kong; Frank Griffiths in London; Daniel Cole in Marseille, France; and Marcelo de Sousa in Rio de Janeiro, contributed to this report.

___

Follow all AP stories about global anti-racism protests and government reactions at https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd
Scott Morrison has scored record high approval ratings on the back of his government's handling of the coronavirus and refusal to back down to China.

Australians have rallied behind the prime minister for pushing for an independent global inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, which angered the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Beijing swiftly responded by threatening Australia's exports, banning meat exports from four abattoirs and slapping high tariffs on Australian barley.

Voters have rallied around Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison despite China threats

The latest Newspoll shows 79 per cent of voters supported Mr Morrison's demands for an COVID-19 investigation, while 59 per cent wanted the government to prioritise relations with the US ahead of China.

Meanwhile, the Coalition preserved its two-party-preferred lead over Labor.

Popular support for the Coalition dropped a point to 42 per cent while Labor's primary vote also dropped a point to 34 per cent, delivering the Coalition an unchanged lead of 51-49 based on preferences.

In terms of approval ratings Mr Morrison's satisfaction level remains unchanged at a record high of 66 per cent and his disapproval level has fallen a point to 29 per cent.

These are the highest prolonged numbers for a prime minister since the early days of Kevin Rudd's first term in government.

Mr Morrison strengthened his position as preferred prime minister over Labor rival Anthony Albanese, retaining 56 per cent support against 26 per cent for Mr Albanese who dropped three points.

The support comes as China ramps up its threats against Australia.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued an alert warning Chinese people not to travel to Australia on Saturday, citing a 'significant increase' in racist attacks on Chinese and Asian people.

More than 1.2 million Chinese tourists visited Australia last year - the largest market segment. They spent a total of $12.4 billion which averaged about $215 per night, Tourism Australia says

As of the 2016 Census, there were 509,557 Chinese-born people and 86,888 people born in Hong Kong were in Australia. China issued an alert warning its citizens not to come to Australia

'The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reminds Chinese tourists to enhance their safety awareness and do not travel to Australia,' the warning said.

The alert gave no specific examples of racism.

China itself is no stranger to racism, with Human Rights Watch urging Beijing to stop the discrimination against 14,000 African migrants in Guangdong province in May.

Australia lobbied for the World Health Organisation to independently investigate the origins of coronavirus, angering China. More than 110 nations supported Australia's call

Pictured: an African restaurant in Guangzhou, China, on April 13. Many foreigners reported racial discrimination by the city's authorities in April, when Africans were kicked out of rental accommodation, and were refused service in hotels, shops and restaurants

In early April, Chinese authorities in the southern city of Guangzhou began forcibly testing Africans for coronavirus, Human Rights Watch reported.

Chinese landlords then evicted African residents forcing them to sleep on the streets and Chinese hotels, shops and restaurants refused service to African customers.

China rejected all accusations despite many reports from foreigners in Guanghzhou.

The CCP's travel warning on Australia sparked fears in the tourism and higher education sectors and is widely viewed as yet another jab in Beijing's trade retaliation against Canberra.

More than 1.2 million Chinese tourists - the largest proportion of visitors - visited Australia last year according to Tourism Australia.

They spent a total of $12.4 billion which averaged about $215 per night.

About 100,000 Chinese students are enrolled in Australia's universities providing a large source of profits each year for the $36 billion education-selling industry.

The coronavirus crisis has exposed the depth of Australia's dependence on China, creating a structural economic problem.

China announced an 80.5% tariff on barley exports starting May 19, in what is widely seen as retaliation for Australia's push for a coronavirus investigation. Pictured: a barley farmer in NSW

Pictured: Scott Morrison shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Xinping

Australian Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said China's travel alert was not true.

'We reject China's assertions in this statement, which have no basis in fact,' Senator Birmingham told AAP in a statement on Saturday.

'Our rejection of these claims, which have been falsely made by Chinese officials previously, is well known to them.'

Australia's export markets in 2019 1. China: $135 billion (33% of total Australian exports) 2. Japan: $36 billion (9%) 3. South Korea: $21 billion (5%) 4. United Kingdom: $16 billion (3.8%) 5. United States: $15 billion (3.7%) Source: Worldstopexports.com Advertisement

Mr Birmingham also said Australia was 'the most successful multicultural and migrant society in the world'.

As of the 2016 Census, there were 509,557 Chinese-born people in Australia of whom 36.3 percent were citizens.

A further 86,888 people born in Hong Kong were in Australia, of whom 75.3 percent were citizens.

A handful of incidents involving racism have made headlines in Australian media over the last few months.

In April, an irate woman was filmed screaming racist abuse at Telstra workers in Sydney's southern suburb of Miranda, telling them to 'go back to China' after they asked her questions to ensure coronavirus safety.

A commuter was filmed hurling abuse at a passenger, calling him a 'disease carrying motherf**ker.'

At the time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison publicly addressed the incidents.

'It was the Chinese Australian community that actually protected Australia so early on in this virus outbreak around the world,' he said.

'Sure the virus started in Wuhan, in China, that's what happened, that's just a fact.

'But that doesn't mean that this was, it has any nationalistic, or or any other sort of characteristics to it.

'That's just where it started.'

The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement on Friday that 'Asian people' were being targeted with racism. Pictured: Chinese president Xi Jinping
A few hundred people gathered at Broadway Street South and Main Street in downtown Menomonie Wednesday to protest the death of George Floyd.

The event stayed peaceful as protesters marched from Main Street to the pedestrian bridge over Broadway that connects University of Wisconsin-Stouts North Campus. The protesters then returned to the grass near the UW-Stout clock tower to listen to speakers share their experiences.

Organizer Jacob Doherty coordinated with Menomonie police to ensure that the protest would remain peaceful. According to organizers, guidelines were put in place to maintain social distancing and keep protesters, businesses and the Menomonie community safe during the protest. According to many attendees, the event was received positively by the community.

Right now, its about spreading the word, Doherty said, We all have the power to amplify the voices that need to be heard.

George Floyd died May 25 in police custody in Minneapolis. Derek Chauvin, who was recorded kneeling on Floyds neck, has since had a third-degree murder charge upgraded to second-degree murder by Minnesotas Attorney General Keith Ellison. The other three officers involved were also charged with aiding and abetting murder.

The events Facebook page stressed the importance of peace during the protest.

As the nation is angered, it is important we stay strong and vigilant in remaining peaceful in our communitys protest and demanding our nation brings an end to senseless police violence and murders that continue to affect the black community day in and day out, the page said.

According to Menomonie Police Chief Eric Atkinson, the Menomonie Police Department supported the protest and the expression of free speech.

We are all on the same side. Nobody should be OK with what happened in Minneapolis. Chief Atkinson said at the event, Today was a great turnout for social justice and criminal justice reform. Black lives matter here.

UW-Stout alumna Jasmine Baker said she was proud of Menomonie for raising awareness.

I can come back and see that its growing, Baker said at the event, It needs to keep going, and people need to keep listening. We need to keep this energy, and I want people to keep showing up in support.

Many businesses also provided support during the protest. LogJam opened its bathrooms to protesters and provided a drop-off point for donations to the Minneapolis relief efforts. Parrot Bay Tanning Salon offered water to protesters, and the digital display on the building read We support the peaceful protests.

There has been so many times that I have been silent and had no one to stand up for me, Menomonie community member Pa Chia Vue said during a speech, But this is the time, this is the time to make a change and use your white privilege to stand up for people of color. I will no longer be silent.

Other businesses have also offered hands-on support. The Menomonie Theatre Guild will be collecting donations on Saturday to send relief to the people of the Twin Cities who cant access basic needs.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 23:43:36|Editor: huaxia

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XI'AN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Sunday called for efforts to synergize winning the battle to eradicate poverty as scheduled and transitioning to the task of rural vitalization.

Hu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and also head of the State Council leading group of poverty alleviation and development, made the remarks while addressing a symposium on synergizing poverty reduction and pursuing rural vitalization strategy in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

With eradication of absolute poverty as a new starting point, efforts should be made to synergize poverty reduction and rural vitalization and guarantee a smooth transition, Hu said, stressing that experience in poverty reduction should be borrowed, together with policies and systems aimed at supporting rural vitalization, to help counties and regions, where poverty is eliminated, attain the goal of all-round vitalization and common prosperity.

As the battle against poverty is at the crucial moment, endeavors should also be made to complete the remaining tasks of the anti-poverty fight, which are "hard nuts" to crack, and consolidate the achievements, Hu stressed, adding that support should be intensified for old revolutionary areas in poverty reduction, economic and social development, so that their capacity for self-development will be improved. Enditem
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to be hospitalized for treatment of neck pain

Lockdown-like restrictions to return in Maharashtra? Here's what CM Uddhav Thackeray has to say

Sonu Sood meets Uddhav hours after 'actor adopted by BJP' jibe

India

oi-Deepika S

Mumbai, June 07: Actor Sonu Sood, who has been hailed for helping stranded migrants, met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at his Mumbai resident "Matoshree".

The meeting came on a day when Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged that the actor's generosity was part of a BJP ploy to show the state government in poor light.

"This evening Sonu Sood met up with CM Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray ji along with Minister Aslam Shaikh and me. Better together, stronger together to assist as many people through as many people. Good to have met a good soul to work for the people together," Aditya Thackeray tweeted.

Sood, after meeting Thackeray, downplayed Raut's sharp criticism and said every party across the country has been supporting him.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

"They are also supporting it and it's not about any particular party or anything... we have to support all the people who are suffering... every party from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari has supported me...," he said, denying any misunderstanding with the state government.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday wondered whether the BJP propped up Bollywood actor Sonu Sood to "offer help" to migrant workers from north India stranded in Maharashtra amidst the lockdown, with the political motive to show the Uddhav Thackeray government in poor light.

Sonu Sood enacting a political script: Sena on helping migrants

In his weekly column 'Rokhthok' in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', Raut questioned the sudden rise of "Mahatma" Sood on the social scene of Maharashtra during the lockdown.

Raut also referred to a "sting operation" against Sood ahead of the 2019 general elections, saying he had agreed to promote the BJP-led government at various platforms through his official social media accounts.

The Sena's attack came against the backdrop of reports that Sood had arranged buses for migrant workers stuck in Mumbai.
Start-ups across the regions where the EBRD invests will benefit from a new partnership between the Bank and Startup Wise Guys, a leading start-up accelerator with a presence across the Baltic states

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a regional starry-ups initiative to address the COVID-19 crisis.

Start-ups across the regions where the EBRD invests will benefit from a new partnership between the Bank and Startup Wise Guys, a leading start-up accelerator with a presence across the Baltic states, according to EBRD statement.

Companies from the EBRD regions active in Fintech can apply on a dedicated website for a bespoke accelerator programme, which combines the latest Fintech with the Banks goals to foster the development of competitive and sustainable economies,according to the statement.

This programme is aimed at the broad spectrum of Fintech, including any Fintech solution that can support the post Covid-19 recovery, according to the statement.

Successful candidates will not only participate in a five-month intensive training programme, but also attract investment of up to 100,000, based on their maturity level, from Startup Wise Guys, which could provide the key to their breakthrough, according to the statement.

The start-up programme is a full-time one that will take place in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, starting in October and co-financed by TaiwanBusiness  EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and combining on-site and online, according to the statement.

Successful applicants will be placed in a so-called EBRD Cohort, focused on developing solutions in accordance with the Banks goals.

Startup Wise Guys is one of the leading early-stage accelerators, having launched 19 accelerator programmes since 2012, supported by founders from 45 countries and over 200 international mentors, as EBRD clarified.

It has been named among Europes top 10 accelerator programmes and as the Top VC fund in central and eastern Europe (CEE) in 2019, according to the statement.

For Startup Wise Guys, this will be the fourth accelerator programme with a Fintech focus and its first time in a partnership with the EBRD, according to EBRD data.

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Night and weekend curfew in Jammu and Kashmir 2022: Know guidelines, rules: What is allowed, what is not

J&K: 5 terrorists killed in encounter with security forces in Shopian

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, June 07: Five Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a top commander of the outfit, were on Sunday killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

On a specific input, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Reban area of south Kashmir district, a police spokesperson said.

During the search operation, the hiding militants opened fire at the search party of the forces, which was retaliated leading to an encounter, he said.

Two terrorists killed in Kulgam encounter

In the ensuing encounter, five Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, the spokesperson said.

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

As per credible sources, the killed militants belonged to the proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit and one among them is believed to be a top commander, police said.

The spokesperson said incase any family claims the killed militants to be their kith or kin, they can come forward for their identification.

4 more down: Forces gun down 9 terrorists in 24 hours

Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter, he said, adding all the recovered material have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.
Sri Lankas election commission has held a mock poll in the southern Galle district to test the Covid-19 health guidelines and its preparedness for the parliamentary polls likely to be held between late July and mid August.

The parliamentary polls were initially to be held on April 25, but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which prompted the authorities to announce a nationwide lockdown from March 20.

Later, the election commission shifted the date to June 20. It was again deemed not suitable in view of the raging Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed 11 lives and infected over 1,900 people in the island nation. A majority of the patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals.

Some 200 voters from the Ambalangoda polling division in Galle district were chosen to vote at the mock poll, according to an official.

We wanted to learn from the exercise so that the lessons can be applied at the real election when it happens, senior election commission official Saman C Ratnayake told reporters at the Buddhist temple hall which was used for the mock poll.

The selected voters were given instructions at their homes on Saturday and were asked to bring along a pen to mark the vote while wearing a face mask.

The election commission said they had formulated guidelines to conduct the polls in close cooperation with the health authorities.

Election chief Mahinda Deshapriya said the guidelines were revolving around social distancing, washing hands and wearing face masks.

At the mock poll, attention was given to the time it takes to cast a vote while sticking to the health guidelines.

The poll date to elect a 225-member parliament is yet to be announced. According to officials, it is likely to be held anytime between late July and mid August.

The opposition parties and civil society groups have challenged the holding of the election in the midst of health risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 16 million voters are eligible to vote to elect 196 members under proportional representation and a further 29 members on national cumulative votes of each party based on proportional representation.
India has surpassed Italy in the list of nation's worth-hit by coronavirus after recording its biggest single-day surge of infections since the pandemic began.

The Health Ministry reported 9,887 new cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 236,657.

The worlds second most populous nation is now in sixth place globally when it comes to coronavirus cases.

It comes just two days before the easing of lockdown measures and the reopening of malls, restaurants and places of worship.

India has climbed to the sixth spot in the list of nations worst hit by COVID-19, overtaking Italy's total cases two days before they relax lockdown. Source: AAP

Member of the Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi had criticised the end of lockdown, calling it a fail on social media.

Alongside the criticism of his government, he posted graphs showing just how ineffective Indias lockdown has been, using data compiled by Oxford University.

The data shows various countries and how their confirmed cases began falling once lockdown was enacted.

India, however, maintained a strong upward trend and is easing lockdown measures anyway.

This is what a failed lockdown looks like, he tweeted.

This is what a failed lockdown looks like. pic.twitter.com/eGXpNL6Zhl  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 5, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, anxious to jump-start an economy crippled by the pandemic and put millions of people back to work, is easing its lockdown of the 1.3 billion population imposed in March.

Some experts are worried it is too soon. Giridhar R Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India, in particular questioned the re-opening of religious places in a series of tweets.

We are opening up religious places too soon, too fast. Gods can wait, he wrote.

We can survive and sustain the gains without ... opening up religious places for sometime, he said.

Concerts, sporting events and political rallies are still banned.

People visiting places of worship will be asked to wash their hands and feet, and there will be no distribution of food offerings, sprinkling of holy water or touching of idols and holy books.

Story continues

To lower the burden of cases and reduce mortality, we should prevent crowd formation of high-risk people in closed spaces, that too in close-contact settings.  Dr. Giridhar R Babu (@epigiri) June 4, 2020

The World Health Organization said late on Friday that Indias lockdown had helped it dampen down transmission of the virus, but there was a risk the cases could rise again.

As India and other large countries open up and people begin to move there is always a risk of the disease bouncing back up, Dr Mike Ryan, head of WHOs emergencies program, told a news conference in Geneva.

Shoppers crowd a street during heavy rains in Mumbai on June 3. Source: Getty

At least 294 deaths linked with COVID-19 were registered since Friday, bringing the total to 6,642 in the country.

The figures showed that India had climbed to the sixth spot in the list of nations worst hit by the pandemic, overtaking Italy's 234,531 total cases by Friday evening, local time, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

with AAP and Reuters

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An alert system with geo-fencing and crowd monitoring capabilities is being used to help with crowd control and tracking of unauthorised entry in the red zones within the CEC. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  A slew of technological solutions are being deployed to help with operations at the newly built community recovery facility (CRF) for COVID-19 patients at the Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC).

These tools include solar farms to help meet power needs, systems for geo-fencing and security, as well as robots to assist with food distribution and disinfection, all of which were on display during a media tour of the site on Wednesday (3 June).

The outdoor CRF, which can accommodate up to 1,700 patients, is built in addition to the existing indoor community care facility (CCF) at the CEC, which can take in 2,700 patients. The patients are migrant workers who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Those arriving at the CEC are first treated and monitored at the CCF, which is meant for recovering and early COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms and who have lower risk factors.

Patients who remain well at the end of their 14th day of illness and do not require medical care are then transferred to the CRF, where they will stay until they are discharged.

From the patients perspective, they will have been staying in the indoor facility for two weeks or so. Now they will have the opportunity to stay in an outdoor facility for another week before theyre discharged from the CEC, said The Chevrons general manager Tan Chong Boon, who is also on the CEC facilitys operations committee.

The Chevrons is one of nine Ministry of Defence (Mindef) affiliated organisations that help to set up the CEC facility, which is managed by Mandarin Oriental Singapore and has its healthcare needs provided by Raffles Medical Group. While the CCF measures 33,000 sq m in area, the CRF portion measures 40,000 sq m in size.

At the CRF, patients will be housed 10 to a room. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

An exterior view of the CRF, which occupies some 40,000 sq m and can accommodate 1,700 patients. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

Technological solutions

Just as the CCF was previously reported to be making use of robots to assist in patient care and other operations, technological solutions are also being applied at the CRF.

Alongside tools to help patients conduct their daily health checks, round-the-clock teleconsultation services are available at the CRF for those needing medical attention. These centres are also equipped to stabilise patients before their transfer to the nearest hospital, should an emergency arise.

Story continues

Round-the-clock teleconsultation services are available at the CRF for patients who require medical attention. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

Robots are also being used at the CRF for tasks like food delivery (left) and disinfection. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

The teleconsultation services also help to minimise contact between medical staff at the CEC and the patients.

UV disinfection robots and cabinets are also being trialed for use in disinfecting the personal protective equipment of CEC staff and common areas within the CRFs red zone  which is where the patients reside.

To help with meal distribution, 16 food delivery robots are also being deployed, although volunteers among the patients are also being sought to assist with this work.

Several insect control measures have also been implemented at the CRF, including the use of LED lights to attract fewer insects, the installation of netting inside patients rooms and the use of mosquito traps as well as monitoring stations to manage the mosquito population in the area.

To facilitate crowd control and prevent unauthorised entry into the CECs red zones, alert systems with crowd monitoring and geo-fencing capabilities have also been set up in specific areas.

Around 1,130 solar panels have been installed around the CRF to help with its power needs. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

An aerial view of the rooftop solar panel array that is helping to power the CRF. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

Around 1,130 solar panels have been newly installed at the CRF to help with its power needs. The amount of power being generated from these panels is the equivalent of the average monthly usage of 100 four-room HDB flats, and allows for the CRF to switch between diesel and solar energy for its electrical supply.

Solar energy currently accounts for 20 per cent of the CRFs projected energy needs and this energy management will be further calibrated to reduce reliance on diesel fuel.

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COVID-19: Robots to help with operations at new Changi Exhibition Centre isolation facility
This week I found myself talking to a food retailer with a hotline to the man above, some intrepid food producers in West Cork, a chef with a love of baking, and the owners of a five-star boutique hotel in Dingle about the challenges of doing business during the current crisis.

THE FOOD BOX

Barbara Berman and Clive Wallace, of Berman & Wallace, have catered for many big names - including the Pope during his visit to Ireland in 2018. They're also caterers to Leinster Rugby.

Based in Belfield Office Park in Clonskeagh, Dublin, where they also have a restaurant, Clive is the chef while Barbara is front of house and looks after business development. They also employ 20 staff, who have had to be temporarily laid off.

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"Our restaurant is based in a business park and our catering clients are mainly corporate so our entire customer base disappeared and we had very little local presence as our restaurant doesn't open evenings or weekends.

"Two weeks into the lockdown, we decided to try 'Dinner to your Door', high-end hot restaurant food delivered at weekends. We had an uphill battle, but through friends, local clients, social media and word of mouth, we've reached a local audience and, in the process, met some amazing people. We've now also introduced a range of home-cooked freshly frozen meals - also delivered. On top of that, we are now offering gift boxes of home-cooked frozen meals delivered to the recipients," says Barbara.

"While our current operation provides only a fraction of our normal business, it's providing a contribution to our fixed costs and keeping our business alive. More than that though, it's made us think very differently and really opened our minds. We've seen so much support and kindness - including clients buying dinner for a friend - a nice way to offer cheer in a difficult time."

bermanandwallace.ie

THE PRODUCERS

Expand Close Helena Hickey: Skeaghanore Duck Farm, West Cork. Photo: Shane O'Neill / Fennell Photography / Facebook

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Whatsapp Helena Hickey: Skeaghanore Duck Farm, West Cork. Photo: Shane O'Neill / Fennell Photography

Tastes and times have changed a lot since Helena and Eugene Hickey first started rearing a few ducks in their barn in 1994 in Skeaghanore, West Cork. It wasn't long before it was clear that they were hitting all the right notes at the local markets and shops, and Skeaghanore Pekin duck has been a firm favourite in restaurants near and far for many years now.

Today, some 26 years later, their business has really grown, with all of their processing being done at their 5,000 sq ft factory and their son Daniel is an active participant in the business.

It hasn't all been plain sailing for the family though, having battled their way through the last recession not so long ago. "Diversification is the key for any small business," Daniel says. "In 2008, the business had to change as sales took a huge dip and fresh duck was just not selling." This was when Helena started hot smoking duck breast and confiting duck legs to find another avenue for sales. "This worked well and got us through the last recession." Both of these products are now available under the Simply Better range at Dunnes Stores and also in certain SuperValu branches.

"Restaurants make up about 80pc of our sales, so we got a huge shock when they were closed. After the initial shock, we decided to try doing a few things differently. We've become active on social media. Our new website has an online shop option and our online sales have hugely increased with nationwide delivery available. Neighbourhood markets have grown in popularity and this has been a life saver for us.

"Restaurants that we had been supplying have started opening as takeaways also, so we're delighted. Finally, like in 2008, we've diversified again. We launched our first batch of Skeaghanore fresh chickens this month, which sold out straight away."

They also have a 100-cow milking herd. It's all go in West Cork, and the Hickey family are certainly ready to fight back.

skeaghanore.ie

THE RESTAURANT

Expand Close Peter Everett: Everett's, Waterford City / Facebook

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Whatsapp Peter Everett: Everett's, Waterford City

Having had a successful career in Dublin, at both Chapter One and the former Restaurant 41, Peter Everett returned to his native Waterford and opened his eponymous restaurant with his partner Keith Noonan in 2018, which has been a tremendous success.

"When we closed the restaurant in mid-March, little did I think I would now be operating as a baker and more recently operating a dine-at-home takeaway service.

"At the beginning, the focus was on what bills that were due for payment shortly and how long could we keep our staff on payroll. The assistance received through the wage subsidy scheme was huge - as it meant we could keep our full-time staff on, and give us a bit of breathing space. I was hesitant to launch straight away into a takeaway model - but I was conscious of the need to keep the business going, to get some cash coming in, the need to keep staff safe and the need to maintain the reputation of the restaurant.

Faced with this, I came up with the stop-gap plan to bake bread with just myself in the kitchen, which became popular. When it was announced restaurants may be able to open again from June 29, I made the decision to keep baking bread but started a dine-at-home takeaway service with one of my chefs, John. We work in the kitchen in our separate areas prepping a three-course dinner (30pp) - a cold starter and dessert, and a main that's heated by the customer at home."

Orders and payment are taken by phone (051 325-174). Customers are given pick-up slots for the next day - collection Thurs-Sat night.

"I opened my own restaurant to provide our customers with a great dining experience and an enjoyable night out. We'll be doing everything we can to give people that experience once again, but we'll have to adapt and work within the safety guidelines so everyone can be confident they can be safe at the same time."

everetts.ie

THE HOTEL

Expand Close Helen and Brian Heaton: Castlewood House, Dingle, Co Kerry / Facebook

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Whatsapp Helen and Brian Heaton: Castlewood House, Dingle, Co Kerry

Helen and Brian Heaton, of the fabulous five-star Castlewood House in Dingle, are a highly driven couple who play a major part in the food and tourism industry of this stunning peninsula. They met while working in Ashford Castle, Cong, which was certainly a romantic setting but also gave them a good grounding in five-star service. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and nothing but the best will do.

Helen grew up on another peninsula, the beautiful Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth and Brian in Limerick.

"I was raised on a sheep farm, and both Brian and I had a very good grounding in working hard and the importance of supporting the local community. I think that 2005 saw the realisation of a dream for us, when we opened the boutique-style Castlewood House. We spent the next few years building our business and we've won many awards. In 2014, we were honoured to be named No 1 Best Bargain Hotel in the World by Tripadvisor."

They also do the most amazing breakfast, cooked by Brian each morning, with everything from poached plums to homemade bread and butter pudding, to smoked salmon omelettes and frittatas. The business also include the popular Heaton's Guesthouse in Dingle, run by David Heaton, Brian's brother.

"We have that Irish spirit of survival, so we will adapt, rethink and reconfigure to comply with protocols. We are reopening shortly and would love to see you."

castlewooddingle.com
She recently revealed she has starting dating a new man under lockdown conditions six months after her split from her model boyfriend Elliott Reeder.

And Montana Brown certainly show her ex what he was missing in her latest racy lingerie snap which she uploaded to Instagram on Sunday.

The former Love Island star, 24, set pulses racing in the raunchy shot which showed her in a black cutout bikini that showed off some serious cleavage and underboob.

Racy: Montana Brown set pulses racing in the raunchy shot shared on Sunday which showed her in a black cutout bikini that showed off some serious cleavage and underboob

She posted the picture for her 1.3million followers alongside the caption: 'Happiness doesnt come from selfishness but through selflessness.'

Montana left her long blonde tresses loose and straight and opted for a simple bronzed makeup look.

The reality star said she is planning to meet up with her potential date for a walk as she chatted to pal Joanna Chimonides on FUBAR Radio on Thursday.

Montana, who split from Elliott in January after two years together, said: 'We have a light at the end of the tunnel okay.

The former Love Island star, 24, posted the picture for her 1.3million followers alongside the caption: 'Happiness doesnt come from selfishness but through selflessness'

Girl talk: The reality star said she is planning to meet up with her potential date for a walk as she chatted to pal Joanna Chimonides on FUBAR Radio on Thursday

'This guy, we're going to go on a walk, and he was like, "I'm gonna come pick you up". He lives like quite far from me and where we're going is not near me either.

'He's like, "no I'm gonna pick you up. I'm gonna swing by, pick you up. Do you have any allergies? Because I'm gonna grab some food on the way for our walk".

'I was like," would you like to marry me?!"

And Montana said she doesn't want a high profile romance as she is 'craving normality'.

The television personality revealed: 'He's not famous which is actually ideal for me because I'm craving normality.

'I just want someone who only wants me and not a million other girls I just want to find a doctor in Sheffield that no one knows, who lives with his grandma or something, got a farm maybe, and that's me sorted.'

It's all over: Montana split from Elliott in January after two years together (pictured in February last year)

When asked about the attention she's received since being on the show three years ago, Montana explained: 'You do get boys talking to you but they're just so odd.

'This boy right, I was like, "oh you know, he's attractive, I'll match him on whatever". So I match with him  "do you have snap?" 'No I don't have snap!' I don't want your What?! I was like, "are you taking the p**s"?!'

Elliott and Montana dated for two years and went Instagram official back in February 2018, just eight weeks into their relationship.

Shock split: The pair had seemed to be very much in love with one another, regularly sharing pictures of their romance on social media

Montana previously spoke about her jealous streak over the amount of attention Elliott gets.

She said: 'There are people in the limelight who follow him and like his pictures who don't even know him. It's not very nice when people want to go for your man.'

Talk turned to the cancellation of Love Island this summer due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and how future series could differ: 'I'm going to really miss it. I'm honestly kind of a bit gutted. I think they need to send me and Jo back on because neither of us have found love,' she said.

Former loves: Montana previously spoke about her jealous streak over the amount of attention Elliott gets

Agreeing with Montana, Joanna added: 'I think they should get all previous Love Islanders who haven't yet got a partner, us two, and they should put us on it and see how we get on.

'I'm up for it. If I did that again, I reckon I would maybe embrace it a bit more and be like, "this could be my husband".'

Montana then noted: 'I think I was more in it for the experience last time. Now I want one [husband] now! Where's the rock on my finger?!'

Discussion turned to the tragedy of George Floyd's recent death in Minneapolis, with Montana sharing her own opinion as a woman of colour: 'Obviously it's absolutely awful what's been happening and I'm so glad that it's kind of created so much traction, but it's kind of keeping that pressure on is always something that's a struggle.

'Instagram, the media and the press, it's all very much in the moment and people kind of forget.

'I think it's important that people actually learn about their friends who are of colour or are black and I think it's really important that people actually make an effort to try and understand the hardships and the prejudice that they go through.'
5 things to know about the George Floyd protests and riots

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City streets across America have been filled with protesters and rioters over the past week since the death of African American George Floyd, who died in police custody with an officers knee on his neck on Memorial Day.

After months of Americans being confined by stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 crisis, thousands nationwide have left their homes in recent days to stand up against injustice and centuries of racial inequality and discrimination against African Americans.

While most of the events that have taken place in the last week have been peaceful demonstrations, others have taken advantage of the unrest to set fire to buildings, loot, and commit other senseless criminal acts.

In the following pages are five things people should keep in mind about the ongoing protests and riots.
South African Rand (ZAR) Soars in Emerging Market Rally

The South African Rand (ZAR) exchange rates enjoyed some notable support this week as the emerging market currency benefited from a notable improvement in market sentiment.

This came largely thanks to more countries emerging from lockdown, spurring hopes of a swift global economic recovery.

Further lifting market risk demand was a persistent USD selling bias, which came as the US was rocked by its worst civil unrest since the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968.

On top of this the European Central Banks announcement of a major expansion to its Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) also reflected well on emerging market currencies like the Rand.

Economists at ETM Analytics, said: The sheer size of the monetary and fiscal support measures out of the developed world in light of the coronavirus shock has driven a risk-on frenzy as a global search for yield has led to financial spillovers into the emerging market space.

Pound (GBP) Weakens amid Brexit Uncertainty

The Pound (GBP) initially held its ground against the South African Rand (ZAR) this week, as GBP investors welcomed the UKs latest manufacturing PMI as it confirmed that the contraction in the factory sector had eased last month after activity struck a record low in April.

However the Pound failed to hold its ground as renewed Brexit jittered began to dampen the appeal of Sterling from the mid-week.

This was initially triggered by reports that Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey had spoken to banks telling them to step up their preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

In a following statement, the BoE said: As we have said previously, the possibility that negotiations between the UK and EU over a future trading relationship might not conclude in a deal is one of a number of outcomes that UK banks need to prepare for over the coming months," the Bank said in a statement. It is fundamental to the Bank of England's remit that it prepares the UK financial system for all risks that it might face.

Surprisingly the Pound then caught some demand at the very tail end of the session, despite the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier accusing the UK of backtracking on some of its commitment following the latest round of Brexit trade talks.

GBP/ZAR Forecast: UK GDP to Paint a Gloomy Picture of UK Economy

Looking ahead to next weeks session, the Pound to South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate could face some headwinds was the UK published its GDP reading for April.

This is expected to reveal that the UK economy shrank a dramatic 24% during the first full month of lockdown, denting Sterling sentiment as it off a hint at the depths of the recession the UK now finds itself in.

On top of this, GBP investors are likely to continue to juggle with Brexit concerns, potentially applying even more pressure to the Pound throughout the week.

Meanwhile the focus for ZAR investors will be on South Africas latest jobs figures, with the Rand poised to suffer some losses as unemployment is expected to have surged to 35% in the first quarter.

Markets are also likely to keep a close eye on relations between the US and China, with the Rand likely to stumble if tensions between the two powers begin to flare once more.
The recent slump in economic growth notwithstanding, India will be one of the world's top consumption centres and a manufacturing and services hub for the next several decades, billionaire Gautam Adani has said, stressing there is no better time to bet on India than now.

India's economic growth slipped to 4.2 percent in 2019-20 fiscal (April 2019 to March 2020) -- its slowest pace in more than a decade. International rating agencies as well as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have forecast a contraction in GDP in the financial year that began in April 2020 on account of the coronavirus-induced slowdown.

"What we must realise is that there are no absolute right or wrong ideas. What is required during an unprecedented, hard to model, crisis like COVID-19, is a Government that is willing to make decisions based on best available information at a given point of time and constantly adapting as new information becomes available," Adani said in the latest annual report of Adani Gas Ltd.

Countries with greater resources have struggled while India has done well in containing the fallout of COVID-19, he said.

"While our battle with the virus is far from over, I have no hesitation in stating that had the decisions that got made been delayed we could have been facing an unmitigated disaster that would not just impact India but have global ramifications," he said.

Adani, who heads the country's biggest infrastructure conglomerate spanning ports to power, said "business has suffered immensely, lives and jobs have been lost, and the migrant worker crisis saddened the entire nation, but the consequences of the unknown alternates would be far grimmer."

"What the leaders of our nation, the doctors, the healthcare workers, the police, the army, the small street side vendors, and the citizens have done to support each other is truly what defines India and its resiliency," he said. "Sitting where we are today, I can say that history is in process of being scripted."

Stating that the short or mid-term possible economic outcomes as a result of COVID-19 are hard to predict, Adani said there cannot be any denying the fact that India over the next several decades will be a market continuously on the up and one that simply cannot be ignored.

"It will be one of the world's top consumption centers, manufacturing and service hubs and a beacon of stable democratic governance," he said. "If there was a time to make a bet on India, there may not be a better time than now."

Adani, who is the chairman of Adani Gas Ltd, said on the other side of this crisis will emerge massive new opportunities, terrific businesses and a few stronger nations.

"Those that succeed will be the ones that understand that resilience is built on the other side of the tunnel of crisis and we are already getting ready for this," he said.

Adani Group's six publicly traded companies have each performed well.

"While we may have to do need-based course correction in our strategies in the wake of the challenge that we are facing, the roadmap remains clear," he said, adding the group's businesses are closely aligned to the lifeline of the economy, providing essential services and addressing critical national infrastructure priorities.

"Any shock to a system always helps drive home some key points and what the Indian businesses have learnt over the past few years and most certainly post COVID-19 is the value of an optimal and perhaps for some sectors a conservative capital structure as well as the criticality to have systematic risk mitigation plans in place," he noted.

Adani Group, he added, is focussing on optimising capital utilisation, redesigning the organisational structure to minimise risk in businesses and funding operations in phases.

"I am happy to share that during the year (2019-20), the Group has been able to bring strategic global equity partners in Adani Gas, Adani Green Energy Ltd and Adani Mumbai Electricity Ltd," he said, adding the total investment of USD 1.6 billion by the partners will help drive future growth.

Also read: Mumbai gas leak: BMC says situation under control; 17 fire engines on field

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: India sees biggest-ever spike of 9,887 new cases; tally rises to 2.46 lakh
Maharashtra Congress spokesman says Dawood's death rumours rise whenever Narendra Modi's popularity dips

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress on Sunday asked the central government to clear the air on reports of the death of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim due to coronavirus in Pakistan.

Whenever people get disillusioned about the Modi government, talk arises of Dawoods death, the party said.

There have been media reports about the death of Dawood due to corona. But the Centre is creating confusion by keeping mum. It should ascertain whether Dawood has really passed away or is alive, said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

According to reports, Dawood was admitted in the army hospital at Karachi, where he breathed his last after he tested positive for Covid-19. The Centre should find out the truth behind this and issue a clarification, he added.

Dawood is the enemy and the most wanted criminal for India. Since 2014, several stories about his death have been reported. There have been at least six times, when he was found alive after being declared dead, said Sawant.

Whenever public opinion goes against the Modi government or people get disillusioned about it, there are reports about Dawoods death in the media. During the poll campaigns, several BJP leaders, including Mr Modi, made tall promises of bringing the underworld don back to India, but they have failed to do so, he said.

This time too, there are doubts that Dawoods death is being raised due to Modi governments big failure in handling the Covid-19 crisis and collapse of economy. Hence, the Centre should come clean on this, said Mr Sawant.

Dawood Ibrahim is currently believed to be residing in Karachi. He is accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
Special US Representative Zalmay Khalilzad discussed the Afghanistan peace process with Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

The special US representative for Afghan reconciliation is travelling to Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan this week as part of efforts to bring peace in the war-torn country.

"During the meeting matters of mutual interest, overall regional security, including Afghan refugees, Afghan reconciliation process and Pak-Afghan border management were discussed," the Pakistan Army said on Sunday.

The two sides shared steps taken to achieve peace targets and agreed to continue working together.

During the three-nation tour, Khalilzad will review commitments in the recently signed US-Taliban Agreement and the US-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, specifically reducing violence and prisoner releases. The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process, supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
A worker at a northwestern Pennsylvania zoo has been hospitalized after an animal bite.

The incident occurred Saturday afternoon at the Erie Zoo when a worker was feeding an orangutan, YourErie.com is reporting.

The 29-year-old employee suffered about four bites to his arm and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Erie News Now is reporting.

The orangutan is not known for being aggressive.

"She didn't do anything wrong, she did what she normally does and we absolutely wouldn't do anything to her, Erie Zoo President Scott Mitchell told Erie News Now. We'll review our safety protocols and see if there is a way we can make this safer and better in the future."

He said an incident like this has not happened before at the zoo, according to reports.

Its not yet known what sparked the animal bite.

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The Delhi Police is set to file a chargesheet against six men in connection with the murder of a 85-year-old woman named Akbari Begum in Northeast Delhi during the riots in February. Akbari was killed in Bhajanpura.

The chargesheet will be filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Karkardooma court at 3 pm, said Anil Mittal, Additional PRO of Delhi Police.

The six accused in the case are Arun Kumar (26), Varun Kumar (22), Vishal Singh (29), Ravi Kumar (24), Prakash Chand (36) and Suraj Singh (28). The men have been booked under sections of rioting, murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, house trespass, mischief by fire etc.

Akbari died on February 25 when a mob set her house on fire. The family member of the octonegarian rushed to the rooftop to save their lives but the old woman failed to run and died due to asphyxia, said the police.

The buidling was a four-storey structure where the ground and first-floor house a garment shop and storage facility, and the family lives on the two top floors.

The case was registered on the complaint of Begums son, under sections of rioting, attempt to murder and murder at Bhajanpura police station. The case was later transferred to the Special Investigation Unit  I of Crime Branch.
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 Australian government is extending its support to the aviation sector to ensure the industry is sustained during the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic.

The government is currently supporting the sector through more than $1.2 billion (US$ 835 million) of measures,

We have kept the aviation sector going by funding minimum networks to get essential personnel and critical supplies to where they may be needed, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in a statement on June 7.

The measures announced today will help ensure Australian airlines and operators can maintain essential air services as we map out our economic recovery.

McCormack, who is also the transport minister, said the government would work with industry to ensure Australians could have access domestic to air travel as CCP virus restrictions were relaxed.

This will include extending the Domestic Aviation Network Support program to Sept 30, to maintain major domestic air routes and extending the Regional Airline Network Support program from Sept 30 to Dec 31, to ensure essential flights continue to regional communities.

Other measures include extending a range of measures under the $715 million Australian Airline Financial Relief and extending the $100 million Regional Airlines Funding Assistance program until Dec 31 or until allocated funds are exhausted.

The government will also allow leased federal airports to seek partial relief from land tax charges to Dec 31 in line with state government land tax relief arrangements.

By Colin Brinsden
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to one inspiring pair.

In March, Dr. Cynthia Kudji Sylvester and Dr. Jasmine Kudji made headlines for becoming the first mother and daughter to attend medical school at the same time and match at the same institution, according to Kudji Sylvesters medical school.

The mother-daughter duo both committed to start their medical careers at the LSU Health system in Louisiana. Kudji Sylvester is one of nine incoming family medicine residents at LSU Health Lafayette and Kudji joins 10 other general surgery residents at LSU Health New Orleans, both part of the National Resident Matching Program.

Dr. Cynthia Kudji Sylvester and Dr. Jasmine Kudji (Adrienne Battistella)

For Kudji Sylvester, its been a 27-year dream come true. I've always wanted to be a physician, the 49-year-old told TODAY. She and her family first came to the U.S. from Ghana when she was two years old and eventually settled in Louisiana. During a family trip back to the West African country, a young girl approached Kudji Sylvester and her mother, asking them to help her sick child, an indelible experience that affirmed her desire to help others. Seeing that disparity really, it shook me, you know, and it made me want to do something about it.

But then as life happens, I found myself pregnant with Jasmine when I was 22, Kudji Sylvester explained. I had to put my dream of being a physician on hold because I needed a job. I needed to bring in an income. And so that's where being a nurse came in.

She started her career in healthcare as a nursing assistant for two years, before becoming a registered nurse for eight years and then returning to school again to become a nurse practitioner for nearly a decade. When Jasmine was in college, I was like, you know what, this is the perfect time for me to pursue my dream of being a physician. So in 2013, at the age of 43, Kudji Sylvester enrolled at University of Medicine and Health Sciences on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

Story continues

Kudjis journey to medical school was more traditional. As a young girl, she would frequently shadow her mother at work. Being exposed to patients and being exposed to medicine at such an early age, it wasn't really something I just decided to do. It's just something that was always a part of my life ... so much of it was just natural, Kudji told TODAY. She started medical school in 2015 two years after her mother, going immediately after her undergraduate studies to Louisiana State University in New Orleans.

The Kudjis supported each other throughout their medical school journeys and their shared experiences brought them closer together. You learn to really trust one another and the lines of motherhood really get blurred. She becomes my best friend, you know, she becomes my confidante, during the whole process, Kudji Sylvester pointed out.

The thing that's difficult about medical school is that not everyone truly understands what you go through during those four to five years that you're there. So having my mom be the person who does understand that was great. You're just able to rely on each other throughout the entire process, Kudji said.

"It's not often that I see people that look like me in my field so that's why it's so important to us to make sure that we do show our faces and spread our story.

As the Kudji women prepare to start their residencies during the coronavirus pandemic, theyve embraced a unique perspective on the unusual circumstances. As a mom, I'm very concerned about starting in the middle of a pandemic. We worry about having enough PPE. I worry about my child, potentially being exposed to COVID. But at the same time, you know, this is what we signed up for.

At the same time, it also gives you an opportunity to see disease processes that you probably would never see, be a part of a solution that you probably never get an opportunity to be a part of, you know, and really get an opportunity to educate the public. So it's all about perspective and what you can contribute during this time.

Although it has been 156 years since Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first African American woman to earn a medical degree and 121 years since Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet became the first black woman to practice medicine in Louisiana, the number of black females pursuing medicine hasnt grown much since.

In a 2019 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges, only about 5%, or 45,534 of physicians surveyed identified as black or African American. Kudji said, It's honestly not very common. Like 2% of physicians are African American women. Even at the hospital that I'm going to start working at, there's only one African American female surgeon out of probably about 50.

Female surgeons in general are just uncommon. It's not often that I see people that look like me in my field so that's why it's so important to us to make sure that we do show our faces and spread our story.

It's so important because when I was coming up, I remember watching 'The Cosby Show' or 'A Different World,' and we would all run to the television in college when that show would come on because you didn't have that. It was the first time you saw an African American doctor, African American attorney and a family and you saw that image before you," Kudji Sylvester said.

To give young black girls and women a look into their lives, the Kudjis are sharing their personal experiences online. Kudji explained, We created a blog called The MD Life, where we try to explain some things that we struggled with, like how to apply to medical school, how to get into medical school, how to become a surgeon, and explain it to people and provide information that we wish we would have had from the beginning.

Both mother and daughter will start their residencies on July 1. Kudji Sylvester will be based in Lafayette, Louisiana for three years while Kudjis surgical rotation will last five years and require her to travel between Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans.

When you're young and you don't see someone that looks like you doing something that you want to do, when you see other people doing it, you kind of start to think well, maybe these people are inherently somehow better than me," Kudji said.

"And so, that's why I think representation matters. It shows young people or even older people that, no, there's nothing inherently wrong with you, you're not less intelligent or less capable. You know, you can do it too.
By PTI

MUMBAI: At least 33 Maharashtra Police personnel, including an officer, have so far died of COVID-19, a police official said on Sunday. As many as 2,562 police personnel have till now tested positive for the deadly disease in the state, he said.

"Out of these, 33 personnel, including 18 of the Mumbai Police force, died of the infection," he said. As of now, the number of active cases in the state police force is 1,497, including 196 officers.

During the lockdown, 260 policemen were assaulted for which 841 people were arrested, the official said, adding that nearly 86 security personnel were injured in the attacks. Besides, 45 health professionals were also attacked during the lockdown, he said.

Police registered 1,23,424 offences under Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), he said. Also, 1,330 offences were registered for illegal transportation during the lockdown for which 23,866 people were arrested and over 80,000 vehicles seized.

The official said that the police collected fine worth Rs 6.62 crore for various offences. Personnel at the police control rooms handled over one lakh calls of queries and complaints related to COVID-19 during the lockdown, he added.
A view shows a helmet with the logo of Rosneft company in Vung Tau

By Daphne Psaledakis, Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya Astakhova

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia lowering its direct stake in top oil producer Rosneft will not alter its exposure to U.S. sanctions, a U.S. Treasury spokesman told Reuters.

State holding company Rosneftegaz has lowered its 50.33% direct stake to 40.4% with subsidiary RN-NeftKapitalInvest taking 9.6% and Rosneft unit RN-Capital 0.33%.

"The reported change in Rosneft's ownership does not alter the basis for its inclusion on the SSI List," a U.S. Treasury spokesman told Reuters.

"The change... does not alter the Treasury Departments concerns with respect to a broad range of Russian malign activity globally, and we will continue to use our sanctions authorities as appropriate in response to that activity."

The United States added Rosneft and other Russian entities to its "Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List" (SSI List) in 2014 over Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.

Inclusion in the list, overseen by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, means U.S. persons are barred from engaging with those firms in mid-to-long term new debt or providing assistance for deepwater, Arctic offshore or shale projects.

International shareholders in Rosneft, headed by Igor Sechin, a longstanding ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, include BP with a 19.75% stake and Qatar with 18.93%.

VAST OFFSHORE AND DIVIDENDS

As the three Rosneftegaz entities combined hold 50.33% of Rosneft and give the state control of the company, Rosneft will still be able to develop offshore blocks at home, said Yaroslav Karnakov, a partner at law firm Nortia GKS.

Under Russian law, the only companies that can develop Russia's vast offshore zones are those where the state has direct or indirect control of more than 50% of the firm.

The finance ministry, which requires state companies to pay no less than 50% of their net profit in dividends, also expects Rosneft to stick to that obligation like "nothing has changed", a source at the ministry said.

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Rosneft told Reuters it planned to maintain its dividend policy and to continue developing offshore fields.

The finance ministry did not reply to a request for a comment.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Olesya Astakhova, Vladimir Soldatkin, Darya Korsunskaya and Rinat Sagdiyev in Moscow; editing by Katya Golubkova and Jason Neely)
You can almost hear retailers breathe a sigh of relief that they can open from tomorrow after shuttering their premises for several months.

Many will feel real frustration that they had to stay closed for so long at all, especially given what is now emerging about the nature of the coronavirus and how it is spread in the community.

Investment bank JP Morgan recently found in a survey of each US state after lockdown, that in almost all states infection rates declined, not increased, after lockdowns ended. The evidence pointed to the idea that "common sense measures unrelated to full lockdowns", such as social distancing and hand-washing, were more effective in containing the virus.

What would JP Morgan know about pandemics, you might say? But in Wuhan, officials found that after testing 10 million people in the space of just a few weeks, there were only 300 coronavirus cases and all of them were asymptomatic.

Businesses are counting the financial cost of this lockdown. They will try to find a new way forward, and still try to make some money at the same time. Yet a big question remains - was it necessary to close down every single DIY, clothing, homeware and electrical goods store in the country?

Supermarkets that remained open, and with basic protection measures in place, do not appear to have been a major contributor to the spread of the virus.

In the months ahead, large and small Irish businesses will need an estimated 12bn in liquidity, according to Goodbody Stockbrokers - a lot more than the Central Bank estimate of 2.4bn to 5.7bn. It is also a lot more than the Government's own estimation of around 6.5bn. It is far from clear where this money is going to come from. Banks will lend cautiously. Many smaller companies don't want to borrow at what they see as rates which are too high anyway.

SMEs are not exactly grabbing the hands off lenders or Government-backed agencies offering cheaper loans.

In all likelihood many businesses will simply not get that liquidity they require to get through this crisis. Firms will go to the wall and the Government will have tough calls to make on who to save and who to let go.

More supports will be made available by Government for SMEs. But the Government will not want to provide guaranteed loans or grants directly to businesses that it believes are going to fold anyway.

Exactly how these distinctions are drawn will become a very fraught process in the months ahead.

It will take time to count the cost of private hospital deal

It may be far too early for a full post-Covid analysis of mistakes that were made, but the process has certainly begun when it comes to the deal the State did with the private hospitals.

Fault-lines, tensions and disagreements were obvious when the topic was assessed by an Oireachtas sub-committee during the week.

The deal will cost the exchequer an estimated 300m by the time it is finished at the end of this month. The Taoiseach and the Department of Health have both said it will not be a financial win for private hospital owners such as billionaires Denis O'Brien and Larry Goodman. They have said it was based on a cost-only reimbursement model. In other words, instead of paying the private hospitals a negotiated set fee for using beds at 19 private hospitals as part of the public health system, the private ventures will be reimbursed whatever their costs were.

Surely, that sum is hard to calculate. The agreement saw the cancellation of ordinary private hospital work so there is inevitably an income foregone for the hospitals.

Blackrock Clinic had a turnover of 122m in 2017 (the last year for which accounts are available) so it stood to lose out on one-quarter of that revenue during the three months.

Turnover at Goodmans' Hermitage private hospital was 78m in 2018. O'Brien's Beacon Hospital Group had a turnover of 122m in 2018. Divide that by four and you see what their possible revenue foregone might have been. Presumably, these hospitals continued to provide the nursing and other staff required to keep the hospitals operating as part of the public system. That should form part of the cost to be reimbursed.

The deal was hammered out in a hurry over a weekend and the full details of how it is all calculated have not been disclosed.

Fianna Fail health spokesman Stephen Donnelly put it well last week when he said private patients ended up being treated in private hospitals by private consultants, all paid for by the public.

He wanted to know why the health insurers were not still paying for this care in private hospitals. If so, then they would have provided the income to the owners of the hospitals and not the State.

Given the modest take up of the extra 2,500 beds available, the agreement looks like poor value for money. The Irish Hospital Consultants Association thinks so too.

The deeper cost will be the pressure on the health system caused by the suspension of testing and procedures and use of beds for other conditions in private hospitals.

If the fee for this deal is calculated on a cost-reimbursement model then surely not all of the costs have been submitted yet.

The final bill will not be available for quite some time.

Fexco job cuts will come as a major blow to rural Ireland

Just a few months ago, back in February, Kerry-based fintech group Fexco was in the news with its new hub in the county which would develop startups and hopefully end up employing 300 people in the years ahead.

Last week Fexco, which employs around 1,000 people in Co Kerry, announced 150 job losses because of the impact the virus has had on international travel.

It is ironic that so much has been said about what post-Covid business might look like and how more people working from home could become a real boost for rural areas. Why live in Dublin if you can do your job with a Dublin-based company from your house in Kilkenny or Kerry? Yet a company like Fexco has done so much for rural living by bringing a thousand good quality jobs to towns like Killorglin and Cahirciveen.

A hit of 150 jobs in an area like that, especially when tourism will be on its knees for a while, is a real blow.

On the positive side, an Irish multi-national like Fexco will be well placed to take full advantage of any upside when it comes in international markets and foreign travel. It should be in a good position to gradually bring its employee numbers back.

Meanwhile, the fintech hub, backed by Fexco, Tralee IT and Kerry County Council, will remain a draw for people to locate in the area. Who knows, maybe some of the 150 will set up their own businesses in the hub and the next Fexco will be born.
(Natural News) The use of ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients has come under scrutiny after a new study stated that the devices may be doing more harm than good.

The study, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, said that mechanical ventilation can damage the lungs of COVID-19 patients, especially those who are elderly or have severe symptoms. This means that healthcare professionals will have to re-evaluate their reliance on ventilators for these patients and stop being so quick to intubate.

This is one of the first coherent, comprehensive, and reasonably clear discussions of the pathophysiology of Covid-19 in the lungs that Ive seen, said Dr. Muriel Gillick, a palliative care physician at Harvard Medical School who was not involved with the study. Gillick was among the experts who questioned the effectiveness of ventilators in COVID-19 patients, according to STAT.

High-pressure oxygen damages the lungs

The reason why intubation and mechanical ventilation damages the lungs of very ill and elderly patients could be down to a poorly understood function of the disease, which behaves differently than other respiratory illnesses.

The lungs of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms are often covered with thick mucus. This prevents the lungs from being able to absorb oxygen, even with the use of a ventilator.

In addition, unlike other types of pneumonia, the areas of lung damage in COVID-19 patients often sit right next to healthy tissue. When large volumes of oxygen-rich air are forced into the elastic at high pressures, it can lead to what the study calls ventilator-induced injury. These injuries include leaks, inflammation and blood clots in the lungs.

Invasive ventilation can be lifesaving, but can also damage the lung, co-author Marcus Schultz told STAT.

Patients with low levels of blood oxygen dont necessarily require ventilation

Most healthcare professionals tend to use hypoxemia  having abnormally low levels of oxygen in the blood  as a sign that a patient needs mechanical ventilation. But, as the researchers pointed out, equating hypoxemia to the need for a ventilator can lead healthcare workers astray.

While the team agrees that a patient who is clearly struggling to breathe should be intubated, they noted that hypoxemia in COVID-19 patients manifests differently than with other diseases like other forms of pneumonia or sepsis.

For non-COVID-19 patients exhibiting hypoxemia, they often gasp for air and can barely speak. However, coronavirus patients  even those with blood oxygen levels at 80 percent or lower  can speak full sentences without getting winded. In addition, these patients dont show the usual signs of respiratory distress associated with hypoxemia. For comparison, normal blood oxygen levels are in the high 90s.

In our personal experience, hypoxemia  is often remarkably well tolerated by Covid-19 patients, the researchers wrote. The trigger for intubation should, within certain limits, probably not be based on hypoxemia but more on respiratory distress and fatigue.

Without any signs of distress, the researchers state that the blood oxygen levels of coronavirus patients dont need to be raised above 88 percent. This is a much lower level than in other causes of pneumonia.

University of California, San Franciscos Phil Rosenthal, editor of the journal, agreed with the researchers, stating that it was important to highlight aspects of COVID-19 that differ from other diseases that require respiratory support. He said that recognizing the difference in how COVID-19 patients respond to low blood oxygen levels compared to patients of other illnesses may allow physicians to avoid intubation/ventilator support in some patients.

There is a growing recognition that coronavirus patients, even those with a severe lung infection, can be treated safely with simple face masks and nose prongs that deliver oxygen. The former include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks often used for patients with sleep apnea, or biphasic positive airway pressure masks (BiPAP) used for those with congestive heart failure. CPAP can also be delivered using hood or helmets, reducing the risk that the patient will expel large quantities of the virus into the air and endanger healthcare workers and other patients.

In addition, in the face of ventilator shortages, switching to CPAP and BiPAP masks can allow healthcare systems to keep ventilators in reserve for those patients who do need them.

Visit Pandemic.news to learn more about COVID-19.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

AJTMH.org

STATNews.com
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. June 1, 2020.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will go to Houston on Monday to pay his respects to the family of George Floyd, the Biden campaign said on Sunday.

"Vice President Biden will travel to Houston Monday to express his condolences in-person to the Floyd family. He is also recording a video message for the funeral service," campaign spokesman T.J. Ducklo said in a statement to NBC News.

Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was initially expected to attend the private funeral in Houston on Tuesday, according to Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Floyd's family. Instead, Biden will now meet with the family privately to offer his condolences without disrupting the services.

Floyd's funeral in Houston follows memorial services in Minneapolis on Thursday and another service in North Carolina on Saturday.

Floyd died on Memorial Day after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes despite Floyd's cries that he could not breathe. The fired officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Since Floyd's death, protests have erupted across the country and other parts of the world as people condemn racism and police brutality.
By Trend

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has not reacted to the so-called "presidential" and "parliamentary" "elections" held by the junta regime in Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia, Head of the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, MP Tural Ganjaliyev told Trend.

This once again showed the whole world the true essence of the abovementioned structure taking into account that many international organizations sharply condemned the so-called "elections", the MP added.

PACE, which states that the protection of justice and human rights is the highest value for it, should have severely criticized this show with the so-called "elections" organized in Nagorno-Karabakh region, Ganjaliyev added.

Ganjaliyev stressed that PACE distributes fables, accepts the falsified reports and supports Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"How can this organization talk about objectivity, justice, democracy and international law?" the MP stressed.

Ganjaliyev stressed that PACE is an organization that advocates double standards.

If this is not so, then why is PACE indifferent towards hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who became internally displaced as a result of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia? the MP said.

Why has not PACE taken a single step for many years to restore the violated rights of Azerbaijani civilians Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev taken hostage by Armenia? Ganjaliyev added. I think that this issue must be clarified."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A 38-year-old sergeant with the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs office was shot to death when responding to a report of a suspicious van, after a suspect attacked him and other deputies in an ambush with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives in Ben Lomond on Saturday, sheriffs officials said.

Damon Gutzwiller  a father of one child with another baby on the way with his wife  was on duty when he and other deputies responded to a report of a suspicious van parked in a turnout off the road near Jamison Creek in Ben Lomond (Santa Cruz County) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, said Sheriff Jim Hart.

A person had called the sheriffs office to report seeing firearms and bomb-making materials inside the van. When deputies arrived, the van was leaving the area, so deputies followed the vehicle until it stopped at a home on Waldeberg Avenue in Ben Lomond, Hart said.

As deputies began investigating, they were ambushed with gunfire and multiple improvised explosives, Hart said, pausing for several seconds before collecting himself during a Saturday night news conference.

Gutzwiller was taken to a local hospital, where he died. He joined the sheriffs office in 2006 and was a patrol supervisor for the sheriffs office.

When somebody is taken from you violently in this manner, I dont know if anybody ever really fully gets over that. This will be something that will be with us for a long time, Hart said. Damon showed up today to do his job, to keep our community safe, and his life was taken needlessly. And thats a hard thing to process.

Hart, who said he knew Gutzwiller long before he joined the sheriffs office in 2006, said he had the opportunity to watch him grow into a great man and a great police officer. He described him as being courageous, intelligent, sensitive and caring.

Damon will be deeply missed by this community, by his family, and by all of his coworkers at the sheriffs office. He was a beloved figure at the sheriffs office, Hart said. Today, we lost a hero.

Gutzwillers killing marks the first fatal shooting of a Santa Cruz County sheriffs deputy since another sheriffs deputy was shot in the early 1980s, Hart said.

The suspect, identified by Hart as Steven Carrillo, was armed when he was shot and arrested by law enforcement. He survived and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Carrillo had not been formally booked on Saturday night, but Hart said Carrillo will be arrested on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking and myriad of other charges.

Carillo, whose age was not released, is a Ben Lomond resident. Hart said that investigators are assessing whether the suspect acted alone or not. He said that he couldn't say whether the attack was targeted, but we will find that out.

In a Saturday night statement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom provided his condolences to Gutzwillers family, friends and colleagues. The State Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of Gutzwiller, Newsom said.

He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father, Newsom said.

Another deputy, whose name was not released by officials, was either shot by gunfire or struck by shrapnel from the bomb and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled the property, Hart said. He is currently in the hospital recovering. Hart said that sheriffs officials are hopeful he will recover.

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 California Highway Patrol officer was also shot in the hand when the suspect engaged with highway patrol officers, Hart said. That officers condition was unknown on Saturday night.

Hart said the crime scene in Ben Lomond was extensive because multiple callers reported that the suspect had carjacked a vehicle and attempted to carjack another vehicle after getting shot after he engaged with highway patrol officers.

The neighborhood, which Hart described as being a heavily wooded and hilly area, will likely be scoured by detectives for several days.

There is a lot of work to do right now, they will be out there for a few days doing crime scene work, Hart said.

It was immediately unclear if residents who were forced to evacuate their homes during the incident will be able to return to their homes on Saturday night.

Sheriffs officials will host a vigil for Gutzwiller on Sunday at the base of a flagpole outside the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office. The gathering is scheduled to begin at 2:26 p.m., the time a call went out on police traffic that Gutzwiller had been shot.

Hart said sheriffs officials will provide grief counseling for staff.

Officials with the district attorneys office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating this case.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
Workers make face masks at a factory in the southern province of Long An. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Thirty million medical face masks have been transported from Vietnam to North America, where the novel coronavirus continues to rampage.

They were sent from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Wednesday and Saturday to North American locations, logistics firm ITL Corporation said in a release on Saturday.

In May the company had shipped 1.5 million pieces of personal protective equipment to New York, the U.S.

Industry insiders say the U.S., which has so far recorded 112,000 coronavirus deaths, needs three billion face masks and is eyeing Vietnam as a supplier.

But Vietnam's Ministry of Industry said last week that amid the surge in exports of face masks there are signs that low quality products are being produced to meet volume targets, threatening to give a bad name to made-in-Vietnam products.

"There are products that fail to meet international standards, and some producers use certificates from unauthorized organizations."

Producers need to ensure the legitimacy of their certificates if they want to export to the E.U. and the U.S., it added.

In the year to April 19 Vietnam had exported 415.7 million face masks, with Japan being the largest buyer followed by South Korea, Germany, the U.S. and Hong Kong, according to Vietnam Customs.
Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

White collar employees around the world suddenly began working remotely en masse as the coronavirus pandemic closed offices.

While workers are already being asked to return in some states, offices in hotspots are working on potential solutions for offices that make social distancing difficult.

Designer Mohamed Radwan's prototype adds hexagonal pods and air purifiers to offices.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Offices are probably going to look very different as workers return after working remotely during the coronavirus. Open floor plans, shared snacks, and even places for napping or hanging out were once markers of trendy places to work, but now safety is a concern as well.

Egyptian architect and designer Mohamed Radwan created a system of office pod for the post-COVID-19 workplace, for a project called "Q.workntine." The design was recognized with an award in the Responsible Design category at the DNA Paris Design Awards.

Spurred by the coronavirus, advanced in remote working technology might make offices less important, and some experts predict that they might only be used for especially collaborative work. Google and Uber are among tech companies that have already extended work from home through the summer of 2021.

Some companies, of course, may want to preserve a workplace culture. Several Bay Area design firms described their plans to Business Insider, including extra separation between workstations, one-way hallways, and handwashing stations.

Radwan's design uses some similar ideas, creating individual pods for workers.

Here's how it works.

Radwan says that the pod system can maintain the same number of employees

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Each pod is like a cubicle in a pre-COVID-19 office, but sealed off from other employees.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Inside, the workspace looks like any typical cubicle.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Pods each have automatic doors that operate with facial recognition, so there's no need to touch and contaminate them.

Story continues

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Ventilation fans with built-in air purifiers prevent the virus spreading among coworkers.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

The door is acrylic, with an airtight seal.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Hexagonal pods are arranged in a hive shape that can accommodate different office layouts.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Compared to a regular office layout, they take up about the same amount of space.

Office layout.

Mohamed M. Radwan

The pods can also be made larger to fit different office needs, like for executives.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

The pods will be made of a non-porous material for easy disinfection.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

The pods could be a relatively safe solution for workers whose jobs are difficult or impossible to do at home.

Q.workntine office pods.

Mohamed M. Radwan

Read the original article on Business Insider
As many as 10,000 beds at hospitals run by the Delhi government will be reserved for residents of the city, said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday as coronavirus cases steadily rise in the national capital Beds in some private hospitals will be reserved too, said Kejriwal as he announced that the citys borders will be opened on Monday after being sealed for a week.

Beds at hospitals run by the central government can treat people from across the country. Kejriwal said a committee of doctors set up by his government had warned that Delhi might need 15,000 hospital beds ...
Patients face a two-year wait for elective surgery even if there is no second spike in coronavirus cases, a study has found.

The NHS will see a huge backlog of 650,000 operations by September after the pandemic forced them to be cancelled, Birmingham University research shows.

The scientists discovered it will cost the health service 4billion due to surgeons - who get paid in blocks of work - having to put in more hours.

Non-urgent surgeries were postponed for three months from April as hospitals adapted for an influx of Covid patients.

It led to completed operations that were 'non urgent' plummeting by a staggering 72 per cent.

The NHS will see a huge backlog of 650,000 operations by September after the pandemic forced them to be cancelled, Birmingham University research shows (file photo)

Research fellow Dr Dmitri Nepogodiev (pictured) led the research with senior lecturer in surgery Mr Aneel Bhangu

The Birmingham University team studied the impact of the virus over the last three months on the delay for surgeries.

They found if there is a second wave in the coronavirus epidemic in Britain, the backlog will surge and delays will be extended.

Research fellow Dr Dmitri Nepogodiev, who led the research with senior lecturer in surgery Mr Aneel Bhangu, told the Express: 'We're worried patients' conditions may deteriorate, worsening their quality of life as they wait for rescheduled surgery.

'In some cases, for example cancer, delayed surgeries may lead to a number of unnecessary deaths.

'We are concerned that the delays will mean that some patients' tumours will become inoperable.'

He said when services resume it will take longer than he expected to slash the operating list due to the need to deep clean equipment.

The backlog will take two years to clear if there is no second wave, he said, but added it was the right decision to cancel standard operations from April.

Estimates produced by experts at Public Health England and Cambridge University suggested the R-rate is above the danger level of one in the North West and South West

Dr Nepogodiev called for specified Covid and non-Covid hospitals or to use private facilities for surgery that is not coronavirus related.

The need to deep clean operating equipment between surgeries means the rate of people being treated will be reduced compared to before the pandemic.

And some hospitals are preparing for a second wave of infections by keeping large areas clear.

The Birmingham University report predicted hospitals will be working at about 80 per cent until September.

It said there was a three-part phased return to surgeries, with the cancelling of operations until this month being phase one and causing a 516,462-patient backlog.

The second phase, which will last until September, will more elective surgery but will add a further 141,271 people to the waiting list.

The final stage will see surgery rate rocket to more than 15 per cent than normal levels to try to stem the backlog.

An NHS England spokesman said: 'As the NHS responded to the once-in-acentury pandemic, hospitals had to treat more than 95,000 people for Covid-19.

'Now that the NHS has managed the first wave of this virus, there is clearly an important job to do to help people whose routine elective operation was postponed, which will involve permanent increases in staffing and bed capacity, as well as an ongoing partnership with independent providers.'

Last month the CovidSurg Collaborative at Birmingham University predicted there would be 28million cancelled surgeries due to Covid-19.

The study, published in the British Journal of Surgery found there were 2.4million cancellations each week due to the disruption.

The huge financial strain facing the NHS comes after it was revealed private hospitals taken over by the health care giant at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds to the taxpayer remain almost completely empty.

More than 8,000 private beds in England were bought up by ministers in March at an estimated cost of 2.4million a day, in anticipation hospitals would be overwhelmed.

The beds have been under public control for nearly 11 weeks, thought to have cost the taxpayer at least a staggering 150million already, with the figure rising every day.

But the health service's intensive care wards were not overrun during the peak of the pandemic and the majority of the private beds went unused.

Private hospitals are now meant to be operating as 'Covid-free hubs' to get back up and running for vulnerable people, including cancer patients.

But a senior consultant said last week 'very few' of these patients were being referred to the private hospitals, leaving them almost completely empty.

It has meant 'tens of thousands' of cancer patients - who need urgent treatment to boost their survival rates - are missing out on vital treatment every month.

Private hospitals taken over by NHS at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds to fight the coronavirus pandemic are 'sinfully empty', claim medics. Pictured: The ICU wards at the hastily built Nightingale Hospital have barely been used throughout the crisis

The 8,000 beds are said to be costing the NHS 2.4million per day, according to the Mirror. They have been under public control since March 21, which was 10 weeks and 5 days, or simply 75 days, ago.

Rough estimates suggest taxpayers have already forked out 180million for the beds.

Karol Sikora, a consultant oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of Buckingham Medical School, told MailOnline: 'Once it became clear the private beds would not be needed for Covid patients, the idea was to use private hospitals as Covid-free zones. But that has only partly materialised.

'Because the NHS is not doing surgeries, thousands of cancers are going undiagnosed. Surgery is needed in some cases to diagnose someone with the disease and get them started on their treatment.

Professor Karol Sikora (pictured) is consultant oncologist and professor of medicine, University of Buckingham Medical School

'Because the patients are not being diagnosed, they are not coming through the system.

'We know there should be 30,000 new cancer patients every month - but this month there have been less than 5,000 that have come for treatment.

'It's not that there are less people with cancer, it's that they are not being diagnosed because of a bottleneck in the NHS.

'The whole thing has set us back a year, no other country has struggled this much to open healthcare back up. I don't know what's behind the bottleneck, maybe it's a staffing issue.'

Senior clinicians at private hospitals claim hundreds of the country's best doctors have been left 'twiddling their thumbs' during the outbreak  putting people's health at risk from other illnesses and postponed operations.

It has left private patients with no option but to join huge NHS waiting lists triggered by the pandemic.

Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said hospitals have only been able to carry out around '15 to 20 per cent' of surgeries, meaning up to 1.3million patients are missing out every month.

In one case, a 78-year-old woman with breast cancer was denied surgery at a private clinic by the local NHS manager even though the hospital was empty, according to The Times. The patient was instead referred back to the NHS.

Cancer Research says almost 2.5million patients have missed out on vital cancer tests and treatment due to shocking backlogs during the crisis.
Canadians continued to rally and demonstrate against racism and police brutality on Saturday, a day after thousands attended protests and vigils across the country.

The demonstrations follow days of protests across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis, Minn. A police officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

Many are calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam on Friday urged demonstrators to "take care of themselves" and follow public health guidelines such as physical distancing as much as possible and using hand sanitizers.

Read on to see what's happening around Canada.

Toronto

Thousands demonstrated in two separate protests in Toronto against racism. The first protest began at Nathan Phillips Square, while the second began at Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Twanna Lewis, a Toronto resident at Trinity Bellwoods Park, said she was protesting for the first time on Saturday because she felt the need to take a stand for people who are voiceless. She has an 18-year-old black son, cousins, uncles and a brother.

"It's 2020 and we need to be doing better," Lewis told CBC Toronto. "It's a shame that we have to be having this conversation in this day and age, when we think that we have gone so far."

Evan Mitsui/CBC

At Nathan Phillips Square, demonstrators chanted, held placards and posters, and listened to speakers. Then the protesters marched to the U.S. consulate and onward to Yonge-Dundas Square.

"I can't breathe," the crowd chanted at one point at Nathan Phillips Square, in a reference to some of Floyd's last words before his death on May 25.

People held up signs that read "No Justice No Peace" and "Yes it's here too Ford." Ontario Premier Doug Ford had said Canada doesn't have the "systemic, deep roots" of racism as the U.S.

Story continues

WATCH | Protesters, police speak at Toronto demonstration:

Also in Toronto, dozens of graffiti artists joined a "Paint the City Black" event in which an alleyway was painted with depictions of Floyd and other prominent black figures.

Jessey Pacho, an artist at the event, said the colour black was the main theme that ran through each individual piece as "a show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement."

Pacho said about 40 artists from around Canada participated.

Turgut Yeter/CBC

St. John's

Thousands of people kneeled on the lawn of Confederation Building in St. John's during a rally in support of the Black Lives Matter.

The rally, organized by newly established Black Lives Matter NL, featured speeches and performances from members of the area's black community sharing their own stories of racism.

Crowds were able to physically distance during the rally, spreading themselves across the lawn of Confederation Building. There was a small police presence, but no incidents were reported.

Marie Isabelle Rochon/Radio-Canada

Zainab Jerrett, who came to Newfoundland in the 1990s and is a professor at Memorial University, was one of the speakers on stage and was overwhelmed by the public support.

"That shows that this problem is affecting everybody, and everyone wants to chip in to bring a solution," Jerrett said. "I almost got emotional because there's so many people  young people of all cultures in Newfoundland."

"This is an awakening. The people are interested in listening to the black community," she added. "[But] we are all the same. The more we come together as a human race, the better."

Whitehorse

Hundreds of demonstrators marched in Yukon to protest anti-black and anti-Indigenous racism.

In Whitehorse, protesters marched from the totem on the city's waterfront to the RCMP detachment, where they called out the names of Indigenous people who died in RCMP custody.

The Dakhka Khwaan Dancers performed in the middle of 4th Avenue.

Chris Windeyer/CBC

"Brutality against racialized people, black people has been there for centuries," said demonstrator Annie-Frederique Pierre. "It is the basis of colonialism. And yes, black and Indigenous people living on Turtle Island are as impacted by brutality as their friends and family in the U.S."

Protesters also stopped at the CBC building on 3rd Avenue to call for a more representative media that does a better job of covering racialized communities.

Elsewhere in the territory, at least 100 people marched along Front Street, chanting for justice and equality.

Chris Windeyer/CBC

Calgary

The names of people killed by police brutality echoed through Calgary's Olympic Plaza, where thousands gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn and honour victims of racist injustice and police violence.

WATCH | Protest organizer asks Calgary police to not participate:

While organizers mourned Floyd's death, they also wanted to share an important message  racism and police violence are Canadian issues too. They called for policing reform and for police to collect data on actions taken against people of colour.

"My hopes are that people will become mobilized and start applying anti-racism in their day-to-day lives," said Adora Nwofor, one of the organizers.

Terri Trembath/CBC

Fort McMurray, Alta.

Elsewhere in Alberta, a Black Lives Matter rally was held at Fort McMurray City Hall.

The rally comes as Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam says Wood Buffalo RCMP officers beat and arrested him in a Fort McMurray parking lot earlier this year.

Jamie Malbeuf/CBC

London, Ont.

Gathering first in Victoria Park to listen to people speak about their experiences around being black, thousands took to the streets in downtown London, Ont.

"It's not enough to say it's an American problem. It's a problem everywhere," said demonstrator Leah Cabral.

"It's not time to be quiet, you have to get out, you have to mobilize, you have to do something about it."

Amanda Margison/ CBC News

Long after the larger group had gone home, drivers continued to honk and wave placards around downtown streets.

Tavia Legg said it was heartwarming to see how many Londoners came out to support the cause.

"I don't see why we're all judged by the colour of our skin. It just shouldn't be allowed," Legg said. "We're all human beings."

Guelph, Ont.

Volunteers handed out bottles of water and squirts of hand sanitizer to marchers in Guelph, Ont., as thousands of demonstrators descended upon city hall. Organizers took COVID-19 precautions after health officials urged protesters to adhere to public health protocols.

A similar demonstration in Kitchener on Wednesday saw thousands of people walk through the downtown core holding signs.
New York, June 7 : Two police officers in New York state's Buffalo city were charged with felony assault after a video showed them pushing an elderly protester to the ground last week, prosecutors said.

Robert McCabe, 32, and Aaron Torgalski, 39, pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

They were released without bail, according to the Erie County District Attorney John Flynn, who said at a press conference on Saturday that the officers "crossed a line".

The two officers were removing protesters from the Niagara Square in Buffalo on June 4 after the 8 p.m. curfew, when 75-year-old Martin Gugino approached them alone.

The officers were captured on video pushing Gugino, who then staggered and fell backward with his head hitting the ground. Blood was seen coming from his ear and no officer around came to tend him immediately.

Gugino was sent to hospital and remained in serious condition. The two officers were suspended without pay on Friday.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the incident "fundamentally offensive and frightening" at Friday's briefing.

"You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity," said Cuomo.

"Why was that necessary? Where is the threat?" Cuomo said he had talked to both Buffalo Mayor and Gugino on the phone, adding that the city should consider firing the officers and "look at the situation for possible criminal charges".

The officers' suspension has aroused strong opposition from their colleagues, as 57 Buffalo officers withdrew from a volunteer tactical unit, according to The Buffalo News.

McCabe and Torgalski were assigned to the unit established for responding to possible riots in George Floyd protests.

John Evans, President of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, told local news channel WIVB-TV that the charges were "totally unwarranted".

The two officers are due back in court on July 20 for a felony hearing.

If convicted, they face up to seven years in prison, according to District Attorney Flynn.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The FBI and local investigators are trying to determine a possible link between the ambush-style killing of a Northern California sheriffs deputy Saturday night and that of a federal officer who was fatally shot outside the U.S. courthouse in Oakland more than a week ago.

The FBI office in San Francisco confirmed Sunday its investigators were working with the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Department to determine a possible motive and links to other crimes committed in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the attack that killed a Federal Protective Service officer and critically wounded another officer on May 29. Both involved shooters in a van.

An active-duty U.S. Air Force sergeant has been arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting Santa Cruz Sheriffs Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, and wounding two other officers Saturday.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said Gutzwiller was a beloved 14-year veteran of the force.

Theres a hole in all of our hearts now. he said at a vigil Sunday that drew more than a thousand mourners.

On Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. about a suspicious van in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz. The caller said there were guns and bomb-making devices inside, Hart said.

When deputies arrived, the van pulled away and the deputies followed. The van went down a driveway at a home, and the deputies were ambushed by gunfire and explosives after getting out of their vehicle.

Gutzwiller was wounded and later died at a hospital. Another deputy was wounded by gunfire or shrapnel and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled. A third officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in his hand, Hart said.

The suspect, 32-year-old Steven Carrillo, attempted a carjacking and was shot during his arrest, Hart said. He was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The injured deputy was listed in stable condition on Sunday.

Carrillo will be charged with first-degree murder, Hart said.

Carrillo had arrived at Travis Air Force Base, 50 miles (81 kilometres) northeast of San Francisco, in June 2018 and was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron, a base spokesman said.

Carrillos wife, Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, who was also in the Air Force, was found dead in an off-base hotel in May 2018 while she was stationed in South Carolina. She was 30. Her death was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriffs Office, in co-ordination with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and ruled a suicide, according to the Air Force.

The FBI has been trying to identify a suspect and motive in the drive-by shooting outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building that killed Dave Patrick Underwood, 53, and critically injured a fellow officer. They had been monitoring a nearby protest over the death of George Floyd.

Surveillance cameras captured a white Ford van believed to be driven by the shooter or shooters. The FBI said the vehicle did not appear to have license plates.

Gov. Gavin Newsom extended condolences to Gutzwillers family and ordered flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honour of the slain deputy.

He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father, Newsom said in a statement.

The shooting shocked Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Gutzwiller was married with a young son and a second on the way.

At the vigil, Hart stood with Gutzwillers widow and son as he praised the sergeants community approach to policing.

He was kind, patient, caring, empathetic. He can take enforcement action when he needed to, but he would rather communicate his way through any problem that was in front of him, Hart said.

Coworkers said Gutzwiller was a gentle man who genuinely cared about the community he was raised in and lived in.

Hes just everything you want the police to be, said Amy Christey, a former lieutenant with the sheriffs office.

____

AP reporter Daisy Nguyen in Oakland contributed to this report. This story has been corrected to reflect that the suspect is 32, not 38.
The knee-on-neck restraint used in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis is banned in most of Europe outside of France. Armed police  such as those who fatally shot Breonna Taylor in her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, last month  are not part of routine law enforcement in places such as Iceland or Norway. The Minnesota police officer who stopped Philando Castiles car and fatally shot him in 2016 would have been violating Finlands strict protocols for the use of deadly force.

In places such as Brazil, Egypt, Kenya  and most recently Hong Kong  accusations of police violence are common and are often seen by rights groups as far less accountable than in the United States.

But in other countries, including many in Europe, the police practices that are causing outrage in the United States are either entirely banned or are far more strictly regulated. Paul Hirschfield, an associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University, said more apt parallels can be drawn between the United States and Latin America.

The United States is more similar to many Latin American countries in terms of the vast inequalities, localised policing and highly racialized function and history of policing, he said.

Heres how five police practices in the United States compare in Europe and elsewhere:

Where dont police routinely carry guns?

The average police officers in Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, Britain, Ireland and some other nations are not armed. Many of these countries have had high-profile instances of alleged police brutality. But overall, the absence of firearms appears to lessen the level of tension between officers and civilians, opponents of armed police forces argue.

This approach has also worked in at least one nation with a relatively high gun-ownership rate by European standards: Iceland. According to the GunPolicy database, there were an estimated over 30 firearms per 100 civilians in Iceland in 2017, compared to five firearms per 100 people in Britain. (The United States had 120.5 guns per 100 residents in 2017, according to the Small Arms Survey.) Still, Icelands police do not routinely carry firearms.

Icelands crime rate is far lower than the United States  and so is inequality and poverty. In Britain and Ireland  with significantly higher crime rates than Iceland  resistance to equipping police officers with firearms has historically come from inside police forces.

Terrorist attacks in London, Manchester and New Zealands Christchurch, among others, in recent years have mounted pressure on some countries to make armed police the standard rather than for special operations. After a gunman killed 51 people in attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in March 2019, New Zealand partially abandoned its approach of having only a select number of senior officers carry firearms. It widened the pool of firearms-carrying officers for a six-month trial period, and a review is now underway.

Norway faced a similar choice between arming and disarming police officers after far-right gunman Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in 2011. In 2014, police officers started carrying firearms more frequently following concerns that another attack could be imminent. But around one year later, amid a dropping threat level, the policy was reversed and officers disarmed again.

When can police fire a gun or shoot to kill?

While cops can be armed in most European countries, they have nowhere near Americas level of police killings. Mr Hirschfield, who studies why US police officers kill more people than their European counterparts, found that police shootings in the United States in 2014 were 18 times more lethal than in Denmark and 100 times more deadly than in Finland.

Columbus Police officers speak to a protester as thousands march towards the Statehouse in downtown Columbus, Ohio (Getty)

American police are comparatively more heavily armed than Europeans. This is one factor that could lead police to escalate and use deadly force faster, said Mr Hirschfield.

But Mr Hirschfeild said another key factor is the legal framework. The European Convention on Human Rights allows police to use deadly force that is absolutely necessary. In contrast, police in the United States are permitted if they have a reasonable belief their lives are in danger. Under these differing principles, a police shooting might be lawful in the United States and not according to European standards, said Mr Hirschfeild.

European Union countries set their own regulations within the commissions framework. Some countries have stricter rules than others. In Finland, for example, a cop is expected to seek a superiors approval before using deadly force. In Spain, the police officer must first fire a warning shot and shoot at a non-vital part of the body before they can shoot to kill, said Mr Hirschfield, citing his research.

What are the rules around neck restraint?

According to the Minneapolis Police Departments own rules the day of Floyds death, the neck hold, or carotid restraint  in which officer Derek Chauvin pushed his knee onto Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes to restrict blood flow  should only be used when the officer fears for their life. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.

In most of Europe, police officers are banned from using these kinds of neck restraints, sometimes also referred to as a chock hold, said Mr Hirschfield. Germany allows police officers to only briefly use a version of it, in which pressure is temporarily applied to the head (and not neck) to subdue somebody. Belgium forbids police from completely leaning on a suspect even temporarily, according to the Associated Press.

One exception is France, where on 28 May officers used it to pin down a black man in an incident captured by bystanders. In Hong Kong, police are also investigating a case in which a man died after police restrained and held him face down during an arrest.

Under international law, police should only use force as a last resort and to the minimum extent possible and neck restraints are treated as a serious form of violence, said Patrick Wilcken, a researcher on military, security and policing issues with London-based Amnesty International.

How does U.S. police training compare to Europe?

A police officer in the United States trains for an average of 19 months before being put on the job. In much of Europe, its three years.

Demonstrators blow bubbles next to anti-riot policemen in Toulouse, southwestern France (Getty)

The knee-on-neck restraint used in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis is banned in most of Europe outside of France. Armed police  such as those who fatally shot Breonna Taylor in her apartment in Louisville, last month  are not part of routine law enforcement in places such as Iceland or Norway. The Minnesota police officer who stopped Philando Castiles car and fatally shot him in 2016 would have been violating Finlands strict protocols for the use of deadly force.

Training is a much more lengthy process in countries with national policing, said Mr Hirschfield. You can impose national standards much more easily, and enforce them much more easily.

In these more politicised contexts, local structures are the ones that decide about policing, said Mr Hirschfield. The mayors and city counsels are in charge of regulating police ... in some places, the police exert a lot of influence on the policy process.

He added: Any time they try to adopt a reform ... the cost is directly on the police force, [as] theres no national police force paying. That makes it harder to reform.

Some US police leaders have also sought to learn from other nations. Following a spate of fatal police killings of black men and the Ferguson protests in 2014, a group of police leaders sought advice from European counterparts on how to better avoid deadly force. Israeli police have partnered with US officers to provide training in anti-terror tactics, a relationship human rights groups have criticised.

Where is de-escalation a greater police priority?

Recommended Obama urges reform on police brutality in stark contrast with Trump

In many European countries, training may focus on how to use space and time to reduce a threat, as well as less-risky weapons such as tasers. In Japan, police officers are discouraged from using firearms; instead, they are trained in a form of martial arts called taiho-jutsu to wield if necessary.

In the United States, in contrast, crisis intervention and de-escalation tends to be an afterthought and sometimes just a day in US police training, said Mr Hirschfield. If officers have time and theres an investment in training, they could be trained in nonlethal ways of subduing people ... [such as] pressure points or pain compliance techniques that are effective in subduing people with a very low risk of harm. 

Police use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and other aggressive tactics against demonstrators over the past week have shocked many analysts and reporters, particularly those whove covered protests and revolts in other countries.

Compared to some Middle Eastern countries, China, Russia, Turkey, our police are hopefully not as aggressive towards citizens, said University of Arizona professor Jennifer Earl, who studies police and protests. But Us police are much more militarised than [other] western countries, she continued. We do on average have more aggressive policing than our peers.

The Washington Post
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-08 00:21:22|Editor: huaxia

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Protesters rally in front of the White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Less than a week ago, Trump threatened the use of active-duty military forces to quell the protests, a decision that drew harsh condemnation from both current and former officials.

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he has ordered the National Guard recently deployed in Washington, D.C. to deal with the protests to begin withdrawing from the nation's capital.

"I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control," the president tweeted in the morning. "They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!"

Protesters march near the Capitol Hill during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

A group of uniformed military personnel were seen in front of the White House on Saturday, as thousands of protesters swelled into D.C. to stage what has been the largest demonstration in the capital since the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis black man, at the hands of white police.

Demanding change in police practices and paying homage to Floyd, Saturday's protest remained peaceful. Music blared from a truck, impromptu dance parties appeared, and people used chalk to write messages on the streets.

Less than a week ago, however, as the protests escalated and reached the doorsteps of the presidential residence, Trump threatened the use of active-duty military forces to quell the protests, a decision that drew harsh condemnation from both current and former officials.

The sign "Black Lives Matter Plaza" is seen in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote Trump a letter Friday, urging him to "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" in her city citing the peaceful nature of the demonstrations.

The D.C. National Guard confirmed Saturday it was investigating whether it was appropriate to use one of its helicopters during Monday's protests. The helicopter flew low above the White House area as law enforcement on the ground reportedly used non-lethal weapons to clear the way for Trump to walk to a church near the White House for a photo op, which caused tremendous controversy.

"The completion of a thorough and transparent investigation is of the highest priority to me and to the investigative team," Major General William Walker, the D.C. National Guard's commander, said in a statement. 
Organisational Structure Change Update

The Warehouse Group (the Group) today confirmed that it has commenced a consultation process at its Northcote head office as it changes to meet customer needs by shifting to an Agile operating model.

Group CEO Nick Grayston said that COVID-19 related events of recent months have made it even more clear that Agile is the right model for the Group and that there is an intention to move to this new way of working from August 31 2020. The changes that are being proposed at the Group head office will likely see a reduction of around 100-130 roles.

We are confident that Agile principles will support the business by improving speed to market, collaboration, innovation and productivity, enabling us further to increase our focus on serving New Zealanders needs in this uncertain environment, said Mr Grayston.

Based on our insights into changing shopping habits and the anticipated economic impacts caused by COVID-19, we are accelerating some changes that had already been planned.

Value for money has never been more important to our customers and in order to continue to deliver this, we need to manage our costs and run our business more efficiently, said Mr Grayston.

COVID-19 has also accelerated plans to realign some of our store operations closer to the needs of our customers and rationalise the distribution of some of our stores.

Last month we opened new The Warehouse and Noel Leeming stores in Lunn Avenue in Auckland and in the coming months we are looking at six store closures, in addition to three already confirmed, across Noel Leeming, The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery brands. We will carry out a full consultation process but the proposals for change include the Noel Leeming Henderson Clearance Centre, and Tokoroa store, The Warehouse Whangaparaoa, Johnsonsville and Dunedin Central stores and Warehouse Stationery Te Awamutu store. We have confirmed that in July we will close our Birkenhead The Warehouse store and that same month we will open a Noel Leeming Northlink store in Christchurch, which will replace our Papanui and The Palms stores.

The proposed changes to our footprint consider factors including proximity to our other stores, shopping habits of those in the area, store profitability and lease arrangements. The Group will continue to assess its store network and has flexibility in its lease renewal profile with approximately one quarter of its network coming up for renewal within the next 15 months.

The proposals would see approximately 700-950 roles or 410 fewer full time equivalent store roles as a result of store closure and operating model changes. That is in addition to the 100-130 Store Support Office roles. We will be discussing our proposed realignment of our store network and operating model with impacted team members and the unions.

Trading update

Since moving to Level 2, the Group has seen strong trading across its brands. This level of trading is seen largely as a consequence of pent up demand and is not expected to continue as the economic impacts of COVID-19 are realised. Given the continued uncertainty around trading performance the Board reaffirms its position on withholding guidance on FY20 earnings.

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A white Virginia cop has been charged with assault after police and prosecutors reviewed body camera footage that appeared to show him using a stun gun on a disoriented black man.

The Fairfax County police chief said he was "disgusted" after viewing the footage, which he said showed Officer Tyler Timberlake deploy an electronic control weapon and "escalate further" the situation.

"The video also erodes the public's trust of police officers, not only in Fairfax County but throughout this world," Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr. said Saturday at a press briefing on the incident. "These acts are unacceptable."

MORE: George Floyd protest updates: DC protests 'under perfect control,' Trump says

Related: VA Gov. Declares State of Emergency, Militia Threats Over Gun Reforms

Cops were responding to a 911 call on Friday afternoon in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Fairfax County about a man "walking in the street shouting that he needed oxygen," Roessler said. The unidentified man was having some type of "episode," he added.

In the video, which the police department released to the public, someone can be heard attempting to get the man off a residential street and into an ambulance up the block. Another person, who appeared to be a medic, also addressed the victim, saying, "I'm here to help you, so tell me what you need."

While the man is walking on the street, the video appeared to show Timberlake approach and deploy a stun gun multiple times and put his knees on the man's back. The victim repeatedly shouts "No!" and says "I can't breathe" several times after being handcuffed.

PHOTO: A police officer in Fairfax, Virginia, is charged with assault and battery after body camera footage showed him using a stun gun on a black man who appeared disoriented. (Fairfax County Police Department)

Timberlake was charged on Saturday evening with three counts of misdemeanor assault and battery and faces up to 36 months of incarceration. He turned himself in to the Fairfax County Magistrate's Office on Saturday and was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to the Fairfax County Police Department's Media Relations Bureau.

ABC News' attempts to reach Timberlake's attorney were unsuccessful.

Story continues

Timberlake has been an officer for eight years and was assigned to the Mount Vernon District, Roessler said. The police chief said he is unable to comment on Timberlake's personnel history at this time.

Along with Timberlake, the other officers involved in the incident have been relieved of their law enforcement duties and placed on paid administrative leave pending criminal and administrative investigations, Roessler said. The other officers have not been charged.

PHOTO: A police officer in Fairfax, Virginia, is charged with assault and battery after body camera footage showed him using a stun gun on a black man who appeared disoriented. (Fairfax County Police Department)

Timberlake's "horrible use of force" will undergo an independent review by the Fairfax County police auditor, Roessler said. The county appointed its first independent police auditor in 2017.

The victim was treated at a local hospital and released and as of Saturday night was "at home resting with his family," Roessler said.

MORE: DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says Trump's response to protests brought out more demonstrators

Fairfax County Commonwealthas Attorney Steve Descano called the footage "unsettling" and stressed the importance of body-worn cameras in this investigation.

"We are fortunate that this technology was in use in the region of the county within which this incident occurred," he said at Saturday's news briefing. "Without it, I fear we would have had an unfortunately narrow and somewhat distorted view of what happened in one of our own neighborhoods."

The incident comes amid mass demonstrations across the U.S. protesting against police brutality and racism following the death of George Floyd on May 25 while in police custody. In that case, 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.

Chauvin is set to make his first court appearance on Monday; his attorney has not commented on the case. Three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter. Attorneys for two of the officers said the rookie cops tried to urge Chauvin to stop. All four officers have been fired.

Cop charged after bodycam footage shows 'horrible use of force': Police chief originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 13:18 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcaaafd 1 Books #literature,#literary,#poetry,#poems,#Poet,#Indonesia,#people,#profile,#JokoPinurbo Free

For poet Joko Pinurbo, the worlds in his words are much more grounded, taking inspiration from the mundane and ordinary.

Even when he, like everyone else, shelters in place amid the pandemic, Jokpin as he is popularly known, somehow manages to turn a hospital scene into a poem that speaks to ones conscience.

Di Rumah Sakit (At the hospital) is his latest work. It is a piece borne from a state of global anxiety, of silent prayers in sanitized corridors.

Perhaps the most striking part is the final stanza:

KTP mengucapkan [The ID card wishes]

Selamat tidur kepada calon jenazah [A good night sleep to soon-to-be dead body]

Yang masih memikirkan [Who still thinks of]

Besok akan dikuburkan di mana [Where they will be buried tomorrow].

Screen to screen: In a virtual discussion hosted by Bentara Budaya, Joko recited his latest poem 'Di Rumah Sakit' (At the hospital), an ode to silent prayers in sanitized hallways. (JP/Seto Wardhana)

In an Instagram Live session hosted by Bentara Budaya recently, he admitted that the stanza gave him the chills when he read it aloud for the first time after writing it.

At that time, there were many instances of people rejecting burials, so I became inspired to write the poem. My point of view was that of the corpse, and I imagined many people suffering from COVID-19 being treated in hospitals were haunted by concerns that their bodies would also be rejected, he said.

Born in Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java, on May 11, 1962, Joko has been a poet from a young age. He started writing poetry during high school at age 16, with his first poem published in his schools magazine.

However, he still feels embarrassed about the poem, created some 42 years ago, even though he conceded that the poem already showcased his style and theme preference.

Its really a simple poem, but quite alright for a high schooler  maybe its nothing compared to us now.

The poems title was simply Kamboja (Plumeria), which Joko observed was closely associated with cemeteries and death, with the chapels bells symbolizing a sense of sacredness.

Kamboja itu berduka [The plumeria is grieving]

Mengiring kepergian daun-daun tua [For the loss of old leaves]

Yang gugur diterpa [Which fell by]

Lonceng gereja [The chapels bell].

There was a chapel in my dorm, and every day I heard the bells tolling. There was a plumeria tree beside the chapel and I pictured the bells ringing so loud that it moved the trees leaves, Joko recalled.

He said he began by writing short poems before eventually writing longer ones.

From then on, he started sending out his poems to magazines, while also branching out to social themes, including pedicabs and childhood memories.

Still, Joko feels that a poets first poem is important, as it can give them an idea of the direction where their future work will go to.

His fixation with the ordinary in his poetry is attributed to his personal view: a poet can only excel in writing about things they internalize and are familiar with in their daily lives.

For example, I cannot write about snow or deserts because I am not familiar with them  I dont live in that kind of environment. What I write is really what I know and find to be a part of my life, he said, adding that he thought a similar principle also applied to many other poets.

As for the scenes with everyday objects, Joko said he was simply curious as to why domestic objects and scenes were rarely explored by Indonesian poets before his time.

It seems that objects like trousers, a sarong or a toilet are not considered poetic. I want to highlight these objects that are probably not poetic but very much a part of our lives and our bodies, he said.

The issue for a writer is in how these simple, trivial things can take us into musing about the absurdity of life. They might be simple, but behind their simplicity lies a struggle, a reflection about the essence of life.

He provided an example in his poem Celana (Trousers), which he said was based on his musings on the Bible. The aim, he said, was so that the vocabulary, diction, and imagery of Indonesian poetry could become more varied.

Joko cited Chairil Anwar as one of his biggest role models, expressing amazement that a young figure like him could write poetry that still feels relevant to this day.

Sapardi Djoko Damonos works also greatly inspired me, and I even came to the realization that poetry could be written in a narrative way through his works after Duka-Mu Abadi [Your Grief is Eternal], he said.

The author of many titles said his works were mostly inspired by what he read but his path toward being a poet was first and foremost because it was a hobby.

When asked about how he still managed to stay in the field despite the rejection and low pay early in his career, Joko ascribed it to the fact that poetry was a hobby he enjoyed greatly.

I find happiness in writing poetry. I never relied on writing because of the low pay and sporadic nature. When its a hobby, youll stay in the field a long time, he said.

If I went into poetry to seek fame, maybe I wouldnt have made it that long, but words have become my plaything  its my habitat. (ste)
Dusit International, one of Thailands leading hotel and property development companies, has expanded its management agreement with Tanota Partners, a Guam real estate investment and property development company, to operate the deluxe Dusit Beach Resort Guam and adjoining luxury shopping center, The Plaza.

The partnership marks the newest additions to its Guam portfolio consisting of the luxury Dusit Thani Guam Resort, which opened in 2015 and which also adjoins The Plaza.

Formerly the Outrigger Guam Beach Resort, a beloved brand on Guam for over 20 years, the property will be renamed as Dusit Beach Resort Guam. Managed by Dusit International, Dusit Beach Resort Guam welcomes the existing employees into the Dusit family and looks forward to the team upholding its legacy of outstanding hospitality.

Located in the US territory of Guam, a vibrant island destination approximately four hours by plane from Japan and major cities in Asia, Dusit Beach Resort Guam is conveniently situated only 15 minutes from Guams international airport in the heart of Tumons bustling tourist district. Families can shop, dine and build lasting memories while enjoying a variety of activities right along the resorts crystal blue shore.

Dusit Beach Resort Guam comprises 604 rooms with a variety of restaurants, cafes, bars and spa. It is currently undergoing renovation projects which will showcase an all-new contemporary look and feel. Dusit Club guests can access upgraded amenities and services enjoyed in the exclusive Dusit Club Lounge. The resort also recently completed the installation of an all-new splash pad attraction for families.

Among the many local attractions is convenient shopping at The Plaza, the luxury retail and restaurant center now managed by Dusit. The Plaza is home to over 60 boutiques, cafes, bars and restaurants, including some of the worlds most exclusive luxury brands.

Guests will also enjoy easy access to the facilities and restaurants of the award-winning Dusit Thani Guam Resort, including highlights such as top-ranked fine-dining at Alfredos Steakhouse, fresh seafood and grill selections with outdoor seating at Tasi Grill, pastries and fine desserts from Dusit Gourmet, and so much more.

Inspired by the genuine island spirit of Guam, guests will feel they are among family at the Dusit Beach Resort Guam. Warm smiles and an abundance of excitement in preparation of every stay marks the journey from arrival to departure. A friendly Hafa Adai (hello in Guams native CHamoru language) from all staff will quickly become an unforgettable sentiment. Guests will also be able to indulge in authentic CHamoru cuisine while learning about Guams vibrant history and language, and experience cultural immersion at its best with performances by indigenous dance groups and lively demonstrations.

Dusit Beach Resort Guam brings the heart of the islands dynamic culture center stage for all to enjoy, ensuring a lasting impression of this majestic gem in the Pacific.

Dusit Internationals property portfolio now comprises more than 300 properties operating under six brands across 14 countries. The company has also diversified into food business, with strategic investments designed to mitigate risk, expand its customer base, and generate revenue from adjacent lines of commerce.

The Dusit Beach Resort Guam and The Plaza management agreement is effective June 1. - TradeArabia News Service
Photo: The Canadian Press

New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning.

The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city, de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfew's end effective immediately. Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart.

The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets and parks to protest police brutality, sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.

Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.

At protests in Manhattan earlier Saturday, volunteers handed out snacks, first aid kits and plenty of water bottles on a muggy afternoon. One person carried a sign listing nearby open buildings for those seeking to escape the heat  which some soon did when a rain storm arrived.

Thousands of people crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

Further uptown, police had erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic.

As the curfew passed, a large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive, the main north-south artery along Manhattan's east side, closely monitored by police, forcing police to temporarily shut down one side of the roadway.

Earlier, Julian Arriola-Hennings said he didnt expect the movement to slow down anytime soon.

Im never surprised by people taking action because inaction, it really hurts the soul, he said as he told protesters at Washington Square Park that they would soon march from there to City Hall.

Peoples feet get tired, their souls get re-energized for the right purpose.

One of Saturday's marches was enlivened by a band led by Jon Batiste, bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Images on social media on Friday night about an hour after a Brooklyn protest ended showed officers surrounding a group of protesters and chasing down some with batons. And officers on Manhattans East Side also used force to break up remnants of a march that started near the mayors official residence.

There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday  far fewer than previous nights  and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week.

On Saturday, Antoinette Henry wasnt surprised people were still marching after more than a week, even though she said she had seen violence from police earlier in the week.

Our first couple of protests ended a bit violently but were back out here. Were not going to stop fighting, Henry said.

She added she thinks protests could continue next week, even as some will go back to work when New York City begins its reopening.

I think as long as we stay organized, thats exactly what can and will and should happen, Henry said.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Curtis Chaplin and Last Chance for Change had no plans for a long march Saturday. They would walk to the Black Lives Matter rally and leave.

But as the group left the rally, hundreds of people filed into their ranks. By the time they crossed through Hanover Square and onto South Salina Street, theyd amassed a movement. Then a protester hopped into South Salina Street, stopping traffic. So they marched.

Civil disobedience, a protester yelled from her car.

They commandeered the southbound lane of Syracuses main street. For the first time in eight days, protesters had no police escort. All of this happened with relative ease in an accidental show of strength.

It goes so far back they cant hear us," Devon Carmichael said to another protester.

After a week of 100- and 200-person marches that routinely pushed protesters 9 or 10 miles, Saturday started with 2,000 people gathering at City Hall for a Black Lives Matter rally. It ended with a few hundred people leaving the march led by Last Chance for Change, a group against police brutality that formed this week.

Earlier this week, protests began as a show of frustration, a reaction to a knee in George Floyds neck. On the fourth day, the protesters found purpose. They named themselves Last Chance for Change. They developed demands. On Thursday, they found action. They rallied with local leaders in hopes of having section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law changed.

Now, theyre looking for results.

Were going to go into their pockets," Chaplin said of the police department, echoing calls to defund police. Were going to continue to protest for 40 days and 40 nights. We promised our city 40 days of peaceful protesting.

Reforming police issues often takes years. The Citizen Review Board took more than a decade to put in place. Calls for a review board started in the early 1980s after the alleged beating of Dennis Collins, a photographer who was taking pictures for a black newspaper.

33 Hundreds of protesters take to Syracuse streets after huge downtown rally

On Saturday, protesters called for strengthening that body  more than 25 years after its creation.

In some cases, the reform didnt come. The department was part of a federal consent decree in 1980 to increase the hiring of people of color and women. At the time, 2% of officers were black. That number grew to 8% in 1990. That number is still the same 30 years later.

Right now, the groups solution is to gather and march. It puts a strain on the system. The police have to have several cars escort the protesters.

Some looting by a handful last week put the police on guard. On Saturday, police deployed what they called a public order unit." They filled City Hall with police dressed in riot gear and other officers dressed in camouflage fatigues.

Even after the protesters took South Salina Street for their own, the police escort caught up with them.

The protesters marched to a field behind the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central and the leaders of Last Chance for Change had to decide whether they wanted to keep going. They knew the decision could frustrate some of the public officials who backed them and expected them not to march.

Chaplin expressed worry about the large group and something  anything  going wrong. But they agreed they couldnt miss the chance.

The group circled the city, heading down South State Street, past the boarded-up and chained-in Onondaga County courthouse and Public Safety Building and back up past City Hall. They moved through Armory Square and down Jefferson Street.

Marchers stopped at the Columbus Circle statue to talk about the harm done to indigenous people by Europeans. Dennis Nett | dnett@ Syracuse.com

Eventually, they ended at Columbus Circle. The protesters climbed the statue of Christopher Columbus and railed against his role in history. Chaplin pondered why people cared so much about the looting of stores last week but not about how Columbus led to the looting of the Americas by Europeans.

Its sad that this statue is here in the cornerstone of Syracuse," Chaplin said.

After finishing the march, about a dozen of the organizers met in a yard on South Salina Street. They all pitched in for some Popeyes.

For much of the early part of the night, they ate dinner and joked. One complained about the blisters on his feet. Another took his shoes off.

Each of them comes from a different background. One has been to state prison while another is the son of an Onondaga County legislator. One worked at Enterprise Rent-A-Car before the pandemic, while another is a Syracuse University student.

The cause has captivated them enough to walk 70 miles in a week.

Even as they joked, they all thought about what would come next.

They plan to march for 40 days. Right now, that feels like a long time to them, but theyre already accounted for 20% of it. Initially, Chaplin said each march was like a piece to the puzzle, that they were going to cover each part of the city. Theyve mostly accomplished that.

Saturday proved they have peoples collective ear, now theyre just figuring out how to keep it.

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.

MORE ON THE PROTESTS

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In Ahmaud Arberys footsteps, runners in Syracuse support Black Lives Matter movement

Syracuse mayor: Impossible to ignore peaceful protests, open mind to policing changes
Jeremy Meeks joined thousands of protesters in the Black Lives Matter march over the killing of George Floyd in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

The model, 36, who is known as the 'Hot Felon', attended the demonstration with his son Jeremy Jr, 11, and raised his fist in the air in a show of support.

Jeremy went shirtless at the march, sporting a pair of black shorts with matching trainers and carrying a bag on his back.

Support: Jeremy Meeks, 36, joined thousands of protesters in the Black Lives Matter march over the killing of George Floyd in Beverly Hills on Saturday

The star chanted with protesters and was later seen sitting on the grass alongside his son who he has previously referred to as 'my junior'.

Jeremy shares his son with his ex wife Melissa Meeks, who he was married to for eight years.

Jeremy has taken part in a number of marches in the Los Angeles area over the last few days.

He recently uploaded a video to social media, denouncing violent rioters who have been at some of the marches.

Family: The model, who is known as the 'Hot Felon', attended the demonstration with his son Jeremy Jr, 11, and raised his fist in the air in a show of support

He said: 'Listen, I'm not gonna sit and act like we're not kicking up dust. We are pissed and frustrated and kicking s*** up.

'But I'm telling you right now, little white kids, they're looting just as much as we are. And we're gonna get the blame, not them. It's the way of the world.'

In another video, he said: 'No justice, no motherf***ing peace. Brought this on yourself. Prosecute or suffer the wrath of the people. The people are fed up. This is your guys' fault.'

March: The star chanted with protesters and was later seen sitting on the grass alongside his son who he has previously referred to as 'my junior'

Demonstrations: Jeremy has taken part in a number of marches in the Los Angeles area over the last few days

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.

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 for over eight minutes.

The Minneapolis policeman accused of killing Floyd, Chauvin, was taken into custody Friday and charged with third-degree murder, which was later changed to second-degree murder.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain yesterday welcomed the initiative announced by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, calling for a ceasefire in the State of Libya to achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people in security and stability. Sisi said the plan included a call for negotiations in Geneva, then the election of a leadership council, the disbanding of militias and the exit of all foreign fighters from Libya.

The Foreign Ministry affirmed Bahrains support to all the efforts exerted by Egypt to maintain Arab national security and defend Arab interests and issues. The statement stressed the need for all Libyan parties to respond to this initiative and give priority to the national interest to achieve development and prosperity.

Libyan commander Khalifa Haftars 14-month offensive to capture the capital, Tripoli, had collapsed this week.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister and former BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday (June 7) launched the election campaign in Bihar as he addressed the party workers and cadres through a virtual rally, which was first of its kind. The Union Minister asserted that the Jansamvad rally has nothing to do with Bihar assembly elections, which is due this year but is aimed at connecting people for the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister said he salutes crores of coronavirus warriors in the country who helped fight the virus outbreak. "I want to salute the crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the virus by risking their lives. Health workers, police personnel and others, I want to acknowledge their contribution," he said during his address.

The senior BJP minister lauded Bihar's historical relevance in the first rally in the state this year, stating, "The land of Bihar made the world experience democracy for the first time. Where the foundation of the great Magadha Empire was laid. This land has always led India."

Shah also took at dig at Opposition RJD and Congress, who protested earlier in the day against his rally by beating utensils. "Some people welcomed our todays virtual rally by clanging thalis. I am glad they finally heard PM Modis appeal to show gratitude towards those fighting COVID-19," in a comment against today's protest held at Patna.

Recounting achievements of the central government and cited Citizenship Amendment Act, scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, abolition of Triple Talaq, power connections and toilets for poor, strong retaliation after Pulwama terror attack with airstrikes, establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

"India's defence policy has gained global acceptance. The whole world agrees that after the USA and Israel, if there is any country that is able to secure its borders, it is India," the minister stated.

"There was a time when anybody used to enter our borders, beheaded our soldiers and Delhis darbar remained unaffected. Uri and Pulwama happened during our time, it was the Modi and BJP govt, we did surgical strikes and airstrike," he said.

The Union Home Minister stated that there are elections in Bihar in coming days and he expressed his confident that the NDA under the leadership of Nitish Kumar will form the government with at least 2/3rd majority. However, the minister stated that it was not the right time to discuss politics and appealed everyone to fight the battle against COVID-19 under PM Modi's leadership.

Ripping into the RJD, Shah said that Bihar has moved from 'Lantern' to LED era. "Bihar's growth rate was 3.9 per cent when RJD was ruling and it reached to 11.3 per cent under Nitish Kumar. The state has moved from 'Lantern Raj to LED Raj', 'Loot and order to Law and Order', from 'Fodder scam to DBT', Bihar has come a long way," he stated.

Shah also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stating that while several people are conducting interviews, PM Modi is providing strong leadership to help the country come out of the COVID-19 crisis.
Attorneys for LaToya Ratlieff, the woman whose eye socket was fractured when a Fort Lauderdale police officer shot her in the face with a foam rubber bullet, say their client is considering legal action, including filing a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and police.

LaToya has a broad spectrum of legal options that we are considering. Filing a federal civil rights lawsuit is certainly among those options, her attorneys Michael Davis and Ben Kuehne told the Miami Herald in an email. We have not yet made any decision as to what legal options she will pursue. Her decision will in part depend upon the City of Fort Lauderdale.

The attorneys said that Ratlieff is primarily seeking reforms from the city and police department. Davis and Kuehne sent a letter to Fort Lauderdales city attorney Friday informing the city that Ratlieff has retained counsel.

We intend to assist LaToya in working for immediate and meaningful reform of the rules of police conduct to assure that no citizen is ever again put in harms way by the improper and unconstitutional conduct of law enforcement, the attorneys told the Herald.

Ratlieff, a 34-year-old grant writer for nonprofits, was protesting police brutality and the killing of George Floyd with a group of about 2,000 other people at Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale on May 31. Protesters, who had been peaceful all day, grew upset after an officer pushed a woman kneeling on the ground. Ratlieff had been trying to calm protesters down when police used tear gas against them. As she was choking and being led away from the scene, an officer raised a rifle-barreled launcher and shot a 2.5-inch hard foam projectile at her head from about 30 feet away.

That shot could have been deadly, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Departments policy on less-lethal munitions. Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione told the Herald the incident stuck out and that shooting Ratlieff with a rubber bullet could potentially be a violation of policy.

Story continues

After a police officer shot LaToya Ratlieff in the face with a foam rubber bullet as she stumbled away from tear gas, other protesters rushed to the aid of the bleeding woman. Fort Lauderdale Police Department protocols say officers should only aim for the head and neck if they intend to use deadly force.

Casey Liening, a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, said police have made every effort to speak with Ms. Ratlieff.

Other than being notified she has retained counsel, we have not heard from Ms. Ratlieffs attorneys. It would appear Ms. Ratlieff and her counsel are speaking to the media on a regular basis, instead of us, Liening said in a statement. All of the information about Ms. Ratlieffs incident has been provided to the media, rather than to our City or to our investigators. We look forward to speaking with Ms. Ratlieff so that we may follow our formal investigative process of finding the truth about what happened.

Police have opened an internal affairs investigation into the officer who fired the shot. The officers name has not been released publicly, and the department has so far denied the Heralds public record requests for use-of-force reports and other documents, citing the ongoing investigation.

Ratlieff intends to comply with the internal investigation, according to her attorneys, although she has not yet filed a formal complaint.

LaToya was peaceful and was still shot by a rubber bullet. The conduct was so egregious that it triggered an internal affairs investigation without any formal complaint from the victim, Davis and Kuehne told the Herald. We are evaluating whether an additional formal complaint is necessary.

Maglione told the Herald there could likely be no criminal investigation into the officer unless Ratlieff filed an official complaint with the department. Maglione has not personally spoken with Ratlieff, according to her attorneys, but she would welcome a meeting with him. The chief also said the violence was sparked when an officer was attacked in her police vehicle.

LaToya Ratlieff

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said on Sunday that it was regrettable that Ms. Ratlieff was hurt.

Now is the time to reflect on the message being spoken, consider what actions must be taken next, and await the results of the investigation as to the cause and perpetrators of violence which blemished an otherwise peaceful demonstration, he said in a text message.

Trantalis initially suggested Ratlieff shouldnt have been at the scene when reporters who witnessed the shooting asked him about the incident.

There would be no reason why I would stay there if I saw tear gas and rocks being thrown, Trantalis told the Herald Tuesday. On Thursday, Trantalis walked back the comment in a public statement.

This is reprehensible, he said. Fort Lauderdale is a peaceful community. And when people wish to assemble in peace, they should not fear our police or anyone else. I am no stranger to activist movements, and demonstrations are a significant part of the American experience of freedom of expression and assembly.

Trantalis said he reached out to Ratlieff to apologize on behalf of the city and offer assistance with her medical care.

The city needs to get to the bottom of what occurred and take whatever disciplinary action is necessary, he said.

Ratlieffs story has gotten national media attention, including mentions in the New York Times and Washington Post. She was interviewed by CNNs Don Lemon on Friday night.

I was able to go home, Ratlieff said on CNN. There are too many instances where people that look like me dont get the opportunity to go home.
Kansas City unity march held to bridge divide between police, protesters The sixth day of demonstrations here in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis was the second time that Justine Kenner took part. The 24-year-old black woman was among several hundred w...

A progressive Catholic view of recent protest and the effort by authorities to listen to complaints and further community outreach.Take a look:
Renovation Island Sit back, relax and let Bryan Baeumler & Sarah Baeumler do all the work. #RenovationIsland premieres Sunday, June 7 at 8|7c. Posted by HGTV on Wednesday, May 27, 2020

If youre longing for an exotic getaway, HGTVs new series Renovation Island lets you indulge in some armchair travel starting tonight, Sunday, June 7, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. You can also live stream the shows debut on FuboTV.

Billed as a modern-day Swiss Family Robinson, for those who remember the childrens classic, the HGTV series follows renovation pros Bryan and Sarah Baeumler on a Caribbean adventure as they turn a long-neglected beachfront resort on a remote island in The Bahamas into a luxury island getaway with an emphasis on sustainability.

The real story behind the reality series started in 2017, when the Canadian couple were vacationing in the Bahamas and took a spur-of-the-moment day trip to South Andros. Instantly smitten with the tiny island, they packed up their family and moved there, intent on turning a dilapidated 10-acre resort from the 1960s into a world-class boutique hotel with luxurious oceanfront villas.

What channel is HGTV on?

You can find which channel it is on by using the channel finders here: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

Where can I watch it if I dont have cable?

FuboTV ($54.99/month) offers you access to your favorite TV shows, live sports events and much more. Theres a 7-day free trial when you sign up.
New Delhi: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday expressed gratitude to `Dabangg` actor Sonu Sood for sending back migrants who were stranded in Mumbai and said that he will always remain grateful to him for his help. Taking to Twitter, Rawat lauded the actor for his exemplary work for arranging the safe air travel for people, who were stuck in Mumbai and nearby areas, but could not return their home state on their own.

"I express my heartfelt gratitude to Sonu Sood ji for arranging to send the remaining migrants of Uttarakhand stuck in Mumbai and surrounding areas - who had not been able to return before due to any reason - to their homes in their own efforts. We will always be grateful to you for this cooperation," the tweet read.

He also gave an invitation to the actor to visit the state once COVID-19 situation normalises and has extended his full support for the actor`s future endeavours.

The 46-year-old actor who is known for his roles in films like `Singh is Kinng,` `Simmba` and `Dabangg` is being hailed all over the media for arranging hassle-free passage of migrant labourers to their respective homes.

Hundreds of thousands of migrant labourers have been stranded in urban areas with no livelihood and very little to survive during the COVID-19-induced lockdown forcing them to take to the path of their native places on foot.

Last month, the Central government organised safe travel of these migrant labourers to their native places through Shramik special trains.
The agency said in April that reports of domestic violence had tripled during the coronavirus lockdown, and its hotline was receiving 4,000 calls a day.

Some womens rights advocates see the current bill as an important step, but it is unclear whether the new conservative Parliament  elected in February after the majority of critics and reformers were disqualified  will pass it. Conservatives dismiss any effort to change the law as succumbing to Western feminism.

But even if the bills passed, they would not change the punishment for a father killing his child.

Murder in Iran is subject to the death penalty under the Shariah mandate of an eye for an eye. But the penal code, based on Islamic law, exempts a guardian from capital punishment for killing his child. A childs father and paternal grandfather are considered legal guardians.

However, a mother who kills her child would face execution.

Under the Islamic patriarchy that has governed Iran for the past 40 years, changing Shariah is not an option. But some Islamic legal scholars and activists argue that the guardianship exception is based on tradition and interpretations, and is not found in the words of the Quran or sacred texts.

How is it possible that a father kills and he is not held accountable and he does not face capital punishment? Faezeh Hashemi, a prominent womens rights activist and former lawmaker, told local media. If we want to approach this issue with logic, wisdom and justice, the father needs to face retaliation punishment multiple times over.

She said that passing the bill without changing the punishment amounted to window dressing and would offer no meaningful protection for women and children.

Other critics of the current law oppose capital punishment  a minority view on a penalty prescribed by the Quran  but argue that, regardless, a father should not receive a lighter sentence for the murder of a child.
There are indications that Iran's firebrand former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be willing and ready to run for president in 2021, less than a year from now. But are Iran and its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also ready for that?

When Ahmadinejad started a new round of provincial visits during the year preceding the February 2020 parliamentary elections, many Iranian analysts from both sides of the country's political spectrum speculated that he might be willing to become a member of parliament.

While, Ahmadinejad was being welcomed by spontaneous crowds during some of his visits, this hypothesis lingered around for up to three months before the election. But the analysts became convinced that he was lobbying for his previous aides and provincial governors, not for himself. However, Ahmadinejad's office at the time denied his involvement in election campaigns, probably for legal reasons, as early campaigning is illegal.

Many of Ahmadinejad's aides and supporters happen to be in the new parliament (Majles) as representatives from various cities and two of them Ali Nikzad and Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi are the vice-speakers of the legislature.

Some analysts including reformist Sadeq Zibakalam and conservative Amir Mohebbian have said at different times that Ahmadinejad can always win at least more than 10 million votes in any presidential election.

Now his former appointees and many others supporting his views have a significant number of seats in parliament.

In the meantime, an increasing number of Iran watchers came to the conclusion that the separation between Ahmadinejad and some of his supporters, including the ultraconservative Paydari Front in 2011, was a tactical move to keep them safe vis-a-vis Khamenei's hardline supporters after they fell out with Ahmadinejad and branded him as "deviant" following a brief rift between him and Khamenei.

The combined weight of Paydari and those who entered the Majles as Ahmadinejad's aides now forms a solid majority at the Parliament that chose not to compete with -now- Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf at the last moment probably against some concessions still not clearly spelled out.

At least 50 of Ahmadinejad's aides and former managers are now members of parliament. Observers say that some of the younger members who ae not necessarily known to support Ahmadinejad also do sympathize with him.

Pro-reform news website Fararu in Tehran in a June 7 story once again speculated about Ahmadinejad's political ambitions, noting that the biggest barrier between Ahmadinejad and another round of Iranian presidency is the Guardian Council that may not endorse his qualification.

The council disqualified Ahmadinejad in the 2017 election, probably due to their insider's knowledge about Khamenei's views. Fararu says this can happen once again, and if it happens, that would be a political disappointment even harder to stomach than back then.

Fararu quoted Zibakalam as saying that the former president's aides at the Majles may hold negotiations with the Guardian Council to make sure Ahmadinejad gets through the vetting in 2021. He says Ahmadinejad will certainly declare his candidacy but the Guardian Council's response is not always predictable.

Mohammad Hossein Qadiri Abyaneh, a conservative figure however, believes that Ahmadinejad will use his influence in the provinces to exert pressure on the Guardian Council to endorse his qualification.

This comes while Ali Akbar Javanfekr, a close aide of Ahmadinejad, denies the former president's willingness to run once again, and Abbas Amirifar, another political figure close to Ahmadinejad says Ahmadinejad might groom one of his aides such as former Guardian Council Spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham as a candidate.

The Rouhani administration's failures despite continued criticism of Ahmadinejad has made some of the latter's achievements such as his decade-old idea of cash subsidies to people to shine. Rouhani has been even using such ideas with a heavy heart without paying any tribute to Ahmadinejad for initiating them. Meanwhile, big corruption cases in Iran under Rouhani has made Ahmadinejad look like a saint to some Iranians.

Currently, the COVID-19 epidemic has limited Ahmadinejad's political activities. Nevertheless, he has been seen signing letters and giving autographs to his fans.

Ahmadinejad, like any populist can also rely on social media to galvanize support and he is no stranger to this commonly used medium in Iran.
President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to confirm the appointment of Monica Dongban-Mensem as the President of the Court of Appeal because relevant security agencies are yet to conclude her screening, a presidential aide said Sunday.

Garba Shehu, Mr Buharis spokesperson, in a statement, said Mr Buhari was not a rubber stamp and would await relevant security clearance before confirming Mrs Dongban-Mensem for the position.

In the specific case of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory regulatory time of her acting period has not lapsed, Mr Shehu wrote.

This is not about ethnicity or religion. It about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work. Nobody should seek to stampede the President in carrying out his constitutional duty in this respect, he added.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Buhari approved that Mrs Dongban-Mensem continues in her position in acting capacity for another three months despite that the National Judicial Council has recommended she be confirmed as the substantive appeal court president.

The presidents refusal to confirm her substantively for the position of appeal court president has been criticised by many Nigerians including a widely respected retired colonel, Abubakar Umar.

Mr Umar accused President Buhari, a retired major-general, of putting Nigeria in danger by his undue preference to some sections of the country over others in national appointments.

May I also invite the attention of Mr. President to the pending matter of appointment of a Chief Judge of the Nigerian Court Appeal which appears to be generating public interest, Mr Umar wrote in an open letter published by PREMIUM TIMES.

As it is, the most senior Judge, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, a northern Christian, is serving out her second three-month term as acting Chief Judge without firm prospects that she will be confirmed substantive head.

I do not know Justice Mensem but those who do attest to her competence, honesty and humility. She appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council.

If she is not and is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd. In which case, even the largest contingent of PR gurus would struggle to rebut the charges that you, Mr. President, is either unwilling or incapable of acting on your pledge to belong to everyone  and to no one.

It is in response to criticisms by people like Mr Umar that Mr Shehu released his statement of Sunday, making reference to Kemi Adeosun, Nigerias former finance minister who was cleared for the position despite forging her National Youth Service Corps certificate.

Read Mr Shehus full statement below.

In Making Judicial and other Appointments, President Buhari is not a Rubber Stamp.

In making appointments upon the recommendations of other arms or agencies of the government, the President is not a rubber stamp that will mechanistically sign off on nominees that come before him.

The President has a duty to ensure that all such appointments meet the requirements of the constitution and protecting the supreme law of the land in this regard, he has an obligation to allow law enforcement and security agencies to do their work.

Dont forget our recent experience with ministers who were signed off upon and turned out as having not undertaken the the compulsory National Youth Service, just to give you an example.

In the specific case of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory regulatory time of her acting period has not lapsed. This is not about ethnicity or religion. It about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work. Nobody should seek to stampede the President in carrying out his constitutional duty in this respect.

The President had not been a rubber stamp dealing with these matters before, and is not prepared to be one at this time. Let all allow the system to do what is right.
Colin Powell will be voting for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 election, the former Republican secretary of state said today.

Speaking on CNNs State of the Union, General Powell said: I certainly cannot in any way support President Trump this year.

He did not vote for Donald Trump in 2016 either and criticised the president because he lies.

Explaining his relationship with former VP Biden, Mr Powell said: I'm very close to Joe Biden in a social matter and in a political matter. I've worked with him for 35, 40 years. And he is now the candidate and I will be voting for him.

He went on to say that he wouldnt be doing any campaign trips on behalf of the Democratic candidate but he would be speaking on his behalf, saying that campaigning is not his strong suit.

Mr Powell also slammed the record of the current president and his actions particularly over the past week.

We have a Constitution and we have to follow that Constitution and the president has drifted away from it, he said.

General Powell criticised the response to nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd and police brutality and the failure by Republican members of Congress to hold the president accountable for his actions.

The heart of Mr Powells criticism of the president is that he lies.

The one word I have to use with respect to what he's been doing for the last several years  it's a word I would never have used before, I never would have used with any of the four presidents I've worked for  he lies. He lies about things, Mr Powell said. And he gets away with it because people will not hold him accountable.

The president responded on Twitter shortly after the interview, first calling Mr Powell a real stiff and criticising his role in the Iraq War, and then listing his own apparent achievements while in office.

Mr Powell served as secretary of state for George W Bush from 2001 to 2005 and was a key figure in building a coalition for the Iraq War.

He voted for Barack Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016  hacked emails from the Clinton campaign have him refer to Mr Trump as a "national disgrace".

In 2016, Mr Powell picked up three electoral college votes of his own that year, technically making him third in the presidential election.

Several longtime Republicans who have held political and military offices will not vote for Mr Trump in 2020, as criticism of the 45th presidents handling of anti-police-brutality protests intensifies in the wake of the death of George Floyd and other black Americans.

Former President George W Bush will not vote for Mr Trump this November, The New York Times has reported. His brother, former Florida Governor and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush, is still deciding who hell vote for, the Times said.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the only Republican who joined Democrats in voting to convict Mr Trump in February for abusing the power of his office, will not vote for Mr Trump in November, the Times reported.
Online racists have managed to hide their hateful comments behind social media's cloak of anonymity, but Skai Jackson is ready to reveal them now.

The 18-year-old Disney star has been outing racists, most of them teenagers, on her Twitter account in recent days while posting their offending content.

So far, she even garnered a response from New Jersey's Rowan University, which pledged to investigate the student she posted about.

Out in the open: Disney channel star Skai Jackson, 18, shared racist posts she'd collected from teens across the country as she outed their behavior to high schools and universities; pictured in February

Skai revealed her strategy about sharing racist remarks and posts in a text post on her Twitter and Instagram.

'During this sensitive time, I've seen some horrific statements and social media videos made by some Caucasian teens/young adults,' she began her statement.

'Let me say this: If I see you post it, I WILL expose you!! If you think you're big and bad enough to say it, I will most definitely put your own words on blast!!

The actress also warned the subjects of her venom not to complain about their racist statements being made public.

Put on notice: Skai revealed her strategy about sharing racist remarks and posts in a text post on her Twitter and Instagram. She urged racists not to claim she bullied them

Don't bother: 'Don't reach out to my team accusing me of bullying and causing you pain! How do you think your words affect my people?! Your privilege won't get you out of this one. So no!!!' she wrote; shown in February

'Don't reach out to my team accusing me of bullying and causing you pain! How do you think your words affect my people?! Your privilege won't get you out of this one. So no!!!' she continued.

'I will NOT take it down! Next time, think about what you say! I will never condone racist remarks/quotes/slander etc. You're the real bullies! You're victimizers, not the victims! Go boo hoo somewhere else!' she concluded, adding the hashtag '#BlackLivesMatter.'

'Cry me a river!' she captioned the Instagram post from Tuesday.

She seemed stunned at the number of offensive posts that had been shared with her by Friday.

'Im trying to expose as many racist as I can today but my ig dms are full and keep coming in,' she wrote, adding a crying emoji. 'wow, I cant believe this many people or that ignorant.[sic]'

Overwhelming: The actress got such an overwhelming response that she couldn't even post all the racist material sent to her

Private: Though she shared people's identities, social media accounts and schools or places of employment, she didn't want to reveal their addresses

Good sign: Though she'd only been collecting racist posts for a few days, Skai had already gotten some positive responses from schools and universities claiming that they would investigate; pictured in November

Though the Marvel Rising voice actor's actions could technically count as doxxing, a term for releasing a person's private information online, she made sure to avoid sharing anything too personal.

'Please don't send me anyone's address,' she tweeted. 'I won't be posting that.. these people have said horrible things but posting someone's address is going a little too far. Let's hope they all live, and learn from this situation and educate themselves.'

Though she'd only been collecting racist posts for a few days, Skai had already gotten some positive responses from schools and universities claiming that they would investigate.

New Jersey's Rowan University replied to one post about a student, writing, 'We do not condone discrimination, harassment, or other forms of illegal mistreatment of others.'

The university's account said the original poster would be investigated 'to the fullest extent possible ... by administration.'

An account for Utah's Weber State University also said that a racist video had been referred 'to the appropriate offices on campus to look into the matter further.'

It's a start: New Jersey's Rowan University and Utah's Weber State University were among the school social media accounts that pledged to investigate racist posts

Committed: Though she received positive responses from some schools, the Bunk'd star urged them not to just sweep the accusations under the rug

Though she received positive responses from some schools, the Bunk'd star urged them not to just sweep the accusations under the rug.

'To all the colleges who we contacted about the students they have being racist, please don't just say you are going to look into it.. we gave you the information, please do the work!'

Her actions earned her praise from other celebrities, including Glee's Kevin McHale and Community's Yvette Nicole Brown.

'The good work you're doing exposing all these "baby" racists will ensure that their names, faces & deeds will be known as they enter the work force down the line,' wrote Brown, 'Which will protect everyone from the havoc racists cause in the workplace.'

McHale simply thanked the actress for her work and wrote 'this s*** it award winning.'

Big fans: Her actions earned her praise from other celebrities, including Community's Yvette Nicole Brown and Glee's Kevin McHale
Demonstrators on Saturday pulled down a statue of Williams Carter Wickham, a Confederate general during the Civil War, in Richmond, Virginia, AP reports.

Why it matters: Confederate monuments have been a flashpoint in the protests against police brutality and racism that have swept across the country over the past two weeks.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced last week that the state will remove the famous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Richmond's historic Monument Avenue.

The big picture: The toppling of the Wickham statue followed a day of largely peaceful protests in the Virginia capital.

A Richmond police spokesperson told AP that she did not know if there were any arrests or damage done to the statue.

Some of Wickhams descendants urged the city to remove the statue in 2017, according to AP.

Go deeper: U.S. Marines ban display of Confederate flag
A heartbroken mother who lost her baby girl at seven months old before discovering her second unborn child had the same fatal condition as her first has revealed what everyone should know about grief.

A heartbroken mother who lost her baby girl at seven months old has revealed what everyone should know about grief (Rachael Casella pictured)

Police officer Rachael Casella, 35, from Sydney, and her husband Jonny, were told that their baby girl Mackenzie had Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 - a devastating terminal neuromuscular disorder- when she was ten weeks old.

The parents then had just seven months with Mackenzie before she died, during which time they celebrated a series of seven 'monthdays' with their little girl.

Like many other couples starting a family, Rachael and Jonny had no idea that they were both carriers for a genetic disease.

They are now champions for a world-leading $20million reproductive genetic carrier screening study - such is their determination that other couples should not go through the same grief.

This month, Rachael has released a book, Mackenzie's Mission, about both the Casellas' tragic story and how to use grief and loss as a driving force for good.

Rachael shared an exclusive excerpt with FEMAIL about how to cope with grief, and how others around people who are grieving can help them cope.

Police officer Rachael Casella, 35, from Sydney, and her husband Jonny, were told that their baby girl Mackenzie had Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 - a devastating terminal neuromuscular disorder- when she was ten weeks old (Rachael and Jonny with Mackenzie)

The parents then had just seven months with their little girl before she died, during which time they celebrated a series of seven 'monthdays' with little Mackenzie (pictured)

From Rachael Casella

I am by no means an expert on grieving (honestly, who wants to be an expert on grieving?) but I have certainly learned something about helping others through it.

In some cases, the level of support you provide will depend on your relationship before the loss, however, I know firsthand that sometimes the support of a stranger or someone who was on your life's periphery can help even more than someone close to you.

People far away can move closer and those close by can disappear. But no matter who you are, please know you can help someone who is grieving.

Here are my tips.

1. Just be there. Don't avoid people or be scared  they need you now more than ever.

2. You don't have to talk to be there; sitting in silence just holding them works or sometimes even providing a distraction.

3. If you are unsure what to do for them then just ask what they need. Provide a list of what you could do and let them pick what they need or want.

4. Leave little care packages  food, massage vouchers, anything that would make them feel cared for.

5. Remember big dates: anniversaries, Mothers Day, Christmas. Set calendar reminders to send a little message or note.

6. You don't always have to be there. You have your own life, but a quick little message each day, week or month is enough to show you are thinking of them.

7. Let them share what they feel. Ask questions, even awkward ones. Most of the time people do want to speak and share, even about uncomfortable topics, so listen to them.

Rachael said it's okay to be 'awkward' about grief as you don't always have to know what to say to someone who has lost a child (baby Mackenzie pictured)

8. It is okay to be awkward. You dont have to know what to say, so don't let that get in the way of being there.

9. Don't disappear. Be around when others fall away. Chances are that when a tragedy first happens lots of people will be around to help, which is definitely needed. But as time passes, people forget as their lives move on. They don't realise that the pain of loss doesn't go away so quickly for the person grieving. So be there even months on.

10. Don't ever impose your timeline on someone else's grief. People are all different. Some people need more time than others and no one person's time frame is correct. And if you are in a family that is grieving, don't feel guilty if you are mending while someone else is still deep in grief. That is okay too.

Rachael said you should never judge grief as everyone deals with it differently. 'Just because someone isn't behaving the way you think you would doesn't mean it is wrong,' she said (Mackenzie pictured)

11. Don't judge their grief. Everyone deals with grief differently. Just because someone isn't behaving the way you think you would doesn't mean it is wrong.

12. Just because they have one good day, don't expect the next to be good as well. Grief comes in waves, good and bad.

13. Do something kind. Little gestures of kindness create huge ripples. The acts of kindness we received did more for our mental health than people will ever know.

14. Don't be afraid to say the person's name. I am terrified Mackenzie will become a dream. When people say her name, my heart sings. I heard somewhere that when a deceased person's name isn't remembered, they die again. So if there is no cultural taboo associated for the person grieving, say their name.

Rachael and Jonny (pictured together) said the hardest thing is silence - and saying something is always better than saying nothing

15. Say something. Anything is better than nothing. Yes, it might come out wrong, but most people will understand that you are not an expert. Silence is so loud, and I can guarantee that someone going through a hard time will remember those who were silent as opposed to those who tried. One of the best things you can say is: 'I hear you, I see you, I acknowledge your pain. I'm here, keep speaking.'

16. Continue to share your life with them. Make them feel included in normal events, turn to them for help too. Kath was there for me every day but also let me be there for her. It gave me purpose and kept our friendship close. Conversely, people who were once good friends of mine didn't tell me they were pregnant because they were afraid to share their happiness with me. Continue to let people in and don't assume they won't want to be bothered by your life.

17. Don't minimise their pain or sugar-coat it. There is no need for you to explain their grief with quotes or cliches; it doesn't help and it trivialises their loss.

18. Don't say 'Let me know if I can do anything'. While it's a lovely sentiment, most people won't let you know, so think of something nice and just do it.

19. Don't be afraid of them. They are essentially the same person they were before.

20. Don't be afraid to cry in front of them, even if the person themselves is not crying in that instant. Your tears mean you care and you have empathy.

'Don't say 'Let me know if I can do anything'. While it's a lovely sentiment, most people won't let you know, so think of something nice and just do it,' Rachael said (baby Mackenzie pictured in the hospital)

Rachael and Jonathan (pictured) said goodbye to baby Mackenzie in October 2018, at seven months old - but not before they made a series of memories, celebrating each and every one of her seven 'monthdays' in different locations around Australia

At different points, the family of three visited Broome in Western Australia, Perisher, Tasmania, Cairns and Perth (Jonny and Mackenzie pictured)

What are the different types of SMA? * There are four types of SMA, categorised by the disease's severity and the age at which symptoms begin. * Type I, sometimes called Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, begins to affect infants from birth up to 6 months of age, with most babies showing signs of the disease by 3 months. Some develop the disorder before birth. This is the most severe form of SMA. * Type II, also called chronic infantile SMA, begins to affect children between 6 and 18 months old. This form can be moderate to more severe. * Type III, also called Kugelberg-Welander disease or juvenile spinal muscular atrophy, begins to affect kids as early as 18 months of age or as late as adolescence. This is the mildest form of SMA in children. * Type IV, is the adult form of the disorder. Most people affected by this type start having symptoms after age 35, and these symptoms slowly get worse over time. Because it develops slowly, many people with Type IV SMA don't know that they have it until years after symptoms begin. Source: Kids' Health Advertisement

Mackenzie's Mission by Rachael Casella, Allen and Unwin, $29.99, is available now (pictured)

Rachael and Jonathan said goodbye to baby Mackenzie in October 2018, at seven months old - but not before they made a series of memories, celebrating each and every one of her seven 'monthdays' in different locations around Australia.

'Each month would follow a similar cycle,' Rachael previously recalled to FEMAIL.

'We would have an appointment with her neurologist to see how she was doing, and then we'd go on a trip somewhere for a week, before coming back to Sydney to try and live as normal a life as possible for the rest of the month.'

At different points, the family of three visited Broome in Western Australia, Perisher, Tasmania, Cairns and Perth.

'We travelled to the snow and we have beautiful memories of her standing in amazement at the snow in Perisher,' Rachael said.

'She saw the snow and caught snowflakes with her tongue. It was so cute, she was trying to figure out what it was.'

The proud parents also took Mackenzie to Broome where she had her first and only trip in a helicopter:

'She was so funny in the helicopter. I had her strapped to me and I just remember she looked so confused,' Rachael said.

Since their little girl's heartbreaking death on October 20 2018, after four days at the hospital in Sydney, the couple has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of SMA and to spare other families from the agony they have endured.

'It's strange, but campaigning for me has been hugely cathartic,' Rachael said.

'We just want to raise awareness as the statistics are so scary. All people are carriers for genetic disorders, but genetic testing is only carried out on couples that have a family history of such disorders.

'Four our of five children born with a genetic disorder have no family history at all.'

Rachael highlighted Prepair's screening test as something for would-be parents to find out whether their child might be in possession of CF, FXS or SMA.

The Casellas have since had a second pregnancy 'medically interrupted', after they found out that their second child would carry the same condition as Mackenzie.

They continue to work tirelessly to raise awareness of SMA and genetic testing.

Mackenzie's Mission by Rachael Casella, Allen and Unwin, $29.99, is available now. For more information, please click here. You can also follow Rachael on Instagram here.
The Commissioners Court has approved measures to double Jefferson Countys capacity to handle mailed ballots, even as many state and federal officials seek to prevent the expansion of mail-in voting.

Commissioners voted unanimously to spend more than $39,000 to purchase an additional software license used to process and count mailed ballots.

The expenditure approved last week was not already included in the County Clerks budget for this year. It is expected to be covered by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which included $400 million to help states prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus during the 2020 federal election cycle.

Chief Deputy Clerk Theresa Goodness said the county already had the materials necessary to use the additional software. But without the grant, the office likely wouldnt have been able to purchase the license to do so.

After completed ballots are received by the Clerks Office, it first goes through a signature verification committee and then the ballot board verifies it has been filled out correctly and the voter is eligible to vote by mail. The board then uses the technology to process the ballots after they are officially accepted.

Were preparing for at least a little more mailed ballots than what we normally would because of the pandemic, Goodness said. We have been fielding a lot of calls from voters 65 and older who are asking for mail-in ballots.

The calls are on top of record early voting turnout in the Democratic presidential primary in February. A push by the Texas Democratic Party to send mail ballot applications to many registered voters eligible to vote by mail in part caused the percentage of primary early-mail votes to more than double the rate in the 2016 primary early voting period.

Related: Jefferson Co. Dems see spike in voting by mail

This will be the second time in the past two years that the Jefferson County Clerks office has made changes to expand its vote-by-mail capabilities. In 2019, the office began contracting with a vendor to send out the majority of mailed ballots.

Not only do staff members no longer have to print, stuff and mail the ballots themselves, but also the office is now able to track the ballots to ensure they made it to the correct address.

The most recent preparation comes while Democrats and Republicans on the local, state and national levels are debating whether all residents should be able to vote by mail as a result of the pandemic and fears of spreading the virus through person-to-person interactions during public gatherings.

President Donald Trump has called such an expansion corrupt and dangerous. Multiple studies, including a 2017 report by the Brennan Center for Justice, have shown mailed voting does not cause large-scale voter fraud.

In Texas, a slew of lawsuits  largely now on hold  have challenged the interpretation of Texas vote-by-mail statute.

The law restricts voting by mail to registered voters who are 65 or older, have a disability or will be in jail or out of their home county during voting.

Plaintiffs in some of the lawsuits have said that a lack of immunity against COVID-19 should be included in the definition of a disability. One lawsuit, brought by the NAACP, says current rules in the middle of the pandemic deprive voters of constitutional rights.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says state election law defines disability as a sickness or physical condition that prevents in-person voting.

He has repeatedly commended actions by state and federal courts to stay lawsuits brought by Texas Democrats and other organizations challenging that interpretation. Among other actions, he also filed a brief to defend requirements surrounding mail-in ballots, which said expanding mail-in voting would undermine the security of our elections and  facilitate fraud.

Protecting the integrity of elections is one of my top priorities, and allowing universal mail-in ballots would only lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters, he said in a news release last week when the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily stayed a decision mandating universal mail-in balloting from a federal district court in San Antonio.

The law established by the Legislature must be followed consistently, including carefully limiting who may and may not vote by mail, Paxton continued.

Related: Jefferson Co. preps for in-person voting

It appears the matter is decided at least for the July runoff, if not also for the November Presidential election, as some experts predict the issue will head to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jefferson County Clerk Carolyn Guidry has said she would need only about a weeks notice from when the ballots will be sent out to change the order.

Guidry also previously said she would support a measure expanding mailed ballot eligibility. She said increasing access to mailed ballots would ease challenges to recruit poll workers during the pandemic and continue following social distancing and other sanitary standards at polling locations.

Among other precautions, Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughes is urging elections officers to encourage staff and voters maintain at least 6 feet separation; wear cloth face coverings when entering the polling place; and provide varied voting opportunities such as extended voting hours, weekend voting and curbside voting.

Hughes office also previously added five days to the early-voting period and agreed to cover the cost of sanitizer and other related equipment for this years elections.

Mail-in ballot requests, which are good for a year for people 65 or older or who have a disability, are due by July 2 for the July 14 runoff and Oct. 23 for the November presidential election.

Kaitlin Bain is the Government Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact her at Kaitlin.Bain@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Officer Galen Hinshaw heard the call over the radio. One of his fellow officers was in trouble.

A crowd of protesters had surrounded a police cruiser at the base of the Clark Memorial Bridge. The officer inside radioed for help as protesters  strobed in blue and red patrol car lights  banged on the cars hood and windshield.

Hinshaw, a Fourth Division patrol officer and part of Louisville Metro Police Department's Special Response Team, drove as close as he could to the scene. As he got out of his cruiser, he was immediately surrounded by protesters.

Some yelled profanities. Others balled their fists.

He made his way through the crowd wearing 40 extra pounds of safety gear  a baton, vest, helmet and body armor.

He was alone.

Related: A Couple Made Their Vows Amongst BLM Protestors

As the crowd grew, Hinshaw detoured to the front of Bearnos pizzeria so he could keep his back to the wall. He needed a place to stop and reassess the situation  to be sure that nobody could get behind him. He also needed to keep an eye on his trapped colleague.

Overhead, a police helicopter kept watch and occasionally flooded the intersection with a spotlight. Sirens pierced the air, and protesters chanted ever louder.

Read this: 1,000-plus rally for justice for Breonna Taylor on her 27th birthday

Protesters surround Louisville Metro Police Department officer Galen Hinshaw in front of Bearno's restaurant on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Five strangers linked arms to keep the crowd from getting to Hinshaw.

Hinshaws nearest help was still blocks away.

The crowd moved closer, and the yelling got angrier. Protesters hurled questions at him.

"Are you one of the good ones?"

"How do you think we feel?"

One women screamed, "All gas, no brakes!"

He tried to respond but was drowned out by the cacophony of sirens and yelling.

We do care, man, we do care, he said.

Hinshaw tried to reason with the crowd.

Im sorry, Im sorry you feel this way, Hinshaw yelled, trying to make his voice heard over the anger of the crowd.

The 32-year-old was scared.

It was only going to take one person, and everyone would jump in, he knew.

The Special Response Team trains once a month, but that hadnt quite prepared Hinshaw for what was in front of him. If the protesters decided to attack him, there were just too many of them.

Story continues

Here we go, he thought. Im preparing to be injured.

Hinshaw kept his voice calm as he radioed in: Charlie 12, this is a 10-30. We need help. 10-30 is code for officer needs help.

Photos: Demonstrators clash with police as they protest death of George Floyd in Minneapolis

George Floyd's brother amid protests: He would have loved this unity

He watched people's hands in the crowd, making sure nobody had a weapon and scanning for things thrown from protesters in the back.

It was at this moment that a man emerged from the crowd in a red University of Louisville mask covering the lower half of his face. He put himself between the closest protester and Hinshaw.

The Courier Journal captured the moment in a photograph that has now been shared across the nation.

Local entrepreneur Darrin Lee Jr. spotted Hinshaw and the advancing crowd and linked arms with the stranger in the red mask.

Once I saw the guy with the red mask step up, I said, 'I gotta step up,' said Lee, who also runs a child care center. It was reactive. I just went.

He had no idea what would happen next.

I really thought at that moment, 'Protect him. It really isnt his fault.'" Lee said.

Lee was also worried that Hinshaw would react and hit him from behind, so he turned to reassure the officer that they were going to protect him.

He was looking nervous and scared, Lee said. If he panicked, then there was gonna be a war out there.

Suddenly, the protesters seemed to turn on Lee. One man who had marched with him for nearly the whole protest was surprised. Another shouted in Lee's face: "How can you protect him!"

Lee got nervous.

Protesters surround Louisville Metro Police Department officer Galen Hinshaw in front of Bearno's restaurant on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Five strangers, including Julian De La Cruz, Ricky McClellan and Darrin Lee Jr., linked arms to keep the crowd from getting to Hinshaw.

Ultimately, five men formed a human shield to protect Hinshaw. All of them strangers to one another. Nobody knew the name of the man to his left or to his right. Three were black, one white, one Dominican  all linking arms to keep harm away from Hinshaw, himself half-Pakistani.

A human was in trouble, and right is right," said Ricky McClellan, a factory worker from Old Louisville who was locked onto Lees left arm.

After reaching the bridge and watching some protesters throwing rocks at police cars, McClellan spotted Hinshaw as he walked around the group and thought, "Whoa, you're by yourself?"

McClellan watched as the crowd around Hinshaw grew larger and louder. Then he heard Lee yell, Lock arms! Lock arms!

That's when Julian De La Cruz saw the men locking arms and jumped in.

I saw the guys link up and I saw a weak spot, De La Cruz said, and took up a position on the end of the line.

He was nervous, scared.

Things couldve gotten really bad, he said.

The entire scene lasted no more than two minutes.

It felt much longer to those who were there.

Hinshaw's squad arrived, and Lee escorted him back to his unit. Hinshaw thanked him.

For De La Cruz, a local businessman, the moment was about accountability.

If I can hold my brothers accountable, if I can march with my brothers and turn against them to say, 'This isnt right,' thats where the accountability comes in, he said.

In the end, thats all that we are asking for," said De La Cruz, whose uncle is a police officer. "What we need is for those great cops to hold their brothers and sisters accountable at all times.

Julian De La Cruz was one of five strangers who linked arms to protect Officer Galen Hinshaw from being harmed on the first night of protests in Louisville.

As proud as De La Cruz is of that night, he shakes his head and says that this shouldnt be an extraordinary event.

This should be the norm, he said. De La Cruz also feels that media images of violence, vandalism and looting misrepresent Louisville and the protest.

What happened that night with us linking arms was just one of many heroic acts that night," he said.

He hopes that those are the moments that define Louisville.

"That is Louisville," De La Cruz said. "Louisville showed up that night."

Lee agreed.

Nobody knew anybody but we just stood up and did that, he said. If the officer was black we wouldve done the same thing. Hes somebody elses son. Hes somebody elses loved one."

Hinshaw has reached out to the men through social media and texts. But he's looking forward to meeting them all and thanking them in person.

George Timmering, co-owner of Bearno's, said he'll buy the pizza when they're ready to meet.

Those guys, they saved me, Hinshaw said. Theres no doubt about it. And I am beyond thankful. If it wasnt for them intervening and recognizing that I was in trouble and helping me, I am sure that I wouldve been assaulted in one form or another.

"If they didnt intervene, something was gonna happen to me.

Hinshaw continues to be moved by the moment.

Ive cried over that incident," he said.

It was a moment where strangers came together to help another stranger, and that stranger was me.

Follow Michael Clevenger on Twitter: @mclevenger_cj

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Breonna Taylor protests: Protesters protected lone Louisville officer
Forty-one Ghanaians who were in Washington DC, USA, have arrived in Ghana.

Most of them were students who went on an exchange program sponsored by the State Department of the United States of America.



They arrived aboard a South African Airways flight at 9.20 am on Saturday, June 6, at the Kotoko International Airport.



This comes a day after the government announced that it has arranged chartered flights to bring back Ghanaians home based on a schedule drawn up by the Foreign Affairs Ministry even though most countries have closed borders due to COVID-19.



The evacuees are lodging at a hotel in Accra and they are to observe the two-weeks mandatory quarantine period.



Two more contingents from Burkina Faso and Turks and Caicos are expected to arrive later in the day.



Background



The arrival of these individuals comes as the first contingent from the second phase of the governments evacuation programme for stranded Ghanaians due to COVID-19 as was announced yesterday [Friday] by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway.



Responding to questions in Parliament, the Minister indicated that a lot of considerations have gone into governments evacuation programme.



The countries captured in the schedule include Nigeria, Mauritania, Ethiopia, China, United States Of America, United Kingdom, UAE, among others.



Madam Ayorkor Botchway also said negotiations are currently underway between Ghanas Beijing Mission and Ethiopian Airlines for the evacuation of some 675 stranded Ghanaians in China.



The Foreign Affairs Ministry is also in discussion with the Scholarship Secretariat and the National COVID-19 Task Force to finalise arrangements to evacuate 151 Ghanaians students who completed their language proficiency courses in Benin last month using STC buses.



Show empathy to returnees  Ablakwa



Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the government should help bear the cost of quarantine for the stranded Ghanaians abroad yet to be brought back home.



According to him, these are people who have nothing in the countries they currently are, and would not be able to pay for the hotel services during the two-weeks mandatory quarantine they are to observe when they arrive.



He has also suggested that the government can seek to use school hostel facilities as quarantine centres so the cost of paying the hotels can be scrapped out.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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Ila Bank Bahrain, the kingdom's fast-growing digital mobile-only bank, has launched its first ever Virtual Internship Programme for university students and fresh graduates.

The initiative commenced via an engaging social media campaign and digital contests encouraging students to apply. Underpinning ilas commitment to supporting the local community, the internship is designed to empower young Bahraini talent with the skill-set and confidence to seek a career in the FinTech and digital banking space.

In light of the unprecedented challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many students are experiencing major obstacles and disruptions to their routines. These vary from adjusting to study from home, adapting to the new virtual way of learning, to struggling to carry out their usual summer internship programmes, which often are mandatory to fulfilling their degree requirements. On the other hand, recent graduates are challenged with finding employment in the current pandemic environment.

Commenting on the virtual internships, ila Bank Bahrain CEO, Mohamed Al Maraj, said: At ila, we are adaptive and resilient when dealing with change, and being agile in such a fast-paced world is crucial to success, especially in uncertain times like these. This drove us to innovate instead of canceling our summer internship programs.

As a homegrown bank that has received tremendous encouragement from the local community, ila endeavors to support the development of local talent through highs and lows. This innovative virtual programme will prepare students for a fulfilling career in FinTech from the comfort of their own home. It follows a series of initiatives ila has launched in line with its youth empowerment vision.

Internships are crucial for the development of students, enabling them to put the theory they have learnt at university to practice in a real-life work environment. The skills obtained from internships are invaluable for their future and can help them grow both personally and professionally.

As the global pandemic has forced many organisations to digitalise, it is fair to say that virtual working will continue to an extent in the post- Covid-19 world. Hence, this Virtual Internship Programme promises a valuable experience for students and will contribute towards developing skilled and resilient talent ready to enter for the workforce.

The Virtual Internship Programme will kick-off in July for a period of eight weeks. Further information and internship criteria can be found on ila Banks social media accounts @ilabankbhr. - TradeArabia News Service
The stock of large Pacific bluefin tuna, a popular fish for sushi but for which concerns remain over its depletion, has been projected to meet an international recovery target of around 40,000 tons by 2024, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.

The projection was made by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean, which earlier this year assessed the probability of achieving the target as 100 percent, according to the sources.

It could set the stage for quota expansion discussions, proposed by Japan, at an international conference usually held in summer.

Japan has been seeking an expansion of catch quota at meetings of the Northern Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

At last year's meeting, parties including the United States opposed the proposed quota expansion, saying the stock of the tuna has not recovered enough.

After declining steadily from 1995 to the historical low level of 11,000 tons in 2010, the stock of tuna with breeding capability appears to have started recovering -- an estimated 25,000 tons in 2016 and 28,000 tons in 2018.
Aubrey Plaza has been doing her part to deter the spread of COVID-19 by spending the majority of her days indoors with director beau Jeff Baena, 42.

But on Saturday, the 35-year-old Parks And Recreation star treated herself to some Vitamin D by taking a midday stroll through her trendy Los Feliz neighborhood.

Plaza donned a blue and white tie-dyed mask as her dogs Frances and and Stevie eagerly lead the way down the desolate sidewalk.

Soaking up the sun: On Saturday, Aubrey Plaza, 35, treated herself to some Vitamin D by taking a midday stroll through her trendy Los Feliz neighborhood

Aside from her mask, Aubrey also sported a pair of cateye sunglasses, which kept the majority of her famous mug covered.

Her brunette hair was styled into a half up, half down hairstyle and she wore a pair of chic silver hoop earrings.

The Ingrid Goes West actress put her toned arms on full display in a knit tank top that featured a v-neckline and spaghetti straps.

Aubrey bravely went braless for her afternoon outing.

Furry pals: Plaza donned a blue and white tie-dyed mask as her dogs Frances and and Stevie eagerly lead the way down the desolate sidewalk

Love in lockdown: Aubrey has been doing her part to deter the spread of COVID-19 by spending the majority of her days indoors with director beau Jeff Baena, 42; the pair pictured on Instagram in 2019

She rounded out her casual ensemble with some dark wash denim jeans and a pair of her go-to white sneakers.

Plaza's doggy duo looked more than enthused to be exploring the outside world as Aubrey firmly held onto their rope leashes.

With Hollywood productions at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, the actress has been awarded plenty of free time.

Memory lane: And in the midst of all that free time, Aubrey was interviewed by PureWow for their virtual May issue, where she recalled a particularly hilarious memory that involved herself, her sister, and the Jonas Brothers; Aubrey pictured in February

And in the midst of all that free time, Aubrey was interviewed by PureWow for their virtual May issue, where she recalled a particularly hilarious memory that involved herself, her sister, and the Jonas Brothers.

Specifically, Plaza had attempted to nab some highly sought after Jonas Brothers concert tickets by sliding in the DMs of none other than the band's frontrunner Joe Jonas.

And, to Aubrey's surprise, the 30-year-old musician responded to her message and got her and her sisters into a show.

The mission: Specifically, Plaza had attempted to nab some highly sought after Jonas Brothers concert tickets by sliding in the DMs of none other than the band's frontrunner Joe Jonas; The Jonas Brothers pictured in February

'Like the fact that he even responded to my message and got us into the show is just so beyond me, because they are just so famous and so busy. I was just blown away by how generous he was and how sweet he was,' she gushed.

As if her and her sister's night were not full of enough surprised, Aubrey also revealed that she was shocked to learn how 'funny' Kevin Jonas was, when she met him, Nick, and Joe backstage.

'I was like "This guy is hilarious" and instantly we had a connection. I dont know why I kind of had this idea in my mind that he would be kind of standoffish and serious, but he was seriously funny and I was like "Damn, I love Kevin."'
In the past, a lot have been expounded about the benefits of agriculture to Nigerias economy. But it took the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic to drive home the point more than ever before. The overarching importance of agriculture is apparent in the face of catastrophic job losses in the manufacturing and service sectors of the economy.

Globally, a record number of employees have been thrown out of job, and every sector grounded, except agriculture.

As the world staggers to its feet after the devastation of the global economy by the novel coronavirus disease, countries and companies must begin to explore innovative ways of maximizing the paradigm, practice and benefits of agriculture. To this end, the model of farming as we know has to change.

Enter Viable X, an online commodity trading platform, floated by Farm4Me, a Nigerian premium agribusiness firm that has positioned itself as a game-changer in agriculture.

At the launch of the new online portal, the firms chief executive officer, Adama J. Adama, avowed that Viable X has capabilities to boost job creation and economic empowerment through innovative approaches to agricultural businesses.

In his words, the platform was created to change the face of agribusiness in Nigeria.

Going by his credential, Benue-born Adama can be trusted by his word. The young agricultural entrepreneur has solid credential. In 2017, he anchored an IFAD Value Chain Seminar on agribusiness and e-Commerce at the Central Bank of Nigeria Entrepreneurship Development Centre, North Central Zone, Makurdi.

Farm4Me, which he founded in March 2019 after two years of extensive research, pioneered contract farming in Nigeria. Within a short time, the reputation of the start-up soared and it was ranked on Google as the No 1 agritech company that majored in farm equipment rental services in Nigeria.

Now, Viable X initiative is coming on the heels of success recorded by Farm4Me venture which, within one year, enjoyed high patronage and farmed hundreds of hectares of land that further entrenched it as the pioneer of contract farming.

Speaking on why www.viablex.com was floated, Adama highlighted its major benefits, namely provision of loans for farmers and providing a virtual marketplace where farmers can sell their produce without stress.

Farmers can invest in commodity export orders from international buyers and earn 50% profit in as short a time as three months. They can also request for a loan and receive it instantly in their bank account. They can buy commodities and store online until when the price is high and then sell at a profit, he said.

Adama enumerated further: They can trade their commodities any time and receive credit alert instantly and their farm produce sold directly to Off Takers (buyers). Also, there is a list of contract farming companies on Viable X, thereby giving them the visibility that enables food processors and commodity exporters to contract their services.

Neither Viable X nor other innovative concepts being implemented by Farm4Me are by any means similar to crowd farming that is currently the rage in agribusiness.

We are different from all the agriculture investment platforms out there. We are not into crowd farming, Adama stressed.

The Viable X Agribusiness Limited, incorporated with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and licensed by National Export Promotion Council (NEPC) started working since November 2019 when it was launched as an online marketplace for farmers to sell their produce. However, other components were later added including instant loan, export financing, produce trading and contract farming.

Viable X was a response to the needs of Nigerians who kept calling and sending Farm4Me emails requesting for microloans for their farms, market place to sell their produce at befitting prices and an opportunity to invest a smaller amount of money for short term investment duration, Adama disclosed.

Presently, the platforms clientele is composed of Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora who, according to the CEO, entrust us with their hard-earned money to farm, harvest and sell crops for them and after six months, receive both capital and profit.

For potential investors and stakeholders, he gave an assurance: Your investment is secured. It is backed by physical commodities with good liquidity and backed by insurance. No matter what happens, your investment capital is refundable.

Viable Xs bottom line is making agribusiness simpler, easier and faster for Nigerians and therefore assist farmers to profit greatly from the sweat of their labour. This is the broad assertion from Adama.

However, in concrete terms, We aim to raise one million commodity trading millionaires in Nigeria, he stated.

In general, by the way, the ultimate goal is to help to reduce hunger and poverty through agriculture.

Our vision is to become a multi-billion dollar company with visible social impact, he enthused.
Women who have experienced childhood trauma become mothers earlier than those with a more stable childhood environment shows a new study conducted in collaboration between the University of Turku and the University of Helsinki in Finland. The trauma children experience form living in war zones, natural disasters or perhaps even epidemics can have unexpected effects that resurface later in their lives.

During the Second World War, thousands of Finnish women and girls volunteered to aid in the war effort as part of the paramilitary organisation 'Lotta Svard' exposing some to the trauma of war. Researcher and lead author of the study Robert Lynch from the University of Turku used extensive data collected on these volunteers to study the effects of childhood trauma on adults.

The study showed that young girls and women who served in the war became mothers earlier and had more children compared to women of the same age who did not participate in the war effort.

"If we can measure the effects of trauma on basic things such as the timing of motherhood, then it almost certainly has major effects on many of our other important behaviours, such as overall aversion to risk, sociality or the pace of sexual development," explains Lynch.

"This study is groundbreaking because it overcomes many of the pitfalls of research on humans that has made it difficult to know whether trauma is actually the root cause of starting a family at a younger age. The extensive dataset made it possible for us to compare women before and after the war and also take family background into account by comparing sisters. This is strong evidence in support of the idea that trauma affects reproductive schedules," adds senior author, Researcher John Loehr from the University of Helsinki.

The study has clear relevance for the millions of children and adults worldwide who experience trauma through wars. However, relevance likely also extends to other sources of trauma, such as natural disasters or even the current COVID-19 epidemic.

Evolutionary theory predicts that individuals experiencing an unstable environment with high mortality are better off reproducing sooner rather than taking the risk of not having the chance later.

"There appears to be a sensitivity window that extends from childhood into early adulthood where behaviour adjusts to match the circumstances experienced. The consequences can be far-reaching even after the situation stabilises. A childhood trauma can influence people's adult lives in ways that they are unaware of, such as the timing of their motherhood," explains Academy Professor Virpi Lummaa from the University of Turku.

Background:

Prior to and during the Second World War, many Finnish girls and women volunteered for the 'Lotta Svard' organisation that was a major part of the war effort. Tasks within the organisation varied greatly, and many of the women performed duties that exposed them to the trauma of war. Towards the end of the war, girls as young as fourteen years of age were entrusted with some of the more demanding jobs usually reserved for adults. The project was funded by the Kone Foundation with data from Karjala Liitto registers and digitised church register data provided by Karjalan tietokantasaatio.
A school at Kannur district in Kerala refused to return a phone seized from a student even after the academic year was over and hence the student, as well as her younger brother, could not attend the online classes for the next academic year that already commenced.

After the matter became controversial with the family petitioning Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior police officials and a local MLA intervening the school authorities agreed to return the phone soon.

Shasa, who was a tenth-standard student of Puthiyangadi Jama-ath Higher Secondary school on the outskirts of Kannur, took her mother's smartphone to the school on school youth festival on October 16, 2019. The school authorities seized the phone from her citing that students were not supposed to bring the phone to school.

Shasa's mother Sameera told DH that she allowed her daughter to take the phone as there was no school bus on that day and if she was late to return after youth festival she can contact home. Moreover, since it was her last year in school she wished to take pictures with friends.

Sameera said that though she approached the school authorities several times afterwards seeking the phone, even after the end of the academic year, the school authorities took an adamant stand that phone won't be returned.

"I am the lone breadwinner of the family comprising three children and I somehow managed to buy the phone for our use.I can't afford to buy a new one as my younger son who is now in eighth-standard and online classes commenced," said Sameera, who is a tailor by profession.

Even as the school authorities now assured to return the mobile phone, local MLA T V Rajesh offered a television or tablet computer to the family.

Meanwhile, several other students of the school were also alleged to be facing the same plight.

Kerala recently witnessed a girl hailing from a weak Dalit family ending life allegedly owing to the mental stress as she could not attend online classes owing to unavailability of television or smartphone or computer at home.
I dont think theres any group in opposition, as far as I know, that is against Bobi Wine working with Besigye. Clearly, though, Bobi is not everyone's cup of tea and he made a lot of mistakes in his quest to weaken Besigye, and making him a head of any coalition will probably go down in critical history as a terrible error of judgement. I, personally, would be satisfied if he gets down from his high horse and accepts to join the People's Government being headed by Besigye.

I wrote about unity in 2018, for those who have been following my posts, and literally begged Bobi to work with Besigye. He instead went ahead and attacked him at the DP reunion. But its good hes correcting the mistakes he made then and is now courting the same Besigye now. He reminds me of the story of the German soldiers at the end of WWII when they tried to flee westward so they'd be captured by the Americans and not by the Russians. Similarly, it looks like Museveni has encircled the PP movt, and it's good they are now running towards Besigye rather than Museveni. But terms of their accommodation must be set. The first step is for Bobi to join the Peoples govt. If he wants FDCs endorsement for the presidency, then he should formally join FDC. Any unity right now should be for purposes beyond the 2021 electionthat train has left the station!

For collaboration to become effective, it will have to overcome several hurdles. It's easier on paper to reach an understanding between a political party with another political party, but it's difficult to do so with a roguish movt, as PP is. Political parties are heavily regulated, further bound by the complexity of political oversight. Not only are institutions fiercely protective of what is seen as their data, they are also concerned about breaking regulatory rules. If you are making a deal with People Power, apart from Bobi Wine, himself, as an individual, who else are you exactly dealing with here? The whole thing is very complex and complicated. The only way around that is to get Bobi to either accept becoming a member of your party, or persuade him to form a party, and then you kind of find a well regulated level to deal with him. Otherwise, at the moment, any party that deals with PP will only find room for him and a few guys he recommends. The only viable thing ,I guess, he can bring to the table is that he has the numbers or a huge following behind him,but the problem is it's difficult to know or verify how popular he is nation-wide.

--

Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba

Stalk my blog at: http://semuwemba.wordpress.com

"Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive." - Henry Steele Commager 1902-98
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 17:35:49|Editor: huaxia

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by Peter Mertz

DENVER, the United States, June 6 (Xinhua) -- On Saturday when the United States celebrated the 76th anniversary of "D-Day," protests continued over the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, that occurred almost two weeks ago.

Thousands of protesters marched around the gold-domed capitol of Colorado in Denver and started leaving downtown Denver after 10 p.m. local time (0400 GMT on Sunday).

"They have been protesting all day," Fox31 News reported, adding that the protests "have been extremely peaceful."

Floyd, who was 46, died on May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. His death sparked widespread protests across the country.

Ironically, Denver's tenth straight day of peaceful protests was held after a historic order was issued by a federal judge late Friday.

The judge in Colorado's capital signed a "temporary restraining order" against Denver police for their use of chemicals and pepper stray against peaceful protesters, and it was posted immediately on the Denver Police Department's Facebook page.

The sweeping ruling looked at extensive videos of Denver police's recent actions -- reacting violently and inappropriately against peaceful protesters.

"The Denver Police Department has failed in its duty to police its own," Judge R. Brooke Jackson said in his ruling.

Earlier this week, a Denver police officer was fired after posting a picture of himself and two other body-armored officers on social media with the comment "Let's start a riot." It was posted as Denver police fired tear gas and pepper spray in response to protests.

After four straight days of property damage and violence -- once the cops stopped firing tear gas and projectiles at peaceful demonstrators -- the violence stopped.

In an extraordinary display of leadership, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen on Monday marched arm-in-arm with black protesters. Local and national news captured the moment, and the violence and destruction stopped.

The move, combined with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's extension of the nightly curfew and Colorado Governor Jared Polis' condemnation of U.S. President Donald Trump's inflammatory rhetoric threatening to send the military to quell the violence, also calmed protesters.

Retired Marine General Jim Mattis, who resigned as Trump's defense secretary more than a year ago, said Trump was "abusing his power" when Trump had peaceful protesters tear gassed and later performed a photo op in front of a fire-damaged church near the White House. Enditem
Photo credit: Ray Tamarra - Getty Images

From ELLE

Director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo recently recalled a time when members from the Oscars' governing body threatened not to vote for their film Selma after the cast wore "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts to the premiere as an homage to Eric Garner, a victim of police brutality.

In an interview, Oyelowo said members of the Academy complained to their studio and producers, and DuVernay confirmed the events with a tweet.

DuVernay and Oyelowo were both snubbed for directing and acting awards at the Oscars that year.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the governing body of the Oscars, actively tried to shut out Selma from nominations after the film's cast members and crew wore T-shirts honoring Eric Garner, a victim of police brutality, at the premiere, according to star David Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay.

The film, which focused on Martin Luther King Jr.'s (Oyelowo) march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, debuted in December 2014five months after Garner died from being forcefully choked by police in New York. In the video of his struggle with authorities, he repeatedly tells the officers, "I can't breathe," which became a rallying cry in the Black Lives Matter Movement, much like it is again now, six years later, following the police killing of George Floyd.

The Selma premiere took place the day after a major protest in Manhattan, where demonstrators denounced a Staten Island grand jury's decision to not indict police officer involved in Garner's death, Buzzfeed News reported. So for the event, Oyelowo, DuVernay, and stars like Tessa Thompson, Stephan James, and Wendell Pierce wore black T-shirts reading "I CAN'T BREATHE" over their formalwear.

Speaking to Screen Daily this week, Oyelowo recalled backlash from Oscar voters at the time. "Members of the Academy called in to the studio and our producers saying, How dare they do that? Why are they stirring S-H-I-T? and We are not going to vote for that film because we do not think it is their place to be doing that."

Story continues

DuVernay confirmed the Academy's disapproval in a tweet. "True story," she said, posting Oyelowo's interview.

The voter backlash is "part of why that film didnt get everything that people think it shouldve got and it birthed #OscarsSoWhite, Oyelowo continued in his interview. They used their privilege to deny a film on the basis of what they valued in the world. Indeed, Oyelowo and DuVernay were glaringly snubbed for acting and directing awards at the 2015 ceremony. Selma did take home one Oscar that night: Best Original Song for John Legend and Common's power ballad "Glory."

The Academy later apologized to DuVernay and Oyelowo with a brief tweet: "Ava & David, we hear you. Unacceptable. Were committed to progress."

But after years of repeated #OscarsSoWhite controversies, we wonder what that progress will actually look like.

Selma is available to rent for free across all digital platforms for the month. Watch Now

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Dileep V Kumar By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Silent hypoxia has emerged as the new villain as the Covid-19 pandemic enters a new phase in the state.

A condition in which a persons oxygen level in blood cells and tissues drop without any warning signs, silent hypoxia has already claimed the lives of many Covid-19 patients in the country.

Though the state Health Department says it is yet to come across any such cases, taking a cue from Tamil Nadu where a couple of deaths have been reported due to silent hypoxia and an alert from the health ministry, 32 COVID hospitals across the state have been asked to monitor patients continuously.

This is an emerging threat. The ministry in a letter on May 25 had stressed the need for early identification of Covid-19 patients who develop hypoxia even without symptoms. As they are also the patients who are expected to develop complications and ultimately succumb to the infection, continuous monitoring is needed, said an officer of the Health Department.

At the same time, an internal assessment by the department has found that pulse oximeter, a small device used to monitor the oxygen level in the blood, available to check COVID patients is inadequate.

Considering the same, the government has given nod to procure 600 pulse oximetry devices through Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. For the same Rs 2.04 crore has been sanctioned.

A total of 1,112 beds have been dedicated to Covid-19 patients in 32 COVID hospitals. The total number of pulse oxymeters available at these hospitals is 595. With respect to beds allocated, there is a shortage of 517 pulse oximeters. As the available oximeters are also used in the operation theatre, labour room and other areas which may not be available for COVID-19 patients, more such devices will have to be procured, said Rajan Khobragade, principal secretary, health, in an order released for procurement.

Most alarming phenomenon

Dr P S Shajahan of Academy of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine said: In normal circumstances, a patient experiencing hypoxia shows symptoms like shortness of breath, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating and others. But in silent hypoxia, there are no such outward symptoms. They appear to be breathing comfortably. This is highly dangerous. Without contact monitoring, it cant be recognised.

At the same time, medical practitioners at the global level say that it is a strange situation and is without any conclusive explanation. One of the probabilities is the subtle blood clots in their lungs soon after infection. These clots prevent blood from being properly oxygenated.

Need clear-cut plan

A section of medical practitioners in the state shares the concern that if a person undergoing home/institution quarantine faces such a health emergency, it will be difficult to save his/her life as it will be only at the critical stage that they will show symptoms.

A clear-cut plan should be put in place to tackle this alarming phenomena, they said.

Hypoxia is characterised by low blood oxygen saturation level, and typically, a person with hypoxia can be seen gasping for air and in terrible pain. In silent hypoxia, there are no outward symptoms
Our nation has been celebrating dairy products and the dairy industry in June since the late 1930s. I took a look back at the decade when June Dairy Month became a national celebration to provide some context for recognizing the importance of dairys past and present in 2020.

Much like the reality dairy farmers are living today, the 1930s brought significant challenges to the dairy industry. The Great Depression contributed to depressed milk prices, with many dairy farmers receiving prices in 1933 that were half of what they were paid in 1930. In Wisconsin, this led to frustration among farmers, especially those whose milk was sold for cheese or butter processing instead of fluid milk for bottling. At the time, fluid milk prices were slightly higher than prices received for milk destined for processing.

Groups of farmers throughout the state joined together to petition for higher prices by dumping milk and blocking roads to cut off supplies to processors. The milk strikes of 1933 led to violent interactions between striking and non-striking farmers, milk shippers, processors, and National Guardsmen called in to respond to the strikes.

Eventually prices rose and the government intervened in the milk pricing issue, initiating a complex system that is still in place today to help stabilize prices. As the dairy industry rebounded, grocers started a campaign to encourage milk consumption in June, a month when the spring flush of grass has dairy cows producing at their peak. In 1939, June Dairy Month became a national celebration and an effort to promote milk and dairy sales during times of surplus.

Since then, dairy farmers have experienced lots of volatility, and a string of several years of low prices leading up to 2020. The situation dairy farmers are in today has a lot of parallels to the 1930s. A time of crisis has completely disrupted the industry, and milk prices have taken a hit. Weve seen Wisconsin farmers forced to dump milk and cut supply  not in an effort to increase prices, but to reduce the amount going to processors that have no home for the end product.

In past years, regardless of the economic situation on farms, wed be able to stop and celebrate June Dairy Month alongside farmers at one of Wisconsins dairy breakfasts. Most breakfasts this summer, including the annual Kenosha County Dairy Breakfast, have been cancelled. Though we cant celebrate in-person, there are other ways to enjoy dairy products, recognize the tireless work of farmers, and support them during a difficult time:

Get to know a dairy farmer at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin website: https://www.wisconsindairy.org/Our-Farms/Our-Farmers.

Donate to the Hunger Task Forces Dairy Recovery Program, www.hungertaskforce.org/dairy/ or the Wisconsin Food and Farm Support Fund https://wfbf.com/wisconsin-food-and-farm-support-fund/two programs working to support both farmers and food insecure populations as we deal with the fallout of COVID-19.

Take a driving tour of rural Kenosha County, noting dairy barns and farmsteads. Look out for unique features such as ornate couplas atop barn roofs, clay tile silos, or painted barn quilts.

Participate in a virtual dairy breakfast hosted by Alice in Dairyland on Saturday, June 6, streaming live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DATCPAliceInDairyland/.Try a new recipe incorporating Wisconsin dairy and other farm products. I recently tried topping cottage cheese with local honey and last years strawberries from the back of my freezer  a quick and easy snack for a summer day. Find more recipes at https://www.wisconsindairy.org/national-dairy-month.

To celebrate June Dairy Month in 2020 is to celebrate the resiliency of dairy farmers through difficult times, both past and present.

Leigh Presley is agriculture educator with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of the Extension Service serving Kenosha County.

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Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

They marched in droves, with a message: change is coming.

Through torrential rains and standoffs with Albuquerque police, thousands took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and systemic racism after the death of George Floyd  a black man killed in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day. They joined countless others across the nation in screaming for justice, an outcry sparked by video of a handcuffed Floyd begging for help, and air, while officer Derek Chauvin dug his knee into Floyds neck. Chauvin has been charged with murder, and the three officers who helped detain Floyd have been charged with aiding and abetting.

Some say this is the moment for change, and they worry that if it doesnt come now, it never will. Others say they will fight to the end.

As the country watched police brutality and widespread looting in some cities, protests in Albuquerque remained relatively peaceful  although after last Sunday nights demonstration, vandals broke windows and set fires Downtown. Organizers and police say it was a separate group that did the damage.

Kia Russ, an organizer with Black Lives Matter, said that to her knowledge, the rally Monday was the largest on record in the state, drawing hundreds if not thousands. And through the pouring rain, no less.

It was absolutely amazing. I have no other word to describe it, Russ told the Journal.  It shows that Black Lives Matter is more than just the weather; we are worth more than the weather  it was just completely beautiful, and I felt so supported by the citizens of New Mexico, and there was just so much love.

Almost every night since May 28, crowds of all ages and colors have filled Route 66 in rallies organized by various local groups.

For hours, they have waved signs that read Say his name and I cant breathe.

And for hours, they have chanted, some growing hoarse, such phrases as, Brick by brick, wall by wall, this racist system has to fall. Megaphones were passed around to those retelling stories of racial violence, lessons learned. Yells and horns from passing vehicles joined in the clamor as employees of nearby businesses handed out free pizza or stood on the curb, holding fists in the air.

Russ said that this moment has been a long time coming and and that its time for local leaders and law enforcement to sit down, shut up and listen.

I do my best to not get emotional when talking about it, because its just heartbreaking to see your people being killed, and no one, no one is being held accountable, she said. Were here; we exist; we deserve the right to live; we deserve the right to be authentically and unapologetically ourselves. And if we have to protest every day so people can be held accountable, then thats just whats going to have to happen.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham have publicly voiced support for the movement, with Lujan Grisham announcing plans to create a council for racial justice and appoint a racial justice czar within her office.

Worst kind of deja vu

Arthur Bell said, as a black man, its the worst kind of deja vu.

It feels like living a horror movie every day, knowing exactly whats going to happen in the horror film and not being able to do anything about it, Bell, a local activist aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement, told the Journal. Even though youre trying so hard to get a different ending, the ending seems to always be the same.

Bell has been seeking change since Albuquerque police killed his little brother, 21-year-old Kendall Carroll, during a standoff in 2013. Bell began marching the streets when James Boyd  a homeless man suffering from schizophrenia  was killed the next year, and he hasnt stopped since.

But in all those years, hes never seen a cop charged with murder as quickly as Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis officer who pressed his knee into George Floyds neck.

It gives me some hope, but at the same time knowing how far we have to go, being that we cant even see a finish line, I cant be too optimistic, he said.

Although Floyds death is all too familiar, Bell said the fact that it happened during the shutdown with everyone at home watching Floyd live his last moments out on social media pushed the issue.

The fact that people want to be a part of whatever action is next, theyre more hands-on, its not just about talking  I wish I could do something. Theyre actually putting their money where their mouth is, he said, calling the response in Albuquerque overwhelming.

Bell added, Ive never seen so many people get behind black lives in my life. Being that were only 3% (of the population in New Mexico), it means a lot.

However, Bell said the response from Mayor Keller and the Albuquerque Police Department is not as reassuring.

Calling it a clear slap in the face he and others have said Keller showed up to a vigil for Floyd to speak but not listen. Keller left, Bell said, after being questioned about defunding Albuquerque police.

Mayor Keller has a long record of not shying away from tough conversations and stands ready and willing to continue these in the pursuit of race equity and police reform, said Jessie Damazyn, a spokeswoman for the mayor. We encourage the advocates who did not feel heard to take us up on Kellers offers to meet personally and continue the dialogue.

As for APD, Bell was discouraged by their actions Thursday night; arresting four young men and, when challenged, showing up in riot gear and firing tear gas at the protesters following a tense standoff. Police later said they believed the four men were firing off a gun and were confronted by protesters during the arrest, prompting their action.

The way you show up to something is the response youre going to get. If they show up in military style armory theyre going to get a response that warrants their uniform, he said, calling the armor and weapons unnecessary.

Were trying to make them understand how we feel, he said.  We just want them to treat us equally as they would treat someone they love and they care for. We all want to go home to our loved ones just like they want to go home to theirs.

Bell said their demands are clear and simple: Defund the militarization of police and remove their military-style weaponry, engage programs that build community trust beyond the police force and pass legislation that says any officer who kills an unarmed person loses their job, their authority and pension  which will go to the victims family.

Before the fight is over, Bell said, its hard to believe there wont be another George Floyd or Breonna Taylor.

The reality is, theyre all just another hashtag. We all know there will be another hashtag sooner or later, he said. So Im just glad the momentum got to where it is, and I hope it doesnt let up.

Running out of time

The death of Floyd in Minnesota was not the first incident in which an unarmed person of color died at the hands of police officers, vigilantes, or white people who felt threatened and thought a black person was in the wrong neighborhood, said Harold Bailey, executive director of the NAACP in Albuquerque.

Its not even the first time such killings have been captured on video and widely circulated.

Whats new, Bailey said, is that the young people who are out demonstrating after Floyds death represent all races and ethnicities.

Its not just young black people out there. Its bigger than a black thing. This is a multicultural movement, and thats what America is all about, and thats whats going to bring about change.

Bailey said the death of George Floyd should motivate everyone to take a stand against injustice.

Weve been fighting for equality, justice and equal access and opportunity for hundreds of years, so this is a moment that change needs to come, he said. With young people involved, its sending the message that its their time, and we need to make this change now, because in my opinion, were running out of time.

White privilege

Finnie Coleman, a University of New Mexico professor who teaches in the English Department as well as in the Africana Studies Program, said that at the heart of todays protests is the ongoing problem of white privilege, which set the stage for the death of Floyd in Minneapolis as well as the deaths of a long list of other unarmed people of color.

In incident after incident, unarmed and unassuming black people have been killed in public and private spaces by an assortment of people ranging from neighborhood watchmen to local vigilantes to law enforcement, Coleman said.

White privilege, he said, has allowed perceptions of black people to be perpetuated, particularly the perception that young black men are dangerous.

Charles Becknell Jr., director of the Africana Studies Program at UNM, said he believes the protests over Floyds death will be one of those watershed moments in history, and we will look back at this moment and be able to declare that history has changed and the world has changed as a result of this movement.

Not everyone is getting the message.

Last week, social media platforms circulated photos of smiling young white men with a knee pressed into the neck of another person lying facedown on the ground in what was described as the George Floyd challenge.

In April, Becknell was the target of racist, expletive-laden emails. The FBI is investigating, he said.

What got us to this unfortunate point in history, Becknell said, is history itself  particularly Americas history with slavery, and a skewed recounting of that history as taught to children in our schools.

We need to reflect on over 500 years in which white supremacy and its manifestations were played out with the well-known habits of battering, mutilating, brutalizing and killing of black bodies, he said. It has existed for so long that it causes us to think that it is part of the worlds, and certainly this nations, DNA.

At the time the 13th Amendment was ratified in 1865, ending slavery, that institution had become the driving economic force in the nation, Becknell said.

Young people have to understand: It wasnt a sideshow; it was the main event in the development and formation of the United States of America, and ultimately the globe, he said. We cant detach it from the rest of history.

That history has not been fully told, because weve been teaching history from the Euro-centric mindset and framework, Becknell said.

Young people today have a responsibility to self-educate, because our educational institutions are designed to promote and enhance the story of the victors, not the victims, but thats how white supremacy functions in this world, he said.

And because young people have the ability to mobilize large numbers of individuals, they also have a responsibility to organize nonviolent protests against injustices, Becknell said.

Thats how we engage the struggle, and we have to remain in the struggle until the end.

That sentiment is not lost on those on the front lines.

Although Arthur Bell has taken to the streets of Albuquerque over and over, in the same fight, he said the dream of a different ending is never dead.

And he has a message for those in our position, or in my position, that have lost people:

The families of the George Floyds, the families of the Breonna Taylors, the countless families, he said. To let them know were all here together, were all going through the same thing, fighting the same fight. I hope we get to the end result together, sooner than later.
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Linkedin Maria Vasilyeva and Alexander Marrow (Reuters) Moscow, Russia  Sun, June 7, 2020 13:04 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcaa7b7 2 Books Moscow,Russia,books,book-fair,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Hundreds of Moscow residents flocked to an open-air book fair in Red Square on Saturday, though some publishing houses opted to stay away as city authorities keep most coronavirus restrictions in place.

Organizers 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.

"You either mourn that the industry is in crisis or go and take part in the book fair with all the precautions in place," said Natalia Eihwald from the Kompas-Gid children's publishing house, one of about 180 publishers with stalls at the fair. She and her colleagues had to take coronavirus tests ahead of the event, which drew up to 600 visitors within hours of its opening.

Some independent publishers refused to take part, however, citing the possible health risk.

"We don't want to put our employees and our authors as well as our readers at risk," said Pavel Podkosov, director general of the Alpina Non-Fiction publishing house, which lost up to 60 percent of its income due to the lockdown compared with the same period last year.

"(Taking part) would be like staging a carnival in a hospital ward, which doesn't sound like much fun to us," he added.

Read also: London Book Fair shelved because of virus fears

Most lockdown restrictions will remain in place in Moscow until at least June 14 and large public events are still banned. Because Red Square is controlled by the federal government, the state-organised book fair was able to go ahead.

Along with social distancing measures and temperature checks, Russia's Rospotrebnadzor consumer safety watchdog ordered frequent sanitation of the book fair site and mandatory use of face masks and gloves.

The event organizer, Russia's state agency in charge of press and communications, Rospechyat, said it was an important way to support the publishing industry.

From June 1, Moscow has allowed residents to resume outdoor activities and walks for short periods. Some stores, including book shops, also reopened.

Russia has nearly 460,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday, the world's third-biggest number after the United States and Brazil.
Exclusive: Angola cuts oil shipments to China as it seeks debt relief FILE PHOTO: Kaombo Norte floating oil platform is seen from a helicopter off the coast of Angola

By Julia Payne and Dmitry Zhdannikov

LONDON (Reuters) - Angola has cut the number of oil cargoes that it will ship to Chinese state firms to pay down debt to Beijing as it seeks to renegotiate repayment terms to deal with the crippling impact of the coronavirus, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Angola said this week it had asked for G20 debt relief and was in advanced talks with some countries importing its oil on adjusting financing facilities, but expects no further debt overhaul to be needed beyond this.

The sharp global economic slowdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic pushed Brent oil prices to their lowest levels since the late 1990s and U.S. oil futures to negative territory for the first time in history.

The price drop has put heavily-indebted Angola into a fragile state as it derives a third of state revenues from oil.

By far, its biggest creditor is China. Analysts say Angola has over $20 billion in bilateral debt with the lion's share owed to China. Much of the cash was borrowed to build roads, hospitals, houses and railways across the southern African country.

On top of its Chinese debt, Luanda secured a $3.7 billion (2.93 billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund last year and state oil firm Sonangol has borrowed $2.5 billion from banks between end-2018 and mid-2019, the IMF said.

A global oil output cut deal led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has added to Luanda's woes.

As an OPEC member, Angola was pressured to cut oil exports starting from May. The result has left the country with fewer and lower-value cargoes to split between paying off its Chinese debt and filling its depleted coffers.

The sources said that China's state-owned Sinochem would receive five cargoes in July, down from the usual seven or eight, while the trading arm of Chinese giant Sinopec called Unipec would receive none.

Unipec typically receives two to three cargoes earmarked as debt repayment.

Story continues

Sonangol, Angola's finance ministry, Sinopec and Sinochem did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the relevant departments were in contact with Angola over its request for debt relief.

"These oil-backed loans create stronger interdependence (between lender and borrower) than traditional financing. This tactic of diverting cargoes is not new as seen elsewhere," David Mihalyi, a senior economic analyst with the Natural Resource Governance Institute, said.

Chad threatened to cut repayment cargoes to commodities trader and miner Glencore <GLEN.L> during a major loan restructuring in 2017. Similarly, Congo Republic has cut many repayment oil cargoes to Glencore and commodities trader Trafigura as discussions drag.

Angola is not the only African country heavily indebted to China. The IMF and ratings agency Moody's have raised concerns about debt levels in sub-Saharan Africa particularly with China.

(Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has said the tens of thousands who protested against Indigenous Australian deaths in custody selfishly risked a second coronavirus outbreak.

About 30,000 protesters took to the streets of Melbourne on Saturday and at least 20,000 marched through Sydney's CBD, defying health warnings to raise the alarm over Aboriginal deaths in custody and over-incarceration one week after African American George Floyd was killed by white police officers in the United States.

Protesters urging action on Indigenous deaths in custody at the Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne. Credit:CHRISTOPHER HOPKINS

Senator Cormann said protesters were "selfish" and "quite irresponsible" for ignoring health advice when other gatherings such as funerals have been curbed.

"It is quite irresponsible what we have seen here," he said on Sky News on Sunday morning. "I think it is incredibly selfish, it is incredibly self-indulgent. Yes, it does impose unnecessary and unacceptable risk onto the community."
In early May 2020, there was a brief exchange of machine-gun fire on the DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) that separates North and South Korea. One unexplained aspect of the incident was why one of the South Korean weapons failed to fire when ordered to do so. The faulty weapon was a Super aEgis 2 RWS (Remote Weapons Station) in a concrete tower that can fire automatically at people trying to sneak across the four kilometer wide DMZ. More often, the RWS is only fired remotely by operators in a control center who monitor the use of several of these RWS weapons along with a sector of the DMZ.

The exchange of fire was apparently caused by North Korean soldiers manning a 14.5mm machine-gun who accidentally fired their weapon. Four 14.5mm bullets hit one of the concrete South Korea Army guard posts over four kilometers away. There were no injuries and the South Koreans returned fire with about 30 small caliber machine-gun bullets before all firing stopped. South Korea protested and North Korea later revealed that the shooting was an accident by inexperienced troops. North Korea did not apologize but did express regret about the poor discipline of their troops. On the South Korean side there was concern because attempts to use a remotely controlled 12.7mm machine-gun failed because of a system problem.

The South Korea RWS was one of the most advanced RWS available anywhere. The manufacturer, South Korean firm DoDamm, introduced the Super aEgis 2 in 2015 as part of a high-tech security system for military installations, border protection and so on. Most Super aEgis 2 weapons have been bought by the South Korea Army for use on the DMZ. Export customers include several Persian Gulf nations that use Super aEgis 2 systems to protect military facilities. Super aEgis 2 normally operates under control of a distant human operator in a building or bunker. Each of these operators handles several Super aEgis 2 RWS, which are usually mounted in concrete towers to protect them from gunfire and rockets.

Each Super aEgis 2 is equipped with a wide array of sensors, including high-resolution day/night digital camera with x35 zoom, autofocus, a thermal (heat) sensor and other features which enable the system to detect a man-sized target at up to 3,000 meters away in daylight and 2,200 meters at night. There is also a laser ranger finder and focused sound loudspeaker that can deliver audible verbal warnings to people 3,000 meters away.

While a 12.7mm machine-gun can deliver effective area fire up to 2,000 meters away, the additional sensors on the Super aEgis 2 enable the machine-gun to hit individual targets 2,000 meters away with the first shot (4-5 rounds) burst of fire. Normally the remote operator is alerted to verify what the sensors have detected and decided if that justifies having the RWS open fire. The South Korean has not and may never reveal details of what the system problem with the Super aEgis 2 was but it may have been something as simple as the sensors not detecting anyone out there. The DMZ is 4,000 meters wide and full of animals who thrive there because there are no people. It has become one of the largest nature preserves in the world. Each side has landmines and, especially on the South Korean side additional ground sensors, near their side of the DMZ. People do occasionally get across but many more are detected and warned to back off or else (be fired on). This usually persuades the line crosser to either identify themselves or turn around. Most of these incidents are North Koreans trying to escape their own country and gain asylum and citizenship in South Korea. During the May incident, there was no one out there; only some North Korean soldiers on their edge of the DMZ mishandling their 14.5mm machine-gun.

Super aEgis 2 can be put on automatic. DoDamm and the South Korean military have extensively tested this RWS in autonomous mode, especially the ability of the sensors to detect people up to three kilometers away. That worked during tests and the exported systems have had a few incidents of people getting into the prohibited security zone. It is unclear if Super aEgis 2 has ever been in automated mode and fired on and hit people. Super aEgis 2 has numerous safety features to prevent accidental firing, but most of these safety features can be modified at customer request to enable automated detection followed by software controlled machine-gun fire.

Super aEgis 2 is part of a more extensive security system that provides operators with a large number of maps and video to show the human operator as much data as possible about who or what is out there and what the intruder, which is usually a four legged animal, looks like and is up to. Super aEgis 2 was not designed to be the first generation of killer robots.

DoDamm is a late-comer to the RWS field. Founded in 2000 by the larger Korean Aeronautics Corporation, DoDamm began as a developer of highly accurate aircraft and system simulators. DoDamm introduced Super aEgis 2 in 2015 as part of a very impressive security system. Other South Korean RWS manufacturers build weapons platforms for military use on vehicles or ships. DoDamm specializes in highly automated sensors, like airborne cameras that can interpret what they are sensing.

This idea of a remote control turret has been around for over half a century. Years of tinkering and better technology, eventually resulted in a remote control gun turret that works effectively, dependably, and affordably. This has made the RWS practical for widespread combat use. While some troops miss the greater feeling of situational awareness, especially being able to hear and smell the surroundings, you got as an old-school turret gunner, most soldiers and marines have adapted and accepted the new system. What it lacks in the smelling and hearing department it makes up for in terms of night vision and zoom. Most importantly, it's a lot safer. In pre-RWS days turret gunners made up a disproportionate number of combat casualties.

Since 2001 the main RWS supplier for the U.S. Army has been the Norwegian firm Kongsberg. This company has delivered over 20,000 of these systems so far, most to the United States but also to over twenty other countries. Kongsberg developed its RWS in the late 1990s and in 1999 the Norwegian contingent to the Kosovo peacekeeping force was equipped with an early model. Other NATO soldiers were impressed with the Kongsberg RWS and by 2001 the U.S. Army had ordered 1,700 of them. By 2007 orders had increased to 6,700. The troops were very enthusiastic. The U.S. Army called their RWS the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapons System) and U.S. combat experience greatly influenced upgrades and enhancements made by Kongsberg and other companies' RWS.

There have been constant upgrades to American RWS turrets. One useful improvement was the addition of a green laser, which can temporarily blind people. Such lasers have long been used to stop drivers who keep coming at checkpoints despite other signals to stop. Used in an RWS, it enables the RWS operator to flash suspicious people with the blinding light, rather than opening up with the weapon. Another upgrade is the addition of cameras to the side and rear of the turret so that the operator can quickly check for activity all around without moving the turret (which sometimes alerts an enemy that they have been spotted). Another addition is an IR Pointer, which, at night, enables the RWS operator to put a light, visible only to those using night-vision equipment, on something suspicious or otherwise important. The larger CROWS RWS models have also been equipped with a Javelin missile launcher. The army also sees RWS as a key element in the development of remotely controlled, or autonomous, armored vehicles.

RWS was one of the most important (in terms of saving lives) new weapons to appear since the 1990s. This now ubiquitous remote control weapon, usually a machine-gun, is seen on many vehicles, from hummers to MRAPs and tanks. The U.S. Army has over 10,000 RWS in service, mainly because it has become a standard system on American combat vehicles.

Kongsberg has several models of its RWS, to support small, medium, and large sized weapons. Now there are a lot of competitors, if only because Kongsberg can't keep up with the demand. Many of the new competitors are trying to grab niche markets. The more obvious ones are those demanding RWS that can handle larger weapons, like 25mm or 30mm autocannon. But the most interesting new development is the portable RWS. It can be mounted on a hummer but quickly removed and carried by two troops and set up anywhere using a tripod. The operator can stay behind cover, while the light machine-gun, exposed to hostile fire, unflinchingly takes on the enemy. There are lots of combat situations that could make use of this lightweight RWS.
Former state Rep. Oliver Robinson, convicted in a federal bribery case, was released from a federal prison in Texas on Friday as part of the Bureau of Prisons review of inmates with risk factors due to COVID-19, his lawyer confirmed today.

Robinson, 60, had originally been scheduled for release on March 30, 2021.

In November 2018, he had begun serving a 33-month prison sentence for his role in the EPA scandal in North Birmingham that also ensnared David Roberson, a former vice president of Drummond Company, and former Balch & Bingham attorney Joel Gilbert.

Roberson and Gilbert have appealed their convictions in the case.

Robinson pleaded guilty in September 2017 to bribery, conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion stemming from his receiving payments to persuade North Birmingham residents to not have their soil tested so Drummond could evade an expensive cleanup. He testified against others in the case.

Robinson had been serving his sentence at the low-security federal prison in Seagoville, Texas.

Jaffe, who kept in touch with Robinson during his time in prison, called Robinson a model inmate and its behind him now.

He deeply missed his family. His attitude is exemplary, Jaffe said. Hes an extremely positive person. Hes got a lot of life ahead of him  and will make a lot of difference in a lot of peoples lives moving forward.

Was Robinsons early release due to the federal Bureau of Prisons efforts to give early release to those inmates who were most in danger from the spread of COVID-19? It played a part for sure, Jaffe said.

The federal Bureau of Prisons on Saturday updated where it stands on early release of inmates due to COVID-19 concerns.

Given the surge in positive cases at select sites and in response to the Attorney General Barr's directives, the BOP began immediately reviewing all inmates who have COVID-19 risk factors, as described by the CDC, to determine which inmates are suitable for home confinement. Since the release of the Attorney General's original memo to the Bureau of Prisons on March 26, 2020 instructing us to prioritize home confinement as an appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BOP has placed an additional 3,884 inmates on home confinement; an increase of 136 percent.

Jaffe said he could not comment on details of Robinsons release, including his exact location.

But the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) lists Robinson now on its website as being with the systems Residential Reentry Management field office in Montgomery, which has responsibilities including monitoring home confinement inmates.
By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Actor Michael B Jordon has called on Hollywood studios, agencies and industry insiders to "invest in black staff".

During a protest against systemic racism and police brutality organised by the Big 4 agencies in the wake of George Floyd's death, the "Creed" star asked the people in the movie business to commit to hiring more black people.

"You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020. Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content led by black executives, black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light," Jordan said while addressing the crowd.

The actor, who played Oscar Grant, an African American man killed by a police officer in 2013 film "Fruitvale Station", said the role made him feel the pain of racial abuse victims.

"I lived with that for a very long time and it weighs on me. Producing that movie made me really realise the lengths that the government and oppressors will go to keep knowledge out of your hands," he said of the film.

Jordan said when he played attorney Bryan Stevenson in "Just Mercy", he understood the importance of being calm and closer to the issue.

The actor produced the legal drama, also starring Jamie Foxx.

"I learned his tactics. I learned his mentality. I learned his approach to things. Very calm. Very strategic. Very thoughtful. You have to be proximal. You have to be close to (the) issues," he added.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man died on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in an encounter caught on video.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder and manslaughter.
The South African government has agreed how much it will pay private hospitals and medical practitioners to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients if public hospitals run out of space, a senior health official told Reuters.

The government has been in talks for months with private firms and medical associations ahead of a probable scenario where public hospitals run out of critical care beds.

Agreement has been reached on a daily fee of up to 16,000 rand ($950) for COVID-19 patients that get treated in critical care beds in private hospitals, said Anban Pillay, the health ministry's deputy director-general for national health insurance.

The fee includes the cost of using the bed, paying a team of specialists to treat the patient and additional services including pathology and radiology.

Now that high-level terms have been agreed with the private sector, health departments in the country's nine provinces will sign "service-level" agreements, Pillay said.

Estimates vary widely as to how many critical care beds there are in the country.

A ministry presentation in April put the total at around 3,300, with two-thirds of those in the private sector. Healthcare provider Netcare estimates there are some 6,000 beds, with around 3,800 in private hospitals.

South Africa had recorded 45,973 cases of the new coronavirus as of Saturday, the most in Africa, with the number rising more steeply in recent weeks.

As of late May, around 1,100 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised, but it is not clear how many were in critical care.

Pillay said he expected the Western Cape provincial health department would use critical care beds in private hospitals soon, followed by the Eastern Cape. The Western Cape accounts for 66% of the country's cases and the Eastern Cape 12%.

"Given the situation in the Western Cape it was important we close this matter," Pillay said.

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New York Magazine is facing backlash after it allegedly banned a conservative commentator from writing about anti-racism protests that have taken over the US.

Andrew Sullivan, a British journalist, announced on Thursday that the latest installment of his column in New York Magazine would not be running this week.

He did not publicly state why the column was cancelled, but an explanation was outlined in a scathing post on Cockburn, an American blog run by the UK-based Spectator outlet, which frequently publishes Sullivan's work.

'Sullivan revealed on Twitter yesterday that his column wouldn't be appearing. The reason? His editors are not allowing him to write about the riots,' the post claims.

'Presumably Sullivan's editors are frightened that he might make the radically bourgeois point that looting and violence are wrong.'

New York Magazine did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment about Sullivan's column.

New York Magazine is facing backlash after it allegedly banned conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan (pictured) from writing about anti-racism protests that have taken over the US

Sullivan revealed on Thursday that his column won't run in New York Magazine this week

Cockburn, a blog run by UK-based news outlet The Spectator, alleged that New York Magazine would not allow Sullivan to write about the riots. Pictured: Demonstrators destroy a car near the White House in Washington, DC, on May 31

The Cockburn blog charged that Sullivan's contract with New York Magazine states that he cannot write about the riots for any other publication - or else he can lose his job.

The blog cited a source 'close to New York Magazine' who said Sullivan 'has to have his work vetted by sensitive junior editors to make sure it doesn't trigger them.

'If it passes their sniff testing, it can be published.'

Sullivan's Twitter account is studded with criticisms of recent protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25.

While many of the protests have been peaceful, others have devolved into violence with businesses burned and looted.

Sullivan has retweeted several posts and videos of destruction in progress, with comments calling out their distinction from peaceful protests.

The Cockburn blog accused New York magazine and other media outlets of censoring voices outside the mainstream, like Sullivan's.

'It's the bonfire of the liberals!' the post states.

'Who cares about the First Amendment? Not the Maoists who are marching through NYC's media institutions.

'Safetyism is their creed. Sullivan may be a very small "c" conservative, in some ways, but he is really a committed liberal  an Obama-loving gay man who thinks that Trump's "dangerous fantasies" threaten America.'

Sullivan's Twitter account is studded with criticisms of recent protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. Pictured: A protest in Atlanta on May 29

While many of the protests have been peaceful, others have devolved into violence with businesses burned and looted. Pictured: A car burns in Minneapolis on May 30

Several commenters on Sullivan's tweet shared Cockburn's frustration at the column being canceled.

'Maybe i am somewhat blinded by my red glasses .... but it seems to me that the left has resorted to a lot of nastiness and are very close-minded,' one man wrote. 'They kill on Trump for his insults .... and then constantly use insults towards his supporters.

'And then there is the issue of not even listening to opposing views. i've always believed that a redeeming value in America is the right to have your own opinion. the left is almost violently opposed to those beliefs now. crazy.'

Another tweeted: 'We love you, Andrew Sullivan: can't think of a single thing we agree on politically, but I ALWAYS read and ALWAYS learn when you're writing. I'm always interested in what you think.'

But many of the commenters were glad to see that the column wouldn't be running.

'Thanks for the update, can we hope to see this improved editorial arrangement become a permanent feature?' one asked.

'It will not be missed,' another tweeted.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Sullivan for comment.

Several commenters on Sullivan's tweet voiced frustration at the column being canceled
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has criticized Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for his help to migrant workers in Mumbai calling him a stooge of BJP to undermine the work of Maharashtra government and other social workers and film actors.

Sonu Soods efforts in helping stranded migrant workers has been widely appreciated on the social media in a time of the pandemic situation.

However, Sanjay Raut in his column in Saamana raised the question that in the pandemic time, the entire world is struggling including the state and centre government machinery to tackle the crisis, but here how one man called Sonu Sood was doing all these work? How he got the machinery to send the stranded migrant workers in their home states? The person who is behind Sonu Sood work is Shankar Pawar. He is president of Rashtriya Banjara Seva Sangh who was seen in many photographs with Mr Sood. Pawar is close to BJP-RSS and that is the deliberate attempt to discredit and undermine the other social workers and actors work. Many film stars extended the financial help to poor and needy people, but they never hogged the limelight like Mr Sood, argued Raut.

Interestingly, Raju Parulekar, writer and blogger supported Mr Raut's claim saying he had highlighted this few days back, "I am glad Mr Raut has taken up this issue. I am in favour of appreciating genuine work but not some propaganda that was done during the Anna Hazare movement in UPA (II) government. The same model has been used this time also," Parulekar claimed.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi extended his support to Bollywood actor. He tweeted that, Why slam Sonu Sood if he is genuinely helping? If a private citizen comes forward (IF GENUINE) to help citizens, they should we welcomed & encouraged as it fills a gap. States with best intentions may be unable to do all.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Ameya Khopkar said that except for writing an editorial, what has Sanjay Raut done? He said that if someone has done something good then it should be appreciated. "Show a big heart. Anyway, what can I expect from you except crying...," Khopkar, president of the party's cinema wing said.

BJP leader Ashish Shelar said it was unfair of the Sena to make Sood a target. He said that this is an extremely unfortunate and uncalled comment by Sanjay Raut. Maharashtra government has failed to handle the Covid-19 pandemic situations. If an actor is helping out migrants using his own money, what is Senas problem with this? He is doing their job. Rather than appreciating, Raut is criticizing the actor work, Shelar said.
On Sunday, eight new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Wyoming Department of Healths daily update. The department announced no new new probable cases.

No new recoveries were announced.

There are now 734 confirmed cases, 213 probable cases, 577 confirmed recoveries and 180 probable recoveries in Wyoming.

Seventeen Wyomingites have died after contracting COVID-19.

Sixty-eight confirmed cases and 14 probable cases have been confirmed in Natrona County.

Probable cases are defined by officials as close contacts of lab-confirmed cases with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

A patient is considered fully recovered when there is resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and there is improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) for 72 hours AND at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

Officials have cautioned that the reported numbers are low because of testing limitations, though the availability of testing has increased.

On April 2, the Wyoming Department of Health began restricting testing to six priority categories; potential patients who dont fall in one of those categories had to be tested by private laboratories. However, the department announced April 23 that it would be able to resume testing patients outside of those six categories, although priority patients samples remain at the front of the line.

The symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms appear within two weeks. Health officials recommend self-isolating for two weeks if you have contact with a person who has the illness.
Hyderabad, June 7 : Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday continued questioning a government official in a bribery case relating to land valued Rs 50 crore in Hyderabad.

A day after catching a revenue inspector red-handed while taking the bribe and nabbing a sub-inspector of police, the ACB officials continued grilling Tehsildar Ch. Sujatha for a second day.

The anti-graft agency had raided the residence of Sujatha late Saturday and found cash amounting Rs 30 lakh, gold and other valuables. As Tehsildar or Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) of Sheikhpet mandal, she is suspected to have played a key role in the case.

ACB sleuths were questioning Sujatha, Revenue Inspector K. Nagarjuna Reddy and Sub-Inspector of Police A. Ravinder at the ACB office in connection with the land in posh Banjara Hills.

While Reddy and Ravinder are likely to be produced before a magistrate, the ACB is expected to come out with a statement later in the day about the action against Sujatha.

The ACB had caught Reddy red-handed on Saturday while accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh from Syed Abdul Khalid, who owns 4,865 square yards land in Banjara Hills.

Khalid claims that his father had purchased the land in 1969. Since it was declared government land, he had filed a writ petition in the High Court. He had also approached Shaikpet Tehsildhar to conduct a survey in his land and update the same online.

The Tehsildhar had filed two complaints of encroachment against Khalid with the Banjara Hills police station. When he met her, she directed him to meet Reddy, who demanded Rs 30 lakh as a bribe to settle the issue. On a complaint by Khalid, the ACB caught Reddy red-handed near the Tshsildhar's office.

Banjara Hills Sub-Inspector Ravinder, who had demanded Rs 3 lakh from Khalid and accepted Rs 1.5 lakh, was also caught. According to ACB officials the police official had demanded another Rs 3 lakh for closing the two cases, which were booked against Khalid following the complaints from the Tehsildar.
Many areas in Ho Chi Minh City are still susceptible to flooding whenever it rains, as a series of important anti-flood projects are taking a long time to finish.

Thu Duc District is among the neighborhoods that are usually flooded on a rainy day, according to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Inundation often occurs along such streets as Vo Van Ngan, To Ngoc Linh, and Hiep Binh in the district.

Local authorities are making a feasibility report of a drainage rehabilitation project, the management board of urban infrastructure and construction projects stated.

The project is expected to be approved prior to October 31 and will be initiated in 2021.

Regarding inundation on Le Duc Tho and Pham Van Chieu Street in Go Vap District, the municipal Department of Construction confirmed that a project on improving drainage systems along these roads will be kick-started next year.

Meanwhile, a drainage rehabilitation project along local canals including Xuyen Tam, Cau Bong, Cau Son, Long Van Tu, and Lang is being put on hold due to lack of capital.

The project was originally estimated to cost VND4 trillion (US$171 million), but the latest feasibility report showed that it would need approximately VND8.8 trillion ($377 million).

In order to mitigate flooding at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Tan Binh District, a similar project has been proposed along Hy Vong Canal.

It was not until recently that the citys construction department began necessary procedures to seek for the proposal's approval.

According to Ho Long Phi, former director of the Center for Water Management and Climate Change of Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, authorities must establish a flood prevention apparatus, which is joined by many units and sectors, to effectively implement related projects.

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The family of a self-exiled Thai democracy activist pleaded Sunday for his release, three days after he was allegedly abducted in neighbouring Cambodia. Wanchalearm Satsaksit, a critic of the ex-general Prayut Chan-O-Cha's Thai government, was dragged into a black car on Thursday in Phnom Penh, Human Rights Watch claimed, citing witness and CCTV footage from security cameras. But Cambodian police said they knew nothing of his alleged disappearance and that they were not going to open an investigation. "Please release Wanchalearm. We will look forward to this with hope," his family said in a statement. "We hope this enforced disappearance will be the last time." Wanchalearm is wanted in Thailand for running an acerbic anti-government Facebook page. He had allegedly breached the Computer Crimes Act and Article 116 in the Thai penal code, which criminalises writings that create "chaos", said National Police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen. But "although (Wanchalearm) is wanted by Thai authorities, we have followed strict rules and regulations" in requesting information from other parties, he told AFP. Krissana said Thai police had "no idea" about the dissident's whereabouts. Since the May 2014 coup, Thailand has vowed to track down pro-democracy critics of the government, especially those accused of attacked the kingdom's unassailable monarchy. At least eight prominent Thai activists who fled after the last coup to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have subsequently disappeared, according to HRW. A few hours before his alleged disappearance, Wanchalearm had posted on his personal Facebook account, writing cryptically "Compromise Mode". Since Friday, Thai social media users have expressed anger online, using the hashtag "Save Wanchalearm", which trended over the weekend on Twitter. Prayut's government emerged from the 2019 elections, but remains a legacy of the coup five years earlier with a cabinet stacked with ex-generals and their military allies. They have become increasingly unpopular, especially as the coronavirus rips through the Thai economy. In an expletive-laden video posted on Facebook June 3 which ran up 12,000 views, Wanchalearm had hammered the government and the premier for his "failed administrative skills". Cambodian police have ruled out a probe into the alleged disappearance of a self-exiled Thai democracy activist in Phnom Penh
Monday, were going to start with three or four people in the shop, he said, adding that he would likely add more people to fulfill a backlog of orders.

Once theyre in the shop  my shop is big  they have plenty of space to work, he said, referring to distancing measures. He said he was more concerned for his workers at lunch, and during commutes, and had arranged with one to start earlier, or leave later, to avoid rush hour.

Some businesses are taking it slowly and carefully.

Only about a third of textile workers in the city are expected to be back at work on Monday, said Edgar Romney, the secretary-treasurer of their union, Workers United/SEIU. Businesses that are operating have altered their shifts to reduce crowding and installed plastic shields to separate tightly packed sewing machines.

But many, particularly in Midtown Manhattan, have remained closed, he said.

For retailers, the picture is even more complex. Just opening the doors does not guarantee that customers will return. Curbside pickup does not make a lot of sense for many retailers either, particularly in Manhattan.

Business groups said many retailers were waiting for the next phase to venture out, when outdoor dining is allowed, office workers are permitted to return and shoppers are able to enter and browse around all types of stores, local business groups said.

The earliest that could begin would be late June, based on state mandates that each phase last at least two weeks. But Mayor de Blasio said on Thursday that he did not anticipate the city moving into the next phase until early July.

Businesses can be ready, but are the consumers ready? asked Thomas J. Grech, president of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. I want to demonstrate to the buying public, to the consumers out there, that the businesses are making it safe.
Tensions between the White House and Pentagon have stretched to near a breaking point over President Donald Trumps threat to use military force against street protests triggered by George Floyds death.

Friction in this relationship, historically, is not unusual. But in recent days, and for the second time in Trumps term, it has raised a prospect of high-level resignations and the risk of lasting damage to the militarys reputation.

Calm may return, both in the crisis over Floyds death and in Pentagon leaders angst over Trumps threats to use federal troops to put down protesters.

But it could leave a residue of resentment and unease about this presidents approach to the military, whose leaders welcome his push for bigger budgets but chafe at being seen as political tools.

The nub of the problem is that Trump sees no constraint on his authority to use what he calls the unlimited power of the military even against US citizens if he believes it necessary.

Military leaders generally take a far different view. They believe that active-duty troops, trained to hunt and kill an enemy, should be used to enforce the law only in the most extreme emergency, such as an attempted actual rebellion. That limit exists, they argue, to keep the publics trust.

Vincent K. Brooks, a recently retired Army four-star general, says this sacred trust has been breached by Trumps threat to commit active-duty troops for law enforcement in states where he deems a governor has not not tough enough against protesters.

It is a trust that the military, especially the active-duty military  the regulars  possessing great physical power and holding many levers that could end freedom in our society and could shut down our government, would never, never apply that power for domestic political purposes, Brooks wrote in an essay for Harvard Universitys Belfer Center, where he is a senior fellow.

Even beyond the prospect of using active-duty forces, the presence of National Guard troops on the streets of the nations capital has drawn criticism, particularly after a Guard helicopter may have used improperly to intimidate protesters.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has made known his regret at having accompanied Trump to a presidential photo opportunity in front of a church near the White House. He has said he did not see it coming  a blind spot that cost him in the eyes of critics who saw a supposedly apolitical Pentagon chief implicitly endorsing a political agenda.

Esper two days later risked Trumps ire when he stepped before reporters at the Pentagon to declare his opposition to Trump invoking the two-centuries-old Insurrection Act.

That law allows a president to use the armed forces as he considers necessary when unlawful obstructions ... or rebellion against the authority of the United States make it impractical to enforce US laws in any state by normal means.

Esper said plainly that he saw no need for such an extreme measure, a clear counterpoint to Trumps threat to use force. Almost immediately, word came from the White House that Trump was unhappy with his defense secretary, who often mentions his own military credentials as a West Point graduate and veteran of the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq.

After a night of sometimes violent protesting in Washington last Sunday, Esper pulled several active-duty units, including a military police battalion, to bases just outside the nations capital.

He never called them into action and may have figured that positioning them close to the capital would give him more time to dissuade Trump from resorting to the Insurrection Act. On Friday, officials said the last of those active-duty units were being sent back home.

Trump lost his first defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, over an accumulation of grievances, and it took an unusually long time to replace him.

For half a year after Mattis resigned in December 2018, the Pentagon was run by acting secretaries of defense  three in succession, the longest such stretch of interim leadership in Pentagon history  before Esper took over last July.

This week, Mattis added weight to the worry that Trump is militarizing his response to the street protests in Washington and across the nation.

Calling himself angry and appalled, Mattis wrote in an essay for The Atlantic that keeping public order in times of civil unrest is the duty of civilian state and local authorities who best understand their communities and are answerable to them..

Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict  a false conflict  between the military and civilian society, Mattis wrote.

The worry felt among Pentagon leaders is reflected in the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, reaching out privately to members of Congress in recent days to discuss concerns about use of the military on American streets.

Milley has been publicly quiet since he caused a stir by joining Esper on a walk with Trump across Lafayette Square for a presidential photo opportunity Monday. The optics were awkward. Police had forcibly pushed peaceful protesters out of the way just before Trump and his entourage strolled to St. Johns Episcopal Church in the square, where Trump held up a Bible. (AP) IND IND
Kolkata: Former West Bengal DGP Surajit Kar Purakayastha's ex-wife and her mother were found dead at their residence in Salt Lake on Sunday, police said.

Their bodies were found in separate rooms at their house in BE block under the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.

Purakayastha, who is currently holding the post of the state security adviser, could not be contacted for comment.

"The two women were sick for quite sometime, but the cause of their death is yet to be ascertained," a senior police officer said.

As part of routine, tests will be conducted to determine whether they had contracted COVID-19, he said. The bodies have been sent for autopsy and the building is being sanitised, the officer said.
Chattanooga NAACP officials said they want to see all local police policies and budgets.

Officials said, "In a June 5, 2020 news release from Mayor Andy Berkes office, the citizenry was informed that the mayor signed a 4-part pledge with other mayors to use an evaluation technique put forth by My Brothers Keepers Alliance. This agreement entails an evaluation of the local police department on 8 Cant Wait policies.

"President George Calhoun of the local NAACP calls on the mayor to release all police policies and budgets for public inspection. While My Brothers Keepers Alliance is a national organization, that organization should not be allowed to set the measurement for Chattanooga. The citizens hold the yardstick for measurement and we are ready to measure and recommend changes in the police department based on our responsibility as citizens of the city.

"There are Cant Wait policies that have existed in the city for years and each time brutality and exclusion of rights occur, the African American community is given a Wait excuse and told that the issue will be handled. We are tired of having other people measure out God-given rights to certain segments of the population.

"The mayors release listed eight bullet points, none of which speak to the issues surrounding the equitable treatment of African Americans where we live, work and die. Clear and concise policies are required and swift action taken when the policies are violated. Enough is Enough is a coined phrase, but speaks volumes to the systematic mistreatment of citizens.

"Police Chief Roddy has gone viral with his message and we are holding him accountable for any action of his officers. Lay bare the policies and budget of the police department and take constructive criticism and good advice from those who must bear the brunt of misguided policies. All Chattanooga city council members were elected by the people - do your duty for the good of the people.

"The Hamilton County Sheriff has sat silent during the demonstrations, but the same requirements and call to action made to the City are hereby made to the Hamilton County Mayor, Sheriff and Commission. We need clear and concise policies and actions that promote safety and transparency to the citizens."
Recently my colleague, a Say Yes Guilford scholarship professional, described a day responding to more than two dozen requests for assistance, mostly from graduating seniors and their parents. She answered questions about financial aid and scholarships and listened to their concerns about the impact of income changes due to COVID-19. This day stood out in her mind because she answered a call from the mother of a GCS senior who was completing requirements for permanent residency in the U.S. while also making decisions about college. She had been accepted to a North Carolina public university but was considered an out-of-state student, which means higher tuition. With help from the College Foundation of North Carolina, Say Yes Guilford was able to help her navigate the appeals process. She was granted in-state tuition and will attend UNC-Wilmington this fall. There wasnt music or fanfare, but there was celebration.
Senator Rand Paul listens to testimony during the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labour, and Pensions hearing on Covid-19: (2020 Getty Images)

Republican senator Rand Paul is holding up a bill that would make lynching a federal crime, amid the George Floyd protests.

Mr Paul admitted on Wednesday that he is the only hold-out in the Senate on the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act.

A nearly identical version of the bill passed in the Senate last year, but made it through Congress in February, with an amendment to name it after Emmett Till, who was lynched in Mississippi 65 years ago.

This amendment brought it back to the Senate, but it has failed to pass, due to a lone hold-out, who was not named until Wednesday, according to CBS News.

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.

However, Mr Paul told reporters on Wednesday, that he is holding-out on the bill because he wants elements of the proposed language of the legislation modified.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, the senator said that he wants to make sure the Senate is able to make the language the best that we can get it.

He said: We want the bill to be stronger, and added: We think that lynching is an awful thing that should be roundly condemned and should be universally condemned.

Mr Paul said he was concerned that the current proposed legislation would make it possible to conflate someone who has an altercation, where they had minor bruises, with lynching.

The senator added: We think thats a disservice to those who were lynched in our history and a disservice to have a new 10-year penalty for people who have minor bruising.

During a debate in the Senate on Thursday, that took place the same time as Mr Floyds memorial, Mr Paul proposed an amendment, which would give police qualified immunity, which would protect them from being sued.

Story continues

Rather than consider a good-intentioned but symbolic bill, the Senate could immediately consider addressing qualified immunity and ending police militarization, the senator said.

The amendment was blocked by New Jersey senator, Cory Booker, who said that now is the time to pass the widely supported bill.

Tell me another time when 500-plus Congress people, Democrats, Republicans, House members and senators come together in a chorus of conviction and say, Now is the time in America that we condemn the dark history of our past and actually pass anti-lynching legislation.

Read more

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York state will allow schools and colleges to hold limited outdoor graduations starting later this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.

Were going to allow socially distanced graduations outdoors with up to 150 people total beginning June 26," Cuomo said during his daily press briefing Sunday.

The announcement is subject to change if there are any coronavirus outbreaks or other significant changes.

But schools need to plan [for graduations]. With the progress weve made so far and if we continue this trajectory, well be able to do that.

Cuomo didnt provide any further details about the outdoor ceremonies or guidance that the schools will need to follow to ensure social distancing or other safety measures.

The announcement comes shortly after City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) sent a letter to Cuomo explaining that members of the Class of 2020 should be allowed to graduate at outdoor ceremonies similar to their New Jersey counterparts.

As you know, the lives of our children have been upended, Matteo wrote in the letter. Those who are in the Class of 2020 did not have the opportunity to participate in many of the rites of passage experienced by graduates for many decades, including attending their proms with their friends and a full in-person graduation ceremony.

Governor Murphys plan is rational, safe, and recognizes the unique position the Class of 2020 finds themselves in through no fault of their own, he added.

On behalf of the Class of 2020, I ask that you implement a plans similar to the one announced by Governor Murphy. Lets give the Class of 2020 a chance to celebrate together in a safe, socially distanced way.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Staten Islands three colleges, Wagner College, St. Johns University and the College of Staten Island, postponed their commencement ceremonies to a later date when it is safe to hold an in-person graduation.

Staten Island high schools have started to hold virtual commencements for students, including Monsignor Farrell High School in Oakwood and St. Joseph Hill Academy in Arrochar.

In April, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would host a citywide virtual graduation ceremony for high school seniors.

Were going to do one big celebration of New York Citys high school seniors. Were going to make it something special. You may not have the traditional ceremony that you were looking forward to. Were going to give you something youre going to remember for the rest of your life and you will cherish, he said.

The mayor added that the city will bring together special guests to celebrate seniors, which will include graduates of New York City public schools.

Youre going to have a day of inspiration and support and celebration no matter what this pandemic has thrown at us, de Blasio said.

NEW YORK CITY ENTERS PHASE 1 ON MONDAY

Cuomo also announced that as New York City enters Phase 1 on Monday, there would be 35,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests performed each day across the five boroughs to closely monitor the citys reopening.

New York City has met all the metrics, Cuomo said. We are going to open New York City tomorrow for Phase 1. Period. That will happen. When we begin Phase 1 in New York City, remember New York City had the highest number of cases. New York City has the highest density.

Forty-five people died of the virus in New York state on Saturday, slightly higher than the 35 people who died Friday.

New York performed 60,435 COVID-19 tests Saturday with only 781 of those coming back positive. Cuomo said this means that only 1% of people tested for the coronavirus Saturday were positive.

30 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: The gradual return to normalcy

FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
Spring ISD held its virtual graduations Saturday, during which district officials gave encouraging words to the graduating seniors who overcame their high school struggles. The online ceremonies, an option for those not wanting to go out during the COVID-19 pandemic, were held a week before the districts scheduled in-person graduations at Planet Ford Stadium.

Rhonda Newhouse, Spring ISD Board President, was one of many members of the district to speak during the virtual graduations and told graduates part of what has made graduation special for her was the chance to look out and see the faces of all the graduates.

Graduating during COVID: Klein seniors turn the tassel during virtual celebration

Today, COVID-19 has kept us apart physically, and It has saddened me as I know it saddens many of you, and yet we are not apart, we are together in spirit, Spring ISD Board of Trustees President Rhonda Newhouse told graduates. Because not even this virus can separate us on such a momentous occasion.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee also delivered a virtual message to the graduates, and said they were walking through history. She said she knew many of the graduates had struggled, but to quote Frederick Douglass, there is no power without struggle.

I know that you struggled in many ways to get to this graduating moment and you should be proud, Lee said.

Spring ISD streamed virtual commencements for each of the districts five high schools throughout the day.

Dekaney High School Principal Alonzo Reynolds III told Dekaney graduates that today was a beginning, not an ending.

On HoustonChronicle.com: We finally did this: Houston seniors mark graduation with citywide celebration

You have overcome the obstacles posed by the global health pandemic, Reynolds said. Now, you have every tool you need to achieve each goal you set. The future is filled with possibility because you remained focused and you invested in your greatest asset, and that is you.

Spring ISD Superintendent Rodney Watson said he knew the challenges of adapting in recent months has been challenging for seniors, but that they have faced that challenge squarely.

Each of you have stepped up and did what had to be done to make it possible for this day of celebration, Watson said. Im sorry for what youve had to give up, but I believe these challenges have strengthened and refined you. You sorted out your priorities and came to a conclusion about the impact you want to have on the world.

Dekaney High School Salutatorian Cecilia Solis said in her virtual address that her class battled something they didnt see coming that took their senior year away, but they made it through.

Although this is not the year we anticipated, we survived it, Solis said. It is now time to celebrate this milestone and move onto bigger things.

Spring Early College Academy Valedictorian Ahmad Howard said he was cleaning his room recently to move out for college. Looking at a stack of several years-worth of school notebooks, poster boards and papers, something dawned on him.

This stuff represented all-nighter after all-nighter and some of the most stressful times of my life, butI couldnt even remember the names of most of the projects, Howard said. Especially as we are all matriculated into college, I want to emphasize the importance of stepping back and looking at the larger picture; understanding that a lot of the things we do are not nearly as stressful and overbearing as we convince ourselves that they are.

Friday night, Spring ISD seniors were also one of several districts to take part in Houston Mayor Sylvester Turners Class of 2020 Celebration, which held events for numerous districts in the area, including for Spring ISD at Planet Ford Stadium. The celebration included messages from Turner as well as numerous local celebrities like JJ Watt and Simone Biles.

Turner said in an address to the graduating class of 2020 that the city wanted to honor their achievements, especially during a time when they have struggled due to having to attend classes virtually, and missing many of their friends and teachers. But he said he wanted them to know they are more than just the class graduating during the pandemic.

You are the class defined by power, passion, and pride, and most of all, resilience, Turner said. You are #HoustonStrong.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
(CNN)  While protests on Saturday were mostly peaceful, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was met with a chorus of boos after telling a group of demonstrators he did not support abolishing the city police department.

Multiple videos on social media show the confrontation, which took place when protesters marched to Frey's home and called for him to come out, according to CNN affiliate WCCO-TV. Protesters asked Frey directly if he supported defunding the Minneapolis Police Department.

When Frey replied that he did not, the crowd booed him as he walked away. They also chanted "Go home, Jacob, go home" and "shame," according to video posted to Twitter.

In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for Frey said the mayor is "unwavering in his commitment to working with Chief (Medaria) Arradondo toward deep structural reforms and uprooting systemic racism. He does not support abolishing the police department."

Frey told WCCO that he supports "massive structural reform" to revise a racist system and addressing "inherent inequities."

The confrontation between Frey and the protesters comes as the thousands of people across the nation are calling for police reform and protesting the deaths of unarmed African Americans, sometimes by law enforcement. The most recent deaths include George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.

The incident also comes one day after Frey signed a temporary restraining order with the state to enforce immediate policing reforms like banning the use of chokeholds and requiring the police chief to authorize use of all crowd control weapons, WCCO reported.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Minneapolis mayor booed by protesters after refusing to defund and abolish police."
Samsung Medical Center in Seoul's Gangnam District agreed with Korea Water Resources Corporation on June 3 to employ hydrothermal energy in a bid to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas. Courtesy of Samsung Medical Center



By Ko Dong-hwan





The heating and cooling system in Lotte World Tower in Seoul's Songpa District is partly run by hydrothermal energy. Yonhap
At Least 11 Police Officers Killed in Roadside Blast in Northeastern Afghanistan - Reports

Sputnik News

05:49 GMT 06.06.2020

MOSCOW/KABUL (Sputnik) - At least 11 police officers, including their commander, were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Badakhshan, the TOLOnews broadcaster reported on Saturday, citing the provincial police spokesman, Sanaullah Rohani.

According to the broadcaster, the incident took place late on Friday in the province's Khash district.

Earlier in the day, a source in the Badakhshan police headquarters told Sputnik that 13 police officers and the local police commander, Mazari Khashi, were killed as a result of a mine explosion in the Khash district's Chashma Safidar area. The blast took place during clashes with the Taliban militants that attacked local checkpoints last night. According to the source, the fighting is still ongoing and the Taliban also suffered losses.

Violence in Afghanistan between government forces and the Taliban movement renewed after a three-day ceasefire timed to the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which was underway from 24-26 May, expired.

 Sputnik

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On Friday evening, while throngs of activists protested in Jackson Square, a small group of black masking Indians dressed in beaded and feathered suits took a knee for police-brutality victim George Floyd on Hunters Field in the 7th Ward.

We got together to protest, because we wanted to do it our way, said Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. of the Wild Magnolias tribe, who said that the group had walked about three miles along Claiborne Avenue, from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Hunters Field, where St. Bernard and North Claiborne Avenues intersect.

Though traffic was thick at the time, the marchers in pink and green and black feathers were protected at first by an ambulance, whose driver happened to see them and decided to block traffic for them. When they walked off of the raised portion of Claiborne, a group of New Orleans Police Department motorcycles were waiting for them.

Where are you going? one officer asked. The group then offered to escort the Indians to their destination, blocking both lanes of northbound Claiborne for them as they walked.

Instead of common protest chants like No Justice, No Peace, Fridays group of black masking Indians, often called Mardi Gras Indians, sang their distinct call-and-response songs backed by the beat of drums and tambourines.

This is what we do, said Dollis, as the group ran through traditional songs about strife, such as Nobody Run When Trouble Come.

Hunters Field was the destination because its very existence is owed to civil-rights fighters, who worked to create it from overgrown land set under Interstate 10.

Its New Orleans Recreation Department center was run for years by Freedom Fighter Jerome Smith, who helped to start the first Super Sunday celebration for the Indians.

We came to Hunters Field because this is where it all started, with Indians gathering, said Spyboy Terrell Reynolds, 33, of the Young Masai Hunters tribe.

Once on the field, they sang a few more numbers, then took a knee  or humba, in the dialect used by Indians. We paid homage to everyone who died because of police violence, Dollis said.

Children who are part of the black masking Indian tradition plan to lead their own march on Friday, starting at North Claiborne and Orleans Avenues.

Dollis said Fridays march makes clear that New Orleans has a deep cultural history of protest.

Black masking Indians have paraded through black communities for a more than a century. Until just a few decades ago, the citys vaunted Carnival celebrations were off-limits to African American people, unless they led mules or carried flambeaux as part of krewe parades.

The tradition was once vilified by police but in recent years, big chiefs have hammered out agreements and made peace. Still, the revolutionary spirit remains, Reynolds said. Every time I put on these feathers, its an act of protest.
The Nigerian government has handed over the fishing vessel, Marine 707, suspected to be carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea to the Ghanian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution. Nigeria also handed over 51 crew members including 48 Ghanaians and three south Korea nationals to the government of Ghana and Korea respectively.

The vessel which had authorisation to fish in Ghana and Benin waters was arrested by the Nigerian Navy on May 18, 2020 around the southwest of Lagos waters with her Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off after being suspected to be used for piracy or being used as a mother ship to conduct piracy in the Gulf of Guinea was handed over to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) after preliminary investigations by the Navy.

While speaking during the official hand over of the Ghanian flagged vessel and the crew to the respective authorities, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Bashir Jamoh, said that the Navy, NIMASA partnership which is now hinged on intelligence has put Nigeria on a pedestal of winning the war against piracy and other illegal acts at sea.

Mr Jamoh who was represented by the agencys commander, Maritime Guard Command,Commodore Aniete Ibok, disclosed that though preliminary investigations could not establish that the vessel and her crew were directly linked to piracy, however the vessel still ran foul of international laws for shutting down its Automatic Identification System (AIS) 36 times in the last 6 months, 3 of which were done in the Nigerian waters.

According to him we are handing over this vessel to the Ghanian authorities in the spirit of bilateral cooperation both countries enjoy. We have done our preliminary investigations and we are yet to establish any concrete evidence against the vessel but again, we would not know what she would be doing whenever she turns off her AIS which occurred 36 times without being logged in her record book in line with international protocols and three of these were in our domain. However in the spirit of brotherhood that Ghana and Nigeria enjoys we are handing over the vessel to Ghana for further investigations.

The NIMASA DG further warned that individuals or organisations thinking of perpetuating any form of illegalities in the Gulf of Guinea should be ready to face the full wrath of the law with the antipiracy law in place along with the NAVY, NIMASA partnership that is waxing stronger with major focus on security in the Nigerian maritime domain and the entire Gulf of Guinea.

We will not condone any act of illegalities in our maritime space, we have improved our intelligence sharing with relevant agencies and with what we are doing now in no distant time piracy will be a thing of the past in the Gulf of Guinea because we have a robust antipiracy law that will deal with perpetrators of illegalities in our waters.

While receiving the vessel and the crew on behalf of the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Second Secretary Consular of Ghana in Nigeria, David Ako Sowah, commended the Nigerian authorities for being professional in handling the case. He said what Nigeria is doing is for the benefit of the entire countries in the Gulf Guinea.

In his words As the big brother in this region, Nigeria has done well in showing a lot of maturity in handling this case and I want to assure you that Ghana would also look into more collaborations in Nigeria to ensure that the Gulf of Guinea remains safe for maritime activities.

Equally speaking during the handover, the Consular General of the Republic of Korea in Nigeria Kim Ln-taek, commended the party involved in handling the case. He said his findings from the captain of the ship who is a Korean informs that the AIS was bad. He noted that the vessel and her crew erred by not following the protocols of logging it in the record books when the AIS was down but he was happy that the case has been resolved up till this point.

The Ghana flagged vessel with International Maritime Organisations (IMO) number 7419755 and registration number 316880 is owned and operated by World Marine Company Limited, Japan and as at the time of arrest it had 51 crew on board with all being Ghanians except 3 who are from the Republic of Korea.

This case also brings to the fore the efforts of NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy in the battle against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. It would be recalled that the Navy recently arrested 10 pirates on a Chinese fishing vessel and handed them over for prosecution under the newly signed anti-piracy law.
A day before relaxations under 'Unlock 1' were set to begin, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that place of worship, malls and restaurants will open in the national capital but hotels and banquet halls will remain closed.

Addressing a press conference here, he said: "Places of worship, malls, restaurant shall open in Delhi as per the Centre guidelines.

"However, banquet halls and hotels will remain closed."

Kejriwal also said that the hotels and banquet halls may be converted into hospitals in the coming days, if required.

The Chief Minister also announced that the borders of Delhi with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will be open from Monday.

Kejriwal had announced the sealing of the border with the adjoining states for a week amid the rise in the numbers of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the city.

The Chief Minister once again urged the people to wear face masks while going out and also appealed the senior citizens to stay at home.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the national capital has risen to 27,654 with 769 fatalities due to the pandemic.

Kejriwal also announced that Delhi government hospitals will be available for the citizens of the city only, while those run by the Central government will remain open for all.

Meanwhile, private hospitals, except those where special surgeries like neurosurgery are performed, will also be kept reserved for Delhi residents, he said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom responds to a reporter's question about his executive order advising that non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people should be canceled until at least the end of March, during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 12, 2020.

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

On Friday, California joined a growing list of states and cities across the country banning police forces from using the carotid neck hold  a method used by police to restrain people which has come under fire for severely harming people during arrests.

More than 12 law enforcement agencies across California have already responded to the wave Civil Rights marches nationwide sparked by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after Minneapolis police officers knelt on his neck and pinned him down during an arrest, by banning the carotid hold among their officers.

Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state's police training program to discontinue teaching the "sleeper hold" on Friday in addition to working with members of representatives of California Legislature's Black and Latinx causes to create legislature banning the technique, AB 392.

"We train techniques on strangleholds that put people's lives at risk," Newsom said during a Friday press conference. "That has no place any longer in 21st-century practices and policing."

Assemblyman Mike Gipson, a Democrat from Carson, is the lead author of a bill that would ban the technique entirely, which Newsom said he would sign if the California House of Representatives passed it.

Story continues

"The world watched as the 200-pound weight of a police officer was leveraged on the neck of George Floyd for over eight minutes," Gipson told the Los Angeles Times. "We all witnessed this execution. This was far beyond the existing law that authorizes a peace officer to use reasonable force to effect the arrest, to prevent escape or to overcome resistance."

George Floyd did not die from a carotid neck hold, but police have killed dozens of Black people using it

The carotid neck hold  also known as the "blood choke" or "sleeper hold"  is meant to use an arm to constrain the arteries in a person's neck, restricting blood flow.

Used incorrectly, it can cut off someone's oxygen and strangle a person.

In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Police Department restricted the use of the carotid neck hold after officers killed several Black men while using the technique, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A Times analysis found Black people, who only make up 6.5% of the state's population, made up 23% of people injured by the neck restraint.

"Certainly, we oppose any tactic that leads to the inability to breathe," Rashidah Grinage, coordinator of the Coalition for Police Accountability, told Insider. "AB 392 was a step in the right direction by re[- defining the threshold for the use of deadly force but every municipality needs to overhaul its use of force policy, just as the Oakland Police Commission has engaged in for the last several months.

Similar complaints against the technique have been launched in cities across the country, from New York City to Minneapolis.

"We have a unique and special responsibility here in California to meet this historic moment head-on," Newsom said during a Friday press conference. "We will not sit back passively as a state."

Read More:

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Police forcefully removed protesters from Lafayette Square so Trump could pose in front of a church. White House officials say the photo op was Ivanka's idea.

Read the original article on Insider
Thousands of protesters gathered in Philadelphia on June 6, 2020.

Bastiaan Slabbers/Reuters

Thousands gathered in Philadelphia on Saturday to protest against police brutality and George Floyd's death.

The protests took over the whole city, with an aerial view of the demonstrations trending on Twitter.

A newlywed couple even joined the protest after their wedding.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

People held protests as a result of George Floyd's death across the country on Saturday, with large gatherings happening from San Francisco to New York.

But the most impressive protest of the day might have been the one that took place in Philadelphia.

Demonstrators flooded Philadelphia's center on Saturday, packing the streets and parks on the 8th day of protests in the city.

A local news NBC chopper took aerial footage of the event that captured the sheer scale of the protest.

Demonstrators take up nearly every corner of the city, with Black Lives Matter supporters standing together in solidarity.

The video had over 10 million views at the time of this writing.

The protests were largely peaceful on Saturday, though Philadelphia had seen violence over the last week.

Philadelphia Mayor Phil Kenney even attended one of the demonstrations, taking a knee with protesters.

He said the past week had been "humbling" for him in a tweet about the protest, adding that "black voices have been silenced for too long."

The city still had a curfew beginning at 8 pm on Saturday, even as other large cities lifted their curfews.

Amid the protests in Philadelphia, there was a moment of surprising joy.

Kerry-Anne Perkins and Michael Gordon got married downtown on Saturday and stumbled upon the protests following their ceremony.

Story continues

They joined the demonstration in their wedding attire, much to the delight of onlookers.

Protesters applauded them as they shared a kiss.

Their story quickly went viral online, gaining almost as much fame as the protest itself.

Read the original article on Insider
Imperial Valley News Center

Memorandum on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies

Washington, DC - Memorandum on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies:

MEMORANDUM FOR

THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC POLICY

THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS

SUBJECT: Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese CompaniesBy the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to ensure the integrity of United States financial markets, it is hereby ordered as follows:Section 1. Purpose. United States capital markets have long been the driving engine of the global economy. The combination of robust disclosure requirements, clear and effective regulation, fair enforcement, and a free market system have made the United States the premier jurisdiction in the world for raising capital. Investors trust the financial information provided by United States public companies and know that fraudulent activities will promptly be addressed by United States financial regulators. As a result, companies from around the world want to list on United States stock exchanges and raise money in the United States.

Chinese companies are no exception. For decades, Chinese companies have availed themselves of the benefits of United States financial markets, and capital raised in the United States has helped fuel Chinas rapid economic growth. While China reaps advantages from American markets, however, 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 United States stock exchanges. 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. Chinas 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.

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 PCAOB so that it can fulfill its statutory obligation to inspect audit work and enforce audit standards. Recently, the Chinese government enacted a statute that expressly prevents audit firms from providing this information without the prior consent of Chinese financial regulators. Preventing the PCAOB from complying with its statutory mandate means that investors cannot have confidence in the financial reports of audited companies and creates significant risks to investors in the securities listed on United States stock exchanges.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and PCAOB have pressed China for years to allow companies to provide greater transparency in financial information, to no avail. Concerns about Chinas efforts to thwart transparency requirements suggest significant risks even for investors in Chinese companies listed on United States stock exchanges. Such companies may not provide appropriate and safe investments for investors, including pension funds, which owe fiduciary duties to their beneficiaries.

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.

Sec. 2. Presidents Working Group on Financial Markets. Executive Order 12631 of March 18, 1988 (Working Group on Financial Markets), established the Presidents Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG), which is chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury, or his designee, and includes the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Chairman of the SEC, and the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or their designees. The Secretary of the Treasury shall convene the PWG to discuss the risks to investors described in section 1 of this memorandum and other risks to American investors and financial markets posed by the Chinese governments failure to uphold its international commitments to transparency and accountability and its refusal to permit companies to comply with United States law.

Sec. 3. Report. Within 60 days of the date of this memorandum, the PWG shall submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, a report that includes:

(a) Recommendations for actions the executive branch may take to protect investors in United States financial markets from the failure of the Chinese government to allow PCAOB-registered audit firms to comply with United States securities laws and investor protections;

(b) Recommendations for actions the SEC or PCAOB should take, including inspection or enforcement actions, with respect to PCAOB-registered audit firms that fail to provide requested audit working papers or otherwise fail to comply with United States securities laws; and

(c) Recommendations for additional actions the SEC or any other Federal agency or department should take as a means to protect investors in Chinese companies, or companies from other countries that do not comply with United States securities laws and investor protections, including initiating a notice of proposed rulemaking that would set new listing rules or governance safeguards. Any such actions should take into account the impact on investors and ensure the continued fair and orderly operation of United States financial markets.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales on Friday compared what he said was the treatment of officers over the last week to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

"Two thousand years ago, an angry mob came before people to say crucify that man. That man, being Jesus Christ," Morales said.



When asked by WISN 12 News Investigative Reporter Derrick Rose to clarify who he felt was being crucified, the chief replied, "Law enforcement throughout our nation. Law enforcement is being crucified."

Morales made the comparison at a news conference announcing federal charges against a man police said they witnessed throw a Molotov cocktail into a Boost Mobile Sunday night during the weekend's unrest.

"There's peaceful protesters that are angry for what happened in Minnesota and we get that and we'll work with that. But there's also people taking advantage to loot our cities, to burn our cities and make no mistake, throughout the nation, there are individuals and groups out there who want to burn a police station down," Morales said, raising his voice.

For more than a week, protesters have filled the streets of Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs raising their voices against police brutality and racial injustice.

The demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died after Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was captured on camera kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin and three other officers who were at the scene were fired. All four are facing criminal charges in the case.

Morales has previously denounced Chauvin's actions, but said police officers are being targeted during protests and unrest.

"I'm angry because a political figure approached me yesterday and said, 'The rumor among the political group in the city of Milwaukee is we're told that officer shot himself,'" Morales said.

A previous news release said a Milwaukee officer was shot during a protest May 30. The officer was treated for minor injuries and was expected to survive, police said.

"I'm angry because we're not being believed that a police officer was shot. People are trying to kill police officers. We have officers that are being followed home," Morales said angrily, "Why are our families now being targeted? You talk about crucify? What are we going to get by doing that? That has to stop."

When asked for additional information on the incidents the chief referenced, a department spokesperson, Sgt. Sheronda Grant, said in an email, "Over the past two years the Milwaukee Police Department has worked hard to rebuild community trust with our residents. We have made successful strides to bridge the gap with our community; however, due to the recent tragic events that took place in Minneapolis, many of our efforts have been minimized or forgotten. Over the course of the past weeks, one of our officers was shot, an officer sustained a concussion after being hit in the head with a blunt object and two officers were struck by a car while trying to serve the residents of our city. We commend the men and women who participate in the peaceful protests during the day; however, we cannot and will not condone the mob-like mentality that occurs at night."

The chief's comments received criticism and praise online.



"Chief Morales simply compared the mob-like mentality seen throughout the past eight days, to the mobs that were present during early-civilization when Jesus Christ was alive. At no point did Chief Morales compare the death of Jesus Christ to the attacks on MPD officers," Grant added in an email late Friday.
Keeba and Ben just after the ceremony at Loch Morlich

Just a week before the big day Keeba Critchlow had always dreamed about was due to take place, the country went into lockdown  and she was forced to make the biggest decision of her life

'I think were going to have to postpone the wedding is not what you want to hear your fiance say just a few days before the celebration youve spent almost a year planning is due to take place. Even though I knew it was the right decision, I couldnt help but cry  the dream day Id put so much effort into was crumbling and we were powerless to stop it.

That was on 16 March. Our wedding date was the 23rd, a day that we had been counting down to since it was set a few weeks after our engagement in April last year. Wed found the perfect venue: Achnagairn Castle in the Highlands, a few miles from Inverness in my native Scotland. Almost 90 guests were due to join us from all over the world, I had a beautiful dress, my fiance Ben had hired a kilt to change into for the evening ceilidh, all the suppliers were fully paid and Id even knitted a shawl for my goddaughter, our flower girl, to wear. And now none of it was going to happen.

The situation with coronavirus had been deteriorating for a few weeks and Id been trying not to despair as more and more guests started pulling out, either as a result of travel problems or being in a high-risk category. Even my mum, stepdad, stepbrother and his partner now wouldnt be able to join us, having been put on lockdown in France where they live. That was the worst moment: Id dreamed of my wedding day my whole life and the thought that people so important to me wouldnt be there as I walked down the aisle was devastating. Still, my head and heart were set on the wedding happening as planned. Even when my bridesmaid sent me a message saying, I dont think your wedding will be able to go ahead, it didnt cross my mind that she might be right. How could she be when Id spent most of the past year obsessing about every aspect of it? Every night Id go to sleep picturing different parts of the day: Bens reaction to seeing me in my dress, what might be said in the speeches and toasts, dancing surrounded by all the people we love most Surely it couldnt all be snatched away so close to the big day?

Left: Ben and Keeba arrive at their scaled-down reception at a friends house. Right: Keebas dad Bill walks her down the sandy-beach aisle

The final straw was Boris Johnsons first daily coronavirus briefing on 16 March. We realised it was irresponsible of us to carry on as planned: not only would the remaining guests be at increased risk of coming into contact with the virus through travelling and being gathered together in one place, but it was also an increased risk to the people of the Highlands (at the time of our decision, there were just two confirmed cases in that region of Scotland). Thankfully our venue was wonderful and agreed to let us decide on a new date  next January, for a celebration with family and friends. That was the most worrying call to make as we knew our wedding insurance would not pay out if it was our decision to postpone so the financial loss would have run to thousands of pounds. Then it was a case of informing our other suppliers and sending a message to our guests. Having spent much of the previous fortnight in a tearful daze, once the decision had been made I found myself totally calm  which was lucky because dealing with the logistical fallout demanded all my mental capacity.

In the midst of all this, Ben was also trying to revise and sit his end of medical school exams so, knowing that the legal paperwork was in place and having no idea what the future would hold, we made the decision to fly to Scotland from London as planned and get married anyway.

We had booked a humanist celebrant, Jenny Shepherd (who can legally marry people in Scotland), to conduct the ceremony for us, and asked her if she would be willing to still marry us using a shortened version of the planned script and in another location. To further reduce the risk, we decided to have our new scaled-down wedding (just us, our celebrant, my dad Bill and stepmum Gwyneth as our witnesses) outside. Unlike in England and Wales, you do not need to be under a fixed, licensed structure to get legally married in Scotland. As were both from coastal areas, we wanted to get married by water. So the day after we arrived in Scotland we went on a scouting mission for a location.

Our favourite was Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms National Park  surrounded by snow-capped mountains and forest, its a large lake complete with a sandy beach. Although wed intended to still get married on our original date, Monday 23 March, with the situation changing so quickly Jenny suggested bringing it forward to Saturday 21st, leaving us less than a day to get permission from the landowner, notify the register office and collect our marriage schedule from them before they closed at 4.30pm. It wasnt until we were clutching that all-important piece of paper that it felt as though it really was going to happen.

The day of the wedding was perfect: crisp, clear and sunny. But instead of the wedding morning Id imagined  my bridesmaids and family gathered in the bridal suite sipping champagne while we had our hair and make-up done  I applied my own make-up while drinking tea in my dads living room as Ben took a few of those classic getting ready pictures on his mobile (Gwyneth generously let me steal her hair appointment so I could still feel a bit pampered). Then I helped Ben figure out how to put on a kilt (hes English!) before banishing him from the room so I could get into my dress.

Having put so much thought into all aspects of my appearance as a bride, I decided I wanted to look as different as possible for my new ceremony so I could wear my original outfit for next years celebration. I changed into my substitute wedding dress  lent to me last minute by a very sweet friend  then, wanting to still have some element of surprise for Ben, covered up in an enormous coat. Being a traditionalist, I was keen to stick to the old rhyme and wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue (I decided that a sixpence in my shoe was probably a step too far, however), so with a pair of old earrings, a new wedding ring ready in its box, a borrowed dress and a pair of blue heels, we were ready to go. Although it wasnt the wedding Id pictured for so long, as we prepared to set off, I realised that wasnt what mattered. The important thing was that Ben and I were about to get married.

Loch Morlich was over an hours drive away from my dads house in Elgin, Moray, so I offered to be chauffeur and the four of us piled into the car wed hired. It was quite a squeeze with a folding table, camping chairs, a picnic hamper, bouquets and buttonholes (to save them going to waste, our wedding florist had made up what we needed as all our flowers and greenery had already been delivered to her). Ellie, the daughter of family friends, kindly volunteered to come to take photographs for us so that our missing guests would still feel part of the day.

The newlyweds with Bill and stepmum Gwyneth against the snow-capped mountains at Loch Morlich

We couldnt help but laugh at the unexpected turn of events as we all gathered in the car park. Having sent everyone off to set up on the beach with the table and chairs  Jenny had brought a tablecloth and bright pink bluetooth speaker  I took a moment to gather my thoughts, change into my heels and trade the big coat for a stole before meeting my dad at the edge of the sand and embarking on what felt like the worlds longest aisle walk. With the sound of Pachelbels Canon drifting towards us, and ignoring my dads good-natured complaints about how cold it was, I made my way towards the waters edge where Ben stood waiting.

The ceremony itself was short but perfectly formed and, after our planned traditional Celtic handfast (the origin of the phrase tying the knot), it was time to say our vows and exchange rings. Tears of joy joined the wind-induced streaming when Jenny announced that we were now husband and wife. And it wasnt just our little group feeling emotional either; a family having a picnic further down the beach told us it had made their day to see us get married, especially at such an uncertain time, and a couple of old English sheepdogs appeared equally happy for us as, tails wagging, they came over to say hello. We had planned to toast our marriage with a bottle of champagne on the beach, but the chilly wind changed our minds and we instead decamped to the car where we clinked glasses to shouts of congratulations and a smattering of applause from passing walkers.

Then it was time for the hour and a half drive back to Ellies parents house who had offered to prepare a wedding breakfast for us. The reception was wonderful: they had decorated their house with bunting and greeted us with a confetti shower before serving a delicious meal washed down with, naturally, more champagne. Although there was none of the pre-meal canapes, speeches or live music we had planned, our little reception had the same warm, relaxed atmosphere that wed hoped to achieve at the castle. Ellies mum Carey had been tasked with making our original wedding cake and we were delighted to see a smaller version waiting for us at their house. We cut it together, with my mum and stepdad watching from France over video chat.

Keeba and Ben literally tying the knot with a traditional Celtic handfast

Afterwards, Careys husband Mark put on some music and Ben and I had our first dance in their kitchen to Frank Sinatra. I even had a brief dance with my dad, something that would not have happened at the original wedding as he hates being the centre of attention.

We woke up the following morning so happy; so glad that we had gone ahead with the wedding, and grateful to all the wonderful people who had made it such a perfect day at short notice. After all, it was put together in little more than 48 hours  and done in the nick of time, too. Later that day, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that wedding celebrations should no longer take place and the day after that, our original wedding day, the UK was officially put on lockdown and weddings banned.

It may not have been what wed planned, and although we are looking forward to the celebration with family and friends next year, we know now that its the marriage  making that legally binding commitment to the person you love  that really matters. Everything else is just the icing on the (wedding) cake.

Pictures from Ellie Nash https://www.paws-and-enjoy.com/
If you need to safely get out and about before June 15th, allow yourself to be mystified at Sensorio's Field of Light or go on a run to raise money for People's Breakfast Oakland.

Still staying indoors? Order delivery from SF's first black-woman-owned cannabis dispensary, immerse yourself in yoga workshops, check out 25 days of the San Francisco Symphony, pick up new cookbooks from Wise Sons and Dominique Crenn, and celebrate Pride.





Consider the struggle for freedom and equality in a globalized world by viewing "Isaac Julien's America," featuring photographic works by Isaac Julien inspired by Frederick Douglass, Matthew Henson, and Angela Davis. // jessicasilvermangallery.viewingrooms.com





Learn all about sea life on World Oceans Day via livestream discussions and films. Pick up some knowledge about life in a drop of seawater, ocean drones, and sounds in the sea, Monday at 1pm and 7pm PST. // exploratorium.edu





Participate in two evenings of virtual yoga immersion with world-renowned teacher Tias Little. On Tuesday, practice movements and reflect on feminine and masculine forces; on Thursday, use meditation to support the feelings of the heart and increase its vibrational power, 4:30 to 6:30pm PST. // lovestoryyoga.co





Master the art of bubble tea making with Boba Guy's at home kit. In addition to instructions you'll receive 10 servings of tapioca balls, Tea People organic matcha, homemade sweetener, and more. // $50, thebobakit.com

Stream original and archival content to celebrate each year of SF Symphony Director Michael Tilson Thomas' 25-year tenureand catch a live event on June 28thwith MTT25, daily through June 28. // sfsymphony.org







Safely explore the Russian River Valley with La Crema's brand new outdoor experience at Saralee's Vinyard. First, take a walking tour of the vineyards and historic estate, then enjoy a cheese and charcuterie picnic boxplus an estate wineon the property, daily at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm PST. // $100 for two people ($80 for members), lacrema.com





Order delivery from San Francisco's first black woman-owned dispensary, Posh Green Collectiveand stay tuned for its retail opening later this monthTuesday through Saturday, 11am to 7pm PST. // poshgreencollective.com





Chat with Evan Bloom, owner of Wise Sons Jewish Deli, and SF-based journalist Rachel Levin about their book, Eat Something: A Wise Sons Cookbook for Jews Who Like Food and Food Lovers Who Like Jews. While they chat (on Zoom), make The Goldiea gin and prune-filled drink from their book, Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30pm PST. // Free, register at thecjm.org

Support black lives and community in the Bay Area by shopping from local black-owned restaurants and businesses, donating to and getting involved with black-run initiatives, getting educated, and more. // 7x7.com





While its not NightLife IRL, tune into Cal Academy's free NightLife livestream to learn about the cosmospreferably while drinking a cosmofrom home, Thursday at 7pm PST. // calacademy.org





Join KC Turner Presents and Santa Cruzbased guitarist and songwriter Dan Bern for a live conversation and some tunes, Thursday from 5 to 6pm PST. // Facebook





Celebrate Pride every Friday this month with New Conservatory Theatre Center. This week, hear playwright, activist, essayist, and poet Jewelle Gomez discuss the power of the writer's voice with NCTC artistic director Ed Decker and, next week, tune in for "Quarantine Is a Drag" trivia night, Fridays at 5pm PST. // Facebook

Pick up a copy of Dominique Crenn's new book, Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters, available Tuesday. // $28, booksinc.net







Go on a run and support People's Breakfast Oakland while you're at it. For every mile you walk, run, or bike, $1 will be donated to the organization. // strava.com





Explore 15 acres of fiber-optic light art at the reopened Bruce Munro: Field of Light at Sensorio. Rest assured that safety precautions are in place, including timed tickets, a one-way path through the exhibit, and mask requirements; open Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 10pm beginning June 12. // $30 and up for adults, purchase tickets on sensoriopaso.com

Celebrate 50 years of SF Pride with SF Ballet's virtual Nite Out. Tune in for an artist interview and Instagram takeover, stream Bjork Ballet, make your own cocktail, and bump a DJ-curated playlist, Friday at 1:30pm. // sfballet.org







Learn about the history of indigenous peoples in the Bay Area via a three-part webinar series with California State Parks archaeologist Mark Hylkema. The series commences this week with an overview based on archaeological studies and oral histories, Friday at 1noon PST. // Free, register on Eventbrite





Give Salt & Straw's new Cereal-sly Delicious Series a try. Pick up or order pints filled with Lucky Charms, Cap'n Crunch, and more, open daily. // saltandstraw.com





In just one hour, learn all about Chabot Space & Science Center's 137 years of rich history with staff astronomer Benjamin Burress, Friday at 8pm PST. // Virtual event details on chabotspace.org
Fujifilm Holdings Corps research on Avigan as a potential treatment for Covid-19 may drag on until July, the company said on Sunday, a further setback in the Japanese firms race to find a vaccine.

There is a possibility that clinical trials will continue in July, a Fujifilm spokesman said, responding to a Nikkei report that any approval will be delayed until July or later, due to a lack of patients for trials.

After the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave up on getting approval for the drug by the end of May, the aim was to complete clinical trials this month.

But researchers have only been able to get around 70% of the patients needed for the trials, and because it takes 28 days to get results, the process will continue until at least July, the Nikkei business daily said, citing an unnamed source.

The spokesman said Fujifilm does not make public details of the progress of clinical trials but it has expanded the number of medical institutions that are cooperate in the trials. We aim to complete clinical trials as soon as possible.

Drugmakers around the world are scrambling to develop a vaccine for the new coronavirus, which has infected nearly 7 million people globally, while the disease it causes, Covid-19, has killed nearly 400,000.

Many countries are focusing on drugs like Gilead Sciences Incs antiviral remdesivir and some are using the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, touted by U.S. President Donald Trump. Abes government has championed Japanese candidate Avigan, also known as Favipiravir.

Countries that have succeeded in curbing infections have sometimes paradoxically found it difficult to sustain clinical trials because of dwindling sample sizes for patients.

Japan has avoided the explosive outbreaks seen in some other nations, with about 17,000 infections, and the number of daily infection has been falling, according to public broadcaster NHK and the health ministry.
Man 'kills' father to secure PSU job on compassionate grounds in Telangana

India

pti-PTI

Karimnagar (Telangana), June 07: To secure a job on compassionate grounds, a man allegedly killed his 55-year old father, a PSU worker, with his mother and younger brother being part of the plot and sought to project it as a death due to heart attack in a village in Telangana, police said.

The 25-year old man, a polytechnic diploma holder, strangulated his father to death using a towel on May 26 while the latter was asleep in their house in Kothur village in neighbouring Peddapalli district. Police said they have arrested the two sons while their mother was absconding. They also seized two mobile phones and the towel, used in the crime.

Kerala murder: Man lets cobra loose on sleeping wife, watches it biting her twice

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

The trio had plotted the killing to get a job on compassionate ground for the elder son of the deceased, who was a pump operator in the state-run Singareni Collieries Limited at Godavarikhani in Peddapalli district. After the elder son killed his father, the next day morning the family informed others that he died of a heart attack and prepared for the funeral.

As some people raised doubts over it, he was forced to inform police following which they sent the body for post- mortem and launched an investigation. Police found the man carried out the killing after his mother and younger brother accepted his proposal.

"In order to get the job of his father in Singareni Collieries, the man ended the life of his father," Ramagundam Police Commissioner V Satyanarayana said on Saturday.

A case has been registered against the three under the Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 120-B (conspiracy), 201 (giving false information) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). The profit-making Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), a coal mining firm jointly owned by the Telangana and the central governments, offers employment to a dependent of its employee who dies while in service.
Most teacher unions which are believed to account for over 90% of all South African schools have agreed that schools that are ready must be opened tomorrow, reports the Sunday Times.

This follows the postponement of the original 1 June return date by a week, and further expectations of delays from experts and unions.

Minister of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Angie Motshekga reportedly spent hours in a meeting with unions and governing body associations on Saturday afternoon.

In this meeting, Motshekga reportedly updated these organisations on the various provinces readiness to open.

Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS) CEO Paul Colditz said he was confident that all 2,100 schools that are members would reopen on 8 June.

According to Colditz, reports from provincial education MECs and heads of department showed that about 90% of schools are ready to reopen on Monday.

Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa), said South Africa has reached the stage where it is almost impossible to continually keep schools closed.

There are many schools in provinces that are ready and we believe the time is right now to open the schools, said Manuel.

Doubt regarding schools reopening

When MyBroadband spoke with experts and unions last week, they were doubtful of whether schools would be ready to open on 8 June.

We believe 8 June will not give schools sufficient time to prepare, said teachers union SADTU.

It also urged the government to do its best to ensure that all schools are fully compliant before schools open.

We are aware there are some schools that are more than prepared to open but we feel it would be unfair to have a staggered approach to the opening as this will further increase the gap of inequality in the education system, it said.

The SAOU indicated that it had welcomed Motshekgas decision to postpone the initial 1 June reopening of schools, but was concerned that not all provinces would operate under similar readiness levels to Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The feedback that we get from schools in Limpopo, KZN, North West, and Mpumalanga is that they were not even 50% ready, said the SAOU.

Despite these worries, it hoped that the additional few days before 8 June would provide the DBE and schools with enough time to prepare schools for the return of Grade 7 and 12 learners.

Western Cape returned to school

While most schools across the country were held back from reopening by a week, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) went ahead with the reopening of schools.

While reports indicated that the South African Human Rights Committee (SAHRC) intended to take the department to court over this decision, the WCED maintained that it was operating within the bounds of regulations.

The 1 June opening date was gazetted this past Friday [29 May] as the date for Grade 7 and 12 learners, said Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson for WCED Minister Debbie Schafer.

The national minister confirmed in her briefing that schools that are ready can proceed with the orientation of learners.

Schafer was heavily critical of the SAHRCs rumoured legal action.

I find it incomprehensible that a body that is constitutionally mandated to protect human rights, of which education is one of the most fundamental, wants to challenge a province that is acting in accordance with the Ministers request to get schools ready for 1 June, which has been gazetted, said Schafer.

She added that the argument against reopening schools that are ready is misplaced.

The poor learners are suffering now. Wealthy learners are continuing with learning from home, where they have the resources to do so, said Schafer.

The argument is equivalent to saying that if a car has a flat tyre then we must make all other tyres flat, rather than fix the flat tyre.
A crew from Mural Arts paints over the Frank Rizzo mural on 9th Street. Read more

Shoppers visited the Italian Market on Sunday to find that a major change had come to the storied South Philadelphia row of butchers, cheese-mongers and veggie stalls: The three-story visage of former Mayor Frank Rizzo that had long stared down the street from one of its busiest corners was gone.

It was such an assault on the eyes, Susan DiPronio, 70, said of the mural of the former mayor and police commissioner, which had been all but painted over as dawn broke hours earlier.

Around her, shoppers and dog walkers stopped to snap photos of the wall that had once depicted an exhausted-looking Rizzo in a gray suit with the South Ninth Street market in the background.

The only bit of the mural that remained visible was a painted two-hour parking sign that had been part of the market streetscape background. That section had been too close to a live electrical line for painters to approach, a Mural Arts Philadelphia spokesperson said.

It was a horrible mural; he was a horrible person, DiPronio, who works for a food wholesaler, said as she sipped a coffee from Gleaners Cafe across the street. My eyes feel at peace now.

The 25-year-old mural had been painted over as a national outcry over racial injustices and the killing of George Floyd renewed calls locally to stop glorifying the legacy of a mayor known for his aggressive treatment of the citys black and gay communities.

The murals removal came four days after the controversial nine-foot Rizzo statue was hauled away from the Municipal Services Building in Center City, where it became a focal point of protests. Before the massive bronze statue was taken down, protesters defaced it, attempted to set it ablaze, and tried to topple it themselves.

Shortly after the statues removal, Mural Arts Philadelphia said it would cease all involvement with the Rizzo mural.

We know that the removal of this mural does not erase painful memories and are deeply apologetic for the amount of grief it has caused, the group said in a statement Sunday morning, as its crews covered over the artwork with tan paint. We believe this is a step in the right direction and hope to aid in healing our city through the power of thoughtful and inclusive public art.

Italian Market merchants and property owners said in a statement last week that what replaces the Rizzo image will be something that better represents the fabric of the area.

We agree it is time to replace this long-standing piece of art to begin to heal the black community, the LGBTQ community and many others, they said.

Janet Anastasi, an owner of Anastasi Seafood at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue, said after the mural came down Sunday that she had long been working in its shadow without giving adequate thought to Rizzos legacy for members of the citys disenfranchised communities.

She said she was grateful for the outpouring of frustration that led to its removal because it forced her to confront that legacy.

Im enlightened, Anastasi said. I think we all are.

Other shopkeepers and street vendors who were asked about the murals removal said they had spent the morning concentrating on work and hadnt noticed the change.

Larry Fein, 52, who was shopping at a flavored-popcorn stall, said some merchants hed spoken to had wanted the mural to remain, but they just werent loud enough.

Still, he said, I hope that people who were offended by it find some peace."

Michaela OConnell, 23, a professional dog walker who recently moved into the neighborhood from New York, said she understood that Rizzo still had some fans, but that even they probably understood it was time for the mural to come down.

Even people who grew up with him and saw some of the positive things he accomplished, I think they also realize he caused a lot of pain in certain communities, she said. He became a symbol of oppression.

Gloria Coles, who was waiting in a line meant to limit crowding inside Cannulis meat shop as a coronavirus-fighting precaution, said she was glad to see the mural gone.

He was racist. He was corrupt as hell, the 57-year-old said of Rizzos approach to policing the city. They should put Obama up there.

Staff writer Michael Klein contributed to this article.
US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan (C) poses with US soldiers at Vnukovo International Airport outside Moscow, on June 4, 2020, upon the landing of a shipment carrying medical aid donated by the United States, including ventilators, in order to help Russia tackle the coronavirus outbreak. (AFP)

Berling: Germanys relationship with the United States is complicated, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a newspaper interview, regretting the planned withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Germany.

President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

Should it come to the withdrawal of part of the U.S. troops, we take note of this. We appreciate the cooperation with the U.S. forces that has developed over decades. It is in the interests of both our countries, Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

Maas acknowledged problems in Germanys relationship with the United States, saying: We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But: It is complicated.

On Saturday, senior lawmakers from German Chancellor Angela Merkels ruling conservative bloc criticised Trumps decision to order the U.S. military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany.

A U.S. official, who did not want to be identified, said on Friday the troops 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 Trumps plan to host a G7 meeting this month.
WASHINGTON  After a technical school in Kansas pulled a commencement speech recorded by Ivanka Trump, the presidents eldest daughter, she released the speech anyway and asserted that she was the victim of cancel culture. But those at the school who had led the charge against her said on Sunday that they had taken a stand against something broader: the divisiveness of the administration in which Ms. Trump serves as a senior adviser.

The controversy began Thursday, when officials at Wichita State University Tech decided to cancel the airing of Ms. Trumps prerecorded speech at the virtual ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, after students and faculty members condemned the Trump administrations handling of protests calling for justice for George Floyd, a black man who was killed in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck.

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, Sheree Utash, the schools president, wrote in a statement on Thursday, the same day Ms. Trumps speech was announced. For this, Im sorry that was never the intent, and I want you to know I have heard you and we are responding.

Ms. Trumps response to the colleges decision was to release the video anyway, prompting backlash that lasted through the weekend.
Washington:

Leading the nation in remembering the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack, US President Barack Obama on Sunday said that terror groups like al Qaeda and the Islamic State will never be able to defeat the US and asked Americans not to let others divide us.

Groups like al Qaeda, like ISIL, know that we will never be ablethey will never be able to defeat a nation as great and as strong as America, Obama said at a memorial service for 9/11 victims at the Pentagon.

So, instead, theyve tried to terrorise in the hopes that they can stoke enough fear that we turn on each other and that we change who we are or how we live, he said.

And thats why it is so important today that we reaffirm our character as a nationa people drawn from every corner of the world, every colour, every religion, every background -- bound by a creed as old as our founding, e pluribus unum, he said.

Out of many, we are one. For we know that our diversity our patchwork heritageis not a weakness; it is still, and always will be, one of our greatest strengths. This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to, Obama said.

Across the country, Americans are coming together in service and remembrance, he said.

We run our fingers over the names in memorial benches here at the Pentagon. We walk the hallowed grounds of a Pennsylvania field. We look up at a gleaming tower that pierces the New York City skyline. But in the end, the most enduring memorial to those we lost is ensuring the America that we continue to bethat we stay true to ourselves, that we stay true to whats best in us, that we do not let others divide us, said the US President, apparently referring to the Republican presidential campaign of Donald Trump.

Obama participated in a wreath ceremony outside of the Pentagon. He was joined by the Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Joseph Dunford. A trumpet played as Obama stood solemnly in front of the wreath with his hand over his heart.

A moment of silence was observed at 9:32 in remembrance those who perished in the Pentagon attack.

Today, we return to the site of an attack motivated by barbarism and hate. An attack that rattled the world, that shook this mighty building, and that took 184 lives from us here at the Pentagon as well as thousands more in New York and Pennsylvania, Carter said in his address.

Indeed, when someone strikes at the heart of what we stand for, we respond with the full might of the finest fighting force the world has ever known. Because our memory is long and our reach and resolve are endless, our enemies cannot hide, they cannot escape, they cannot endure. Wherever they are, they will surely, no matter how long it takes, come to feel the righteous fist of American might, Carter said.

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National protests and riots following the incident of the deadly police brutality have featured a common rallying cry: Defund the police. Across the country, calls to defund, downsize or abolish police departments are gaining new traction. Jeremiah Ellison, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, announced on Twitter a dismantling of the city Police Department. The New York Times reports that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that he would cut as much as $150 million from a planned increase in the Police Departments budget. In New York, the Police Department will see a $6 billion budget cut. Progressive officials such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have declared the police in their states is beyond reform. Leftist observers agree: we must starve the beast, because, as The Atlantic suggests, if cops cannot stop killing people, and black people in particular, society needs fewer of them. That is also a central demand of Black Lives Matter that states that law enforcement doesnt protect or save our lives.

Undeniably, the incidents when the police officers react to tense situations with excessive force that sometimes lead to tragic outcomes do occur  but most likely as the result of inadequate training rather than racism. It is clear that when it happens, the matter should be investigated to the fullest extent of the law, and the guilty offenders punished. That is what justice that the rioters demanded actually is.

To listen to the narrative of the systematic racism practiced by the police, however, one would think that most police officers are card-carrying members of the Ku Klux Klan who run around randomly shooting black men to get a kick out of it. Never mind the criminals that they catch, the crimes that they prevent  which includes saving black lives, all while embracing the risk of being killed, the chance of which surpasses odds of the criminals to be killed by the police.

Then, there is a well-known racially disproportionate data of the violent crimes. The socioeconomic factors that drive that data are well studied and include unemployment and poverty, exposure to poor neighborhoods, poor access to public education, rampant drug use, high school dropout rates, and the breakdown of the family structure, where 77 percent of African American children are now born to single mothers. Despite the disproportion in committing violent crimes, there were 172 whites, 88 blacks and 57 Hispanics shot to death by the police in 2020, with a trend decreasing for all racial categories.

Unbeknown to most on the left (or maybe it is just ignored), there is extensive data-driven research that proves that cutting budgets for the police while simultaneously demonizing their image increases crime rates. Its been thoroughly analyzed and described, among others, by Heather Mac Donald in her book The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe. Dr. Mac Donald chronicles the events in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, that followed the killing of Michael Brown, including the ensuing riots, which have been repeated to devastating effect in other cities following police-citizen confrontations. She argues that the increasing hostility toward -- and murder of -- police officers had led to a so-called Ferguson Effect in which police officers in some communities were standing down by cutting back on proactive policing, particularly in high crime areas, out of fear for their safety or of being falsely accused of racism, which has, in turn, led to more crime.

Specifically, it is shown that homicide rates in 56 large U.S. cities were up approximately 17 percent in 2015 over 2014 (much more in some cities), which was the largest increase in a quarter century; then, they went another 15 percent up in the first half of 2016. And it was not just homicides that were up; there have been more than 600 more non-fatal shootings, over 1,000 more robberies, and nearly 2,000 more aggravated assaults compared to the first half of 2015. In Baltimore, where crime rates had shot through the roof (murders had increased by 63 percent in 2015), police officers had quit in large numbers fearing for their lives (e.g., firearms-related killings of law enforcement officers  of all racial backgrounds -- were up a staggering 61 percent in 2016 nationwide).

If the body count was racking up in many of our inner cities, it was not because police officers were randomly shooting black people; it was because black people, predominantly black men, were shooting each other. As Mac Donald notes, young black men commit homicide at nearly ten times the rate of young white and Hispanic males combined, and their victims are overwhelmingly other black residents who live in their communities. In Chicago, for instance, in 2015, 2,460 African American people were shot, compared to 78 white people. In 2011 (the last year for which data was released by the Chicago police), 71 percent of those committing murder were black and 75 percent of murder victims were also black. Homicide became the number one cause of death among African Americans between the ages of 1 and 44. And, Mac Donald adds, until the black crime rate comes down, police presence is going to be higher in black neighborhoods, increasing the chance that when police tactics go awry, they will have a black victim. As Candace Owens advises, if you truly believe the policemen are racists and you dont want to be shot by them, try to minimize the encounters by committing less crime.

It seems like the leftists who call for defunding the police either do not understand the possible outcomes of it, or they intentionally escalate the situation by attacking one of the core institutions of the society. It doesnt appear to them that if you dont particularly like the house you live in and decide to burn it, you wont automatically get a mansion in its place  youll get the ashes. By defunding the police, you wont get safety, youll get more crime. Pair it with a strict gun control in Democrat-run cities and states, promoted, in particular, by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and you get Hello, anarchy! And then, Hello, communism!

The proposed redirection of funds from the police budget to social programs is not going to work without the meaningful employment and economic stability that would turn an economically depressed population into a self-sufficient middle class. And this is exactly what started to evolve due to Trumps policies. In three years, Trump had done more to solve the problem of the black vulnerability than the Democrats who have had nearly exclusive control over almost every major city in America for decades. Weve burned trillions of tax dollars to fight the War on Poverty and trying to improve public education. The Democrats had instituted every policy they believe in with little to no opposition and failed. If they genuinely cared about the black lives, they would promote an economic growth while dropping the race-baiting narrative that vilifies more than half of the population while victimizing the rest and demonizing a force that protects both.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped)

correction: Michael Brown was killed not murdered

Please follow Veronika Kyrylenko, Ph.D. on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Quito (AFP) - By the time the coronavirus pandemic spiraled out of control in Ecuador, misinformation was already spreading on the internet with reports of corpses being thrown into the sea, bodies washing up on beaches and miracle cures aplenty.

Misinformation was already propagating in Latin America several weeks before the virus itself.

By late January, videos were being shared widely on social media purportedly showing the live animal market that was the focus of the Chinese outbreak late last year. However, the images were not of Wuhan but of Indonesia, 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles) away.

Then conspiracy theorists across Latin America accused Bill Gates and US scientists of being behind the coronavirus outbreak.

By the time China registered 80,000 infections and 250 deaths on February 29, Ecuador was reporting its first case, Brazil still had only one and Mexico three.

A month later, Ecuador's caseload had exploded to 2,800.

Health services, morgues and funeral homes collapsed under the strain, and misinformation spread like wildfire, with tangible consequences for Ecuadorans.

- Scenes of horror -

"Don't buy fish! Coronavirus dead are thrown into the sea in Ecuador and Peru," said the caption on two videos shared tens of thousands of times on social networks.

Factcheckers revealed that one video was of the bodies of migrants washed ashore on a beach in Libya in 2014. The other featured the transfer by boat of a corpse that the victim's family said had not been taken from the sea.

"I'm a seafood merchant. The lies and false videos have affected my sales," a trader from Ecuador told AFP Factual via WhatsApp.

Legitimate stories about Ecuador's crisis proliferated, including reporting on the authorities' very real problem of how to dispose of an increasing number of dead in Guayaquil while the city's morgues and funeral services were overwhelmed during a 15-hour daily curfew.

But the real story quickly became clouded by misinformation, as photos of mass graves dug in open countryside were frantically shared on social media.

Story continues

However, of those checked by AFP Factual, one photo was taken in Mexico in 2018 and the other -- while taken in Ecuador -- dated from 2016 and had no link to the pandemic.

"All the attacks were aimed at destabilizing the government," the Ecuador presidency's communications office told AFP.

It gave as an example "the supposed burning of bodies in the streets of Guayaquil, which was taken up by news services all over the world, when in reality the images were of burning furniture or tyres."

Fake stories snowballed on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. The government said it identified 25 groups spreading misinformation via Telegram and WhatsApp, with hundreds of users.

The government began a campaign to clamp down on fake stories and expand corroborated information on the virus and its true effects on the country.

Among other things, it used federal departments to debunk more than 300 pieces of false information since March.

The government also used Facebook and Google to publicize its own health information and ensure it remained on top of search engine results.

- Disinformation Peak -

"During the COVID-19 health emergency, this disinformation campaign grew," the government communications service said.

According to data from the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), nearly 1,000 false stories circulating in Latin America have been debunked since January 24 -- especially stories from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

"The two categories of falsehoods that attract the most attention are about 'authorities' -- that is, disinformation of a political nature -- with 230, and those about false cures, with 181 cases," the IFCN said.

- Deadly remedies -

As in other regions, misinformation about home remedies flourished online, with posts prescribing cures including eating garlic and gargling salt water and vinegar, all widely debunked.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro published such a remedy in March. Twitter took it down.

Health authorities and experts agree: these remedies at best can relieve symptoms but are no cure for the coronavirus, nor will they prevent its spread. They warn that ingesting any of these products in large quantities can be harmful to health, even fatal.

Injecting sea-water -- as hundreds have done in Ecuador -- can be harmful "because the body is going to draw water from the tissues to lower the level of salt in the body," Juan Jose Yunis, professor of genetics and immunology at the National University of Colombia, told AFP.

Brazil, Peru and Mexico have since displaced Ecuador, with its 40,000 cases and 3,400 deaths, from the top of the chart of South America's worst-affected countries.

But the dramatic pictures from Guayaquil -- the real ones -- continue to be confused in the public mind with misinformation, illustrating the size of the task facing fact-checkers.
A teenage boy has been charged after a crash that killed four others in Townsville on Sunday, in a 72-hour period that saw eight lives added to the state's road toll.

The spate of fatalities, deemed "not acceptable" by police and "tragic beyond words" by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, have sparked pleas for motorists to take care.

The number of people killed on Queensland roads stood at 100 as of midnight Sunday, up nine from the same period last year and despite less traffic due to COVID-19 restrictions, before a woman lost her life in a motorcycle crash south of Brisbane on Monday morning.

In Townsville, police believe the stolen car was travelling on the wrong side of Duckworth Street in Garbutt when it clipped a roundabout and rolled.
21:31

The Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airstrip being used in the ongoing dispute in eastern Ladakh near the China border was reactivated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) without taking written permission of the government, says former Vice Chief Air Marshal (Retd) Pranab Kumar Barbora.





DBO is the world's one of the highest advanced landing grounds at an altitude of over 16,800 feet and its strip can be used for landing aircraft like the AN-32 and the C-130J Super Hercules.





"Since there was nothing in writing (about reactivating the airstrip), the government was informed through proper channel only after the landing was done and I returned from there," Barbora told ANI when asked about the reactivation of the airfield by the IAF without seeking permission from the government.





On how did the government react when they came to know that the airfield has been reactivated without their knowledge, Barbora said: "The government asked why did you do it? We said it is the Air Force's responsibility to maintain troops' logistics:"





He said that when the airstrip was reactivated by India, the Chinese wanted to hold discussions about it through a flag meeting but despite India agreeing to it, the Chinese never came to discuss it.





He said the then defence minister had also asked him what he would tell the Chinese if they raise questions about it during his visit to China where he was taking the earthquake relief supplies.





Barbora said the Chinese never raised the issue with the defence minister during that visit.





Elaborating on the reasons for not taking permission from the defence ministry, he said that after 1962 when it was opened, 'there were no more operations after 1965. So, practically three years we operate and when we had to close it down because we did not have an aircraft'.





Barbora said that in the older times after 1965, the proposal to reactivate the airfield had been rejected.





"So, 43 years had gone by, and there was no clearance to re-operate from there because of so many reasons and every time there was no no no ...," he said.





Barbora said that he had studied the project and 'I requested the field officer who was doing the para-dropping, etc., and flying transport through helicopters, to review everything'. -- Ambuj Pandey/ANI
Rain and thundershowers will impact parts northwest India, including the National Capital Region, from June 11 for three-to-four days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Scientists say it is unlikely that these regions will record severe heat or heat waves anymore this season. This is because a low pressure is likely to form over east central Bay of Bengal during the next 48 hours, which is likely to move west-northwest and become more marked in the subsequent 24 hours, the IMD said in its Sunday bulletin.

Under its influence, widespread and heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Odisha, north-coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from June 9 to June 11, and very heavy rainfall is likely over Vidarbha, gangetic West Bengal, Gujarat and south Madhya Pradesh on June 10 and June 11.

The same system will bring thundershowers and cloudy skies here in the Delhi-NCR area also. Peak rain activity may be on June 13 but we can expect light rain on June 11, 12 and 14 as well. This is mainly because of the moisture-laden easterly winds which will be blowing in when the low-pressure forms. There is no likelihood of heat wave in northwest India anymore, said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.

Parts of the NCR, including Delhi, received showers Sunday morning, due to the influence of a western disturbance that is impacting the Western Himalayas. There may be light rain in some parts of the NCR in the next 24 hours, scientists as the IMD said.

Meanwhile, monsoon has advanced into interior parts of southern Karnataka, parts of Rayalaseema, most parts of Tamil Nadu, entire southwest and eastcentral Bay of Bengal, and parts of westcentral, northwest and northeast Bay of Bengal. Scientists at the IMD said conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of the monsoon into some more parts of the Central Arabian Sea, Goa, some parts of Konkan, some more parts of Karnataka, Rayalaseema, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu and some parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh in the next two-three days. In the subsequent two days, monsoon will advance into Maharashtra, remaining parts of Bay of Bengal and northeastern states, some parts of Odisha, and the gangetic West Bengal, IMD said in its bulletin. From June 1 to June 7, the country received 41.1 mm of rain against a normal of 24 mm during this time of the year, which is 71% in excess.
Slowly but steadily, George Cooks brought up the rear of Saturdays march in Lakewood, one of countless demonstrations around the state and the country to unify people against police brutality and express outrage over the police-custody deaths of Black people, including George Floyds last month in Minneapolis. Cooks was one of the thousands of people that took to the streets in New Jersey Saturday to demand racial justice in the northern, central and southern parts of the state.

Cooks, 81, of neighboring Jackson Township, is a veteran of the civil rights struggle who became vice president of the Pennsylvania NAACPs statewide youth division at age 16, after he had already been taking part in non-violent protests.

Ive been fighting peacefully since way back in 1950, attending demonstrations and peaceful marches, said Cooks, his slight build shaded only by khakis and a blue button down shirt as he walked down Clifton Avenue toward a plaza in Lakewoods downtown commercial district, where the march would become a rally.

Wary of individuals who seize on peaceful demonstrations organized by others to spark violence after dark  Cooks approached the diverse crowd gathering on the plaza and expressed satisfaction at the sight of so many brothers and sisters of all races to demonstrate peacefully.

And thats what they did.

Saturday, June 6, 2020 - Demonstrators in Lakewood march along Clifton Avenue in a protest of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis which began at 9th and Clifton Avenues and ended in Lakewood Town Square, also known as Red Square.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The rally, organized by 24-year-old Lakewood native Marquis Oliver with help from a new generation of NAACP leaders, was free of violence, with no arrests or reports of injuries or property damages, Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer said.

Oliver and other speakers made no explicit demands on local law enforcement or state and federal officials. Rather, they urged those gathered to advance their personal and community interests through actions including voting, particularly in a unified manner, and becoming financially literate.

Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles, Police Chief Gregory Meyer and Ocean County Prosecutor Brad Billhimer were on hand at the event, too. In a statement, the town police department thanked all of the attendees for what they called a successful and meaningful event.

About 200 members of Lakewoods Orthodox Jewish community, which makes up about two-thirds of the townships estimated population of 106,000, gathered at the rally by the time it ended just after 3 p.m.

As a people who have been persecuted for the entirely of our existence, said Yisroel Fishman, 22, a Talmudic student who joined the protest, "were not a people who want to be racist against other people, because we know what it does to us.

Thousands participate in a rally on the steps of Jersey City Hall on Saturday, June 6, 2020 to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota almost two weeks ago.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

In Jersey City, the thousands of people who peacefully flooded the streets Saturday afternoon were there thanks to a high school senior, Adreana Williams. The rally, she said, started forming when she simply texted a friend saying she wanted to have a protest. It all grew from there.

Thank you for caring and thank you for being here, Williams, who plans to attend Howard University in the fall, told the massive crowd. This should be the norm.

This crowd stretches farther than I can see pic.twitter.com/FHF1lMOXGX  Jeremy Schneider (@J_Schneider) June 6, 2020

Williams, who emceed the whole event, which also included a looped march that started and ended at City Hall, was supported by many of her classmates, including other McNair High School seniors who donned their caps and gowns. Instead of prom and graduation, the commented, they had rallies and marches.

Like at other rallies held across the state, the event was peaceful and held in coordination with local police, who cleared the streets for the demonstrators.

Thousands of protesters attend a rally on the steps of Jersey City Hall on Saturday, June 6, 2020 to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota almost two weeks ago.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A group of about 200 in Atlantic City held a rally Saturday that started out like the protest in the city last Sunday  peacefully  and unlike last week, ended that way.

Before the march began, Atlantic City Black Lives Matter protest organizer Steve Young called for no looting or rioting.

"You have a responsibility to make sure there's no violence and this stays peaceful," Young said.

Fellow protest organizer Beau Smith echoed his message. Atlantic City has had enough of this," Smith said. "For you to come in here and destroy their town even more, you are against what were fighting for.

People rally at the Public Safety building in Atlantic City, Saturday, June 6, 2020, in protest against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The group marched along Atlantic Avenue chanting No justice, no peace, and Hands up, dont shoot, among others, with members of the Atlantic City Police Department escorting the protesters along the 1-mile route.

New Jersey State Troopers lined the boarded-up shops at Tanger Outlets, many of which were among the places looted last Sunday following a protest. A State Police helicopter also flew above the marchers Saturday. Through it all, the crowd stayed peaceful.

You must not only be here today, but be here tomorrow and the next day, until we can figure out how to build a country that is based on the philosophies that all human beings are deserving of humanity, said Smith.

People march from City Hall to the Public Safety building in Atlantic City, Saturday, June 6, 2020, in protest against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The protests were held to raise awareness of Floyds death, which was captured on video as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck. The incident has sparked both peaceful protests and violent outbursts in cities around the country in the last week.

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.

Chris Sheldon, Michael Mancuso, and Andy Mills contributed to this report.

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People on ventilator support in Delhi saw only 2-fold rise from Jan 1-14: Data

3-kg bomb at Delhi flower market: Police yet to zero in on any suspect

Republic Day: Delhi-NCR under high-security cover after intel inputs of possible terror attack

Delhi reserves hospitals for residents only as Capital battles COVID-19

India

oi-Deepika S

Delhi, June 07: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that hospitals run by the government and some private hospitals will be reserved only for residents of the national capital.

The move comes amid the controversy of Delhi hospitals turning away coronavirus patients, claiming the non-availability of beds.

"Over 90 per cent people want Delhi hospitals to treat patients from the national capital during the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, it has been decided that government and private hospitals in Delhi will only treat patients from the national capital," Kejriwal said at an online press conference.

"Delhi's health infrastructure is needed to tackle the coronavirus crisis at the moment," the Chief Minister said.

Not right time to unlock Delhi: Congress

Kanpur top cop pays fine for not wearing mask in public | Oneindia News

Speculation was rife that a couple of private hospitals in Delhi are refusing admission to COVID-19 patients and demanding lakhs of rupees for allotting bed to those in a pressing need.

Asserting that there is no dearth of hospital beds in the national capital to treat COVID-19 patients, he said the Delhi government would deploy medical professionals at each private hospital to keep a tab on available beds.

Malls, restaurants and religious places in Delhi would open from Monday after more than two months since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed, but banquets and hotels would remain closed.

The Chief Minister also announced opening of Delhi's borders from Monday.
There has been a call for an urgent meeting of Stormonts party leaders to be called over the delay in delivering payments to Troubles victims.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he has written to the leaders of Northern Irelands other major parties to work together to resolve the impasse over the victims payment scheme.

Westminster and Stormont are at loggerheads over who pays the estimated 100 million cost.

Expand Close The aftermath of the IRA bombing of a fish shop on the Shankill Road in Belfast in 1993 which killed 10 people including one of the bombers and injured almost 60 (PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp The aftermath of the IRA bombing of a fish shop on the Shankill Road in Belfast in 1993 which killed 10 people including one of the bombers and injured almost 60 (PA)

The scheme which allows support payments, which range from 2,000 to 10,000 a year depending on the severity of the injury, was supposed to open to applications on May 29.

It is understood that Sinn Fein is declining to nominate a Stormont department to run the scheme because it objects to those with convictions of more than two-and-a-half years being excluded from applying.

Mr Eastwood described the delay so far as inexcusable.

He has urged a meeting of the Party Leaders Forum, a body created by the New Decade New Approach deal to resolve areas of political disagreement, as well as meeting the British and Irish Governments to agree a way forward.

Expand Close The Rising Sun Bar in Greysteel, Co Londonderry after Loyalist gunmen killed eight people and wounded 19 in 1993 (Martin McCullough/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Rising Sun Bar in Greysteel, Co Londonderry after Loyalist gunmen killed eight people and wounded 19 in 1993 (Martin McCullough/PA)

Victims and survivors have been marched to the top of the hill too many times to be let down again, he said.

These people bear the physical, psychological and emotional scars of conflict, pain they have to live with every day.

The failure of the Executive to deliver on their basic need for recognition, respect and compensation is inexcusable.

I have written to each of the other Executive party leaders today requesting an urgent Party Leaders Forum to take this matter forward.

There is no good reason on this earth why we cant nominate a lead department to take forward the essential technical work on the scheme and prepare to make payments as soon as resource is made available.

Those delaying the scheme are inflicting further pain on people who have suffered immensely over the last 40 years. It cannot be allowed to continue.
This might sound strange but I'm passionate about contact tracing. And I'm in this for the long haul. I firmly believe that I have the skills to make a difference. But so far, at least, the test and trace system is experiencing teething trouble.

A friend and colleague described the 'terror and boredom' of our role. The description comes from the First World War trenches. Terror because, as I found, you can have a case up on screen then suddenly you press the wrong button and  whoosh  the patient's details disappear before your eyes, just like one of those online forms we all have to fill in. There is this constant fear of hitting the wrong key.

The boredom comes with staring at a blank screen waiting for something to happen. For one shift, I didn't manage to speak to a soul. In fact, I've done three eight-hour shifts so far and managed to make contact with only three people. Yet my assumption was that I'd be absolutely swamped.

It is early days, of course. While I think many things could be done better, the simple fact is that contact tracing is incredibly important. Pouncing on contacts after exposure to an infected person  or index case, as we call them  is vital in preventing further transmission.

Some 25,000 contract tracers are supplemented by another 3,000 caseworkers to carry out tracking and tracing (stock photo)

I am committed to getting it right from the inside. But the Government will need to make changes.

Working in the NHS as a sexual health adviser, I use contact tracing all the time. Getting someone who has just tested positive for HIV or syphilis to divulge the names of their partners can be emotionally fraught. We have to gently build trust.

AND then comes the delicate job of tracing people and advising them to get tested. Often it is not clear cut, identities might not be known. Sometimes a cluster of cases emerge around, say, a nightclub and we cross-reference information to trace people. Surely, I thought, Covid-19 tracing would be straightforward in comparison.

From the outset, a call for help should have gone out to sexual health workers, and others such as environmental health officers who trace people in salmonella cases, for instance. Yet I really had to fight to get on board, a week of solidly making phone calls, waiting on the line for up to an hour and a half in some cases.

There are some 25,000 contact tracers, or 'Tier 3' call handlers. Because of my background, I am one of the 3,000 or so Tier 2 contact caseworkers and I was recruited by NHS Professionals, the organisation that supplies temporary staff to the NHS.

My role involves calling people who have tested positive for Covid-19, getting them to talk through who they've come into close contact with in the two days before exhibiting symptoms and seven days afterwards  and feeding the details into the system. We have to walk them through where they have been  we are specially trained in techniques to jog their memories  and whom they met.

We record every contact: someone who has been in the same household as the person who has tested positive or has been within two metres of the person for at least 15 minutes. Tier 1 is the managerial strata comprising Public Health England workers.

People speak about an army of us, but I haven't met anyone else. We work individually, in our own little bubble. We need a quiet environment and I'm in a corner of the house, just me and my PC and my headset. There has been training, mostly reading material, what to say to patients and so forth, but a training video to help us understand the technology would be more useful  in particular a video showing what happens on screen as a case develops.

I don't need to be told how to talk to patients.

I've had to fit this around my full- time job so my first shift began at midday last Saturday. What was most worrying for me was the internet connection. I'm with TalkTalk and it keeps going down, yet we need the internet to communicate with patients.

Not for the first time, I reflected on the irony: Dido Harding, the much criticised former CEO of TalkTalk, is now the NHS's contact tracing tsar.

What became apparent early on was how much you are on your own. With my regular job there are always people to call on: my manager, a consultant, doctor, colleagues to bounce things off. But with this there is no one, I don't even have a supervisor.

After an hour, a name popped up on my screen and with it a reference number, but no date of birth. I call the number but there is no answer. I leave a message saying that we'll call back, which I do later. They can't call you back.

Afterwards the message 'Back to campaign' appears on screen. I click this to take me back to the taxi rank. You keep clicking in the hope that another case will come along.

It occurs to me that it is rather like fishing: you sit waiting patiently for a bite. Up pops another name. I ring and  high excitement  someone picks up. We have to say that we are recording the conversation for training purposes  which makes it sound as if you're working in a call centre. This rankles with me as I believe the conversation between healthcare professionals and patients should be confidential. Also might it put people off a bit?

The woman who answered was able to talk and I clicked a message on screen saying 'Happy to go ahead'.

She was from the Lake District and had tested positive with symptoms including loss of taste and smell, fatigue and muscle ache. She seemed glad to help and gave me the names of everyone in her household, which I took down and put into the system. I advised them to self-isolate for 14 days.

If, for example, she had met a friend in the street and had chatted for longer than 15 minutes, I would have had to put that name in as well. But it wouldn't be me contacting the friend  that would be done by someone else. Yet I wish I could just be given 20 names and the task of tracking down all their contacts, seeing the job through to the end.

This Government graphic explains the test and trace programme, which launched last week

All I could advise in this situation was to self-isolate. Neither the woman nor her partner had been anywhere.

So far, so straightforward.

What became apparent from this case was how far the system is behind. The woman tested positive two weeks earlier but I'm only getting in touch now.

I am allowed only a half-hour break but given that there is so little to do, I imagine others mow the lawn or go to the shops. But I'm too diligent for that  and for all I know, I might be being monitored. I do get up every now and then just to walk around.

I had only eight cases on that first shift. Six just didn't respond to calls. The other was a chap who tested positive  again in mid-May  the day after being discharged from hospital following an operation.

He saw a nurse who dressed his wound and though she was wearing PPE, I put her down as a possible contact. All in all, the first day felt a bit dispiriting.

The next day  another midday- to-8pm shift  was even worse. Again I only had about eight cases, but got through to just one.

First, I rang the man's mobile. No answer. Then I tried the landline and got his wife, who explained that he was very sick in hospital and couldn't talk. But here's the problem: I wasn't allowed to ask his wife about his contacts. I needed his verbal consent, presumably because of data protection.

Yet there was nothing I could do beyond offering a general bit of advice about self-isolating. English wasn't the woman's first language and she must have wondered what was going on.

My third shift was a washout. Eight cases but no answers.

But I strongly believe that when we emerge from lockdown it will improve. People will venture out more  in pubs and back at work  and there will be more interactions to trace. By then, hopefully, the problems will have been smoothed over and the system will function better. But the Government needs to take note of these criticisms and others like them.

As I said, I'm in it for the long haul.
JoAnne Young State government reporter JoAnne Young covers state government, including the Legislature and state agencies, and the people they serve. Follow JoAnne Young Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

They would be so proud.

Leola and Hugh Bullock and Lela Shanks also would have been horrified at the deaths of George Floyd, Amaud Arbery, Bothem Sean, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor and the others. And they would have been saddened that in 2020, 10 years after their deaths, this could still be happening.

Because they dedicated their lives to change, never took anything for granted, worked every day, until they drew their last breaths, to bring understanding and to advocate in the fight against injustice.

They died before the Black Lives Matter movement began, but they knew it to be true. And they would be proud of the peaceful protests of young people in Lincoln in the past week. They would have been right there with them, in spirit if not in body.

The Bullocks and Shanks are at the top of the list of Lincoln's civil rights activists, inspiring so many young people to fight racism and bring equality, and do all things possible to educate themselves and become mentors and pull up those who are oppressed.

They did their share of standing up for justice and standing in when protests were needed. But then, they did so much more.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

In northern New Mexicos more rural areas, access to hospitals and other health care facilities can be severely limited, making it hard for residents to get basic services.

This lack of access has been accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic as the bulk of testing for the coronavirus occurs primarily in more urbanized parts of the state.

Networks of rural health clinics, such as El Centro Family Health, have stepped up to fill in the gap.

With 27 separate locations around northern New Mexico, El Centro has provided health care services for rural residents for years. Now, those services include COVID-19 testing.

El Centro Chief Operations Officer Jerome Williams said the clinics often are the only places people can get tested or access information about the virus, unless they drive multiple hours to the nearest hospital.

Were serving marginalized communities, Williams said.

Many El Centro patients do not have their own health care plans or cannot afford the co-pays at another facility, Williams said. During the pandemic, El Centro clinics have waived all co-pays and are providing free testing.

However, like other health care institutions in the state, the pandemic has seriously impacted El Centros operations, both physically and financially.

For example, most visits with patients have shifted to a telehealth model, in which patients can talk with providers by phone or over the internet.

But for providers located in rural areas defined by a lack of technology, organizing telehealth appointments can be especially trying.

Access to technology is always an issue, including for us, said Mark Bjorklund, El Centros chief clinical officer. We dont have the infrastructure in many of our clinics to do as well as we could.

El Centros Truchas location has only one working phone, limiting the number of telehealth calls and preventing other employees from making outside calls. Williams said they have ordered more phones.

Many residents in and around El Centro locations also lack internet access, and while many have telephones, some do not.

Bjorklund said some residents have government-issued cellphones, sometimes referred to as Obama phones, but that those phones have only a certain number of minutes for phone calls, making in-depth health appointments hard to complete.

Improving the phone systems and internet bandwidth, Williams said, are among the top priorities currently for El Centro.

Some clinics also struggled to get enough personal protective equipment, known as PPE, early on, although numbers have improved in recent weeks. Even when PPE did arrive, getting fitted for N95 masks proved difficult, since there are very few places to get fitted near the clinics.

At this time, we are OK, Bjorklund said of El Centros PPE supply. Weve stayed ahead of things. Initially, we were not real sure that we were gonna do that.

But those improvements, as well as added services to help patients during the pandemic, mean El Centros finances have also taken a hit.

Were doing OK, but we could always use more funding, Williams said.

While the lack of revenues from co-pays has had an impact, a gradual reduction in funding from the federal government  which constitutes 80% of El Centros total budget  has been felt much harder.

What makes it more difficult is when the federal government doesnt pass a budget, Williams said. They give us a budget for three months, and were hoping and praying for a renewal.

He said they received $11 million this year, when they usually receive $18 million.

Despite the financial difficulties, El Centro has not laid off any employees or staff, differing from larger hospitals in the state, such as Presbyterian in Albuquerque, that laid off some non-emergency staff.

And the more than 1,000 COVID-19 tests performed in El Centro clinics has boosted testing numbers in counties where the clinics are based.

Rio Arriba County, home to four clinics, currently boasts the fifth-highest per capita testing rate in New Mexico.

County Health and Human Services Director Lauren Reichelt said El Centro has been key in testing the countys more rural residents.

People in rural communities have been really interested in testing, she said. Weve been going out to them.

Reichelt said Rio Arriba has been aggressively testing for the virus since the pandemic started.

Leo Maestas, manager of San Miguel Countys Office of Emergency Management, said El Centro will go ahead with testing those living in San Miguels group homes. Nursing homes and behavioral health centers have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus.

Theyve been tasked to do percentage testing of some of the at-risk populations, Maestas said.

Williams said services provided by El Centro have always been essential, but have taken on an added importance recently. Sometimes, people from as far away as Colorado come to clinics for health services.

Even in small communities, places like El Centro Family Health are extremely important, he said.


By Trudy Rubin





On June 4, 1989, exactly 41 years ago, China's military shot, killed and arrested thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.



Tens of thousands of Hong Kong protesters came out with candles on Thursday in memory of the massacre, despite a Beijing-backed ban on their rally.



Yet Donald Trump, then a 43-year-old real estate magnate, praised the Chinese massacre in 1990. "When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it," Trump told Playboy magazine. "Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength."



The president clearly dreams of such unbridled powers as demonstrations continue over the death of George Floyd.



On Monday, Trump called Vladimir Putin, just before telling U.S. governors by phone that they had to "dominate" or "look like a bunch of jerks."



Perhaps Putin encouraged Trump to use riot police to forcefully clear peaceful demonstrators from Lafayette Square with pepper spray so he could pose for a tin-pot-dictator-style photo op across from the White House. His arm raised with a Bible, Trump was flanked by his chief military adviser, in battle fatigues.



Or maybe, the president was buoyed by another Monday phone call with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump clone who hints he'd like his military to take over the country. We know how Trump has repeatedly yearned for a military parade with tanks rumbling down the center of the capitol.



As retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who coordinated U.S. military relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina put it to a TV host, "He's acting like he's running Turkey, not the United States of America."



But Trump is not Xi Jinping, nor are we China or Putin's Russia, or Turkey where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has imprisoned thousands of peaceful protesters, or an Arab dictatorship such as Egypt, where other thousands of protesters, including journalists and leaders of the Tahrir Square uprising languish in prison.



I have spent too much time in Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Russia and China to confuse those realities with Trump's reality-show pretensions.



No matter the president's military fetish, no matter how despicable what happened in Lafayette Square, it is not Tiananmen Square. That's what Americans must remember and act on as we try to figure out how to move ahead.



That does not mean Trump's fake show of toughness isn't dangerous. A normal president would have shown compassion, addressed the nation about racial grievances, invited governors and mayors to work with him.



He would have stood beside George Floyd's brother Terence, who eloquently pleaded for calm, urging that the serious destruction caused by looters (including in minority communities) is "not going to bring my brother back."



Instead, Trump's response was to threaten the use of the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. troops to cities whether or not mayors and governors consented, an act that has been used only in the most extraordinary circumstance.



However, Trump's military overreach has been so egregious that it has stirred immense pushback, including from senior retired military officials. Most notably, former defense secretary and retired Marine Gen. James Mattis issued a broadside accusing the president of dividing the nation.



"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime," Mattis wrote, "who does not try to unite the American people _ does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us."



The general added that, when he swore to support and defend the Constitution upon joining the military 50 years ago, "Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstances 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' criticism was echoed by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and retired Adm. Mike Mullen. Perhaps from embarrassment, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper distanced himself from Trump's call to use the military to put down civilian unrest.



What we have seen clearly signals that, unlike in China, or Russia, or Turkey, the military brass is deeply conflicted about a president who wants to use it as a political prop.



Similarly, despite the "send in the troops" call of uber hawks like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) there is unease among many GOP politicians over Trump's military pretensions. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich said bluntly that if Trump won't call for unity and policy accountability from the White House "mayors and governors must."



Mattis added, "We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society."



This is what separates us from China, Russia, Turkey, Egypt and others, and the way their autocrats use the military to put civilians down.



There is a U.S. civil society that can push back against reality-show Trump's military pretensions, before and during elections. The test for that civil society is now.





Trudy Rubin (trubin@phillynews.com) is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her commentary was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.


The Ilva steel plant is seen in Taranto

MILAN (Reuters) - Unions representing workers at the Ilva steel plant in southern Italy called a strike for Tuesday to protest at reported plans by ArcelorMittal for thousands of job cuts at the struggling facility.

The call by the FIM, FIOM and UILM unions came after Industry Minister Stefano Patuanelli accused the group of failing to respect the terms of a rescue agreement signed with the government in March.

Under that agreement, ArcelorMittal agreed to suspend plans to walk away from the plant in the southern city of Taranto, which it acquired in 2018, in exchange for a significant injection of state funding.

Italian media reported at the weekend that a new industrial plan presented to the government late on Friday included 5,000 job cuts. A spokeswoman for ArcelorMittal confirmed the group had presented a plan but declined to provide details.

The loss-making plant, which employs more than 8,000 workers and provides work for thousands more as suppliers or contractors, is one of the few major industrial employers in Italy's economically struggling south.

But its future has been clouded by the need to restore competitiveness while cleaning up after decades of severe environmental damage.

Patuanelli said on Saturday that an industrial plan presented by the group last week was not in line with the March agreement and that ArcelorMittal appeared to be using the COVID-19 emergency as an excuse for not sticking to the agreement.

"The plan presented by Arcelor Mittal does not reflect the government's intentions for Taranto and doesn't reflect the agreement of March 4," Patuanelli told RAI state television.

The unions said the plan was unacceptable and demanded "full employment, investment and environmental restructuring" in line with an agreement from 2018.

Unions are expected to meet Patuanelli by videolink on Tuesday to discuss the situation.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro on Saturday has defended his governments decision to withhold crucial data about the countrys coronavirus outbreak. According to reports, on June 5 the government took down a website that showed how the coronavirus pandemic had spread across Brazil over time. The Health Ministry had also stopped reporting the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which have shot past 645,000.

Brazil government withholds vital data

Brazil currently has the second-highest number of reported coronavirus cases in the world, just behind the United States. Neither the Brazilian health ministry nor the Brazilian President has given a valid reason why the data was removed/withheld. Bolsonaro took to Twitter recently said that the cumulative data of the coronavirus outbreak in Brazil was not a representation of the Moment Brazil was in. He also added that his government was taking other actions that would in the future improve the reporting of cases.

According to reports, the Brazilian government has also been subjected to heavy criticism for publishing the tally of new coronavirus cases and deaths later than usual. Earlier the numbers were posted at 5 pm (local time) but now the numbers are given at 10 pm.

Read: Police Disperse Anti-Bolsonaro Protesters In Brazil

Read: Bolsonaro's Residence Boycotted By Media Outlets Due To Attacks On Journalists

Bolsonaro considers exiting WHO

As the new record of COVID-19 fatalities pushed Brazil's death toll past that of Italy on Thursday, President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull out of the World Health Organization, unless it stops being a partisan political organisation.

Bolsonaro's comments came as COVID-19 cases in Brazil climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths were registered on Thursday. With the death toll surpassing the 35,000 mark, the pandemic has killed more people in Brazil than in any country outside the United States and the United Kingdom.

Read: In Bolsonaro's Brazil, Everyone Else Is To Blame For Virus

Read: Brazil: Bolsonaro Considers Exiting 'partisan Political' WHO As COVID Deaths Cross 35,000

An editorial from a Brazilian daily noted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus that is killing a Brazilian per minute as a little flu. While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus, the newspaper quoted Jair Bolsonaro.

(Image credit: AP)
James Corden was glimpsed getting groceries from a Whole Foods in Brentwood with his wife Julia Carey on Saturday.

The 41-year-old late-night host could be seen wearing a bandanna over his face, while Julia was in a rainbow mask and gloves.

Amid nationwide protests and riots after the George Floyd killing, National Guard trucks could be seen in the parking lot of the Whole Foods where James shopped.

Side by side: James Corden was glimpsed getting groceries from a Whole Foods in Brentwood with his wife Julia Carey on Saturday

As James and Julia loaded their grocery bags into their car, a National Guardsman could be spotted not far off, seemingly filming or taking a picture on his phone.

For his latest outing James wore a patterned pair of purple and white trousers with a navy T-shirt, accessorizing with shades over his mask.

He and Julia have been married since 2012 and are the proud parents of three children, Max, nine, Carey, five, and Charlotte, two.

James has been posting support for the Black Lives Matter protests, but also helped circulate messages asking them to keep away from children's hospitals.

Precautions: The 41-year-old late-night host could be seen wearing a bandanna over his face, while Julia was in a rainbow mask and gloves

Right there: Amid nationwide protests and riots after the George Floyd killing, National Guard trucks could be seen in the parking lot of the Whole Foods where James shopped

Spotted: As James and Julia loaded their grocery bags into their car, a National Guardsman could be glimpsed not far off, seemingly filming or taking a picture on his phone

He retweeted the message from Kumail Nanjiani, who was himself posting a screen-grab of an email he got from a friend.

'Hey Kumail, I have a baby daughter in the hospital right now. Was wondering if you could help me and other families dealing with the hardest time of their lives there by tweeting this:,' the email began.

'Please locate Children's Hospitals before protesting and avoid all streets within a square mile of their locations. Protests nearby are interfering with and delaying potentially life-saving surgeries. #avoidchildrenshospitals'.

The look: For his latest outing James wore a patterned pair of purple and white trousers with a navy T-shirt, accessorizing with shades over his mask

The email concluded: 'I know you have the ability to get the message out, so would really appreciate you broadcasting it. Thanks ahead of time!'

Last year James was part of the star-studded cast of the critically panned and commercially disastrous movie of the musical Cats.

Cats composer Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared to take a dig at James' performance as Bustopher Jones last month.

He made the remarks during an online viewing party of the 1998 filmed stage version of Cats, complete with live commentary.

Family matters: He and Julia have been married since 2012 and are the proud parents of three children, Max, nine, Carey, five, and Charlotte, two

'Do not be beguiled by other versions. Other versions with unfunny interpolations which I begged to be cut out,' dished Andrew.

'I did manage to get the worst of them removed. I cannot tell you how absolutely un-Eliot it all was in this song,' said the composer.

The original Cats musical was based on Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot, with poems from the source material set to Andrew's music.

Not a fan: Last month, Cats composer Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared to take a dig at James' performance as Bustopher Jones in the largely derided film adaptation of his work

Sidewalk conversation: While in his car James was seen having a chat with a pedestrian as a National Guardsman stood nearby

Directed by Tom Hooper, the new film featured an all-star cast including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba and Judi Dench.

Among the other cast members were Ian McKellen, Jason Derulo, Rebel Wilson and English ballerina Francesca Hayward.

The film was a colossal flop when it was released and even James told Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2: 'I haven't seen it. I've heard it's terrible.'
A shelter for surviving victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in Mapo, Seoul. The head of the shelter was found dead on Sunday at her apartment in Paju, north of Seoul. Korea Times file



A woman running a shelter for South Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery has been found dead in her home, police said Sunday, amid a widening probe into a corruption scandal involving its owners.



Prosecutors are investigating allegations that activist group the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance misused funds meant for the so-called "comfort women" -- a euphemism for Japan's former war-era sex slaves.



The 60-year-old woman was believed to have taken her own life, police said.



"She came home by herself and the door was locked," police told AFP without giving the woman's name.

Officers said they did not believe anyone else was involved in her death. The reason for her death was not known, but South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported she previously said she was going through a hard time after prosecutors raided the shelter.



The plight of comfort women has been a thorny issue between Seoul and Tokyo for decades and the activist group had campaigned for compensation from Japan.



But last month, Lee Yong-soo, one prominent victim, accused the group and its former leader of exploiting comfort women to collect government funds and public donations. Lee said little money had been spent on their cause, prompting prosecutors to open a probe.



The investigation includes allegations that the former leader, Yoon Mee-hyang, embezzled funds to buy apartments and to pay for her daughter's tuition in the United States.



Yoon -- who left the group after winning a parliamentary seat in April -- has denied all the allegations but apologised for "banking errors." (AFP)
A local craft brewery fan started a petition asking the province to scrap the beer production levy.

Craft breweries in Saskatchewan pay the government for every litre of beer they make. The more they produce, the more breweries pay.

Alysia Johnson, a self-described fan of the provincial craft brewery industry, recently started the petition.

Johnson said it was created to unite people who support local business and craft breweries to lobby the government to scrap the production levy.

"The production levy doesn't really have anything to do with sales or consumption or profits of the business. It's just an extra tax to brew the beer," she told CBC Radio's Saskatchewan Weekend.

Submitted by SLGA

"Ours actually happens to be one of the highest in the country and almost double that of our neighbouring provinces."

Johnson said the sums are small to the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), but to craft breweries the levy can make a big difference.

'Not a license to print money'

Mark Heise, president of Rebellion Brewing in Regina, said the beer production levy cost about $80,000 last year, and the company is on track to spend about $100,000 this year on it.

"Some folks might say, 'well, you should have to pay that because you get to sell alcohol,'" he said.

"[Selling alcohol is] not a license to print money. We're talking multi-million dollars invested at the grassroots level, we're not big companies or corporations so it's a real struggle."

Heise said Rebellion takes the position that the levies are too high, serve no purpose and stifle growth.

https://www.facebook.com/rebellionbrewingco

SLGA recently told Rebellion, which has been operating for six years, that the brewery would be moving into a new bracket within the levy, paying 21 cents per litre of beer produced instead of 17 cents per litre.

"I've been drowning for the last five years and I've finally come up and can take a breath of air, and I'm just getting dunked back down under it," he said.

Story continues

While Heise said he's not in favour of paying a tax to exist, he accepts that there is a standard across Canada when it comes to charging businesses to sell alcohol and would like to see the fees reduced in Saskatchewan.

He loves the province, but Heise said the "hardcore capitalist" in him thinks he'd be stupid to build a bigger brewery here in Saskatchewan instead of moving to Alberta or Manitoba to do so.

Craft pays less than national

Gene Makowsky, minister of SLGA, said the production levy was essentially a tax and like the Provincial Sales Tax or income tax.

He said money collected through it ends up in the province's general revenue fund and goes toward highways, hospitals and other budgetary costs.

Makowsky noted that things like the production levy are also in place to offset some of the social costs that come with alcohol sales.

He said the province has looked at what other provincial jurisdictions have done when it comes to a beer production levy and he feels Saskatchewan is competitive.

Makowsky acknowledged that both Manitoba and Alberta have cheaper beer production levies than Saskatchewan, but noted that national producers pay substantially more than craft producers do to sell alcohol here.

"There's always that debate on anything we tax, whether it's too high or too low and where it should be," Makowsky said of Johnson's concerns raised in her petition.

He said the province collects about $1.2 million in fees from beer, wine, spirits and coolers and cider production. Beer specifically collects about $400,000 for the province.
Mr Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of the Forum for National Equity has called on all political actors to give the Electoral Commission the chance to carry out its mandate in a manner that will deepen Ghana's democracy.

"I have observed that the issue of compilation of the new voter's register has generated unnecessary threats of violence and mayhem from political interest groups and wish to remind Ghanaians that the corporate peaceful Ghana cannot be sacrificed on political rhetoric."

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an exclusive interview in Accra on Sunday, Mr Mba said the Electoral Commission was the constitutional body mandated to conduct peaceful elections and it was only fair to give them the free hand to carry out that mandate.

He said the voter's register was the main key to the door of democracy and it was not only illegal, but also criminal to use a faulty key to open the main gate.

"We have come a long way as pacesetters in Africa, when it comes to democratic governance and this enviable height we have achieved comes with a price of sacrificial responsibility."

Mr Mba called on political parties to rather be concerned with the mobilization of their supporters and members to register massively to ensure transparent conduct of elections, and not to spend their energies on issues that could hamper the country's democracy.

"Foundation building is the basic determinant of the strength of any institution. It's interesting how the political parties are behaving, like fighting an unnecessary war over which side of the egg should be broken. Lack of sincerity and party first, nation last politics is nothing but populism."

Mr Mba said there were always excuses to justify actions, but for the common good of all, "we call for maximum cooperation with the Electoral Commission in the spirit of goodwill and commitment to the promotion of democracy."

He said the coronavirus had hampered everything globally and there was therefore little time for planning and should not be spent on unnecessary arguments.

---GNA
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.
Unlock 1.0: Places of worship, hotels in Nagaland to remain shut

India

pti-PTI

Kohima, June 07: Nagaland, which has witnessed a recent spurt in COVID-19 cases, has decided to keep places of worship and hotels in the Christian-majority state closed till further orders, a senior official said on Sunday.

Unlock 1: Guidelines to be followed at malls, hotels, offices and religious places | Oneindia News

The Centre has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for reopening of religious institutions, hotels and restaurants from Monday.

Lockdown measures issued by the chief secretary of Nagaland on May 4 will remain in place till further orders, Principal Secretary (Home) Abhijit Sinha told reporters here. "All places of worship shall be closed for public.Religious congregations are strictly prohibited," the notification issued by the chief secretary on May 4 said.

The notification was issued to extend lockdown in the state. As per the notification, all hospitality services, barring those dealing with police personnel, government officials, healthcare workers and stranded persons, shall remain closed.

With nearly 86,000 cases, Maharashtra has more coronavirus patients than China

Nagaland, which was coronavirus-free till the end of May, witnessed a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases after its residents began to return from other parts of the country.

The state reported three cases on May 25 and by June 7, the number has gone up to 118, of which 110 are active cases and eight persons have recovered.
Buffalo

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.

McCabe's lawyer, Tom Burton, said after the arraignment that prosecutors didn't 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 message was left with Torgalski's 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."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"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 department's 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 it's a strong indication of the outrage basically over this travesty."

Flynn said he understood the concerns of officers who don't feel they are being supported and pointed out that he's also prosecuting protesters "who have turned into agitators" and "need to be dealt with as well."

"There will be some who say that I'm choosing sides here," he said. "And I say that's ridiculous. I'm not on anyone's side."
Monday marked the worst night for looting in New York City with 2,330 stores burglarized amid protests as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The figure on Monday coincided with the introduction of an 11pm curfew and was about five times the 492 reports from the night before.

Cases quickly dropped again to 306 on Tuesday and after an 8pm curfew was enforced on Wednesday, the NYPD only arrested nine looters out of a total 75 this week.

All but one of the crimes took place in Manhattan.

Scroll down for video

Monday marked the worst night for looting in NYC with 2,330 stores burglarized. People are pictured inside a Dolce & Gabbana store in Soho, Manhattan on Monday

On Monday, a ring of between 15 and 20 people targeted the city's Henry Cowit and grabbed an estimated $750,000 worth of furs

On Monday, a ring of between 15 and 20 people targeted the city's Henry Cowit and grabbed an estimated $750,000 worth of furs. The grab was captured on surveillance camera and a member of the large group was seen climbing over a security barrier (right) once in store

Looting suspects are seen carrying items from the D&G store that was targeted after the Black Lives Matter protests around the city on Monday

On Monday, a ring of between 15 and 20 people targeted the city's Henry Cowit and grabbed an estimated $750,000 worth of fur goods.

The grab was captured on surveillance camera around 10.30pm and a large group was seen climbing over a security barrier once in store.

At a nearby Rite Aide pharmacy, opportunists also raided $60,000 worth of prescription medication.

Hanaya Jones, 20, was charged with two counts of possession of stolen property after she was caught with $9,000 worth of Dior handbags on Monday, the New York Post reported.

Bronx man Julian Cepeda, 21, was charged with burglary after he was caught inside a Dolce and Gabbana store on Mercer Street wearing a $1,200 shirt and carrying a $435 pair of Chanel sunglasses.

After an 11pm curfew was enforced Monday, arrested increased five-fold compared to Sunday

People are detained in Soho on Monday. While on Wednesday, arrested dropped down to nine

Ashford Adedeji, 21, was charged with criminal possession of stolen property after police found him near Grand and Elizabeth Streets with 'red strappy women's Gucci shoes,' multiple Dolce and Gabbana sneakers, GStar sneakers, Beats headphones and two wrenches.

Victoria's Secret also seemed to be a popular option; 26-year-old Keona James was caught with lingerie from inside a Midtown branch carrying lingerie.

Cops say that Kristina Williams, 20, punched an officer in the head at the Soho location when he was arresting her.

Not all of the alleged looters were burglary suspects, some are accused of assaulting cops. Dozens more were given desk appearance tickets.

In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the only case reported outside of Manhattan, four people were arrested after they were caught dashing from the G-Star Raw store with garbage bags containing items.

The suspects smashed into a cops car around 4.30am, causing one officer to hurt his knee and leaving another with back pain.

A man is arrested in Soho on Monday. A Rite Aide was raided of $60,000 worth of prescription drugs

Looting cases have dwindled throughout the week. The NYPD said some of the looters' home addresses were out of state, including in North Carolina and Virginia.

Suspects were aged between 18 to 56 but were mainly in their 20s.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that the curfew was lifted. Curfews were also lifted in LA and Washington DC.

Despite opportunists looting businesses, peaceful Black Lives Matter protests have continued as American demand equality and justice for black people disadvantages by systematic racism.

Demonstrations in all 50 states were sparked after the death of George Floyd last Monday where four Minneapolis Police Department cops were involved in his killing. Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck as he begged for his life, telling the cops 'I can't breathe' and witnessed tried but to no avail to reason with the cops.

They were arresting Floyd after store clerks suspected him of buying cigarettes with an inauthentic $20 bill.
Great dedication

Re: Right mayor at the right time  and the time to come, by Josh Brodesky, Other Views, Sunday:

As a World War II survivor with a few scars  both physically and mentally, medically and memorywise  I fully agree with this column. The lives of the citizens of the United Kingdom were in danger 24/7 for five years, and we had Winston Churchill to guide us and inspire us.

Thank you, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff for your dedication to the residents of our great city.

I may be 90, but I have a great memory and am thankful Wolff and Nirenberg were here at the right time. Stay safe.

Doreen Hayes

On ExpressNews.com: Brodesky: Right mayor at the right time  and the time to come

The right decisions

As Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff have modestly navigated us through the pandemic, they have not received the same attention as other politicians.

In particular, I am grateful because I have a 95-year-old mother who lives at home with around-the-clock caretakers. It is possible her life and the lives of her caretakers have been spared by the decisions of our leaders.

Judy Lackritz

Shouldve done more

The facts are, in the early days of the coronavirus, the elderly in San Antonio were not at all protected in a manner that would have prevented many deaths.

The mayor has been quick to passive aggressively disagree with the governor in typical partisan fashion.

He strenuously pushed for business closures, fines, etc. However, he has never addressed his and the City Councils gross negligence with regard to the elderly.

A number of deaths in the Bexar County area were in one nursing home. How many would have perished if the nursing home and the visitors had been held to the necessary precautions?

From the beginning of the global virus outbreak, it was known the elderly were at far greater risk.

Why did the mayor not take the initiative to protect the elderly in San Antonio? Shouldnt true journalists publish all aspects, as opposed to ignoring the negative in an obsequious fluff piece?

Jimi Ellis
Dolly Parton closes her 10-week bedtime reading series with a special finale episode that includes a tribute to the more than 1,700 local organizations that offer her Imagination Library to the children in their community. Since its inception in 1995, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 138 million books through its local affiliates to preschool children. The library currently gifts books to 1.6 million children around the world each month.

"The local affiliates are the heart and soul of the Imagination Library," said Parton. "They work hard every day to raise the funds to make sure the books remain free to all of the children enrolled in the program."

The series began on April 2, 2020, with a reading of The Little Engine that Could and will conclude June 4. The series has been viewed more than 15 million times on YouTube, Facebook and other popular social media platforms.

The finale episode features Pass It On written and illustrated by Sophy Henn. This book was specifically selected to end the series because it encourages all children and adults to share their joy, their happiness and their kindness with others.

"I am thrilled this series has meant so much to so many families across the world," Parton continued. "I hope our finale episode featuring Pass It On will be another way for us to transform this moment of hardship into more love and more kindness."

The finale concludes with the re-release of the trailer for the documentary "The Library That Dolly Built." The film was scheduled for a nationwide release on April 2, 2020, but was postponed because of the spread of COVID-19. The film will be released in late September 2020.

The Library That Dolly Built, directed and produced by journalism professor and director of Land Grant Films Nick Geidner, and narrated by Danica McKellar, goes behind-the-scenes of Dolly Parton's literacy-focused non-profit, Imagination Library, to show how one of the most famous and beloved performers in the world has developed an efficient and effective program for spreading the love of reading.

The Imagination Library started as a gift for the children in Dolly's hometown, Sevierville, Tennessee, and is now active in all 50 states, and five countries, gifting more than 1.6 million free, age-appropriate books to children every month. The film also provides a glimpse of the profound impact the Imagination Library has on people through original interviews with authors, policymakers, Imagination Library staff, recipients, and the legend herself, Dolly Parton. Woven throughout the film is a biographical sketch of Dolly Parton, featuring rare photos and films from her childhood. Unlike many biographies of Dolly, it doesn't focus on her music. Instead it demonstrates that at every point in her career, any time she has had success, Dolly Parton has come back to Sevierville to give back to her people.

Tags : Dolly Parton Posts Final Bedtime Reading Episode Dolly Parton Pass It on imagination library Dolly Parton
Television actor Kanika Mann, who plays the titular role in the popular show Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega, said that her father was not in favour of her pursuing acting as a career. She revealed that after she surreptitiously shot for a music video, there was a lot of drama and he even threatened to pull her out of college and get her married.

In an interview with The Times of India, Kanika said, I knew that my father would never agree to it. So initially I thought of pursuing it without his knowledge and wanted to hide from him. But this couldnt have lasted for long. It was something that I could have never hidden from him as it would have come on TV had I not told him.

And it happened, I had shot for a music video without his knowledge and he saw it on TV and came to know about it. He was very angry and there was a lot of drama at home. My father asked me to leave my studies and said he will get me married as I was not listening to him. He asked me to return home, she added.

Also read | Ekta Kapoor on getting rape threats for controversial scene in web series: It means sex is bad but rape is okay

Kanika, who hails from Panipat, said that not many in her family ventured out of the city for work. When she started acting, her relatives accused her of defaming them by choosing a profession in showbiz.

Such was the typical mindset. It was a difficult phase. But now my fathers doubts are clear. And if someone speaks anything against me, then he makes them understand why and what I am doing. Yes, he is now very supportive, she said.

The shoot of Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega has been stalled since mid-March, owing to the coronavirus outbreak. Kanika, who is spending the lockdown with her family in Panipat, will soon return to Mumbai and resume shooting for the show.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Health Minister Simon Harris will today sign new laws to allow up to 25 friends or family to attend a funeral after concerns were raised that the existing regulations criminalised mourners.

Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan wrote to Mr Harris last week to raise concerns the regulations restricting attendance at funerals were creating a situation where certain mourners were being criminalised for no legitimate public purpose.

Government guidance so far has said that no more than 10 people should attend a funeral.

The regulations underpinning this make it a criminal offence, punishable with a prison term of up to six months, to attend a funeral if you did not live with the deceased or were not a close family member.

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But Mr O'Callaghan said the wording of the updated regulations signed by Mr Harris on May 17 created a situation where, if no one lived with the deceased and no family member attended the funeral, an unlimited number of the deceased's friends could lawfully attend without any offence being committed.

But, he said the regulations as worded meant that if one family member attended a funeral then no friends would be permitted.

Mr O'Callaghan's letter explained: "Therefore under the first scenario it would be perfectly lawful to attend a funeral with hundreds of other people, yet under the second scenario you will be criminalised for attending a funeral which has only one other person, a family member of the deceased, present.

"I think you need to confront the illogicality and disproportionality of this law that criminalises certain mourners for no legitimate public purpose.

"If the purpose of the regulation is to limit the number of people attending a funeral service then this should be stated expressly rather than assuming that a deceased person with no family who lived on their own will probably have few friends."

Mr O'Callaghan asked Mr Harris to either remove the regulation or set a numerical limit to the number of mourners who can attend a funeral.

Mr Harris will today sign a statutory instrument which allows up to 25 people, including family or friends, to attend a funeral from tomorrow as part of the Government's easing of the Covid-19 restrictions.
By Robert Donchez

Almost 250 years ago, Thomas Jefferson declared that all men are created equal. Our nation has had a long and difficult history dealing with those simple and profound words. Since 1776 it has taken numerous conflicts and much bloodshed for us to live up to those words. And yet, have we? Once again, we are grieving as a nation and standing together to condemn the shocking violence in Minneapolis and the innocent loss of life, and those simple words of Thomas Jefferson somehow got lost in translation or understanding.

I grew up in South Bethlehem. The words all men are created equal were words to live by in my neighborhood and in my world. We were a melting pot, a cauldron of hope where there was no room for racism, bigotry and intolerance. We had our differences  culturally, linguistically, racially and religiously, and yet we were a community. When we had to, we locked arms across the many lines and boundaries of our differences and dedicated ourselves to unity. Because of that, we were able to achieve some early measure of social and economic justice and equality for many in our community.

Those lessons of social and economic justice and equality traveled with me and were a daily part of my 35 years as a teacher at William Allen High School in Allentown. I made sure my students were tolerant of all who attended the high school  black and white, Latino and Asian, gay and straight, male, female and transgender, rich and poor, and all who made up the city, the Lehigh Valley and the country.

As the son of a police officer and as a mayor, Ive found it rough to watch the images from Minneapolis. I have great respect and admiration for our police officers, so it was very emotional watching that Minneapolis police officer suffocate handcuffed George Floyd with a knee to his neck. I know that almost all police officers adhere to the law and would never hurt someone like that, and yet this behavior continues and it hurts  it hurts the police and it hurts every one of us.

The kind of behavior we have seen in Minneapolis has no place in America or anywhere in the world. We in Bethlehem must condemn acts of violence and hatred, and are deeply saddened by the loss of life of a fellow human being. This is not just a race issue, this is a human issue, and we are all connected by our shared human experience.

Max Lucado wrote, If Jesus could teach us only one thing, it would be that a person has value simply because they are a person.

This is not the time to pretend that theres not a problem in America.

This is not the time to turn our backs on racism.

This is not the time to accept innocent lives being taken from us.

This is not the time to think this doesnt affect you.

This is not the time to sit back and say nothing.

This is not the time to think that you cant be part of the solution and the change needed for this to stop.

Benjamin Franklin said, Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.

This is a time for outrage, but it is not a time for violence. The hatred that comes with racism, bigotry and intolerance will not be condoned or supported here in Bethlehem or anywhere else for that matter. We are one. Our anger and abhorrence must be converted to something more positive  to hope, to faith and to love.

To quote Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

Robert Donchez is the mayor of Bethlehem.
A COUCH left in Glenstal Woods, a sink discarded in Kilfinane, the list goes on and on  beauty spots across the county are being blighted by dumping.

Deputy Niall Collins is calling on Limerick City and County Council to put more resources into combatting the scourge of illegal dumping across county and city.

He made the call after yet another example of illegal dumping was discovered at a picturesque location at Kilfinane. This included the aforementioned sink and lots more rubbish.

What we saw in Kilfinane is utterly disgraceful and shame on those who did this, but the council need to be more responsive here. The opening times for the three bring centres at Kilmallock, Newcastle West and Mungret need to be expanded with longer opening hours across seven days a week, particularly, during the spring and summer months and during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The charges also levied at the gate of these centres need to be reviewed downwards, said Deputy Collins.

The Fianna Fail TD also wants to see the council improve its response time to reports and call-outs to incidents of illegal dumping and carrying out the necessary clean-up.

With the annual Team Limerick Clean Up cancelled this year our beautiful countryside hasnt had the benefit of this great annual community clean-up effort so every measure must be put in place to keep our environment as clean as possible, said Deputy Collins, who asks everybody to please report any incidents of illegal dumping they witness to the council on 061 556000.

Regarding the incident in Kilfinane, party colleague Cllr Mike Donegan thanked Coillte and the council for their assistance following his representations to the environment section.

We are all frustrated by the ever-increasing levels of dumping and littering across the county.

Some people take it for granted that the council, local tidy town groups and in this case, Coilte, will clean up after them, said Cllr Donegan.
Recent "uncoordinated" acts of violence in North Kashmir are "signs of desperation" by militants which are not finding resonance among people who want to get out of the cycle of violence, a fact visible in the sharp dip this year in the recruitment of local youths in terror groups, a senior Army officer has said.

Lt Gen BS Raju, heading the Kashmir-based XV corps, feels the basic premise of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is to create sensationalism that is backed by false separatist narratives and propaganda sponsored from Pakistan.

These acts of terrorism are "...not finding much favour amongst the awaam (public), these uncoordinated terrorist acts are a sign of desperation. There is no semblance of any space where terrorists or separatists are in control," Gen Raju told PTI in an email interview.

"Overall, the people want a solution, they want to get out of this cycle of violence and that is the reason that the support for terrorism has been all but wiped out," he said.

Asked about the recent spurt of terrorist violence in north Kashmir in which the army lost its Colonel and a Major and the CRPF lost its personnel, Gen Raju said these attacks in no way indicate increased presence of terrorists.

"In fact, to the contrary, the recruitment of local youth in the terrorist outfits has also reduced by nearly half from 2018 to 2019 and is even lesser in 2020," he said, adding that the terrorist cadres "are in a self-preservation mode."

While the Army refused to divulge the number of local youths who joined militancy, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh had earlier said that 218 local youths had joined militant outfits in 2018 but only 139 joined in 2019.

There is no official figure of the number of local youths having joined terror groups this year but sources in the intelligence agencies have indicated that around 35 local youths have disappeared in 2020 and joined militant groups.

However, Gen Raju says that more and more young men are participating in sports, skill development initiatives, job opportunities and education.

"The online registration for the upcoming recruitment rally has seen close to 10,000 youths registering, which is nearly double the numbers last year. Government has helped them build a better future for themselves and support their families and this fact is a testament to the change being ushered in Kashmir," he said.

Gen Raju said one should not read much into increased number of terror acts in North Kashmir and said the dynamic nature of terrorism and the ability to change locations or tactics as per the pressure of the security forces is a common characteristic worldwide.

"Our counter infiltration and counter terrorism grids have inherent flexibility to adapt themselves to these dynamic shifts," he said, adding the other factor worth taking note of was that Pakistan always wants to disrupt normalcy in the Kashmir valley through its actions.

"Pakistan's persistence in infiltrating terrorists, proliferating false propaganda is intended to disturb peace and its actions in fomenting trouble was well anticipated," he said.

The senior army officer said the spurt in militancy is not in North Kashmir but restricted to the border districts and that is primarily due to the large number of infiltration attempts and terrorists wanting to create a base there to receive infiltrators.

"We are prepared for any contingency, in coordination with all stakeholders like the army, JK police, CAPF, intelligence agencies and the civil administration," Gen Raju said.
Roadside Bomb Kills 11 Afghan Forces as US Envoy Renews Peace Diplomacy

By Ayaz Gul June 06, 2020

Officials in Afghanistan said Saturday a roadside bomb explosion in the northeastern border province of Badakhshan has killed at least eleven police personnel.

The bombing comes as America's peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, has begun another visit to the region to push political reconciliation between Afghanistan's warring sides.

A provincial police spokesman told VOA the overnight attack targeted a security convoy that was rushing to Khash district to help other forces battling Taliban insurgents there.

Sanaullah Ruhani said a local police commander was also among the slain personnel. He went on to claim that government forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Taliban during Friday night clashes in Khash, killing a key insurgent commander.

The Taliban did not immediately offer any comments on the bombing or clashes in an Afghan province where insurgents are in control of several districts. Badakhshan borders Tajikistan, Pakistan and China.

On Friday, an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan killed at least 15 members of the highway police force.

The Taliban has halted attacks on U.S.-led international forces in the country in line with a landmark agreement it signed with Washington in February. But deadly insurgent raids against Afghan security forces have intensified in recent weeks.

The U.S. military this week also conducted airstrikes to disrupt Taliban attacks against Afghan security forces, saying they action was in line with the agreement.

Khalilzad Trip

The U.S. State Department announced Friday that Khalilzad has departed Washington for travel to Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he will review the implementation of all commitments in the agreement, specifically reduced violence and prisoner releases.

"The primary focus of Ambassador Khalilzad's trip is to obtain agreement between the Afghan parties on the practical next steps necessary for a smooth start to intra-Afghan negotiations," it said.

Khalilzad led the U.S. team that negotiated and sealed the February 29 pact with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, which hosts insurgent political office.

The proposed intra-Afghan dialogue stipulated in the agreement, however, is tied to a prisoner swap between the government and the Taliban that would set free 5,000 insurgent inmates and 1,000 Afghan personnel.

So far, the Taliban says it has released close to 460 detainees while the government says it has freed around 2,700 insurgents.

"The road ahead will have challenges and difficulties. But we're optimistic that finally we are moving forward to the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations," Khalilzad told reporters in Washington earlier this week.

"And not only we are trying to make sure that the remaining issues dealing with the prisoners release, which is up to 5000 prisoners to be released by the government and all the prisoners must be released before intra-Afghan negotiations can begin."

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Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will invest Rs 5,683.50 crore for a 1.16 percent stake in Jio Platforms, it was announced on Sunday. ADIA's fund infusion is eighth investment in Jio Platforms, the digital arm of Reliance Industries, over the past seven weeks.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will invest Rs 5,683.50 crore for a 1.16 percent stake in Jio Platforms, it was announced on Sunday. ADIA's fund infusion is eighth investment in Jio Platforms, the digital arm of Reliance Industries, over the past seven weeks.

The ADIA deal values Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore.

With the eight investments, the total amount invested in Jio Platforms now stands at Rs 97,886 lakh crore for 21.06 percent share in the telecom major.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund of the Abu Dhabi emirate of the United Arab Emirates. ADIA manages a global investment portfolio that is diversified across more than two dozen asset classes and sub-categories.

Early Friday, Mubadala, which is also owned by Abu Dhabi, had announced a Rs 9,093.60 crore investment for a 1.85 percent stake.

On Friday, Silver Lake Partners also announced an additional Rs 4,547 crore investment for a further 0.93 percent stake in the telecom major, having invested earlier in May.

Facebook was the first to put its finger in the Jio Platforms pie with a Rs 43,574 crore ($5.7 billion) investment for a 9.99 percent stake. The investment made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in Jio Platforms and valued the RIL technology arm at Rs 4.62 lakh crore ($66 billion) pre-money enterprise value.

Subsequently, a number of American private equity players grabbed a slice in the digital subsidiary of the Indian conglomerate.

General Atlantic announced a Rs 6,598.38 crore investment for a 1.34 percent stake in Jio Platforms mid-May. And it was followed by KKR, which announced an investment worth Rs Rs 11,367 crore for a 2.32 percent stake.

All the investments in Jio Platforms so far. All the investments in Jio Platforms so far.

Disclaimer:

Reliance Industries Ltd., which also owns Jio, is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.
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.

Story continues

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

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Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Lee statue, while city leaders have also committed to taking down the other four Confederate memorials along Richmond's prestigious Monument Avenue. The changes amount to a reshaping of how one of America's most historic cities tells its story in its public spaces - and a rethinking of whom it glorifies. "It's been a long time coming. ... We've tried marches, petitions, protests, going to city council" to get the Confederate monuments removed, said Phil Wilayto, a longtime community organiser and activist with the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality. "And it took what is in effect a mass uprising of the community to say these things are not acceptable." Republican lawmakers, Confederate heritage groups and a Monument Avenue preservation group have criticised the decisions. Some have warned it could impact tourism, and many have equated the monuments' removal to erasing history. "Attempts to eradicate instead of contextualising history invariably fail," Senate Republican leaders said in a statement at the weekend.

In London, thousands of people congregated around the US embassy for the second day in a row, but making it clear that their message wasn't just aimed at America. "Everyone knows that this represents more than just George Floyd, more than just America, but racism all around the world," said Darcy Bourne, a London-based student. Protesters, many of whom were wearing face masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus, were "using this time when they're out of work to unite and come together and make a change because it's been like this for too long now," she said. The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London on Sunday. Credit:AP Following clashes on Saturday at another demonstration in central London that saw 14 police officers injured, there were concerns that Sunday's demonstration might take a violent turn. Hundreds of protesters siphoned off and returned to where the clashes took place on Saturday.

Police lined barricades and in front of the gates to Downing Street and the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The protest appeared to be orderly, but on occasion the demonstrators remonstrated with police. London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged those protesting to do so lawfully while also maintaining social distancing by remaining. Most demonstrators, however, were packed tightly in front of the US embassy. Loading Hundreds of people also formed a densely packed crowd Sunday in a square in central Manchester, kneeling in silence as a mark of respect for Floyd. A rally in Rome's sprawling People's Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus. Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying "Black Lives Matter" and "It's a White Problem."

Among those present was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying business management at one of the Italian capital's public universities. "It's quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of colour are being treated as if they are lepers," Nassir said. He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes, most notably when riding the subway. "We're strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit," he said. Protesters in Rome's Piazza del Popolo on Sunday. Credit:AP At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.

In Italy's financial capital, Milan, a few thousand protesters gathered in a square outside the central train station on Sunday afternoon. Many in the crowd were migrants or children of migrants of African origin. Organisers told participants that, in Italy, the Black Lives Matter slogan means "avoid seeing black bodies as if they're foreigners" and not as citizens. One participant held a cardboard sign written in English, reading, "I Fight For My Kids". Loading One of those addressing the crowd said that in Italy, Black Lives Matter means not delaying legislative reform to make it easier to receive citizenship. Foreigners born in Italy aren't automatically eligible for citizenship until they reach 18 after continuously living in the country. In recent years, efforts have failed to enact legislation to allow foreigners' children born in Italy to become citizens while still minors if they've attended Italian schools. Parents complain that their children, although identifying as Italian and speaking fluent Italian, are viewed as second-class citizens.
The tragic events, first in Minneapolis, and then across the entire United States over the past two weeks, have again turned the media and political spotlight on policing. The struggle to end police violence, unequal treatment, and the feeble legal response to bad police behaviour. Will this be the moment that will be different? Perhaps, if only due to the scale and breadth of the unrest.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, first told President Trump to Shut up if you cant be constructive, then marched with the protestors, then shook many of their hands and congratulated them. An uplifting moment.

But the solutions to police violence often lie outside chiefs control with politicians, judges and regulators loathe to apply equal standards to police criminality as they would eagerly support in the judgment of civilians.

There is a new generation of progressive chiefs, both in big city America and in Canada. They are often men and women of colour, though not always. They share a commitment to two essential principals of urban policing today: that officers entering the station house will be met with a safe and respectful workplace. Too often sexual and physical harassment exist beyond those doors. Secondly, that respectful and equal treatment of every citizen is a non-negotiable commitment of service for every officer. These chiefs face an uphill battle.

Our provincial police regulators too often follow a political agenda, not a justice goal. Our civilian oversight system is weak, and filled with men and women with good intent but few qualifications for the power their role mandates  and the RCMP has no effective civilian oversight at all. Our crown attorneys and judges too often appear to treat victims and offenders differently  if the accused is a police officer.

This generation of reform chiefs share insights, try to support each other, and build networks in communities at risk. They attempt to keep their eyes on the farther horizon of building police services that work with and serve communities, with a team of officers that look like those communities. And that the training and supervision of young officers is in the hands of men and women committed to the same values of diversity, equality and respect.

Policing is, by its nature, driven by crisis  a murder, a riot, an abusive officer revealed. Despite larger budgets for policing than ever, there is often less than 15 per cent available for non-salary discretionary spending on training, or mentoring, or building new community building capacity.

They face internal resistance from police unions, about whom the less said the better. Suffice it to say, no other trade union leaders would act as they often do, or see themselves play such destructive roles.

Politicians would be wise to pay less attention to police unions, and more to Police Service Boards, our civilian oversight bodies. Leaders in civil society can reach out to chiefs struggling to deliver change, and ask how they can be supportive. Chiefs should feel comfortable in speaking out, doing the lunch club speaking circuit, and networking with politicians from every government. The information gap of even well-informed community leaders between what they believe policing is, and the much harsher reality facing chiefs and their executive command, is a big part of the problem we face in making progress.

One of this new generation of chiefs likes to say, Lets drop that thin blue line stuff, and replace it with a strong and resilient blue thread that runs from policing through every institution in our communities, becoming an agency of community-bonding not division. The thin blue line implies the threat of bloody chaos on the other side without the power of tough, sometimes violent, policing to keep it at bay. Not really an appropriate image for police services today to offer as their branding.

Canadian Chiefs have stepped up their international engagement, working with U.K. and other countries police services to share experience and tips. Sadly, it is hard to see what our police could learn from their colleagues to the south  except, perhaps, what warning signals to look out for and to avoid.

Correction - June 10, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said the RCMP has no civilian oversight body. In fact, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) is the independent oversight body for RCMP.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 22:04:30|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China has activated a level-4 emergency response, the lowest in the emergency response system, for potential floods caused by heavy rains in the southern parts of the country, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Sunday.

Since the beginning of June, downpours have hit large parts of south China, bringing accumulated precipitation of 100 to 250 mm in some regions, the ministry said in a statement.

Affected by the rainstorms, 52 rivers in eight provincial-level regions, including Guangdong and Fujian provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, had seen water levels exceed the warning line.

Heavy rains are expected to sustain in the next three days in south China, and some rivers may once again rise above the warning level in Guangxi and Fujian, the ministry said.

The ministry has dispatched a work team to Guangxi, where over 320,000 people have been affected by downpours since Thursday, to guide flood relief. Enditem
At least 23 police officers have been injured in London over the past few days as protesters gathered in large numbers to demand justice for George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed late last month by a Caucasian police officer in Minneapolis. According to the London Metropolitan Police, ten officers were injured during the June 6 demonstration, including an officer from the Mounted Branch, who fell from her horse after the protest grew violent.

Read: Largely Peaceful Protests Against Police Brutality March On

"We understand peoples' passion to come and let their voice be heard, they protested largely without incident. Our officers have been professional and very restrained but there was a smaller group intent on violence towards police officers," Superintendent Jo Edwards, spokesperson for policing Saturday's demonstration, said in a statement released on London Metropolitan Police's webpage.

Read: US: Protests Continue In NYC Amid Tensions Over Curfew

"Twenty-three officers have received injuries, doing their job, policing protest over the last few days, and that is totally unacceptable. There have been 14 arrests made today, but we expect that number to rise and there will be a post-event investigation carried out," Edwards added further.

Read: Protesters Flood Streets In Huge, Peaceful Push For Change

As per the London police department, the crowd became violent at around 7 p.m. after a vast majority of demonstrators had left the site. Police officers in protective equipment were deployed, to identify and arrest those who had committed offences, and to clear the remainder from the area outside Downing Street, the official residence of Prime Minister of UK, where people started throwing missiles and flares at security officials.

Protests over police brutality

Protests in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world erupted after the killing of George Floyd in the United States by a white police officer on May 25. The officer named Derek Chauvin had pinned Floyd down to the ground and put his knee on George's neck for over 8 minutes. A video went viral in which Floyd was heard saying that he can't breathe, which later became the slogan of the protests. People are coming out on streets in large numbers to demand an end in racial discrimination and police brutality.

Read: Washington Protesters Express Optimism After Week On Edge

(Image Credit: AP)


The Government 'can and must' do more to address racial inequality in society, former chancellor Sajid Javid has said.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Javid said only the Prime Minister was capable of 'driving real change', adding the UK risked being 'complacent' about its claims to be a tolerant society.

It comes as thousands of people took part in Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations across the country on Saturday following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, with more demonstrations planned in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Edinburgh this afternoon.

Former Chancellor Sajid Javid, pictured outisde his home in March, 2020, has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to address the racial inequality in British society

Thousands of people took to the streets today in Black Lives Matter protests

Mr Javid, who also previously served as home secretary, said the UK must 'not pretend' that it does not have 'substantial obstacles' to overcome in regard to integration and opportunity.

'There are still parts of society that are more concerned about the status quo than justice and humanity,' he wrote.

The 50-year-old Conservative MP for Bromsgrove said racism can occur anywhere in the world, adding that a 'new ambition' was needed to 'break down barriers' in Britain.

'The Government can and must do more to address racial inequalities in our society,' Mr Javid wrote.

'As with all large-scale, systematic challenges, only the Prime Minister is capable of driving real change  and I know he cares deeply.'

He said there was a 'greater disproportionality' of black people in prisons in the UK than in the US, and that while abuse directed at officers was unacceptable, the police service 'still has a way to go'.

However, he said Britain was the 'most successful multi-ethnic democracy in the world'.

Mr Javid said when he was younger, he had been unable to get a job in the City 'because of my class and the colour of my skin', and instead moved to New York in his 20s.

Earlier this week, the PM, pictured, said he was 'sicked' by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, which has led to worldwide protests

Aged 25, he became a vice president at Chase Manhattan Bank, before later moving to Deutsche Bank in London.

Protests have been held across the UK and the US in response to the death of Mr Floyd, 46, who died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck on May 25.

At a memorial to Mr Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday night, US civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton said he was more 'hopeful today than ever' about the fight against racism after seeing marches in London and Germany.

Citing the Bible, he said: 'I'm more hopeful today than ever. Why? Well let me go back. Reverend Jackson always taught me stay on your text, go back to your text Ecclesiastes  there is a time and a season.

'And when I looked this time, and saw marches where in some cases young whites outnumbered the blacks marching, I know that it's a different time and a different season.

'When I looked and saw people in Germany marching for George Floyd, it's a different time and a different season. When they went in front of the Parliament in London, England, and said it's a different time and a different season, I've come to tell you America, this is the time of building with accountability in the criminal justice system.'

The Prime Minister came under pressure to halt exports of riot control gear to the US after President Donald Trump called for American authorities to 'dominate' protesters and threatened to deploy the military.

A heavy police presence greeted protesters who assembled outside Downing Street

Commenting on the controversy, Mr Johnson said: 'We mourn George Floyd and I was appalled and sickened to see what happened to him.

'And my message to President Trump, to everybody in the United States from the UK, is that I don't think racism  it's an opinion I'm sure is shared by the overwhelming majority of people around the world  racism, racist violence, has no place in our society.'

He said people had the right to protest but added: 'I would urge people to protest peacefully, and in accordance with the rules on social distancing. Everybody's lives matter, black lives matter, but we must fight this virus as well.'

On Wednesday, during Prime Ministers Questions, Mr Johnson said: 'Of course black lives matter and I totally understand the anger, the grief that is felt, not just in America but around the world and in our country as well.'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged Mr Johnson to speak to Mr Trump and 'convey to him the UK's abhorrence about his response to the events'.

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford pressed the Government over the export of riot control equipment from the UK to the US, calling for an urgent review.

'The UK exports millions of pounds of riot control equipment to the US, including tear gas and rubber bullets,' he said.

'The Prime Minister must have seen how these weapons are used on American streets.'

Mr Johnson responded: 'I'm happy to look into any complaints but as he knows all exports are conducted in accordance with the consolidated guidance and the UK is possibly the most scrupulous country in that respect in the world.'
Business lending is predicted to rise dramatically over the next year. Photo: Getty

An explosion in government-backed lending is forecast to reach 123bn ($156bn) by the second quarter of 2021 leading to as much as 36bn in "unsustainable" toxic loans.

That is the verdict of a report due to be published tomorrow by lobby group TheCityUK, seen by The Sunday Times.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has been alerted to the findings which predict COVID-19 loans to small businesses could impede the country's economic recovery.

It is estimated that between 32bn and 36bn of lending will be "unsustainable" as firms struggle to meet loan repayments, preventing them from growing.

The report, overseen by Aviva chairman Sir Adrian Montague, addresses how to support 250,000 UK companies struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Businesses are currently turning to three government-backed initiatives  the bounce back loan scheme (BBLS), the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS) and the scheme for larger businesses, CLBILS.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: 'Devastating' economic blow could last a decade

While lending via these schemes currently stands at 27bn, this is expected to rise to 123bn by the second quarter of next year.

TheCityUK report outlines a series of ideas to reduce the debt burden on companies, including exchanging troubled CBILS for preference shares, or swapping BBLS for contingent tax instruments. These might operate in a similar way to student loans and be repaid only when certain payment thresholds are reached.

The Treasury is also considering plans to get more pension fund money into private businesses by changing the rules on allocation of defined contribution scheme funds, claims The Sunday Times.

Currently pension funds are restricted in investing in private equity and venture capital funds because of high fees, but government proposals could allow greater exposure to private companies.

Figures released on Friday are set to show that UK GDP contracted by an unprecedented 18% in April, after Marchs 5.8% decline.
Photographs have revealed the inside of convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner's (pictured) last-known address in Germany

Photographs have revealed the inside of convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner's last-known address in Germany.

The revamped apartment in Braunschweig was reportedly left a mess when German-national Brueckner, now 43, moved out.

Brueckner is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 and is currently languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence.

He ran a small store selling drinks and snacks in Braunschweig between 2012 and 2014.

While working there, he would shower youngsters with toys and teddy bears as they walked to a school barely 100 yards from the kiosk.

Lenta Johlitz, 34, worked for him at the corner shop and 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.

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.

The revamped apartment in Braunschweig, Germany, was reportedly left a mess when German-national Brueckner, now 43, moved out. Pictured: The living room

The apartment's living room - which has been redecorated since Brueckner moved out - features a living room with a door leading onto the bedroom

Brueckner (right) is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine (left) from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 and is currently languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence

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.

Brueckner 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. Left: The kitchen of Brueckner's former flat. Right: The entrance to the flat in Braunschweig

The doorway to Christian Brueckner's last known address in Braunschweig, Germany. Brueckner is currently in prison

The outside of Brueckner's last-known address in Germany. At the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in Portugal

Brueckner ran a small store (pictured) selling drinks and snacks in the northern German town of Braunschweig between 2012 and 2014

Peter Erdmann, 64, (pictured) 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.'

Brueckner 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.

At the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

British detectives believe Brueckner was living out of a battered VW T3 Westerfalia campervan in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz at the time of Madeleines disappearance.

Former neighbours said he often slept in his van, which had a distinctive white upper body and yellow skirting.

Detectives believe Brueckner, the latest main suspect in the McCann case, was living out of a German campervan in 2007

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

A witness has claimed to have spotted Madeleine getting into a German-owned VW van with a man just weeks after her disappearance, it was revealed today.

Madeleine McCann prime suspect was 'twisted loner' at school, former classmate reveals - as police hunting 'knockout' clue put him on watch hoping he confesses to cellmate Madeleine McCann's suspected murderer Christian Brueckner was a twisted loner who was hated by the other children at school, a former classmate has revealed. The ex-classmate, who wants to remain anonymous, said Brueckner would spend his days annoying the other pupils and getting into fights. He added that Brueckner was even hated by the teachers and he 'knew he'd turn out bad'. It comes as German police are thought to have put sex offender Brueckner, now 43, under surveillance in prison in the hope that he lets slip a 'knockout' clue to his cellmate. Now, an ex-classmate has revealed how Brueckner was deeply unpopular at school, winding up and annoying his fellow pupils and even goading teachers before laughing in their faces. The former pupil said: 'I've only ever had one fight in my life and that was with Christian Brueckner. 'He spent a year talking about me behind my back. He would not stop making nasty comments. 'One day I exploded and told him to go back to the orphanage where he had come from. 'We all knew he was adopted, so I shouldn't have said that but I lost my temper with him. 'He jumped on me and we traded punches until a teacher pulled us apart. Everyone hated him in class and they all kept their distance. 'But it wasn't just the children  it was the teachers as well.' The former classmate, who is in his 40's, said he knew Brueckner would end up a criminal but never guessed he would become involved in Madeleine McCann's disappearance. He added: 'I always knew he would turn out bad but it is unbelievable to think he might he involved.' Advertisement

A police file 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.

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.

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.

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.

Following his naming by German police, he has 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.

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.
Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Sunny skies. Becoming windy late. High 62F. NE winds at 10 to 20 mph, increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 41F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
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.
As many as 11,815 migrants from Jharkhand will be heading to work for the Border Road Organization projects in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir after the State Government reached an agreement with the BRO. The highlights includes a ration allowance, medical insurance among other benefits. BRO has to register as an employer under 1979 Inter state Migrant Worksmen Act and do direct recruitment of all workers from Jharkhand.

A week ago, Jharkhand became the first state to airlift its 60 migrant workers from Ladakhs Batalik sector. Now, in another first, the states labour department has prepared an MoU with the Border Road Organisation which comes under the Ministry of Defence. BRO undertakes construction and building of strategic roads and infrastructure along the Countrys Northern border with China, scattered across Arunanchal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

With multiple communication between the BRO and the Principal Secretary to CM, a revised scheduled of rates for all categories of workers - Unskilled ,Semi- skilled and Skilled has been worked out. BRO has agreed to increase wages by around 15- 20%, coming into effect from June 10. Now the BRO will be the direct employer, doing away with contractors.

On May 31, Rajeev Ekka, Principal Secretary to the CM wrote a letter to Lt General Harpal Singh who is the director general of Border Roads asking multiple questions- this included- why tribal districts of Jharkhand were being chosen for this transportation of workers? What will be the allowances, working hours, accommodation etc?

Immediate response came from the BRO that traditionally the workers from Dumka and Deoghar districts have been involved in this work. They are honest, hardworking, tough and well suited to work in the remote and rugged mountains.

When the first batch of workers returned home, the state government did mapping to get a sense of what the pay structures are. The mapping document with News18 shows that many of them had not been paid money by the contractors for months and adding to their grievances was the monthly salary far below what the BRO communicated to the state government.

Sources close to Hemant Soren told News18 that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had himself requested Soren's intervention last Sunday. Soren is believed to have conveyed the concerns of the workers and the need to streamline the movement of migrants.

BRO had in place a system of Mates who play the role of intermediaries. With the state of Jharkhand now being the go-between its hoping that tribal Workers from Santhal Pargana, who have been at the forefront of building Indias frontiers since the early 1970s get whats long over due.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren told News18, National security is our priority and at the same time we have prioritized that honour, dignity and rights of our workers are guaranteed while serving the nation.

The skill mapping exercise of migrants is currently underway in states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. With state such as Jharkhand now institutionalizing the movement of its labour force, its certainly a new chapter in migrants movement in the country, but the irony is that it took a pandemic for the states to realise where it could have helped its most vulnerable.
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 gonorrhea, 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."

The program 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." Dr. Silvia Argimon, first author on the paper from the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance

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.

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." Professor David Aanensen, Director of the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance and joint lead on the project
Entrance to Switzerland will be allowed for tourists from the EU and the UK

Switzerland Open source

Switzerland plans to open its borders to European Union countries, EFTA members, and Britain on June 15, the government said on Friday, bringing forward its timetable as cases of the coronavirus decrease. This is reported by Reuters.

Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter informed her cabinet colleagues of the move, which goes further than an original plan to open borders with neighbours Germany, Austria, and France on June 15 and aim to add more countries by July 6.

The (governments) line corresponds to that of many European countries. At the informal video conference of the interior ministers of the Schengen countries on Friday, numerous ministers expressed the wish to return to normality and to lift controls at the European internal borders on June 15, it said.

Last month, Switzerland told its southern neighbour Italy, suffering one of the worlds highest tolls of COVID-19 infections and deaths, that Romes plan to lift border controls from June 3 was premature.

New Swiss cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, rose by 23 on Friday to 30,936. The death toll reached 1,660.
New Delhi, June 7 : When it comes to liquor, not many people know enough about what they enjoy consuming or the process which goes into the making of their favourite drink.

LiqHub is a platform where customers can browse, learn, and also order their favourite drinks. It assists consumers in making well-informed decisions that would enable them to relish liquor within the secure walls of their houses at a time when social distancing is the new norm.

The vision of the company is to provide doorstep delivery of aqua vitae'. IANSlife spoke to Aryank Solanki, founder of Liqhub, to know more about the platform. He also sheds light on the importance of responsible drinking.

What role can an online liquor delivery platforms play in the current times as we step into Unlock phase 1? Solanki: There are two sides to be seen in this crunch situation of COVID-19 with regards to liquor sale - end-customer demand plus government revenue. Taxes collected by liquor sale constitutes from 20 to 40 per cent of total revenue collected for various state governments. The stoppage of sales for nearly 55 days has financially paralyzed the government. With high demand and to keep social distancing in mind - online delivery platform is need of the hour.

Also, in this crunch situation, this service will not only avoid "infection due to line formation of customers" and "black marketing" but also will help in revenue generation for the state government. There will be hike in sale plus increase in employment in this period.

How was LiqHub incepted? Solanki: In a party, out of surprise an unanswerable question came about whiskey - what is it made of? We were stunned as no one was aware of exact details - neither ingredients nor process of making. We don't even know how much i alcohol v/v percent of the drink we take. This guided us to create a platform which not only guide you through your drink but also make you aware of the limit you should consume. It recommends the starters that should be paired with it, cocktail recipes and other information. This clearly adds more spice to a party. This will be a platform where one can take review of other recognised consumers for various drinks not tried.

We will also be allowing people to share their drinking stories and so that it can create impact on the heavy drinkers to have booze in limit. Our main motto is creating an impact in society by sharing knowledge about the alcohol and remove the social taboo about it.

How important it is to know what you are consuming? Solanki: We passionately believe liquor is a drink to be taken with proper knowledge about it. One should be aware of important facts like alcohol content in the products, a person consumes. This clearly brings a point in mind about the limit cap. Also, to avoid any disaster we clearly mention about the limit number of drinks with each product displayed. Lack of product knowledge and your limit can lead to disaster.

What role will digital alcohol delivery play in the reduction of road accidents due to alcohol consumption, if any? Solanki: One serious accident occurs per minute due to binge drinking. We clearly aim to bring services to door - after long office hours, one need not go to a liquor shop to make purchases. Clearly this reduces the crowd on roads in front of shops. Also, after having drinks many face issues of replenishment - which becomes major factor of accidents not only of drunk persons, but also pedestrians on road. This is highly under reported.

(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)
The court is set to consider whether the national quarantine was within the bounds of Constitutional norms.

Ukrainian Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska has backed quarantine restrictions the government imposed in March of this year to tackle the novel coronavirus. The comment came as the Ukrainian court is set to provide the final assessment of the legality of a wide range of bans imposed on public and businesses to counter the COVID-19 spread.

There are three aspects to legal issues related to the quarantine, Maliuska told RFE/RL's Ukrainian service.

They include the introduction procedure, the legitimacy of the very restrictions, and the balance of decisions.

"There is a wide debate on whether the legal quarantine introduction procedure has been fully respected or not. The short answer is that the court will hand down the final assessment. We have many lawsuits heard in the District Administrative Court where these decisions are being reviewed. A key thesis that must be remembered: not every procedural violation entails the illegality of the very decision, which applies both to acts of the Cabinet of Ministers and corporate decisions, decisions of legal entities, and other administrative acts. Only significant violations of the procedure that have affected the essence of the act can entail recognizing it as illegal," said Maliuska.

Speaking about the restrictions, he opined that the government acted within its powers.

"We walked up to the very edge of our powers. Had we gone any further, there would've certainly be some illegality. Risky tactics. We didn't leave any safety margin for ourselves," the minister said.

Read also"Adaptive" quarantine from May 22, explained

Maliuska added that it's not only the Ukrainian court which should assess the balance of decisions, but also international judicial bodies, including the European Court of Human Rights.

"In our opinion, we have retained balance because we actually applied the same approaches that had been applied in most countries of Western Europe. Therefore, we also feel confident enough. But we still have democracy and the rule of law, despite any criticism. A vivid example of this is that the government does not understand, does not know, and is not sure of what the court will decide. But the court can decide in different ways," Maliuska said.

According to the minister, even if the court finds a violation of Constitution procedure in the introduction of quarantine, the purpose was to protect the life and health of Ukrainians.

"I foresee no particularly worrying consequences, from a legal perspective or from that of compensation for damage as a result of an assessment of the actions of the Cabinet of Ministers during quarantine. They were on the edge of legality, but within its framework, also being balanced. Therefore, we have an excellent legal position  to protect the state and the state budget from any lawsuits. I don't think that the state will have to pay any significant compensation in connection with quarantine. And even if some insignificant ones ensue, it's still justified," the minister summed up.
A statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave trader, has been toppled in Bristol by Black Lives Matter protesters.

Video footage shows the statue being pulled down using a rope.

After it falls during the protests on Sunday people can be seen dancing atop the statue and cheering.

The statue was then taken to Bristol's harbour where it was subsequently tossed into the sea.

It comes as thousands of protesters gather across the UK to march against racism following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Mr Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes. In tribute, protesters in Bristol knelt on the neck of Edward Colston for the same period of time.

Edward Colston was a merchant in the Royal African Company, which held a monopoly in England in the West African slave trade. During Colston's time at the company it is estimated to have transported around 84,000 African men women and children as slaves.

Colston was also a philanthropist in his native Bristol, and has a number of charitable foundations that survive to this day, including Colston's School.

The bronze memorial to Edward Colston had been situated in the city's centre since 1895

Prior to being torn down it was the the subject of an 11,000-strong petition to have it removed.

Earlier, protestor John McAllister, 71, tore down black bin bags used to hide the statue to denounce it in front of fellow protesters.

He said: It says erected by the citizens of Bristol, as a memorial to one of the most virtuous and wise sons of this city.

The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and its absolutely despicable. Its an insult to the people of Bristol.

Thousands of people marched through Bristol city centre to protest against the death of George Floyd.

A crowd of at least 5,000 people had earlier packed into the citys College Green area to hear from speakers and hold an eight-minute silence to represent the time Mr Floyd was filmed on the ground during an arrest in Minnesota with a policeman kneeling on his neck.

Many protesters worse masks and gloves, but the majority were unable to adhere to the two-metre social distancing guidance and were pressed against one another in the citys narrow streets.

Police have launched an investigation into the destruction of the statue.

No arrest were made, but officers are now said to be collating footage of a small group of people who were filmed pulling down the statue with ropes, which police say amounted to criminal damage.

Superintendent Andy Bennett said: The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic added a different dynamic to what was always going to be a challenging policing operation.

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He added: However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.

An investigation will be carried out to identify those involved and were already collating footage of the incident.
People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Custom House Square, Belfast, in memory of George Floyd who died in police custody in the US city of Minneapolis (Rebecca Black/PA)

Stormont justice minister Naomi Long has described the response by police to anti-racism rallies in Northern Ireland as proportionate.

Some cases will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service, while a significant number of community resolution notices (CRNS) and fines were issued to people attending rallies, police said.

An estimated 500 attended Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Belfast and Londonderry, sparked by the death of black man George Floyd in police custody in the US.

1/2 Busy day for @PoliceServiceNI, #blacklivesmatters protests passed off peacefully with over 60 tickets issued & a number of reports being prepared for the PPS, we are still fighting a pandemic, people have the right to protest but not to endanger lives. #StaySafeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/siXzpv4731  Simon Byrne (@ChiefConPSNI) June 6, 2020

The PSNI and senior politicians had urged people not to take part in public protests, citing the coronavirus regulations in Northern Ireland which currently ban the gathering of more than six people.

Officers conducted checks on roads and at transport hubs ahead of the protests to remind those taking part of the social distancing rules.

Amnesty International expressed concern at the police response.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland programme director, said the rally organisers went to great lengths to ensure social distancing in light of the current public health crisis.

Expand Close People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Custom House Square, Belfast (Rebecca Black/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Custom House Square, Belfast (Rebecca Black/PA)

The PSNI must respect the rights of those peacefully protesting and ensure that the voices of those demanding action on tackling racial injustice are allowed to be heard, he said.

However, Ms Long described the actions of police as proportionate adding they had found themselves in an awkward situation.

I would have hoped that the organisers would have found other ways, whether digital or virtual ways, of marking that protest because I think many of us are in solidarity with the cause but could not be in solidarity with breaching the coronavirus regulations and placing other lives at risk, she told the BBC.

Expand Close Parliament Buildings Stormont, Belfast was lit yellow as a strong and visible symbol of the Assembly and local communitys opposition to racism and to show its support for and solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 6, 2020. Photo credit should read: Michael Cooper/PA Wire PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Parliament Buildings Stormont, Belfast was lit yellow as a strong and visible symbol of the Assembly and local communitys opposition to racism and to show its support for and solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 6, 2020. Photo credit should read: Michael Cooper/PA Wire

At the end of the day, the guidance and the regulations are there to protect life and we are all required to respect that.

There were also socially distanced expressions of solidarity, with the painting of a new mural dedicated to Mr Floyd in West Belfast, while Stormont was lit up yellow on Saturday evening as an expression of opposition to racism.
Barr Says Deploying Troops Within US Should Be Last Resort Response to Rioting

Attorney General William Barr said that members of the Trump administration agreed that active-duty military personnel should only be deployed as a last resort response to rioting.

Barr made the comments on CBSs Face the Nation on June 7, when asked to address reports by the network that President Donald Trump had demanded last week that the military deploy 10,000 active-duty troops on U.S. streets.

The attorney general called the report completely false, saying that following a night of violent rioting in Washington, which saw the destruction of federal property as well as arson damage to the historic St. Johns Episcopal Church, Trump administration officials made the decision to have at the ready and on hand in the vicinity some regular troops.

But everyone agreed that the use of regular troops was a last resort, and that as long as matters can be controlled with other resources, they should be, Barr said, adding that officials felt they had adequate resources.

Barr said that he, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley concurred that military personnel would only be deployed as a last resort, and that they didnt think we would need them.

I think everyone was on the same page, Barr said.

Similarly, a White House official on June 7 also denied reports that active-duty troops were deployed to respond to the violent rioting.

This is FALSE. I was in the mtg. @realDonaldTrump very clearly directed DOD [Department of Defense] to surge the National Guardnot active dutyafter nights of vandalism & arson in DC. It worked, & weve seen powerful, peaceful demonstrations since, Alyssa Farah, the White House director of strategic communications, said in a statement on Twitter.

Protesters march during a demonstration against racism and police brutality near the White House on June 6, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/ AFP)

Tens of thousands of people flooded streets across the nation over the past week to call for change after the death of Floyd, a black man who died while former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. While many protests were peaceful, cities saw incidents of looting, violent rioting, and arson, leading to significant property damage and more than a dozen deaths.

Barr has blamed the violence on extremists agitators who have hijacked the protests to pursue their own agendas. On June 4, he said that 51 arrests had been made so far for federal crimes over the rioting and that resources have been deployed to quell outbreaks of violence in several places.

The number of protesters reached record levels on June 6 as people flooded the streets of cities including San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, and Chicago, in which many of them appeared peaceful. Trump announced on June 7 that he had ordered the National Guard to begin withdrawing from Washington.

I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated! the president wrote on Twitter.

President Donald Trump walks from the gates of the White House to visit St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park in Washington on June 1, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

During the interview, Barr also addressed criticism of the Trump administrations handling of protesters in Washington. He disputed claims that protesters at the White House were forcefully cleared from the area using tear gas and other means last week in order to make way for Trumps visit to the nearby St. Johns Church.

Trump and several of his aides, including Barr, walked across Lafayette Square to the church and posed for photos, which sparked broad criticism. Barr said that the decision to clear the park was made before he knew that Trump was going to speak there, and that it was not an operation to respond to that particular crowd.

It was an operation to move the perimeter one block, the attorney general said.

Barr said the decision was made in response to violent riots in Lafayette Square over the previous few days.

On Sunday [May 31], things reached a crescendo. The officers were pummeled with bricks. Crowbars were used to pry up the pavers at the park and they were hurled at police. There were fires set in not only St. Johns Church, but a historic building at Lafayette was burned down, he said.

He said these incidents prompted the Park Police on May 31 to prepare a plan to clear H Street and put  a larger perimeter around the White House so they could build a more permanent fence on Lafayette. He added that he gave the green light to the plan at 2 p.m. the next day.

Police have to move protesters, sometimes peaceful demonstrators, for a short distance in order to accomplish public safety. And thats what was done here, Barr said.
Press Release

June 7, 2020 GORDON LAUDS AUSTRALIAN GOV'T FOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRC'S COVID RESPONSE, OTHER DISASTERS Senator Richard J. Gordon, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, lauded the Australian government for its large contribution to the humanitarian organization's COVID response operations. "We thank the Australian government for partnering with the Philippine Red Cross in our operations aimed at ensuring victory over the virus. It was among the first partners that extended help when we first started our campaign to fight the spread of the disease," he said. Gordon disclosed that the Australian government donated one million face mask and 20,000 pcs of personal protective equipment for frontline workers. Through its financial donation, the Red Cross also procured one negative pressure ambulance to ensure that infected individuals can be transported safely without posing risk to the staff and volunteers manning the ambulance. He added that when the PRC started establishing bio-molecular laboratories, the Australian government donated funds for equipping one laboratory in its testing center in Port Area, Manila. The donation also covered the operational cost for the facility. "The Australian government has always been one of the Red Cross' partners in our disaster operations. They always heed our call for humanitarian assistance. They contributed to our relief and recovery operations in the areas that were worst hit by Typhoon Yolanda. Likewise, thru their donations, we were also able to preposition non-food items for our other disaster response operations," Gordon stressed. "Kaya sinisiguro din namin na hindi lang tayo kabig ng kabig, tumutulong din tayo tayo sa ibang bansa. We also send donations or operations to other countries when disasters hit them. Gaya sa Australia, nagbigay ang Red Cross ng donation noong hindi pa nagsimula ang pandemic at sinalanta sila ng wildfire. It's important that we make other countries feel that we are also there for them," he added. In January this year, the Philippine Red Cross donated 100,000 Australian dollars (P3.47-million) to the Australian government for their operations to control the bushfires that burnt an estimated 18.6-million hectares, destroyed thousands of properties and killed at least 34 people and a billion animals.
Minneapolis Democrat Mayor Jacob Frey looks over a demonstration calling for the Minneapolis Police Department to be defunded in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 6, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Minneapolis Mayor Jeered After Refusing to Support Abolishing Police Department

The mayor of Minneapolis ran a gauntlet of angry, jeering protesters on Saturday after telling them he was opposed to their demands for defunding the city police following George Floyds fatal encounter with law enforcement.

Mayor Jacob Frey, a former civil rights attorney who took office two years ago vowing to repair the police departments strained relations with minorities, was showered with angry chants of Go home, Jacob, go home, and Shame, shame, as he stalked away through the crowd, head bowed.

Onlookers video of the spectacle went viral on social media on a day when tens of thousands of demonstrators in cities across the country staged a 12th straight day of protests demanding an end to racial bias and brutality in Americas criminal justice system.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey walks through a crowd of jeering protesters, in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 6, 2020. (Courtesy of CTUL/Social Media via Reuters)

Frey was first thrust into the national spotlight nearly two weeks ago, after cellphone footage emerged showing Floyd, a black man in handcuffs, lying face down in the street and struggling to breathe as a white policeman knelt on his neck.

The 38-year-old mayor immediately decried the deadly use of force in Floyds May 25 arrest as unjustified.

Within days, as street protests raged amid a storm of arson and looting that went largely unchecked by police, Frey drew criticism from some, including President Donald Trump, for doing too little to restore order. The mayor ultimately imposed a curfew to help quell the disturbances.

All four Minneapolis police officers implicated in Floyds death have since been arrested, including Derek Chauvin, the officer seen pinning Floyds neck to the ground, who is charged with murder.

From left, Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. (Hennepin County Sheriffs Office via AP)

But demonstrators in Minneapolis and elsewhere have since refocused their demands from merely seeking justice for Floyds death to a quest for far-reaching police reforms.

Some activists have gone so far as to call for de-funding and dismantling the police department altogether. They argue for shifting city dollars instead into public health programs and other initiatives aimed at preventing violent crime.

On Saturday, according to an account by Minneapolis-based WCCO-TV, a throng of demonstrators marched to Freys home and called on him to come out to address the crowd.

When the mayor was later spotted in the crowd, the TV station said, he was asked by one of the protest leaders whether he would commit to defunding the police. Freys exact reply was drowned out, but the crowd erupted in a chorus of angry taunts and boos as he walked off and left the scene.

WCCO caught up afterward with Frey, who told the television station he favored massive structural reform to revise a structurally racist system. But he added, Im not for abolishing the entire police department. I will be honest about that.

By Steve Gorman
Edmonton police arrested two demonstrators following Friday's protest at the Alberta Legislature grounds.

Around 10,000 people rallied at the Alberta Legislature grounds at a peaceful event called Fight for Equity on Friday evening, in support of demonstrations across Canada and the United States protesting police brutality and racism against the Black community.

In an email, Carolin Maran, communications advisor for EPS, confirmed a male was arrested and charged for mischief after a police vehicle had its window smashed. Another female demonstrator was arrested after reportedly striking a police officer in the face, although no charges were laid.

Following the event at the legislature, the crowd of protestors marched throughout the downtown core, briefly stopping at several locations before proceeding south of the river toward Whyte Avenue.

Edmonton police say they were present to assist with traffic control.

At approximately 12 a.m. on Saturday, a male demonstrator was reportedly blocking a police vehicle at 109th Street and 82nd Avenue and then smashed the vehicle with his sign.

The male was released a short time later on an appearance notice.

Around the same time, a woman also reportedly struck a police officer in the face. She was briefly detained and then released but no charges were laid.

Police confirm the officer who was struck did not sustain any injuries.

There were no other arrests and the EPS did not issue any public health order violations in relation to the event.

Suspicious package

EPS also received a report regarding a suspicious package at the legislature grounds on Friday.

The EPS Explosives Disposal Unit attended the scene and found out that the package was a backpack that may have been left behind by someone at the protest.
An elderly patient was allegedly tied to a bed at a private hospital in Madhya Pradesh over non-payment of medical bills, prompting the state government to order a probe and stern action in the matter.

While the hospital, located in Shajapur city, denied tying the patient for non-payment of bills, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, taking note of media reports in this regard, promised strict action against the "cruel" act.

According to reports in a section of media, the patient, hailing from Ranayda village in neighbouring Rajgarh district, was tied to the hospital bed for not settling the final bill and his daughter was not allowed to take him home.

Taking serious note of it, Chouhan in a tweet said, "We have taken into cognisance the matter of a senior citizen being treated in a cruel manner in a hospital. The accused persons will not be spared and strict action will be taken."

Newly-appointed Shajapur collector Dinesh Jain, who took charge on Saturday, has ordered a probe which is being conducted by sub-divisional magistrate S L Solanki.

When contacted, Solanki said the probe report would be submitted to the collector by Sunday evening.

However, City Hospital director Dr Varun Bajaj said the 65-year-old patient, who is claimed to be around 80 years old in media reports, was discharged on Friday 'without taking the due amount'.

"The patient was having intestinal problems and in order to administer the medicine, his legs were tied to the bed while his hands were held by his family during the process," Bajaj claimed.

He said police were informed after those attending the patient expressed inability to pay the bill and insisted on taking him home.

The patient's daughter, who was with him in hospital, could not be contacted for comments.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath termed the incident as 'inhuman and barbaric'.

'During corona pandemic, private hospitals are looting patients and doing things the way they like. Strict action should be taken against the accused,' Nath tweeted.

'His (patient's) daughter alleged the hospital had tied her father with ropes with the bed as they are unable to pay the bill. It is inhuman and barbaric,' he added.

However, the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) district secretary Dr Praveen Singh Gohil said if the Shajapur administration takes action in the matter on the basis of media reports, they will strongly protest against it.

Gohil said an IMA member must be part of the probe team.
An 80-year-old man in Madhya Pradeshs Shajapur was found tied to a bed at a hospital over alleged non-payment of hospital bill, prompting chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to assure justice. According to Virendra Singh Rawat, Shajapur district collector, a team has been sent to the hospital to investigate the matter and a police probe is underway. The report is awaited. Action will be taken accordingly, the official told news agency ANI.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday took note of the incident and said the culprits will not be spared, assuring strict action.

                     ,        Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) June 6, 2020

A case of cruelty with a senior citizen in a hospital in Shajapur has come to notice. The culprits will not be spared, strict action will be taken, Chouhan tweeted.

Watch: MP hospital ties 80-year-old man to bed after family failed to pay dues

Madhya Pradesh: An 80-yr-old man found tied to bed with rope at a hospital in Shajapur allegedly over non-payment of hospital bill. Dist Collector says,Weve sent a team to hospital to investigate matter. Police probe on. Report awaited. Action will be taken accordingly.'(06.06) pic.twitter.com/fWaY4nIi5z  ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2020

According to reports, the man was brought to Shajapur District Hospital due to a stomach ailment earlier in the week. The patient was allegedly tied to the hospital bed when the family members were unable to pay the hospital bill and urged the hospital administration to discharge him. As per reports, the elderly mans daughter had made a couple of deposits with the hospital but was unable to settle the final bill.

Time and again, the Central government, has called for the need to show compassion amid such distressing times and treat people, especially those in the front-line of Indias Covid-19 fight, with respect and dignity.

In many of his addresses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that violence or ill behaviour against doctors, nurses, patients and personnel engaged in the Covid-19 care shall not be tolerated.
Stan Wischnowski, 58, is stepping down as senior vice president and executive editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer after 20 years at the newspaper

The Philadelphia Inquirer's top editor is resigning after an uproar over a headline lamenting damage to businesses amid turbulent protests denouncing police brutality against people of color.

The newspaper announced Saturday that Stan Wischnowski, 58, was stepping down as senior vice president and executive editor.

The Inquirer had apologized for a 'horribly wrong' decision to use the headline, 'Buildings Matter, Too,' on a column Tuesday about looting and vandalism on the margins of protests of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis at the hands of a white police officer.

The backlash came as The New York Times was widely criticized for publishing an opinion piece by Senator Tom Cotton advocating the use of federal troops to quell the protests.

About 30 members of the Inquirer's 210-member editorial staff called in sick earlier this week, and black staff members angrily condemned the headline.

It appeared over an article by architecture critic Inga Saffron, who worried that buildings damaged in violence over the past week could 'leave a gaping hole in the heart of Philadelphia.'

Saffron on Saturday tweeted: 'I know it was the headline on my story that sparked the outpouring of outrage and frustration about the insufficient number of journalists of color at the Inquirer, but I fully support the the change that is needed to create an equitable newsroom.'

The Inquirer newsroom was in an uproar after the paper published an article by architecture critic Inga Saffron on Tuesday. The story's headline, 'Buildings Matter, Too,' provoked outrage

Saffron gave a statement to DailyMail.com which read: 'Stan's decision to resign from the Inquirer comes after an enormously difficult and painful week at the Inquirer.

'The placement of an insensitive headline over my column was the catalyst for out-pouring of bottled-up feelings about the lack of black and brown journalists in the newsroom and deep concerns about other diversity issues.

'But while these events have been conflated with Stan's departure, we really don't know all the reasons why he chose to leave now.'

The Inquirer drew fresh scorn after it replaced that headline online with one that read, 'Black Lives Matter. Do Buildings?'

Eventually, the newspaper settled on 'Damaging buildings disproportionately hurt the people protesters are trying to uplift.'

The Inquirer published an apology from senior editors.

Publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes said in a memo to staff that the headline was 'offensive and inappropriate' and said the newspaper needed a more diverse workforce.

Wischnowski had worked at the Inquirer for 20 years and was editor when the paper won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for an in-depth investigation into violence within Philadelphia schools.

He will formally leave the newspaper June 12. Hughes did not immediately name a successor.

On Twitter, there were those who supported the resignation, saying that journalists 'are either part of the problem or part of the solution'

Another Twitter user wrote that Wischnowski's resignation was an 'indicator that protests, boycotts, & walkouts motivate change'

Others, however, criticized the resignation as a 'travesty.' Joe Concha, a media critic for The Hill, tweeted: 'Stan Wischnowski worked there for 20 years. Won a Pulitzer. First the NYT folds on the Cotton op-ed, now this. Newsrooms are increasingly being dictated by woke staffers & online mobs. Diversity of thought be damned.'

Another Twitter user wrote: 'Why would you force [Wischnowski] to resign for writing a factual article? The truth isn't always pretty. Buildings do matter. They house citizens and the livelihood of business owners. I hope that you reconsider this decision because it wasn't the right one'

Some observers said the resignation and the Cotton-New York Times controversy sent a chilling message that journalists ought to be careful of writing content that may offend others lest they lose their jobs.

'This is a travesty,' Joe Concha, a media critic for The Hill, tweeted.

'Stan Wischnowski worked there for 20 years. Won a Pulitzer.

'First the NYT folds on the Cotton op-ed, now this. Newsrooms are increasingly being dictated by woke staffers & online mobs.

'Diversity of thought be damned.'

Another Twitter user wrote: 'Why would you force [Wischnowski] to resign for writing a factual article? The truth isn't always pretty.

'Buildings do matter. They house citizens and the livelihood of business owners.

'I hope that you reconsider this decision because it wasn't the right one.'

Others, however, cheered the resignation.

'America in a nutshell,' tweeted one Twitter user.

'You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Demonstrators raise their fists in front of City Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday, where hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest the police-involved death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25

'If you dont know which one you are, you ARE the problem.'

Another Twitter user wrote that Wischnowski's resignation was an 'indicator that protests, boycotts, & walkouts motivate change.

'Any positive social change requires professionals in any field with the potential to damage or subvert that positive change to move beyond an apolitical professional ethic or professionalism, putting people first.'

Senator Tom Cotton hits back at New York Times for publishing a column saying his op-ed calling for military crackdown on rioters was FASCIST after uproar from newsroom

Senator Tom Cotton has hit back at the New York Times for running a column calling his op-ed published in the newspaper's own pages 'fascist.'

Times staff columnist Michelle Goldberg published her rebuttal on Friday, titled 'Tom Cottons Fascist Op-Ed,' after the newspaper's staff expressed outrage over Cotton's op-ed.

'I'd like to report an editorial that violates your new policy against publishing editorials that are "contemptuous in tone"' Cotton said in a tweet, referring to a leaked remark from Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger that Cotton's piece should not have been published.

Cotton's controversial op-ed was a call for President Donald Trump to use the military to crack down on rioting, looting and violence that gripped many cities during protests over the death of George Floyd.

Senator Tom Cotton (left) has hit back at the New York Times for running a column by Michelle Goldberg calling his op-ed published in the newspaper's own pages 'fascist.'

One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers,' Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, wrote in the piece published on Wednesday.

Goldberg responded in her column that the Trump presidency had 'undermined' the newspaper's ability to serve as a forum for competing ideas, 'because theres generally no way to defend the administration without being either bigoted or dishonest.'

She claimed that Cotton 'is calling for what would almost certainly amount to massive violence against his fellow citizens.'

Goldberg's column called Cotton's views 'proto-fascist', while the title of the piece, which is generally written by an editor, outright called the senator's column 'fascist.'

Goldberg's column called Cotton's views 'proto-fascist', while the title of the piece, which is generally written by an editor, outright called the senator's column 'fascist'

The Times posted a mea culpa Thursday over its decision to publish Cotton's incendiary commentary calling for the use of military force against protesters.

The apology came after writers and staff voiced their grievances on Twitter, and more than 300 non-editorial employees planning a virtual walkout for Friday morning.

Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, told the Washington Post: 'The attacks on the newspaper capture the rising intolerance for opposing views in our society.'

He said it was 'chilling' that journalists were demanding that certain views should not be published.

'This is akin to priests campaigning against free exercise of religion. . . . I never thought I would see the day where writers called for private censorship of views,' he added.

More than a dozen journalists called in sick on the day after the piece was published, the Guardian reported.

Tom Cotton's op-ed was eviscerated on Twitter by the New York Times staffers and many readers declared their intent to stop reading the publication altogether

Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones tweeted that 'as a black woman, as a journalist, I am deeply ashamed that we ran this.'

In an essay on Thursday, Times Opinion Editor James Bennet defended his decision to run Cotton's op-ed.

'Cotton and others in power are advocating the use of the military, and I believe the public would be better equipped to push back if it heard the argument and had the chance to respond to the reasoning,' Bennet wrote.

'Readers who might be inclined to oppose Cottons position need to be fully aware of it, and reckon with it, if they hope to defeat it.'

Eileen Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Times, said Thursday: 'We've examined the piece and the process leading up to its publication.'

'This review made clear that a rushed editorial process led to the publication of an op-ed that did not meet our standards,' Murphy added.

'As a result, we're planning to examine both short-term and long-term changes, to include expanding our fact-checking operation and reducing the number of op-eds we publish.'

However, Times insiders say Cotton's op-ed went through a thorough three-stage vetting process, and was reviewed for clarity, style and fact-checking.

The article was initially defended by publisher AG Sulzberger (left) who said the paper aimed to share 'views from across the spectrum'. The newspaper's opinion page editor James Bennet (right) also defended the decision to publish. 'To me, debating influential ideas openly, rather than letting them go unchallenged, is far more likely to help society reach the right answers,' he said

Disgruntled Times staffers met with management at a town hall meeting Friday where it was learned that the paper disputed a claim that he had pitched the theme of the piece.

'From New York Times town hall: op-ed team pitched the piece to Tom Cotton. Not the other way around' tweeted journalist Patrick Coffee, who claimed to be privy to the information.

A spokeswoman for the New York Times was not immediately available to elaborate on Coffee's remarks when DailyMail.com reached out.

An unnamed staffer in Cotton's office had told the National Review that the senator pitched the theme of the op-ed after he discussed the Insurrection Act on Fox and Friends Monday.

The act authorizes the president to 'employ the military 'or any other means' in 'cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws'.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High around 65F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that the government will take a decision on resuming commercial international flights only after other countries ease their restrictions on entry of foreign nationals and allow incoming flights.

In a tweet, Puri said: "A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights."

A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights.  Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020

In a series of tweets, the minister also said that due to increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, he reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world, but globally, the situation is far from normal.

Due to increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, I reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world.



Globally the situation is far from normal.@MoCA_GoI @PIB_India  Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020

He noted that most countries have less than 10 per cent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens and have placed restrictions on foreign nationals. Many are allowing inbound flights from few countries but have also placed restrictions of quarantine or isolation, Puri added.

Puri, who is overseeing the massive Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) to evacuate Indians stranded abroad, tweeted: "We have let outbound passengers on VBM flights to fly to countries which allow them entry. More than 13500 people have flown out of India."

"@airindiain (Air India) has sold another 22000 tickets for flights to US & Canada yesterday (5-6 June). Bookings for Europe & other places will open soon," he added.

Potentially, these many eligible people will return to India as well, Puri said, adding that the government is adding more flights to the Vande Bharat Mission.

Another 1 lakh passengers flew out of India and around 38,000 inbound Indian citizens returned on around 640 chartered flights. More such flights are being given permissions.

Further, national carrier Air India in a tweet said that Indian citizens and OCI card holders who wish to travel on evacuation flights departing from US and Canada can book their tickets through the Air India website for flights departing from these two countries on or after June 11. It also said that the applicants should be registered with the local embassy or the high commission.
People are marching for change in our police departments.

Most policemen and policewomen are good people and respect their neighbors.

However, people from all walks of life are marching to open our eyes and ears to the few policemen and policewomen who abuse their job.

My eyes and ears were crying and filled with anger when we all saw our neighbor unable to breathe while four other policemen just watched.

I was yelling at my television and could not believe what I just saw. This is 2020, and we are still not respecting and loving others.

Putting a knee on someone's neck is never right. Our words and actions define us as a community and country. Our knees are for kneeling down and begging God to forgive all of us for the way we treat others.

Now is the time to demand our president to outlaw putting your knee on someone's neck to arrest them.

May God bless all of us.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
Home cooking operations are nothing new. Many people  including immigrants, stay-at-home parents and other types of entrepreneurs  have been making food in their kitchens and selling it to the public for years.

But as the coronavirus pandemic has wrought havoc on the dining industry, a new batch of impromptu food businesses is cropping up in the Bay Area as industrious former restaurant employees and home cooks deploy their skills in the kitchen to keep the bills paid.

Such pop-ups are sprouting all over the Bay Area, where residents can order roasted beet tortellini, wood-fired pizza, laksa, herb and caper focaccia or a personalized multitiered celebration cake. Some of these entrepreneurs have focused on a few specialty items, while others change their menus and themes regularly.

Scroll through your Instagram and you might come across a beautifully presented three-course meal from a Michelin-starred restaurant chef that you can have delivered to your doorstep. They might cook out of their small home kitchens or borrow restaurant kitchen space, and do all of the menu planning, order taking, packaging, social media and deliveries mostly by themselves.

And customers are literally hungry for these businesses.

Cooks are writing to us every day saying my business is way up, said Matt Jorgensen, director of strategy for the Cook Alliance, an Oakland nonprofit that advocates for the informal food economy. Its crazy they cant do this regularly. Everyone wants to buy food right now.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

California laws evolving

While it is legal to sell many nonperishable items prepared in your home kitchen with a permit, it isnt yet legal in the Bay Area to sell prepared meals as many of these new home-based operations are doing.

In 2013, California passed AB1616, dubbed the Cottage Food Bill. It allows the direct sale of approved food products prepared in home kitchens based on county jurisdiction. The list includes mostly nonperishable items such as baked goods, jams and jellies, and dried fruit.

In 2018, state lawmakers passed AB626, the microenterprise home kitchen operations act that legalizes small cooking operations out of homes. Operators could earn up to $50,000 a year in revenue, and make a maximum of 30 meals a day or 60 meals a week. But one caveat is individual counties could choose to opt in and institute their own permitting and home inspection process.

AB377 was later introduced, providing clarifications of AB626 regarding county opt-in. But counties are largely not on board. So far, only Riverside County has fully legalized these operations by giving out permits. Four other counties - San Mateo, Solano, Santa Barbara and Imperial - and the city of Berkeley, which has its own health department, have opted in but are not yet issuing permits.

In the Bay Area, Victor Aguilera is among the new pop-up pioneers. He learned how to make arepas from his grandmother when he was only 4 years old. One night in 2017, he made a big batch of the Venezuelan maize-based dish, and biked to some bars around San Francisco, selling out in less than an hour. The experience drove him to pursue his culinary career further.

Most recently he served as kitchen manager at the Brixton in Cow Hollow, but was laid off when the restaurant shuttered after the shelter-in-place order took effect. Once again, Aguilera turned to his childhood dish, launching Arepas en Bici with different varieties including pabellon criollo with shredded beef and fried plantains, and sifrina, made with shredded chicken and cheddar.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Aguilera works out of his tiny Nob Hill kitchen and also at a restaurant kitchen in Outer Sunset. He takes all orders by text. The night before a delivery, he preps the masa, cooks all the meats and mixes the sauces. The next morning Aguilera heats and assembles the arepas. His fiancee helps him pack eight to 14 orders in a large insulated container that he straps to his back, and he drops off orders by bike. Two bike couriers help with delivery on the weekends.

Aguilera sells about 25 to 50 arepas a day, and gives out 100 a week to the homeless. He charges $4-$10 for his arepas, empanadas, tequenos and pastelitos, and said he is making a profit.

Success amid shelter in place

Oaklands Blake Hunter spent a year and a half making hundreds of batches of bagels out of his home kitchen before perfecting his recipe. He launched Hella Bagels on March 8 as a side hustle while working full time as a district sales manager at Red Bulls south San Francisco office. Then came the coronavirus, and hes been selling out every week, sometimes in minutes.

I dont want to be the pandemic business, but it 100% helped, he said. Where are you going to be on a Sunday morning at this point? Not camping, not going to the park. The likelihood of you being home to receive breakfast is 100%.

Hunter does everything on Instagram. Ordering opens at noon on Sundays the week before delivery, taken via direct messages. To keep things simple, he sells seven varieties of bagels in batches of four with a schmear. He currently works out of his home kitchen but is planning to move into a commercial kitchen soon.

Hunter begins on Friday developing the starter, then Saturday morning gets up early to mix and ferment the dough, shape the bagels and make the schmear flavors. On Sunday at 4:30 a.m., he boils and bakes the bagels.

I leave the house by 8 a.m., by then Im on way too much coffee and zooming, he said.

Courtesy of Jackie Lee /

Jackie Lee, owner of The Right Dough in Oakland, has also seen success in the past couple of months, as many people have found comfort in carbs while sheltering in place. Two years ago she left her job in the tech industry to intern at the Artisan Baking Center in Petaluma. Now she produces flavorful German-style loaves, meticulously milling her own flour and hand-kneading each loaf.

Before the pandemic, she was working in a bakery, helping a friend start her bread-making business.

When COVID-19 hit, my husband was really concerned and said I should probably stay as safe as possible and not be around people, Lee said. I thought, this sucks. I have a lot of stuff to make bread with, and wanted to help people.

She started off intending to just break even, and has since made some profit. But mostly its been a learning experience, and a chance to pick up more professional equipment and experiment.

Kimberly Yang was working as a psychiatrist for Kaiser Permanente and quit her job last summer to start Formosa Chocolates, making her exquisitely crafted confections from a commercial kitchen in Emeryville. She was relying on a slew of upcoming events including the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon to attract new customers and get her name out there, but those were canceled at the start of the pandemic.

Courtesy Kimberly Yang

I tried to pivot towards online sales, she said. I created a care package with a box of chocolates and a roll of toilet paper wrapped up nicely. Those kinds of things helped me to get noticed.

Her local sales went up with customers picking up their chocolates or ordering through DoorDash. Shes seen an uptick in orders outside the Bay Area, which forced her to figure out how to better ship an item that can easily melt. She also signed up for virtual events and training. Yang now makes 1,000 to 1,500 bonbons a week, while also doing online therapy sessions to help people during the pandemic.

Looking ahead

The Cook Alliance, which has more than 2,000 members, has been pushing for counties to opt in to AB377. Jorgensen said because the concept of legalizing these types of operations is so new, it is perceived as a risk for county officials and health departments. He said the perception is that they are less controllable environments and often it comes down to a race and class bias.

But Jorgensen said Riverside County so far hasnt received any complaints about its home operations.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

I do think this influx of new people selling home-cooked food is probably here to stay, he said. The need for resiliency in pandemic time is also here to stay. To us, the opportunity here is this is sort of demonstrating not only a short term fix, but also what longer term recovery could look like.

But legal uncertainty is troubling for many of these entrepreneurs. A number of operators interviewed for this story were worried they could be shut down if identified. Some still havent received unemployment benefits from being laid off at their restaurant jobs.

They say they are driven by a desire to keep doing what they love: experimenting with different cuisines, flexing their culinary skills and sharing their food with others.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Me and my fiancee have been going through a really hard year and in the past couple of weeks, this has been the most positive thing I have going on right now, Aguilera said. I started to make moves to make everything legal for the company ... so I can keep bringing to the community what I love.

With shelter in place dragging on and the future for restaurants still unclear, cities will have to figure out what to do with these operations. Jorgensen said Berkeleys City Council is scheduled to vote to begin permitting the public sale of home-cook food on June 16, and he expects it to pass. Theres even a virtual rally in anticipation of the vote on June 9.

The Board of Supervisors in Alameda County and San Francisco would be the ones to vote on the matter.

Courtesy Kimberly Yang

Pandemic has hindered expansion

He said moving forward in San Francisco and Alameda County has been slow to gain momentum, and the pandemic has drawn many resources away from health departments, putting the cottage food expansion on hold.

Terrence Hong, supervisor for the San Francisco Department of Health food safety program, said the matter has taken a backseat due to the coronavirus. In San Francisco, regulation of home-cooking operations is complaint-based, and Hong said complaints are probably zero so far during the pandemic.

Megan Chan

Alameda County Public Health Department spokeswoman Neetu Balram said AB377 has not come before the Board of Supervisors Health Committee for discussion, so it isnt yet up for consideration. She said the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health has continued to address illegal operations during the pandemic and the many complaints registered with the department. She said operators are required to cease operations if found in violation of the law.

But Jorgensen said after discussions with Supervisor Wilma Chan, who would be the expected sponsor in Oakland, they may be willing to commit to a pilot program later this year and distribute a limited number of permits.

Some structures are in place to help home operations. They include the San Francisco nonprofit business incubator La Cocina, which focuses on helping entrepreneurs - particularly women and immigrants - find affordable commercial kitchen space.

Saru Jayaraman, director of UC Berkeleys Food Labor Research Center and president of the nonprofit advocacy group One Fair Wage, thinks a statewide cooperative is the answer.

I know a lot of home-based businesses do struggle, Jayaraman said. Its not enough to help a few individual folks start their own home businesses. We need to look at a cooperative venture that can include thousands of workers. ... There is a lot it can do to provide back office support to allow businesses to grow.

Many of these home cooks and entrepreneurs are working toward a larger goal. Lee is thinking about teaching others about artisan breadmaking. Hunter plans to turn Hella Bagels into a food truck. Aguilera wants to open a brick-and-mortar location.

Ive been trying to put the idea together but never had the money or time to do it, he said. Coronavirus pushed me to do it. I will keep pushing and pushing and pushing until I have a small place of my own.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com
A former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the 2019 general elections for Kwara State House of Assembly, Olanrewaju Abdulmajeed Oba is dead.

The top politician reportedly died in his Lagos residence after a brief illness.

The former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has mourned his death, saying the young politician will be remembered for standing out as an ambassador for the younger generation.

Olanrewaju Oba died on June 7, 2020, in Lagos at the age of 28.

Family sources confirmed that the young politician died after a brief illness.



One of his most popular act was the 1 million mass march for Saraki which he single handedly organised to show solidarity to the former Senate President before the 2019 general elections.

Saraki in a statement on Sunday described the late politician as one of the ambassador for the younger generation who embodied the argument for greater inclusion of young people in governance and leadership.

Saraki said, Larry was a man of exceptional character who stood out as an ambassador for the younger generation and embodied the argument for greater inclusion of young people in governance and leadership. He will be greatly missed.

May Allah forgive his sins and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. I also pray Allah strengthens his family at this very difficult time.

Also, Ilorin Emirate Intergrity Youth Vanguard under the Umbrella of his Royal Highness Alh Dr Ibrahim Sulu Gambari in a statement by its President, Alaburo Abdulsalam Sheriff, said,

Honourable Olarewaju Larry is one of us, even a blessed Gold in Ilorin, he served as a sign of a bright future for we Youth, unfortunately we lost a Gold, it saddened our heart as he passed away.

We pray may Almighty Allah forgive him, may HE forgive all his shortcomings, we pray may the peace of grave welcome him with blessing and peace, Aljanah Fridaus shall be his final Home we pray.

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Press Release

June 6, 2020 Give OFWs red carpet, not sidewalk treatment; help OCWs-Out-of-job Construction Workers-too Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto today welcomed the government's "gone in five days" policy for returning OFWs transiting through Manila on their way home "as one that is painfully overdue." But as more airports reopen to receive flights from abroad, Recto said this "deadline should apply nationally, not just in Metro Manila." For this policy to be successfully implemented, "present testing and transportation capacities must increase together with the number of personnel," Recto said. "Kung kulang ng tao na sasalubong at aalalay sa kanila, pwedeng mag-hire. Halimbawa, kung mayroong mga sweeper flights sa ere, kailangan din ng mga sweeper teams on the ground na dadalhin sa mga hotels yung mga OFWs na natutulog sa sidewalk," Recto said. "They deserve a red carpet treatment, not a sidewalk reception," Recto said, in reaction to a photo of OFWs spending the night on the pavement of a NAIA terminal. Recto said "disturbing scenes such as these should now be a thing of the past" with the announcement by the IATF head, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, that OFWs will be sent home not later than 5 days after they arrive in the country. "Let us hope that this is finally the beginning of a scaled up handling of returning OFWs so that the huge global backlog in OFWs wanting to go home will be reduced," Recto said. Recto also urged the government to ease the plight of the "other OCWs-the Out-of-job Construction Workers" who have been stranded in Metro Manila and major cities "in their tens of thousands." "As we increase capacity for domestic repatriation, we should include jobless, homeless local workers, for they, too, have as much right to government help as their overseas counterparts," Recto said. Many of them had to "walk under the sun and under the stars" for weeks, just to return to their homes emptyhanded, Recto said. The latest government employment report pegged at 1.4 million the number of construction workers who lost their jobs a month after the government-declared lockdown banned construction work on March 16. Unemployment shot up to 17.7 percent in April, or to 7.3 million, from 2.3 million year-on-year, the PSA reported on Friday.
The UK's 'obsession' with a 'one size fits all' university education could cause a 'skills crisis', says Tony Blair's son.

Euan Blair claims society has become divided by this 30-year preoccupation with university, which he says can leave people without the necessary basic skills to be successful.

He warns that the increasing number of graduates who do not have any non-graduates in their circle of friends 'should be setting off alarm bells'.

Tony Blair's son Euan Blair (pictured) says the UK's 'obsession' with a 'one size fits' all university education could cause a 'skills crisis', leaving people without the basic skills to be successful

He warned the increasing number of graduates who do not have non-graduate friends should set 'off alarm bells'. Pictured, the University of Bristol, where Euan Blair studied ancient history

The co-founder and chief executive of apprenticeship-focused tech firm, WhiteHat, made the comments in a new essay collection, published by the Policy Exchange think tank.

This comes 21 years after his father Tony Blair pledged to get half of all young people to enter higher education, when he was the Labour prime minister.

In his essay, Mr Blair, 36, wrote: 'One central objective of our education system is to ensure citizens have the skills they need to serve and thrive in the economy of the future.

'But something is going badly wrong on that score in the UK. A skills crisis may be slow in the development but, as Hemingway once said of bankruptcy, it engulfs you "gradually, and then suddenly".

'Our stubbornly low level of productivity - that has resisted every policy solution the Treasury has thrown at it - is an indicator that we need to change course before it is too late.'

He said Britain's 'obsession with university' has caused negative consequences, as he claims people's educational level is now 'the biggest division' in society.

This comes 21 years after his father, Tony Blair, pledged for half of all young people to enter higher education when he was Labour prime minister

Mr Blair said: 'The last thirty years might reasonably be characterised as a push for university education above all else.

'Governments of every kind have contributed to policies that have seen the proportion of the population attending university reach record levels.

'The aspirations of most university champions are beyond reproach: widen university study beyond a small section of society and you give more diverse groups access to top jobs and decision-making power.'

He added: 'The obsession with university has had some unarguably negative consequences for social cohesion. In a divided society, educational level is now the biggest division of them all.

'In the EU Referendum those with A Levels alone split equally between the two camps while those with degrees were twice as likely to vote Remain.

'The fact that an increasing number of graduates do not have any non-graduates in their circle of friends should be setting off alarm bells.'

Tony Blair announced his target for 50 per cent of all young people to attend a university in a conference speech in 1999, two years after coming into office.

Tony Blair revealed his education target in a 1999 conference speech, two years after entering office (pictured, from left to right, with Euan Blair, Cherie Blair and Nicky Blair in 2005)

He said he wanted this goal to be achieved 'in the next century'.

Figures from the Department for Education show this ambition was reached almost 20 years later.

In 2017-18, 50.2 per cent of people went into higher education - up from 49.9 per cent the previous year.

The DfE statistics were based on the proportion of people set to go to university before the age of 30.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday welcomed the Policy Exchange publication.

He said: 'This report rightly highlights the critical importance of vocational education and apprenticeships to our economy.

'The authors make a valuable contribution to the discussion on how to build a world-class further education system, and demonstrate that we must not hesitate to put further education at the heart of our plans to drive up the UK's skills, productivity and economy.'
In supporting the Ghana Electoral Commissioners firm decision to reject the current voter card in possession of Ghanaians as ones authentic proof of their Ghanaian identity for re-registration onto the intended new voter register for election 2020 and onwards, I shall refer to the Ghana 1992 Constitution with Amendments through 1996 to present my arguments.

In Chapter 3 of the Constitution, it defines Ghanaian Citizenship or its acquisition. Who is a Ghanaian then? In Article 6 Clauses 1 & 2, it states as following;

(1) Every person who, on the coming into force of this Constitution, is a citizen of Ghana by law shall continue to be a citizen of Ghana.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a person born in or outside Ghana after the coming into force of this Constitution, shall become a citizen of Ghana at the date of his birth if either of his parents or grandparents is or was a citizen of Ghana.

Under Article 7 Clause 1, it states (1) A woman married to a man who is a citizen of Ghana or a man married to a woman who is a citizen of Ghana may, upon making an application in the manner prescribed by Parliament, be registered as a citizen of Ghana.

In Article 9 Clause 1 it states, (1) Parliamentary may make provision for the acquisition of citizenship of Ghana by persons who are not eligible to become citizens of Ghana under the provision of this Constitution.

Clause 4 says, (4) There shall be published in the Gazette by the appropriate authority and within three months after the application or the registration, as the case may be, the name, particulars and other details of a person who, under this article applies to be registered as a citizen of Ghana or has been registered as a citizen of Ghana.

In advancing my points for onward onslaught on those putting impediments in the way of the Electoral Commission with intent to causing the abolition of the avowed afresh registration of the Ghanaian electorate for election 2020, let me continue to quote the Ghana Constitution on the functions of the Electoral Commission.

In Chapter 7 Article 42 on the Right to Vote it states:

Every citizen of Ghana of eighteen years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda

Under Article 45 on the Electoral Commission it states:

The Electoral Commission shall have the following functions -

(a) to compile the register of voters and revise it at such periods as may be determined by law;

(b) to demarcate the electoral boundaries for both national and local government elections;

(c) to conduct and supervise all public elections and referenda;

(d) to educate the people on the electoral process and its purpose;

(e) to undertake programmes for the expansion of the registration of voters; and

(f) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law.

From the above citations or quotations from the Ghana 1992 Constitution which we depend on to rule the country until it becomes obsolete or amended, and when, we cant tell, the stipulations as are enshrined in the Constitution are legal and binding. Am I right?

The Constitution has clearly stated who a Ghanaian citizen is and how to acquire a Ghanaian citizenship. Any interested Ghanaian who wants to present any sound argument on whether or not there is the need for a new voter register and whether or not the allegedly intransigent Chair of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensah, is right to compile a new voter register for election 2020 should please read the entire mentioned Chapters of the Constitution.

It is vividly stated in Article 42 that only Ghanaian citizens can register to vote at general elections. This is an indisputable fact that only a fool will make onerous, but bound to fail, attempts, to prove otherwise.

Sensible Ghanaians will agree with me that Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who proved himself untruthful, corrupt and misfit in the end stage of his public career as Ghanas Chairman of the Electoral Commission, as made evidently clear at the Supreme Court over Election 2012 petition, did allow for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card to be presented by their holders to be registered for acquisition of the current voter card, and onto the current voter register.

Why have I used certain harsh words on Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan? It is all because prior to election 2012, he had agreed with the Ghanaian electorate on the definitions of No Verification No Vote (NVNV) and Over Vote. He had agreed and informed the Ghanaian public that NVNV should be taken for whoever the biometric verification machine fails to recognise their identity on the Election Day shall not be allowed to cast their vote. However, at the Supreme Court and during his cross-examination on why some people whose fingerprints could not be recognised by the machines were allowed to vote, he said that if he were present at a polling station and saw the chief of his area who the machine could not recognise him when he has come to vote, he would allow him to vote because he knows him by face. Complete nonsense! What a negation of a scientific process of voting by resort to common sense approach but which had not been agreed!

Again, Over Vote had been agreed as When the number of ballots found in the ballot box exceeds the number of votes cast, it is an over vote. To better explain it to the layman, it means if 100 people went to a polling station to vote and at the close of voting and during the counting 110 ballot papers are found in the ballot box when emptied for counting, it amounts to over vote. However, at the Supreme Court, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan backtracked on his own accepted definition to say that an Over Vote is when the number of the ballots in the ballot box exceeds the number of registered voters. He is telling us that if 120 people registered, and are on a voter register, to vote at a particular polling station, but only 100 registered voters presented themselves to vote on the Election Day but on emptying the ballot box for counting 110 ballot papers were found, it does not amount to an over voting. For him, the 110 ballots do not exceed the 120 people on the voter register although only 100 voters or people did physically go to the polling station to cast their vote. He must be sick in the mind!

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card was issued to anyone living in Ghana who desired to avail themselves of the affordable or free healthcare as envisaged and finally implemented by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government under then President John Agyekum Kufuor. This policy had come to replace the Cash and Carry healthcare delivery system where poor people were dying because they could not afford healthcare. Those registering for the acquisition of the NHIS card were not asked to provide proof of their Ghanaian citizenship because the card was to be issued to anyone in Ghana needing free public healthcare, whether the person is a Ghanaian, a foreigner, a legal or an illegal immigrant, but living in Ghana.

Ultimately, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was established under Act 650 of 2003 by the Government of Ghana to provide a broad range of health care services to Ghanaians through district mutual and private health insurance schemes - Ghana Med J. 2012 Jun; 46(2): 7684. (Ghana Medical Journal).

The Effect of Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme on Health Care Utilisation

Therefore, how can one genuinely use the NHIS card to sidestep the requisite constitutional demands for Ghanaian citizenship and their right to vote? Why should a foreigner, legal or illegal, who has come into possession of an NHIS card be allowed to vote as though he or she were a Ghanaian? Dont we know that by permitting the possessors of NHIS card to register themselves onto the voter roll to be able to cast their votes at general elections in Ghana, we have automatically bestowed on them Ghanaian citizenship without the possessors of the cards following the constitutional or parliamentary requirements as stated above?

In the United Kingdom, National Health Service (NHS) card was until the end of 1990 or thereabout, issued to anyone living in the UK who registered with their local Medical Practitioner (GP). This means British citizens, European Union citizens, legal or illegal immigrants living in the UK, were able to acquire NHS card to attend public hospital free of charge. However, from somewhere in year 2000 upwards, the law was changed, not to register people onto the NHS by their GPs until they have provided a genuine passport allowing them to live in the UK if one was an immigrant, or a birth certificate if one was a British national.

NHS card is not accepted as a genuine proof of ones identity in the UK. Why is this so, fellow Ghanaians? Is it not because it is not only issued to British citizens but also, immigrants for healthcare reasons? Are both British nationals and foreigners resident in a country not entitled to equal public healthcare? If yes they are, and they are all issued with NHS card, does it make such persons automatic British citizens? No, no and no!

In the UK, immigrants and citizens of the European Union who are not British and have not acquired British citizenship through their laid down legal processes are not allowed to vote at the British general elections but local government (mayoral or local assembly) elections.

I am not allowed to vote at the UK general elections although a legal immigrant and a holder of an NHS card for decades. This is because I am not a British citizen and do not qualify to vote.

Mrs Jean Mensah and your Deputy Commissioners and the entire staff at the Electoral Commission, please do not accept the current voter card obtained through presentation of NHIS card as a genuine proof of ones Ghanaian citizenship to re-register eligible Ghanaians onto the intended new and credible voter register for election 2020.

I am ready to engage anyone who disagrees with you in intellectual debate/discourse.

I dedicate this publication to all discerning Ghanaians, especially Mr Owusu of UK Pentecost Church, Silvertown, and the memories of the late Opayin Ezekiel Basoah and Awo Serwaah of Kumawu.

Rockson Adofo

Sunday, 7 June 2020
Bengaluru: Actors Sudeep, Chiranjeevi Sarja, and others pay their last respects to veteran Kannada actor M.H. Ambareesh, who died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday night due to heart attack; on Nov 25, 2018. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru: Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja passed away at a private hospital due to cardiac arrest, in Bengaluru on June 7, 2020. He was 39. (File Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, June 7 : Popular Kannada film actor Chiranjeevi Sarja died at a private hospital here following a cardiac arrest, an official said on Sunday. He was 39.

"Sarja was brought to our hospital (Apollo) in an unresponsive state. Attempts to revive him failed and was declared dead by the doctors," the official told IANS here.

In a statement later, the hospital said Sarja was shifted to emergency room for treatment after he was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive state at around 2.20 p.m.

"On examination, Sarja was found unresponsive with absent carotid pulse, cold peripheries and bilateral dilated pupils. Hence cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was started according to the latest advanced cardiac life support protocol," said Apollo Hospitals Jayanagar's unit head Yatheesh Govindaiah in the statement.

The doctors continued resuscitation to revive Sarja till 3.48 p.m.

"During the course, intravenous medications, inotropes and advanced airway was used, pulse was achieved three times, later continued to be asystolic. He was declared dead at 3.48 p.m.," added the statement.

Beginning his career in 2009 with "Vayupatra", Sarja acted in 22 sandalwood films, including "Shivarjuna", which was released weeks before the Covid-19 induced lockdown was enforced on March 25 and theatres have been shut since then.

Sarja married Kannada actress Meghana Raj in 2018. She is the daughter of Pramila Joshai and Sundar Raj.

Sarja is also nephew of famous multilingual South Indian actor Arjun Sarja.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa mourned Sarja's death and expressed condolences to his bereaved family.

State Congress unit president D.K. Shivakumar, former state chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and scores of sandalwood cine artistes, directors and producers expressed shock and grief over the untimely death of Sarja.
The Compton Cowboys, a club of close-knit friends, joins protesters Sunday making their way along South Tamarind Avenue to Compton City Hall. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of protesters flooded Hollywood Boulevard Sunday night as part of a growing national movement to end police brutality and systemic racism in the United States.

The demonstration, organized by Black Lives Matter and the rapper YG, appeared to be one of L.A.'s biggest protests yet in the wake of George Floyd's death. Protesters demanded police reforms and for the Los Angeles Police Department to be defunded in favor of programs that benefit poor Angelenos.

A candlelight vigil filled part of the intersection with Highland Avenue near the Dolby Theatre. President Donald Trumps nearby star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was defaced with graffiti.

Cesar Castillo, 30, who was born and raised in Los Angeles and still lives in the city, held a sign depicting Mayor Eric Garcetti kissing LAPD Chief Michel Moore.

Castillo said he is frustrated with Garcetti, who he believes took some action but not enough action to reform the LAPD.

Castillo said he believes Garcetti should fire Moore, who has proven he is not the right person to take us through this moment.

In the middle of Hollywood Boulevard, a 39-year-old white man who only wanted to give his first name, Benjamin, held a massive sign reading, simply, DEFUND.

The primary function of the police is to protect and defend white property, he said of why he believes the departments budget should be slashed. As a white male, I have a responsibility to speak out against this.

Protest organizers on a bullhorn repeatedly praised the diversity of the crowd.

Love Alvarez, 23, of downtown, stood on the roof of a car at the intersection of the Hollywood and Highland, where the protest had consolidated as night fell, holding a sign that read Black is Beautiful.

I needed to give out a different message today, something positive, she said. We are not just criminals like they make us out to be.

Several other protests and vigils were also held Sunday in Compton, East Los Angeles, Glendale, Beverly Hills other communities across Southern California.

Story continues

Straddled atop their horses, the beloved Compton Cowboys joined a spirited caravan of motorcycles and hundreds of sign-waving protesters on foot in Compton. The procession began its noon-time parade at the Gateway Towne Center and slowly wound its way through the city.

"My Color Is Not A Crime," one sign read. "A Riot is the Language of the Unheard," declared another.

Shahara Warren, 44, attended the march with her 8-year-old daughter and her troop, the Compton Girl Scouts. Warren said she was worried about bringing her daughter to a protest, but her daughter insisted.

Warren said she had been raised to be proud of who she was, and it was exciting to see her daughter's willingness to participate. "It means a lot to me to know that she's going to be going forward with the same idea of peace and helping our community," she said.

The mood of the march was upbeat, a mix of black and community pride and anger at the death of Floyd and the men and women who came before him.

As the march made its way down the residential street of Tamarind Avenue, people came out of their homes to film the march and hold up their fists in solidarity.

The Compton Cowboys, a group of close-knit friends who formed a horseback riding club in 2017 aimed at dispelling stereotypes against African-Americans, brought particular joy to the demonstration. The crowd also heard speeches from Mayor Aja Brown and NBA star Russell Westbrook, who plays for the Houston Rockets but was born in Long Beach and grew up in Hawthorne.

Paul Cannon, 48, of La Puente was visiting a friend when the march went by. He said it was a beautiful sight to see people coming out to protest.

We go to work and pay bills just like everybody else, and all we want to do is make it, he said. We want the white picket fence. You laid the dream out. We didnt ask to come here, but you brought us here.

The march stopped at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument at the Compton Civic Center. The crowd held a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that prosecutors say Floyd was pinned to the ground under the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin before he died.

The Compton march came one day after thousands of protesters participated in more than two dozen demonstrations across Southern California. There were no apparent reports of vandalism or burglary on Saturday in Los Angeles County.

Amid the many demonstrations, officials said the National Guard plans to pull out of the Los Angeles area Sunday.

The National Guard has been a visible and controversial presence in the region for the past week, guarding landmark buildings like City Hall and assisting with crowd control. A small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 "to provide emergency support if needed," Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement.

"Im proud that our city has been peaceful this week  and that our residents are leading a powerful movement to make Los Angeles more just, equitable, and fair for Black Angelenos, communities of color, and all of our workers, youth, and families," Garcetti said.

National Guard troops were still seen on the streets Sunday in some locations, including in downtown and Hollywood.

Garcetti called in the Guard on May 30 after protests in the Fairfax District that ended with some burglaries and thefts by people police believe were not associated with the demonstrations.

At its peak, there were more than 1,000 Guardsmen in the L.A. area, some toting M-4 rifles. Humvees and military trucks were present in the city in a way not seen since 1994, in the days after the Northridge earthquake  and during the 1992 riots.

Bringing in the National Guard sparked criticism from Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who represents a portion of South Los Angeles. Our fear is real that additional law enforcement will only further violence against people of color, he said May 31.

There have been no major reports of illegal activity tied to the protests since Monday, when some businesses in Hollywood and Van Nuys were affected by looting. Stores in Long Beach, downtown L.A. and Santa Monica also experienced vandalism and stolen merchandise.

LAPD officers arrested thousands over the last week, many of them for violating curfew rules.

The decision to end the curfews Thursday came a day after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against Los Angeles city and county and the city of San Bernardino to end the curfews, saying they were an unconstitutional violation of free expression.
Nana Owusu Yeboa, Oti Regional Minister has inspected some ongoing projects in the region.

The projects, being funded by the government of Ghana are to ensure that infrastructural projects are equitably distributed in newly created regions.

The two-day working tour took the Minister to the site of the Regional Health Directorate at Worawora in the Biakoye District where work was done was said to be around 30 percent.

He was also at the project sites of bungalows for workers, the Regional Education Directorate at Jasikan, and the building of the Regional Coordinating Council, all at various stages of completion.

The Regional Minister expressed satisfaction at the progress of work after the contractors assured that the projects would be completed by the end of the year.

---GNA
Nana Owusu Yeboa, Oti Regional Minister has inspected some ongoing projects in the region. The projects, being funded by the government of Ghana are to ensure that infrastructural projects are equitably distributed in newly created regions.



Nana Owusu Yeboa, Oti Regional Minister has inspected some ongoing projects in the region.



The projects, being funded by the government of Ghana are to ensure that infrastructural projects are equitably distributed in newly created regions.



The two-day working tour took the Minister to the site of the Regional Health Directorate at Worawora in the Biakoye District where work was done was said to be around 30 percent.



He was also at the project sites of bungalows for workers, the Regional Education Directorate at Jasikan, and the building of the Regional Coordinating Council, all at various stages of completion.



The Regional Minister expressed satisfaction at the progress of work after the contractors assured that the projects would be completed by the end of the year.

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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FLINT, MI--Claressa Shields joined Flint residents for a peaceful protest against police brutality Saturday, June 6.

The champion boxer was driving on the highway when a group of protesters led by Flints Black Lives Matter members DeWaun Robinson and Johnie Franklin III caught her eye. Shields pulled over and joined the protest in her hometown.

It was the first time Shields participated in a protest.

My great grandmother, she marched with Martin Luther King Jr. I have wanted to protest in Flint, Shields said. I never thought America would unite together like this. We are all agreeing on black lives matter. Times are about to change.

This was the fourth protest Franklin helped organize. Despite a warning from police that outsiders were planning on coming into the city to incite violence, the protest Saturday remained peaceful.

Franklin stressed keeping up the momentum of the movement.

I dont want anyone to lose focus," Franklin said. The more people that show up, the more an impact we will have in getting our message across.

Protest organizers should start working together to unify their messages, Franklin said. He was present at a protest in Grand Blanc on June 5 that garnered hundreds of people.

That was an amazing turnout. We have to stay unified, Franklin said. We are demanding no more racial inequality, racial profiling and inherent bias in policing.

Robinson, who leads the citys Black Lives Matter chapter, said the protests are a preliminary step towards change.

I want to encourage people to remain consistent. This is something we have to be dedicated to for a lifetime, Robinson said.

A majority of the protesters Saturday were young. Robinson said every revolution began with a group of determined young people.

Gabrielle Gale, 23, was among the young protesters. She and a group of new friends have protested outside city hall for six days. Now, Gale and her friends are working towards creating a nonprofit focused on bettering the community.

Anything we can do to make Flint a better, more connected city is our main goal. We all have that same vision even though we came from different walks of life, Gale said.

Robinson and Franklin met with Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Flint Police Chief Phil Hart on June 3. The officials heard what the activists had to say.

It was a great first step, but we have a lot of work to do, Franklin said.

Changing a system that does not protect black Americans requires voting in elections, Franklin said.

You have to vote. You have to stand up. We can fight the system, Franklin said. When you have the minoritys voice amplified by the majority, change is sure to happen.

Franklin used the analogy of a pot of water overflowing to describe the protests against police brutality, which he said have reached all 50 states and 18 countries.

The pot has finally overflowed to a point where everyone can now see physical evidence of the wrongdoings by police, Franklin said.

Read more:

Flint youth join local officials in march to end racism

Flint officials warn residents of outside groups coming in to incite violence

Organizers call for seat at the table with police during second night of protests in Flint

Youth peaceful protest for BLM in Kalamazoo

Youth-led protest against racial injustice in Grand Blanc draws hundreds
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 21:03:17|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The German public broadcaster ZDF aired a documentary criticizing the U.S. administration's irresponsibility in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

The documentary, titled "The Irresponsible - Trump and Coronavirus," which was initially broadcast on May 13, said that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had warned the health ministry in Washington along with a warning from the World Health Organization that the virus would threaten the national security of the United States.

However, in early January, U.S. President Donald Trump was busy with issues concerning Iran and his election campaign, ignoring the CDC and the secret services' warnings time and again, the documentary said.

Trump downplayed the virus threat, and refused to pursue a coordinated and determined strategy to rescue Americans, it said, adding that the so-called playbook for pandemics was shelved, the early warning system destroyed by massive funding cuts, and the national medication reserve neglected.

In the documentary, ZDF correspondent Elmar Thevessen showed a chronicle of the failure of the Trump administration, and described what made America so defenseless against the virus, an overpowering opponent who cannot be intimidated or wrapped up.

Thevessen evaluated internal documents from Trump's advisory staff, obtained numerous expert opinions from different political camps, and reconstructed the actions of the U.S. president at crucial moments. Enditem
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke out about her 2016 presidential rival Donald Trump, calling his time in office a "failure" and questioning how anyone could continue to support him.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Ms Clinton lashed out at President Donald Trump, criticising his leadership and characterising him as uncaring and incompetent.

"What has been so surprising to me is how he can barely make an effort to rise to the occasion. I truly don't think he can get out of his own way. Everything always has to be about him," Ms Clinton said.

She said Mr Trump tried to ignore the coronavirus pandemic until he was forced to address it, after which she claims he tried to turn the pandemic response into a "daily rally."

Regarding the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the US, Ms Clinton suggested she had initially hoped that Mr Trump was going to respond with empathy, but that it quickly became clear that wasn't going to be the case.

"He doesn't have even the minor amount of empathy to fake it, to look like he is concerned, and he reverts to the belligerence and the threat-making and the photo-opping, all the tried and true tactics that feed his need for control and dominance and attention," Ms Clinton said.

Of Mr Trump's "photo-opping," his appearance at St John's Church near the White House - and the tear gassing of protesters to clear the path for the president - has become one of the many flashpoints in the George Floyd protests.

"It was beyond my comprehension. We have never seen anything like this," she said. "He is without shame. It is a mystery why anybody with a beating heart and a working mind still supports him."

She said that despite the fact that Mr Trump's character was apparent during the election, even she wasn't prepared for the degree to which the president would shuck norms.

"So much of what we're seeing now, sadly, was known about Trump and the kind of people who were loyal to him. But it turned out to be even worse than what I thought it would be," she said. "Despite having my own front-row seat and being concerned about his character and behaviour, he has gone further and broken more norms and undermined our institutions more deeply than I thought would have been possible in such a short period of time."

Ms Clinton said that heading into the 2020 US election in November, she will be working with an organisation she began called "Onward Together" which will support the effort to implement vote by mail throughout the US.

"The goal of the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, which has been stated explicitly, is to stop vote by mail because they believe - and I think rightly - that the more people who vote, the less likely they are to win the White House again, to keep the Senate and also be able to dominate in state legislatures and statewide offices," she said.

Ms Clinton said the fight for nationwide vote by mail will be a difficult battle for Democrats heading into November.

"If we can fight them, which is what I'm doing everything I can to support, to expand vote by mail, our chances of winning go up," Ms Clinton said.
The threat is that the youths that are being massively fed propaganda lies are likely to become a strong pro-Russian electorate after Ukraine regains control over the occupied territories.

Russia is effectively deploying children in the interests of its aggression against Ukraine in Donbas, and this is not only about military games or competitions. Through systematic militarization and indoctrination, children at preschool and school level are being taught that they should love and defend Russian proxy Donbas "republics" and that Ukraine is essentially the enemy.

The danger this poses cannot be overstated, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group reports. Six years is a long time for children, many of whom will simply not remember a time before the "republics" emerged. This means that the anti-Ukrainian narrative will go unchallenged.

Although Moscow continues to deny its pivotal role in the conflict in Donbas and its control over the self-proclaimed "Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics" [DPR/LPR], the methods of indoctrination and the "military-patriotic" activities are essentially identical to those used in occupied Crimea and in Russia itself.

According to Vera Yastrebova, Head of the Eastern Human Rights Groups, Russia is spending millions of dollars on various projects aimed at inculcating the "Russian World" ideology and raising a generation of Ukrainians who essentially hate Ukraine. She warns that when Ukraine regains control over Donbas, its residents will have become a pro-Russian electorate. This, and the resulting destabilization of Ukraine, are very clearly, Moscow's strategic objective.

Rights watchdogs have long warned of the danger all of this presents. Vostok SOS points out that under the guise of "military-patriotic education", children and youths are being fed anti-Ukrainian propaganda, offering a distorted view of reality in which Russia is a great friend of heroic "republics" fighting a "civil war" against Kyiv.

Pavlo Lysiansky, Representative in Donbas for Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsperson, also predicts that for the first 15 years after Donbas returns to Ukrainian government control, there is likely to be a pro-Russian population there still influenced by Russian propaganda. He suggests that Ukraine should consider taking the example of post-War Germany which invested money and efforts in the political education of its population so that the horrors of Nazism were never repeated.

Read alsoExperts on children's "upbringing" in occupied Donbas: This somehow resembles "Hitler Jugend"

Psychologist Valentin Kim warns that children are extremely susceptible to influences and that there will certainly be huge issues with integrating kids who have undergone such ideological indoctrination. He points out that they have been growing up in an unrecognized territory, viewing the world beyond as hostile. They are likely to be better prepared for ideological debate than kids raised in government-controlled Ukraine, where children simply learn to live in an open world, without any fixed ideology as such. He believes that the vast majority would not be ready to hold discussions on geopolitics or the war in Donbas, and therefore, confronted by peers brought up in occupied Donbas, are likely to lose arguments.

Changing ideology is a difficult and lengthy process, but it can and must be tailored systematically, with the proper socio-pedagogical infrastructure. One important point is that children should not be left to communicate only with peers from the same background. Lumped together as "Donbas kids", they will inevitably view themselves as different, which will only strengthen their ideological separatism. The good side of things is that, unlike adults, kids are much more flexible and able to change their attitudes.

The downside, KHPG believes, is that the government in Ukraine does not seem to have understood the looming threat. In parts of government-controlled Donbas, there are certain areas where Ukrainian television broadcasts fail to reach, while Russian propaganda channels remain the only source of news for the locals.

"It is not without cause that human rights groups are warning that this is an issue of national security," the report concludes. "The warnings should be heeded."
The number of deaths in the United States attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus now exceeds 110,000. The daily death count has been around 1,000 the past few days. The number of active cases began to decline this month for the first time ever. (All numbers cited herein regarding deaths from the virus come via Worldometer.)

Based on the experience of major European nations hit by the virus earlier than the U.S., we should expect the number of deaths per day to keep declining. Later this month, they should be down to 500 per day, or so. In this scenario, we would end the month at around 125,000 deaths attributed to the virus.

However, we may end up with more deaths than that if the reopenings taking place this month or, more likely, all of those demonstrations and riots, cause a spike in cases. Its not likely, though, that a spike in cases would produce a significant increase in June deaths. More likely, such an increase would occur in July, assuming hot weather doesnt offset the effects of the reduction in social distancing. (After all of this time, we still dont seem to know the impact of warm weather on the pandemic.)

Yesterday, in between taking bows for the new jobs numbers, President Trump took some for the coronavirus numbers. He said that, absent the lockdown policies the administration called for, we might well be looking at 1 million or more coronavirus deaths in this country.

Trump ridiculed the idea of eschewing lockdowns in order to create herd immunity. He noted that this policy hasnt worked well for Sweden or Brazil.

Hes right, at least so far. Brazils reported deaths from the virus per capita are much higher than those of Argentina and Chile, and are the highest in South America.

Sweden reports 461 deaths from the virus per 1 million people, a number much worse than ours and, indeed, worse even than Frances. Swedens Scandinavian neighbors Norway and Denmark report 44 and 101 deaths per million people, respectively.

Swedens demographics differ somewhat from those of its neighbors, but the differences cant explain the vast disparity in deaths. Nor do they explain why, before Swedens and Norways lockdown policies diverged, the disparity in deaths was much less pronounced.

The final returns arent in yet, however. We dont know what will happen in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden in the event of a second wave of the virus. And we dont know what the economic impact of the three nations anti-virus policies will be.

Its clear, though, that Sweden hasnt achieved anything close to herd immunity. We dont know what infection rate confers such immunity for this virus, but most estimates Ive seen say its between 60 and 80 percent of the population.

In Sweden, its estimated that less than 10 percent of the population has developed the antibodies needed to fight the Wuhan coronavirus. Thus, right now it looks like Swedens decision to end its lockdown in early April produced a spike in deaths and nothing like herd immunity.

In the U.S., developing herd immunity might well require 200 million infections. In that scenario, we could see the 1 million deaths Trump talked about yesterday. However, Im confident that states, localities, and the public wouldnt have allowed the virus to run rampant through the population in one wave of the virus regardless of what federal policies were.
December 14, 1949  May 31, 2020

John D. Long, of Corvallis, an extraordinary Brother, Son, Uncle, Great Uncle, and friend of so many, passed away Sunday, May 31, at age 70 in the Willamette Springs Memory Care Facility, Corvallis.

John retired from Good Samaritan Hospital in December, 2015 as a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist working in the field of health care professionals who clinically assess patients with sleep disorders. At Johns retirement he was physically and financially fit to enjoy a long and fruitful post work life of all things he loved. John was sadly diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Dementia just a few years into his retirement.

John was unique and contagious, if you werent careful you would find yourself climbing a rock, kayaking the Rogue River or riding your bike 100+ miles. All the while feeling a little uncomfortable about the risks involved, but John would instill a level of confidence in you that you didnt know was there. Everyone trusted John as the consummate pro and just went along because it would be okay.

John lead an adventurous life and one few could compare. He climbed Yosemites El Capitan and Half Dome, as well as everything one can climb in Oregon. He kayaked the entire Grand Canyon and frequented the Rogue River. He made beer and wine, was a mountain biker and road cyclist, a cross country and telemark skier, a fly fisherman, an amateur chef, an environmentalist, a supporter of too many non-profits to list, an ardent reader of everything, a bird watcher, a recycler well before it was the in thing to do.

John savored the good things in life. Cooking great food paired with Oregon Pinot, coffee at The Beanery, movies, books and was always up for a thought provoking conversation. He was a cool guy that will live on in our memories and in the daily experiences of things he taught us along the way.

John is survived by stepfather, Orville Gerhardt, sister Diane Carey, brother Scott Rooks, brother in law Richard Carey, sister in law Laney Rooks, nephews John and Tyson Velkinburg, great niece and nephew McKenna and Blake Velkinburg.

Way to live a life John! We love you and miss you so bad. Please leave condolence messages at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com
A Decatur man pleaded guilty to misdemeanor negligent operation of a water vessel and charges against his wife were dismissed in a July 4 boating accident on Smith Lake that resulted in the death of a Birmingham woman whose body wasnt recovered for three months.

Nick Bowling Suggs, 51, received a six-month jail sentence that was suspended, and he will serve six months on unsupervised probation, according to an order from Winston County Circuit Judge Daryl Burt filed Friday.

As a condition of probation, Suggs will pay court costs, a $25 victims assessment fee, $150 bail bond fee and $2,100 fine. As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors, Suggs waived his right to appeal.

Suggs was indicted in August for the Class A misdemeanor criminally negligent homicide in the accident that resulted in the death of Kelsey Nicole Starling, 26. The charge was amended to negligent operation of a water vessel, according to his plea agreement.

Jodi Wallace Suggs, 51, of Decatur, had also been charged with criminally negligent homicide in the accident, and charges against her were dismissed upon motion of the prosecuting attorney as a result of the plea agreement in her husbands case, according to a separate order from Burt.

Nick Suggs appeared for the hearing on his plea by video conference after waiving his right to have it held in open court.

Starling was a passenger on a 2012 Mastercraft boat when it was involved in a collision at 10 p.m. July 4 with the Suggses vessel. Court records contained a letter from her father, Alton Starling, to Winston County District Attorney Scott Slatton.

I have been made aware of the plea proposal made to you, Alton Starling wrote. This is, of course, your decision to make, and I have no recommendation regarding the decision. Please know that should you accept the plea proposal, my family has no objection and will offer no criticism of the plea, either publicly or privately.

Slatton could not be reached for comment Saturday. Cullman attorney Jason Paul Knight, who represented both Suggses, also could not be reached for comment.

Five people were injured in the collision and four were taken to area hospitals, troopers said last year. The day after the accident, the Alabama Marine Police said the Suggses 2011 Harris Flotebote pontoon boat was operated by Jodi Suggs.

As the search continued for Kelsey Starlings body last summer, the family held a memorial service for her at the First Baptist Church of Troy on Aug. 10. Starling was a speech language pathologist at Tuggle Elementary School in Birmingham at the time of her death.

Searchers recovered her body Oct. 5. It was discovered 140 feet below the surface with the help of an underwater remotely operated vehicle purchased with donations from her family and friends.

The boat on which Starling was a passenger was operated by William Jackson Fite, 24, a Decatur native living in the Atlanta area. Fite was charged with a misdemeanor, boating under the influence, in the incident and pleaded guilty last year.

2020 The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.)

Visit The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) at www.decaturdaily.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Japan's health ministry has laid out a plan designed to shorten the time needed to put coronavirus vaccines into practical use.

The plan seeks to speed up the whole process by simultaneously promoting both research and development of a vaccine and its production.

The health ministry has earmarked 50 billion yen, or about 455 million dollars, as subsidies to institutions involved in vaccine development in the proposed second supplementary budget for the current fiscal year.

The ministry has also earmarked about 1.3 billion dollars in the extra budget to encourage private companies to invest in production facilities.

It normally takes a few years to develop and mass produce a vaccine.

But the ministry's officials say they hope to reduce the time substantially.

Ministry officials have told the governing parties that they hope to start vaccinating the public for the coronavirus in the first half of next year.

To that end, the officials plan to help build production systems and facilitate approval of the vaccine.
Last month, more than 100 Zapata ranchers received an unexpected letter from the International Boundary and Water Commission. This is the bi-national agency that regulates water use between Mexico and the U.S. It also owns the floodplain surrounding Falcon Lake after it was condemned and taken from landowners in the 1950s.

The construction of Falcon Dam drowned the old town of Zapata and many ranchers generational family land, forcing them to move out of the floodplain without sufficient compensation or planning from the government. Residents evacuated their flooded properties and moved to their new town site, which had not been outfitted with waterlines, schools or housing. This remains a sore spot for many Zapatans.

Not long after the lake filled up, the IBWC entered into grazing leases with the ranchers who had previously owned this land, which suddenly existed in the floodplain. Their cattle would be allowed to live and graze on these pastures, a cost-effective way for the International Boundary and Water Commission to maintain the property and clear vegetation. This program exists only in Zapata.

This also turned out to be an important component of the permanent tick quarantine zone, a 500-mile-long barrier along the Rio Grande meant to contain the spread of cattle fever tick, for which there is no vaccine. It can be fatal in animals that have not gone several generations being exposed to it, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Therefore, these infection-resistant cows live in permanent quarantine. This program has existed since before the Falcon Dam was constructed.

But two weeks ago, 117 Zapata ranchers whose families have operated under these lease agreements for nearly 70 years were suddenly given until June 30 to vacate their cattle and any fencing from these pastures.

Tricia Cortez, executive director of the Rio Grande International Study Center, said this was a drastic decision that didnt take into account the ranchers work or history with this land.

READ MORE: Laredo to allow access for border wall surveys

These leases were in some way executed to try to remedy that destructive, disruptive event that happened to that community almost 70 years ago. To say you had 60 days to vacate, to clear out, despite managing those lands for nearly 70 years, was astonishing, she said.

This is during the coronavirus pandemic, where many meat processing plants have been shut down due to outbreaks among their employees. The commodity price for live cattle has subsequently collapsed to a 10-year low. Many of these ranchers have nowhere else to move their cattle and would be forced to sell their herd at a discounted rate if they were forced to vacate, Zapata County Judge Joe Rathmell noted.

And if ranchers did have another pasture where they could move their herd, the cattle would need to be inspected and cleared of any ticks, a process that could take longer than 60 days, the county judge said.

Rathmell was gravely concerned when he and his fellow ranchers received these letters, and wrote to Sen. John Cornyn last week asking for help.

The termination of these grazing leases means that these ranching families have lost the same lands twice, he wrote to Cornyn.

... The Zapata County rancher is a hardy breed. He has persisted generation after generation, battling against frequent droughts, a century of fever tick infestation, and as always, volatile beef markets. However, he did not expect the decision of the IBWC to overturn a 70 year policy of leasing grazing land along Falcon Lake.

Rathmells grandfather was one of the original lessees under this program in 1953. His family has maintained a small tract under this lease, which is still under his grandfathers name.

Of course, my grandfathers been passed away more than 30 years. Since then weve tried, like many other ranchers, to try and change the lease for the new generations. But IBWC officials always say, No, leave it the way it is. Just keep sending the payments, the county judge said. As long as we were there, we were able to send in the payments and things were good.

READ MORE: Laredoans react to local protests and calls for social justice

In response to these sudden termination notices, Rep. Henry Cuellar on Wednesday held a conference call between the International Boundary and Water Commission, the United States Department of Agriculture and Rathmell, who gathered 25 other affected ranchers to participate.

Diana Forti, chief administrative officer at the IBWC, told the ranchers on the call that they have only three employees who man the IBWCs property along the U.S.-Mexico border. This has partially contributed to the agencys inadequate review of compliance with these leases. They have terminated 78 leases between 2009 and 2017, Forti said.

The IBWC collects about $10,000 a year from this program but spends about $150,000, she said.

Some ranchers are no longer occupying their pasture, some have stopped paying and in some cases, like Rathmells, the lease is in their parents or grandparents name. Forti said the IBWC wanted to assure that the leases were current and in compliance.

Rathmell told Forti that no invoices have been sent out for two or three years, and that many ranchers have been sending their payments based on old invoices.

As far as not knowing what land is being utilized for grazing, I think its as simple as making a phone call to a sister agency in the federal government, APHIS, Rathmell added, referring to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which registers and tags all cattle in the permanent quarantine zone. So those leases that have cattle on them would be a very easy find for the IBWC to locate.

Teofilo Vela, an assistant director of field operations for APHIS, said Zapata is one of the biggest blunts in the spread of fever tick into the rest of the U.S.

We do, at the program, really, really need the cattle on the river. This is our surveillance, this is our treatment. And it would be devastating for the agricultural community and the ranching community to not allow grazing on IBWC lands, Vela said.

Another affected property owner, Ricky Ramirez, said they have been grazing on their property for over 20 years, but only got a letter from the IBWC regarding the lease four years ago. If theyre only collecting $10,000 in rent, the IBWC needs to do some serious due diligence and get the appropriate paper work out, Ramirez said.

By Friday afternoon, the International Boundary and Water Commission decided that they will not terminate any of these leases for one year, and will work to determine which lands have been abandoned and which are still being used for grazing. They intend to send out letters to lessees with this information next week, a spokesperson for the agency said.

Through this process the commissioner will determine what do to with the land and how the grazing lease program should be handled in the future, the spokesperson said.

During the conference call with landowners, Forti said these termination notices had nothing to do with the border wall, and that the IBWC did not have an ulterior motive.

There would have to be a lot of hydrology studies to determine the impact if there was a structure put in place, she said.

Currently the governments plans for the border wall stop just north of Falcon Lake in Zapata County. Tricia Cortez said she cant come to the conclusion that these lease termination notices are unrelated to the wall.

We will remain vigilant as to whether or not this move is related, in fact, to the rapid acceleration of the federal governments plans to condemn property and build a wall in Webb and Zapata, Cortez said.
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.

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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.
Actor Sonu Sood has come a long way from being the quintessential 'middle class boy' to becoming Bollywoods villain, to a real life superhero. Within a short span of time, the actor has captured a place in everyones heart across the country because of his unflinching support to the migrant workers, who are worst affected by the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

From arranging buses to airlifting people through chartered flights to launching a toll free number, Sood has ensured to leave no stone unturned in sending stranded migrant workers to their home states. His generous efforts have now transformed him into a national hero.

Recently, the 46-year-old actor took to his Twitter account to share an emotional post for his late parents. He shared the post with the caption that read., They both will be smiling somewhere from heavens. Miss u both maa n dad.

They both will be smiling somewhere from heavens. Miss u both maa n dad  https://t.co/6NYalWV4hF  sonu sood (@SonuSood) June 6, 2020





Sonu Soods selfless efforts have been widely appreciated across the country by common people as well as celebrities from his fraternity.

Growing up in Nagpur in a middle-class family background, the actors early years were spent with his two sisters and parents. His father Shakti Sood was a small-time businessman and ran a garment shop named Bombay Cloth House, while his mother Saroj was a professor.

Meanwhile, people on the micro-blogging site flooded Soods emotional post with loads of heartwarming comments.

Check out some of the reactions here:

  Sone Lal Singh  (@AviatorSone) June 6, 2020

Rest in peace..stay happy where ever you are..mom & dad  @sajidcrafts (@Ahmad_crafts) June 6, 2020

Proud of you Sonu Sir .... Lots of love from uttrakhand  aHaY NeGii (@a_negii) June 6, 2020

You are real hero sir  RANDHIR KUMAR SHARMA (@RANDHIR73747253) June 6, 2020

May almighty grant them highest level in paradise..  sehbaj khan (@KhanSehbaj) June 6, 2020

                     Manish thakur (@ManishT20132842) June 6, 2020

Coming from a humble background himself, he clearly understands what it takes to be generous and compassionate in todays circumstances. We desperately need more people like Sonu Sood in this country.

The actor has set up a toll free number to reach out to the maximum number of distressed people. Here is that number - 18001213711. This number connects to a call centre set up by him for those who seek help. He truly is a messiah for all those who are in dire need of help at this difficult time. Kudos to you, Sonu!
The chief executive of Matchbook, a betting exchange operated by the Cork-based technology firm Xanadu Consultancy, has resigned after 16 years with its holding company.

In February, Matchbook had its licence to operate in the UK suspended by the Gambling Commission, a UK watchdog for the sector, following a two-year review. The review exposed concerns over anti-money laundering regulations at Matchbook and customer care policies, including fair treatment for users of the exchange.

In April, Matchbooks owner, Triplebet, was told to pay a 740,000 fine by the Gambling Commission. It is understood the UK licence remains suspended until it can prove it has implemented the remedial measures required by the regulator. Its Irish betting services are unaffected.

Mark Brosnans resignation from the holding company behind Matchbook, Newfoundland Limited, has also meant he has resigned from his position as CEO of Xanadu. He is set to continue as a director of both the holding company behind Matchbook and Xanadu.

A statement from Xanadu said Brosnans decision came at the natural conclusion of a number of long-term projects, including the development of a new sportsbook product and the submission of an independent audit to the UK Gambling Commission.

Brosnans decision will see Xanadus chief financial officer Farzad Peyman fulfil CEO leadership duties on an interim basis.

A spokesman for Xanadu said the independent audit process had been submitted to the UK Gambling Commission, adding that Brosnans decision to resign was not linked to the UK licence suspension. He said it hopes to have more information on the UK licence in the coming weeks.
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 09:42 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdca1450 1 National marine-stewardship-council,Maluku,Buru-Island,sustainability,World-Oceans-Day,MDPI,handline-fishing Free

Nine fishermens associations made up of 123 fishers at a fishery on Buru Island, Maluku, have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) with the ecolabel, which indicates that the associations catch meet the international best practices for sustainable fishing.

With the award, they become the first handline yellowfin tuna fishery in the world, and the second recipient in Indonesia, to be certified with the MSC standard.



Were extremely proud seeing the first Indonesian handline yellowfin tuna fishery meet the highest standard for sustainability. Indonesia is committed to supporting its small-scale fishers and sustainable tuna fisheries, and this MSC certification sets an example for other small-scale fisheries in Indonesia and around the world," Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo said as quoted by an MSC press release.



The recognition also marks another step toward sustainable fishing ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8, with small-scale fishermen as the backbone of such efforts.



Small-scale fishers make up around 90 percent of fishermen in Indonesia, according to Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry data in 2015. There are 572,270 fishing boats in the country, 506,720 of which are boats smaller than 5 gross tons (GT), while 43,696 are between 5 and 10 GT, 17,121 between 10 and 30 GT and 4,734 are big boats over 30 GT.



The award was the result of ongoing efforts initiated in 2012 by North Americas leading sushi-quality tuna company Anova, local processor Harta Samudra and the Indonesian Fisheries and Community Foundation (MDPI), which focuses on sustainable fisheries. They assisted Buru Island fishermen in getting Fair Trade certification in 2014 and forming Fair Trade Fishing associations, paving the way for the fishermen to attain the MSC certificate.



This is a beautiful stop on the journey toward sustainable fisheries, one that we believe in deeply, and one for which there is still a lot of hard work ahead, MDPI executive director Yasmine Simbolon said in a statement on May 13.



MDPI fisheries policy advisor Saut Tampubolon said the MSC certificate would allow Buru Island fishers to expand to a broader international market, including all of Europe, the United States and Russia, among other countries.



In the past, Buru Island fishers said they would only sell their fish in their own village or neighboring villages for lower prices and struggled to search for markets that would buy their catch.

Fisher Yusran Tomia said the MSC represented a beacon of hope for his family. The most important thing that my family felt from [receiving the MSC certificate] is that theres a big hope now with the broader market access, so no longer will we doubt where our fish is sold, he said.



Around 600 yellowfin tuna fishers under the MDPIs guidance in six provinces, including Maluku, are currently practicing handline fishing, and fishermen in at least three of the provinces have managed to export their fish to the US under the MDPIs Fair Trade USA partnership.



Fish processing firm PT Harta Samudra director Robert Tjoanda said the fish they received from fishers, including those of Buru Island, were sent to countries like the US, Vietnam, Australia and Japan. The firm partnered with the MDPI in 2013 to improve fisheries for small-scale handline fishers in eastern Indonesia.



Indonesia was not alone in celebrating the award. We congratulate Indonesia Handline Yellowfin tuna fishery and their partners for becoming MSC certified. They are demonstrating true leadership in sustainable fishing, MSC Asia-Pacific director Patrick Caleo said in a press release.



However, Patrick said that, in order to maintain the certification, the Buru Island fishery would need to work with other fishing organizations and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission on important management measures to safeguard yellowfin tuna stocks.

Editor's note: This article has been updated.
A British man who spent six days trapped in a well after being chased by a dog has been rescued in Bali.

A rescue team lifted 29-year-old Jacob Roberts from the 13ft concrete pit yesterday after a farmer in Pecatu village raised the alarm.

Mr Roberts's calls for help were heard by a local who was going to feed his cows,' local search and rescue chief Gede Darmada said.

A rescue team lifted 29-year-old Jacob Roberts from the four-metre-deep concrete pit after a farmer in Pecatu village raised the alarm

Mr Roberts's calls for help were heard by a local who was going to feed his cows,' local search and rescue chief Gede Darmada said

Pictures show police officers - in personal protective equipment as a precaution - tending to the victim at the bottom of the well. He had 'a small amount of water left'.

Mr Roberts broke his leg when he stumbled into the near-empty reservoir and told authorities he had been trying to evade a dog that chased him through the village.

Pictures show police officers - in personal protective equipment as a precaution - tending to the victim

Following the dramatic rescue yesterday, South Kuta police chief Yusak Agustinus Sooai said: 'He looked thin and injured.

'The victim claimed to have been trapped there about six days before an evacuation was carried out by the Basarnas team on Saturday.'

Police took Mr Roberts to BIMC Nusa Dua Hospital for treatment and he is expected to make a full recovery.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are supporting a British man in Bali and are in contact with the local hospital.'
Simon Toohey was sent home on Sunday night's episode of MasterChef: Back to Win after he failed to impress with his 'naked broccoli' dish.

And it appears judges Melissa Leong, Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo weren't the only ones left unenthused by what was plated up, with many fans expressing their displeasure on social media.

'If that was served to me in a restaurant, I'd walk out,' one viewer tweeted.

Disappointed! MasterChef Australia judges and fans were unimpressed with Simon Toohey's 'shocking' broccoli dish which saw him eliminated on Sunday night

Another said: 'I don't think I have ever seen a dish look as horrible like this, in the years I have been watching.'

'Bugger, I liked Simon, but that dish looked like a shocker,' a third commented.

While a fourth wrote, 'Simon keeps saying he loves vegetable but that brocolli begs to differ.'

One viewer, however, was far more sympathetic: 'One poor dish cost Simon big time - he was top 7 material I reckon.'

Anyone for seconds? 'I don't think I have ever seen a dish look as horrible like this,' one fan tweeted. Pictured: Simon Toohey

Before presenting the dish to the judges, Simon explained: 'I really envisioned this sort of minimalistic style, broccoli dish, but I just don't think I've executed it very well.

'I'm just not 100% happy with it. And I just really hope this doesn't send me home.'

At judging, Jock Zonfrillo admitted he was disappointed with the 32-year-old chef's dish after he served up a single piece of broccoli during the pressure test.

'This was 60 minutes of work?' he pondered.

I'm full: 'If that was served to me in a restaurant, I'd walk out,' one viewer tweeted

'This was 60 minutes of work?' During Sunday's episode judge Jock Zonfrillo (pictured) admitted he was disappointed with the 32-year-old chef's dish

Jock went on to describe Simon's dish as 'underwhelming' and 'overcooked' - before revealing he would be leaving the competition and won't be making this year's top 10.

This week's pressure test saw the contestants first tasked with creating their take on the Australian classic, a pie with sauce, before creating Australia on plate.

In the first heat, Simon served up a stout beef pie, which judge Andy Allen described as not having a 'lovely flavour'.

MasterChef continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
Baghdad, June 7 (IANS) Iraqi authorities have decided to extend the incumbent curfew to another week after the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country jumped to more than 11,000.

The decision was made after a meeting by the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The committee took several measures including continuation of the current full curfew until June 13, and then replacing it with a partial curfew on June 14 from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., al-Kadhimi's media office said in a statement.

The committee also prevented the movement between the provinces, except for the health, security and public service personnel, and ordered the security forces to tighten the control of the implementation of the health restrictions through preventing all forms of gatherings.

The restrictions included preventing people from going outside without wearing masks.

Food and vegetable shops, bakeries and pharmacies are allowed to open, the statement added.

Al-Kadhimi explained that the increase of test capacity by the health teams led to the latest increase of COVID-19 cases.

The Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country increased to 11,098 after a record of 1,252 daily infections were added.

It also said that 33 people died from the coronavirus during the day, in the highest single-day rise so far, bringing the death toll in the country to 318, while 4,904 patients have recovered.

--IANS

ksk/
Honor A.P., at right with jockey Mike Smith aboard, glides past Authentic and Drayden Van Dyke en route to winning the Santa Anita Derby by 2 lengths. (Benoit Photo via Associated Press)

The already topsy-turvy Kentucky Derby picture got a little more interesting Saturday when Honor A.P. thrust himself squarely in the middle of things with a dominant win in the Santa Anita Derby.

The 3-year-old ridgling swept wide in the stretch and cruised to an easy 2-length victory over heavily favored Authentic to win the purse-diminished race. The race is normally worth $1 million, but because of the track being closed over the COVID-19 pandemic, it was dropped to $400,000.

Hes one of the ones you didnt know about before this pandemic hit, winning jockey Mike Smith said. You didnt know some horses were going to be peaking a whole lot better in May, which he probably wouldnt have been. Now that [the Kentucky Derby] is [Sept. 5], we should be seeing a bigger, stronger horse by then. He should get every little bit of the mile and a quarter.

The 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby was originally scheduled for April 4, but when the L.A. County Heath Department shut down the track, it was moved to Saturday  three months before the Kentucky Derby instead of the usual one month.

We were happy with the way Honor A.P. was training for the race, said John Shirreffs, the winning trainer. We knew that he has tactical speed and Mike [Smith] can put him pretty much where he wants. On the backside, we hoped he would get comfortable to have a nice little kick in the end, and it all worked out well.

Honor A.P., the second favorite, paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. Authentic was second, followed by Rushie, Anneau dOr, Shooters Shoot, Friars Road and Azul Coast.

It was Honor A.P.s second victory in four races. He was second in his last race, the San Felipe, behind Authentic.

The game plan was to jump well and to let him run into that first turn, and hopefully I could get him behind Authentic, Smith said. If not right behind him, then just to his outside a little bit and use my horses big, long stride to his advantage and maybe get a little brave a little early, which I did. I kind of went a little bit too early, but he was ready [Saturday].

Story continues

He missed [Authentic] time and time before and ran a big race when he ran a very good second [in the San Felipe.] It seems the further you go with him the better. Hes just got that big, long, beautiful, powerful stride.

Honor A.P. and jockey Mike Smith win the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday. "He's one of the ones you didn't know about before this pandemic hit," Smith said. (Benoit Photo via Associated Press)

Authentics loss was the latest in a difficult two weeks for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. On Saturday, Baffert also learned that Charlatan, winner of one of the two divisions of the Arkansas Derby, was ruled out of the Kentucky Derby when a filling was discovered in a front ankle. The news was first reported by the Paulick Report. The injury is not career ending, and the colt might be pointed to the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3.

Charlatan was the subject of an alleged positive test for an overage of lidocaine, a legal analgesic. A second test has been sent to a different laboratory for verification. If the results are negative, there will be no case. If the positive is confirmed, an investigation will be conducted with any likely punishment to affect only the trainer, not the horse.

Baffert also lost Nadal, who was the top-ranked 3-year-old in the Kentucky Derby poll and winner of the other division of the Arkansas Derby, when he suffered a fracture in his left front leg after a workout May 28. It was repaired the same day, and the horse was retired and will be sent to stud.

One of Bafferts greatest horses, Arrogate, was euthanized Tuesday after an undiagnosed neurological injury. He was only 7.

As for Honor A.P., its too early to determine what his next race will be, although there is a Kentucky Derby prep race Aug. 1 at Del Mar, the Shared Belief Stakes.

Its up to him whether we run him again before the big dance, Shirreffs said. We have to see how the horse comes out and how he feels, but youd always prefer to run. Running is probably the best option rather than training up to it, but well wait and see how it all happens.

Saturdays victory was worth 100 qualifying points for Honor A.P., which will be enough to allow him to make the 20-horse starting field of the Kentucky Derby.

The day was not a total loss for Baffert as Improbable, who was fourth in last years Kentucky Derby, easily won the Grade 1 $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup. And Cezanne, a $3.65-million purchase, won his first race by 2 lengths. Baffert nominated Cezanne for the Kentucky Derby last week.
New Delhi:

Private operator Vodafone and state-owned BSNL on Sunday announced a 2G intra-circle roaming agreement (ICR) that is designed to benefit their customers and help reduce call drops.

The agreement will enhance coverage for both Vodafone and BSNL customers. Next month, we will jointly provide seamless connectivity at the BRICS summit, which is to be held in Goa, BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava told PTI.



The state-run firm, which regained its 5th position in terms of mobile subscribers in June, has nearly 1,14,000 sites across the country with a wide reach in rural areas.



Shrivastava added: This partnership with Vodafone will help us make our network coverage better, especially in urban areas.



The availability of additional towers is expected to help both the companies address the coverage gap, thereby minimise chances of call drops.



Vodafone India has over 1,37,000 mobile sites across the country. The agreement will allow Vodafone to expand its 2G network further, especially in rural areas, and strengthens BSNLs network reach in urban localities.



We made significant investments to expand, enhance and upgrade our network, making Vodafone SuperNet our best network ever, world-class and future-fit. This partnership with BSNL will further strengthen the reach of our network, especially in the hinterland and surrounding rural areas, Vodafone India MD and CEO Sunil Sood said in a statement.



Additionally, the agreement will support Vodafones coverage plans in Tamil Nadu where it failed to win back 900 Mhz spectrum that it used for 2G services in the 2015 auction.



Vodafone India, the fully-owned subsidiary of the UKs Vodafone Group, has operations across India serving over 199 million customers.



Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) had a user base of 89.54 million at the end of June this year.
WINSTED  A 34-year-old motorcyclist was killed Saturday in an accident Saturday afternoon near the Mad River dam on Route 44.

Travis Madden, of Winsted, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Hartford Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The accident, reported at 1:46 p.m. involved two motorcyles and one motor vehicle, police said.

The operator of one of the motorcycles, Connor Kusmit, 18, of Naugatuck, received serious injuries and was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.

The occupants of the motor vehicle, driver Karina Lopez, 40, and passenger Patricia Verus, 40, both of Waterbury, sustained minor injuries and transported to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital.

Preliminary investigation revealed that three motorcycles were traveling westbound on Norfolk Road when two of the operators (Madden and Kusmit) lost control for unknown reasons, police said.

Madden struck the wire rope guide rail along the north shoulder of the roadway, while the motorcycle he was operating, a Suzuki GSXR600, ricocheted off the guide wire and traveled into the eastbound travel lane where itwas struck by a Honda CRV traveling eastbound and operated by Lopez, police said in a release.

Kusmit, was operating a Suzuki GSXR750.

The roadway was closed for about six hours during the investigation. The Connecticut State Police Accident Reconstruction Team was called in to assist with the investigation. The accident is currently under investigation.

Anyone who witnessed the accident or has information pertaining to such is requested to contact Officer Brandon Simmons at 860-379-2723.
Tensions between the White House and Pentagon have stretched to near a breaking point over President Donald Trumps threat to use military force against street protests triggered by George Floyds death.

Friction in this relationship, historically, is not unusual. But in recent days, and for the second time in Trump's term, it has raised a prospect of high-level resignations and the risk of lasting damage to the military's reputation.

Calm may return, both in the crisis over Floyd's death and in Pentagon leaders' angst over Trump's threats to use federal troops to put down protesters. But it could leave a residue of resentment and unease about this president's approach to the military, whose leaders welcome his push for bigger budgets but chafe at being seen as political tools.

The nub of the problem is that Trump sees no constraint on his authority to use what he calls the unlimited power of the military even against U.S. citizens if he believes it necessary. Military leaders generally take a far different view. They believe that active-duty troops, trained to hunt and kill an enemy, should be used to enforce the law only in the most extreme emergency, such as an attempted actual rebellion. That limit exists, they argue, to keep the publics trust.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, a West Point graduate who served 10 years on active duty, argued against bringing federal troops into Washington. In a contentious Oval Office meeting with Trump and others on Monday, the president demanded 10,000 federal troops be sent to the capital city, according to a senior defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Esper then pushed for governors from several states to send National Guardsmen as a way of steering Trump away from a buildup of federal forces in Washington, the senior defense official said.

Vincent K. Brooks, a recently retired Army four-star general, says the military's sacred trust with the public has been breached by Trump's threat to use federal troops for law enforcement in states where he deems a governor has not tough enough against protesters.

It is a trust that the military, especially the active-duty military  the regulars  possessing great physical power and holding many levers that could end freedom in our society and could shut down our government, would never, never apply that power for domestic political purposes," Brooks wrote in an essay for Harvard University's Belfer Center, where he is a senior fellow.

Esper has made known his regret at having accompanied Trump to a presidential photo opportunity in front of a church near the White House. He has said he did not see it coming  a blind spot that cost him in the eyes of critics who saw a supposedly apolitical Pentagon chief implicitly endorsing a political agenda.

Esper two days later risked Trump's ire when he stepped before reporters at the Pentagon to declare his opposition to Trump invoking the two-centuries-old Insurrection Act. That law allows a president to use the armed forces as he considers necessary when unlawful obstructions ... or rebellion against the authority of the United States make it impractical to enforce U.S. laws in any state by normal means.

Esper said plainly that he saw no need for such an extreme measure, a clear counterpoint to Trump's threat to use force. Almost immediately, word came from the White House that Trump was unhappy with his defense secretary.

On Saturday, the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said Trump remains confident in Esper.

Secretary Esper has been instrumental in securing our nations streets and ensuring Americans have peace and confidence in the security of their places of business, places of worship, and their homes, she said.

After a night of sometimes violent protesting in Washington last Sunday, Esper pulled several active-duty units, including a military police battalion, to bases just outside the nation's capital. He never called them into action; just positioning them close to the capital satisfied Trump for the time being, the senior defense official said. On Friday, the last of those active-duty units were being sent back home.

Trump lost his first defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, over an accumulation of grievances, and it took an unusually long time to replace him. For half a year after Mattis resigned in December 2018, the Pentagon was run by acting secretaries of defense  three in succession, the longest such stretch of interim leadership in Pentagon history  before Esper took over last July.

This week, Mattis added weight to the worry that Trump is militarizing his response to the street protests in Washington and across the nation.

Mattis wrote in an essay for The Atlantic that keeping public order in times of civil unrest is the duty of civilian state and local authorities who best understand their communities and are answerable to them..

Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict  a false conflict  between the military and civilian society, Mattis wrote.

The worry felt among Pentagon leaders is reflected in the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, reaching out privately to members of Congress in recent days to discuss concerns about use of the military on American streets.

Milley has been publicly quiet since he caused a stir by joining Esper on the walk with Trump across Lafayette Square last Monday. The optics were awkward. Police had forcibly pushed peaceful protesters out of the way just before Trump and his entourage strolled to St. John's Church, where Trump held up a Bible.

Esper made matters worse by saying, in a conference call earlier that day with governors, that they should use their National Guard troops to "dominate the battlespace," a term widely interpreted by critics as suggesting street protesters should be treated like battlefield enemies. Esper said later it was a poor choice of words.

America is not a battle space, former Defense Secretary William J. Perry said in a statement. And the people he threatens to dominate are American citizens, not enemy combatants.

___

EDITORS NOTE  AP National Security Writer Robert Burns has covered the Pentagon and national security affairs for The Associated Press since 1990. Follow him at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP
Prominent Indian-American community leader Ramesh Patel, who had been chairman of umbrella diaspora organization Federation of Indian Associations of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (FIA-tri-state), passed away due to complications from coronavirus.

Patel, 78, is survived by his wife Sucheta, son Suvas and daughters Manisha and Kunjal.

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu expressed condolences on the death of Patel.

"Very sad to learn about the passing away of Ramesh Patel, the Founder Member and Chairperson of Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), after 2 month long fight against COVID-19. A highly respected Indian American Community leader, we will miss him very much. RIP!" Sandhu tweeted.

India's Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty tweeted that Patel's death is a "big loss to the Indian American community."

"A pioneer who brought together the Community and worked on many issues. I particularly value his strong support to the Consulate," Chakravorty tweeted.

Along with his community service, Patel worked in the forensic investigation division of the New York Police Department and was honoured with the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honour in 2013.

Patel's passing "leaves a void too big to be filled," FIA president Anil Bansal said. Bansal described Patel as a kind, supportive and strong person who guided the FIA for the past 50 years with his dynamic leadership and vision. "Our most sincere condolences to the family and prayers for peace."

The FIA said Patel had served the Indian-American community for over 50 years and his death is an "end of an era."

Expressing condolences on Patel's demise, former president of FIA Alok Kumar said the organization has lost its "mentor" and the "community stalwart" will be missed forever.

Fondly known as 'Kaka' within the community, Patel had held various positions in the FIA executive committee including president of the organization from 1988 to 1990. He had been instrumental in establishing a number of events that promote the culture and heritage of India in the US, including FIA's flagship event - the India Day Parade organized every year to mark India's Independence Day in August.

Patel was also chairman of the Gujarati Associations of North America and National Organization of Indian American Associations. He also was instrumental in forming the Indian American National Foundation comprising major national diaspora organizations aimed at mobilising resources to foster friendships and charities between the people of India and the United States and also to build an enduring partnership between the two democracies.
Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has registered an FIR against Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for not collecting samples of suspected Covid-19 patients through the RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) app.

The hospital allegedly violated provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act by not following the established Covid protocol.

The FIR with charges under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code was lodged by Deputy Health Secretary Amit Kumar Pamasi on June 5.

When reached out for their statement, an associate from the Ganga Ram Hospital said that the management is not eager to make any comment on the FIR by the Delhi government and added that the authorities will take a decision in coming days.

In the FIR, the complainant says that there are 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 RTPCR app.

Further CDMO cum Mission Director, had mentioned that Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is still not using RT-PCR app even till today (June 3) which is a clear violation of direction issued under Epidemic Diseases Covid19 regulation, read the FIR, a copy of which is with this reporter.

Launched by the Union health ministry in April, the mobile-based RT-PCR app is for collection centres to fill data at the point of sample collection to minimise error in reporting real time data to authorities.

On June 3, the multi-speciality private hospital had received an order from the Delhi government stating that it has allegedly flouted ICMR guidelines for testing coronavirus patients. RT-PCR sampling for Covid-19 suspect/confirmed cases should be stopped with immediate ef fect, the notice read.
Nadella already issued a public statement on the matter in May but this time has pledged a donation of $1.5 million in total.

Other hand covid-19, what has gripped the news headlines since past few days is the George Floyd case and the racism that is happening in certain parts of the world. While the communities and government authorities were the ones reacting for now, the wave has hit the tech market space as well. We have seen Twitter making efforts to hide and remove racist remarks from its platform and Reddit CEO asking to be replaced by a Black member on the board. This time, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has talked about it in an emailed letter to employees (via Thurrot.com).

Nadella already issued a public statement on the matter in May but this time has pledged a donation of $1.5 million in total to organisations like Black Lives Matter Foundation, Equal Justice Initiative, Innocence Project, The Leadership Conference, Minnesota Freedom Fund and NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund. The CEO also mentioned that Micorosoft has donated more than $15 million to civil rights, social action, and advocacy nonprofit organizations since 2015.

In the email to employees, Nadella added that going forward, there will be more diversity and inclusiveness in the country. We created our Supplier Diversity program 15 years ago, so our supplier companies better reflected the diversity of our customers. Today, it makes up nearly 10 percent of our supplier spend. That spend has an amplifying effect, growing the local economies in the communities where those businesses are located. We need to keep building on this work in every community we operate in.

In the public statement made on May 28th, Nadella talked about the companys efforts to improve the diversity and its take on racism happening around the world. He also talks about empathy. Thanks, everyone, for joining today. I want to start by talking about an issue that is important to all of us and is impacting and hurting many amongst us, very directly, and very severely. I also know that the every-day racism, bias and hatred in the news today is not new, and it's far too often the experience and reality in daily lives, particularly for the Black and African American community, started Nadella in his letter.

He also talked about how everyone, when working together on a cause, can make a difference. We can't do it alone. I'm grounded in that, I realize that, but together I think we can, and we will drive change. He added that Have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain, and join me and everyone on the senior leadership team, in advocating for change in our company, in our communities, and in society at large.

Satya Nadellas email to employees:

Seeing injustice in the world calls us all to take action, as individuals and as a company. Sometimes this action is personal  what do I do to change? Sometimes it is organizational  what changes do I need to make around me? And sometimes it is reflected into the world  what can we do as a company to accelerate the change we desire? As we see the everyday racism, bias and violence experienced by the Black and African American community, the tragic and horrific murders of so many, the violence in cities across the US, it is time for us to act in all arenas. As I shared in our Employee Town Hall last week, each of us  starting with me and the senior leaders at the company  has a role to play. We cannot episodically wake up when a new tragedy occurs. A systemic problem requires a holistic response.

I am heartbroken by the deep pain our communities are feeling. The results of systemic racism, which have impacted opportunities and exacerbated injustices for Black and African American communities, urge me to consider my own role as a leader. I must continue my journey of understanding and empathy and examine actions I take, or dont take, every day. Listening and learning from my Black and African American colleagues is helping me develop a better understanding of their experience. And I take accountability for my own continued learning on the realities of privilege, inequity and race and modeling the behavior I want to see in the world.

As a company, we need to look inside, examine our organization, and do better. For us to have the permission to ask the world to change, we must change first. We have to embrace the same speed and mindset that we do in anticipating and building for future technological shifts. Each day, we work to bridge the gap between the culture we espouse and our daily lived experience, but we must do more and do it faster. In order to be successful as a business in empowering everyone on the planet, we need to reflect the world we serve. This is our commitment; we have goals and programs to improve representation in all roles and at all levels. Were investing in the talent pipeline broadly, as weve expanded our connections with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also have to create an environment where all voices are heard and valued, thats why inclusion is a core priority for each one of us. I ask each of us to recommit to our shared D&I priority, participate in our inclusion learning programs, use the tools and resources we have shared on becoming an effective ally for others. We have the capabilities to make Microsoft more diverse and inclusive, but we must do the work.

We also have a responsibility to use our platform and resources intentionally to address systemic inequities in our communities and in society broadly. This is the work we need to do to have lasting impact. For example, were using our technology and our voice toward a more equitable criminal justice system with our Criminal Justice Reform Initiative. We created our Supplier Diversity program 15 years ago, so our supplier companies better reflected the diversity of our customers. Today, it makes up nearly 10 percent of our supplier spend. That spend has an amplifying effect, growing the local economies in the communities where those businesses are located. We need to keep building on this work in every community we operate in.

Finally, we must carry our company values out into the world in a way that reflects our strengths and expertise. To this end, we will deepen our engagement with six organizations that are advancing social justice, helping community organizers address racial inequality, and offering solidarity to the Black community: Black Lives Matter Foundation, Equal Justice Initiative, Innocence Project, The Leadership Conference, Minnesota Freedom Fund, and NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund. This starts with a company donation of $250,000 to each of these organizations ($1.5 million in total), followed by a company match of our employees contributions to eligible organizations. Together, through your giving and the company match, we have donated more than $15 million to civil rights, social action, and advocacy nonprofit organizations since 2015.

I have heard from many employees over the past several days, expressing calls for action, calls for reflection, calls for change. My response to all of you is this: Yes. We have to act. And our actions must reflect the values of our company and be directly informed by the needs of the Black and African American community. We must continue to nurture the energy and passion that the Blacks at Microsoft employee resource group fueled in all of us since its founding in 1989. We have been on a cultural transformation journey and must accelerate our pace of change. Each of us, starting with me, must look at where we are as individuals, confront our fixed mindset[,] and act. Our humanity is what calls out to us to make the world a better place.

We all have a role to play. I will do the work. The company will do the work. I am asking each of you to do the work. And together, we will help make the difference we want to see in the world.

Satya.
Richard Grenell has confirmed he will not be returning to his post as the U.S. ambassador to Germany.

Grenell, who also recently served as acting director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), confirmed reports on Sunday that he will no longer be returning to Berlin.

True, Grenell wrote on Twitter in response to a tweet from a reporter with The Daily Wire, who wrote that the news outlet reported two months ago that he was stepping down from his ambassador role.

Grennell, 53, who has spent little more than two years in the job, will be leaving his post in the coming weeks. According to German news agency DPA, he is expected to be replaced by Robin Quinville, deputy chief of mission at the embassy.

The news follows the U.S. Senates confirmation Thursday that President Donald Trump ally Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) will take on the role as the permanent director of national intelligence. He was narrowly confirmed with a final vote of 49-44, and is expected to enter office next week.

Grenell congratulated Ratcliffe on his new role, saying, You will be the best DNI ever!

The post of director of national intelligence, which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, oversees the 17 U.S. civilian and military intelligence agencies including the CIA.

Grenell has been the U.S. ambassador to Germany since 2018. Before that, he was the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations in the George W. Bush administration, including under then-ambassador John Bolton.

Since May 2018 he has largely supported Trumps foreign policy priorities, and the reasons behind his departure are unknown.

President Trump described Grenell as a superstar on Sunday in an interview with Sinclair Broadcasting.

What Richard Grenell has done for this country is incredible, Trump said, seemingly referring to Grenells role in declassifying the names of Obama administration officials who requested the unmasking of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

He sent a copy of the declassified list of the officials in a note to Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). earlier this month.

From The Epoch Times
Australia could lose all Chinese tourists post-COVID-19 this year if safety issue not addressed: industrial insider

Global Times

By Yin Yeping Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/6 23:51:45

China could issue more security alerts warning its citizens not to travel to Australia, the biggest tourism spenders for the latter, that could lead to zero Chinese visitors in 2020 even after the COVID-19 pandemic, if discriminatory rhetoric and safety issues for Chinese tourists are not addressed, Chinese industrial insiders warned on Saturday.

The comment comes after China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued an alert on Friday, warning tourists not to travel to Australia as the country has seen a significant rising trend of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians due to the COVID-19 pandemic recently.

"There will be impacts on the Australian tourism industry without a doubt, which will mainly affect individual travelers as group tours have not been officially opened yet as the pandemic has not eased in the country," Yang Jinsong, a senior researcher at the China Tourism Academy, told the Global Times.

Yang warned that the safety and security for Chinese travelers is deteriorating in Australia and if it remains this way, more alerts will be issued.

From 2009-19, the number of Chinese tourists to Australia increased by 297 percent, according to the China Tourism Academy.

However, this year the number is expected to be very dire, experts said.

"There was a sharp drop and almost no Chinese tourists coming to Australia in previous months, to which the pandemic was certainly the cause, but it was not the whole story," Yang said, noting that being unfriendly to China could change Chinese people's perception of Australia and make them feel less safe traveling there.

Chinese tourists make up the biggest contribution to the Australian economy.

China is now Australia's largest source of international visitors, with Chinese travelers helping create 0.6 percent of the country's annual GDP, the South China Morning Post reported in February.

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A poll conducted recently by the United Nations Children's Fund among the youth in the Caribbean and Latin America showed that one-third of them do not believe they are at risk of being infected with COVID-19.

What's even more concerning is that only one-third of the 10,500 respondents composed of Latin American and Caribbean youngsters answered correctly when asked how COVID-19 is transferred from person to person.

With South America currently being seen "as the global pandemic's new epicenter," it is another point of concern that only less than 50 percent of the young respondents are even aware of their national COVID-19 information website, as revealed by the survey.

According to UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Bernt Aasen, "Not having the facts about COVID-19" poses danger to the lives of the young and their families. However, Aasen believes the youth should not be blamed for their lack of information.

The survey results emphasize the urgency of reaching out to the youth across the Caribbean and Latin America with the correct and adequate information, most especially to those with limited or no access to digital platforms.

Lack of Knowledge

The survey conducted across 31 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean via a short messaging system or SMS on a mobile phone reflect an alarming lack of knowledge around COVID-19 in terms of transmission, symptoms, and prevention.

Of the young respondents, only 44 percent "felt that they were, to some extent, informed on the virus in general".

A 22-year-old respondent from Trinidad and Tobago said it is just as possible for young people who are exposed to the virus "to get infected and be infectious." Therefore, they need to strictly follow directives on COVID-29 screening, testing, control and care, and social distancing.

More than 40 percent of the young respondents referred to the traditional media as their primary source of information on the pandemic, while 21 percent cited social media and only 10 percent got their information from instant messaging services.

Notably, nearly 95 percent of the young respondents believe that actions needed to be taken to combat the global health crisis, although almost half of them believe that their respective communities are not yet completely ready to deal with the virus.

A 17-year-old female respondent from Brazil urged all kids, teens, and young adults to "please stay home, wash your hands," and take the authorities' advice seriously.

Youth Involvement

Administered via U-Report, a mobile empowerment platform from UNICEF which guarantees confidentiality and can be accessed for free, the survey sheds light on the thoughts and feelings of young individuals on the global pandemic.

Another respondent, a 17-year-old male from Honduras, said it is normal to worry about how the pandemic can be overcome. Inspiringly, the teenager added, "Only together, we get through this."

Aasen said that the youth's involvement "could be a game-changer" in the battle against COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean in the days and weeks to come.

It is crucial to make trustworthy information, he continued, not just accessible but appealing to the youngsters as well, to make them feel that they are certainly part of the solution rather than "the problem."

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Tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters have flocked to anti-racism rallies across the globe this weekend after the killing of George Floyd sparked mass unrest.

The worldwide wave of solidarity served to highlight racial discrimination outside the United States.

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.

His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and largely-peaceful protests first across the US before quickly spreading worldwide.

On Sunday, crowds descended to streets in cities including Antwerp, Budapest and Osaka.

They followed mass demonstrations on Saturday which saw protesters met with riot police in Paris while demonstrators set off red flares in Liege, Belgium.

Tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters have flocked to anti-racism rallies across the globe this weekend after the killing of George Floyd sparked mass unrest. Pictured: Demonstrators in Barcelona today

The worldwide wave of solidarity also served to highlight racial discrimination outside the United States. Pictured: Demonstrations in Barcelona

Protesters in Sant Jaume square in Barcelona clutched cardboard signs during a Black Lives Matter demonstration

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. Pictured: A demonstration in Barcelona

A protester held a photo of George Floyd outside the US consulate during a demonstration against racism and police brutality in Hong Kong

Protesters gathered in Hong Kong to demonstrate following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US last week

In Switzerland, huge crowds gathered for a Black Lives Matter protest. Demonstrators remembered 40-year-old Nigerian man Mike Ben Peter who died in similar circumstances to George Floyd

Protesters take part in a demonstration in memory of George Floyd in Piazza Duca d'Aosta, in Milan, Italy, 07 June 2020

Today's rally in Rome's sprawling People's Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus.

Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying 'Black Lives Matter' and 'It's a White Problem.'

Demonstrations were being held on Sunday across the UK, including one outside the US Embassy in London.

US embassies were the focus of protests elsewhere in Europe, with more than 10,000 gathering in the Danish capital Copenhagen, hundreds in Budapest and thousands in Madrid, where they lined the street guarded by police in riot gear.

'I really think we need to finish with the institutional racism that is actually international,' said Gloria Envivas, 24, an English teacher in the Spanish capital.

Protesters gathered during a Black Lives Matter demonstration, in Lausanne, Switzerland, this weekend

In Brazil, demonstrators lay on the floor beneath a Brazilian flag in during a demonstration against President Jair Bolsonaro, racism and in support of democracy in Brasilia

People take part in demonstration to protest against the government of President Jair Bolsonaro and against racism and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on the esplanade of ministries in Brasilia, Brazil on June 7, 2020

People take part in demonstration to protest against the government of President Jair Bolsonaro and against racism and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on the esplanade of ministries in Brasilia, Brazil on June 7, 2020

Demonstrators in Lausanne, Switzerland, dressed in black and clutched cardboard signs during a Black Lives Matter protest

Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol tore down a statue of Edward Colston. Colston was a 17th century slave trader who has numerous landmarks named after him in Bristol

Protesters in London took to the streets for a second day in a row clutching signs in protests sparked by the death of George Floyd

People light flares during a demonstration against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, racism and in support of democracy in Brasilia, Brazil

Protesters in Krakow, Poland, clutch signs reading 'how many weren't filmed?' and 'who do you call when the police are murderers?' in reference to the death of George Floyd in the US

Crowds of protesters gathered in Krakow for a Black Lives Matter demonstration to protest police violence and racism

Protesters - some wearing protective facemasks - held their fists in the air during a Black Lives Matter protest in Krakow

'It's not something that is only going on in the USA or in Europe, it's also worldwide.'

In Berlin, police said 93 people were detained in connection with a demonstration in the German capital on Saturday - most of them after the main rally of 15,000 had ended.

Police said several officers and one press photographer were injured in the city when bottles and rocks were thrown from a crowd that had gathered despite police orders to clear Alexander Square.

In Frances' southern port city of Marseille, police fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks after what had been an emotional yet peaceful demonstration on Saturday.

People take part in a protest on June 7, 2020 in Gothenburg, Sweden, in solidarity with protests raging across the US over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died during an arrest on May 25

People take part in a protest on June 7, 2020 in Gothenburg, Sweden, in solidarity with protests raging across the US over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died during an arrest on May 25

Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration organised to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, in Gothenburg, Sweden, Sunday, June 7, 2020

Demonstrators attack a police car during a anti-racism demonstration organised to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in Gothenburg, Sweden, 07 June 2020

Protesters hold placards while attending a demonstration to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, in Gothenburg, Sweden, June 7, 2020

Protesters also took to the streets in Antwerp, Belgium. One man clutches a sign reading 'Black Lives Matter' as he marches

A demonstrator reacts during a protest, organised by Black Lives Matter Belgium, against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in central Brussels, Belgium June 7, 2020

Demonstrators kneel while they hold up their fists, in front of a police officer during a protest, organised by Black Lives Matter Belgium, against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in central Brussels, Belgium June 7, 2020

People raise their fists during a Black lives matter demonstration in front of the Belgium Justice palace on June 7, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium

Demonstrators sat on the floor in Antwerp as part of protests following the killing of George Floyd in the US. One woman clutches a sign reading: 'Racism is the biggest virus on earth'

Demonstrators in Gothenburg, Sweden, gathered for the Black Lives Matter protest. Two people clutched a sign reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'justice for George'

Demonstrators on the streets on Gothenburg, Sweden, clutched signs reading 'why is ending racism a debate' and 'my skin is not a target on my back'

Protesters held signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' as they marched along the streets of Gothenburg, Sweden, during demonstrations

Thousands of people took to the streets of Gothenburg in a mass protest following the death of George Floyd in the US last week

Huge crowds were seen kneeling in Rome, Italy during Black Lives Matter protests. Protesters wore facemasks to prevent the spread of coronavirus

Massive crowds gathered in Rome, Italy, during Black Lives Matter protests in the city. Most wore facemasks and some donned protective plastic gloves

People take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Copenhagen Denmark on June 7, 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis

People take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Copenhagen Denmark on June 7, 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis

People take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Copenhagen Denmark on June 7, 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis

People take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Copenhagen Denmark on June 7, 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis

The Marseille protest was one of several that attracted 23,000 people across France, where Floyd's death has shone a spotlight on similar French police abuses and gave voice to complaints from minorities that they are frequent targets of harassment and worse from French police.

In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the US consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

'It's a global issue,' said Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong. 'We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the US and in the other parts of the world, black lives do indeed matter.'

Organisers called off the Hong Kong rally late Saturday because of the city's coronavirus restrictions. Those who still showed up gathered in groups of eight to follow size limits on public gatherings.

The rally in Rome's sprawling People's Square (pictured) was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus

Participants in Rome (pictured) listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying 'Black Lives Matter' and 'It's a White Problem'

Rome's first major rally (pictured) against racism had many organisers, including a 25-year-old Roman student, Denise Berhane, a group called Black Italians, a women's group, the environmental group Fridays for Future Rome, a US expatriates' organization and the Sardines, a grassroots Italian protest group that encourages civic involvement

A protester holds up a sign reading 'Black Lives Matter' during protests at Szabadsag Square in front of the US embassy in Budapest

Hundreds of demonstrators flocked to Szabadsag Square in front of the US embassy in Budapest for the Black Lives Matter protests

A young girl attended a protest in Szabadsag Square in front of the US embassy in Budapest. She clutched a sign reading 'Black Lives Matter'

A demonstrator in Szabadsag Square, Hungary, clutched a sign reading 'enough is enough' during a Black Lives Matter protest

Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, despite a call by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and others to find other forms of protest because of lockdown rules and coronavirus fears

Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, for a demonstration sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US

Demonstrators clutched signs reading 'to be silent is complicit' and 'Black Lives Matter' as they gathered in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh

Rome's first major rally against racism had many organisers, including a 25-year-old Roman student, Denise Berhane, a group called Black Italians, a women's group, the environmental group Fridays for Future Rome, a US expatriates' organization and the Sardines, a grassroots Italian protest group that encourages civic involvement.

Asked by broadcaster SKYTG24 whether Italy has a racism problem, Berhane replied: 'There are some problems in the country if all these people turned out.'

The gathering was useful, she said, to help people develop awareness of the problem.

At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took to their knees and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.

In Thailand, some 300 people both locally and abroad joined an online protest against racism today.

With coronavirus restrictions, protesters with 'I Can't Breathe' messages on their arms and placards gathered on the video-meeting platform Zoom as they watched the video clip of Floyd's last moments.

The group also observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence - the period that Floyd was filmed pinned under a white officer's knee.

On Saturday, people held placards saying 'I can't breathe' and set off flares in Liege, Belgium, as they donned facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In Paris, demonstrators tried to gather in front of the US Embassy yesterday, defying Covid-19 restrictions imposed by authorities.

They were met by riot police who turned away people on their way to the embassy, which French security forces sealed off behind an imposing ring of metal barriers and road blocks.

Protests continued in Spain today as demonstrators gathered brandishing signs on the streets of Barcelona

Demonstrators clutched signs written in Spanish during a protest as part of the Black Lives Matter moment. The global demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US

Some protesters clutched signs while others raised their fists into the air as protests continued on Sunday

In Paris, Egountchi Behanzin, a founder of the Black African Defence League, told police on Saturday: 'You can fine me 10,000 or 20,000 times, the revolt will happen anyway.

'It is because of you that we are here.'

In Sydney, protesters won a last-minute appeal against a ruling declaring their rally was unauthorised.

The New South Wales Court of Appeal gave the green light just 12 minutes before the rally was scheduled to start, meaning those taking part could not be arrested.

Up to 1,000 protesters had already gathered in the Town Hall area of Sydney ahead of the decision.

In Sydney, there was one early scuffle when police removed a man who appeared to be a counter protester carrying a sign reading: 'White Lives, Black Lives, All Lives Matter.'

The rally appeared orderly as police handed out masks to protesters and other officials provided hand sanitiser.

In Brisbane, the Queensland state capital, organisers said about 30,000 people gathered, forcing police to shut down some major streets. The protesters demanded to have Australia's Indigenous flag raised at the police station.

State environment minister Leeanne Enoch encouraged Queenslanders to speak out.

She said: 'Whether you're talking about the US or right here in Australia, black lives matter. Black lives matter today. Black lives matter every day.'

Indigenous Australians make up 2 per cent of the the country's adult population, but 27 per cent of the prison population.

Protesters raise their fists as they take part in a demonstration in support of the ongoing protests in the United States after George Floyd's death, in Liege, Belgium, yesterday

People are pictured gathering at a demonstration in Munich, Germany, as they protest the death of George Floyd in the US

Protesters are pictured gathering in Seoul, South Korea, at a Black Lives Matters demonstration in memory of George Floyd yesterday

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 Korea's capital, Seoul, protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyd's 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'.

The country's popular band BTS donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter in support of protests against police brutality, its music label, Big Hit Entertainment announced.

On Thursday, the seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account that they are against racism and violence with the hashtag BlackLivesMatter: 'We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.'

The hashtag went viral among the K-pop group's fans and started another wave of donations with a new hashtag, MatchAMillion.

The movement encouraged BTS' fan base, known as ARMY, an acronym for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, to match the $1 million donation the group made.

One Twitter account said, 'ARMYs, let's #MatchAMillion with BTS's donation to #BlackLivesMatter!'

In Tokyo, dozens of people gathered in a peaceful protest.

Protesters wearing protective masks kneel and hold 'May George Floyd Rest In Peace' and 'We Against Racism' placards during a demonstration in Seoul, South Korea

Black Lives Matter protesters are pictured gathering in Munich, Germany, yesterday as demonstrations continue across the world

Huge crowds gathered in London yesterday for a largely-peaceful protest in Parliament Square before they marched on the US Embassy

In Liege, Belgium, a huge crowd gathered to protest following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US

Demonstrators in Liege, Belgium, lit flares and raised their fists to the sky during a protest for the Black Lives Matter movement

Protesters marched along the streets of Liege, Belgium, on the way to the Place Saint Lambert in front of the Palais de Justice yesterday

Last night a policewoman was hospitalised after her horse bolted and another 10 officers were injured after clashes erupted at protests in London.

Flares were hurled and a Boris bike was thrown at a police horse as tens of thousands of protesters packed into Parliament Square, despite Priti Patel urging them to stay away to avoid the Covid danger of large crowds.

Despite the majority of the protests remaining peaceful throughout the day, violence erupted on Whitehall at 7pm after tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the capital to oppose racism and demand justice for George Floyd.

Madonna attended the march on crutches and other celebrities attending included Boris Becker and Anthony Joshua.

Protesters lay on the floor in Liege, some clutching signs and others wearing shirts reading 'I can't breathe' during the demonstration

Munich also saw demonstrations yesterday. Protesters clutched signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Say Their Names'

In Napoli, Italy, protesters were seen demonstrating in front of the US consulate demanding justice for George Floyd

People in Naples took to the streets in huge crowds following the death of George Floyd in the US. Floyd passed out and later died after a white cop knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes

In Munich, demonstrators gathered to protest the death of George Floyd, as well as police brutality in Germany itself

Demonstrators clutched signs reading: 'Racism is the true virus' and 'Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour'

Demonstrators lay on the ground during a protest in Prague, Czech Republic, as demonstrators took to streets across the world

People lay down on the ground during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Prague, Czech Republic, yesterday

In the melee a missile was fired near a police horse, causing it to bolt and charge down Whitehall.

The female officer riding it slammed into a traffic light and was knocked unconscious before the horse continued galloping down Whitehall where it hit a woman protester and a lamppost.

After that, groups of men hurled two Boris bikes at police horses, startling the terrified animals.

In reaction to the chaos Priti Patel last night said violence towards police at protests was 'completely unacceptable' and gave officers her 'full support in tackling disorderly behaviour'.

Writing on Twitter, she said: 'Protests must be peaceful and in accordance with social distancing rules. Violence towards a police officer is completely unacceptable at any time.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also tweeted saying: 'To the tiny minority who were violent and threw glass bottles and lit flares - you endangered a safe and peaceful protest and let down this important cause.'

Around 5000 people gathered in Cambridge to hold a peaceful demonstration as part of a worldwide Black Lives Matter movement yesterday

Protesters in Cambridge gathered in the pouring rain during a Black Lives Matter demonstration yesterday

Despite the gathering ban due to the coronavirus pandemic, a demonstration was held in front of the US Embassy in Paris yesterday

In Cambridge, protesters yesterday appeared to be spaced two-metres apart from each other during a demonstration as part of the Black Lives Matter movement

In Lisbon, Poland, huge crowds gathered as part of the Black Lives Matter protests yesterday. People held signs in both Portuguese and English

Many protesters donned protective facemasks as they attended demonstrations in Lisbon yesterday sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US

Massive crowds filled the Alexanderplatz in Berlin as anti-racism protests erupted worldwide yesterday. Demonstrations are also expected in some countries today

Protesters in facemasks demonstrated outside the US consular office in Naples, Italy, yesterday as worldwide demonstrations continued

Large crowds were seen gathered in Naples, Italy, yesterday as anti-racism protests continued across the world sparked by the death of George Floyd

In Prague, Czech Republic, protesters kneeled in the old town Square to protest against police brutality and racism yesterday

Tensions had been simmering for more than an hour at the end of Downing Street where around 400 people had gathered but the situation escalated after two flares were thrown over the security gates into the street.

Bottles and other missiles were hurled as riot squad officers emerged from behind the gates.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 14 arrests were made and 10 officers were injured in the fracas.

The force added: 'The officer is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for her injuries which are not life-threatening. The officer fell from her horse, and we are examining the full circumstances of what took place.'
University of Melbourne Asks Staff to Take a Pay Cut Amid Pandemic

The University of Melbourne is expecting to lose $1 billion in revenue between now and 2023 as a result of the impact of the CCP virus on overseas student enrollments, according to The Age.

On June 4 The Age reported that the University of Melbournes vice-chancellor appealed to staff, who account for 56 percent of expenses, by asking them to agree to a 2.2 percent pay cut. This would prevent a loss of up to 300 jobs across the university.

If you choose to do this, it would be a real contribution that you would be making to your colleagues, and to the future of the university, Professor Maskell wrote to staff.

It comes after a string of universities revealed they are losing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and as Universities Australia predicted that universities could lose $16 billion in revenue in the next three years.

Some $12.3 billion of this is lost from international student fees.

According to the University of Melbournes latest annual report, foreign students made up 26 percent of its student cohort in 2006, this jumped up to 44 percent in 2019.

Today, 50 percent of its international student revenue comes from Chinese students, amounting to about $410 million, or 16 percent of the universitys revenue, according to data from the Centre for Independent Studies. International students made up about 36 percent of the University of Melbournes cohort in 2017.

Victorian Opposition Leader Michael OBrien warned that universities have been too dependent on international students.

This is a very important wake-up call for Victoria universities  they do need to diversify, he told AAP on Wednesday.

Related Coverage Australian Universities Face $16 Billion Revenue Loss Because of CCP Virus

Nicholas Kakaroubas is one of many university researchers who fear for the future of their positions. Kakaroubas was researching the origin of motor neuron disease and has now been told he has lost his job at a separate university, and that the scholarships he was hoping to apply for, will be few and far between.

A lot of people have dropped out or deferred study, Kakaroubas told The Age. Friends who were doing PhDs have dropped out to try to find ways to support themselves.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 10:09:52|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Temporary treatment centers, or Fangcang shelter hospitals, are a major innovative solution that turns the tide in the battle against COVID-19 in China, said a white paper released Sunday by China's State Council Information Office.

The city of Wuhan re-purposed stadiums and exhibition centers into 16 temporary treatment centers, providing some 14,000 beds and making it possible to admit all confirmed mild cases for treatment, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action."

This helped reduce infections and virus transmission in communities and prevent mild cases from worsening, said the white paper. Enditem
Official NHTSA Recall: 2013-2018 Nissan Altima Recall - Hood Latch Can Pop Open Altima Problem Continues







NHTSA Recall ID Number : 20V315

Manufacturer : Nissan North America, Inc.

Subject : Unintentional Release of Primary Hood Latch

Make Model Model Years

NISSAN ALTIMA 2013-2018

NHTSA Recall ID Number : 16V029

Manufacturer : Nissan North America, Inc.

Subject : Secondary Hood Latch may Bind and not Latch

Make Model Model Years

NISSAN ALTIMA 2013-2015

Nashville TN June 5, 2020; 2013-2018 Nissan Altima's are being recalled over a hood-latch defect bringing the total vehicles covered by this recall to more than 1.8 million.

Nissan issued the recall for Altima coupes and sedans built between 2013 and 2018.

Nissan said that the fifth-generation Altima has had repeated problems with the latch, which can fail due to corrosion.

The campaign includes the two and four door models in effect the entire production run of the vehicles in the U.S.
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Linkedin Tri Indah Oktavianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 7, 2020 19:12 593 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdcbb351 1 National Papua,Papuan-students,activist,activist-arrest,West-Papua,Veronica-Koman,ULMWP,KNPB,referendum,cendrawasih,Jayapura,Balikpapan,East-Kalimantan Free

Prosecutors at the Balikpapan district court in East Kalimantan are seeking between five and 17 years of prison for seven Papuans charged with treason for their involvement in antiracism protests Jayapura, Papua, in August 2019.

The protests came in response to an incident where Papuan university students living in a dormitory in Surabaya, East Java, were attacked verbally and physically by security personnel and members of mass organizations who accused the students of refusing to celebrate Indonesias 74th Independence Day.

Security personnel reportedly banged on the dormitorys door while shouting words such as monkeys, pigs and dogs.

While the protests in Jayapura started out peacefully, they later turned violent, resulting in dozens of injuries and several buildings being damaged.

The seven defendants in the trial in Balikpapan include Buchtar Tabuni, an executive of pro-Papuan independence group United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Agus Kossay and Stevanus Itlay from the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB), Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ) student union head Alexander Gobai, Cenderawasih University student union head Ferry Gombo and USTJ students Irwanus Uropmabin and Hengki Hilapok. They were arrested in Jayapura in September and were later moved to a Balikpapan jail for security reasons.

Last week, prosecutors demanded a 17-year sentence for Buchtar, 15 years for Agus and Stevanus, 10 years for Alexander and Ferry and five years for Irwanus and Hengki.

The defendants legal team and human rights groups have criticized the proceedings and have said that the seven Papuans are being persecuted for their political activism.

Emanuel Gobay, one of the defendants lawyers, said there were many obstacles during the online court hearing for the seven Papuan activists.

[The trial] had many issues, including internet instability, bad voice reception, different preparation times between the prosecutors and the defendants, the prosecutions expert witnesses testifying out of line with their expertise and other issues that we fear will violate the rights of the defendants, Emanuel said in a written statement obtained by The Jakarta Post.

He also criticized the inconsistency between the sentences sought for the seven defendants and those sought for defendants in other regions facing similar charges.

In April, for example, prosecutors sought 17-month sentences for pro-Papuan independence activists who staged a rally in Jakarta. The six activists were found guilty and received sentences ranging from eight to nine months.

Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) lawyer Tigor Hutapea, who oversees cases of human rights violations in Papua, said that the harsher sentences sought for the seven activists were a result of their involvement in Papuan political movements.

The three of them were assigned greater [targeted] punishments not only because they were involved in the protest but also because they are involved in Papuan political organizations, when in fact, the right to join organizations is guaranteed by our constitution, he told the Post on Sunday.

Tigor, who has been following the trial, questioned the entire trial process as witnesses mostly came from police personnel [...] who did not directly witness the involvement of the seven activists in the riots.

In an online discussion organized by the University of Indonesia student association about racism against Papuans in the legal system on Saturday, Amnesty International Australia and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman urged university students to stand in solidarity with the seven Papuan activists.

If not, they will come for you, she said. Next time if you hold a student demonstration, they might say that youre committing treason."
Srinagar, June 7 : Dr. A.G. Ahangar, director of the super specialty Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar said on Sunday that community spread of COVID-19 has already started in Kashmir.

Dr. Ahangar said, "Kashmir is facing community spread of COVID-19. This is a reality and we must accept it and learn to live with it".

Director of Kashmir's premier COVID testing and treatment hospital in Soura area of Srinagar, Dr. Ahangar said there has been a large spike in positive cases indicating obviously that more and more people are getting exposed to the virus.

He said people need not panic, but should take maximum precautions to minimise the damage caused by the pandemic.

The senior doctor said once precautions are taken there is hardly any possibility of the virus infecting us. He, however, said some doctors and paramedics recently testing positive is a professional hazard.

Dr. Ahangar said the result of community spread in Kashmir would be that those who develop herd immunity will survive, but those whose immunity is already compromised will suffer.

So far 40 people have been killed by the deadly virus in J&K and over 3,000 have been infected.
WATERLOO REGION  Post-secondary institutions in Waterloo Region have spent decades building up their campuses to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of students who flock to the region every year.

Now, with the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University announcing that most courses will be offered online this fall, and Conestoga College expected to announce a similar decision, the schools are on the clock to devise plans for what campuses will look like in a COVID-19 world.

Chief among the questions: what do you do with all the buildings that wont be used?

John Straube, an associate professor joint-appointed to the department of civil and environmental engineering and the school of architecture at the University of Waterloo, said there are some critical mistakes that can be made in attempts to cut costs.

Buildings are an investment that is going to require attention and money forever, said Straube. You cant just turn off the utilities, walk away, and come back in a year and expect your asset to still be there.

Consider an overflowing toilet bowl on the sixth floor of the Waterloo Engineering 7 building, he said, with the water percolating down through all six floors below it.

That should give people the heebie-jeebies who look after buildings, he said.

In a typical situation of excess building space, Straube said the first conclusion would be to look for different ways to utilize the facility. But in the face of COVID-19, there arent any obvious answers.

Its not the space thats the problem, its the fact that were not allowed to collect together in large groups indoors, he said. And thats what these spaces are all about.

After the 2008 financial crisis, he was part of a consulting team that helped Goldman Sachs safely delay a casino build that had run out of money  a premise he said many businesses were facing with their in-development projects.

In that situation, they were able to delay construction for two years before finishing the job, focusing on areas like building temperature, moisture control and monitoring systems.

Its an example he said draws the closest similarity to what educational institutions are facing  managing the building supply so that they can be used in a post-pandemic world.

For universities that offer courses in the fall, winter and summer, there is never a slowdown where most facilities arent being used in at least some capacity.

But for elementary schools that effectively close for the summer, some building managers have been tempted in the past to save money by choosing not to use the air conditioner.

The problem is that youre not air conditioning just to keep things cool, youre air conditioning to keep things dry, said Straube. Theres more than a few examples of people returning after the summer to find their library full of mould.

The same principle exists in the winter with heating, and modern building designs have magnified the problem.

Over the last 30 years, more and more buildings have been designed under the assumption they will be kept at a consistent temperature and level of humidity  think gypsum wallboard and ceiling tiles.

I always joke that even the dumbest of the three little pigs didnt build his house out of paper, said Straube. And we lined five sides of most of our modern rooms with paper.

That means internal components like electric wiring, fire alarm system and plumbing are all becoming more and more dependent on strong interior conditions.

Our buildings are now things we need to continue to care and feed for, even if were not using them.

Mike Milovick is a student housing property owner, realtor and father of an incoming first-year Waterloo student. He said hes had lots of time to think about a lot of things as it relates to students and what the fall may look like.

As it relates to managing properties, Milovick has also found himself with an unusually high number of vacant units this summer. Not because they havent been rented, but because the students are staying with their parents. Of the 35 student renters, only five are currently in their unit.

Its the same principle the universities face in that you worry about security and floods and just not having anyone there to notice any of the problems, he said.

Thats forced him to crank up his own on-site visits, going to each property two to three times a week to ensure there arent any issues. With residential insurance, most companies actually ensure the properties are monitored on a weekly basis.

Stepanka Elias, executive director of facilities and plant operations at Waterloo, said the university has already taken steps to streamline its monitoring of the facilities since faculty, staff and students were forced to leave campus little by little in March.

We have to be very careful to be a good steward of our spaces, she said.

Maintenance crews are equipped with a long checklist which requires walking through every building to ensure doors are locked, nothing is leaking, and the equipment in the mechanical rooms is working properly.

Meanwhile, engineers have continued to monitor the schools central plant, and custodians continue to ensure a level of cleanliness across facilities. We have many people who have been on campus on a regular basis, said Elias.

At neighbouring Wilfrid Laurier University, school spokesperson Claire Bruner-Prime said monitoring has also taken precedent through this time.

Laurier facilities staff continue to monitor and conduct regular maintenance on all university buildings, following health and safety guidelines, she said.

Now, the shift for both institutions is reopening its facilities as the province continues with its phased approach to relaunch the economy.

While most of Lauriers employees are currently working remotely, the university is preparing options and scenarios for their safe return to campus, possibly in a phased approach, when public health authorities deem it safe to do so, she said.
Ray Parrish, Twin Falls public affairs representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently assisted in coordinating a food donation of over 40,000 pounds, valued at $45,000, for South Central Community Action Partnerships (SCCAP) food program.

Church leaders Wayne Goodworth, Salt Lake regional manager, and Dr. James Coombs, regional welfare president, along with several other church members met with SCCAPs staff to unload 25 pallets of food which will be provided to low-income families throughout the Magic Valley.

The church has been engaged with providing community food pantries with both inventory and volunteers since the middle of March across the country, shipping semi-loads to 31 states. Each truck carries approximately 40,000 pounds of food commodities, which equals about one week of food for 1,400 people. The total number of deliveries thus far has exceeded 180 trucks delivering approximately 7,200,000 pounds of food.

Most of the commodities come from the churchs main distribution center in Salt Lake City, but they have also partnered with Gossner Foods in Logan, Utah, to convert 5.2 million lbs. of surplus milk into 504,000 pounds of cheese, which have been part of these deliveries.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partnered with SCCAPs USDA Food program in distributing these commodities to food pantries throughout the Magic Valley. SCCAP is a distribution hub for pantries in Kimberly, Hagerman, Jerome, Gooding, and the Mini-Cassia areas as well as Twin Falls. Ken Robinette, CEO of SCCAP, stated this generous food donation is greatly appreciated and will be very beneficial especially with the COVID-19 crisis.

In just the last few months there has been a huge demand on food from economically disadvantaged families. If you or your family is struggling financially, check with our offices in Twin Falls or Burley to see if you qualify for assistance. You can find more information on the services SCCAP offers at www.sccap-id.org or call 208-733-9351.

If you would like to donate time, SCCAP has need for volunteers from the community to assemble food boxes and assist clients on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at its Twin Falls office, 550 South Washington St. People interested in volunteering may go to Justserve.org and sign up for any day that fits their schedules. Volunteers are needed each day from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Opportunities are also available in communities where there are food pantries being serviced by SCCAP. Just go to Justserve.org and find an opportunity in your community.

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The process for ending the war in Afghanistan was set in motion by a February peace deal between the United States and the Taliban that largely excluded the Afghan government. The resulting four-page public document did not define what kind of country postwar Afghanistan would be. The omission made a deal for the withdrawal of U.S. troops easier to secure, but it also set the stage for much more complex negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
(Natural News) Members of the Democratic Party, Antifa and other rioters and demonstrators have begun calling for police departments across the country to be defunded, and some Democratic mayors have responded positively to these demands. In Minneapolis, where the riots began, the city council is even considering abolishing their police department altogether.

In response, members of the Republican Party have spoken out about their opposition to this move, with prominent members such as Congressman Jim Jordan and Senator Lindsey Graham criticizing the Democratic Party for even considering such a move.

Any city or entity that abolishes their police department: What effect do you believe this will have on economic development, tourism and public safety? asked Sen. Graham.

First, Democrats wanted to defund ICE. Then, they wanted to defund DHS. Now, they want to defund the police. This is how radical todays Left has become! said Rep. Jim Jordan.

We should get clear on something. Without the police, without law enforcement, without the fine men & women in blue, the Constitution is just words on a page. Rights require protection. Democracy requires the rule of law.  Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 4, 2020

Many groups aligned with either Antifa, the Democratic Party or both have for years advocated the defunding of police. The basic principle behind this is to take money away from police departments  and the prison-industrial complex  and to reinvest those funds into the community by prioritizing programs such as health, education, housing and employment, leaving them with fewer police officers to protect their communities.

Those in favor of defunding state that what the U.S. currently spends on its police departments  around $115 billion according to a recent analysis  is way too much. In many cities, what they spend on police department significantly outweighs what they spend on almost anything else.

Los Angeles, for example, spends over half of the citys budget on the LAPD. Chicago spends nearly 40 percent of their budget, and both Atlanta and Orlando spend around 30 percent.

City police budgets have increased dramatically since the 1990s, especially after former Democratic President Bill Clinton signed a crime bill into law in 1994.

Listen to the Health Ranger Report by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he calls upon black Americans to know who their real enemy is: the medical system.

Completely ridiculous

In response to the calls from rioters and demonstrators, Joe Gamaldi, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police, stated that defunding the police would do nothing but aid criminals and harm communities.

Gamaldi further stated that he feels those who call for defunding the police dont know what that process would actually look like.

And, I think you are seeing it now, said Gamaldi. There is lawlessness in the streets, innocent citizens are being assaulted out there during these protests.

And now, violent crime is up in almost every major city, he added.

The Radical Left Democrats new theme is Defund the Police. Remember that when you dont want Crime, especially against you and your family. This is where Sleepy Joe is being dragged by the socialists. I am the complete opposite, more money for Law Enforcement! #LAWANDORDER  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020

Gamaldi is also the president of the Houston Police Officers Union. According to him, both murders and aggravated assaults have gone up, by 48 percent and 22 percent, respectively, and to slash the budget of police officers during these difficult times makes no sense. He further stated that the people in his community want more police officers, not fewer.

In response to the riots surrounding the death of George Floyd, Gamaldi said he feels sympathy and that America does need to have a conversation about racism and police brutality. Police departments, he said, must talk to their communities and listen to their grievances so they can see eye to eye on their issues. He further believes that some reforms do need to happen, but these reforms will not be successful unless everyone was at the table together. (Related: Gun sales skyrocket amid coronavirus pandemic AND engineered riots.)

Democratic Party-controlled cities cave in to rioters demands

Unfortunately for Gamaldi, some mayors from Democratic Party-controlled cities have already folded to the demands of the demonstrators.

On Wednesday, Democratic mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti announced that, as part of a broad wave of spending cuts, the countrys second most populous city will be cutting their $3 billion police budget by up to five percent, or $150 million, with the goal of reinvesting that money in health, education, employment and in healing.

In New York City, Democratic Comptroller Scott Stringer is proposing that, as part of some much needed budget cuts (the city currently has a $9 billion budget deficit), the city can reduce the number of police officers and cut overtime. This, Stringer argues, could save the city over $1.1 billion in savings over four years.

And in San Francisco, Democratic Mayor London Breed said on Twitter that she was going to defund the citys police department and invest that money in San Franciscos black community.

Minneapolis considers ABOLISHING police department

In Minneapolis, where the nationwide wave of rioting and criminality began, city councilman Jeremiah Ellison, along with other members of the city council, have said that conversations are taking place to disband the MPD entirely. Councilman Ellison, whose father, Keith Ellison, is currently the Attorney General of Minnesota and is in charge of George Floyds case, has voiced his support for Antifa.

We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. And when were done, were not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. Its really past due. https://t.co/7WIxUL6W79  Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) June 4, 2020

On Wednesday, another Minneapolis city councilman, Steve Fletcher, spoke to journalists, stating that the MPD were ungovernable and that the chief of police, Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis first black chief of police, was not able to make the cultural change that the city was hoping for.

Councilman Ellison further stated on Twitter that its time for Minneapolis to declare policing as we know it a thing of the past.

Minneapolis Public Schools, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, as well as other city agencies have already decided to cut ties with the MPD. If Councilmen Ellison and Fletcher gather more support from the 11 other members of the city council  all but one of whom are also members of the Democratic Party  Minneapolis might just be the first city in the United States to abolish their police department, which might plunge the city into even more chaos in the future.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Reuters.com

TheDenverChannel.com

TheGuardian.com

FoxNews.com

SF.Curbed.com

WashingtonTimes.com

NBCNews.com

Insider.com
Its early morning. Two women, on holiday in Puri, stand in the balcony of their hotel room after a passionate night together. They recall their heated lovemaking with laughter and pleasure.

This is not a scene out of a contemporary film. As we enter Global Pride Month, when LGBTQ communities around the world assert their right to the freedom to love, its a good moment to recall an extraordinary short story, Prateeksha (Waiting), written in October 1962 by the late Hindi writer Rajendra Yadav.

Most readers are probably familiar with Ismat Chughtais 1942 story, Lihaaf (The Quilt), with its erotic lesbian undercurrents. It caused such an uproar at the time that the feisty Urdu writer, often called the female Manto, faced trial for obscenity. But somehow Yadavs complex, no-holds-barred lesbian love story fell through the cracks. Few people have heard of it; fewer still have read it, and yet it is a gem.

Yadav, who died in 2013 aged 84, was the enfant terrible of Hindi literature  acerbic, mocking, uncaring of critics. Invariably seen with a pipe clamped between his teeth, jet-black hair combed severely back from a craggy face, the writer from Agra tore into the hypocrisies of middle- and lower-middle-class life, in his short stories and novels.

Prateeksha weaves a tangled web of love, loneliness and violence. Gita is an unhappy middle-aged college teacher living a solitary life in Calcutta. Till the young, lovely Nanda, a typist at a private firm, moves into a room in her flat, on rent. Soon Gitas life begins to revolve obsessively around Nanda, and the two women become intimate. But Nanda is young and restless, and gets drawn into a friendship with a smart Miss Raymond in her office.

Gitas jealousy spirals out of control, erupting one day in an orgy of violence against Nanda. Oddly enough, the two grow even closer after this and go to Puri on a romantic holiday. But theres a bigger threat than Miss Raymond on the horizon  Harsh, a man Nanda has been in love with since college. Gita resents their relationship, but she also watches over them with a strange maternal benevolence.

Rajendra Yadav was not a writer of queer short stories. Prateeksha seems to have been a one-off, though it was in keeping with his general disdain for convention. Even so, how was the story received in those socially conservative times? I spoke to the writers daughter Rachana to see if she had found anything in his papers that would provide some clue. But she had not. Perhaps the reactions were expressed privately.

Historian and scholar Saleem Kidwai, who co-edited a book titled Same-Sex Love in India: A Literary History (which contains an English translation of Prateeksha by Ruth Vanita), didnt know about reactions to it either, but offered some general pointers. He suggested that maybe people were too embarrassed to talk about it openly. And added that, though the theme would have certainly been shocking for the times, stories of lesbian love  especially when written by men  have always been considered more palatable than tales of male homosexual intimacy. There may even be an element of titillation for readers when it comes to the former. (In 1924, the Hindi journalist and writer Pandey Bechan Sharma Ugra wrote a short story, Chocolate, about male homosexuality. The ensuing storm spurred Ugra, who delighted in the notoriety, to write even more stories on the subject. Chocolate was still selling 30 years later.)

For me, though, Yadavs Prateeksha, apart from being a remarkable story for its time, is also a comment on the oppressive Indian family (both Gita and Nanda face abuse in their homes before they escape to Calcutta). And it is about waiting, as the title suggests  Gita has grown old waiting for a suitor her father drove away to come back for her, even as she now waits for Harsh and Nanda, lost in each others company, to return to her empty flat.

But in the end, Rajendra Yadavs Prateeksha is really about the universal yearning for love and companionship

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Out of a crowd of roughly 2,000 to 3,000 people attending the protest in Northampton on Saturday, by 7 p.m. around 500 remained and started to move toward the rear of the police station on Gothic Street where they were met by a line of officers who were not wearing helmets or carrying the long batons that they had been seen with on Mondays protest.

Police stood wearing their standard-issue uniforms and moved back to the station, seemingly to deescalate rising tensions in the crowd of protesters. As police moved, the tone of the protest shifted. Chants turned to music and dancing on Main Street.

Saturdays protest in Northampton started at 4 p.m. when thousands of protesters descended on the city to protest police brutality.

Jasmine Sinclair organized the event, which also was a call against trans women of color being killed by white supremacists and people of color who are killed by racists.

Lets stand together against hate and violence that people of color disproportionately suffer from, six feet apart of course, with your face masks in tow, said Sinclair before the event on the marchs Facebook page.

Like other cities across the country, the protest was inspired by the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old man, who died on May 25 after former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyds neck while he was in handcuffs for more than eight minutes, constricting his breathing and eventually causing him to be unresponsive. In video captured by witnesses, Floyd is heard pleading that he is struggling to breathe and in severe pain, as Chauvin remained with his knee on his neck.

Protesters gather outside the Northampton Police Station to make their voices heard due to police brutality. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Ashley Papineau came to the rally to support the cause and to show signs that had been created by young women who are incarcerated.

Papineau works at a treatment facility at the Department of Youth Services. Earlier in the week, the young women, who are mostly women of color according to Papineau, were asked to make signs.

If they could be in the protest. If they could be there what were the messages theyd want to give? Papineau said.

How many more lives will be lost before a change is made read the sign Papineau held.

But there were signs from others.

At one point Sinclair turned the rally over to another person as a group of people came forward with signs shaped like pigs, representing what they said were policies of the Northampton Police Department, ranging from surveillance cameras and police budgets to one of Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper as a pig.

Kasper posted on the Northampton Police Departments Facebook page earlier that the department had been in contact with the event organizers and said that both the Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz and Kasper had offered to walk with the group and would have knelt in solidarity, but they were turned down.

The protest organizers indicated that they do not want us there. We are respecting this request, Kasper said.

Mondays protest had ended after Kasper came out of the police headquarters and knelt with protesters after they repeatedly called for police to kneel with them.

At Saturdays event, a person explaining the signs called the move by Kasper a counter-insurgency tactic."

Chief Jody Kasper presents herself as a progressive cop," the person shouted to the crowd. There are no good cops.

Saturday was hot and humid and some people started to hand out water as well as food. Northampton resident Elsa Torres was one of the people handing out everything from sandwiches to wraps to bags of chips to ensure the people at the rally were hydrated and also fed.

Protesters gather outside the Northampton Police Station to make their voices heard due to police brutality. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

We kind of thought, lets see if we can get some supplies donated to us, some water, said Torres. Our friends just kept giving. I got $75 donated to me. Brought that to the protest in Westfield two days ago and just more water kept on being donated. I think we have 800 bottles of water donated at this point.

Torres who was handing out the water was also there to provide any medical assistance if the protest took a turn for the worse. She came as part of a group of friends.

Were CPR trained, first aid trained, said Torres. We have basic first aid supplies. Its not perfect but we did what we can.

As the main protest drew to a close at 7 p.m. and the series of speakers had taken the microphone to air their feelings of distrust in the police, many of the crowd dispersed.

Protesters chant opposite police on Gothic Street just behind the Northampton Police Station. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

The crowd chanted their slogans in unison at the line of blue-clad police.

No justice, no peace, the crowd chanted. Someone with a microphone then shouted, "Say his name to which the crowd rang back, George Floyd.

Tensions seemed to be rising and protesters started to write each others phone numbers on the arms of others in case they were arrested and had their phones confiscated.

The police seemed to notice this and an officer came over to the flank of the police line and told the men in blue to make their way back to the station.

Protesters confused that the police would retreat stood in place asking what had happened to make them walk away. Some worried that it was a tactic and the riot police were going to break out of the police station at any moment.

After the main protest had finished many started to dance in the center of the street to music from the speakers used to make speeches. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

After minutes of waiting for some reaction or escalation in the tension from the Northampton police and then seeing that there was none, the group went back onto Main Street where they gathered at the traffic lights by Moshi Moshi, a Japanese restaurant.

Music then began to play from the speakers. A protest that seemed to be taking an uncertain turn a moment ago, now had transformed into a street party.

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A primary school has delayed reopening after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19, while two others are now self-isolating as a precaution, just days after thousands of pupils returned to classrooms across the country.

Hartlepool Borough Council say the staff member at Ward Jackson C of E Primary has not had any contact with pupils for three weeks and the school 'acted very swiftly to seek expert advice and has been extremely rigorous in the precautions' after the positive result.

The school will be open for children of key workers next week, but the plan to welcome a wider number of pupils back has been delayed by a week.

Ward Jackson Primary School in Hartlepool has delayed reopening after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus, as hundreds of schools across the north-west have been advised not to open their doors on Monday due to rising R rates of the infection

Headteacher David Akers, Headteacher of Ward Jackson Primary School, said: 'A member of our teaching staff tested positive for COVID-19 (on Thursday).

'That member of staff has not been in contact with any pupils for the past three weeks, having been away from school on leave for the two previous weeks and having only been in school this week on Tuesday for a staff training day.

'The member of staff is now self-isolating at home for 14 days.

'Although the staff training day was held under social distancing conditions, as an additional precaution, two members of staff who were within the closest distance of the affected member of staff on the day have stayed away from school today and are self-isolating at home for 14 days.

A member of staff wearing personal protective equipment takes a child's temperature at the Harris Academy's Shortland's School in London, which reopened its doors this week

'The wellbeing of all our pupils and staff is of the utmost importance to us. We have taken advice from Public Health England and the Hartlepool Public Health team and will continue to liaise closely with them as a precaution.

'The school will be open for pupils of key workers next week. However, because we will have a reduced number of staff available next week, we have decided to defer the start of our wider phased reopening - which was due to begin this coming Monday with Year 6 - by a week, and we have written to all parents to advise them of the situation.'

Children sit at individual desks during a lesson at Harris Academy's Shortland's school, London

Dr Pat Riordan, director of Public Health for Hartlepool, added: 'The school acted very swiftly to seek expert advice and has been extremely rigorous in the precautions it is taking.

'We will continue to work with the school to monitor the situation over the coming days.'

Earlier this week, Arboretum Primary School, in Derby, closed after seven members of staff tested positive for coronavirus.

They were reported to have mild symptoms and are recovering at home and the school will remain closed for a week to undergo a deep clean, before reopening next week.

Reports of cases of coronavirus among teaching staff have emerged as hundreds of schools across north west England have been 'strongly advised' not to reopen on Monday morning after it was revealed the R rate has risen in the area.

Children at Harris Academy's Shortland's School, one of hundreds of primary schools which reopened its doors last week, play within social distancing measures

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.

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.

For those schools that did open last week, it is thought that as many as half a million children who were eligible to return did not.

Some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them while around half of parents have chosen to keep their children at home because of safety fears.

The Association of School and College Leaders said that of the facilities that are open, attendance is 'highly variable' and ranges between '40 per cent and 70 per cent'.
The Sunday Times reports that the reopening of alcohol sales has placed a significant strain on hospital emergency rooms.

Level 3 of the lockdown began on 1 June and signalled the deregulation of alcohol sales.

However, the resulting increase in alcohol-related injuries is taking up beds that are intended for COVID-19 patients.

Patients having to wait for surgeries end up having to go to ICU. The problem is the ICU beds are filled with gravely ill COVID-19 patients, said Professor Elmin Steyn of Tygerberg Hospital.

According to the report, trauma admissions had decreased by 70% at Western Cape and Gauteng hospitals, but the lifting of the alcohol ban is seeing this improvement reversed significantly.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) predicts that about 5,000 patients will visit hospitals each week with injuries that are related to the consumption of alcohol.

Under lockdown, weekly trauma admissions would have decreased from 42,700 to about 15,000, added SAMRC director Charles Parry.

Alcohol ban hurts SA economy

While the alcohol ban may have had a positive effect on hospitals, it had a hugely negative effect on the South African economy.

The nine-week ban on liquor sales during lockdown alert level 5 and alert level 4 reportedly cost South Africa 117,000 jobs and billions in lost tax revenue.

According to SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, South Africa lost between R14 billion and R15 billion in taxes because of the bans on alcohol and cigarette sales.

Of this figure, about R2 billion is directly due to the loss of excise duties, said Kieswetter, but other areas of lost taxation included VAT, the loss in profit on which companies would have paid tax, and fewer people being employed  which mean fewer people paying income tax.

Kieswetter said as a taxman he is delighted that South Africans are allowed to buy alcohol under alert level 3.

He said South Africa has big tax holes to fill and that we need every bit of tax revenue which can be collected.

Alcohol sales reopen

The ban on alcohol sales was lifted on 1 June, resulting in a massive increase in demand for liquor compared to pre-lockdown levels.

MyBroadband visited Makro in Centurion on Monday, 30 minutes before it was due to open, and experienced a queue of between 200 and 300 people waiting to purchase alcohol.

Similar imagery was shared across social media as South Africans looked to stock their fridges and bars.

Makro said that the demand for alcohol was significantly higher than during high-visibility promotions such as Black Friday.

It also said that online trade was exceptionally good.

Makro acknowledged that there has been a degree of rush buying, which it believes is driven by a lack of customer confidence that the government will allow the trade of liquor to continue.

It also cited the weekend trading restrictions as a reason for bulk buying during the week.

Alcohol is only allowed to be sold from Monday to Thursday between 9:00 and 17:00.

Our view is that these trading restrictions are counter-intuitive in that they time compress weekly demand into a four-day trading window, said Makro.
A Philadelphia couple celebrated their wedding alongside Black Lives Matter protesters after their original nuptial plans were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Kerry Anne Perkins and Michael Gordon were taking photos outside the Logan Hotel on Saturday when hundreds of people participating in a march honoring George Floyd passed by on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The newlyweds decided to merge their celebration with the demonstration as protesters erupted with congratulatory cheers.

A video shared on Instagram shows Perkins and Gordon holding hands and raising their fists in the air while drums sound in the background.

The couple then continued marching with the protesters all the way to City Hall.

Dr Kerry Anne Perkins and Michael Gordon celebrated their wedding alongside Black Lives Matter protesters in Philadelphia on Saturday after their original nuptial plans were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic

Crowds cheered as the couple shared a kiss outside the Logan Hotel after joining the march along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Saturday afternoon

The impromptu decision to join the march allowed the couple to share their wedding day with a much larger crowd than they'd planned.

Wedding planner Rev Roxy Birchfield explained that Perkins and Gordon were originally slated to get married at Legacy Castle in New Jersey, before the coronavirus pandemic threw them for a loop.

Instead they decided to hold a 'micro wedding' on the lawn of the Logan Hotel.

Protesters passing through Logan Square cheered when they spotted the couple taking their 'first look' photos in front of the hotel.

As Perkins and Gordon stepped into the street the crowds parted, offering a unique backdrop for some unforgettable wedding footage.

In one widely shared video, the couple shared a kiss while onlookers unleashed a chorus of cheers and applause.

Birchfield posted several photos and videos of the celebration on her Instagram.

Perkins and Gordon are seen wearing masks and holding their fits up in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement during their wedding on the lawn of the Logan Hotel

The couple beamed as they walked over to join the march honoring George Floyd
Fred Rogers said, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

America is full of helpers. And during times of crisis, the desire to help others is strongest. These months have brought unimaginable change to our workplaces, our homes, and of course, our schools. Many parents are working on the front lines or in essential fields, and with the closing of schools and some daycares, parents can be at a loss for childcare. Moms and Dads who once depended on school to provide breakfast and lunch are now worried if they can put a meal on the table.

And children may struggle with emotional uncertainty as their routines have been put on hold, they no longer see their teachers and friends, and their parents juggle work, homeschooling ... and trying to remember how to multiply fractions or do long division.

Despite the challenging circumstances, and the dire headlines we read, there is still reason for hope in our country.

Loria Yeadon, president and CEO of YMCA Greater Seattle, leads one of more than 500 National YMCA facilities that have sanitized their gyms and converted them into socially distanced daycare centers. First responders, health care workers, and other essential employees can send children to the Seattle YMCA at no cost, and other families can pay $45 a day, or seek financial aid. YMCA wants to ensure that no parent, in any city, who is exhausted from work, is at a loss for child care.

In Maine, teacher Gretchen Lane reads a new book every single day, records it, and loads the video on YouTube. Then she shares it on her Facebook page so parents of her second graders can cuddle up and bond with their child during a daily story-time. And since some of her students dont have computer or internet access, she made sure her readings were available on a smartphone.

Andrea Restrepo is a fifth-grade teacher in Charlotte, N.C. When her students left school on Friday, March 13, none of them knew it would be their last day in the classroom. Andrea took swift action, calling on internet companies to install internet at her students homes so they could continue with their curriculum. And she organized school supply, grocery and meal kits for families in need. Her school provided a video career fair to replace the in-person one students look forward to each spring.

Keara Williams, an English teacher who works in the Los Angeles Unified district, follows up with students who arent responding or showing up for their online classes. Shes been resourceful. When she was unable to communicate with a Spanish-speaking mother of one of her students, Keara called her native Spanish-speaking grandmother to help translate via a three-way call.

And these are just a few of the hundreds of inspirational stories we hear. All around us, there are helpers. Some of them look like those weve recognized as heroes before  doctors, nurses, firefighters and police officers. But we found that heroes can also be teachers, store managers sewing masks to fit children, principals who organize community car parades to show students they are still loved, or even a neighbor who picks up groceries so a mom can stay healthy at home with her newborn baby. Now is a great time to teach our children that everyone can be a hero.

When your children look back on the impact COVID-19 had on their lives, they wont remember having frozen pizza three nights in a row, or that the laundry piled up for a week. Theyll remember that you helped with homework and read to them; that you sat with them for dinner and listened to their concerns; that you had popcorn for movie night, drew with chalk on the sidewalk, or went for a family walk. You can be the hero for your children. Love them, hug them, spend time with them, keep them safe, and tell them that sunny days will return again.

Laura Bush is a former first lady of the United States. This article first appeared in The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute. It is being distributed by InsideSources.com.
Chandigarh Police on Sunday obtained five-day remand of Karan Sharma, the third accused and first of the five shooters arrested for the firing outside a businessmans house in Sector 33 on May 31.

The crime branch on Saturday arrested Sharma from Mauli Jagran, where he had been hiding after the shooting. He was produced in court on Sunday.

Investigations revealed that the 23-year-old from Ludhiana had been pursuing hotel management course at a private varsity in Mohali.

Eager to join the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, he came in contact with his key aide Deepu Banur, who is lodged in the Ambala jail, through Facebook. It was Deepu who directed Karan to execute the firing along with four other gang members, said police.

The men 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.

His 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 providing logistical support to the shooters.

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.

He has allegedly been executing various crimes through his key aide Deepu. To unearth the conspiracy and ascertain the motive, police are now seeking Deepus custody.

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. He was allegedly asked to arrange a vehicle for some 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.
A new study reveals why millions of people frequently become victims of cyber-attacks, and shows how it can be avoided, according to a recently published article.

Cyber-Attacks Amid the Pandemic in the United States

Cyber-attacks and security breaches occurred in the United States even during the pandemic. In fact, the computer system of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department suffered a cyber-attack that led to the misinformation of millions of people according to a published news article in March.

John Ullyot, the spokesman of the National Security Council, suspected that the cyber-attack was made by a foreign country but the federal government has not yet confirmed who it was according to a U.S. top official.

Meanwhile, it was not the only incident of cyber-attack that happened during the stay-at-home order in the country. VMWare Carbon Black reported that there was a spike of security breaches in March and ransomware attacks surged to 148 percent in the same month.

New Research Reveals the Vulnerability of Having One Password in all Online Accounts

A security breach or cyber-attack is very alarming because one's identity could be used in fraudulent activities without the permission of the owner. A person experiencing this may suffer a more complex problem.

New research revealed from Carnegie Mellon University's CyLab found out that only one out of three persons changed their passwords from breached websites. This simply means that social media users rarely change their passwords after a website breach or cyber-attack.

Additionally, it was also found out that only 13 percent of users with accounts on these websites changed their passwords within three months. This gives a longer time for hackers to use private information in fraudulent activities.

The Danger of Having One Password on All Online Accounts, What Should You Do?

There is a big danger in having one password in all of your online accounts like social media, bank account, credit account, and more. If one of these will have security problems, then the hacker will use your username and password and will try to open your other online account without your knowledge.

Lujo Bauer, CyLab faculty member and professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Carnegie Mellon and an author on the study, told a news outlet that one of the most effective ways to keep your account secured is not to reuse passwords.

In an email he sent to the news outlet, he wrote that to reuse or even just to slightly change the password in different accounts is a big risk. He also added that if one of the accounts of a person is stolen then the hacker can use it to log on to other sites.

It is best recommended to have different passwords on different online accounts. To avoid confusion, a person must have password managers for him or her to easily remember the username and password in every account.

This idea was also supported by the Chief Information Security Officer of LogMeIn, Geral Beuchelt. He said: "Some of the most common ways people are leaving themselves vulnerable online is by using weak, easy to crack passwords, and then re-using those same passwords on their other online accounts."

It is important to practice the habit of having to change the passwords from time to time most especially if the website suffered from a cyber-attack. Different passwords should also be applied to different online sites.
Writing on Power Line about recent events in Minnesota, I noted that Michelle Alexanders The New Jim Crow is easily one of the worst books I have ever read; the book had been cited by one of Governor Walzs gurus on race. Alexanders book is as bad as it is influential. Its funny how that goes.

Although Alexanders book is a close competitor for the distinction, the worst book I have ever read is Ta-Nehesi Coatess incredibly successful memoir cum manifesto, Between the World and Me. Dreadful as it is, Coatess book remained at the top of the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for weeks and won the National Book Award for nonfiction. I made my case against Coatess book in the City Journal review An updated racial hustle.

Culture matters, and Coatess book has polluted the culture, yet it has been hailed as a brilliant contribution. New Yorker editor David Remnick, for example, welcomed Coates and his book in Remnicks fawning podcast with Coates. (You are a writer with a capital W, Remnick told Coates.) In his capacity as editor of the New Yorker, Remnick closed a loop of sorts here.

Coates is not a modest man. He fancies himself the second coming of James Baldwin in The Fire Next Time. As the editor of Commentary, Norman Podhoretz had commissioned the long closing essay in The Fire Next Time for Commentary and Baldwin had taken him up on it. After writing the essay, however, Baldwin gave it to the New Yorker for a fee about 20 times what Commentary would have paid him.

Upon its publication in the New Yorker Baldwins essay made a major splash. Podhoretz felt betrayed by Baldwin and let Baldwin know it. His furious conversation with Baldwin led to Podhoretzs famous essay My Negro Problemand Ours, published in Commentary in February 1963.

Podhoretz tells the story in the closing pages of his superb memoir Making It as well as in his 2013 Commentary essay looking back in My Negro Problemand Ours at 50. Not surprisingly, with his unsurpassed editorial eye, Podhoretz plucked Coates from the current scene to make a cameo appearance in his retrospective essay.

I do not fancy myself Norman Podhoretz, but I had him in the back of my mind while suffering through Coatess book. His opinion regarding my piece on Coates was the one I cared about. Closing the loop in my own way, I sent the edited draft to him in 2015 just before City Journal posted it. He took a look and graciously responded by email: I hadnt realized from the reviews how badly written the book is. Jimmy Baldwin at his worst (i.e., in the last years of his life) never came close to writing such gibberish, and at his best he was many literary miles beyond the reach of Coates. Evidently Toni Morrison [in her endorsement on the back of the dust jacket] cant tell the difference, but the Baldwin I knew would have been insulted by the comparison to him.

I also had City Journal in mind while working through Coatess book. Coates rehearses many of the themes that City Journal has heroically resisted over the years. I was most grateful to the editors for their hospitality to my piece on Coates.
HAMILTON  Talk about a tax break.

The Alvin E. Gershen Apartments, a senior housing complex with a history of building code violations and a confirmed association with Legionnaires disease, will continue to pay zero dollars in property taxes for the next 35 years.

Hamilton Council made the sweetheart deal official at Thursdays public meeting, reaffirming a 2019 ordinance that allows Gershen to remain a beneficiary of New Jerseys Long-Term Tax Exemption Law.

Instead of paying traditional real estate taxes, Gershen Apartments will continue to make direct payments to Hamilton Township at a discount.

Based upon the propertys assessed value of $9 million, Gershen wouldve paid almost $250,000 in annual landowner taxes if billed in full. But under its so-called pilot or payment in lieu of taxes agreement, the complex only paid about $130,000 to the township, according to a 2018 audit report posted on Hamiltons website.

The Township has entered into several property tax abatement agreements in order to provide incentives to redevelop areas that are in need for improvement or to create economic growth, reads a note in the 2018 audit. These agreements are authorized under various New Jersey state statutes.

Alvin E. Gershen Apartments had numerous building code violations in 2018, the same year when the complex gained an infamous association with Legionnaires disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria.

Several tenants contracted the disease over the last two years, and 89-year-old Gershen Apartments resident Agnes DiNatale died from legionella pneumonia on July 11, 2018, The Trentonian previously reported.

Robert Bonfitto of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs inspected the Gershen Apartments on Feb. 23, 2018, finding 25 violations, records show.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, commissioner of the DCA, ordered Gershen Apartments to correct the violations, mostly cosmetic issues.

Located at 1655 Klockner Road, this 161-unit housing complex violated New Jerseys Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law by having a number of poorly maintained bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and hallways. The building also had two life safety violations in a sixth-floor unit featuring a faulty smoke detector, according to the inspection report issued March 9, 2018.

Gershen Apartments is managed by Moderate Income Management Company Inc., which is affiliated with the Gershen Group LLC, a New Jersey-based property management firm that also provides consulting and bookkeeping services, according to Gershens website.

Moderate Income Management Company has previously come under fire for its poor record of maintaining the troubled Kingsbury Towers housing complex in Trenton.

Kingsbury was cited with 417 building and fire code violations in 2018, according to public records.

Despite Gershen Apartments and Moderate Income Management Company having a checkered past, the Hamilton-based complex has persuaded all levels of government to maintain the subsidies and tax breaks for many more years to come.

In addition to the tax abatement, Gershen also receives lucrative rent subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments Section 8 housing assistance payments program.

A 2019 local ordinance extended Gershens pilot and increased a service charge to prospectively provide Hamilton Township with $17,000 to $20,000 of additional revenue, according to public statements made by Gary Backinoff, an attorney for the senior apartment complex.

The former bipartisan Hamilton Council found merit in the project, stating in the ordinance that Gershen Apartments fulfills a vital housing need within the Township, but is not financially feasible as a low income senior rental housing project without the HUD financing, subsidy, and extension of real estate tax abatement by the Township to supplement the aforesaid federal subsidy.

The five-member governing body voted 4-0 to approve the ordinance Oct. 15, 2019, with then-Council President Jeff Martin abstaining due to his unspecified conflict of interest on that issue.

Martin, who became Hamiltons new mayor on Jan. 1, still has a conflict of interest with the Gershen tax abatement issue, according to Thursdays newly passed resolution that allows Kathryn Monzo, the townships business administrator and interim chief financial officer, to formally execute the pilot agreement extension.

Dual service

Monzo became Hamiltons new business administrator last month and received additional job duties on Thursday.

Hamilton Council confirmed Monzo as Hamiltons interim chief financial officer at Thursdays meeting. She will serve as Mayor Martins business head and finance guru effective immediately but stressed the CFO gig is merely a temporary arrangement.

Ulrich Al Steinberg Jr. was serving as Hamiltons acting CFO for much of this year, but he suddenly departed effective May 31 as a direct result of the New Jersey Division of Pensions decision to rescind their prior approval of his employment agreement, according to Bianca Jerez, Martins chief of staff.

The state rescinded Steinbergs employment because the Martin administration had paid him too much in salary for part-time work, Monzo said Thursday, but the administration will appeal the states decision and hopefully we are able to bring him back.

Best case scenario we get Al back in a month, she added. Worst case scenario is that we dont get Al, we are not able to get Mr. Steinberg to return and we go through the process to hire a permanent CFO.

Steinberg in his short tenure with Hamilton Township has recommended tough decisions in order to leave our residents in a better place for years to come, Martin said in a recent press statement.

The freshman mayor is expected to propose a municipal property tax increase when he unveils his 2020 budget proposal later this month. He already announced that Hamiltons residential sewer utility rates will increase from $312 per year to $390 per year  a $78 increase made official by Hamilton Council on Thursday.

Most of the civilian employees in Hamilton municipal government have agreed to take several days of unpaid furlough absence to help address the extraordinary financial situation the township faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Martin administration announced Friday.

The process to hire a new CFO could take anywhere from three to six months, Monzo said.

Hamiltons former CFO John Barrett resigned in disgrace June 1 after an administrative law judge last month found him accountable for conduct unbecoming a public official. Barrett abused Hamiltons sick-leave policy, among other transgressions cited in public documents.
Gemini 22 MAY-21 JUNE Someone you live or work with will point out your failings this week but dont take their criticisms to heart. You have so much going for you just now but your ego is a bit fragile, so ignore what your detractors say and concentrate on your many strong points. CALL 0904 470 1163*

Cancer 22 JUNE-23 JULY You may be tempted to be economical with the truth this week. You may be tempted to bend the facts to suit your cause. You may be tempted to lie. But be warned: your fibs will fool no one and if you go too far you could have an embarrassing fall. CALL 0904 470 1164*

Leo 24 JULY-23 AUG It is essential that you focus on something positive this week because with the Sun at odds with Neptune, planet of illusion, negative thoughts could easily get the better of you. Get in touch with your friends  theyll cheer you up in no time. CALL 0904 470 1165*

Virgo 24 AUG-23 SEPT The critical thing now is that you forget your short-term losses and focus on what you stand to gain in the months and years ahead. Its not what occurred yesterday that counts, it is what will occur tomorrow  and that depends so much on what you do today. CALL 0904 470 1166*

Libra 24 SEPT-23 OCT Be tolerant of those you work with this week. Not everyone has your eye for detail or your creative talents so make allowances and do not make out its the end of the world if their efforts fall short of the required standard. Theres always tomorrow. CALL 0904 470 1167*

Scorpio 24 OCT-22 NOV Try to please everyone and you can end up pleasing no one and that could be the case this week unless you make it clear you wont be pushed around. The planets suggest you have been neglecting one very special person. Who is that? Look in the mirror. CALL 0904 470 1168*

Sagittarius 23 NOV-21 DEC If you avoid a tricky task any longer theres a strong chance it will be dealt with by someone else and although that might be just what you want, you will in time regret you didnt deal with it yourself. Come on, Sag, prove youre a toughie at heart! CALL 0904 470 1169*

Capricorn 22 DEC-20 JAN It doesnt matter how persuasive you happen to be, if others dont want to do your bidding this week they wont. If theres something vital that needs doing youll probably have to do it yourself. Look on the bright side: at least it will get done properly. CALL 0904 470 1170*

Aquarius 21 JAN-19 FEB Not liking someone does not mean you cannot work with them. Partnerships often work better when theres a little bit of personal animosity and that will certainly seem to be the case this week. You may never be friends but you can make a good team. CALL 0904 470 1171*

Pisces 20 FEB-20 MARCH Be careful in all your dealings this week as Neptune, your ruler, in your sign confuses your ability to differentiate between fantasy and fact. Be especially wary of anyone who promises things you cant get yourself  theyll be playing games with you. CALL 0904 470 1172*

Aries 21 MARCH-20 APRIL Others opinion may be persuasive but only because youre unsure of your own beliefs just now. The danger is that youll concur simply because someone seems to know what theyre talking about. More likely they just know how to talk. Be careful. CALL 0904 470 1161*

Taurus 21 APRIL-21 MAY You may think youve got problems but look around you and see what others have to deal with. The fact is that compared to many you are exceptionally well off, so stop moaning and get moving. Youve got so many advantages  make good use of them. CALL 0904 470 1162*

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*For a fuller forecast, call the number next to your star sign above. Calls cost 65p per minute plus your telephone companys network access charge and will last no longer than 6 minutes. SP: DMG Mobile & TV. Helpline: 0808 272 0808
Residents in several areas of Mumbai complained of a foul smell on Saturday night, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Fire Brigade to launch an investigation.

BMC had received complaints from residents of Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar(East), Ghatkopar(West), Powai, Andheri, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli about a foul pungent odour.

The civic body had earlier suspected that the smell originated from the US Vitamin Company near Indira Apartment in Govandi(East), which later spread toward Andheri and Powai.

Here is what we know so far:

 The chief of the Mumbai Fire Brigade have not identified the source of the foul smell yet.

 We investigated the entire premises and nearby areas of US Vitamin Company but no leakage was found. We followed the exact locations of complaints given by the BMCs disaster management control room that received the calls, P Rahangdale, chief fire officer, said.

 Officials said they are also looking at other possible sources of the foul smell.

 We are also looking into the possibility if it could be a methane build-up in drains. The investigation is on-going, a senior officer said.

 According to preliminary information from BMCs disaster management cell, the incident was reported at 9:53pm.

 The gas leakage was reported at US Vitamin Company in Govandi (East).

 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, the civic body tweeted.

 A fire appliance is a vehicle which assists in firefighting and other rescue operations. It is normally based on a truck chassis and weighs more than 12 tonnes.

 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, the corporation added.

 BMC asked people in the areas not to panic and said that the situation is being monitored.

 Any one having problems due to the foul smell please put a wet towel or cloth on ur face covering nose (sic), it tweeted.

 Shiv Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray, whose party controls the BMC, also tweeted that the situation is under control.

 I urge all not to panic. All possible and necessary resources are mobilised, Thackeray said.

 With regards to the foul odour across some parts of Mumbai, as of now, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has been activated with its SoPs. I appeal to all to stay indoors, not panic. Close your windows, he added.

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Iran has not responded to Ukraines note regarding the settlement of the case of Ukrainian plane PS 752 shot down near Tehran. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevgen Yenin, Radio Liberty reports. The first note with our requirements and a proposal to resolve all issues was sent to Iran as early as January 11. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this. As of today, it is 5 months with no official response. This note also said about Ukraines readiness to negotiate with Iran. There is no answer. There are only statements in the press regarding readiness," Yenin wrote.He believes that the transfer of "black boxes" from an airplane to Ukraine would be a "good gesture".The Deputy Minister assured that Ukraine would not delay negotiations with Iran.
The horrific murder of George Floyd, a black man killed by the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, has not only shocked America, but enraged the world. Floyd is the latest addition to a gallery of victims of US police brutality, most of them men, most of them black: Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile and Freddie Gray, to give a few examples.

Pictured: Author and commentator Ralph Leonard

Floyd's killing has a 'this time it's different' feel only because the footage makes what happened clear and unequivocal: there is no wriggle room, no get-out clause, no slimy rationalisation to take refuge in.

This was no split-second decision made under pressure. Kneeling on a man's neck for minutes on end, effectively putting him down like a stray dog on the street, is anything but that.

We have been forced to see the murder for what it was  and the result has been condemnation across political and social spectrums, plus the biggest protests and riots across the United States since 1968 and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Across the globe, we have seen demonstrations of solidarity and protest under the banner of 'Black Lives Matter'.

Syrians in Idlib painted a mural dedicated to George Floyd. In Britain, there have been demonstrations in Manchester and London. Outside the gates of Downing Street, protesters chanted: 'I can't breathe.'

Across the globe, we have seen demonstrations of solidarity and protest under the banner of 'Black Lives Matter'. Syrians in Idlib painted a mural dedicated to George Floyd (pictured)

It is perfectly understandable that activists seek to make a connection between what is going on in America and how it relates to the situation here.

'The prejudice that black people in America face is the same prejudice we face here,' a BLM activist, Shayne, told the BBC.

'I think it really made me take a look at the police system all around the world. I have always been focusing on institutional racism in America but it really made me look at the UK. I have realised that there's so much institutional racism in the UK police.'

Spoken-word artist George The Poet told Monday's Newsnight that 'there are disturbing parallels between the black British experience and the African-American experience'.

Emily Maitlis rightly challenged him  'but you are not putting America and Britain on the same footing Our police aren't armed, they don't have guns, the legacy of slavery is not the same'  and quickly received criticism on social media from those who felt she was being tone deaf or 'whitesplaining' racism to a black man.

I understand why people make the comparison between Britain and America. The US is an intellectual and cultural powerhouse. Anti-racist and black liberation movements here have long taken inspiration from black American music and black political movements in the United States.

There are echoes, too, in the British 'black experience', in terms of incarceration rates, for example.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the notorious 'sus laws' were revived and deployed by police to harass and arrest black people for 'loitering' or just walking down the street. In Britain, too, there is a gallery of mainly black men who have died in 'suspicious circumstances' after coming into contact with the police.

Sean Rigg, who suffered mental health problems, died outside Brixton police station in 2008 after being 'restrained' by police.

Julian Cole, mentioned by George The Poet on Newsnight, was paralysed in 2013 during a scuffle with nightclub doormen and police officers. The officers lied in their statements about what happened during Julian's arrest and about the severity of his injuries, which included a broken neck  causing a delay which could have stopped him from going into a vegetative state. They were sacked after an inquiry, but not prosecuted.

Pictured: A protestor holds a placard saying 'The UK is not innocent' during a Socially distanced demonstration taking place at Custom House Square in Belfast

According to the charity Inquest, there have been 1,741 deaths in police custody or following contact with the police in England and Wales since 1990.

If you dig more deeply into the statistics, you discover that use of force is a feature in twice as many deaths among the Black and Minority Ethnic (or BAME) population as it is in other deaths in custody.

Shockingly, not one police officer has been prosecuted , let alone convicted, for deaths of this type since 1969, when two Leeds police officers responsible for the death of David Oluwale  the first black man to die in police custody in the UK  were found guilty of assault.

But they were found not guilty of manslaughter on the direction of the judge, despite verdicts of unlawful killing in the respective coroner's inquests.

This, too, is a reflection of the United States and a culture of impunity among the police who feel they can do anything and get away with it, knowing that the legal system will give them refuge.

'It's an insult to tell black British people that this is an American experience and they shouldn't draw comparisons,' said the historian and broadcaster David Olusoga, Professor of Public History at Manchester University.

But he is wrong. While there may be parallels between the black experience in Britain and America, there are also huge differences. Race and racism show themselves in different ways here and in America because we are different societies with different histories.

That's not to minimise British racism or 'pat Britain on the back', to use a cliche common in this debate. It is to accept that, unlike America, Britain does not have a history of slavery or of systematic segregation within its borders.

Yes, the British empire was a leading power in the slave trade throughout the 18th Century, even if it did play a leading part in its eventual abolition.

It is true that there have been attempts to enforce unofficial segregation against black migrants to Britain through racism in employment and housing, most graphically manifested in the 'No blacks, no Irish, no dogs' signs outside pubs, clubs and boarding houses until the 1968 Race Relations Act banned them.

Britain, though, simply does not have America's legacy of segregation. You do not find British neighbourhoods that are wholly black, where people can grow up without encountering a white person or anyone of a different 'race' at all.

Pictured: Demonstrators hold up signs at the 'Black Lives Matter Plaza', near the White House

In America there is a distinct 'black bourgeoisie', with its own networks to provide opportunities. There are districts that have the trappings of middle-class life, but are entirely black such as in Harlem, New Orleans, Atlanta and parts of Los Angeles.

There is no equivalent in Britain. While there are individual black families who are among the general middle class, there is no 'black bourgeoisie'.

Moreover, all police officers in America have a gun. While guns are not necessary for police brutality to take place, they make violence easier to perpetrate and the results are more often fatal.

There is a certain type of black activist who often makes this equation between the British and American experiences. He or she is prone to soliloquise about the 'fact of their blackness'  how their 'blackness' is a burden.

They speak in the language of 'trauma' (so much so that trauma is emptied of any meaning and trivialised), and draw on theories of identity politics manufactured in American universities.

Yet imposing the racial language and 'grammar' of the United States on to Britain, a society that is different historically, socially and ethnically, is a form of intellectual imperialism. It obscures the truth about racism in Britain and how it can be combated.

I don't wish to downplay the situation here, nor do I claim there isn't a problem with racism and violence. There is. But I want to be mindful of the black American situation, too.

Black people in Britain have not been victims of such pornographic forms of racist violence as public lynching. The police in Britain do not shoot 12-year-old children at point-blank range, as was the case with Tamir Rice, a boy shot dead in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2014 after reports that he was armed. The 'gun' Tamir was carrying was found to be a harmless toy.

Racism and police brutality absolutely exist and are serious problems both here and in America. But they must be addressed on their own terms.

To make a like-for-like equation is a form of crass propaganda.

It is potentially inflammatory. And it is untrue.

This article first appeared on Unherd.com
More than 600 firefighters continued to battle the Quail Fire in Solano County between Vacaville and Winters on Sunday as the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the region, cautioning about strong winds and dry conditions.

The blaze had burned 1,837 acres and was 40% contained by 5 p.m Sunday.

Our crews are building a containment line, and aerial resources are supporting by helping put out hot spots, get retardant around the fire, said Tyree Zander, a spokesman for Cal Fires Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.

Crews worked throughout the night coping with steep, rugged terrain and critically dry fuel, he said.

Cal Fire said 30 engines responded to the scene along with seven hand crews and nine dozers. Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the state are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow, it said Sunday in a statement.

San Francisco Fire tweeted that it sent five engines, 22 staff and a chief to Solano County at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

The fire has destroyed three structures and threatened another 100 structures, according to Cal Fire. It was not immediately clear what kind of structures had burned.

Pleasants Valley Road was closed.

Mandatory evacuations, which had affected at least 80 houses, were lifted as of Sunday afternoon.

An evacuation center had been established at Three Oaks Community Center at 1100 Alamo Drive in Vacaville.

Solano County Public Health and the American Red Cross, which ran the shelter, screened evacuees for symptoms of the coronavirus. The Red Cross tweeted a photo of staffers ready to screen for coronavirus at the front lobby of the community center. But very few people showed up.

Satellite images had showed that smoke was blowing into Sacramento, according to the National Weather Service.

But winds have dissipated most of the smoke, so it does not appear to be causing issues, said Robyn Rains, assistant emergency services manager for Solano County.

She described the region as very rural, with minimum parcel size of 5 acres. A lot of the (fire) area is canyon, and there arent homes in the canyon, she said. Small horse ranches and orchards are common in the area.

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.

Idamis Del Valle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Sunday afternoon that winds were at 15 to 20 mph and predicted gusts between 20 and 35 mph Sunday evening.

As the Quail Fire grew quickly, Cal Fires Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department announced it was sending a strike team  including five engines and one chief officer  to respond to the fire.

Our county remains fully staffed and able to respond to all emergencies, Butte County fire officials said on Twitter.

Firefighters were battling other wildfires around the region.

In Sonoma County, a 107-acre wildland fire burned on the 600 block of Stage Gulch Road, just south of Petaluma. Around 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Cal Fire officials reported that it was contained.

In Contra Costa County, a 135-acre fire blazed on Saturday just off Willow Pass Court and Evora Road, located southwest of Concord. Photos shared by Cal Fires Santa Clara Unit showed white smoke rising from blackened land. The fire was fully contained Saturday night, and firefighters left by 10 p.m., according to Cal Fire.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
She's been keeping vocal about her stance on the racial injustices around the country.

And Devon Windsor took it one step further on Friday when she stood up for gun control.

The 26-year-old beauty was seen riding around her Miami neighborhood on a bike ride with her pup in an orange shirt.

More than a coincidence: Devon Windsor showed her support for National Gun Awareness Day by wearing an orange shirt during a bike ride on Friday

Devon sported an orange Fendi statement shirt in correlation to National Gun Awareness Day.

She teamed the look with cropped jeans and sneakers for the solo ride.

The Victoria's Secret Model styled her blonde hair back and appeared to be wearing very little to no makeup.

Beauty: The Victoria's Secret Model styled her blonde hair back and appeared to be wearing very little to no makeup

Devon has continued to show her support for the Black Lives Matter movement over the past few weeks.

She shared a post on social media revealing that 30% of her swimwear brand sales would go to the cause this week.

'Although, I personally will never be able to understand or relate to any of the struggles that others have to go through on a daily basis, it is our duty to stand and fight for them,' she began.

Passionate: Devon has continued to show her support for the Black Lives Matter movement over the past few weeks

Stunner: Devon is best known for her work as a Victoria's Secret model

'To educate ourselves and to help in any way that we can. We will fight, donate and sign petitions until we are all equal!'

She continued: 'Devon Windsor is donating 30% of all sales for this entire week to the organizations tagged below! Please share and continue to speak out!'

Devon also shared on Saturday that she was feeling 'conflicted' about when to get back to her regular posting.

The model currently lives in Miami with her husband, Johnny Dex. They married in 2019.
The Centre is likely to designate the banking/financial sector strategic under the new privatisation policy, the contours of which are nearing finalisation. A top government official said discussions had also been held on privatising some state-owned banks that are not on the consolidation list so far.

According to the new privatisation policy, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, the government will come up with a list of strategic sectors. In each strategic sector, no more than four state-owned companies will exist. ...
About 200 marchers chanting against police brutality walked across the Walnut Street bridge and through downtown Harrisburg Sunday morning for a protest on the Capitol steps.

PennLive has reporters on the scene who will be providing ongoing coverage. Watch some of the speeches and the march on our Facebook Live video:

The group represents a collaboration of two groups that both had protests planned for Sunday at the Capitol. They joined forces about noon and marched across the Walnut Street bridge to City Island and back to the Capitol.

One of the groups was organized by Kevin Maxson, a community activist, who called it a unity rally to repair community relations. Several of the protesters also carried a large Black Lives Matter sign.

Nearly all the protesters carried hand-held signs, including one that said I am not a threat, and Stop the killing. The group paused at Walnut Street and Front Street to chant the names of George Floyd, who died May 25 while in police custody in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot March 13 after Louisville police served a no-knock warrant on her apartment looking for her previous boyfriend who did not live there.

The protest Sunday is the latest in a series of demonstrations in Harrisburg and across the country and world following the death of Floyd, who was handcuffed and lying prone on the ground for nearly nine minutes with the knee of an officer against his neck.
No one is able to reverse the trend of history

Washington recently betrayed its public promises, imposing unreasonable visa restriction on Chinese students and researchers.

To force the implementation of the policy that has been widely criticized by Americans, the White House groundlessly accused Chinese students and researchers, relating them with technology theft, spying, and security risks.

Such a practice is purely political persecution and racial discrimination, and seriously violates the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese students and researchers in the U.S., placing extremely negative impacts on the normal people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S.

The White Houses lies to stigmatize Chinese students and researchers are absurd. Officials acknowledged there was no direct evidence that pointed to wrongdoing by the students who are about to lose their visas, wrote the New York Times in a report. American universities, the most straightforward critics of U.S. practices, also expressed their dissatisfaction. I dont even understand the term academic espionage, said Mark C. Elliott, Harvards Vice Provost for International Affairs. He said for academics the goal is to publish what they have learned, and its to share. Lee C. Bollinger, president of Columbia University remarked that Academic research is intended to be shared  released into the public domain to advance human progress. He opposes the U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies to develop more robust protocols for monitoring foreign-born students and visiting scholars  particularly if they are ethnically Chinese.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S., including their educational cooperation in the past four decades, have received wide support from the two sides, serving as an important pillar for their bilateral relations.

In late 1970s, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter once told China to send 100,000 students to his country. Since then bilateral educational cooperation set sail and constantly injected vitality and energy into the general relationship between the two countries.

At present, there are over 400,000 Chinese students studying in the U.S., and China has been the largest source of international students in the U.S. for years. The fundamental reason for such achievements is that Chinese-U.S. educational cooperation conforms to the common demand of the two countries, as well as the trend of the time of openness and cooperation.

However, to welcome the Chinese students is only a lip service paid by Washington as it constantly makes troubles for China-U.S. educational exchanges. It limited the length of visas to one year for Chinese graduate students working in fields deemed sensitive, and frequently set obstacles for Chinese students and researchers in visa application. This time, China-U.S. educational cooperation was once again deteriorated by the visa restriction imposed by the White House.

As the U.S. becomes more sensitive, its national security is gradually incorporating everything. It seems like the country is trying to isolate itself with the world. Does the U.S., the worlds only superpower, think its fragile?

Some American politicians are obsessed with Cold War mentality and zero-sum game, paving road for their anti-China policies with frequent lies. What they did has triggered broad concerns in the U.S. society. Some insightful people noted that confrontation and mutual consumption would only damage the U.S. interests. U.S. universities also made voice immediately after the visa restriction policy was unveiled, stressing the move would result in multiple impacts on science and technology development, campus culture and universities economic performance.

By stigmatizing Chinese students and researchers, the U.S. politicians are indeed fanning up the so-called external threat so that they can act tougher in diplomacy and seek political gains. Recently, legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice denounced the U.S. ban on Chinese students from studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics in America, saying this move is rooted in the same racism and xenophobia that led to the expulsion of countless Chinese Americans and immigrants under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Learning alone without exchanges with others will lead to ignorance. The decoupling advocated by certain U.S. politicians, as well as the new Cold War they plan to launch against China, completely go against the trend of time.

The handshake across the Pacific by former U.S. President Richard Nixon started a journey that benefited not only Chinese and Americans, but also the people from the world. The close relationship between the two countries nowadays conforms to the common aspiration and interests of the two peoples.

Washington should immediately correct its wrongdoing, abandon Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices, and stop its groundless restriction and unreasonable persecution on Chinese students and researchers.

No one is able to reverse the trend of history. Facilitating friendly exchange between the two peoples is in line with the will of the people and the trend of time.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
A summary of IRCC policy updates concerning international students during the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus: IRCC updates for international students A summary of IRCC policy updates concerning international students during the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus: IRCC updates for international students A summary of IRCC policy updates concerning international students during the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus: IRCC updates for international students A summary of IRCC policy updates concerning international students during the coronavirus pandemic. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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The Canadian government has carried out special measures affecting immigration during the coronavirus pandemic.

In an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Canada introduced travel restrictions and temporary changes to immigration policy. However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) remains committed to serving the needs of international students and other temporary and permanent residents.

The following is a summary of important developments related to international students and immigration during the current coronavirus pandemic. The summary was compiled by the Canadian Bureau for International Education, Universities Canada, and Colleges and Institutes Canada.

I have a study permit or work permit that will expire in the coming weeks and I am unable to obtain a new passport or access required documents. Will I be given an extension?

International students in Canada should apply online to renew their permit in order to trigger implied status. This would allow them to continue studying or working in Canada while their application is being processed.

In addition, applicants who are unable to access required documents or get their biometrics, must attach a explanatory letter detailing the situation.

If the application is incomplete, it will not be refused, and the applicant will be given 90 days to submit their documents.

Will my study permit take longer to be processed with all the service disruptions in place due to COVID-19?

IRCC will still process study permit applications, but there may be some processing delays.

See if youre eligible to study in Canada in fall 2020

I have had my May acceptance deferred to September. Will I need a new Letter of Acceptance?

If you are in Canada at the time of deferral, you must begin your studies within 150 days from the date of deferral, or the following semester, whichever comes first.

If this is not possible, you will have to change your status (for example, to a visitor status), or leave Canada.

I have a study permit or have been approved for one, and will start online courses in summer or fall 2020. Will this affect my future Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility?

You may begin your classes while outside Canada and complete up to 50% of your program. In this case, you will remain eligible for the PGWP and you will not have any time deducted from the length of your future PGWP, up to December 31, 2020.

I do not have a study permit. Can I still start my studies online from abroad?

Yes. You may start your studies online from abroad without having a study permit. However, in relation to your studies contributing to your future PGWP eligibility, you would need a study permit or a study permit approval.

If I am starting my courses online, do I have to be a full-time student to maintain future PGWP eligibility?

Yes. You are expected to study full-time, unless your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) is currently unable to offer full-time study.

I am a new graduate with implied status awaiting a decision for my PGWP application. I also have a job offer letter. Will I be allowed to come to Canada?

If your study permit is no longer valid, you will need to have a Letter of Introduction to be exempt from the travel restrictions.

A Letter of Introduction is the letter you receive from IRCC once you have been approved for the PGWP.

What would be the impact to my PGWP eligibility if my courses moved online and will now account to more than 50% of my overall study?

If you were already in Canada and your course or program has moved online due to COVID-19, you may still be eligible for the PGWP, even if your online study now accounts for more than 50% of your overall study.

If I start my studies online from abroad without an approved study permit, will this time be included towards a future PGWP application?

No. Time spent studying online from abroad without a valid study permit or approval will not count towards your eligibility for PGWP.

See if youre eligible to study in Canada in fall 2020

I am an international student and I have accessed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). Will I still be eligible to apply for PGWP or Permanent Residence (PR)?

If you have accessed CERB, this will not affect your eligibility for PGWP or PR.

My son, daughter or dependent is a minor with a valid study permit. Am I allowed to come to Canada?

Immediate family members of residents who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents are exempt from the travel restrictions and may be able to come to Canada.

However, before coming to Canada, you must first obtain authorization from IRCC to be able to board a flight.

To do this, submit a request by sending an email to: IRCC.COVID-TravelExemptions-Exemptionsdevoyage-COVID.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

In addition, if you do not already have a temporary visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), you will first need to apply for one.

Can I work full-time if my semester is suspended?

A suspended semester is not considered a scheduled break. Therefore, you will only be able to work the same number of authorized hours detailed on your study permit.

See if youre eligible to study in Canada in fall 2020

Need assistance with the Temporary Work Permit application process? Contact wp@canadavisa.com.

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
T he US Gulf coast is bracing to be battered by a powerful tropical storm and tornados.

Rain pounded the region on Sunday ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Cristobal, which has already spawned a tornado in Florida and threatened more twisters along with high winds and storm surge.

Roads flooded in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, and thousands were without power even before the storm made landfall.

Forecasters warned the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles (290 kilometres) east into Florida and would arrive late on Sunday, but they do not expect it to grow into a hurricane.

New Orleans is bracing for a battering as the heavy rains begin / Getty Images

But they forecast the worst impacts in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, where some spots could get up to 12 inches of rain and storm surges of several feet.

The storm, re-energised following a slight weakening while travelling over the Gulf of Mexico, is advancing towards US shores at about 12mph.

A state of emergency has been declared in Louisiana and the state has requested that US president Donald Trump bring in a pre-landfall emergency due to the threat.

The storm has already wreaked havoc on Yucatan, Mexico, and is now moving towards the US / AFP via Getty Images

Grand Isle in Louisiana has already been evacuated.

The National Hurricane Centre in Miami said the storm was expected to slowly strengthen until it reaches the US.

Forecasters said the storm's centre will move inland across Louisiana late Sunday through early Monday and then head north across Arkansas and Missouri on Monday afternoon and into Tuesday.

Now is the time to make your plans, which should include the traditional emergency items along with masks and hand sanitiser as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement.

In a letter to the White House, he added: We are confident that there will be widespread, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding.

I anticipate the need for emergency protective measures, evacuations, and sheltering for the high-risk areas. The length of possible inundation is unknown and will likely require post-flood activities.

Cristobal formed this week in the Bay of Campeche from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda, which had sprung up last weekend in the eastern Pacific and hit Central America.

The two storms combined to drench the region with 35 inches of rain in some areas over the past week and at least 30 deaths have been linked to the flooding and landslides they unleashed.
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 as 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).

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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

Featured Video
President listens to the experts



To the relief of many, President Moon Jae-in has called for a complete review of the just-unveiled scheme to upgrade the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). It is a bold but right step that will address the necessity to fortify the nation's diseases prevention and treatment ability when crises occur.



The center has been crucial in its fight against COVID-19. The President recognized this and pledged to imbue "independence and expertise," i.e. power to set its own budget and personnel.



At the center of a controversy over the plan announced last week was KCDC's National Institute of Health (KNIH), the research arm responsible for infectious disease treatment and vaccine research. The unit will be expanded and transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, under the new plan.



Experts have expressed skepticism, with one expert filing a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae online site. More importantly, calmly spoken KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong has said that the centers must have a research unit and function. The President has listened to the experts.



The health ministry has said that the plan was to strengthen research not only into infectious diseases but also health and medical treatment in general. But coupled with the plan to establish another deputy minister post at the ministry, eyebrows have been raised as to whether or not organizational interest was really at play.



The unknown trajectory of COVID-19 has shed light on the effectiveness of experts in spearheading and holding the "control tower" function in disease control and prevention. South Korea learned that lesson from its experience of struggles in the fight against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in 2015 where experts took the back seat to government officials. The need for more experts has also put forth the need for public debate about the need to expand the quota for medical schools.



Lying at the heart of the KCDC becoming independent and expanded is to protect the citizens and improve the ability to combat unknown diseases. The planned discussions among related government agencies hopefully will not lose sight of this goal.


100 tickets are still being sold for a fundraising draw to win a brand new three-bedroom, semi-detached home worth over 400,000 in Maynooth.

All proceeds go to the building and development of the Faythe Harriers GAA facility in Co Wexford.

Further details are available on www.winthe house.ie.

The Club has received approval from the GAA to hold the draw at Chadwicks Wexford Park at 12 noon tomorrow.



The draw will be streamed live on Facebook, Instagram and will be covered by Southeast Radio.

The draw will be overseen by an independent observer.

The winning entry number will be announced live on air, with the winners name being announced as soon as possible afterwards via social media and Southeast Radio, once the winner has been notified personally.

The house is situated in an Ideal location for families and only 15 minutes from Dublin.

Carton Wood is an exclusive new development on the Dublin Road, adjacent to Maynooth.

Nestled between the town and the iconic Carton House Estate, Carton Wood offers residents a base from which to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside.

This large (117.4 sq m/ 1264 sq ft) A-rated house is built to a high standard of design, layout, specification and landscaping, and will include:

A fitted kitchen with the following appliances:

Stainless steel extractor hood Ceramic hob Oven Microwave Integrated fridge/freezer Integrated dishwasher
Bright pink flamingos are more aggressive than paler rivals when fighting over food, new research shows.

Pink plumage is a sign of good health in lesser flamingos, and a flush of colour often means they are ready to breed.

So when the birds squabble over food, the pinkest flamingos - both male and female - tend to push the others around.

The study, by the University of Exeter and WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, also found the birds fight more when food is available in a small area such as a bowl - so the findings suggest captive birds should be fed over a wide space where possible.

"Flamingos live in large groups with complex social structures," said Dr Paul Rose, of the University of Exeter.

"Colour plays an important role in this. The colour comes from carotenoids in their food, which for lesser flamingos is mostly algae that they filter from the water.

"A healthy flamingo that is an efficient feeder - demonstrated by its colourful feathers - will have more time and energy to be aggressive and dominant when feeding."

Dr Rose studied the behaviour of Slimbridge's lesser flamingos in different feeding situations: at an indoor feeding bowl, a larger indoor feeding pool, and outdoors with food available in a large pool.

In the outdoor pool, birds spent less than half as much time displaying aggression, while foraging time doubled (compared to when fed from a bowl).

"When birds have to crowd together to get their food, they squabble more and therefore spend less time feeding," Dr Rose said.

"It's not always possible to feed these birds outdoors, as lesser flamingos only weigh about 2kg and are native to Africa, so captive birds in places like the UK would get too cold if they went outside in the winter.

"However, this study shows they should be fed over as wide an area as possible.

"Where possible, creating spacious outdoor feeding areas can encourage natural foraging patterns and reduce excess aggression.

"This research shows that zoos don't have to make huge changes to how they keep their animals to make a big, beneficial difference to animal behaviour."

Lesser flamingos do not have a breeding season - they breed when they're in good enough condition.

This is often displayed by a "pink flush" in the feathers, Dr Rose said, and the birds then become paler again during the tiring days of early parenthood.

He added: "This study is a great example of why I love working with WWT Slimbridge.

"Based on my observations, I suggested some changes - and the keepers were willing to try them out.

"As a result, we get pinker, more relaxed flamingos."

The colour of individual birds in the study was scored from one (mainly white) to four (mainly pink).

No difference was found between males and females in rates of feeding or aggression.

###

The paper, published in the journal Ethology, is entitled: "What influences aggression and foraging activity in social birds? Measuring individual, group and environmental characteristics."
Mumbai, June 7 : While several posts have been floating around for quite some time speculating why Shoojit Sircars Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Shoebite" never released till date, the films original producer Shailendra Singh has come out and revealed what he claims is the real the reason. Singh also says he is ready to buy his film back and release it because it "deserves to see the light of day".

"I wrote a story of an old man called Jonney D'Souza and how he sets out a journey to meet his bedridden wife and walks mile after mile. The whole incident happened around 13 years ago. After writing the story I went and narrated the story to Amitabh Bachchan because I wanted to cast him. He agreed to do the film and in the month of October -- it was Dussehra -- I paid the signing amount of Rs 1 crore and signed him as the lead actor of the film. Meanwhile, I also introduced Shoojit to Mr Bachchan as he was to direct the film. I knew Shoojit as the debutant film director of 'Yahaan' that our Percept Picture Company had produced," Singh told IANS.

"The same year on December 31, an official from Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited came to me, saying that Mr Bachchan was interested to co-produce the film. I was clear that I want him as an actor and not as a producer. So I said 'no' to the offer. Meanwhile, I got to know that Shoojit had become the blue-eyed boy of Mr Bachchan and they were shooting a lot of ad films et cetera," Singh added.

He further stated: "Later, I was called for a meeting in which I was told that my story is similar to 'Labour Of Love' by M. Night Shyamalan. I was given a condition that if I cannot get an NOC from Shyamalan, then Mr Bachchan would not agree to do the film. I asked for some time because Shyamalan is a Hollywood producer and I had to do a lot of paper work." According to Singh, while getting the NOC was difficult, and Bachchan refused to do the film without the issue being resolved, Ronnie Screwvala, who used to be UTV Motion Pictures head back then, came into the picture.

"Before my script went to another producer, as I was making the film with Shoojit, we went across the country to do location search and other research work. I spent money on that. Till then the name of the film was 'Jonney Walker'. When Shoojit went to Ronnie, they changed the name of the film and called it 'Shoebite'. I was shocked that they eventually also shot the film!" claimed Singh.

"If Mr Bachchan brought to my notice that the script is similar to that of Mr Shyamalan' s, how come he, along with my director and my script, goes to another producer and makes the film? That is why the film is stuck! We had an injunction to the film, we went to the Court because rightfully the script belongs to me (as intellectual property) and also whatever happened to me was ethically wrong. It was a clear betrayal," Singh declared.

"On the other hand, as Ronnie Screwvala left UTV, and the film has a legal battle with me, no one is interested to release the movie," he explained.

So, what is the solution that Singh can offer? "I am ready to buy back the film at a depreciated price because it's been a decade now. The film deserves to be released because it is a good story. When I see those tweets on social media where people are saying how the film should be released and it hasn't been, it hurts! No one knows the real story behind the unreleased film. I will get all the NOCs that are required to release the film. But the world should know that it is originally my film and what exactly happened to the film," he replied.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) found its Twitter account blocked on the evening of 4 June evening.

New Delhi: A day after it briefly restricted Amul's account sparking public outrage, Twitter on Saturday said the account was restricted after being caught in the microblogging platform's security processes.

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)  which makes Amul brand of food products  found its Twitter account blocked on the evening of 4 June evening. The account was restored on 5 June.

Amul managing director RS Sodhi said the company's Twitter account was blocked on the night of 4 June and restored on the morning of 5 June when the issue was taken up with Twitter.

"We have asked Twitter why it blocked our account. We are waiting for the reply," Sodhi said.

Twitter was abuzz with several users expressing shock, while many questioned its move to restrict the account. Twitterati linked the restriction of Amul's account with the brand's campaign supporting boycott of Chinese products. The brand figured among trending topics in India even on Saturday with over 11,500 tweets.

In the campaign, Amul's iconic girl in white and red polka dots dress is seen fighting a dragon that is carrying a ''Made in China'' placard. The picture mentions TikTok (a Chinese short video platform).

The creative carries a tagline ''Amul Made In India'' referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for self-reliant India.

"As far as the cartoon is concerned, it is not Amul's comment. Amul butter girl comments on mood of the nation and the topics which are in discussions among the common people," Sodhi said.

On accessing the account, a message saying "This account is temporarily restricted. You're seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account. Do you still want to view it?" was displayed.

"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 said in an emailed statement.

Once the account clears this security step, the account regains full access, the statement added.

"To protect the accounts, we routinely require them to clear this security key for login verification," the spokesperson said.
Chandigarh, June 7 : To cope with the problem of labour scarcity amid Covid-19 scare, farmers in Punjab are now enthusiastically switching to direct seeding of rice (DSR) instead of traditional labour-intensive transplantation of paddy this season, agriculture officials said on Sunday.

Nearly 25 per cent of the total area under paddy sowing is expected to come under this innovative technology which will help to slash cultivation cost in terms of both labour and water.

To promote the technology of DSR and motivate the farmers to adopt it in a big way, the state Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department sanctioned 4,000 DSR machines and 800 paddy transplanting machines to farmers on subsidy ranging from 40 to 50 per cent, an official told IANS.

Agriculture Secretary K.S. Pannu said earlier there was a target to bring around five lakh hectares under DSR technique this year.

But given the labour shortage and keen interest shown by farmers to adopt the advance technology, now six-seven lakh hectares of area is expected to come under this technology, which is roughly 25 per cent of paddy grown in the state.

He said the DSR technique would be instrumental in saving about 30 per cent of water besides cutting the cost of paddy cultivation by nearly Rs 6,000 per acre.

The Secretary said as per reports and research by experts of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) in Ludhiana, the yield of paddy from DSR is on par with paddy crop grown by conventional technique of transplanting.

Pannu said the paddy transplantation is the only farm operation which is labour intensive and due to shortage of labour this year caused by Covid-19 pandemic, the Agriculture Department had advised the farmers to sow the paddy crop by DSR as per the recommendations made by PAU recently.

The department has been guiding the farmers in the fields about the best ways to undertake the new technology.

He also appealed to the farmers that the most critical element in new technology is the control of weeds and as such farmers must be careful that prior to undertaking DSR, they must procure weedicide and spray it within 24 hours of sowing the crop.

Notably, the farmers from across the state would cultivate paddy on an area of 27 lakh hectares which includes seven lakh hectares under high quality Basmati variety of rice.

In view of labour shortage, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days.

Now, the transplantation will commence on June 10. Earlier, the state was delaying transplantation to reduce pressure on underground water.

Sukhjinder Singh Gill, a prominent paddy grower on the outskirts of Ropar town, said there was acute shortage of labour this time.

"Nearly 90 per cent of the labourers are seasonal migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A large number of them have returned to their hometowns after the wheat harvesting," he said.

"With abnormal hike in labour charges by local workers, we have decided to go for mechanized paddy transplantation," he said.

According to Gill, the local labourers this season have been demanding Rs 4,500-5,000 per acre of paddy against Rs 2,500 per acre in 2019.

Punjab grows paddy in 23 lakh hectares with six lakh hectares dedicated only for Basmati rice farming.

Owing to acute shortage of labour due to the lockdown in the state, Agriculture Secretary Pannu told IANS this year the area under less labour-intensive cotton cultivation is expected to increase up to 5 lakh hectares from last year's 3.9 lakh hectares.

Farmer Rajvinder Singh from Mansa district said, "I have 20-acre land. For the last two decades, we were opting for paddy in the kharif season. This time, fearing delay in paddy transplantation due to labour crisis, we have sown largely cotton along with maize in some portion." The Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) group arranged transportation of at least 40 farm labourers who came from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Friday. They have been kept in home quarantine in tubewell rooms at farmhouses in Barnala town.

After their Covid test reports this week, they would resume their work in the fields. Fifty per cent cost of their travel cost was borne by the migrants, and the rest by the farmers.

Another batch of migrant workers returned to the state on Saturday from Kishanganj and adjoining areas of Bihar. They were accorded welcome by Industries Minister Sunder Sham Arora in Hoshiarpur town.

"They all are strong pillars of our economic stability and have always contributed towards the progress of Punjab, which is their own state as they live here. On their return we are ensuring proper medical check-up for them," he said.

Punjab wants farmers to take to other varieties of paddy and crops to break the wheat-paddy cycle which followed the Green Revolution in the state since the 1960s.

Among the things the government and experts are suggesting is that farmers could grow the Basmati variety that commands handsome returns on its export.

Some areas of Punjab, like the Mukerian and Ferozepur belts, do grow Basmati. But most farmers end up growing common paddy, called 'jhona', as the input cost is less.

Punjab, with only 1.54 per cent of India's geographical area, produces around 20 per cent of wheat, 10 per cent of rice and 10 per cent of cotton production of the country. The state contributes over 50 per cent food grains to the national kitty alone.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
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
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Steel Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday emphasized on addressing inadequacies in infrastructure and communication sectors for rapid industrial growth in Odisha.

Chairing the second interactive meeting between Union and State departments over video conferencing, Pradhan said Odisha can take maximum advantage of the opportunities available under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The financial package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi provides a much-needed boost to propel the industrial growth of the State, he said.

He said Odisha is uniquely placed with its rich natural resources, vast coastline and skilled manpower. Improved infrastructure and communication are key to rapid industrialization.

The State Government should focus on how to address these inadequacies, he added. Pradhan thanked the State Government for pioneering reforms in the agricultural sector particularly in matters of contract farming and marketing of agricultural products.

He appreciated the expeditious steps taken by the State in building up the industrial estates, laying of gas pipelines and construction of National Highways.

Minister of State for Industry, MSME and Energy Dibya Shankar Mishra Mishra along with Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy sought the cooperation of the Centre for timely completion of infrastructure projects under execution.

In the first interactive meeting held on May 23, the State Government had briefed the policy frameworks for the promotion of industries in different sectors like mining and metals, petrochemicals, chemicals and plastics, textiles and apparel, IT, IT-enabled Services (ITeS), electronics manufacturing, food processing and tourism. Principal Secretary of Industries Hemant Sharma sought the assistance of the Centre for the development of industrial areas under the cluster development scheme.

Promote State products in global markets

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday urged Odia diaspora residing in European Countries and Russia to promote the agricultural produce of the State and integrate the farmers into the global supply chain.

Interacting with Odia expatriates living in United Kingdom, France, German, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Netherland and Sweden through video conferencing, he apprised the new initiatives taken by the Union and State governments in liberalizing the farm sector to make it more competitive and sustainable.

The need of the hour is more and more investment in the agriculture and allied sectors with the introduction of new technology to make it vibrant and growth-oriented.

The objective is to give maximum benefits to farmers and a large number of people dependent on this sector, he said.

While most of us are still grappling with the coronavirus-induced challenges, we exchanged perspectives on getting life back to normal and adapting to new normals for more resilient societies, businesses and economies, he said.
The countries in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have again sought to determine if some agreement can be found by which India can join the trading bloc. India was supposed to be part of the grouping, which is centred around the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), but the government pulled out at the last moment when some of its demands were not met by its negotiating partners.

The governments concerns, particularly when it comes to imports from China that may receive hidden subsidies, cannot be dismissed out of hand. Certainly, the RCEP nations and ...
The theatre group tweeted out something that said Black Lives Matter. Then former SCT employee and actor Dwayne Perkins weighed in, sparking a series of tweets from Black actors and other actors of color about many Chicago theatres. In Alexanders resignation letter, he said, On stage, we dealt with the absurdity of the equal opportunity narrative that society uses to oppress BIPOC. We dealt with the double standard that rationalizes violence against people of color. We dealt with the cynicism of the liberal pact with capitalism. Offstage, its been a different story.  Chicago Tribune
Michigan reported its total number of coronavirus cases had reached 58,870 as of Sunday, June 7, 2020, with deaths totaling 5,656.

The state released the data Sunday, showing 121 more confirmed cases and four more deaths caused by COVID-19.

Friday, June 5, Michigan adjusted the data it provided on the COVID-19 infection rate. The daily report now includes probable cases.

Michigan now has 5,543 probable cases, pushing the total to 64,413. The report lists 239 deaths as probable, giving a total of 5,895.

Heres the current status of some Michigan counties:

Oakland County added 26 confirmed cases, making a total of 8,481. No confirmed coronavirus-related deaths were reported. A reported number of 2,524 probable cases and 41 probable deaths brings Oaklands numbers to 11,005 cases and 1,055 deaths.

Macomb County added 55 probable cases to its tally, now numbering 150 total probable cases of COVID-19. Including probable cases and deaths, Macomb is now at 6,997 cases and 870 deaths.

Wayne County, outside of Detroit, increased to a total of 9,821 cases  2,548 confirmed and 273 probable. Including 31 probable deaths from COVID-19, Wayne County has 1,147 deaths attributed to the pandemic.

Detroits numbers increased to 11,566  comprised of 11,196 total cases and 370 probable cases. Its death count is now at 1,481, including 1,398 confirmed deaths and 83 probable ones.

Genesse County, including Flint, showed an increase of 18 probable cases to a total of 482, while probable deaths remain at 25 from the previous day. Its totals are now at 2,544 cases and 280 deaths.

Kent County in Western Michigan shows 4,190 cases, an increase of 70 from the previous day. This includes 3,941 confirmed cases and 249 probable cases. Deaths increased to 101  100 confirmed and one probable.

In Mid-Michigan, Clare County remained at 22 cases and 2 deaths from the previous day. Gratiot County remained at 11 deaths, but added one case for a total of 88. Isabella County stayed the same with 7 deaths and 93 cases.

Statewide figures

Throughout Michigan, 839,590 tests have been performed, with 726,139 being diagnostic and 113,451 being serology, which look for antibodies and help identify subjects with prior infections.

Michigan reports the current fatality rate is at 9.6 percent.

Confirmed coronavirus-related deaths have dropped steadily since mid-April, down from triple-digit numbers April 16 to single-digit numbers in the past few days.

Whitmer: Salons, barbers reopening June 15 statewide, northern Michigan moves into Phase 5
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 20:16:16|Editor: huaxia

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SINGAPORE, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States must figure out how to allow for competition between them in some areas without letting rivalry get in the way of cooperation in others, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.

Despite the fact that it is natural for big powers to compete, "it is their capacity for cooperation that is the true test of statecraft, and it will determine whether humanity makes progress on global problems," such as climate change and the spread of infectious diseases, Lee said in an article published Thursday in the U.S. magazine Foreign Affairs.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of how vital it is for countries to work together, he noted.

"Diseases do not respect national borders, and international cooperation is desperately needed to bring the pandemic under control and reduce damage to the global economy," he said.

Noting that China has become Asia's biggest economy and a major economic partner in the past few decades, Lee said that "many Asian countries now increasingly seized the opportunities created by China's rapid development. Trade and tourism with China grew, and supply chains became tightly integrated."

It is nearly impossible for the United States to replace China as the world's chief supplier, and unthinkable that the United States could do without the Chinese market, said Lee, adding that China can't displace the U.S. economic role in Asia .

Asian countries' success in the fight against COVID-19, and their future prosperity, "will depend greatly on whether the United States and China can overcome their differences, build mutual trust, and work constructively to uphold a stable and peaceful international order," he said. "This is a fundamental issue of our time." Enditem
A police chief in Louisiana announced his own arrest on Facebook after he was accused of stealing more than $3,000 that had been seized by officers as evidence in different cases.

Grayson Police Chief Mitch Bratton shared the news of his arrest in a post on June 4.

'A few weeks back, I contacted an outside agency to come look into some concerns that I had with a town employee. Today, while cooperating with the State Police Investigators, they charged me with Obstruction of Justice and Malfeasance in Office,' Bratton explained.

'I won't debate the validity of the charge. I wanted to be in full disclosure. This does not affect me being the chief of police and I intend to be as accessible as I always have while I let the criminal justice system work this issue out.

Louisiana State Police said Grayson Police Chief Mitch Bratton (left and right) stole more than $3,000 of cash that had been seized by cops as evidence

'I appreciate the concern from people that have already reached out, it means a lot!' he added.

An investigation into the police department Bratton oversees started after a complaint was filed about the missing money, according to the Louisiana State Police (LSP).

State investigators alleged that Bratton took about $2,500 and $1,150 in two different cases.

According to the Louisiana State Police, the money was never documented as evidence.

'LSP investigators determined Bratton intentionally concealed the missing currency,' state police said in a statement.

Bratton was booked into the Caldwell Parish Jail on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of malfeasance in office.
By PTI

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court has directed the Centre and the West Bengal government to file separate reports on allegations that the lockdown was being eased without taking necessary steps to curb the spread of coronavirus.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee directed the Union of India and the state government on Friday to file their reports dealing with the allegations made in a PIL by June 11, when the matter will be taken up for further consideration.

The PIL, moved by lawyer Anindya Sundar Das, also said that proper surveillance was not being maintained in various districts of West Bengal with regard to quarantine of migrant labourers.

The petitioner prayed for direction to the state government to take necessary steps to ensure that migrant workers who have returned to the state remain in quarantine for the stipulated period under the strict watch of law enforcement agencies.

Das also alleged that people were not adhering to social distancing norms in markets and public transport, and sought steps to ensure that marketplaces, offices and other establishments in the state function under surveillance of police authorities.
As the capital has started opening up gradually after three months of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), several popular shops, restaurants and book stores have been forced to shut as a result of the losses incurred due to the prolonged closure.

Last week, three stores in south Delhis upscale Khan Market decided to close down or curtail operations, being unable to bear the high rents, salaries of employees and the estimates of future operations. The stores included a two-decade old cafe and bookstore, Full Circle and Cafe Turtle, an Asian restaurant, Side Wok and another barbeque restaurant, Smokeys BBQ and Grill.

Priyanka Malhotra, the owner of Full Circle and Cafe Turtle, said it was after several rounds of negotiations with the Khan Market Traders Association and the National Restaurant Association of India that they decided to pull down the shutters.

The concept of this bookstore-cum-cafe which started business in Khan Market in 1998, from shop number 5 and later moved to shop number 23, was to allow avid readers a place to spend their afternoons and evenings flipping pages while sipping their cuppas and slicing into their famous date and carrot cakes.

It surely was not an easy decision. It was a legacy and you dont give that up till things really get difficult. There were several questions that we needed to answer, going ahead how do we maintain social distancing in a bookstore that has a cafe, how do we manage the rent when we were not making a single penny ourselves and most importantly how do we ensure that our staff and customers remain safe, Malhotra said.

She, however, clarified that the bookstore has two more branches in Greater Kailash-1 N-Block and Nizamuddin East, which will continue to cater to the bibliophiles in the city.

Along with this 22-year-old bookstore and cafe, two other popular food joints have made an exit from Khan Market. Sidewok, an Asian cuisine restaurant, has been running from the market for nearly 16 years while it has been around six years since Smokeys BBQ and Grill opened its outlet here.

Both these restaurants also decided to shut down operations because of high rents and the added financial liabilities. Sidewok initially had two branches in the same market, one in shop number 45 and another in number 19. It eventually closed off its operations from shop 45 and moved to shop number 19. Similarly, Smokeys was located in shop number 51.

While Sidewok refused to respond to e-mail queries and the questionnaire sent to Smokeys remained unanswered.

Anshu Tondon, president of the Khan Market Traders Association, said that they tried to negotiate between the owners of the restaurants and the landlords but it was a tricky situation that ended in the exit.

It was truly heartbreaking. It has understandably become difficult for businesses to continue operations in the new scenario. Because many of these restaurants serve dishes that require dining in and cannot be delivered through a takeaway service, it was complete rout for them. Many landlords here are senior citizens and they depend on what they get as rents from here, so they would not agree to negotiate much, Tondon said.

Without giving out more names Tondon said that there were more establishments that were negotiating the terms of rent with their landlords.

In Connaught Place too, businesses are facing difficulties.

Atul Bhargava, president of New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), said even though the old timers are managing, it is the newer shops that are the worst affected. How many restaurants and shops are forced to shut shops will be clearer once all restaurants open on Monday, he said.

Restaurants that served 100 people can only seat 20-25 people now. The business has taken a major hit and the next three to four months are going to be tough for the business community. The government must announce some financial package to help businesses stay afloat, he said.

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Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has apologized for not wearing a face mask while addressing a group of protesters on Friday at a rally held outside the Rhode Island State House in Providence.

Days earlier, she reiterated the importance of covering ones mouth in public.

The late hours in front of the State House last night were tense and hectic, and in that moment I neglected to put on a mask, Raimondo said in an emailed statement to the Providence Journal on Saturday. That was wrong, it was counter to our public health guidance, and I apologize. I have worked today to track down the names of those I was in contact with so that they can be added to my contact tracing notebook.

The Rhode Island State House was surrounded by state police, National Guard and authorities as an estimated 10,000 people came out to protest on Friday over the killing of George Floyd and highlight the injustice of institutional racism.

I want to work with you to bring about change. Black lives matter. It is not fair, it is not right what is happening, Raimondo said to the protesters.

Like other cities across the country, the protest was inspired by the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man, who died on May 25 after former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyds neck while he was in handcuffs for more than eight minutes, constricting his breathing and eventually causing him to be unresponsive. In video captured by witnesses, Floyd is heard pleading that he is struggling to breathe and in severe pain, as Chauvin remained with his knee on his neck.

However, the order for Rhode Island residents to wear face masks in public was announced on May 8 and continued on Thursday as a direct order from the Rhode Island governor.

Any person who is in a place open to the public, whether indoors or outdoors, shall continue to cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face covering unless doing so would damage the persons health, wrote Raimondo as a continuation of her executive order on Thursday.

On March 9, she declared a state of emergency in Rhode Island and has begun a reopening plan to return to a new normal. The state is in its second phase.

Similar to other states, Rhode Island has various stages of reopening:

Phase one: Testing the water.

Phase two: Navigating our way.

Phase three: Picking up speed.

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook orTwitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 07:03:18|Editor: huaxia

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Video: The online video shows that 75-year-old Martin Gugino was shoved to the ground after he walked towards a group of police officers who were clearing the Niagara Square in Buffalo, New York, where a protest over George Floyd's death was finishing on June 4, 2020. Blood was seen running out from under the old man's head. (Xinhua)



"You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity," says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.



NEW YORK, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Two police officers in Buffalo of the U.S. state of New York have been charged with felony assault after a video showed them pushing an elderly protester to the ground earlier this week, local prosecutors said on Saturday.

Robert McCabe, 32, and Aaron Torgalski, 39, pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault on Saturday. They were released without bail, according to the Erie County District Attorney John Flynn, who said at a press conference on Saturday that the officers "crossed a line."

The two officers were removing protesters from the Niagara Square in Buffalo on Thursday after the 8 p.m. curfew, when 75-year-old Martin Gugino approached them alone.

The officers were captured on video pushing Gugino, who then staggered and fell backward with his head hitting the ground. Blood was seen coming from his ear and no officer around came to tend him immediately.

Gugino was sent to hospital and remained in serious condition. The two officers were suspended without pay on Friday.

Police officers stand guard during a protest over the death of George Floyd in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, May 31, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the incident "fundamentally offensive and frightening" at Friday's briefing.

"You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity," said Cuomo. "Why was that necessary? Where is the threat?"

He said he had talked to both Buffalo mayor and Gugino on the phone, adding that the city should consider firing the officers and "look at the situation for possible criminal charges."

Demonstrators protest against police brutality on Times Square in Manhattan of New York, the United States, May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The officers' suspension has aroused strong opposition from their colleagues, as 57 Buffalo officers withdrew from a volunteer tactical unit, according to local newspaper The Buffalo News on Friday.

McCabe and Torgalski were assigned to the unit established for responding to possible riots in George Floyd protests.

John Evans, president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, told local news channel WIVB-TV that the charges were "totally unwarranted."

The two officers are due back in court on July 20 for a felony hearing. If convicted, they face up to seven years in prison, according to District Attorney Flynn. 
President Trump departs the White House on Monday to pose for a photo outside St. John's Episcopal Church, shortly after dozens of protesters were gassed to clear the way. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, wearing fatigues, walk behind him. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

The leaders of the American military establishment drew a line in the sand last week, staging a polite but unmistakable rebellion against the dangerous impulses of President Trump.

And the rebels may be winning.

The most widely noted salvo came from former Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who declared, after more than a year of silence, that Trump "does not even pretend to try" to unify the American people.

But Mattis wasnt the only dissident  or even the most important one.

Trumps Defense secretary, Mark Esper, rebuffed the presidents threat to deploy active-duty soldiers into American cities to quell the protests that have erupted since the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.

On Friday, Esper ordered regular Army units that were rushed to Washington early in the week to return to their bases in New York and North Carolina, de-escalating the sense of armed siege in the nation's capital.

He also directed National Guard troops to patrol the city without weapons, despite Trumps direction that they be heavily armed.

Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also weighed in, warning that the U.S. armed forces will not allow themselves to be used against nonviolent protests.

Every member of the U.S. military swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution, he wrote his commanders, "including the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly."

The chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force issued similar messages, reinforcing their fidelity to the Constitution and pledging to battle racism in their ranks.

A full-dress parade of retired officers spoke out as well. Milleys predecessor as chairman of the Joint Chiefs, retired Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, warned that Trumps threat to use troops would damage trust in the armed forces.

Our fellow citizens are not the enemy, he wrote.

It was an extraordinary moment  as if we were in a banana republic ruled by a would-be authoritarian, and the nations military leaders decided it was their job to preserve the Constitution.

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The dissents from Esper and Milley were belated. They both accompanied Trump on his disastrous stroll to St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo op, an embarrassing image theyre now trying to erase. They also both approved the initial decision to move 1,600 active-duty troops to bases near the capital.

But their public breaks with a notoriously vengeful president still qualified, at least in Washington, as modest acts of bureaucratic courage.

Unlike Mattis, they arent retired. Theyre at the peak of their careers. They still face the daily challenge of managing the presidents demands. Their reputations are still at the presidents mercy.

At least, they were until last week. And that may be the point.

Esper and Milley have implicitly dared the president to fire them. Thats not an especially unusual act in Washington  but its normally done in private, where everyone can back down without fear of humiliation. Its almost never done in public.

Esper's defiance was especially notable since the former Raytheon lobbyist was widely viewed as a compliant aide-de-camp. He initially seemed to support Trump's call for troops last week and even referred to the streets of Washington as a battle space, as if it were Fallujah or Kandahar.

But after he ran into massive resistance from the Pentagon officers corps, he switched sides.

If theres anything uniformed officers hate, its being ordered to use force to solve a political problem without clear military objectives. The current generation learned that in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In this case, they faced a nightmare scenario: U.S. combat troops clashing with unarmed American civilians exercising their legal right to protest.

The episode laid bare a deeper divide.

When the president came to the White House in 2017, he believed the armed forces, which he frequently called my military, were part of his political base. He stuffed his administration with retired military officers  my generals  including Mattis.

But the generals didnt simply salute and carry out his orders. They insisted on offering their professional advice and, on occasion, pushing back.

And they chafed at Trumps casual portrayal of the armed forces as one of his personal political assets.

I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump  I have the tough people, the president bragged in 2019.

Thats not how professional officers see their role. Its not even an accurate reflection of their private views; a poll of military personnel last year found that they are only a little more supportive of the president than civilian voters, with 50% saying they view him unfavorably.

For the generals, this isnt only about following the Constitution. Its a matter of protecting the services in which theyve made their careers.

The military is the most admired institution in American life, and they want to keep it that way. As a practical matter, they want their massive budget requests to win support from Democrats as well as Republicans.

And since roughly 40% of service members are people of color, they know they must make diversity work.

A standoff with Esper and Milley poses an unusual challenge for Trump  especially when hes seeking reelection.

He reportedly doesnt want to fire them. But leaving them in place makes him look less than the strongman he aspires to be.

Nothing says internal chaos more clearly than Cabinet officers or top aides refusing to fully carry out the presidents desires and publicly staking lines they will not cross.

But if you're worried that Trump might refuse to leave office if he loses the November election, this is a good thing: a signal that he cant count on the military to get his way. Were not a banana republic yet.
The NSW government will spend $36 million on getting rough sleepers into permanent homes in what it describes as the biggest investment to tackle street homelessness in the state's history.

Through community housing providers, the government plans to snap up hundreds of units from the private rental market to accommodate rough sleepers who have been temporarily placed in hotels during the coronavirus pandemic.

Census data from 2016 indicated about 2600 people are sleeping rough in NSW. Credit:Nick Moir

About half the money will go towards buying homes from the market and the other half will be spent on providing wraparound services including mental health, drug and alcohol treatment and linking up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

People put into homes will pay 25 per cent of their income towards rent  the standard contribution for social housing tenants.
Contaminated gas stations, vehicle repair shops and parking garages have become prized development commodities in San Francisco in recent years as the city struggles with a crushing housing shortage.

But city officials have repeatedly stymied public oversight when assessing whether these chemical-tainted properties are safe for hundreds of new homes by allowing developers to bypass environmental reviews required under state law, a Chronicle investigation has found.

The California Environmental Quality Act prohibits certain exemptions for the tens of thousands of properties on a statewide roster of hazardous-waste sites called the Cortese list. Categorical exemptions are only supposed to go to projects with no significant impact on the environment or human health. The prohibition was designed to protect the public, construction workers and future occupants from exposure to dangerous substances, environmental lawyers said.

The state law mandates transparency and requires local governments to notify the public about potential hazards at a site before development begins. It allows the public to demand health protections and additional levels of cleanup, and requires formal consideration of those comments. To enforce compliance, people can sue agencies they think are failing to adhere to the law.

But in the past five years, the San Francisco Planning Department granted or considered categorical exemptions for at least a dozen projects on Cortese list sites, a Chronicle analysis found.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

The 12 projects involve more than 250 current and future housing units around the city, in the Mission, Sunset, Cow Hollow, Nob Hill and other neighborhoods.

The city exempted nine of those projects from the states public environmental review process. At four of the sites, work hasnt begun. Two are under construction. The final three have newly built condominiums, and at least one of those is occupied.

The city considered exempting the three other projects  including a condo development on the site of a vacant auto repair garage at 1776 Green St. in Cow Hollow, despite the presence of high levels of cancer-causing benzene in the soil and groundwater. The city abandoned that plan in February after neighbors hired a lawyer to fight it.

Then, following inquiries about the exemptions from The Chronicle in early March, before the coronavirus shut down the economy, the Planning Department said it will stop giving categorical exemptions to projects on the Cortese list.

The Planning Department is revising its approach to projects on these sites, spokeswoman Gina Simi said.

Simi said the city relied on state guidance in granting some of the exemptions. Despite repeated requests from The Chronicle to see the guidance, however, Simi has not provided it.

An attorney with the State Water Resources Control Board, which oversees the largest part of the Cortese list with regional water boards, said he was unaware of any such guidance issued by the agency.

Although the city exempted a number of Cortese list sites from state review, Simi defended the quality of the cleanups carried out by the city. San Francisco decontaminates polluted properties to state and regional standards under a local ordinance carried out by the Public Health Department, regardless of whether a project receives an exemption from the states environmental review process, she said.

We strongly disagree with the false assertion that the citys local process is not as rigorous or as transparent as what is required under (state law), that it doesnt consider public comment or concerns, and that we intend to circumvent the states environmental law, Simi said. The citys environmental review procedures are meticulous.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

But several environmental lawyers told The Chronicle that the California Environmental Quality Act allows far more scrutiny of development on toxic sites than the citys process alone. Under state law, the public can require safer measures be taken to reduce significant impacts on the environment and health, and can more easily sue if they are not. They said the city flouted state law and, in doing so, deprived the public of the ability to vet developments.

The city made a huge mistake and has been blatantly violating state law for years, thereby potentially placing an untold number of city residents at risk of exposure to highly toxic chemicals, said Richard Drury, an environmental lawyer representing neighbors of the vacant auto repair garage on Green Street.

How San Francisco handles contaminated properties has become critical in the effort to build new homes in a city that desperately needs more housing. Developers, discouraged by the citys lengthy approval process and bans on apartments in large swaths of San Francisco, have turned to polluted land, including former garages and gas stations where toxic substances in underground tanks have leaked into the soil and groundwater.

The city and developers are motivated, as with any project, to get these properties developed as soon as possible  and exemptions from the state law can speed the process by reducing procedural hurdles, legal hangups and costs.

San Francisco has more than 2,000 leaky underground storage tank sites on the Cortese list, named for former state Assemblyman Dominic Cortese of San Jose. Nearly all of them, about 97%, have been cleaned to some extent, records show. Yet many may still contain contamination that could be hazardous.

The Chronicle looked at projects on Cortese list sites for which the city granted or considered categorical exemptions. There were at least 20 such projects since 2015, according to city data. The Chronicle focused on 12 where developers planned to excavate thousands of cubic yards of soil to build hundreds of new residential units.

Public documents for five of the 12 sites show the city also tried a second method to avoid state review and fast-track development: common sense exemptions.

State law restricts such exemptions to projects that present no possibility of significant hazards.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

That wouldnt apply to the five sites, however. Developing them would mean disturbing a great deal of potentially contaminated soil: from 1,400 to nearly 17,000 cubic yards, depending on the site, said Douglas Carstens, an environmental lawyer near Los Angeles.

Transparency is sorely needed, Carstens said. So the cleanup is not just a bilateral negotiation between the project proponent and the city.

One of those sites is 2255 Taraval St. in the Outer Sunset neighborhood, where a former auto garage and laundromat left toxic residue behind.

The site is so clean we could bring it down to the beach, said the projects general contractor one recent afternoon as a crew built a wooden frame on the property. The development will be a four-story, mixed-use building with 10 residential units.

The contractor, who shepherded the development through the citys hazardous waste cleanup process, described rigorous tests and mitigation measures meant to keep toxic fumes at bay on the property. He asked that his name not be used because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly about the project.

He said the property now has a serious vapor barrier and a probe buried under 2 feet of concrete. The equipment, though, will have to be tested every few years to ensure it continues to contain the hazards, he 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.

If theres gas, then they might have to put in a fan, he said.

That kind of uncertainty is precisely why contaminated sites should go through the state-mandated environmental review process, Drury said.

The state process allows the public to demand greater levels of cleanup so that measures such as vapor barriers  which are effective, but can fail  are not necessary.

Drury said the Green Street garage site is a case in point for why public involvement matters.

For years, the auto repair business stored gasoline in four large underground storage tanks. The tanks were removed in 2016, but crews later found they had leaked benzene and other hazardous substances into the soil and groundwater.

Nevertheless, last October the Planning Department considered a categorical exemption for a five-unit condo that developers planned to build on the site.

Drury protested. But rather than drop its effort to exempt the project, the city added a common-sense exemption to its options. Drury argued that the site remained significantly contaminated, pointing to the citys own records showing that benzene in the groundwater exceeded safety thresholds by about 900 times.

The city then tried a third tactic: announcing that the developer could investigate and clean the site without going through the public environmental review process.

Alarmed neighbors appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

In February, the city dropped its exemption of the project  but again gave the developer the go-ahead to clean up the site without going through the states environmental review process.

This prompted Drury to fire off another written objection in April. He and the Green Street neighbors are still waiting for a response.

One of the neighbors who hired Drury last fall is Dr. Youjeong Kim, who lives across the street from the garage with her two children and husband, Ben Ellis.

The group of neighbors has spent many months and thousands of dollars trying to get the city to run the development through the states environmental review.

As a doctor and a parent it is really concerning and upsetting to me that of all places on Earth, we in San Francisco are going to skirt the law that is there to protect us, Kim said. If we hadnt had the time and the resources to press this issue, they would have just exempted it.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Nanette Asimov and newsroom developer Evan Wagstaff contributed to this report.

Cynthia Dizikes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CDizikes